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scberlight · 1 year

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— LEAVING INDEFINITELY ; A NOTICE.

IMPORTANT LINKS: @prieldi/@pashieon 's STATEMENT | THE CASE FILE | LETTER TO THE MODS.

It's after some great stress, anxiety, and consideration that I have come to an unfortunate, but necessary decision. As of the time of this posting, I will be completely removing myself from Isola Radiale, as the moderators of this group have wrongly accused, defamed, and banned a member of this community without ANY judicial system, communication, or appeal.

The very long and short of the details of this case can be found (HERE) and ABOVE.. It is a 24 page document consisting of the heart of the issue of this case: being that, a member of this community was wrongly, and bigotedly ASSUMED to be a pedophile, and/or in favor of "morally-repulsive" content. This is over a complete and gross misinterpretation of terms on the moderator's end, as well as their complete and decided UNWILLINGNESS to engage in "discussion or debate" on the topic of an innocent community member's ban. Not with the accused, nor with anyone who was willing to attempt to submit and conduct a dialogue of appeal on the accused's behalf.

This document contains annotated, but DIRECT screenshots of the moderator's behavior, as well as repeated screenshot testimony of the accused. Besides myself, there are MULTIPLE people who have been in direct contact with the accused who can vouch in favor of her innocence, and that they have had absolutely no complaints or grievances with her, and much less to the horrible scale that the moderators have deemed their justification of this decision around.

I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO READ THROUGH THIS DOCUMENT IN FULL, and create your own opinions of the case. I would also encourage you to reach out to the accused, or even myself if you would like to read through the complete and unedited dialgoue of both the accused's sentence, as well as my attempt to speak on her behalf.

However, if you do not currently have the time, then there is this that you MUST know, for your own safety, and for the safety of your friends and partners within this community:

As of the time of this posting, the isola radiale group rules and policies pages DOES NOT have ANY mention of their judicial process, both concerning minor and major infractions.

There is absolutely NO indication on any of the pages of what a minor infraction, nor a major infraction even would be.

The moderators at NO POINT disclosed what they consider "evidence" of a major or minor infraction to be, either. Does that mean one piece of evidence? Two? Does it need to be in conjunction with multiple witness testimonies? How many witnesses do they need to levy any accusation? Furthermore, in an investigation of a MAJOR infraction with EXTREME CONSEQUENCES AND IMPLICATIONS, do they even reach out to individuals in order to confirm or deny the suspected behavior? (The answer is: no, and otherwise, we don't know.)

The moderators have CONFIRMED that they, at no point, reach out to ANY OF THEIR MEMBERS about complaints, investigation periods, and they DO NOT have a period of suspension in order to conduct the would-be investigations. This is their NORMAL PROCEDURE for each and every one of us.

Their exact reasoning for doing so, is that, should a member be complained about, or accused of something dubious, they will not open dialogue with that person out of the rationale that, should this person be guilty, they will proceed to try and escape. This goes COMPLETELY against due process, and ACTUAL investigation processes - even the fictional kind. TL;DR: you are guilty until proven innocent, and at no point will you be notified of a complaint or accusation until after THEY have conducted an investigation WITHOUT YOUR NOTIFICATION OR AT MOST, A SUSPENSION PERIOD.

They have REPEATEDLY and SWIFTLY shut down discussion of the case, not only with the accused who was informed of her ban only AFTER the judgement was passed, but with myself when I attempted to submit an appeal with substantiated dialogue and evidence (that can be found in the document.)

When attempting to understand the moderator's point of view on the subject, the moderators insisted that I go to the accused to get further details on the matter. Not only this, but when attempting to open a dialogue of appeal, the moderators conducted their discussion and review WITHOUT MYSELF PRESENT.

This process took FOUR HOURS OF SILENCE before getting a word back from them, in that they were not allowing debate or discussion on the topic. That we never had.

Lastly: their verdict on this case was to boldly assume the worst of their own community member, label, other and conduct themselves in a bigoted manner even AFTER ADMITTING that two completely different understandings WERE being used. They did this, in turn, under the justification that it was "for the safety and comfort of our community", without ever once considering the accused to BE a part of that same community, who should be given the same amount of grace by proxy.

All of this to say that as much as i adore the threads i have had here, the friends i've made, and what the future would've held for our muses, I cannot, in good conscience, stay in a group where the administration conducts their judicial system in such a secretive, impulsive and dangerous manner. Certainly not one where an innocent individual was wrongly accused, defamed of her character, and unable to open dialogue nor submit an appeal in her favor.

It's disingenuous, and an unsafe environment for the community members that the moderators say that they want to uphold.

Whether or not you agree or disagree with the specifics of the case itself, the fact of the matter is that THESE are the practices of the moderation team that has been brought to light with express clarity.

These are things that have happened in the past, and why those past cases HAD to be brought public, as now this one has as well.

This is something that can effect me, you, or ANY ONE OF US come an unfortunate circumstance were something is completely taken out of context, with no regard to our intent. NONE OF US ARE SAFE FROM THIS LACK OF CLARITY AND PROCEDURE. We can ALL be effected by this lack of due process.

My decision is a drastic one, but it's the one that was most safe decision that I could make for myself. I encourage, and IMPLORE you, isola radiale community, to take into consideration the true weight of what has transpired these past few months.

It is not an outcome that I would want ANY ONE OF US to have to go through, and my only hope and dearest wish would be that, in making these specific practices of malconduct more clear, that you, and the moderators, can work together to create a new system.

One that will better service your own safety, and even the safety of the moderators, so that ALL parties can be held accountable, be listened to, and be given a true, fair, trial.

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kwipdeal · 3 months

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Cell Disruption Techniques: Sonication vs. Homogenization

In the realm of cellular biology and biotechnology, the efficient disruption of cell membranes is a crucial step. Researchers and scientists leverage various methods to break down cell structures, releasing intracellular components for further analysis and extraction. Two widely employed techniques for cell disruption are sonication and homogenization, each presenting its unique set of advantages and considerations. In this comprehensive guide, we explore these methodologies to unravel the intricacies of cell disruption.

Samples for protein and nucleic acid analysis must be prepared in two steps: tissue disruption to liberate individual cells and lysis of those cells to release their cellular contents. Mechanical homogenization and sonication (also known as ultrasonic homogenization) are two common methods used in these procedures.

Choosing the best approach for your specific application requires significant consideration. Each has advantages and disadvantages, and laboratories frequently utilize these techniques in conjunction with one another. Continue reading to learn how to choose a procedure that will not harm valuable or irreplaceable tissue samples.

Sonication: Probing Cells, Enhancing Cell Disruption

Sonication involves the use of high-frequency sound waves to disrupt cell membranes. The process generates intense pressure waves that create microscopic bubbles in the cell suspension. As these bubbles collapse, they produce shock waves, leading to the mechanical disruption of cell structures.

Benefits of Sonication:

Precision and Control: Sonication offers precise control over the disruption process, allowing researchers to tailor the intensity and duration of sonication.

Time Efficiency: Sonication is often a quick process, making it suitable for laboratories where time is of the essence.

Scalability: It can be easily scaled for small to large volumes of cell suspension.

Considerations:

Heat Generation: Intense sonication can lead to a rise in temperature, which might adversely affect sensitive biomolecules.

Equipment Costs: High-quality sonication equipment can be relatively expensive.

Homogenization: The Mechanical Force Approach

Homogenization, on the other hand, relies on mechanical force to disrupt cells. In this process, cells are forced through a narrow space or punctured using mechanical blades, resulting in the breaking of cell walls.

Benefits of Homogenization:

Versatility: Homogenization can handle various sample types, from soft tissues to tough plant materials.

Cost-Effectiveness: Homogenization equipment is generally more cost-effective compared to high-end sonication devices.

Less Heat Generation: Homogenization tends to generate less heat, making it suitable for heat-sensitive samples.

Considerations:

Less Precision: Achieving precise control over the disruption process might be challenging in homogenization, especially for smaller volumes.

Sample Heating: While generally less than sonication, homogenization can still cause a moderate increase in sample temperature.

Choosing the Right Method

The choice between sonication and homogenization depends on various factors, including the sample type, required cell disruption level, and the downstream applications.

For DNA and RNA extraction, where preserving molecular integrity is crucial, sonication might be the preferred choice.

When dealing with larger volumes or more robust samples, homogenization could be the pragmatic approach.

Conclusion

In the dynamic landscape of cellular research, the choice between sonication and homogenization is akin to selecting the right tool for a delicate task. Understanding the nuances of each technique empowers researchers to make informed decisions, ensuring optimal results in cell disruption.

As technology advances, researchers continue to refine and innovate these techniques, pushing the boundaries of what’s achievable in the realm of cell disruption. The journey from intact cells to liberated cellular components is a fascinating exploration that unfolds at the crossroads of biology and technology.

This blog aims to serve as a comprehensive guide, shedding light on the principles, benefits, and considerations associated with sonication and homogenization. With a thorough understanding of these techniques, researchers can navigate the complexities of cellular biology with precision and efficiency.

#Cell #laboratory #health #sonication and homogenization #cellular research

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speed-seo · 3 months

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Social Media: Harmful Content and Brand Protection

As a digital marketing agency, protecting our clients' brands and mitigating harmful content on social media is of the utmost importance. Our clients entrust us with managing their online presence and reputation, so we must take every precaution to avoid controversy or backlash that could damage how the public perceives them. The Dangers of Harmful Content for Brands Social media has opened up many opportunities for businesses to connect with customers and build their brands. However, it has also given a platform for anyone to say anything, and not all of it is positive or brand-safe. Harmful, unethical, dangerous or illegal content spreads quickly online and can tarnish a brand through no fault of its own. It's our job to minimize these risks and ensure our clients' social accounts remain a welcoming, constructive space. The Role of Social Listening in Mitigating Harm One of the biggest challenges is monitoring all social platforms around the clock. Negative comments, inappropriate hashtags, misleading information - it's impossible to catch everything immediately as it happens. That's why community management is so vital. We empower our clients' social communities to self-moderate through clear guidelines, then respond quickly if issues arise. Positive reinforcement of good behavior helps shape the discussion. Tools for Social Listening Many tools exist to support large-scale social listening programs. Some popular options include: - Social media management platforms like Sprout Social and Hootsuite incorporate monitoring capabilities along with publishing and analytics tools. - Specialized social listening tools like Awario, Talkwalker, and Linkfluence offer robust functionality for tracking brand mentions, keywords, influential users, sentiment, and more. - Social media analytics tools like those from Quintly, Sprout Social, and Rival IQ analyze audience demographics, engagement metrics, and competitive benchmarking. - Consumer research panels like ProdegeMR, FocusVision, and Opinium involve surveying representative consumer samples to gain qualitative insights around social media usage and brand perceptions. Proactive filtering also helps block problematic content before it's posted. We carefully curate approved hashtags, mentions and keywords for each client based on their values and messaging. Automated moderation tools can then flag unapproved terms for human review. Over time, machine learning improves our filters' accuracy. Pre-moderation buys time to thoughtfully address edge cases while avoiding knee-jerk reactions. Enforcing Clear Community Guidelines When issues do pop up, transparency and accountability are key. We have protocols in place for escalating serious matters to clients immediately. For less severe offenses, a respectful explanation of the community standards often resolves things. Deletion is a last resort. Our goal is educating people, not punishment, so they understand why some behaviors undermine the brand's purpose and culture. Strategies for Enforcing Guidelines - Empower moderators - Provide moderators with clear decision-making frameworks to act decisively on violations - Respond quickly - Remove harmful content and address policy violations as soon as they are reported or detected - Offer warnings - For minor first-time offenses, issue warnings before proceeding to account suspensions - Disable violator accounts - For repeated or serious violations, temporarily or permanently suspend violator accounts - Involve legal counsel - Consult legal experts when evaluating content that may involve illegal activities or intellectual property infringement Leveraging Brand Safety Technology It's also wise for businesses to avoid hot-button topics where possible. While advocacy has its place, wading into political or social controversies often does more harm than good. Sticking to discussions centered on a company's products, services and values helps maintain focus on the real goals - serving customers well and generating interest in the brand. Powerful brand safety tools offer: - Keyword blocking - Pre-emptively block posts with prohibited keywords from being visible in branded discussions - Deep learning AI - Leverage artificial intelligence to identify policy violations based on textual content and metadata from posts - Image/video analysis - Scan images and videos and flag adult or violent content using computer vision - Whitelisting - Only allow posts from pre-approved profiles or domains to appear in branded areas - Blacklisting - Automatically hide content from high-risk profiles like known trolls or repeat offenders - Automated enforcement - Automatically remove violating content based on rules configured by the brand When evaluating options, brands should choose brand safety partners that: - Integrate with the brand's primary social media platforms - Offer flexible customization based on the brand's guidelines - Have capabilities to block emerging new forms of harmful content - Provide intuitive dashboards and analytics for tracking enforcement activity The right brand safety tools are invaluable for preserving brand reputation by eliminating unwanted user-generated content. You can see more about this on Sprout Social Crisis management preparedness is another important part of our process. We work with clients to develop a response plan for if/when something damaging slips through. Having pre-approved messaging, spokespeople and a process for engaging journalists or stakeholders in a timely, transparent manner limits damage from an incident. It's better to address issues sincerely and directly than ignore them and fuel speculation. A consistent, human voice also goes a long way. Automated social media can come across as inauthentic or tone-deaf. We assign real employees to manage major accounts, with guidelines for responding to customers personally and compassionately. Personalization builds trust that a real person is behind the brand and cares about stakeholders. It's easier for communities to self-police if they feel heard by the company. Ultimately, the best defense is a good offense. Fostering positive conversations, useful content and a welcoming environment through community engagement reduces the need for moderation. When people feel valued by a brand, they're less likely to say harmful things or try to hijack discussions. Our role is elevating brands by helping shape online spaces customers want to spend time in - places where they feel respected, informed and part of the family. Mitigating the risks along the way protects that experience. Key Takeaways: Mitigating Harm to Build Trust Although social media exposes brands to risks like damaging posts and misinformation, thoughtful mitigation strategies centered on social listening, community management, and brand safety technology can help companies reclaim control over their digital presence. Here are the key takeaways for brands looking to mitigate harm: - Monitor social media discussions related to your brand for early detection of policy violations using robust listening tools. Look for hate speech, misinformation, dangerous content, impersonator accounts, etc. - Establish clear guidelines detailing prohibited content and user expectations. Promote these rules across social channels. - Empower moderators to quickly remove violating content and enforce policies consistently. Disable accounts of repeat offenders. - Leverage advanced brand safety technology to automatically block inappropriate posts before they spread based on keywords, metadata, images, videos, and user patterns. - Continually refine policies and evaluate brand safety tools as social media landscape evolves and new variations of harmful content emerge. With vigilant listening, firm and fair enforcement, and proactive technical safeguards in place, brands can nurture the positive social media presence that builds communities anchored on trust and meaningful engagement. Closing words In conclusion, social media management requires constant vigilance combined with compassion. Clear standards, proactive tools, crisis plans, and a human touch help guide conversations to keep brands safe and true to their purpose. It's a balancing act, but one that's vital for any business with an online presence. We're proud to utilize our expertise and strategies to shield our clients' reputations while bringing people together in constructive discussion. The benefits of social far outweigh the challenges when it's approached with care, wisdom and heart. Read the full article

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inkspace-academy · 4 months

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The Best Digital Marketing Course in Noida: Your Course to Outrageous Accomplishment - Inkspace Academy

Gaining dominance in the intricacies of digital marketing is your pass to business progress in Noida, a bustling city with a growing number of digital conceivable outcomes. Find the extraordinary Inkspace Establishment Digital Marketing Course in Noida, which is painstakingly intended to give you the gadgets you truly need to investigate the continually changing online marketing scene actually.

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Read More -

https://theomnibuzz.com/the-best-digital-marketing-course-in-noida-your-course-to-outrageous-accomplishment-inkspace-academy/

https://www.fuzia.com/article_detail/829590/discover-the-top-digital-marketing-institutes-in-noida

#Digital marketing Course in Noida #Digital Marketing Institutes in Noida #Inkspace Academy

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ushealthrealsolutions · 5 months

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Unlocking Success on the Weight Watchers Journey

Embarking on a Weight Watchers journey is a transformative experience that goes beyond just shedding pounds; it's about embracing a healthier lifestyle and achieving lasting well-being. As you venture into this remarkable program, you're not merely counting calories but engaging in a holistic approach to weight management.

Weight Watchers, now known as WW, operates on a system that assigns values, called SmartPoints, to different foods based on their nutritional content. This innovative approach empowers individuals to make informed choices while enjoying a flexible and sustainable eating plan. It's not about deprivation but rather about making smarter decisions that align with your wellness goals.

One of the key pillars of the Weight Watchers philosophy is community support. Joining a group of like-minded individuals, either in person or online, creates a network of encouragement and inspiration. Sharing successes, overcoming challenges, and celebrating milestones together fosters a sense of camaraderie that can be a game-changer in your weight loss journey.

Another notable feature is the emphasis on behavior change. Weight Watchers doesn't just focus on the scale; it encourages a shift in mindset and habits. From setting realistic goals to practicing mindful eating, the program equips you with tools to navigate the complexities of modern life while staying true to your health objectives.

Flexibility is key to success with Weight Watchers. No foods are off-limits, allowing you to enjoy your favorite treats in moderation. This flexibility makes the program sustainable in the long run, helping you build a positive relationship with food.

In conclusion, the Weight Watchers journey is more than a weight loss program; it's a holistic lifestyle transformation. By embracing the SmartPoints system, fostering a supportive community, promoting behavior change, and offering flexibility, Weight Watchers empowers individuals to make lasting improvements to their health and well-being. So, embark on this transformative journey, and unlock the door to a healthier, happier you!

#weight watchers

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jcmarchi · 5 months

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Automated system teaches users when to collaborate with an AI assistant

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/automated-system-teaches-users-when-to-collaborate-with-an-ai-assistant/

Automated system teaches users when to collaborate with an AI assistant

Artificial intelligence models that pick out patterns in images can often do so better than human eyes — but not always. If a radiologist is using an AI model to help her determine whether a patient’s X-rays show signs of pneumonia, when should she trust the model’s advice and when should she ignore it?

A customized onboarding process could help this radiologist answer that question, according to researchers at MIT and the MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab. They designed a system that teaches a user when to collaborate with an AI assistant.

In this case, the training method might find situations where the radiologist trusts the model’s advice — except she shouldn’t because the model is wrong. The system automatically learns rules for how she should collaborate with the AI, and describes them with natural language.

During onboarding, the radiologist practices collaborating with the AI using training exercises based on these rules, receiving feedback about her performance and the AI’s performance.

The researchers found that this onboarding procedure led to about a 5 percent improvement in accuracy when humans and AI collaborated on an image prediction task. Their results also show that just telling the user when to trust the AI, without training, led to worse performance.

Importantly, the researchers’ system is fully automated, so it learns to create the onboarding process based on data from the human and AI performing a specific task. It can also adapt to different tasks, so it can be scaled up and used in many situations where humans and AI models work together, such as in social media content moderation, writing, and programming.

“So often, people are given these AI tools to use without any training to help them figure out when it is going to be helpful. That’s not what we do with nearly every other tool that people use — there is almost always some kind of tutorial that comes with it. But for AI, this seems to be missing. We are trying to tackle this problem from a methodological and behavioral perspective,” says Hussein Mozannar, a graduate student in the Social and Engineering Systems doctoral program within the Institute for Data, Systems, and Society (IDSS) and lead author of a paper about this training process.

The researchers envision that such onboarding will be a crucial part of training for medical professionals.

“One could imagine, for example, that doctors making treatment decisions with the help of AI will first have to do training similar to what we propose. We may need to rethink everything from continuing medical education to the way clinical trials are designed,” says senior author David Sontag, a professor of EECS, a member of the MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab and the MIT Jameel Clinic, and the leader of the Clinical Machine Learning Group of the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL).

Mozannar, who is also a researcher with the Clinical Machine Learning Group, is joined on the paper by Jimin J. Lee, an undergraduate in electrical engineering and computer science; Dennis Wei, a senior research scientist at IBM Research; and Prasanna Sattigeri and Subhro Das, research staff members at the MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab. The paper will be presented at the Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems.

Training that evolves

Existing onboarding methods for human-AI collaboration are often composed of training materials produced by human experts for specific use cases, making them difficult to scale up. Some related techniques rely on explanations, where the AI tells the user its confidence in each decision, but research has shown that explanations are rarely helpful, Mozannar says.

“The AI model’s capabilities are constantly evolving, so the use cases where the human could potentially benefit from it are growing over time. At the same time, the user’s perception of the model continues changing. So, we need a training procedure that also evolves over time,” he adds.

To accomplish this, their onboarding method is automatically learned from data. It is built from a dataset that contains many instances of a task, such as detecting the presence of a traffic light from a blurry image.

The system’s first step is to collect data on the human and AI performing this task. In this case, the human would try to predict, with the help of AI, whether blurry images contain traffic lights.

The system embeds these data points onto a latent space, which is a representation of data in which similar data points are closer together. It uses an algorithm to discover regions of this space where the human collaborates incorrectly with the AI. These regions capture instances where the human trusted the AI’s prediction but the prediction was wrong, and vice versa.

Perhaps the human mistakenly trusts the AI when images show a highway at night.

After discovering the regions, a second algorithm utilizes a large language model to describe each region as a rule, using natural language. The algorithm iteratively fine-tunes that rule by finding contrasting examples. It might describe this region as “ignore AI when it is a highway during the night.”

These rules are used to build training exercises. The onboarding system shows an example to the human, in this case a blurry highway scene at night, as well as the AI’s prediction, and asks the user if the image shows traffic lights. The user can answer yes, no, or use the AI’s prediction.

If the human is wrong, they are shown the correct answer and performance statistics for the human and AI on these instances of the task. The system does this for each region, and at the end of the training process, repeats the exercises the human got wrong.

“After that, the human has learned something about these regions that we hope they will take away in the future to make more accurate predictions,” Mozannar says.

Onboarding boosts accuracy

The researchers tested this system with users on two tasks — detecting traffic lights in blurry images and answering multiple choice questions from many domains (such as biology, philosophy, computer science, etc.).

They first showed users a card with information about the AI model, how it was trained, and a breakdown of its performance on broad categories. Users were split into five groups: Some were only shown the card, some went through the researchers’ onboarding procedure, some went through a baseline onboarding procedure, some went through the researchers’ onboarding procedure and were given recommendations of when they should or should not trust the AI, and others were only given the recommendations.

Only the researchers’ onboarding procedure without recommendations improved users’ accuracy significantly, boosting their performance on the traffic light prediction task by about 5 percent without slowing them down. However, onboarding was not as effective for the question-answering task. The researchers believe this is because the AI model, ChatGPT, provided explanations with each answer that convey whether it should be trusted.

But providing recommendations without onboarding had the opposite effect — users not only performed worse, they took more time to make predictions.

“When you only give someone recommendations, it seems like they get confused and don’t know what to do. It derails their process. People also don’t like being told what to do, so that is a factor as well,” Mozannar says.

Providing recommendations alone could harm the user if those recommendations are wrong, he adds. With onboarding, on the other hand, the biggest limitation is the amount of available data. If there aren’t enough data, the onboarding stage won’t be as effective, he says.

In the future, he and his collaborators want to conduct larger studies to evaluate the short- and long-term effects of onboarding. They also want to leverage unlabeled data for the onboarding process, and find methods to effectively reduce the number of regions without omitting important examples.

“People are adopting AI systems willy-nilly, and indeed AI offers great potential, but these AI agents still sometimes makes mistakes. Thus, it’s crucial for AI developers to devise methods that help humans know when it’s safe to rely on the AI’s suggestions,” says Dan Weld, professor emeritus at the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Washington, who was not involved with this research. “Mozannar et al. have created an innovative method for identifying situations where the AI is trustworthy, and (importantly) to describe them to people in a way that leads to better human-AI team interactions.”

This work is funded, in part, by the MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab.

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kwipdealsblog · 6 months

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Cell Disruption Techniques: Sonication vs. Homogenization

Sonication: Probing Cells with Sound Waves

Benefits of Sonication:

Precision and Control: Sonication offers precise control over the disruption process, allowing researchers to tailor the intensity and duration of sonication.

Time Efficiency: Sonication is often a quick process, making it suitable for laboratories where time is of the essence.

Scalability: It can be easily scaled for small to large volumes of cell suspension.

Considerations:

Heat Generation: Intense sonication can lead to a rise in temperature, which might adversely affect sensitive biomolecules.

Equipment Costs: High-quality sonication equipment can be relatively expensive.

Homogenization: The Mechanical Force Approach

Benefits of Homogenization:

Versatility: Homogenization can handle various sample types, from soft tissues to tough plant materials.

Cost-Effectiveness: Homogenization equipment is generally more cost-effective compared to high-end sonication devices.

Less Heat Generation: Homogenization tends to generate less heat, making it suitable for heat-sensitive samples.

Considerations:

Less Precision: Achieving precise control over the disruption process might be challenging in homogenization, especially for smaller volumes.

Sample Heating: While generally less than sonication, homogenization can still cause a moderate increase in sample temperature.

Choosing the Right Method

The choice between sonication and homogenization depends on various factors, including the sample type, required disruption level, and the downstream applications.

For DNA and RNA extraction, where preserving molecular integrity is crucial, sonication might be the preferred choice.

When dealing with larger volumes or more robust samples, homogenization could be the pragmatic approach.

Conclusion

#technology #cell #branding #mechanical

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digital-era101 · 6 months

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Maximizing Impact: Marketing Services That Drive Success

In today's competitive business landscape, the role of marketing and advertising has become increasingly crucial for companies aiming to stand out and thrive. A well-executed marketing strategy can be the difference between obscurity and success. Among the various components of this strategy, marketing services play a pivotal role in achieving optimal results.

Marketing services encompass activities designed to promote products, services, or brands to target audiences. These services have evolved significantly with the rise of digital marketing, opening up new avenues for businesses to connect with customers. Let's delve into the significance of marketing services and how they can make a real difference for your business.

1. Digital Marketing Services: The Modern Approach

In today's digital age, a strong online presence is essential for businesses of all sizes. Digital marketing services are at the forefront of this transformation. These services include search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, content marketing, email marketing, and social media management. They help companies optimize their online visibility and engage with their audience effectively.

2. Branding and Creative Services: Building a Strong Identity

Marketing services also encompass branding and creative solutions. These services focus on creating a unique and memorable brand identity. From logo design to visual content, they help establish a strong brand presence that resonates with customers. A compelling brand identity is the foundation upon which successful marketing campaigns are built.

3. Market Research and Analysis: Informed Decision-Making

Marketing services involve thorough market research and analysis. Understanding your target audience, competitors, and industry trends is essential to tailor marketing strategies effectively. Data-driven insights enable businesses to make informed decisions and adjust their approach based on real-time feedback.

4. Content Production: Engaging and Informative

High-quality content is a cornerstone of successful marketing. Marketing services often include content creation, encompassing blog posts, articles, videos, infographics, and more. Engaging and informative content not only attracts your audience but also positions your brand as an industry leader.

5. Public Relations and Communication Services: Managing Reputation

In today's fast-paced digital world, reputation management is critical. Marketing services include public relations and communication strategies to maintain a positive image for your brand. These services help businesses navigate potential crises, engage with the media, and foster positive customer relationships.

6. Marketing Automation: Efficiency and Scalability

Marketing services also incorporate automation tools and software that streamline processes. This allows businesses to manage marketing campaigns more efficiently and at scale. Marketing automation enables personalization, lead nurturing, and improved customer engagement.

7. Performance Metrics and Analytics: Tracking Success

One of the key advantages of using marketing services is the ability to measure and analyze the impact of your marketing efforts. Through various analytics tools, businesses can track their return on investment (ROI) and adjust strategies accordingly, ensuring that resources are allocated to the most effective channels.

In conclusion, marketing services are an essential component of any successful marketing strategy. They encompass a wide range of activities that cater to the diverse needs of businesses in a rapidly evolving landscape. To maximize your business's impact and stand out in a competitive market, investing in marketing services is a wise choice. From digital marketing to branding, research, content, public relations, automation, and analytics, these services can help you achieve your marketing goals and drive success in the modern business world.

Make the most of your marketing budget by utilizing marketing services that suit your specific needs, and watch your brand flourish in the digital era.

#marketing services

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yourlocalplumbing · 6 months

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Are Tankless Water Heaters Worth the Investment in Melbourne

As homeowners in Melbourne seek more efficient and environmentally friendly solutions for their homes, the debate over the worthiness of tankless water heaters has gained momentum. In this article, we will delve into the world of tankless water heaters and whether they are a worthwhile investment for residents in Melbourne. If you're contemplating a water heater upgrade, consult with a local plumbing group or a plumber near you in Melbourne to determine the best option for your specific needs. Understanding Tankless Water Heaters What Are Tankless Water Heaters? Tankless water heaters, also known as on-demand or instantaneous water heaters, are a modern alternative to traditional tank-style water heaters. Unlike traditional water heaters that store and heat a large volume of water continuously, tankless heaters heat water only as needed, offering several potential advantages. Pros of Tankless Water Heaters:

Energy Efficiency: Tankless water heaters are renowned for their energy efficiency. They heat water only when you turn on the faucet or shower, reducing standby heat loss and potentially saving you money on energy bills.

Space Savings: Tankless units are compact and wall-mounted, freeing up valuable floor space that would otherwise be occupied by a bulky tank-style water heater.

Endless Hot Water: With a tankless water heater, you won't run out of hot water during long showers or while doing laundry, making them an attractive option for larger households.

Longevity: Tankless heaters tend to have a longer lifespan compared to traditional water heaters, often exceeding 20 years with proper maintenance.

Considerations for Melbourne Residents While tankless water heaters offer numerous benefits, their worthiness as an investment in Melbourne depends on several factors unique to the region:

Local Climate: Melbourne experiences a temperate climate, which can impact the efficiency of tankless water heaters. In colder climates, tankless units may struggle to provide enough hot water during the winter months.

Water Quality: The quality of water in Melbourne can vary. Hard water, with high mineral content, can cause scaling in tankless units, reducing their efficiency over time. Water softeners may be necessary to address this issue.

Installation Costs: The upfront cost of installing a tankless water heater can be higher than that of a traditional unit. However, Melbourne residents may qualify for rebates or incentives for choosing energy-efficient options.

Household Size and Usage: Tankless water heaters are well-suited for households with moderate to low hot water demand. Larger families or homes with multiple bathrooms may require multiple tankless units, which can increase installation costs.

Consulting with a Plumber in Melbourne To determine whether a tankless water heater is a worthwhile investment for your Melbourne home, it's crucial to consult with a plumber in Melbourne, especially one affiliated with your local plumbing group. They can assess your specific needs, evaluate the local climate and water quality, and provide tailored recommendations.

Conclusion Tankless water heaters offer numerous benefits, including energy efficiency, space savings, and endless hot water. However, their worthiness as an investment in Melbourne depends on various factors, such as climate, water quality, and household size. To make an informed decision, consult with a plumber near you in Melbourne, preferably from your local plumbing group, who can provide expert advice and help you choose the best water heating solution for your home. While tankless water heaters can be a fantastic investment for many, it's essential to consider your unique circumstances before making a decision.

#plumber melbourne #yourlocalplumbing #emergency plumber melbourne

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tastydregs · 1 year

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Facebook Has Crowbarred Open the Pandora’s Box of AI, Experts Warn

Open Sesame!

Meta is cracking the AI arms race wide open. Literally.

According to a report from The New York Times, Meta-formerly-Facebook is doubling down on its decision to make its large language model called LLaMA (Large Language Model Meta AI) — which competes with the likes of OpenAI's GPT-4 — open source.

"The platform that will win will be the open one," Yann LeCun, Meta's chief AI scientist, told the NYT, adding that he believes keeping powerful models behind closed doors is a "huge mistake."

It's a remarkably different strategy compared to those of Meta's competitors Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI, which have argued that due to the potential for large-scale misuse, society is safer when the metaphorical Krabby Patty Formula is kept behind closed doors.

But according to LeCun, that code-hoarding strategy is dangerous and a "really bad take on what is happening."

"Do you want every AI system to be under the control of a couple of powerful American companies?" LeCun told the NYT.

No Good Option

As the NYT points out, Meta began to dip its toes into the open-source waters back in February, when it made the underlying code for its advanced large language model available for download via email to anyone that Meta deemed safe.

The code, however, was leaked to 4Chan almost immediately. In an experiment, researchers at Stanford used the renegade LLM to build an AI system to capture how it behaved. But they were shocked to find that it was able to generate some seriously problematic text.

Stanford researcher Moussa Doumbouya reportedly told colleagues that making this technology widely available would be like making "a grenade available to everyone in a grocery store," according to the NYT.

LeCun, for his part, seems to disagree with that conclusion.

"You can't prevent people from creating nonsense or dangerous information or whatever," LeCun told the NYT. "But you can stop it from being disseminated."

"Progress is faster when it is open," he added. "You have a more vibrant ecosystem where everyone can contribute."

But considering that at-scale content moderation is imperfect enough as it is even without generative AI, LeCun's argument isn't exactly bulletproof.

Whether Meta's open-source — or OpenAI and Microsoft's secrecy — approach will turn out to be the winning strategy remains to be seen.

As the AI war is really starting to heat up, companies are drawing their lines in the sand — and the stakes are higher than ever before.

More on AI: Man Uses AI to Write 97 Terrible Books, Sells $2,000 Worth

The post Facebook Has Crowbarred Open the Pandora’s Box of AI, Experts Warn appeared first on Futurism.

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allthecanadianpolitics · 3 years

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Event Listings: Monday, August 30 – Sunday, September 5

This is the most recent compilation from the Radical Events Ottawa (REO) List. The REO List is a public announcement list for radical events, meetings, protests, and other activities in Ottawa, Ontario, on unceded Algonquin territory. The Punch Up Collective collects submissions and produces this curated weekly compilation of upcoming activities.

Due to COVID-19, we’ve expanded the list of events we would typically include to feature more online activities and actions, including some that are not specific solely to the Ottawa area.

Would you like to see your event included in the next REO list? Submit it through this form by the Friday before! Find out more about our submission guidelines and how to subscribe or unsubscribe here.

CONTENTS

International Overdose Awareness Day Ottawa – Tuesday, August 31, 11:30AM-12:30PM

Clayton Thomas-Müller Virtual Book Launch – Tuesday, August 31, 8:00-9:00PM

Justin Trudeau’s Foreign Policy: A Critical Perspective – Thursday September 2, 7:30PM ET

I Believe That We Will Win: Launch of Creative Imaginings / Creo que ganaremos: lanzamiento de imaginaciones creativas – Sunday September 12, 6:30 PM

Fridays For Future’s Global Climate Strike – Friday, September 24th, 2021 at noon

DETAILS 1. International Overdose Awareness Day Ottawa – Tuesday, August 31, 11:30AM-12:30PM Canadian Tribute to Human Rights, 220 Elgin, corner of Lisgar and Elgin

Hosted by DUAL, Drug Users Advocacy League International Overdose Awareness Day aims to raise awareness of drug overdose and eradicate the stigma attached to drug use. All overdoses are preventable.!!! Join us 2. Clayton Thomas-Müller Virtual Book Launch – Tuesday, August 31, 8:00-9:00PM Online

Hosted by McNally Robinson Booksellers

Join Indigenous rights and environmental policy activist Clayton Thomas-Müller, as he discusses his new memoir, Life in the City of Dirty Water (Allen Lane). Host TBC.

Registration is required to directly participate in the Zoom webinar: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_21AdFb0dRnGH9Uw9uQm2hw

It will be simultaneously streamed on YouTube and available for viewing thereafter: https://youtu.be/2qME4oZFJWU

Anchoring the urgency of Indigenous rights and environmental policy in the sharing of his own intimately personal and incredible story, Life in the City of Dirty Water is a survivor’s call to action and understanding. A story of pain, healing, legacy, and tenacity.

Tying together personal stories of survival that bring the realities of the First Nations of this land into sharp focus, and lessons learned from a career as a frontline activist committed to addressing environmental injustice at a global scale, Thomas-Müller offers a narrative and vision of healing and responsibility.

Clayton Thomas-Müller is a member of the Treaty #6 based Mathias Colomb Cree Nation also known as Pukatawagan located in Northern Manitoba, Canada. He is a campaigner for 350.org, a global movement that’s responding to the climate crisis. He has campaigned on behalf of Indigenous peoples around the world for more than 20 years, working with the Indigenous Environmental Network, Black Mesa Water Coalition, Global Justice Ecology Project, and Bioneers, among others. Clayton has led Indigenous delegations to lobby United Nations bodies, including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, UN Earth Summit (Johannesburg, 2002 and Rio+20, 2012) and the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. He has coordinated and led delegations of Indigenous peoples to lobby government in Washington, DC, Ottawa, and the European Union (Strasbourg and Brussels). 3. Justin Trudeau’s Foreign Policy: A Critical Perspective – Thursday September 2, 7:30PM ET Online, register at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_T0cHdmXgSkuMQj5xBt7C4Q

Join us for a critical discussion of Justin Trudeau’s foreign policy. From militarism to mining, Afghanistan and Haiti to China and the Middle East, this webinar will provide a far-reaching critique of Trudeau’s foreign policy record.

Event is free and open to the public.

Featuring:

Raul Burbano Tamara Lorincz Yves Engler Bianca Mugyenyi (moderator)

Thursday September 2, 7:30PM ET

4. I Believe That We Will Win: Launch of Creative Imaginings / Creo que ganaremos: lanzamiento de imaginaciones creativas – Sunday September 12, 6:30 PM Online, Register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd3aw9DdtHmmu5QnelKzo7mHvdpxzvEv6hItTdbwP1_gFTc2A/viewform

[En español abajo] We put out a call for imaginings in the spring with the prompt: What would a world without extractivism look like for you? We were so thrilled with the submissions we received – paintings, collages, poems, music videos – and can’t wait to share them with you. We now invite you to a virtual launch on Sunday, September 12 at 6:30pm EST. There will be art, live music and poetry readings, and more from the artists who responded to our call. For the first time, the artists and their work will be in conversation with one another and will collectively vision a different future.RSVP HERE to reserve your spot for Sept 12: https://forms.gle/BM2DnxYvoEwfKQMMAThe submissions will also be housed permanently on the MISN website, which will be launched on the same day.For context — The world’s largest mining convention comes to Toronto each year, hosted by the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC). This year, however, PDAC 2021 moved entirely online. But don’t be fooled — just because the Metro Toronto Convention Centre was empty in March doesn’t mean that mining has stopped. Mining projects have continued in full force and workers have continued to travel to remote mine sites around the world, risking the health and safety of local communities.We at the Mining Injustice Solidarity Network (MISN) and our allies have a long history of intervening in and disrupting the convention, giving echo to the millions of voices around the world who say “YES” to life and “NO” to mining. People have long imagined and fought for a world without extractivism, and the systems of violence and oppression that sustain it. And with the pandemic disrupting an in-person convention this year, we’ve used it as an opportunity to continue these imaginings in an artistic form. What if the world’s largest mining convention never happened again?***RSVP HERE to reserve your spot for Sept 12: https://forms.gle/BM2DnxYvoEwfKQMMA Cover photo by Faustine Gruninger.———————————Creo que ganaremos: lanzamiento de imaginaciones creativasDistribuimos una llamada para la imaginación en el verano con la pregunta: ¿Cómo sería para usted un mundo sin extractivismo? El resultado ha sido emocionante — pinturas, fotografías, vídeos, animaciones, manualidades en material reciclado, dibujos..estamos impacientes de compartirlos con usted! Ahora te invitamos al lanzamiento virtual el 12 de septiembre, 6:30pm EDT. Habrá arte, lecturas de poemas, exposiciones cinematográficas, presentaciones musicales, y más. Por primera vez las artistas estarán en diálogo entre ellas, imaginando colectivamente un futuro diferente. ***RSVP – Hagan clic aquí para reservar su lugar en este evento: https://forms.gle/BM2DnxYvoEwfKQMMALa conferencia minera más grande del mundo llega cada año a Toronto, Canadá y está organizada por la “Association Canadiense de Prospectores y Desarrolladores” (PDAC). Este año, la conferencia se volverá completamente virtual por causa de la pandemia de COVID-19. Pero no se deje engañar: el hecho de que el centro de Toronto esté vacío (donde siempre tiene esta conferencia) no significa que la minería se haya detenido. Los proyectos mineros canadienses continúan con toda su fuerza alrededor del mundo.Nosotras organizadas en la Red de Solidaridad Contra la Minería Injusta (MISN por sus siglas en inglés) y nuestras aliadxs tenemos una larga historia de intervención e interrupción de la conferencia, dando eco a los millones de voces del mundo que dicen “SÍ” a la vida y “NO” a la minería. Comunidades por todas partes ya llevan décadas y milenios imaginando y luchando por un mundo sin el extractivismo y sin los sistemas de violencia y opresión que lo sustentan. Y con la pandemia que ha interrumpida una conferencia presencial este año, estamos aprovechando para continuar con estas imaginaciones de forma artística. ¿Qué pasaría si la mayor convención minera del mundo nunca volviera a suceder? ***RSVP – Reserva aquí para el 12 de sept: https://forms.gle/BM2DnxYvoEwfKQMMA

5. Fridays For Future’s Global Climate Strike – Friday, September 24th, 2021 at noon Confederation Park (Ottawa, Ontario) Fridays for Future (https://linktr.ee/fridaysforfutureottawa) Fridays For Future is planning a climate strike (mass protest) in Ottawa, in concert with other global chapters, to pressure the political and corporate classes to take decisive climate action posthaste, on which the welfare of current and future generations depends. More information to come! The big international fall climate strike where we all demand climate actions which follow the science and uproot the system! ~ La grande grève internationale du climat automnal où nous exigeons des action contre la crise climatique qui suive la science et déracine le système !

#submission #cdnpoli #canada #canadian politics #canadian news #canadian

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spacetimewithstuartgary · 3 years

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Western Soils and Plants are Parched For the second year in a row, drought has parched much of the United States from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Coast. Following one of the planet’s warmest years on record, and with precipitation this year well below average in the western U.S., scientists and government agencies are watching for diminished water resources and potentially severe fire seasons. According to the June 10 report from the U.S. Drought Monitor, 88.5 percent of the land area in the West—defined as California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington—is experiencing some level of drought, with 55 percent being classified as “extreme.” An estimated 90 percent of Utah is under extreme drought conditions, with 64 percent rated “exceptional” (the worst classification). Similar conditions are reported across Arizona (87 percent extreme), California (85 percent), and Nevada (76 percent). More than 58 million people are living with the dry conditions in the region. The map above offers one indicator of the conditions on June 5, 2021. Using data from the Crop Condition and Soil Moisture Analytics (Crop-CASMA) product, the map shows soil moisture anomalies, or how the water content in the top meter (3 feet) of soil compares to normal conditions for the time of year. Crop-CASMA integrates measurements from NASA’s Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite and vegetation indices from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instruments on NASA’s Terra and Aqua satellites. Released in April 2021, the Crop-CASMA portal offers soil moisture information more frequently (every 2 to 3 days) and on smaller scales (down to the level of towns and counties instead of states) than many other data products. Farmers and resource managers can use soil moisture data to help time crop planting and irrigation, to forecast yields, and to track droughts and floods. The product was developed by scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), George Mason University, and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and Jet Propulsion Laboratory. One of the primary users of the dataset is the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. The second map provides a measure of the health of vegetation from March 5 to May 28, 2021. The Evaporative Stress Index (ESI) depicts the level of evapotranspiration, or how much and how quickly water is evaporating from the land surface and from the leaves of plants. Measuring evapotranspiration is useful because negative levels can indicate that plants are facing stress even if leaves have not yet wilted or turned brown. ESI data is derived from observations of land surface temperatures from NOAA’s geostationary satellites and of leaf area index from Terra and Aqua. ESI is considered particularly useful for observing “flash drought” and agricultural drought. In recent years, NASA has redoubled its efforts to make satellite data more accessible and applicable to partners at other federal and state water and agriculture agencies. One of those efforts is the Western Water Applications Office, which is connecting scientists and engineers with farmers, reservoir managers, and other decision-makers to improve the forecasting of water availability, the management of water resources, and the adaptation to and mitigation of drought. Drought conditions in the West are likely to get worse in 2021. The most recent NOAA Climate Prediction Center forecast noted: “Short-term and long-term drought remains entrenched throughout a majority of the West...The Southwest is typically dry during June until monsoon rainfall begins later in July. Based on below-normal precipitation during the past 30 to 60 days, low soil moisture conditions, and elevated monthly and seasonal probabilities of near to below normal precipitation and above normal temperatures for June-July-August, drought is expected to persist over the south-central West and to expand northward across parts of the Pacific Northwest and northern Rockies.” NASA Earth Observatory images by Joshua Stevens, using soil moisture data from Crop Condition and Soil Moisture Analytics (Crop-CASMA) and evaporative stress index data from SERVIR. Story by Michael Carlowicz.

#space #science #earth observatory #nasa #news

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orchidbreezefc · 4 years

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is the ao3 donation drive still going? did i miss it? well, whatever. i’m sure everybody can agree that special time of year makes all social media fucking insufferable for its whole duration. i’ve been thinking a lot about the whole anti vs anti-anti debate for, ohh, a year now? just really putting a lot of time toward reconsidering my preconceptions and revising where i stand on that particular hellish scale. and i think ive finally reached my final verdict. here it goes. ahem.

...

i don’t fucking care anymore. this fight has never gone anywhere or achieved anything except making everyone very very upset. nobody is helping anyone by arguing like this so quit it.

you really want to help people?

educate them.

(strongly worded elaboration to follow)

i have grown to despise both sides of this debate, less because of any moral conflict and more because neither side is achieving anything except making things worse with their current approaches. let’s talk about both.

one side preaches that ‘fiction is not reality’ and writers and readers know the difference. in theory this neatly absolves them of having to take responsibility for anything, because under that logic, there’s no real problem, and any time the ‘antis’ take umbrage with fucked up shit in fanfiction, they’re just being puritan book-banning types, overreacting and espousing the type of censorship that led to the fanfiction purges of yore.

the problem there is that not everybody can tell the difference between fiction and reality. it’s cool that you are knowledgeable and careful to not internalize the shit you read and write as normal and okay, but have you heard of the jaws effect? do you remember the sort of behavior western culture decided was incredibly romantic from a boyfriend in the wake of twilight? hell, have you actually literally been groomed by predators and abusers with child porn and suchlike? because i know people who have been. i was too, to some extent. believe it or not, it does happen.

so what’s my answer? education. if you have no specific training or experience, especially if you’re a minor, it’s actually really fucking hard to look at dark writing and effectively identify and separate which parts are fucked up and should stay fictional vs which parts are in the fic because they are normal aspects of real life relationships. we need to teach people the critical thinking skills to do that.

for years i was a teen in an abusive relationship that heavily featured consumption and creation of adult/minor porn and similarly fucked up stuff. in all that time i never saw a single post meaningfully and practically explain how to keep a healthy and critical attitude for your safety when you encounter shit like that. hell, i’m not sure i’ve seen a single post like that since.

there were NO tools immediately available and accessible for me, a teen on tumblr up to my neck in child porn and abuse, to educate myself about it and engage (or disengage) from a more informed standpoint. i’m sure those resources exist, but they aren’t on my dash, and if today’s fans are anything like i was, they won’t embark on a google expedition to learn skills they may not even know they need.

yes, i was one of those minors that clicked past ‘18+ only’ banners; no, i do not feel authors should be held responsible for the fact that those minors will always exist or crucified for people irresponsibly reading their comprehensively-tagged content. you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink, etc etc--but the horse should still have access to water. education should be available, regardless of how many people will use it to become more responsible.

everything follows from there, really, so if youve got the point you can probably dip out now, or skim the rest. but fair’s fair and i don’t want to let the hardline ‘antis’ (BIG scare quotes) off the hook about their own terrible approach. while anti-antis want to pretend there is no problem, antis are so focused on the problem that they won’t implement moderate solutions that might actually do anything because they don’t want to practically deal with the problem as it exists, they want it to be Gone. their solution is ‘nobody should write bad shit and nobody should be able to read it’, and nothing but.

think anti-gun folks. anti-gun folks so firmly believe that nobody needs or should have guns that they usually dont talk to their kids about gun safety. why should they? they don’t need to! except sometimes kids go to sleepovers with a friend whose jackass brother has a secret gun and now they dont know how to be safe around it. now it doesn’t matter whether you’re actually right about guns or have the moral high ground--you’ve made your kid less safe around them.

or think abstinence-only education. folks don’t want kids to have sex in circumstances they don’t approve of, so they don’t tell them how to do it safely in hopes they will be so scared of the consequences they cannot effectively avoid that they simply won’t have sex! of course, kids do it anyway, only with less knowledge of how to protect themselves. all you’ve done is withhold maybe the only reliable, safe information they could have had.

there will always be bad shit on the internet. even if ao3 went against its whole purpose and did ban content, another site would appear to host the banned shit, so we’d just have a more highly concentrated area of toxic content. and there would still be worse elsewhere, and there would be worse than that irl. mounting an impossible crusade to ban everything dangerous so nothing potentially damaging EXISTS to hurt anyone will never work and--given that ao3 hasn’t budged yet--the effort hasn’t actually helped pretty much anyone in the many years that tumblr has been on-and-off insufferable due to this argument. isn’t it more practical to give readers the reading comprehension/critical analysis tools to handle bad shit when they do inevitably encounter it?

tl;dr: educate people. putting the onus on authors who are ALREADY tagging/warning (as they should--that is still important!) doesn’t work. individual authors can take great pains and add a disclaimer or a helpline number on their fic, which might help the maybe 300 people who read that particular fic. but give a man a fish, teach a man to fish. if you use a blogging platform, which is more suitable for conversation, to teach people to read critically and safely, they will use those skills to be safe in every fandom they engage in from then on.

this is the number one thing we can do to help the most people over the longest term. teach them to make their own decisions. teach them to keep themselves safe. regardless of which side you’re on, you should be able to agree to do THAT. maybe put more effort into that than screaming at the brick walls that you are toward each other. it’s less sexy than Being Right, but it might actually protect someone.

#sage original post #sage speaks #discourse #fandom #antis #ao3 #archive of our own #otw #anti antis #whatever dude fuck it #its a beautiful day to swing a bat at a hornet's nest #throwing an honest attempt at nuance and common sense into a minefield just to feel alive #shipping #csa talk and such #long post #theres also talk about actual book banning attitudes to be done but this is long enough so whatever #also i kind of hate how its been used as a talking point #so. ask me about it later

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michaeldempsey · 4 years

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Being Known is Being Loved

Years ago a friend of mine had a dream about a strange invention; a staircase you could descend deep underground, in which you heard recordings of all the things anyone had ever said about you, both good and bad. The catch was, you had to pass through all the worst things people had said before you could get to the highest compliments at the very bottom. There is no way I would ever make it more than two and a half steps down such a staircase, but I understand its terrible logic: if we want the rewards of being loved, we have to submit to the mortifying ordeal of being known.

- I Know What You Think of Me by Tim Krieder

We have to submit to the mortifying ordeal of being known.

This line, which came from a 2012 New York Times essay, then became a meme in 2018, always has resonated with me. The core idea of the essay could be summarized in an equally as powerful statement brought forth by another Tumblr user:

Being known is being loved.

Both statements frame a visceral feeling that is hard to properly explain but is almost immediately understood in the comfort and complexities of knowing someone, and the emotions that come from that journey.

To know someone is to understand their inner workings. It is to know the foods they hate, the ways they deal with stress, the goals they have, the secrets they keep, the time they spend, and hundreds of other smaller things that define someone, and your journey with them as you get to each other's cores.

If you’ve ever loved someone, Natasha’s writing will make you feel this deeply:

“i know your pizza order” “you have freckles on your ears” “you make this face when you’re tired” “you order green tea on a good day black on a bad day” “you always make that face before you try something” “the tips of your ears turn red when you’re angry” “i knew you’d say something” “you must be exhausted to miss the class” “your favorite pie is pumpkin, right?” “i know your phone number, don’t worry” “you miss me, i can tell” “you fiddle with your pens when you’re bored” “you don’t like converse unless they’re high tops” “your favorite cereal is cinnamon toast crunch and you first ate it when you were 8”

The fog of being known, & volatility

I sometimes think about knowing someone as a Fog of War map. For many parts of someone, there are areas that you uncover and don’t expect to change, ranging from seemingly inconsequential preferences to deeper personal values to lifelong pursuits. And then there are parts of people that do change, and these more volatile areas you have to revisit, check in with, and explore to continually know...and to continually love.

As we uncover more of this map, “mortifying” really is a perfect word to describe how we feel about being known in the 21st century. The satisfaction, emotional exposure, and time investment that comes from being known is non-trivial and high risk. It requires you and another person to embark on a journey together that theoretically is high ROI, but more likely, just high volatility.

Over the past 10 years, a lot of the dynamics have changed surrounding what it means to be known, for better or for worse. Especially this year these dynamics of what we qualify as "knowing" someone has been top of mind for me across both personal and professional contexts.

Our world has turned into one that inflates to a minimum viable aesthetic. We want to show a version of ourselves online that is most attractive, most agreeable, most interesting, and most admirable. Perfect pictures, curated stories, high level tweets designed to garner likes and RTs, and a catering to the masses of our minimum viable audience. This is the seemingly agreed upon dominant strategy whether seeking influence, capital, or something else.

We string together fragments of various selves, but rarely do we see the entire self, because what’s the incentive? There’s just too much risk in being known. By being somewhat known we are effectively minimizing some of the beautiful human volatility I mention a few paragraphs above.

Maximum vulnerability = maximum volatility = maximum upside.

(tweet source)

In investing, higher volatility usually equates to higher possible returns. In today's world of online expression, we settle for lower expected value, market-level outcomes so as to not ruffle any feathers and not take any outsized risk. We're basically hoping to allow people to know us enough so that they include us in their passive index of humans they hold in moderate regard, like that vanguard ETF that their finance friend told them to buy and never think about until they were 60.

As I write that sentence, I think that perhaps we go back to the parable of humans being viewed as commodities or indexes. We can debate this at a societal level but on the professional side, I think this is entirely true within my bubble of venture capital and startups.

When we think about the products that venture capital firms offer the talking points are either the people (which partner do you work with) or the capital. The capital is a commodity today. This pushes seed round dynamics into sprints measured in days in order to get to a decision of who to partner with for the next 7-10 years of your company. One could make the argument that founders should take their time and be more intentional, but let's be real, that isn't net dominant for a founder or their highly optimized process.

As an industry we like to equate picking a co-founder to marriage and draw similar comparisons when picking a lead investor/board member. Despite this, we have yet to figure out the solution for understanding these relationships in a newly compressed timeline outside of social capital (how does an investor reference), shotgun weddings (was great to meet you yesterday, give me the highest price and get out of my way), and brand network effects (firm > people). But this information is sparse and humans are....say it with me...VOLATILE. So you never really know.

This insight is what led various VCs to become content marketing machines in order to increase exposure and surface area. I heavily adapted this playbook early in my career (as many have) and it certainly helps people get to know you...sorta. I should say, it gets people to know a part of you.

And I feel like we've conflated the idea of knowing someone with having an idea of someone. You can't know someone after 9 days (if Kopelman is correct) but you can get maximum context by understanding the corpus of their being on the internet...or at least that's the best attempt I can muster up in my reality.

My reality is that I can't buy my own bullshit/sell my soul enough to tweet out tech proverbs or repurpose old parables for likes. My reality is that I don't have the skill to transactionally aggressively network and I can't sustain the energy from social interactions to exponentially scale deep connections to the tune of 25+ meetings/week I care about. So instead, my only option to be loved is to submit to the mortifying ordeal of being known. To wear my heart on my digital sleeve, a proverbial sleeve that's threads are made up of a sum of all of my writing, social media accounts, in-person interactions, and more, not just a curated feed of minimum viable story filled with dopamine-inducing 280 character lines.

I write about the areas I care about, founders I partner with, my struggles with my industry, my lessons of growing up, my allegories for friendship or love, all to be known. I tweet to be known, I joke to be known, hell I sing to be known.

And in writing this my only goal is to express my disinterest in what passes the bar today for "being known" in our communities, and to ask others to submit to the mortifying ordeal of being known.

So here’s my sleeve where you can start to get to know me. I look forward to descending the staircase together.

(this Image 2x for thumbnail purposes)

#mortifying ordeal of being known #life #vc

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homestuckpolyswap · 4 years

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2020 Updates Incoming!

Hey everyone! As we prep for the upcoming POLYSWAP 2020, we've got some planned updates to share with all of you. As always, feel free to drop any questions you've got for us in our inbox!

We'll be posting the schedule for Polyswap 2020 within the week. For now, you can rest assured that signups will be coming in April!

After trying out a few different events, we've come to a decision: Less Miniswaps, More Promptfests. Promptfests are easier for us to run, which means we'll be able to host more of them overall! We're also planning on testing out different types and different sizes, like week or half-month promptfest events.

Tag Checking is going to be SERIOUSLY cut back. Instead, we'll have a tag list split by Required and Useful tags (similar to HSWC's Major Content Tags and Additional Tags), as well as information on what to put in your tags section if you'd prefer to leave things out of the tags to avoid spoilers. Everyone is expected to reference this tag list while tagging their work. We'll have more information on this later!

We're taking a closer look at the top secret Planned Events List, and we can promise you this: There WILL be more than one Polyswap Event this year, and that's not even counting the tail end of the Winter Flash Promptfest ;)

Now for the biggest change: We're closing down the participants-only server.

After having one for the past three events and testing out servers for the smaller events, we've come to the conclusion that maintaining multiple separate servers is doing more harm than good. As a volunteer team of mods, we don't always have enough time to run the event side of things and moderate an event server, let alone two. It's also easier for announcements to slip between the cracks, or for participants not to know what to join.

Instead, we'll be building up the Screaming Server (pending a rebrand) as a hub for communication, interaction, participation, and participants! Our goal is to make it a space for creating and sharing polyamorous Homestuck content while also being able to access important information about ongoing and upcoming Polyswap events.

Finally...this will be our FIFTH YEAR of Polyswap! When we kicked this shindig off in 2016, we didn't expect it to grow so large! In 2017, we split the events up into Derse and Prospit, prompting some double signups and enjoying our biggest year—98 total signups! We had our first Miniswap in 2018, which also gave us a chance to test out running events on a "theme", then tried out a Big Bang in 2019, our first large scale non-exchange event, which gave us even more ideas on things we could try and how we wanted to run these Major Things. Last but not least, we tested out Flash Promptfests across one decade to another—okay, only the tail end of 2019 to the early hours of 2020, but it still counts!

It's been a hell of a ride, and we're looking forward to creating more content with you. Thank you ALL, and we'll be seeing you real soon ;)

#polyswap

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