Deskera is an award-winning integrated platform that enables SMBs to scale faster with fewer tools. From convenience stores to manufacturing plants, hundreds of thousands of small and medium enterprises use Deskera to manage accounting, inventory, payroll, sales, and marketing automation. Sign up, and use Deskera for free at deskera.com Join our Facebook community at https://www.facebook.com/groups/deskera to connect with fellow entrepreneurs and exchange tips for scaling your business.

Deskera

deskera

Government officials, utility providers, cybersecurity analysts and everyone in between are questioning the ability of the U.S. power grid to handle proposed plans. Objectives to decarbonize and adopt novel technologies feel lofty, as an overhaul’s financial and logistical burdens feel too much to bear. However, legislation is in place because fewer problems are more pressing than expanding clean energy access and dependability in a tech-dependent world. The State of the U.S. Power Grid The severity of the climate crisis yields catastrophic natural disasters and dismantles existing energy structures. Meanwhile, cybercriminals are honing their skills and using them to tackle critical infrastructure for lucrative payouts. International conflict creates even more opportunities for energetic interruptions. Today’s grid faces more antagonistic influences and it sits vulnerable. The U.S. power grid is ill-prepared to be resilient against new threats, causing more outages, public health crises and economic disruptions than ever. Additionally, most of the transmission lines, circuit breakers, fuses and more and haven’t received adequate attention , as equipment and machinery approach the end of their expected life spans. since the 1960s and 70s Issues compound as outdated grid tech cannot supply the output to meet the demands of a more consumptive and increased population. A carbon-friendly, energy-efficient future may need of electrical generation capacity before 2050 to energize the nation without complications. up to 27 terawatt hours more Extreme heat waves and cold snaps quickly exacerbate a national health and safety issue if homes cannot regulate temperature safely. Power suppliers operate less effectively in extreme temperatures, so they need assistance from an empowered distribution grid to provide more consistent and robust utilities. Overcoming Stagnation With Upgrades It’s apparent the best time to upgrade the grid is now. Grid improvements manifest as innovation, legislation and then installation. The energy revolution has created myriad tools that have entered the power sector in the last 60 years, such as electric heat pumps, battery energy storage solutions, upgraded solar panels and EVs, to name a few. These are a result of countless tech, energy and construction workforces that pooled to create viable solutions, leading to informed legislative action. In October 2023, the Biden-Harris Administration inspired by the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnership (GRIP) program investments and efforts from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Here are the highlights of how funds will catalyze grid modernization and boost economic and energetic resilience: announced a $3.5 billion plan It will create many well-paying union jobs, assisting underserved communities. There will be greater access to renewable energy sources. Plans include natural hazard prevention tech. Microgrids will appear in more communities. Funds are spread across 44 states and 58 projects. These projects will install a range of technology and infrastructure enhancements. In Louisiana, one focus is installing battery backups and hardening existing transmission lines to be less prone to outages. The number of hurricanes and high winds is increasing in the state, making it a targeted priority. The Wildfire Assessment and Resilience for Networks project covers states prone to ravaging fires and will implement fire-resistant tech, like underground transmission lines. Additionally, not every aspect of grid modernization has to be 100% new and fresh — sometimes retrofits and refurbishing for timely and sustainable delivery. For example, transformers are an essential component of grid operations. Communities can opt for reconditioned transformers with intensified durability and quality control to reduce climate impact and hasten lead times. are the best options The Byproducts of Modernization The advantages of beginning grid modernization now are far-reaching. These projects will take time, but what rewards will the nation reap as the power grid develops? Fewer Cyberattacks Enhanced cybersecurity is a monumental bonus of upscaling the grid. While the U.S. needs a digitized future, it comes at the cost of more holistic defenses. The intensity of , and the digital transformation of mass infrastructure leaves infinite backdoors and vulnerabilities for the world’s savviest hackers. modern cyber warfare is unparalleled While upgrades may allow threat actors to infiltrate, cyberspaces are more protected than legacy systems that lack integration with today’s cybersecurity standards. Reinforced Economy Other boons include economic boosts and job stability. Reducing the frequency of cyberattacks on the power grid alone will save anywhere in damage. between $243 billion and $1 trillion However, expanding the potential of the power grid opens more job opportunities in other tangential sectors, like renewable energy installation and urban design. Fewer federal losses occur while communities rise in financial and career stability. For every $1 million put into a green grid, the nation that fosters rural communities. The allocation will tighten wage and class gaps nationwide. gets $1.5 million in value Strong Disaster Guards Another reason grid upgrades are so urgent is because of intense weather events. Barriers that prevent worst-case scenarios, like outages and structural damage, allow the planet to heal more productively. Debris from destroyed infrastructure and hazardous waste spread becomes less common, primarily as and emergency services thrive. Disaster remediation and recovery expedites because the consequences are less extreme. battery energy storage keeps lights on Reliable, Clean Energy The most prominent impact modernization produces is decarbonization. Renewable power’s reputation will soar when the grid can finally sustain its needs. Eventually, the grid will manage tech like smart meters and IoT to obtain data and optimize systems while dispersing resources on demand. This could reduce electricity costs, congestion problems and peak-time inefficiencies. At the same time, it balances clean energy discourse. More trustworthy systems mean less worrying about the consistency of solar panels or wind power because energy storage solutions carry enough juice to shoulder the population. Public and corporate buy-in will increase to maximize deployment to reach climate targets. Maintaining Momentum The nation must recognize valiant efforts up to this point to adapt the national grid to renewable energy and smart technologies to keep morale elevated. Simultaneously, there is still a noticeable gap between promised performance metrics and reality that must inspire more dedication to modernizing than ever. Collaboration between researchers, tech experts, builders and governments is central to centralizing assets and smartly allocating resources for streamlined implementation.

The U.S. Is in Desperate Need of Power Grid Modernization

Banks, merchants, brands and nations have implemented literally hundreds of digital wallets as of this writing and in 2021 were used to make an astounding $15.9 trillion in payments.  Unfortunately, these wallets suffer from rampant problems such as questionable security, intrusive business models, black box design, and limited capabilities. And, they’re restricted by vendor lock-in to boot, with each wallet doing only a few things well. To address these limitations, Foundation Europe, part of the bigger Linux Foundation, recently announced the launch of the vendor-neutral OpenWallet Foundation (OWF), together with Visa, American Express and more than 30 for-profits and nonprofits. The OWF, while not publishing a wallet, seeks to become the core global standard that others leverage to truly consumer centric interoperable digital identities and digital wallets, driven by the investments in existing standards such as eIdas 2.0 and the EU Digital Wallet reference implementation. Linux True to its Linux Foundation roots, the OWF promises to follow the open source software ethos and create an open source engine that belongs to us all. Financial organizations of all shapes and sizes back the OWF and have vouched to create applications using the open software they create as a base for global, interoperable wallets. We might be witnessing the beginning of something big. As Daniel Goldscheider, the OpenWallet Foundation’s founder puts it: “With open source at the core of wallets, like it is at the core of web browsers, anyone can build a digital wallet that works with others and gives consumers the freedom to maintain their identity and verifiable credentials and share relevant data when, where, and with whom they choose.” If successful, the OWF will be crucial for humanity’s future, laying the foundation for interoperability among a wide range of wallet use cases, including making payments, proving identity, storing validated credentials such as employment, education, financial standing, and entitlements. By adopting the same open source core, crypto can potentially be used in any digital transaction. Not many think about validating credentials and proving identity while discussing a crypto wallet, but blockchain may very well be an ideal solution for global interoperable digital wallets. People need to know who they’re doing business with, who they are paying, and who they are playing with. And they need to trust them. If crypto wallets can serve as digital IDs, and the whole world runs on an interoperable engine, the future looks bright. Everyone, from giant corporations to small communities, can develop wallets that serve their specific use case. Thanks to the OWF, all of those wallets will be able to talk to each other. And that makes all the difference in the world. The Problem with Digital Wallets Today That all kinds of organizations are creating digital wallets today suggests these organizations, regardless of their actual intentions, are part of the problem – spreading vendor lock-in, questionable security and black box design, among other ills. The main problem with the current situation is that “without them all staying in sync, every country or organization that issues credentials could become a walled garden. IDs and wallets from elsewhere won’t work, disrupting travel, international students, and mobile workforces.” This is a major issue. An issue that resonates with the words of the Linux Foundation Europe’s Gabriele Columbro: “The world needs a place to store digital assets that matter, and the work of this foundation has the potential to redefine the credentials landscape globally, creating in turn much better digital experiences for people everywhere and new market opportunities.” The wallets of the future will be multi-faceted. Of course, they’ll sign crypto transactions, but they’ll also be used for “proving identity, storing validated credentials such as employment, education, financial standing, and entitlements. And all of this will “enable trust in the digital future.” The Linux Foundation, one of the most credible names in open source technology, is behind the crucial and much-needed initiative. Other names behind the OWF The OpenWallet Foundation is an initiative from the Linux Foundation Europe, but the names behind it are even more prominent, they “include Accenture, Gen, Futurewei and Visa.” Plus, among the general sponsors are "American Express, esatus AG, Fynbos, IAMX, IndyKite, Intesi Group, Ping Identity, SmartMedia Technologies (SMT), Spruce and Swisscom.” That’s not it, “more than 20 leading nonprofits and academic and government entities have joined the foundation.” Among them is the OpenID Foundation, whose chair Nat Sakimura said: "The experience and expertise of global technical Standards Development Organization (SDOs) like the OpenID Foundation and others can help guide the OpenWallet Foundation and increase opportunities for industry and governments.” The consumer and the open-source ethos seem to be at the core of the OpenWallet Foundation’s project. On the one hand, Visa’s Marie Austenaa said that their organization would be “adding our experience and expertise to enable the wider digital payments ecosystem, and make sure consumers have the greatest possible choice.” On the other, DIDAS’ Daniel Saeuberli promised, “together with OWF, we are committed to advancing a global open source approach to wallet data portability and interoperability.” Why the Right Time is Now In conjunction with the OpenWallet Foundation, the Linux Foundation released a . Titled, “Why the World Needs an Open Source Digital Wallet Right Now,” it starts with a little bit of history. “Twenty-five years ago, early-stage web browsers were incompatible and non-standardized. This threatened to derail the web. That threat brought everyone to the table to adopt a core set of standards that ensured interoperability and helped the web to flourish.” research paper stating their case And we want crypto to flourish, and this project is crucial for that to happen. Plus, as we already said, time is of the essence: “Our economic and social progress is being held back by the limitations of today’s digital wallets, especially the lack of interoperability. Meanwhile, many countries and groups are rushing ahead to create their own bespoke digital wallets. That’s why we need an open, secure digital wallet engine that anyone can use on any device, with any operating system, for any app or service, with any currency, in any language, anytime, anywhere. And we need it now.” The OWF will develop an engine that wants to run at the core of everyone’s digital wallet. That open system promises to be “highly secure,” “privacy-preserving,” and “interoperable.” So much so that they might even run at the core of at least one CBDC project. It’s the most important one, though. If you don’t believe us, this is what the executive director of the Digital Dollar Project, Jennifer Lassiter said: “Digital wallets will be at the forefront of providing improved privacy and security, serving as the interface with users around the world for their digital transactions. DDP is proud to be a founding supporter of the OpenWallet Foundation, as now is the time to ensure CBDCs and the user facing wallets are designed with these key principles in mind.” And if that wasn’t enough star power check out what Clive Smith, the executive director of ID2020, said: “It won't be long before digital wallets are the primary user interface by which individuals receive, store, and share their identification documents, educational credentials, health data, money, and other digital assets.” In Conclusion What the OWF proposes has huge implications for . The open-source engine that they’ll build practically guarantees that cryptocurrencies can potentially be included in every human transaction. The world’s identities and credentials will be secured by blockchains of all kinds. And cryptocurrencies and CBDC can be the default way in which future societies will exchange value. As we always believed they would. crypto In retrospect, it was inevitable from the very beginning. Information in this article was taken from the following resources: DISCLAIMER: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/linux-foundation-europe-announces-formation-of-openwallet-foundation-301753956.html

Will the OpenWallet Foundation Deliver the Interoperability Digital Wallets Desperately Need? 

¿Ofrecerá OpenWallet Foundation la interoperabilidad que las billeteras digitales necesitan desesperadamente?

La Fondation OpenWallet fournira-t-elle l'interopérabilité dont les portefeuilles numériques ont désespérément besoin ?

क्या OpenWallet Foundation इंटरऑपरेबिलिटी डिजिटल वॉलेट की सख्त जरूरत को पूरा करेगा?

OpenWallet Foundation は、デジタルウォレットが切実に必要としている相互運用性を提供するでしょうか?

A OpenWallet Foundation fornecerá a interoperabilidade que as carteiras digitais precisam desesperadamente?

Liệu OpenWallet Foundation có cung cấp các ví kỹ thuật số có khả năng tương tác rất cần thiết không?

OpenWallet Foundation 会提供迫切需要的互操作性数字钱包吗？

The Monster Men by Edgar Rice Burroughs is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book here . DESPERATE CHANCE DESPERATE CHANCE The great chest in the bottom of Rajah Muda Saffir’s prahu had awakened in other hearts as well as his, blind greed and avarice; so that as it had been the indirect cause of his disaster it now proved the incentive to another to turn the mishap to his own profit, and to the final undoing of the Malay. The panglima Ninaka of the Signana Dyaks who manned Muda Saffir’s war prahu saw his chief disappear beneath the swift waters of the river, but the word of command that would have sent the boat hurriedly back to pick up the swimmer was not given. Instead a lusty cry for greater speed ahead urged the sinuous muscles gliding beneath the sleek brown hides; and when Muda Saffir rose to the surface with a cry for help upon his lips Ninaka shouted back to him in derision, consigning his carcass to the belly of the nearest crocodile. In futile rage Muda Saffir called down the most terrible curses of Allah and his Prophet upon the head of Ninaka and his progeny to the fifth generation, and upon the shades of his forefathers, and upon the grim skulls which hung from the rafters of his long-house. Then he turned and swam rapidly toward the shore. Ninaka, now in possession of both the chest and the girl, was rich indeed, but with Muda Saffir dead he scarce knew to whom he could dispose of the white girl for a price that would make it worth while to be burdened with the danger and responsibility of retaining her. He had had some experience of white men in the past and knew that dire were the punishments meted to those who wronged the white man’s women. All through the remainder of the long night Ninaka pondered the question deeply. At last he turned to Virginia. “Why does the big white man who leads the ourang outangs follow us?” he asked. “Is it the chest he desires, or you?” “It is certainly not the chest,” replied the girl. “He wishes to take me back to my father, that is all. If you will return me to him you may keep the chest, if that is what you wish.” Ninaka looked at her quizzically for a moment. Evidently then she was of some value. Possibly should he retain her he could wring a handsome ransom from the white man. He would wait and see, it were always an easy matter to rid himself of her should circumstances require. The river was there, deep, dark and silent, and he could place the responsibility for her loss upon Muda Saffir. Shortly after day break Ninaka beached his prahu before the long-house of a peaceful river tribe. The chest he hid in the underbrush close by his boat, and with the girl ascended the notched log that led to the verandah of the structure, which, stretching away for three hundred yards upon its tall piles, resembled a huge centipede. The dwellers in the long-house extended every courtesy to Ninaka and his crew. At the former’s request Virginia was hidden away in a dark sleeping closet in one of the windowless living rooms which opened along the verandah for the full length of the house. Here a native girl brought her food and water, sitting, while she ate, in rapt contemplation of the white skin and golden hair of the strange female. At about the time that Ninaka pulled his prahu upon the beach before the long-house, Muda Saffir from the safety of the concealing underbrush upon the shore saw a familiar war prahu forging rapidly up the stream. As it approached him he was about to call aloud to those who manned it, for in the bow he saw a number of his own men; but a second glance as the boat came opposite him caused him to alter his intention and drop further into the engulfing verdure, for behind his men squatted five of the terrible monsters that had wrought such havoc with his expedition, and in the stern he saw his own Barunda in friendly converse with the mad white man who had led them. As the boat disappeared about a bend in the river Rajah Muda Saffir arose, shaking his fist in the direction it had vanished and, cursing anew and volubly, damned each separate hair in the heads of the faithless Barunda and the traitorous Ninaka. Then he resumed his watch for the friendly prahu, or smaller sampan which he knew time would eventually bring from up or down the river to his rescue, for who of the surrounding natives would dare refuse succor to the powerful Rajah of Sakkan! At the long-house which harbored Ninaka and his crew, Barunda and Bulan stopped with theirs to obtain food and rest. The quick eye of the Dyak chieftain recognized the prahu of Rajah Muda Saffir where it lay upon the beach, but he said nothing to his white companion of what it augured—it might be well to discover how the land lay before he committed himself too deeply to either faction. At the top of the notched log he was met by Ninaka, who, with horror-wide eyes, looked down upon the fearsome monstrosities that lumbered awkwardly up the rude ladder in the wake of the agile Dyaks and the young white giant. “What does it mean?” whispered the panglima to Barunda. “These are now my friends,” replied Barunda. “Where is Muda Saffir?” Ninaka jerked his thumb toward the river. “Some crocodile has feasted well,” he said significantly. Barunda smiled. “And the girl?” he continued. “And the treasure?” Ninaka’s eyes narrowed. “They are safe,” he answered. “The white man wants the girl,” remarked Barunda. “He does not suspect that you are one of Muda Saffir’s people. If he guessed that you knew the whereabouts of the girl he would torture the truth from you and then kill you. He does not care for the treasure. There is enough in that great chest for two, Ninaka. Let us be friends. Together we can divide it; otherwise neither of us will get any of it. What do you say, Ninaka?” The panglima scowled. He did not relish the idea of sharing his prize, but he was shrewd enough to realize that Barunda possessed the power to rob him of it all, so at last he acquiesced, though with poor grace. Bulan had stood near during this conversation, unable, of course, to understand a single word of the native tongue. “What does the man say?” he asked Barunda. “Has he seen anything of the prahu bearing the girl?” “Yes,” replied the Dyak. “He says that two hours ago such a war prahu passed on its way up river—he saw the white girl plainly. Also he knows whither they are bound, and how, by crossing through the jungle on foot, you may intercept them at their next stop.” Bulan, suspecting no treachery, was all anxiety to be off at once. Barunda suggested that in case of some possible emergency causing the quarry to return down the river it would be well to have a force remain at the long-house to intercept them. He volunteered to undertake the command of this party. Ninaka, he said, would furnish guides to escort Bulan and his men through the jungle to the point at which they might expect to find Muda Saffir. And so, with the girl he sought lying within fifty feet of him, Bulan started off through the jungle with two of Ninaka’s Dyaks as guides—guides who had been well instructed by their panglima as to their duties. Twisting and turning through the dense maze of underbrush and close-growing, lofty trees the little party of eight plunged farther and farther into the bewildering labyrinth. For hours the tiresome march was continued, until at last the guides halted, apparently to consult each other as to the proper direction. By signs they made known to Bulan that they did not agree upon the right course to pursue from there on, and that they had decided that it would be best for each to advance a little way in the direction he thought the right one while Bulan and his five creatures remained where they were. “We will go but a little way,” said the spokesman, “and then we shall return and lead you in the proper direction.” Bulan saw no harm in this, and without a shade of suspicion sat down upon a fallen tree and watched his two guides disappear into the jungle in opposite directions. Once out of sight of the white man the two turned back and met a short distance in the rear of the party they had deserted—in another moment they were headed for the long-house from which they had started. It was fully an hour thereafter that doubts began to enter Bulan’s head, and as the day dragged on he came to realize that he and his weird pack were alone and lost in the heart of a strange and tangled web of tropical jungle. No sooner had Bulan and his party disappeared in the jungle than Barunda and Ninaka made haste to embark with the chest and the girl and push rapidly on up the river toward the wild and inaccessible regions of the interior. Virginia Maxon’s strong hope of succor had been gradually waning as no sign of the rescue party appeared as the day wore on. Somewhere behind her upon the broad river she was sure a long, narrow native prahu was being urged forward in pursuit, and that in command of it was the young giant who was now never for a moment absent from her thoughts. For hours she strained her eyes over the stern of the craft that was bearing her deeper and deeper into the wild heart of fierce Borneo. On either shore they occasionally passed a native long-house, and the girl could not help but wonder at the quiet and peace which reigned over these little settlements. It was as though they were passing along a beaten highway in the center of a civilized community; and yet she knew that the men who lolled upon the verandahs, puffing indolently upon their cigarettes or chewing betel nut, were all head hunters, and that along the verandah rafters above them hung the grisly trophies of their prowess. Yet as she glanced from them to her new captors she could not but feel that she would prefer captivity in one of the settlements they were passing—there at least she might find an opportunity to communicate with her father, or be discovered by the rescue party as it came up the river. The idea grew upon her as the day advanced until she spent the time in watching furtively for some means of escape should they but touch the shore momentarily; and though they halted twice her captors were too watchful to permit her the slightest opportunity for putting her plan into action. Barunda and Ninaka urged their men on, with brief rests, all day, nor did they halt even after night had closed down upon the river. On, on the swift prahu sped up the winding channel which had now dwindled to a narrow stream, at intervals rushing strongly between rocky walls with a current that tested the strength of the strong, brown paddlers. Long-houses had become more and more infrequent until for some time now no sign of human habitation had been visible. The jungle undergrowth was scantier and the spaces between the boles of the forest trees more open. Virginia Maxon was almost frantic with despair as the utter helplessness of her position grew upon her. Each stroke of those slender paddles was driving her farther and farther from friends, or the possibility of rescue. Night had fallen, dark and impenetrable, and with it had come the haunting fears that creep in when the sun has deserted his guardian post. Barunda and Ninaka were whispering together in low gutturals, and to the girl’s distorted and fear excited imagination it seemed possible that she alone must be the subject of their plotting. The prahu was gliding through a stretch of comparatively quiet and placid water where the stream spread out into a little basin just above a narrow gorge through which they had just forced their way by dint of the most laborious exertions on the part of the crew. Virginia watched the two men near her furtively. They were deeply engrossed in their conversation. Neither was looking in her direction. The backs of the paddlers were all toward her. Stealthily she rose to a stooping position at the boat’s side. For a moment she paused, and then, almost noiselessly, dove overboard and disappeared beneath the black waters. It was the slight rocking of the prahu that caused Barunda to look suddenly about to discover the reason for the disturbance. For a moment neither of the men apprehended the girl’s absence. Ninaka was the first to do so, and it was he who called loudly to the paddlers to bring the boat to a stop. Then they dropped down the river with the current, and paddled about above the gorge for half an hour. The moment that Virginia Maxon felt the waters close above her head she struck out beneath the surface for the shore upon the opposite side to that toward which she had dived into the river. She knew that if any had seen her leave the prahu they would naturally expect to intercept her on her way toward the nearest shore, and so she took this means of outwitting them, although it meant nearly double the distance to be covered. After swimming a short distance beneath the surface the girl rose and looked about her. Up the river a few yards she caught the phosphorescent gleam of water upon the prahu’s paddles as they brought her to a sudden stop in obedience to Ninaka’s command. Then she saw the dark mass of the war-craft drifting down toward her. Again she dove and with strong strokes headed for the shore. The next time that she rose she was terrified to see the prahu looming close behind her. The paddlers were propelling the boat slowly in her direction—it was almost upon her now—there was a shout from a man in the bow—she had been seen. Like a flash she dove once more and, turning, struck out rapidly straight back beneath the oncoming boat. When she came to the surface again it was to find herself as far from shore as she had been when she first quitted the prahu, but the craft was now circling far below her, and she set out once again to retrace her way toward the inky mass of shore line which loomed apparently near and yet, as she knew, was some considerable distance from her. As she swam, her mind, filled with the terrors of the night, conjured recollection of the stories she had heard of the fierce crocodiles which infest certain of the rivers of Borneo. Again and again she could have sworn that she felt some huge, slimy body sweep beneath her in the mysterious waters of this unknown river. Behind her she saw the prahu turn back up stream, but now her mind was suddenly engaged with a new danger, for the girl realized that the strong current was bearing her down stream more rapidly than she had imagined. Already she could hear the increasing roar of the river as it rushed, wild and tumultuous, through the entrance to the narrow gorge below her. How far it was to shore she could not guess, or how far to the certain death of the swirling waters toward which she was being drawn by an irresistible force; but of one thing she was certain, her strength was rapidly waning, and she must reach the bank quickly. With redoubled energy she struck out in one last mighty effort to reach the shore. The tug of the current was strong upon her, like a giant hand reaching up out of the cruel river to bear her back to death. She felt her strength ebbing quickly—her strokes now were feeble and futile. With a prayer to her Maker she threw her hands above her head in the last effort of the drowning swimmer to clutch at even thin air for support—the current caught and swirled her downward toward the gorge, and, at the same instant her fingers touched and closed upon something which swung low above the water. With the last flickering spark of vitality that remained in her poor, exhausted body Virginia Maxon clung to the frail support that a kind Providence had thrust into her hands. How long she hung there she never knew, but finally a little strength returned to her, and presently she realized that it was a pendant creeper hanging low from a jungle tree upon the bank that had saved her from the river’s rapacious maw. Inch by inch she worked herself upward toward the bank, and at last, weak and panting, sunk exhausted to the cool carpet of grass that grew to the water’s edge. Almost immediately tired, Nature plunged her into a deep sleep. It was daylight when she awoke, dreaming that the tall young giant had rescued her from a band of demons and was lifting her in his arms to carry her back to her father. Through half open lids she saw the sunlight filtering through the leafy canopy above her—she wondered at the realism of her dream; full consciousness returned and with it the conviction that she was in truth being held close by strong arms against a bosom that throbbed to the beating of a real heart. With a sudden start she opened her eyes wide to look up into the hideous face of a giant ourang outang. About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Edgar Rice Burroughs (1994). The Monster Men. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved October 2022 https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/96/pg96-images.html This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org , located at https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html .

DESPERATE CHANCE

A DESPERATE DEED

Twitter v. Elon Musk Court Filing by Potter Anderson & Corroon LLP, July 12, 2022 is part of . You can jump to any part in this filing . This is part 28 of 31. HackerNoon’s Legal PDF Series here Feature Image: HackerNoon’s Stable Diffusion AI, Prompt “desperate attempt” FACTUAL ALLEGATIONS IX. After purporting to terminate, Musk keeps violating and confirms his earlier violations 139. After purporting to terminate the deal, Musk continued to make public statements disparaging Twitter and confirming the pretextual nature of his postsigning conduct. 140. In the early morning of July 11 (Eastern time), Musk posted Tweets implying that his data requests were never intended to make progress toward consummating the merger, but rather were part of a plan to force litigation in which Twitter’s information would be publicly disclosed: https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1546344529460174849?s=20&t=oC6vqDn7mVSlH-PMxhwrAA?embedable=true https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1546361634347749376?s=20&t=aMc96R3IDR-cN9VSgzUAJw?embedable=true 141. For Musk, it would seem, Twitter, the interests of its stockholders, the transaction Musk agreed to, and the court process to enforce it all constitute an elaborate joke. 142. Musk also, once again, publicly called for the SEC to investigate Twitter’s disclosures regarding false and spam accounts: https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1546350723654369280?s=20&t=EdwC3-tU8M9wN5jDtCQSHA?embedable=true 143. Musk’s conduct simply confirms that he wants to escape the binding contract he freely signed, and to damage Twitter in the process. Continue reading here

'Hello, @SECgov?', 'Chuckmate' tweeted Musk in desperate attempt to back out of Twitter deal 

'¿Hola, @SECgov?', 'Chuckmate' tuiteó Musk en un intento desesperado por retirarse del acuerdo de Twitter

'Bonjour, @SECgov?', 'Chuckmate' a tweeté Musk dans une tentative désespérée de se retirer de l'accord Twitter

'हैलो, @SECgov?', 'चकमेट' ने ट्विटर सौदे से पीछे हटने के बेताब प्रयास में मस्क को ट्वीट किया

「こんにちは、@SECgov?」、「Chuckmate」は、Twitter の取引を撤回する必死の試みで Musk をツイートしました。

'Olá, @SECgov?', 'Chuckmate' twittou Musk em uma tentativa desesperada de desistir do acordo com o Twitter

'Xin chào, @SECgov?', 'Chuckmate' đã tweet cho Musk trong nỗ lực tuyệt vọng để rút lui khỏi thỏa thuận Twitter

“你好，@SECgov？”，“Chuckmate”发推文马斯克绝望地试图退出 Twitter 交易

Marable, in a Desperate Frenzy, Hacked at the Reptile's Awful Head

Marable, en un frenesí desesperado, cortada en la horrible cabeza del reptil

Marable, dans une frénésie désespérée, piraté à l'horrible tête du reptile

मारबल, एक हताश उन्माद में, सरीसृप के भयानक सिर पर हैक किया गया

絶望的な狂乱のマラブル、爬虫類のひどい頭をハッキング

Marable, em um frenesi desesperado, hackeado na cabeça horrível do réptil

Marable, trong cơn điên cuồng tuyệt vọng, đã bị tấn công vào đầu của loài bò sát

Marable，在绝望的狂乱中，在爬行动物的可怕头部被砍

A new podcast just dropped with Dr. Don Wood is a visionary in the field of trauma-informed performance enhancement. With a Ph.D. in Clinical Counseling, he has dedicated his career to understanding the impact of trauma on the human mind and performance. https://youtu.be/I8EI1tHisQE?embedable=true As the founder and CEO of the Inspired Performance Institute, Dr. Wood has developed the groundbreaking TIPP method, a patented approach designed to help individuals overcome trauma and reach their full potential. If you want to listen to the full podcast, listen on successstorypodcast.com or on YouTube. We all know physical concussions can mess you up. You hit your head, you see stars, you stumble around. Everyone gets it—you need to rest. But what about those invisible hits we take every day? The kind that leaves emotional concussions? Think about it: The boss who rips into you in front of the team.
The teacher who tells you that you'll never amount to anything.
The partner who constantly criticizes your choices. Those words and experiences don't just fade away. They stick with you, chipping away at your confidence, leaving behind deep-seated beliefs that undermine your potential. This is the world of emotional concussions – a realm of trauma that's often dismissed as "weakness" or "overreacting." Traditional approaches might tell you to just get over it or throw some pills at the problem. But what if there's more to the story? Dr. Done Wood, creator of The Inspired Performance Program (TIPP), is flipping the script. He's saying those emotional concussions are just as real, just as impactful, as getting knocked on the head. They mess with your wiring on a deep level. The Trauma Loop: Your Mind's Worst Enemy These unresolved emotional experiences don't disappear quietly. According to Wood, they create a "trauma loop" running in your subconscious, like a broken record. This constant background stress wreaks havoc: Your Body Takes a Hit: Chronic inflammation, weakened immunity – ever feel like you're always getting sick? That could be your trauma loop at work.
Your Brain Gets Rewired: Neurotransmitters get messed up, so instead of calm and focus, you get anxiety and brain fog. Here's the craziest part—that trauma loop can sabotage your best efforts. You work hard, try to make good choices, yet something always seems to pull you down. Therapy, self-help…sometimes they help a little, but never seem to fix the core of the problem. That's the trauma loop fighting back. Escaping the Trauma Loop – Can It Be Done? So, your body's on fire, your mind's a mess, and your efforts feel futile because of that relentless trauma loop. Is a life beyond survival mode even possible? Dr. Don Wood says YES. And the answer may not be what you expect. Traditional therapy often focuses on the conscious mind—unpacking memories, analyzing feelings. That's good, but it's like trying to defuse a bomb while only focusing on the timer. Dr. Wood's TIPP approach dives deeper… way deeper. Target the Root: Talk might identify triggers, but TIPP aims to pinpoint the original event that sparked the trauma loop. Maybe it was a childhood humiliation that shaped your fear of failure today.
Reset the Wiring: Wood's program uses techniques to rewire your brain's association with that past trauma. The goal? Break the negative loop and replace it with a neutral or even positive association.
Fast Results? Here's where TIPP gets wild. They say this reset can happen in as little as FOUR HOURS. Not four weeks, not four months. Does that mean all your problems vanish? Nope. But it means potentially dismantling that deep-rooted sabotage in record time. And there's even more mind-bending stuff from Wood… Wait, My Ancestors Traumatized Me? Turns out, the effects of trauma can be passed down through generations – we're talking changes within your DNA. That's called epigenetics, and it's both scary and empowering. The good news is, breaking your own trauma loop might positively impact your kids and even future generations! Addiction Redefined: Not a Disease, But a Desperate Escape Dr. Wood flips the script on addiction. He says it's not about weakness or a brain disease, but rather your mind's well-intentioned (but tragically misguided) attempt to numb the pain of unresolved trauma. Fix the underlying issues, and guess what? Addiction and those brutal withdrawal symptoms might melt away. Those "Mental Illnesses" Might Not Be What We Think This one might rattle cages…Dr. Wood argues that conditions like depression, ADHD, even schizophrenia, could be your body and mind reacting to overwhelming, unresolved trauma. Not saying meds don't have their place, but what if addressing the root cause could lead to life-changing results? Fight Back: Small Steps, Big Changes Understanding trauma loops is huge, but knowing what to do about them is the real game-changer. Here's where it gets exciting and practical: 1. Move Your Body (Even When You Don't Want To) You've heard it before, but this time it's deeper. Exercise isn't just about biceps; it's about disrupting the trauma loop. When you're depressed, the last thing you want to do is move. But force yourself. Why? Because movement signals to your brain: "Hey, I'm not stuck anymore. I'm breaking the pattern." Even a short walk changes the game. 2. Mindfulness with a Twist Meditation's great, but if you're deeply wired for stress, sitting still can make anxiety worse. Try this: When you notice the trauma loop revving up—the worry, the anger—don't fight the feeling. Acknowledge it: "Okay, there's the loop…" Now, focus on your body. Notice the tightness in your chest, the heat in your face. This interrupts the mental tailspin and brings you back to the present. 3. The Power of "Reframing" Your brain is a storytelling machine. Bad events get turned into "I suck" or "The world is against me." Time to rewrite the script. Catch those negative storylines and flip them: "That was a tough experience, but it taught me…" or "I'm a survivor, and I'm getting stronger." Might feel cheesy, but those tiny reframes chip away at the power of the trauma loop. 4. Seek Support (But the Right Kind) There's power in talking. But not everyone "gets it" when it comes to trauma. Find trusted people or a therapist specializing in trauma-informed care. They'll validate your experience, not just tell you to "get over it." Feeling understood matters. 5. Don't Wait for Perfection Healing is messy. Some days you'll nail it, others you'll crash. Don't give up. The goal isn't to be a Zen master overnight; it's about consistently chipping away at that trauma loop's power. Small wins add up. A Note on TIPP Therapy… Dr. Wood's work is fascinating, but is it right for you? Do your research! Therapy is personal. If those rapid results resonate, seek out a certified TIPP practitioner. If a more gradual process feels better, that's valid too. There's no one-size-fits-all. The Big Idea Trauma loops are real, and they can hold you back far more than you realize. Traditional solutions often just scratch the surface. But you're not broken, and you don't have to live under that invisible weight forever. Knowledge is power. Now it's up to you to use it. You got this. If you want to listen to the full podcast, listen on successstorypodcast.com or on YouTube. A new podcast just dropped with Dr. Don Wood is a visionary in the field of trauma-informed performance enhancement. With a Ph.D. in Clinical Counseling, he has dedicated his career to understanding the impact of trauma on the human mind and performance. https://youtu.be/I8EI1tHisQE?embedable=true https://youtu.be/I8EI1tHisQE?embedable=true As the founder and CEO of the Inspired Performance Institute, Dr. Wood has developed the groundbreaking TIPP method, a patented approach designed to help individuals overcome trauma and reach their full potential. If you want to listen to the full podcast, listen on successstorypodcast.com or on YouTube. If you want to listen to the full podcast, listen on successstorypodcast.com or on YouTube . successstorypodcast.com successstorypodcast.com YouTube YouTube We all know physical concussions can mess you up. You hit your head, you see stars, you stumble around. Everyone gets it—you need to rest. But what about those invisible hits we take every day? The kind that leaves emotional concussions? Think about it: The boss who rips into you in front of the team. The teacher who tells you that you'll never amount to anything. The partner who constantly criticizes your choices. The boss who rips into you in front of the team. The teacher who tells you that you'll never amount to anything. The partner who constantly criticizes your choices. Those words and experiences don't just fade away. They stick with you, chipping away at your confidence, leaving behind deep-seated beliefs that undermine your potential. This is the world of emotional concussions – a realm of trauma that's often dismissed as "weakness" or "overreacting." Traditional approaches might tell you to just get over it or throw some pills at the problem. But what if there's more to the story? Dr. Done Wood, creator of The Inspired Performance Program (TIPP), is flipping the script. He's saying those emotional concussions are just as real, just as impactful, as getting knocked on the head. They mess with your wiring on a deep level. The Trauma Loop: Your Mind's Worst Enemy The Trauma Loop: Your Mind's Worst Enemy These unresolved emotional experiences don't disappear quietly. According to Wood, they create a "trauma loop" running in your subconscious, like a broken record. This constant background stress wreaks havoc: Your Body Takes a Hit: Chronic inflammation, weakened immunity – ever feel like you're always getting sick? That could be your trauma loop at work. Your Brain Gets Rewired: Neurotransmitters get messed up, so instead of calm and focus, you get anxiety and brain fog. Your Body Takes a Hit: Chronic inflammation, weakened immunity – ever feel like you're always getting sick? That could be your trauma loop at work. Your Body Takes a Hit: Your Brain Gets Rewired: Neurotransmitters get messed up, so instead of calm and focus, you get anxiety and brain fog. Your Brain Gets Rewired: Here's the craziest part—that trauma loop can sabotage your best efforts. You work hard, try to make good choices, yet something always seems to pull you down. Therapy, self-help…sometimes they help a little, but never seem to fix the core of the problem. That's the trauma loop fighting back. Escaping the Trauma Loop – Can It Be Done? Escaping the Trauma Loop – Can It Be Done? So, your body's on fire, your mind's a mess, and your efforts feel futile because of that relentless trauma loop. Is a life beyond survival mode even possible? Dr. Don Wood says YES. And the answer may not be what you expect. Traditional therapy often focuses on the conscious mind—unpacking memories, analyzing feelings. That's good, but it's like trying to defuse a bomb while only focusing on the timer. Dr. Wood's TIPP approach dives deeper… way deeper. Target the Root: Talk might identify triggers, but TIPP aims to pinpoint the original event that sparked the trauma loop. Maybe it was a childhood humiliation that shaped your fear of failure today. Reset the Wiring: Wood's program uses techniques to rewire your brain's association with that past trauma. The goal? Break the negative loop and replace it with a neutral or even positive association. Fast Results? Here's where TIPP gets wild. They say this reset can happen in as little as FOUR HOURS. Not four weeks, not four months. Does that mean all your problems vanish? Nope. But it means potentially dismantling that deep-rooted sabotage in record time. Target the Root: Talk might identify triggers, but TIPP aims to pinpoint the original event that sparked the trauma loop. Maybe it was a childhood humiliation that shaped your fear of failure today. Target the Root: original Reset the Wiring: Wood's program uses techniques to rewire your brain's association with that past trauma. The goal? Break the negative loop and replace it with a neutral or even positive association. Reset the Wiring: Fast Results? Here's where TIPP gets wild. They say this reset can happen in as little as FOUR HOURS. Not four weeks, not four months. Does that mean all your problems vanish? Nope. But it means potentially dismantling that deep-rooted sabotage in record time. Fast Results? And there's even more mind-bending stuff from Wood… Wait, My Ancestors Traumatized Me? Wait, My Ancestors Traumatized Me? Turns out, the effects of trauma can be passed down through generations – we're talking changes within your DNA. That's called epigenetics, and it's both scary and empowering. The good news is, breaking your own trauma loop might positively impact your kids and even future generations! Addiction Redefined: Not a Disease, But a Desperate Escape Addiction Redefined: Not a Disease, But a Desperate Escape Dr. Wood flips the script on addiction. He says it's not about weakness or a brain disease, but rather your mind's well-intentioned (but tragically misguided) attempt to numb the pain of unresolved trauma. Fix the underlying issues, and guess what? Addiction and those brutal withdrawal symptoms might melt away. Those "Mental Illnesses" Might Not Be What We Think Those "Mental Illnesses" Might Not Be What We Think This one might rattle cages…Dr. Wood argues that conditions like depression, ADHD, even schizophrenia, could be your body and mind reacting to overwhelming, unresolved trauma. Not saying meds don't have their place, but what if addressing the root cause could lead to life-changing results? Fight Back: Small Steps, Big Changes Fight Back: Small Steps, Big Changes Understanding trauma loops is huge, but knowing what to do about them is the real game-changer. Here's where it gets exciting and practical: do 1. Move Your Body (Even When You Don't Want To) 1. Move Your Body (Even When You Don't Want To) You've heard it before, but this time it's deeper. Exercise isn't just about biceps; it's about disrupting the trauma loop. When you're depressed, the last thing you want to do is move. But force yourself. Why? Because movement signals to your brain: "Hey, I'm not stuck anymore. I'm breaking the pattern." Even a short walk changes the game. 2. Mindfulness with a Twist 2. Mindfulness with a Twist Meditation's great, but if you're deeply wired for stress, sitting still can make anxiety worse. Try this: When you notice the trauma loop revving up—the worry, the anger—don't fight the feeling. Acknowledge it: "Okay, there's the loop…" Now, focus on your body. Notice the tightness in your chest, the heat in your face. This interrupts the mental tailspin and brings you back to the present. 3. The Power of "Reframing" 3. The Power of "Reframing" Your brain is a storytelling machine. Bad events get turned into "I suck" or "The world is against me." Time to rewrite the script. Catch those negative storylines and flip them: "That was a tough experience, but it taught me…" or "I'm a survivor, and I'm getting stronger." Might feel cheesy, but those tiny reframes chip away at the power of the trauma loop. 4. Seek Support (But the Right Kind) 4. Seek Support (But the Right Kind) There's power in talking. But not everyone "gets it" when it comes to trauma. Find trusted people or a therapist specializing in trauma-informed care. They'll validate your experience, not just tell you to "get over it." Feeling understood matters. 5. Don't Wait for Perfection 5. Don't Wait for Perfection Healing is messy. Some days you'll nail it, others you'll crash. Don't give up. The goal isn't to be a Zen master overnight; it's about consistently chipping away at that trauma loop's power. Small wins add up. A Note on TIPP Therapy… A Note on TIPP Therapy… Dr. Wood's work is fascinating, but is it right for you? Do your research! Therapy is personal. If those rapid results resonate, seek out a certified TIPP practitioner. If a more gradual process feels better, that's valid too. There's no one-size-fits-all. The Big Idea The Big Idea Trauma loops are real, and they can hold you back far more than you realize. Traditional solutions often just scratch the surface. But you're not broken, and you don't have to live under that invisible weight forever. Knowledge is power. Now it's up to you to use it. You got this. If you want to listen to the full podcast, listen on successstorypodcast.com or on YouTube. If you want to listen to the full podcast, listen on successstorypodcast.com or on YouTube . successstorypodcast.com YouTube

Escaping the Trauma Loop With the TIPP Method

টিআইপিপি পদ্ধতির মাধ্যমে ট্রমা লুপ থেকে বেরিয়ে আসা

Mit der TIPP-Methode aus der Traumaschleife entkommen

Escapar del circuito del trauma con el método TIPP

Échapper à la boucle du traumatisme avec la méthode TIPP

TIPP विधि से आघात चक्र से बचना

TIPPメソッドでトラウマループから脱出する

TIPP 방법으로 트라우마 루프에서 벗어나기

Escapando do ciclo do trauma com o método TIPP

Выход из петли травмы с помощью метода TIPP

TIPP Yöntemi ile Travma Döngüsünden Kurtulmak

Thoát khỏi vòng lặp chấn thương bằng phương pháp TIPP

利用 TIPP 方法摆脱创伤循环

A new podcast just dropped with Jim Keyes, CEO of both 7/11 and Blockbuster. I’ll break down his thoughts on fear and education. https://youtu.be/8ZoWQcnQSbc?embedable=true If you want to listen to the full podcast, listen on successstorypodcast.com or on YouTube. Remember Blockbuster? The video rental giant that seemed invincible, until it wasn't? What about 7-Eleven?  You know… those ubiquitous convenience stores slinging Slurpees and questionable hot dogs. Hold on a minute… these aren't exactly hotbeds of innovation, right?  Yet, here's the twist: the former CEO of BOTH these companies, Jim Keyes, has some seriously profound wisdom that every single one of us needs to hear. Jim, recently on the Success Story podcast, dropped a bombshell of a statement: "The antidote to fear is education." It seems obvious, but is it really? Let's break this thing down… The Disease of Fear Think about a scary moment.  Maybe a job interview, making a big decision, or a moment of public speaking. That pit in your stomach, those racing thoughts, the desire to just RUN? That's fear working its magic on you. Keyes explains what happens on a deeper level. Fear shuts down our higher-level thinking. It triggers that primal "fight or flight" response. We can't focus, we overreact, and we make terrible choices. This doesn't just happen at an individual level; it happens to entire societies.  Fear breeds anger, misunderstanding, conflict…all those things we desperately need less of. The Cure: A Different Kind of Classroom "Knowledge is the light you turn on, and you discover there's really nothing to be afraid of." Keyes says it with such conviction, but what does it really mean? Education isn't just about book smarts.  Don't get me wrong, IQ is valuable, but it's a tiny piece of the puzzle. Jim talks about two other critical ingredients: Emotional intelligence (EQ): Being aware of your emotions, understanding their impact, and managing them for better outcomes.
Character Quotient (CQ): This is about things like integrity, humility, and compassion. Our core values and how they shape our actions. Imagine a person with a high IQ but zero EQ and CQ.  That's a recipe for disaster. True wisdom, the kind that creates flourishing individuals and societies, needs all three.  This is the education Keyes is championing – an education of the mind and the heart. Alright, enough theory, right? Let's get to some examples... Remember the fear we talked about? Keyes isn't saying it magically goes away. But with education, we reframe it. Instead of a monster under the bed, it becomes a puzzle to solve, a challenge to overcome. Think about 7-Eleven.  Convenience stores aren't sexy. So, how did it become this massive success? Keyes saw fear driving huge companies to ignore a whole segment of the market. Busy people needed essentials at odd hours, and no one was serving them.  That's an opportunity born from addressing an overlooked fear. But what about Blockbuster, then? The video giant that, well, kind of exploded. Fear played a role here too. Fear of change, of the unknown. They saw Netflix coming, but instead of pivoting and embracing streaming, they doubled down on their outdated model. See the difference? Knowledge gives you options. If 7-Eleven had stayed scared of an unproven customer base, we'd never have those 2 a.m. snack runs. If Blockbuster had understood the shifting tides, they might still be here. It's Not Just About Business This "fear vs. knowledge" battleground is everywhere. People afraid of immigrants, of technology, of "the other."  Our society can feel like a minefield because so many are acting from a place of fear instead of understanding. Jim Keyes believes education is the solution, not  "feel good" slogans.  Understanding history, economics, sociology – these things dismantle the scary stories that keep us stuck. But Here's the Tough Pill to Swallow... Education, the real kind, is hard work. It takes effort and time. It's not passive. It challenges you to truly think, not just adopt a set of talking points.  We're in an age where instant gratification is king. That's the enemy of this kind of learning. Jim isn't talking about formal schooling only either. He's a huge proponent of lifelong learning. Reading, questioning, seeking out those who are different (those are often the best teachers!).  He compares it to aviation: You don't get a pilot's license and call it a day. It's a "license to learn" forever. I know you're probably thinking, ok, but what do I DO with this knowledge? That's a fair question, and here's where things get REALLY interesting… Fearless Opportunity Here's where Jim Keyes gets even more counterintuitive. He argues that disruptive change, the kind that terrifies most people, is where the true opportunities lie. Think about it – those who understand and harness something like AI, while others run away screaming, are the ones positioned to create miracles. This mindset shift is HUGE. Instead of seeing uncertainty as a threat, we see it as fertile ground. Think back throughout history: after war – rebirth. After economic collapse – new industries rise. It's not always pretty, but progress follows in the wake of destruction. This isn't some insensitive cheerleading though. There's a compassionate side to Jim's philosophy. When people's deepest fears are addressed through knowledge, we build better societies. Think poverty, crime, prejudice – these things fester in ignorance. The Challenge to You (and Me) Jim Keyes isn't saying we all need to become rocket scientists.  But there's a level of deliberate, focused learning we need to adopt.  Here's a few questions to get you started: Where are your fear-based blind spots? Do you automatically distrust certain technologies, cultures, or ideas?
What are you avoiding learning about? There's usually gold to be found in the things we find most difficult!
Who challenges your thinking? Do you surround yourself with people who simply echo your existing beliefs? That's an intellectual death trap. This isn't about being the smartest or most "woke" person in the room.  It's about cultivating a relentless curiosity and courage to venture outside your comfort zone. It's hard, but it's the ONLY way we evolve as individuals and as a society. A Final Note from Jim Jim Keyes isn't an inexperienced guy. He's seen decades of economic booms and busts, societal shifts, the birth and death of whole industries. His confidence in education comes from hard-won experience. I think that's important to remember. The path out of fear isn't a quick-fix, but it's the ONLY path that leads somewhere worth going. If you want to listen to the full podcast, listen on successstorypodcast.com or on YouTube. A new podcast just dropped with Jim Keyes, CEO of both 7/11 and Blockbuster. I’ll break down his thoughts on fear and education. https://youtu.be/8ZoWQcnQSbc?embedable=true https://youtu.be/8ZoWQcnQSbc?embedable=true If you want to listen to the full podcast, listen on successstorypodcast.com or on YouTube . successstorypodcast.com successstorypodcast.com YouTube YouTube Remember Blockbuster? The video rental giant that seemed invincible, until it wasn't? What about 7-Eleven?  You know… those ubiquitous convenience stores slinging Slurpees and questionable hot dogs. Hold on a minute… these aren't exactly hotbeds of innovation, right?  Yet, here's the twist: the former CEO of BOTH these companies, Jim Keyes, has some seriously profound wisdom that every single one of us needs to hear. Jim, recently on the Success Story podcast, dropped a bombshell of a statement: "The antidote to fear is education." It seems obvious, but is it really? Let's break this thing down… The Disease of Fear The Disease of Fear Think about a scary moment.  Maybe a job interview, making a big decision, or a moment of public speaking. That pit in your stomach, those racing thoughts, the desire to just RUN? That's fear working its magic on you. Keyes explains what happens on a deeper level. Fear shuts down our higher-level thinking. It triggers that primal "fight or flight" response. We can't focus, we overreact, and we make terrible choices. This doesn't just happen at an individual level; it happens to entire societies.  Fear breeds anger, misunderstanding, conflict…all those things we desperately need less of. The Cure: A Different Kind of Classroom The Cure: A Different Kind of Classroom "Knowledge is the light you turn on, and you discover there's really nothing to be afraid of." Keyes says it with such conviction, but what does it really mean? Education isn't just about book smarts.  Don't get me wrong, IQ is valuable, but it's a tiny piece of the puzzle. Jim talks about two other critical ingredients: Emotional intelligence (EQ): Being aware of your emotions, understanding their impact, and managing them for better outcomes. Character Quotient (CQ): This is about things like integrity, humility, and compassion. Our core values and how they shape our actions. Emotional intelligence (EQ): Being aware of your emotions, understanding their impact, and managing them for better outcomes. Emotional intelligence (EQ): Character Quotient (CQ): This is about things like integrity, humility, and compassion. Our core values and how they shape our actions. Character Quotient (CQ): Imagine a person with a high IQ but zero EQ and CQ.  That's a recipe for disaster. True wisdom, the kind that creates flourishing individuals and societies, needs all three.  This is the education Keyes is championing – an education of the mind and the heart. and Alright, enough theory, right? Let's get to some examples... Alright, enough theory, right? Let's get to some examples... Remember the fear we talked about? Keyes isn't saying it magically goes away. But with education, we reframe it. Instead of a monster under the bed, it becomes a puzzle to solve, a challenge to overcome. reframe Think about 7-Eleven.  Convenience stores aren't sexy. So, how did it become this massive success? Keyes saw fear driving huge companies to ignore a whole segment of the market. Busy people needed essentials at odd hours, and no one was serving them.  That's an opportunity born from addressing an overlooked fear. But what about Blockbuster, then? The video giant that, well, kind of exploded. Fear played a role here too. Fear of change, of the unknown. They saw Netflix coming, but instead of pivoting and embracing streaming, they doubled down on their outdated model. See the difference? Knowledge gives you options. If 7-Eleven had stayed scared of an unproven customer base, we'd never have those 2 a.m. snack runs. If Blockbuster had understood the shifting tides, they might still be here. It's Not Just About Business It's Not Just About Business This "fear vs. knowledge" battleground is everywhere. People afraid of immigrants, of technology, of "the other."  Our society can feel like a minefield because so many are acting from a place of fear instead of understanding. Jim Keyes believes education is the solution, not  "feel good" slogans.  Understanding history, economics, sociology – these things dismantle the scary stories that keep us stuck. But Here's the Tough Pill to Swallow... But Here's the Tough Pill to Swallow... Education, the real kind, is hard work. It takes effort and time. It's not passive. It challenges you to truly think, not just adopt a set of talking points.  We're in an age where instant gratification is king. That's the enemy of this kind of learning. Jim isn't talking about formal schooling only either. He's a huge proponent of lifelong learning. Reading, questioning, seeking out those who are different (those are often the best teachers!).  He compares it to aviation: You don't get a pilot's license and call it a day. It's a "license to learn" forever. I know you're probably thinking, ok, but what do I DO with this knowledge? That's a fair question, and here's where things get REALLY interesting… Fearless Opportunity Fearless Opportunity Here's where Jim Keyes gets even more counterintuitive. He argues that disruptive change, the kind that terrifies most people, is where the true opportunities lie. Think about it – those who understand and harness something like AI, while others run away screaming, are the ones positioned to create miracles. This mindset shift is HUGE. Instead of seeing uncertainty as a threat, we see it as fertile ground. Think back throughout history: after war – rebirth. After economic collapse – new industries rise. It's not always pretty, but progress follows in the wake of destruction. This isn't some insensitive cheerleading though. There's a compassionate side to Jim's philosophy. When people's deepest fears are addressed through knowledge, we build better societies. Think poverty, crime, prejudice – these things fester in ignorance. The Challenge to You (and Me) The Challenge to You (and Me) Jim Keyes isn't saying we all need to become rocket scientists.  But there's a level of deliberate, focused learning we need to adopt.  Here's a few questions to get you started: Where are your fear-based blind spots? Do you automatically distrust certain technologies, cultures, or ideas? What are you avoiding learning about? There's usually gold to be found in the things we find most difficult! Who challenges your thinking? Do you surround yourself with people who simply echo your existing beliefs? That's an intellectual death trap. Where are your fear-based blind spots? Do you automatically distrust certain technologies, cultures, or ideas? Where are your fear-based blind spots? What are you avoiding learning about? There's usually gold to be found in the things we find most difficult! What are you avoiding learning about? Who challenges your thinking? Do you surround yourself with people who simply echo your existing beliefs? That's an intellectual death trap. Who challenges your thinking? This isn't about being the smartest or most "woke" person in the room.  It's about cultivating a relentless curiosity and courage to venture outside your comfort zone. It's hard, but it's the ONLY way we evolve as individuals and as a society. A Final Note from Jim A Final Note from Jim Jim Keyes isn't an inexperienced guy. He's seen decades of economic booms and busts, societal shifts, the birth and death of whole industries. His confidence in education comes from hard-won experience. I think that's important to remember. The path out of fear isn't a quick-fix, but it's the ONLY path that leads somewhere worth going. If you want to listen to the full podcast, listen on successstorypodcast.com or on YouTube. If you want to listen to the full podcast, listen on successstorypodcast.com or on YouTube . successstorypodcast.com successstorypodcast.com YouTube YouTube

Education is the Boon to Fear — Insights from 7/11 & Blockbuster CEO Jim Keyes

শিক্ষাই ভয়ের বর - 7/11 এবং ব্লকবাস্টারের সিইও জিম কীসের অন্তর্দৃষ্টি

Bildung ist der Segen gegen die Angst – Einblicke von 7/11- und Blockbuster-CEO Jim Keyes

La educación es la bendición del miedo: ideas del 11 de julio y el director ejecutivo de Blockbuster, Jim Keyes

L'éducation est une aubaine pour la peur – Aperçus du 11 septembre et du PDG de Blockbuster, Jim Keyes

शिक्षा भय का वरदान है - 7/11 और ब्लॉकबस्टर के सीईओ जिम कीज़ की अंतर्दृष्टि

教育は恐怖を和らげる — 7/11 とブロックバスターの CEO ジム・キーズ氏の洞察

교육은 두려움에 도움이 됩니다 — 7/11 및 블록버스터 CEO Jim Keyes의 통찰

A educação é a dádiva do medo - Insights de 11/07 e Jim Keyes, CEO da Blockbuster

Образование — благо для страха: выводы 11 июля и генерального директора Blockbuster Джима Кейса

Eğitim Korkulması Gereken Bir Nimettir — 11 Eylül ve Gişe Rekortmeni CEO'su Jim Keyes'ten İçgörüler

Giáo dục là nguồn gốc của sự sợ hãi — Thông tin chi tiết từ vụ 11/7 & Giám đốc điều hành của Blockbuster Jim Keyes

教育是恐惧的福音——7/11 和 Blockbuster 首席执行官 Jim Keyes 的见解

Hi everyone, here 🙌🏻 Daria Strategy I’m a Growth Marketer, Brand Strategist and Communications expert working with blockchain and crypto projects. I create additional value and build brand awareness of the Web3 companies among users, developers, and VC funds. Recently, the crypto market exploded with news about the airdrop of , the most hyped restaking platform. The conditions for receiving this drop caused an even greater explosion of emotions, discussions, and even hate. EigenLayer Ethereum The project offers a platform for those who want to restake rather than the classic staking process that attracts regulators' attention. The emergence of EigenLayer and LRT restaking protocols increased ETH's share of staking to 26% of the total supply. According to , EigenLayer is TVL's second-largest protocol on after , at $14.2 billion: DeFi Lama Ethereum Lido An airdrop from canonically illustrates community expectations and market conditions. In this article, I explain what happened and what problems this case highlights in the crypto market. I also took a comment from my colleague, a product marketer who is now introducing a similar product to the market. Let’s figure it out together! EigenLayer A short overview of the Eigen Layer Airdrop Over the last year, EigenLayer has become super popular because of the rethinking of Ethereum restaking and the big names of venture funds that have invested in this project (a16z crypto, Ethereal Ventures, Polychain Capital, Coinbase Ventures, etc.). The journalists of recommend calling the EIGEN token generation event a “stake drop,” not “an airdrop. “ EIGEN can only be staked with EigenLabs’ proof-of-concept/proof-of-value data availability service EigenDA, at least in the beginning, until other apps building with EigenLayer integrate the token into their own platforms. Blockworks According to tokenomics, 45% of the 1.67 billion coins will go to the community, and a third will go to the airdrop for staking participants. The main complaint is related to the terms of holding the coins—after the $EIGEN stamp, they cannot be moved, and the monthly split will be only 5%. The platform team decided not to allow users from the USA, Canada, India, China, and several other countries to distribute and also warned about blocking for using VPN services. There were no geoblocks for restaking Ethereum before, so this situation angered many users who held their ETH in EigenLayer. The negative reaction to the actions of the project team caused a surge in asset withdrawals from the restaking service. According to , more than 7,000 withdrawal requests were initiated. Dune Here is a funny but apt video based on a famous meme I found on Twitter. In general, it describes pretty well the situation around the airdrop and the reasons for the disappointment of the community. The link to the post with this . video is here What does this EigenLayer Airdrop show us? The EigenLayer case highlights several important points and issues that we could observe that have been in the market for a long time and which all participants try to ignore. 1️⃣ The successful airdrop in late 2022 ushered in the "fat retrodrops" era and raised farmer expectations. People imitate activities in the networks, hoping to wake up one morning and see Lambo from the window. from described this point very well: Aptos @RyanSAdams Bankless 2️⃣ Many projects started betting on the token and using it as a marketing and reputation tool. I talked to the founders, convinced that only a drop would help them draw attention to the project. This is naive and short-sighted. Paying users for using the product is unnatural because instead of healthy competition and customer loyalty, it creates greed and a "gold rush.” 3️⃣ The market does not have sufficient users. Projects encourage activity by hinting at rewards for those who will boost the activity. However, it is obvious that projects can but are not obliged to pay rewards to users for their activity on the network. This sends only one message to the average crypto user: ** Your active participation, in the end, can mean very little. 4️⃣ In the world beyond Web3, businesses compete with each other through better technology, more attractive design, clear communication, and other factors that affect market position. Traditional businesses offer cashback and discounts at the product's launch, but no one pays tens of thousands of people $1000+ for using shampoo or buying a car. 5️⃣ Blockchain projects desperately need users interested in technologies, not drops! This need highlights the significant issues with UX and product value communication. It must be a user-oriented approach with a consistent product and marketing vision. Some Web3 founders started to take this point, but not the majority. The desire to make more complex technological products to show them off in front of fellow technicians takes precedence over a rational approach and customer orientation. What’s the future of restaking in the context of the EigenLayer case? I asked , the Product Marketer at about the case of EigenLayer’s airdrop. Nektar is a multilayered restaking network implementing a comprehensive incentives system for its participants, so Denis is well-versed with the current state of the restaking market and able to share his vision on this issue. Denis Igin , Nektar - What will be further after such a disappointment of the community? Will we see the withdrawal of funds from the restaking platforms? Denis: It’s hard to say about EigenLayer, but restaking as a concept and approach changes everything. For example, it enables the composability of solutions sourcing trust from the same set of validators, leading to technological advances such as native interoperability, etc. After mercenary capital outflow, next comes proving economics that everyone expects from the original design: additional rewards for restakers. Demand from AVSs might not be high at first, as with everything novel, but eventually, repurposing Ethereum security will have a disruptive and long-lasting impact comparable to decoupling execution by rollups. - Is the drop a panacea for product promotion? Denis: When used wisely, airdrops are a great way to gather relevant community information about the project. Gamification works too, e.g. Nektar recently . launched a points system - What conclusions did you draw following the case of the EigenLayer airdrop? Denis: The main lesson is that larger projects may fail in many ways, and this is likely due to the experimental nature of the restaking technology. As a community, we should not repeat the mistake of creating an outsized stakeholder leader. There’s room for more restaking players, and Nektar looks like a viable alternative to EL due to its integrated DVT, providing better resiliency and decentralization. Conclusion Many people support this situation with airdrops because it brings (actually, not always) high income in a short-term perspective. Another issue is that high-tech projects are not ready to be more open to a broader audience; they only create technologies for developers, limiting the market's growth. I can't imagine the industry's organic growth if the blockchain/crypto projects start fighting over who will give away more crypto in fear that their activity on the network or the number of followers will fall due to inflated expectations. I urge all members of the Web3 industry pay more attention to the value of the project and build a long-term relationships between the product and the users. The hype passes quickly, and what remains in return, loyalty or disappointment, depends on the ability of the founders to play the long game. Read my previous articles about and making blockchain as popular as AI launching a Web3 Project in 2024. Follow me on social media: , , and LinkedIn X . YouTube

EigenLayer Airdrop Has Highlighted the Problems in the Crypto Market

EigenLayer Airdrop ক্রিপ্টো মার্কেটের সমস্যাগুলো তুলে ধরেছে

EigenLayer Airdrop hat die Probleme auf dem Kryptomarkt hervorgehoben

EigenLayer Airdrop ha resaltado los problemas en el mercado criptográfico

EigenLayer Airdrop a mis en évidence les problèmes du marché de la cryptographie

EigenLayer एयरड्रॉप ने क्रिप्टो मार्केट की समस्याओं को उजागर किया है

EigenLayer エアドロップは暗号通貨市場の問題を浮き彫りにした

EigenLayer Airdrop은 암호화폐 시장의 문제를 강조했습니다

EigenLayer Airdrop destacou os problemas no mercado criptográfico

EigenLayer Airdrop выявил проблемы на рынке криптовалют

EigenLayer Airdrop, Kripto Piyasasındaki Sorunları Vurguladı

EigenLayer Airdrop đã nêu bật các vấn đề trong thị trường tiền điện tử

EigenLayer 空投凸显了加密货币市场的问题

Edmund Hillary, a New Zealand mountaineer, once said, “It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.” In the scorching heat of the business landscape, your company is a thirsty caravan desperate for insights to guide its journey. But beware, for many, their data strategy resembles a cracked water bottle in the desert – leaking potential and leading nowhere. Are you ready to quench your company's thirst for success with those three simple steps? Many leaders, desperate for a solution, picture a grand data strategy – a sprawling oasis filled with complex architecture and expensive tools. They gather their "data people," spend heavily, and build this technical utopia.  But here's the surprising truth: most companies never reach that oasis. Why? Because data strategy isn't about the bells and whistles. It's about clear, actionable goals. Set Clear KPIs! Start with the Destination, Not the Journey Think of your data strategy as a roadmap.  Before diving into infrastructure or systems, define the 3-5 key performance indicators (KPIs) that truly measure your company's health.  These are your North Stars, guiding everyone toward what matters most, and are the top of your priority to secure. In my book “Data is Like a Plate of Hummus’ which is based on my experience as a data leader and consultant, I many times refer to the KPIs refinement process as a funnel structure, keep things simple, keep them small, just like hummus, a very simple dish but with such powers to fill you stomach for the entire day, in my book I describe my method of refining the KPIs by starting with a set of questions, then pick the most relevant questions, and define which KPIs can answer them, the next step is to identify what action they will drive which gives you the indication to how often you will need it, sometimes seeing a KPI related to time on site every second week with the release cycles can help you understand if the new releases improved or not the user experience, you don’t need to see it daily as it will have nothing to the action of it. Next, establish data governance rules.  This isn't about restrictions but about setting expectations. When will the data be ready? What is the one true source of the data?  Who owns it? How quickly will issues be resolved?  Clear agreements create a supportive system between data users and providers.  Everyone knows their roles and what to do "when the you-know-what hits the fan" (because, let's face it, it will!). In many companies, the idea of data is that everything is important and needs to be used, but in reality, some data is less important than others 🦖.  This led us to hire more engineers and analysts and increase our investment in infrastructure, but as I mentioned a few times in previous articles and my book, will more than 5 KPIs change the decision that needs to be taken? If you need more than that, restart the process of defining your KPIs; you did something wrong there! When you start with too many KPIs it means that you need a consultant each time you need to change something in the dashboard, is it worth it? If you arrive at a meeting and one KPI shows two numbers, can you decide based on it? During my career, I learned an important thing: it’s enough that the data consumer spotted twice an error in the dataset, you lost their trust forever, and from this point, they will check the numbers before they believe you that the numbers are right, generating a few extra hours of work for validation, building a positive trust from the beginning with a system, that can notify the moment there is an issue with the data will save you long term extra investment and hustle! Building Scalable and Iterative Infrastructure Building Your Data Oasis: One Step at a Time Now that you know what data you need, let's talk infrastructure.  Think fast, affordable deployment. Forget a one-size-fits-all approach.  Start with a basic system that can be easily upgraded.  Treat it like a product platform, evolving in cycles.  Each cycle focuses on either improving infrastructure or optimizing costs. The truth is, as a user, you don't care if your data lives in a fancy mansion (Snowflake) or a sturdy apartment building (S3). What matters is getting accurate, timely data. Your team needs to think about how they maximize the buy/build approach for the first iteration because they will learn all the time about what works well and what does not, as well as where the issues lay. The main purpose of picking infrastructure should be to empower, first and foremost, the health metrics you picked and give open for more analysis to be done by the analyst. It needs to be something that will be easy to switch or optimize. But for me, the more important part of the infrastructure is to launch something I can test with the users and learn how it functions for them, whether they see issues or not, and as so, don’t deploy and forget until it breaks, the data people needs to go around and collect feedback, learn the use cases of people with the data and map and prioritize it in the road map. Embrace the Journey, Share the Oasis Data strategy is about making informed decisions for a successful journey.  By focusing on clear goals, strong governance, and scalable infrastructure, you can create your data oasis – one that fuels your company's growth. I am working nowadays on my new book, I would appreciate it if you share it in the comments or find me on Linkedin with more details about your data journey what worked for you, what didn’t, and looking back what would you have done differently? Edmund Hillary, a New Zealand mountaineer, once said, “It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.” In the scorching heat of the business landscape, your company is a thirsty caravan desperate for insights to guide its journey. But beware, for many, their data strategy resembles a cracked water bottle in the desert – leaking potential and leading nowhere. Are you ready to quench your company's thirst for success with those three simple steps? Many leaders, desperate for a solution, picture a grand data strategy – a sprawling oasis filled with complex architecture and expensive tools. They gather their "data people," spend heavily, and build this technical utopia.  But here's the surprising truth: most companies never reach that oasis. data strategy Why? Because data strategy isn't about the bells and whistles. It's about clear, actionable goals . clear, actionable goals Set Clear KPIs! Set Clear KPIs! Start with the Destination, Not the Journey Start with the Destination, Not the Journey Think of your data strategy as a roadmap.  Before diving into infrastructure or systems, define the 3-5 key performance indicators (KPIs) that truly measure your company's health.  These are your North Stars, guiding everyone toward what matters most, and are the top of your priority to secure. 3-5 key performance indicators (KPIs) In my book “Data is Like a Plate of Hummus’ which is based on my experience as a data leader and consultant, I many times refer to the KPIs refinement process as a funnel structure, keep things simple, keep them small, just like hummus, a very simple dish but with such powers to fill you stomach for the entire day, in my book I describe my method of refining the KPIs by starting with a set of questions, then pick the most relevant questions, and define which KPIs can answer them, the next step is to identify what action they will drive which gives you the indication to how often you will need it, sometimes seeing a KPI related to time on site every second week with the release cycles can help you understand if the new releases improved or not the user experience, you don’t need to see it daily as it will have nothing to the action of it. Next, establish data governance rules .  This isn't about restrictions but about setting expectations. When will the data be ready? What is the one true source of the data?  Who owns it? How quickly will issues be resolved?  Clear agreements create a supportive system between data users and providers.  Everyone knows their roles and what to do "when the you-know-what hits the fan" (because, let's face it, it will!). data governance rules In many companies, the idea of data is that everything is important and needs to be used, but in reality, some data is less important than others 🦖.  This led us to hire more engineers and analysts and increase our investment in infrastructure, but as I mentioned a few times in previous articles and my book, will more than 5 KPIs change the decision that needs to be taken? If you need more than that, restart the process of defining your KPIs; you did something wrong there! When you start with too many KPIs it means that you need a consultant each time you need to change something in the dashboard, is it worth it? If you arrive at a meeting and one KPI shows two numbers, can you decide based on it? During my career, I learned an important thing: it’s enough that the data consumer spotted twice an error in the dataset, you lost their trust forever, and from this point, they will check the numbers before they believe you that the numbers are right, generating a few extra hours of work for validation, building a positive trust from the beginning with a system, that can notify the moment there is an issue with the data will save you long term extra investment and hustle! Building Scalable and Iterative Infrastructure Building Your Data Oasis: One Step at a Time Building Your Data Oasis: One Step at a Time Now that you know what data you need, let's talk infrastructure.  Think fast, affordable deployment . Forget a one-size-fits-all approach.  Start with a basic system that can be easily upgraded.  Treat it like a product platform, evolving in cycles.  Each cycle focuses on either improving infrastructure or optimizing costs. fast, affordable deployment The truth is, as a user, you don't care if your data lives in a fancy mansion (Snowflake) or a sturdy apartment building (S3). What matters is getting accurate, timely data. Your team needs to think about how they maximize the buy/build approach for the first iteration because they will learn all the time about what works well and what does not, as well as where the issues lay. The main purpose of picking infrastructure should be to empower, first and foremost, the health metrics you picked and give open for more analysis to be done by the analyst. It needs to be something that will be easy to switch or optimize. But for me, the more important part of the infrastructure is to launch something I can test with the users and learn how it functions for them, whether they see issues or not, and as so, don’t deploy and forget until it breaks, the data people needs to go around and collect feedback, learn the use cases of people with the data and map and prioritize it in the road map. Embrace the Journey, Share the Oasis Embrace the Journey, Share the Oasis Data strategy is about making informed decisions for a successful journey.  By focusing on clear goals, strong governance, and scalable infrastructure, you can create your data oasis – one that fuels your company's growth. I am working nowadays on my new book, I would appreciate it if you share it in the comments or find me on Linkedin with more details about your data journey what worked for you, what didn’t, and looking back what would you have done differently? I am working nowadays on my new book, I would appreciate it if you share it in the comments or find me on Linkedin

Your Data Strategy is a Cracked Water Bottle in the Desert (and How to Fix It)

Between the Digital Marketing course and the coaching program I’m doing atm, I haven’t had the time to sit down and write a proper article. Instead, here’s a medley of thoughts about Love, The Mind, and Being that have been bouncing around in my head. What Is Love? , rings a remix of the ‘90s band Haddaway’s single on my Instagram feed. What is love? Baby don’t hurt me don’t hurt me no more So, what love? Is it when a baby doesn’t hurt you? is The love we hear about in songs or see in movies isn’t love. It’s an attachment. Attachment and exploitation of a love object. What can the object give me? Attention, time, sex… but in the real world, we soon find the other person can’t do that for us, and the fear creeps in—the fear of losing the object that provides the illusion of love. Instead of facing the reality of unfulfilled expectations, we simultaneously try to fix ourselves so that the person finds us loveable and adjusts the person to fit our preferred criteria. , then we’d be happy; we would feel loved. We get tricked into believing love can be outsourced. So, the fear of losing the love object that provides the illusion of love begins to enter. When we don’t love ourselves, looking for love on the outside always gives us anxiety. “Will they like me?” is the focus, whilst the real question is do I like myself? If they were just a little more to our liking . . Love is a state, not a feeling. Love is independent of love objects. Love is free. It is always there, patiently waiting to be uncovered. It’s a state you began in and will die in. Love is an energy that cannot be created or destroyed. You don’t need to generate love, find love, or get love. It can only be gently uncovered behind the layers of conditioning put upon your heart. The paradox is that no one can give you love - you cannot get love; you can only LOVE. This is an important distinction ❤️ Stuff Like This ; your mind whispers when you dare to dream beyond the confines you’ve been placed within. But what if it does happen? What if it’s right there, waiting for you to see through the lies of your mind? What if all sorts of things happen to all sorts of people, including you? Your mind is just telling you a story based on past experiences. It pretends to grasp the entirety of everything: how the world operates, what other people are like, and what you are like. (Seriously, ask your mind anything, and it’ll come up with a response! - how silly is that? It’ll never say, gosh, I don’t know, and leave it at that. It’ll begin wondering and try to figure out a response to soothe itself that it does know everything). It claims to have all the answers when, in reality, it’s barely scratching the surface. Stuff like this doesn’t happen to people like me We cling to the illusion of self-knowledge, yet the truth is we don’t fully understand why we are the way we are. Sure, we concoct explanations and reasons—neatly logical delusions—but at the core, we simply exist as we are, inexplicable even to ourselves. And the mind? It can’t accept this mystery. Here’s another annoying feature of the mind Have you ever noticed how, when you ignore a certain thought or narrative, your mind scrambles to find something else to occupy you with? It will use to reel you back in. When you feel restless, it’s your mind bouncing around, desperate to divert your focus away from the present back to itself. The mind thrives on your attention; it feeds off it. And we feed it generously, distracted from the now, lost in thoughts of past hurts and stories. anything The more intense the emotion tied to a particular memory, the more your mind returns to that story. It never goes back to the happiest moment of your life over and over again as much as it revisits the moments of hurt, unfairness, and sadness.   These negative experiences have a stronger gravitational pull for evolutionary reasons, but it doesn’t mean we should leave it at that. Happiness only exists in the present moment. I know it’s such a cliche, but seriously - where is your past, right now? Where is it? It’s in your fucking mind, obstructing you from being here, right now, as you are. The only way these stories stay alive is if you keep feeding them your attention. Oh, yes, you do. When we say we don’t have control over our attention, what we really mean is that we haven’t trained a skill of controlled attention. But I don’t control my attention… The good news is that attention is a trainable skill,  but the bad thing is that it takes effort. It requires overcoming the automaticity of your mind. It’s tough! I’m going through this training right now with the coaching course I’m doing, and it’s painfully obvious how automated every aspect of my being is. One of the practices we’re supposed to do daily is a 15-minute contemplation exercise. I won’t go into the details, but my mind would literally do nothing else but concentrate. It brings stuff I haven’t thought of in , to escape focusing for 15 minutes. considerable years anything In fact, I sat down to do the exercise but ended up editing this article! This is the state of affairs of my mind, and most minds, I’d argue, is that 15 minutes out of 16 hours that we are awake is too much for the mind to handle. We have close to 0 control of that freak inside our heads. If this isn’t scary, I don’t know what is 🤷‍♀️ Poem The happiness of being I lay on the grass on a sunny Sunday afternoon Looking at the sky, expecting something new When a thought suddenly arises Maybe I’m not supposed to believe in disguises? The thoughts disguised as truth the Opinions of others disguised as the glue that keeps society together and maybe even predicts the good weather. But seriously - what is a thought? A moment captured then repeated in blocks Built into houses of stories we’re told Forgetting the essence cannot fit in a mold. Society is a construct to keep the flock together But finding happiness requires disconnecting from the fear of separating from others, Even in a stormy weather. The storm inside borne out of separation Holds the key to the kingdom of creation Endless moments of being here and now Forever giving, gifting, leading, leaving The True Self you were never without. . . Thank you for your time & attention. Train your mind because life is as good as the quality of your mind. Also published . here

The Crazy Mind, Artificial Love and Happiness of Being

Hacking and breaking into a system using different tools has become a major worry for people and organizations worldwide. Attackers today frequently utilize sophisticated data science approaches to compromise a system. Can data science be used to stop system hacking if it can be used to gain control of the system? The application of data science in cybersecurity has made it simple to anticipate system vulnerabilities, reducing the likelihood of a breach by implementing the necessary precautions. The World Economic Forum's "Global Risks Report 2023" states that assaults against technology-enabled resources and services, such as financial systems and communication infrastructure, will continue to be a risk in 2024 and that cybersecurity will remain a persistent issue. The target spectrum has expanded as cyber attackers penetrate various industries, including healthcare, finance, and retail. Cybersecurity and data science are effective tools for mitigating these losses. The article that follows will go into detail on the connection between data science and cyber security. What Does Data Science Mean in Terms of Cybersecurity? The use of data science in cybersecurity has revolutionized the way that fraudulent actions are resisted. Data science predicts the possibility of an incursion or assault by using machine learning techniques on historical data. It entails creating algorithms to infer trends from prior attacks and provide forewarnings regarding the dependability of the system under use. For instance, pinpointing unlawful entry into a facility. Only pre-registered users would be granted access by the AI model, which would check their activity to ensure that no activity beyond authorized occurs. These measures are all intended to stop data breaches and information misuse. How Cybersecurity Looked Before Data Science? In the early days of cybersecurity, fear and uncertainty were connected.  Corporations' security plans were predicated solely on conjecture, which gave rise to this particular anxiety. Certain characteristics were predicated on assumptions, such as the attack's mode of operation and the target region. The entire cyber business transformed when data science entered the picture. Since technological decisions make up the majority of cybersecurity decisions, data science predictions have helped reduce the likelihood that decisions are made incorrectly because the bulk of judgments are fact-based. By broadening their range of resources, these data-driven technologies have greatly improved the work of cybersecurity analysts and specialists, who can now create more effective security development strategies. The Connection Between Cybersecurity and Data Science Cybersecurity aims to detect and stop risks such as malware, intrusions and attacks, and fraud. Machine Learning (ML) is a tool data scientists use to identify and prevent these risks. Security experts, for instance, can go through data from several samples to find security concerns. With the least amount of false positives possible, this method seeks to identify attacks and intrusions. Data science techniques are utilized by security systems such as User and Entity Activity Analytics (UEBA) to detect anomalies in user activity. Typically, there is a connection between security breaches and unusual user activity. Cybersecurity has greatly benefited from data science. In the same way that learning data science is crucial to being competitive in any industry, we will discuss the main effects of data science on cybersecurity in this section. How Cybersecurity Is Improved by Applied Data Science and Machine Learning Together? Every day, technology advances. Cybercrimes are becoming more likely as a result. Data science for cybersecurity is the best feasible response to this query. Since an organization's sensitive data collection keeps growing daily, data science must be incorporated into every risk analysis plan. Data science can be applied in many different ways to mitigate the hazards; the following examples highlight some of these: 1. Improved Security Monitoring With the advancement of technology, hackers now utilize multiple methods to breach a system. Enhanced methodologies have rendered it more arduous for corporations to identify the routes for system penetration. Machine learning models built using historical and present attack data offer a comprehensive understanding of modeling various types of attacks. Next, these models forecast the kind of assault and the likelihood of a system breach. 2. Data Protection Every firm depends heavily on its data which must be protected at all costs. Data science uses machine learning algorithms to help develop impenetrable data channels for data transit. 3. Effective Forecasting Anticipation encompasses more than merely identifying True positives. In addition, a data science cybersecurity model must produce relatively few false positives which will aid in the fight against spam calls. Through these methods, cyber risk and threat theories can be set that are more grounded in reality than in antiquated notions. 4. Behavior Analysis It is not sufficient to just comprehend the nature of the attack or the likelihood that it will impact the system; one also needs to understand the behavioral patterns of hackers. This can be very advantageous since it will allow us to anticipate his or her next move or attack. To accomplish this behavioral analysis, several datasets are combined, network logs are examined, and correlations between systems are discovered. This allows one to identify a hacker's behavioral pattern and adjust preventive measures accordingly. What Does the Future Look Like? One of the brightest futures is that of data science. Because hackers are always looking for new ways to get into systems, data science will be a long-term answer to stop them. As tactics become more advanced, more complex attacks are appearing. Since there will be an exponential increase in data over the next few decades, data science models will perform better since they will have an increasing amount of information to connect the dots. The field of data science extends beyond the creation of models and algorithms. One of the key responsibilities in this field is the analysis and upkeep of the current data science model. Analysis facilitates the differentiation of behavior into normal and anomalous categories. Massive losses are threatening large businesses as a result of data breaches. They desperately need to figure out how to cut these losses. Wrapping Up In a short period, data science has a significant impact on cybersecurity. Every firm receives a growing volume of data every day. A data science model's capacity for prediction will rise in tandem with the amount of data. Every stage of the process flow requires cooperation between the security and data science teams. Data is vital to all businesses, regardless of size, thus safeguarding it at all costs is crucial for each of them. Data science's contribution to cybersecurity has raised the bar for security requirements. Hacking and breaking into a system using different tools has become a major worry for people and organizations worldwide. Attackers today frequently utilize sophisticated data science approaches to compromise a system. Can data science be used to stop system hacking if it can be used to gain control of the system? The application of data science in cybersecurity has made it simple to anticipate system vulnerabilities, reducing the likelihood of a breach by implementing the necessary precautions. The World Economic Forum's "Global Risks Report 2023" states that assaults against technology-enabled resources and services, such as financial systems and communication infrastructure, will continue to be a risk in 2024 and that cybersecurity will remain a persistent issue. World Economic Forum's The target spectrum has expanded as cyber attackers penetrate various industries, including healthcare, finance, and retail. Cybersecurity and data science are effective tools for mitigating these losses. The article that follows will go into detail on the connection between data science and cyber security. What Does Data Science Mean in Terms of Cybersecurity? The use of data science in cybersecurity has revolutionized the way that fraudulent actions are resisted. Data science predicts the possibility of an incursion or assault by using machine learning techniques on historical data. It entails creating algorithms to infer trends from prior attacks and provide forewarnings regarding the dependability of the system under use. For instance, pinpointing unlawful entry into a facility. Only pre-registered users would be granted access by the AI model, which would check their activity to ensure that no activity beyond authorized occurs. These measures are all intended to stop data breaches and information misuse. How Cybersecurity Looked Before Data Science? In the early days of cybersecurity, fear and uncertainty were connected.  Corporations' security plans were predicated solely on conjecture, which gave rise to this particular anxiety. Certain characteristics were predicated on assumptions, such as the attack's mode of operation and the target region. The entire cyber business transformed when data science entered the picture. Since technological decisions make up the majority of cybersecurity decisions, data science predictions have helped reduce the likelihood that decisions are made incorrectly because the bulk of judgments are fact-based. By broadening their range of resources, these data-driven technologies have greatly improved the work of cybersecurity analysts and specialists, who can now create more effective security development strategies. The Connection Between Cybersecurity and Data Science Cybersecurity aims to detect and stop risks such as malware, intrusions and attacks, and fraud. Machine Learning (ML) is a tool data scientists use to identify and prevent these risks. Security experts, for instance, can go through data from several samples to find security concerns. With the least amount of false positives possible, this method seeks to identify attacks and intrusions. Data science techniques are utilized by security systems such as User and Entity Activity Analytics (UEBA) to detect anomalies in user activity. Typically, there is a connection between security breaches and unusual user activity. Cybersecurity has greatly benefited from data science. In the same way that learning data science is crucial to being competitive in any industry, we will discuss the main effects of data science on cybersecurity in this section. learning data science How Cybersecurity Is Improved by Applied Data Science and Machine Learning Together? Every day, technology advances. Cybercrimes are becoming more likely as a result. Data science for cybersecurity is the best feasible response to this query. Since an organization's sensitive data collection keeps growing daily, data science must be incorporated into every risk analysis plan. Data science can be applied in many different ways to mitigate the hazards; the following examples highlight some of these: 1. Improved Security Monitoring With the advancement of technology, hackers now utilize multiple methods to breach a system. Enhanced methodologies have rendered it more arduous for corporations to identify the routes for system penetration. Machine learning models built using historical and present attack data offer a comprehensive understanding of modeling various types of attacks. Next, these models forecast the kind of assault and the likelihood of a system breach. 2. Data Protection Every firm depends heavily on its data which must be protected at all costs. Data science uses machine learning algorithms to help develop impenetrable data channels for data transit. 3. Effective Forecasting Anticipation encompasses more than merely identifying True positives. In addition, a data science cybersecurity model must produce relatively few false positives which will aid in the fight against spam calls. Through these methods, cyber risk and threat theories can be set that are more grounded in reality than in antiquated notions. 4. Behavior Analysis It is not sufficient to just comprehend the nature of the attack or the likelihood that it will impact the system; one also needs to understand the behavioral patterns of hackers. This can be very advantageous since it will allow us to anticipate his or her next move or attack. To accomplish this behavioral analysis, several datasets are combined, network logs are examined, and correlations between systems are discovered. This allows one to identify a hacker's behavioral pattern and adjust preventive measures accordingly. What Does the Future Look Like? One of the brightest futures is that of data science. Because hackers are always looking for new ways to get into systems, data science will be a long-term answer to stop them. As tactics become more advanced, more complex attacks are appearing. Since there will be an exponential increase in data over the next few decades, data science models will perform better since they will have an increasing amount of information to connect the dots. The field of data science extends beyond the creation of models and algorithms. One of the key responsibilities in this field is the analysis and upkeep of the current data science model. Analysis facilitates the differentiation of behavior into normal and anomalous categories. Massive losses are threatening large businesses as a result of data breaches. They desperately need to figure out how to cut these losses. Wrapping Up In a short period, data science has a significant impact on cybersecurity . Every firm receives a growing volume of data every day. A data science model's capacity for prediction will rise in tandem with the amount of data. Every stage of the process flow requires cooperation between the security and data science teams. Data is vital to all businesses, regardless of size, thus safeguarding it at all costs is crucial for each of them. Data science's contribution to cybersecurity has raised the bar for security requirements. cybersecurity

Exploring the Intersection of Data Science and Cyber Security: Insights and Applications

Dear AI: We Still Don't Trust You

প্রিয় এআই: আমরা এখনও আপনাকে বিশ্বাস করি না

Liebe KI: Wir vertrauen dir immer noch nicht

Querida IA: todavía no confiamos en ti

Chère IA : nous ne vous faisons toujours pas confiance

प्रिय AI: हमें अभी भी आप पर भरोसा नहीं है

親愛なるAIへ: 私たちはまだあなたを信頼していません

친애하는 AI: 우리는 여전히 당신을 신뢰하지 않습니다

Caro AI: ainda não confiamos em você

Дорогой ИИ: мы все еще тебе не доверяем

Sevgili AI: Size Hala Güvenmiyoruz

Kính gửi AI: Chúng tôi vẫn không tin tưởng bạn

亲爱的人工智能：我们仍然不信任你

Sydney Bencriscutto on His Journey From Music Artist to Options Trader to eCommerce Success

Yuan Yi Zhu, an Assistant Professor of International Relations and International Law at Leiden University, recently criticized an article published in The Times of London. The article was written by Matthew Parris, a former Member of the British Parliament. In the article, Parris argues in favor of legalizing euthanasia on the grounds that society simply cannot afford “desperate infirmity for as many such individuals as our society is producing.” Parris argues that it would allow the UK economy to better compete with China and people being coerced to being euthanised due to social pressure is “not a bad thing”. Parris says he does not apologise for how his article "treats human beings as units - in deficit or surplus to the collective". In February 2024, an article was published in the prestigious Scientific Reports journal by Nature, arguing that “AI holds the potential to carry out several major activities at much lower emission levels than can humans.” The piece argues that humans produce far greater CO2 emissions when doing writing or illustration work than AI Large Language Models. The article also notes that: “The freed human time may also incur new, unexpected environmental costs.” Advances in AI haven’t just led to humans being compared to machines but also being compared to animals. Late last year, according to The Guardian, BT’s Chief Innovation Officer, Harmeen Mehta ‘suggested workers whose jobs are threatened by AI accept their fate as “evolution,” comparing them to horses replaced by the car.’ Against this backdrop, one does wonder when we will inevitably see the rise of those who will argue for eugenics such that humans replace machines. This is nevertheless a stark reminder of how humans ultimately are behind killer computers. In a new book I authored called ‘ ,’ I have explored many catastrophic computer disasters. These disasters have included an aircraft entering ‘death dives’, fatal car crashes and lethal radiation doses. How to Protect Yourself from Killer Computers Recently, software reliability has been pushed to the forefront of the public conscience. March 2024 saw system failures, causing McDonald’s outlets in the UK, Australia, and Japan to go offline. Panama Bread in the US saw IT outages, as did the UK high-street giants Tesco, Sainsbury's, and Greggs. As several Boeing executives stood down from their jobs following the death of a whistleblower, it’s worth remembering how the first Boeing 737 MAX groundings began with a computer software problem. Previously unreported, it was also the case that March 2024 saw London police officers report chaos in jails and being unable to begin search warrant applications, as there was also an outage with the Metropolitan Police’s IT systems. The public inquiry into the UK Post Office’s Horizon IT Scandal is underway, a scandal where faulty accounting software resulted in miscarriages of justice, claiming around 700 victims and has been linked to four suicides. This included a pregnant mother being sent to jail. Engineers are now facing the consequences for being complicit in disasters; with FTX’s former Director of Engineering facing up to 75 years in prison, a VW engineer who was complicit in the emissions scandal having been sentenced to 40 months imprisonment despite co-operating with investigators and the architect of the Post Office Horizon IT system currently under investigation by UK police for perjury. In common across all these disasters, whilst the technical factors varied, I found a common theme of wrongdoing, retaliation, and cover-up. Issues were brushed under the carpet instead of addressed directly. For example, one engineering manager at Fujitsu, who built the software behind the Post Office scandal, told the public inquiry how he “was threatened with violence by an individual with a reputation for violence” during one of his early attempts to remedy the issues. This is an industry-wide problem. In November 2023, I led research that found that 53% of software engineers suspected wrongdoing at work, with 75% of software engineers in the UK having experienced retaliation the last time they reported it to their employers. This is a concern as computers do inevitably make mistakes as no software is perfect. Small things like a binary number being flipped (e.g., a “1” becoming a “0”) due to cosmic rays are enough to cause havoc in computer systems, particularly those that haven’t been designed with this risk in mind. There is, however, hope here. The research conducted in the new book finds that resilient systems can be built when humans are part of the system. In these , humans play a role in preventing disaster by raising the alarm and mitigating the issues. socio-technical systems For this to happen, humans must be free to raise the alarm to issues when they come across them. If the on-call engineers who keep our online services and critical national infrastructure running are not able to speak up and act to prevent disaster, these problems emerge. However, this applies to all software engineers and, indeed, everyone who is part of the software development process, including the customers. Killer computers are born in toxic cultures where engineers aren’t able to raise the alarm, and issues are brushed under the carpet. By making sure humans play a key role in the reliability of computer systems, we can help ensure technology serves society.

The Killer Humans Behind Killer Computers

I sold my startup because of bugs: I wish I had this serverless repository! In 2021, I built a startup called Linvo, a LinkedIn automation tool. It generated good money but also had a high burn rate. I can tell you that I lost most of my money as a young entrepreneur (entirely bootstrapped) 😆 The problem with my system is that it kept on failing; I am not the best programmer in the world, but let me elaborate. Puppeteer Sucks Your Memory Linvo went into a few iterations during its lifetime. I used the tech that I know: React and NestJS. Basically, any automated cloud scraping goes into making tasks and then solving them. It looks something like this: Cron runs every 10 minutes, looks for new stuff to do, and sends it to the queue. Workers take tasks from the queue and process them. Save everything to the DB. This is a very naive solution that was running on multiple EC2 (AWS) and Redis. In theory, it should work - Yes, you would need to scale the workers horizontally, but that was not my problem. I started to experience something else - memory leaks. As you probably know, - a chromium automated browser, is heavy (same as Chrome on your computer), and I was running lots of them - they sucked both my memory - causing the servers to stop working and taking the internet bandwidth. Puppeteer Needed a Solution Refactoring sounds like - yeah, let's do that, but my Intercom support was filled with support tickets (I already had many users), and I knew I had to create some crazy refactoring. I had an idea for a solution - let's use AWS lambda. Lambda start Do the task Die (most of the time) It doesn't suck your internet. It will die and not cause a memory leak. It's a bit more expensive because Lambdas were not meant to run indefinitely—that would remove the whole concept, but I was desperate. (Well, the good thing is that you don't need to think about scale.) Here is the new infrastructure: Event bridge cron running every 1 minute (that's the minimum) Lambda that creates six events for the queue (making it like the cron runs every 10 seconds) SQS queue (bye bye, Redis) Lambdas shooting out with auto-scaling (yay?) Vendor Locking As you probably understand from the context - now I am all in with AWS, but I didn't mind - only how I would test it on my computer. Back in the day, I used . It's almost the same as to create the entire environment quickly. Sam Serverless And yes, they do bring some local testing. They can take your lambdas and turn them into endpoints! Yay! But I was using Event Bridge, SQS, and Lambdas. That was just not possible. I have encountered . It was supposed to help me build an entire AWS stack on my computer, but many things were not supported back then, such as Lambda layers. And I was overwhelmed in using it. localstack So I started to create my "own" infrastructure where I deployed one "test" SQS on AWS and ran local code with it (a function that calls a function), and it was - bad. I did not work well in production; I felt like the word was squeezing up on me back in the day. I just wanted to get rid of this startup; I even offered it to people for free, taking the customers and rid myself of that problem. Long story short, I managed to sell the system for a low price, but lately, I discovered something interesting. Winglang - Typescript-like dialect for the Cloud I guess my pain was real, and even though I would be happier to find this back in the day - I am glad it's alive today. helps you to build the same cloud infrastructure as I used, but the nice thing is: Winglang It doesn't require you to use any configuration files. You basically define the entire infrastructure with code (you can check their entire preflight and inflight documentation). You can run it locally - thank you, god, 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 with all the infrastructure included. You can deploy it to any cloud provider, and you don't have to use AWS. They can literally generate any Terraform or cloud formation for easy deployment. I talked to the founder of Winglang, Elad (builder of the famous CDK), and he said something that made me twitch. You can literally work on your projects when you are on an airplane and write tests for it 🤯 I can't give them enough stars myself - but do me a favor and star their repository and of course, use it for your next project. https://github.com/winglang/wing Final Words I am angry at Winglang. I wish they had done it sooner. Now they show up. When it's all about AI? I started a new YouTube channel mostly about Tech, open-source, and marketing :) If that's something that interests you, feel free to subscribe to it here: https://www.youtube.com/@nevo-david?sub_confirmation=1

I Sold My Startup Because of Bugs: I Wish Winglang Existed Back Then

Newton’s Laws in Society: How Social Forces Move Physical Bodies

সমাজে নিউটনের আইন: সামাজিক শক্তিগুলি কীভাবে শারীরিক দেহগুলিকে স্থানান্তরিত করে

Newtons Gesetze in der Gesellschaft: Wie soziale Kräfte physische Körper bewegen

Las leyes de Newton en la sociedad: cómo las fuerzas sociales mueven los cuerpos físicos

Les lois de Newton dans la société : comment les forces sociales déplacent les corps physiques

समाज में न्यूटन के नियम: सामाजिक शक्तियां भौतिक निकायों को कैसे स्थानांतरित करती हैं

社会におけるニュートンの法則: 社会力がどのように物体を動かすか

뉴턴의 사회 법칙: 사회적 힘이 육체를 움직이는 방법

As Leis de Newton na Sociedade: Como as Forças Sociais Movem os Corpos Físicos

Законы Ньютона в обществе: как социальные силы движут физическими телами

Newton'un Toplumdaki Yasaları: Sosyal Güçler Fiziksel Bedenleri Nasıl Hareket Eder?

Định luật Newton trong xã hội: Các lực lượng xã hội di chuyển cơ thể vật chất như thế nào

社会中的牛顿定律：社会力量如何移动身体

The level of censorship in Pakistan escalated significantly during the period when authorities successfully banned , formerly known as Twitter. The authorities in Pakistan on February 17, when the rigging of elections throughout the country fueled the citizens to protest. The citizens wanted to take advantage of that opportunity to engage with each other on social media. They turned to increasing the usage of ( virtual private networks) to bypass the ban on social sites on the internet throughout the country. X started to block social media sites VPN An estimated report reveals that the demand for security software in the market has increased by up to 130%. There have been reports of numerous VPN apps suddenly failing, indicating that Pakistan's Censorship is getting more severe. These restrictions indicate citizens' difficulties in Pakistan, including inhibiting freedom of expression in the digital landscape. History of Internet restriction in Pakistan The process of blocking the internet or social media platforms in Pakistan is as old as the country. Citizens were facing these issues not only in this era but also each year in different forms. The PTA banned social platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, and Flicker in 2010. This was done after a competition known as Everyday Draw Muhammad Day. This competition may contain a bit of blasphemous material. In 2012, the Pakistan's most famous site, YouTube. That was a protest against a film released by the United States, "Innocence of Muslims." The process of YouTube restriction continued till 2016. During these years, many steps were taken regarding its usage and ban side by side. However, it was lifted in September 2016, when YouTube was launched as a local version for Pakistan. PTA blocked In 2020, the usage of due to the spreading of immoral content. TikTok in Pakistan was restricted In 2021, the interior ministry ordered the PTA to , Twitter, YouTube, and whatsapp throughout Pakistan. The reason for the temporary blockage of social media platforms should have been explained earlier. Later, that was described as related to security concerns as there was a worse situation due to Tehrik e back anti-France protests. ban Facebook Alarming condition of Pakistan's internet censorship in 2024 Lina Survila, Surfshark virtual private network provider spokeswoman, said 2024 may be a year of internet restrictions in Pakistan due to enhanced Censorship in Pakistan at an alarming level. The country faced digital darkness on five occasions in the first two months of 2024. When a political party, Pakistan's Tehrik-e-Insaf, organized online events that imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan, they faced two strikes on the internet in January regarding all social media platforms. After this, the authorities hit the internet and plugged off all the social platforms, including X, on the day of the election, and the government named it a security concern. Through this blockage, they tried to consolidate the maximum potential vote manipulation. , internet watchdog Netblock, said," That day was a massive black day in democracy in Pakistan." Alp Toker One member of the Pakistan Senate presented a report to ban all famous social platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram. etc. The citizens faced the shutdown of social media during the country's general election. The proposal states that these social media platforms are affecting the young generation, spreading damaging and malicious content throughout the country against the military millennials. This resolution develops criticism of the violation of the rights of people as citizens have the right to express their views freely. Experts say The threats to ban social media and the internet are still at their peak point in Pakistan. Blockage of X- platform A report against internet monitoring services by states that the senator submitted the proposal when citizens were already in a sensitive stage for blockage of social media platforms. After holding the February 8 elections in Pakistan, there was a great protest against vote manipulation. When Liaqat Ali Chattha, a senior Pakistani bureaucrat, revealed that he was involved in manipulating the vote, this claim was retracted after a few days. NetBlocks The PTI, Pakistan's opposition party, claimed that the general election had been thoroughly manipulated in counting. Party officials announced they would keep up their legal actions and street demonstrations to recover the stolen mandate. At that time, people throughout the country flocked to X or Twitter to express their voices and organize themselves to walk in the streets. Politicians  throughout South Asia kept a great eye on X to keep a view of what was happening in the country. This platform also offers the opportunity to express opposing views and criticize the current political establishment. That was when authorities took the step to ban the X entirely in Pakistan. The government began to block this platform's access without announcing any warnings or explanation. PTI called these tactics desperate tactics, which were developed by the imported government and recommended that citizens use safe VPNs to access all banned social media platforms. Ultimately, citizens have still been trying to overcome these unauthentic restrictions using virtual private networks. Investigation Over Censorship Strategies Advocates of digital rights investigate the censorship strategies of the government of Pakistan for all groups at Islamabad-based-bytes. After a proper examination, they concluded that Twitter's block uses HTTP blocking. Another report or expert opinion believes that an equal collaboration of content delivery networks and authorities could be achieved. The report reads like this: "For Pakistan’s telecommunication authority, it's possible to ban  access to Twitter usage by any method, like IP blockage or deep Packet Inspection rather than to block the content by specific content delivery network providers such as Akamai Technologies, which would be more challenging to control." Although digital platforms are affected by their policies at a harsh level, as in this era, it's impossible to keep citizens away from the social market; digital freedom is not the only victim of continuous internet blockage. Effect of Internet Censorship on Pakistan's Economy The effect of internet censorship on Pakistan's economy cannot be overwhelming. The internet shutdown adversely affects many small and larger scale businesses in Pakistan. A Technologies-driven company reveals that it faced a 36% drawback in sales volume. Another report states that the telecommunication sector suffered almost 2.85 million dollars lost. , an IT sector representative, said they faced 3 million dollars per day till the restrictions were lifted. P@sha Almost 1.3 billion rupees loss has been recorded in Pakistan's economy by the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics due to internet restrictions. A reveals that in 2023, Pakistan ranked third among the most restricted online nations. That cost may seem more significant this year as democratic values are disintegrating daily. study Solution of Internet Censorship in Pakistan VPN services motivate Pakistanis to come if they are on a quest to find a solution to the restrictions. The provider will guide you in getting rid of these internet shutdowns. Final Thoughts Censorship in Pakistan is on the rise, especially online. Limits on social media not only stifle free speech but also affect data access and democracy. During elections, government control raises concerns about citizens' rights. Many people turn to VPNs to bypass these restrictions. Internet shutdowns hurt Pakistan's growth and democracy. Supporting digital rights and using VPNs can help fight censorship in Pakistan. Frequently Asked Questions 1. What Is The Meaning Of Censorship? Censorship means the suppression of someone's voice, involving the ban on the freedom of the public to raise their voice against their issue. 2. Is there any Censorship in Pakistan? Yes, internet censorship is an example of Censorship in Pakistan. This means that some social sites, including X, are banned. This is also done to suppress the voice of citizens on digital platforms. 3. Why is the Internet Banned in Pakistan? The maximum filtering in Pakistan is intermittent. The Pakistan telecommunication authority has blocked the site, which they consider to contain content related to negativity, such as threatening, blasphemous, or anti-religious content. 4. What To Do If There Is Censorship On The Internet In Pakistan? If there's internet censorship in Pakistan, you can use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to bypass restrictions and access blocked content. Additionally, you can advocate for digital rights and raise awareness about censorship issues. 5. Did Pakistan ban VPNs? VPNs are not banned in Pakistan, but their usage is highly restricted. The PTA allows some approved VPNs to be served.

Internet Censorship in Pakistan in 2024

Stories, News & Mentions about DESKERA

Deskera’s Stories on HackerNoon