#senior stakeholders

[orcelito]

In my data governance class today we were filling out a page on data quality. We've been doing the in class activities over some data types relevant to hospitals (relevant for this anecdote). Today's thing was taking these data types and answering questions about how we would check for validity & what we would do to correct inaccuracies and whatever

And me & my partner (I've been working with him on the in class assignments, mostly bc we sit next to each other) got to that Corrective Action question for if the data was consistently wrong & we joked that we would beat up the doctor.

And I just. Am still laughing when I remember the phrase. "Beat Up The Doctor." It's so stupid. Funny though.

[reasonsforhope]

"Major technology companies signed a pact on Friday to voluntarily adopt "reasonable precautions" to prevent artificial intelligence (AI) tools from being used to disrupt democratic elections around the world.

Executives from Adobe, Amazon, Google, IBM, Meta, Microsoft, OpenAI, and TikTok gathered at the Munich Security Conference to announce a new framework for how they respond to AI-generated deepfakes that deliberately trick voters. 

Twelve other companies - including Elon Musk's X - are also signing on to the accord...

The accord is largely symbolic, but targets increasingly realistic AI-generated images, audio, and video "that deceptively fake or alter the appearance, voice, or actions of political candidates, election officials, and other key stakeholders in a democratic election, or that provide false information to voters about when, where, and how they can lawfully vote".

The companies aren't committing to ban or remove deepfakes. Instead, the accord outlines methods they will use to try to detect and label deceptive AI content when it is created or distributed on their platforms. 

It notes the companies will share best practices and provide "swift and proportionate responses" when that content starts to spread.

Lack of binding requirements

The vagueness of the commitments and lack of any binding requirements likely helped win over a diverse swath of companies, but disappointed advocates were looking for stronger assurances.

"The language isn't quite as strong as one might have expected," said Rachel Orey, senior associate director of the Elections Project at the Bipartisan Policy Center. 

"I think we should give credit where credit is due, and acknowledge that the companies do have a vested interest in their tools not being used to undermine free and fair elections. That said, it is voluntary, and we'll be keeping an eye on whether they follow through." ...

Several political leaders from Europe and the US also joined Friday’s announcement. European Commission Vice President Vera Jourova said while such an agreement can’t be comprehensive, "it contains very impactful and positive elements".  ...

[The Accord and Where We're At]

The accord calls on platforms to "pay attention to context and in particular to safeguarding educational, documentary, artistic, satirical, and political expression".

It said the companies will focus on transparency to users about their policies and work to educate the public about how they can avoid falling for AI fakes.

Most companies have previously said they’re putting safeguards on their own generative AI tools that can manipulate images and sound, while also working to identify and label AI-generated content so that social media users know if what they’re seeing is real. But most of those proposed solutions haven't yet rolled out and the companies have faced pressure to do more.

That pressure is heightened in the US, where Congress has yet to pass laws regulating AI in politics, leaving companies to largely govern themselves.

The Federal Communications Commission recently confirmed AI-generated audio clips in robocalls are against the law [in the US], but that doesn't cover audio deepfakes when they circulate on social media or in campaign advertisements.

Many social media companies already have policies in place to deter deceptive posts about electoral processes - AI-generated or not... 

[Signatories Include]

In addition to the companies that helped broker Friday's agreement, other signatories include chatbot developers Anthropic and Inflection AI; voice-clone startup ElevenLabs; chip designer Arm Holdings; security companies McAfee and TrendMicro; and Stability AI, known for making the image-generator Stable Diffusion.

Notably absent is another popular AI image-generator, Midjourney. The San Francisco-based startup didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday.

The inclusion of X - not mentioned in an earlier announcement about the pending accord - was one of the surprises of Friday's agreement."

-via EuroNews, February 17, 2024

--

Note: No idea whether this will actually do much of anything (would love to hear from people with experience in this area on significant this is), but I'll definitely take it. Some of these companies may even mean it! (X/Twitter almost definitely doesn't, though).

Still, like I said, I'll take it. Any significant move toward tech companies self-regulating AI is a good sign, as far as I'm concerned, especially a large-scale and international effort. Even if it's a "mostly symbolic" accord, the scale and prominence of this accord is encouraging, and it sets a precedent for further regulation to build on.

[ultyso]

Sudan updates as of 7/19/2024

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Twitter: Source | Full article at Source

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Donate: GFM | Twitter: Source

Twitter: Source

Alt won’t fit in alt tab:

DVS welcomes the discussions of the UN Secretary- General's Envoy, Mr. Ramatane Lamamra, with the RSF delegation regarding opening humanitarian paths to deliver aid to Sudanese civilians. This step is appreciated, but it requires the participation of the SAF and the commitment of the parties to open the paths. It also calls on the UN to put pressure on the parties to end the war in Sudan.

الأمم المتحدة

United Nations

Office of the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Sudan مكتب المبعوث الشخصي للأمين العام للأمم المتحدة الى السودان Statement of the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Sudan, Ramtane Lamamra, after the conclusion of the Geneva Proximity Talks 19 July 2024, Geneva

In Resolution 2724 (2024), the Security Council mandated me to use my good offices with the parties to the conflict in Sudan, complementing and coordinating regional peace efforts. Security Council Resolution 2736 (2024) reiterated the Council's concern over the situation in Sudan. It urged the parties to de-escalate in and around El Fasher, to allow and facilitate unfettered humanitarian access across the country and ensure the protection of civilians. It further called on the parties to the conflict to seek an immediate cessation of hostilities, leading to a sustainable resolution of the conflict, through dialogue.

Resolution 2736 (2024) also requested the Secretary-General, in consultation with the Sudanese authorities and regional stakeholders, to make further recommendations for the protection of civilians in Sudan, building on the existing mediation and good offices mechanisms.

To contribute to these recommendations, and building on my previous engagements with the parties, I addressed letters to General Abdel-Fattah al-Burhan, Chairperson of the Sovereign Council and Commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces, and General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, Commander of the Rapid Support Forces, inviting them to nominate senior delegations to discuss the following issues:

1) measures to be undertaken to ensure the distribution of humanitarian assistance to all the Sudanese population in need;

2) options to ensure the protection of civilians across Sudan.

I invited the delegations appointed by both parties to travel to Geneva, Switzerland, to participate in discussions in "proximity format", in which I would separately engage the delegation of each party, supported by a United Nations integrated technical team providing relevant expertise. These discussions took place from 11 to 19 July 2024. During this period, my team held a total of around 20 sessions with the parties' delegations, including technical and plenary meetings. We interacted with each of the delegations in the context of their respective mandates.

Throughout these engagements, the delegations expressed their positions on key issues of concern, in light of their responsibilities, allowing us to deepen our mutual understanding. We then explored avenues to address these issues to contribute to alleviating the suffering of the civilian population in Sudan. I am encouraged by the willingness of the parties to engage with me on these critical matters, as well as by the commitments made to respond to some specific requests we presented to them.

The humanitarian situation in Sudan remains catastrophic and is deteriorating every day. Urgent action is needed to ensure that humanitarian assistance safely reaches all those in need and to guarantee the protection of all civilians in Sudan. I count on the parties to promptly translate their willingness to engage with me into tangible progress on the ground. The United Nations will continue to make every effort to support the civilian population throughout the country.

The discussions held in Geneva are an encouraging initial step in a longer and complex process. Although unilateral commitments by the parties do not constitute agreements with the UN, I welcome the commitments announced today by one of the two parties to enhance humanitarian assistance and the protection of civilians. I intend to remain in close contact with the leadership of the two parties, to follow up on the implementation of commitments and to engage them on critical issues. I remain at their disposal for the desirable continuation of this process. I urge both parties to step up their engagement for peace for the sake of the Sudanese people and the future of the country.

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(Id/alt in alt tab)

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

By Annie Norman

The public learned last fall of one particularly controversial element of United States Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s 10-year plan for the U.S. Postal Service that would be rolling out soon. Essentially, the function of sorting and delivering mail would be consolidated into regional centers, leaving empty former sorting space in the back of post offices. No layoffs were announced.

At first glance, this sounds innocuous, but seasoned postal observers suspect that with less activity happening at smaller or rural post offices, they become vulnerable to a reduction in hours or closure. This leads to the kind of job losses that initially present as don’t worry, we’ll relocate you to the regional center but are experienced by postal workers as if I don’t commute two hours there and back each day or more, I lose my job.

In response, The Save the Post Office Coalition, which I coordinate, wrote to the Secretary of the USPS Board of Governors to ensure the board was made aware of emails from 160,000 postal customers across the country urging them to stop the disastrous elements of DeJoy’s plan before it’s too late.

Among the several thousands of personalized messages, we highlighted a handful in our note:

“The USPS provides a service to the public. It was never intended to be a profit-making business. I’m disappointed & ashamed at where politics seem to be taking us.”

— David B. (veteran) Seattle, Washington.

“As a former United States Postal Service employee and as someone who regularly uses the [USPS], I ask you to do something about DeJoy, who continues to degrade everything about the postal service — especially the service part of it.”

— Kristin F. in Cottonwood, Indiana.

“It is important for seniors like me to be able to count on a dependable means of getting medications without having a further drain on our resources.”

— Peter L. in Los Angeles, California.

“I believe that a well supported and functioning post office is a hallmark of a healthy, advanced nation. Stop DeJoy’s undemocratic plan now before it’s too late.”

— Janet M. in Downers Grove, Illinois.

“We senior citizens depend on USPS. Please help keep it viable.”

—Joanne L. in Akron, Ohio.

“Our postal service should be about serving us rather than serving businesses that give it money.”

— Douglas L. in Rio Rancho, New Mexico.

We have yet to hear a response or acknowledgement that the messages from the public were received, and DeJoy continues to make it clear that he doesn’t want anyone asking questions about his 10-year plan.

On the same day that USPS leadership received our coalition’s messages, the Postal Regulatory Commission issued a public inquiry order to DeJoy asking that USPS provide details on the sorting and delivery changes under his plan. In the order, the Commission said it “notes that stakeholders have expressed concerns regarding a lack of a forum to explore the impacts of these proposed changes.”

DeJoy responded with an objection to the Commission’s inquiry. On May 17, DeJoy delivered congressional testimony for the first time in nearly two years at a hearing of the House Oversight Subcommittee on Government Operations. Rep. Summer Lee asked him why USPS is objecting. In his response, DeJoy was openly hostile toward the postal regulator, accusing them of actively participating “in the destruction of [USPS].”

Just last month, DeJoy sat down with the press for a 90-minute interview where he once again doubled down with an adversarial attitude toward postal regulators who seek details for the public on his 10-year plan, calling the Commission’s inquiry “nonsense,” saying, “We don’t need to be babysat.”

On May 22, DeJoy delivered the keynote address at the 2023 National Postal Forum where he spoke at length touting his efforts to implement “dramatic changes” and increase the pace of his 10-year plan. The postmaster general told the audience that “dramatic changes must be done at a pace, and with a tenacity that is rarely seen.” However, these changes are a mystery to many, and for a public institution, this mystery is dangerous.

If the past is any guide, the effects of potential post office closings and reduced hours will be devastating, particularly to rural and Indigenous communities. The Save the Post Office Coalition organized a petition to the Postal Regulatory Commission and the USPS Office of Inspector General urging them to stop DeJoy’s “dramatic changes” and demand public input, and so far has received over 131,000 signatures from the public who regularly use the postal service.

The bottom line is that the public has a right to more transparency and input in the decision-making process at a public institution. This requires engagement with said public — which DeJoy is actively resisting. When you put a rich, white, private-sector executive who isn’t used to public accountability and cooperation in charge of a treasured public institution, such a clash might be inevitable. It’s plain DeJoy doesn’t have the temperament for public service.

Communities across the nation want dramatic change at the post office too, but that dramatic change is not to be secretive or a surprise; it must be a shift toward protecting and expanding the public footprint and services available at the post office to meet new needs and change with the times. The People’s Postal Agenda outlines a framework for an expanded USPS that includes things like postal banking, expanded nonbank financial services like bill payment and ATMs, WiFi in parking lots, and public electric vehicle charging.

We still remember former President Donald Trump’s plan to privatize the post office, right before he put his thumb on the scale to have his donor DeJoy appointed as postmaster general. We also remember DeJoy’s role in sowing public fear and uncertainty in the vote-by-mail process by slowing down the mail and then sending out mailers to voters that meeting their state’s deadline would not ensure their vote would arrive in time to be counted, causing him to be sued by the NAACP and Public Citizen, as well as secretaries of state.

There is nothing to suggest that DeJoy has abandoned the privatization vision of the people who got him the job. So it’s our job as citizens to make absolutely sure any upcoming “dramatic changes” to the post office don’t shrink and privatize the institution but protect and expand it for generations to come.

[mariacallous]

In April 2018, I was invited by the American ambassador to a meeting at the embassy in Tbilisi, Georgia. The ambassador had assembled a group of nongovernmental organization (NGO) leaders in the field of disinformation to meet with a senior Trump administration official from the State Department. He asked us to describe the main narratives of Kremlin disinformation. As the director of a large international democracy organization, I highlighted Russia’s manipulation of gender and LGBTQ issues to sway Georgians away from the perceived “cultural decadence” of the European Union. The official’s frustration was palpable. His response, tinged with irritation, was telling: “Is that all you people can talk about? The gays?”

A year before, several international organizations partnered with Georgian parliamentarians on a gender equality assessment, supported by several government donors. This collaboration led to an internal conflict. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) wanted to scrub the original report, as it covered abortion, notably legal in Georgia, while the Swedish government and other stakeholders wanted the complete assessment. As a result, at the time of its release, two distinct reports had to be printed, one with references to abortion and one without.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump emerged victorious from last week’s New Hampshire primary and is likely to be the Republican Party’s presidential nominee. His closing statement in New Hampshire praised Hungarian leader Viktor Orban, who embraces the oxymoronic term “illiberal democracy” while suppressing independent media, civil society, and courts. He has repeatedly emphasized the glory of strongmen like Orban. His foreign policy has been clear: stopping support for Ukraine, NATO, and our European allies.

But while there has been plenty of analysis of Trump’s America First impact on foreign policy and security, less covered is how it will also completely redefine foreign aid as well as the liberal democracy agenda. My experience with the first Trump administration as a senior leader in democracy organizations receiving funding from USAID provides some insight into the foreign-aid agenda of a second, but likely only scratches the surface of what is to come.

The Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, established in 2022, offers a detailed roadmap for revamping USAID under Trump—one that will undermine, eliminate, and censor the critical work of thousands of people and organizations committed to building more just societies. The Heritage Foundation has been staffing and providing a pipeline of ideas to Republican administrations since President Ronald Reagan. Project 2025 is a plan to shape the next Republican administration, and its funders have close ties to Trump. The project’s objective is to replace “deep state” employees with conservative thought leaders to carry out an executive-driven agenda.

In the overview, the project articulates its goal to end what it calls USAID’s “divisive political and cultural agenda that promotes abortion, climate extremism, gender radicalism, and interventions against perceived systemic racism.” A key component of the illiberal playbook is to attack gender and marginalized communities, an early warning sign of democratic backsliding. Illiberal strongmen, such as Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russia’s Vladimir Putin, exploit traditional hierarchies to divide society and create pecking orders of power. Russia refused to sign, and Turkey withdrew from, the Istanbul Convention, a commitment to protect women from domestic violence. The Narendra Modi administration in India filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court against criminalizing marital rape, arguing it would destabilize marriage. Hungary and Poland lobbied to ban the term “gender equality” in international agreements and implemented anti-LGBTQ policies, including local municipalities adopting “LGBT-free” zones as part of a government-supported “Family Charter” in Poland.

As a first step, Trump’s USAID will “dismantle” all diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, which Project 2025 calls “discriminatory.” This mandate includes firing the chief diversity officer and all advisors and committees. In 2016, the Obama administration issued a DEI presidential memorandum to ensure USAID, among other agencies, had a diverse and representative workforce. Trump scaled back these efforts. On Jan. 20, 2021, Biden’s first day in office, he signed an executive order that demanded that government agencies devise strategies to tackle DEI issues. Pursuant to this, USAID Administrator Samantha Power signed USAID’s DEI strategy on her first day in May 2021. Project 2025 would reverse this strategy, requiring USAID to “cease promotion of the DEI agenda, including the bullying LGBTQ+ agenda,” which entails support for organizations overseas that work on these issues.

According to Project 2025, Trump’s new USAID will also eliminate the word “gender” full stop, arguing that “Democrat Administrations have nearly erased what females are.” This is bizarre, as I have decades of experience receiving USAID funding for numerous programs to advance women in political life and support women’s organizations. Working for democracy organizations across Asia and the former Soviet Union, I saw USAID provide critical support to expand women’s wings of political parties; recruit women election officials, observers, and administrators; train women’s advocacy and rights organizations; and build women’s committees in parliaments.

The Heritage Foundation report also accuses USAID of “outright bias against men,” an equally strange claim; in fact, gender realignment was needed and implemented. A Trump USAID will fire more than 180 gender advisors and points of contact, who work alongside USAID colleagues “to integrate gender and advance gender equality objectives in USAID’s work worldwide,” and scrub the words “gender,” “gender equality,” and “gender equity” from all documents. This would require a massive purge of decades of USAID materials and websites.

USAID has spent years incorporating gender into all aspects of its programming to ensure the agency addresses the needs of women, including unique development obstacles they face. Removing a gender lens would take us back in time to programming that often harmed women, inadvertently, by failing to analyze the varying effects of programming based on gender and power dynamics in different environments. To erase all of USAID’s tools, learning, and research on how to ensure best practice would have dangerous consequences. For example, when I worked for USAID in Cambodia in the 1990s, the agency supported micro-lending for small community projects, in which most of the loans went to women. This resulted in increased domestic violence, as men were angry about the financial imbalance in the home. Today, USAID has gender analysis and research on risk factors to mitigate against such outcomes.

Relatedly, a Trump USAID will make anti-choice “core” to its mission, removing all “references to ‘abortion,’ ‘reproductive health,’ and ‘sexual and reproductive rights.’” Project 2025’s blueprint singles out specific organizations and U.N. agencies to target and defund. Further, the president himself would have the ability to oversee programming directly: “Current law in the Foreign Assistance Act gives the President broad authority to set ‘such terms and conditions as he may determine’ on foreign assistance, which legally empowers the next conservative President to expand this pro-life policy.” Previous administrations have restricted funding to organizations that provide abortions (the “Mexico City Policy”), which resulted in an increase in maternal and child mortality and unsafe abortions—exactly what the policy claimed to want to prevent. In sub-Saharan Africa, data shows the policy increased abortions by defunding clinics that provided family-planning services. The first Trump administration expanded restrictions further, impacting speech and service delivery around the world.

A Trump USAID would not only stop funding local partner organizations that support gender, LGBTQ, and rights agendas but redirect that money to religious organizations. In fact, it would mandate training and indoctrination for all USAID staff on the link between religion and development. USAID would also ensure conservative oversight of all grantmaking to ensure against “progressive policies” and a “radical agenda.” USAID already engages with faith-based partnerships, alongside secular NGOs, but Project 2025 would like to shift the balance, creating a “New Partnership Initiative” that would help prioritize religious groups.

A stated “key outcome of the transformation of USAID” under Trump will be a complete revamp of the Bureau for Democracy, Development, and Innovation, shifting its focus to trade, the private sector, and religious communities, and purging staff. Importantly, all directors of each center—not just the assistant administrator—will have political leadership, not career experts. In addition, Trump’s USAID will rewrite all policy “as soon as possible” to ensure a conservative agenda.

During the first Trump administration, I felt the impact in my work overseas. I worked closely with the LGBTQ community in Georgia, which faced horrific obstacles—ostracization, violence, homelessness—and which was targeted relentlessly by Kremlin information operations. USAID has long been a defender of human rights and funded projects on these issues. There was a shift under Trump, though I applaud individual USAID employees for creatively trying to find workarounds and continue support—like slight renaming of initiatives or cleverly filing them under more favorable, broader categories like “human rights.” They no doubt prevented damaging cuts to our important work.

I am far more worried about the impact of a second administration. Back then, there was no concrete, detailed roadmap like Project 2025 and no massive replacement of foreign aid professionals with conservative political operatives. Under a second administration, under Schedule F, Trump has planned a sweeping political takeover of our civil service, stripping civil servants of protection, forcing them to implement his political policy agenda, and giving the president unilateral power to fire employees at will.

The organization I now work for, the German Marshall Fund, supports hundreds of civil society organizations across the Balkans, Black Sea region, Ukraine, and Central Europe—thanks to more than a decade of USAID support. USAID has encouraged our goals of promoting democracy; bolstering the rights of women, LGBTQ, and other marginalized communities; and deterring illiberalism through independent media, watchdog organizations, and information integrity efforts. We do this through grantmaking, capacity-building and technical assistance, leadership programs, and policy dialogues.

With democracy in global decline and illiberal strongmen on the rise, we need these efforts more than ever. Backsliding elsewhere affects democracy everywhere. America benefits from strong, free, liberal societies—it is in our national interest and key to our global security and order. While few voters go to the polls with foreign aid on their minds, the consequences for millions of people worldwide are on the ballot this November.

[izicodes]

Improving Your Work Ethic

I had a meeting with my manager on Friday on three key skills I need to look out for when working. She said being in school/apprenticeship and working in a company are two different situations. There are skills you only learn by working in a team with real-life projects. She mentioned; Work Ethic, Communication and Time Management.

I decided I would talk about each one and give tips that she mentioned and others I found out myself and over searching online. This post will be about improving your work ethic. The advice my manager gave is from a Senior Software Developer's point of view but the advice can be carried over to other industries you work in!

What is Work Ethic?

Work ethic refers to the values and principles that guide how a person approaches their work or responsibilities. It involves having a positive attitude, being diligent, and demonstrating a strong commitment to doing your best.

Imagine that school project you had to complete. Having a good work ethic means that you approach the project with enthusiasm and dedication. It means taking responsibility for completing your work on time and putting in the necessary effort to produce high-quality results!

Tips To Improving Your Work Ethic

This is a long list but worth while to think upon! Here are all of the tips that my manager gave me and some extra notes I made afterwards:

Understand Expectations

Do you know what is expected of your role and responsibilities at work? If you don’t, you need to. Not just what the job description said when you applied but directly from your team manager or your boss!

Be Punctual

Arrive on time for meetings, scrums, and work-related commitments. Being punctual demonstrates respect for others' time and shows your dedication to the team.

Meet Deadlines

If you know me, you’ll know I struggle with this a lot. Consistently meet the deadlines for your tasks and projects. Plan and prioritize your work to ensure timely delivery. If you’re struggling with the project/work somewhere, ask for help.

Take Initiative

Show initiative by seeking opportunities to contribute beyond your assigned tasks. Take ownership of challenges, propose solutions, and actively participate in team discussions. I like this because I always come up with new add ons a project!

Be Accountable

Take responsibility for your actions and outcomes. Admit and learn from mistakes, and avoid making excuses. It may be hard but just say you messed up and it won’t happen again.

Practice Self-Discipline

Develop self-discipline to stay focused and motivated in your work. Minimize distractions and maintain a strong work ethic even when faced with challenging tasks. This is why if you struggle with this, do a Studyblr study challenge to stay on track and be motivated!

Be Proactive In Learning

Continuously expand your knowledge and skills by staying updated with the latest industry trends and technologies. Seek out learning opportunities and take advantage of professional development resources. Especially in my field of Tech, something new is happening all the time! My workplace gave us Pluralsight for free so we can be studying on the site as we work!

Communicate Effectively

Work on your communication skills to convey information clearly and professionally. Keep your team members, stakeholders or anyone necessary informed about your progress, challenges, and achievements!

Get Feedback

Actively seek feedback from your teammates, supervisors, and mentors. Constructive criticism can be good, see it as an opportunity for growth and improvement!

Collaborate Effectively

Practise positive and productive collaboration with your team members. Contribute to team discussions, listen actively, and support others when needed.

Be Adaptable

Changes at work, project or whatever can be scary, and sometimes quite annoying, however, embrace change! Be open to new ideas, technologies, and processes. Learn to adapt quickly to shifting priorities and evolving project requirements!

Take Care Of Your Well-Being

Prioritize your physical and mental well-being. I had a time when I was mentally stressed from my apprenticeship, I took a week-long holiday off and rested at home. You should maintain a healthy work-life balance, manage stress effectively, and take breaks when needed. You're not you when you're tired, mentally strained and hungry...!

Reflect And Improve

Regularly reflect on your work ethic and areas for improvement. Set personal goals and actively work towards enhancing your work ethic over time.

Improving your work ethic is an ongoing process that requires self-awareness, discipline, and a commitment to personal growth. Some people can do it alone whilst other people need a little push, such as myself and my manager.

Think over the tips I gave and see how you can change things to improve your own work ethic. If you're not working, this can be applied to a school setting or something you can be wary of when looking to start working!

Hope this helped you and thanks for reading! 👩🏾‍🎓💗

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from the LA Times:

As visitors to a bustling park in northeast Los Angeles shot hoops, scrambled up play equipment and lounged in manicured grass, an endangered songbird covertly — but not quietly — did his part to stave off extinction.

The least Bell’s vireo, a small, mostly gray songbird, was on the verge of nesting in Rio de Los Angeles State Park, a green respite that supplanted an abandoned railyard along the L.A. River. The bird with a wingspan of just seven inches was singing passionately, an act that marked its territory as breeding season picked up in mid-March. Its song rings out like a clinking question-and-answer: “Cheedle-cheedle-chee? Cheedle-cheedle-chew!”

“It’s persistent. It’s a survivor,” said Nicolas Gonzalez, senior communications manager for migration science at the National Audubon Society, an avian conservation nonprofit, who helped identify the bird as it flitted between trees, blending into the muted spring sky.

Bird boosters, meanwhile, were hustling to get the grounds in order.

Evelyn “Evy” Serrano enthusiastically instructed two volunteers at Rio de Los Angeles, which is in the Glassell Park neighborhood, on how to create what looked like moats of soil around fledgling native plants. Serrano, director of the Audubon Center at Debs Park, another urban oasis, explained that the berms would funnel water to the mule fat, black sage, golden currant, sycamore trees and other native foliage the least Bell’s vireo needs to thrive. Certain plants provide cover and nest materials, while others attract yummy insects.

So far, the literal dirty work seems to be paying off. A lone least Bell’s vireo was documented at the park when the habitat restoration effort targeting the species began about two years ago, Serrano said. Within a year, there were four — two nesting pairs. Last year, they counted three fledglings.

“Sometimes it takes a really long time to see the change,” Serrano said. “It was really nice to see it happen so quickly.”

Stakeholders see the migratory birds’ rebound in the park and surrounding areas as a testament to what can happen when people come together to make positive change and natural environments are supported. It also suggests that people can live in harmony with nature — even in highly urbanized areas.

But significant legwork preceded the recent local triumph, and what can be seen as historic missteps were walked back. Meanwhile, there are new and old threats.

Once abundant in California’s riverside woodlands, the silver-tongued, whitish-bellied least Bell’s vireo vanished from most of its range by the 1980s, remaining only in Southern California and northern Baja California, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. (The birds are the smallest of four subspecies of Bell’s vireo.)

The ranks plummeted amid the extensive loss of their preferred riparian habitat. Dams went up and wetlands were drained, people encroached on wildlands, and agriculture expanded. In 1999, The Times reported that California had lost 97% of its riparian woodlands, more than any other state. Parasitism by brown-headed cowbirds, which lay eggs in vireo nests, contributed to the decline.California listed the bird as endangered in 1980, and federal officials followed suit in 1986.

[eretzyisrael]

by Seth J. Frantzman

The Hamas police story is central to the current issues affecting Gaza. For instance, there are many reports of a humanitarian crisis in the Strip. Hamas and many organizations that have worked with it over the last decades have often claimed there is a humanitarian crisis in Gaza in order to win concessions for Hamas so the terror group can continue to rule there.

Hamas believes the suffering of Gazans is in its interests, and it profits from their suffering. However, there is also a very real concern about how the current situation in Gaza could worsen in terms of the humanitarian crisis. Hamas may want the situation to worsen and may be using gunmen or its “police” to make it harder for Gazans to access aid.

We can see how this narrative functions through a recent report at Reuters claiming that “masked men in Gaza enforce prices.” The men claim they are merely enforcing law and order. However, usually “law and order” doesn’t need to be enforced by men with masks, sticks and guns.

Relationship between Hamas and law and order

In Gaza, however, there has been a symbiotic relationship between Hamas armed men and the delivery of humanitarian aid. What this means is that the presence of Hamas gunmen is seen as a positive thing by some of the stakeholders in Gaza.

The absence of an alternative to the Hamas gunmen creates this perception of the terrorist group as “law and order.” This is a strange type of law and order because the same terrorist group places weapons in civilian homes; the same group poses as civilians, bringing harm to innocent people, and the same group brought war on Gaza by attacking Israel on October 7. However, those who perceive Hamas as “law and order” appear to systematically ignore the fact that firing thousands of rockets from civilian areas is not usually how “law and order” thrives.

An article at The Guardian in January is symbolic of the way Hamas has inserted itself into the perception that it is a force for good in Gaza via its “law and order.” The article notes “One senior humanitarian official told The Guardian: ‘The technocrats continue to be about but the QB [Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s military wing] you don’t see. You still see Hamas police in different areas who have a grip to some extent on law and order in some places including in the north.’”

[mimisaurora]

The Final Broccoli Shareholder Meeting ☆

I had originally written the below portion for Mia's 10th Uta no Podcast episode: Music Talk, as she tends to go over occurrences and fandom news that have come out between episodes toward the end of the show. However, considering the nature of the news, I felt it would be good to also share part of the transcript here so that those who do not listen to the show, or may not know otherwise, can get a better understanding as to what's been going on.

Minor edits have been made for clarity.

Without further ado....

_________________________________________________

Broccoli held their 29th stakeholder meeting on May 26th, 2023, resulting in much controversy within the Utapri fandom. It is believed that around 160-170 people were in attendance; and from my understanding of this thread by @active_cns_N, Broccoli as a company has fostered a culture of allowing fans to interact directly with their staff at these meetings to discuss topics outside of just management policies, which is customary in this kind of gathering. Because Broccoli will be delisting themselves from the stock market, this would be their final public shareholder meeting. Please keep in mind that the information detailed in this summary are consolidated from various tweets that came from the attendees themselves, and no minutes have been released as of writing this document. As a result, there may be some things that may need clarification or amendment at a later date. 

In any case, it is believed that Broccoli were expecting to be answering questions regarding the Happinet acquisition considering their lack of preparedness, vagueness, and overall lacking responses regarding Dolce Vita, Backdol and Utapri as whole. These subjects took up most of the duration for the meeting. In fact, I believe it was mentioned that only one question regarding the acquisition was asked throughout the entire meeting, which may have been a shareholder asking if Broccoli was intentionally sabotaging themselves so that Happinet's tender offer could get to 1,500 yen and allow for an easier acquisition. The current President affirmed that no such actions were taking place.

This would be a good segway to mention that the current President of Broccoli is Shigeki Suzuki who served as director and senior managing executive officer at Happinet, being appointed back in April of 2022. The chairman and executive director of Broccoli are also previous Happinet employees.

At this time, it seems there is only one female executive in the company and she is believe to be the producer responsible for overseeing the Utapri project. There are no women currently on the board of directors.

Now for what everyone's been waiting for: As supporters of Uta no Prince-sama, what do we need to know?

♫ Dolce Vita is still in development and Broccoli asserted that it will see a release date; they explained that the reason development on the game slowed to a crawl had to do with having few staff members who are well-versed in the world of Uta no prince-sama and that with the expansion of the movie projects, Shining Live and SSS among other things, it has been difficult to allocate resources to Dolce Vita. The discontinuation of the PS Vita game console also had a huge impact on DV's development. Broccoli emphasized that they want to carefully craft a game they feel the fans will be satisfied with and are very cognizant of its significance and want to be careful with the product they end up releasing. They also declined to say specifically if there would or would not be new information coming out on the 13th anniversary.

♯  It's been brought to light after the meeting that Broccoli currently has up to five (5) different job postings on their site directly related to Utapri in some capacity, like the hiring of a content director, graphic designer, and staff for scenario direction and writing among other roles.  ♯  It's also worth mentioning that historically, the writing for the Utapri games have largely been outsourced to other companies. It wasn't until ASAS that the content was produced in-house.

♫ The title of Uta no Princess-sama from Uta no Princess-sama: Back to the Idol will not be changed, and that after an internal discussion on the matter, did not see the reason to change it and stand firm with Agematsu's vision for the project. They maintain that there will be no crossover between the franchises.

♯ When asked exactly what to expect from Backdol, and why there was a severe lack in quality for their recently released videos (like the recently published Golden Week series), Broccoli only answered the question in part and said they are "making efforts to improve the quality of their videos".

♫ Broccoli was also asked why Backdol and Utapri were so similar despite having nothing to do with each other and asked if their neglect for female-oriented content despite their enthusiasm towards male-oriented IPs had to do with the lack of women among the board of directors. Their response is as follows: On the similarities between Backdol/Utapri: The company does not perceive it to be that way. On the lack of women among the board: While there are no women among the board of directors, they do have a female executive officer (likely referring to Sayaka Konno) who is involved in the development of concepts. Within the company, women also outnumber men in middle management positions and female employees are constantly involved in projects such as Utapri. The prospect of a female on the board is welcome and desired, but they do not consider appointments solely on gender alone. Again, because of the amount of women in the company, it is only a matter of time before some of them transferred to director or executive officer positions. They also emphasized that the opinions of female staff are more readily accepted and incorporated compared to their male counterparts when it comes to content creation. All of this to say that the company feels they are not inhibiting their voices.

♫ When it comes to the mishandling and lack of sufficient stock for event merchandise, Broccoli could only conjure a vague response stating they will "make efforts to improve the situation"

♫ Broccoli has plans for upcoming Birthday celebrations but would not say exactly what. They also did not have anything to say regarding the apparent discontinuation of the Birthday Collection series.

That is as much information as I can remember to include at the moment and am unsure if anything was missed, so anyone with more to share, please don't hesitate to correct or add to in the chat or comments below.

There is much to be said about the acquisition because of Happinet's apparent limited understanding of otome or romance content and Broccoli's responses in general but all I can hope as an enthusiast of the franchise is that it all turns out for the best.

[skippyv20]

POW. Skippy, I’ve been checking IG’s site, no wonder they love H&M because it’s a two-way deal. They brought in Netflix for global coverage and BetterUp for wider connections/investors. BetterUp partners with Microsoft and subsequently is now IG’s partner.

With BetterUp on their belt, with major stakeholders are billionaires Mubadala Capital ( UAE Government) & Morningside Ventures ( from China), no wonder H&M thought they were expendable.

Now, what deal can H&M get in IG? Aside from brand name & PR exposure, and being paid as Duke & Duchess, they also brought in Achewell Productions (via NF). So, I think they get paid a double whammy as individuals and as foundation owners.

Another point to ponder, BetterUp partnered with big international companies. Now, what do UAE & Hongkong capital venture firms get out of a US company partnership? It’s not mere money for sure.

My take on H’s involvement in BetterUp is more than a mere Chimpo. In every endeavor and travel he has, BetterUp is behind. My take for M has a silent association too. My take is Doria’s Senior Care Company has a connection with BetterUp too.

No wonder they kept coming back from one failure to another.

No wonder the Royal Family is treading this issue about H&M deliberately with cautiousness because there’s more involved.

What do they say…follow the money!  Great research, thank you❤️

[andiftheycare]

I need someone to write me a GO publishing au because it would make so much sense. Like Aziraphale is a senior editor/heritage editor and has been in the industry forever and ever. He doesn’t do much of his work but finds a way to ask others to do it for him while maintaining this rep of being super nice and lovely to work with and great at organising work events (which are actually put together by Crowley). He’s also overworked because it’s publishing and he’s disillusioned with all the lack of transparency, diversity and career progression that the industry offers — BUT he still believes that books can change everyone and that the root of the problem is not the industry but the board of directors. However, this job enables his book hoarding tendency, gives him loads of free books and loads of first first editions. Not to mention all the company paid wine.

Crowley works in publicity and has been there since Aziraphale started. He doesn’t particularly likes his job but makes it do mostly because he has a team (who he doesn’t manage) and interns doing the work and anyhow he can be good at it when he puts his head into it. And he needs to write shit down for his appraisals otherwise his boss would put him through shit because office politics, dept prestige and stakeholders management. Whatever. He once convinced the booker they needed advertise on the M25 and that’s his biggest achievement - although that’s not really Pr, is it? Anyhow Crowley’s there mostly to enable Aziraphale during acquisitions. Aziraphale doesn’t buy much but when he wants to buy something the whole room would turn to Crowley before anyone else speaks. And if Crowley says yes ok I’ll sell this book around, then they buy it. Yes, Crowley could sell ice to people living in antartica.

Also Crowley believes you don’t need to read a book to promote it — which works well until Aziraphale looks at him with OUTRAGE because how dare he NOT read his new baby book.

[mariacallous]

The NATO alliance turned 75 this year. For some, this milestone proves how important the trans-Atlantic alliance is to U.S. and global security. More than seven decades of alliance coordination to solve some of the world’s toughest challenges is nothing to sneeze at, after all. But for others, the alliance’s age is evidence of NATO’s increasing irrelevance—the international security equivalent of a senior citizen shaking a cane at the state of the world and missing the boat on the questions that really matter, such as Gaza or Chinese economic coercion. Not to mention the long-standing perception that Europe isn’t pulling its weight when it comes to defense spending.

For any number of geopolitical reasons, pundits have wrongly predicted the demise of NATO for decades. Yet recent polling suggests that there is something deeper at work when it comes to how different age groups think about the alliance. The German Marshall Fund’s 2023 Transatlantic Trends survey discovered that younger respondents view NATO as less important, and Chinese and Russian influence more positive, than older generations do. In other words, Gen Z is not necessarily buying the assumptions that many of us older, crotchety folks make about the enduring importance of NATO.

Google “NATO and Gen Z,” and you’ll discover that NATO is now a dating term that, for some, means “Not Attached to an Outcome.” In the complex jungle (hellscape) that constitutes the social media and online dating world, NATO is a way to say that one is OK with the dating journey and not dedicated to any particular relationship destination, such as marriage. It is mindfulness and living in the moment applied to meeting and getting to know another person and potential romantic partner.

Now, the NATO alliance is very much wedded to certain strategic outcomes: deterring Russia, tackling climate change, advancing democracy, and countering authoritarianism being some of the alliance’s key priorities. But taking a step back and thinking about what it will take for the alliance to have another 75 years ahead of it, NATO and its member states might usefully consider applying a “Not Attached to an Outcome” philosophy to its way of doing business:

Setting up good options. A positive dating experience is often contingent on having sizable and flexible resources; you never know when you’re going to meet someone, and those dinners don’t pay for themselves. Applied to NATO, countries need to think about how to build themselves robust, flexible capabilities that give current and future decision-makers the ability to jump on critical opportunities. While defense spending is a critical component of future-option building, so is developing NATO’s capability to respond to broader challenges that are not strictly military, such as enhancing civilian infrastructure and resilience building.

Build resonance in order to build relevance. One-sided lectures are a great way to bring a first date to an abrupt end. Talking at our publics and saying NATO is working on Very Important Things is necessary but not sufficient; people know when they are being messaged to, and ultimately, a few words in a summit declaration have very little practical meaning for the overwhelming majority of the trans-Atlantic public. Rather, NATO, with its member states in the lead, should better, and more actively, engage diverse stakeholders in their polities to understand how they view the world and how NATO can be relevant to grappling with those challenges. What challenges resonate with our communities? What role can NATO play in addressing those challenges?

How can we build resonance in practice? Many in the United States are rightly concerned with illegal immigration on the southern border, a view that many are quite vocal about. The part of the argument that is not often articulated is that failure to support Ukraine will almost undoubtedly lead to a broader conflict in Europe that will embroil the United States and send economic shockwaves around the world. Tackling the southern border under those strategic conditions would be exponentially more difficult.

Be open to connection—but be prepared to walk away. Not being attached to an outcome means being ready to pursue a relationship for as long as it runs its course—but no longer. As the alliance looks to the future, it should pursue its institutional partnerships for as long as the vibes remain good. For example, right now NATO is building connections with Australia, Japan, and South Korea because they are like-minded democracies that have useful insights and capabilities to help the alliance grapple with difficult global challenges. Yet the alliance must also move more quickly when circumstances change; NATO was arguably slow to recognize the emerging threat from Moscow, and many of its member states are finding it difficult to insulate themselves against the risk of Chinese economic and political coercion. Enhancing early warning and intelligence-sharing capabilities can usefully help the alliance understand when it’s time to walk away and pursue other options.

Focus on the benefits, not the burdens. Another good way to get ghosted: focusing conversations on one’s drawbacks rather than strengths. For decades, under the moniker of better burden-sharing, the United States has been pillorying European allies about defense spending and the continent’s collective inability to deliver military effects. It should hardly be surprising, therefore, that many policymakers—particularly in Washington—are convinced that NATO allies are free-riding on U.S. military largesse. Yet a recent study I co-authored for the Center for Strategic and International Studies found that at least 25 NATO allies are spending more than 3 percent of their GDPs on programs that have utility for national security programs. In other words, allies are shouldering collective security responsibility. It’s a good news story and highlights that NATO has a lot to offer.

Be authentic. Many conversations about NATO are inherently technical: what work the allies are doing on a particular issue or who has spent what on military capabilities or advanced technologies. But at the end of the day, alliances are made of people. They are multifaceted pacts among and between citizens and governments to build a better world. Ultimately the alliance must be about, and focus on, the people it serves and the people who work for and serve the alliance.

Ultimately, NATO’s duration and continued relevance is not a foregone conclusion. Perhaps it never was. So if NATO is to make it to 150 years, new generations need to come to their own understanding of why the alliance is—and will remain—a useful national security partnership. And in this, what matters is the journey, the process of the discourse, and the process of continual, open engagement. The process is, in many ways, the product because it is how a renewed understanding of the values and strengths of the alliance gets rooted in our democracies—and will make NATO the partner of choice for global security leadership for decades to come.

[monstarinmypocket]

COVEN - Ohayocon Update - 10/6/2 This was the update that COVEN has provided to Ohayocon attendees today at 9pm regarding Ohayocon:

**tl;dr - please support COVEN and the other Volunteer staff as they strike the convention. Please do not promote Ohayocon. Strike and Digital Picket is being requested at this time**

Ohayocon Convention Labor Strike and Boycott Dear Ohayocon Community, We hope this message finds you well. It is with a heavy heart that we must address the recent developments regarding the future of Ohayocon. We, the Ohayocon Senior Leadership Team, had issued a set of parley demands to the Cultural Exchange Society Inc. (CESI) Board of Directors, outlining our concerns and requests for the future direction and leadership of Ohayocon. These demands were presented in the spirit of preserving the convention's legacy and ensuring its continued growth. Regrettably, the CESI board has failed to respond constructively by the given deadline, which was set for 9:00 PM on 10/06/2023. As a result, we the Senior Leadership Team of Ohayocon have been left with no choice but to take action in order to protect the interests of Ohayocon, its future, and its dedicated community. Effective immediately, we are calling for a labor strike among all current staff members of Ohayocon. This strike will impact various aspects of convention planning and operations. Furthermore, we call upon the entire Ohayocon community, including attendees, exhibitors, sponsors, and stakeholders, to join us in a boycott of Ohayocon. We understand the significance of this decision, and we do not make it lightly. Our aim is to bring attention to the critical issues at hand and to work toward a resolution that ensures the convention's long-term success and sustainability.

[9:01 PM]We firmly believe that implementing the demands we presented would further create a positive and transparent environment for all involved with Ohayocon. These actions are not affiliated with the Conventions of Ohio Volunteer Event Network (COVEN) and represent our unique position within the organization. We remain open to constructive dialogue with CESI and sincerely hope that a resolution can be reached for the benefit of Ohayocon and its vibrant community. In the coming days, we will continue to provide further information about the strike's details and the boycott's impact. We ask for your understanding, support, and solidarity during this challenging time. Thank you for being a part of the Ohayocon family, and we look forward to a brighter future for our beloved convention. Sincerely, The Ohayocon Senior Leadership Team From COVEN

Following the update from Cultural Exchange Society, Inc (hereafter referred to as CESI) and the lack of an acceptable response to demands set forth by the Senior Leadership of Ohayocon, the Conventions of Ohio Volunteer Event Network (hereafter referred to as COVEN) has unanimously voted to go on strike. COVEN, as a united association of Ohayocon volunteers, has officially ceased any and all work or actions that support Ohayocon as of 9 PM EDT today, October 6, 2023. This strike is in effect until further notice until such a time that CESI decides to open negotiations that satisfactorily benefit Ohayocon and its valued volunteers. COVEN hereby requests in solidarity that current and former volunteers do not attempt to recruit new volunteers for Ohayocon and do not advertise attending Ohayocon. COVEN also requests that current and former volunteers do not render any services to CESI on behalf of, or for, Ohayocon. The strike currently is a digital picket line, however that is subject to change should the strike not end by the start of Ohayocon 2024. We ask attendees and all interested parties to spread the word of the strike and digital picket line, and forward any questions to an official COVEN account. As for our attendees, your support for us is invaluable, and we cannot express our gratitude enough during this turbulent time. We love Ohayocon and its attendees and want nothing more than to have you attend a show that we are proud to put on. During the time that COVEN is on strike, we kindly ask that you do not advertise the show, nor suggest that anyone work for, or purchase, a badge for the convention. If you have already purchased one that’s okay; we hope for a swift resolution to this strike and a successful convention year. If you have already purchased a hotel room we do not suggest that you cancel at this time, but if you choose to we understand entirely. Please use #ISupportOhayoconVolunteers on any social media posts in relation to our efforts to show your support and solidarity. We will do everything we can to keep you updated across all our platforms, so please be on the lookout for any future messages. COVEN wishes to express that we are deeply saddened that it has come to this, however CESI’s treatment and lack of communication have led us to this point. We love our guests, attendees, and our deeply appreciated volunteers. We are grateful for the support you all have shown to us thus far. We are committed to making sure that Ohayocon is a convention that can be enjoyed by all for years to come. Sincerely, COVEN COVEN Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/c.o.v.e.n In other words, please support COVEN and the other Volunteer staff as they strike the convention. Please do not promote Ohayocon.

[globallegalassociation]

Global Legal Association, The 4th GLA Patent Conference is a premier gathering designed for key stakeholders in the legal and intellectual property sectors. This year, we are bringing together Business Heads from leading Legal Products and Patent Services Companies, Heads of Legal, Chief Legal Officers (CLOs), and experts in IP litigation, alongside CEOs, Managing Partners, and Senior Partners of prestigious law firms. The conference aims to foster collaboration among legal professionals and business leaders, highlighting the critical intersection of legal strategy and business objectives.

Join us at the 4th GLA Patent Conference to connect with peers, share expertise, and explore the future of patent law and legal services. Together, we can shape the path forward in this dynamic and crucial industry. Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of a transformative dialogue that drives innovation and excellence in the legal arena.

Address- Global Legal Association Suite-427,425 Broadhollow Road, Melville, New York, USA Website: https://www.globallegalassociation.org/ Mail id: events@globallegalassociation.org