Mg lighting had sales of 1000 units at $100

THE DEATH STAR

2009.09.15 20:24 AnnArchist THE DEATH STAR

Raider Nation HQ of the Las Vegas Raiders

2014.01.29 02:37 Budget Audiophile: Finding the best home audio for your budget

This subreddit is for the budget minded audiophile that wants to grow out of soundbars, boomboxes, mini systems, portable bluetooth, lifestyle speakers, and PC peripheral branded audio solutions. We focus on education, discussion, and sharing of entry and mid level separate & multi component audio systems. The only bad audio system, is the one you don't enjoy to the fullest.

[link]

2008.12.17 21:19 Etsy

The unofficial community for all things Etsy, buyers and sellers both welcome. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by Etsy.com.

[link]

2024.05.17 11:48 CommanderRoku Fully Explained: Star Cards for Lightsaber & Force Heroes (Part II)

To celebrate the upcoming 25^th anniversary of the Phantom Menace this 19^th of May, I decided to go all out on discovering the hidden effects or poorly described star cards in this game based on the plentiful resources and posts of the past (References are found at the end). At the same time, I did what I could to rewrite the ability and card descriptions to be somewhat unilateral and have similar explanations. Many were a surprise to be sure but a welcome one, while others are completely out of hand. Use what’s useful to you, and feel free to share your own test results. At last we will reveal these stats to all, at last…
Star Cards for Lightsaber & Force Heroes (Part II)
· Darth Vader
o Furious Resilience: Damage reduction is received while FOCUSED RAGE is active. Ability Duration: 10 seconds; “Fueling the Rage” Duration: 16 seconds; Maximum Health Points Possible: 1000 / 1080 / 1100 / 1200 / 1250; And “Bonus Health”: 1150 / 1242 / 1265 / 1380 / 1438
§ Damage Reduction: 8% / 10% / 20% / 25%
o Bonus Health: Increases maximum base health. Maximum Base Health: 800 / 850 / 875 / 900 / 950
§ Health Added: 50 / 75 / 100 / 150
o There Is No Escape: Extends LIGHTSABER THROW’s 20-meter reach distance. At EPIC rarity, it extends by 45%. (BF¹; S¹; YT¹)
§ Extended Reach Distance: ? / ? / ? / 45%
o Punishing Grip: Extends CHOKE’s duration of 1.5 seconds. Duration in Seconds: 1.65 / 1.8 / 1.95 / 2.1; Damage: 126 / ? / ? / ? / 174; And “Last Gasp”: 174 / ? / ? / ? / 262; “Last Gasp” Alone: 126 / ? / ? / ? / 189 (BF¹; S¹; YT¹)
§ Extended Duration: 10% / 20% / 30% / 40%
o Surrounded by Fear: For every enemy defeated, stamina is regained. Swings with 1 Enemy Defeated: 10 / 10 / 11 / 11 / 12; Blocks: 14 / 14 / 15 / 16 / 16; Deflections: 2121 / 2227 / 2333 / 2439 / 2545; With FOCUSED RAGE Swings: 15 / 15 / 16 / 17 / 18; With FOCUSED RAGE Blocks: 21 / 22 / 23 / 24 / 25; With FOCUSED RAGE Deflections: 3181 / 3340 / 3499 / 3685 / 3817; FOCUSED RAGE Duration: 10 seconds.
§ Stamina Regained: 5% / 10% / 15% / 20%
o Deflection Stamina: Decreases stamina drain for deflecting projectiles. Deflections: 2121 / 2333 / 2439 / 2545 / 2651; With FOCUSED RAGE: 3181 / 3499 / 3685 / 3817 / 3976
§ Decreased Stamina Drain: 10% / 15% / 20% / 25%
o Intensified Lightsaber Throw: LIGHTSABER THROW deals bonus damage to enemies hit by it a second time in a single throw. Individual Hit Damage: 130; Total Damage: 260 / 275 / 280 / 285 / 290; During CHOKE: 65 / 80 / 85 / 90 / 95
§ Bonus Damage: 15 / 20 / 25 / 30
o Last Gasp: If two enemies or more are choked, CHOKE’S damage is increased. Damage per second: 86 / 103.2 / 111.8 / 120.4 / 129; Total Damage: 126 / ? / ? / ? / 189; And “Punishing Grip”: 189 / ? / ? / ? / 262; “Punishing Grip” Alone”: 126 / ? / ? / ? / 174 (YT¹)
§ Increased Damage: 20% / 30% / 40% / 50%
o Fueling the Rage: Adds 6 seconds to FOCUSED RAGE. The bonus damage gained is reduced as a result. Basic Attack Damage: 145 / 134 / 136 / 138 / 140; Rear Attack Damage: 175 / 164 / 166 / 168 / 170
§ Damage Points Removed: 11 / 9 / 7 / 5
· Emperor Palpatine
o Lightning Reach: Extends the basic lightning attack’s 14-meter reach distance. At EPIC rarity, it extends by 15%, about 16 meters.
§ Extended Distance: ? / ? / ? / 15%
o Amplified Aura: DARK AURA deals extra damage. Area of Effect: 10 meters. Damage per Tick: 15 / 17.25 / 18 / 18.75 / 19.5; Total Damage: 175 (YT¹)
§ Extra Damage: 15% / 20% / 25% / 30%
o Prime Electrocution: If three enemies or more are electrocuted, ELECTROCUTE’s shock and blaster disabling duration of 1.3 seconds is extended. Reach Distance: 15 meters; Shock Duration in Seconds: 1.50 / 1.56 / 1.63 / 1.69. (R¹; YT¹)
§ Extended Shock Duration: 15% / 20% / 25% / 30%
o Show No Mercy: For every additional enemy hit by CHAIN LIGHTNING, 0.25 seconds are permanently removed from its cooldown time of 14.5 seconds. The ability used on a single target that does not chain to another will not count. The effect resets after being defeated. Reach distance: 18 meters; Minimum Cooldown Time in Seconds: 11.5 / 10.5 / 9.5 / 9.5 (YT¹)
§ Maximum Seconds Removed: 3 / 4 / 5 / 6
o Growing Darkness: DARK AURA’s 10-meter area of effect extends in distance over time. (R¹; YT¹)
§ Extended Area of Effect: 10% / 13% / 16% / 20%
o Surge of Lightning: While CHAIN LIGHTNING can already chain up to 6 different enemies, the number of additional enemies hit by CHAIN LIGHTNING will increase the total number of potential targets chained in a single use. The ability used on a single target that does not chain to another will not count. The effect resets after being defeated. Reach distance: 18 meters; Cooldown Time: 14.5 seconds; Maximum Bounces: 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 (YT¹)
§ Increased Number of Targets: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
o The Rule of Two: If ELECTROCUTE is used on enemies while already attacking with two-handed basic lightning attacks, the basic lightning attack will deal increased damage. Ability Duration: 1.3 second; Two-Handed Basic Attack Damage per 0.3 Seconds: 28 / 33 / 34.5 / 36 / 37.5; Normal Damage in 1.3 Seconds: 728; New Damage in 1.3 Seconds: 794; And “Prime Electrocution”: 814; Only “Prime Electrocution”: 748 (YT¹)
§ Increased Damage: 15% / 20% / 25% / 30%
o In Full Control: Decreases stamina drain for basic lightning attacks. 1 Hand Duration in Seconds: 9.50 to 11.25 (+1.75); 2 Hands Duration in Seconds: 6.00 to 7.00 (+1.00); 1 Hand Full Stamina Damage: 588 to 714 (+126); 2 Hands Full Stamina Damage: 756 to 896 (+140) (YT¹)
§ Decreased Stamina Drain: 10% / 12% / 14% / 16%
o Forked Lightning: Extends ELECTROCUTE’s 15-meter reach distance. Reach Distance in Meters: 16.5 / 16.95 / 17.4 / 18
§ Extended Reach Distance: 10% / 13% / 16% / 20%
· Kylo Ren
o Resilience: If within 15 meters of another force or lightsaber ally, damage reduction is received and basic lightsaber attacks deal extra damage. Health Points: 750 / 780 / 795 / 810 / 825; Basic Attack Damage: 125 / 135 / 138 / 141 / 145; Rear Attack Damage: 165 / 175 / 178 / 181 / 185 (BF¹; R¹)
§ Damage Reduction: 4% / 6% / 8% / 10%
§ Extra Damage: 10 / 13 / 16 / 20
o Closing In: Extends FRENZY’S 10-meter leap distance. Leap Distance in Meters: 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 (R¹; YT¹)
§ Leap Distance in Meters: 10% / 20% / 30% / 40%
o Total Control: If three enemies or more are frozen, FREEZE’S duration of 2.5 seconds is extended. Freeze Duration in Seconds: 3 / 3.25 / 3.5 / 3.75. (R¹; YT¹)
§ Extended Freeze Duration: 20% / 30% / 40% / 50%
o Solid Freeze: FREEZE’s 15-meter reach distance is extended. Reach Distance: 17.25 / 18 / 18.75 / 19.5
§ Extended Reach Distance: 15% / 20% / 25% / 30%
o Power of Darkness: Basic lightsaber attacks deal extra damage for 6 seconds after using FRENZY. Basic Attack Damage: 125 / 130 / 133 / 136 / 139; Rear Attack Damage: 165 / 170 / 173 / 176 / 179; And “Resilience” Basic Attack Damage: 139 / 149 / 152 / 155 / 159; And “Resilience” Rear Attack Damage: 179 / 189 / 192 / 195 / 199 (YT¹)
§ Extra Damage: 5 / 8 / 11 / 14
o Bloodlust: Frenzy deals extra damage. Damage to Troopers: 160 / 165 / 170 / 175 / 180; Damage to Heroes: 115 / 120 / 125 / 130 / 135; 3-Strike Total Damage to Troopers: 480 / 495 / 510 / 525 / 540; 3-Strike to Heroes: 345 / 360 / 375 / 390 / 405; 4-Strike to Troopers: 640 / 660 / 680 / 700 / 720; 4-Strike to Heroes: 460 / 480 / 500 / 520 / 540
§ Extra Damage: 5 / 10 / 15 / 20
o Harsh Pull: PULL deals extra damage. Damage: 10 / 30 / 40 / 50 / 60
§ Extra Damage: 20 / 30 / 40 / 50
o Power Reach: Extends PULL’s 20-meter reach distance. Reach Distance in Meters: 23 / 24 / 25 / 26
§ Extended Reach Distance: 15% / 20% / 25% / 30%
o Berserking Tantrum: Decreases stamina drain for basic lightsaber attacks. Lightsaber Swings: 14 / 16 / 16 / 17 / 18
§ Decreased Stamina Drain: 8% / 12% / 16% / 20%
· Luke Skywalker
https://preview.redd.it/3hsvwh5zjy0d1.jpg?width=225&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3043ee0fab0be8738ef8240bef4cbe7aba20769e
o Epicenter: REPULSE deals bonus damage to enemies within half of its 12-meter radius. The bonus damage breaks through lightsaber blocks. Total Damage to Troopers: 130 / 155 / 160 / 165 / 170; Heroes: 75 / 100 / 105 / 110 / 115. (BF¹)
§ Bonus Damage: 25 / 30 / 35 / 40
o Deflection Mastery: Deflected shots are returned more accurately, reducing deflection spread is reduced from 0.45 to 0.2. Stamina drain is increased by blocked blaster shots as a result. Deflection Stamina Drain Without Card: 1112 damage points. EPIC Rarity: 1,001 damage points. (R¹; YT¹)
§ Increased Stamina Drain: 18% / 15% / 12% / 10%
https://preview.redd.it/7niqijd2ky0d1.jpg?width=225&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dce8567050da9c5a38dd9b609bc5ea657d5aa82c
o Intensify: Every enemy trooper defeated or 200 damage points dealt to enemy heroes permanently adds 2 extra damage points to basic lightsaber attacks. As a bonus, if an enemy hero is thrown off a ledge using a force ability and they die from the void within 3 seconds, the extra attack damage will be set to the maximum value possible. Otherwise, either 18 troopers defeated or 3600 damage to heroes is needed to reach the maximum value. The effect resets after being defeated. Basic Attack Damage: 130 / 148 / 154 / 160 / 166; Rear Attack Damage: 160 / 178 / 184 / 190 / 196 (BF¹; S¹; YT¹)
§ Maximum Extra Damage: 18 / 24 / 30 / 36
o Stronger Push: PUSH’s 10-meter push distance is extended, force pushing enemies even farther. Push Distance in Meters: 14 / 16 / 18 / 20
§ Extended Push Distance: 40% / 60% / 80% / 100%
o Rush Immunity: Damage reduction is received for 3 seconds after using RUSH. Health Points: 750 / 810 / 825 / 840 / 863
§ Damage Reduction: 8% / 10% / 12% / 15%
o Jedi Reflexes: An extra RUSH is ready for use. Its 5-second cooldown time is extended as a result. Cooldown Time in Seconds: 5.75 / 5.50 / 5.25 / 5.00 (YT¹)
§ Extended Cooldown Time: 15% / 10% / 5% / 0%
o Jedi Fighter: Decreases all stamina drain. The following shows Without Card / EPIC Rarity. Swings: 10 / 16; Blocks: 10 / 16; Deflections: 1112 / 1711 ([S¹)]()
§ Decreased Stamina Drain: 20% / 25% / 30% / 35%
o Extended Push Reach: Extends PUSH’s 12-meter reach distance. Reach Distance in Meters: 13.8 / 14.4 / 15 / 15.6
§ Extended Push Distance: 15% / 20% / 25% / 30%
https://preview.redd.it/6r2c4aw3ky0d1.jpg?width=225&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f23097511d0055b022bf1b0206bc8df3b72d3b63
o Strong Repulse: Extends REPULSE’s 12-meter area of effect. Enemies are launched into the air for a 25% longer duration. Area of Effect in Meters: 13.8 / 14.4 / 15 / 15.6 (YT¹, Comment: u/anjahupkes4376)
§ Extended Area of Effect: 15% / 20% / 25% / 30%
· Darth Maul
https://preview.redd.it/py9jsf16ky0d1.jpg?width=225&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bc517079439905b49418da3bde120cbcab88a213
o Lightsaber Defense: Blaster damage reduction is received. Reduction of all damage is also received during the SPIN ATTACK. At EPIC rarity, the damage reduction from SPIN ATTACK is 60%. Blaster Health Points: 700 / 770 / 784 / 798 / 812; Health Points With 60%: 1120 (S¹)
§ Blaster Damage Reduction: 10% / 12% / 14% / 16%
o Thrown to Slow: If two enemies or more are choked, CHOKE HOLD deals extra damage. At EPIC rarity, it deals 19 damage points. Cooldown time: 18 seconds; Damage Without Card: 77; Total Damage: 96 (BF¹; R¹)
§ Extra Damage: ? / ? / ? / 19
o Ranged Throw: Extends FURIOUS THROW’s 20-meter reach distance. Reach Distance in Meters: 24 / 26 / 28 / 30. (BF¹; S¹)
§ Extended Reach Distance: 20% / 30% / 40% / 50%
o Fool Me Once: Reduces the cooldown times of all abilities. At EPIC rarity, FURIOUS THROW reduces by 8.4%, CHOKE HOLD by 6.72%, and SPIN ATTACK by the values stated below. Without Card by order of mention: 8 seconds; 18 seconds; 5 seconds. New Cooldown Times in Seconds: 7.2 seconds; 17.0 seconds; 4.5 seconds. (R¹; YT¹)
§ Reduced Cooldown Time: 5% / 7% / 9% / 10%
o Forceful Thrust: CHOKE HOLD’s throw distance is extended, launching enemies even farther. Throw Distance in Meters: 14 / 16 / 18 / 20
§ Extended Throw Distance: 40% / 60% / 80% / 100%
o Flow Motion: An extra SPIN ATTACK is ready for use. Its 5-second cooldown time is extended as a result. Cooldown Time in Seconds: 5.75 / 5.50 / 5.25 / 5.00 (YT¹)
§ Extended Cooldown Time: 15% / 10% / 5% / 0%
o Savage: If four enemies are hit with SPIN ATTACK within the number of seconds stated below, the 5-second cooldown time will be reduced by 80% for 4 seconds. Rewarded Cooldown Time: 1 second. (S¹; YT¹)
§ Number of Seconds: 4.0 / 4.5 / 5.0 / 5.5
o Accelerated Throw: FURIOUS THROW deals extra damage. Individual Hit Damage: 85 / 90 / 95 / 100 / 105
§ Extra Damage: 5 / 10 / 15 / 20
o Unrolled Grip: Extends CHOKE HOLD’s 15-meter reach distance. Reach Distance: 17.25 / 18.00 / 18.75 / 19.50
§ Extended Reach Distance: 15% / 20% / 25% / 30%
· Rey
o Balance: An extra dodge is ready for use. Stamina drain is increased as a result. Swings: 10 to 9; Blocks: 14 to 13; Blaster Deflections as Damage: 1112 to ?; Swings with INSIGHT: 20 to 18; Blocks with INSIGHT: 28 to 26; Deflections with INSIGHT: 1112 to ? (YT¹)
§ Increased Stamina Drain: 30% / 25% / 20% / 15%
o Far Sight: Extends INSIGHT’s 30-meter area of effect. Area of Effect in Meters: 33 / 36 / 39 / 42
§ Extended Area of Effect: 10% / 20% / 30% / 40%
o Street Fighter: Decreases stamina drain for basic lightsaber attacks. Swings: 10 to 12; With INSIGHT: 20 to 24; And “Balance”: 18 to 20; “Balance”, No INSIGHT: 9 to 11
§ Decreased Stamina Drain: 8% / 10% / 12% / 15%
o Resilient Dash: Damage reduction is received when using DASH STRIKE. Health Points: 750 / 938 / 975 / 1013 / 1050
§ Damage Reduction: 25% / 30% / 35% / 40%
o Damaging Strike: DASH STRIKE deals extra damage. Cooldown Time: 10 seconds; Total Damage: 130 / 149 / 156 / 163 / 169 (BF¹; R¹)
§ Extra Damage: 15% / 20% / 25% / 30%
o Strong Mind: Extends MIND TRICK’s 18-meter reach distance. Reach Distance in Meters: 20.7 / 21.6 / 22.5 / 23.4; Cooldown Time: 20 seconds; Maximum Value: 22.5 (R¹; YT¹)
§ Extended Reach Distance: 15% / 20% / 25% / 30%
o Focused Sight: Adds seconds to INSIGHT’s duration. Duration in Seconds: 8 / 10 / 11 / 13 / 15
§ Added Seconds: 2 / 3 / 5 / 7
o Deep Mind: Extends the 4-second duration of MIND TRICK’s effects on enemies that are revealed by INSIGHT. Duration in Seconds: 4.6 / 4.8 / 5.0 / 5.2 (S¹; YT¹)
§ Extended Duration: 15% / 20% / 25% / 30%
https://preview.redd.it/sas5j5d8ky0d1.jpg?width=225&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=13b86952db61251a6401fdd4108a48e6e754967c
o Opportunist: Bonus damage is dealt to enemies affected by MIND TRICK, knockdowns, or any other immobilizing effect. Basic Attack Damage: 120 / 128 / 130 / 132 / 135; Rear Attack Damage: 140 / 148 / 150 / 152 / 155; And “Damaging Strike”: 169 / 177 / 179 / 181 / 184 (YT¹)
§ Bonus Damage: 8 / 10 / 12 / 15
· Yoda
o Enduring Presence: Bugged card. Adds seconds to PRESENCE’s duration, but the allies who receive bonus health are the ones standing at the previous use of PRESENCE. Duration: 8 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13
§ Added Seconds: 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
o Unleashed: Extends UNLEASH’s initial reach distance by 25%. The damage dealt is reduced from 190 to 160 damage points as a result. The final reach distance remains unchanged. (BF¹; S¹)
§ Extended Initial Reach Distance: 10% / 15% / 20% / 25%
o Agility: An extra DASH ATTACK is ready for use. Its 5-second cooldown time is extended as a result. Cooldown Time in Seconds: 5.75 / 5.50 / 5.25 / 5.00 (YT¹)
§ Extended Cooldown Time: 15% / 10% / 5% / 0%
o Opposing the Dark Side: Basic lightsaber attacks deal bonus damage to enemy heroes. Basic Attack Damage: 125 / 135 / 137 / 139 / 141; Rear Attack Damage: 150 / 160 / 162 / 164 / 166
§ Bonus Damage: 10 / 12 / 14 / 16
o Earned It I Have: This card does nothing. (R¹)
o Jedi Mentor: Damage reduction is received. Maximum Health Points Possible: 700 / 735 / 742 / 749 / 756; With PRESENCE: 850 / 893 / 901 / 910 / 918; And “Feel the Force”: 910 / 956 / 965 / 974 / 983 (YT¹)
§ Damage Reduction: 5% / 6% / 7% / 8%
o Feel the Force: PRESENCE gives even more bonus health. Total Bonus Health: 150 / 180 / 190 / 200 / 210; Total Health: 850 / 880 / 890 / 900 / 910
§ Extra Bonus Health: 30 / 40 / 50 / 60
o Size Matters Not: If PRESENCE’s bonus health is depleted through damage, additional health is regained by a percentage of the bonus health that was depleted. The 20-second cooldown time is increased by 13 seconds as a result. New Cooldown Time: 33 seconds; Health Points Healed: 75; And “Feel the Force”: 105 (S¹; YT¹)
§ Percentage of Bonus Health Regained as Additional Health: 35% / 40% / 45% / 50%
o Lightsaber Mastery: Decreases stamina drain for basic lightsaber attacks. Lightsaber Swings: 12 to 15
§ Decreased Stamina Drain: 8% / 10% / 12% / 15%
· General Grievous
o Beating Heart: More health can be regenerated. Health Regeneration: 250 / 275 / 300 / 325 / 350
§ Added Health to Regeneration: 25 / 50 / 75 / 100
o Sith Trained: Basic lightsaber attacks deal extra damage. Stamina drain is increased by 25% as a result. Lightsaber Swings: 12 to 10; Basic Attack Damage: 130 / 145 / 150 / 155 / 160; Rear Attack Damage: 160 / 175 / 180 / 185 / 190
§ Extra Damage: 15 / 20 / 25 / 30
https://preview.redd.it/6wpincp9ky0d1.jpg?width=225&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=22ba97c819a84b7dd797fff239969506bf3d25b3
o Jedi Killer: Extends THRUST SURGE’s 15-meter reach distance. Its hitbox’s area of effect is also extended by at least 15 meters. Reach Distance in Meters: 18 / 19.5 / 21 / 22.5 (R⁵)
§ Extended Reach Distance: 20% / 30% / 40% / 50%
o Cowardly Retreat: Even more damage reduction is received when using CLAW RUSH. Duration: 3.2 seconds; Cooldown Time: 13 seconds; Health Points: 1120 / 1280 / 1360 / 1440 / 1520
§ Total Damage Reduction: 60% / 70% / 80% / 90%
https://preview.redd.it/ntqor26bky0d1.jpg?width=225&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4ec87916373e1ffb829456df7e92693147ed64d0
o Flesh Is Weak: For every 10% of total health missing, damage reduction is added. Damage Reduction takes into effect per hit taken, meaning hits with a small damage output increase the total number of health points compared to those with a larger damage output. Health regeneration rate is halved as a result: 50 health per second to 25 health per second. When used with “Beating Heart”, health regeneration speed is set back to normal. Total Health Points: Varies from 800 to 1500 (S¹; YT¹, Comment: u/MetaDiscussions)
§ Damage Reduction Added: 2% / 3% / 4% / 5%
o Momentum: THRUST SURGE deals extra damage. Damage: 160 / 170 / 180 / 190 / 200
§ Extra Damage: 10 / 20 / 30 / 40
o Ceaseless Assault: Damage reduction is received when using UNRELENTING ADVANCE. Duration: 5 seconds; Cooldown Time: 11 seconds; Health Points: 800 / 880 / 960 / 1040 / 1120
§ Damage Reduction: 10% / 20% / 30% / 40%
o Deadly Slashes: UNRELENTING ADVANCE deals extra damage. Damage per 0.45 Seconds: 110 / 120 / 130 / 140 / 150
§ Extra Damage per 0.45 Seconds: 10 / 20 / 30 / 40
o Line Up, Weaklings: CLAW RUSH deals extra damage. Cooldown Time: 13 seconds; Total Damage: 130 / 150 / 160 / 170 / 180 (R¹)
§ Extra Damage: 20 / 30 / 40 / 50
· Obi-Wan Kenobi
o Jedi Resilience: More health can be regenerated. Health Regeneration: 300 / 325 / 350 / 375 / 400
§ Added Health to Regeneration: 25 / 50 / 75 / 100
o Perfect Defense: Decreases stamina drain for lightsaber blocks and blaster deflections. Blocks: 25 to 42; Blaster Deflections as Damage: 2121 / 2333 / 2545 / 2757 / 2969 (YT¹)
§ Decreased Stamina Drain: 10% / 20% / 30% / 40%
o Give It All: Extends ALL-OUT PUSH’s initial and charged-up reach distance.
§ Extended Reach Distance in Meters: 0.5 / 1.0 / 1.5 / 2.0
o Think It Over: Adds seconds to RESTRICTIVE MIND TRICK’s duration of 5.5 seconds. Duration in Seconds: 6.0 / 6.3 / 6.7 / 6.9
§ Added Seconds: 0.5 / 0.8 / 1.2 / 1.4
o Safeguard: For every lightsaber attack blocked, two abilities blocked, or 5 blaster shots blocked, stamina drain decreases by 2%. Either 40 blocked lightsaber attacks, 40 blocked abilities, or 100 blocked blaster shots are needed to reach the maximum value. The effect resets after being defeated. Swings: 10 to 17; Blocks: 25 to 42; Blaster Deflections as Damage: 2121 / 2333 / 2545 / 2757 / 2969; And “Perfect Defense” Blocks: 25 to 69; And “Perfect Defense” Deflections: 2969 / 3266 / 3563 / 3856 / 4157
§ Decreased Stamina Drain: 25% / 30% / 35% / 40%
o Quickened Focus: Removes seconds from ALL-OUT PUSH’s charge-up to full duration of 1.2 seconds. Charge-up to Full Duration in Seconds: 1.2 / 1.0 / 0.9 / 0.8 / 0.7
§ Seconds Removed: 0.2 / 0.3 / 0.4 / 0.5
o Forward!: DEFENSIVE RUSH deals extra damage. Damage: 140 / 150 / 160 / 170 / 180; Final Strike Damage: 200 / 210 / 220 / 230 / 240
§ Extra Damage: 10 / 20 / 30 / 40
o More Doubts: Extends RESTRICTIVE MIND TRICK’s 21-meter reach distance. At EPIC rarity, it extends by 10%. Cooldown Time: 21 seconds; “EPIC” Rarity Reach Distance: 23 meters. (YT¹)
§ Extended Reach Distance: ? / ? / ? / 10%
o Critical Deflection: Blaster shots deflected by DEFENSIVE RUSH are critical hits dealing extra damage. Damage: 65 / 106 / 116 / 126 / 136 (YT¹)
§ Extra Damage: 20 / 30 / 40 / 50
· Count Dooku
o Sith Control: More health can be regenerated. Health Regeneration: 250 / 280 / 310 / 340 / 370
§ Added Health to Regeneration: 30 / 60 / 90 / 120
o Finesse: Decreases stamina drain. Swings: 10 to 22; Blocks: 14 to 22; Blaster Deflections as Damage: 1112 / 1334 / 1390 / 1446 / 1501 (YT¹)
§ Decreased Stamina Drain: 20% / 25% / 30% / 35%
o Blind Spot: Increases the angle of LIGHTNING STUN’s area of effect. (YT¹)
§ Increased Angle by Degrees: 5 / 10 / 20 / 30
o Superiority: Adds seconds to EXPOSE WEAKNESS’ duration of 5.5 seconds. Duration in Seconds: 6.0 / 6.5 / 7.0 / 7.5
§ Added Seconds: 0.5 / 1.0 / 1.5 / 2.0
o Initiative: Every 15 seconds, the next basic lightsaber attack becomes a critical strike dealing extra damage. For every successful lightsaber attack, the cooldown time reduces by 1 second. A yellow circle around the crosshair will indicate when the critical strike is ready. Basic Attack Damage: 130 / 150 / 160 / 170 / 180; Rear Attack Damage: 160 / 180 / 190 / 200 / 210; With DUELIST Basic: 155 / 175 / 185 / 195 / 205; With DUELIST Rear: 185 / 205 / 215 / 225 / 235; And “Masterful Duelist” Basic: 175 / 195 / 205 / 215 / 225; And “Masterful Duelist” Rear: 205 / 225 / 235 / 245 / 255; With EXPOSE WEAKNESS Basic: 210 / 234 / 246 / 258 / 270; With EXPOSE WEAKNESS Rear: 246 / 270 / 282 / 294 / 306; Only DUELIST And “Masterful Duelist” Basic: 175 / 195 / 205 / 215 / 225; Only DUELIST And “Masterful Duelist” Rear: 205 / 225 / 235 / 245 / 255; Only EXPOSE WEAKNESS Basic: 156 / 180 / 192 / 204 / 216; Only EXPOSE WEAKNESS Rear: 192 / 216 / 228 / 240 / 252 (S¹)
§ Extra Damage: 20 / 30 / 40 / 50
o Last Seconds: Removes seconds from LIGHTNING STUN’s 14-second cooldown time. Cooldown Time in Seconds: 13 / 12 / 11 / 10
§ Removed Seconds: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
o Masterful Duelist: DUELIST deals even more extra damage. Duration: 10 seconds; Cooldown Time: 13 seconds; Total Extra Damage: 25 / 30 / 35 / 40 / 45; Basic Attack Damage: 155 / 160 / 165 / 170 / 175; Rear Attack Damage: 185 / 190 / 195 / 200 / 205; With EXPOSE WEAKNESS Basic: 186 / 192 / 198 / 204 / 210; With EXPOSE WEAKNESS Rear: 222 / 228 / 234 / 240 / 246
§ Extra Damage: 5 / 10 / 15 / 20
o Dominance: Enemy targets affected by EXPOSE WEAKNESS receive even more damage weakness. Damage Weakness: 20% / 25% / 30% / 35% / 40%; LIGHTNING STUN Damage: 192 / 200 / 208 / 216 / 224; Basic Attack Damage: 130 / 156 / 163 / 169 / 176 / 182; Rear Attack Damage: 160 / 192 / 200 / 208 / 216 / 224; With DUELIST Basic: 155 / 186 / 194 / 202 / 209 / 217; With DUELIST Rear: 185 / 222 / 231 / 241 / 250 / 259; And “Masterful Duelist” Basic: 175 / 210 / 219 / 228 / 236 / 245; And “Masterful Duelist” Rear: 205 / 246 / 256 / 267 / 277 / 287; And “Initiative” Basic: 225 / 270 / 281 / 293 / 304 / 315; And “Initiative” Rear: 255 / 306 / 319 / 332 / 344 / 357; Only “Initiative” Basic: 180 / 216 / 225 / 234 / 243 / 252; Only “Initiative” Rear: 210 / 252 / 263 / 273 / 284 / 294; Only “Initiative” With DUELIST Basic: 205 / 246 / 256 / 267 / 277 / 287; Only “Initiative” With DUELIST Rear: 235 / 282 / 294 / 306 / 317 / 329
§ Additional Damage Weakness: 5% / 10% / 15% / 20%
o Balanced Duelist: Removes seconds from DUELIST’s 13-second cooldown time. Duration: 10 seconds; Cooldown Time in Seconds: 12 / 11 / 10 / 9
§ Removed Seconds: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
· Anakin Skywalker
o Tenacious: Increases maximum base health. Maximum Base Health: 800 / 825 / 850 / 875 / 900
§ Health Added: 25 / 50 / 75 / 100
o Massive Strikes: Basic lightsaber attacks deal extra damage. Stamina drain for attacks and blocks is increased as a result. Cooldown Time: 13 seconds; Basic Attack Damage: 130 / 135 / 140 / 145 / 150; Rear Attack Damage: 170 / 175 / 180 / 185 / 190. The following shows Without Card / EPIC Rarity. Swings: 12 / 10; Blocks: 10 / 8; Deflections: 1392 / 1,044. (BF¹; S¹)
§ Extra Damage: 5 / 10 / 15 / 20
§ Increased Stamina Drain: 35% / 35% / 25% / 25%
https://preview.redd.it/x03xl11dky0d1.jpg?width=225&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5837169f02f1ae9dbe8c8278730b4e8d2bed45c0
o Pressure: The 2nd attack of PASSIONATE STRIKE deals extra damage. Also, the lunge distance of the two attacks is increased. 1st Attack Damage to Troopers: 70; 1st Attack Damage to Heroes: 40; 2nd Attack to Troopers: 180 / 190 / 195 / 200 / 205; 2nd Attack to Heroes: 130 / 140 / 145 / 150 / 155; Total Damage to Troopers: 250 / 260 / 265 / 270 / 275; Total Damage to Heroes: 170 / 180 / 185 / 190 / 195 (YT¹, Comment: u/tabbywarrior)
§ Extra Damage: 10 / 15 / 20 / 25
https://preview.redd.it/axci7mbeky0d1.jpg?width=225&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f682b931e4fedcb5d634fa7a8a16042a85816b71
o Control the Force: Extends HEROIC MIGHT’s initial 10-meter area of effect and RETRIBUTION’s initial 15-meter area of effect. HEROIC MIGHT’s Initial Area of Effect in Meters: 12 / 13 / 14 / 15; RETRIBUTION’s Initial Area of Effect in Meters: 17 / 18 / 19 / 20 (YT¹, Comment: u/hypnotic_o)
§ Extended Area of Effect in Meters: 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
https://preview.redd.it/kqupxytgky0d1.jpg?width=225&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c3ce16ce0ddd44b94cef4ce410a0b479395a457f
o Steamroll: Every enemy trooper defeated or 200 damage points dealt to enemy heroes permanently decreases stamina drain by 2%. As a bonus, if an enemy hero is thrown off a ledge using any force ability and they die from the void within 3 seconds, the decreased stamina drain will be set to the maximum value possible. Otherwise, either 20 troopers defeated or 4000 damage to heroes is needed to reach the maximum value. The effect resets after being defeated. The following shows Without Card / EPIC Rarity / And “Massive Strikes”. Swings: 12 / 20 / 16; Blocks: 10 / 17 / 13; Deflections: 1392 / 1044 / 1462 (BF¹; S¹; YT¹)
§ Decreased Stamina Drain: 25% / 30% / 35% / 40%
o Fierce Fighter: Reduces PASSIONATE STRIKE’s 13-second cooldown time. At EPIC rarity, it reduces to 5 seconds. Cooldown Time in Seconds: 11 / 10 / 9 / 8 (BF¹; R¹)
§ Seconds Removed from Cooldown Time: 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
https://preview.redd.it/ylbdt8phky0d1.jpg?width=225&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ee3ad33ee7f2955d939fc536b8a7e8a18584c56a
o Attraction: Extends PULL DOMINANCE’s 18-meter reach distance. As a bonus, enemies can be pulled out of their abilities only within the added reach range. Cooldown Time: 15 seconds; Reach Distance in Meters: 20 / 21 / 22 / 23 (YT², Comment: @Embo_Marrok)
§ Extended Reach Distance in Meters: 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
o Raw Strength: HEROIC MIGHT deals extra damage. Area of Effect: 10 meters; Damage to Troopers: 100 / 120 / 130 / 140 / 150; Damage to Heroes: 90 / 110 / 120 / 130 / 140
§ Extra Damage: 20 / 30 / 40 / 50
o All of Them: If PULL DOMINANCE is used on a number of enemies, it deals 50 extra damage. Normal Damage to Troopers: 120; Normal Damage to Heroes: 80; New Damage to Troopers: 170; New Damage to Heroes: 130; New Damage:
§ Number of Enemies: 5 / 4 / 3 / 2
CATEGORIZED BY COLOR
https://preview.redd.it/phtuqg1tiy0d1.png?width=809&format=png&auto=webp&s=9f6775ab15d6e32a72808c8229690f1465dd6eab
NOTES
· The EPIC rarity is only stated in the card description if it is a different value than shown in-game.
· All Star Card descriptions were rewritten to be unilateral and have similar explanations. The names of heroes and second-person pronouns were avoided.
· Clearer antonyms are used: increased/decreased; extended/reduced.
o Increase/decrease suggests a progression in size, amount, or numbers (like adding/subtracting health, damage, stamina drain, and sprint speed).
o Extend/reduce suggests a change made to a value or number (like percentages for time, distance, and blaster heat).
· Damage Reduction is received; health points are regained.
· To avoid confusion, the term increased cooldown speed and increased recharge time (which uses percentage increased) is avoided. To keep all related effects as close in description as possible: extended/reduced cooldown time (still percentage) is the simplest way to describe the effect without changing the in-game number values.
· Extra damage is damage added to ability; bonus damage is situational.
· Some values were rounded to whole numbers to reflect in-game values. Such are health points, damage points, and blaster overheat. As a result, though noticeably small, the actual values in-game may be a little off when it comes to stacked values (like stacking damage reduction) and are yet to be tested.
· Some stats between the BF2 wiki and SammyBoiii’s Hero Guides differ in stats; however, they agree for the most part and usually differ by units less than a second.
· Feel free to pick any hero and test out the stats yourself. The more accurate stats we have, the better we can use them.
· Question Marks are unknown values. If you happen to know them or calculate the value, feel free to share them. Video proof seems to always work best.
· I personally feel that being open to the intricacies of every star card and ability is the best way to go and should not be considered an exploit. Everyone should know what’s happening when the enemy team starts using these game-changers (and there are many people who do), and best enabling them to learn how to counter it. In the end, understanding these little details leads to a more competitive and playable battlefront.
· Although not too often, some of the supposed up-to-date references below contradict each other; I had to make a final choice without having the time to test them.
· Getting all these stats was a hard-earned headache in the end. Feel free to correct any discrepancies you may find!
REFERENCES

BF¹
BF2 Community on Fandom [Most stats taken from here]
https://battlefront.fandom.com/wiki/Heroes_and_Villains

R¹
These are ALL the Broken Hero Star Cards (u/RogueZeroRendar on Reddit)
https://www.reddit.com/StarWarsBattlefront/comments/gcyh0these_are_all_the_broken_hero_star_cards/

R²
Hero Star Cards that are broken in a “beneficial way”? (u/T-RevLynn on Reddit)
https://www.reddit.com/StarWarsBattlefront/comments/ub797m/hero_star_cards_that_are_broken_in_a_beneficial/

R³
Hero Star Card Guide (u/ MAshby1001 on Reddit)
https://www.reddit.com/StarWarsBattlefront/comments/pmf1b5/hero_star_card_guide/

R⁴
Damage stats for every trooper, hero and reinforcement in BF2 (u/ImpecableBunny on Reddit) [To Confirm Stats]
https://www.reddit.com/StarWarsBattlefront/comments/15bvq7z/damage_stats_for_every_trooper_hero_and/#lightbox

R⁵
Grievous strikes again (u/Accomplished_Ebb1545 on Reddit) [“Jedi Killer” Secondary Effect]
https://www.reddit.com/StarWarsBattlefront/comments/1610bg5/grievous_strikes_again/

S¹
All Broken Hero Starcards in BF2 (By shuds and Shineberg on Steam)
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3024044483

YB¹
SWBF2 Guide to Hero/Villain Stats (By jmorga3) [To Confirm Stats; Found this list after finishing my list, consider it a simplified version]
https://www.yekbot.com/swbf2-guide-to-hero-villain-stats/

YT¹
Star Cards Breakdown (@KillerDebit on YouTube)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtoW9-Eb-QU&list=PLwVdQ5vamLGbW4srkAHahjSYp7qayFb88

YT²
Every hidden/actual star card effect on battlefront 2 (@Picos on YouTube)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZb-iNSpFrM

YT³
Battlefront 2 has 17 Star Cards that DON’T WORK (or are useless)… DO NOT USE THESE! (@Battlefront Knight on YouTube) [OUTDATED, BUT USEFUL COMMENT SECTION]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQNIOHv-yxA

YT⁴
SammyBoiii: Star Wars Hero Guides [Stats also taken from here]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9yGv_5YaeI&list=PLMe4n3PD17TRrp_7adLtTblLCDmZeygZm

YT⁵
Every Broken Hero Card In Battlefront 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0H70XpXI24

YT⁶
Star Wars Battlefront 2 Testing 5 USELESS Star Cards And Proving That They Don't Work!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBF4kRo6Y88

submitted by CommanderRoku to StarWarsBattlefront [link] [comments]

2024.05.17 10:17 tareekpetareek Manpasand was an accounting fraud with beverages on the side

Original Source: https://boringmoney.in/p/manpasand-an-accounting-fraud (my newsletter Boring Money. Do visit the original link and subscribe if you'd like to receive similar posts directly in your inbox)

Let’s say you’re a company that wants to commit an elaborate fraud. What is the most egregious fraud that you can think of?
Maybe let’s not start with egregious. Let’s start with something simple! Here’s something that’s reasonably common:

Pay people to buy your product (or like give them huge discounts or whatever). Inflate your revenue. Lie about your actual customers.
Hype your company up. Do an IPO, take your company public. Sell some of your own stock.
Slowly try fixing your numbers. If you happen to succeed, that’s great! You win. If you don’t succeed, you still win? You’ve done your IPO and sold some stock. That’s a lot of money.

This is the simple kind of fraud, which also makes it difficult to identify. You might have to talk to the company’s customers, read the fine print in its disclosures, do sanity checks of its financials, that sort of stuff. It’s tough to catch the simple kind of fraud, which is also why so much of it exists in the form of whispers and rumours without ever getting proven.
Now let’s go egregious:

Why pay people to buy your product? Hell, why even have a product? Just manifest in your imagination that there are hundreds of thousands of people buying whatever you’re selling and write it down.
Hype your company up! Do an IPO, sell some stock. This part remains the same.
Don’t bother fixing your numbers. Instead, keep publishing imaginary revenue figures. Keep selling stock to public investors. Publish your financials every quarter with whatever numbers you like.

If you do this, there’s only so far you can go. Eventually, your hype will attract attention and someone might figure out that both your customers and product were creative imagination.
Here’s a SEBI order from late in April about Manpasand Beverages. Manpasand used to be a beverages company based in Gujarat. In 2019 the company shut down because it got caught in a bunch of frauds. It’s only now that SEBI published the details of what was happening. Probably best summarised by fund manager Amit Mantri: [1]
https://preview.redd.it/o85shr8p3y0d1.jpg?width=603&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=26ace208d28eae2bb2401449f9b1dcc6bd1eefd0

Fake it till you make it (or don’t)

Manpasand faked its revenue (of course). It also faked its expenses, customers, vendors, tax liabilities, etc. How did it get away with doing this stuff? I don’t know, someone’s gotta ask Deloitte. They were Manpasand’s auditor for eight years, resigning only in 2018. The company’s fraud came out officially in 2019—Deloitte, whose job was to make sure the books were right and also had access to all the inside information, figured that something was off only a year earlier!
Anyway, SEBI appointed its own auditor to figure out what was wrong with Manpasand’s accounts and the auditor came back with a bunch of stuff. [2]
Here’s the bit about Manpasand inflating its revenue. From SEBI’s order:

… CGST vide letter dated July 07, 2019, inter alia, informed that Manpasand had shown inflated sales figure in its balance sheet by way of receipt/ supply of fake invoices without actual receipt/ supply of goods. It was further informed in the said letter that Manpasand had floated 38 bogus/paper firms to inflate its turnover and that inward and outward transactions made with such bogus firms amount to Rs.188.48 Crore and Rs. 691.30 Crore, respectively.

Manpasand created 38 different companies and it both “sold” its products to those companies as well as “bought” stuff from some of them. Basically, Manpasand created real companies to play the role of its customers and vendors.

… it was observed that the parties with whom transactions amounting to Rs.29.84 Crore were entered into, were not registered for dealing in the said goods/products being manufactured by the Company. Further, there was non-receipt of sale considerations and debtors balance were adjusted by passing journal entries

Manpasand was a beverages company that was selling stuff to its customers. Traditionally a company like Manpasand might have distributors as customers but Manpasand’s customers were registered as something else entirely (I do wonder what, the order doesn’t mention it). These are fake customers that Manpasand created out of thin air. Establishing companies is quite a bit of effort! Why half-ass the part where you select the “business type”? I sort of understand though. I’ve done it too. Put so much effort into something that you’re bored by the end that you muck it up.
I’m kidding! The real reason is probably that Manpasand wouldn’t have actually created these fake companies itself. There would be a middleman who would have them made in advance, all ready to go whenever needed to do fraud.
Manpasand propped up its sales as well as its expenses by pretty much just funnelling money around from one entity to the other. In some instances, it wouldn’t even move real money around. It would just note down that it had to pay one company, and had to also collect payments from another company, and then cancel each other out. Manpasand was running its accounts on Splitwise.
In general, there is nothing wrong with a company having such set-off arrangements. If you know your creditor owes money to your debtor, sure, cancel those transactions out. But how likely is it that a company’s suppliers and distributors know each other? And transact with each other?
This post is public so feel free to share it.

All except death and taxes

If you’re planning to do some accounting fraud, here’s something to keep in mind. I mean, I’m not not recommending that you do fraud, but if you do have your mind made up I might as well pass this along. Fake your sales, that’s fine. Fake your expenses, that’s fine too. But don’t fake your taxes, those guys will come after you.
In 2019 right before Manpasand shut down, GST officials raided its offices and arrested the CEO, CFO and a director. If you think about it, one of the reasons Manpasand got away with its fraud for as long as it did was that its accounts looked reasonably realistic. Deloitte made sure of that! Manpasand didn’t just arbitrarily put in fake numbers, oh no. It showed transactions to back them up with actual companies.
But any sales or purchases bring with it a cute goods and services tax, and the GST folks don’t care all that much about the fact that your sales are real. They’d like their share anyway. And not the GST you owe them, but because of how GST works, they would also want the GST your vendors (and your vendors’ vendors) might owe them.
GST has this magical thing called “input tax credit” which is basically the GST council giving you magic points every time you pay GST as a customer. Say, you buy some glass to make some marbles. You pay GST when you buy that glass, and you get some magic points. When you sell your freshly manufactured marbles, you collect GST from your customers and can redeem those magic points which you got earlier to reduce the GST you actually pay. (This isn’t tax advice so don’t come after me if you mess up your taxes because of anything you read here.)
These points are nice because they help save tax. But a basic requirement to use these points is that the company you bought your glass from has to have paid their fair share of GST in the first place! You only get the points if they’ve paid their tax! In Manpasand’s case the vendors it was dealing with existed solely for the purpose of enabling accounting fraud. Of course they weren’t going to be paying any tax. And yet Manpasand was claiming the magic points and reducing the GST it paid. These fake magic points is how the GST people figured out that there was something very wrong happening.
If the GST raid hadn’t happened, would Manpasand have survived as a company? Absolutely not. But would it have survived longer than it did? Probably.

Roll over, it’s a takeover

Things have already been a bit bizarre but what follows next is absolutely basket case. Here’s a section of Manpasand’s response to SEBI. From SEBI’s order:

The Company is a victim of a pre-planned, fraudulent scheme and conspiracy perpetrated by Finquest Financial Solutions Pvt Ltd (FINQUEST) wherein under the garb of promise to provide working capital worth Rs.100 Crores, six documents were executed by and between MBL & FINQUEST. Within a span of two and a half months, it was clear that this entire so called transaction of providing working capital loan was nothing but a mere play to gain the entire control of MBL which is having asset base of around Rs.625 Crores…

Finquest is an NBFC that lent money to Manpasand right after the GST raid happened and its officials were all in jail. Manpasand is claiming that Finquest’s goal wasn’t to just lend to the company and earn an interest income out of it, but to take over the company itself. Manpasand claims that Finquest defrauded it and even calls whatever they did a “hostile takeover”.
Let’s humour this idea for a bit. If you’re a listed company worried about a hostile takeover, you’d look at who’s buying your stock. That’s the normal way for hostile takeovers to work. You wake up one day to realise that Elon owns 9% of your and immediately fall into a state of panic. If you don’t own enough of your company, Elon just might.
Another hostile takeover could be by a distressed debt investor. You may have taken a loan from some banks or whoever some time back. The banks would’ve sold your loans to outside investors. But then because you’re in tough times, the investors would want to rid themselves of your loans at a discount. This distressed debt is then caught by investors trained in the art of recovering dollars from pennies. If you can’t repay your loans to these guys, they would be more than happy to squeeze it out of you.
This is what happened with Byju’s US unit. But really, hostile takeovers aren’t common with distressed debt investors. They don’t want to run your company! They want their money back with some (a lot) of interest. [3]
Finquest lent to Manpasand, it didn’t buy its stock. So maybe this was the second kind of hostile takeover, the distressed debt kind? Well, here’s Abhishek Singh, then director of Manpasand in an interview with Business Today back in 2019:

Business Today: Dhirendra Singh [the CEO] has accused Finquest of a hostile takeover bid, while Finquest claims that it was always mentioned in the term-sheet that the company will be managed by a professional team until its money was parked with you. It will be nice to get your side of the story.

Singh: Whatever amount has been transferred by the Finquest in the bank account of MBL was done in the new account opened by FFSPL's representatives in the name of MBL. The control of this new bank account lies with FFSPL's representatives. FFSPL was allowed operational access to business of MBL and not financial access, as per the term sheet dated July 3, 2019.
…As per the term sheet dated July 3, 2019, FFSPL had right to nominate two directors on the Board of Directors of MBL, which shall constitute minimum one-third strength of the Board. Pursuant to this clause, FFSPL appointed three directors instead of two. The total strength of the board became six directors, one-third of this comes to two. Thus, one more director being a nominee of FFSPL was appointed.
… What? Manpasand borrowed money from Finquest but the bank account where the money came in was controlled by Finquest? And Finquest got “operational access” (whatever that means) as well as a third of Manpasand’s board seats? This isn’t a hostile takeover! It’s a lamblike takeover.
Honestly, I get it. Manpasand’s CEO and others were in jail. The company needed money. The only lender willing to lend to a shady company whose executives are in jail would be a shady lender. And that shady lender was Finquest—which, by the way, had done something similar before—but Manpasand took what it got.
If there’s a second “don’t do this if you’re doing fraud” lesson in this, it’s this. Don’t borrow from a loan shark!
Footnotes
[1] A nice factoid is that Amit Mantri was the first to point out that Manpasand was manipulating its numbers all the way back in 2016. They did some really good on-ground research!
[2] The auditor that SEBI assigned to do this, Chokshi & Chokshi, came back with 12 findings from Manpasand’s accounts. But I think I found a couple of mistakes? It wouldn’t in any way affect SEBI’s conclusion on Manpasand, but I find it funny that a story which is essentially about an auditor’s massive failure to do its job also has an auditor that probably wasn’t too careful themselves? I’ll probably write about this in a future post.
[3] A distressed debt investor would prefer to take over a company to be able to put it into bankruptcy so that it can sell the company’s assets and recover its money. That’s very different from what the kind of takeover that Elon did of Twitter.
Original Source: https://boringmoney.in/p/manpasand-an-accounting-fraud

submitted by tareekpetareek to IndianStreetBets [link] [comments]

2024.05.17 10:05 MYSFITS_OFFICIAL Children of Sol 59

Subreddit Patreon
First Prev
Anglestan
Augustus 5, 1923
Facility 9, Mancheston
Colonel Jacobs
His hands flew through the folders General Jorgenson and Colonel Thatcher had. There were dozens of them, stacked upon each other all filed in alphabetical order. It had only been a few days since he had woken up from his coma and visited his home— now his mother’s grave. He clenched his fists at the thought. The grief and rage threatened to bubble and spill over once again. He took a deep breath and dragged out the exhale, almost to the point where he had emptied out his lungs.
He was the only one with clearance, and so he couldn’t disclose any of what he learned with his team. They would simply have to trust him and his judgment. Which he was sure they would do. His hands went over one of the folders skimming through it. There were multiple secret projects, but the ones with the most notes were Project S.T.A.R, Project L.U.N.A.R.I, Project R.E.V.I.V.E, Project D.A.W.N, and Project T.E.M.P.L.A.R.
The colonel decided to start with the most notes and papers. Project D.A.W.N.
He skimmed through the notes, reading through some of the details and highlighted words. Project D.A.W.N, the espionage project Thatcher had started placed two spies in Verlin who were to report directly to a Crescent general named Sienna Moretti who was apparently on humanity’s side.
So I was right. There was an espionage element. With the recent attacks and Thatcher’s death, however, it’s safe to assume that it had somehow failed. Either they got found out or they betrayed us. Both seem very likely, but if they were found out, it would be possible that they had died.
He read through all of it before setting the folder down. There were no new notes recently. He sighed and assumed that Project DAWN was a failure. Whether or not the agents were still alive and well, it was too risky to check if they had been compromised. It was better to assume that they had been and cut all contact. The only way to find out now was to go there himself and check. I can’t contact them again. There’s no telling if it would still be Moretti or the agents who would see my messages. It’s a big risk, and judging by the state of things, best to assume it failed.
He picked up another folder. This one had the label ‘under development’ on the folder. Project Templar. He opened the folder and was instantly met with a blueprint and drawings of a massive bipedal machine. It looked humanoid with strange proportions and was supposed to be standing at an impressive 30 meters, or 100 feet. The Titanic Engine Mech for Personal Land Assault and Reconnaissance.
It was apparently a joint project with the Church of Sol, utilizing new and advanced technologies he hadn’t heard of. A 203mm Gatling cannon on one arm, while the other had three different weapons. A massive firestarter that utilized a new type of fuel mixture that could theoretically spew flames a kilometer away using a high-pressure nozzle. The fuel was ignited using an electrical spark. The second weapon was a high-powered light weapon that fired a single powerful beam of focused light that was even further amplified by layers of focusing lenses that could increase its output several times. Its third weapon was… a dust domina?
Mark read through the specifications of the so-called ‘sand cannon’ weapon. It was a massive cannon that accelerated tiny particles several times. Each particle was to be electrically charged, and it would travel at immense speeds. Near impossible speeds. The resulting impact of a microscopic particle at such speeds would be enough to form a small crater and punch through armor like it was nothing. This weapon would fire multiple at the same time, which could literally eat away at anything on the opposing end.
In terms of secondary weapons, the titan had two missile launch chambers in front of its shoulder each containing about 40 missiles, and two massive howitzer cannons on top of it. Both are 800mm in caliber. It had massive stumpy legs that served as bunkers for a small platoon on each leg. Each leg had machine dominas and 155mm cannons. Its chassis held two nuclear reactors inside providing for its power and weaponry. Its armor was the thickest and most ridiculous he’d ever read. Two meters of heavy steel armor.
How far are we in terms of technology? This thing looks like it came out of an H.G. Wells sci-fi novel. He thought, shaking his head. It was over the top, but there was no denying its combat capabilities. If it was already under-developed then it must be the first prototype. This has already been approved. Guess I better see it for myself later and check how it's coming along. Construction apparently started just a few months before the invasion.
Next was project L.U.N.A.R.I. It was a project involving Six. “Huh,” he said, continuing to read on.
The Light Undone: Nocturnal’s Adaptive Resistance Initiative. As he read further, his eyes widened. The reason why Six was so special wasn’t just because of her immunity to all strigoi weaknesses, but because of her impressive ability to turn any true born strigoi like her. She could transfer her strain like any other strigoi and transform them into a version of hers. It however only seemed to work for naturally born strigoi. The new species of ‘half-breeds’ were called ‘Blessed Children’ as Thatcher had coined in the folder.
The plan was to turn all willing true-born hemolite strigoi into these blessed children. Able to withstand the sun. Immune to silver. Free from the dependency on blood. They could remove all the weaknesses of the strigoi and after the war— make it possible to integrate them into society as normal citizens living on the surface. The project folder also made mentions of a city-wide draft in Dante and highlighted the possibility of turning all Dantenite true born strigoi into these blessed children and renaming them as ‘Lunari’. A mix of the dark and the light. The light of Sol reflected in the children of the night.
“Thatcher, what the fuck have you been up to…” Mark whispered to himself.
While it was true that it could help in the war effort by utilizing Six and the dantenite population, it would also invite some unforeseen problems and consequences. Would humanity be okay with the Lunari? Would the world even be ready for them? Strigoi who were immune to the sun. They wouldn’t be impossible to kill, but they would be immensely more powerful if we were to take away their inherent weaknesses. This is a gamble. Its gain would only be seen during the war period, but its unintended effects on society could be catastrophic.
He frowned, setting the folder down. It was obviously Thatcher’s main plan; seeing as all her moves could be traced to the path of the eventual completion of this project. It seemed dangerous in the long run, but the duskwalkers and dantenites had been monumental in the war effort. Maybe it was the time the world started to accept them more. Isolation and segregation was definitely not the way to disperse fears and foster understanding.
If Thatcher thinks this is the next step forward… then I’ll put my faith in her plans.
Next up was Project S.T.A.R, or the Superior Tech and Adaptive Resistance. An upgrade to the current hemolite weapons and gear by using new researched studies. The Starfire Pattern Domina. The SFD-23 This thing features a new loading system and magazine, ditching the rotating cylinder most domina used, or the rotating helix magazine design of the current hemolite standard BM-16 domina.
The new domina had its magazine like a box… a strange design but it was certainly easier to handle than the bulky cylinders the helical mags used. In terms of ergonomics, it was smoother and fit more. Its placement however was on top of the domina, just above the barrel. Most of the weapon were to be made of lightweight polymers and the barrel itself were to be crafted out of reinforced aluminium. In addition to that, it had a 10-inch bayonet attached to it.
There were other new things as well, such as the composition of the bullet. Looking at the conceptual cross-section designs, Mark read through its description and how it would function. A .308 cased telescoped bullet covered in a silver jacket with break-away petals surrounding the main body. Inside the jacket was a penetrator core that was to be made of depleted uranium. It had a small amount of incendiary compound and… powdered white phosphorus behind an explosive compound. The thin silver jacket would deform and trigger the explosive compound inside the body. It would blow up causing massive internal damage and release the incendiary materials into the body with the flecks of powdered white phosphorus. The penetrator core could still potentially keep going and hit a second target, or punch through heavily armored targets.
Part of the new Project S.T.A.R was overhauling the armor and gear of not just the Hemolites but the Hunters as well. Starfire Mk 1. Carapace Armor. Carapace? It looked like plates of steel covered in a rubberized coat. It was supposed to be slipped on over the original hemolite body armor. It added a spring-loaded wrist blade to the gauntlet, a thicker coat made of resistant materials, and added extra padding for the knees, shoulders, and elbows.
However, the hemolites weren’t the only ones mentioned in the folder. It was to serve the Hunters as well. “Hunters…” Mark said. “August’s group is part of this initiative too.” He flipped through some of the pages. There were blueprints and drawings of an armored suit. A mechanized suit even smaller and more compact than the jotunn units. The Mark 1 STR battlesuit. It was supposed to hug the wearer’s frame and increase their overall power. It was supposed to be built of titanium alloy and a heavy steel frame with composite armor. It had a cooling system, life support systems that could recycle bodily fluids, and an exoskeleton frame that could increase the wearer’s strength and speed.
However, the real eye-opener was Thatcher’s notes. She had been ranting about the new human evolution, and how the Hunters were the first of the ‘Solari’. She wanted to enhance human genetics and push past the peak of human ability to reach greater heights. Implants and restructuring of the anatomy to make it more efficient. Using the blood of the goddess herself. She must have lost it. These are the ramblings of a lunatic. At least… if she didn’t mention the goddess. Why was the goddess important here?
The writings ended with the words: “See Project R.E.V.I.V.E, for more details.”
Mark eyed the final folder. His hands shook as he reached out to take it. Flipping it open, his hands nearly dropped it in shock. The goddess Helena was alive. There were pictures of her naked form floating in a giant tube of fluid. There were more of Thatcher’s ramblings and excited rants about the possibilities of such a discovery. Resurrection, Enhancement, and Veneration: Implementation of Visionary Evolution.
The goddess is alive?! According to the file, she’s currently under the Cathedral of New Lundun. Not only that, but the file also detailed the extraterrestrial tech that lay beneath the cathedral. So the goddess is real and she’s— not really a goddess, but rather, a vampyr who created herself a human body to stand in the sun, and decided that it wants to be on humanity’s side… what the fuck.
Mark’s frown and confusion only increased as he read on. Thatcher’s notes seemed to nearly descend into madness as she had written about creating ‘the first hundred’, alluding to the 100 members of the Hunters division. Her plan was to revive the goddess, and with her help and expertise in genetics— use her DNA to transform the Hunters into demi-humans. Super soldiers. Literal children of the goddess Helena. They would then don the STR battlesuits, the first of the superhuman warriors to defend humanity. Solari.
Their lightning-speed advancement into technology was heralded by studying the alien tech, which deepened the understanding of physics and engineering. Nuclear technologies, chemical warfare, new material sciences, the mechs, and walkers, it was spearheaded by trying to reverse-engineer technology centuries ahead of our own… for the past hundred years. It wasn’t completely stolen, however. More or less borrowed ideas that had been made into our own with our own designs and implements. Still, the speed at which the Church and the military had deciphered such advancements all by themselves was… impressive to say the least.
Still, the fact that the goddess was alive, and could be brought back was big news. Checking the file for details, he found that the previous general, Jorgenson, had already approved this project. It was their next step as soon as they returned from New Amsterdam; which never happened.
If Helena was alive, then she could end this war swiftly, or at the very least help greatly like she once did during the War of Darkness. Having the goddess back would throw a massive wrench in the Crescent’s plans. It would certainly be something they wouldn’t expect. Not even I expected this, since many sources say that the goddess had already ascended to watch over humanity, while conspiracy theorists claim she had died in battle and that the Church was worshiping a corpse. This could be the trick up our sleeves that no one would even consider.
The colonel quickly got up from his seat and gathered the main files he had read. He placed them in a bag and rushed outside of his office in Facility 9. He went over to a nearby room and flicked the lights on. “We need to go,” he said. In an instant seven hemolite soldiers got up from whatever they were doing and instantly stood in line.
“Sir! Whatever you need of us, sir,” the group said in unison.
They were Hemo-1. His former squad members. He had taken up Louis' suggestion that they be his personal security detail. It was a shame that he had basically placed the best hemolite team out of commission, but after all he had been through he convinced himself that he could be just a little selfish. He didn’t want to lose any more friends. Not on his watch. Not while he was in an office, and they were out fighting.
“We’re going to New Lundun. Better pack up, it’s going to be a long night.”
“Mark,” Olivia said.
Jacobs turned to her direction and gave her a nod.
“Colonel, sir, may I ask where in New Lundun?”
“Liv, you don’t need to do that with me. Please. I give all of you special permission,” the colonel groaned. “It’s so weird. I mean, ‘captain’ was bad enough, but now you’re acting like I’m an authority figure.”
“You… are, though,” Emma shrugged.
“I’m your friend, and Liv I’m literally your partner. Unless you have some kind of weird fetish, save it for later.”
Olivia grinned, shaking her head. “Duly noted!” she chirped.
“That’s better,” Mark chuckled. “Now come on, we have a cathedral to visit.”
“Uhh, I’m not sure if you noticed, but we’re kinda… strigoi?!” Louis groaned. “I’d burn the moment I step in that place! Plus, it’s coated in silver! Anything I even touch will give me burns!”
“Oh come on, Lou. You have fucking gloves on. As long as you’re not a clumsy dumbass you’ll be fine… oh wait.’
“Uh huh, just sayin’ what I think, boss.”
The group headed out and Mark said something on his radio. He then sat on the ground, making his joints pop. The rest of the squad shrugged and followed his example, sitting down on the grass and waiting for… nothing. Charles and Zach looked at each other in confusion. “Uh, sir?” they asked. “Aren’t we supposed to be heading out and traveling right now?”
“Oh yeah, we’re just waiting.”
“Foooor…?”
The colonel gave them a smirk as a loud noise began to make itself known. A hummingbird transport appeared out of the distance and stopped right above them, slowly descending into the grass. “Being colonel has its perks,” Mark said with a smile. He stood up and hopped inside the hummingbird as soon as it landed. “Come on now! We’ve got work to do! Last one aboard buys everyone food later!”
Emma zipped in before Mark could even finish his sentence, followed by Olivia, Phineas, Charles, Zach, and then Louis, who sadly took too long to process what the colonel said, and lagged behind.
“Aw, man! Fuck this shit.”
“Rules are rules, Lou. Prepare your wallet later.” Mark grinned.
With a smile, the colonel pulled Olivia to his side, who blushed for a moment before shaking her head. “Take us up! New Lundun Cathedral! How long would it take?” he asked the pilot.
“About an hour and a half!” The pilot replied. “Less if you want to get there as soon as possible!”
“Take your time! The night’s still young.”
The hummingbird started to lift up, taking them into the air. The group settled down in their seats and watched outside the open. Mark opened up a bag inside the hummingbird and took out some ear muffs built for a strigoi. Extremely loud noises were damaging for a strigoi’s enhanced hearing, so the military started implementing ear muffs for them after complaints from early deployments of the hemolite squads.
The trip didn’t take too long. In only an hour and twenty minutes they had arrived at the safe zone of New Lundun, heading straight for the cathedral. The night mass had just ended and people were leaving the cathedral. “Looks like we made it in perfect time!” Mark smiled. They hovered for a few minutes in the air before eventually landing down right in front of the statue of Helena.
As soon as they landed, the colonel and his group left the hummingbird. Mark instructed the pilot to wait for them. He went straight for the cathedral with his group following behind. He entered inside, clearing his throat. “Hello?”
“Well this is surely unexpected,” an old man said, walking up to greet them.
“Great Grandfather Aurelius. It’s uh, an honor.”
“Please. The honor is mine… I see you’re the new colonel. Yes, I’ve heard the news,” he said. “Would you mind telling me your name, young man? As well as your companions, if they feel so. I usually don’t allow duskwalkers here but, I have nothing against them. I’ll make an exception for your group.”
“Thank you, Great Grandfather,” Mark replied. “I am Colonel Mark Jacobs. These are my friends and security detail. Olivia, Zach, Phineas, Charles, Emma, and Louis.”
“I see, and what brings you here?”
“Since Thatcher’s demise, I was given access to her research and project folders upon taking up the title. I’ve learned about what’s under your cathedral,” Mark cleared his throat. “Would it be alright if we could see it? I’d like to check it for myself. Of course, under your permission and guidance, Great Grandfather.”
The church head looked from Mark to his companions. He pulled a slight frown and hummed. “Do these companions of yours have the clearance? Surely, we wish to keep our secrets hidden,” he said. Mark nodded.
“They do not have clearance to know what is in Thatcher’s folders and her findings,” the colonel nodded. “However, I give them permission to accompany me, and should they discover things for themselves, then you have my word and my trust that I can keep them from spilling state secrets.”
The Great Grandfather gave a short pause before ultimately relenting. “Very well,” he let out a sigh. “Follow me.”
Aurelius walked behind the altar and pulled the same lever, which opened the same staircase leading underground, where Jorgenson and Thatcher had once gone. “Over here, colonel,” he said. “I do not know you completely yet, but this is a big deal of trust I am giving you. Perhaps you would be the one to do things that Thatcher could not have.”
Mark nodded, he and his group followed the Great Grandfather down the staircase. It led down to a massive underground facility, with numerous priests, researchers, and scientists. Libraries, records, instruments, and artifacts of old. It was a treasure trove of learning.
“So,” Aurelius cleared his throat. “What would you like to know about?”
“This isn’t all of it,” Mark said. “Thatcher mentioned a living, breathing, Helena.”
His group behind him let out a soft gasp, but they tried their best to hide their surprise.
“Hm,” the Great Grandfather nodded. “Perceptive young man aren’t you? Very well.”
They were then led into another room, behind a set of heavy blast doors. If the whole group were trying to hide their surprise then, now they could barely contain it. Even the colonel stared awestruck at the things he had seen. Despite the near-magical objects around them, the true shock was the massive starship at the end of the hallway. “It’s impressive isn’t it?” Aurelius said. “All of the goddess’ artifacts and items at our disposal, to use and learn from, to integrate into our own. This is why Anglestan is the most powerful nation in the UHT in terms of development. When it comes to industry, however, that would go to the UNA. But we share our secrets with them. All our advancements are handed to them first before any other nation.”
“This is all amazing, Great Grandfather,” Mark replied. “But this is not what I’m here for.”
“No, it’s not.” Aurelius nodded.
He led them to another room, one that was sterilized and sported advanced machinery. Things that Mark had never even seen. There were screens with luminous green texts that appeared in front of it. Large panels with numerous keys, levers, and dials. Graphs of all sorts and beeping monitors. In the center, was the very thing he had come all this way to confirm. A large cylinder filled with liquid, sporting tubes and pipes connecting to its base. Inside was a woman of large proportion. Four arms, two legs, and six wings. In her bare chest was a symbol of the sun that seemed to glow dimly.
“There she is, there’s you goddess.”
Neither Mark nor his group spoke a word. He walked up to it, eyeing the woman inside. It really is her. Down to the last details. Golden hair, six limbs, six folded wings, and she looks massive. Probably as big as her statue just outside the cathedral. This is it. The very goddess in the history books, the one spoken about in legends and the one worshiped in the Churches of Sol.
“Can we free her?” he said.
The Great Grandfather nearly choked on his spit upon hearing those words. “Free her?! That could kill her! We don’t even understand this technology, let alone control it!” he said pointing at the panels. “The machines you see here are the best and most advanced we have based on what we can reverse engineer, but even then, the consequences of tampering with its functions may be disastrous!”
“I understand, Great Grandfather,” Mark said. “But we are in a dire situation, and the goddess may be our hope of turning this around. Whatever secrets of her tech that you don’t understand, wouldn’t she be able to teach us directly? What good is she floating around in Sol knows what?”
“That is her miraculous healing fluid. She had already built this contraption centuries ago in case anything were to happen to her, that her body’s natural healing could not sustain,” Aurelius said. “During the War of Darkness, Helena was struck with a weapon so deadly, her very cells began to tear away. The Reaper. Dealt to her by Absolem the progenitor. Her flesh was peeling from her body, and she began to decay whilst she still breathed. She entered this contraption and gave strict instructions to the Great Grandfather at the time, not to interrupt the healing process. The machine that monitored her, however, began to fail over time.”
“So this… these screens and panels…”
“Is only what functions we can understand. We took it upon ourselves to rebuild and study it the best we could. What we have right now is only a cheap imitation of a technology we do not fully comprehend,” he said. “It took us decades to even figure out the fundamentals and create a working prototype of this machine. By some miracle, the goddess’ healing process had remained even while we replaced components of technology ahead of ours.”
“But you know how to free her, don’t you?”
“I… yes.”
“Great Grandfather Aurelius,” Mark began. “We can end this war. Imagine what we could do with the goddess fighting on our side. We could advance even further, we could finally end the bloodshed, and we can show humanity that there is still hope. Imagine how people all over the world would feel seeing as their goddess has returned.”
“I wish I had your enthusiasm,” Aurelius said. “But it is simply too risky. The Church’s duty is to protect Helena and her legacy. We keep her alive, literally and figuratively. She nearly died the last time she was involved in a war. Would you risk losing the goddess?”
“Would you risk humanity losing?”
The Great Grandfather fell silent, looking back at Helena floating inside the tube, then to the panels that controlled it. He frowned and let out a long sigh. “The goddess said that we should not interrupt it. That it would end as soon as it was finished. Maybe we should trust her words.”
Mark shook his head. “I don’t spot a single blemish on the goddess. Not a single scratch,” he argued. “You said it yourself that the machine had begun to fail and you replaced components. How would you know that the thing that’s supposed to wake her up was not tampered with? Think about it. What you may think is a useless piece may be integral to the whole machine. Or maybe your replacements were not up to the task. Just because nothing’s happened doesn’t mean its functions have remained whole.”
“Young man, we simply cannot gamble with the goddess’ life here.”
“Have you no faith? Great Grandfather?”
Aurelius stepped back in shock. Mark’s companions looked at each other, clearly surprised as well. “Mark… I don’t think we should keep arguing with—” Olivia tried to say.
“No,” the colonel said firmly, cutting her off. “Great Grandfather Aurelius, do you think that Helena will not be able to pull through if we wake her? How long has it been? A century? How much longer will we wait? She may be immortal but humans aren’t.”
“I'm sorry, but the chances of failure are too high. The probability of her—”
“I don’t care about the probability! Would you rather put your faith in a statistic?!” Mark raised his voice. “I lost my mother to this war! My friends! My job! My eye, and almost my life! I’ve put mine on the line out there! You don’t know what it’s like out there! Was my mother’s death just a probability too? Was she just a statistic to you?! That as long as the numbers are good, no matter how many are lost, we are ‘winning’?!”
“Mark—!”
“No, Liv! He needs to know what’s really going on out there!” he spat. “Great Grandfather, with all due respect, but you don’t have a damn clue what it’s like to be in the field. You’re a man of faith, aren’t you? Take a risk. Everyone else has.”
Aurelius stood there, dumbfounded. He bit the inside of his cheeks and clenched his fists. “For your insolence, I would have had you flogged and stripped of your rank,” he glared at the young colonel. However, his features slowly softened, letting out a soft sigh. “But I have never seen such conviction. Mighty is your faith.”
The Great Grandfather moved over to the panels and reached into his robe, pulling out from around his neck a key with the symbol of the sun. He inserted it into the machine and turned. A beep sounded, right before Aurelius pulled a lever. In an instant, the fluid inside the glass chamber began to drain out into the tubes under it. Slowly, the chamber emptied and all that was left was the nude form of the goddess sitting in the glass.
“Did it work?” Louis asked, stepping forward and looking at the woman.
Aurelius stayed silent, his hands shaking in anticipation. Mark moved toward the glass chamber, when suddenly, the glass opened up like a door, releasing a fragrant mist. They stood there, watching for a whole minute. Nothing. At first nothing. The Great Grandfather looked like he was about to break down. His knees shook as he covered his mouth, thinking that he was responsible for the death of Helena.
That was when… a soft sound was heard. Movement. Olivia immediately went over to Mark and stood in front of him. Ready to protect him should anything happen. Slowly, the goddess moved more, her arms inched to the side.
Then, her eyes opened.

submitted by MYSFITS_OFFICIAL to HFY [link] [comments]

2024.05.17 09:19 Sensitive_Debate8585 Microsoft asks some employees in China to move to other countries

Microsoft has asked at least 100 of its employees in China to consider moving to other countries, according to Chinese state media reports.

The reports come as relations between Beijing and Washington deteriorate over technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and clean energy.

Microsoft employees, mostly involved with cloud computing, were recently offered the opportunity to work in the United States, Australia or Ireland, among other countries, state-run outlet The Paper said in a report Wednesday, citing an unnamed source.
“Providing internal opportunities is a regular part of managing our global business. As part of this process, we shared an optional internal transfer opportunity with a subset of employees,” a Microsoft spokesperson told CNN on Thursday. It did not specify the number of workers who had received the offer.
The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that Microsoft asked as many as 800 employees, mostly engineers with Chinese nationality working on cloud computing and AI, to consider relocating. The Journal, which cited unnamed sources, reported last year that the Biden administration was preparing to restrict Chinese firms’ access to US cloud services.
The company entered China in 1992 and for decades has counted on its well-known Beijing-based research lab, Microsoft Research Lab Asia, to help it build influence.
“Everyone is confused,” an employee told the Paper, as the affected staff has been given less than a month to decide.
Yicai, a Chinese state-owned financial media outlet, wrote that more than 100 employees were affected. It added that people had the option not to move.
The reports come in the same week President Joe Biden announced tariffs on $18 billion worth of imports of Chinese electric vehicles and an array of other products. Biden said he was trying to prevent unfair competition from China decimating US industries.
The tech war between the two economic superpowers has been intensifying for years. In October, the Biden administration limited the types of semiconductors that American companies can sell to China.
In recent months, the United States has also enlisted its allies in Europe and Asia in restricting sales of advanced chipmaking equipment to China.
Beijing has hit back by imposing its own curbs on exports of germanium and gallium, two elements essential for making semiconductors.

submitted by Sensitive_Debate8585 to Honest_Mushroom [link] [comments]

2024.05.17 07:10 Accomplished-Two-900 Fallout 4 Sky Glitch

Could someone please explain what may be causing the source of this sudden glitch? I have been reading a lot of forums here and everywhere, in which are mostly applicable to modded user accounts. However I am not running any game mods made by the community per se except for many items from the CC.
I have this obviously apparent pixelated textured sky, which kinda looks cool and bizarre in extreme perspective of the game. But most of the performance seems ok, I can delve into the way I have my build made but it may or may not be relevant for later. I had this recently happen whilst visiting Goodneighbor. It was very confusing to see it there, because I was trying to fix the source of the main problem as I understand that having to have an item count or way too much of a loa it was very confusing to see it there, because I was trying to fix the source of the main problem as I understand that having to have an item count or way too much of a settlemt build, CAN Possibly interfere with the game mechanics, as well as sometimes at the castle for instance, where I first noticed the glitch, before the patch was released, I had issues where, if I even simply touched the power grid or disconnected anything, or tried to delete things to make it run smoother and prevent the frames from dropping, it would crash.
Immediately, I know what’s coming, my main problem is I am playing on the X-bone. However I do have it already purchased on Steam and eventually I plan to be able to create a brand new story and a fresh game on and be selective about which mods or add-ons that I pick, however, it will take me sometime as I do not have the funds to buy all the DLC Back for the PC. so this Xbox save has been long-standing and is my main veteran account that I have been playing on for quite a few months and I have a lot of progress. It would be a shame to have to backtrack or to scrap an entire save because I can’t even begin to explain how many saves I have had corruptions and just a while back I had the data corruption glitch where it says file not found. But I have been clearing my cache and restarting and it seems to temporarily work but something weird always happens. I just got over fighting with a faulty controller as a matter fact which is completely irrelevant, but I began getting “stick drift“ on my controller, and it turned out to be a controller specific related issue and so I traded out controllers for an older one problems solved. But can anyone explain to me what this glitch is and how I could fix it? I’m in the process of trying to eliminate a lot of spare things because I have a ton of power armor at my castle settlement, where the glitch first occurred. been dumping them off to traders, excess legendary pieces of armor, excess mods, stored in storage lockers, and even sifting through the settlement items itself, and keeping things under 100 units. because if it’s a memory issue that is so corrupt that it’s causing texture glitches I’m not sure how they will relate but I’m trying to cut down on size. I haven’t really built up to its full capacity using the settlement build system, but I have just basically brought tons of junk to my settlements and stored them basically trying to portray that I have a well Because if it’s a memory issue that is so corrupt that it’s causing texture glitches I’m not sure how they will relate but I’m trying to cut down on size. I haven’t really built up to its full capacity using the settlement build system, but I have just basically brought tons of junk to my settlements and stored them basically trying to portray that I have a well stocked plentiful inventory for my settlers. my settlement capacity of settlers is at 20 and I have currently disconnected at least except for deleting all of the power grid systems and all the lights are off now. It ran a little smoother, but the guy still looks weird just like this picture of good neighbor. Same concept for the fort. Thank you all for the long read and for giving me any feedback in advance.😅
One might say that this looks kind of like the northern lights, or that I have become a little bit too more plentiful for my settlers and play styles. I’m still currently undergoing reconstructing things and collecting a lot of excess bulk and getting it out of the cells that I’m having trouble with but I don’t understand why this is happening to good neighbor? If I still access amounts of junk to them, doesn’t their inventory just reset? What happens to the codes in the game? Has it been completely FUBAR’d?
(Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition). 😂😅
I really hope not because this is a very late game safe. I haven’t even made a lot of story progress just tons and tons of settlement stuff.
Thanks again !

submitted by Accomplished-Two-900 to fallout4settlements [link] [comments]

2024.05.17 05:43 gympandabear Seronegative RA or something else?

Hello, I am a 27F who was previously very athletic and into heavy weightlifting. Symptoms started in 2021 and fast forward to now and I can’t weight lift, can barely do my work so relying mainly on my partner, and basically feeling like I’m falling apart.
Family history

Grandmother has severe RA

Medicines:

Norethindrone birth control, imitrex/sumatriptan, Allegra, just started taking quercetin, tumeric, vitamin D + K, and magnesium. Was on 40mg of prednisone for about a month and recently finished a fast taper last week.

Prior to 2021

Always had some form of feeling sick when stressed, grandma with RA said she faced similar symptoms when she was younger
Dealt with radiating pain in right leg (pinched nerve feeling), low back pain here and there which I thought was due to weak erector spinae and imbalance due to scoliosis because once I started weight training back aching went away

2021

May: Overworked at job and developed severe debilating joint pain. Couldn’t even lift 10lbs and starting limping because knee was hurting so badly. Saw a primary care who ran blood tests (C reactive, RF, and anti-ccp) all came back normal so the doc brushed it off thinking it was just my body’s response to stress and because I’m young I’m probably fine. Quit my job and 3 months later went back to feeling normal. Took x-rays of knees, hips and shoulders. Sports medicine doc said knees showed some wear and tear, shoulder showed more wear and tear from overuse injury and called it osteoarthritis in the shoulders, hips were slightly uneven but nothing too remarkable
Nov: got COVID that resulted in lost of smell and taste, hair loss, pretty bad brain fog, etc.

2022

July: Covid again, but mild and still have memory issues
August: Joint pain and feeling of overtraining without working out started appearing (would appear in cycles/phases where I would suddenly not be able to workout and then be fine for a month then back to not feeling well for the rest of 2022)
Sudden major mood swings (which later found out linked to high cortisol levels), migraines becoming more frequent but still manageable, increased heart rate randomly while at rest, frequent dizzy spells (I would need to sit down sometimes) but always felt like in some form of lightheaded or dizzy state and just learned to adjust as my new “normal”
Nov- Jan (’23) Severe unknown respiratory virus that lead to bell’s palsy (recovered now), found enlarged pituitary on MRI when looking at the bells palsy as well as herniated disc with nerve compression in neck (which now explained the constant pain in shoulders on top of overuse injury)
Sometime in 2022 I started having some back pain but it was different than what I’d previously experienced. Pain in shoulders started flaring again as well

2023

Jan-March: Tested high on cortisol multiple times and high ACTH once, looked into Cushing’s diagnosis from here until Feb 2024
May: Covid pretty bad for a third time. I had a high fever, severe body aches, etc. Saw Endoniologist but was moving so they advised I continued care at my next location
June/July: started to feel better and hoped it was just my body recovering from the 4 viruses
September: symptoms appeared again, migraine frequency now increasing to a couple times a month
Oct: overtraining feeling getting worse, at this point I was not working out as often due to the previous times I wasn’t feeling good I adjusted my training to only a few times a week if that.
December: Migraine has increased to once a week, did not experience any period of feeling better like I did in 2022 where I had phases of feeling better.
- Saw a new sports medicine doctor for radiating leg pain. Also noted I was feeling spine pain (not muscle but pain in my spine). X-ray didn’t show much so they ordered an MRI and found “L5-S1 mild degenerative disc diseases with small left suarticular zone/foraminal disc protrusion without nerve root compression” even though it stated no nerve compression the doc believed it was still most likely the cause of my leg pain and did a steroid injection in the SI joint which helped for a month but couldn’t explain some of the spine pain I was having. MRI also found “mild joint arthropathy” in L3-L4, “mild hypertrophic facet joint arthropathy” in L4-L5, “left subarticular zone disc protrusion with left foramina extension superimposed on mild diffuse disc bulge. Mild narrowing of the left lateral recess. Mild facet joint arthropathy” in L5-S1.

2024

Jan: Migraines increase to 2-3 times a week so started on triptans as doc thought it was the same migraines not fully going away. First triptan didn’t really work so started a second one (sumatriptan) and migraine would still last for 2 days (took one pill first day and would help but next day still lingered so would take a second dose and then it would go away). Working out has now changed to be bare minimum (light weight machines)
Feb: Tested high cortisol again on blood (42, end limit 19), and one salivary cortisol came back high, low vitamin D and increased A1C from October. Referred to endocrinologist again. Endocrinologist PA said severity of symptoms wouldn’t be cushings. Did a dexamethasone test which came back normal and suggested I see Rheumatologist for possible seronegative RA (I didn’t tell the endocrinologist about my previous RA check so when they mentioned if I had heard of RA and I told them I tried testing and it came back negative they then told me about seronegative RA)
March: Joint symptoms and feeling of overtraining severely increased. Stopped being able to lift weights including machines. Tried to still play volleyball but can barely play. Joint pain now prominent in fingers, wrist and elbows, on top of knees and shoulder pain. Low spine very noticeably in pain. (Not muscular pain, literally pain on the spine). Morning stiffness has increased, back would sometimes feel “stuck” and fingers would ache pretty bad. Weather was also very cold and snowing while randomly switching to 70s and back to snowing which did not help. Migraines calmed down to 2 times a month.
April: Saw NP at rheumatology who ordered tests and leaning towards RA or AS, more so AS. Placed on high dose of prednisone. Started with 20mg but didn’t help so increased to 40mg which helped (not completely but did notice a difference). On prednisone for about a month (into May). NP took x-rays of hands, hip and feet and said they looked normal. Ordered blood tests which got delayed a month (just received them will note below)
May/now: Just finished prednisone (was a fast taper from 40 to 30, 20,10,5,5,5) and feeling the pain in my back come back as well as my fingers, elbows, etc. Migraine also came back a lot worse, had a three day long strong migraine that didn’t respond to sumatriptan and had to go to urgent care for a shot. The shot got rid of the migraine for a few days but feeling another one coming back less than a week later.
- Got MRI with contrast of the pelvic and found “mild pubic symphyseal arthritis with osteophytic ridging and mild degenerative marrow signal change” and again the L5-S1 spondylosis
- Due to the messed up labs, I had to get my blood drawn for these test while on 40mg on predinose. These were the notable results: High white blood cell count (11.8 x10 3/UL, reference range 3.8-10.8 x 10 3/UL), Low neutrophils (32%, reference range 42-75%), High lymphocytes (65%, reference range 16-52%), High lympocytes (7.7 x 10 3/UL, reference range 1.2-3.4 x 10 3/UL), Low Carbon Dioxide level (23 nmol/L, reference range 24-33 nmol/L). Rheumatoid factor was normal ( <9 IU/ml, reference range 0-12 IU/ml), C-reactive protein extended range was normal (<0.03 mg/dL, reference range 0-0.5 mg/dL). Erythrocyte sedimentation rate normal (4 mm/Hr, reference range 0-19 mm/Hr). Anti-CCP normal (<16 units, reference range <20 negative). My anti-ccp in 2021 was 3 so while it’s still within normal range it did increase. Hep A antibody abnormal (reactive, however I’m pretty sure I received the Hep A vaccine)
- I feel like having my tests done while on 40mg of prednisone affected my results in a negative way but I’m not sure if it actually affects them or not

Any insights are greatly appreciated as my symptoms are getting noticeably worse with no answers.

submitted by gympandabear to AskDocs [link] [comments]

2024.05.17 05:22 sliceofpear Boris Yeltsin destroyed the USSR just because he was impressed with the candy selection at a Houston supermarket

I stumbled across this long passage by Lev Sukhanov, Yeltsin's assistant at the time, from his book "3 years with Boris Yeltsin". The events described occurred in September 1989 and I've recited the passages below:

“When we were already returning to the airport, the devil pushed us to take a look at a typical American supermarket.
It was called Randall's Supermarket. From our group, only Boris Nikolaevich and I had never been to this kind of trading establishments.
Moreover, this was not a metropolitan, much less a New York store and, according to our standards, a very “ordinary” provincial one. If, of course, Houston can be considered a province.
Getting off the bus, I began to look for a crowd of people and something similar to our queues. However, there was no queue — neither around nor in the store itself.
It was a one-story building made of light metal structures. Naturally, none of the service personnel knew about our arrival and therefore there could be no talk of any “showing off”. An ordinary day, an “ordinary” assortment, “ordinary” visitors...
I was immediately struck by the abundance of light. And in general, the color scheme of everything was so bright and impressive that it felt like we were descending into the depths of a kaleidoscope.
The abundance of flowers was also mesmerizing - juicy, vibrant, as if just cut from a flower bed. Moreover, the flowers were not for sale, but as a decorative element.
As soon as we entered the supermarket, they called someone from the administration. From somewhere in the belly of the utility rooms appeared a very handsome young man in a snow-white shirt, neatly combed and, of course, smiling. It was the chief administrator. We introduced ourselves and said that we would like to find out about the work of the store.
When we walked along the rows, our eyes didn’t know where to stop. I could guess different things, but what I saw in this supermarket was no less amazing than America itself.
Some of us started counting the types of hams. We lost count.
I remembered our sausage shop on Krasnaya Presnya, where back in 1963 you could buy “Brunswick”, “Stolichnaya”, “Tambov”, “Uglich”, “Krakov” and a few other types of sausages. At that time, I thought this was the top of human dreams and that the first signs of communism hatched. To be fair, over the years, the store’s shelves began to empty and now only memories of its bright past remained. I remembered that Soviet store and compared it with this one in Houston, and realized that the abundance to which Khrushchev promised to lead us had passed us by.
At that moment (in Houston), all 300 Soviet research institutes and departments, whose job was to point to the advantages of socialism over capitalism could be trying to convinced me, but their efforts would be pointless.
The American reality, on the example of this supermarket, looked 100 times more convincing than any Soviet theories. Sure, not by bread alone a man lives... Not by sausage alone, not by cheese alone...
By the way, have you seen red, brown, lemon-orange cheese? How many types of cheese do you think we've seen in Houston? What about ham? All this unimaginable delicacy that everyone can try right in the store and decide — is it worth spending dollars on?
We couldn’t count the names of sweets and cakes, couldn’t grasp their variety of colors and their appetizing attractiveness with our eyes.
And although I am trying to convey my impressions, I understand that this is just a pathetic attempt, because the word is powerless before the reality of what that American store could offer.
Occasionally, I glanced at Yeltsin and noticed that it was a difficult test for him. And when a woman with a trolley caught up with him, on top of which a little boy was sitting, Boris Nikolaevich, apologizing, began to question her.
Does she often go to this store? It turned out, only on Saturdays.
Is your family big? 3 people: she, husband and child.
What is your family income? The woman explained that she was temporarily not working and lived on her husband’s salary, $3,600 a month.
Yeltsin asked how much she usually spends on food? It turned out that this family was spending about $170 on food for a week. From Saturday to Saturday. She still paid rent, insurance...
In the vegetable section, we were literally shocked by the quality of the produce.
A radish the size of a large potato was illuminated by bright light, and water was scattered onto it from small “spirits.”
Radishes were literally dazzling, and next to them were onions, garlic, eggplants, cauliflower, tomatoes, cucumbers.
You want smoked eel — here.
Would you like lamprey? Or is your liver accustomed to sturgeon and oysters? Pineapples, bananas…
And at the confectionery section, one can could stand for hours: it probably surpasses Hollywood in terms of entertainment. A huge cake representing a hockey arena awaited the customer on a stand. The player figures were made of chocolate. A real work of art, and most importantly — accessible, quite accessible.
In general, this was a hypertensive topic. For Boris Nikolaevich and me, visiting the supermarket was a real shock.
As I am writing this book, my wife today (September 1991) went to the store to buy milk at 7 am, but there were queues. Queues are everywhere: you have to stand for 2 days to buy sugar. And this is here — in Moscow, in the second half of the 20th century, 73 years after the Great Revolution. At the time, when, according to Khrushchev’s calculations, we should all already be living under communism. Or maybe what we had built in the USSR is the true communism?
At the exit from the American supermarket, the girl sitting at the cash register didn’t not have to count anything. In her hands, she held a small device that resembled a hair dryer, which she quickly ran over the price code on the packages. After this operation, the price appeared on the computer cash register screen, the customer paid and could freely pass through the electronic turnstile. Well, what else could be simpler and smarter than such a system?
When we left the supermarket, the administrator gave us a present: a huge plastic bag with the packs of food from this store.
I fully believe that it was after Houston (after visiting the supermarket), on the plane, that Yeltsin’s last faith in his Bolshevik way of thinking finally collapsed.
Perhaps, in those moments of spiritual turmoil, the decision to leave the Communist party and join the struggle for supreme power in Russia irrevocably matured in him.”
It was then that Yeltsin realized that all the stories of “international journalists” about American workers who allegedly were dying in hellish poverty and dreamed only about moving to the USSR, all these stories were nothing more than propaganda. Even the party “elites” did not know that.

I know the dissolution of the USSR was much more complicated than one person, but this alcoholic piece of shit destroyed the lives of millions of people and set the history of humanity down a rapidly destructive path just because he was amazed by some brands of ham and tinsel. To Yeltsin being able to chose from a thousand brands of mass-produced highly processed junk food that's all owned by one conglomerate was more important than maintaining his country. Fuck Gorbachev but especially fuck Yeltsin, at least Gorbachev pretended to care about his people and communism while Yeltsin sold his country to a handful of oligarch thugs just because he thought there's no greater tragedy than being able to purchase 10 different brands of processed garbage.

Imperialism would have been able to disintegrate the Soviet Union, had the Soviets not destroyed themselves, had those responsible for the strategies and tactics and for the country's political and government policies not destroyed the country. In other words, socialism did not die from natural causes: it was a suicide, socialism was murdered.

-Fidel Castro, 1992

submitted by sliceofpear to TheDeprogram [link] [comments]

2024.05.17 04:51 Chippy569 TSB Thursday: A/C Compressor Boogaloo!

Welcome to another TSB Thursday, where I dive deeper in to TSBs I'm running into regularly. As always, I write this from my own perspective as a Subaru technician in the US; other regions/zones may work differently. Refer to the "How To Read a TSB" post for more information on formatting and general information about TSBs. In celebration of warm weather finally coming to my area, I'm continuing some A/C system bulletins. Last post was all about Condensers. Today's post is all about A/C compressors, and there is a lot to talk about, so let's dive in.

TSB Thursday #13:

10-100-21R - "A/C Compressor- Manufacturing Procedure Change"
- 2019-2021 Forester
10-98-20R - "New Air Conditioning (A/C) Compressor Availability"
- 2018 Forester
- 2018-19 WRX
15-237-19R - "Chattering Sound from A/C Compressor"
- 2017-18 Forester
15-244-19 - "A/C Compressor Clutch- Service Parts Availability"
- 2013-19 BRZ
15-210-17 - "Cruise Control Light Flashing, Possible Cancel Code 61"
- 2017 Impreza Models with Manual A/C ONLY
15-209-17 - "Abnormal Sound from Air Conditioning (A/C) Compressor"
- 2015-16 WRX and WRX STI
- 2014-16 Forester
- 2012-16 Impreza
- 2013-16 Crosstrek
10-84-16R - "New A/C Compressor / Clutch Assembly"
- 2015-16 WRX and STI
- 2014-16 Forester
- 2014-16 Impreza and XV Crosstrek

What's the failure?

Your A/C system (as well as any refrigeration system, just like the fridge in your kitchen) is comprised of 4 main components, along with hoses or pipes that connect them. The heart of the system is the Compressor. It works by squeezing the refrigerant really hard, such that the refrigerant gets pressurized and very hot. The refrigerant then moves to the Condenser, which looks a lot like a radiator. Air passes through the fins of the Condenser, where that heat and energy can dissipate into the surrounding air. Refrigerant will then flow to an Expansion Valve (or in some cases an "orifice tube"), which is just a component with a very small hole for refrigerant to flow through. This is both what provides the resistance so the Compressor can, well, compress, but also creates a low pressure zone after the refrigerant has passed through it. When this happens, the refrigerant will next flow into the Evaporator Core, which in the case of a car is inside the ducting behind/under the dashboard. The low pressure refrigerant is now free to "pull" heat and energy out of the air flowing through the ducts, and thus both removes humidity and also cools the air flowing past it. The refrigerant then returns back to the Compressor to start the cycle all over again. In essence, the whole of the system works by pumping energy out of the interior HVAC ducting and pushing it to the ambient air in the engine bay. Naturally, there are a few other important bits that the car needs to know about to use this system effectively. One key component is a pressure sensor, so that whichever module is controlling the compressor makes sure it's operating in a safe range. Another is a filtration element, sometimes called a ReceiveDrier. Lastly, within the Evaporator Core will be a temperature probe, so that if the core starts getting so cold that ice forms, the system can turn off.
Ok so what do all of these bulletins mean? They're all different part updates for the compressor part of the A/C system. In all of the above cases, if your car is in need of service to the A/C system, there is a good chance the compressor will also need to be replaced with an updated unit. You may notice that 15-209-17 and 10-84-16R overlap; this is an instance of an update on an update.
This is a video (at 4:46) with an example of a buzzing sound that can indicate a failed A/C compressor in a number of these TSBs, including 10-98-20R, 15-209-17, and 10-84-16R. It can also indicate a very low state of refrigerant charge; hearing this buzz does not automatically mean you need a new compressor, but the likelihood is high.
I also want to touch quickly here on the difference between fixed displacement and variable displacement compressors. With a fixed compressor, the A/C system can only ever be "ON" or "OFF." This is done with an electromagnetic clutch assembly on the front of the compressor, inside of the pulley that the serpentine belt rides around. When the ECM or HVAC CM commands the clutch to the ON position, the serpentine belt pulley and the clutch lock together, and now the engine RPM will match the compressor internal RPM. Inside the compressor are a series of small pistons, which will now move up and down, creating suction on an intake stroke and compression on its output stroke. The advantage here is that it's cheap. But there are a number of disadvantages; the first being the flow of refrigerant is now tied to your engine RPM, the second that the the A/C can only ever be off or full force. This is where the variable compressor comes in; Subaru's variable compressors do not use a clutch at all, but rather uses a solenoid connected to a swash plate inside of the compressor, which changes the stroke length of the internal pistons. This way, the control module can pick a percentage of refrigerant flow on the fly; it can go as low as 0% (or no piston travel) when in the OFF position, or smoothly slide all the way up to 100% where the pistons move as far as possible. The advantages here are numerous; the compressor can maintain even refrigerant flow independent of engine RPM, there is no sharp engagement sensation that a clutch would have when kicking on, and when at cruise the compressor can run at a lower ratio to improve fuel efficiency. This video (at 0:51 through 3:42) has the best animation I could find of what's happening inside a variable displacement compressor.

15-210-17:

This is actually one of the more interesting TSBs out there, because it's super bizarre. Essentially, the clutch on the front of the compressor will back-feed voltage, which finds its way into the brake light switch's secondary circuit, which is used as the signal to turn off cruise control. For reference, only Imprezas with Manual climate control use this clutched compressor; any other trim (ie if you have an "AUTO" button on your HVAC panel) will use a variable-displacement compressor.

15-244-19:

A unique instance where Subaru has made the previously-not-sold-separately compressor clutch assembly now for sale for BRZ owners.

How do we fix it?

Generally speaking, compressor replacement on Subarus is very straightforward; evacuate the A/C system of its refrigerant, remove the serpentine belt, and then the compressor can be unbolted from the top of the block. (Depending on engine, a few other components may also need to be removed for access.) Swap out the part, reinstall the belt, and then vacuum and recharge the refrigerant. After, verify everything's working.

Coverage?

As a general rule, compressors are covered only by Basic warranty (3 y36k miles) or with an active Subaru Added Security warranty unless specifically extended in an applicable bulletin.
Happy summer and thanks for reading!

submitted by Chippy569 to subaru [link] [comments]

2024.05.17 02:26 eddy_talon [WTS][BC] Some more gear and accessories

Epic spring cleaning. PayPal, e-Transfer, or cash. Local in Metro Vancouver-area for meetup, can also ship. Currently not open to trades, sorry.

Gear and clothing:

USGI UNICOR 1995 PASGT Helmet (Medium)($300):
- Genuine US military surplus - real Kevlar protection, supposedly stops 9mm
- Standard OD green shell, comes with M81 woodland camo cover, a cat-eyes reflective IFF band, and an NVG mount
- Here's a pic of the markings, or at least I tried to take it... difficult with the band permanently attached
- Working condition - this has definitely seen a deployment (not by me). No cracks or dents.
USGI Safariland SPEAR ELCS Deployment Kit ($800):
- All in NEW unissued condition and in M81 woodland camo unless otherwise stated
- All pieces are genuine US military issue gear, all made in the USA, this is THE kit issued to US SOCOM right before and during the initial operations in Afghanistan 2001.... "rare" doesn't even begin to describe some of the pieces here
  - 1x Storage Organization Device (OD green)
  - 1x Load Bearing Panel Set, (1 Left, 1 Right)
  - 1x H-Harness Panel Set, (1 Left, 1 Right)
  - 1x Shoulder Pad Assembly
  - 2x Pouch, General Purpose, Large
  - 2x Pouch, Ammo, M60/SAW, 100 Round
  - 4x Pouch, Ammo, M16/M4, 30 Round, Double
  - 2x Pouch, Ammo, 40mm, Single
  - 2x Pouch, Medical
  - 1x Pouch, Flashbang
  - 2x Cover, Canteen, 2 Quart
  - 2x ALICE Attachment Adapter
  - 1x Manual
USGI American Apparel USMC MCCUU Coat (Small-Short)(MARPAT Woodland)($50):
- Genuine US military surplus, Marine issue with the EGA emblem and branch tape
- Excellent used condition
USGI American Apparel USMC MCCUU Pants (Small-Short)(MARPAT Woodland)($50):
- Genuine US military surplus, Marine issue with the EGA emblem and branch tape
- Excellent used condition
USGI Isratex Inc. Hot Weather BDU Combat Pants (X-Small, X-Short)(M81 Woodland)($20):
- Genuine US military surplus
- Excellent used condition
USGI MOLLE II Rifleman Pack with Frame (M81 woodland)($50):
- Genuine US military surplus - part of the original overall MOLLE II infantry kit system of the late-1990s/early-2000s.
- Working condition - this has definitely seen a deployment (not by me), but has been taken care of as part of a Cold War display I had.
USGI SDS MOLLE II Patrol Pack w/ stiffener (M81 woodland)($50):
- Genuine US military surplus, part of the MOLLE II system
- Working condition - this has definitely seen a deployment (not by me)
USGI SDS MOLLE II M16A2 6-Magazine Pouch Bandoleer (M81 Woodland)($20):
- Genuine US military surplus, part of the MOLLE I system - great as a backup/extra mag keeper in your backpack or trunk
- Good condition
3x USGI SDS MOLLE II M4 mag pouch (double)(M81 Woodland)($10 each):
- Genuine US military surplus, part of the MOLLE II system
- It is marked as "double" as in it can hold two mags in a single slot, but it's a tight fit and, realistically, it's better used as a single mag pouch unless you stretch it out
- Brand new condition
17x USGI SDS MOLLE II 40mm HE grenade pouch (single)(M81 Woodland)($5 each):
- Genuine US military surplus, part of the MOLLE II system
- Brand new condition
2x USGI SDS MOLLE II 40mm HE grenade pouch (double)(M81 Woodland)($5 each):
- Genuine US military surplus, part of the MOLLE II system
- Brand new condition
2x USGI SDS MOLLE II 40mm pyrotechnic pouch (double)(M81 Woodland)($5 each):
- Genuine US military surplus, part of the MOLLE II system
- Brand new condition
USGI SDS MOLLE II squad radio pouch (M81 Woodland)($10):
- Genuine US military surplus, part of the MOLLE II system
- Good condition
2x USGI SDS MOLLE II sustainment pouch (M81 woodland)($10 each):
- Genuine US military surplus, part of the MOLLE I rucksack set (goes on the sides of the ruck)
- Fits 2 MREs and many other things - it's a large pouch
- Good condition
USGI Handcuffs and SDS MOLLE pouch (M81 woodland)($20):
- Genuine US military surplus, add-on to the MOLLE II system
- Brand new condition
USGI SDS MOLLE II USMC E-Tool Pouch (M81 Woodland)($10):
- Genuine US military surplus, part of the MOLLE II system, meant for the standard folding shovel/e-tool
- Good condition
USGI SDS MOLLE II canteen/NVG/general purpose pouch (M81 Woodland)($10):
- Genuine US military surplus, part of the MOLLE II system
- Good condition
USGI SDS MOLLE II Ka-Bar knife sheath adapter (OD green)($5):
- Genuine US military surplus, meant as an add on to the MOLLE I package, fits the classic KA-BAR, M7/M9 bayonet, and issued machete scabbards/sheaths
- Good condition
2x USGI SDS ALICE adapter (OD green)($5):
- Genuine US military surplus, part of the MOLLE I system
- Good condition
- Free with the purchase of any MOLLE gear, just ask beforehand!
USGI SDS RACK MOLLE Motorola SABER radio pouch (M81 woodland)($15):
- Genuine US military surplus, part of the Ranger RACK system
- Adjustable and can fit many other walkie-talkie types
- Brand new condition
USGI SDS RACK MOLLE AN/PRC-126 radio pouch (M81 woodland)($15):
- Genuine US military surplus, part of the Ranger RACK system
- Adjustable and can fit many other walkie-talkie types
- Brand new condition
USGI Point Blank Interceptor OTV throat protector (M81 Woodland) w/ ballistic insert ($50):
- Genuine US military surplus - meant to attach to an OTV (Outer Tactical Vest). It comes with the ballistic insert that is supposed to be real NIJ Level III protection.
- Good condition
USGI Bijan's Elbowpads (Medium)(M81 Woodland)($20):
- Genuine US military surplus
- Brand new condition
USGI Bijan's Kneepads (Small)(M81 Woodland)($20):
- Genuine US military surplus
- Brand new condition
USGI 1 quart canteen (OD green)($5):
- Genuine US military surplus
- Never used, but outside has some scratches due to storage
- Free if you buy the canteen pouch above! Just ask.
USGI ALICE compass pouch (OD green)($5):
- Genuine US military surplus, part of the old ALICE kit
- Brand new condition
USGI ALICE AN/PVS-7 Night Vision Goggle pouch (OD Green)($30):
- Genuine US military surplus, has a removable but genuine 3rd Infantry Division tag
- Good, used condition
3x USGI Fireforce ALICE 9mm pistol magazine pouch (OD Green)($5 each):
- Genuine US military surplus
- Good, used condition
USGI Bianchi M1415 Thumb Break Conversion (OD Green)($10):
- Genuine US military surplus, meant to replace the flap on the M12 holster with a simple quick-unsnap strap
- New
USGI Camelbak Thermobak 3L (M81 Woodland)($25):
- Genuine US military surplus, sort of a late add on to MOLLE II, but it has no PALS webbing - it's designed to be loosely worn over chest rigs and plate carriers
- Good used condition
USGI USMC Lightweight Helmet (LWH) helmet headband replacement (large)($5):
- Genuine US military surplus, replacement part for the USMC LWH helmet, although it is backwards-compatible with PASGT
- Brand new condition
USGI M183 Demolition Charge Assembly satchel bag (OD green)($40):
- Genuine US military surplus
- New condition, but from the 70s
USGI PASGT Helmet liner band replacement (Medium)($5):
- Genuine US military surplus, comes with 4 retaining clips
- New
USGI IFAK Insert (OD Green)($5):
- Genuine US military surplus, meant to hold the standard medical kit but is also a great, durable waterproof case that can protect phones and such
- New
Rothco Russian-contract Commando Sweater (OD green)(small) ($15):
- Used surplus. The NCB code in the NSN of this sweater (57) indicates that this is was built for a Russian Federation military contract - back when Russia and NATO were on friendlier terms (I would assume that would date this sweater to 90s, early 00s)
Rothco Phillipines-contract V-neck Sweater (black)(small) ($15):
- Used surplus. The NCB code in the NSN of this sweater (46) indicates that this is was built for a Filipino military contract
Rothco commercial V-neck Sweater (blue)(small)($5):
- Used surplus. This came under one of Rothco's commercial brands - Wildlands. Meant for private guards, civilian use
Rothco DBDU desert chocolate-chip camo BDU shorts (Small-Regular)($5):
- Used, but fair condition
Rothco police tactical short-sleve shirt (Medium)(Black)($10):
- Excellent used condition
KA-BAR 1216S Kydex sheath for KA-BAR USMC (black)($10):
- Brand new condition
USGI GS/FRP-2 Nomex Summer Flyer's Flight Gloves (Size: 8)(OD green)($15):
- Genuine US military surplus
- Size 8 which is small/medium more or less
- New condition
Propper Patrol Cap (Medium)(Black)($5):
- New condition
Propper undercover tactical short-sleeve shirt (tan)($15):
- Comes with hidden pockets and zippers - meant for law enforcement
- Lightly used condition
Rothco moisture-wicking long-sleeve undershirt (OD green)($5):
- Lightly used condition
Condor MOLLE shoulder stop (desert tan)($5):
- For those who like to put the buttstock of their long gun closer to their chest (popularized in the 2010s by some tactical training schools). Also works fine as a sort of grip pad for various uses.
- Brand new, no tags. Never gamed.
Condor MOLLE Padded War Belt (desert tan) ($10):
- Fits all sizes. Brand new, no tags, Never gamed.
Condor BinoculaLarge General Purpose MOLLE Pouch (black)($5):
- Excellent used condition
3x Condor 20rd M16 mag/Small General Purpose MOLLE Pouch (black)($5 each):
- Good used condition
Warrior Cordura 1 qt. Canteen/NVG MOLLE pouch (DCU camo)($5):
- Brand new
2x Condor 20rd M16 mag/Small General Purpose MOLLE Pouch (grey)($5 each):
- Brand new
Condor IFAK/Medium General Purpose MOLLE pouch (OD green)($5):
- Excellent used condition
Condor Cellphone/Electronics MOLLE Pouch (OD Green)($5)
- Brand new
Phoenix Industries Velcro Admin MOLLE Pouch (OD Green)($5):
- Brand new
Condor 2x 30rd AK mag + pistol mag pouch (OD green)($5):
- Brand new
4x Condor MOLLE Mod straps (OD green) ($5):
- 2x 4" and 2x 6" pieces
- Attaches anything to your MOLLE panels
- Brand new
Scabbard/sheath for 18" machetes ($5):
- Fits the standard US military 18" machete
- Lightly used
Propper boonie hat (OD green, Size 7)($10):
- Brand new, no tags. Never gamed.
Rothco MICH 2000/ACH Helmet Cover (M81 Woodland w/ Velcro)($5):
- Brand new, no tags. Never gamed. A bit folded from storage
- Uses C-cell batteries (included). Comes with 4 different coloured lenses. Decent brightness for it's design - it's a classic design dating back to the Vietnam-era. Incredibly long runtime.
- Excellent condition. Carried in games a few times but never used
Grappling hook set w/ rope ($20):
- Comes with the foldable hook, 20m of rope, and a black MOLLE pouch
- Brand new
VisionKing Illuminated 10x50 Binoculars ($30):
- Supposed to illuminate, but I can't find out what battery it uses after the old one ran out and I threw it away. It's like slightly larger than a hearing aid battery?
- Excellent condition
Cold Steel Rubber M9 Bayonet ($10):
- Rubbeplastic construction, fits on the M4 and M16
- Made in the USA
- Great for close-in encounters on the field or martial arts training
- New, just used for wall-hanging decor
Rothco US-made Nylon paracord (ranger green)($1)
- Made by the same contractor that does some US military stuff
- I used a bit, don't know how much, but most of it is still there
- Free if you buy something else from me, just ask!

Gun parts and airsoft-specific accessories:

USGI Pistol Lanyard (OD green)($10):
- Genuine US military issue, meant for the lanyard loop on the bottom of most pistols' grips, also used for the MX-991/U flashlight, M2 compass, etc.
- Brand new, sealed
High Ready Gear LiPo 11.1V battery ($20):
- Mini-Tamiya-wired, 1200 mAh, 20C, Graphene, fits in a buffer tube
- Brand new, sealed
Tenergy LiPo 7.4V battery ($20):
- Mini-Tamiya-wired, 1000 mAh, 20C, definitely fits in a buffer tube and even a Crane stock battery compartment
- Used, but works great
2x Well Fire Airsoft Multi-Function Automatic Target System ($20 each):
- Great for indoor shooting, has a net for catching BBs, automatically resets targets, roughly the size of a microwave oven
- Brand new, never taken out of the box - I bought two of these and this was a spare. Willing to sell the other one, too - same condition, just taken out of the box
NCStar 1911 clamp-on rail ($10):
- Full metal, fits onto any classic-style 1911 with no rail (i.e. Marui Series 70, M1911A1)
- Brand new, open box condition. never used. Does NOT fit KWC as the frame is too thick - this is why I never used it.
Magpul PTS MOE M4 handguard ($20):
- Drop-in replacement for standard Marui-type M4 AEG handguard w/ delta ring and cap.
- Comes with 3 plastic rail sections - 2 sides and 1 bottom.
- Gamed once. Good condition.
AGM pistol optic rail ($10):
- Full metal, allows for top, side and bottom rails on pistol - side rail is removable
- Fits any pistol with bottom RIS rail and any slide height, including Desert Eagle
- Never gamed, just used for display
KJ Works M9 metal outer barrel ($5):
- Full metal. Theoretically should fit any V1 Marui-type M9s/M92s
- A bit of wear from taking it out of my M9, but still functional.
E&C MK18 to M4/M4A1 outer barrel extension ($10):
- Full metal. 14mm negative threading. Turns a standard 10.3" MK18 barrel to the 14.5" M4/M4A1 barrel with a cut for the M203 front mount
- A bit of wear from mounting an M203, but still functional
Raven Evolution outer barrel extension pack ($20):
- Full metal,14mm negative threading, includes a 1", 2", and 3" barrel extension
- Brand new, sealed
Element tan grippod ($10):
- This one, if you get it, you have to slam the legs back up the grip with authority to keep it there like the real thing. Slam it hard. Fits RIS/RAS rails.
- New, out of package condition. Never gamed.
A&K KAC-style grip and rail cover panel set ($10):
- 5 piece set - includes 1x standard vertical foregrip, 2x 11-rib rail cover panels, and 2x 2-rib rail cover panels. Fits RIS/RAS rails
- Brand new
Docter-style mini reflex red dot sight (RIS-mounted)($25):
- Comes with a sight cover for storage
- Brand new, open box condition
BCM-style vertical grip ($5):
- Fits RIS/RAS rails , a little ding on the screw from tightening, otherwise excellent condition
UTG rail cover rubber grip panels ($5):
- Covers RIS/RAS rails, rubbePVC construction, Made in USA
- Used condition, needs cleaning, still works just fine. Free if you buy something else from me, just let me know if you want it!
Element LaRue-licensed 30mm cantilever red dot sight mount($10):
- Full metal, made for all 30mm tubed sights, specifically the Aimpoint M68 CCO/CompM2, quick-detach mount
- Lightly used condition, never gamed
Element QD 30mm magnifier twist mount ($10):
- Full metal, made for all 30mm tubed sights, specifically the Aimpoint and EOTech type magnifiers, quick-detach
- Lightly used condition, never gamed

submitted by eddy_talon to airsoftmarketcanada [link] [comments]

2024.05.17 01:48 thewanderer_13 Pay plan.

So I just interviewed for what would be my first position in car sales and this is the pay plan the GM showed me. 180-200 units per month with 12 salespeople. I’m completely new to car sales and was wondering how good (or bad) this pay structure is?

submitted by thewanderer_13 to CarSalesTraining [link] [comments]

2024.05.17 01:01 MerkadoBarkada BSP holds rates steady; DDMPR declares falling Q1 div; Jollibee Q1 profit: P2.6-B (up 27%); PSE puts ANI, INFRA, C, and PNX on suspension notice (Friday, May 17)

Happy Friday, Barkada --

The PSE gained 70 points to 6628 ▲1.1%

Shout-out to Shehana Jean for the positive feedback on the AREIT div card, to Miguel Camus for fighting the good fight with his new startup (InsiderPH), to financial freedom for even more great design advice for the div cards, to daddyew for getting out (of APL) at the right time, to Dividend Pinoy for (like me) growing impatient for a warehouse REIT, to echAir for the positive feedback on my weird "building of buyers" analogy that I used to try and explain how inflows/outflows work with index rebals, to Satorun in for the tl;dr (too long; didn't read) of the DDMPR saga, to Jing for the sad boat meme appreciation, to Rod Leaf for mentioning APL's stinky FOO as the last time he saw the MB Siphon 1 ("siphoning off people's money"), to Jr Martin for warmly congratulating Ely and Gladys on their 1-year anniversary, to VodkaMartini_007 for spilling the beans on the location of the MB Siphon 1 ("the Port of Irene in Cagayan"), and to arkitrader for the pathetic boat vibes haha.
US April inflation came out and surprised to the downside, meaning that (at least in the US) domestic demand has cooled and consumer inflation has resumed its downward trend. US markets immediately pumped, with the Dow Jones average crossing the 40,000 mark for the first time. Will the PSE get any of that shine?

▌In today's MB:

BSP holds rates steady
DDMPR declares falling Q1 div
Jollibee Q1 profit: P2.6-B (up 27%)
PSE puts ANI, INFRA, C, and PNX on suspension notice

▌Daily meme Subscribe (it's free) Today's email

▌Main stories covered:

[NEWS] BSP keeps interest rates steady... The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) [link] said yesterday that its Monetary Board decided to keep rates steady. In doing so, the BSP said that inflationary risks “continue to lean toward the upside”, but that its latest forecasts showed that “inflation would settle close tot he upper-end of the target range.” As for inflation expectations, the BSP said that those “remain well-anchored”. The Monetary Board said that it “deems it appropriate to ensure tight monetary policy settings until inflation settles firmly within the target range”, and indicated that such a stance would also “help keep inflation expectations anchored”.

MB: At least the BSP stopped talking about wage increases as a potential inflationary risk. That said, does anyone else detect an air of contradiction in what the BSP is saying? Perhaps contradiction is too strong of a term, but I get the growing sense that the BSP’s reasons for keeping rates high are somewhat diverging from its own analysis. The BSP says that it’s primary objective is price stability, so we can infer that it’s keeping rates high as a means of trying to suppress price increases, and yet the BSP has again and again told us that the driver for price increases is a problem on the supply side of the equation, not the demand side. Interest rate adjustments don’t impact supply-side problems, because interest rate increases are meant to suppress demand. We don’t have a demand problem. Adding to this is the BSP’s concern about maintaining a tight policy to keep inflation expectations anchored, despite noting just a paragraph earlier that inflation expectations were already “well-anchored”. This implies that there is psychological space for the BSP to lower rates within the framework of current expectations. This is picky stuff, I know, there are simply too many people and companies struggling under high rates to ignore the rapidly decreasing marginal utility of yet another cycle of the BSP’s conservative observation of the situation. Just my personal opinion.

[DIVS] DDMPR declares falling Q1 div at 116% payout ratio... DDMP [DDMPR 1.17 ▲0.9%; 37% avgVol] [link] declared a Q1/24 dividend of ₱0.023476, payable on July 15 to shareholders of record as of June 19. The dividend has an annualized yield of 8.03% based on the previous closing price. The total amount of the dividend is ₱419 million, which is 116% of the ₱362 million in distributable income that DDMPR reported for the quarter. Relative to DDMPR’s IPO price, the dividend increased DDMPR’s total stock and dividend return to -32.29%, up from its pre-dividend total return of -32.33%. DDMP REIT Fund Managers reported that DDMPR’s occupancy as of March 31 was just 76%, with occupancy at its main building (DoubleDragon Plaza) listed at just 70.8%.

MB: The dividend amount is up 1.4% from DDMPR’s disastrous Q4/23 dividend, but it’s down 7.5% y/y and down 15.8% from Q1/22. DDMPR is the second-oldest REIT on the PSE. It issued its first dividend to shareholders in Q4/20. Its sponsor,DoubleDragon* [DD 10.48 ▲10.0%; 581% avgVol], is bursting at the seams with potential assets that could be downloaded to DDMPR to diversify the REIT’s portfolio and breathe some much-needed life into this stagnating afterthought. DDMPR’s assets are fine, but their strategy in how to monetize those assets is outdated. Gone are the days when high commercial rents from POGOs could excuse the growing issue of collections from those POGOs. Now we have DDMPR suffering from high (and going higher) rates of delinquency. Gone are the days when investors were lapping up the chance to get in on the commercial office space game. Now we have the threat of a POGO ban and the existential threat of AI putting all of the “easy” BPO leasing opportunities at risk. Gone are the days when DDMPR’s inactivity could be explained away by its newness. Now we’re left picking through the rubble of yet another disappointing Quarterly Report, yet another y/y dividend reduction, and bagholders have heard no plan from management on what they’ll do to right the ship.*

[EARNINGS] Jollibee Q1 profit: ₱2.6-B (up 27%)... Jollibee [JFC 224.00 ▲0.9%; 300% avgVol] [link] posted a Q1 net income attributable of ₱2.6 billion, up 27% from its Q1/23 net income attributable of ₱2.1 billion. JFC said it was able to grow profit margins and exceed its Q1 performance outlook thanks to “healthy top line growth combined with further operational efficiencies and effective management of expenses”. JFC’s system-wide sales were up 10.4% to ₱86.8 billion due to new store additions and same-store sales growth was up 5.5%, which JFC said was due to increased volume. Across all of JFC’s segmented business units, “Europe, Middle East, Asia” had the largest same-store sales growth (+14.7%) and system-wide sales growth (+25.5%). The “People’s Republic of China” and “Highlands Coffee” were negative in terms of same-store sales growth (-3.7% and -9.0%, respectively), and only the People’s Republic of China business unit was negative in terms of system-wide sales growth (-3.7%). JFC said that its difficulties in China are partly due to a high bar effect from last year’s success, and a slowdown in the quick service restaurant industry in that country more generally. JFC said that while Highlands Coffee saw its same-store sales growth fall 9.0%, it did “better than industry” and managed to gain 4% market share during that period.

MB: The bee perseveres. It has made massive bets in “coffee” and “China” that could pay off handsomely in the future, and all of this activity has likely bought the management team some more time with its shareholder base to deliver on the delicious fruits of these bets. JFC’s stock price is up almost 150% from its COVID low, but it’s somewhat rangebound between about ₱200/share and ₱270/share. The stock hit ₱273/share in late February, only to rapidly retreat back to the ₱215/share level over the next six weeks in a pattern that the share price has repeated two or three times already this year. Generally speaking, the highs are higher and the lows are higher, but maybe with all the segments firing this busy season the stock will finally be able to push out of that range.

[NEWS] Several notable firms placed on suspension notice for failure to report... The PSE [link] notified four high-profile companies that their shares would be suspended at 9 AM today if 2023 Annual Reports were not posted. The companies that were put on notice are Tony Tiu’s AgriNurture [ANI 0.57 ▼1.7%; 102% avgVol], Philippine Infradev [INFRA 0.53 ▲1.9%; 262% avgVol] and two from pseudo-tycoon Dennis Uy, Chelsea Logistics [C 1.30 ▲4.0%; 526% avgVol] and Phoenix Petroleum [PNX 4.17 ▼0.2%; 78% avgVol]. Should any of these companies fail to submit their Annual Reports before 9 AM, they will remain suspended for up to three months until such report is submitted. If nothing has changed after three months, the PSE must begin involuntary delisting proceedings.

MB: These companies are not a random sample, and they’re not representative of the PSE as a whole. Will ANI, INFRA, C, and PNX push their luck right up to the deadline, or will any of these companies slip into a suspended state for failure to complete one of the most basic components of public corporate life? As usual, retail bagholders will just have to wait and see what the owners decide to do.

MB is written and distributed every trading day. The newsletter is 100% free and I never upsell you to some "iNnEr cIrClE" of paid-membership perks. Everyone gets the same! Join the barkada by signing up for the newsletter, or follow me on Twitter. You can also read my daily Morning Halo-halo content on Philstar.com in the Stock Commentary section.

Subscribe here

Read today's full newsletter here

submitted by MerkadoBarkada to phinvest [link] [comments]

2024.05.16 23:52 Coyote_Havoc Gallóglaigh: Fáilte Abhaile

First Previous
"Arran of many stags, the sea strikes at her shoulders, companies of men can feed there, blue spears are reddend amongst her boulders. Merry hinds are on her hills, juicy berries are there for food, refreshing water in her streams, nuts in plenty in the wood."
-Agalllamh na senorach-
"Don't say goodbye, wish me luck and a swift return."
Sorcha's words echoed in Robert's head as he watched the transports race the local star into the sky. Robert was the last to leave the cargo bay, wanting to remain in her presence for as long as possible. It was childish now that he thought of it, but it had earned him a long, deep kiss and a promise she would come back to him soon.
The port where they had been dropped off was located on a cliff overlooking the sea, and the golden light of dawn was echoed on the incoming waves. Beyond the tarmac, grass and bushes grew unhindered and thin trees towered over the terminal. Robert led the 449th toward the building which was built to resemble something out of a story book. A faux thatch roof hung over white walls resembling rough hewn stone while a clocktower with a black slate roof rose from behind. It was a beautiful example of deceptive architecture to give a weary traveler a sense of tranquility. The main concourse radiated the same fairy tale charm with shops lining the interior between cobblestone walkways and a grassy area with long wooden benches under manicured alder trees.
To the casual observer it was a welcome distraction from the busy day to day worries of modern life, to the former convicts who were used to concrete, reinforced walls and armed guards it was heaven on earth. Robert's troops ignored the benches to lay in the soft grass, a luxury unaffordable to the soldier and the convict alike, drawing looks of curiosity from travelers as well as shop workers and Robert had to fight the urge to join his men in this simple pleasure. Finding a seat on a bench, he sufficed himself by running his left hand through the soft blades where the unit colors had been planted.
"How long have you all been fighting?" A stranger asked.
"Feels like forever." Robert replied feeling a pang of guilt at not telling the whole truth.
"Just passing through?" The stranger inquired.
"Here to stay, at least for a while I hope." Robert said.
The strangers face brightened and his eyes reflected the smile that he wore.
"Fáilte Abhaile Óglaigh," He said before continuing to his gate.
Gallóglaigh was the only word Robert knew in Gaelic, and it became apparent that he would have to learn quickly as other people took notice of the rag-tag unit relaxing in the grass. Gallóglaigh meant young soldier he surmised, so óglaigh probably meant soldier, but 'saighdiúir' as well as 'laoch' was also directed at him and his men. Laoch sounded bad, but the people who said it smiled and shook hands with him. 'Saighdear' sounded like 'saighdiúir' and he had no idea what 'ghaisgich' meant, but every face told them how happy they were to meet them. 'Tha gaol agan ort' and 'Is Breà liom tú' found their way to his troops, mostly from women and a number of them tried to pronounce the words themselves which caused more confusion and a few impromptu lessons on pronouncing the words followed by a kiss on the cheek or forehead.
Robert was seriously considering reigning in his troops when he heard a more familiar language from a weathered older man with an amused smile.
"May I assume you're Colonel Grant of the 449th?"
"Yes sir." Robert replied.
"Perfect, I'm your escort, Brian McMurray," he said, "whenever you're ready please follow me."
Robert was able to contain the enthusiasm of his rowdy batch of heathens before they could caused any trouble, to the further amusement of their escort, and they wove their way through the port with the expert guidance of Brian McMurray who led them to several busses waiting just outside the passenger entrance. Troops were filed onto four of the vehicles and Robert was guided to an open deck with his officers while the lower deck of the front vehicle would carry the remaining troops. Brian sat in the front and swiveled his seat around to address them.
"I do apologizefor not having an air transport to meet you, but the MacSweeney family was able to charter these coaches at the last minute." Brian said as the coaches began to move.
"MacSweeney?" Hobbs said under his breath.
"Shut up Cyrano." Robert ordered.
"It's alright Colonel," Brian said, "Yes Captain, Laird Collin MacSweeney, Governor of Arran. Have you heard about him before?"
Hobbs eyes grew wide and he shook his head to indicate he hadn't. Robert turned a shade of red, Jacob and Derrick had the common sense to hold their tounges. Thomas on the other hand...
"Collin MacSweeney, son of Aaron MacSweeney, current lord of the MacSweeney family. Descending from Suibhne O'Niall, chieftain of Argyll. Aaron MacSweeney, settled Arran with the last Gaelic speaking people from Ireland and Scotland in order to preserve their heritage."
"Thank you,Captain Reed." Robert said, half relieved Hobbs had been bailed out, and half curious how Thomas knew so damn much.
"Rather impressive summary I must say," Brian replied, "anywho, the languages you were having trouble with and the history of this world will be made available to your troops, please do study it to prevent any unfortunate misunderstandings. We should be arriving in Brodick Castle shortly."
"If I may," Robert asked, "What is the history and population of Arran?"
"Certainly," Brian replied, "Arran Colony was started with the last 1000 Irish and Scots Gaelic people on Earth. With a bit of hard work and luck we settled the planet as an agriculture world, primarily ranching but expanding into other crops and fishing as well as natural textiles and some light mining and mineral refinement. Today Arran has a population of just over four million."
4 million, from the look of the small port town which hugged the harbor you wouldn't know it.
"And the port city?" Robert inquired.
"Brodick." Brian explained. "The harbor on this island is almost an exact match of Brodick on Earth, so the island was named Brodick as well as the city we just passed through and the MacSweeney family have called it home ever since."
"Brod..."
Robert shot Hobbs a murderous glance before he could finish and the rest of the trip was conducted in silence.
The chartered coaches pulled onto a gravel driveway in front of an amazing castle, built stone by stone into an exact replica of the one on Earth. Troops were ordered to disembark and form ranks below a massive tower that loomed regally over them. An equally impressive man exited to greet the arrived troops, wearing a fine wool suit and a red and black kilt shot through with yellow covered slightly by a leather sporran with polished silver trim. Robert waited for Hobbs to call it a skirt, and was thankful that he remained silent.
"Fáilte Abhaile." Laird MacSweeney said in a neutral tone.
"Apologies sir," Robert replied nervously, "but the men don't speak much Gaelic yet."
"No worries," Laird MacSweeney said, "but 500 does not a regiment make."
"No sir." Robert replied. "We are what's left from Diani unfortunately."
Laird MacSweeney nodded quietly. "We shall have to remedy that. Carry on."
Robert rendered a salute "On the orders of the Terran Military, The 449th Infantry Regiment has been reassigned to Arran SIR!"
Laird MacSweeney returned the salute and began to speak.
"I know who you are and where you came from. I expect all of you to act like civilized people, not the convicts you were previously. Think carefully how you conduct yourselves here on Arran. Housing accommodations for the command staff will be here at the castle, company commanders and enlisted will be housed temporarily in a hotel in the city. This is your second chance gentlemen, you will not recieve leniency from me or my people."
Laird MacSweeney paused momentarily to let the warning sink in.
"With that being said, you are owed three months of pay, which has already been taken care of, and I believe a week furlough is in order to acclimatize you to Arran. Be responsible and respectful, but please enjoy yourselves. Colonel Grant."
Robert nodded and rendered salute again before turning and shouting "DISMISSED!"
The unit cheered at their freedom, but returned the the coaches in a somewhat orderly fashion. Robert tensed slightly at the thought of what they might do if not under watch, and the hand placed lightly on his shoulder made him flinch inside.
"Calm yourself Colonel," Laird MacSweeney said in a gentle tone, "You have a lot of work ahead of you yo get your unit properly organized, but you've done an excellent job considering."
"Thank you sir." Robert replied. "If I might ask, what does Fáilte Abhaile mean?"
Laird MacSweeney chuckled as Robert turned to face him.
"We shall have to remedy that as well." Laird MacSweeney replied.
"Fáilte Abhaile means Welcome home."

submitted by Coyote_Havoc to HFY [link] [comments]

2024.05.16 23:38 ntin 6 Months and 2300 Miles With a Blazer EV

Following up on my previous thread.
tl;dr; I am still satisfied with my purchase and will consider another Blazer EV in the future.
Mechanically, the Blazer EV is great. It drives nicely and handles well. Coming from a Chevy Volt, the turning radius is surprisingly similar for a vehicle about a foot longer and wider. It doesn't feel like driving a tank like other SUVs.
The software, aside from bugs, is a mixed bag. The UI could use a redo. It feels like too much form over function. The use of space is questionable, and some of the touch buttons are small enough that they aren't easy to press in a moving vehicle. The screen is so large, but with so much empty space, it could have been smaller, and nothing would have been lost.

Stop Sales, Software Updates, and Recall Updates

The February update caused my wireless charger to stop working randomly, and the recall update didn't fix the issue. I have seen the same complaint in CadillacLyriq, so it must be some software bug with the platform.
The Recall Update took about two days to complete. It fixed several minor bugs, and Ambient Lighting is working now.
The downside of the Recall Update is it introduced a new software bug. The charging door no longer closes after 30 seconds. Even after disconnecting the charging cable, the green light on the dash still pulses.
Chevy could have communicated more effectively about the stop sale. After the fact, it was a software issue, but I wasn't sure if it was a mechanical issue at the time.
I still haven't received an OTA update (if one is even out). I am worried because dealer-installed updates seem complicated, and an OTA update may brick my vehicle in my garage.

Software

As far as I can tell, there have not been any significant updates to the software or new apps added to the market.
The entire package still feels like a downgrade from Android Auto as it will not display messages from Google Chat, Discord, or Messenger.
I don't know the roadmap or what features are coming, but the software is still the Blazer EV's weakest point.
This is a hard sell for the software as a service subscription model.
When using the cameras, I wish the screen would zoom in a bit more. The UI needs more space for such a large screen.

Rebate Check and New Pricing

I received the rebate check for the new price difference within two weeks. Chevy deserves credit for a goodwill outreach.
The new prices make a lot more sense and distance the Blazer EV from the Lyriq enough. It also better aligns with other mid price EVs.
I am still slightly salty about missing out on the Ultium Promise rebate because I purchased the Blazer EV in December. I had no way of knowing that deal was coming.

Interior

The piano black panels are just the worst. Around the cup holders, I have a few faint scratches despite being careful with microfiber cloth wipe-downs. I would pay extra money not to have these in a future vehicle.

Accessories

Basic accessories, like a console organizer or cargo cover, are still missing. Third-party vendors like BestEvMod have them available, but I'm not really sure what Chevy is doing.
There is an official Tesla charger adapter coming from GM. It seems like Chevy should have gotten on the ball after Ford did theirs.

New Options

The dealer order site added Super Cruise in March, but it isn't an option on the customer's website. That package also includes the Enhanced Parking Assist, which I am disappointed that the parking assist wasn't included in the RS trim.
The Ambient Lighting is just for the tabs on the air vents. I wish there were more substantial lighting options like my Volt had.

Things I would like to see in a future Blazer EV

There should be more interior color options. All black is boring, and the red is a bit much for me. Maybe a dual-tone grey/black.
There should be more options, such as stereo upgrades, Super Cruise, sunroof, etc. I am sure that will be resolved in the 2025 models.
The RS trim with 102kwh battery on all motor configurations. The 85kwh should be for the LT trim.
The RS motors performance upgrade. For a "Rally Sport" it is a little slow for an EV.
Eliminate piano black or glossy surfaces on parts that are touched often.
Camera upgrades. The dead zone in front of the car still feels janky. The front camera position makes it hard to park even with guidelines. While parking on an incline/decline, the 360-degree cameras get visual distortions.
I would like more position adjustments on the steering wheel. I am slightly tall, and the wheel obscures part of the instrument panel for me.

submitted by ntin to electricvehicles [link] [comments]

2024.05.16 23:17 Flashy_Piano_9506 Product isn’t selling: what are my options?

I launched a product at the beginning of the year and it’s not doing very well. I sell about $300/week, but after fees and marketing costs I’m break even or negative on every sale. I’ve sold just over 100 units so far, but again, I’m not making any money.
I don’t believe it’s seasonality, given that I’m in prime season for this product niche. I think it’s just too competitive of a niche and I don’t have the bankroll for PPC.
What options do I have? I have roughly 240 units left in inventory and I don’t want to keep paying amazon every two weeks from fees and PPC costs.
I’ve heard of liquidation (they pay me?), donations, and disposal. What are the costs for each and what is generally recommended to do when a product fails and I don’t want to keep funding the fees.
Fwiw, I’ve had mentors help me optimize my PPC campaigns, I’ve optimized my listing the best I can, and I’ve got fantastic reviews (13 reviews, all 5-star with images and a couple videos).

submitted by Flashy_Piano_9506 to AmazonFBA [link] [comments]

2024.05.16 22:04 teucer_ My letter to the "Fiat Customer Care" department (FIAT Customer Disregard department)

Dear FIAT USA:
Last year I purchased a used 2014 FIAT 500L with less than 60,000 miles on it. In the year I’ve owned it, I’ve experienced the following failures that have needed repair:
· Turbo failure
· Headliner sag / adhesive failure
· Exterior paint clear-coat failure
· Neutral safety switch Failure
· Rear hatch latch failure
· Alarm system programming failure
· Tire pressure monitoring system module failure
· Multi-air brick failure
· Driver sun visor failure (stalk became brittle, snapped)
· Passenger sun visor tension failure
· Rear license plate light assembly failure
· Coolant system component failure
The last of the latter listed failures (I’m sitting here thinking there HAS TO BE at least one other thing I’ve missed on that long distinguished list) required radiator replacement as well as upper and lower radiator hose replacement. Unfortunately, the upper radiator hose, part number 68261751AA, is on indefinite backorder as it has been for months. My car has likewise been undriveable for months as it requires said part to be operational again.
It’s one thing to make vehicles that are of low-quality, such low quality that the cost of repairing this vehicle far exceeds the (roughly) $10,000 I paid for it in only a year’s time. But, it’s another thing to manufacture vehicles…of any quality standard…but particularly those of FIAT standards where it’s well-known that replacement parts WILL BE NEEDED and OFTEN…..and NOT STOCK REPLACEMENT PARTS SUCH THAT DEALERSHRIPS MAY AVAIL THEMSELVES TO SAID PARTS WHEN THEY ARE NEEDED.
Are you surprised you sold a total of 602 new FIAT vehicles in the United States during the entirety of 2023? That’s a far cry from the 46, 999 units you sold in 2012. People thought back in 2012 they could trust FIAT again; surely they were not the same build quality as they were in the 1980s when you withdrew from the United States entirely, right? But, apparently, as stupid as the average consumer is, even they understood how bad FIAT quality still was and it showed by 2017 when sales began dropping to a tune of 26,492 units. Source: https://www.goodcarbadcar.net/fiat-us-sales-figures/
When I talk to FIAT dealers, few and far between as they are in the United States, I see no new cars being offered. The sales reps say they are by special order only because the demand isn’t there. The truth of the matter is that not only consumers don’t want them but the mechanics at FIAT dealerships cringe whenever anyone brings a FIAT in for service and repair because even the factory authorized dealers have a hard time figuring out what’s wrong with these things. Places like Jiffy Lube won’t even touch a FIAT, not even for a simple oil change! Some extended warranty companies won’t even sell a policy covering these vehicles; is it a wonder why?
I had to go out and buy a second car while still continuing to may payments on this 2014 FIAT 500L, thus mandating I make two car payments in lieu of one that I can barely afford (thus why I bought the car in the first place, as valuation on used FIATs are understandably depressed as compared to other makes here) just so the 500L can sit for God knows how long in the dealer’s satellite lot and rot away under a tree while it futility awaits FIAT to ship a radiator hose. You’d think one would be able to use a generic radiator hose but no: that hose was made to be specific for that car such that I cannot even substitute a generic because of a fitting specific to the model! You have to be kidding me!
You all should be ashamed of yourselves, first of all. Second of all, I hope you pull out of the United States market altogether. Why stay here in the States if you are not wanting to put forward effort in stocking even the simplest of parts for the cars you do offer here? Even the parts that were available in the long list of those that failed that I previously enumerated only numbered less than a handful in availability, such as there having been one sole neutral safety switch that the dealer was able to see available in national inventory when that failed. As the dealership’s service manager put it: “It’s almost like they want these things off of the road”. I don’t think you all want these things off the road. In fact, I don’t think the cars you sell to U.S motorists even cross your mind after they drive off of the sales floor. FIAT simply does not care about FIAT owners and the cars they are attempting to maintain!

submitted by teucer_ to Fiat [link] [comments]

2024.05.16 21:12 abtasty Optimizing Revenue Beyond Conversion Rate

When it comes to CRO, or Conversion Rate Optimization, it would be natural to assume that conversion is all that matters. At least, we can argue that conversion rate is at the heart of most experiments. However, the ultimate goal is to raise revenue, so why does the CRO world put so much emphasis on conversion rates?
In this article, we’ll shed some light on the reason why conversion rate is important and why it’s not just conversions that should be considered.

Why is conversion rate so important?

Let’s start off with the three technical reasons why CRO places such importance on conversion rates:

Conversion is a generic term. It covers the fact that an e-commerce visitor becomes a customer by buying something, or simply the fact that this visitor went farther than just the homepage, or clicks on a product page, or adds this product to the cart. In that sense, it’s the Swiss Army Knife of CRO.
Conversion statistics are far easier than other KPI statistics, and they’re the simplest from a maths point of view. In terms of measurement, it’s pretty straightforward: success or failure. This means off-the-shelf code or simple spreadsheet formulas can compute statistics indices for decision, like the chance to win or confidence intervals about the expected gain. This is not that easy for other metrics as we will see later with Average Order Value (AOV).
Conversion analysis is also the simplest when it comes to decision-making. There’s (almost) no scenario where raising the number of conversions is a bad thing. Therefore, deciding whether or not to put a variation in production is an easy task when you know that the conversion rate will rise. The same can’t be said about the “multiple conversions” metric where, unlike the conversion rate metric that counts one conversion per visitor even if this visitor made 2 purchases, every conversion counts and so is often more complex to analyze. For example, the number of product pages seen by an e-commerce visitor is harder to interpret. A variation increasing this number could have several meanings: the catalog can be seen as more engaging or it could mean that visitors are struggling to find what they’re looking for.

Due to the aforementioned reasons, the conversion rate is the starting point of all CRO journeys. However, conversion rate on its own is not enough. It’s also important to pay attention to other factors other than conversions to optimize revenue.

Beyond conversion rate

Why is conversion rate so important?

Let’s start off with the three technical reasons why CRO places such importance on conversion rates:

Conversion is a generic term. It covers the fact that an e-commerce visitor becomes a customer by buying something, or simply the fact that this visitor went farther than just the homepage, or clicks on a product page, or adds this product to the cart. In that sense, it’s the Swiss Army Knife of CRO.
Conversion statistics are far easier than other KPI statistics, and they’re the simplest from a maths point of view. In terms of measurement, it’s pretty straightforward: success or failure. This means off-the-shelf code or simple spreadsheet formulas can compute statistics indices for decision, like the chance to win or confidence intervals about the expected gain. This is not that easy for other metrics as we will see later with Average Order Value (AOV).
Conversion analysis is also the simplest when it comes to decision-making. There’s (almost) no scenario where raising the number of conversions is a bad thing. Therefore, deciding whether or not to put a variation in production is an easy task when you know that the conversion rate will rise. The same can’t be said about the “multiple conversions” metric where, unlike the conversion rate metric that counts one conversion per visitor even if this visitor made 2 purchases, every conversion counts and so is often more complex to analyze. For example, the number of product pages seen by an e-commerce visitor is harder to interpret. A variation increasing this number could have several meanings: the catalog can be seen as more engaging or it could mean that visitors are struggling to find what they’re looking for.

Beyond conversion rate

Before we delve into a more complex analysis, we’ll take a look at some simpler metrics. This includes ones that are not directly linked to transactions such as “add to cart” or “viewed at least one product page”.
If it’s statistically assured to win, then it’s a good choice to put the variation into production, with one exception. If the variation is very costly, then you will need to dig deeper to ensure that the gains will cover the costs. This can occur, for example, if the variation holds a product recommender system that comes with its cost.
The bounce rate is also simple and straightforward in that the aim is to keep the figure down unlike the conversion rate. In this case, the only thing to be aware of is that you want to lower the bounce rate unlike the conversion rate. But the main idea is the same: if you change your homepage image and you see the bounce rate statistically drop, then it’s a good idea to put it in production.
We will now move onto a more complex metric, the transaction rate, which is directly linked to the revenue.
Let’s start with a scenario where the transaction rate goes up. You assume that you will get more transactions with the same traffic, so the only way it could be a bad thing is that you earn less in the end. This means your average cart value (AOV) has plummeted. The basic revenue formula shows it explicitly:
Total revenue = traffic \ transaction rate * AOV*
Since we consider traffic as an external factor, then the only way to have a higher total revenue is to have an increase in both transaction rate and AOV or have at least one of them increase while the other remains stable. This means we also need to check the AOV evolution, which is much more complicated.
On the surface, it looks simple: take the sum of all transactions and divide that by the number of transactions and you have the AOV. While the formula seems basic, the data isn’t. In this case, it’s not just either success or failure; it’s different values that can widely vary.
Below is a histogram of transaction values from a retail ecommerce website. The horizontal axis represents values (in €), the vertical axis is the proportion of transactions with this value. Here we can see that most values are spread between 0 and €200, with a peak at ~€50.
https://preview.redd.it/toe6tcg08u0d1.png?width=384&format=png&auto=webp&s=58a20aa968f43d8a485f9f4bd9b494f6bf538517
The right part of this curve shows a “long/fat tail”. Now let’s try to see how the difference within this kind of data is hard to spot. See the same graph below but with higher values, from €400 to €1000. You will also notice another histogram (in orange) of the same values but offset by €10.
https://preview.redd.it/cqgmh1628u0d1.png?width=387&format=png&auto=webp&s=0ca2cfc150dd989a868adcbc04ed435c6b330828
We see that the €10 offset which corresponds to a 10-unit shift to the right is hard to distinguish. And since it corresponds to the highest values this part has a huge influence when averaging samples. Due to the shape of this transaction value distribution, any measure of the average value is somewhat blurred, which makes it very difficult to have clear statistical indices. For this reason, changes in AOV need to be very drastic or measured over a huge dataset to be statistically asserted, making it difficult to use in CRO.
Another important feature is hidden even further on the right of the horizontal axis. Here’s another zoom on the same graph, with the horizontal axis ranging from €1000 to €4500. This time only one curve is shown.
https://preview.redd.it/egu5mtr38u0d1.png?width=404&format=png&auto=webp&s=f539ff85b05d5f93e07ac74b8577907747618b97
From the previous graph, we could have easily assumed that €1000 was the end, but it’s not. Even with a most common transaction value at €50, there are still some transactions above €1000, and even some over €3000. We call these extreme values.
As a result, whether these high values exist or not makes a big difference. Since these values exist but with some scarcity, they will not be evenly spread across a variation, which can artificially create difference when computing AOV. By artificially, we mean the difference comes from a small number of visitors and so doesn’t really count as “statistically significant”. Also, keep in mind that customer behavior will not be the same when buying for €50 as when making a purchase of more than €3000.
There’s not much to do about this except know it exists. One good thing though is to separate B2B and B2C visitors if you can, since B2C transaction values are statistically bigger and less frequent. Setting them apart will limit these problems.

What does this mean for AOV?

There are three important things to keep in mind when it comes to AOV:

Don’t trust the basic AOV calculation; the difference you are seeing probably does not exist, and is quite often not even in the same observed direction! It’s only displayed to give an order of magnitude to interpret changes in conversion rates but shouldn’t be used to state a difference between variations’ AOV. That’s why we use a specific test, the Mann-Whitney U test, that’s adapted for this kind of data.
You should only believe the statistical index on AOV, which is only valid to assess the direction of the difference between AOV, not its size. For example, you notice a +€5 AOV difference and the statistical index is 95%; this only means that you can be 95% sure that you will have an AOV gain, but not that it will be €5.
Since transaction data is far more wild than conversion data, it will need stronger differences or bigger datasets to reach statistical significance. But since there are always fewer transactions than visitors, reaching significance on the conversion rate doesn’t imply being significant on AOV.

This means that a decision on a variation that has a conversion rate gain can still be complex because we rarely have a clear answer about the variation effect on the AOV.
This is yet another reason to have a clear experimentation protocol including an explicit hypothesis.
For example, if the test is about showing an alternate product page layout based on the hypothesis that visitors have trouble reading the product page, then the AOV should not be impacted. Afterwards, if the conversion rate rises, we can validate the winner if the AOV has no strong statistical downward trend. However, if the changes are in the product recommender system, which might have an impact on the AOV, then one should be more strict on measuring a statistical innocuity on the AOV before calling a winner. For example, the recommender might bias visitors toward cheaper products, boosting sales numbers but not the overall revenue.

The real driving force behind CRO

We’ve seen that the conversion rate is at the base of CRO practice because of its simplicity and versatility compared to all other KPIs. Nonetheless, this simplicity must not be taken for granted. It sometimes hides more complexity that needs to be understood in order to make profitable business decisions, which is why it’s a good idea to have expert resources during your CRO journey.
That’s why at AB Tasty, our philosophy is not only about providing top-notch software but also Customer Success accompaniment.

submitted by abtasty to u/abtasty [link] [comments]

2024.05.16 20:54 CodingNightmares Building a rifle with things I've learned from my first foray into PRS this year

So I got started into PRS this year in February, and I love it. I had no idea what to expect going in, and I had grabbed the only gun in my cabinet that was somewhat suitable for the job, an HK MR762, to shoot my first couple matches with.
First off, everyone in the community has been great an exceedingly helpful, which is super nice. On my first match I didn't have a zero stop set, and the guy next to me helped me get that set up during train up, and also let me borrow his garmin chronograph so I could get some actual speeds on my ammo. Before that point, my approach to shooting was always simply send it and pray...
Turns out a .308 out a 16" gas gun travels way slower than the box says haha. Obvious news now, but before that I hadn't really considered why all my shots were off target.
Competing in gas gun was fun, but had some downsides. For one, I was often maybe 1 of 5 competitors in the division, and while the lack of competition meant some pity trophies, it also didn't really drive me to feel like I was competing, more just guilty that I walked away with a trophy when I missed 50% of my shots. I did however manage to ring the 1000 yard target twice in a row with my 16" gas gun in .308 so that's fun.
I've decided to compete next year with a bolt gun, and am working on building a gun with some of the lessons learned from using my gas gun. Here is my current wish list, let me know if anyone has other recommendations!
Barrel: barrel length and thickness matters quite a bit. My 16" barrel with a thin profile might cut it for 500 yards, but it was really reaching at 1000. I absolutely want at least a 22" barrel, or longer.
Caliber: .308 packs a heck of a punch. I am a fairly pathetic weak human being, and I found I had a lot of trouble keeping the gun on target, and I would flinch terribly after a few shots. .308 also tended to start dropping like a rock after about 700m, which I may also attribute to my barrel, but the 6.5CM bolt gun a guy let me try shot very very nicely, and had a great bullet trajectory. So I think I'll probably aim for 6.5CM
Muzzle: My gas gun had a flash hider on it, while the bolt gun I tried had a muzzle brake, and wow does a muzzle brake make a difference in being able to keep eyes on target to see hits/misses. I will absolutely be adding a brake to my next gun.
Adjustable cheek rest. My gas gun has a cheek rest, but it's very poor and slippery. I wasted a lot of time getting behind the gun perfectly and trying to get my eye to line up in the scope, and I think a cheek riser that matched my face would have made a world of difference.
Scope, less is more: I threw the biggest meanest scope I had on my gas gun for PRS, which was a 2.5-20 nightforce, and I found that most of the time I was sitting at around 15 power instead. With max magnification I had trouble aquiring the targets down range quickly. The issue was that the reticle was still a little small to see with my eyes, and I think that if I had a 3-15 power that let me zoom to the level I use, while also giving the largest reticle, I would have had an easier time. I think vortex has a pst II 3-15 blemished store model that is on sale right now locally, I was eyeing up.
Easy to use magazines. I don't know if anyone has used HK magazines, but they're big, bulky, very square, and require precise movement to actually seat in the gun. There were at least 2 times where if the magazine were easier to use, I would have saved substantial time. I want a magazine of at least 5 rounds, that goes in easily without fiddling about.
A quality heavy bipod. I have a harris bipod on my mr762, which I have nicknamed the finger pincher. It is an OK bipod, but it only deploys in a single position, is a terrible pinch hazard, and I find the legs difficult to adjust quickly. I would like my next gun to have something like an atlas bipod that can be run at 45 degree increments, or other sturdy bipod that doesn't run the risk of smashing my fingers.
A squishy butt plate. As noted previously, I am a wimp. Firing .308 from the HK leaves marks on my shoulder, and it has a very hard rubber end pad that is maybe .25" thick. I'd love to have a nice squishy rubber butt pad so that I stop bruising.
A good trigger. People always kept telling me that I would regret the trigger on the MR762, and I didn't really understand at first but I do now. I think the MR762 is a great jack of all trades gun, which is what I got it for, but it is not a good precision gun. The trigger is at about 7lbs, and I was never 100% sure when it was going to go bang. I think this lead to me pulling a lot of my shots, and I'd really like a trigger around 2lbs or less that has minimal "squish" before going bang. I did not have good control over knowing when the mr762 would fire, and that really hurt shots past 600m or so.
I would ideally like to accomplish all this for 2,000 USD or under, but that may be asking quite a bit haha. I'm thankful for the community letting me borrow their toys so that I could figure this all out on my journey.
All in all I've had an absolute blast so far, I just realize that if I want to be competitive, at the bare minimim I need a rifle with these features, and a chronograph so I can make sure I'm putting accurate speeds into my ballistic app. Does all this sound reasonable?

submitted by CodingNightmares to longrange [link] [comments]

2024.05.16 19:15 supertramp1978 My Last Sale: Part III: The Last Knife - A Large Sebenza!

Happy Wednesday!
My last knife sale - potentially. And isn't it somewhat glorious that it's the OG of great pocket knives?
Previously listed as a set - overall price is lower accordingly.
Much love,
Tramp

Selling Info:

*Shipping: CONUS only and will go out the next business day (at t
*Trades: No MAS.
STAMPAGE

The Wares:

CRK Large Sebenza w/ Milled Clip

~~S45VN~~
~~SV/385~~
The same thing applies here. I've had dozens of CRK's and just don't seem to hold on to them. They're great knives, but I rarely reach for them. The action is pretty much as good as they get with a Sebenza (see video). I polished the washers, and this helps a great deal. DOB is: ~~Sept 16th, 21~~ There are some snails on the scales, which happens as soon as you touch a sand blasted CRK. I honestly prefer them broken in, they look like a nicely broken in pair of denim, and are uniquely yours. I've swapped the thumb stud to Ti Connector studs. They are night and day better than the garbage CRK units. You're welcome. Second owner. Has been used lightly and carried. Comes with box, original clip, Etsy Ti clip, add on lanyard (dark blue), grease and lock-tite. SOLD

Large Sebenza Scales

~~SV/75~~
~~Two large Sebenza Scales.~~
The milled Ti scale is identical to the Wilson Combat version of the Sebenza and is the sandblasted variant. Matches the OG CRK sandblasting perfectly. Has a few snails, but so does every sandblasted CRK that's ever been out of the box. Fits the knife identically to the CRK scale, and has the same action. No blade play.
The Ultem is from Pacific Sons on Etsy and fits perfectly. Action is identical to the stock scale and it lightens up the knife by about an ounce. No blade play. This perfectly balances the Sebenza, right behind the pivot. Mounted once, but shows no wear. SOLD

submitted by supertramp1978 to Knife_Swap [link] [comments]

2024.05.16 17:56 Plastic_Finish1968 The Long Walk Home: chapter 10 (Tall Dark and Extraterrestrial)

Have you ever witnessed the first formation of life? I mean, I've seen my children, I was there for every step of the process if you know what I mean. Hah. But what I'm talking about is from beyond the beginning. The molten slag of a planet forming over millions or even billions of years into a habitable plane. Have you seen, from that very point, chemicals coalescing and reproducing? Amino acids and the forming proteins?
Well today, I found out, when you die in the crypts, you don't see a light in the end of a tunnel. You witness something truly beautiful and pointless.
I watched the birth of life from nothing. Short molecular protein chains. No cell walls, no encasing membranes. If DNA or genetic code of any kind was in their descendant's future, it wasn't present now. I watched it cling to the surface of rock, self-replication fueled by the warm free energy of a sun, millions of generations, hard work, decay, and new growth, only to be destroyed by a crashing wave. The weak hydrogen bonds were broken, as simple as that. The ancestor's hard work gone in a single blink-and-you-miss-it moment. Somehow I knew, wherever this was, that was all the life that planet would ever see until it was swallowed up by its star.
It was a quick fleeting spark. All the dramas and soap operas in the world could have taken place in a single raindrop. A unique potential, unlike any others, this planet's chosen ones, snuffed out before it could evolve to breathe its first breath. Rather grim isn't it? I don't know why I dreamt it, but there it was, a pointless creation followed by an equally pointless destruction. I guess it was a nice commercial break from the missing-arm-induced pain i was suffering. A wonderful hilucination, if a bit mocob.
Anyway, back to my unimaginable blood-curdling, mind-wrenching torture porn session. My eyes were closed a very long time, but when they did open, I was finally where I should be. Horizontal in a hospital bed, surrounded by trained surgeons. That said, it was on an alien world, and the surgeons were not trained in human biology. What's worse, they had no way to dull the pain.
Death would have been a blessing, unfortunately, the doctors were good, in spite of the unknown make, model, and engine size laying before them. 5 hours under an experimental knife, and I think an arc welder, is what it took to reattach my arm and fix my internal organ damage. 5 hours of poking and prodding and searing and stitching and pulling and zapping. All things considered, I am impressed it only took 5 hours. Ted's species was remarkable when it came to taking in new information and applying it in the real world. All their extra brains probably didn't hurt either.
If you remember, Ted's species came equipped with five extremity brains, and a central one. That's three for all three of his legs, two for both of his arms, and one in his central body. Ted would have had six individual minds within him before I found him dead in a ditch beside that interstellar sidewalk. By that point, only one, Ted, had survived.
After my, let's say, unique experience, I was left alone in a dark room to rest. Ted came by to visit. Oh yeah, he had a body now. He wore that "Tall, dark, and extraterrestrial" look well. He was easily 7 feet tall in his real body. Those Ted-fu moves should pack a real punch in a body like that.
"That reminds me. You wanted your fighting moves back, right?" My voice was terribly parched after my morning shouting sessions.
Shouting obscenities at medical proffesionals was about all I could do when Ted's doctors were busy inventing a new form of torture. Seriously, take notes. Good stuff in there.
"Keep them. That isn't going to be my concern here. It's hard to even walk now, let alone fight." He admitted. "I'm used to having secondary brains do all the work. I would only take over when the situation required. Now, I'm all I've got."
"Just another one of us handicap one-brainers," I taunted. "How does it feel to be on my level? Could you say you're just 'too single-minded?"
He laughed. I don't think I've ever heard Ted lower himself to laughing at one of my jokes. It wasn't even a good one. I know I could have come up with something better. Hold on. I- huh... well, I guess the moment has passed.
Instead, I teased him again. "so, you have a sense of humor after all."
"Always have. You just aren't funny." He shot back.
Then it was my turn to laugh at a bad joke.
"Bad idea!" I realized aloud. "Laughing hurts. Don't make me laugh."
There was an awkward silence before Ted finally spoke again. Our whole conversation was full of them.
"You're going back there aren't you?" He asked.
"I have to. I have a family somewhere, and I have to know if they're still alive. Something bad is happening on earth and I just want to be there to protect them."
"I don't think you ever will find out."
"Blunt and to the point today are ya?"
"Always have been. You just never listen. Im serious. I dont think you'll make it home."
There it was again, that quiet that kept creeping back up into our conversation.
"What if you run into Brad again?" He asked. "I won't be there to reboot your brain next time. You will either die or-"
"Don't tell me."
"Or you will suffer greatly, then die." He continued while checking his version of fingernails.
"I told you not to tell me. Now I can choose which option I like better."
"I'm being serious." He shot back at me. "You have no defenses against him."
"I know. I'm hoping he's dead. That's three shots from a Tedidian gun he has taken now."
Neither of us were convinced.
"Tedidian? That's the name you gave my species? I'm honored."
"I'm the first of my kind here, I get the naming privileges."
If our conversation took place over the radio, the host would be mortified. Not by the subject matter, no. The silence would be dubbed "dead air" and the host would desperately clamor for a new topic to keep the dialogue active and dynamic. We didn't have that luxury. I think Ted was sorry he couldn't have done more to help, but he would never admit it. I actually might miss him after all- Nah... Too stuck up his own butt to admit his shortcomings. I dont need a guy like that tagging along.
"Do you- mourn the loss of your secondary minds? Were they separate thinking entities?"
"I mourned their loss eons ago. I have moved on. Now I have to re-remember how to walk and talk and do math equations without them. I will be slower than my academic peers, but I have with me knowledge of the unknowable. That should make up for some of my deficiencies."
Eventually, Ted was ushered out. I needed the rest. The doctors here were good. They had managed to piece together this broken puzzle written with a completely different alphabet, and accelerated my healing a great deal. Not really a surprise, given they could build Ted a whole new body. I was back on my feet in a matter of 2 days, using my arm in 3, and back to 70% at 4. I dont think I'll ever make it back to 100%, but all things considered, this is pretty good.
It's hard to tell how long I have been away from earth, but given this trip was meant to last a very long time, I don't suspect I should miss my flight, so long as I find my portal. As long as I can find Eddy. So long as I can find all of them; Eddy, Rook, James, even Jyong and Me-Yan.
Ted's people had a similar arrangement to earth's at first. When Ted was an explorer, their portal was at the edge of the system, but they brought it down to their planet with rockets and parachutes after he and a few others never came back. The history was fascinating. They were a united planet, far and above the most advanced I have come across so far, but in spite of that, the portal slowly leeched off the planet, and spat out horrors beyond their imagination. What they once used as an interstellar fast travel, quickly turned into a speed bump, then a health hazard. There was a reason the builders set this portal so far away from the planet. It wasn't meant to be here, so Ted's people had to build a wall, with poor old lost Ted on the other side. They closely monitored the other side though, and were shocked to find the brain activity of a Tedidian coming from yours truly. That would be Ted's mind, shoulder to shoulder with mine, in my head if you weren't following along. Then they rescued me from Brad.
Speaking of, I asked around about Brad. Someone shot him, so that someone should know if he survived. I had to know if he would be waiting for me on the other side. Eventually, I asked the right person, who introduced me to my rescuer. He wore a white uniform and carried a big gun, even for Tedidian standards. I was kinda jealous. I like my pew pews, but these things were on another level.
He confidently told me that Brad was indeed "dead." I had Ted translate for me whenever I spoke to a native, but they were quickly learning on their own how to speak Sean-ese. That's the language I told them I speak. Might as well leave a lasting mark. That confidence, however, did not come from a place I liked.
"But did you actually see it dead?" I pressed.
"Nothing survives a plasma arc, even a graze, let alone two." He scoffed. Or I think he scoffed. There is no universal interplanetary sign that someone is scoffing at you. You just have to pick up on subtle undertones of pride, shock, or snood. Ted had lots of snood. Luckily, he broke the mold. The people here were as different as people are on earth. I just happened to get the most insufferable one imaginable. Just my luck.
"Then call this thing 'nobody,' because it survived one before." I suggested.
His eyes widened, glad to see that was an interplanetary sign of surprise. "Th-that isn't possible."
"Oh, but it is." Ted interjected
Oh good, that thing could be waiting for me for all I know. I never thought I'd be scared to be without a Ted in my head, but there I was, terrified. He was right. Without him, I had no defense.
We were walking back to Ted's place when I began replaying the past events in my head. My vision was something I couldn't shake. It was real. I felt like I was one of those chains of self-replicating chemicals. That's almost all they were, chemicals, but they had every marker required to classify life. They even responded to change in the environment. They were short-lived bonded protein chains that consumed, produced waste, even grew by self-replication and bonding.
"Hey Ted," I started. "I wanted to run something by you."
"I'm listening, but let's keep it under 280 characters. I'm not in the mood for a marathon today."
I rolled my eyes. "Glad to see you're back to your old self."
"My old self? I've been trying to get back to that, but every time I open my eyes, there you are."
"Look here Dane Cook, I saw something after the attack. It was on another planet. I think someone is trying to show me something."
"You were also close to Brad at the time, who we know can alter your perception."
"Maybe, but this felt different. The first time he affected my mind, he put me in a dreamlike state. Then he used something familiar to me to disguise himself. This was different. I wasn't me, I was this green amino-acid chain with no protective coating. All I could sense were chemicals, no light, no sound, but I knew what was happening too, like I was watching from the outside at the same time."
Ted learned how to roll his eyes just now from me, and mimicked the action to an exagerated end. "Don't think much about it. Many Tedidians see a light at the end of a tunnel when we are close to death. Perhaps this is just your version."
"Perhaps." One thing is certain, even if it scares me, I would be glad to be without Ted. I almost forgot how annoying he was after our little bonding session.
"But I have a question for you. Who is Dane Cook?"
"My planet's worst comedian. Thats not the point."
The day did come that I had to leave, and Ted, in his usual fashion, refused to say goodbye. Instead, all he would say is "I won't be far behind." Cryptic, right? Like, what is that supposed to mean?
At first, I thought "Great. And right after I thought I got rid of him." But then I thought about it. It would be an interesting cultural slang to say "we will meet again." Does Ted believe in an afterlife?does he think I'll wimp out and come back?
Pointless questions aside, there was some good news. He gave me a new gun. This one made an even bigger "kaboom!" It was really fun. Heh. Haha. Gimme-gimme.
I was happy to see Jim-Bob waiting for me at the portal. I hadn't seen him since I set off that sonic weapon. Their feet are so sensitive to vibrations and sound, that weapon really messed with them. The Tedidian doctors had their work cut out for them fixing 5 listening organs per Jim-Bobidian. Together, all 20 odd Jim-Bobs and I, stepped through the portal to the nightmare world.
Now that I was on this side of the portal, I could see that Brad was gone. Oh boy, what fun. You know what else? I held onto that old piece of alien tech that Ted had his brain shoved into. I thought it would make a neat souvenir. Wouldn't you believe it if as soon as the doors closed behind me, I heard that S.O.B's voice saying "So, where to next?"
Ted copied himself yet again into that stupid thing. Didn't take long to figure out what he meant by "I won't be far behind."
"What the hell, Ted?" I shouted.
"Surprised to hear my voice?" He asked?
"More pissed than surprised. I thought I finally got rid of you."
"Oh stop it, you are happy to see me, admit it."
"I thought you wanted to go home. What happened to me just being a pair of legs?"
"Ah yes, but there's a crucial difference between that Ted and this one. This one is artificial, and doesn't get lonely. I am merely a copy of a personality. That way, when you die, I won't get homesick."
"I smell bullshit," I said.
Surprisingly, he didn't make an astronauts and diapers joke. Instead, he said "Got me. I am an explorer, remember? Even if I was homesick, I still yearn for the other-worldly. My adventuring days are not yet over, and this way, I can never die, unlike someone I know."
"News flash, Ted, you did die, and give me that self-aggrandizing crap you pulled in the beginning, and I'm throwing your immortal ass down the throat of the next giant monster I find."
"My path will remain rectilinear, and true."
"Rectum what now? I thought you only knew words I used in front of you. I don't even know what you said."
"True, but now I have learned how your language works, thus am able to intuit new words. You cannot convince me that was not a word. Go- 'look it up' or whatever when you get back to Earth. It means 'I'll stay on the straight and narrow.'"
"Then why didn't you just say so? You're already teetering on the edge of being too annoying to keep around, buddy." I threatened, but I had to admit, a translator would be nice.
I have to say, the next leg of the journey went on without a hitch. The Jim-Bobs, Ted, and I were making good time. Find a monster, kill it, find a planet, explore it, find another monster, kill it too. I found so many new planets, although most were dead or never had life to begin with. The odd part was, Ted was sure he had visited some before, and interacted with the residents, but there was nothing but rock where I stood.

submitted by Plastic_Finish1968 to humansarespaceorcs [link] [comments]

2024.05.16 17:56 Plastic_Finish1968 The Long Walk Home: chapter 10 (Tall Dark and Extraterrestrial)

submitted by Plastic_Finish1968 to HFY [link] [comments]

2024.05.16 17:40 DieterDrydigger CLOV and Understanding Upcoming SaaS Potential v2

Here was my first post looking at the potential from a 30K foot level:
So as I mentioned in my first post, my brain was racing last night as I really began analyzing what Toy said in his LI post yesterday. I started looking at what the potential could really look like if Clover Health became a hybrid Insurance/Healthcare + Software/Technology company and was able to monetize the tech side of it more effectively.
Valuations are significantly more robust in tech for good reason- they're predictable with much more linear revenue model.
Brief history of software licensing- SaaS stands for Software as a Service and has revolutionized the way software has been managed since the early to mid 2000s. Prior to ~2004ish, for consumers you had what was called perpetual software licensing that was installed by the buyer and was licensed to use in perpetuity, never again seeing any fees. You also had VERY expensive (mainly for larger corporations) on-premise software, allowing companies much more control and security over their software instances, but with heavy infrastructure costs capital investments (servers, etc).
So what software vendors did was release new updates every year or so, trying to entice users that they needed the new version (think Windows 4.0 and Windows 95, 98, etc, if you really want to throw it back) and kind of similar to iPhones now a days, many people will skip 2-3 generations before buying new.
However, many consumers opted to skip multiple versions in order to save some money, until theirs became so obsolete, they had to. It was much more unpredictable to forecast for wall st. There were also massive amounts of piracy around the world (China specifically) costing many of these companies literally billions in revenue each year that was difficult to prevent or stop. Enter drastically higher Internet speeds and the much improved infrastructure requirements needed for SaaS circa 2003-2005.
I worked for a startup company on the cutting edge of SaaS around 2007 that was acquired by Adobe specifically because we were very good at our SaaS model, and Adobe wanted to figure out how to switch their Creative products over to a SaaS model.
After the acquisition, during one of the first few all hands meetings, Adobe's CEO expressed how excited he was to learn from us during their transition of their licensing model and how big of an issue licensing fraud/piracy was and how switching to SaaS would likely fixt that. When we were acquired ~2010, Adobe's stock price was something like $14 a share from what I remember following the acquisition, and hit nearly $700 roughly in 2021, roughly 8 or so years after making the transition off of perpetual licenses. I had thousands of RSUs and it was a fun run, though it's been some time since I've worked there.
The reason why SaaS is great (for a consumer), is because there are never any updates to buy, companies manage all of that now and push updates on a regular bases, but instead of a one-time purchase, you pay on an ongoing basis for your "seat" every month.
Some of the largest SaaS vendors are companies like Salesforce, Adobe, Autodesk, Oracle, SAP. They way they scale is by number of employees within a company logging in to their CRM or one of their many other services.
For example a small company with say, 200 employees has 25 seats (aka, 25 different people) can log in and they may be paying $100 per seat, per month. However a company with 10K employees and 1000 users may only be paying $25 per seat... these are all arbitrary figures, but show how it scales.
Adobe, on the other hand may have a single product for $50 a month, or their entire creative bundle for $100 per person. College or HS students may get it for much cheaper like $25 a month.
You also have up front implementation fees that can be in the tens of thousands or even millions of dollars depending on the size of the org.
Anyway, I've gotten much deeper into the details than I anticipated when I sat down and started typing, but I've been trying to figure out how Clover's model would work, i.e., who are they selling to and how?
Ultimately, it's the insurance providers that are looking to reduce their MCR rates, so they have to play a role in all of this, but you also have a ton of doctors that are on the front lines needed to make all the data work.
I'm sure Andrew knows exactly how they want to go to market, but if I had to guess, they would sell some sort of access license to the large insurers (United, Humana, etc) and then there would be a second component pricing out these "seats" or "lives under management" is probably how it would translate in the healthcare field, to the doctors. Doctors that are then rewarded with some sort of kickback if the insurers see they're using is properly, costs are decreasing or something like that.
This is where it get's a little fuzzy for me and I'd love to hear Toy's next update on how they plan to go to market.
In terms of TAM, I read that there are somewhere in the range of (edit:) ~60M for ALL of Medicare w/ 30-35M being Medicare Advantage actively enrolled currently in the US.
UnitedHealthcare, alone, accounts for 29% of all Medicare Advantage enrollment in 2023, or 8.9 million enrollees. Together, UnitedHealthcare and Humana account for nearly half (47%) of all Medicare Advantage enrollees nationwide. By comparison, CLOV has just shy of 80K enrollees mainly in NJ, some in GA and fewer in SC, TX and Philly area of PA. That's it.
So if, CLOV could tap into these markets that United and Humana (and Cigna and Centene etc) are already established, show them the proven savings benefits Clover Assistant can provide, it could get real interesting, as long as they don't fumble the GTM.
Now people are asking, well, why doesn't a United, with close to $400B in Rev per year just buy a tiny little company like Clover Health (~$500M market cap)... well, it's because I don't believe they can, because Vivek has 120M Class B shares with 10x voting power, meaning he has 1.2B votes vs. the remaining float which is roughly 375M Class A, w/ 1 vote each, if Im not mistaken. Meaning, only if Vivek wants to sell, will they ever sell. A hostile takeover cannot happen under his watch.
And if United and Humana and all the large players are struggling to keep costs under control, where they're talking about shrinking their footprints, but CLOV has an industry-leading MCR in the mid-70s. They will have to either build it themselves, acquire another company with a similar tech or will have to pay to get access to it, implement it all while CLOV will be a huge beneficiary.
This could get very interesting... I'll start working on a v3 follow up and dig into some potential numbers...

submitted by DieterDrydigger to CLOV [link] [comments]

2024.05.16 15:25 UltimateTraders 5/16/2024 Daily Plays Almost up on BILL I did bid on PYPL YOU SOFI and PERI did not make a bid for AMC or GME still want to ride horses CVS CAR I will buyback PSEC or if it flies still have 5.90 wow OPRX was just 8 less than 2 weeks ago! Growth is real but speculative! So I have PRCH Any rate cuts?

Good morning everyone. So CPI is a 3.4. June of 2023, we had an amazing print of 3.0 Flat. I was pretty shocked and we had a good reason to rally… It did seem like we were ahead of schedule… Well we havent had a low print since! The end of 2023 many analysts were calling for between 6 and 8 rate cuts in 2024. I had been calling for 2… maybe 3… but the way things are going, we may get 0! Inflation is high still, GDP is running positive, unemployment is near 3.7-3.8%, earnings have been coming in good overall, near 5-6% earnings growth and 4-5% sales growth… the markets are at record highs…. This is not the data the Fed wants to cut rates… I do not see the Fed shocking the markets with another hike… but I see it is possible what they have been saying all along, while traders pushed false narratives..

RATES ARE GOING TO STAY HIGHER, FOR LONGER!

The Fed has said this for many months but the market refused to believe it… and to be honest, I had expected the economy to tank….
When rates are high the cost of the dollar is higher, when the cost of the dollar is higher, people cut back on spending…. When they cut back on spending, companies have lower sales…. Lower earnings… lay people off….. GDP goes flat to negative and 2 straight negative GDP is defined as a recession…. I am shocked… because my study of economics these facts are why I havent been full head on in the market. I am in about 70% cash.. I took some money out for real estate, doing serious renovations.. I also just closed on 2 properties last Friday… I met the Mayor of a small town last Friday and I am prepared to bid on a large piece of land from the town… If I get the land I will like to build a high rise building… Unfortunately for me, I had estimated that this building would be maybe 10 million…. But some architects have told me this will be higher than 20! I may have to liquidate at least 50-75% of my portfolio to build it [Long term accounts as well]… and once I get the plot of land I will know more… I have to send the architect to estimate and do blueprints once I have the land I want to build on. I am tired of renovations but every house I buy is 100-140 years old in those areas of CT. My passion is the market but the data doesn’t support me going all in…
In 2021, there were days I was in 90% stocks! It was crazy! As trader, having 50-60% stocks is good because you want that ammo in case of an emergency… I understand when you start and have a small portfolio that you do not have this liberty… So I understand..
Rome was not built in a day…. I started with 2,000 in 1994….
If data did support all these record highs and I wasn’t scared to trade I probably would hold off on the high rise building. The market is my passion… but I am diversified….
It would actually break my heart to sell these 3 positions:
GS 1,000 at 60 from 2008
JPM 1,000 at 30 from 2008
WMT 1,000 at 16 from 2008 [Split and now 3,000]
So I am trading carefully because of the data… and also I will find out in a few weeks if I can get the plot of land… it is about 1 acre.. I believe I can build a 30-40,000 SQ foot building with close to 100 units…

Some earnings since yesterday’s close:
UA 60 [Bad guidance though] LSPD 70 GAMB 75 GOOS 85 WMT 75
DDS 70 WMS 75 DE 70 [Bad Guidance] NICE 80 IQ 65 BIDU 80 [I don’t want Chinese ADRs!] ZTO 75 JD 80 [No Chinese for me] GRAB 60 GORV 50 CPA 75 BTBT 75
CSCO 80 RILY 55 CSCO 65

I made a bid for PYPL YOU SOFI and PERI… All I did was sell PSEC 5.50 that I got end of February at 5.65. If it goes higher I still have 5.90 block, if lower I can buy back. The 5.90 I got stuck in January. I have received months of dividends while I waited. I did not bid for AMC or GME puts… I was hoping they would go higher… Although I could have made some money… I guess I was disappointed because Tuesday morning AMC was 13+ and GME was 80+ . Even if they never see those prices again….. [Anything is possible but not likely] I was emotional upset that my orders did not fill for puts… They were small bets about 500 bucks… But for example.
GME Puts July 19^th 60 Strike are now 35
I was buying 1 Put for total of 500….. would now be 3,500
AMC Puts July 19^th 10 Strike are now near 6
I was buying 5 puts for about 550…..would now be near 4,000
Youd be mad too!
I don’t blame anyone for taking advantage of the volatility short or long… I wish everyone to make tons of money and to have the freedom they want!

5 Trade Ideas:
BILL – I had hoped to buy a 2^nd block at 55, but I chickened out, I still have 500 at 60.50.
The slower growth does suck, but I can still see why it should be 75 or so… Lowered growth to about 20%, earnings near 2.50… I can see why it should have close to 30x PE.. 2.50x30 = 75

PYPL – After good earnings and a new 52 week high, wham.. I did bid 62 the other day and almost got in, I want to keep trading this ticker, I believe fair value is near 80, but yes, it is no longer a growing business at near 7-9% growth

CAR CVS – These 2 have been horses for me, well CVS I started trading block 2, less than 2 weeks ago. I have traded it 3x for about 5 dollars total. 500 share blocks. I have 1 block at 84 so I am down 29 dollars…. But if you subtract the 5 I’ve made recently, I am cutting the losses… I have traded CAR since Feb 14^th, I started my trade with 12,375. [100 shares at 123.75] I have made near 10,000

PERI – I do have a block at 22, but I have been trading a 2^nd block, they will start a buyback soon

YOU SOFI – these are just 2 others, there are about 10 stocks in total I am watching

Man OPRX a couple of weeks was 8… now 14.. The last 2 earnings were very good, that is why I am speculating on PRCH, 1,000 at 3.75

The contents of this post are for information and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute financial, accounting, or legal advice. ... By choosing to make a trade you are responsible for your own actions. Please do some due diligence. These are trades I am making and you can follow along. If you make a winning trade, I do not even expect a bravo or thanks but that’s fine, if you lose on a trade the same difference.. I do not even expect an upvote or reward… The Elite team is aware of the risks and volatility in the market.

Good luck everyone let’s make money. Share trades, ideas here during trading hours. Our main goal here is to make money so I hope we can help eachother. I will be in and out of here as well.

submitted by UltimateTraders to UltimateTraders [link] [comments]

http://activeproperty.pl/