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[sam120684]

Answered Questions of GRAY MINDS

[hyuneflix]

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[qqueenofhades]

Hello! This is kind of a weird ask, I'm sorry to bother you, but seeing as you're a very intelligent studied historian that I deeply respect, I was hoping you could offer some advice? Or like, things i could read? Lately, i feel like my critical thinking skills are emaciated and its scaring the shit out of me. I feel very slow and like I'm constantly missing important info in relation to news/history/social activism stuff. Thats so vague, sorry, but like any tips on how i can do better?

Aha, thank you. There was recently a good critical-thinking infograph on my dash, so obviously I thought I remembered who reblogged it and checked their blog, it wasn't them, thought it was someone else, checked their blog, it also wasn't them, and now I can't find it to link to. Alas. But I will try to sum up its main points and add a few of my own. I'm glad you're taking the initiative to work on this for yourself, and I will add that while it can seem difficult and overwhelming to sort through the mass of information, especially often-false, deliberately misleading, or otherwise bad information, there are a few tips to help you make some headway, and it's a skill that like any other skill, gets easier with practice. So yes.

The first and most general rule of thumb I would advise is the same thing that IT/computer people tell you about scam emails. If something is written in a way that induces urgency, panic, the feeling that you need to do something RIGHT NOW, or other guilt-tripping or anxiety-inducing language, it is -- to say the least -- questionable. This goes double if it's from anonymous unsourced accounts on social media, is topically or thematically related to a major crisis, or anything else. The intent is to create a panic response in you that overrides your critical faculties, your desire to do some basic Googling or double-checking or independent verification of its claims, and makes you think that you have to SHARE IT WITH EVERYONE NOW or you are personally and morally a bad person. Unfortunately, the world is complicated, issues and responses are complicated, and anyone insisting that there is Only One Solution and it's conveniently the one they're peddling should not be trusted. We used to laugh at parents and grandparents for naively forwarding or responding to obviously scam emails, but now young people are doing the exact same thing by blasting people with completely sourceless social media tweets, clips, and other manipulative BS that is intended to appeal to an emotional gut rather than an intellectual response. When you panic or feel negative emotions (anger, fear, grief, etc) you're more likely to act on something or share questionable information without thinking.

Likewise, you do have basic Internet literacy tools at your disposal. You can just throw a few keywords into Google or Wikipedia and see what comes up. Is any major news organization reporting on this? Is it obviously verifiable as a fake (see the disaster pictures of sharks swimming on highways that get shared after every hurricane)? Can you right-click, perform a reverse image search, and see if this is, for example, a picture from an unrelated war ten years ago instead of an up-to-date image of the current conflict? Especially with the ongoing Israel/Palestine imbroglio, we have people sharing propaganda (particularly Hamas propaganda) BY THE BUCKETLOAD and masquerading it as legitimate news organizations (tip: Quds News Network is literally the Hamas channel). This includes other scuzzy dirtbag-left websites like Grayzone and The Intercept, which often have implicit or explicit links to Russian-funded disinformation campaigns and other demoralizing or disrupting fake news that is deliberately designed to turn young left-leaning Westerners against the Democrats and other liberal political parties, which enables the electoral victory of the fascist far-right and feeds Putin's geopolitical and military aims. Likewise, half of our problems would be solved if tankies weren't so eager to gulp down and propagate anything "anti-Western" and thus amplify the Russian disinformation machine in a way even the Russians themselves sometimes struggle to do, but yeah. That relates to both Russia/Ukraine and Israel/Palestine.

Basically: TikTok, Twitter/X, Tumblr itself, and other platforms are absolutely RIFE with misinformation, and this is due partly to ownership (the Chinese government and Elon Fucking Musk have literally no goddamn reason whatsoever to build an unbiased algorithm, and have been repeatedly proven to be boosting bullshit that supports their particular worldviews) and partly due to the way in which the young Western left has paralyzed itself into hypocritical moral absolutes and pseudo-revolutionary ideology (which is only against the West itself and doesn't think that the rest of the world has agency to act or think for itself outside the West's influence, They Are Very Smart and Anti-Colonialist!) A lot of "information" in left-leaning social media spaces is therefore tainted by this perspective and often relies on flat-out, brazen, easily disprovable lies (like the popular Twitter account insisting that Biden could literally just overturn the Supreme Court if he really wanted to). Not all misinformation is that easy to spot, but with a severe lack of political, historical, civic, or social education (since it's become so polarized and school districts generally steer away from it or teach the watered-down version for fear of being attacked by Moms for Liberty or similar), it is quickly and easily passed along by people wanting trite and simplistic solutions for complex problems or who think the extent of social justice is posting the Right Opinions on social media.

As I said above, everything in the world is complicated and has multiple factors, different influences, possible solutions, involved actors, and external and internal causes. For the most part, if you're encountering anything that insists there's only one shiningly righteous answer (which conveniently is the one All Good and Moral People support!) and the other side is utterly and even demonically in the wrong, that is something that immediately needs a closer look and healthy skepticism. How was this situation created? Who has an interest in either maintaining the status quo, discouraging any change, or insisting that there's only one way to engage with/think about this issue? Who is being harmed and who is being helped by this rhetoric, including and especially when you yourself are encouraged to immediately spread it without criticism or cross-checking? Does it rely on obvious lies, ideological misinformation, or something designed to make you feel the aforementioned negative emotions? Is it independently corroborated? Where is it sourced from? When you put the author's name into Google, what comes up?

Also, I think it's important to add that as a result, it's simply not possible to distill complicated information into a few bite-sized and easily digestible social media chunks. If something is difficult to understand, that means you probably need to spend more time reading about it and encountering diverse perspectives, and that is research and work that has to take place primarily not on social media. You can ask for help and resources (such as you're doing right now, which I think is great!), but you can't use it as your chief or only source of information. You can and should obviously be aware of the limitations and biases of traditional media, but often that has turned into the conspiracy-theory "they never report on what's REALLY GOING ON, the only information you can trust is random anonymous social media accounts managed by God knows who." Traditional media, for better or worse, does have certain evidentiary standards, photographing, sourcing, and verifying requirements, and other ways to confirm that what they're writing about actually has some correspondence with reality. Yes, you need to be skeptical, but you can also trust that some of the initial legwork of verification has been done for you, and you can then move to more nuanced review, such as wording, presentation of perspective, who they're interviewing, any journalistic assumptions, any organizational shortcomings, etc.

Once again: there is a shit-ton of stuff out there, it is hard to instinctively know or understand how to engage with it, and it's okay if you don't automatically "get" everything you read. That's where the principle of actually taking the time to be informed comes in, and why you have to firmly divorce yourself from the notion that being socially aware or informed means just instantly posting or sharing on social media about the crisis of the week, especially if you didn't know anything about it beforehand and are just relying on the Leftist Groupthink to tell you how you should be reacting. Because things are complicated and dangerous, they take more effort to unpick than just instantly sharing a meme or random Twitter video or whatever. If you do in fact want to talk about these things constructively, and not just because you feel like you're peer-pressured into doing so and performing the Correct Opinions, then you will in fact need to spend non-social-media time and effort in learning about them.

If you're at a university, there are often subject catalogues, reference librarians, and other built-in tools that are there for you to use and which you SHOULD use (that's your tuition money, after all). That can help you identify trustworthy information sources and research best practices, and as you do that more often, it will help you have more of a feel for things when you encounter them in the wild. It's not easy at first, but once you get the hang of it, it becomes more so, and will make you more confident in your own judgments, beliefs, and values. That way when you encounter something that you KNOW is wrong, you won't be automatically pressured to share it just to fit in, because you will be able to tell yourself what the problems are.

Good luck!

[mariacallous]

When the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) arrived at the Internal Revenue Service earlier this year, leaders of the group reassured workers that the agency’s free tax filing tool, Direct File, would be spared from cuts. But only a few days after meeting with tax software lobbyists, the beloved tool was placed on the chopping block, multiple sources familiar tell WIRED.

The plans to potentially kill Direct File, the free tax filing tool developed by the IRS which services 25 states, was initiated by Sam Corcos, CEO of an Andreessen Horowitz–backed health startup that has ties to SpaceX. Corcos’ suggestion to cut the popular service was presented to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in the beginning of March, multiple sources familiar say.

The weekend before Corcos suggested ending Direct File, he spoke of it positively to IRS engineers. By Friday, he had changed his tune. As sources WIRED spoke to understand it, Direct File would remain online through the 2025 tax filing season but would likely be dead by next year.

“Throughout the week, the tone had shifted,” says one source. The decision to end Direct File “came out of nowhere.”

Days after the weekend meeting, Corcos told multiple sources that he had met with Free File Inc. (previously the Free File Alliance), a group of tax preparation software companies that partner with the IRS to offer free online tax filing services. The group was organized by Intuit, which produces TurboTax, more than 20 years ago as a means of offering free filing services to lower-income taxpayers. In return, the IRS promised not to create its own government-run online filing system.

Before Inauguration Day in January and well into the following month, DOGE leadership, including Steve Davis, CEO and president of Elon Musk’s Boring Company, and Amy Gleason, acting administrator for the US DOGE Service, said they were impressed with the Direct File project and reassured the engineering team working on it that it was safe, multiple sources tell WIRED. (Though Davis stepped away from government last month, he continued to lead meetings and deliver orders to DOGE representatives. This included Corcos, who reportedly refused to cooperate, and Davis attempted to oust him.)

The IRS did not immediately respond to a request for comment from WIRED. Corcos now serves as the Treasury’s chief information officer.

“We think [the IRS] ought to wind it down, and they ought to focus their attention on other key priorities like modernization,” David Ransom, a tax lobbyist representing the American Coalition for Taxpayer Rights, told NOTUS in April. At least two tax preparation companies represented by the American Coalition for Taxpayer Rights, TaxSlayer and TaxHawk, also belong to the Free File Alliance. (By 2021, Intuit and H&R Block left the Free File Alliance.)

Prior to Intuit’s departure, ProPublica reported that code had been introduced into the company’s version of the Free File website that essentially hid the service from search engines like Google, making it nearly impossible to find without directly navigating to it.

Corcos has been one of DOGE’s primary decisionmakers at the IRS, multiple sources at the agency tell WIRED. In April, he led a three-day workshop with a number of representatives from Palantir to build a new “mega API” for accessing all internal IRS records. At the time, sources said the IRS was testing whether to use Palantir’s Foundry software as a central reading center for all IRS systems.

Around the time Corcos arrived as a senior adviser at the Treasury Department in late February, other DOGE members were being onboarded to the agency. Todd Newnam, who previously was a CEO of a tech company, joined as a Schedule C employee. As Corcos’ supervisor, Newnam was the DOGE team lead at the Treasury for all IRS-related matters, according to a court filing. Corcos reported to Newnam through early May, when he was named the Treasury CIO, and as stated in a separate court filing, the group worked on a variety of projects, including “reviewing of the [IRS’s] vendor contracts.” In his financial disclosure form, Newnam listed owning shares of Intuit, as first reported by Politico. Newnam wasn’t the only DOGE member to own Intuit shares—Linda Whitridge and Tom Krause, both at the Bureau of Fiscal Service, own shares of Intuit.

[walks-the-ages]

https://www.inaturalist.org/blog/113184-inaturalist-receives-grant-to-improve-species-suggestions

iNaturalist is excited to announce an award from Google.org Accelerator: Generative AI to help build tools to improve the identification experience for the iNaturalist community. The project we proposed builds off of our demo from last year to search iNaturalist photos with text. The award from Google.org provides $1.5M over 2.5 years plus access to Google staff to advise the iNaturalist team. [...] By using generative AI (GenAI), we hope to synthesize information about how to distinguish different species and accurately convey that to iNaturalist users. Instead of just offering AI species suggestions of what you saw, we want to offer a why as well. By providing explanations in addition to a list of suggestions, iNaturalist hopes to more effectively grow a skilled community of naturalists who have the information and tools to improve and vet the data on iNaturalist.

[jingerpi]

Thank you very much for the post you made to help me with starting with marxism. It certainly made me feel more motivated to keep trying my best to understand it. You also said that if needed, you could make an explanation on how to navigate websites to find bettee information, if i understood correctly, and it would be very useful and appreciated by me if you did, if it's not much trouble. Thank you once again! Hope youre doing well.

I'm really glad to hear I was able to help! So a lot of this post is going to be tips on general computer navigation and sourcing, I will mention a few websites but I dont want to depend on specifics too much because the best sites for things change with time but most general skills stay applicable. A lot of this will also be somewhat basic, I don't know your level of your experience with computers and the internet, so just take anything helpful and leave anything that isn't helpful to you. There may be tips which are helpful for general literacy, but thats not an area I'm well equipped in, so this will be primarily about internet navigation. First you need a browser you're comfortable with. Any browser works, but some offer different tools for collecting information, saving tabs, or blocking ads or paywalls walls, and customizing sites with extensions. Personally I recommend firefox, but there are tons of good options and even the bad options are typically functional. If you are looking for a new browser I just advise finding one thats not based on chromium, otherwise go wild.

Browsers are important for a few reasons, a lot of people are concerned about them for privacy reasons or computer performance, but the main reason I bring them up here is because of extensions. chromium browsers have a significantly more controlled environment which stops many extensions from working. On firefox there are many good adblocking extensions (ublock origin being the all you need in most cases), but there are also extensions that will customize websites, allow you to save pictures or download webpages, to save audio, and plenty of other functionality like grouping tabs in unique ways. Again though, any browser works, its just one thing to consider if you're looking to get into more intentional use of the internet, browsers are the start for that. Next would be your search engine. Again, anything is fine, google is typically the most reliable, but the important thing here to keep in mind is that there are other engines available. Using any one engine will likely leave you with missing or skewed results. google blocks a lot of piracy and non-western information. duck duck go blocks a lot of information coming from Russia. If you're unable to find something you want, try another search engine. You can also try searx if you want, its easy to get bogged down in the behind the scenes stuff for searx but basically it allows you to select from multiple search engines and customize what results you want while aggregating (collecting) from multiple bigger search engines. It isn't a single company that runs searx(ng) but a software you can use and anyone can run, but most people find an instance someone else is hosting to use, it works very similarly to mastodon on fedi if you're familiar. As for actually using a search engine, this part will have a bit more detail behind it. Many search engines have special characters and tricks you can use to get very specific results, that may be hard to otherwise access. These will be ones which work on google but most should work in other search engines as well If put a word or phrase in "quotations" this will make any result require that specific string of characters shows up in your results. if its an important piece of information and you search is showing you other unrelated stuff constantly, or you're looking for an exact quote from an article or something, try adding quotation marks around that portion of your search. add a - (minus/dash) before a word. This has to be directly next to the word like -this. Doing so removes the term from the search. You can combine it with the previous tip to remove entire phrases or strings from your results. sometimes its hard to find what you want because theres something more popular with a similar name. say you want to find something george h w bush wrote, but George W Bush keeps coming up, you can search

George Bush -"George W Bush"

and now it will take out any results that are about the other bush (or at least the ones which contain his name written that way). Its rare for this to be needed, usually you can just be more specific or use the first trick, but sometimes it can be helpful for finding very niche information when theres a lot of false positives. theres also ways to search by date, where you add either "before:" or "after:" and then follow it immediately by a date written in YYYY-MM-DD format. there are also several things you can do to search for images better. you can use reverse image search (images.google) to find if a picture already exists elsewhere, or try to find the source of it, and you can also search images by color weirdly enough, though I've not found it useful personally. Thats most of the search engine specific tips. You can probably find more if you look them up. They're niche, but good to know exist, because when you need them you really need them. Lastly, often phrasing can matter. dont be afraid to switch up word order or append a website name like nytimes, al jazeera, or reddit to the end of your search for more specificity depending on what you're trying to find, it can help a lot, you don't need a plainly worded coherent sentence for the engine to work, often being too grammatically correct will make results worse. Now onto site navigation and shortcuts. One of the most important things for research is finding sources for claims. Often websites will link their sources with either outgoing hyperlinks or little numbers above words that will take you to a later portion in the page. Using these is crucial for doing critical research, but they can often make it easy to lose your spot in the webpage. to prevent this, you can either click your scroll wheel inwards (called middle click), or hold the ctrl key while you click. These will both open the link you're hovering in a new tab, allowing you to return to the one you're on without having your place moved at all. If you middle click without hovering a link, it will put you into scroll mode, and dragging your mouse up or down will continually scroll the page in that direction. If you want to make an new blank tab quickly, you can use ctrl+t, if you want to reopen a tab you closed before, even on accident, you can use ctrl+shift+t, which will open the last tab you closed, and you can do it repeatedly until you open many many tabs. I use this shortcut a ton to find things I would've otherwise lost. Another thing thats really useful for finding things within webpages, is ctrl+f, which lets you search the entire page (or as much is loaded) for certain words. it'll pop up a little text box and you can use it to find quotes or information without having to scroll through meticulously. It does look for exact matches though, so sometimes you have to be careful that the phrase you're looking for doesn't contain any unusual punctuation, or if it does that you're replicating it. tab by itself typically runs between buttons on computers or pages, while space bar will scroll down automatically, shift+space scrolls back up. shift often works as an inverter for other commands, making them move in the opposite direction, it works for shift+tab as well, to move backwards to the last button. using alt+left arrow key, or alt+right arrow key, will move you back and forward respectively in a tabs history. if you want to quickly go back a page, you can do so via the arrow keys.

the last really useful shortcut I can recommend, if you have multiple windows open, maybe different browsers or you're talking to someone on your computer while also doing research, you can use alt+tab to quickly switch between windows (shift+alt+tab to go backwards). its not really research specific but its an invaluable tool for easily getting around on a computer.

Unfortunately these shortcuts are mostly only things you can do on desktop browsers, not mobile, but there are some things you can still do, like "find in page" is the same as ctrl+f and you can tap and hold a link to bring up the option to open it in a new page. Mobile is often harder to navigate, but its still very doable.

Those are most of the technical tips I have, but theres a lot of other things to learn for navigating the internet. the main thing i would stress is to look for primary sources. Often you may want to click a random garbage article and scroll until you see a hyperlink for a source, and scroll click that to read in a new page. Sometimes you'll end up at the bottom of a wikipedia page scouring their sources. even if the page itself is likely to be very biased, you can get an idea of popular claims and interrogate the sourcing they use. If you're looking up political information, I encourage you to search for how certain groups are funded, its often quite revealing once you get past the several layers of intentional obfuscations many think tanks and NGOs hide their donors behind. If you're trying to find scientific information, you can use google scholar to find published and peer reviewed articles, and you can use sci-hub or other similar sites to access those papers for free. speaking of, you'll often encounter paywalls when looking into things, and while I'm not going to give specifics here as it often changes with time and this post is already long enough, theres nearly always a way around it if you do a little searching or reading on the topic. Lastly, the internet archive is extremely helpful. Not only do they archive many primary sources, so you can look at them yourself and read old textbooks that would otherwise be lost, among other things, they also have the wayback machine which allows you to look at webpages in their previous forms. This can be super helpful if a webpage gets deleted, an article goes down, or even just to view a changelog of someones website. Often tracking this information of what was added to a site and when can be extremely helpful for internet archeology or just generally understanding a course of events. Even if you don't have anything useful in mind, go try the wayback machine on a random page that comes to mind. it has archives of most popular pages, and it will add pages you want if you need to access them later but worry they'll be deleted. Like a trans womans tumblr post for example lol. anyway, thanks for the ask! hopefully some of this was helpful. I know its not the typical information people give when asking about literacy, but its my area of knowledge and I think its nearly as important as being able to read information itself. You cant read something if you cant access it. I'll happily let others discuss how to critically read and understand writings. Overall my main encouragement would be to just look stuff up, a lot. when it doubt, look it up. scroll a few sites. read some threads. find a youtube video. read an archive. open a million tabs, who's going to stop you, jeff bezos? learn what you can. As you learn more you'll get better at learning and knowing how to learn, and where to look for the information you need. Good luck!

[aartidigiland]

Digital Marketing Skills for 2025: How to Excel with SEO, SMM, and More

Digital marketing remains to evolve the kind of businesses and it has become an essential skill set for working individuals. It becomes critical to know the marketing skills required when you consider the fact that more organizations are transforming to digital marketing skills, If you are looking for a digital marketing course after 12th or searching for a digital marketing institute near me, these skills can help you have a great career in 2025.

Why Mastering Digital Marketing Skills is Crucial in 2025

As the future is continuously embracing the era of technology and advanced digital platforms, it is imperative to have workforce with the skills required for digital marketing. The use of digital marketing by firms to improve their visibility, interact with customers, and grow is common. Through the course skills needed for digital marketing you will be able to stand out in a competitive world when it comes to employment.

5 In-Demand Digital Marketing Skills for 2025

1. Optimisation for appearance on the list of the Search engines (SEO).

SEO still serves as one of the critical forms of Internet advertising, enabling companies to occupy higher positions in the list of search engine findings by providing a possibility to attract the so-called free visitors. To master this skill:

·Understand what holding keyword research means and why it helps increase traffic.

·Definition of on-page SEO and off-page SEO, link building and content placing.

·Apart from the basics, use such advanced tools for analytics as Google Analytics, Ahrefs, and SEMrush.

SEO Tip: Some of these keywords might rank very high with local users searching for digital marketing institute near me or digital marketing course in Hisar.

2. Social Media Marketing (SMM)

Social media are an invaluable tool to gain customers’ attention and create a brand image. To excel in social media marketing:

·Get acquainted with such sites as Instagram, LinkedIn and other social media outlets and new technologies.

·Formulate recommendations for writing interesting posts, telling stories and creating interesting campaigns.

·Use other analytical instruments to quantify the achieved results and the level of the audience’s activity.

SMM Tip: Looking at the current trend and young people devices it is advisable to invest on the current trending apps like tiktok so as to reach young people such as students who are thinking of joining a digital marketing course after 12th.

3. Analysis and Interpretation of data

Digital marketing management has always relied on the use of information when making decisions. Analytics skills enable professionals to:

·Monitor activity on a website, behaviour of visitors, and revenues of campaigns.

·For the visualization and analysis of data use tools such as Tableau, Power BI, and Google Analytics.

·Apply data to enhance the ways of targeting customers and raise the level of victory.

Data Tip: Providing data on trends by virtue of analyzing the number of searches, for instance digital marketing skills, or marketing skills, among others.

4. Content Marketing and Copywriting

Content is the key and primary focus for any digital marketing activity. Build expertise in:

·Creating engaging stories, and social proofs.

·Audience personas and how best to use them when creating content.

·Applying the concept of SEO for new page visibility and marketing.

Content Tip: Use keywords like the skills required for digital marketing so that the posts contribute to the marketing of your digital marketing course and have the potential to be found by interested readers.

5. Paid Advertising and PPC Campaigns

PPC advertising and other forms of paid advertising also a fast way of giving businesses tangible leads. To excel in this domain:

·Understand how Google Ads and Meta Ads work, for example.

·Learn the finer details of ad targeting, setting and optimization of the advertising budget.

·Research retargeting techniques in order to achieve a higher level of campaign success.

Advertising Tip: Such advertisements or promotions for phrases like digital marketing institute in Hisar or digital marketing course in Hisar will help in gaining such importance and visibility.

How to Choose the Best Digital Marketing Course for You

Choosing the right kind of digital marketing course, tailor made for your needs is of paramount importance as this should be informing a hands on approach as well as good knowledge about what is happening in the industry. Consider the following:

Eligibility: The majority of courses, including Digiland’s, are rather liberal with entry requirements regarding their digital marketing course meaning that the courses are pretty open to novices.

Location: Looking for a digital marketing institute near me means that you have the opportunity to get quality training from the nearest facility.

Specialization: Select a course that teaches skills ranging from SEO, SMM and any other things like analytics.

How Digiland Marketing Courses Help You Excel

Currently, at Digiland, we provide you with all courses that will give you skills you need to practice digital marketing. Regardless of whether the learner is a high school graduate or a working person our programs address the differing needs. Key highlights include:

·Comprehensive curriculum in line with the industry in terms of the most important domain areas of digital marketing.

·Theoretical and hands-on end-users’ training carried out by the experienced professionals.

·This is because; flexible learning schedules and affordable fees characterize most of the online schools.

If you want to know about the top institute for digital marketing in Hisar, just contact us at Digiland. We make sure that with the modern facilities and distinguished faculty our students are prepared to face the conditions in 2025.

Explore the first step towards having a fulfilling career through joining Digiland’s digital marketing programs. We are the best when it comes to digital marketing course in Hisar or looking for options after the 12th and the best part is the training is always sure to succeed. Want to become a pro in digital marketing? Then why waiting, become a member of Digiland today!

FAQs about Digital Marketing Courses

What are the eligibility criteria for a digital marketing course?

Most courses are open to all, with no prior experience required. Check specific programs for their digital marketing course eligibility.

Can I pursue a digital marketing course after the 12th?

Yes, many institutions, including Digiland, offer beginner-friendly courses designed for students exploring careers post-12th grade.

What is the scope of digital marketing in Hisar?

With businesses in Hisar rapidly embracing digital strategies, there’s a growing demand for skilled marketers.

What are the skills required for digital marketing in 2025?

Key skills include SEO, social media marketing, data analytics, and content creation.

Can beginners enroll in Digiland’s digital marketing courses?

Absolutely! Our programs are structured to accommodate learners at all levels.

[gatekeeper-watchman]

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#GWIG, #GWIN, #GWINGO, #Sparkermiller

Wednesday, December 11, 2024, Jacksonville, Florida USA

5:48:08 PM

www.facebook.com/gatekeeperwatchnan

www.facebook.com/

Instagram: steven_parker_miller_1956

[unsoundedcomic]

Hi Ashley, not your usual lore question here and maybe you've answered this before, but I'm thinking of venturing into webcomics and you're one of the prime examples of taking someone taking advantage of the medium's possibilities. What skills did you have to learn beyond art and storytelling to take advantage of the web in your layouts and page turns? Were there specific web design tools? And can you recommend any other creators/inspirations that push the bounds of web-comics?

Hey Patrick!

I was able to cheat a little with the web stuff because I already knew html and css from my fandom days. I used to build and run silly video game sites and character shrines. In the earlier days of the internet you really had to have at least a sketchy knowledge of web design to express yourself, whether through building a site of your own or putting together a forum signature.

These days not so much. There are programs that will design it all for you. I am not up to date on what they are because I still do it all by hand, but if someone could suggest a good wysiwyg web editor in the comments for our friend, that would be awesome.

Most webcomic artists these days are leaving this matter up to a third party host like Tapas or Webtoons. If you do host yourself, you'll need to buy hosting, upload everything to your own server, all that jazz. It's not hard, and many tutorials are just a Google search away.

All the fancy stuff? Animations? Page turns? Also a Google search away :) I can tell you what mechanics to pursue but I'd need to know the baseline of your knowledge. Are you familiar with html and css? Do you know how to work with javascript? These are the tools you use to get elements to do cool things in the browser window. You don't have to reinvent the wheel at all, you can find code elsewhere and tweak it to suit your purposes, but you might be lost if you don't first understand how a webpage is put together.

I learned all this stuff organically and on my own due to my aforementioned weeby fandom days, so it's hard to advise someone else on where to get started. Probably install one of the editors that someone is going to nicely suggest in the comments, build your layout, get your art together, put it all online, and then list out the concrete steps of what you want to do. Then you can start Googling for the code to get you there.

Good luck!

[sprout-pink]

How to Determine If a Forex or Cryptocurrency Platform Is Legitimate

The rise of Forex and cryptocurrency trading has led to a significant increase in the number of platforms available to traders. However, not all of these platforms are reputable or trustworthy. Knowing how to differentiate a legitimate trading platform from a fraudulent one is crucial for protecting one's investments. This article provides a comprehensive guide on how to evaluate the legitimacy of a Forex or cryptocurrency platform, covering key areas such as regulatory information, legal disclosures, company registration details, online reputation, and social media presence.

1. Check Regulatory Information

The first and most important step in determining the legitimacy of a Forex or cryptocurrency platform is to check its regulatory status. Reputable platforms are usually regulated by recognized financial authorities, such as the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), or similar bodies in other jurisdictions.

1.1 How to Verify Regulation Status

Visit the Regulator's Official Website: To verify if a platform is genuinely regulated, visit the official website of the regulatory body mentioned by the platform. Use the regulator’s search tool to look up the platform's name or registration number. Ensure that every detail matches exactly, as fraudulent platforms often provide misleading or incorrect information.

Confirm with the Platform: Cross-check the information on the regulatory body’s website with the details provided on the platform’s own website. Any discrepancies between the two could be a red flag.

1.2 Why Regulation Matters

Regulation ensures that a platform adheres to strict financial rules, operates transparently, and is subject to regular audits. It also provides a certain level of protection for investors, as regulatory bodies can intervene in cases of misconduct.

2. Review Legal Information on the Company’s Website

A legitimate Forex or cryptocurrency platform will have a well-documented legal section on its website. This section should include terms and conditions, privacy policies, and risk disclosures.

2.1 Key Legal Disclosures to Look For

Terms and Conditions: These outline the contractual obligations between the user and the platform. They should be clear, comprehensive, and not contain any ambiguous language that could be exploited.

Privacy Policy: A legitimate platform will have a detailed privacy policy explaining how user data is collected, used, and protected. Look for specifics about data encryption and user confidentiality.

Risk Disclosure Statements: Trading in Forex and cryptocurrencies involves significant risk. Platforms should provide risk disclosure statements outlining the potential for loss and advising users on the risks associated with trading.

2.2 Assessing the Legality of Documents

Carefully read through these documents to ensure they are professionally written and free from grammatical errors or inconsistencies. Poorly written or vague legal documents can be an indication of a scam platform.

3. Verify Company Registration Information

A legitimate platform should provide clear details about its corporate identity, including its registered company name, registration number, and office address.

3.1 How to Verify Registration Details

Check the Company’s Name and Registration Number: These details should be available on the platform's website. Verify them with the official company registry in the platform's home country.

Confirm Office Address: Ensure the company’s physical address is real and not just a P.O. box. A quick Google Maps search can provide insights into whether the address is a legitimate office space or a residential area.

3.2 Importance of Registration Verification

Verifying registration information helps confirm that the company is a legitimate entity and not a fly-by-night operation. Registered companies are more likely to adhere to financial regulations and are accountable to the law.

4. Check Website Registration Details

Beyond corporate registration, it is also essential to check the domain registration details of the platform’s website. This can provide further clues about the legitimacy of the platform.

4.1 Steps to Check Domain Registration

Use WHOIS Lookup Tools: Websites like WHOIS.net or ICANN WHOIS can provide information about the domain’s registration date, owner, and contact details. A domain registered recently, especially within the last six months, could be a warning sign.

Look for Transparency: Legitimate platforms often have their domain registered under their company name, with contact details that match their corporate information. Be wary of domains registered under privacy protection services or those that hide their registrant details.

4.2 Domain Registration Red Flags

Domains with private registration or those that have been recently created may indicate a lack of transparency and could be associated with fraudulent activities.

5. Check Online Reputation

The online reputation of a Forex or cryptocurrency platform can provide significant insights into its legitimacy.

5.1 Use Review Websites and Forums

Read User Reviews: Websites like Trustpilot, Forex Peace Army, and similar forums can provide user reviews and feedback about the platform. Pay attention to common complaints, especially those related to withdrawals, platform stability, or customer service issues.

Look for Patterns: Isolated negative reviews are common for any business, but consistent patterns of complaints could indicate systemic issues or fraudulent behavior.

5.2 Assessing Credibility of Reviews

Be cautious of overly positive reviews that seem generic or promotional. These could be fake reviews posted by the platform itself or by paid reviewers.

6. Verify Social Media and Other Online Information

A legitimate Forex or cryptocurrency platform should have a robust social media presence. Their social media channels can offer insights into their customer service quality and overall reputation.

6.1 Evaluate Social Media Profiles

Check Activity Levels: Active social media profiles with regular updates, transparent communication, and engagement with users are positive indicators of legitimacy.

Look for Red Flags: Be wary of platforms with inactive social media accounts or those filled with complaints and no responses. Also, avoid platforms that disable comments on their social media posts, as this could be an attempt to hide negative feedback.

6.2 Cross-Check Information

Ensure that the information on social media matches what is on the platform’s website and in official communications. Discrepancies could be a warning sign.

7. Compare Regulatory Bodies with Provided Information

Ensure the regulatory bodies listed by the platform match exactly with what is stated on their official website. Even a single incorrect letter could indicate deception. Some fraudulent platforms may list legitimate regulatory bodies but slightly alter the names or registration numbers.

7.1 Common Deceptive Practices

Fraudulent platforms may use names that closely resemble well-known regulatory bodies, such as “Financial Services Authority” instead of the actual “Financial Conduct Authority.” Always verify directly with the official regulator.

8. Conclusion

Determining the legitimacy of a Forex or cryptocurrency platform requires diligence and attention to detail. By thoroughly checking regulatory information, legal disclosures, company and website registration details, online reputation, and social media presence, one can reduce the risk of falling victim to scams. Remember, if anything seems suspicious or too good to be true, it probably is.

FAQs

1. What should I do if a platform claims to be regulated but I cannot find it on the regulator's website?

If a platform claims to be regulated but does not appear on the regulator’s website, it is best to avoid it. Contact the regulatory body directly to verify any information provided by the platform.

2. Why is checking the company's registration details important?

Verifying a company's registration details ensures that it is a legally recognized entity. This reduces the risk of dealing with a fraudulent or non-existent company.

3. Can I trust user reviews on Forex or cryptocurrency platforms?

User reviews can be helpful, but they should be approached with caution. Look for patterns in reviews and be wary of overly positive or promotional reviews that may be fake.

4. What does it mean if a platform has a new domain registration?

A new domain registration could indicate that the platform is a recent entrant, which may lack a proven track record. It could also be a red flag for a potentially fraudulent operation.

5. How can social media help in assessing a platform's legitimacy?

Social media can provide insights into a platform’s customer service, engagement, and reputation. Platforms that are active and responsive on social media are generally more reliable.

6. Is regulation the only factor that determines a platform's legitimacy?

While regulation is a key factor, it is not the only one. Other factors like legal disclosures, company registration, online reputation, and transparency also play crucial roles in determining a platform's legitimacy.

Reference:

TraderKnows

Wikipedia

[ninjatech1]

ECommerce Website Checklist 10 Essentials You Need to Know

In the fast-paced world of online business, creating a successful e-commerce website requires careful planning and attention to detail. Whether you're launching a new venture or looking to enhance your existing platform, it's crucial to have a comprehensive checklist in place. In this guide, we'll explore the 10 essentials you need to know to ensure your e-commerce website thrives. Brought to you by NinjaTech, your trusted partner in cutting-edge technology.

User-Friendly Design: Start by ensuring your website has an intuitive and visually appealing design. NinjaTech recommends a clean layout, easy navigation, and a mobile-responsive interface to provide a seamless shopping experience for your customers.

Secure Payment Gateways: NinjaTech emphasizes the importance of secure payment options. Integrate trusted payment gateways to build trust with your customers. SSL certificates and encryption protocols are essential for safeguarding sensitive information.

High-Quality Product Imagery: Showcase your products with high-resolution images. NinjaTech suggests investing in professional photography to highlight product details and build a strong visual connection with your audience.

Efficient Shopping Cart and Checkout Process: Streamline the buying process with a user-friendly shopping cart and checkout system. NinjaTech recommends minimizing steps, providing clear instructions, and offering guest checkout options to enhance convenience.

Responsive Customer Support: Prioritize customer support to build trust and loyalty. NinjaTech suggests incorporating live chat, email support, and a comprehensive FAQ section to address customer queries promptly.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Boost your website's visibility on search engines. Implement SEO strategies recommended by NinjaTech, such as keyword optimization, meta tags, and XML sitemaps, to attract organic traffic.

Social Media Integration: Leverage the power of social media to promote your products. NinjaTech advises integrating social sharing buttons and maintaining an active presence on platforms relevant to your audience.

Analytics and Reporting Tools: Monitor your website's performance with analytics tools. NinjaTech recommends platforms like Google Analytics to track visitor behavior, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions for business growth.

Mobile Optimization: With the increasing use of mobile devices, ensure your website is optimized for smartphones and tablets. NinjaTech highlights the importance of responsive design and mobile-friendly features for a broader reach.

Regular Updates and Maintenance: Keep your website current with regular updates. NinjaTech stresses the significance of maintaining plugins, security patches, and overall website health to ensure a smooth and secure shopping experience for your customers.

Conclusion:

In the dynamic world of e-commerce, staying ahead requires attention to detail and continuous improvement. By following this comprehensive checklist brought to you by NinjaTech, you'll be well-equipped to create an e-commerce website that not only meets but exceeds customer expectations. Elevate your online presence with NinjaTech's expertise, and watch your business thrive in the digital marketplace.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

This day in history

I'm on tour with my new, nationally bestselling novel The Bezzle! Catch me in TUCSON (Mar 9-10), then San Francisco (Mar 13), Anaheim, and more!

#20yrsago Lego Pantone values https://memex.craphound.com/2004/03/04/lego-pantone-values/

#20yrsago Mojo Nixon retiring https://web.archive.org/web/20040402054153/http://www.mojonixon.com/

#20yrsago Jay-Z construction set http://www.jayzconstructionset.com

#20yrsago Anthropomorphic Mars Rover LiveJournal https://opportunitygrrl.livejournal.com

#15yrsago Child in wet bathing suit made to stand in -5F weather because school policy forbade her from waiting in teacher’s car https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/teen-teachers-made-me-stand-outside-in-wet-bathing-suit-barefoot/

#10yrsago Data-compression with playing cards https://www.timwarriner.com/carddata/index.html

#10yrsago David Cameron’s porn-filter advisor arrested for possession of images of sexual abuse of children https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/senior-tory-adviser-patrick-rock-arrested-on-child-pornography-allegations-9166837.html

#10yrsago Free download of danah boyd’s must-read book “It’s Complicated” https://www.zephoria.org/thoughts/archives/2014/03/03/its-complicated-open-access.html

#10yrsago Podcast: Cold Equations and Moral Hazard https://ia800202.us.archive.org/17/items/CoryDoctorowPodcast267ColdEquationsAndMoralHazard/Cory_Doctorow_Podcast_267_Cold_Equations_and_Moral_Hazard.mp3

#10yrsago Guy who “fixed” women’s computers spied through their webcams https://www.wired.co.uk/article/cyber-voyeur

#10yrsago Barrett Brown legal motion: linking is protected by the First Amendment https://web.archive.org/web/20140307111151/http://freebarrettbrown.org/right-to-link/

#5yrsago Fox News was always partisan, but now it is rudderless and “anti-democratic” https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/03/11/the-making-of-the-fox-news-white-house

#5yrsago How the patent office’s lax standards gave Elizabeth Holmes the BS patents she needed to defraud investors and patients https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/03/theranos-how-a-broken-patent-system-sustained-its-decade-long-deception/

#5yrsago Open dataset of 1.78b links from the public web, 2016-2019 https://blog.gdeltproject.org/who-links-to-whom-the-30m-edge-gkg-outlink-domain-graph-april-2016-to-jan-2019/

#5yrsago Automated reception kiosks are a security dumpster fire https://securityintelligence.com/stranger-danger-x-force-red-finds-19-vulnerabilities-in-visitor-management-systems/

#5yrsago Alias: a smart-speaker “parasite” that blocks your speaker’s sensors until you activate it https://web.archive.org/web/20190321085518/https://bjoernkarmann.dk/project_alias

#5yrsago Financialization is wearing out its welcome https://www.ft.com/content/a9f13afc-3c3d-11e9-b856-5404d3811663

#5yrsago German data privacy commissioner says Article 13 inevitably leads to filters, which inevitably lead to internet “oligopoly” https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/03/german-data-privacy-commissioner-says-article-13-inevitably-leads-filters-which

#5yrsago Tim Maughan’s Infinite Detail: a debut sf novel about counterculture, resistance, and the post-internet apocalypse https://memex.craphound.com/2019/03/04/tim-maughans-infinite-detail-a-debut-sf-novel-about-counterculture-resistance-and-the-post-internet-apocalypse/

#5yrsago Terra Nullius: Grifters, settler colonialism and “intellectual property” https://locusmag.com/2019/03/cory-doctorow-terra-nullius/

#5yrsago Leaked memo suggests that Google has not really canceled its censored, spying Chinese search tool https://theintercept.com/2019/03/04/google-ongoing-project-dragonfly/

#1yrago Solving the Moderator's Trilemma with Federation https://pluralistic.net/2023/03/04/pick-all-three/#agonism

[mariacallous]

The US Patent and Trademark Office banned the use of generative artificial intelligence for any purpose last year, citing security concerns with the technology as well as the propensity of some tools to exhibit “bias, unpredictability, and malicious behavior,” according to an April 2023 internal guidance memo obtained by WIRED through a public records request. Jamie Holcombe, the chief information officer of the USPTO, wrote that the office is “committed to pursuing innovation within our agency” but are still “working to bring these capabilities to the office in a responsible way.”

Paul Fucito, press secretary for the USPTO, clarified to WIRED that employees can use “state-of-the-art generative AI models” at work—but only inside the agency’s internal testing environment. “Innovators from across the USPTO are now using the AI Lab to better understand generative AI's capabilities and limitations and to prototype AI-powered solutions to critical business needs,” Fucito wrote in an email.

Outside of the testing environment, USPTO staff are barred from relying on AI programs like OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Anthropic’s Claude for work tasks. The guidance memo from last year also prohibits the use of any outputs from the tools, including images and videos generated by AI. But Patent Office employees can use some approved AI programs, such as those within the agency’s own public database for looking up registered patents and patent applications. Earlier this year, the USPTO approved a $75 million contract with Accenture Federal Services to update its patent database with enhanced AI-powered search features.

The US Patent and Trademark Office, an agency within the Department of Commerce, is in charge of protecting inventors, awarding patents, and registering trademarks. It also “advises the president of the United States, the secretary of commerce, and US government agencies on intellectual property (IP) policy, protection, and enforcement,” according to the USPTO’s website.

At a Google-sponsored event in 2023, Holcombe, the author of the guidance memo, said government bureaucracy makes it difficult for the public sector to use new technologies. “Everything we do in the government is pretty stupid, when you compare it to the commercial world, right?” he said. Holcombe specifically cited cumbersome budgeting, procurement, and compliance processes, arguing that they hamper the government's ability to rapidly adopt innovations like artificial intelligence.

The USPTO is not the only government agency to ban staff from using generative AI, at least for some purposes. Earlier this year, the National Archives and Records Administration prohibited the use of ChatGPT on government-issued laptops, according to 404 Media. But soon afterward, the National Archives hosted an internal presentation that encouraged employees to “think of [Google’s] Gemini as a co-worker.” During the meeting, some archivists reportedly expressed concerns about the accuracy of generative AI. Next month, the National Archives is planning to release a new public chatbot for accessing archival records developed with technology from Google.

Other US government agencies are using—or avoiding—generative AI in different ways. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, for example, specifically banned the use of AI chatbots for sensitive data. NASA did decide, however, to experiment with the technology for writing code and summarizing research. The agency also announced last week that it’s working with Microsoft on an AI chatbot that can aggregate satellite data to make it easily searchable. That tool is available only to NASA scientists and researchers, but the goal is to “democratize access to spaceborne data.”

[eaglesnick]

“Withholding information is the essence of tyranny. Control of the flow of information is the tool of the dictatorship.” ― Bruce Coville

The statutory guidance document, "The Civil Service Code" states that as a civil servant you are:

 "...appointed on merit on the basis of fair and open competition and are expected to carry out your role with dedication and a commitment to the Civil Service and its core values: integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality."  (The Civil Service Code: GOVUK: 16/03/2015)

Under the expanded heading “Objectivity" the code states:

“You must:

provide information and advice, including advice to ministers, on the basis of the evidence, and accurately present the options and facts

take decisions on the merits of the case

take due account of expert and professional advice."

Not so this Tory government with its right wing, anti-democratic agenda.

The Financial Times reported in 2022 that civil servants were to be protected from views and opinions from anyone who did not agree with government policy.

”UK civil servants have been ordered to trawl through the social media accounts of guest speakers at one government ministry, including going back up to five years to see if they have ever criticised government policy, as part of a new vetting process. The new Cabinet Office rules cover the vetting of outsiders coming into the department to take part in “learning and development” events and urge managers to carefully check the backgrounds of such guests.”  (Financial Times: 14/08/22)

So much for "Objectivity"   How can civil servants "take due account of expert and professional advice" or “present options and facts"  if they are not allowed to be exposed to those who have a different view to the government? 

One year on, and we find that 15 government departments are now actively  monitoring  the social media activity of anyone likely to influence civil servants and government policy.

“Under the guidelines issued in each department, including the departments of health, culture, media and sport, and environment, food and rural affairs, officials are advised to check experts’ Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn accounts. They are also told to conduct Google searches on those individuals, using specific terms such as “criticism of government or prime minister”. (Guardian: 18/11/23)

Needles to say the hypocritical Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, announced with much heralding of the event that he was appointing a “free speech" tsar to tackle the phenomenon of cancel culture.

“Sunak To Appoint Free Speech Tsar To Tackle Cancel Culture” (richieallen.co.uk: 16/01/23)

But opposition to cancel culture is strictly limited. Apparently “free speech” is not to be allowed within the civil service. Here it is government policy that civil servants be shielded from ANYONE who has criticised the government or who holds a contrary view to perceived Tory wisdom.  While others might be condemned (usually correctly) for censoring alternative views to their own this is not a principle encouraged among those who run the country. For them there is only one view, one set of believes that matter, those of their Tory masters.

[esignwebservices]

Google Says To Write According To Your Audience, Not SEO Tools Google's John Mueller advises writing for your audience, not just following SEO tools blindly. In a recent Reddit Q&A, he put weight on the importance of understanding your target audience's language and preferences. Tools may not always align with search results, so it's essential to do your own research and monitor SERPs.

[spellucci]

Eclipse Day!

Saturday, October 14, 2023

The alarm goes off at 4:30 am. We decamp quickly, forgoing coffee in order to leave time to find a good place from which to watch the balloons. Google Maps reports a 45-minute delay getting to Albuquerque. Figures. Saturday morning of the Balloon Fiesta is Kids Day. Everybody wants to go.

We aim our GPS for a viewing spot well away from Balloon Fiesta Park and cross our fingers. We are in luck. We pass two miles of cars stopped on I-25 waiting to take the Balloon Fiesta Park exit. We take the next exit and head for an industrial park well away from the Fiesta, and with plenty of parking.

We see one balloon through the trees, then more, then a whole cloud.

The community service call starts and we kvell about the joys our lives hold. The call is well-attended and uplifting. Then breakfast and back up the road to find a good eclipse viewing spot.

We pass many hopeful-looking hills, but they are all Native American tribal lands. Then Jeanne finds a promising drive in the hills above the Santa Fe petroglyphs, so we head that way.

Highways turn to roads turn to narrow streets turns to dirt. We shift to 4WD and start to climb. After a while, we see a road to the top of the hill. The path is rocky and steep. We shift to low/low and start crawling up. We pass over one rock which makes it under our front axle but hits our back axle with a bang. We reach the top of the hill and find two other vehicles already there. One fellow has a really nice-looking setup, and everyone has eclipse glasses. We break out our gear, including the solar binoculars. We can see the moon is already starting to take a bite out of the sun.

Tim looks under our vehicle and sees a bent cover of the differential housing which is emitting a slow drip of fluid. Uh, oh. We poll the other 4WD drivers and one fellow advises us to get back down the hill and call a tow truck before we lose too much more fluid. Ugh! We so want to stay at this ideal place, but our home is leaking, and we don't want to jeopardize the rest of the trip, so we pack up and head back down to the main road where it is reasonable to get a tow.

We find a parking spot on the flats. It is 70° out so we open the sliding door wide and turn off the furnace. Then we break out the gear again. We have eclipse glasses, solar binoculars, and small solar filters to fit over the cell phone cameras. The moon has taken a much bigger bite out of the sun. Dora sits bored next to the camper as the adults fiddle with gear.

For repairs we try the Mercedes Benz dealer in Santa Fe. Their repair department is closed until Monday. We abhor the idea of being towed and having to wait days just to have our rig looked at. We turn off the inverter just in case we have to make the battery last for three days without a charge.

Dora is hunched over at the side of the vehicle, shivering. It is COLD. In the space of less than a half hour it has gone from 70° to 50°. That shows how much of the sun's light has been blocked. We put on her winter coat and then don ours. The ring of fire is close.

We search apprehensivly for a repair shop that might be open on a Saturday and whoa, we find Redline Repairs. We call them and they answer immediately. They are a mobile repair service that comes to us. Yes, they work on Sprinters like ours. They ask us to send our location and a pic of the damage to the differential housing. They are available to make the repair today. Yay!

The moon's crescent closes to a ring, first lopsided, then symmetrical. It's awesome. The eclipse glasses are our main tool, but the solar binoculars work great, too. The camera filters come with an app to help take pics, but we can't seem to get as good a.view as we get.with the other instruments. We manage to take one pic through the binoculars, tinted very green due to the binoculars' filters.

The ring distorts and a gap opens on the side opposite where the ring first closed. The gap points in the direction where the eclipse shadow is headed, streaming across Texas, Mexico, Belize, and on down into South America.

We had seen many vehicles climbing the hills earlier in the day. A few of them start to trickle back down. We text family and friends, and watch the sun slowly return to normal.

We call Redline Repairs to see if they have had a chance to look at the info we sent them. It turns out the repairman had just taken his kids to see the eclipse and would be at our rig soon. We crawl back inside, turn on the furnace, and have lunch.

Lalo, the repairman soon arrives and in less than 90 minutes has us all fixed and ready to travel again. What a relief. We reflect that getting up so early and packing so much into the early part of the day probably contributed to over exuberant driving and the subsequent accident.

We are not going to make it to our friend's place at the Lake Pueblo Marina tonight. We decide to treat ourselves to a campground with showers near the marina. We set off for a final long drive. We put our heads on our pillows with the pleasant thought of meeting friends tomorrow and no more long drives for a while.