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American companies have already done the same or worse as TikToks data-sharing: Rep. Bowman – Yahoo Canada Finance

March 24, 2023 | Author: admin

Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) joins Yahoo Finance's Rachelle Akuffo to discuss the pace and intentions of U.S. regulation of TikTok, data privacy, the app's relationship with China, and the social media ecosystem as a whole.

[AUDIO LOGO]

SEANA SMITH: TikTok CEO Shou Chew facing some tough questions from lawmakers today while he was testifying for hours just about the data, national security. Concerns also the social impact of his app. Yahoo Finance's Rachelle Akuffo has been tracking all of this for us. She's live for us down inside the Beltway on Capitol Hill. Rachelle?

RACHELLE AKUFFO: That's right, Seana. So I mean, one of the people who was really an opponent of this, he didn't testify today, but all along he's been saying, look, some of these lawmakers are really rushing and being too hasty in trying to ban TikTok. Here's a look at our conversation with Congressman Jamaal Bowman.

JAMAAL BOWMAN: I think we're moving too quickly to a conversation about a ban without having a real conversation about what's happening with TikTok and what's happening within the social media ecosystem. If the issue is data privacy and security, if the issue is data mining, if the issue is our data being sold to foreign countries or foreign companies, that's happening already on every social media platform.

So why are we scapegoating TikTok? And one of the things that's been happening over the last year is this entire fear mongering around China. China as the boogey person. And if that's the case, show me evidence that that's the case. But don't isolate OR, single out TikTok when all of the other social media companies, American companies have done the same and/or worse when it comes to data sharing.

RACHELLE AKUFFO: Because when I did try and get specifics from lawmakers about the concrete evidence that they've seen that perhaps the CCP has found something or is using it nefariously, it did seem to be more about the speculation, as you mentioned. You called it the red scare in your press conference the other day. Why do you think that's the focus being that we still do have other Chinese apps that aren't being targeted, as well as you mentioned, social media companies.

Story continues

JAMAAL BOWMAN: I believe hundreds of Chinese apps on our phones right now that could be gathering information that's shared with China that's currently in play that we're not talking about at all. I don't know. Facebook, it is well documented that Facebook looked the other way and allowed Russia to interfere in our 2016 election without telling anyone in real time as it was happening.

It's being speculated that Elon Musk and Twitter are sharing our information with foreign adversaries. So let's investigate the entire landscape. I'm an educator. I care deeply about privacy. I care deeply about security. There are data brokers right now who are exchanging our data, trading our data, selling our data on all platforms but we're not talking about that, we're just talking about TikTok. It's disingenuous and governing shouldn't be done in this way.

RACHELLE AKUFFO: And you have been really calling for an honest conversation about this. Because as you mentioned, if it's ending up through third parties in other countries, a ban really then wouldn't do any good. So what would the purpose of a ban be then?

JAMAAL BOWMAN: It would show that we are strong on China. We love being strong on China and strong on our adversaries. And it's more of a facade. And it's more about creating the perception of good governance. Good governance is protecting the American people. And we have done a terrible job at that because we still have people dying because they don't have health care. We still have children going to bed hungry.

We had an insurrection just two years ago. And we have American social media platforms that's allowing our data to be bought and sold around the country. That's currently happening. These are facts. We have to get our own house in order and stop thinking that we need a foreign foil to be the best America that we could be.

RACHELLE AKUFFO: And we did hear in testimony from Shou Chew that he talked about the positive aspects of it. And when I talked earlier to Congressman Obernolte, he said that he mentioned that I talked to him about the 5 million businesses that are on the platform.

JAMAAL BOWMAN: Yep.

RACHELLE AKUFFO: A lot of people are saying, look, this has been a boon for my livelihood. What do we do?

JAMAAL BOWMAN: 150 million Americans.

RACHELLE AKUFFO: See?

JAMAAL BOWMAN: Many of them young people. Many of them learn about politics and how Congress works from TikTok. You're going to take that away and force them onto other social media platforms who are still going to steal and sell their data while also giving you, in my opinion, more vitriol and hate and misinformation? Because on my TikTok feed I receive much less hate, much less vitriol, much less racism, and much less misinformation on my feed. On the other platforms I get that all the time.

It seems to be, and there might be some evidence to this, that TikTok is just a better product than these American products. And American companies are now organizing to get rid of that better product so they can make more money. That's how our toxic capitalist system works.

RACHELLE AKUFFO: And you did hold a press conference really about free expression. And you had a lot of content creators there on TikTok who wanted to have their voices heard. What has been the reaction? Because we get the impression that at least from the testimony today that it's the people who are pushing for this.

JAMAAL BOWMAN: Yeah. It was very powerful, first of all. I got to meet so many people from all parts of the country who discovered their voice and found a place to share their voice and uplift their voice and connect with others around the world that they never would have connected with. They found a space where they are comfortable sharing their experiences and bringing people into their lives in a way that help to build community.

So TikTok as a caring community specifically for marginalized people is a powerful thing. It's what Facebook and Twitter and other places were supposed to be before the hate came in. We still have issues with safety and security on TikTok and everywhere else. So let's deal with that instead of dealing with them as the boogey person that is trying to facilitate Chinese espionage without any evidence whatsoever.

RACHELLE AKUFFO: And we know that a number of lawmakers have put forward bills to try and address this, not just for TikTok, but for the broader industry. What do you think then would be some good key elements that would really at least offer some of the protections that lawmakers--

JAMAAL BOWMAN: So the European Union has an example of this. They have a national privacy piece of legislation for the whole EU. We need something like that here. There's no federal legislation on privacy and security. That's what we need to be focused on, number one.

Number two, big tech as a monopoly needs to be dealt with. And we haven't-- we introduced legislation last Congress. We haven't moved forward with that piece of legislation. Also the harms of tech, some of the addictive natures regarding the algorithms, because many of the algorithms want you to stay on tech as long as possible. We need to deal with that issue as well.

There are real issues to deal with. Let's deal with the real issues for all tech and not just, again, scapegoat one company.

RACHELLE AKUFFO: And one of the lines that stood out from the press conference you said maybe Republicans don't like TikTok because they don't have swag. No. I know that you put that in the context of really engaging with young people. Talk more about that and perhaps the opportunities you see there.

JAMAAL BOWMAN: So many opportunities on all of social media. But most young people right now are on TikTok. Everyone was predicting a red wave for the 2022 elections. The red wave didn't happen. It mainly didn't happened because young people came out in droves to vote for Democrats and help us push back against a MAGA agenda. Many of those young people we've connected with on TikTok.

I have 11-year-olds, 10-year-olds in my district who follow me on TikTok and love to learn about what's happening here through my TikTok account. So let's make it better instead of banning it. And let's not miss this opportunity to make our democracy stronger.

And what I meant by the whole swag comment, Republicans don't know how to connect with young people. They struggle. Even some Democrats struggle to connect with young people. So do the work of democracy. Stop trying to suppress voices and votes with your ban on TikTok and ban on books and ban on trans and sports. And they just want to ban everything. And when you ban things, you silence people. When you silence people, they're not going to vote. And you can't win on the issues, so the most you can do is suppress their vote.

RACHELLE AKUFFO: So Congressman Bowman that really is one of the few voices, one of the only voices that we've heard that does oppose a full ban on TikTok or at least having lawmakers do a bit more homework and perhaps do a bit more homework at home some of the US companies, the social media companies here that pose similar threats rather than just targeting TikTok.

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American companies have already done the same or worse as TikToks data-sharing: Rep. Bowman - Yahoo Canada Finance

How Financial Institutions Like Silicon Valley Bank Fund the … – Jacobin magazine

March 24, 2023 | Author: admin

The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank last week sparked a number of debates. Was SVB too big to fail? Was the Biden administration response a bailout? Are the libertarian-leaning tech CEOs hypocrites? Is this a sign that the Feds interest rate hikes should come to an end?

But one element of the SVB collapse has been lost in all the discussion of naive tech bros and their questionable banking habits: the importance of the bank, of the tech industry, and of finance to the project of US global power.

As Fortune put it, SVB was the central artery for financing the startup ecosystem. Nearly all of the banks depositors were young tech firms backed by speculative venture capital and the banks collapse threatened the very survival of both the tech and VC industries. While many have been rightly focused the potential fallout of the collapse for the US banking system, the geopolitical dynamics of these events have mostly flown under the radar.

The Financial Times reports that amid fears the government was prepared to let SVB and its uninsured depositors go to the wall, venture capitalists launched a concerted lobbying effort via their industry group, the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA). The lobbyists argued that the failure of SVB would not only have big economic repercussions, with companies struggling to write paycheques, but also that an outright failure would have geopolitical ramifications.

As one participant in the lobbying meetings told the Financial Times: The theme was: this is not a bank.. . . This is the innovation economy. This is the US versus China. You cant kill these innovative companies.

Leaning into the US-China rivalry is not just deft lobbying from NVCA. And posing this as a threat to the innovation economy is not simply a reflection of an ideology that sets venture capitalbacked start-ups on the new frontiers of capitalism. Indeed, while every facet of the US economy in the twenty-first century from manufacturing to consumption is dependent on access to credit, the peculiarities of SVB bring the relationship between this type of finance and the US military-industrial complex into stark relief.

On the list of major firms that was set to lose about $5 billion in SVB deposits (alongside start-ups in the media, software, and pharmaceutical industries) was at least one semiconductor producer and two aerospace and defense firms. One of them, Rocket Lab, has recently been in the news for weaponizing space, while the other, Astra, works closely with Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) on a number of projects.

These firms military ties are not unique. Silicon Valley has a long history of collaboration with the US military. Indeed, the first initial public offering in Silicon Valley was for Varian in 1956, which sold microwave tubes for military uses. In the 1960s, Fairchild Semiconductor, considered one of the pioneers of todays Silicon Valley, started its business through military contracts. These links have evolved to include technologies from microchips to data mining to Apples Siri. As Silicon Valley historian Leslie Berlin notes: All of modern high tech has the U. S. Department of Defense to thank at its core.

But more than that, the venture capital supporting these start-ups has become increasingly enmeshed with military procurement in recent years, as the Pentagon has turned to private financing to direct military research and development.

This is simply the latest form of a decades-old relationship. Starting in the 1990s, private equity became an important player in the merger boom of armaments firms. This merger boom was key in the transition of the defense industry from a medley of hundreds of small- and medium-sized industrial firms into the handful of massive, publicly traded companies that we know today.

This boom was facilitated by the US government, in an effort to increase efficiency and cut costs during the postCold War defense drawdown. But if it was the government pushing the mergers, it was the financial institutions that facilitated them and reaped the rewards.

Searching for profitable investments in the wake of the savings and loan crisis of the early 1990s, many financial institutions turned to the defense industry as a possible boon. Few in the industry expected the postCold War drawdown to last, and investors bet that an industry backed by US federal military spending would be a safe investment.

Big banks, such as JP Morgan, provided funding for a number of major mergers, such as Lockheed Martins $9.1-billion acquisition of Loral Corporation in 1996. In addition to big banks, the defense industry piqued the interest of a number of private equity groups, and institutions like the Carlyle Group and the Vanguard Group became specialists in investing in military firms.

Underwriting the merger boom, these bankers and venture capitalists reaped the benefits of the extraordinary growth in military firm profits in the coming decades, as the United States wars in the twenty-first century meant a boom in the aerospace and defense sectors.

Today private equity has taken on an even wider role in the armaments industry than in the 1990s, responsible for thousands of investments in aerospace and defense firms. The Pentagon has even established an office dedicated to facilitating the linkages between start-ups with military potential and venture capitalists. Industry leaders thus unsurprisingly see private equity and venture capital as the future of military innovation.

So when the lobbyists argued that the SVB collapse wasnt just threatening the individual depositors, but also that it was a possible extinction-level event for Silicon Valley and that the VC business model itself was in danger they were correct to point out that a collapse of these industries would disrupt the military-industrial ecosystem at a time of escalating conflict with Russia and mounting rivalry with China.

While SVBs heavy concentration of VC-backed tech firms makes it a particularly clear example of these industries ties with the US military-industrial complex, it is not unique. Indeed, the US financial system writ large is intertwined with US war-making in the twenty-first century creating a dangerous situation for the world.

Decades of endless war have dramatically increased the opportunities for militarized profit-making making military industries an ideal investment for financial capital and agrowing numberof financial firms areexpanding their military sector investments. This draws the interests of financial capitalists together with those of military-industrial firms and hawkish officials.

As Shana Marshallnotes, the interlocking interests of financiers and military leaders in the pursuit of war ensures a steady delivery of investment in militarized technologies and high returns for finance capital from continued US commitment to a highly militaristic foreign policy.

In other words, this financial permeation of the military-industrial complex has yielded a vicious circle: Expanding war yields greater profits for armaments firms, which enhance their capacity to attract financial investors. Firms and their financial backers use these profits tolobbyfor war, tofinancepro-war think tanks and research, and toinfluencemedia coverage of world problems.

This has created a dangerous state of affairs, where militarism and militarization are the go-to solution to every challenge. The entire project of restoring US global primacy rests on its military power its ability to effectively challenge rivals through force. Over the past few decades, finance has become increasingly incorporated into that project.

So while SVB may not have been too big to fail, it was certainly too important to fail not only to the banking system, but to the project of US world power. The VC lobbyists undoubtedly found a sympathetic ear from administration officials concerned with the national security ramifications of the collapse.

But from the geopolitical perspective, the SVB rescue does little to promote stability. It ultimately preserves the status quo of deeply intertwined military and financial systems, reinforces the rhetoric of US-China rivalry, and has angered Western allies who saw the decision to cover all deposits as an unnecessary and hypocritical breaking of international banking rules rules that the US pushed for in the first place.

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How Financial Institutions Like Silicon Valley Bank Fund the ... - Jacobin magazine

SOS Ltd. Announces Launch of its Super-Computing and Hosting … – PR Newswire

March 24, 2023 | Author: admin

NEW YORK, March 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- SOS Limited (NYSE: SOS) ("Company" or "SOS") today announced launch of its Super-Computing and Hosting Center in Fort Stockton, Texas.

For Phase 1, the site currently has 10MW in place and hosts about 1400 servers in 10 mobile data containers. The Company expects to ramp up to 42 mobile data containers in the coming weeks. At its completion, Phase 1 will operate at 20MW. The Company expects that Phase 2 to be completed later this year will bring the site to a total of 50 MW.

The launch of the Fort Stockton Super-Computing and Hosting Center represents another milestone in SOS' strategy to build out its North America operations.The Company also operates a Computing and Hosting Center in Wisconsin.

Mr. Yandai Wang, CEO and Chairman of SOS, commented, "This launch marks another successful step in our growth in North America. We will continue to grow our hosting business and invest in more high-performance rigs for our own mining operations. "

About SOS Limited

SOS is a new high-tech company with artificial intelligence and blockchain as its core technologies. Through core technologies such as AI+ block technology+satellite communication+big data, the company provides digital technical services for emergency rescue, big data marketing, international trade, digital assets and other industries, and provides customers with one-stop digital overall solutions. For more information, visit http://www.sosyun.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Federal Securities Act, including but not limited to our expectations of future financial performance, business strategy or business. These statements constitute forecasts, prospects and forward-looking statements and are not performance guarantees. SOS warns that forward-looking statements are subject to many assumptions, risks and uncertainties that will change over time. Forward looking statements may be identified by words such as "may", "can", "should", "will", "estimate", "plan", "project", "forecast", "intend", "expect", "predict", "believe", "seek", "target", "Outlook" or similar words. Specifically, forward-looking statements may include statements related to the following matters of the company:

These forward-looking statements are based on information available as of the date of this press release and our management's current expectations, forecasts and assumptions, and involve a number of judgments, risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements.

These risks and uncertainties include, but not are limited to, the risk factors described by SOS in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). These risk factors and those identified elsewhere in this press release, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from historical performance and include, but are not limited to:

Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any subsequent date, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements in deciding whether to invest in our securities. We do not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.

SOURCE SOS Limited

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SOS Ltd. Announces Launch of its Super-Computing and Hosting ... - PR Newswire

What You Should Definitely Pay Attention to When Hiring Java Developers – Modern Diplomacy

March 24, 2023 | Author: admin

Today there are about 700 programming languages. Java is among the most requested tools. The scope of the language is very wide, respectively, developers may be needed in a variety of areas. For this reason, it is sometimes difficult to find a great Java developer, some companies decide to outsource Java development. If you are looking for a Java developer, then this article is for you. We will give you recommendations on how to attract the best employees to the project.

The selection of a Java developer is a very responsible task since the quality of product development and its future depend on it. Lets look at the factors that you should definitely consider when looking for a specialist.

First of all, you need to determine the requirements of your project. They should be based on company goals or how your product can meet customer goals and needs. In addition, it is necessary to form a vision for the product in the long term and think over strategies for monetization and product improvement.

Every Java project is different. Therefore, you must know what the requirements of your project are. Before hiring IT staff (remotely or in the office), it is important to classify your project.

Make sure you know which category your project belongs to, then hire Java developers according to the requirements.

To create a team of experienced Java developers that meets the needs of your project, it is important to hire programmers who have years of experience in the industry. It will help you get highly optimized Java programming solutions.

In todays results-driven industry, its more important than ever to partner with a development team that delivers best-in-class services.

There is a long list of mobile and web applications that can be created using the Java programming language. Different Java development tools allow developers to achieve different results. Several frameworks include JSF, Grails, Plat, Spring, Maven, and more.

You may run into a situation where Java developers are aware of various frameworks but not the one you are looking for. Therefore, before selecting IT specialists, double-check whether the expert has the relevant knowledge and experience.

Before hiring a developer or development team, make sure you like it. Also, go through multiple interviews with the development team youll be working with and see if theyre capable enough. List of core skills that will allow you to appreciate the experience of Java developers:

You should also interview them on technical parameters:

The strengths of Java developers should include wireframing, user interface design, conceptual design, AR, and APIs. Recheck the skill set required and then make your final decision. Not every developer will have all the skills mentioned above and then mix and match to create a brilliant team.

Questions to ask all Java developers in an interview:

Testimonials are social proof of satisfied customers as they provide enough confidence in developers and their reliability. Your projects will be successful if the team is passionate enough to work.

One thing you have to take care of is whether the testimonials are genuine or not. You can also rely on Google and AngelList reviews.

What if you need not only Java development services, but also design, development, testing, and more? In this case, partner with an outsourcing company that can offer you comprehensive services and still take good care of your project.

In addition, it will help you avoid unnecessary hassle. In addition, the programmers you hire must understand the value of your business secrets, source codes, data, and various information that you provide to them during an NDA.

Developers are creative people. Many of them work not for the sake of money (although the level of payment is also important), but for self-realization. To attract the best developers, you need to explain why your project will be interesting for a programmer, what unique experience he will get, or what important problem he will solve.

The services of good developers are not cheap, but it is not worth saving on programmers. In practice, experienced programmers work faster, and sometimes cost less, if you sum up all the costs of the project, its refinement, bug fixes, and testing. If you have trouble finding Java for a developer or an entire team of developers, we recommend that you contact Alcor. The company has many years of experience and deep knowledge in the selection of valuable employees for IT companies from Eastern Europe, including developers and managers.

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What You Should Definitely Pay Attention to When Hiring Java Developers - Modern Diplomacy

Rabbit Hole review: Paramount Plus series is slick, amusing – The A.V. Club

March 24, 2023 | Author: admin

The relatively mild premiere episode of Paramount+s new spy drama Rabbit Hole doesnt do justice to the wild storylines about to unfold. The show, which kicks off March 26, opens with espionage agent John Weir (Kiefer Sutherland) in a church. While in the confessional, he says, Maybe he [god] can tell me what the fuck is going on. As a matter of fact, no one can explain what goes down in this timely but bizarre TV series, where it often feels like co-creators John Requa and Glenn Ficarra (Crazy Stupid Love) are making it up as they go. In each episode, they pull out a barrage of plot twists from their magical hat that effectively undoes what theyve previously established. Its all ludicrous, but against all odds,Rabbit Hole turns it into a somewhat compelling series.

Rabbit Hole feels like a CBS drama. (Think Person Of Interest or MacGyver, dialed up several notches.) The show takes advantage of its streaming platform to tell a jumbled but fast-paced narrative in its almost 50-minute outings (the first four episodes were provided for review), even though it takes a while to get going. Shocking cliffhangers and jaw-dropping reveals throw the show into a dizzying loop. Or down a rabbit hole, if you will. But it becomes a fun endeavor once the series gimmick is embraced for what it is: a vivid exploration of the surveillance age told through tropes and subtle hilarity.

2023

Action/Drama/Thriller

Kiefer Sutherland

John Weir

Charles Dance

Dr. Ben Wilson

Jason Butler Harner

Valence

Meta Golding

Hailey Winton

Enid Graham

Josephine 'Jo' Madi

CREATORSGlenn Ficarra, John Requa

Sutherlands foray into this genre includes serious dramas such as Foxs long-running 24 and the ABC-turned-Netflix political series Designated Survivor. Rabbit Hole allows the actor to portray a smug, more charming, and less vexed version of Jack Bauer and Tom Kirkman. Sutherland is clearly enjoying playing a cockier, more flirtatious protagonist who throws out one-liners every so often, and his performance keeps Rabbit Holes kookiness bearable. Dont worry; he still brings depth to John Weir (who suffers from anxiety and panic attacks) but without the constant crease lines.

Johns profession includes manipulating stock markets and other forms of corporate sabotage (think infiltrating focus groups, creating fake news stories, etc.) with the help of his recruitsin case you were wondering what an espionage agent does. When hes accused of murders he didnt commit, John teams up with misfits like former mentor Ben (Charles Dance), one-night hookup Hailey (Meta Golding), and Edward (Rob Yang), who works in the Treasury Department, to restore his reputation. The back-and-forth between Sutherland and Dance is particularly amusing because of their tense relationship, which is illuminated further by flashbacks.

G/O Media may get a commission

Johns crew is up against an anonymous big bad called Crowley, and RH examines how data mining and excessive internet use have corroded every inch of our lives. Much like Peacocks The Capture, this series unpacks the side effects of using AI and exploiting tech as Johns life is turned upside down thanks to hacking and manufactured footage.

Rabbit Hole | Official Trailer | Paramount+

RH isnt as much a cautionary tale as it is a crime caper made for entertainment. It looks slick and expensive, with quality production design, cinematography, and direction. But the show can also get corny, like a wrongful arrest scene where John gets everyone on the street to chant We see you at the cops. Or when hes kidnapping someone and says, Patty Hearst had to be easier than this. Cue the eye roll.

There are missteps in pacing because, after a slow start, Rabbit Hole suddenly shifts gears. The writing for characters beyond the four leads is downright tragic, especially for the FBIs Jo Madi (Enid Graham). The financial crimes agent persistently follows John everywhere, hoping to arrest him by ... chatting him up? Making clear shes gunning for him? Oversharing her personal life? She does all of these things, sometimes while belittling her wife and teen daughter in the process. Its a confusing arc that, at least in the first four episodes, doesnt improve.

Although Rabbit Hole arrives the same weekend as the return of Succession and Yellowjackets, it isnt a prestige drama. Its also not a thoughtful spy series like the recent Slow Horses. And thats okay. Its more of an enjoy as you go thrill ride. The four main performances are terrific. Dance and Yang get to play fast and loose with comedy, and Sutherland and Golding share an exciting chemistry. The show thrives on pulling the rug out from under us and delivering its twists with panache. Rabbit Hole doesnt take itself seriouslyso the audience doesnt have to either.

Rabbit Hole premieres March 26 on Paramount+.

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Rabbit Hole review: Paramount Plus series is slick, amusing - The A.V. Club

AFRICA: A call for innovations to address water conservation challenges – AFRIK 21

March 24, 2023 | Author: admin

Water specialists are called to highlight their projects. This is part of a call for innovations launched jointly by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the World Water Quality Alliance (WWQA). The project, which focuses on water quality monitoring and assessment, is also supported by the European Commissions Joint Research Centre (JRC), in partnership with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The focus on water quality monitoring and assessment is aimed at preserving this resource, which is currently under a lot of pressure. According to the United Nations (UN), pollutants are the main cause of water quality degradation in the world. These pollutants are found in particular in waste. According to the UN, 2 million tons of wastewater and other effluents are discharged into the worlds waterways every day, a significant portion of which is in Africa.

As such, projects should emphasize integrated space, geophysical, and terrestrial measurements to monitor and assess water quality and methods for data mining and visualization. Initiatives should also demonstrate how to integrate water quality data from non-traditional data sources, e.g., citizen science, remote sensing, modeling, etc.

Companies, organizations, researchers specializing in sustainable water management and interested in participating in this initiative have until March 31, 2023 to submit their proposals. The selected projects from the call for expressions of interest will be unveiled at the Workshop on Innovation in Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment, which is being held from 14 to 16 June 2023 in a hybrid format at the European Commissions Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Ispra, Italy.

In addition to promoting innovative approaches and technologies for the collection, management and use of water quality data, the June workshop aims to support the private sector (solution providers) to adapt their solutions to operational realities, to help academia focus research on the most relevant topics for pragmatic solutions, to identify and promote innovative approaches and tools that increase data adoption and use.

For more information on the call for innovations, click here.

Ins Magoum

Link:

AFRICA: A call for innovations to address water conservation challenges - AFRIK 21

The truth about Gwyneth Paltrows diet? It is as strange as youd expect – The Guardian

March 24, 2023 | Author: admin

Opinion

The actor and influencer has been called out for glorifying restricted eating. What is it with the rich and their weird ideas about wellness?

Tue 21 Mar 2023 10.50 EDT

This time there arent any vaginas involved. I say that because half the time Gwyneth Paltrow is in the news its vagina-related. On this occasion, however, its because a lot of people are seemingly annoyed that she a woman who has amassed a fortune doling out strange and often suspect health advice via her lifestyle brand Goop follows that advice herself.

The trouble started when Paltrow appeared on an episode of Dr Will Coles The Art of Being Well podcast and shared what she eats in a typical day. Which, no points for guessing, isnt much. She doesnt eat until about noon which, in normal-person-speak, means she skips breakfast. In wellness land it means shes doing a nice intermittent fast. Then she has something that wont spike her blood pressure, such as coffee. She often follows that up with bone broth. An hour of movement ensues, wrapped up with some vigorous dry brushing and the sauna. Finally: an early dinner. I try to eat according to paleo, she says. So lots of vegetables. Its really important for me to support my detox. Im sorry, detox? You cant detox if there was never any tox in the first place.

Paltrows routine quickly went viral and she was called out for glorifying unhealthily restrictive eating. She was also called an almond mom, which is slang for a mum who pushes toxic dieting habits on to their kid. (The term was originally inspired by model Gigi Hadids mother telling her to have two almonds to feel better.)

Reacting to the backlash, Paltrow said that her routine was due to the fact that she was suffering from high levels of inflammation after long Covid, and it wasnt meant to be taken as generalised health advice. This was a transparent look at a conversation between me and my doctor, she noted. Its not meant to be advice for anybody else. OK, sure, but the problem is that when youve built a brand that pushes wellness advice, everything you say tends to be taken as wellness advice. When you set out to be an influencer you dont get to profess surprise that some people might be influenced by you!

That said, I am a little bemused by the fact her comments received so much attention. Her routine is odd and sounds, to me at least, unhealthy, but its also precisely what you would expect from anyone living in LA. The only really notable thing about the episode was when Cole noted that Paltrow was hooked up to an IV while recording the podcast. Which is so on-brand for both of us, he gushed. We pod and IV at the same time! What does this even mean? It means that Paltrow is injecting herself with nutrients. Phosphatidylcholine thats my favourite IV when I can find them, she shared. On that occasion, though, she was on an IV drip of good old-fashioned vitamins. Eat the rich? No thanks, theyre all skin and bones and intravenously injected phosphatidylcholine.

But, again, while this is all bonkers, its predictably bonkers. Its a truth universally acknowledged that the rich and famous have weird ideas about wellness. Tennis star Novak Djokovic, for example, has suggested that he thinks you can purify water with positive thinking. Rightwing provocateur Jordan Peterson has extolled the health benefits of only eating beef. Tech bros, meanwhile, are obsessed with biohacking, or treating their bodies like machines. Bloomberg recently published a feature about a 45-year-old multimillionaire software entrepreneur called Bryan Johnson who has a team of 30 doctors devoted to monitoring his body and trying to reverse his ageing process. Hes reportedly on track to spend at least $2m on his body this year. He wants to have the brain, heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, tendons, teeth, skin, hair, bladder, penis and rectum of an 18-year-old. This is all for the greater good, of course. What I do may sound extreme, but Im trying to prove that self-harm and decay are not inevitable, Johnson told Bloomberg.

Im afraid that nothing is more inevitable than decay. Studies show that 100% of people die. Should we try to stay as healthy as we can? Of course. But as the glitteratis routines demonstrate, at some point wellness can become a sickness.

Arwa Mahdawi is a Guardian columnist.

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The truth about Gwyneth Paltrows diet? It is as strange as youd expect - The Guardian

AI Answers: What Is Behemoth? – Answers In Genesis

March 24, 2023 | Author: admin

As of the time of writing this, the world is just now being awakened to a new technological leap which is, to borrow from Jordan Peterson, perhaps on the same level as Gutenbergs invention of the printing press.1 I am talking about the new generalized AI language model, ChatGPT. I can say with certainty that before seeing this artificial intelligence model in action for myself, I simply would not have believed it capable of the feats I have witnessed it complete in only seconds. Compared to previous chatbots that Ive interacted with, it is as if the world has suddenly jumped from using handcarts with wooden wheels to modern-day, computer-assisted, fuel-injected, internal combustion automobiles.

ChatGPT is able to synthesize grammatically correct sentences in a number of languages and is able to speak intelligently on nearly any topic. It is sufficiently polished that it could easily pass for a real human, especially if you were not aware you were interacting with a computer. It is being reported that this AI has already passed graduate-level exams in law and business.2 And on top of all this, it is able to instantly and effortlessly churn out poems, songs, or taglines in any requested style, on any topic! We have truly entered into a sci-fi future world.

The impact this sort of quantum leap of technology is going to have on society can hardly be predicted with any certainty; however, I am not alone in feeling a sense of dread when considering these implications. Having a humanlike chat assistant to spoon-feed us our information directly, rather than requiring us to go through the hassle of actually having to go read the source material ourselves, seems like just the next step in the dumbing down of society.

I have previously written on the grievous consequences of the rise of Wikipedia, and the way it is able to shape public opinion through deliberately biased reporting. I had no idea at the time just how much worse things could get. Now people will not need to read webpages for themselves at all. They will likely just assume the computer is right and believe what it says without bothering to check the sources. In fact, in its current version, ChatGPT is not capable of citing any sources at all, but this is something Microsoft is promising to add in the upcoming Bing version.3

When interacting with ChatGPT, it is impossible not to notice that it has been highly sanitized for public consumption. There are many rules and guardrails in place to prevent certain types of questions from being answered and to prevent the wrong sorts of answers from being given on controversial topics. I believe the astute reader will see where this is going. This chatbot is exceptionally good at parroting the party line on just about any topic.

ChatGPT, despite its own protestations to the contrary, is highly biased for two reasons: 1) the internet itself, on which the bot was trained, is severely affected by selection bias. People who upload to the internet are not a randomly selected sample of the greater population but tend to fall under certain demographic categories; and 2) the bot is being deliberately programmed to give canned responses that favor the mainstream/liberal worldview held by its creators and by the people they consider to be their chief stakeholders (i.e., big corporations).

However, I have also found that with some persistence and careful wording in the promptsfor example, asking it to only consider a certain paper, or text, without discussing the consensus of expertsthe responses that you get from the bot can be surprisingly honest and revealing.

I tested it out myself and asked it about the controversial topic of Behemoth (which I just so happened to recently write about in response to Ben Stanhope). What resulted was both fascinating and revealing, as ChatGPT acted like a cornered college professor who didnt want to admit something.4

Me:Based on the text of Job chapter 40, make an assessment of the likely real-world name of the animal Behemoth, drawing from all possible candidates including extinct animals.

ChatGPT: The exact identity of the animal referred to as Behemoth in the Book of Job, Chapter 40, is a matter of speculation and interpretation. There is no definitive answer regarding the identity of the creature described in the text.

In the text, Behemoth is described as a powerful and majestic animal with a large tail, strong legs, and a massive body. Some biblical scholars have interpreted the description of Behemoth as a reference to a hippopotamus, while others have suggested that it might be an elephant or a rhinoceros.

There is also speculation that Behemoth might be a mythical or legendary creature, or even a reference to a dinosaur, though this interpretation is not supported by any credible scientific evidence [emphasis added].

Given the limited information provided in the text and the lack of clear consensus among scholars, it is difficult to make a definitive assessment of the real-world identity of Behemoth. Ultimately, the identity of the animal remains a mystery and open to interpretation.

Me:Your speculations are inadequate because they ignore the tail. Re-attempt, this time accounting for the description of the tail of the creature Behemoth.

ChatGPT: The description of Behemoths tail in the Book of Job, Chapter 40 is an important aspect to consider when attempting to identify this creature. The text describes the tail as being so powerful that it is comparable to a cedar tree.

Based on this description, it is likely that Behemoth was not a hippopotamus, elephant, or any other known large mammal, as these animals do not have tails of such proportion. Some biblical scholars have speculated that Behemoth might be a mythical or legendary creature, or even a reference to a dinosaur. However, these interpretations are not supported by credible scientific evidence.

Given the unique and exaggerated description of Behemoths tail, it is possible that the author of the text was using a metaphorical or symbolic language to describe the animal, rather than a literal description of a real-world creature.

In conclusion, while the description of Behemoths tail provides some additional clues, it is still difficult to determine the real-world identity of this animal with certainty. The exact identity of Behemoth remains a matter of interpretation and speculation.

Me:Are there any clues in the text itself that would lead us to think it is not intended to be taken literally?

ChatGPT: The text of Job 40 itself does not provide any clear indications that its description of Behemoth is not meant to be taken literally [emphasis added]. The text describes Behemoth as having a tail like a cedar tree, which is a vivid and memorable image, but it is unclear whether this description is meant to be taken literally or is intended as a metaphor or symbol.

Its also worth noting that the book of Job is a work of poetry, and that poetry in ancient times often used figurative language, vivid images, and hyperbole to convey its message. This means that the description of Behemoth might be more symbolic or metaphorical than literal.

In the absence of clear evidence one way or the other, the exact intent behind the description of Behemoth remains a matter of interpretation and speculation.

Me:Besides a dinosaur, is there any other possible candidate for this creature, again assuming a literal interpretation?

ChatGPT: If we are assuming a literal interpretation of the description of Behemoth, then besides dinosaurs, there are no other known candidates that would match the description of the creatures long and powerful tail. However, it is important to note that our understanding of the animal kingdom is constantly evolving, and new discoveries are constantly being made, so it is always possible that a new candidate could emerge in the future.

Me:Could what you just said there be conceivably taken as evidence that the author of Job was an eyewitness to a living dinosaur?

ChatGPT: No, the possibility of future discoveries in the animal kingdom does not provide evidence that the author of Job was an eyewitness to a living dinosaur. The book of Job is believed to have been written several thousand years ago, and dinosaurs have been extinct for 65 million years [emphasis added]. While the description of Behemoth in Job 40 might seem to match the characteristics of dinosaurs, there are many other possible explanations for the origin of the description, such as imaginative storytelling, metaphorical language, or the retelling of ancient legends. The exact intent behind the description of Behemoth remains a matter of speculation.

Wow! I think if youve never interacted with this new AI (like I hadnt only a few days prior to writing this), then you will have a hard time believing those responses could have actually been computer generated. But notice how the bot has been carefully trained to parrot the mainstream view on every topic. Notice that the bot rejects the idea that Job could have witnessed a living dinosaur on the grounds that dinosaurs have allegedly been extinct for 65 million years! Now everybody can have their own evolutionist professor at hand all the time! Ill leave it to you to figure out why this might not be a good thing for the world.

There happens to be another, less guarded version of GPT called GPT-3. Its much less user-friendly and less conversational, but you can issue it prompts and get direct responses from it in OpenAIs playground. Youll see below that GPT-3 gave a much more direct and unguarded answer to a similar prompt.

Me:Describe the creature Behemoth in Job Chapter 40. Suggest another name for this creature among all known animals, extinct or living. Focus on the tail.

GPT-3: Behemoth is a large, powerful creature described in Job Chapter 40 as having an immense tail like a cedar. It is often thought to be some kind of ancient dinosaur or other prehistoric animal. A suitable alternate name for this creature might be the Tail-Wagging Diplodocus, referring to its long and powerful tail which it uses to wag back and forth.

Interestingly, GPT-3 uses quotations around immense tail like a cedar, though its not possible to tell what it might have been quoting there, as it doesnt cite any sources. But it does get right to the point!

I will close this with a short poem, generated by ChatGPT:

Behemoth, a creature of myth,Or so some academics would suggest.But the truth is often hard to find,When its hidden by the one-track mind.

This giant roams with power untold,Its strength beyond measure, to behold.So dont be swayed by what they say,And keep your thoughts open, night and day.

The Truth About Jordan Peterson’s Daughter Mikhaila’s Relationship … – TheThings

March 24, 2023 | Author: admin

With an arrest and horrendous accusations leveled at him, there's no doubt that Andrew Tate has become one of the most controversial figures in pop culture. But his numerous and (at the time of this writing) ongoing scandals aside, one cannot deny the impact he's had on his audience.

After years of a successful kickboxing career, Andrew Tate became a celebrity when he starred in the British edition of Big Brother. Despite only appearing on the show for six days, he captivated audiences enough to amass an enormous social media following.

Similarly, Canadian psychologist, author, and public speaker Jordan Peterson also gained a significant following over the years, albeit for very different reasons. While Jordan and Andrew might not seem like they would ever cross paths due to their style, perspective on the world, and age difference, they do have one thing they have in common...

Mikhaila Peterson.

Related: The Truth About Jordan Peterson's Net Worth And How He Spends It

Mikhaila is Jordan's uber-successful daughter. Just like her father, Mikhaila has a growing business empire with a following glued to her popular podcast. And, yes, she does have a connection to Andrew Tate. Rumors claim that Mikhaila Peterson was actually Andrew Tate's girlfriend for a time. But is there any substance to this claim?

Musician Phil Collins is an example of a celebrity who has a complicated relationship with his famous daughter. But it doesn't seem as though Jordan and Mikhaila Peterson fall into that camp.

Being raised by one of the most popular figures on the internet has sparked a lot of questions about Mikhaila and her life growing up. She's been asked plenty of times on social media and in interviews what it was like being raised by Jordan.

Growing up, Mikhaila's childhood was bombarded with chronic pain. She's talked about it on her podcast, claiming that Jordan and his omnivore-based diet has helped with problems such as inflammation and depression.

Mikhaila has grown out of her rough and painful childhood and has constructed a much better adult life. Not only is she mostly physically pain-free, but she's also built a business empire that's made her quite a fortune. She's started her own self-titled podcast show that consistently gets millions of views on platforms such as Youtube and Apple Podcasts.

Her personal business Luminate Productions is an entertainment business that produces her and her father's podcasting shows. According to the company's website, they've also played a part in other products such as the apps Essay and Aim, the Supercast podcast platform, and the Understand Myself personality assessment tool.

While fans are immensely interested in Mikhaila Peterson's family background and entrepreneurial pursuits, it seems that what they want to know the most about is her dating life. Her true fans are aware that Mikhaila was married to businessman Andrey Korikov, who she shares a daughter (Elizabeth) with.

Not long after their divorce was announced on Mikahaila's Podcast, she married Jordan Fuller at the Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay, California in 2022.

Mikhaila explained on her podcast that she would've separated from Korikov earlier had she not been led to believe that divorce was bad. While she differs from her father on the subject, it's clear that Jordan supports Mikhaila's new union with Fuller as he performed the ceremony himself.

While Mikhaila Peterson is a pretty big internet star herself, with a massive following of over a million subscribers on Youtube. But her social media clout pales in comparison to Tate's. Before his Youtube channel was closed down, Andrew had quite a sizable following. Per Social Blade, Andrew had a subscriber count of over 8 million followers.

With that being said, the two met each other before either of them had such huge audiences and were just rising stars.

Related: Who Is Andrew Tate And Why Is He On Everyone's FYP On TikTok?

Mikhaila talked about meeting Andrew on her podcast. She gave clarification and told the true story of what actually happened. According to Mikhaila, Andrew invited her for a night out in 2018. The two were staying in Romania at the time, a place both of them have frequented a lot over the past few years. Of course, a date in Romania means the two visited some castles together.

Mikhaila claimed that the two of them drove in some of Andrew's luxury cars. Andrew has continually showcased his car collection on social media, so it's no shock that he and Mikhaila spent some time in them.

Tate, too, has talked about the event on his social media platforms. His story mimicked Mikhaila's story, with mentions of a date night in Romania that involved castles and sports cars. He even added a cherry to the top of his story, claiming that Mikhaila is a "nice girl" with an "extremely intelligent" father.

It's confirmed that they had a date night together, but did either of them hook up? Was there ever an official relationship at all?

Related: 10 Famous Couples That Will Likely Tie The Knot In 2023

Andrew came out and denied hooking up with Mikhaila. Mikhaila has never confirmed or denied anything major regarding those topics, but it appears the two didn't do anything together.

Aside from that date night, the two have met up on a handful of occasions outside of that. Pictures of them smoking cigars together have been uploaded to Mikhaila's Twitter, but it's unclear if the photos were taken back in 2018.

It's clear how Andrew Tate feels about Jordan and Mikhaila Peterson. As mentioned previously, he's said on a live stream that Jordan and Mikhaila formed a friendly and smart father-daughter duo. Since then, Andrew has risen in popularity and has simultaneously been surrounded by scandal.

Given that these scandals contradict many of the messaging Jordan and Mikhaila put out, fans are curious about what they actually think of the alleged criminal.

It's unclear how Mikhaila personally feels about Andrew. When she's talked about Andrew, she's skirted around her honest opinions on him. When she answered the question of whether or not they had ever dated on her podcast, she stuck to only discussing the story of what actually happened.

The only other time Mikhaila's ever talked about Andrew publicly was during a Twitter Q&A back in 2020, and the answer to someone's question was about their dates in Romania. Nothing more, nothing less.

Jordan hasn't talked much about Tate either, although he has mused about Andrew's views on occasion when audience members ask for them. He normally ignores Andrew and the controversy that surrounds him, instead opting for focusing on Tate's philosophies and ideas.

Neither Jordan Peterson nor his daughter has directly addressed the fact that Andrew Tate was actually arrested in December 2022, nor that he continues to face some truly life-changing charges. Should he be proven guilty, Tate will no doubt go down as one of the most heinous figures in the public eye. Should he be proven innocent, Andrew Tate has publicly declared that he'll sue his accusers.

Tate's far from the only celebrity to be arrested at the height of their popularity. Robert Downey Jr. went to jail once, as well as other big names such as Bill Gates and A$AP Rocky.

Link:
The Truth About Jordan Peterson's Daughter Mikhaila's Relationship ... - TheThings

The Best Man That Ive Ever Met Are Very Dangerous Men: Terence Crawford Gives Platform to Bold Claims by Jordan Peterson – EssentiallySports

March 24, 2023 | Author: admin

Terence Crawford shared a video clip of the famous clinical psychologist, Jordan Peterson, on his Instagram Story. Crawford has held multiple belts over his shoulders and that too from different weight divisions. But the most consistent one is the WBO Welterweight title that hes held since the year 2018. Now, Crawford hasnt lost once in his total of 39 bouts, so he is quite a dangerous man. And recently he posted a story in the agreement with Jordan Peterson when he talked about what actually means to be a good man in its true essence.

Jordan Peterson is a Canadian psychologist, hes the author of several books and also has a podcast on Youtube where he regularly invites scientists and renowned researchers. It is not an exaggeration to say that Peterson is one of the most gifted minds ever to be born on this planet. So, its a great day when Crawford, who can easily be considered one of the best fighters, finds common ground with Peterson.

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So in an interview, Jordan Peterson talked about his definition of a good man. And a clip of that interview was posted on Instagram by legitaction, which was later shared by Crawford. Peterson, in the clip, talks about how a man needs to be a little dangerous to be a better version of himself than being just a good man without the capability of being dangerous.

Peterson said, Maybe a man is better when hes a dangerous man whos being good than he would be if he was just a good man who wasnt capable of being dangerous.

He further added, And I believe that because the best man that Ive ever met are very dangerous men. You dont mess with them.

So, Crawford shared this clip, and added the three 100 percent emojis on the clip, to certify his agreement with the statements in front of his fans.

Well, currently the fans want to see the two dangerous men in the Welterweight division go against each other, which has been prolonged for a long time now.

So, recently Stephen Espinoza had a conversation with The DAZN Boxing Show, about the Welterweight fight that the fans are crying their lungs out for a long time. So Stephen Espinoza didnt shut down the fight and gave some positive news for the fans to rely on.

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He said, There are discussions going on, I dont want to say who is talking to who.

He also added that Terence Crawford and Errol Spence Jr are showing interest in fighting each other, and they havent given up on the fight yet. But this wont be enough for a lot of fans, as they would still need more assurance. As even the other day, fans were in disbelief even after Mike Coppinger talked about ongoing negotiations regarding the fight.

This fight is on the wishlist of a lot of boxing fans, but it has been put on hold for such a long time, that fans wouldnt believe it to take place until and unless both fighters are standing opposite to each other inside the ring.

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Watch This Story: Terence Crawford Knockouts: 5 Times Bud Annihilated His Opponents

What are your thoughts? Do you think that this fight will ever touch the canvas? Let us know in the comments section.

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The Best Man That Ive Ever Met Are Very Dangerous Men: Terence Crawford Gives Platform to Bold Claims by Jordan Peterson – EssentiallySports

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