#Field Staff Tracking tool

[thepsmsblog]

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[misctf]

Selection Day

“Mr. Wagner, this is an impressive application.” The man mused, “Graduated college last year with a 4.0 GPA in biology. I see you completed prep courses to become a physician.”

James Wagner nodded, “That would be ideal.”

His father promised he’d have nothing to worry about on Selection Day, which occurred during the month of one’s 23rd birthday. Judges reviewed your file: extracurriculars, criminal record, education, etc., to determine the perfect career for you- and give you all the tools to succeed.

“I see here your father is Senator Wagner and your mother is Dr. Wagner, both distinguished in their fields. Quite a tough election year though.”

“Dad isn’t too worried though. His campaign manager says he has a plan.” James leaned back in his chair, “Already planning the victory party.”

“You should celebrate too. I think you’ll be perf...” The judge’s phone rang, cutting him off, “Excuse me Mr. Wagner, I have to take this.”

The judge left James to himself. The young man sighed in relief, despite some growing anticipation. When his brother went through the process, they didn’t change too much. They enhanced his attractive features and gave him a greater sense of ambition- all fitting for his career in finance. But he was still his brother. James hoped for something similar. He knew his application would let him select from “tier A models” so he was feeling good. And afterwards, he and his dad would go golfing and get dinner down at the country club to celebrate.

“Mr. Wagner, come with me” The judge said as he returned to the room.

James nodded, “Uh by the way, I was hoping to go with a Tier A physician model...”

“No worries James, just follow me please.”

James followed closely entering a room filled with various pods. A knot formed in his stomach. This is where it would happen. He gulped and watched as the judge walked towards a pod and pressed some buttons. This was it. Calmly, James undid his button shirt, revealing his lean and tanned body. Years of track and caddying on the golf course gave him a nice tan and lean physique. As he finished undressing, his attention shifted to the pod as it whirred to life and opened.

“Here it goes.” He whispered.

The young man stepped into the pod and watched the door shut. A small window allowed him to see the outside world and he nodded at the judge, who frowned in return. And then it started. The mechanical hands that lay dormant suddenly came to life, scanning James’s body.

“Applicant: James Wagner.” A soothing mechanical voice stated, before rattling off demographics that James simply tuned out, “Model: Gym Staff, Front Desk, Tier D.”

“Wait what?” James called out, “Hey! I think somethings wrong.” He tried to convey, “That’s not...”

He barely had a moment to speak as a metallic substance wrapped around his legs. He cried out as it burned his skin. And slowly, his legs began to expand, filling with raw muscle. His slender calves popped with muscle, while his 10.5 inch feet expanded to size 13. He held back tears as his thighs expanded with firm muscle. And then, his lower extremities were freed.

“Holy fuck!” He shouted, as he wriggled his new toes, “Please, I think there’s been some kind of mistake!” The judge wasn’t paying attention anymore, just talking to someone on the phone.

Before he could continue, a saddle emerged from underneath him and wrapped around his ass and cock. A gentle warmth encompassed them, causing James to shudder. But as he focused on the sensation, more of the substance covered his chest and torso. Similar to his legs, he felt an intense warming sensation. And as the warmth intensified, he felt himself growing. He watched as a strong core and bounceable pecs formed from his once lean physique and groaned as his torso stretched, adding height. But it wasn’t just height. He was  becoming wider as his back expanded with muscle. When the mold finally released him, he was left with a physique he could only dream of obtaining naturally. But this wasn’t what he wanted. He didn’t want to be a hulking beast of a man.

“You need to...” James started to cough as a green haze entered the pod, “What... fuck... bro please...” He kept coughing, barely noticing his use of the word “bro” and his deepening voice, “Dude, this ain’t cool!”

He watched as his arms were encased. Biceps and triceps exploded from his lean arms, while his forearms grew with muscle. When his arms were released, he could gawk at them in awe.  

“Dude, check it out, my guns are lookin' massive!” James’s eyes widened, “Dude, why do I sound all weird? Not stoked about it, man!” Try as he might, he couldn’t control the new bro lingo that left his mouth.  

And before he could say another word, a mask wrapped around his face and neck. He cried as his face was remodeled. Simultaneously, personal details were added to his physique. Tattoos of some meaning to James were carved into his body. Meanwhile, he was sprayed with a different solution that caused hair to sprout from his abdomen and chest, eventually thickening and forming a dense treasure trail. His arms and legs were not spared, nor were his ass or dick. And with a mechanical screech, the mask finally left his face. His new eyes were dark, topped by thick dark eyebrows. His light brown hair replaced with darker brown. His clean shaven face now adorned with stubble. And his angular face just a bit rounder, with a pair of thick lips. The young man felt his new face and rubbed a hand across his hairy pecs.

“Seriously, dude? No way!” He grumbled, ““Dude, I'm not a bro, change me back, seriously!” James felt tears well up in his eyes. This wasn’t him, he didn’t sound like this. He still had his intelligence, but no one would take him seriously.

But his thoughts were interrupted as the his privates were freed. James’s eyes widened. His dick was never that big, nor did he have foreskin before. He watched in awe as it started expanding and he wrapped his hand around it.

“Whoa, bro, check out the size of that thing!” He started pumping his new cock, “Bro, this is epic! It feels so damn good!” A new mist filled the pod as he continued to jerk off, causing James to scrunch his nose, “Dude, it totally reeks in here, like a locker room or something.” From this point on, that smell would stick to him. He’d always smell like a dirty locker room.

However this did little to deter him as he jerked off. And as he did so, he felt a quick jab in his arm as the contents of a syringe were dumped into him.

“Dude, my head's all fuzzy right now, it's weird.” He moaned as his IQ plummeted and new knowledge filled his brain, “Heh, check this out, dude.” He moaned as he bounced his pecs, “Dude, wait, my brain's acting up. I'm, like, still smart, yeah?” James tried to remember facts that he once memorized but found nothing. His golf skills replaced by workout routines, his adherence to social norms evaporating, and his desire to present himself well replaced with a need to wear tank tops and gym shorts, “Whatever, bro, it doesn't matter. I've got this, and that's what counts.” He winked at his dick and continued to jerk himself off, moving his hand faster and faster, “Fuck yeah, dude!” He moaned as he came, covering himself in cum and falling to the ground. And there he sat, totally spent until the door to the pod opened.

“Hey James,” James looked up and grinned.

"Yo, what's up, campaign manager bro?"

The older man smiled and turned to the judge, “Very good job, James here is perfect. No one will think Selection Day is rigged if even Senator Wagner’s son isn’t safe.”

“Nah, bro, it's Jim, not James.” Jim chuckled, “Like ‘gym’, get it bro?”

“Here Jim, get cleaned up.” The judge said, throwing the man a towel.

After wiping the cum from his hairy abdomen and chest, he got dressed in a tank top and gym shorts. And as he walked through the building, he barely cared at the glances of disgust and the people holding their noses. Nor did he care for the judgmental stares as he scratched his balls and pits, completely oblivious to social norms. When he finally got outside, he smiled when he saw his father’s limo. He quickly walked over and jumped in with a grin.  

“Who are you?” His father asked, scrunching his nose.

Jim grinned and pulled his dad in for a hug, “Yo, dad, it's me, Jim. What's good?"

Several months had passed since then and much changed for Jim. His father quickly disowned him, believing that James hadn’t been honest with the family if this was the outcome of Selection Day. Besides, appealing outcomes was a lengthy process and for Jim’s dad, there could be great political repercussions given his support for the process. So Jim would remain. His life on the golf course and dining in the country club just a memory.

But Jim didn’t mind as he entered his small studio apartment and tossed his gym bag to the ground. He walked over to the dirty mattress in the middle of his room and plopped down, scratching his pits and flipping through his phone.  

“Bro, check it out! Dad crushed the election, fuck yeah!” He cheered with a grin. His grin only widened as he read the text from the cute blond guy from the gym.

Even if he couldn’t celebrate with his family that night, Jim was going to celebrate. And as he texted the guy his address, he could feel the monster in his pants start to grow.

[ellovett]

☣️🍳Krahn n Akna revival!!!

ive redesigned my twst kronk and yzma to their true and FINAL form [im fr this time cos im really happy with them] !!

complete bios under the cut blehh 😋

rbs>likes !!

Name: Krahn Quiroz

Age: 31

Height: 210 cm

Homeland: Sunshine Lands

Affiliation: Night Raven College Staff, The Squirrel Scouts

Occupation: Head-Chef of the cafeteria, Teacher's assistant, Scout facilitator

Subject taught: Science-centric subjects since he mainly assists Akna in teaching

Favorite food: Papas a la Huancaina

Hobby: Dabbles in a LOTTT of hobbies, but cooking is his main one!

As the Head Chef, Krahn is one of the few friendly faces in the Night Raven College staff, he has that warm and welcoming aura to him that's able to put anyone at ease just by being around him. He's popular with the students by how nice he is, and he's friends with a lot of students that pass by the cafeteria for lunch. He and Akna are a package deal, and are often seen together, and even gets dragged into helping Akna with her schemes. Krahn may be rather dim witted most of the time, in fact he isn't exactly the brightest tool in the shed, but ultimately he has a heart of gold, and is genuine in everything he does.

Trivia:

Krahn is very athletic and has inhumane stamina, you could say he's a gymbro, he can run around the field track for like 10 hours straight and not even show ANY signs of fatigue.

also serves as a scout facilitator for an elementary scout group in his off time! he's great friends with the kids there, they often just go hiking to explore nature ..and to learn how to talk to squirrels.

Great friends with Ashton, they're workout buddies!! Though Krahn isn't too keen on Ashton's … raw egg eating habits.

His hugs AND his spinach puffs are life-changing

Name: Akna Yglesias

Age: 35

Height: 185 cm

Homeland: Shaftlands

Affiliation: Night Raven College Staff

Occupation: Substitute Alchemy/Potions professor

Subject taught: Sciences [Alchemy, Potions, and Biology]

Favorite Food: Ceviche

Hobby: Making potions, studying alchemy, trying to take Divus' place as Alchemy teacher

Theatrical, grandiose, and short-tempered, Akna Yglesias is a teacher at Night Raven College who has a very commanding presence and is someone who knows exactly what she wants and goes through various lengths to get it. As a substitute not only does she fill in on unavailable science teachers, she is also responsible for co-facilitating science-centric clubs. Her schemes to take over the teaching position for herself are over-the-top and her jealousy moreso. She's a genius in alchemy, but Divus had long been established as the Alchemy Professor when she started working in NRC, and has vowed to take him down ever since.

Trivia:

Values lab safety more than anything, and always changes her clothes into something more appropriate for her classes. Enforces this onto Divus and her students as well, much to their dismay.

Is one to call Divus out on any mistakes he makes, she's a substitute after all, shouldn't she help? Give him a nudge? A rough shove even?

Has a very close familial bond with Krahn, a bond that has existed way before their years working for NRC

During her years of working, she's constructed a secret lab in the undergrounds of the campus, and all without Crowley's knowledge, how Crowley hasn't figured it out even she can't tell why.

[x-emeraldsky-x]

- Medic AU -

A continuation of this post

Konoha's specialised medical unit is a unit that works directly for the Hokage. They are highly advanced medical ninja that are also trained in normal Shinobi arts, allowing them to blend in with other ninja. They are also trained for assassination, if its ever needed on missions. In combination with their medical knowledge and understanding of the human body, they are quite a deadly force.

This unit is a secret outside of the hospital and the staff directly under the Hokage, no one else knows of the capabilities of the unit members. Not even their team, leaders or members. They're sent on regular missions as regular medics, but on occassion they will be sent on more deadly and private ones to gather information or to recover any stolen records or supplies normal ninja can't know of.

The special medical unit also has its own uniform separate from normal medical ninja, a darker uniform that is usually accompanied by a surgical mask. Under the sash is a belt with pounches attached for their tools.

Tsunade, seeing her four most recent students' teamwork and progress in the few years they've been training together, appoints them this role, with her star deciple as the leader.

Each member of the unit specialises in their own field that they work in and teach in.

Kiba specialises in paediatrics. His calming and big brotherly nature fits well in the childrens clinic. A lot of children love Akamaru as well, who helps sick children walk around, listens to them read, and have naps with them. Kiba is also famous for handing out lollipops for every check-up and sometimes for no reason at all. He carries lollipops on him everywhere he goes, even sugar-free ones for kids with dietry needs. On the field, he and Akamaru use their sense of smell and tracking abilities to find anyone who's injured or stuck. He's the jokester of the group, as expected, and he often calls Sakura Tsunade's daughter, noting their similarities.

Shikamaru specialises in diagnosing patients and coming up with strategies on the field. He is very attentive and studies up on everything he can, despite his lazy nature. He's often in the library reading up on illnesses, old and new, and on occasion he and Sakura will study together. He helps develop cures in the lab when he isn't out or with patients. In his career, he has helped with finding multiple cures alongside Sakura and other medics. He's also terrified of Tsunade.

Neji specialises in surgery. He has great skills in finer and more delicate procedures and is regarded as the top male surgeon. On the field, he uses his Byakugan to help find anyone that Kiba's tracking can't. He can also use it to guide medic squads in the direction of groups of injured people. He takes the role of second in command when the captain isn't around, and is often tired due to Kiba's antics. Without his Byakugan, Neji's eyesight is quite poor close-up. So he uses glasses to read reports.

Sakura specialises in toxin research and antidotes. She's the captain of the special medical unit, and in Tsunade's absence, she's the leader of Konoha's hospital. She is highly advanced in most medical fields due to Tsunade's private teachings and her fast learning. She grew a fascination for toxins when the boys joined and took on some of her work in the hospital. She spent months researching venom, poison, and making antidotes whenever she could. Every so often she will take time away to train privately with Tsunade to work on the Byakugō seal and her taijutsu.

Akamaru has a uniform too! On the field, he carries supplies for the unit with his own special harness with four pouches for supplies. In the hospital, he has a far simpler harness with only one pouch that's full of lollies and candy for the children he visits. He also wears the bandana Sakura gave him.

Together, they work hard to keep Konoha safe and the medical department running smoothly.

// That's all for now! Thanks for reading!

// @evilkitten3

[sevasey51]

Would Ava and Connor trust his wife’s clinical judgement? In the sense of she knows every possible outcome and just from experience and being observant knows what signs and symptoms to look out for. Making sure she has all supplies ready and a lot of the time having supplies on the table before they even know what the surgical team is looking at. She doesn’t say anything just does it. Even though she isn’t a doctor or nurse. She is scrub tech that just happened to have worked a lot of specialities in the main OR before she worked on maternity.

Trust in Her Hands

Summary: She’s not a surgeon. Not a nurse. No initials behind her name. Just a scrub tech—until you step into her OR. Then suddenly she’s a quiet storm of instinct, muscle memory, and surgical foresight. Ava and Connor have worked with dozens of surgical staff, but none quite like her. Because Connor’s wife doesn’t just assist in surgeries. She anticipates them. And when things go sideways, her hands are already moving—laying out supplies before the diagnosis is even confirmed, calmly prepping trays before words are spoken. She doesn’t brag. She doesn’t need to. The whole hospital knows: when she’s scrubbed in, the room runs sharper. Quieter. Smarter.

Because even if she doesn’t wear a white coat—her judgment is gold.

It happened at least once a week.

A case would shift mid-surgery—veering off its original track, revealing unexpected bleeds or hidden anomalies—and before the attending could finish saying “Get me—” she was already handing them the right clamp, the right suture, the exact tool they’d need next.

And no one was ever more quietly prepared than Connor’s wife.

She didn’t interrupt.

Didn’t correct.

She just moved.

Like instinct. Like she’d seen it coming five steps before anyone else had.

Connor noticed it long before they ever started dating.

Back when she worked general, covering rotating specialties. She’d worked ortho, neuro, cardio, OB. A surgical Swiss Army knife.

He remembered one vascular case—supposed to be a clean repair—when things turned sideways fast. The patient clotted mid-procedure and the team scrambled.

She didn’t.

She calmly leaned into the field and handed Connor a Fogarty catheter before anyone even called for it.

He looked up at her, startled. “You—?”

“You’ll need it,” she said quietly.

She was right.

Years later, married now, Connor still watched her work with something close to reverence.

Even in maternity—where the emergencies came fast, bloody, and terrifying—she was the calm in the storm.

One afternoon, he and Ava were called up for a consult on a C-section gone complicated. The OB attending was growing nervous. Bleeding was heavier than expected. No clear source yet.

Ava had just opened her mouth to say “we might need a vascular tray”—

When Connor spotted her already loading it onto the back table.

Quiet. Efficient. Completely unfazed.

Ava raised an eyebrow. “You got a crystal ball I should know about?”

Y/N didn’t look up from her prep. “Heard the vitals in pre-op. Thought it might be vascular. Better to have it ready.”

Ava turned to Connor, deadpan: “You do realize she’s better at this than half our residents.”

Connor smirked. “That’s why I married her.”

Later that night, in the lounge, Ava leaned against the doorframe while Y/N unwrapped her gloves and tossed her gown.

“You ever think about med school?” Ava asked, casual.

Y/N just shook her head with a small smile. “Nope. I like being the hands that hand you what you need before you ask. Less pressure.”

Ava studied her for a long moment. “Still. You’ve got the brain for it. And the judgment.”

Y/N shrugged. “I’ve seen enough disasters to know how to avoid them.”

Connor, walking in with two cups of coffee, handed one to his wife and kissed her temple. “Which is why you’re the first person I trust in a room.”

She looked up at him, surprised.

“You’re a trauma surgeon,” she said softly. “You work with the best of the best.”

He smiled, warm and fierce. “Exactly. And you’re still the one I’d want at my back.”

Bonus Scene:

One evening, a fresh resident tried to correct her mid-set-up.

“That tray’s not needed,” he said with false confidence. “We’re not going vascular.”

Y/N paused, gave a polite nod, and didn’t argue.

She just kept the tray on the side table—silent.

When the case flipped into an emergency five minutes in, guess what tray saved the patient?

Guess who Ava pointed to without saying a word?

Guess who never questioned her again?

Because she didn’t need letters behind her name to be respected.

Not when her work spoke louder than any degree.

And certainly not when two of the best surgeons in the hospital—one her boss, the other her husband—trusted her clinical judgment without question.

[torchship-rpg]

Dev Diary 12 - Destructive Testing

Breaking from the usual format for this one, and it’s going to be a bit shorter, but this is important.

At the beginning of November was Metatopia, a convention dedicated to playtesting roleplaying games. It’s an excellent place to go to break games in order to fix them stronger than ever, and in that respect Torchship did not disappoint. While its parts all worked beautifully, there were some issues with the connective tissue tying it; the game needed a stronger mechanical framework to put these pieces into.

With that in mind, we’ve started a new draft of Torchship designed to be rapidly playtested and iterated, into which all the other stuff we’ve built up can be plugged back. This new draft focuses particularly hard on making sure the game’s fundamental tablefeel is strong, that you always know what to do and where to go next.

Which is to say, fans of my games having big circles in them somewhere? There’s a big circle in this one now too. Torchship now has two distinct modes; an Action mode where you go out and gather information, and a Reflection portion where that information is managed, damage gets fixed, and plans are made. Action takes the form of ongoing narrative play, dropping into turn-based combat when needed, where Reflection takes place in a series of special scenes called Vignettes to represent timeskips, with more impactful ‘Resupply’ Vignettes acting in some ways as bridges between episodes or story arcs.

While it may sound similar to some of our previous games, this isn’t like in Flying Circus where each part of the Routine is a commitment to a certain kind of gameplay before you can go back. You’re able to switch between the two pretty readily; so long as there’s nothing bearing down on you this minute, you can go into Reflection and play out Vignettes, with the number available before you need to go back into Action depending on the in-universe time until the next important thing.

This structure imitates the back and forth you see in many episodes of Star Trek. To use Devil in the Dark as an example, the Action scenes are things like arriving at the planet to meet with the staff, or going out into the cave to track down what’s killing the miners. When they go back to talk about their findings, prep security crews, or bring in new resources, that’s Reflection. It covers your beloved TNG meeting room scenes, the cut to sickbay as we find out what happened to the redshirt, and the montages of inventing or building the tools that’ll solve this week’s problems.

As part of these rewrites, some parts of the game have been modified from previous dev diaries. We’ve simplified the way Harm works; you now have two Harm tracks, Injury and Panic, and a new accumulating penalty called Strain which builds up quickly as you make checks or use medicine to manage the other tracks or boost your abilities. Strain is easy to clear so long as you have supplies available, so it acts to pace out scenes and give less-skilled characters a reason to roll; if you know there’s a lot of a certain kind of work ahead, you might want to save your expert for the rolls which really matter!

(Radiation no longer uses a whole track, but instead consists of a small card the GM can hand you entitled “Congratulations, you’ve been irradiated!” with a list of dosage effects.)

A variety of changes large and small have emerged from these changes. Relationships act as an excellent starting point for Vignettes, while access to meetings have let us place restrictions on the number of checklists out on the field at a time, as you can always call meetings to retire checklists, propose others, and figure out what your next Big Question is about the mission. We’ve created a new XP system where you train skills directly by using them, with the pace of advancement limited on a per-episode basis to encourage you to play wide and learn new things.

Finally, we’ve come up with a neat solution to one of the longstanding problems that original sci-fi games often run into, where players are unsure what their technology can do, resulting in decision paralysis. We’ve added a very distinct CAN & CAN’T field on the info cards which lists exactly what everything does and what their limitations are so you can jump straight in without slowing the game to ask the GM where the boundaries are. 

Things are bound to change more over time as the game is refined and tested, but that’s a good thing. Good games take time, revision, and a willingness to recognize and rewrite when things aren’t working as well as they could.

[unwelcome-ozian]

Welcome to the Field Guide to Police Surveillance.

EFF’s Street-Level Surveillance project shines a light on the surveillance technologies that law enforcement agencies routinely deploy in our communities. These resources are designed for advocacy organizations, journalists, defense attorneys, policymakers, and members of the public who often are not getting the straight story from police representatives or the vendors marketing this equipment.

Whether it’s phone-based location tracking, ubiquitous video recording, biometric data collection, or police access to people’s smart devices, law enforcement agencies follow closely behind their counterparts in the military and intelligence services in acquiring privacy-invasive technologies and getting access to consumer data. Just as analog surveillance historically has been used as a tool for oppression, we must understand the threat posed by emerging technologies to successfully defend civil liberties and civil rights in the digital age.

The threats to privacy of these surveillance technologies are enormous, as law enforcement agencies at all levels of government use surveillance technologies to compile vast databases filled with our personal information or gain access to devices that can lay bare the intricacies of our daily lives. Use of these surveillance technologies can infringe on our constitutional rights, including to speak and associate freely under the First Amendment or be free from unlawful search and seizure under the Fourth Amendment. Law enforcement also tends to deploy surveillance technologies disproportionately against marginalized communities. These technologies are prone to abuse by rogue officers, and can be subject to error or vulnerability, causing damaging repercussions for those who interact with the criminal justice system.

The resources contained in this hub bring together years of research, litigation, and advocacy by EFF staff and our allies, and will continue to grow as we obtain more information. SOURCE

[seelix-blog]

Dear Omelas Community,

We have received questions regarding Omelas’s use of AI tools in our vetting process for Omelas Kids. In the interest of transparency, we will explain the process for how we are using a Large Language Model (LLM). We understand that members of our community have very reasonable concerns and strong opinions about using LLMs. Please be assured that no data other than a proposed Omelas Kid’s name has been put into the LLM script that was used. Let’s repeat that point: No data other than a proposed Omelas Kid’s name has been put int the LLM script. The sole purpose of using the LLM was to streamline the online search process used for Omelas Kid vetting, and rather than being accepted uncritically, the outputs were carefully analyzed by multiple members of our team for accuracy. We received more than 1,300 suggestions for Omelas Kid. Building on the work of previous Omelas Kids, we chose to vet participants before inviting them to be in the Omelas Hole.We communicated this intention to the applicants in the instructions of our Omelas Kid suggestion form.

In order to enhance our process for vetting, volunteer staff also chose to test a process utilizing a script that used ChatGPT. The sole purpose of using this LLM was to automate and aggregate the usual online searches for participant vetting, which can take up to 10–30 minutes per applicant as you enter a person’s name, plus the search terms one by one. Using this script drastically shortened the search process by finding and aggregating sources to review.

Specifically, we created a query, including a requirement to provide sources, and entered no information about the applicant into the script except for their name. As generative AI can be unreliable, we built in an additional step for human review of all results with additional searches done by a human as necessary. An expert in LLMs who has been working in the field since the 1990s reviewed our process and found that privacy was protected and respected, but cautioned that, as we knew, the process might return false results.

The results were then passed back to the Omelas Kid division head and track leads. Track leads who were interested in Omelas Kids provided additional review of the results. Absolutely no Omelas Kids were denied a place on the program based solely on the LLM search. Once again, let us reiterate that no Omelas Kids were denied a place on the program based solely on the LLM search.

Using this process saved literally hundreds of hours of volunteer staff time, and we believe it resulted in more accurate vetting after the step of checking any purported negative results. We have also not utilized an LLM in any other aspect of our program or convention. If you have any questions, please get in touch with selection@omelashole.org or chair@omelashole.org 

[thatmittengirl2009]

Today I had the amazing experience of being able to volunteer for the Leader Dogs for the Blind organization. My friend trains service dogs and as they go through extensive training at the facility, a good chunk of 3rd and 4th stage training is completed out in the field aka the real world.

Being able to tour the facility and what goes into this program is truly remarkable. They have their own breeding program to ensure most pups will have the best chance at health to be able to serve for long periods of time. Once they’re deemed good, the organization relies on “puppy raises” who are everyday volunteers to take on the responsibility of training a normal puppy. The program provides the food for them and vet visits, plus all the training tools and classes the puppy raiser needs. Once they get basic obedience completed and pass an evaluation, they can then work on getting the pups socialized. This is the most important and crucial step. As a puppy raiser, you are given more free rein on places to bring the dog. Because they’re not “officially” a service dog, it’s best to call ahead at stores or restaurants to see if they will allow the dog to come in for training. Most will say absolutely. There is one or two scrooges but places recognize this is the only way a dog will get used to these environments. Some puppy raisers will send the dog off to school with their older kid even to get used to the classroom environment. The dog is kept with their puppy raiser family until about 2 years. If the dog passes their final little exam, then they are brought back to the facility for advanced training. If they find they might not be suitable, then they are “career changed” and the puppy raiser gets first dibs if they want to adopt that dog. If they don’t, then they have an adoption center too for the public. So if you see someone with a vested dog that says “in training” most likely what you’re seeing is a volunteer who is putting in their own private time to ensure this dog can help someone one day.

The advanced training is where the staff come in and lasts about a year. They do a lot of training at the facility first, teaching a dog to backup and how to track and keep eye on their handler. They also try to teach spacial awareness at this stage as the dog needs to understand if there is an object in the way, they must give more room for the human to clear it as well, not just them. As they advance, they are taken out on remote locations. There is a team of trainers who work together to purposefully recreate dangerous situations like crossing a street when a car is coming in hot around the corner. Will the dog run? Will they back up immediately to protect their human? They have cameras on the cars too so they can study the dog’s reaction. Were they scared? Did they show signs of distress? Those are all kinds of scenarios we don’t think about but the dog needs to be prepared for as a human life will be in their hands (or paws). Many dogs are career changed at this point as either they’re too scared of the advanced stimuli or they can’t seem to remember they’re guiding a human. It’s sad to see them come so far and be told sorry no. 😭 But they seem to take it well. If they’re career changed at this point, the original puppy raiser also gets first dibs. I found it amazing how the volunteer families are kept up to date with the dog’s progress long after they’re gone. The trainers often will turn to the families to ask questions like “what did the dog like as a reward for doing good behavior?” Or “did he always do this?” It’s all to help for the best outcome and many families just want to see the dog succeed. The whole setup is adorable!!

In the final stages of training, they do as many field tests as possible with a trainer blindfolded. If the dog can pass all these final challenges and a trainer feels like they’re in good hands, the dog will go on to their final exam which is completed at the facility and last 2-3 hours. After 3 years of intense training, that 2-3 hours is their make or break moment. They need to be able to repeat tasks 10 times perfectly with no error.

My friend has been working with three dogs this past year and one named, Yoshi, was getting one of his final field training/tests done today as he goes onto his final exam in 2 weeks. Sometimes they prefer a 3rd party to help to ensure everything has been covered as the dog might react differently once with a new handler. And this isn’t great considering they’re eventually being paired with a person in need.

Most people say no to this volunteer opportunity though as it’s too scary. I get it lol. This dog isn’t officially certified but you’re willingly being blindfolded and hoping this dog doesn’t run you into a fountain. Of course I said yes to helping my friend and getting this rare opportunity. So I met up at the facility, got a tour, and then met the perfect Yoshi, a brown lab with white spots who is adorable!! We drove out in a van to the downtown area where there is lots of shops and stores have signs outside and there is steps and street crossing opportunities. I was blindfolded and by blindfold, I mean they used these special sleep type masks that are bulky and completely eliminate any vision. You can’t look down, you have no peripheral vision. It’s just darkness. It’s surprising how much my other senses automatically kicked into overdrive hearing things I usually wouldn’t pick up on, and even my smell became heightened. I had two spotters with me. One who kept on eye on what the dog was doing and one person looking after me. If say the dog decides it’s safe to cross the street when it’s not, they’ll pull us back. I was given the commands and what they mean and away I went. It feels so weird relying strictly on this dog to guide me through crowds. Yoshi unfortunately did walk me right into a sign twice but he quickly realized his error and it vastly improved the rest of the time. It’s amazing when you get to a set of stairs, he stops at the top but he gets as close to a handrail as possible for me to find before he proceeds. He waited for my command to then continue slowly down the stairs not pulling me. He would stop at every cross walk and idk how they know but he just knew not to go because cars were turning. As a side note, when I was in Grand Haven on vacation last year, the crosswalks talked. I remember thinking that was an amazing feature and honestly I could have used that in that moment. Those little raised bumps at the end of sidewalks became my saving grace to know I was by a street.

I was extremely anxious at first, but after an hour of walking around completely blind, I never felt more safe. My anxiety and tension got less and less and as I removed the blindfold at the end, I couldn’t help but cry. I mean I cry at everything but to know this dog was gonna change someone’s life for the better and help give them that independence I just experienced for a mere hour blew my mind. And a blind person experiences this every single day.

I will say I never realized until that moment that direction challenge is a real thing. Dogs are great but they’re not GPS systems. You can’t say “go to Starbucks” and expect to get there. Half the time I had no clue where I was. I learned this is a very common issue that blind people face especially young people who always relied on a parent or friend to help them. Leaders for the Blind offers classes to blind people to learn direction mapping and how to overcome disorientation. If a person cannot be fully independent because of these issues, they actually cannot be matched to a dog because it puts the dog at risk to be injured too. It’s those little things I never thought about before today.

I have faith Yoshi will pass his final exam and he will make someone very very happy.

What comes next after they pass is the matching process. At this point, the trainers already have been working with the dogs for a while so they understand their different temperaments. Some walk fast, others are slower. The person who works between working with a candidate and the trainers takes that info and uses it to match the person. If a person likes to walk fast or be active, then this dog will do. Or someone is older and slower, then the slow and steady dog will do. It’s an entire process behind the scenes to ensure the best outcome. Once they have a match and a certification, graduation day and match week comes about. They’ll have the blind person and their families come in for a week. The dogs meet their new person privately with the trainer where they’re given bonding time just like you would with a regular adopted dog. Sometimes the matching process stops right there if the dog and owner don’t take to each other. 95% of the time it’s a match though. Then they work with both the blind person and their new dog doing training around the facility for the entire week so they learn the commands and get used to having a dog guide them rather than relying on their guide stick. During that week, a trainer can help adjust any commands if needed and help ensure the person is fully comfortable. It takes major adjusting and one thing my friend mentioned is the huge smile the blind person always gets because it becomes a new sense of absolute freedom for them as well as an unconditional friend who will always be there for them.

At the end of the week, a big ceremony is held as usually all the dogs graduate at the same time and are placed. They’ll even invite the puppy raisers and their families to attend so they can see how far their dog came they helped raise. 😭 He said those families keep in touch more than you think they would and they build lifelong friendships. They get their certificates and then their new owners are announced and it’s just the cutest thing ever.

Seriously if you ever get a chance to work with a leader dog as a volunteer, do it. It’ll give you an entirely new respect and perspective for what these dogs truly do. They’re so smart and such good boys and girls!!! ❤️❤️❤️

[lovelyladylavie]

"you gave me a forever within the numbered days, and I'm grateful", surprise me 💛

Sorry Em, this ask is super duper old, but I finally found the perfect thing for this prompt and you already know it, but imma write it anyway

@jojo-rolo you might be interested too!

-----

The hospital bed was about as comfortable as it could be for Lizo. He was 69 now, and he was dying.

He had had his yearly xenogenetic physical to check on his health about a year ago and for the first time, it didn't look good. Lizo, you see, was a genetic hybrid mutant. Humanoid genes fused with reptilian DNA. He was a beta experiment, "Lizard-Zero" (Liz-0 for short), the first successful one of Dr. Natura Blossana. The first one that lived beyond about a day.

But to her surprise, he fought for life, and kept on living until he became a strange infant she didn't know how to care for. She logged every failure and success with her AI assistant, NEMFA, who kept steady track of his progress as an experiment. Every meal he ate, how much he slept, if he got sick, and everything else. The doctor would make sure he had stimulation, education, and enrichment. But due to her own issues with her own scientist parents, refused to be called 'mother'. She preferred 'creator' and that's what he called her as he learned to speak. Until a medical assistant said that that was silly and told him he should call Dr. Blossana "mother" or "mama" or "mom".

It was an innocent enough gesture, trying to normalize the boy's childhood a bit. But it had consequences.

"Mother? You're my mother, right?" Lizo asked one day as he was dropped off to daycare.

Natura's face darkened. "No, a mother births you. I created you in a lab. You're my experiment and therefore you are my responsibility as your 'creator'." She said each word as if she were picking them carefully out of ice. "THAT’s what you call me. Not a thing ELSE."

She had never taken such a frosty tone with him before. It changed things. It scared him. Put a wall of ice between them. He started engaging more with her staff than her. They were a caring bunch, but he didn't trust them much either, for a reason he couldn't come to understand until later, which was that they caused the rift between him and his creator. They might have other dangerous ideas that might backfire as well.

But soon, the more clinical way his mother treated him became more and more stiff. She stopped picking him up. Told him to stop crying instead of soothing him.

Eventually, he grew to resent her. He started to call her mother or Mom as a way to needle her, because it was the only way to get an emotional response out of her.

He became a scientist as well, downloading the newest banks of knowledge into his head and passing the exams to become a Xenogeneticist like her, if only because he realized he'd have to, in order to keep up his own health without her help. She'd moved on to different experiments as well, bored of the new form of life she'd brought into the world.

His teen years were cold and sterile, but at least he was wearing the white coat this time. He had his own lab now, his own experiments to run to better their organization and keep their agents safe in the field.

He didn't leave the homebase or his mother's house that often. Why should he? He had occupation with his work, and people to talk to there.

What need did he have for fun anymore? It was a waste of time he could be using to help people.

He thought that way until he was seventeen.

Until he met her.

Lavie Crane was lost, and had wandered into his lab to ask for directions. Not unusual, but he'd just dropped a pot of coffee all over himself and his worktable.

She saved his life by stopping him from absent-mindedly plugging in a tool in the soaked outlet and it made him stop short. He'd almost died of electrical shock! His mother would've laughed smugly at the funeral! Such a foolish mistake!

And as he was pondering death, Lavie Crane was rewriting his equations on his whiteboard, apologizing while doing so, but according to her calculations, he would've blown himself up because he forgot to carry the 3!

She was a fascinating specimen of a human. Wild, brash, intelligent as hell, but would make stupid mistakes like trying to fight a pro cage fighter, or jumping into a wild space-sheep's pen. He knew this because she became his first friend.

Then, he pined for her. It was like she'd blown open the windows and let in a refreshing breeze, drawing him outside the lab and experiencing life together. One could've made jokes about her being a 'manic pixie dream girl', but no. While she was impulsive, she knew exactly what she wanted and had goals to do cool shit just because it was, in fact, cool. Build ships. Build mecha armor. Learn to fight, which they both went to do together. He was glad just to be close to her, and she was on his wavelength, making even his own projects more fun to converse about.

After much pining and lollygagging and a few end-of-the-world adventures that turned out just fine, thank you very much...

He asked her to marry him. And oh, she did. She loved him back. There was no one in the universe she wanted more than her best friend.

They married and went on to create many implausible inventions together. Fusing inspiring biology and space age mechanics into strange and delightful machines.

They had no children, as he did not want to continue a cycle of pain. Could they have worked together and continued his mother's research? Sure. But his new younger siblings, who looked more human than his monstrous lizard-man form, were already as perfect as the science would allow. He had to help them recover from being raised by his mother, after all.

Natura and Lizo eventually made peace, as he finally understood where she came from. A similar harsh environment where she was a labrat herself. When she was found wanting, she had been ejected. She wanted to prove she could create better life than her parents. Her family, all five of her children, told her that grandma and gramps weren't here to be shocked or impressed. Their opinion didn't matter. What would it get her, if the children were to their standards? Nothing.

And Natura broke down. She loved her children. She wished she'd given them a better childhood, with more love and warmth instead of iron clad structure. What she never had. And technically speaking, they had more freedom than she had had. Better conditions, even if it wasn't anywhere near normal. But still she was found wanting and... owned up to it.

She changed. She loosened up. She organized outings and dinners and they spent their adult years at peace with one another, the tumultuous emotions of their childhood soothed and smoothed away.

Lizo and his mother still had legendary debates and arguments, but they didn't end in harsh feelings anymore. They bickered until the day she died, Lavie often playing referee.

Forty-odd years of marriage later, here he was. In a hospital bed, Lavie holding his hand, making him comfortable.

Dr. Lizard-Zero Blossana-Crane was never made to last. It was only sheer luck and grit that he did. His DNA was unraveling. His organs were failing. His body was breaking down.

He said goodbye to his love a dozen times, just in case. They called his family and they came, each to say goodbye. His mutant brothers and sister, each an artist in their own now. Street artist, musician, magician, and comedian. They’d never been happier, and he was happy for them.

They left to wait in the lobby, or until responsibilities drew them home, and it was soon only Lavie and Lizo.

Lavie gripped his hand as she watched his vitals start to decline.

"Not yet! Please! We have so much to do still!"

He chuckled, "You gave me forever within numbered days. And I'm grateful. You made me live my life, my love. I'll love you forever."

And he died. Softly.

The Grim Reaper took him by the hand, though she was rather baffled as to *where* to take him. Where does a worldless, unique being go?

Lavie sobbed at his side, but was soon interrupted by a 'pin-pon!' beep above her from the speakers.

NEMFA made note, for all to hear:

["Experiment Lizard-0 Complete."]

["Experiment Successful."]

[vayakstaffcareapp]

Best Field Staff Management Software in India

Managing your field team just got easier with Vayak, a reliable field staff management software designed for tracking, getting task updates, and performance insights from your field staff. With powerful tools and location-based monitoring; It helps you reduce manual errors, increase productivity, and keep an eye on all fieldwork in one place. Get started with Vayak and take control of your field staff today.

[careersahp]

The Private Practice Path: Your Guide to Success

Embarking on the path of private practice can be a thrilling yet daunting endeavor. It's a leap of faith, a journey towards independence and realizing your vision of providing exceptional care. This guide will equip you with the knowledge and strategies to navigate this path successfully.

1. Foundational Pillars:

Define Your Niche: Identify your area of expertise and passion. What specific services will you offer? Who is your ideal client? A focused niche will attract the right clientele and streamline your marketing efforts.  

Develop Your Brand: Create a strong brand identity that reflects your values and resonates with your target audience. This includes a compelling logo, website, and consistent messaging across all platforms.

Financial Planning: Conduct a thorough financial analysis. Determine your start-up costs, projected revenue, and break-even point. Explore funding options like loans, grants, or investors.  

2. Building a Robust Infrastructure:

Secure Office Space: Choose a location that is accessible to your target clients and aligns with your brand image. Consider factors like rent, utilities, and accessibility.

Technology Setup: Invest in reliable technology to support your practice. This includes a robust electronic health record (EHR) system, teletherapy platforms, and secure communication tools.

Legal and Administrative Setup: Obtain necessary licenses and permits. Develop policies and procedures for client intake, billing, and record-keeping.

3. Marketing and Client Acquisition:

Content Marketing: Create valuable content that positions you as an expert in your field. This could include blog posts, articles, videos, or social media posts.

Networking: Attend industry events, join professional organizations, and build relationships with other healthcare providers.  

Online Presence: Optimize your website and online profiles (e.g., Google My Business, social media) for search engines and local visibility.  

Client Referrals: Cultivate relationships with other professionals who can refer clients to your practice.  

4. Providing Exceptional Client Care:

Prioritize Client Relationships: Build strong rapport with your clients by actively listening to their needs and providing personalized care.  

Continuous Learning: Stay updated on the latest research, techniques, and best practices in your field. Attend continuing education courses and workshops.

Seek Feedback: Regularly solicit feedback from clients to identify areas for improvement and enhance your services.

5. Navigating Challenges and Achieving Sustainability:

Burnout Prevention: Prioritize self-care by setting boundaries, scheduling breaks, and engaging in activities that bring you joy.  

Financial Management: Track your income and expenses carefully. Implement strategies for maximizing revenue and minimizing overhead.

Adaptability and Innovation: Stay flexible and adapt to changing market conditions and client needs. Embrace new technologies and innovative approaches to care delivery.

6. Cultivating a Supportive Community:

Find a Mentor: Seek guidance from experienced private practitioners who can offer advice and support.

Join a Peer Group: Connect with other private practitioners for peer support, collaboration, and problem-solving.

Build a Team: As your practice grows, consider hiring support staff to assist with administrative tasks and client care.

Final Thoughts:

The path to private practice success is a marathon, not a sprint. It requires dedication, perseverance, and a commitment to continuous learning and growth. By following these principles, you can build a thriving practice that provides high-quality care and fulfills your professional and personal aspirations.

[prashasconsulting]

The Ultimate Guide to Successfully Publishing Your PhD Research

Publishing your PhD research is a key milestone in your academic career. It turns years of hard work into key contributions to your field. This, in turn, increases the importance of your scholarly contributions. Yet, it can be overwhelming. The process has many phases, from paper prep to negotiating peer review. This tutorial simplifies the process. It gives techniques for successfully publishing your study.

Why Publish Your PhD Research?

Publishing isn't about adding lines to your CV. it has broader implications.

The Advancing Knowledge: Your research enhances the academic discourse in your field.

The Establishing Credibility: Published work establishes you as a credible and recognized researcher.

Career Growth: Publications are often prerequisites for academic and research positions.

Networking: It opens doors for collaboration and discussions within your field.

Step-by-Step Guide to Publishing Your PhD Research

1. Understand the publication process

Before diving in, familiarize yourself with how academic publishing works. This includes:

Types of Publications: Full research articles, review papers, and short communications.

Timeline: The process, from submission to publication, can take months to years.

Key Players: Editors, reviewers, and journal staff guide the process.

2. Choose the Right Journal

Your choice of journal impacts the visibility and reach of your research. Consider:

The audience and scope: Ensure the journal aligns with your research areas.

The Impact Factor: While not the sole indicator, it reflects the journal's influence.

Open Access vs. Subscription: Open-access journals reach more people. But, they may charge fees to process articles.

Pro Tip: Use tools like Journal Finder or Think. Check. Submit. to identify suitable journals.

3. Be Prepare Your Manuscript

Follow the guidelines: Adhere strictly to the journal's submission guidelines.

Clear Writing: Make your research accessible without losing technical depth.

Effectively structure: Typically, employ IMRaD (Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion).

"Cite Responsibly: Use proper referencing styles and avoid self-plagiarism."

4. Seek feedback before submission.

Share your draft with peers or mentors for constructive feedback.

Utilize editing services or writing workshops to refine your manuscript.

5. Submit Your Research Manuscript

Include a powerful cover letter that emphasizes the importance of your job.

Upload your manuscript and supplemental files through the journal's online submission system.

6. Reaction to Peer Reviews

Be patient: Peer review can be lengthy, but it is essential for quality assurance.

Address Reviewer Comments: Be thorough and polite in your responses, providing detailed revisions.

Prepare for Rejections: If reviewers reject your paper, improve it using their feedback. Then, consider resubmitting it elsewhere.

7. Post-Publication Steps

Promote Your Research: Share your work on networks like ResearchGate and LinkedIn.

The Track Metrics: Track citations and downloads to understand your paper’s impact.

Engage with the community: Present your findings at conferences and workshops.

Overcoming Common Challenges

1. Time Constraints

Balancing publication with other responsibilities is tough. Create a timeline and dedicate specific hours each week to writing and revisions.

2. Fear of Rejection

Rejections are part of the process. Treat them as learning opportunities to strengthen your research.

3. Navigating Ethical Concerns

"Follow ethical guidelines. Avoid plagiarism and secure informed consent for studies involving human participants."

FAQs

1. How long will it take for the publication process?

It varies by journal and its peer-review process. Generally, it takes 3–12 months from submission to publication.

2. Can I publish negative results?

Yes! Negative results aid science. They can help others avoid the same mistakes.

3. How many papers should i need to publish during my PhD?

This depends on your discipline and program requirements. On average, 2–5 papers are a reasonable goal.

4. Do I need to pay the amount to publish my research?

Some journals charge fees for open access, while others do not. Always verify fee structures before submission.

5. What if my research is rejected?

Revise based on feedback and submit to another journal. Rejection is not the end of the research!

Conclusion

Publishing your PhD research is rewarding but tough. Know the publication process, choose the right journal, and persevere. Then, you can share your work with the world. Remember, every published paper is a step forward for your career and your field. Keep learning, improving, and contributing!

[multiandmany]

Ashley aka Katnappe +cats!

Fandom: Xiaolin Showdown

Name: Ashley

Age: 14

Species: Human (Acts like a cat but we're pretty sure she's human.)

Gender: Female

Pronouns: She/Her

Height: 4'5"

Weight: ???

Abilities: Expert Thief; Peak Human Condition*: Enhanced Strength, Human Agility, Human Reflexes, Human Speed, Human Flexibility; Martial Artist Skills, Feminine Charm**, Genetic Engineering Degree/Skills

Weapons: Shuriken thrower (wrist bands, by hand), Claws (added into gloves), her cats

A lover of all things cats! So much so that her evil persona is cat themed and her assistants are cats! Ashley collects and obtains cat themed objects, as well as anything else she or her felines fancy, through various means.

While a thief and "evil", she is not looking to take over the world. She is only looking out for herself and her feline companions.

Is in the same social and economic circle as Jack's family, does a lot better at blending in with the rich than he does. Even if the parties can be rather dull at times.

*Nearly superhuman but not quite there.

**Charming and knows it, will use her looks and charm to play dirty and/or gets what she what she wants.

Headcanons:

Her kittens were modified as a way to save them.

In relation to this, she doesn’t like those who hurt animals and if she catches you she will hurt you and the cops will know.

She can hack as part of sneaking in places, gather information and the like. Same the cops will know.

She takes gymnastics and is extremely good at it, a way to hone her skills.

She has other weapons and tools, just not shown or used nearly enough. For example, a grappling hook and lockpicks.

Her kittens get to choose targets for thievery too.

Donates to shelters (parents money) as her main donations. Lots of donations. Sometimes her own, if she gets bored of an item and sells it off for spare money. Black market and all. She can always resteal it again later if she changes her mind after all!~

Canon information and villian suit picture from here: (X)

The Cats

Ashley's cats are special, genetically modified, super kittens! That's what she calls them anyway. They are strong enough to rip apart robots and shred through trees!

Each kitten has its own name, its own food bowl, water dish, you get the idea! Each cute little possible creature of chaos is well taken care of and well loved by Ashley and whoever is on staff!

They totally torment the staff, while being cute and cuddly though, no one believes the staff if a staff member sees red eyes.

The kittens only shift their red eyes out when very angry, its time for battle, or they want to be a little shit. Or you stepped on a tail. Run if you stepped on a tail.

The powers of the kittens include an over all increase in their abilities as cats. They have the abilities of adult cats and then some. They are also have sharper claws and teeth than domestic cats. They can swarm and work in a team with or without Ashley, extremely well trained and extremely smart!

Despite being called "kittens" they are most likely adults, but its hard to tell based off looks alone.

They don't wear collars but are rather dual microchipped. First for Ashley as their owner and second for tracking when Ashley has them out in the field.

They listen to Ashley 90% of the time! So that's good! Also they get a say in what gets stolen at times. Cat toys, treats, other things, Ashley finds its good training for her and her kittens!

What's the genetic make up? We don't know! Maybe bobcat? Lots of domestic? Prehistoric? Its Ashley who knows!!! She'd do anything to save her first kittens!

The looks are different than the show! I am using a picrew for these guys! Red eyes are only for fighting, but the blue and green are normal eye colors!

Blue eyes can still see, due to the eye color shifting! They aren't true blue eyed cats!

Picrew: https://picrew.me/en/image_maker/116652

[busstalks]

10 Best Marketing Tricks for 2024

When it comes to business, leading the pack is everything in a rapidly changing domain of industry. So, as we approach 2024, let me give you the top 10 marketing advice that will help guide you through the challenges and also conquer the opportunities of the New Year:

1. Embrace AI and Automation

Marketing AI and Automation are changing the Game Editorial Staff AI-powered chatbots and predictive analytics make it easier to engage with customers. They also help to improve conversion rates, tweaked in real-time as necessary. For example, with the help of AI you can opt customer data analysis to tailor marketing campaigns in such a way that your message will be connected with your audience.

2. Leverage Social Media

Social platforms are an integral part of any marketing strategy. 2024: Produce engaging + interactive! Use Instagram Stories, LinkedIn articles & more. In this regard, some would say to create TikTok videos and whatnot. The key is as always consistency which builds your retinue of followers.

3. Invest in Content Marketing

Content remains the king. Create a blog post, video, infographic or podcast calendar Optimize your content for SEO and encourage it on search engines. An industry trends blog post that is well-researched can position your brand as a thought leader, for instance.

4. Customer Experience Must Be Your First Priority

Customer experience (CX) is the new big differentiator. Provide a seamless and easy customer experience at every possible touchpoint, whether that be on your website or through customer service. Set up feedback loops for ongoing improvement of your CX strategy.

5. Utilize Influencer Marketing

Why we are just now finding out about something — influencer marketing is already shifting. Micro-influencers (those with smaller, but ultra-engaged followings) will be even more valuable in 2024. Work with influencers that have the same values as you to create an image of reliability and authority.

6. Focus on Video Marketing

Videos are more engaging than textual content. Create videos that show consumers who you are as a brand, how your product works or what it do for them, and curated video content. These are the great platforms to reach a large audience like Youtube and Tiktok.

7. Optimize for Voice Search

Optimizing for voice search As smart speakers and voice assistants have become more popular, it is essential that you optimize your articles for voice search. Make sure your content is not formal and answer basic questions that 8/10 of an audience want to ask you. Adding schema is known to increase the possibility of showing up in voice search.

8. Incorporate Data-Driven Marketing

It is a form of marketing in which decision making is done using past data driven results. Use analytics tools for performance tracking all of your campaigns and customer behaviour. It enables you to tweak your strategies and get better results.

9. Three Ways to Tailor Your Marketing Efforts

And it has nothing to do with popping someone's first name in an email. Personalize messages through data based on customer preference and behaviour For instance, suggest products according to their purchase history or give exclusive offers for your customers based on any special occasion.

10. Stay Agile and Adaptable

Marketing is a field that has always been evolving — but never as fast and dramatically as today. Do not remain idle as the market changes and be prepared when you need to step away from your established way if it is outdated, or losing effectiveness. That ability to pivot is going to be the key to negotiating the uncertainties of 2024, a lesson we would all do well to heed.

Use these marketing tips to set your business on the trajectory towards success in 2024. And finally, as ever, the key to a very good marketing is knowledge and flexibility and putting your customers before anyone else always.