#Best Medical Marketing Company

[gideonisms]

So let's say you've been procrastinating on an assignment for a week, it was due a while ago, prof accepts late assignments but you've hit a total brick wall and have tried

the power of that last minute adrenaline rush (doesn't work anymore, there are worse things than failing a class)

setting a timer for 20 min increments (managed a total of 20 minutes on the project 💀)

Promising yourself rewards (not working because not watching anything is better than doing the assignment)

Taking breaks instead and coming back to it (just doesn't happen)

sheer willpower. Just do it (again, happened for 20 minutes)

writing each tiny specific step I need to accomplish (didn't make it more bearable)

going to different locations

guilt

annoyance

frustration

What is the next step. Like what else can I even try

[digitalmarketingqt]

Medspa Digital Marketing Agency:

Searching for a Medspa Digital Marketing Agency? With customized digital marketing solutions for medspa, Quadrilite can help you draw in and keep customers. Modern SEO, social media, PPC, and content marketing techniques are used by our knowledgeable staff to improve your online visibility and increase conversions. By collaborating with Quadrilite, you may increase your medspa's growth and visibility while making a lasting impression on the competitive market. Discover the difference with the top digital marketing for medspa services. To begin your path to success, get in touch with us.

[oliviaglen]

Additional Factors for Choosing the Best Digital Marketing Agency for Healthcare

While core aspects like industry expertise and data-driven strategies are crucial, consider these additional factors when selecting your ideal healthcare marketing partner:

Cultural Fit: A strong partnership thrives on shared values and communication styles. Assess the agency's culture to ensure it aligns with your practice's vision and fosters a collaborative environment.

Scalability and Adaptability: Your needs may evolve. Choose an agency that can adapt its services and strategies as your practice grows or market trends shift.

Transparency and Reporting: Clear and consistent communication is vital. Look for an agency that provides regular progress reports and readily addresses your questions, ensuring you stay informed throughout the process.

Remember, the best digital marketing agency for healthcare goes beyond technical expertise. XenelSoft Technologies understands the unique needs of the healthcare industry and prioritizes building a collaborative partnership that drives your success in the digital landscape.

Visit site for more information: https://goli.breezio.com/article/6595915548880770121

[rsthemewp]

7+ Top Free Website Builder

Top Free Website Builder:

Any company or individual looking to make an online presence in the modern digital world needs to have a website. However learning to code can take a lot of time, and hiring a web developer can be costly. Here’s where you can use free website builders.

You don’t need any prior coding knowledge to create a website with free website builders. They provide easy-to-use drag-and-drop interfaces, templates, and tools that streamline the website-building process.

But picking the best free website builder can be difficult given the abundance of options available. For this reason, I’ve put together a list of the top 7 free website builders for 2024, taking into account aspects like customer service, design flexibility, features, and ease of use.

1. Wix

Wix is a well-known cloud-based website builder that makes it simple for people and companies of all sizes to create attractive and expert websites. Wix makes web design accessible to everyone with its user-friendly drag-and-drop interface, extensive template library, and powerful tools, regardless of experience level.

Why Choose Wix?

The reason Wix is such a well-liked option for creating websites is numerous. These are but a handful:

Ease of use: Even if you have no prior coding experience, designing and building a website is incredibly simple with Wix’s drag-and-drop interface. Just pick the components you wish to add, drag them onto the page, and alter them as needed.

Stunning templates: For any kind of website, including online stores, business websites, and personal blogs and portfolios, Wix provides an extensive selection of exquisitely designed templates. It’s simple to locate a template that complements your brand and aesthetic and add your own touches to make it uniquely yours.

Powerful features: With all of its features, Wix offers you total control over your website. With a few clicks, you can add blogs, galleries, videos, forms, and even online stores. Additionally, Wix provides a wide range of integrations and apps that can increase the functionality of your website.

Mobile-friendly: Every Wix website is responsive to mobile devices, so it looks fantastic on PCs, tablets, and smartphones alike. In the mobile-first world of today, this is critical.

Scalability: Wix can expand along with your company. You can easily upgrade your plan to add more features and storage as your website’s needs change.

Getting Started with Wix

Creating a website with Wix is simple and straightforward. Here are the basic steps:

Sign up for a free Wix account. You can choose from a free plan or a paid plan with more features.

Choose a template. Wix offers a wide range of templates to choose from. Once you’ve found a template you like, you can customize it to your liking.

Add content. Use the drag-and-drop interface to add text, images, videos, and other elements to your website.

Publish your website. Once you’re happy with your website, you can publish it to the world.

Wix Pricing

Wix provides a range of pricing options to meet your requirements. Although it has some restrictions, the free plan is a fantastic way to get started. You can upgrade to a paid plan if you require additional features and storage. Monthly fees for paid plans begin at $4.50.

All things considered, Wix is a strong and intuitive website builder that enables anyone to easily create a stunning and business-like website. Wix is a fantastic choice if you’re searching for a feature-rich, reasonably priced, and simple to use website builder.

Here are some additional things to keep in mind about Wix:

Wix is a cloud-based platform, so you will need a reliable internet connection to use it.

Wix offers excellent customer support, so you can always get help if you need it.

Wix is a constantly evolving platform, so new features and templates are added all the time.

I hope this blog post has provided you with a useful introduction to Wix. Please feel free to ask questions in the comments section below.

Apart from the previously mentioned aspects, the following additional factors make Wix an excellent option for creating websites:

SEO tools: Wix offers a variety of SEO tools that can help you improve your website’s ranking in search engine results pages.

Marketing tools: Wix also offers a variety of marketing tools that can help you promote your website and reach a wider audience.

Community: Wix has a large and active community of users who can offer support and advice.

Wix is a fantastic platform for creating e-commerce websites, I should also mention. The user-friendly e-commerce features of Wix make it effortless to establish and manage an online store.

All things considered, Wix is a strong and adaptable website builder that can be used to make a wide range of websites. Wix is an amazing choice if you’re searching for a feature-rich, easy-to-use platform.

Topic: Top Free Website Builder

2. GoDaddy

GoDaddy is a brand that is closely associated with the internet. GoDaddy started out as a domain registrar and has since grown into a one-stop shop for everything related to online presence. Regardless of your level of experience, GoDaddy offers all the tools and resources you need to quickly launch your website.

Domain Registration Made Easy

Domain registration is GoDaddy’s main revenue stream. GoDaddy is the largest domain registrar in the world, managing over 86 million domains. It can be difficult to choose the ideal domain name for your website, but GoDaddy’s user-friendly search engine and helpful suggestions make it easy. After you’ve discovered the ideal domain, GoDaddy streamlines the registration process.

Website Building for Everyone

GoDaddy provides a range of tools and services for creating websites in addition to domain registration. With its pre-designed templates and drag-and-drop interface, their website builder is ideal for novices. GoDaddy also provides VPS and WordPress hosting plans for more seasoned users. GoDaddy offers a website building solution that is suitable for all skill levels.

More Than Just Websites

GoDaddy offers much more than just websites and domains. In addition, they provide a wide range of other crucial web services like e-commerce solutions, online marketing tools, and email hosting. GoDaddy offers the resources you need to establish an online store or generate a business email address that is appropriate for your industry.

Why Choose GoDaddy?

There are many reasons why GoDaddy is such a popular choice for online businesses and individuals. Here are just a few:

Affordability: GoDaddy’s pricing is very competitive, making it an affordable option for everyone.

Ease of use: GoDaddy’s website and tools are designed to be user-friendly, even for people with no prior experience.

Wide range of services: GoDaddy offers a comprehensive suite of online services, so you can find everything you need in one place.

24/7 customer support: GoDaddy’s customer support team is available 24/7 to help you with any questions or problems you may have.

Get Started with GoDaddy Today

If you’re looking to create a website, start a blog, or launch an online business, GoDaddy is a great place to start. With their wide range of affordable and easy-to-use tools and services, GoDaddy can help you make your online dreams a reality.

Here are some additional things to keep in mind about GoDaddy:

GoDaddy has been accused of using some questionable marketing practices in the past. However, they have made strides in recent years to improve their image.

GoDaddy’s customer support can be hit-or-miss. However, their online knowledge base is a great resource for troubleshooting common problems.

Overall, GoDaddy is a solid choice for anyone looking to get started with their online presence. They offer a wide range of affordable and easy-to-use tools and services that can help you achieve your goals.

3. Square Online

Square Online is a website builder and e-commerce platform that allows businesses of all sizes to create professional online stores. It’s part of the larger Square ecosystem, which also includes point-of-sale (POS) systems, payment processing, and other business tools.

What are the key features of Square Online?

Easy to use: Square Online is designed to be easy to use, even for people with no coding experience. You can create a professional-looking online store in minutes with its drag-and-drop interface.

Free to start: There is a free plan that includes all the basic features you need to get started, such as unlimited products, inventory management, and basic analytics.

Paid plans: If you need more features, there are also paid plans that offer things like custom domains, abandoned cart recovery, and discounts on transaction fees.

Mobile-friendly: Your online store will look great on all devices, including smartphones and tablets.

Integrations: Square Online integrates with a variety of other Square products and services, as well as third-party apps, such as Mailchimp and ShipStation. This makes it easy to manage your entire business in one place.

What are the benefits of using Square Online?

Sell anywhere: You can sell your products online, in person, or over the phone.

Get paid quickly and easily: Square Online accepts all major credit cards and payment methods.

Track your sales and inventory: You can see how your business is doing with Square Online’s built-in analytics.

Grow your business: Square Online offers a variety of marketing tools to help you reach new customers.

Who is Square Online right for?

Square Online is a good choice for all kinds of businesses, from small startups to big conglomerates. Due to their seamless integration, it’s especially well-suited for companies whose point of sale system is Square.

How much does Square Online cost?

All the essential features you require to get started are included in the free plan. Custom domains and abandoned cart recovery are two more features available in paid plans, which have a monthly starting price of $29 only.

All things considered, Square Online is a fantastic choice for companies of all sizes looking to begin selling products online. It’s inexpensive, simple to use, and packed with features to support business expansion.

Here are some additional things to keep in mind about Square Online:

Transaction fees: Square Online charges transaction fees for all sales. The fees are 2.9% + 30 cents per transaction for the free plan and 2.6% + 30 cents per transaction for paid plans.

Customer support: Square Online offers customer support via phone, email, and live chat. Reviews: Square Online has generally positive reviews from users.

Topic: Top Free Website Builder

4. Weebly

With the help of the free website builder Weebly, users can create attractive websites and online stores. Weebly provides a range of tools, including customizable templates, domains, and useful tools, to assist small business owners, bloggers, and entrepreneurs in creating the online presence they envision.

Here are some key features of Weebly:

Website Building: With Weebly’s user-friendly drag-and-drop interface, creating and customizing websites is a breeze. A range of templates are available for you to select from, and you can customize them to fit your brand.

Free Hosting: Weebly offers a free website hosting service that lets you enjoy amazing site speed and dependability. The finest aspect? There is nothing for you to do—it is totally free.

eCommerce Integration: For managing orders, shipping, and payments, Weebly provides comprehensive and robust eCommerce tools in one package. Weebly has you covered whether you’re selling digital or tangible goods.

Integrated Marketing: Use integrated marketing tools, such as Facebook ads and automated email campaigns, to reach new clients. Increase your online visibility and make meaningful connections with your audience.

Square Integration: Now that Weebly is a part of the Square product line, you can sell anywhere, at any time. Square handles payment processing so you can concentrate on running your company.

In conclusion, Weebly offers an easy-to-use platform for starting and expanding your web presence. Weebly provides the resources and assistance you need to be successful, whether you’re just getting started or hoping to grow.

Topic: Top Free Website Builder

5. SITE123

With SITE123, anyone can create a professional website without needing to know any code or design skills. It’s an easy-to-use website builder for both individuals and businesses. SITE123 provides a simple platform to build your online presence fast and effectively, regardless of your background as a creative artist, blogger, or aspiring business owner.

Key Features of SITE123:

Easy Setup and Intuitive Editor: SITE123’s editor is designed for simplicity. You don’t need to be a tech wizard to create your website. The intuitive drag-and-drop interface allows you to build pages effortlessly. No coding required! Focus on your content while SITE123 takes care of the technical aspects.

Beautiful Templates: Choose from a variety of beautiful website templates that suit your style and purpose. Customize colors, fonts, and layouts to make your site unique.

Mobile-Friendly Design: Your website will look great on any device. SITE123 ensures responsive web design, so visitors can access your content seamlessly from their phones or tablets.

Free Hosting and Domain: Enjoy free web hosting for your website. SITE123 provides a safe and secure environment. Get a free domain registration to establish your brand identity.

SEO Tools: Optimize your website for search engines with built-in SEO tools. Improve your visibility and attract more visitors.

Online Store Integration: Want to sell products online? SITE123 lets you create an online store with ease. Upload your products, configure settings, and start selling globally.

24/7 Live Support: Need assistance? SITE123 offers 24/7 live chat support. Their friendly team is ready to guide you through any challenges.

Topic: Top Free Website Builder

6. Jimdo

Jimdo is an all-in-one solution for small businesses and individuals looking to establish their online presence. Whether you need a website, an online store, booking functionality, a logo, search engine optimization (SEO), analytics, domains, or hosting, Jimdo has got you covered.

Let’s explore some key features of Jimdo:

Website Building: Jimdo offers an easy-to-use website builder that allows you to create your site without any technical expertise. Choose from customizable templates and design your pages using a simple drag-and-drop interface.

Online Stores: If you’re selling products, Jimdo provides robust e-commerce features. Set up your online store, manage inventory, and process orders seamlessly.

Booking System: Jimdo includes a booking system, making it convenient for service-based businesses. Schedule appointments, manage availability, and communicate with clients.

Logo Creation: Need a professional logo? Jimdo offers logo design tools to help you create a brand identity that stands out.

SEO Tools: Improve your website’s visibility with built-in SEO tools. Optimize your content, meta tags, and keywords to attract more visitors.

Analytics: Track your website’s performance with analytics. Understand visitor behavior, traffic sources, and engagement metrics.

Domain and Hosting: Jimdo provides domain registration services, allowing you to choose a custom domain for your website. Enjoy reliable hosting with secure servers.

In summary, Jimdo simplifies the process of building and managing your online presence. Whether you’re a business owner, freelancer, or creative individual, give Jimdo a try and bring your business online!

Topic: Top Free Website Builder

7. WordPress.com

Building Your Website with WordPress.com: A Beginner’s Guide Are you prepared to build a website of your own? You only need to look at WordPress.com, a robust and intuitive platform that enables you to create an amazing online presence. WordPress.com has everything you need, whether you’re a blogger, small business owner, or would-be entrepreneur. Let’s explore the world of WordPress.com’s free website creation!

Why Choose WordPress.com?

Free and Easy to Start: You can start building your website for free with WordPress.com. Essential features like hosting, a subdomain, and lovely design options are available with the Free plan. For individuals who wish to experiment with website creation without making a financial commitment, it’s ideal.

Customization at Your Fingertips: The user-friendly interface of WordPress.com lets you personalize every element of your website. You have creative control over everything from layouts to themes. Make your website genuinely one-of-a-kind and brand-appropriate.

Built-in Monetization: You did indeed read correctly! Even on the Free plan, you can begin making money right away. Donation features, gated content, and paid subscriptions are all available on WordPress.com. Additionally, with paid plans, processing fees can be as low as 0%.

Jetpack Essentials: Jetpack’s core features, such as social media sharing, site analytics, and basic SEO, are included in the Free plan. You’re prepared to leave your mark on the internet.

How to Get Started:

Choose Your Identity: Create an account on WordPress.com. Choose if you want your website to be a business, portfolio, or personal blog.

Design Your Homepage: Choose a theme that complements your personal style. Beautiful themes and patterns are available on WordPress.com to change the look of your website. To make it stand out, alter the layout, fonts, and colors.

Create Pages: Include as many pages as necessary. You can create an infinite number of pages on WordPress.com, be it a contact form, a portfolio showcase, or an “About Me” page.

Set Up Menus: Utilize menus to arrange your content. Make navigational links so that users can easily navigate your website.

Add Social Media: Connect your social media accounts. Allow people to interact with you off of your website.

Launch Your Site: Press the publish button! You’ve launched your website and are now formally involved in the online community.

Ready to Take It Further?

While the Free plan is fantastic, WordPress.com offers additional plans for those who want to expand their website capabilities. Here are some options:

Personal Plan: Unlock more storage space, premium themes, and advanced customization.

Business Plan: Ideal for entrepreneurs and small businesses. Get access to plugins, e-commerce features, and priority support.

eCommerce Plan: If you’re serious about selling online, this plan is for you. It includes everything from the Business plan plus additional e-commerce tools.

Remember, WordPress.com grows with you. Start free, explore, and upgrade when you’re ready. Your website journey begins here!

Ready to create your own website ? Get started with RSTheme. They Provide Attractive User Friendly Premium WordPress Theme!

Topic: Top Free Website Builder

[marketing-agency12]

Medspa Marketing Agency | Quadrilite

Quadrilite, a leading digital marketing agency specializing in Medspa promotion, presents top-notch strategies for the year 2024. Our comprehensive suite of digital marketing services encompasses SEO, Social Media, Performance Marketing, and Email Marketing tailored specifically for Medspa marketing services.

[philomathresearch]

Aging Population and Healthcare: Navigating the Challenges of a Changing Society

At Philomath Research, we explore the profound implications of the aging population on healthcare systems worldwide. In this blog post, we delve into the complexities and opportunities that arise as a growing number of individuals enter their senior years. Join us as we examine the evolving landscape of healthcare and discover strategies to effectively address the unique needs of older adults.

I. The Dynamics of an Aging Population Definition and Drivers of the aging population:

Gain insights into the factors contributing to this demographic shift, including declining birth rates and increased life expectancy. Explore how these elements shape the aging population and its impact on healthcare systems. Delve into current demographic trends and projections, emphasizing the importance of proactive measures to accommodate the changing needs of older adults.

II. Healthcare Challenges in an Aging Society Prevalence of chronic diseases:

Uncover the age-related health conditions that become more prevalent among older adults, placing a burden on healthcare resources. Explore the complexities of managing multiple comorbidities in the elderly population. Workforce shortages: Analyze the impact of an aging healthcare workforce and the challenges associated with recruiting and retaining professionals to meet the growing demand. Highlight the need for specialized geriatric care providers to cater to the unique needs of older adults. Financial implications: Examine the escalating healthcare costs associated with an aging population and the strain this puts on healthcare budgets. Discuss potential solutions and policy approaches to address these financial challenges, including long-term care funding and insurance reforms.

III. Promoting Healthy Aging Preventive healthcare measures:

Emphasize the importance of early detection, screenings, and preventive interventions for age-related health conditions. Explore the significance of vaccinations and immunizations to safeguard older adults against preventable diseases. Highlight the role of promoting healthy lifestyles and wellness programs in enhancing overall well-being and quality of life. Enhancing geriatric care: Advocate for person-centered care approaches that prioritize the individual needs, preferences, and goals of older adults. Explore the use of interdisciplinary healthcare teams and technology-enabled solutions to improve access and quality of care for older adults. Social support and community engagement: Address the issue of social isolation and loneliness among the elderly population and its impact on health and well-being. Discuss the importance of creating age-friendly communities that foster active aging and social integration. Highlight the need for supportive programs for caregivers and families.

IV. Policy and System-level Strategies Healthcare policy reforms:

Advocate for tailored healthcare policies that address the specific needs and challenges of an aging population. Discuss long-term care financing and insurance reforms to ensure affordable and accessible care for older adults. Collaborative healthcare models: Explore the benefits of integrated care systems and care coordination to improve the continuity and quality of care for older adults. Highlight the importance of intersectoral collaboration with community organizations, housing agencies, and transportation services. Research and innovation: Advocate for advancements in geriatric medicine and technology to improve diagnostics, treatment options, and quality of life. Highlight the need for increased research efforts focused on age-related diseases and conditions.

Conclusion

At Philomath Research, we recognize the profound impact of the aging population on healthcare systems. By understanding the challenges and opportunities presented by this demographic shift, promoting healthy aging practices, and implementing policy and system-level strategies, we can ensure that healthcare systems are equipped to provide high-quality, person-centered care. Through collaboration, innovation, and comprehensive approaches, we can enhance the well-being and quality of life of individuals as they age. Join us on this journey of navigating the challenges and embracing the opportunities of a changing society.

[coregenicsoftware]

Best SEO Services for Doctors - Coregenic Software

Best SEO Services for Doctors: SEO, or search engine optimization, has grown to be a crucial component of any company’s online marketing plan, including medical practices.

People use search engines to find solutions to their health-related questions in the modern digital era.

Search engine optimization (SEO) services are specially designed for healthcare professionals, such as doctors, dentists, and other medical practitioners, to enable them to assist their websites in ranking higher in search engine results pages (SERPs) for key terms and phrases that potential patients may type in when looking for medical services online.

[sampleclaimletters]

How to Create the Best Direct Mail Marketing Campaign

With so many companies focusing on digital marketing and advertising, direct mail can seem old-fashioned or boring. However, it is a great way to reach customers and build a connection with them. Direct mailing can be used for many things, from promoting sales and discounts to building a CRM. In this article, we will look at some of the best ways to make your direct mail more effective.

The first step in creating the perfect direct mail campaign is to know your audience. This means understanding their demographics, likes and dislikes, and behavior. This will help you craft a message that is more likely to engage your audience and drive them to take action. In addition, knowing your audience will allow you to track your campaigns and measure their success, which is essential for optimizing ROI, response rate, and engagement.

Next, you will need to create your direct mail piece. There are several options for this, including catalogs, flyers, postcards, and letters. Each type of mailer has its own benefits and drawbacks, so you will need to choose the one that is best for your business. For example, postcards are ideal for showcasing a single product or service, while catalogs offer a wide range of products and can be more aesthetically pleasing.

Once you have your design and messaging in place, you will need to select a print provider for your project. Choosing the right company will help ensure that your direct mail is delivered on time and at an affordable price. Be sure to consider the turnaround times, as well as their ability to accommodate your needs and promotions. For example, some companies offer rush printing services to meet urgent deadlines.

SITES WE SUPPORT

Sample Claim Letters – BLogSPot

[bravelabs]

Personalized healthcare is quickly becoming the standard of care that healthcare consumers are expecting. Here are 7 healthcare marketing strategies that use the power of personalization.

[chimaerakitten]

that “Christian Kane for Quincy Morris” post wormed its way into my head months ago, but somewhere along the way it mutated into “Leverage episode but the mark is Count Dracula”

Investigative Journalist Mina Harker is the client

Dracula threatened her real estate lawyer husband and probably had her best friend and photographer Lucy killed to keep her quiet

beyond just that, there’s a combination of suspected but unprovable kidnapping, (That Jonathan may have witnessed) and a shady for-profit blood donation company

which was trying to acquire real estate near a mental hospital for definitely exploitative and shady purposes

Dracula’s castle: great heist location. Early in the getting-the-con-started phase of the episode Parker steals at least one 15th century painting and a lot of ancient gold coins

Whether Leverage mark!Dracula is actually a vampire is never 100% proven but it’s definitely implied

regardless he’s definitely metaphorically a vampire

and Parker 100% believes he is one, even making a comment on how this isn’t the first time she’s robbed a vampire

Flashback to her cracking a safe in what the props make clear is Wesley Snipes’s house

The Leverage crew pose as a medical/biological goods shipping company (Demeter Transportation) in order to con Dracula and get both his money and evidence of all the shady stuff and crimes

their fake identities for the con are Lucy’s polycule

Eliot’s Quincy, Hardison is Seward, Parker is Holmwood

Nate was supposed to be Van Helsing, but there was a hot potato job-like kerfuffle and Sophie ends up playing that role instead

which makes Nate Renfield

Classic leverage action

the big wrinkle happens when they finally get their 50 boxes full of evidence delivered and discover that Dracula isn’t just smuggling blood, he’s smuggling black market organs

they manage to recover as they always do

(probably because of Harrison coming through with hacking, as a nod to the novel’s tech themes)

Spectacular success and Interpol seizes everything

when we see Mina again post-gloat she’s on her way to wherever Interpol is holding Dracula. She’s wearing a crucifix necklace and she conspicuously tucks a wooden stake into her bag alongside the check for the liquidated value of those gold coins.

after she leaves Parker drops out of the ceiling wearing those cheap plastic vampire fangs

[mostlysignssomeportents]

The real AI fight

Tonight (November 27), I'm appearing at the Toronto Metro Reference Library with Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen.

On November 29, I'm at NYC's Strand Books with my novel The Lost Cause, a solarpunk tale of hope and danger that Rebecca Solnit called "completely delightful."

Last week's spectacular OpenAI soap-opera hijacked the attention of millions of normal, productive people and nonsensually crammed them full of the fine details of the debate between "Effective Altruism" (doomers) and "Effective Accelerationism" (AKA e/acc), a genuinely absurd debate that was allegedly at the center of the drama.

Very broadly speaking: the Effective Altruists are doomers, who believe that Large Language Models (AKA "spicy autocomplete") will someday become so advanced that it could wake up and annihilate or enslave the human race. To prevent this, we need to employ "AI Safety" – measures that will turn superintelligence into a servant or a partner, nor an adversary.

Contrast this with the Effective Accelerationists, who also believe that LLMs will someday become superintelligences with the potential to annihilate or enslave humanity – but they nevertheless advocate for faster AI development, with fewer "safety" measures, in order to produce an "upward spiral" in the "techno-capital machine."

Once-and-future OpenAI CEO Altman is said to be an accelerationists who was forced out of the company by the Altruists, who were subsequently bested, ousted, and replaced by Larry fucking Summers. This, we're told, is the ideological battle over AI: should cautiously progress our LLMs into superintelligences with safety in mind, or go full speed ahead and trust to market forces to tame and harness the superintelligences to come?

This "AI debate" is pretty stupid, proceeding as it does from the foregone conclusion that adding compute power and data to the next-word-predictor program will eventually create a conscious being, which will then inevitably become a superbeing. This is a proposition akin to the idea that if we keep breeding faster and faster horses, we'll get a locomotive:

https://locusmag.com/2020/07/cory-doctorow-full-employment/

As Molly White writes, this isn't much of a debate. The "two sides" of this debate are as similar as Tweedledee and Tweedledum. Yes, they're arrayed against each other in battle, so furious with each other that they're tearing their hair out. But for people who don't take any of this mystical nonsense about spontaneous consciousness arising from applied statistics seriously, these two sides are nearly indistinguishable, sharing as they do this extremely weird belief. The fact that they've split into warring factions on its particulars is less important than their unified belief in the certain coming of the paperclip-maximizing apocalypse:

https://newsletter.mollywhite.net/p/effective-obfuscation

White points out that there's another, much more distinct side in this AI debate – as different and distant from Dee and Dum as a Beamish Boy and a Jabberwork. This is the side of AI Ethics – the side that worries about "today’s issues of ghost labor, algorithmic bias, and erosion of the rights of artists and others." As White says, shifting the debate to existential risk from a future, hypothetical superintelligence "is incredibly convenient for the powerful individuals and companies who stand to profit from AI."

After all, both sides plan to make money selling AI tools to corporations, whose track record in deploying algorithmic "decision support" systems and other AI-based automation is pretty poor – like the claims-evaluation engine that Cigna uses to deny insurance claims:

https://www.propublica.org/article/cigna-pxdx-medical-health-insurance-rejection-claims

On a graph that plots the various positions on AI, the two groups of weirdos who disagree about how to create the inevitable superintelligence are effectively standing on the same spot, and the people who worry about the actual way that AI harms actual people right now are about a million miles away from that spot.

There's that old programmer joke, "There are 10 kinds of people, those who understand binary and those who don't." But of course, that joke could just as well be, "There are 10 kinds of people, those who understand ternary, those who understand binary, and those who don't understand either":

https://pluralistic.net/2021/12/11/the-ten-types-of-people/

What's more, the joke could be, "there are 10 kinds of people, those who understand hexadecenary, those who understand pentadecenary, those who understand tetradecenary [und so weiter] those who understand ternary, those who understand binary, and those who don't." That is to say, a "polarized" debate often has people who hold positions so far from the ones everyone is talking about that those belligerents' concerns are basically indistinguishable from one another.

The act of identifying these distant positions is a radical opening up of possibilities. Take the indigenous philosopher chief Red Jacket's response to the Christian missionaries who sought permission to proselytize to Red Jacket's people:

https://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5790/

Red Jacket's whole rebuttal is a superb dunk, but it gets especially interesting where he points to the sectarian differences among Christians as evidence against the missionary's claim to having a single true faith, and in favor of the idea that his own people's traditional faith could be co-equal among Christian doctrines.

The split that White identifies isn't a split about whether AI tools can be useful. Plenty of us AI skeptics are happy to stipulate that there are good uses for AI. For example, I'm 100% in favor of the Human Rights Data Analysis Group using an LLM to classify and extract information from the Innocence Project New Orleans' wrongful conviction case files:

https://hrdag.org/tech-notes/large-language-models-IPNO.html

Automating "extracting officer information from documents – specifically, the officer's name and the role the officer played in the wrongful conviction" was a key step to freeing innocent people from prison, and an LLM allowed HRDAG – a tiny, cash-strapped, excellent nonprofit – to make a giant leap forward in a vital project. I'm a donor to HRDAG and you should donate to them too:

https://hrdag.networkforgood.com/

Good data-analysis is key to addressing many of our thorniest, most pressing problems. As Ben Goldacre recounts in his inaugural Oxford lecture, it is both possible and desirable to build ethical, privacy-preserving systems for analyzing the most sensitive personal data (NHS patient records) that yield scores of solid, ground-breaking medical and scientific insights:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-eaV8SWdjQ

The difference between this kind of work – HRDAG's exoneration work and Goldacre's medical research – and the approach that OpenAI and its competitors take boils down to how they treat humans. The former treats all humans as worthy of respect and consideration. The latter treats humans as instruments – for profit in the short term, and for creating a hypothetical superintelligence in the (very) long term.

As Terry Pratchett's Granny Weatherwax reminds us, this is the root of all sin: "sin is when you treat people like things":

https://brer-powerofbabel.blogspot.com/2009/02/granny-weatherwax-on-sin-favorite.html

So much of the criticism of AI misses this distinction – instead, this criticism starts by accepting the self-serving marketing claim of the "AI safety" crowd – that their software is on the verge of becoming self-aware, and is thus valuable, a good investment, and a good product to purchase. This is Lee Vinsel's "Criti-Hype": "taking press releases from startups and covering them with hellscapes":

https://sts-news.medium.com/youre-doing-it-wrong-notes-on-criticism-and-technology-hype-18b08b4307e5

Criti-hype and AI were made for each other. Emily M Bender is a tireless cataloger of criti-hypeists, like the newspaper reporters who breathlessly repeat " completely unsubstantiated claims (marketing)…sourced to Altman":

https://dair-community.social/@emilymbender/111464030855880383

Bender, like White, is at pains to point out that the real debate isn't doomers vs accelerationists. That's just "billionaires throwing money at the hope of bringing about the speculative fiction stories they grew up reading – and philosophers and others feeling important by dressing these same silly ideas up in fancy words":

https://dair-community.social/@emilymbender/111464024432217299

All of this is just a distraction from real and important scientific questions about how (and whether) to make automation tools that steer clear of Granny Weatherwax's sin of "treating people like things." Bender – a computational linguist – isn't a reactionary who hates automation for its own sake. On Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000 – the excellent podcast she co-hosts with Alex Hanna – there is a machine-generated transcript:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2126417

There is a serious, meaty debate to be had about the costs and possibilities of different forms of automation. But the superintelligence true-believers and their criti-hyping critics keep dragging us away from these important questions and into fanciful and pointless discussions of whether and how to appease the godlike computers we will create when we disassemble the solar system and turn it into computronium.

The question of machine intelligence isn't intrinsically unserious. As a materialist, I believe that whatever makes me "me" is the result of the physics and chemistry of processes inside and around my body. My disbelief in the existence of a soul means that I'm prepared to think that it might be possible for something made by humans to replicate something like whatever process makes me "me."

Ironically, the AI doomers and accelerationists claim that they, too, are materialists – and that's why they're so consumed with the idea of machine superintelligence. But it's precisely because I'm a materialist that I understand these hypotheticals about self-aware software are less important and less urgent than the material lives of people today.

It's because I'm a materialist that my primary concerns about AI are things like the climate impact of AI data-centers and the human impact of biased, opaque, incompetent and unfit algorithmic systems – not science fiction-inspired, self-induced panics over the human race being enslaved by our robot overlords.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/11/27/10-types-of-people/#taking-up-a-lot-of-space

Image: Cryteria (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HAL9000.svg

CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

[ampreh]

[TRF] Norma II

• Related to this : The Rust Factory - Norma (<- comics)

• Related to this : The Rust Factory - Norma (<- comics) I had SO much fun doing the vintage style of flash backs and imagination: I would have kicked myself for ignoring this very impactful style for its time.

Audrey pic: Context - Extract from the 2022 RP "It was the story of a corporate that had made a great scientific revolutionary invention! It was called D-Sire, a simple, medicated, fabulous everyday object that people couldn't live without. But during the process of improving the product, which was intended to target wider markets to make more profit, the D-Sire had unfortunately gone awry, causing a great catastrophe unparalleled among mankind. All cities had been wiped off the map, leaving only willless mutant humans and animals. The heroine had to flee her city, survive and fight her way back to the creator of the D-sire, who had abandoned his company and changed his identity. Coal was terrified of this cheap soap opera with its terrible special effects made of modelling clay and the saturated offbeat sound of the black-and-white picture on the small TV screen." A more than obvious reference to the AU Truffula Flu. And a huge reference to @audtreegrace, @miru667 's character. So of course, I don't have all the context since it's a vast AU with lots and lots of details, but I've got enough of a basis for my friends to recognize and that's good enough for me :> Nathan has already confused Audrey Grace with Audrey, the actress from their series HAHA. Alas, the Audrey and Ted of his world won't be born for several years. He didn't find the actress, but he did find a good friend with whom to talk for hours about anything and everything ♥

Norma Bellini pic: Well, Norma pin-up, because why not! In vintage calendar mode, because I love vintage aesthetics. And yes, those are the right dates I went to check on good old calendars haha. At first I wanted to do it in a swimsuit, but then I preferred the picnic. I love picnics.

Too big to fail pic: I had to do it! Of course I had to! The only time I've redone such an iconic portrait was for the first version of Cashtea-ler in the Let It Flow fanzine, in 2022 (I should do a new one with his new head). Nathan Cole (@1940s-onceler | @nalak-bel 's), in black and white in his best soot-colored suit!

Compilation : Just Normaler, to appreciate Normaler. On a more serious note, I like the idea that Nathan was guided throughout his first times by ladies, and not the reverse. I love this not-so-little whining man.

[gabessquishytum]

Johanna is a catpeople rights activist. So many humans treat them as their property and sex toys, but catpeople have feelings. Jo is appalled by this whole situation, and she does what she can to find foster homes and, eventually, new (good!) owners for catpeople in trouble. When she learns about catboy!Dream, it's an emergency. Dream attacked his owner, Roderick Burgess. Burgess was emotionally and physically abusive, but the law is not on Dream's side - if no one volunteers to take him in and work on his 'socialization,' he's about to be put down. They're already running out of time - since Burgess is severely injured (maybe he has his eyes clawed out?), it is ruled that Dream is highly dangerous and has only a few hours left to live. Johanna won't let anything happen to this traumatized catboy. Not on her watch! She already has a foster catgirl at home, Rachel, and she can't take another because Rachel needs much care and attention (they also might be heading somewhere romantically, so Jo doesn't want to fuck it up by bringing another catperson onto her territory), so Johanna asks her bff for a favor. Hob Gadling is well off financially, can take a vacation without notice because he is a business owner, and he's naturally friendly. Also, he lives alone - no human or cat partner in the picture. He's not very delighted with the prospect of taking Dream in at first, but Johanna really insists. So they come to pick Dream up and see him in a dire condition: bruised, injured, and malnourished, he hisses at everyone who even tries to come close to his cage. A cage?? Hob has never been involved with catpeople before, and activism has been entirely Johanna's shtick, but he quickly realizes how blind he's been. Hob organizes the best medical care for him, orders all the decent books on catpeople to educate himself, and buys all the stuff Dream might need. Dream is stunning and very clever, and his previous owner obviously was a sadistic prick. Hob wishes he could claw the fucker's eyes out himself when he sees the extent of Dream's injuries and starvation. Dream is very tense and afraid at first, but as time goes by, and Hob treats him like a person, he starts to hope that maybe he's found not only his forever home but also someone to love him this time.

New catperson owner Hob treating Dream just like he's a person - a person who deserves respect, personal space and love!!! When he goes to buy new catperson stuff for Dream, he's kind of disgusted by the fact that it's all spiked collars and wet food. Hob hates it. He walks right out the store and just goes to the normal shop instead. He gets nice comfy clothes, bedding, proper food with lots of protein. He organises a proper bathing and toileting situation for Dream in his own bathroom which Hob only goes inside to clean. Just decent stuff that any sentient being deserves.

Dream doesn't know what to make of it at first. He's gone from being moments away from being euthanized, to being allowed to just kinda... do what he wants?? He has privacy, good food, healthcare, and very pleasant company in the form of Hob. Because Hob is so kind. He takes care of Dream’s injuries and nurses him through the initial stages of refeeding. He lets Dream snuggle up to him under 3 blankets because he's so cold, still shivering sometimes. He never makes Dream do anything (except take his medication, which is very important), but he doesn't ignore him either. Dream has to wonder - is this what it's like to have a friend?

Dream recovers slowly, but he does gradually start to thrive. He wears comfy shorts and big hoodies, and takes long naps in the sun that pours through the window in the bedroom every morning. He eats fresh food that Hob gets at the market every day. He's finally learned to read! Sometimes he feels like he must have died and gone to heaven. But then the dog next door barks at him and reminds him that life is not quite perfect - but almost.

His relationship with Hob evolves slowly. They share a bed and cuddle up every night (Hob tolerates Dream’s 3am zoomies pretty well by now - they now have a treadmill for that exact purpose). Dream is also generally naked in bed, which has lead to one or two moments. The mutual attraction is undeniable. Hob just doesn't want to take advantage...

Luckily Dream is prepared to make the first move. He's a person, and that means that he's capable of choosing a life partner. It just so happens that he's choosing Hob. He's going to need some practice with kissing (he's not quite sure whether or not he's meant to bite?) but he's sure that Hob will be patient with him. He has been so far. And to Dream, that patience feels a lot like love.

[bitchesgetriches]

{ MASTERPOST } Everything You Need to Know about How to Pay off Debt

Understanding debt:

Let’s End This Damaging Misconception About Credit Cards

Season 2, Episode 10: “Which Is Smarter: Getting a Loan? or Saving up to Pay Cash?”

Dafuq Is Interest? And How Does It Work for the Forces of Darkness?

Investing Deathmatch: Paying off Debt vs. Investing in the Stock Market

How to Build Good Credit Without Going Into Debt

Dafuq Is a Down Payment? And Why Do You Need One to Buy Stuff?

It’s More Expensive to Be Poor Than to Be Rich

Making Decisions Under Stress: The Siren Song of Chocolate Cake

How Mental Health Affects Your Finances

Paying off debt:

Kill Your Debt Faster with the Death by a Thousand Cuts Technique

Share My Horror: The World’s Worst Debt Visualization

The Best Way To Pay off Credit Card Debt: From the Snowball To the Avalanche

The Debt-Killing Power of Rounding up Bills

A Dungeonmaster’s Guide to Defeating Debt

How to Pay Hospital Bills When You’re Flat Broke 

Ask the Bitches Pandemic Lightning Round: “What Do I Do If I Can’t Pay My Bills?” 

Slay Your Financial Vampires

Season 4, Episode 3: “My credit card debt is slowly crushing me. Is there any escape from this horrible cycle?” 

Case Study: Held Back by Past Financial Mistakes, Fighting Bad Credit and $90K in Debt 

Student loan debt:

What We Talk About When We Talk About Student Loans

Ask the Bitches: “The Government Put Student Loans in Forbearance. Can I Stop Paying—or Is It a Trap?”

How to Pay for College without Selling Your Soul to the Devil

When (and How) to Try Refinancing or Consolidating Student Loans

Ask the Bitches: I Want to Move Out, but I Can’t Afford It. How Bad Would It Be to Take out Student Loans to Cover It?

Season 4, Episode 4: “I’m $100K in Student Loan Debt and I Think It Should Be Forgiven. Does This Make Me an Entitled Asshole?” 

The 2022 Student Loan Forgiveness FAQ You’ve Been Waiting For

2023 Student Loan Forgiveness Update: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly 

Our Final Word on Student Loan Forgiveness 

Avoiding debt:

Ask Not How Much You Should Save, Ask How Much You Should Spend 

How to Make Any Financial Decision, No Matter How Tough, with Maximum Swag

Your Yearly Free Medical Care Checklist

Two-Ring Circus 

Status Symbols Are Pointless and Dumb 

Advice I Wish My Parents Gave Me When I Was 16 

On Emergency Fund Remorse… and Bacon Emergencies

Should You Increase Your Salary or Decrease Your Spending? 

Don’t Spend Money on Shit You Don’t Like, Fool

The Magically Frugal Power of Patience

The Only Advice You’ll Ever Need for a Cheap-Ass Wedding 

The Most Impactful Financial Decision I’ve Ever Made… and Why I Don’t Recommend It 

3 Times I Was Damn Grateful for My Emergency Fund (and Side Income) 

Buy Now Pay Later Apps: That Old Predatory Lending by a Crappy New Name 

Credit Card Companies HATE Her! Stay Out of Credit Card Debt With This One Weird Trick 

Ask the Bitches: Should I Get a Loan Even Though I Can Afford To Pay Cash? 

The Bitches vs. debt:

I Paid off My Student Loans Ahead of Schedule. Here’s How.

I Paid off My Student Loans. Now What?

Hurricane Debt Weakens to Tropical Storm Debt, but Experts Warn It’s Still Debt

The Real Story of How I Paid Off My Mortgage Early in 4 Years

Case Study: Swimming Upstream against Unemployment, Exhaustion, and $2,750 a Month in Unproductive Spending 

That’s all for now! We try to update these masterposts periodically, so check back for more in… a couple… months??? Maybe????

[balladofthe101st]

Band of Brothers: The Musical

Act I:

1. Day of Days, Hour of Hours

2. Welcome to Camp Toccoa

3. Revoked ("Your Weekend Pass Is Revoked")

4. Currahee ("We're Easy Company")

5. Winters is on Mess Duty

6. Wipe That Dust Off Of Your Jump Wings

7. Goodbye, Camp Toccoa ("Goodbye, Lady Liberty")

8. The Cows Ran Away ("Because An Idiot Cut The Poor Man's Fence")

9. Winters is on Mess Duty (Reprise)

10. The Court Martial: Captain Sobel vs. Lieutenant Winters

11. NCO Uprising ("Gee, We're Gonna Get Shot")

12. All For The Better, All For The Best ("Goodbye, Captain Sobel")

13. He Can't Wait To Jump No More

14. Day of Days, Hour of Hours (Reprise)

Act II:

1. Normandy

2. Call Him Gonnorhea

3. The Assault At Brecourt Manor ("Popeye Got Shot In His Behind")

4. He Was Just A Boy

5. That's A Load Of Malarkey: Introducing Lieutenant Speirs From Dog Company

6. Amazing Blithe ("Was Blind, But Now Can See")

7. The Night Of the Bayonet/We're Moving Out

8. Replacements ("We're Easy Company")

9. A Dear John Letter

10. We're Moving Out (Reprise)

11. The Snake And The Apple In The Market Garden

12. The Americans Are Here/Chocolates and Smokes

13. Nuenen: The Ambush

14. Nuenen: The Retreat

15. Crossroads ("All Roads Lead To Hell Anyway")

16. The Red Devils/A Toast To The Yanks

Act III:

1. Bastogne: The Coldest Hell On Earth

2. Doc: The Company Medic/Do You Have Any Scissors?

3. Thank God For Nurses

4. NUTS

5. Thank God For Nurses (Reprise)

6. Poor Norman Dike

7. First Sargeant

8. The Breaking Point/Bastogne: The Coldest Hell On Earth (Reprise)

9. The Assault on Foy ("Thank God For Captain Speirs")

10. Replacement David Webster

11. West Point

12. The (Last) Patrol ("Do You Hear The Whistle?")

13. The Battlefield Commission

14. Leaving Hell On Earth

Act IV:

1. Raise The Bottle Of Vat69

2. The Confrontation: Nixon and Dick

3. A Dear John Letter (Reprise)

4. Blood Upon The Risers ("Gory, Gory, What A Hell Of A Way To Die")

4. Landsberg: Hell on Earth

5. The Aftermath

6. The Shot ("The Man's Not Home")

7. Learn Your Es ("Easy At The Eagles Nest")

8. VE Day

9. The Pacific Theater/Coconuts and Flamingos

10. Much Ado About Points/ Poor Shifty Powers

11. They Still Need You/Winters Denied

12. The Goodbye

13. End Of The War ("We're Going Home")

14. What Comes Next?/Come With Me To Nixon

15. We Lucky Few, We Band of Brothers ("We're Easy Company")