#Managed Data Sources

[rajaniesh]

Unity Catalog: Unlocking Powerful Advanced Data Control in Databricks

Harness the power of Unity Catalog within Databricks and elevate your data governance to new heights. Our latest blog post, "Unity Catalog: Unlocking Advanced Data Control in Databricks," delves into the cutting-edge features

[frogeyedape]

I am so unbelievably pissed off. FUCK HOAs

Oh, my trash/recycling bin can't be visible except on pickup day? Ok whatever fine I hate you but I can deal with this

Weekly inspections?????? FU FU FU FU FU

SECOND NOTICE ALSO WE'RE CHARGING YOU MONEY TO SEND YOU CERTIFIED MAIL OF THIS TOTALLY LEGIT TOTALLY SECOND NOTICE OF WHAT IS ACTUALLY A VIOLATION cue me: checks notes. Hmm. My recycling bin was. on the curb. on recycling pickup day. You know. The day it has to be out. The day it is motherfucking ALLOWED TO BE FUCKING OUT AND VISIBLE.

so. 1) not a violation

I have sent them the trash AND recycling pickup schedules, which are DIFFERENT, btw

I have disputed the fact of the violation

I have disputed the linking of this "violation" to a previous violation MONTHS AGO--their "first notice" in this case was a "Courtesy Notice" LITERALLY 5 MONTHS AGO and they've done so many inspections since then and my bin CLEARLY WASN'T OUT IN THOSE INTERVENING MONTHS so WTMFH

So I am posting like a crazy person here instead of sending the absolutely deranged email I almost sent (I did send a slightly less deranged version with the disputes, and requesting a hearing)

OMG. It has been. Less than one hour since I learned this fun fun news. My bin was out YESTERDAY, y'all. YESTERDAY. I am going to blow a gasket

[agileseen24]

"From Passion to Profession: Steps to Enter the Tech Industry"

How to Break into the Tech World: Your Comprehensive Guide

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, the tech industry is thriving and full of opportunities. Whether you’re a student, a career changer, or someone passionate about technology, you may be wondering, “How do I get into the tech world?” This guide will provide you with actionable steps, resources, and insights to help you successfully navigate your journey.

Understanding the Tech Landscape

Before you start, it's essential to understand the various sectors within the tech industry. Key areas include:

Software Development: Designing and building applications and systems.

Data Science: Analyzing data to support decision-making.

Cybersecurity: Safeguarding systems and networks from digital threats.

Product Management: Overseeing the development and delivery of tech products.

User Experience (UX) Design: Focusing on the usability and overall experience of tech products.

Identifying your interests will help you choose the right path.

Step 1: Assess Your Interests and Skills

Begin your journey by evaluating your interests and existing skills. Consider the following questions:

What areas of technology excite me the most?

Do I prefer coding, data analysis, design, or project management?

What transferable skills do I already possess?

This self-assessment will help clarify your direction in the tech field.

Step 2: Gain Relevant Education and Skills

Formal Education

While a degree isn’t always necessary, it can be beneficial, especially for roles in software engineering or data science. Options include:

Computer Science Degree: Provides a strong foundation in programming and system design.

Coding Bootcamps: Intensive programs that teach practical skills quickly.

Online Courses: Platforms like Coursera, edX, and Udacity offer courses in various tech fields.

Self-Learning and Online Resources

The tech industry evolves rapidly, making self-learning crucial. Explore resources like:

FreeCodeCamp: Offers free coding tutorials and projects.

Kaggle: A platform for data science practice and competitions.

YouTube: Channels dedicated to tutorials on coding, design, and more.

Certifications

Certifications can enhance your credentials. Consider options like:

AWS Certified Solutions Architect: Valuable for cloud computing roles.

Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP): Great for cybersecurity.

Google Analytics Certification: Useful for data-driven positions.

Step 3: Build a Portfolio

A strong portfolio showcases your skills and projects. Here’s how to create one:

For Developers

GitHub: Share your code and contributions to open-source projects.

Personal Website: Create a site to display your projects, skills, and resume.

For Designers

Design Portfolio: Use platforms like Behance or Dribbble to showcase your work.

Case Studies: Document your design process and outcomes.

For Data Professionals

Data Projects: Analyze public datasets and share your findings.

Blogging: Write about your data analysis and insights on a personal blog.

Step 4: Network in the Tech Community

Networking is vital for success in tech. Here are some strategies:

Attend Meetups and Conferences

Search for local tech meetups or conferences. Websites like Meetup.com and Eventbrite can help you find relevant events, providing opportunities to meet professionals and learn from experts.

Join Online Communities

Engage in online forums and communities. Use platforms like:

LinkedIn: Connect with industry professionals and share insights.

Twitter: Follow tech influencers and participate in discussions.

Reddit: Subreddits like r/learnprogramming and r/datascience offer valuable advice and support.

Seek Mentorship

Finding a mentor can greatly benefit your journey. Reach out to experienced professionals in your field and ask for guidance.

Step 5: Gain Practical Experience

Hands-on experience is often more valuable than formal education. Here’s how to gain it:

Internships

Apply for internships, even if they are unpaid. They offer exposure to real-world projects and networking opportunities.

Freelancing

Consider freelancing to build your portfolio and gain experience. Platforms like Upwork and Fiverr can connect you with clients.

Contribute to Open Source

Engaging in open-source projects can enhance your skills and visibility. Many projects on GitHub are looking for contributors.

Step 6: Prepare for Job Applications

Crafting Your Resume

Tailor your resume to highlight relevant skills and experiences. Align it with the job description for each application.

Writing a Cover Letter

A compelling cover letter can set you apart. Highlight your passion for technology and what you can contribute.

Practice Interviewing

Prepare for technical interviews by practicing coding challenges on platforms like LeetCode or HackerRank. For non-technical roles, rehearse common behavioral questions.

Step 7: Stay Updated and Keep Learning

The tech world is ever-evolving, making it crucial to stay current. Subscribe to industry newsletters, follow tech blogs, and continue learning through online courses.

Follow Industry Trends

Stay informed about emerging technologies and trends in your field. Resources like TechCrunch, Wired, and industry-specific blogs can provide valuable insights.

Continuous Learning

Dedicate time each week for learning. Whether through new courses, reading, or personal projects, ongoing education is essential for long-term success.

Conclusion

Breaking into the tech world may seem daunting, but with the right approach and commitment, it’s entirely possible. By assessing your interests, acquiring relevant skills, building a portfolio, networking, gaining practical experience, preparing for job applications, and committing to lifelong learning, you’ll be well on your way to a rewarding career in technology.

Embrace the journey, stay curious, and connect with the tech community. The tech world is vast and filled with possibilities, and your adventure is just beginning. Take that first step today and unlock the doors to your future in technology!

contact Infoemation wensite: https://agileseen.com/how-to-get-to-tech-world/ Phone: 01722-326809 Email: info@agileseen.com

[1800duckhotline]

with how im hearing patch 6 being bugged as it is, i think ill take my chances not to download any torrents of it until a later date ngl

[virtualizationhowto]

Proton Pass Review: Password Manager that Hides Your Email Address

Proton Pass Review: Password Manager that Hides Your Email Address @vexpert #vmwarecommunities #100daysofhomelab #homelab #ProtonPass #PasswordManager #EndToEndEncryption #HideMyEmailAliases #FreePasswordManager #ProtonServices #protonpasswordmanager

With identity theft and breached credentials all over the news, password managers have become necessary to help generate strong, unique passwords. Proton AG, a Swiss-based company revered for pioneering the world’s largest encrypted email service – Proton Mail, has introduced its take on a password manager solution. Known as Proton Pass, it brings an exciting blend of unique features, stringent…

[artisticdivasworld]

The Power of Data Analysis and Integration for Your Business: Why You Need to Start Now

To keep your trucking business financially healthy, it’s crucial to track revenue and expenses accurately. Data analysis helps you monitor income from various brokers and customers, and keep a close eye on every cent of your expenses. By integrating financial data from multiple sources, you get a clear picture of your cash flow, enabling you to make smart decisions. We touched on this topic once…

[workforcesolution]

SAS IS GAINING PROMINENCE IN HEALTHCARE -1

SAS is revolutionizing healthcare analytics, offering benefits from cost management to patient care. With SAS skills in high demand, it's a pivotal time to explore its potential in the healthcare sector. Read more to discover the impact of SAS in healthcare analytics. https://www.rangtech.com/blog/data-science/sas-is-gaining-prominence-in-healthcare-1

[nwhales]

You know who has unmitigated access to my (and all of federal employee’s) sensitive information?

Here’s a hint: it’s not tiktok!

It’s Musk. It’s Musk and his goons that have taken over the Office of Personnel Management. I’m not kidding they have physically taken over the physical office and the database that stores federal employees’ information like pay scale, social security number, home addresses, etc. and it’s now left unprotected.

This should concern everyone because the federal government is the largest employer in the country and I can guarantee that you, the like 5 people who may read this post, or someone you know is or has been a federal employee. And now that information is in the hands of Elon Musk and we don’t know what he is going to do with that information. No, seriously, officials who once oversaw the database and protected that data have said that “there’s no visibility into what they’re doing with the computer or the data,” and “there’s no oversight.” Because Musk and his private employees have physically moved and locked people out of their offices and have changed it so that the people who previously oversaw and had access can only get to their emails.

Right now we know that right now Musk and “OPM” is using the data to send poorly worded emails to all federal employees that are meant to coerce and scare people into taking a shitty deal and resigning. But then what? This is the tip of the iceberg. They have so much data and information for millions of people that the possibilities are endless.

So check in on your friends and neighbors who are federal employees. We’re scared and uncertain about so many aspects of our jobs and our lives. We have been hit with wave after wave of insulting emails telling us that we’re not good at our jobs and that actually our jobs are worthless. We’re facing so many rumors about who has our personal information and what’s being done with it. We are just so tired. And it’s week two. That’s the point - to exhaust us into submission. To my fellow federal workers, hold the line. We’re stronger together and we will get through this.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/musk-aides-lock-government-workers-out-computer-systems-us-agency-sources-say-2025-01-31/

[hkthatgffan]

The image used in the background of the Gravity Falls logo HAS BEEN FOUND!!

It's located in France!!

I made a thread on Twitter explaining the full story and how I even asked Ian Worrel and Alex Hirsch about it, but lemme run down quickly how it was found and where it is!

After 3 years of searching with some friends on and off, we had no real luck. I've been working on a video about it for a while but decided to try one more time. My friend @trickengf suggested looking at international logos as they may have more of the image available and sure enough...we found logos like the Japanese and Russian GF logo had more visible detail of the image.

From that, Tricken made a remake of the image and used it to find it. He ended up finding the source at about 3AM for me, lol!

My friend Fried Oreos then confirmed the image was old enough to fit the criteria of pre GF pilot, by determining the image was on the Textures website it was sourced from since 2008!

Then, my friend Alex M managed to buy the HD image and we were able to analyze its metadata for more info!

Turns out, the image, called "LandscapeMountains0009," was taken by a Nikon D70 camera on April 18, 2007!

THE GRAVITY FALLS LOGO IMAGE IS ALMOST 18 YEARS OLD!!

From there, we began looking for the location. The meta data had no location, but other images taken around the same time showed signs of maybe the location being in Europe.

After over a day of searching, Tricken, Alex M and Oreos FOUND IT!!

The location of the image is a mountain range near the town of Sers, France...near the border with Spain.

Exact coordinates of the closest viewable angle of the image is 42°54'23.2"N 0°06'05.6"E

This is a major discovery and one I cannot believe we did. While this search was started by me in 2021 with some friends, it was TrickenGF, Alex M and Fried Oreos who deserve all the credit for this discovery! They were the geniuses who tracked all of this down and were able to connect the dots to get to this point.

You guys are amazing and I am beyond grateful for all of this.

Finding this image means that fans can now recreate the Gravity Falls logo as they want with anything they want. For example, Tricken made this for me using the image :D

Or, you can do this, lol

We now have it!

For 12 years as we looked at the Gravity Falls logo...we were in reality looking at a mountain in France...NOT Oregon!

So, I guess this is a major W for France but sorry, Pacific Northwest, Gravity Falls is actually French, lol!

I still can't believe we found this. I'm so happy :P

[reasonsforhope]

"Eavesdropping on whale songs over the last six years is providing new information vital to answering questions about these giants of the ocean.

The number of whale songs detected is associated with shifting food sources, according to the California scientists—and the number of days humpbacks have been singing has nearly doubled.

When monitoring baleen whale songs in the Pacific Ocean, researchers found year-to-year variations correlated with changes in the availability of the species they forage on.

In vast oceans, monitoring populations of large marine animals can be a “major challenge” for ecologists, explained Dr. John Ryan, a biological oceanographer at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in California (MBARI).

Their team deployed underwater microphones called hydrophones to study and track baleen whales, which communicate over long distances through sound.

“Surprisingly, the acoustic behavior of baleen whales provides insights about which species can better adapt to changing ocean conditions,” said Dr. Ryan, a lead author of the study.

They also monitored songs from blue, fin, and humpback whales off the West Coast of the U.S. to see what the song data could reveal about the health of their ecosystem.

The findings, published in the journal PLOS One, showed “large” year-to-year variations in whale song detection.

“The amount of humpback whale song continually increased, with their songs being detected on 34% of days at the beginning of the study and rising to 76% of days after six years,” said Dr. Ryan.

“These increases consistently tracked improved foraging conditions for humpback whales across all study years—large increases in krill abundance, followed by large increases in anchovy abundance.

“In contrast, blue and fin whale song rose primarily during the years of increasing krill abundance.

“This distinction of humpback whales is consistent with their ability to switch between dominant prey. An analysis of skin biopsy samples confirmed that changes had occurred in the whales’ diets.”

He explained that other factors, including the local abundance of whales, may have contributed to patterns in song detections observed in some years, but changes in foraging conditions were the most consistent factor.

“Overall, the study indicates that seasonal and annual changes in the amount of baleen whale song detected may mirror shifts in the local food web.”

WHALES ON THE COMEBACK TRAIL: • Gray Whale, Extinct for Centuries in Atlantic, Is Spotted in Cape Cod • Sighting of Many Blue Whales Around Seychelles is First in Decades – ‘Phenomenal’ • Majestic Sei Whales Reappear in Argentine Waters After Nearly a Century

“The results suggest that an understanding of the relationship between whale song detection and food availability may help researchers to interpret future hydrophone data, both for scientific research and whale management efforts”, which could better protect endangered species."

-via Good News Network, March 1, 2025

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Red Lobster was killed by private equity, not Endless Shrimp

For the rest of May, my bestselling solarpunk utopian novel THE LOST CAUSE (2023) is available as a $2.99, DRM-free ebook!

A decade ago, a hedge fund had an improbable viral comedy hit: a 294-page slide deck explaining why Olive Garden was going out of business, blaming the failure on too many breadsticks and insufficiently salted pasta-water:

https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/940944/000092189514002031/ex991dfan14a06297125_091114.pdf

Everyone loved this story. As David Dayen wrote for Salon, it let readers "mock that silly chain restaurant they remember from their childhoods in the suburbs" and laugh at "the silly hedge fund that took the time to write the world’s worst review":

https://www.salon.com/2014/09/17/the_real_olive_garden_scandal_why_greedy_hedge_funders_suddenly_care_so_much_about_breadsticks/

But – as Dayen wrote at the time, the hedge fund that produced that slide deck, Starboard Value, was not motivated by dissatisfaction with bread-sticks. They were "activist investors" (finspeak for "rapacious assholes") with a giant stake in Darden Restaurants, Olive Garden's parent company. They wanted Darden to liquidate all of Olive Garden's real-estate holdings and declare a one-off dividend that would net investors a billion dollars, while literally yanking the floor out from beneath Olive Garden, converting it from owner to tenant, subject to rent-shocks and other nasty surprises.

They wanted to asset-strip the company, in other words ("asset strip" is what they call it in hedge-fund land; the mafia calls it a "bust-out," famous to anyone who watched the twenty-third episode of The Sopranos):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bust_Out

Starboard didn't have enough money to force the sale, but they had recently engineered the CEO's ouster. The giant slide-deck making fun of Olive Garden's food was just a PR campaign to help it sell the bust-out by creating a narrative that they were being activists* to save this badly managed disaster of a restaurant chain.

*assholes

Starboard was bent on eviscerating Darden like a couple of entrail-maddened dogs in an elk carcass:

https://web.archive.org/web/20051220005944/http://alumni.media.mit.edu/~solan/dogsinelk/

They had forced Darden to sell off another of its holdings, Red Lobster, to a hedge-fund called Golden Gate Capital. Golden Gate flogged all of Red Lobster's real estate holdings for $2.1 billion the same day, then pissed it all away on dividends to its shareholders, including Starboard. The new landlords, a Real Estate Investment Trust, proceeded to charge so much for rent on those buildings Red Lobster just flogged that the company's net earnings immediately dropped by half.

Dayen ends his piece with these prophetic words:

Olive Garden and Red Lobster may not be destinations for hipster Internet journalists, and they have seen revenue declines amid stagnant middle-class wages and increased competition. But they are still profitable businesses. Thousands of Americans work there. Why should they be bled dry by predatory investors in the name of “shareholder value”? What of the value of worker productivity instead of the financial engineers?

Flash forward a decade. Today, Dayen is editor-in-chief of The American Prospect, one of the best sources of news about private equity looting in the world. Writing for the Prospect, Luke Goldstein picks up Dayen's story, ten years on:

https://prospect.org/economy/2024-05-22-raiding-red-lobster/

It's not pretty. Ten years of being bled out on rents and flipped from one hedge fund to another has killed Red Lobster. It just shuttered 50 restaurants and declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Ten years hasn't changed much; the same kind of snark that was deployed at the news of Olive Garden's imminent demise is now being hurled at Red Lobster.

Instead of dunking on free bread-sticks, Red Lobster's grave-dancers are jeering at "Endless Shrimp," a promotional deal that works exactly how it sounds like it would work. Endless Shrimp cost the chain $11m.

Which raises a question: why did Red Lobster make this money-losing offer? Are they just good-hearted slobs? Can't they do math?

Or, you know, was it another hedge-fund, bust-out scam?

Here's a hint. The supplier who provided Red Lobster with all that shrimp is Thai Union. Thai Union also owns Red Lobster. They bought the chain from Golden Gate Capital, last seen in 2014, holding a flash-sale on all of Red Lobster's buildings, pocketing billions, and cutting Red Lobster's earnings in half.

Red Lobster rose to success – 700 restaurants nationwide at its peak – by combining no-frills dining with powerful buying power, which it used to force discounts from seafood suppliers. In response, the seafood industry consolidated through a wave of mergers, turning into a cozy cartel that could resist the buyer power of Red Lobster and other major customers.

This was facilitated by conservation efforts that limited the total volume of biomass that fishers were allowed to extract, and allocated quotas to existing companies and individual fishermen. The costs of complying with this "catch management" system were high, punishingly so for small independents, bearably so for large conglomerates.

Competition from overseas fisheries drove consolidation further, as countries in the global south were blocked from implementing their own conservation efforts. US fisheries merged further, seeking economies of scale that would let them compete, largely by shafting fishermen and other suppliers. Today's Alaskan crab fishery is dominated by a four-company cartel; in the Pacific Northwest, most fish goes through a single intermediary, Pacific Seafood.

These dominant actors entered into illegal collusive arrangements with one another to rig their markets and further immiserate their suppliers, who filed antitrust suits accusing the companies of operating a monopsony (a market with a powerful buyer, akin to a monopoly, which is a market with a powerful seller):

https://www.classaction.org/news/pacific-seafood-under-fire-for-allegedly-fixing-prices-paid-to-dungeness-crabbers-in-pacific-northwest

Golden Gate bought Red Lobster in the midst of these fish wars, promising to right its ship. As Goldstein points out, that's the same promise they made when they bought Payless shoes, just before they destroyed the company and flogged it off to Alden Capital, the hedge fund that bought and destroyed dozens of America's most beloved newspapers:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/10/16/sociopathic-monsters/#all-the-news-thats-fit-to-print

Under Golden Gate's management, Red Lobster saw its staffing levels slashed, so diners endured longer wait times to be seated and served. Then, in 2020, they sold the company to Thai Union, the company's largest supplier (a transaction Goldstein likens to a Walmart buyout of Procter and Gamble).

Thai Union continued to bleed Red Lobster, imposing more cuts and loading it up with more debts financed by yet another private equity giant, Fortress Investment Group. That brings us to today, with Thai Union having moved a gigantic amount of its own product through a failing, debt-loaded subsidiary, even as it lobbies for deregulation of American fisheries, which would let it and its lobbying partners drain American waters of the last of its depleted fish stocks.

Dayen's 2020 must-read book Monopolized describes the way that monopolies proliferate, using the US health care industry as a case-study:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/01/29/fractal-bullshit/#dayenu

After deregulation allowed the pharma sector to consolidate, it acquired pricing power of hospitals, who found themselves gouged to the edge of bankruptcy on drug prices. Hospitals then merged into regional monopolies, which allowed them to resist pharma pricing power – and gouge health insurance companies, who saw the price of routine care explode. So the insurance companies gobbled each other up, too, leaving most of us with two or fewer choices for health insurance – even as insurance prices skyrocketed, and our benefits shrank.

Today, Americans pay more for worse healthcare, which is delivered by health workers who get paid less and work under worse conditions. That's because, lacking a regulator to consolidate patients' interests, and strong unions to consolidate workers' interests, patients and workers are easy pickings for those consolidated links in the health supply-chain.

That's a pretty good model for understanding what's happened to Red Lobster: monopoly power and monopsony power begat more monopolies and monoposonies in the supply chain. Everything that hasn't consolidated is defenseless: diners, restaurant workers, fishermen, and the environment. We're all fucked.

Decent, no-frills family restaurant are good. Great, even. I'm not the world's greatest fan of chain restaurants, but I'm also comfortably middle-class and not struggling to afford to give my family a nice night out at a place with good food, friendly staff and reasonable prices. These places are easy pickings for looters because the people who patronize them have little power in our society – and because those of us with more power are easily tricked into sneering at these places' failures as a kind of comeuppance that's all that's due to tacky joints that serve the working class.

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/2024/05/23/spineless/#invertebrates

[technofeudalism]

on today's episode of "i only pay attention and pretend that i give two shits about the sanctity of human rights when there's a freaking Cheeto in the white house"

“While the administration should be lauded for its efforts to provide children and families access to the court system, its failure to ensure legal representation has produced a massive due process crisis,” said Talia Inlender, Deputy Director of the Center for Immigration Law and Policy (CILP) at the UCLA School of Law. “It should be obvious that immigration court proceedings are far too complex for children to navigate without legal representation, especially when the consequences are so dire. The Biden administration must take swift action to ensure legal representation for all children in immigration court.”

The report’s key findings include:

In a five-month period in FY 2022 alone, almost one third of immigration court cases initiated by the Biden administration–more than 80,000 in all–were against children, over 30,000 of whom were under the age of 5, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC).

Studies show that unrepresented unaccompanied children are at least five times more likely to be ordered removed than children with access to counsel. 

By the government’s own account, 44% of unaccompanied children and 51% of families on the Dedicated Docket lack legal representation.

The vast majority of removal orders entered against children are for failure to appear: Approximately 72% of removal orders against families on the Los Angeles and Boston Dedicated Dockets were issued in absentia, with over 48% against children, many under the age of six. Worse yet, 86% of removal orders issued against unaccompanied children were for failure to appear.

Immigration courts under the Biden administration ordered more than 13,000 unaccompanied children removed in absentia between Fiscal Years 2022 and 2023.

The report details how the Biden administration’s treatment of children in immigration court is unlawful, and calls on the Biden administration to: prohibit in absentia removal orders against unrepresented children; terminate the Dedicated Docket; and ensure legal representation for all unrepresented children in removal proceedings.

In handwritten cursive, a Russian immigrant named Marina wrote out the story of the day U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents took away her 1-year-old baby while she was being held in a detention facility in southern California. “I cried and begged, kneeling, not to do this, that this was a mistake, not justice and not right,” she wrote. “She was so little that no one knew anything about her. I was very afraid for her and still am!” This didn’t happen during the Trump administration, which separated more than 4,000 migrant children from their families under its controversial “zero tolerance” policy. Marina was separated from her baby in April of this year. The 40-year-old former restaurant manager came to the U.S.-Mexico border with her husband, mother-in-law and child to seek asylum. More than eight months later, she and her mother-in-law remain in federal immigration custody in Louisiana. Her husband is detained at a different Louisiana immigration facility. And Aleksandra is over a thousand miles away, being cared for by strangers in foster care in California. Aleksandra is one of around 300 children the Biden administration has separated from their parents or legal guardians this year, according to two government sources who asked not to be identified because they hadn’t been authorized to speak about the separations. Most of the cases involved families crossing the southwestern border, the sources said. These numbers haven’t previously been reported. Similarly, 298 children were separated from their parents in 2023, according to a government report to Congress published on Tuesday, even as overall migrant crossings have declined. According to the report, the average amount of time children separated between April 2018 and October 2024 have spent in federal custody before being released to a sponsor is 75 days.

Biden responds to Bernie Sanders' immigration plan: "We shouldn't abolish ICE. We should reform the system. ICE is not the problem. The policies behind ICE are the problem, and that's easy enough to fix if the President knows what he or she is doing."

unfortunately Joe never got around to fixing the Gestapo agency but he tried his gosh darndest and he isn't Drumpf so i guess the pride in being an American was still secure at that point for most liberals. i'm sure that when the next charlatan says the same thing that they'll retain this energy, right? right??

[virtualizationhowto]

Best Open Source Log Management Tools in 2023

Best Open Source Log Management Tools in 2023 #homelab #OpenSourceLogManagement2023 #TopLogAnalysisTools #CentralizedLoggingSystems #LogstashVsSyslogng #BestLogCollectors #FluentDAndCloudServices #ManageLargeVolumesOfLogData #GrafanaRealtimeMonitoring

When monitoring, troubleshooting, and auditing in today’s IT infrastructure, logs provide the low-level messaging needed to trace down events happening in the environment. They can be an invaluable source of insights into performance, security events, and errors that may be occurring across on-premises, cloud, and hybrid systems. You don’t have to buy into a commercial solution to get started…

[jcmarchi]

How AI Can Deliver the Consumer-Like Experience B2B Buyers Now Expect

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/how-ai-can-deliver-the-consumer-like-experience-b2b-buyers-now-expect/

How AI Can Deliver the Consumer-Like Experience B2B Buyers Now Expect

The B2B sales landscape is undergoing a rapid transformation. Economic uncertainty, shifting buyer expectations, and technologies like generative AI are compelling sales leaders to rethink how they operate. This shift is driven by the fact that B2B buyers now expect the same level of personalization, ease, and omnichannel engagement they experience as consumers. As a result, no deal is guaranteed, and static sales processes are no longer sustainable. To succeed, sales teams must embrace agility, innovation, and technology like never before.

Despite the numerous and diverse challenges, smart sales efforts yield significant results. We know that leaders who implement a growth mindset in their actions are likely to achieve success. Those who outperform on growth invest more aggressively in digital-led transformations and AI. It helps them boost sales and marketing productivity. The statistics show us that those that master innovation excellence see an additional four-percentage-points-higher cumulative total shareholder return growth than their peers.

To gain a deeper understanding of how successful B2B sales organizations use technology to improve accuracy and speed, our team spoke with more than 70 commercial leaders around the world to learn how they propel above-market, sustainable growth. We found that growth leaders in B2B sales are using AI to find new pockets of growth both within their core business and beyond. Here are four ways they are achieving this:

1. Use AI to spot white space opportunities

The first step to consistent B2B selling success is to spot the right opportunities. By analyzing vast datasets, AI can help sales teams identify fast-growing niches, engage with customers more effectively through micro-segmentation, and surface valuable opportunities.

For example, with the right information and setup, AI-enabled tools can suggest possible white space markets for existing products, identify new verticals, or brainstorm product development opportunities to use distinctive technologies in adjacent spaces. If the company can identify areas for new investment and swiftly capitalize on them, the routes to success will be rapidly increased.

Likewise, machine learning enables companies to segment customers by analyzing attributes that influence sales, prioritizing key customer groups, and tailoring offers accordingly. These insights inform decisions such as how to personalize value propositions or prioritize leads – all crucial to effective sales. These new opportunities to offer specific products or services in tailored ways to targeted customers, delivered at scale, can have a significant impact. What’s more, with B2B sellers’ growing taste for consumer-like experiences, the ability to segment accurately and to a high degree of granularity will become increasingly key to success.

2. Leverage AI insights for customer targeting and prioritization

AI can also help identify which potential customers are most likely to respond well to an approach, improving the flow of SQLs into the system.

For example, when combined with external data sources, gen AI can create a granular view of a company’s market. This includes a robust map of potential customers, projected spend by product line, current share by customer, and detailed customer data (such as industry, subindustry, purchase trends of similar customers, and location). When integrated with a customer relationship management (CRM) system, this information can be transformed into qualified leads by an inside sales team, which can thenbe turned into sales opportunities. This can significantly expand the new customer pipeline.

However, this technology is still in its infancy. Many B2B sellers are in the early stages of using generative AI. Just 21% of commercial leaders report that their companies have fully enabled enterprise-wide adoption of gen AI in B2B buying and selling, and 22% have only piloted specific use cases. So, there’s work to be done – but the results could be significant.

3. Delight and keep customers with AI-enabled engagement

It’s not enough to just find new customers and opportunities, though – strong sales organizations focus on retention as much as acquisition. Beyond finding new customers, AI is key to helping companies delight and keep their customers. By identifying patterns in customer behavior, sales teams can proactively mitigate churn risks and deliver more value through personalized follow-ups, ensuring long-term relationships.

For example, AI can help address churn by examining several factors such as pricing, service, or product features, helping sales leaders understand the reasons behind customer churn and when it might occur. By deploying analytical methods, including sentiment analysis and behavioral data in customer interactions, companies can better anticipate the key drivers and levels of future churn across different markets, business lines, and individual customers. Equipped with this knowledge, they can identify and implement proactive measures for effective retention.

Retention also flows from positive customer experiences of the brand itself, whether in the marketing materials they receive or the speed with which they can access answers to their questions and challenges. AI-enabled content targeting and chatbot communications, for example, can rapidly help enhance these key customer engagement channels, moving away from broad-brush, one-size-fits-all approaches and unhelpful, nuance-lacking bots.

4. Recognize that AI isn’t just tech, it’s a lever for growth

Despite growing enthusiasm for AI and other digital technologies, only 20% of B2B sales leaders can point to a proven track record of consistently implementing tech to drive outsize growth. Many are still in the early stages, experimenting with AI but not fully unlocking its potential. However, the companies that commit to AI as a strategic enabler—rather than just another tool—are already pulling ahead.

The message is clear: AI isn’t just a competitive advantage; it’s becoming the foundation of modern B2B sales. Those who embrace it now will be the ones to define the next era of growth—identifying untapped markets, acquiring high-value customers, and bui

[valeriapryanikova]

ominous

(itsy-bitsy fanfic concept/idea/? under the cut)

[A page ripped out of a journal; the owner’s handwriting is messy and barely legible.] 

february, 29th

i'm surprised i'm not dead now.

yesterday, in the late evening, as i was painting, it started storming. suddenly and hard. one second the dark sky is clear from any clouds, and the next moment the droplets are pelting me with a surprising force. i rapidly abandoned my easel and canvas (not like there would be anything lost—the piece was dull and not working out the way i desired) in favor of seeking cover.

i was still near the village, on its outskirts, but just a bit too far from my house to reach it quickly before my whole being was drenched through and through. so i ducked into one of the huts, all of which stand empty, desolate… or so i thought, at least.

only once inside did i spot the dim, ominous, red glow of the overhead lamp; the sound of a muted conversation; the overwhelming sense of “wrong”, like i was not meant to be here. abruptly silence fell and two sets of bright eyes stared me down.

terror froze my body. i felt like a prey caught in between two predators, i could practically feel their jaws snapping around my neck.

the dredger slowly smirked at me, barring her sharp, sharp teeth. (since when are they sharp? i may not have crossed path with her often, but i swear i would’ve noticed if she had shark teeth before.) i did not stay to see if the fisherman would further react to my presence too. the control of my body returned, allowing me to let out a panicked apology for interruption and bolt out of the hut, running home at full speed.

it’s been hours since then. i couldn’t fall asleep. i’ve been up the whole night, haunted by fear. the scene of those two beasts in the darkness, ready to snap me like a twig for overhearing something (i don’t remember what exactly, all the horror of the situation evaporated all my thoughts), got stuck in my mind’s eyes. so i’ve been doing what i know how to do best—painting.

[Attached to the diary entry is a typewritten note.] 

That painter fellow is an impressionable and imaginative type. Needless to say, the actual interaction with the two fish merchants was likely a lot less… Dramatic.

The painter was reluctant to show me the painting mentioned in the last paragraph, but after some convincing I did manage to take a quick look on their recollection of the witnessed scene: it seems mostly useless for my research, but I noted down some details that might be of use in the future (refer to “AudioLog#143” transcript for more information).

Collecting data on “The Fisherman” continues to prove itself annoying. The subject is allusive: there’s not many sources mentioning him, and folk around here rarely witness him out and about. Currently the only lead I have is finding that one old newspaper article about the docks that, if I recall correctly, mentions him in an interview with workers. Perhaps, when I have time, I’ll try asking the collector from the other side of the river if he has a copy of that newspaper issue.

However, for now, I’m significantly more interested in “The Dredger” subject. There’s more than plenty info about her—I would actually say there’s too much info about her, all inconveniently inconsistent. In an attempt to get more reliable data I’m getting in contact with Mined since they have done scientific observation of this area and the people of interest. My request for access to their data has gone unanswered so far and, if shoving my anthropology degree in the faces of those bumbling idiots won’t work, I’m sure that that city nearby has enough hackers willing to do some dirty work for a pretty diamond.

I will get the data I want, one way or another.

[workforcesolution]

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