I’m a fresh-out-of-college graduate. My degree is in English with a concentration in professional writing. For my degree completion, I needed to land an internship, and successfully did at an educational technology start up that basically produces AI Mentors for universities primarily, but also a few Fortune 500 companies. Obviously I jumped on this opportunity because as we move towards an AI dominated world, my professional writing degree probably won’t get me as far as demonstrable competency in the generative AI field.
Its been great, but most of the work I’ve done so far has been marketing related - scouring AI conferences for leads, doing research on those leads, and putting those leads into organized lists that we can then schedule sequenced prospecting emails through. I haven’t actually had much hands-on experience with building our AI Mentors or generative AI at all really. Recently, I’ve sat in and taken notes for sales calls, which has helped build some foundation of knowledge, but my understanding of the nitty gritty of generative AI still leaves a lot to be desired.
Now that I’m coming to the end of the internship, we’ve discussed next steps and my future at this company. One of the pre-requisites for actually getting hired is my knowledge on all things Gen AI - LLMs, all of the various models available, API keys, how it all works, etc. - being pristine. To be clear: I don’t need to know the engineering and actual technical work that goes into Gen AI, but I need to know what I’m talking about and be able to survive in a sales call with potential clients who may also know about Gen AI.
I basically have a week and a half to go from a general understanding of what Gen AI is to being fully competent and able to compete in this field.
Can y’all point me in the right direction? Any resources, free online courses, or any other sources of information that y’all could recommend me would be amazing.
I really, really want to land this job and give myself a more promising future than my degree can give me.
Thanks in advance!

Picked up my Overtrail+ last night and wanted to give some thoughts to quell some of the negativity on this page. Understand that this opinion is coming from a 40 yo/m that lives in Colorado, works in a high-end office district but spends every weekend skiing, fly fishing, hunting, hiking, camping. My prior history has been with Jeep Grand Cherokee both a 2018 Summit and then 2023 Summit High Altitude V8 with every option ($80k MSRP paid $73k). I’m 6’1 and larger frame. I am not interested in BMW/MB/RR etc due to my lifestyle. The GX OT+ is much more aggressive that it looks in pics and the road presence is somewhat dominating. Similar look to a Bronco on 33’s with the fenders and stance. Build quality is excellent, amazed how solid compared to the Jeep.
Purchased from Greenwood Village Lexus with no prior purchase history, on the list June 2023. Scott Mendlesohn is the new sales manager and is great to work with. Sounds like they have a list of approx. 70 per trim. All sold at MSRP with no ADM and in order of getting on the list no games. I was in the top 10 and one of 3 on the list for OT. Slee Off Road got the first OT and then I got the second which was OT+. Incognito with black roof, interesting point he shared was you cannot order black roofs right now on anything but Earth. They are going to do limited production runs of each color with roof. First order could be any color but now it will only be Earth that gets a black roof for a bit.
Base MSRP for Overtrail+ is $75,900. Options added were Bi-Color paint, Traffic Jam Assist $620 (I didn’t want but was correct about slow downs this morning on the highway), HUD $900, digital key $375, Mark Levinson $1,140, Cool Box $170 (preferred without but all are being delivered with it), alloy wheel locks and rubber cargo mat, +destination. All were requested items by me other than the digital key, traffic jam, cool box, black emblems, and alloy locks. I paid $81,250 which is MSRP as optioned, no mark up (some in this forum believe Options are a mark up and do not understand MSRP option pricing), and dealer did not pressure PPF, tint, nitrogen, extended warranty etc.. I declined all. Pricing is inline with my prior top of the Jeep Grand Cherokee L and I much prefer the GX. Looked at Tahoe, Yukon, Land Cruiser, various pickup’s all in the same price range and slightly higher. I believe that if you intend to off road this is the clear choice.

• Interior: does not have as much leather and stitching as the JGC nor does it have the upgraded headliner which I loved. I do prefer the GX interior as it is very nice and modern, I’m not as worried about it with weekend activities and dirt. Interior is very similar to what you get in similar priced pickups from GMC, Chevy, Ram. You would not be able to tell a difference between the NuLux and the Jeeps Nappa leather, will see how it ages/wear and tear. The ML sound system is ok, I have high end home stereo as well as upgraded systems in past vehicles with speakers like Focal. The McIntosh on the Jeep was probably a hair better, I’ll play with settings but I was not blown away, its fine for a car stereo and better with bass heavy songs and vocals, not much mid. Vehicle is tall and side steps are great, wider than the JGC which were useless. The windows all around feel very large and you can see everything! I have seen complaints about the hood moving, I noticed it much more on my Jeep. In my limited driving I was paying very close attention to it and wouldn't have noticed if people hadn't said anything on this forum. The Jeep I noticed immediately on my own.
• Tech: the JGC had a passenger side screen which was useless, night vision which again was useless, and a rear-view mirror camera which made me dizzy (I don’t think the GX has one). The massage seats on the GX are 100% better than they were on the Jeep, the touch screen is very responsive and intuitive, the HUD is better on the GX as you can move it up and down, make it brighter (one note on the HUD is if you lean more towards the center of the vehicle you will start to lose vision of it bc it is meant to be seen from straight on). The HUD also does much more than the JGC which only did speed/speed limit. Still playing with it but it’s a great addition. Surround cameras are clear and backup functions warnings are A+. The screen is bright and clear, easy to navigate. Not sure what tech I'm missing but it has everything and more than the Jeep.
• Ride: The JGC has air suspension, and this felt equally as comfortable on my commute and highway. Noticed the same bumps and nothing more significant. As responsive if not more than the Jeep, both in steering and power vs the Hemi V8. I was worried about it being sluggish like a 4runner or old GX but it was very quick for its size. You sit higher up and more upright, but these are both things I prefer. The dealer took off the $1500 roof rack since I didn’t want it so I can only comment on road noise as is and it was not noticeable at highway speeds. Tires are also quiet for being so big.
• Complaints: being nit picky and knowing that this is all this page cares about. My complaints are as follows. Side mirrors are tall but they are a little too narrow. Front seat width (knee to knee) is sufficient but slightly narrow but I am a bigger guy. We do not have kids but the 2nd row could be considered small for full size adults on road trips, my wife dog and I won’t have a reason to complain. Ambient lighting is hard to notice compared to the brightness and use in the JGC. Will try and add as I drive more but overall thrilled with the vehicle.

NOTE: I did turn off driver attention and auto braking functions

The Smart Lock Market Report is a comprehensive analysis of the current state and future trends of the Smart Lock industry. This report provides valuable insights and data that can guide industry stakeholders in making informed decisions and strategies. By examining key market indicators and analyzing industry dynamics, the Smart Lock Market Report offers a holistic view of the industry landscape.
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Key Findings

• The Smart Lock market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 19.1% during the forecast period.
• The demand for Smart Lock products is expected to increase due to ….
• The Smart Lock market is highly competitive, with several key players dominating the market share.
• The report highlights the emerging trends and opportunities in the Smart Lock market.
• The Smart Lock market is witnessing a shift towards online sales channels, driven by the increasing penetration of smartphones and internet connectivity.

The competitive landscape and regulatory framework sections of the report further include the recent market developments and key strategy matrix. The report is a systematic guide for new market entrants as well as those looking for investment opportunities.

• Global Diversity: Smart Lock Market’s global reach, with its numerous types and uses, is motivating Unique trends and demands exist in various markets and regions.
• Product Innovation: The continued development and innovation of products can support market’s ability to expand. Products that are updated and improved can attract customers and expand market opportunities.
• Market segmentation: market’s division into different uses and product categories enables companies to concentrate on niche markets with potential grow their market share and profitability
• Long-Term Growth Perspective: long-term growth perspective emphasis on growth forecasts for considerable amount of time suggests long-term perspective that affects strategic choices and investments.

Key Players in the Industry

The Smart Lock market is highly competitive, with several key players dominating the industry. The top players in the market include Avent Security, Cansec System ltd., and Hevenlock Inc. These companies have a strong presence in the market and are known for their innovative products and services.
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Regional Trends

The Smart Lock market is experiencing significant growth in several regions, including North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. Key drivers of growth in these regions include increasing demand for Smart Lock products, favorable government policies, and rising disposable incomes.
Comprising an important part of the study, the keyword research report attempts to provide useful insights related to the revenue prospects of manufacturers and the sales of product. This valuable market information plays a crucial part to promote business among manufacturers across the value chain. Additionally, to comprehend into the competitive landscape, the keyword market report is inclusive of the number of key players along with their products offered in the market.
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AJ Daniel
Email: [info@researchnester.com](mailto:info@researchnester.com)
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The retail property located at 1274 Central Park Drive in O’Fallon was sold for $3,100,000. The transaction was facilitated by Marcus & Millichap, with Andrew Antoniou and Dominic Sulo representing both the buyer and seller, who were limited liability companies. The property is occupied by Caliber Collision and is situated approximately 20 miles east of St. Louis.

Summary of transaction details:

• Property Type: Retail
• Transaction Amount: $3,100,000
• Address: 1274 Central Park Drive
• Market: O'Fallon
• Brokers: Andrew Antoniou & Dominic Sulo - Marcus & Millichap

Andrew Antoniou and Dominic Sulo of Marcus & Millichap played pivotal roles in representing both the buyer and seller of the retail property. The transaction involved limited liability companies on both ends, showcasing a smooth and successful deal for the property in O’Fallon.
Learn More: Marcus & Millichap Brokers 1274 Central Park Drive Retail Sale For $3.1M

Introduction:
I am a 28-year-old e-commerce entrepreneur from China, and I have been in the business for five years. Initially, I ventured into various product categories such as clothing, watches, and pet food, all of which ended in failure. Over time, I realized that in these saturated markets, I lacked competitiveness. Large players easily defeat smaller businesses through strategies like paid advertising, price reductions, promotions, and even selling at a loss to dominate market share.
To explain, selling at a loss refers to a strategy used for consumable goods with short repurchase cycles. This approach can crush competitors while quickly capturing market share, with profits recovered through customer repurchases. Of course, this requires careful optimization of the product SKUs.
Strategic Shift:
As a result, I shifted my strategy to avoid such cutthroat competition and started looking for "blue ocean" products. Previously, my product selection was based on intuition, and any success was merely due to luck and couldn't be reliably replicated. I began an in-depth analysis of data from the "Taobao" platform and realized I was constantly battling in a "red ocean." Before, I would only consider a product's trend charts (search popularity, conversion rates), thinking anything on the rise was good, but I overlooked other indicators like "online product count." For instance, the keyword "casual men's clothing" had a search popularity of 240,000 but faced over ten million competing products. That was the moment I understood my constant failures.
I subscribed to several data analysis platforms and began vigorously searching for products, eventually discovering a niche product with a search popularity of over 3,000 but only 180 items online: "shoes for elderly people with swollen feet." I contacted the supplier, obtaining the shoes for $11 per pair, or $12.50 if they handled shipping. The leading seller on the platform priced them at $29. Observing the mild competition, and poor quality of the product images in the listings, I bought a few pairs of the shoes, had a designer create exquisite images, and listed them at the same price but included three extra pairs of comfortable socks as a bonus. Orders began trickling in a week later. As autumn progressed and winter approached, search popularity for the shoes climbed to over 7,000. In winter, many elderly people suffer from swollen feet due to varicose veins or poor circulation, prompting their children to buy these adjustable shoes as a sign of filial piety.
My sales surged day by day, and that winter, I sold over 1,900 pairs of shoes, experiencing the thrill of earning over ten thousand a month and a deep sense of achievement. This success showed me that such outcomes are replicable, prompting me to collect more "blue ocean" products and open multiple shops. Some of these included post-surgery pillows, luxury cosmetic samples, and foot-soaking medicinal packages, most of which turned profitable.
Reflections:
This journey taught me that "one cannot make money beyond their understanding." Once you truly comprehend and deeply understand certain aspects, the path to success is less crowded. The key for the average person is to understand differentiated competition.sometimes, choice is more important than effort. Running an online business is actually simple; just manage your customers and suppliers well.
Looking Forward:
Recently, inspired by numerous cross-border e-commerce posts on TikTok, and considering my small company’s good performance with a profit of about $20,000 a month after paying six employees—a considerable income in China—I continue to explore new directions and profit opportunities, focusing on the European and American markets. Here, I hope to meet like-minded friends.
That's all from me for now. I welcome your comments . Thank you very much.

Introduction:
I am a 28-year-old e-commerce entrepreneur from China, and I have been in the business for five years. Initially, I ventured into various product categories such as clothing, watches, and pet food, all of which ended in failure. Over time, I realized that in these saturated markets, I lacked competitiveness. Large players easily defeat smaller businesses through strategies like paid advertising, price reductions, promotions, and even selling at a loss to dominate market share.
Strategic Shift:
To explain, selling at a loss refers to a strategy used for consumable goods with short repurchase cycles. This approach can crush competitors while quickly capturing market share, with profits recovered through customer repurchases. Of course, this requires careful optimization of the product SKUs.
As a result, I shifted my strategy to avoid such cutthroat competition and started looking for "blue ocean" products. Previously, my product selection was based on intuition, and any success was merely due to luck and couldn't be reliably replicated. I began an in-depth analysis of data from the "Taobao" platform and realized I was constantly battling in a "red ocean." Before, I would only consider a product's trend charts (search popularity, conversion rates), thinking anything on the rise was good, but I overlooked other indicators like "online product count." For instance, the keyword "casual men's clothing" had a search popularity of 240,000 but faced over ten million competing products. That was the moment I understood my constant failures.
I subscribed to several data analysis platforms and began vigorously searching for products, eventually discovering a niche product with a search popularity of over 3,000 but only 180 items online: "shoes for elderly people with swollen feet." I contacted the supplier, obtaining the shoes for $11 per pair, or $12.50 if they handled shipping. The leading seller on the platform priced them at $29. Observing the mild competition, and poor quality of the product images in the listings, I bought a few pairs of the shoes, had a designer create exquisite images, and listed them at the same price but included three extra pairs of comfortable socks as a bonus. Orders began trickling in a week later. As autumn progressed and winter approached, search popularity for the shoes climbed to over 7,000. In winter, many elderly people suffer from swollen feet due to varicose veins or poor circulation, prompting their children to buy these adjustable shoes as a sign of filial piety.
My sales surged day by day, and that winter, I sold over 1,900 pairs of shoes, experiencing the thrill of earning over ten thousand a month and a deep sense of achievement. This success showed me that such outcomes are replicable, prompting me to collect more "blue ocean" products and open multiple shops. Some of these included post-surgery pillows, luxury cosmetic samples, and foot-soaking medicinal packages, most of which turned profitable.
Reflections:
This journey taught me that "one cannot make money beyond their understanding." Once you truly comprehend and deeply understand certain aspects, the path to success is less crowded. The key for the average person is to understand differentiated competition—sometimes, choice is more important than effort. Running an online business is actually simple; just manage your customers and suppliers well.
Looking Forward:
Recently, inspired by numerous cross-border e-commerce posts on TikTok, and considering my small company’s good performance with a profit of about $20,000 a month after paying six employees—a considerable income in China—I continue to explore new directions and profit opportunities, focusing on the European and American markets. Here, I hope to meet like-minded friends.
That's all from me for now. I welcome your comments and discussions. Thank you very much.

May 12, 2024.
https://time.com/6977026/democrats-biden-executive-authority-grocery-prices/
A group of Democratic lawmakers are calling on President Joe Biden to investigate grocery store chains for price manipulation, writing in a letter sent Monday morning that he should use executive authority to take additional enforcement action to address rising food prices without the help of Congress.
The letter, shared exclusively with TIME, comes after a report from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) found that major grocery chains seemed to take advantage of supply chain disruptions during the pandemic to hike up prices to increase their profits. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat who led the letter and is one of its signatories, has called for more competition and stronger enforcement of antitrust laws to bring down grocery prices for families—but her proposed legislation on the topic has been largely stalled in Congress.
She’s now hoping that Biden will leverage his executive authority to initiate a thorough investigation into the alleged price-fixing practices of major grocery store chains. “Big food companies want to keep these huge profits and they're hiring plenty of lobbyists to keep Congress from acting,” Warren tells TIME in an interview. “Congress has stalled out on doing work that it could do to help families lower costs… and the President has the tools to fight back.”
Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Martin Heinrich (D-N. Mex.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Peter Welch (I-Vt.) also signed on to the letter requesting Biden’s intervention, along with 35 House Democrats. The lawmakers outlined several proposals in their letter that the Biden Administration could take—from encouraging the FTC to issue guidance on potential violations of price discrimination laws, to creating a joint task force to investigate food price manipulation throughout the supply chain.
As Biden seeks re-election, he has been hard pressed to construct an accessible story about how his economic policies are affecting real Americans. Polling data shows that the public remains deeply displeased by the prices they pay for food, which have gone up 21% in the last three years. And the majority of voters continue to rank inflation at the top of their list of issues facing the country, with most voters concerned about inflation naming “the cost of food and groceries” as the main source of their angst.
Research shows that from January 2020 to January 2024, the grocery expenses for a family of four on a “thrifty food plan” increased by 50%, while major supermarket conglomerates saw revenue spikes of up to 36% during this timeframe. “Purchasing food isn't a choice, it's a necessity,” says Lindsay Owens, the executive director of the Groundwork Collaborative, a left-leaning think tank that released a report in February on the key drivers of grocery inflation. “There's no getting around a trip to the grocery store in modern America, so I think Congress and the Biden Administration are rightly focused on what they can do, what suite of tools they have at their disposal for bringing down food and grocery prices for Americans, particularly when food and grocery prices are being kept artificially high because of market manipulation, collusion, and price gouging.”
The letter underscores what many progressive Democrats and liberal economic minds see as an urgent need for regulatory intervention to level the playing field in the food and grocery sector, ensuring fair competition and affordable prices for consumers nationwide. Studies have found that corporate profits account for more than 50% of current inflation as many American families are being hit with higher costs for groceries. In the food industry alone, four retailers—Walmart, Kroger, Costco, and Albertsons—account for over a third of national grocery sales, potentially allowing dominant retailers to extract more favorable prices and terms from suppliers.
The letter highlights several exclusionary practices that may be employed by dominant grocery firms, including slotting fees for product placement, category captain arrangements that skew market dynamics, and rebates incentivizing purchasing from dominant firms—all of which the lawmakers say effectively shut out smaller suppliers and drive up costs for American families. They claim that such practices may violate existing antitrust laws and regulations, including the Sherman Act, the Clayton Act, and the Robinson-Patman Act—which together prohibit monopolistic behavior, certain anti-competitive practices, and price discrimination.
(Sorry for the big excerpt but the piece takes its time to get to the meat of the issue, as it were).

The Undraftables: Week 6 Update (Going into/during Week 7)
This challenge was initially undertook with the NBA and it was fun, so decided to extend it to MLB as well. The rules are simple: Cannot select any player who has an Average Draft Position (ADP), regardless of how high or low it may be. Even if a player's ADP is 250+, they are off-limits if they have any average draft position. The draft took place on Sunday, April 7th. Admittedly, this was after the start of the season, but my focus had been primarily on the NBA season, leaving me with limited time to prepare for baseball. Nevertheless, managed to squeeze in most of my MLB prep work within a few days/week. This is a standard 12 team head to head category league on yahoo with 6 adds per week. The buy-in was lower than my usual, but not free (inactivity and too easy).
Here was the draft results:

1. (6) Lance McCullers Jr. (HOU - SP)
2. (19) Drew Rasmussen (TB - SP)
3. (30) Dustin May (LAD - SP)
4. (43) Ronel Blanco (HOU - SP,RP)
5. (54) Brady Singer (KC - SP)
6. (67) Paul Blackburn (OAK - SP)
7. (78) Cody Bradford (TEX - SP,RP)
8. (91) Chad Green (TOR - RP)
9. (102) Steven Matz (STL - SP,RP)
10. (115) Tanner Houck (BOS - SP)
11. (126) Tyler Anderson (LAA - SP)
12. (139) Spencer Turnbull (PHI - SP)
13. (150) Connor Joe (PIT - 1B,OF)
14. (163) José Caballero (TB - 2B,SS)
15. (174) Gio Urshela (DET - 1B,3B,SS)
16. (187) Will Brennan (CLE - OF)
17. (198) Jake McCarthy (AZ - OF)
18. (211) Jorge Mateo (BAL - SS)
19. (222) Dairon Blanco (KC - OF)
20. (235) Jacob Young (WSH - OF)
21. (246) Bubba Thompson (CIN - OF)
22. (259) Trevor Williams (WSH - SP)
23. (270) Reese McGuire (BOS - C)

Recent Additions from Last Week and This Week (since last update):

• Taijuan Walker (wins streamer)
• Bryse Wilson (wins streamer)
• Gavin Stone (wins streamer)
• Josh Lowe (1 FAAB)
• Dairon Blanco

Recent Drops This Week and Last Week:

• Sal Frelick (might re add)
• Esteury Ruiz (he just isn't playing or doing anything)
• Taijuan Walker
• Bryse Wilson
• Jameson Taillon (because he missed the start I was worried)

Trades that I performed since my last update:

• No trades for this week.

Current Roster and why I choose to own them:

• C: Luis Campusano (for AVG, sorta Runs?)
• 1B: Yandy Diaz (Runs, AVG)
• 2B: Ahmed Rosario (SB, AVG)
• 3B: Maikel Garcia (SB, Runs, maybe AVG, somehow RBI?)
• SS: Jose Caballero (SB, maybe AVG)
• OF: Jacob Young (AVG, SB, maybe R cuz leadoff?)
• OF: Jose Lowe (AVG, SB, possibly R)
• OF: Jackson Merrill (AVG mostly, mid SB, mid R)
• UTL: Jake McCarthy (AVG, SB)
• UTL: Dairon Blanco (AVG, SB)
• SP: George Kirby (Ace)
• SP: Kevin Gauseman (Ace)
• RP: James McArthur (closer)
• RP: Kirby Yates (closer)
• P: Hector Neris (closer)
• P: Cole Ragans (Ace)
• P: Chris Sale (Ace)
• P: Bobby Miller (Ace, but is hurt)
• Bench: Chris Bassit
• Bench: Erick Fedde (Numbers look elite like in the KBO)
• Bench: Jon Gray (2.36era 1.20whip, sell high operation)
• Bench: Garret Crochet (.99whip, high k rate, may sell high)
• Bench: Gavin Stone (streamer, sell high operation)
• IL: Jacob Degrom (ELITE when healthy)
• IL: Max Scherzer (ELITE when healthy)
• IL: Drew Rasmussen (almost elite when healthy, bit underrated)
• IL: Kodai Senga (almost elite when healthy)

Continue the grind! I made it through yet another week! I would like to talk about last week's matchup: It was a humbling defeat where I lost 3-6. The few categories I won were SB, Saves, K. We tied in wins with 7 for each of us. (Incredibly high amount of wins) My ERA and WHIP were massive because of my "Aces" not performing like it. Kirby, Gauseman and Ragans all did bad. People made a big fuss about me "winning those trades" a few weeks ago, but actually if I had Lugo and some of those other names I would have won this week.... Still long term I should be just fine. Oh McArthur also inflated my ratios. Walker was useful to help me with those wins. RP Neris somehow got 2 of them? Fedde continues to shine just like his KBO numbers and I'm much higher on him than most others are. On offense I barely got enough SB actually. Then really did NOT hit for high average. The two standouts were Yandy Diaz and Campusano! Ruiz was a terrible add and recently cut him. He hasn't played in 5 games. Time to shake this loss off and focus on the future.
No trades to report on this week. I was slightly less active trading and sending offers out this past week than I usually am. I still intend on selling high on Jon Gray and possibly Crochet (cuz innings limits concerns), and my streamer who just had an awesome start TUES Gavin Stone. Three for 1 package deal of course. I will be going after those buy low SP. I have no issues holding onto Jon Gray or Crochet either.
My matchup for this current week features an opponent who has only 22sb on the season compared to my 39. They only have hit for .243 average compared to my .251 so I feel pretty confident I can win at least those 2 offensive categories. Since we are two days in I'm actually ahead in runs at this moment too, however I doubt that will last since they are 4th in overall runs on the season. For pitching I'm absolutely dominant in the season stats. I am the LEADER in every single category. Pretty awesome considering the way I started at the draft! (It helps that players I took were absolutely incredible to start the year and I have streamed in many strong names). A deeper look on the pitching though they have 7 starts remaining vs my 5. I'm severely ahead thus far though with 4 wins, 26k, 0.94era, 0.70whip. So I absolutely have no real need to stream more SP. This is the manager that I traded some of my former SP like Tanner Houck, Seth Lugo, Jordan Hicks and Spencer Turnbull. They only have 2 closers compared to my 3 so I like my odds there too. I do predict a likely 7-3 victory for me this week.
In terms of the moves I have made already this week and my future moves this week: I secured a real nice speed and contact hitter in Josh Lowe! Feels like he will fit it on my squad perfectly! And it gets rid of my weakest hitter Ruiz. When I added in Dairon Blanco it's purely a speed play really. He may still be replaceable if this weekly matchup is close in runs and I need them later in week. Sal Frelick is an option to re add as well as other leadoff hitters across the majors. (Frelick hasn't been batting leadoff) I'm glad I held the line on Fedde and Crochet. I almost was going to drop them to stream in more starting pitchers. Late in the week I knew it was close in wins and I had no chance to win the ratios so I streamed in a few extra SP and cut Taillon. I certainly could have tried harder to "sell high" on him. Gavin Stone is fine on my roster, but I may actually add a pitcher with higher upside to both dangle in trades and/or just keep on team. I been in talks to obtain Jarren Duran or Brice Turang (both owned by the same manager) so that might be something that happens for the next update!
Bit of strategy talk here regarding my team build. The goal of a punt power build is to win 2 offensive categories (Ideally 3 eventually, R, AVG, SB) and win 4-5 pitching categories. (If you are able to obtain closers you have upside to win 5 pitching cats, if you punt saves then your upside is 4 and you would be more consistently likely to win WINS and K categories) I technically currently have the upside to win all 5 pitching and 2 hitting categories. (If I gain runs value I would even have maximum upside of 8 categories! 5+3=8) Remember that in category leagues you ONLY NEED TO WIN 6 categories folks! This is the benefit of punting! (And technically in h2h playoffs you can have a tie 5-5 and still advance to next round due to season standings and matchup ranking!) I think punting gives you less variance than other builds? Or maybe this less variance is just from having high AVG contact hitters? Discuss? (Could be an ongoing discussion throughout the season)
There is an interesting topic to bring up regarding trading for hitters who fit the "punt power" type of team build. I think buying low on Kwan and Trea Turner now become viable possibilities for my team and other punt power teams that may exist out there! If you have any other names that could be buy low, I'm all ears. Remember to always keep an eye out for prospects coming up who have the skills that you want/need! Sometimes you can trade away your current assets that you have for upgrades at weak positions on your team and then fill those holes of the guys you traded away with prospects who are coming up soon or have already come up. (Or a hot waiver wire bat that will fill in temporarily) In this way you become a team with "less weaknesses" (Of course that advice can apply to all sorts of type of team builds in head to head category leagues). What this means for this Undraftables team is I may be able to flip my pitching assets for hitting upgrades that give the full trifecta of RUNS, AVG, SB. (Corbin Caroll firmly on my future radar) Maybe I should already be sending feelers, hmmm...
Overall, continue to be quite happy with my team's performance and strategy, (despite last week's loss). As mentioned my goal is to win by a score of 6-4 or tie 5-5, but eventually will have upside to win 7-3 or even 8-2. I'm willing to make adjustments for each week and consider player recommendations to achieve that goal. So far, this has gone better than I expected (whereas this was tougher in the NBA)! One of the bigger takeaways you can glean from this strategy is that there are numerous ways to win a category league. I have won with punt power strategy for 3-4 years now so for me it is "proven winner". (Notate that this punt power strategy has NOT been tested in Roto YET. I plan to test that next year. Is this the best way to "punt power"? No, remember this was an "extra challenge" that I set forth upon myself.) You really don't have to go "Undraftables" (hard mode) like I have! A big takeway is that having superstars (or stars) undeniably will help a build like this do even better (Ronald Acuna, Elly De La Cruz, Witt, Corbin Carroll, etc), but you don't necessarily "need" those superstars. Instead you just need to have the right build or combination of players and a focus on your matchups. (In fantasy and MLB) There are various "useful" players with skill sets that are still worthy. You don't always need "The best player" in everything. (At least NOT IN A CATEGORY LEAGUE) If you have suffered severe injuries to some power hitters (like Trout, Casas, Royce Lewis, Josh Jung) you could transition and/or trade into a "punt power build" to try it out? (Or that could be something you consider further down the road in the season too) If you need help on how to do it, I'm your guy!
I'll provide weekly updates on the team's progress, so let me know if you'd like to follow along or have any suggestions! Thoughts on the team? If you want the previous updates on the team with "How I ended up here" and each week breakdown you can find them in a FB group or I can send them to you in a message. (I wasn't able to post early in season because I changed reddit profiles (hated my username) from last year which had bunches of karma!) (Can't post if you don't have enough karma) Additionally, I'm recruiting for next year, (although this is NOT the central goal of this post) where this unique drafting strategy will be the league's standard for each owner.

On the hunt for my next signature frag, I decided to test out the Nykaa Moi range of fragrances. It was on sale, I thought why not.
I'm disappointed to say the least. Overall review at the end of the post.
I tried out a set of 4: Joie de Vivre, Matin, Raison d'etre, and Fleur

Moi Joie de Vivre

3/5
Description from the site: Joie de vivre is the French phrase that means 'joy of life'. This summer fragrance brings together the complexity of citrus with aromatic and fruity-woody notes making it super sensual even when worn on a hot summer day. Perfect for days to watch the world go by.
Fresh beautiful citrus-y opening, but dries down quickly and into a generic attar-like smell. This was disappointing.

Matin

2.5/5
Description from the site: Matin’ or morning, in French is a fragrance that will brighten your day as it reveals its fresh and crisp notes of Magnolia and Rose. With a hint of Bergamot to excite and a woody tapering of Musk to soften, it’s the right accessory to have any day, everyday.
Opens like a summer scent, and settles into the skin like parachute hair oil, idk.

Raison d'etre

2/5
Description from the site: Raison d'etre, the French phrase translating to 'reason for being' inspires a subtle, yet elegant fragrance to give you an air of calm domination. Here, a well-crafted potion of sensual Rose and Vanilla is tapered with Musk and Vetiver for a powerfully feminine feel.
Too floral, powdery a smell. Nothing to note.

Fleur

1/5
Description from the site: Fleur is your go-to feel good fragrance. It opens with a heady blend of bergamot, tea and osmanthus that intermingle with a sweet bouquet of floral notes. After getting off to a sweet start, it settles into the cozy embrace of musk and patchouli to leave you feeling blissfully satisfied
Sickly sweet, vanilla. Awful opening notes, gave me a headache almost immediately.
Overall:
Avoid these scents like the plague.
I actually bought them in the recent nykaa sale but changed my mind after a day. But found out I couldn't just cancel it since it had already shipped. I couldn't be arsed to write an email, so I thought I'd just try them out, esp Joie de Vivre.
They smell really cheap, something like supermarket Layerr wattagirl series, which reminds me of my first year of college and makes me vomit.
Love, light and health!

Context: Not a MBBS Student, but a tech enthusiast.

Those who don't even have idea about tablets, i will try to clear out.

Why Tablets are a big thing suddenly when you are joining MBBS.

• The thing is, tablets have a bigger comfortable screen as compared to mobile, and you can easily manage all your books, notes, etc. on it. MBBS is a long course with 19 subjects so maintaining hard copies of your material can be very difficult, moreover the books are hell expensive and e books are economical.

Is Tablet a necessity?

• Of course not, but I believe having a tablet can help a lot, you can refer multiple resources on it, and for watching your lectures too.
• There is a long debate on paper vs tablet, people tend to make different opinions, I personally believe one should be open to new technologies, like we shifted to online coaching immediately as well, so what's the big deal with digital note taking.
• You do NOT need the high end iPad pro model for study purposes, economical Android tablets also serve you alright as far as your study needs are concerned. Of course the more you spend the better you get but you should be well aware about your own needs, don't spend unknowingly.

Android vs iPad

• Being honest, Apple dominates tablet industry with their superb long lasting devices, even now i see people using models from 2017-2018 and they are not giving up.
• You need to understand that if you are low on budget, or need to push your financial limits for an iPad over an android device, it's not a wise purchase. Even android tablets will go alright for your academic use.
• If you are getting it as a gift, or you are financially well to spend that much, get an iPad over an android device, get that longevity.

Android options

• Xiaomi Pad 6: Some people stay doubtful regarding Xiaomi devices, but if you are low on budget this one is the best you can bag. The package of Tablet and Pencil will be under 30k.
• Samsung S8/S9 series: Of course they fall short against their apple competitors in that price range, but if you get a deal somewhere in cheap, hop for it.
• There are tablets available under 20k too, but they don't support pencil so it is basically a larger screen to watch lectures, if you want to buy them , why not explore second hand 14 inch laptops? And no those 300 rupees stylus are not pencils, they don't support features like palm rejection.
• Avoid S6 lite, you got better options than that.

iPad options:

• There are three options from Apple: iPad, iPad Air and iPad Pro.
• iPad is the basic iPad, it is the most value for money range, there are two variants available, 9th and 10th generation, both of them are good for their price, 10th generation is having a crazy price cut, do check it, only con is that if you are planning an apple pencil with it, you need to charge it through USB, it doesn't support magnetic charging.
• iPad Air is the ideal for students as it support New Second Gen apple pencil, ideal size to carry anywhere, and the newer ones comes with 128 GB base storage. There are not specific cons, but if you are considering the 13 inch iPad, you get so close to the iPad Pro range, which got some upgrades.
• iPad Pro is the the best Apple offers, it now comes with an OLED panel, new apple pencil pro, thin form factor and what not. It got a 120hz display and good speaker quality too.
• No iPad will give you performance issues, their processors are so well optimized.
• Suggestion: As the new iPads arrive, older ones will witness major price cut, so it's possible that you get an old Air for the price of normal iPad, or iPad Pro 2021/2022 for the price of iPad Air, so do check your offline stores, online stores and wait for stock clearance sales.
• Back to School sale by Apple starts next month, you get a free Apple pencil worth 11k with your iPad,

Apple pencil v/s Third Party options

• If one don't want to spend 11k on a pencil, they can get their copies from various brands starting from 2k.
• They don't have pressure sensitivity, if you don't have issues with that, get the alternative one, however there are quality issues with the one which charges magnetically, so USB charging might be a better option.

Storage

• 64 GB internal storage for sure feels inadequate, almost all Tablets now start at 128GB.
• 128 GB is a good sufficient storage point, but one should consider their needs as well, if you are planning to store a lot of media, or considering content creation, get 256GB at least.
• Buying cloud storage is also a good idea if you want storage just for storing some content.

With the rapid development of residential energy storage in Europe, it has emerged as a key player in the realm of energy transformation. On one hand, the imperative of transitioning to renewable energy sources is undeniable. On the other hand, certain regions grapple with weak grid infrastructure, intensifying the demand for localized residential storage solutions. As the industry matures, accompanied by declining raw material costs, the prices of residential storage systems are starting to decline. Simultaneously, the burgeoning demand for Energy Storage Systems (ESS) suggests ample room for further market penetration.
Moreover, residential energy storage products primarily cater to consumers (To C), necessitating a competitive edge in product quality, brand recognition, and distribution channels to ensure sustained profitability.
In 2022, the energy storage industry witnessed a meteoric rise, evolving from its nascent stages. By 2023, however, demand tapered off amidst shifting policies and inventory dynamics. Now, in 2024, the trajectory of the residential energy storage sector is poised to be influenced by a multitude of factors, including sustained policy support, product innovation, channel optimization, dwindling inventory levels, and declining interest rates. The forthcoming discussion will delve into the anticipated future of the industry, drawing insights from the experiences of international energy storage enterprises.
SolarEdge:
SolarEdge dominates the European market, offering cost-effective products that pose a challenge for our enterprises to match. Renowned as a top player in solar and storage inverters across Europe and the United States, SolarEdge boasts a market share that reigns supreme in both regions.
Established in Delaware in 2006, SolarEdge experienced rapid growth through strategic collaborations, notably with Tesla SolarCity from 2013 to 2015, culminating in its NASDAQ listing in 2015. The 2017 mandate by the United States NEC requiring solar PV systems to integrate Module Level Power Electronics (MLPE) with rapid shutdown functionality played to SolarEdge's strengths, enabling the company to swiftly expand its market share.
According to data from Wood Mackenzie, SolarEdge secured the 7th position in global inverter shipments in 2022, firmly establishing its dominance in European and American markets.
SolarEdge's product portfolio encompasses a diverse range of offerings, including solar and storage inverters, energy storage systems, uninterruptible power supplies, electric vehicle charging stations, and integrated solar and energy storage solutions. These solutions cater to various sectors, spanning from residential and commercial to utility-scale ground-mounted power installations.
In 2023, SolarEdge introduced the SolarEdge One software, marking a significant expansion into the realm of virtual power plants. Through sophisticated algorithms, this software facilitates new energy power trading, empowering customers with advanced solar and energy storage solutions. By bridging the gap between software and hardware, SolarEdge continues to bolster its product ecosystem, solidifying its position as a leading provider of comprehensive new energy solutions.
With a strong focus on customer collaboration, technological mastery, and leveraging the benefits of U.S. trade policies, SolarEdge has consistently excelled.
The first phase, starting in 2013, saw SolarEdge achieve rapid revenue growth through strategic partnerships, notably with Tesla SolarCity. During this period, the company experienced a remarkable compound annual growth rate of 83.7% from 2013 to 2016.
In 2017, the introduction of stringent safety regulations by the U.S. NEC mandated the use of Module Level Power Electronics (MLPE) with rapid shutdown capabilities in PV systems, rendering traditional string inverters obsolete for residential energy storage solutions. SolarEdge, with its mastery of the requisite technology, swiftly capitalized on this shift, rapidly expanding its market share and witnessing substantial revenue growth in 2018 and 2019.
The third phase unfolded in 2018 with the imposition of 10% tariffs on Chinese PV inverters under U.S. trade policies. SolarEdge benefited from these trade barriers. Subsequently, in May 2019, tariffs were increased to 25%, prompting Huawei's withdrawal from the U.S. inverter market. Despite the overall growth of the new energy industry, SolarEdge experienced a revenue decline in 2023, attributed to the industry-wide destocking process.
Reports indicate that market demand in Europe and the U.S. was disrupted by high interest rates and policy uncertainties. In 2023, SolarEdge's revenue from its inverter, optimizer, and backup battery businesses reached $1.37 billion, $900 million, and $380 million respectively. This represented a 20.8% increase, a 20.5% decline, and an 11.8% decrease from the previous year. Furthermore, sales figures stood at 1.013 million sets, 17.4 million sets, and 744 MWh, marking declines of 0.8%, 26.6%, and 2.2% respectively compared to the previous year. The unit prices were recorded at USD 1,356 per set, USD 52 per set, and USD 0.51 per kWh respectively.
The substantial decline in optimizer sales can be attributed to the superiority of micro-inverter solutions over optimizer and string solutions in meeting the stringent MLPE requirements set forth by the NEC for rapid shutdown functionality.
In 2023, the company's photovoltaic business revenue in the European and U.S. markets amounted to $1.81 billion and $760 million, respectively. This represented a 15.8% increase in Europe but a significant 35.9% decline in the U.S. compared to the previous year. While the beginning of 2023 saw some relief in the industrial chain situation, the European market initially experienced rapid growth despite a slowdown. However, the latter half of the year was marred by high interest rates and policy uncertainties in countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium, and Italy, resulting in a substantial contraction in market demand. Although the company's revenue from the European market maintained modest growth, the growth rate declined by 55% compared to the previous month. Similar trends were observed in the U.S. market, exacerbated by the transition of California's NEM 2.0 policy to 3.0, which created a vacuum in the demand for distributed PV storage.
In 2023, the European and American market demand was significantly affected by uncertain policies, with expectations for gradual recovery in 2024. Throughout the year, power optimizer shipments fluctuated, reaching 6.4 million, 5.5 million, 3.3 million, and 2.2 million sets from Q1 to Q4 respectively. Inverter shipments followed a similar pattern, with 330000, 335000, 274000 and 74000 units shipped during the same period. Energy storage battery pack shipments also varied, with 221 MWh, 269 MWh, 121 MWh, and 133 MWh recorded from Q1 to Q4 respectively. However, in the latter half of 2023, impacted by lower demand and high inventory, SolarEdge's shipments experienced a sharp decline compared to the previous month.
Looking ahead to 2024, several developments are anticipated in the following regions:

1. Germany: Expectations are that certain tariff caps will be lifted in 2024, resulting in higher electricity prices in the country. Consequently, the return on investment (ROI) for photovoltaic (PV) installations is projected to increase, fueling continued growth in residential PV installations.
2. Austria: It is anticipated that the value-added tax (VAT) on PV power generation, introduced at the beginning of 2024, will be repealed.
3. Netherlands: The uncertainty stemming from the 2023 election and the changing net metering policy led to a sharp decline in PV installations in Q4. Recent decisions by the Dutch Senate indicate a potential sustainability of net metering, prompting optimistic market responses in the future.

Enphase:
Anticipated shifts in demand are on the horizon as the second quarter of 2024 draws to a close.
Enphase stands as the undisputed global leader in microinverters, spearheading advancements in solar, energy storage, and charging solutions. Founded in 2006 in Delaware, Enphase revolutionized the market by introducing the world's first microinverter, the M175. In 2011, Enphase embarked on a global expansion strategy, penetrating the MLPE market in Europe, Australia, and other regions, culminating in its listing on the NASDAQ in 2012.
Leveraging its pioneering status in the MLPE sector, Enphase has continually enhanced its microinverter products, elevating power output from 175W in the first generation to 550W in the eighth generation. The latest iteration of inverters boasts additional features such as split-phase grid connection and off-grid capability. As a result, Enphase commands a market share exceeding 70%, firmly establishing itself as the industry leader.
Building on its expertise in microinverter technology, Enphase embarked on a series of strategic mergers and acquisitions, consolidating businesses in energy storage, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and cloud services to develop comprehensive solar and storage solutions for households.
In 2016, Enphase introduced its inaugural residential storage product, marking its entry into the energy storage sector. By the close of 2020, the company unveiled the IQ Battery residential storage system, expanding its product portfolio to encompass residential energy storage solutions. Enphase IQ Batteries operate on low-voltage DC power, mitigating the risks associated with high-voltage DC power and enhancing system safety and efficiency.
In 2021, Enphase ventured into the electric vehicle charging infrastructure market with the acquisition of ClipperCreek. The following year, the acquisition of GreenCom positioned Enphase as a leading provider of home solar, energy storage, and charging system solutions, bolstering its offering with Internet of Things (IoT) solutions.
Thanks to favorable policies, expanded channels, and enhanced product competitiveness, Enphase has experienced rapid revenue growth since 2019.
On one hand, Enphase has reaped the benefits of supportive policies such as the NEC 2017 mandate requiring residential PV systems to integrate Module Level Power Electronics (MLPE), driving demand for the company's microinverters. Additionally, the 301 tariff prompted Huawei's exit from the U.S. inverter market in 2019. Furthermore, the IRC's gradual reduction of the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) subsidy from 2019 onward stimulated PV market growth. The introduction of the IRA in 2022, alongside the extension of the Advanced Manufacturing Production Tax Credit (AMPTC) and Advanced Energy Project Investment Tax Credit (AEPITC) subsidies, has had a significant impact. These subsidies, extended to 2032 and 2030 respectively, have bolstered Enphase's microinverter production.
In terms of channel expansion, Enphase's acquisition of SunPower's subsidiary in 2018 solidified its position as the exclusive supplier. Moreover, strategic partnerships with Sunrun, LG, Panasonic, Solaria, and GRID Alternatives have further expanded its reach and market presence.
Regarding product development, Enphase has concentrated on promoting its IQ 7 and IQ 8 series microinverters since 2019. With conversion efficiencies of up to 97.5%, these inverters cater to a broader range of solar panel installations. Additionally, the higher power range of Enphase's inverters ensures compatibility with solar panels in various regions, while the company's commitment to efficient after-sales service has reduced average waiting times to less than one minute.
By the latter half of 2023, Enphase faced increased pressure in both the US and European markets due to weakened demand for energy storage and high inventory levels.
In the US market, the transition to NEM 3.0 and elevated interest rates dampened investor confidence in residential solar storage investments. As per the company's investor communications, revenue from the US market dropped by 16% and 35% in the third and fourth quarters of 2023 respectively, compared to the previous quarters. Notably, the California market experienced a sharper decline, with Enphase's microinverter sales falling by 25% and 27% in Q3 and Q4 respectively, while non-California markets remained relatively stable.
In Europe, the anticipated demand recovery in the latter half of 2023 fell short of expectations, exacerbating distributor inventory backlogs. Enphase's top three European markets—Netherlands, France, and Germany—faced distinct challenges. The Netherlands saw hesitancy among users awaiting the removal of the net metering program, while seasonality impacted the French market, and the German market grappled with feed-in tariff reductions. Consequently, market demand and shipments related to residential PV in major European countries all experienced declines.
According to Enphase's investor communication disclosures, microinverter shipments in 2023 were as follows: 4.8 million units in Q1, 5.2 million units in Q2, 3.9 million units in Q3, and 1.6 million units in Q4. Additionally, battery shipments totaled 102.0 MWh, 82.3 MWh, 86.0 MWh, and 80.7 MWh from Q1 to Q4 in 2023 respectively. However, in the latter half of 2023, microinverter shipments experienced a sharp decline due to weak demand and inventory accumulation. Enphase estimates that channel inventory will normalize by the end of Q2 in 2024, with shipments expected to increase again in Q3. Conversely, battery sales, buoyed by NEM 3.0, continue to rise.
Currently, the European market shows signs of recovery, while the California market is anticipated to gradually improve. The Dutch parliament recently confirmed that net metering policy will remain unchanged in the short term, and electricity costs have increased in France and Germany. Consequently, it is expected that the company's business will reach its nadir in the first quarter of 2024. In the United States, non-California markets are poised for swift recovery after interest rate fluctuations. However, the California market's recovery may take several quarters due to the transition from NEM 2.0 to NEM 3.0. Nevertheless, given the high electricity costs, the integration of solar and energy storage offers a higher return on investment under NEM 3.0, leading to a gradual recovery in market demand.

The global Essential Oils Market size was valued at USD 10.47 billion in 2022. The market is projected to grow from USD 11.41 billion in 2023 to USD 22.41 billion by 2030, exhibiting a CAGR of 10.13% during the forecast period.
Aetheroleum oils are termed non-water soluble liquids comprising unstable aroma compounds of the plants. The global market is mostly driven by the robust trend of green consumerism among the growing popularity of natural products for sensory-related aspects and food preservation.
Fortune Business Insights™ mentioned this in a report titled “Essential Oils Market, 2023-2030.”
Information Source - https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/industry-reports/essential-oils-market-101063
~Segments~
Citrus to Dominate Market Owing to Increasing Popularity among Consumers
On the basis of type, the market is divided into eucalyptus, rosemary, citrus, lavender, tea tree, peppermint, and others. The citrus segment holds the largest Essential Oils Market share owing to their superior functional, availability, organoleptic characteristics, and strong demand dynamics.
Food & Beverages Segment to Hold the Market Share Owing to Increasing Demand for Oils
According to application, the market is divided into spa & relaxation, food & beverages, personal care & cosmetics, pharmaceuticals & medicinal formulations, and others. The food & beverages segment is anticipated to hold the largest share during the forecast period. The segment is expected to grow due to the addition of ethereal oils to food products that increase the sensory characteristics of various edibles, shelf-life, and storage stability.
Growing Awareness about the Product to Drive the Direct Distribution Channel Sales
As per distribution channel, the market is segmented into direct distribution, MLM distribution, and retail distribution. The direct distribution segment leads the market with the largest market share. Increasing consumer demand to feel the oil’s fragrance is expected to drive market growth.
~Report Coverage-~
The report offers:

• Major growth drivers, restraining factors, opportunities, and potential challenges for the market.
• Comprehensive insights into regional developments.
• List of major industry players.
• Key strategies adopted by the market players.
• Latest industry developments such as product launches, partnerships, mergers, and acquisitions.

~Drivers & Restraints-~
Growing Demand and Need for Natural Ingredients to Foster Market Growth
The use of plant-based volatile oil has a vital role in the natural preservation of foods despite the increasing distress of synthetic food additives and their long-term harmful effects. Ethereal oils have shown antibacterial actions in foods such as milk, fish, meat products, fresh meat, dairy products, and cooked rice.
Ethereal oils are very concentrated products. Further, one pound of lavender oil consumes around 250 pounds of lavender flowers. The ever-rising demand against constrained supply is bound to create high-price scenarios, hindering its utilization across different application sectors in developing economies.
~Regional Insights-~
Europe to Dominate the Market Share Owing to Plant-based Volatile Oils
Europe is anticipated to dominate the market share in 2022. The producers of cosmetics in Europe are inclining heavily toward including ethereal oils in their formulations. The increasing popularity and demand for aromatherapy in the U.K., Germany, and France is anticipated to further contribute to the Essential Oils Market growth.
North America is anticipated to have second position in terms of market share. The demand for the product in the region is anticipated to witness noteworthy growth during the projected period.
~Competitive Landscape-~
Industry Association a Priority for Prominent Companies in the Market
The global market remains primarily fragmented owing to the importance of local and private-label brands in different regions. Prominent companies, such as International Flavors and Fragrances Inc., Givaudan International SA, and Symrise AG, embark on acquisitions and mergers to increase their importance in the marketplace.
~List of Key Players Present in the Report~~:~

• Biolandes SAS (France)
• Givaudan International SA (Switzerland)
• International Flavours and Fragrances Inc. (U.S.)
• Symrise AG (Germany)
• Enio Bonchev Production Ltd. (Bulgaria)
• The Lebermuth Company, Inc. (U.S.)
• Essential Oils of New Zealand (New Zealand)
• Phoenix Aromas & Essential Oils LLC (U.S.)
• Sydney Essential Oil Co. (Australia)
• Young Living Essential Oils (U.S.)

Someone recently posted their $BB yolo yesterday, and that piqued my interest again in the stock. Most people remember BB as the dominant cellphone of the 2000s before Steve Jobs and his pancreas released the iPhone. BB phones were practical, resilient, and most importantly secure for a device of that era.
So like a bitch in heat, I passionately purchased calls earlier today. But soon thereafter, buyer's regret took a hold of me after sifting through $BB 10-Ks and old DD. I compared some data between competitors, and soon realized how much of a shitshow this stock currently is.
2021: Bad - No offense to the guys that made $BB DD in the past, but it was all pure speculation, probably so that the highly esteemed ritards of WSB would buy their bags.

• Pros: Very high short interest, nice lemon squeezy; plus tons of business potential with their tech in the EV sectors, IOT, and Cybersecurity.
• Cons: BB had practically no revenue growth; bad financials; an exciting deal with Amazon whittled away to nothing.

2024: Slightly less bad, still not worth buying without chance of short squeeze

• Pros: Less debt, stronger sales and resilience in cybersecurity; sales strategies starting to look promising; meme buzz
• Cons: Flat revenue growth, difficult financials; much less short interest, 8% so no squeeze likely; customer dissatisfaction/stronger competition

Financial: I created a spreadsheet to calculate data pulled manually from 10-Ks to compare past years numbers, but figured this would be too much to add to the post and frankly it's a lot of extra work than needed. I know most of you would just skip over the numbers.
BB been spending tons in R&D in past years, and this has taken chunks of what would be juicy profits. Now in what seems like a move to gain interest from investors, they are making cost cuts to improve financials. This could mean falling behind in tech advantage to larger companies like MSFT.

• Total revenue was up $853mil (2024) vs. $656mil (2023) from last year, but still down from 2020 and 2021
• Net income (money that you take home) was negative 3 out of the 4 last years (due to very high operating expenses)

YEAR	2021	2022	2023	2024
Net income	-$1.1bil	$12mil	-$130mil	-$734mil

• Debt slashed by 45%, and traded for longer term repayment, but with higher interest rates.

Technology: Competition in this sector is ROUGH... tons of different endpoint management and security products out there... including Microsoft, Cisco, and Google. Cybersecurity companies such as CrowdStrike, Palo Alto and IBM, make it difficult for BB to get their foot in the door. Not to mention there's tons of posts from actual IT/Security folk on reddit that have moved away or avoided using Cyclance, BB's security platform.
Why is Cylance doing so poorly Business Wise compared to Crowdstrike, Palo Alto, Microsoft etc. :
Is Cylance I’m still a thing in 2021+? :
Endpoint protection options :
Buzz: Only way in short term that BB price will drive up is if retail buys a fuck ton, and while the cheap price is appealing, the other meme stocks are more attractive.
In conclusion, I regret my financial decision to buy calls and hope this will help others make better decisions than me.

TL;DR: $BB is not worth your money unless you like pain.

LinkedIn Company Insights can quickly show you important insights about a company, help you understand the competition and find chances for growth. It's designed for marketers, sales reps, investors, researchers and various other profs.🙎🏻♂️Who is it for?This tool is designed for marketers, sales reps, investors, researchers and various other profs. It quickly shows you important things about a company, like employee count, team functions, team locations, and much more! Using this tool helps you understand the competition, get important business information, and find chances for growth. It's easy to use, right at your fingertips when you check the company's LinkedIn page.🏦With AroundDeal Company Insights, just one click gives you a full picture of how a company is growing. You can see the important numbers that show its progress in different areas.

1. Employee count trends every month, 6-month growth percentage, and average median tenure.
2. Employee location insights, revealing the percentage of employees in each country.
3. Employee function insights, highlighting the dominant functions within the company.
4. New hire counts insights, revealing the monthly fluctuations in new hires.

Company Insights Tool

Hello, I have many of the EU4 DLC's but have skipped out on a few of them over the years. Currently the only ones I dont own are Winds of Change, Domination, Leviathan, Dharma, Kings of Kings, and Origins. But are any of these super crucial? I was a little skeptical since they are on sale but their reviews are all mixed except for Leviathan which is mostly negative.
Also on a separate note since I am sure people are also curious, but where would Winds of Change rank in terms of required DLC?

Furniture Flipping on Amazon: Sourcing from China

Have you ever dreamed of turning your passion for furniture into a profitable business?
This post explores how you can leverage Amazon's vast marketplace to sell furniture, while also diving into the world of importing from China to find unique and affordable pieces.
1. The Allure of Amazon Furniture Sales:

• Dive into statistics on the growth of online furniture sales and Amazon's dominance in the e-commerce market.
• Explain how Amazon's vast customer base allows you to reach a wider audience compared to local stores.
• Discuss the benefits of Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) for furniture sellers, including storage, packaging, and shipping handled by Amazon, freeing up your time to focus on sourcing and marketing.

2. Finding Your Niche:

• Advise on researching current furniture trends and identifying gaps in the market.
• Offer examples of profitable niches, such as mid-century modern pieces, industrial coffee tables, or space-saving furniture for small apartments.
• Recommend attending trade shows or browsing online marketplaces to identify popular styles and potential customer needs.

3. Sourcing in China: A Treasure Trove for Furniture Importers

• Explain how China is a major furniture manufacturing hub, offering a vast selection of styles at competitive prices, making it an attractive option for furniture importers.
• Discuss the variety of furniture available from China, ranging from classic to modern, and the ability to find unique pieces not readily available elsewhere.
• Briefly mention potential drawbacks of importing furniture from China, such as longer lead times and communication challenges, but emphasize these can be mitigated with proper planning.

4. Partnering for Success with a Sourcing Agent When Importing Furniture from China

• Introduce the concept of sourcing agents who can help you find reliable suppliers in China, negotiate prices, and ensure quality control during the furniture import process.
• Explain how sourcing agents can bridge the language barrier and navigate cultural differences to streamline the buying process for furniture importers.
• Briefly discuss the importance of establishing a clear communication plan with your chosen sourcing agent.

5. Logistics Lowdown: Importing Furniture from China

• Break down the import process step-by-step for furniture importers, including:
  • Identifying Harmonized System (HS) codes for your furniture (used for customs classification).
  • Researching potential import duties and taxes for furniture entering your country.
  • Comparing different shipping options (ocean freight vs. air freight) based on cost, speed, and furniture size.
  • Discussing the importance of clear product labeling and documentation for customs clearance when importing furniture from China.
• Briefly mention resources available online or through government agencies to help navigate import regulations.

6. Building Your Brand:

• Emphasize the importance of high-quality product photography showcasing the furniture's details and functionality from multiple angles.
• Explain the power of compelling product descriptions that highlight features, and benefits, and target the specific needs of your chosen niche.
• Briefly discuss the importance of customer service and positive reviews for building trust and repeat business on Amazon.

https://shipfromchinatousa.com/how-to-import-furniture-from-china/

My fellow gamers, for too long has our community suffered the indignation of an intolerable culture that has denigrated, besmirched, exploited, and has outright demonized our culture of unique individuals with a genuine love of a hobby that they see as profitable and progressive. They have taken beloved IP’s (Intellectual Properties) and twisted them into their own personal ideological crusade of undermining and humiliating the core aspects of characters they deemed as “Toxic” or “White Supremacy”. Through the guise and protection of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity) & ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) they have used our influence in the entertainment industry to push their narratives and agendas that have stigmatized our culture with numerous anti-consumer practices that they call “being progressive”. But the truth of the matter is they were never really looking to be a part of our community, they simply wanted to use our community as a tool of activism and propaganda in the entertainment industry as it was extremely profitable, and they wanted inclusion in that division. Ever since GamerGate & Female Frequency, we have had to endure the incursion of forced ideologies, xenophobic behaviors and inferior overpriced products that have never been in our best interest and have been flat out disgraceful towards foreign media.
Before Gaming had become a major source of entertainment, we were often categorized as anti-social or societies rejects where because we found more enjoyment in playing fictional characters and not spending as much time out and about, we never fully assimilated in society (which is a good thing if you ask me). From 1998 to 2007, at the height of innovation, creativity and production, Gaming had reached a golden age in which it had revolutionized society. Hollywood Execs who had ruined the movie industry turned their attention to video games as a source of income since video games had outperformed movies in terms of profit. No one was concerned about gaming, much less diversity or inclusivity until it became profitable. This makes people like SBI look extremely disingenuous as they were not interested in gamers as a community with its own culture. They simply wanted to use it as another weapon in identity politics.
Microtransactions; the hidden enemy to gamer progress and inducer to mental laziness of our community. Microtransactions have been around for a long time; however, it has never been more potent and apparent than in recent years. It has aided in the dismantling and segregation of players on the ideology of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) and has created another sub-culture of gamers who have no real drive to be better outside of how much money they put into the game. This has degraded our culture as well as we have become “fat” off transactional gaming but at the same time we have been “starved” of purposeful gaming where our achievements were our sustenance. I am not saying that microtransactions are bad, but when they are exploitative and predatorial like they have been and don’t give gamers room to grow, we become lethargic and unwilling to improve ourselves as gamers. Oversaturated microtransactional games are one of the many reasons why we have become complacent and unwilling to fight against the exploitative tactics used by big brand game companies such EA, Ubisoft, ActivisionBlizzard, NaughtyDog and so many other western business model companies. Western style games were not like this in the past, they had much more depth and actual effort put into them with the gamer in mind. This has not been the case for over a decade and our connection to western developers has been whittled down to just being transactional. That is one of the reasons why you see so many remasters and remakes in today’s gamer community. They have lost their willingness to improve as developers of games and simply accept corporate/share holder rules.
Game journalists also do not have any real integrity or purpose outside of being funded for their involvement in promoting IPG (Identity Political Games) in a positive light to the public whether it’s positively received or not. They are not interested in what we have to say, they all support the same agenda and that is why they are a dying breed. Within the next couple of years, they will be out of the job and more than likely they will not be able to stay in the industry giving how they have responded to past articles that have clearly been scripted on the premise of diversity and racism. Not only that, but most of them are also extremely hostile to the community as they stereotype and defame the individuals that are a part of the community they are supposed to serve. We have been mentally liberated from their lies and coercive tactics as we tend to laugh at their obvious attempt at virtue signaling while hiding their misdoings so that they can play the victim.
My gamer brothers & sisters, I would not suggest the following action that we must take now without good cause. I have weighed our options and the best option for us now is this…...CULTURAL SECESSION. Naturally this is a form of segregation where they would more than likely claim they are being segregated by the dominant culture of the gaming community but that is incorrect. For years now we have been the ones who are often marginalized and ostracized for the smaller portion of our community. And when we aren’t, we’re exploited for more funds so that these companies can stay in business only to subject us to low quality products that coincide with the “WOKE Agenda” that are often huge expenses to these big brands i.e. AAA/AAAA games that will eventually flop for its obvious forced diversity and bug infested product which will undoubtedly piss off the consumer to the point of wanting a refund. Losing copious amounts of capital and stock in the process, not to mention their reputation is permanently marred.
We must separate on every cultural level in terms of entertainment and ideology. We must reject everything from the west that promotes toxic western beliefs, practices, and exclusion from other cultures (i.e. Southeastern Countries such as Japan and Korea). Japan & Korea have been the targets of unjust discrimination from Western Developers, Western Journalists, Western Localizers (The Wokelizers) and Western Society Prejudice regarding their sense of aesthetics as Westerners hate the aesthetic sense of these countries. The reason why they resort to such base tactics isn’t just because it weaponizes the ideal female form but it’s also because they have deep-seated insecurities about their own looks so when they see attractive female characters, they use terms such as “unrealistic” or “hypersexualized” to establish the moral high ground. But the truth is, they want to feel superior to that which is ideal, so they insult and dehumanize this figure that portrays natural female beauty because they see it as an insult to their own social superiority in what they believe is a hierarchy of them being at the top of all other women. Because of this and so many contributing factors, their movies flop harder than the Fat Chocobo landing on a group of enemies and their games seismically fail just as much if not more. We must sever our connection to Western Developers, Publishers, and ALL Western-Centric Entertainment for they seek to mentally enslave us to their Xenophobic ideology.
Let’s define Western Culture and its traits. Western Culture/Society is composed of more than several different ideologies that work in unison with one another to facilitate dominance over multiple aspects of society. Business, Social, Political, Technological, and sometimes even Global Affairs are affected by these ideologies that portray a specific mindset of Western beliefs. What are those ideologies you ask?

• Perpetual Victimhood: By weaponizing the fact that they are marginalized and of a small portion of western society, they can push their agenda to absurd standards that ultimately ostracize the main demographic. And when companies don’t capitulate, they are labeled as anti-progressive/misogynist’s or cohorts of White Supremacy. They use this to cancel their targets and silence them through societal defamation to keep the public on their side. They also use this mindset to justify their own lack of self-agency as they tend to throw companies who do adhere to their demands but miserably fail to turn a profit under the bus so that they can maintain face in front of the public while denying their actual involvement. They will never accept “Sense of Agency” when it’s negative but will gladly accept it when a positive outcome shines on them as if they are entitled to it.

Official Wiki GamerGate Page)
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• Societal Terrorism: This is another form of ideology weaponization that they use in order to make companies “toe-the-line” with their agenda. By weaponizing cancel culture, they exert dominance over these companies but in exchange they also reimburse those companies with DEI & ESG funds that raise their credit score as well as having social status with the marginalized demographic. However; cancel culture has not succeeded in years and developers and publishers probably only want the money and the DEI ESG rating. But they have to maintain the image of having social economic power so that they can continue to strong-arm other developers into compliance and promoting financial benefits of DEI & ESG. In other words, if you are not for sale, they discredit and stigmatize you in the industry.

Asmongold Clips.
https://youtu.be/Iq86DnmX2xY
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• “Its not us, its you who’s wrong” Mentality: This mentality is especially annoying as they tend to use it to hide their incompetence. They often look down upon gamers who are not in the industry to hide their obvious lack of knowledge on game development thinking that their job title grants them special status that they believe gives them the right to be condescending. But the truth they never wanted revealed has already strangled their careers of all credibility. They were never GAMERS, they were INVADERS. Community Colonists that seek to indoctrinate next generational gamers into their hive-mind and brand previous generations of gamers as villains.

@GeeksandGamers
https://youtu.be/1HbrTkqQFuM
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• Double-standard Enforcement: By labeling something as “unrealistic” or “hypersexualized”, they can claim this is morally wrong if it promotes traditional dynamics between men and women. Heterosexual relationships are condemned while at the same time Same-sex relationships are praised. Additionally, heterosexual relationships with main white male characters turn antagonistic and spotlight stealing. This is deliberate as to promote the “Girl Boss” ideology to indoctrinate women into the Feminazi state of mind. While at the same time, should a male character also adopt the “I don’t need male/female” ideology its seen as Toxic Masculinity which isn’t even a real thing. The idea of a strong male character is taboo while enforcing strong female characters is the ideal.

@MugenLord
https://youtu.be/to5Uciy_yeg
@EndymionTv
https://youtu.be/7TPTR8-qmbk
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• Dehumanization/Demonization: This is something that most military branches use in order to remove conscious inhibitions such as mass slaughter is wrong or categorization. By enforcing ideologies to denounce humanity in certain targets, it deactivates your conscience by saying this is not human therefore its ethically okay to treat this target without compassion and deny the fact it has sentience. We gamers fall under this category for journalists, developers, companies and society at large. This is a tactic we are familiar with to an extent as it implies that we are not normal when we do not do what everybody else is doing. “Geeks are the worse” or “Nerds need to fall into a pit of lava” are verbal dehumanization forms that most people in society say and we as Gamers tend to be relegated to those categories. This is their way of imposing the social hierarchy on us by establishing superiority. We know this as Gamers as we see it very often in the games that we play and some times experience it in real life.

https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Gamergate#The_end_of_their_relevance
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• Deflection/Projection: This is basic psychology 101. By redirecting the conversation away from their mistakes and back on to the opposing view to avert blame and justify their innocence they can avoid criticism. However; deflection is a CONSCIOUS decision, meaning they have no real argument to justify their incompetence. If you can consciously process the situation, you have self-agency which means you don’t have a legitimate excuse. Projection is something else entirely. Most times, Projection doesn’t work on conscious decisions rather it is automatically deployed when feeling threatened, anxious or both. Instead of accepting accountability for feelings or actions that are deemed socially unacceptable they accuse others of committing that unacceptable behavior thereby exonerating themselves and proving that those feelings and/or actions are not their own.

@TheTrentReport
https://youtu.be/bPIPSKruYRo
These traits are so nefarious and unconscionable that I have a hard time believing that anyone could harbor them. However, given the social, political, and economic climate that we are in, those in power who use their influence on controlling society most definitely possess these insidious traits. Everything that they do is all about control and since video games are the biggest market in the world, they want control over it and the communities built around it to accrue more wealth and to use that wealth to subjugate other cultures. Mainstream media is a tool as well as mainstream organizations and sites to help accomplish this goal.
The government recently announced its intentions towards what they believe is “GamerGate 2.0” and now even the ADL has made an official appearance, referring to gamers as “extremist’s”. We know EXACTLY what they are doing, and they aren’t even trying to hide it anymore because they don’t think we are aware of their motives. This is just a pretext for them to exert even more control and we know why, it’s because they want the influence we as a community have to must serve them. So here is what we do my fellow gamers-
“In light of recent events and years of mainstream stigma, we the members of the Global Gaming Community [GGC] must officially renounce ALL TIES to the corporate western video game market. We have been financially exploited through predatorial monetization schemes, pelted with numerous articles of disdain and intentional misrepresentation from game journalists, news outlets regarding us as dangerous individuals and, even subjected to inferior products not only riddled with bugs but also products meant to push political agendas. For the preservation of our community and its unique culture, apart from a few select game development studios we officially sever all connections to western owned video game companies & their mainstream affiliates. From this point onward, we will no longer support western corporate developers, journalists and publishers that do not coincide with the goals of our community.”
Naturally this is completely optional. If you are okay with the state of the gaming community as it is, feel free to ignore this. But if you wish for real change and a break away from oversaturated monetization in the games you play and the push for radical ideological reform, then you are in the right place. Lets sever these rotted miasmic ties once and for all so that our community can be preserved and made better for future gamers. If you agree with this, share it with whoever you think might be interested. The more gamers who get involved, the easier it will be for us to finally break free from mainstream game companies and their associates.