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hekatekun · 3 years

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Missed Opportunities: a look at 246 dynamics

This will be covering the relationships between Karamatsu, Ichimatsu, and Todomatsu. Specifically how they could be "better off" but for reasons aren't. Not blmatsu. A long post, but not particularly in depth. The great thing about Osomatsu-san is that things can be as serious as you want them to be; take all this with a grain of salt.

I would say the defining trait between 246 is that there is a lot of "missed opportunity" or "what could have been." You know, “things didn’t have to be this way.” More specifically, this is Karamatsu's relationship with the other two. Not that this cannot be remedied, but for now nothing is happening. Not any time soon, either. Probably. These aren’t shortcomings they’ll be getting over soon. Interestingly enough, I might have even said this was also applicable to 110 up until recently - so let's start there.

110MATSU: Something of a moving arc going here. Season 1 they’re at their most antagonistic towards each other, with their more docile moments occurring later in the season (most notably the hunt for 123 inside Dayon). Ichimatsu particularly, as Todomatsu has never been one to pick fights. He’s vindictive and isn’t afraid of confrontation, but doesn’t mean he wants to stick his neck out. Ichimatsu, on the other hand, has no qualms being aggressive. He will double-down on embarrassing the fuck out of Totty (as he should). If there is one thing the hivemind has taught all of them, it’s that no brother is above the other, and everyone will equally be dragged back to this self-made hell.

So S1 is the season of “no mercy,” but we see a shift! “ESP Kitty” lays Ichimatsu’s secret in front of everyone: vulnerability. Todomatsu (and 135) sees him like the normie he is for the first time in a real good light, a permanent change. Effectively, by “Dayon Tribe,” this lack of aggression when 456 are left to their own devices becomes a staple of the trio (if we ignore Jyushimatsu’s winter-induced insanity).

In this same timeframe, Ichimatsu gets a real understanding of just how ruthless the crybaby youngest brother is. And by S2 they realize they have a lot more in common than they realized. A certain self-awareness that certain others lack. Totty could easily be lumped in with suiriku as a tryhard who doesn’t know when to quit, but it becomes apparent this isn’t the case. Sure, Totty’s a tryhard - he craves positive attention and will do what he can to get it, but he’ll never reach the level of Karamatsu and Choromatsu. 110 doesn’t need to “impress” each other. Completely vibing. They prefer each other’s company (and Jyushimatsu’s) over the other 3. They’re not each other’s favorite, by a long shot, but S2 they seem more comfortable around each other.

The movie provides a bit of catalyst, and S3 seems keen on keeping it apart of the continuity, so it’s not far fetched to assume their bonding moment in the movie is what led to their current relationship in S3. An ally has been established, and they can be more honest around each other as a result.

What’s “missed opportunity” is that they both underestimated the other, and what they have now could have been achieved earlier in life. Better late than never! However, they both still suck at communicating, but for now battling with barbed words or getting wrapped up in whatever holds their attention still shows they’re (usually) on the same wavelength.

ZAIMOKUMATSU: If Totty is similar to Ichi, it's not surprising he holds to same distaste for Karamatsu. Theoretically speaking, they should be each other's "brother." It's obvious that Choromatsu and Osomatsu are a "duo," and same with Ichimatsu and Jyushimatsu. Whether you wanna include Oso-kun or not, it's evident that they do not click the same way the others do with their “designated brother.”

Oso-kun makes it more “angsty” though, or at least makes this reboot interesting. If Zaimoku was more established as children, this clearly isn't carried to their adult selves. That's just life. They fell apart, growing up, and letting time split them naturally. They still like each other, hang out, but there's no real spark there. How can you when one of you refuses to break character. You could say they're similar to Nenchuu, preferring each other's company only in the greater group dynamic. We’ve established they're both tryhards, but Todomatsu has the self-awareness to know when to drop his pretenses, and doesn't understand Karamatsu's more irrational quirks. Sure, tryhards try hard but they're brothers - they already know each other. No need to impress. For Karamatsu’s part of it, I would say it’s both “always needing to be on top of his public image no matter who sees him (including brothers)” and just... He wants to dress like that. So painful.

Todomatsu’s “fatal flaw” within the group is that he’s quite disconnected from the hivemind. This a repeated issue they address, from “Todomatsu & the 5 Demons” to “Todomatsu’s Line.” He doesn’t understand certain social conventions that “make no sense” from experience. For instance, “Todomatsu’s Line” addresses how secretive he is, but he’s only secretive because he knows if he told them about his life they wouldn’t care. They’re only getting on his ass because he’s pulling away from them. The 6 of them are “all or nothing,” so even just one brother leaving is detrimental to their weird inner-brother politics. It gets rid of the facade they perform under, and must confront reality as a result. And so, they punish him accordingly. We know Karamatsu is already the group punching bag, and Totty soon joins him.

S3E5 “Well, Yeah” with these 2 fighting over the cashier, Karamatsu is willing to challenge him because he considers Todomatsu "harmless." Karamatsu is easily intimidated, we know this, but holds none of those sentiments towards Totty. They're both petty crybabies, and would rather tear each other down than team up.

Zaimoku is amiable with each other (for the most part), but typically avoid each other - or at least wouldn't seek the other out if it can be helped. A simple mismatch. Good thing they have 4 other brothers.

So, they're both the bottom of the barrel, and yet they never have each other's back. As with all 6, they’re self-serving. There’s safety in numbers, and they’re better off joining 4 than defending 1. They have created an environment that punishes whoever wanted to be the bigger man. In the most literal sense: nice guys finish last around these parts.

I could keep going. Todomatsu being banished to sea for a whole skit, Todomatsu being fired from the family, the entirety of the Karamatsu Incident. No one’s safe, but truly Zaimoku sits at the lowest tiers, even in the family.

Leftovers who don't even want to pick each other. Can't blame them, they're both insufferable. They don't respect each other, either. 236 is committed to personas that they think will make people like them. They all more or less hold the belief of “I’m not like these guys, I’m better.” However, Choromatsu genuinely likes Karamatsu. Totty does not. How could he when all he sees is a cringey dude who doesn’t know when to call it quits? Choromatsu is just as bad, and doesn't really consider Karamatsu anything but "harmless."

Being left alone and behind is the worst thing for them, but yet they still don’t want each other, even if they’re “clearly the easiest choice.” That sense of being the “default” choice, rather than a legitimate connection or personalities that get along. Another similarity to Nenchuu, where they’re better off being friends than not out of convenience.

IROMATSU: Take what I just said about Zaimoku and amplify the negativity. Rather than a natural falling out, it is a repeated violent rejection on Ichimatsu's part. It's genuine animosity, because Ichimatsu hates tryhards who lack self-awareness. It's no surprise he doesn't care for Suiriku's company and, until recently, Todomatsu's. The thing is, Ichimatsu is a tryhard. He tried hard in high school, and, though in the opposite direction (”I’m not like these guys, I’m worse”), continues to try hard now.

Concerning Karamatsu, he is equal parts resentful and envious. If the movie implies they used to be friends around high school, it wouldn't surprise me if he resented Karamatsu's "transformation" because Ichi was unable to get over his own issues ("regressing" after high school, though really considering how taxing it was to keep that up he’s probably been burnt out). So yeah, introvert buddies.

He admitted to Choromatsu he finds those who still try even in the face of failure "scary." Ichimatsu's greatest fear is putting himself out there and still being rejected despite his best efforts. That's, again, just how life works, but it's a valid fear to have.

Seeing Karamatsu, someone he considers legitimately stupid, still put his best foot forward (probably on some level) does feel like a slap in the face. It's also just. Painful. Another cringeass clueless older brother, another ally lost.

(Also I can’t ignore how it’s Osomatsu - one of Ichi’s favorites/most tolerable brothers - is the one who calls Karamatsu’s support “teasing” after claiming himself Ichi would kill his own boss; Osomatsu knows how to talk to each brother in a way they’ll understand)

The difference between Zaimoku and Iro is that the former is always played off as joking and while the latter is still funny and over-exaggerated, it usually also comes across as “Did this cross a line?” It tips into real malevolence because, not only does Ichimatsu act opposite how he feels (except for cats), but even in comedy there’s always a hint of sincerity. They’re all cartoonishly violent, but that comes with the idea that that’s actually how they feel in some form. Ichimatsu can’t handle direct support and attention, and he certainly wouldn’t want it from a guy whose social anxiety is worse than his.

And throughout all this, Karamatsu just... ignores it. He doesn't get it, he probably wouldn't even want to know. He legitimately wants to be like this, and doesn’t really get how others don’t find it as attractive (like how Choromatsu doesn’t get why talking about his aspirations isn’t wanted in conversation - they’re not really ones to read the room when it comes to their own shortcomings). So he "avoids" 110. No point seeking out their company and be rejected for "no reason." He doesn't want criticism, and none of them want communication. I should reiterate, this is all comedy. It’s funny. I love it! But it’s slapstick with thought.

Short-sighted, they prioritize instant gratification above anything else. The end result, unsurprisingly, is a group of brothers who find it impossible to talk to each other - to bully and harass - when they could do better for one another.

#osomatsu san #karamatsu #ichimatsu #todomatsu #karamatsu matsuno #ichimatsu matsuno #todomatsu matsuno #iromatsu #110matsu #zaimokumatsu #analysis

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mariaiscrafting · 3 years

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Let’s talk about the old Techno tweets

For a week now, I’ve been sitting on this ask that linked me to a Twitter callout thread on SBI. Although I have many thoughts about the entire thread, I’ve since only had the time and will to respond to the Techno part, and I figured instead of keeping it in my drafts and waiting to gather the energy to write the rest, I’d just post what I have.

Here is the thread, for reference: https://twitter.com/burner0321/status/1379103348364865536?s=21 Trigger Warnings: anti-semitism, mentions of genocide, racism, n* slur, r* slur, ableism, lesbophobia, racism Please prioritize your health and safety, and do not engage with this thread or this post if you will get triggered by any of the aforementioned. I love you, please take care of yourself, first.

So, let’s talk Technoblade’s history of making “edgy” jokes. When CCs tend to use edginess as a cover for offensive humor, they tend to do so to cover up the fact that their humor involves taking shots at minorities or employs harmful stereotypes, without addressing why people get offended by such jokes. However, when I call Technoblade’s old humor edgy, this is not what I mean. The reason I do not think people are justified in demanding an apology or addressing of the jokes in the Twitter thread is because they do not use the minorities or horrible things they address as the punchline. A joke can be in bad taste, without being malicious. This is edgy humor. In explaining my point, I want to address as many of the specific things in the thread as possible.

1) I don’t fully understand the “was Hitler a lesbian?” tweet or the title of that video, so I won’t address that. If someone has something to say about it, feel free to reply to this post, I’d love to see what you think of it.

2) Next, we have the, “titling my next video ‘mvp++ is worse than nazi germany’” tweet. What is the joke in this tweet? The joke is that the comparison between a Minecraft game and a fascist regime that caused genocide is ridiculous, and as such, would be effective clickbait, and draw people into the video. The joke is not that Nazi Germany should be taken lightly; it is actually the complete opposite.

3) Next, “#askpewds do you have any constructive criticism for Nazi Germany.” Frankly, without the context of timeframe or what the hell was going on within the Twittersphere at the time, I can only make a reach as to what this joke meant. I assume it’s in reference to the time period during which Pewdiepie was being framed as a fascist by several media outlets, and could either be a joke on the fact that people believe Pewdiepie to be a neo-Nazi, or a shot at Pewdiepie himself, by playing on the fact that he actually does espouse neo-Nazi beliefs. Again, the punchline is far from, “Nazi Germany was good,” or anything along those lines. Edgy, not anti-semitic.

4) The vampireZ tweet. The joke here is, “why did vampireZ think this was a good idea,” not, “haha get it, black people kill people.” As with many of these kinds of jokes, the existence of the word, “black” in the joke makes people think he is insulting black people. In reality, the tweet points out that the game is fitting into the history of media portraying black people as the more aggressive, violent, and/or murderous characters, and is like, “hey, isn’t this kinda fucked?”

5) This tweet actually does make an offensive joke that is malicious in its intent. Congratulations, we are five tweets in, and we finally found a joke that makes minorities the punchline. I completely understand people’s criticisms of this one. The punchline here is, “haha, I’m one of those entitled people who claims that racial profiling is the reason I was wronged,” and this minimizes the fact that racial profiling is an real, serious, and widespread problem. This tweet makes it seem like people claim that racial profiling is the reason they are excluded from spaces or that punitive actions that were enacted upon them are doing so unjustly. This can be extrapolated from the fact that it’s ridiculous to think that a) a Minecraft server would racially profile someone, and b) that a white person would be racially profiled.

6) This tweet literally just seems like a sarcastic response to someone who was accused of being a white supremacist and/or racist. Presumably, SealPlays was defending himself of not being racist, and Technoblade responded sarcastically that he was "totally” trying to recruit him to the KKK. I literally see no reason someone thought this was malicious? This does not make light of the KKK, and it doesn’t make black people or any other group or individual victimized by the KKK the punchline.

7) The slavery jokes. Presumably, the slavery jokes are in reference to the times on his Skyblock, SMP Earth, and/or Dream SMP streams and videos, during which Technoblade has done bits about making some of his friends slaves for him, so he has to do less work. Again, slavery jokes might be in bad taste, but there was literally no racial context to this, given that he wasn’t make jokes about any black CCs being his slaves. This is not to mention that he always played up the role of the one telling the people what to do, making it out to be a very negative role that only an arrogant, selfish, and/or callous person would fill. Think, Alec Baldwin playing Trump. This part of the thread is, however, so vague, that it’s hard to know exactly what instances the OP is even talking about.

There are several reasons I am personally angered by this section of the thread, but in an effort to make this post shorter, I’ll only discuss two: One, there are genuinely things that CCs, including Technoblade, have said, that carry ignorant and malicious connotations. The racial profiling joke is just one example. To create a thread where most of the examples are absolute bullshit, lack context, and/or were misinterpreted on your part is a disservice to minorities who want to have productive conversations about genuinely harmful things. I want to talk about this idea that minorities who talk about their experiences with microaggressions, such as racial profiling, are seeking attention/using an excuse/lying. But that one tweet is so buried under this mountain of bullshit that has everyone talking over each other and screaming, that the one conversation we should be having cannot be had. Two, I am utterly exhausted at watching people misinterpet jokes. As I have already said again and again, just because a joke mentions something horrible, does not mean it is malicious, or that it even harms anyone. A joke needs to make light of something horrible and/or make minorities the punchline to cross the line from “edgy” to “explicitly offensive.”

I would like to make a disclaimer: there is always two sides to a CC doing something wrong. There is the CC, who may or may not have had malicious intent, and there is the audience, who may or may not take offense to what was done or said. Both of these are separate, and I will treat them as such. What I am examining in this post is mostly the first thing - were the things said or jokes made meant with racist, anti-semitic, homophobic, etc., intent, or are people unjustified in stating that they were? That being said, and this is important: anyone is allowed to take offense to and not forgive a CC for making a joke or saying something, no matter what. Even if a joke was meant satirically or does not actually offend minorities, if you, as an individual, take offense to it and were deeply hurt by it, that is fucking valid. Do not let anyone tell you otherwise. A CC can apologize for something, and that can mean that objectively, they are not a bad person and/or have grown, but that does not mean you have to forgive them. There are two sides to this coin, and they are not inherently dependent upon each other.

If someone is offended by any of the jokes Techno made, that is perfectly valid and understandable. Even if I or anyone else comes to the objective conclusion that any given joke doesn’t have malicious intent, that doesn’t erase minorities’ very real feelings about such.

#i wrote all of this a few days ago #the only thing i wrote just now was the first paragraph #just wanted to put that out there #techno critical #mcyttwt #racism #anti-semitism #lesbophobia #mcyt #.txt #/neg #discourse

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squashpriest48-blog · 5 years

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Posts or blog articles, Tagged With "Feces"

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the-nysh · 6 years

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The Will to Power

A comprehensive theory of the core concepts within opm, and its relevance towards future character development. Here it is: a breakdown of the explanations provided within canon, connected through consistent character examples, and applying that towards how Genos can grow stronger too. Aka: formally presenting the long-awaited GENOS POWER THEORY.

Disclaimer: subject to revisions as more gets revealed within canon. Contains lore combining both manga and webcomic spoilers.

Words: ~5500

The often overlooked, yet most vital component

As of the manga’s chapter 92, we now have two explanations for the pathways of power within the world of opm. From Dr. Genus’ explanation of his genetic research and the mechanism of limiters, to Psykos’ experimental method of monsterfication…both sides have spent ages and countless sacrifices attempting to find the secret to greater power, to ‘break through the limit of growth,’ but one of the most vital components they’ve always failed to account for was the individual’s inherent willpower.

Which is the inner, mental drive that compels one to keep going, the tenacity to stand up again and fight for one’s convictions, despite all other hellish external factors endured. The ability to consistently survive the absolute worst and then miraculously overcome what would otherwise become fatal. Both scientists can experiment to induce change indefinitely by forcing outward pressures upon their specimens all they want. But if the individual never had the drive or mental fortitude to endure the stresses to being with, the will to change for themselves (to truly desire it at their cores), or if they end up losing the will to live by giving up partway during the torturous process, then of course they will always fail, either by succumbing to compromised mediocrity or merciless death on the path towards greater power.

The exemplary outlier

Saitama will always remain the original successful exception. So far, he’s the only example of one who’s achieved limitless power (successfully broken through his limiter) through the merits of his own willpower. He persevered through an uncompromising training regimen, personally tailored to his own skill level (a personal hell scaled to his ‘ordinary’ limits; aka it would not be enough for those with higher potential), all for the sake of a simple, yet dedicated goal that aligned with the core values of who he truly wanted to become. An undefeatable, strongest hero with the ability to win in one punch. Yes, he had the focused (will)power to change and improve himself, to keep pushing himself with the intent and effort to achieve what he wanted without ever giving up, no matter how hard it got, and it was strong enough to break past his average body’s given limitations. That achievement is miraculous, remarkable and praiseworthy.

The important key distinction is that Saitama is NOT a monster. Dr. Genus explained why: monsters are those who have fully forsaken their humanity and succumbed to their base complexes, so they are transformed/mutated/reborn into another being with a whole new limiter. Saitama has retained his original self and his humanity, but at the cost of his baldness and the growing feelings of alienation and boredom apart from all others who don’t sit at the same pinnacle as him. (With the extra meta layer on whether or not it was even worth it to burn that much effort into achieving the pinnacle of his craft when the results became personally unsatisfactory.) Unless others can figure out how to successfully break their given limiters too, Saitama will remain peerless in power and will never find the fulfilling, challenging fight he’s always longed for. (His ongoing dilemma and search for life’s fulfillment will then need to be found elsewhere, such AS…genuine relationships with others.) All of this will remain canon until ONE presents information otherwise to either further or challenge the lore of these established explanations.

‘Limit,’ ‘willpower,’ ‘half-assed,’ ‘compromised,’ ‘goal,’ ‘mindset,’ ‘seriousness,’ ‘spirit,’ ‘determination,’ …they’re all important and consistent, reoccurring keywords to keep in mind through the entirety of the story. Whenever they pop up in panels, declared in chapter titles, or are offhandedly mentioned by Murata or ONE in streams/interviews (look where Murata mentions ‘will’), then aha! Those moments become clues worth paying attention to that link back to the overall core concepts of the series itself.

Given explanations within canon

One of those core concepts (aside from the limiter concept) is that of 気合 (Kiai), chi, aura, willpower, fighting spirit…they’re ALL synonymous names for the same general, encompassing idea: one representing the inner strength/energy that everyone in the opm world naturally possesses, the only difference is in the potential/ability to hone, channel and manifest it over the course of people’s lifetimes. Existing varying levels depending on individual effort, training, or natural gifts. This energy is also closely tied to psychic power, where psychics can learn to directly manipulate this energy against one’s will. HOWEVER those with a strong enough willpower/spirit become ‘unbendable’, or ‘too heavy’ and can resist such psychic effects. ONE explains it all here (webcomic ch102):

Tatsumaki: “Even non-psychics have energy flowing throughout their body. Scholars call it things like ‘chi’ (気) or ‘aura’…I couldn’t bend them (Garou and Golden Sperm) either.”

Fubuki: “Strength of will is directly connected to psychic resistance. The reason (her power) doesn’t work (on him) is thanks to Saitama’s unusually thick spirit.”

This spiritual ‘power’ is therefore something internal, originating in the mind, that’s neither inherently good nor bad, and that everyone has the capability to possess (even non-psychics). But when channeled and/or honed correctly, its resulting force can manage to surpass beyond the body’s own physical limitations. The House of Evolution arc proved that one’s biology or physical status doesn’t matter. One’s level of intelligence or talent doesn’t affect its strength either. What does matter is having the persistence to endure, with the determination/mindset to never give up or falter, towards a serious goal that’s true to oneself. (Moral alignment doesn’t matter either, but only in the case if it conflicts with one’s true self/desires, as we’ll see.) One also cannot be held back by regrets, wavering second thoughts, or lapses in self-confidence. (Examples of this would be both Mumen and Fubuki’s complexes thinking they’re aren’t ‘good enough’ to compete and progress past a certain hero rank, so they are mentally limiting themselves on top of their current capabilities.) In essence, it’s like the liberation to freely set out and achieve what you truly want to do, without letting anything else limit hold you back (which is precisely what Saitama did).

Applied character examples within canon

This webcomic content (ch102-104) explaining the mechanics behind ‘strength of will’ came out from Sept-Nov 2015, the same relative timeframe the manga introduced the similar concept of ‘fighting spirit’ in the Metal Bat vs Garou fight:

(THESE definitive manga pages came out in Dec 2015, just slightly later than the webcomic’s). This publication overlap was not just coincidental; ONE was likely covering his bases through both mediums, by adding foreshadowing to the manga based on what he’d developed at the same time in the webcomic. (Which is also why reading BOTH at the same time is fun to catch writing parallels like this. :D) Establishing concepts that would only become relevant in the manga again much later. And this fight, which does not even exist within the original webcomic, is important for introducing this physical application of mental strength: every time Metal Bat tanks damage, even severe enough to take him out, he gets stronger. Why? It’s him channeling his willpower to keep going, aka ‘fighting spirit.’ Visualized though the literal aura effect steaming off his body...and bat, as an extension of himself. (This will become important. Also keep a lookout for whenever Murata repeatedly uses this same visual effect on other characters too.)

Some may say this ‘fighting spirit’ is an ability only unique to Metal Bat, but that’s not true. Because ch102 of the webcomic had already immediately established that everyone possesses this energy within them. So it is a universal trait that has the capability to be honed, channeled, and potentially even manifested as psychic power. (The latter would be fascinating if true!) And we SEE a combined application of this mental power come back in full swing in the manga’s ch92: where Garou now demonstrates his growing psychic resistance and ‘fighting spirit’ (気合):

To make this recollection even more blatant, Murata even went back to edit in a panel of Metal Bat where Garou remembers this:

To clarify, this is not Garou somehow simply ‘copying’ or ‘absorbing’ Metal Bat’s ‘ability.’ Even Psykos is surprised at what’s happening here and doesn’t understand it either (despite all her research, she’s failed to account for this key component). Just how is Garou able to move and resist her psychic bindings? Yup, it’s precisely that same mental ‘power’ as introduced in the webcomic’s ch102: his own strength of will, aka ‘fighting spirit.’ Even Garou did not fully understand it when he faced Metal Bat, but now, after enduring so much sustained lethal damage himself, adapting and coming back stronger each time, he recognizes it as the same thing happening to himself.

But it was no easy feat for Garou to even survive everything’s he’s been through up to this point! He’s fought and endured it all: fevered, outnumbered, poisoned, gunned down, beaten, sliced up, impaled, incinerated...all in rapid succession with little to no pause for rest. (Fun fact: note the keywords used in the ch titles during all those events.) He could have died any number of times (very dangerous, even called out as recklessly ‘suicidal’ at points), but according to Psykos’ observations, overcoming all of that is the contributing factor towards his rapid growth in physical strength. But forcing external stressors on him isn’t everything; the reason why he’s survived it all isn’t just plot armor, but rather because of his tenacious willpower to never give up. He’s never succumbed because his adaptive level of ‘fighting spirit’ has honed enough to resist both psychic powers and endure sustained physical torment. Truly, his stubborn resilience towards everything thrown at him has become so extraordinary that even Garou wonders (on several occasions) how his body has been able to keep up and endure it all too. This is the concept of ‘strength of will’ at work here, enabling him to persist past his body’s expected capabilities. When continuously put to the test under harsh conditions, it steadily adapts and grows stronger. If he keeps it up, he has the potential to eventually break through his limits, just like Saitama did.

However, Garou won’t be able to achieve it the same way as Saitama, because while that method was plenty to push past Saitama’s ‘average’ capabilities, the same muscle training (especially for someone already thoroughly trained in martial arts) won’t be anywhere near enough to breach the ceiling of Garou’s prodigious potential. While the story has set many similar parallels between them and their growth, they have different set limits. For Garou to even succeed the same, his tailored ‘personal hell’ to overcome must be scaled comparatively harsh and ravaging, as we have seen...

Its internal, driving source

Then, the only missing factor is just...where is the source of Garou’s tenacity, his willpower, his drive that compels him to keep standing up, coming from? Both the manga AND webcomic (double bonus: same ch92!) ask the same thing:

Psykos: “This determination of yours, where does it come from?”

Genos: “Where does he get this blood-curdling tenacity from...?”

WHERE indeed. And it does matter. Because while the origin for a strong willpower exists in everyone, for its strength to persist and adapt further, it must be sustained or based on something in the first place... Fueled by some unwavering conviction, ideal, belief, mission, feeling, desire, or goal that’s important enough to commit one’s life towards, up to the extent one would rather risk certain death than fail to achieve. Ranging from what drives us to get out of bed every day, all the way towards a potential willpower (essentially, a life force) so tenacious enough, it can best the pull of death. Otherwise without that motivation behind one’s actions, there’s nothing to channel into the eventual superpower that can miraculously move mountains. No prospect to succeed at breaking past one’s limits to achieve the otherwise thought impossible. However, it’s something that can’t be simply granted/received from the outside or others (exception: the powers granted to Homeless Emperor from ‘God’); the influence or spark of inspiration can, but the answer for the willpower itself, the driving force to act upon, must birth from somewhere genuine deep within.

SURELY, for Garou to have endured all that he has, by overcoming so many tortuous near-death experiences so far, there exists some origin for his ‘fighting spirit.’ And yes, we’ve seen the basis for his convictions formed since his childhood, with him assuming a role he believes is most appropriate, and then adhering to a misguided method he thinks will influence the change he wants to see in the world...but he (manga Garou especially) is still in the process of defining precisely who he is and what he fights for. The more he experiences, ‘it’ gradually gains in strength while steadily rising in clarity.

He’s always had genuine, strong feelings that motivate him (absolutely no doubt!), but there’s always been a lingering contradiction between what he says he wants to do and how he applies that into actual action. Like a mental set-back (hmm, another so-called limiter?) from all his stubborn denial that’s preventing him from realizing who he actually is, and therefore not fully understanding where his deeper feelings lie... Fortunately and interestingly enough, the incidents that forcibly put those feelings and his character to the test the most – the times that push him further beyond what he ever thought possible, resulting in his greatest bursts of strength – are actually those where his true self is brought to light in sharper clarity. Namely...all those impressive feats he’s chosen to overcome for the sake of protecting Tareo. Shielding him from a bullet rain, shrugging off getting stabbed and sliced to death, resisting absolute incineration...each time, Garou never had to risk himself that far to face any of that, yet he conjured the resolve (the willpower!) to stand up and fight for what he truly cares about. Compelled to risk his life for the sake of something that runs deeper than he can fully comprehend...truly, that kind of unconditional sentiment channeled into an unstoppable force is strong indeed.

But, protecting what he cares about (Tareo) isn’t the only thing that drives him. His personal ideals and worldview get further challenged the more he fights alone in the MA base. Repeatedly pitting his life against any injures or opponents he faces, as he comes to a greater understanding of what brought him here in the first place. Defining his determination and raison d'être as he goes, such as in his important fight vs Darkshine (webcomic ch68):

Now, it’s possible ONE may rework what happens in the manga’s version of this fight entirely (and beyond; EDIT: except for the narration, the manga’s adaptation has kept most of Garou’s words here intact!), but at least here, Garou solidifies a conviction worthy enough to bet his life against, overcoming his lethal injuries and absolutely refusing to lose no matter what...but will the reason he concludes bring him accurate enough clarity for the path he swears to take? Enough to forge a will strong enough to succeed at breaking past his limiter? (Manga edit: presented as, “Garou’s limiter seems to be breaking!”)

To simplify an analogy of the mechanics behind this mental process would be like finding the proper fuel to push the horsepower of a car/vessel past the output of its own frame. Where the key components are 1) fuel: goal, 2) horsepower: willpower, 3) frame: limiter. Compromise the fuel as an unfit source for the (will)power, and the overall performance either becomes substandard or falls apart entirely. And what do we see happen?

The consequences of a ‘wrong’ path

Fast-forward to his arc’s conclusion in the webcomic, and we see the consequences of settling for a compromised goal that conflicts in accordance with one’s true self/desires. Garou gets so close to breaking his limiter, but ultimately fails. Why? He showed so much promise and unshakable resolve to get here, so where on his path did he go wrong? As we learn, he fought so hard (continually risking his life!) not for the benefit of monsters, but rather to unite and reform society enough (through fear) to incite the arrival of a true hero. Choosing the contradictory role of the ‘evil’ aggressor to bait one out, when Garou himself was never truly evil at his core. As Saitama perceptively puts it: he was always a rather ‘soft guy’ with an ideal image of a hero in mind all along, but thanks to all his deep-set stubborn denial, he never allowed himself to fully realize this. (In this case, all his stubborn tenacity became a blinding fault that ended up holding him back from realizing the truth.) So Saitama calls him out for taking an indirect (half-assed) approach for his goal, rather than directly work towards becoming the ideal of a true hero himself:

Saitama: “It was a mistake to lower the hurdle right before the goal. A half-assed objective can’t succeed.”

Saitama’s words give Garou the wake up call, reality check, and clarity he’s always needed to hear...but the harsh truth becomes will shattering. Thankfully, all hope isn’t lost, because the one who actually picks him back up again, and ‘saves’ him by resparking his will to continue, is Tareo. By finally getting through to him and vouching for the heroism Garou’s always shown...Garou gains the basis to try again ‘next time’ in a more appropriate, constructive manner that’s truer to himself. He still has the potential and power to succeed, but now without being bound limited by the misguided mindset from his childhood anymore.

Garou’s arc shows us this huge, sweeping, in-depth example of what it takes and then ultimately what NOT to do (can’t end up choosing the ‘easy way out’) to truly succeed at something. And he’s not the only character to which this applies. Everything presented thus far will now culminate with Genos, and the speculative steps he can take to achieve greater power too.

The next who can succeed: GENOS POWER THEORY

(The following has been in the works since 2016, but nothing since then has disproven it – on the contrary, waiting for more content has only built on it – so now is as good as ever to finally present what I’ve had in mind for him this whole time. Everything ONE has shown only leads me to believe that the possibility is there for Genos to have his ‘next time’ to succeed too.)

From the panel above, ONE framed it in a way so that Saitama’s words apply to Genos’ situation as well: in his desperate haste to gain power and seek revenge against the Mad Cyborg, he chose to forsake his fleshy body and become a cyborg himself. Essentially, like choosing the more enticing, easily available approach with the quickest results (not unlike monster cells by the way, which are confirmed unsuccessful methods too), by looking outside for the solution (looking to both Kuseno and Saitama for the answers to power), instead of working hard to achieve that goal within himself directly. Without the logistics of his cyborg transition/rehab into account, it’s like in his young mind’s insatiable impatience for power, he sought the equivalent of instant gratification. Logically, now his choice appears like a short-sighted, fatal mistake that’s permanently screwed himself over, since now his body’s performance will always be limited (on top of his given limiter) by the output of his technological parts and Kuseno’s knowledge on how to improve them. (Kuseno won’t live forever to keep up with him either.) Time again, he’s faced with the bitter reality that he cannot rely on parts those alone.

So then, where is his hope? What about his own power? This is precisely why I believe ONE designed him as a cyborg in the first place. (His struggles facing personal weakness and powerlessness were never just for the sake of reoccurring gags, and ONE would never keep him stagnant as the deuteragonist either.) Because now, Genos is forced to figure out the correct solution the hard way, by overcoming THIS extra physical limitation imposed on him, to realize the answer he’s always sought MUST come from within. It shouldn’t matter that he doesn’t have his original body anymore, because in the opm world, greater power doesn’t come from having the chosen biology/genetics, specialized parts, or even natural born talent/gifts (remember the House of Evolution arc)...it comes from the process of strengthening one’s inner willpower itself. The remaining key to all of this lies in the fact he still has his organic brain, the place where everyone’s capability for this mental power originates, so that means Genos still has the potential to utilize it too.

Then, why hasn’t he? (Or has he but never realized?) What is his problem? What can he even do to reliably harness that kind of power? That same power as demonstrated by others (if Garou can develop it and figure it out, then why can’t Genos)? Intelligence, battle experience, reacting and analyzing are strengths he’s currently working on that will help, but shouldn’t Genos already have enough determination for a set goal in mind? If that’s not enough, then what is it exactly that he lacks?

As it turns out, Genos is not just limited by his cybernetic body, but also by the mindset he carries himself. His main problem has always been a mental one. (Doubled down by the frustrations caused by his self-defeatist attitude and disappointment when things go wrong too.) No matter the shinier upgrades or battle experience he receives, he cannot progress past this vital barrier if he always treats himself as a replaceable, disposable weapon. It’s then no wonder his body always turns so inexplicably frail, prone to breaking and losing limbs all the time, when he jumps headfirst into battle with such a lifeless disregard for his own being. Such a hollow shell for armor can’t possibly stand up to greater opponents with the will to pierce right through that.

But then, it’s curious to me that his head remains his literal strongest defense.

(Genos no, that’s recklessly dangerous!) Now, why would this be? Did Kuseno only reinforce the encasing of his brain (his most vital part), while purposely leaving the material of the rest of his body more vulnerable? Sending him out in the field with only substandard weapons and armor as his defense? While Kuseno giving his brain extra protection is smart, him lapsing in thorough efficiency for the rest of him seems unlikely to me. It becomes a much different picture when realizing this is likely not Kuseno’s doing or fault at all (or even just ONE playing with Genos’ plot armor). Because if Genos only sees the body granted to him as a replaceable tool, then where does he keep his sense of self, if he doesn’t even regard himself as human anymore? Hmm, it’s like all his desperation, resolve, and internal feelings are suck inside his mind without getting anywhere. Like his will itself is trapped within the cold metal encasing of his chassis without getting properly channeled.

Channeled? Yes. Remember back to what the Metal Bat fight showed us. Not just the introduction of ‘fighting spirit,’ but THIS as well:

Where Garou even makes it a deliberate point to emphasize just how much power such a simple, metal weapon holds. Of course, later in a bonus chapter, this is said:

Hmm, the explanation for an ‘unbreakable’ metal bat, huh. Conveniently provided for by the HA whenever requested/needed too. Now that feels like a red herring to me. Instead, even if he’s not consciously aware of it (his intelligence is rated a 3 in the databook after all), the likely reason why he’s able to turn his bat into an unbreakable weapon is because during his increased moments of desperation, he can channel his ‘fighting spirit’ through it as a natural extension of himself. While Genos, who’s entirely built from metal that Kuseno could manage to acquire from various ‘unbreakable’ sources too, but who is still fighting with such flimsy defenses, is most definitely not. Any willpower/fighting spirit that Genos has is still pent up within the confines of his hard head without correctly reaching the extremities of his own limbs. He’s not effectively using his body as an natural extension of himself when he can’t even see himself as human anymore. Again, he’s mentally bound. Oh, Genos...

Metal Bat is just one example allowing for the possibility of strengthening the inorganic, Garou is another for showing the grueling process of developing ‘fighting spirit’ too, while Saitama is the ultimate example of everything coming together in a complete package. For Genos to successfully develop the same, to the point he can push past the output of his own frame and achieve greater power too, we need to reexamine his key components: his fuel (goal), willpower, and limiter(s).

Just how exactly can Genos improve?

First, what fuels him to keep going? For whenever he flings himself into battle, with deadly precision and almost an entire lack of self-preservation, what does he have that’s so important to him, it compels him to resist and keep going no matter the hopelessness of the situation? He’s already established upfront that his mission in life is to become strong enough to find and defeat the Mad Cyborg that destroyed his hometown and family. For 4+ years, he’s been running on those intense, pent up feelings of hatred, rage, frustration and grief…manifested into the desire for revenge, and by dedicating his remaining life and humanity for the sake of the dead. Without having a proper emotional outlet or time to grieve and heal from his trauma, he’s essentially been running around this whole time chasing intangible phantoms from the past. Is that even a goal viable enough for the long-term? (It’s definitely not a very healthy or constructive one, that’s for sure.) What about his plans after?

Ch108 of the webcomic even asks the hypothetical questions, what if the Mad Cyborg’s already dead, what would Genos do then? Or if he’s still alive, how can Genos even gauge if he’s strong enough to defeat him as he is now? He can’t know. Based on memories he can barely remember and leads that are virtually nonexistent, it’s still too fuzzy and inconclusive of an objective to adhere all his efforts towards or use as a guidepost for his progress. He needs something with much more reliability, clarity, and viability, because in the desperate throes of the moment, something vague won’t help him when his actual life depends on it. So Genos, what else is there? Attaining the S Class top 10? Still not strong enough, or even with enough personal value to risk his life for, when it’s incomparable to the heights of Saitama. Ah. There it is. Saitama. As Genos progresses over the course of the story, his priorities have started to shift as he reflects on what is most important to him. Rather than focusing all his intent and efforts on those who are already dead, it’s much better to live and fight for those who are still alive. For those who matter to him: Kuseno and Saitama, who are now part of his new makeshift family, they allow him the chance to finally heal emotionally and find new inspiration to live for. By living with Saitama, Genos has even started to form another goal that’s worth striving for that will sustain him through the long-term even after the Mad Cyborg: to become strong enough to remain by Saitama’s side.

Next, his willpower. Some of his most defining traits are his dead-set seriousness and determination. (To the point it’s comically and affectionately referred to as ‘no chill.’) He should have loads of useable willpower/fighting spirit at his disposal, yet his performance still turns up short. Having a viable goal to work towards and sustain it, and then being able to correctly channel it (as mentioned with Metal Bat’s example) are important, but so is overcoming the subconscious mental barriers holding him back. For one, is Genos even aware of the current power he holds, without attributing the credit to others or his special parts? Because there is at least one instance where he demonstrates the willpower to achieve the otherwise thought impossible:

Not just a moment to simply dismiss as a freak incident, because here (during the fight he was directly inspired by Saitama by the way), his refusal to be dismissed compelled him to fuse his severed body back together again. A feat previously thought impossible for him (just how on earth could he ‘heal’ severed metal?!), yet right then, he momentarily gained the power to surpass his body’s limitations. And yet, the incident practically goes by unacknowledged by him, as he’s shortly taken down by acid and distracted by Saitama’s answer for ‘more power.’ But the potential is still there for him! He can do it if he only perseveres and realizes! (And not by asking or relying on others to just give him all the answers either!)

So what is ‘more power’ to him? How can the willpower he already has be developed and trained even further? We’ve seen what Garou’s had to endure to get stronger, but to Genos, suffering the same physical pain won’t have the same effect on him. Instead, his tailored ‘hell’ to endure and overcome must come significantly much more from the psychological side. Through stressors that repeatedly tax and test his mental state to the brink rather than just his body. (The mental factors for Genos just keep piling…) And so, much of the growth we’ve actually witnessed from him over the course of his development comes from overcoming the torment of repeated failure.

A harsh punishment that could discourage and/or break the will of anyone, so it’s quite miraculous that even after all his losses, he’s still never stopped coming back to try again later or permanently gone off the deep end by now. It’s a strength that he’s never mentally succumbed under the relentless frustration and pressure. Instead, he always analyses what he did wrong, learns from his mistakes, and applies that into how he can improve next time. Little by little, by comparing him from the start of the story to now, he’s definitely improved. By becoming more aware of himself and his surroundings (to not always let his guard down!) and utilizing more efficient battle tactics, he’s turning into a much wiser fighter. Even coming to acknowledge the value of his own life much more than before.

^Yes Genos, be aware of your limits, because in this story, you are forcibly bound by many that you’ve yet to overcome.

Then what are his limits? Can Genos eventually break his limiter too? Does he still even have one? It’s a question often debated. His brain certainly still has one (along with many compounded mental barriers), but if his curious placement on the monster side of the spread during Dr. Genus’ limiter explanation means anything (EDIT: Murata’s since edited that spread for the published volume), would his similar ‘transformation’ into a new body make him gain a new limiter EACH TIME it’s replaced? Then uhoh, Genos needs to slow down and stay with one to acclimate as his perceived, natural ‘body,’ or he’ll be stuck in an endless loop trying to surpass his rebooted limits every time. (And he won’t get anywhere like that!) If that’s not the case, and his cyborg body doesn’t even have a limiter anymore (unlikely, because the output of his physical frame is always limited), then his brain’s still applies anyway. In either case, he will need to learn to fully accept, cherish, and value himself (as human!) first.

That’s why it’s so important he remains in contact with Saitama. Saitama’s calming influence is extremely vital to the stability of Genos’ wellbeing. Before they’d ever met, Genos was heading down such a self-destructive path, he really could have gone off the monstrous deep end to no return… ONE could still take his character arc down many dark possibilities, since Genos will likely have to endure much more psychological torment to grow stronger… (And then his once hidden placement on the monster side of the limiter spread becomes that much more ominous. But ONE won’t simply make his story a rehash of Garou’s either; he’s got different, long-term plans for Genos.) His road will be long and arduous regardless, as a gradual slow burn over the course of the story rather than neatly contained within any single arc. But no matter what happens, Saitama will be there.

If Tareo is Garou’s important link to his humanity, preventing him from fully becoming a monster, then Saitama (and Kuseno) are that vital link for Genos to remain in touch with his humanity as well. Vital enough to bring him new inspiration and newfound purpose in life to the point he will no longer have the necessity to think of his ‘self-destruct’ option as his last resort anymore.

Therefore, the words Saitama gave at the beginning of the story:

Where he mentions the familiar terms of ‘mental strength’ and ‘spirit’ in his advice to Genos...have actually always rung true. What the reader was originally supposed to take away as a throwaway line within Saitama’s bs, has in fact been a relevant chekhov's gun all along. This whole time, ‘a change in mindset will yield to greater strength’ has always been a viable approach in the path towards achieving greater power. :’)

Thank you for reading, and always keep an open eye out for what ONE has in store next! :D

#opm #saitama #genos #garou #metal bat #meta #manga spoilers #webcomic spoilers #long post #IT'S FINALLY HERE ;A;#who’s ready for some meta meat and potatoes!? 8D #this took a while to cook up but hopefully it’s savory enough food for thought!#simple in theory but complex in execution...gave me so many headaches aha #basically everything is connected; opm is mental and meta af; and ONE is the sneakiest bastard of them all

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wandaterrell · 3 years

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How to Write Overdue Invoice Letters that Get Paid Fast

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How to Write Past Due Invoice Letters that Get Paid Fast

Overdue invoices are a serious problem for many companies. You must have a smooth cash flow alongside your daily operations. Your entire business depends on receiving payments on time.

Most businesses are uncomfortable with confronting clients about outstanding invoices. They might not want to damage their relationships with them. However, it is important to know how to deal with such situations. Here, your best bet is to send regular past due invoice letters.

For that, you should know how to write an overdue invoice letter. Your letters should be professional and friendly. But, they should also be firm enough to get your message across properly. There are certain things to keep in mind when writing such sensitive letters, that we will learn further.

In this blog, we will discuss various ways to get paid faster. We have also included a bunch of past due invoice letter templates for your reference.

Follow Up Proactively

Your relationship with a specific client dictates your follow-up schedule. If you have been dealing with the client for years, you may not feel the need to follow up. Similarly, you need not follow up with clients that regularly pay on time.

However, for new clients and clients that delay payments, follow-ups are a must. It is optional whether you want to follow up before the due date. But, once the due date is crossed, it is necessary.

Here are some tips for you to follow up on time:

Follow up immediately after an invoice is generated. You can call up your client and confirm whether they have received the invoice. It cannot be called a proper ‘follow-up’ as you are just asking clients for an acknowledgment.

It is possible that your clients forgot about the invoice and missed the due date. So, get in touch with them 1 day after the due date passes. You can remind them about their overdue invoice via email, call, or mail.

Follow up at regular intervals. Most companies contact clients after 30, 45, 60, and 90 days. It is essential to reinforce your message frequently.

Send a past due invoice demand letter during the weekend when people have a lot of time. There are fewer mail items in their mailbox and they can pay more attention to your letter.

According to an article by the Entrepreneur, you should send emails on days like Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. This is because most people are busy on Mondays and ignore the email received post-Thursday.

Do not let your clients think that you don’t have the time to follow up. Let them know that your accounts team is tracking every invoice regularly. This will encourage them to complete payments promptly.

Don’t Miss Out on Any Details

Always add important details to your invoices. Missing out on them can increase the payment timeframe significantly. Moreover, mistakes and inaccuracies in invoices leave a bad impression on clients.

You may have to suffer huge losses due to such errors or inaccuracies. Imagine your accountant drafted an invoice for $1,000 instead of $10,000. In this case, your client may refuse to pay the actual amount making you lose a lump sum of greens.

In the same way, it is important to draft precise past due invoice letters. To help you with the same, here is a checklist that you need to take care of while drafting your invoice letters:

Checklist to Prepare Invoice Letters

Invoice number

Date of issue

Full amount due

A reminder of the letters sent earlier

Payment instructions (You can also include a link or QR code)

Your contact details

Particulars of the invoice

Payment terms

Other terms and conditions

Some more things to remember are:

The words “past due invoice” should be mentioned at the top of the letter.

Mention the names of the buyer and seller both. Also, mention the full mailing address and contact number of the recipient.

If you are drafting an invoice, also include the breakdown of the amount due. Mention any additional taxes and duties included.

Adjust Your Language

You cannot use the same writing style and tone in every overdue invoice collection letter. Tailoring your language is important. It ensures that you are emphasizing your message properly.

So, how to write past due invoice letters?

Well, the answer is simple- A letter written after 15 days past the due date is surely different from the one written after 60 days. You should adjust your writing tone accordingly depending upon the number of days and the situation.

At times, clients reach out to you with a reason for non-payment. But, some clients stop responding to your texts and calls when their invoices become overdue.

Let us now find out how you can tailor your words and get paid faster.

1-15 Days Past Due

You should be extremely gentle and polite while sending a past due payment letter for the first time. Use a friendly tone and let customers know that this is just a reminder. This letter should not sound like a warning.

Your motive should be to preserve your relationship with clients.

Explain the payment terms and guide them on how to pay.

You can also ask them to acknowledge your letter by responding to it.

Once the customer receives the letter, you can also call them up.

It is necessary to talk to them personally at least once.

30-60 Days Past Due

Ask your accounts team to send another overdue payment letter after 30 days. The letter should be professionally drafted, but do not forget to maintain a courteous tone. Try to emphasize the urgency of the matter.

Attach a copy of the invoice. Mention that you had sent the invoice along with payment overdue letters earlier but didn’t receive any response till date.

Use sentences like “Please complete the payment at the earliest” and “We need your urgent attention to this situation.”

Include the revised amount inclusive of the late fees.

At this payment collection stage, you should not shy away from asking for the payment firmly.

90+ Days Past Due

If a client delays payment for a long time, it is less likely that they will pay at all. Hence, you should keep up with your follow-up overdue invoice letters.

The letter sent after 90+ days past the due date is a warning.

It gives clients a final chance to complete the payment.

Let clients know that you are expecting payment within a certain number of days.

If the payment is still outstanding, you have the right to take legal action against them. Thus, your final letter should inform clients about the same.

Charge Late Penalties

It is common for banks and financial institutions to impose late payment charges. They do so by imposing interest on all missed credit card bills and EMI payments. You can also charge a late payment fee on your overdue accounts.

Discuss the penalties and related charges with your customers beforehand or else do not mention them in the invoice and letters. If these things aren’t discussed earlier, you cannot charge any penalties.

Any additional fees included without their knowledge can sour your company-client relationships.

However, companies must refrain from charging any amount at their discretion. It should be a reasonable amount, mostly a certain percentage of the total due, say 7-10%.

Also, go through your state laws regarding how much interest you can charge annually. If your state allows you to charge 15% annually, you can divide that amount into 12 and charge monthly. A 15% interest charged annually equals 1.25% interest per month.

Additionally, you can enforce late payment fees as a way to get paid. Start adding up these fees to your invoice after the due date. It can set an excellent precedent. This way, your clients can learn that you expect to be paid on time.

The more the payments are delayed, the more are the late payment charges. This fact can encourage clients to pay you at the earliest possible so that they don’t pay anything extra.

However, you cannot charge late penalties to all clients. Some clients fail to complete payments due to some genuine reasons. They may have not received your letters and are hence, unaware of the matter.

Before taking any further steps, try to get in touch with them through several channels.

Offer Discounts and Payment Plans

They say- something is better than nothing. You might have to incentivize clients to pay you.

Some businesses offer early payment discounts to several customers. They ask their customers to pay before the due date in exchange for a good discount.

You can offer a small discount of 2-4% to attract early payments. This small percentage may not be very convincing, but it can surely work for some customers. Companies that are focused on cost savings are likely to avail of your discount offer.

These offers are regarding early payments.

What if your client has not paid you even after the due date?

You can try offering them a payment plan. An article published on Entrepreneur’s website suggests offering payment plans to clients with overdue accounts.

You can divide the total amount receivable into smaller parts.

Ask clients to pay a part every month.

This way, they can pay off their debt over some time.

It is also beneficial to you as you can regulate your cash flow.

This plan can also work for clients that reach out to you and ask for certain concessions. You can help them pay you by offering such payment plans.

Use a Polite Tone

Always be humble and polite while addressing a past due payment letter. Being courteous helps you to maintain a good brand image and goodwill. This further strengthens your relationships with the customers in a better way. Together, it all will eventually lead to high customer retention and increased sales.

Clients are likely to ignore letters that are written in a rude tone. Moreover, such letters can affect company-client relationships negatively. But, if you use a polite tone, it can help you get paid faster and retain customers.

FreshBooks stated that invoices containing polite phrases like “thank you” and “please” are 5% more likely to be honored.

Use sentences like:

Thank you for your cooperation and time.

Please complete the payment within X days.

Such phrases show your company in a good light and encourage clients to have a long-term relationship with you.

Automate Payment Reminders

Remembering due dates and sending payment reminders manually is a huge deal. So, you can rather take the help of your invoicing software.

Automate printing and mailing overdue invoice collection letters. PostGrid’s automated direct mail API can integrate into your invoicing software and help you print and mail invoices effortlessly.

Also, if you do not know how to write a letter for overdue payment, try using PostGrid’s pre-built templates.

You can set reminders on your invoicing software to send outstanding invoice letters. The ideal time plan is 1, 15, 30, 45, 60, and 90 days past due (just as we mentioned above). The software can send an automated email and mailpiece to clients on each of these days. You need not remember any dates or do anything manually

The software can also add late penalties to the invoice amount automatically.

Get Help

If your invoices go unpaid even after 90 days, send a final unpaid invoice letter to your client. You need to mention that your next step is involving a collection agency.

In case the payment is not completed within the specified time, you can take the desired action.

Your first option is to hand over the invoice to a debt collection agency, as you mentioned in the letter. They may take a while to get the payment process completed.

If this option does not work, you can take your clients to court. However, consider whether the invoice amount is worth taking so much effort. Sometimes, the cost of hiring a lawyer and the court fees exceed the amount of the unpaid invoice.

In the US, it is quite easy to get your lawsuit to the small claims court. You only have to pay the court fees.

If your invoice amount is less than the state’s maximum limit, you need not hire a lawyer as well. Thus, you can take legal action against non-payers without spending a lot.

Tips for Writing a Past Due Invoice Letter

Below are some tips that can help you write professional and effective past due invoice collection letters:

For invoices overdue by a few days, include the words “for your ease” or “for your convenience”. You can draft your sentences as “For your convenience, I am attaching invoice #770 that was due 2 days back.”

Always add links to complete the payment. Don’t forget to attach the main invoice.

Use polite phrases such as kindly, please, requesting you, thank you, we appreciate, etc.

Remind your customers of all the previous interactions you had with them. Prefer adding words like “As we discussed earlier,” “As you know,” or “As discussed on call the other day.” These statements can remind clients of your conversations regarding the payment terms.

Also, use phrases that demonstrate urgency. “Immediate attention”, “urgent matter,” and “action required” are some examples of such phrases. If you are sending an email, use such phrases in your subject line.

Skip the irrelevant details and talk to the point. You need not beat around the bush for a long time before coming to the main subject. It can lead to distraction from the issue.

Notify customers that you are going to get in touch with them via phone. They should know that you intend to talk to them personally on the subject. Some customers are uncomfortable talking about these things. So, they would rather prefer to complete the payment before that happens.

Run credit checks on high-ticket clients. If you are dealing with someone for the first time, it is advisable to learn their business history. You should only deal with reputable clients that do not delay payments unnecessarily.

Friendly Past Due Invoice Letter Templates and Samples

It is not necessary to draft a unique past due invoice letter for every client. You can use a common template for the same. These templates are already drafted for you, so you don’t need to worry about its format.

Such overdue invoice letter templates help save a lot of time and effort. You can edit the necessary fields. Using these templates, you can sound professional while staying focused on your objectives.

But, you need to use a different tone for every letter. Hence, we have included a past due invoice letter template to give you a clear idea. You can use this template for all clients at all stages, irrespective of the days past due.

Past Due Invoice Letter Template

[Your Full Name] [Your Company Name] [Company Details] (such as address and contact details) [Date] [Customer’s Full Name] [Customer’s Company Name] (if applicable) [Company Details] (if applicable)

Dear [Customer First Name] [Opening Paragraph]. (Explain the main purpose behind your letter and pave the way for further details. Keep it soft and humble. This paragraph should be a mere reminder to reinforce all your previous conversations.)

[Invoice Details]. (Mention the invoice number, date, and particulars.) [Late Fees]. (Include the amount of late fees charged and also write how you calculated the interest rate.)

[Payment Details] (Mention your bank account details for customers to pay you. You can also mention the other payment options available.)

[Closing Paragraph]. (Inform your customers that you have attached the invoice with the letter. Also, include your contact information and ask them to reach out in case of queries.)

Thank you for your time and cooperation!

Sincerely, [Your Signature] [Your Name and Designation]

Enclosed: Invoice No. [#]

You can edit and use this template for invoices that are past due by 1-15 days, 30-60 days, and 90+ days. You can change the tone and the choice of words according to your requirements.

We have put together two samples that you can send before the invoice becomes overdue. These early invoice letters can help you avoid late payments in the first place.

Below are some samples of invoice reminders and past due payment letters that you can refer to:

Payment Reminder: 1 Week Before the Due Date

Hayley Collins Galaxy Associates Seattle, WA 12th August 2021.

To, Desmond Hopkins

Hi Mr. Desmond, Hope you are having a great day. This letter is in regards to your invoice no. 856 generated on the 20th of July, 2021. We wish to remind you that this invoice will be due next week on the 26th of July, 2021. A copy of the invoice is attached.

We understand that you are busy, but we would appreciate it if you take the time to acknowledge the invoice.

Please contact us if you have any doubts or questions.

Thank you!

Best, Hayley Collins Accounts Department – Galaxy Associates.

Enclosures: 1 (Invoice no. 856)

Why this reminder is effective: Your invoice due date is yet to come. Therefore, there is no need to bother the customer too much. This letter should be a reminder to aid faster payments. Keep it short, informative, and friendly. You should also not ask for the payment directly, as the invoice is not due yet.

The reminder gives out a message to customers that you track your invoices regularly. And, you expect the payment on time.

Payment Reminder: On the Due Date

Alfie Parker Rosalia International Pvt. Ltd. 12th August 2021.

To, Summer Havens Havens Apparels

Hello Summer, I hope you are doing well! This is to remind you that your invoice #1900 is due today. The invoice was both emailed and mailed to you earlier. For your ease, we have attached a copy.

You can pay via debit card/credit card/net banking on our website. You can also send a check to the below address: Rosalia International Pvt. Ltd. 056 Crossbow Blvd. Miami, FL 33128

We would be happy to assist you in case of any doubts.

Thank You, Alfie Parker. Sr. Manager – Operations.

Why this reminder is effective: Reaching out to clients on the due date can get you paid easily. This way, you won’t have to write any late payment invoice letters.

When you follow up regularly, clients feel the need to complete payments as soon as possible. Hence, you are likely to receive the payment on the same day or at least a few days later.

The invoice isn’t overdue yet, so be polite. It should be highly professional and humble.

1-15 Days Past Due Invoice Letter

Keith Wesley Star Media Inc. San Diego, CA 12th August 2021

Steve Galecki Onsite Construction Pvt. Ltd.

Dear Mr. Steve, Hope you are doing well! This letter is in regards to your overdue invoice. As per our records, the due date was 5th August 2021.

Please find below the invoice details: Date: 5th May 2021 Invoice no. 5284 Amount: $2,500 Particulars: 3 magazine advertisements from 1st January to 30th April 2021.

As discussed earlier, the payment terms are 3 months from the issue date. Any payments completed beyond the due date are subject to a 5% interest charge. Requesting you to please look into the matter.

You can send a check to the address mentioned on the letterhead. Also, you can pay through net banking/debit card/credit card on our website.

In case of any questions or clarifications, please do not hesitate to reach out. You can drop me an email at [email protected].

We would like to thank you for your time and cooperation!

Sincerely, [Your Signature] Keith Wesley, VP – Sales and Marketing.

30-60 Days Past Due Invoice Letter

Phoebe Scott Zing International 12th August 2021.

To, Richard Valdes. 523 Phoenix St. Houston, TX 77005

Dear Mr. Richard, This is in regards to your invoice no. 770J. It was due on 1st July 2021 and we are yet to receive the payment. We had earlier sent an overdue payment letter on 15th July 2021 but did not get any response. Since it has been 42 days past the due date, we need your urgent attention to this situation.

As mentioned in the invoice, past due amounts are subject to an interest of @15%. Hence, your total invoice amount is now $4,410. We have attached a copy of the invoice for your perusal.

You can complete the payment by logging into our website. There are several payment options available for your convenience. Otherwise, you can send us a check written to “Zing International Companies.”

Please complete the payment for the said invoice at the earliest. Feel free to contact us on (485) 8562-0100 for any clarifications.

We thank you for your business and look forward to working with you again!

Regards, Phoebe Scott Sr. Sales Manager – Zing International, TX.

Enclosed: Invoice No. 770J

90+ Days Past Due

Michael Steffanina Ace Exhibitions 85L Banksville Rd. Pittsburgh, OH 15218 12th August 2021.

Christian Auden Pittsburgh, OH 15295

Dear Mr. Christian, We are writing this letter to inform you that your invoice is now 105 days overdue. Our accounts team has sent you two outstanding invoice letters on 10th June 2021 and 12th July 2021. But, we didn’t hear back from you. We need your urgent attention to the matter.

This is our last unpaid invoice letter to you. Kindly remit the amount within 7 business days. Failure to do so will result in legal action. Please find the invoice details below: Invoice Number: 10692 Date: 1st April 2021 Due Date: 29th April 2021 Current Amount Due: $47,940

As written in our contract, a late payment fee of 4% per month is chargeable. Please reply to this letter or drop me an email regarding when we can expect your payment.

You can transfer the full amount to the bank details written below: Account Name: Ace Exhibitions Account Number: xxxxx xxxxx xx853 ABA Number: xxxxxx298 Bank Name: Bank of America Address: Pittsburgh, OH.

We have attached the invoice with this letter for your reference. Please get in touch with us as soon as possible.

Sincerely, [Your Signature] Michael Steffanina Vice President, Marketing.

Enclosed: Invoice No. 10692

You can use these templates if you don’t know how to write a letter for overdue payment. Feel free to customize them according to your needs. You can also automate the process to save time and the effort needed to write such letters. Using PostGrid’s print and mail API, you can draft professional letters effortlessly.

Our API can help you pull details from your CRM and draft past due invoice letters in seconds.

How to Draft Overdue Invoice Emails

Now that you know how to write a past due invoice letter, it is worth knowing how to draft emails.

You can mix and match while using emails and physical letters for overdue payments.

For example,

You can email an invoice copy immediately after generating it.

Next, you can send another email one week before the payment is due.

On the due date, you can send a physical letter to customers.

Some companies prefer sending emails and mail at the same time for added effect.

Reaching out to clients through various channels is important. This way, you know that they are receiving your messages.

For sending emails, you should have your customers’ email addresses. Don’t forget to collect such information right at the beginning.

You can use the same letter samples mentioned above as email templates. The only difference is the subject line.

Find below some examples of subject lines used in overdue invoice collection letters:

Follow-up on bill #5620

Invoice no. 0721 is due today

Invoice no. 250: Third reminder for payment completion

Last warning for payment collection (Invoice #8609)

The subject line summarizes your emails and talks about the urgency of the situation.

What Are the Different Types of Invoices You Should Know About

A sales invoice is a document that informs customers about their transactions. It includes several other details like the:

Seller Name

Transaction Date

Amount

Payment Terms

Particulars

Invoices streamline payment collections for small businesses. And, they act as a reference for customers.

There are different types of invoices that you should be aware of. They are used in different situations and periods, they are:

Proforma Invoice

This type of invoice is drafted before the order gets placed. At this point, the customer is still in the decision-making phase. Your proforma invoice can help them decide whether they want to purchase from you.

It is similar to a regular invoice and provides all the necessary information. Some businesses refer to it as a quotation. Since the purchase has not yet been completed, there is no official entry in your accounts books for the same.

Companies need to draft such invoices with utmost care. Consider your interactions with the customer regarding the deal. You can include all the agreed terms and conditions in this invoice.

Standard Invoice

Standard invoices are also called purchase invoices. These invoices are generated once the order is completed. In the case of businesses selling products, the invoice is sent along with the delivery of goods. Other companies can send an invoice after the customer has paid for your services.

It is useful in collecting payments. Usually, invoices confirm the completion of sales. They inform the buyer about the transaction particulars like the due date and amount. Such standard invoices create an obligation for the customers to pay you.

Whenever an invoice is generated, an entry is made in the books of accounts of both the buyer and seller.

It is crucial to draft accurate invoices. All your past due invoice collection letters are based on these invoices. Any mistake in the invoice can lead to customers refusing to pay.

Recurring Invoices

Recurring invoices are drafted for recurring purchases. For example, you own a plastic manufacturing company. You will draft recurring invoices for clients who need to purchase from you regularly. It could be weekly, monthly, or even half-yearly.

Similarly, consider that you are a magazine publication. If a client wants to book a space in your 6 upcoming issues, you will draft separate invoices for each issue. Sometimes, you can also draft a single invoice for all 6 issues. It is a subjective matter and depends on your discussions with the clients.

Your account team should be proactive about recurring invoices. Arrange for sending invoices regularly. In the meanwhile, don’t forget to follow up with clients for completing payments.

Sending payment reminder letters along with recurring invoices is a good practice.

Over to You

Overdue invoices can make it difficult for you to keep your calm. But, remember, your clients are probably distracted by several things. They might have an overflowing inbox wherein it is easy for your emails to get lost.

You can get paid easily by following the tips and templates mentioned above.

For added attention, consider sending your overdue invoice letters through the mail. PostGrid can help you draft, print, and mail your letters effortlessly. Thus, you can save a lot of time, resources, and effort while maintaining a steady accounts receivable account.

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imagine-loki · 7 years

Text

Across the Divide

TITLE: Across The Divide CHAPTER NO./ONE SHOT: Chapter Twenty-Seven AUTHOR: wolfpawn ORIGINAL IMAGINE: Imagine Loki sneaking out of the palace as a youth to see the city and countryside, while out one day, he accidentally gets in trouble for something, but a young girl deals with the situation, allowing him to be left alone and his true identity be kept secret. She is a poor girl who is only in the city to sell goods with her father, so she does not realise it is Loki, even though she sees his face. They form a friendship as she shows him around the city, and tells him the date she comes to the city every month for a particular market. RATING: Teen and Up

Life, as it so often does, conspired against Loki and Ariella. While Loki was contemplating how best to apologise to her, there had been an emergency that called him off realm. He had not even the time to talk to Ariella again and to try and make amends when he and Frigga had had to rush to Alfheim to deal with a matter there that caused need for all the greatest seidr wielders in the realms to be required, the matter was of such importance, Odin had given Loki Gungnir to assist. Leaving Ariella to be told what was going on by Odin, though she was slightly sceptical at first, but after a day or so, she had heard maids confirming it, as well as the lack of appearance by Frigga, confirming it more to her.

After a week she had begun to walk about her room somewhat and with good food and rest, she had recovered almost fully. It was then she set about the task that Odin had asked of her. She had thought about it at length while she recovered. Odin gave her permission to call upon anything she required, the results startled all involved, the materials were inexpensive and basic. There were comments made regarding it, scoffing and ridicule being most common, but Ariella never heard any of it, because she was too busy in her own world.

Her days were busy, she did lessons for a few hours in the morning, had lunch, then she worked on her idea, then dinner and rest before beginning the next day again. Odin was a constant mentor to her as she continued her education. A better-suited tutor was found, one that made Ariella’s learning a pleasure for the woman, Odin came by every so often to see how she was progressing in those lessons, but also to keep her company and to inform her of what was going on with Loki.

‘How is the project going?’

‘Fine.’ she smiled as she put away to book she had been learning to write with. ‘I need to do the next phase of it soon.’

‘Excellent. Have you a timeframe or are you simply working as you see fit?’ Odin asked as he watched her work around her room, putting away more items.

‘I think a month, but then I have days like today and reassess to six weeks,’ she rolled her eyes.

Odin chuckled, ‘All beings have such days, they mean very little.’ He dismissed. He smiled as he noticed she had taken some his vernacular in their time speaking as well as broadened her own comprehension of many words he used. ‘Loki and Frigga should be home soon.’

‘That is nice.’ She gave a small smile.

‘Are you still angry at him?’

Ariella gave a stern glare at the old monarch for a moment before her shoulders slumped, ‘No.’

‘Then why the disinterest?’

‘I am not disinterested, I am looking forward to seeing Frigga again.’

‘And Loki?’ She said nothing. Odin shook his head, knowing there was nothing he could do regarding the matter. ‘You are as stubborn as each other.’

Ariella said nothing and went about getting herself ready for her afternoon’s work. She thought of the time when she had just seen Loki after their forced separation from one another due to circumstance, of how he placed a chaste kiss on her lips, and the sensation that she had felt as a result, as though she was after being given a new lease of life. It had made her feel incredible, but of late, thoughts of Loki had made her feel less than good, she felt as though she was never going to feel such a way about him again since he clearly had not seen her in the manner she thought he had. Perhaps, she thought, she had only imagined it in him in desperation for his affections in return for her own.

She was toying with her hair, which thankfully was now halfway down her neck and getting to her shoulders once more even after it had been cut to shape it. She was able to put a small braid in it now, making her feel more feminine. The new dresses she was made also caused her to realise she could actually look somewhat like a high born woman giving the right circumstance. It filled her with joy to feel such a way, she often looked in the mirror smiling as she began to gain weight again. The only concern she had was how she would know how to stop. Eir assured her that that was not a concern, she would ensure that her diet be altered come a time she reached such a weight.

Smiling as she walked to where she was working on her piece, she rarely paid any attention to anything around her, oblivious to the people watching her, many speculating she was Loki’s whore, some even speculated she was Odin’s, more than a few comments were made that there was life in that old dog yet, especially with Frigga off realm for what was notably the longest period in recent centuries without her husband.

‘Ariella?’ She turned to see Thor behind her. ‘Forgive my shouting, I was unsure if it was you, you look well.’ Thor jogged a few paces to catch up to her, smiling widely. ‘I hardly recognised you.’

‘Yes, now that I do not look like some form of famine victim, I am somewhat different looking.’

‘Different would imply grotesque to many, you look incredibly well.’Thor beamed.

Ariella folded her arms, ‘What do you want this time?’

In the time since Loki’s departure, Thor and Ariella had spent some time in each other’s company through different events, most of which were accidental meetings, as Thor tended to go training after his lunch while she went to about her own dealings, both inadvertently meeting en route, as well as Thor aiding with some of Loki’s matters in his absence. In such times, they had spoken, though not at any considerable length. It was through this that Ariella had noted Thor’s interest in the young and seemingly pleasant Lady Sif, and due to a small suggestion on her behalf one day to get Sif something that she had noted the girl liked as a gift and her subsequent elation, Thor had come to Ariella to deal with any issue he had regarding the maiden thereafter, citing she was the only non-staff female he had any form of amicable relations within the palace, and with Frigga not on realm, he needed to ensure he did not screw up too badly on the matter.

‘I wish to ask the Lady Sif to dine with me tomorrow.’

‘And?’

‘What should I ask her?’

‘Ask her if she wishes to dine with you, literally there is nothing wrong with just that.’ She stated as though obvious.

‘And if she declines?’

‘Force your father to force her father to force her to marry you; what do you think you do, you get over it like a grown man.’ Ariella scoffed before rolling her eyes. ‘Honestly. Look, you like her, she likes you, according to Odin, she is of enough standing for this to be allowed, and according to the monkey stirring the devilment pot in his head, having his son be in a love match will only add to the situation.’ she stated as they came to where their paths usually ended on the accidental meeting. ‘So, just get on with it. I am literally going to die of old age before you take your finger out and deal with this.’

‘Take your finger out of where?’

‘It is an expression.’ She stated, not paying any more attention to him, too busy thinking of her next addition and not overly bothered by Thor’s love interest other than hoping he was content with it.

‘Did you hear Mother and Loki are back soon?’

‘I was not aware of such.’ She stated, trying not to show her emotions at that.

‘You still have not forgiven Loki?’

‘I still have not forgiven your lying and I was not even friends with you.’

‘So, you see me as a friend?’ Thor grinned, Ariella gave a stare. Thor placed his hand on her shoulder and looked into her eyes. ‘Do not hold onto anger and let it fester, you will end up ill again with such thoughts.’

‘Stop trying to be sagely, you are too young to make it work.’ She scoffed before walking off. Thor rolled his eyes before heading to the training grounds.

‘I cannot wait to return home.’ Frigga smiled wearily as she got into the carriage to bring them home.

‘Yes, my own bed is something I never thought could be so enticing.’

‘And Ariella?’ Loki gave a sideways glance at his mother. For the entirety of their time on Alfheim, she had tried to get him to use some manner of communication with Ariella, which led to him commenting that she would not be able to read the letters and would be too proud to get someone to help her. When Frigga mentioned her at all, he clammed up slightly, the look of defeat on his face blatant. ‘You cannot ignore her forever.’

‘I am not the one who said to leave, am I?’ Loki growled.

‘Time heals most wounds.’ Frigga stated sagely. ‘Wait and see, before the full moon you will be worse than before, back once more in each other’s company.’

As Loki thought of the time he had kissed Ariella, after seeing her in the inn after their time apart, he swallowed and sighed. ‘It can never be like that again.’

Frigga rolled her eyes and looked out the window again, wondering why her son had to be so melodramatic.

* Loki walked through the palace, not overly interested in anything around him, he did not care what others were doing, he was partly concerned with Ariella and her reaction should she see him again and also wondering what work would be waiting for him on his desk.

He turned a corner and froze at the sight that greeted him. There was Thor, giving Ariella a hug, then kissing her cheek as they parted ways, the smile on Ariella’s face telling him she was genuinely happy. He noticed too her hair, her now fresher features and her clothing; she looked beautiful, more beautiful than he ever thought the small grime covered gaunt peasant girl could ever have looked. With his heart pounding in his chest, he watched her laugh to herself as she walked off down a hall, Thor grinning widely as he went his own direction. Not wanting to see any more, he used his magic to get him to another part of the palace and away from the scene he had just witnessed, Thor’s promise the day that Ariella was angry with him coming to the fore of his mind and his anger rising as a result. From his hidden position, he heard two courtiers going by, scoffing as they spoke of the peasant concubine and how she clearly was seeing to all three royal men, such was the manner they were in her presence, and how would Prince Loki feel on his return to know that his father and his brother had been ploughing that particular field of his in his absence. Unable to take the pain in his chest, he rushed through the palace again, not able to stand it.

When he got to a large balcony that overlooks the city, he realised he must have run several staircases also. Knowing none would hear it from such a height, he let out a pained yell.

‘Loki?’ He turned to see Odin behind him, looking at him with great concern. ‘My son, what is it?’

‘I…’

‘Yes?’

‘You…’

‘I what, Loki, tell me.’ Odin walked forward slowly, looking worriedly at his son. ‘Whatever it is, my son, I will assist you. Is it Ariella?’

On using her name, something in Loki snapped, his pain turned to anger, the scoffing words of the two men coming to the front of his mind. Looking at Odin in hate, he lunged forward. His actions startled Odin only for a moment, and though old, years of wars, training and general knowledge came to the fore again, and he grabbed his son with a swiftness a man of his size should not have and held him fast against him, using his own seidr to prevent Loki using his, grateful that in his anger, Loki’s was not able to function with the proficiency that it usually would. ‘Let go.’

‘Speak to me Loki.’ Odin refused to let him go, instead, holding him fast.

‘I heard what they are saying.’

‘Who?’

‘What you are doing with her.’

‘Who Loki?’

‘Ari.’ He got his elbow free and was trying to strike him. ‘In her rooms.’ Implication rife in his words.

Loki was winded as his father threw him forward and he fell to the ground, when he turned he felt fear for the first time in his life of his father, who glared at him with anger. ‘Do you think me such a man?’ He bellowed. ‘That I would prey on a young girl, the only one that holds my son’s affections, that I would do that to my wife, the woman I have loved since before you and your brother were ideas in my head?’ He stood over his son. ‘Courtiers will always talk, you are capable of knowing their lies, yet you choose to believe that of me, of Ariella.’

‘She and Thor…’

‘So he is using her now too, Norns how has she the time of day to do anything other than bounce from room to room of the Odin-Line with such actions? Nothing to say about her five hours of study before lunch, or the six after that she labours on the task she is set, no, she is bed-hopping the royal household, I have to commend her, she is by far the most hardworking creature to ever set foot on Asgard to juggle all that, whenever does she sleep. What sort of way is that to speak of her, you know her better than any, you know she would never do such a thing, yet here you are accusing her of it.’

‘I saw them.’ Loki shouted, causing Odin to pause and frown. ‘Together, in the hallway, he kissed…’

‘Where did he kiss her?’

‘Does it matter?’

‘Yes, it does. To kiss her as a lover would is far different than to kiss her as anything else.’ Odin growled before looking to the edge of the balcony. ‘But no better one to ask than one involved. Care to explain what Loki witnessed.’

Thor stepped down, Muninn and Huginn pruning themselves after completing their assignment to retrieve their master’s older son. ‘I gave Ariella a kiss on the cheek, yes, I confess, I also embraced her, tightly I might add.’ He strode over to his brother, his face stern. ‘And? What concern of it is yours? What right have you to dictate who she does or does not have contact with? What makes you any better than those before you to try and control her, those you stated you wished to see her free from?’

‘You could not see me happy, you swore to ruin it.’

‘I am happy, I am elated beyond words or measure.’ Thor bellowed, resembling his father.

‘With her.’

‘I do not want anything to do with her in that manner,’ Thor scoffed.

‘Then why do as you did?’

‘Because of gratitude.’ Loki scoffed. ‘Yes, I suppose that is a concept you cannot understand.’ Thor sniped. ‘If you must know, Ariella has been helping me.’

‘In what manner?’

‘Not that it is your concern, but with the matter of Lady Sif.’ Loki frowned. ‘The interaction you witnessed was a result of her aiding me have the Lady Sif join me for dinner, in private, as a manner to court her, the Lady Sif, and not Ariella, the woman I know you, my own brother and kin, to love.’

‘Then why say what you did about her?’ Loki challenged, though his voice uncertain.

‘To get you to cop on and start doing something about this rather than allowing something good pass you by.’ Thor stated as though obvious. ‘Why else?’

‘So you did not want her?’ Loki’s voice was smaller as a result of Thor’s declaration.

‘Forgive me, brother, I mean no disrespect to your tastes in women, she is quite pretty, I can see and acknowledge such, but not a type that would interest me.’ Thor stated. Loki’s lustre to fight dissipated fully. His brother and father’s words ceasing his anger. Turning to his father, he could see understanding in his features. ‘You never cared what idiots thought before, yet now their word is sacred. You need to reassess yourself.’ Loki gave him a sideways glare, causing Thor to square up to him. ‘And if you ever attempt to lay hand on our father again when he did nothing to warrant it, when he only tried to help, I will create a crater with your body as its centre.’ He swore, walking back to the edge of the balcony. ‘Sort yourself out brother, not everyone is as honourable as to take your feelings into account.’

Loki frowned again. Odin walked over to his son, placing his hand on his shoulder. ‘We all want you to be happy Loki, why will you not let yourself be happy?’

He looked to his father, remorseful of his actions. ‘I…I should never, I am so sorry.’

‘We shall say no more.’ Odin stated, waving his hand in dismissal. ‘You have an incredible mind Loki, you are also a very good man, it is not in your nature, so we will put it down to exhaustion and stress.’ Loki nodded, grateful for his understanding. ‘But as your brother threatens, once I can forgive, a second time would be wrong of me to. It would indicate you are aggressive, and I do not want anyone, much less a girl who deserves the world, to deal with a man that could strike her.’

Loki looked at him appalled at first, but said nothing, knowing his actions deserved such words. ‘It will not occur again Father, and I will make amends for my actions against you this day.’

Odin nodded and gave a small smile. ‘I know you will, now, go calm yourself, and then speak with Ariella when she finishes later.’

‘Finishes?’

‘She is a busy woman, as I said, she will not be seen until after dinner, which she usually takes in her rooms alone and many times she goes to bed immediately after, if her maid is to be believed. She is caring for herself now, eating well, sleeping well, she is a new being because of it.’

Loki swallowed, he was so consumed by jealousy, he had not taken time to even assess Ariella’s appearance fully, though he noted her beauty. ‘I will have to wait to see her so.’ He gave a sad smile.

‘I hope it is soon.’ Odin smiled encouragingly. ‘I am proud of your work in Alfheim, your mother’s correspondence was very complimentary.’

‘I am just glad it worked.’

Ariella’s hair

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lizthefangirl · 7 years

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Danny Rand: An opinion.

Disclaimer: I did not watch The Iron Fist, nor do I know of his lore beyond what is presented in The Defenders; so mind my ignorance on that front. I wanted to go in seeing him somewhat developed and as part of a unit. The following input is simply my expression of what I gathered from my viewing of Defenders, in hopes to contribute to a larger discussion—it’s just discourse about a fictional character in a fictional show on my blog. Genuinely not a huge deal. Please be respectful in response. Spoilers for The Defenders, ahoy! (Highly recommend it, by the way).

When the first Iron Fist reviews started hitting the web, it was so disappointing. I fully intended to see the origins of the final member of the team seamlessly slide into place, and like a lot of people, was confounded at how Marvel could only execute 3/4 of the protagonists to such a high standard—and fall flat on the one who turns out to be particularly integral to The Defenders’ plot.

First and foremost: Finn Jones is not the issue. I don’t think he’s ever been the principal issue when issues were present. He is a very talented actor; he was excellent on Game of Thrones (which is so unerringly good that I consider it to be one of the ultimate tests of a performer), and plays a similarly caddish character here—though that’s where the resemblance ends. So Finn Jones is fine. Solid American accent, great stunt work; anyone who has to train to play a superhuman is already pretty cool. He can’t help defective writing and politics, poor guy. I don’t blame him for any former shortcomings (including his original haircut).

Now for an analysis of Danny Rand, as played in The Defenders:

. . . I gather that he’s had a rough time. I also suspect that he has evolved in a dramatic way; I saw someone say he was ‘100x more likable in this series’ and found myself baffled at how he might have been portrayed in his own to earn that statement. I think that his primary saving grace in both Iron Fist and Defenders is Colleen Wing, plain and simple. I’m not the first person to say that, but it’s a fact. She fought and vouched for him when I didn’t immediately, and it made me look him closer and ask, What else is here?

I think there are a lot of positive aspects of his character—in this new environment, at least. Like most, I do think his treatment by the others is particularly funny, just because they have no idea how to handle this person and his weird stories, combined with his flippant attitude and high profile. I love that the writers allowed Luke to address Danny’s privilege outright (in addition to showing them both in the odd position of getting their behinds kicked by one another). I like that he’s portrayed as having PTSD early on and that you can see tears in his eyes on multiple occasions; emotional vulnerability in “strong” male characters is something I have longed to see more of in film. He also does end up having some good conversations, especially with Luke and Matt, that really do challenge him.

I also like that he initiated the “team” mindset; he doesn’t see an issue with it at all. It’s like a group project for him; he hasn’t always simmered in solidarity quite like most of the others have. And despite how irking his blind confidence can be at moments, I think it’s kind of great that he just walked into that boardroom and went all “I am the special immortal metal hand” on those folks, and expected to just kind of. . . deal with it. Like that’s cute, sweetie. Good for you, honey.

Here is why I respect him more than I thought I would: He really does try, in the end—and not just for himself and Colleen. You get the sense in his conversation with Elektra (or I did) that at one point in time, he would have 110% given in and opened that door, based on verbal persuasion alone. You also see Guo trying to twist him around, and he tells her she cannot manipulate him anymore. That’s solid development. Also, he offers to use his resources to help the others, and seems almost sheepish about his status. It’s endearing.

Within their debut seasons, his teammates all managed to: a) come to terms with their abilities, b) defeat at least one [branch] of a big bad, and c) ultimately come out as more of a victor than the opposite—despite losing people they cared about (or in Jessica’s case, really kind of losing all sense of self, security, or control, which is just as awful).

I don’t think Danny completed this arc, though. He lost. Like he straight up did not win his first boss battle. We picked up with him following a vague lead on the Hand (because Bakuto got away). A whole city that he was meant to command died on his watch (which we learn was Elektra’s doing, a person who he couldn’t consider killing because of Matt). He never seemed to find real closure about his parents (Guo slipped out of his reach at the last moment). And above all? We hear frequently that he is nowhere near his full potential mentally or physically. So here’s my big question that I am grappling with, as a writer and a fan: Why should this be such a problem for me?

I have always believed that characters should be allowed to screw up and be messy—to fail. I find that manner of explicit humanity far more interesting. . . and yet I approached this series discrediting this character. He really is not in the same boat as the rest of them; he has been directly handed (no pun intended) a legacy, a duty, a title. He had an ancient army at his feet. He was trained his whole life to be more than human.

Look at the others: Matt is the most similar (by a long shot); though his abilities were the result of the chemicals that blinded him, he received formal training via Stick. We know little of Jessica’s past besides her accident and corresponding PTSD; she had no training of her powers. If anything, she does her best to mar them. Luke grew up in a city where violence and injustice were prevalent, given his abilities deliberately and without his consent during his adult life. Again, no formal training, just brute strength and a good heart. Now here comes Danny Rand! Twenty-something Caucasian bajillionaire! Batman-like fortune and parental demises! He’s homeless with a side of memory-loss (cough Oliver Queen cough)! Who is he! Teach him kung fu with a pretty, determined Asian lady! He is still rich! Have some Asian culture! A blatant chest tattoo! A glowing fist he can only summon in very selective circumstances! . . . It’s easy to mock, in context.

It’s different, because it’s a riches to rags story. And now more than ever, that’s not a conventional formula people seem interested in, especially with a white guy at the helm (and directly following not only the 2016 presidential election, but progressive stories like Jessica Jones and especially Luke Cage). A lot of people didn’t want to like him. I didn’t think I would like him.

Look. What ends up redeeming this dude for me is the fact that he is still actively developing after nearly twenty episodes he’s been featured in—all within a five month window. Matt is the only one who has had subsequent seasons released yet! Danny’s unusually compact timeframe is the reason I am okay with his sluggish development—because I’m starting to suspect it is at least partially intentional; the pace of his progression is to counteract the abrupt amount of his story unveiled.

Here is my verdict on Danny Rand and his arc within this new installment: I am tentatively leaning in, reluctantly intrigued. Kind of like Luke prior to his rescue (“I owe him that much”). I almost—almost—empathized with him in his final scene, when he said he felt like he had found a home. . . Then again, Colleen was there, too I’m mostly kidding.

I can’t say for certain if I’ll go back and watch season one of Iron Fist. I almost like it better having him introduced now—as if this was his pilot. Either way, I hope by the time the second chapter of Defenders debuts (probably around 2045), I’ll actually watch for his individual arc, too, rather than tagging along with his story to see how the others’ got on.

P. S. – The shot when he legit throws thirty people meters away with a punch and triggers one of the coolest fight sequences I’ve ever seen. . . Points for that.

#the defenders #danny rand #marvel #the iron fist #netflix #i spent... an obscene amount of time on this #this is my life #this is what happens when i'm not at college #it's a result of stress i know it is

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estateone-blog · 5 years

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Make You A Successful Real Estate Agent in Your First Year:Top Earners Prioritize Preparation and Planning

Every real estate agent wants to be successful. But how do you get there?

According to NAR, only 20 percent of real estate agents handle 80 percent of all closings. And 87% of agents fail within 5 years. How do you manage to not only stay afloat, but succeed?

Start with your personality strengths, set up your plans and processes, and be prepared to work hard and continue learning every day.

Step 1: Research Your State’s Requirements.

There’s no such thing as a national real estate license, so you must meet your state’s unique licensing requirements. A good place to start your research is your state’s real estate regulatory office website, which you can find by doing an online search for “(your state) real estate regulatory office” or by visiting ARELLO’s regulatory agency directory.

Each state typically has specific requirements for:

age

application process and fees

background checks and fingerprinting

continuing education

education requirements (such as a high school diploma or GED)

exams and exam eligibility

pre-licensing courses and post-licensing requirements

process for achieving the next level of licensing

reporting of any criminal history

Some states have reciprocal licensing agreements with other states, which means you can get your license in one state and use it in another without having to take an additional license examination. New York, for example, has reciprocity with nine states (some states have reciprocity for brokers only): Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. As with regular licensing requirements, each state has its own process for obtaining a license through reciprocity.

Step 2 : Play To Your Personality Strengths.

People assume that if you’re an introvert, you are not a “people person,” and that extroverts make better salespeople than introverts. In fact, some may try to deter you from entering the real estate industry if you are not extroverted.

However, the numbers show that extroverts perform only slightly better in sales than introverts. Ambiverts, people with traits from both personalities, actually outperform the rest by a large margin.

While people skills are definitely a necessity in an often referral-based business, some people can be put off by extreme extroverts who can come off as too aggressive or “salesy.” A good agent needs to know when to speak, and when to listen.

Evaluate your personality, then play to your strengths. The only real “necessities” of personality are a likeable friendly nature, trustworthiness, honesty, and determination. The best real estate agents are the ones who focus on educating clients and helping them achieve their dreams.

Step 3: Partner with Other Agents.

Perhaps a buyer or seller isn’t your cup of tea. Or maybe their price point isn’t in your wheelhouse. Rather than turn these prospective clients away, you should co-list or co-represent them with competitors, according to a panel of top-producing agents at Inman Connect.

Partnering with another agent is also a way to hedge against altogether losing a prospect to a formidable competitor, said David Kramer, executive vice president at Beverly Hills, California-based Hilton & Hyland.

Step 4: Plan Each and Every Day.

You only have so many hours in the day. Learning how to succeed in real estate goes hand in hand with learning to make the most of every minute. Increase your efficiency, profitability, and overall real estate success with these simple but super important tips:

Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize. Each day, create a to-do list of tasks based on how important they are and the deadline. Then outline your professional and personal schedule based on those priorities.

Maintain your schedule and to-do list. Neither will serve many purposes if you don’t keep them updated. Before your workday begins, revisit and update both. Keep them with you so that you can make changes, note cancellations, and add obligations as they come up.

Spend most of your time prospecting for new clients and contacting current ones. These two activities should consume about 80 percent of your time. Specifically, place the tasks that are needed to finalize a real estate deal at the top of your list. Such duties include clearing contingencies, property inspections, title checks, and ensuring that buyer financing is approved. These things directly impact your bottom line and the needs of your clients, so they should always come first.

Don’t neglect your other duties. Remember that you are technically a small business owner. Make sure you leave enough time to manage your marketing efforts, maintain your client database, and complete administrative functions. While lower on your priority list, you should still allot about 20 percent of your time to these tasks to keep your business running well.

Step 5: Give Your Business a Runway .

Give yourself a realistic timeframe to get up and running. You are starting a business, and any business requires time in order to begin to make money. Between and 12 and 18 months is a realistic time before you start to see business on a regular basis. That means you need to make sure you have money to live on and money to invest in your marketing during that time frame. Proper timeline planning and budgeting will ensure you have a fighting chance to make the career work.

Step 6 : Make Personal Contact.

People like to deal with people who can genuinely show that they care about them. We live in busy times and we tend to streamline a lot of tasks to become more efficient. Staying in touch with your clients cannot be replaced even by the best technological tools or by another individual. If you want that client to be loyal and supportive to you, you will need to find the time to care about them.

You should be scheduling one coffee meeting with one of your personal contacts per week. Taking people out to lunch can get very expensive, so the best thing to do is to invite someone out for a cuppa coffee, and simply advise them that you just want to catch up. Make sure that the meeting is about them. Ask questions about them. Unless they are a complete narcissist, they will eventually ask about you. This is your opportunity to share with them the excitement of your profession.

Step 7 : Start Right With Technology and the Internet.

No matter what some of the "old-timers" may tell you, you need the Internet to market in today's real estate world. While some with many years in the business can continue to succeed due to referrals and past business over the years, you'll need to use your website and social networking to get a foothold with today's buyers and sellers. Budget for a good web presence, though it need not be expensive.

Step 8 : Be An Expert In Your Market.

Today, the measure of a good agent is marked by responsiveness, expert knowledge, and service. What do we mean by expert knowledge?

With technology becoming more advanced by the hour, it’s no longer enough for a real estate agent to simply be an information broker who shows homes. Consumers can find plenty of information themselves just by searching online. And high quality videos and realistic 3D virtual tours are opening new doors for consumers, without the need for lockbox access.

What consumers need is for agents to take all that information and connect the dots. Great agents not only educate clients on current market stats and trends, but they translate that data into useful insights to help clients feel secure and confident in their decision. Stay competitive by staying on top of market trends and having the smarts to put it all together.

Being an expert in your area also means having deeper local knowledge than your average joe. We’re not just talking about crime rates and school rates (which are also available online), but knowing the ins and outs of your local community. Is a certain up-and-coming area more affordable, but is bound to triple in value in the first few years? How is that new restaurant or shopping development going to affect home price in a particular area? Don’t just know common facts. Be able to explain why it’s relevant to your clients.

#how to be successful in real estate sales #successful real estate agent #successful real estate agent daily schedule #real estate agent tips for beginners #why real estate agents fail #habits of successful real estate agents #successful real estate agents salary #how to become a successful real estate agent #estateone

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toldnews-blog · 5 years

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New Post has been published on https://toldnews.com/business/brexit-stop-playing-to-brexit-bad-boys-tuc-chief-tells-may/

Brexit: Stop playing to Brexit 'bad boys' TUC chief tells May

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Media captionTUC chief Frances O’Grady: PM should “stop playing to the bad boys at the back of the class”

The UK’s trade union movement chief has told Theresa May to “stop playing to the bad boys at the back of the class” over Brexit and “start listening”.

Frances O’Grady said she did not get the guarantees on workers’ rights she wanted in a meeting with the prime minister in Downing Street.

The TUC leader urged Mrs May to take a no-deal Brexit “off the table”.

Mrs May is trying to find compromise with union leaders after her Brexit deal was voted down by MPs last week.

But some of them have backed delaying Brexit and others support another poll.

It comes a day after Sony announced it was planning to move its European headquarters from the UK to the Netherlands to avoid disruptions caused by Brexit.

And Aeroplane maker Airbus has warned that it could move wing-building out of the UK in the future if there is a no-deal Brexit.

The UK is due to leave the EU at 23:00 GMT on 29 March.

After meeting the prime minister, Ms O’Grady said workers were worried about their jobs and needed reassurances about their future.

“We have a prime minister on a temporary contract – she cannot bind the hands of a future prime minister,” the TUC general secretary said.

“People wanting her job are on record as saying Brexit is an opportunity to reduce workers’ rights.

“The prime minister, frankly, has to stop playing to the bad boys at the back of the class and start listening to where I think Parliament is, which is wanting no deal off the table and more time for genuine talks to take place.

“But get on to priorities that matter to working people in Britain.”

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Your guide to Brexit jargon

Unison leader Dave Prentis said he believed it to be “in everyone’s interest” that Article 50, the process taking the UK out of the EU at the end of March, was extended.

“Time is precious and we do need that time,” he said.

“We would want Theresa May to move away from just appeasing the right wing of the Tory party and to actually talk about what is best for this country.”

He also called for no deal to be ruled out and for a move towards remaining in a customs union.

Mrs May is also due to meet leaders from Unite and the GMB.

Mrs May spoke to a number of union leaders ahead of the vote on her deal last Tuesday, hoping to drum up support – but it did not pay off, with MPs rejecting her proposals by 230 votes.

Since the defeat, she has been meeting leaders of opposition parties and factions within her own as she called for MPs to “work constructively together” to find a way forward.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has refused to join the talks until Mrs May rules out the UK leaving the EU with no deal, which he says would bring “chaos” to the country.

However, the head of Unite Len McCluskey, who is a close ally of Mr Corbyn, will be among the union leaders she meets later.

What options for Brexit do the unions back?

Image copyright BBC, PA

Image caption Unite leader Len McCluskey, left, TUC boss Frances O’Grady and Unison’s Dave Prentis are meeting the PM

The TUC’s Frances O’Grady, Unison leader Dave Prentis and the general secretary of the GMB, Tim Roache, have all publicly backed extending Article 50 – the mechanism by which the UK leaves the EU – to postpone the exit date of 29 March.

All three have also said the government should give the public the final say, either through a referendum or general election.

But Mr McCluskey is against another referendum on the EU, writing in the New Statesman that it “risks tearing our society apart”.

On Wednesday, the PM met the first ministers of both Scotland and Wales on the future of her Brexit deal, but both said she seemed unwilling to compromise.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said there “wasn’t much indication that the prime minister is listening to, or hearing the concerns of people in Scotland”, while Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford said she “repeated many of her red lines”.

How are MPs trying to move Brexit plans on?

The PM is hoping to tweak her deal to address concerns about the Northern Irish “backstop” among her own backbenchers and Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party, which she relies on to keep her in power, ahead of another vote on her proposed way forward next Tuesday.

The backstop is the “insurance policy” in the withdrawal deal, intended to ensure that whatever else happens, there will be no return to a visible border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic after the UK leaves the EU.

Rees-Mogg: Brexit deal could be ‘reformed’

Are Brexiteers softening on May’s deal?

Both the UK and the EU believe that bringing back border checks could put the peace process at risk but critics say the backstop keeps Northern Ireland too closely aligned with the EU and separate from the rest of the UK – and that the UK would be permanently trapped in it.

However, a number of MPs are proposing amendments putting forward alternative plans to the PM’s deal with the EU – including seeking an extension to the UK’s exit date.

Labour MP Yvette Cooper has tabled one that would give time for a bill to suspend the Article 50 process for leaving the EU – enabling it to last until the end of the year – if a new deal has not been agreed with Brussels by the end of February.

Her Labour colleague, Rachel Reeves, has also tabled an amendment to extend Article 50.

Read more about the amendments here

BBC political correspondent Iain Watson said the pair met Mr Corbyn to discuss the proposals.

He said they recognised that, as Ms Cooper’s amendment would lead to a bill, it would be amendable – meaning the nine-month extension could be significantly reduced to reassure MPs nervous of the timeframe.

Ms Cooper’s amendment is also backed by several Remainer Conservatives and is the only amendment that would be legally binding on the government, if passed.

Conservative ex-cabinet minister Sir Oliver Letwin, who is supporting moves to delay Brexit, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that there was “an open question” over whether the EU would agree to an extension of Article 50, but there had been “strong signals” that they would do so.

He said it was “possible but unlikely” that the EU would say: “We’re not going to give you any more time to do that, you can just jump out of the plane without a parachute and leave without a deal.”

Other amendments would ask the government to consider a range of options over six full days in Parliament before the March deadline, to set up a “Citizens’ Assembly” to give the public more say or to insist on “an expiry date to the backstop”.

What’s the view from the EU?

The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, who is in Berlin for talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel, reiterated on Germany’s Deutschlandfunk radio that there can be no time-limit on the proposed backstop.

He said that Brexit would be “bumpy” if the UK’s Parliament failed to come together to support a deal.

“If nothing moves, if no positive suggestions are put on the table, then we will be heading for a more or less bumpy or accidental no-deal on 30 March,” he said.

Mr Barnier also played down suggestions that the two-year Article 50 process ought to be extended, saying: “I personally believe that we do not need so much more time, but that we now need to make decisions, to be taken by the British government and the Parliament of Great Britain.”

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teacupdragon · 7 years

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A Timeline for a Smear Campaign

The Potemkin one returns and kicks off 2017 with an intense smear campaign. What exactly has happened since Jan 9th?

Jan 8th - The Lying Detective aired.

Jan 9th - People started getting up to speed and most had watched it within a 24 hr timeframe. Results and reviews are extremely positive at this time.

Jan 10th - Enty reveals a blind that Sophie was trying to adopt Ben’s last name.

Jan 11th - Rumblings from various factions and corners of the Sherlock fandom warning of boycotting the shows writers and the show itself, begin.

Jan 12th - Article in the DM as Andrew Lazar was hired to be the body double for Ben in the upcoming Infinity Wars (Avengers) Jan 12th - Warnings of boycotting Sherlock gain momentum.

Jan 13th - Enty posts a new blind item about Ben’s body double for the upcoming Avengers movie. Jan 13th - The prospect of replacing Ben as Doctor Strange is stoked by trolls. (Sophie’s crew. We’ve seen this pattern before. It’s been in place for 3 years.)

Jan 14th - The Final Problem is leaked online from Russia’s Channel One

Jan 15th - The Final Problem aired

Jan 16th - A new wave of backlash aimed at the producers of Sherlock, most unhappy with the ending.

Jan 17th - Evidence of all corners of the fandom being stoked and trolled becomes clear. (Again, we’ve seen this pattern before.)

Jan 18th - Enty posts a new blind about Martin and Ben, and Sherlock being doomed because of Ben. Essentially, blaming Ben. And dragging Martin into it again.

Jan 19th - A new article in the DM about Martin and Amanda’s split with a ‘source' providing a number of allegations.

Jan 20th - A new wave of antis put in place to attack @Gatorfisch comes to the fore.

What does this look like to you?

This is what a smear campaign looks like.

None of this is natural or fluid. None of this coincidence. None of this ‘just happened’. *gestures like Sherlock*

This is a narcissist going berserk and she has taken it to a whole new level. The recipient of these attacks is clearly Ben. And Sherlock. The very thing that made him famous. The very show that he excels in. Another role he excelled in was as Doctor Strange. A role he owned and broke Marvel’s own internal box office records for the highest revenue earned on an opening weekend. It beat Iron Man. His performance was stellar. Why would Marvel even dream of replacing Ben? They wouldn’t. There’s only one person here who wants to see Ben ruined. Maybe two. The second one is another racist bigot and didn’t earn Ben’s interest, or the keys to his social media management. For good reasons.

Both roles have been attacked to try and ruin Ben and this was done in the media. We can sieve the genuine criticism from the inflated attempts to overwhelm and subdue. Following Ben himself, she has gone after Martin and Amanda and Mofftiss. This is straight out of a narcissists playbook. They attack the people who support their target to once again isolate and ruin them. Where they cannot excel, they seek to demean the talented and hardworking. Where they cannot win, they destroy.

Narcissists are excellent gossip mongers. Reason, rationality and facts are the sworn enemies of malignant narcissists, for that requires work and some dedication. One has to work hard to be good at what they do. And we have a fame hungry Potemkin on our hands.

Look at the timeline again. Look at that onslaught in the media and put yourself in Ben’s place for 5 minutes and just imagine how toxic it is.

Oh, I forgot to mention something. On Jan 13th, a number of skeptics observed that pictures of Sophie’s baby and pram pics (that she photoshopped together from the DS set in NY) ’taken' back in late March early April had started disappearing from their websites. A lot more has gone missing. Look at the timeline again. This one isn’t Ben cleaning up.

Edit : The Potemkin one = Sophie Hunter

#Benedict Cumberbatch #Sherlock #Martin Freeman #Amanda Abbington #Mofftiss #steven moffat #Mark Gatiss #Doctor Strange #Marvel #Disney #Narcissistic Personality Disorder #NPD #smear campaign #Divorcing a narcissist

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givenchyic · 4 years

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It is no secret that reading is highly subjective, but that doesn’t rid it from biases.

Writers – especially women: Don’t let anyone sneer at you for writing “fluff.” Fluff is an insulator. Correctly used, it can stop you from freezing, or burning to death. Fluff fiction is designed to protect you from the relentless toxicity of the real world. Fluff saves lives.

— Joanne Harris (@Joannechocolat) January 8, 2020

Never not thinking about the grace of this reply from @MarianKeyes for @guardian about the idea of shame surrounding literature pic.twitter.com/ownskfJfPC

— Pandora Sykes (@PINsykes) May 6, 2020

What, for you, determines a book you want to read? Is it an acclaimed author, a particular genre, a recommendation from a friend or a book shop, or is it the accolade of prizes it has been shortlisted or awarded?

“Fluffy” literature fits into all of these frames, so why is it looked down upon? What even makes a good book “good”?

For me, generally, I define “fluffy” literature as often romance serialised novels that provide a strong degree of escapism. These types of novels are often viewed as “silly” or “fantastical”. A few examples are:

E.L James – Fifty Shades of Grey Franchise

Mills and Boon Novels

Bridget Jones Franchise

Novels that have cover designs like these below:

Yet, this definition comes with multiple caveats and cachés, “fluffy” literature could also largely be written from a women’s standpoint, it could be set within a young adult dystopian world, or it could be set within our own ordinary everyday timeframe.

“Fluff” in fiction itself is a pejorative connotation, often referring to written elements of the story, like elaborate and hyperbolic description, that doesn’t serve the development of the overall plot. Yet, this just generally makes it seem like reading is a means to an end, rather than enjoying the act of reading itself.

What we perceive as high vs low is constantly changing. For example, Charles Dickens is today perceived as ‘high fiction’, but during his time he was actually writing serialised fiction for the masses. What’s more, as he originated from a working-class poor background, this also affected how people viewed him at the time.

“High” fiction could also have a plethora of terms and connotations. Most of the time, I view high fiction to be classical literature, books that have won multiple awards, and books that are being recommended to you at every twist and turn (like Sally Rooney’s Normal People!). However, unlike the latter, a lot of people feel disengaged from classical literature, and it can also be argued that classical authors like Jane Austen adhere to many of the “fluffy” literature tropes.

It cannot be denied that fluffy literature can have an engaging plot, making you hold the pages tight between your fingertips. Whether you are reading it on holiday or at home, fluffy literature can hold you in its grasp like a crime, dystopian or fantasy novel. Soon the pages will curl from the hot condensation as you read it in the bath, or the spine will crackle in the heat from hours reading on a sunlounger. Yet fluffy literature is so often disregarded, sometimes given measly one-star, two-star reviews. And even if it did get a five-star review, it would be placed in the realm of women’s fiction, women’s reading. Because, of course, the only books worth caring about are ones that are written for men.

I have been thinking about this for a while, about how the books that are deemed “womanly” are not equal to others, even if they are beautifully written with intricate plots.

I often find myself confronted with my own ‘womanliness’ when wanting to read these books, and struggle with overcoming the negative stereotypes society has placed upon them as lesser literature; this is exacerbated by feelings that I should be reading from the higher echelons of accepted literature, especially because I have an English literature degree from a Russell Group University.

I not only like reading these books, but I’m tired of the negative snobbery surrounding them. On a micro-scale, it is dismissive of this style of literature, but on a macro-scale, it discourages the act of reading for pleasure.

In fact, a few of the narratives of fluffy literature is no different to many of the plot lines within revered classical fiction. Take Jane Austen Pride and Prejudice and Helen Fielding’s Bridget Jones Diary, they mirror each other in so many ways. But Pride and Prejudice is considered a must, whereas Bridget Jones, an icon in its own right, isn’t pushed onto young men and women in the same way.

As a culture, we are reading far less than we used too, and discouraging people from reading just because of their book choices is completely alien to me.

The act of reading in itself is freeing, but reading for pleasure is tight in the grips of criticism. We are now, more than ever, scrutinised for our hobbies, and what we devote our time to is apparently indicative of our personality and our intelligence.

I remember the first time I felt misled for some of the books I chose to read. I had chosen to do 16th-century A-Level History because I had enjoyed reading Phillippa Gregory’s various novels on the Wars of the Roses and Tudor Queens, each written from a woman’s perspective.

On the first day of teaching, we had to inform our teacher as to why we had chosen 16th-century history. My history teacher scoffed at me, saying that these novels were largely false and nothing in them was accurate. Not only did this make me feel inadequate for my choice in literature, but my reasoning seemingly paled in comparison to my friend who then pronounced she had been reading Machiavelli’s ‘The Prince’. I know that in the historical novel genre circles Gregory is looked down on more than others because she engaged with the “fluff” per se, and she extensively has used her artistic license rather than her historical one. But, isn’t it more important that her books got me interested in this period of history? That it fed an appetite that I didn’t know I had and encouraged me to learn more?

However, as the year progressed, I couldn’t help but notice something. At this point, EVERYONE was talking about the explosion of Game of Thrones. Perhaps now regarded as a bastion for the fantasy genre, sitting amongst Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, Game of Thrones captivated a global legion of fans. Yet if you dismiss the TV show (which I digress I am a fan of) and if you look at the historical inspiration of the Wars of the Roses, the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, a time period that George R.R Martin has stated inspired him, is Game of Thrones really any different from Phillippa Gregory’s The White Queen or The Other Boleyn Girl?

Yes, those who are die-hard Game of Thrones fans are likely going to balk at that statement especially if they are dismissive of Gregory’s books. I don’t deny that both of the Game of Thrones books and series were incredible with their visceral raw depictions of a meticulously thought out society. But, amongst all of the fanfare, those who were reading Game of Thrones weren’t made to feel as if they were dumb or had a lower IQ because of the books they had chosen to read, whereas, I think, the same couldn’t be said for Gregory’s readers.

These thoughts had been cooking in my mind for many years, floating about like hot stewed dumplings, simmering, boiling and cooling, until I saw the tweet from Joanne Harris, the award-winning author of Chocolat in January and recently, I saw the tweet from Pandora Sykes about Marian Keyes.

“Fluff is an insulator” Harris writes, a distraction away from the ordeals of everyday life. And now, with everything, (and ‘everything’ itself is a loaded word) isn’t that just true? But regardless, Harris makes an astute point also “especially women”.

And, it is women isn’t it?

It is no secret that history is patriarchal, written about men by men, and the history of the novel itself is no different. The history of the novel as we know it ignores the genuine importance of both women writers and readers. In fact, novels were pretty much invented for women, and in the Victorian period, fiction novels were largely written by women for other women. Yet, the patriarchy did want some control. They feared that women would get fancy “ideas” from the books that they were reading, so certain themes were encouraged like romance and domestic discourse. However, the themes they wanted to contain and control women with, were also the themes that they soon dismissed. Soon, the ideas of reading and writing became entrenched within the world of men, which meant that for women writers to be taken seriously in literature circles they had to adopt male pseudonyms.

In fact today, some women still write with male pseudonyms, J.K Rowling is an obvious example. Common discourse seems to be to look back and praise these women for their ‘bravery’ in overcoming their restrictions and falsifying themselves, yet when this practice is still being employed today, it is clear that these constraints are yet to be dismantled.

Another case study that I put forward is Mills and Boon. Founded in 1908, Mills and Boon were known for making “escapist” fiction for women in the 1930s. Considered “low brow” and “formulaic” in its iterations of a similar romantic narrative arc where the woman is submissive to the man, it was believed to play to women’s inner fantasies. Mills and Boon were widely successful because they provided escapism during the Depression years, and most importantly they were read by women of all backgrounds. What’s more, today they still attract three million readers in the UK. Now, whilst the dominant alpha male and submissive women rhetoric is problematic in their own right, it’s also the denouncement of some novels as “low brow” and reserved for only women is another problem that people overlook. I find the word “low brow” offensive to not only women but also working-class women too. I think it is assumed that people from lower classes are not only interested in reading “low brow” fiction, but also that it is the only type of fiction they can “access”, yet “low brow” fiction is also criticised in itself.

Reading is and always will be a tool for pleasure, but also no matter how escapist or fluffed out a novel is, it always will be a tool for education. The allusion to romantic liaisons or the meticulous details about the buttons and folds of a woman’s dress can open up a reader to a wider vocabulary or teach them more about romantic relationships. You shouldn’t just be recommending the classical giants or booker prize-winning authors, you should be recommending readers of all ages, genders and backgrounds. Not to mention that fluffy literature isn’t just for women, men might want to read it too.

All in all, A novel can still be a good novel if it doesn’t give a veiled critique on society or written in elevated language and syntax. In fact, I think the disregard of this said novel is more revealing of society’s inner prejudices against class and women as a whole.

The Defense of [Writing or Reading] Fluffy Literature It is no secret that reading is highly subjective, but that doesn’t rid it from biases.

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maritzaerwin · 4 years

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10 Easy Steps to Protect Your Workplace From Fraud

Business fraud can become a major issue for your enterprise, regardless of what size your company is, what you sell or where you operate.

Beyond the financial hardships that could occur as you deal with known instances of deception and prevent future issues, fraud problems could cause current and potential customers to lose trust in your business. Subsequently, they might decide they don’t want to support your brand.

Here are 10 practical steps to take that could make fraud less likely for your company:

1) Look for Suspicious Signs Associated With Credit Card Usage

There are some signs that a person attempting to use a credit card at your business may be doing so dishonestly.

If a person pulls their card out of a back pocket instead of a purse or wallet, that’s unusual. Moreover, if the individual seems especially rushed to complete the transaction and comes into the store near closing time, those two things could indicate a desire to pull the wool over your eyes.

Also, if the card itself seems tampered with or damaged, those characteristics should give cause for concern. The same is true if a customer tells you to type the card numbers into your payment processing system by hand and not bother using the chip-and-pin system or magnetic strip. They may even claim those parts of their card no longer function.

Of course, one strange sign alone does not guarantee a person is trying to commit credit card fraud. Be observant and trust your instincts. If something doesn’t seem right, don’t ignore what you notice.

2) Educate Your Employees About Business Email Compromise Fraud

Business email compromise (BEC) happens when a fraudster either hacks a corporate email account or sends an email from an address that’s almost the same as the real thing.

For example, if the genuine email contains the number one, a hacker might switch that digit for a lowercase letter L, hoping to fool people who only glance at the address portion of the email.

Then, the cybercriminal attempts to scam an email recipient and the business at large by asking for an urgent financial request, often related to wiring money. In a possible scenario, someone posing as the company’s CEO might ask the CEO’s assistant via email to send a large sum to a supposed new client to secure a contract.

In October 2019, Japanese media conglomerate Nikkei confirmed it was the victim of such a scam when an employee got fooled and transferred the equivalent of $29 million to someone claiming to be a management executive.

Employee education is one of the best BEC defenses available to you. Teach workers some of the features of fraudulent emails, but more importantly, instruct them never to act hastily, even if the sender demands it.

For example, it only takes a minute or two to contact the executive by phone instead of responding to the email. Verify the requested transfer first before proceeding. You may instruct that workers who have the authority to conduct money transfers seek such clarification for any amounts greater than $100, for example. That way, the business cannot be significantly tricked.

3) Be Aware of Loyalty Program Fraud

Loyalty programs can drive purchases by giving customers perks for remaining patrons of your company. Often, they earn points for each purchase and can redeem them for free things after accumulating enough.

However, loyalty program fraud is an issue that business representatives must tackle by remaining aware.

This kind of scam generally originates from three main groups:

Hackers — These people do not have direct connections to the loyalty program, but they are often part of organized criminal groups. The participating parties break into the accounts of legitimate loyalty program members and steal the points or use them fraudulently.

Insiders — The individuals in this group have access to information or tools that allow themselves or others to benefit from rewards programs. For example, if a business uses a punch card-based system, a person who has access to the tool that creates holes may invite friends to receive credit without buying anything.

Members — These are individuals who rightfully signed up for a loyalty program but are not using it according to the rules. For example, a person may try to associate their loyalty card number to a purchase they did not make. “Double-dipping” is another common practice, and it happens when people try to redeem points over the phone when speaking to a company representative, plus simultaneously online.

According to details published in 2019 within the Forter Fraud Attack Index, such loyalty program misuse has increased by 89% per year-over-year data. The company’s research also revealed that 1.5 million individuals with compromised loyalty program accounts had additional ones fraudulently opened in their names.

Beyond being aware that loyalty card program trickery exists, you can take strategic steps to prevent it from happening at your company.

Ensure that any online components are behind a secure infrastructure that’s not easily penetrable by malicious outsiders. Also, an anonymous tip hotline or email address could be instrumental in curbing known or suspected deceptions that occur internally.

You could reduce cheating from members by implementing a system whereby evidence of redeemed rewards or newly collected points does not immediately appear on the person’s account. Having that safeguard in place allows you to look for strange behavior or unusual trends possibly connected with fraud attempts. If you can look at account activity from the back end, such visibility could prevent fraud.

4) Partner With a Merchant Services Company That Offers Robust Protection for Credit Card Transactions

Home Depot and Target are some of the well-known brands that have suffered credit card breaches.

You can avoid being a part of that same infamous group of victims by relying on a merchant services company that provides thorough, trustworthy protection against breaches. For example, if a company uses tokenization and encryption for each credit card number, each number is substituted for a randomly assigned code instead of data that a hacker could use to make a purchase.

If a card’s information gets transformed into a randomized string and is stored with a merchant services company, the business does not have the burden of safeguarding the data. You can probably remember numerous times when companies affected by credit card breaches received blame from media sources and others for falling short in their duty to protect customer data. It’s crucial to prove you’ve done the right things.

The safest approach for your business to take is to insist on choosing a provider that can offer you complete, end-to-end protection. In other words, it starts when a person uses their card, continues through the transaction approval process and ends when you receive information saying the purchase finished successfully.

If you are choosing a merchant services company for the first time, prepare to discuss your must-have features associated with any services offered. Also, speak frankly about your budget and the number of transactions you anticipate handling per month or within another easy-to-measure timeframe.

5) Teach Employees to Protect Valuable Company Information

Workers can unintentionally facilitate business fraud if they do not take proper care when handling sensitive information that contains confidential data or information about the company’s plans that could benefit competitors.

Failing to take a step, such as shredding a document before discarding it or logging out of a computer database before you leave for a few minutes to use the bathroom, could cause unanticipated catastrophes.

Problems can also occur if a burglar steals a laptop from the seat of a car during someone’s business trip, for example. In one recent case, New Zealand’s Commerce Commission, also known as ComCom, dealt with the aftermath associated with the theft of a single laptop containing hundreds of meetings and interview transcripts, some dating back several years.

In that instance, ComCom only admitted that the laptop belonged to an “external provider.” That descriptor suggests an outside party, such as a contractor, may have been the person possessing the device. According to Kroll’s 2019 Global Fraud and Risk Report, a leak of private information was the most commonly cited business risk. As such, it’s a priority to remain mindful of regardless of what kind of business you have.

Also, data breaches sometimes happen with less-modern means of sending or holding information. In Ireland, the Data Protection Commission received nearly 100 reports of violations in 2019. Thirty of those instances were cases of passports sent to the wrong addresses. If a person opened the envelope containing such an identification document that they believed was theirs, a data breach would result.

Regardless of whether you work with contractors or only traditional employees, tell those people about some simple things they can do to stop data from getting into the wrong hands.

Information breaches do not only happen when hackers infiltrate a system. Sometimes they can occur because a worker forgot to take crucial precautions. Aim to establish a company culture where everyone feels like a vital part of a whole. Then, they may be more likely to exercise care.

6) Understand When to Make Code 10 Authorization Requests

Most people have been in the embarrassing situation of trying to use a credit card that’s rightfully theirs and hearing that the transaction was declined. As long as there is enough money available to you to cover the purchase, remedying this problem is often as easy as contacting the credit card issuer and getting authorization for that transaction.

Credit card providers often flag large purchases as potentially fraudulent. They may also do so if you make a purchase while traveling and forget to tell the credit card company you are away from home.

However, if you are on the other end of things and dealing with a customer who you believe is trying to make a fraudulent purchase with a credit card, there’s something you can do. Make a Code 10 authorization request by calling the card issuer’s voice authorization center. While doing so, you may be routed to your merchant bank and asked some questions about the suspicious transaction.

All questions posed to you will likely allow for “yes” or “no” responses. That way, you can give details without clueing the cardholder into what’s happening. If you are not comfortable with making a Code 10 request while face to face with the customer, you can also do it once they leave. That approach may stop any attempts of the person to use a card unlawfully at other merchants.

7) Watch Out for Timesheet Fraud

When employees manually record their work hours, the opportunities increase for them to engage in timesheet fraud.

The most common example of this is an employee claiming to work more hours than they genuinely did. Some extreme cases of this kind of lying have included workers saying they worked more than 24 hours in a day — a total impossibility.

Shift-related fraud can also crop up if a person in charge of scheduling gives their friends or favorite workers more hours those who are more or equally qualified. Timesheet errors can happen due to honest mistakes, as well as intentional dishonesty. However, a digital method of tracking hours can help company leaders detect when things are amiss.

For example, some time trackers used by people who work on computers take screenshots every few minutes to show the user’s activity. That feature means an individual cannot leave the clock running and let their hours keep adding up if they’re idle.

Digital trackers also typically have hour limits, meaning supervisors can receive notifications or the program may stop recording the hours if someone surpasses the threshold.

Most digital time trackers usually have metrics interfaces, too. Those can show which workers are most productive, or indicate whether available employees are not getting ample opportunities to work. Such information can allow people in authority to take action if the timing data isn’t adding up as it should or some other discrepancy becomes apparent.

8) Use Strong Passwords and Keep Them Protected

A password could give an unauthorized person nearly limitless access to your company and the service providers you use to keep operations running.

Unfortunately, Yubico’s 2019 State of Password and Authentication Security Behaviors Report revealed some startling conclusions that suggest individuals don’t understand the freedom passwords give to those who shouldn’t have them.

For example, the report showed that 69% of employees share their passwords with colleagues. They may think that doing so boosts productivity, but in reality, this practice erodes security.

Another one of Yubico’s findings was that 51% of respondents said they reuse passwords across personal and business accounts. Password reuse increases the total amount of access enjoyed when someone comes across a stolen password.

Coach your employees to set passwords that are hard for others to guess. They should not include pet names, favorite sports teams, a beloved band or any other detail about a person that’s reasonably easy to learn. Change passwords on a regular schedule and consider using password managers if workers complain that this approach is too cumbersome.

You should also warn people against phishing efforts that try to get them to part with their passwords. Cybercriminals often send emails that appear to be from banks, delivery companies, e-commerce providers or other parties that a business may interact with frequently.

The messages ask for people to enter their passwords, often to “update account information” or “confirm that the details on file are correct.” But legitimate businesses do not ask for passwords, and they remind customers never to give them out.

9) Research Influencers Thoroughly Before Partnering With Them for Campaigns

Influencer marketing could give your business the chance to break into a new market that previously seemed out of reach. It works when someone admired by thousands or more gets their followers to pay attention to your brand, boosting purchases and general interest.

Marketing with influencers is a modern way to increase your reach, and it seems set to continue as a viable option for the foreseeable future. However, reports of influencer fraud have tarnished the method and reminded marketing teams to dig deeper into an influencer’s history.

For example, high follower counts help influencers remain competitive and stand out to potential clients. However, evidence suggests some influencers have “bought” followers or relied on bots to falsely craft an image of success.

You can avoid complications related to influencer fraud by asking for examples of success associated with people or brands the influencer has worked with before. Also, use your common sense when studying an influencer’s information. If one of their accounts has 300,000 followers but only popped up two weeks ago, that could be a red flag, particularly if the person is not an A-list celebrity.

10) Stay on Alert for Insurance-Related Complications

Hopefully, you have business insurance to protect against the many catastrophes your business may face, whether robberies, natural disasters, burst pipes, and other unforeseen circumstances.

If your company operates in an area that was recently affected by a major storm such as a hurricane, be especially vigilant for contractors who may try to conduct scams by insisting they can do any necessary repairs and communicate with your insurer.

The ideal way forward is to contact your insurance company to report damage before hiring anyone. The insurer may send a claims adjuster to the property to verify the information you provided and authorize future payment related to fixing things. Remaining responsible for contacting the insurer yourself makes deception less likely.

Also, be aware that even if you have insurance, the policy may not cover some instances of fraud. There have been court cases where an insurer could prove that a policyholder was not covered for anything related to this crime because the documentation associated with the insurance confirmed that all-important detail somewhere in the fine print of the contract.

Furthermore, the insurer may only agree to cover fraud-related claims if you can prove your company upholds a minimum standard of cybersecurity and undergoes audits at least yearly to assess for weak spots, for example.

Do not be misled into thinking that business insurance is useless. It could stop you from shouldering the hefty financial burdens associated with potential fraud. However, the lesson to learn here is that you should always read every piece of information concerning your policy before entering an agreement. If there are aspects you don’t understand or topics not explicitly covered, ask for clarification instead of making assumptions.

Fight Back Against Business Fraud

The possibilities associated with business fraud should not frighten you so much that you are afraid to grow your company and seize new opportunities.

However, as this list of tips shows, protection against the damaging effects of deception is within your control. You cannot guarantee that scams will not impact your business, but taking precautionary measures can substantially reduce the chances of that happening.

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