Month: October 2025

Story development is the process that takes a story idea from its inception as a kernel of an idea to a fully fleshed out screenplay or pitch. It is the journey from inspiration to draft and it can be an overwhelming task for even the most seasoned writer. Some writers, known as plotters, take a methodical approach to the development process while others (known as pansters) prefer to discover their stories by writing and drafting as they go. Most fall somewhere in between.

One of the most important aspects of developing a story is developing its setting. The setting is the backdrop to your characters’ actions, and should match the story you are telling. A sunny park surrounded by tall trees with happy families will set a different tone to your story than a dark forest with crooked, gnarled oaks and low-hanging fog.

Another aspect of developing a story is developing its character profiles. This includes establishing the main character’s background, personality traits, and goals. It also includes identifying the antagonist’s motives, convictions, and rhetoric. This is also where many screenwriters develop the themes of their story, which help to maintain consistency in character arcs and provide structure to the narrative.

The final aspect of developing a story is the progression of complications that lead to the climax. This is the point in your story where the hero faces a critical decision that either solves the problem or creates a new one. This is the point in your story where you really want to build tension and keep your audience engaged.

A business merger is the legal joining of two companies to create a single, new business entity. It can be a “friendly” merger, benefiting both companies equally, or it can be a “hostile” acquisition that benefits one company more than the other. However, true mergers are rare; most consolidations are actually acquisitions (though some are mislabeled as mergers).

There are several reasons for businesses to pursue M&A, including: Economies of scale: combining two companies can lead to cost savings and efficiency through streamlining operations, eliminating duplicate functions, and redeploying resources. Diversification: M&A can enable a company to diversify its products and services, which may be beneficial in industries susceptible to cyclical fluctuations or economic volatility. Enhanced bargaining power: a combination of companies can provide greater buying power with suppliers, customers, and competitors.

M&A is often complex and time-consuming. The companies involved must work together to find areas of overlap and common-ground. They also must ensure that their employees, customers, and suppliers are on board with the transition.

While M&A is a great way to improve your business, it’s important to weigh the pros and cons carefully. Consider consulting a Milwaukee mergers and acquisitions attorney to help you decide whether a merger is right for your business. Interested in learning more about M&A? Take a look at Forage’s Investment Banking Skills Passport.

A stock market is a network of people that buy and sell shares of companies, providing the liquidity (or money supply) that fuels modern economies. It’s a global marketplace with laws protecting against fraud and other unfair trading practices. People purchase stocks for a variety of reasons. Some look for a return on their investment, like the dividends paid by some companies, while others seek to have a say in how particular companies are run, using their shares as votes at shareholder meetings. Investors may also purchase mutual funds or exchange-traded funds that hold diversified mixes of hundreds of stocks already, helping to lower their overall risk.

When it comes to individual stocks, prices change based on a company’s current performance and its prospects for the future. The price of a stock rises as demand increases and falls as supply decreases. In the longer term, investors look for a company to grow sales and profits so their stock will increase in value.

Buying and selling stock involves a trade of price, which is calculated based on the difference between the seller’s “bid” and the buyer’s “ask.” When a bid or ask is higher than the other, no sale occurs. Investors can manipulate this process by leveraging the bid-ask spread, or by engaging in short selling or margin buying.

Late-breaking is a unique opportunity to present research in progress and to receive helpful feedback from colleagues. We accept only novel, substantial, and scientifically important studies. Late-breaking abstracts must report data that became available for public dissemination after the deadline for regular abstract submission and may not be an extension of previously published work. The selection of late-breaking works is highly competitive. Accepted authors will be invited to present their research in an oral platform presentation at the International Congress.

Similarly, demos are an excellent opportunity to showcase research prototypes and commercially available products in a dedicated session. In order to be considered for a demo, the system must address a topic related to XAI theory or practice. It should pursue one or more innovative ideas and demonstrate their potential for a real-world application. The system must be fully functional and capable of being presented at the conference.

The crypto market is a highly volatile area, with dramatic price swings. If you’re not prepared for this type of investment, cryptocurrency trading may not be right for you.

To buy cryptocurrencies, you’ll need to deposit money into your exchange platform account. Then you can choose which coins to purchase, often by their ticker symbols (Bitcoin’s is “BTC,” for example). Each coin has a different price, which ranges from a few cents to thousands of dollars. Generally, higher-capitalized coins have greater liquidity, meaning you can buy or sell more of them at any given time.

Market Sentiment: News, social media, and overall investor sentiment can significantly impact prices. Positive news, like regulatory approval or technological advancements, can drive prices up. Conversely, negative news can cause prices to decline.

Liquidity: The amount of money available to trade a particular cryptocurrency, determined by multiplying the current price by its circulating supply. A high liquidity level can reduce price volatility and improve trading conditions, while low liquidity can result in wide bid-ask spreads and higher trading costs.

Trends: Studying historical trends in a currency’s value can help you identify optimal entry and exit points for your short-term trading strategies. Investing in a currency when its price is low can help maximize your returns. And long-term trading, which involves holding a coin for months or even years, can be lucrative as well, as currencies tend to increase in value over time. However, this requires patience and research.

The new gadget cycle is a whirlwind – keeping up with every major tech company product announcement and the latest crowdfunding campaigns can be daunting, even for dedicated enthusiasts. From McIntosh’s stunning amplifier to Google’s Pixel 10 smartphones and Ricoh’s GR IV compact camera, catch up on the best new releases from the past week below.

Upgrade your smartphone experience with an Android powerhouse that packs a premium punch. Whether you’re an extreme sports fanatic or an office commuter, a rugged travel companion or an audiophile, find the coolest tech gadget to suit your lifestyle and budget. Featuring a range of top-brand brands, our curated list of the newest gadgets is sure to impress and elevate your tech.

A financial report is a summary of a company’s accounting and operational data that helps management teams make informed business decisions. It’s also a legal requirement in most countries for businesses of all sizes to comply with outside regulatory agencies, taxing authorities, and internal shareholders and lenders. Good financial reporting gets all parties on the same page with a single version of the truth, which gives credibility and value to companies and their managers.

The three main types of financial reports are income statements, balance sheets, and management’s discussion and analysis (MD&A). The income statement outlines revenues, expenses, and net profit for the previous fiscal period, while the balance sheet provides a snapshot of a company’s financial standing at a given point in time. It lists a company’s assets, liabilities, and equity in accordance with the accounting equation: Assets = Liabilities + Equity.

MD&A offers management’s perspective on the financial statements, highlighting key trends and risks, along with providing a forecast for the company’s future performance. MD&A is a critical component of the 10-Q, which public companies file with the SEC every quarter.

Financial reports also include notes and footnotes that provide additional context and detail on the financial statements, such as a description of accounting policies, contingencies, and risk management practices. These supporting documents are important for maintaining transparency and accountability, which in turn support trust among investors, creditors, and other stakeholders. Accurate and timely financial reporting also enables business leaders to take action when needed by making strategic decisions about allocating resources, assessing risks, and evaluating a company’s current health and trajectory.

Daily update is a report on events or changes that occur on a daily basis. For example, the team provides a daily update on project developments during morning meetings.

To configure daily updates, go to your Action’s console and click Develop in the top menu. In the Intents section, select Add intent handler. Then, in the Intent handler dialog box, choose Daily updates from the Category dropdown. In the Name field, type a name for the new intent. To set up the flow, under Scenes in the left menu, select a system scene where you want to trigger your daily updates subscription.

To test your action, invoke the action on a device with the Google Assistant app and follow the daily update registration prompt. When the user does this, they will receive an Assistant notification at their scheduled time each day. Make sure that your daily update is valuable to your users, and don’t bombard them with registration prompts. Provide a prompt when it makes sense in the context of your action, and show them how to use it immediately after you register them.