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Alejandro Merino

About Alejandro Merino

https://www.writeram.com

Just a guy that enjoys writing, his coffee and tech.

Posts by Alejandro Merino:

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Essential Advice for Confident First-Time Homebuyers

Embarking on purchasing your first home is an exhilarating experience, filled with visions of cozy spaces and the fulfillment of property ownership. However, it can also feel overwhelming. Fear not, aspiring homeowner! Whether you’re brimming with excitement or feeling a bit daunted, the following tips will provide you with guidance as you navigate the intricate world of homebuying.

Establishing a Solid Financial Foundation

The first step towards homeownership involves laying a sturdy financial groundwork. Begin by evaluating your credit score, settling any outstanding debts, and aiming for a favorable mortgage rate. Obtain pre-approval to determine your budget and enhance your credibility in the eyes of sellers.

Exploring Neighborhoods: Beyond Mere Location

The pursuit of finding the perfect home extends beyond the physical structure to the surrounding neighborhood. Conduct thorough research on different areas, taking factors such as proximity to work, quality of schools, and the overall community atmosphere. Visit the neighborhoods at various times, engage with residents, and attend community events to gain valuable insights into the area’s character.

 

Seeking Professional Guidance

The realm of real estate can be complex, particularly for first-time buyers. Therefore, enlist the expertise of a qualified real estate agent. These professionals possess the knowledge and experience to guide you through every step of the process, from the search for your dream home to the final closing. Furthermore, it is advisable to have a professional inspector thoroughly examine the property, as they can identify potential issues and save you from any unpleasant surprises down the line.

Crafting a Realistic Wishlist

While it’s natural to indulge in dreams and aspirations, it’s crucial to temper your expectations when creating a wishlist for your new home. Identify your absolute must-haves and deal-breakers, and prioritize features that align with your lifestyle and long-term goals. This clarity of vision will streamline your search, enabling you to find a home that not only fits within your budget but also fulfills your unique needs.

The Final Countdown: Closing the Deal

Preparing for the closing process involves ensuring all necessary documents are in order, reviewing the terms, and seeking clarification. It is important to prepare for potential delays, but it is equally important to take a proactive approach.

To summarize, the journey toward homeownership requires careful and thoughtful planning. This includes focusing on your financial readiness, exploring different neighborhoods, seeking guidance from professionals, and setting realistic expectations. By arming yourself with these valuable insights, you can confidently embark on the path to homeownership, where the keys to your dream home are waiting for you.

Are you ready to take the plunge into homeownership? Connect with a qualified real estate agent today and watch as your dream home becomes a reality!

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Casetify sued by Dbrand and JerryRigEverything

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Dear audience, I have a tale to share. The well-known Casetify brand, valued at one billion dollars, finds itself in a treacherous situation due to recent photos and overwhelming evidence that led to a lawsuit against them for copyright infringement.

 

Here’s what happened.

Dbrand, along with the brilliant YouTube personality Zack Nelson, known for his channel JerryRigEverything, have reached a breaking point and have decided to take legal action against Casetify for their alleged copyright infringement not more than 48 hours ago.

It all began when random users on X (formerly known as Twitter) tagged Zack Nelson in some tweets, playfully mocking an oversight on Casetify’s part. They pointed out that Casetify had used the same image of the internal components of an iPhone XR on cases for other iPhone models and even Android devices. One user, for instance, shared a photo of a Samsung S23 case from Casetify that featured the iPhone XR internals. It would appear harmless, right? That’s what we thought.

Photo Credit: Twitter feed

Dbrand also joined in on the playful mocking of Casetify. After all, what brand doesn’t take a few jabs at others in good-spirited fun? However, as time passed, both Dbrand and Zack were once again tagged, this time drawing their attention to a new Casetify product line called Inside-out that appeared suspiciously similar to Dbrand’s and Zack’s Teardown lineup, which they collaboratively designed and are selling as partners.

Photo Credit: CNBC Interview with Casetify CEO Wesley NG

I recently watched a video on Zack’s channel titled “I’VE BEEN ROBBED”. I was thoroughly impressed by the positive attitude towards competition from other parties. Zack acknowledged that he clearly does not own the idea of tearing down devices or that he’s the only person admiring the beauty of internal hardware. Instead, he encourages more competition in the field so long as it’s honest.

Photo Credit: CNBC Interview with Casetify CEO Wesley NG

To provide some context, let’s talk about Casetify. In a CNBC interview, Casetify’s CEO Wesley NG discussed the company’s valuation of over 1 billion dollars. Achieving such a milestone is nothing short of impressive, and I applaud them for it. Now, getting back to the main story, if Casetify had purchased these tech products, tore them down, scanned the components, and created their original designs, there would be nothing important to discuss, that however is not the case.

It has been a long-standing tradition for content creators, including YouTubers, filmmakers, and photographers, to embed Easter eggs in their content, giving their audience a glimpse of what’s to come or showcasing their personality tastefully.

Photo Credit: Easter Egg by Zack at JerryRigEverything, adding his saying GLASS IS GLASS AND GLASS BREAKS

Photo Credit: Zack Nelson showcasing Dbrand’s Easter Egg R0807

I’m happy to clarify why Easter Eggs are important in Zack and Dbrand’s design collaboration. Since 2019, they have been working together on concept ideas and design mockups, and they also add Easter Eggs to their final designs. For example, the Teardown lineup has several Easter Eggs that were significant and fun to Zack and Dbrand even if they didn’t mean much to the masses. Dbrand often includes a string of letters and numbers, R0807, on many of their products to represent their robots. Additionally, Zack is well-known for saying, “GLASS IS GLASS AND GLASS BREAKS,” which he frequently uses in his YouTube videos.

Photo Credit: Dbrand

Now, you might be wondering what all the fuss is about regarding the Teardown lineup created by Zack and Dbrand. Well, my beloved readers, the remarkable aspect is that Casetify’s competing lineup Inside-Out, wasn’t unique by any measure. They didn’t buy any products to tear them down, scan them, or even try creating anything. Unfortunately, Casetify’s Inside-out lineup consisted of visiting Dbrand’s website, right-clicked on their Teardown lineup, and shamelessly copying the entire concept, design, and hard work that both Zack and Dbrand poured into their unique product lineup that’s been very popular.

Photo Credit: Dbrand

In the video titled “I’VE BEEN ROBBED”, Zack maintains a very calm demeanor despite being robbed by a billion-dollar company, Casetify. It was interesting to watch the video and find it unforgivable that such a large company would take these shortcuts and steal designs instead of being original and making an honest profit.

Not only did Casetify steal designs from Zack and Dbrand, but they also degraded the quality of the images. It was painfully clear that they also attempted to remove Dbrand’s logo and removed some easter eggs while leaving others whose significance they could not possibly understand. By the sole act of selfishness, Casetify’s prices were even higher than those of Dbrand’s Teardown lineup.

Photo Credit: Dbrand

The extent of Casetify’s actions goes beyond simply taking stolen images from Zack and Dbrand. There was another easter egg that Casetify couldn’t know the meaning of, 11 – 11 – 11, the day Dbrand started as a company. The date copied in Casetify’s Inside-out lineup begs the question: why would Casetify promote this date? The answer is simple – they wouldn’t, unless they had taken Zack and Dbrand’s designs and made absolutely no effort on their part.

Photo Credit: Twitter/X

Consequently, Zack and Dbrand filed a lawsuit against Casetify, and within 24 hours, all products related to the Inside-out lineup disappeared from Casetify’s website. This lawsuit shed a lot of light on Casetify’s overall product lineup, capturing the attention of many. And what do you know? Reports began circulating, linking Casetify to iFixit—a reputable how-to website that guides users to tear downs, repairs, and also sells their own designs and cases. It appears that Casetify also shamelessly copied iFixit’s Insight Case. Their only attempt at originality was to mirror the design of said case that iFixit had spent time and resources making.

Naturally, I will be closely following the developments of this lawsuit. However, we all know that legal disputes are rarely resolved overnight, especially considering Casetify’s headquarters are in Hong Kong.

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Altman and Nadella Partnership – OpenAI Turbulence

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On November 20th at 8:15 am, Ilya Sutskever, the Co-Founder and Chief Scientist at OpenAI, expressed his remorse on Twitter/X for his involvement in the decision to remove Sam Altman as CEO, acknowledging the harm it caused to OpenAI.

The collaboration between OpenAI and Microsoft, which began in 2019, aims to develop advanced AI systems considered a groundbreaking technological innovation. Although Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella was unaware of Altman’s dismissal, it is worth noting that Microsoft has invested over 13 billion dollars in OpenAI to compete with Google’s dominance on the Internet. While I cannot speculate on their reasoning, such a substantial investment surely merits a notification when there is a significant shift in power within the company.

Speculation has been circulating about the potential return of Sam, but it seems that these rumors were unfounded. After being ousted from his own company under mysterious circumstances, it is clear that there was no wrongdoing on Sam’s part, as confirmed by the board. However, there is a significant deviation in the views of Sam and the board regarding the future of Artificial Intelligence.

While both Sam Altman and Greg Brockman believe that AI will propel humanity forward, the rest of the board takes a more cautious approach, expressing concerns about the potential risks associated with advancing AI technology too quickly.

According to the most recent official statement, Sam Altman has joined forces with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella to oversee a research team dedicated to advancing AI. In a tweet, Satya Nadella expressed his excitement about having Sam on board as the CEO of this new group, emphasizing their commitment to setting a new standard for innovation.

Greg Brockman, the President and Co-Founder of OpenAI was told due to his crucial role and importance to the company that he’d be staying on with the team. However, Greg did not appreciate the betrayal displayed by the rest of the board towards their former CEO, Sam Altman. Instead, he decided to leave OpenAI on the same day and join Sam at Microsoft to continue working together.

To recap, during a Google Meet conference call on November 17th, the board dismissed Sam Altman. The initial plan was for Greg Brockman to step down and report to a newly appointed CEO, but as we can see, that did not go as planned. The interim CEO, Mira Murati, was later replaced by Emmet Shear, the co-founder of Twitch.

Based on my previous reports, it appears that Altman, being the ambitious entrepreneur he is, is extremely determined to advance artificial intelligence at an accelerated pace. This has raised real concerns among the board members. However, the recent appointment of CEO Emmet Shear seems to have addressed these concerns, as his beliefs about prioritizing the well-being of humanity by regulating the AI industry align with theirs.

Employee letter to OpenAI board

Just one day after the board dismissed Sam, over 505 staff members at OpenAI, accounting for 66% of the company’s employees, wrote and signed a letter demanding his return or they would leave and follow him to Microsoft. This level of dedication is truly remarkable. Furthermore, rumors are circulating that not only the employees but also the investors want Sam back as CEO. Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, spoke to Bloomberg and highlighted how Microsoft’s diversified tech stacks allow them to attract top talent and innovators like Sam and Greg. He also emphasized that regardless of Sam’s location, be it at Microsoft or leading OpenAI, they will continue in their partnership towards advancing artificial intelligence.

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From Tech Layoff to Freelance Writing Freedom

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Navigating the Uncharted Waters

In the late months of 2023, the corporate landscape I once navigated with confidence underwent a seismic shift. I found myself caught in the aftershocks of a downsizing wave, a casualty of a tech company that, in the face of losing clients, had to make the difficult decision to suspend positions, mine included. Instead of succumbing to despair, I viewed this unexpected twist as an opportunity to explore a long-neglected passion: freelance writing.

Facing unemployment is an experience that can shake even the most seasoned professionals. However, rather than wallow in disappointment, I chose to see this as a chance to reassess my professional trajectory. The world was wide open, and with uncertainty came the prospect of exploring previous uncharted paths.

A Long-Delayed Pursuit: Freelance Writing as a Calling

While the shock of the layoff was noticeable, a dormant passion grew over the coming days. Freelance writing, a passion that’s been inside me for years, suddenly seemed like a guiding beacon through the uncertain terrain that lies ahead. Amid the chaos of losing a stable job, I found myself calm and clearheaded, feeling this could be the moment to embrace a passion that had long lingered in the background. 

In the hustle and bustle of the tech space, I’d often daydreamed about the quiet moments spent writing articles, creating narratives, and connecting with readers on a personal level. However, the demands and responsibilities of my tech career left little room for exploring this creative outlet. Now, with nothing but time looking like a blank canvas in my mind, I can dive into the world of freelance writing. 

Embracing the Unknown: Turning Inexperience into Hopeful Anticipation

Stepping into the world of freelance writing, I acknowledged and understood my limitations and inexperience in the field. Unlike the familiar corridors of tech recruiting or my past in hospitality management, the world of being a wordsmith was an entirely new journey for me. Yet, instead of letting the unknown terrain sway me, I viewed it as an opportunity for growth and reinvention. 

My passage into freelance writing wasn’t just about finding a new source of income; it was about finally embracing a passion I had pushed down over the years. With a digital blank canvas and keyboard at my fingertips, I wanted not only to express my thoughts but also to offer a compelling read for my audience. I approached this new venture with humility and an eagerness to learn.

The Quest for Skill Enhancement: From Tech to Wordsmithing

Coming from a recent tech-oriented mindset to a more creative one requires a shift in perspective. While my talents as a recruiter or even before as a hospitality manager were skills developed over time, writing required a different set of tools like nuance, emotion, and a deep understanding of human connection. Determined to bridge this gap, I welcome the challenge of enhancing my writing skills over time. 

Online courses, workshops, and writing communities became my virtual classrooms. I’m currently engaged in grammar practices, storytelling techniques, and the art of engaging an audience. Every article, blog post, or content I produce is a stepping stone to becoming a better wordsmith. 

Building a Portfolio: Examples and Opportunites

As I continued into the writing world, I quickly understood the importance of having a portfolio online. My lack of experience in the field meant I needed to showcase my skills through blog posts, articles, product overviews, and my own interpretation of tech headlines. I started with simple ideas in a folder that flourished into full-on Articles like this one in my portfolio.

With hopes of potential clients, partners, or collaborators looking for evidence of my skills, I curated a collection of my pieces that showcased my current ability to adapt to different tones, styles, and subject matters. The portfolio became not only a testament to my growth as a writer but also a powerful tool for attracting future opportunities. 

Networking: Connecting in the Digital Oasis

As a freelance writer, networking is more than just a buzzword; it’s a lifeline. Understanding the importance of connections, I ventured into the digital oasis, joining writing communities, participating in forums, and engaging with fellow writers and potential clients. LinkedIn became a powerful platform for establishing a professional presence and connecting with businesses looking for writers and quality content. 

Networking is not only about finding potential clients but also about learning from experienced writers. I continue looking for advice, feedback, and mentorship even from those who have walked this path before me. Insights from the experience of others have become invaluable guideposts, helping me navigate the twists and turns of the writing landscape. 

 

The Joy of Independence: Writing My Own Story

With the passing days, I found the fun and happiness in the independence that freelance writing afforded me. No longer tethered to prior commitments or expectations, I could chart my own path. The flexibility to choose projects aligned with my interests, set my working hours, and determine my rates brings a sense of empowerment I hadn’t experienced before. 

Being a wordsmith wasn’t just a means to an end; it was a canvas on which I painted my own narrative of professional fulfillment. The act of creating content, whether for businesses, publications, or personal projects, became a source of not just income but of genuine satisfaction.

Conclusion: From Suspension to Soaring

In the aftermath of a tech layoff, I found myself not at the end of a career but at the beginning of a new chapter. The suspension of my job served as a trigger that allowed me to soar into the realm of creativity and independence. 

As I continue navigating this uncharted terrain, I’m reminded that life’s unexpected twists can lead to the most rewarding destinations. The journey from a hospitality professional to a tech recruiter and to a freelance writer is a testament to the resilience within us. The suspension of late 2023 wasn’t an endpoint; it was a preamble to a story that continues to evolve. 

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Shiba Inu’s crypto rise and pains

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Shiba Inu has emerged as a prominent player in the world of cryptocurrencies, with its meme-inspired appeal capturing the imagination of the crypto community. Despite experiencing a surge in value, the coin faced a significant hurdle in the form of an exaggerated circulating supply, which cast doubts on its impressive growth and future potential.

The origins of Shiba Inu began in August 2020 when the crypto featuring the image of an endearing dog rode the meme coin wave initiated by Dogecoin. The ShibArmy created memes and posts that fostered a sense of belonging and helped elevate the coin’s popularity.

Shiba Inu’s skyrocketing value has made it a sensation, attracting investors and thrill-seekers alike to the idea of being part of a community-driven project that rides the meme coin trend. Shiba’s Cryptocurrency has generated immense excitement within the crypto space.

 

 

However, Shiba Inu’s success was hindered by its absurd 500 trillion coin circulation, raising concerns among investors and dampening the perception of scarcity. This reduced the coin’s value as investors wrestled with the financial realities of owning a cryptocurrency with such an exaggerated supply.

The market sentiment shifted, with investors recognizing the importance of understanding the economic fundamentals of any crypto coin, despite the buzz surrounding meme coins. The tale of Shiba Inu highlights the delicate balance between community passion and economic factors that dictate a cryptocurrency’s trajectory.

To address the issue of circulating supply, the Shiba Inu team took bold steps to reduce it through token burns, demonstrating a more mature approach to managing the cryptocurrency ecosystem. This highlights the need for cryptocurrency adopters to be aware of the economic fundamentals of any investment, rather than being swayed by the hype surrounding meme coins.

In conclusion, Shiba Inu’s meme-inspired appeal has been instrumental in catapulting it to success, but its inflated circulating supply has cast doubts on its potential. The coin’s rise and fall serve as a cautionary tale, underscoring the need for investors to consider economic factors alongside community passion.

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