First responders initially responded to a report of a toddler in a pool near Lower Buckeye Road and 63rd Avenue. When they got there, they learned that two toddlers were found in the pool and needed medical help.

2 children dead after drowning incident in Phoenix

Two toddlers were rushed to the hospital after they were found unconscious in a backyard pool in west Phoenix.

Two toddlers hospitalized after being found in a backyard pool in Phoenix

The Phoenix Fire Department said two toddlers were found unresponsive in the pool. Their father called 911 and attempted to give both girls CPR until medics arrived. Both children were quickly transported to a pediatric hospital.

2 toddlers die after being pulled from Phoenix pool | 12news.com

She began looking for the toddler and found him behind their Vergas property “floating face down in the water,” the sheriff’s office said. The area had recently been dry, but a recent rainfall led to an area of water more than 4 feet deep.

Toddler vanishes from mom and is found face down in water, cops say. But there’s hope

Bodhi and other children were playing on a bounce house on Saturday when a “strong gust of wind” sent it into the air, leaving the toddler with life-threatening injuries, the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office said.

Toddler killed after bounce house goes airborne is identified | The Independent

Six people, including a toddler, were injured in a shooting on Wednesday night in Fort Worth, Texas, police say.

6 injured, including children, in drive-by shooting in Fort Worth, Texas, officials say

CASA GRANDE, Ariz. (KPNX/CNN/CNN Newsource/WKRC) - A toddler is dead after a bounce house went airborne.

Toddler dies after bounce house goes airborne

After believing a monster was responsible for the strange noises coming from the wall near her closet for the past eight months, a North Carolina toddler finally knows what all the buzz was about.

'Monster' behind North Carolina toddler's wall revealed to be hive of over 50,000 bees

Toddlers are built differently. Something about when they take those first trepidatious steps tells them that they no longer need things essential to human life. It also gives them a supersonic ego boost of invincibility, which is a concerning combination given the size of their heads in comparison ...

Dad makes brilliant motivational podcast for toddlers to help center them for day of chaos

While multiple children were in the bounce house at the time of the April 27 incident in Casa Grande, the toddler and another child were the only ones taken to the hospital, according to the Pinal County Sherriff’s Office.

Toddler of Phoenix first responder dies after bounce house goes airborne | CNN

Toddle

toddle

Layman’s Tech: a guide to new gadgets, products, and fun — for those who don’t have a degree in computer science. I recently returned from a family visit to Washington D.C.. Having finally gotten to spend some time with a setup, I gained some new insights into how Virtual Reality systems work in social settings. Oddly enough, as we fly forward into a new world of technology, we have to tap into our childhood roots in order to play socially. HTC VIVE Regarding virtual reality, there’s a few standard situations in which people interact: as one in a group of separate VR users. as sole VR user (accompanied by bystanders). and, through online VR play. Photo courtesy of Ars Technica. (and some notes about my brother-in-law’s tech’d-out accessories). To start, let’s go through a brief overview of a setup needed for using a VIVE First, you need the basic headset with tethering cord. (This is the part that would likely fuse to your brainstem in a made-for-TV sci-fi movie.) Only recently has VIVE come out with a headset that included ear pieces, so a large earphones were also required for any audio components. (Sure! Add another cord! I can’t see where I’m walking anyway, so what’s one more trip hazard?) Two base stations (also known as lighthouses) are a minimum for room-scale VR and tracking. These were mounted to walls at a near-ceiling level. Two controllers are also necessary for most operations, as they mimic your hands within a great deal of the VIVE’s operations. A VR-ready PC is a must. An average gamer would likely have a setup sufficient to run a VIVE, complete with added cooling systems. A square-ish room for free roaming. (And very few breakables for the gravity-challenged individuals such as myself.) For specific types of applications, my brother-in-law, Adam, has also built a contraption complete with a car seat and foot pedals. It folds and adjusts for height. (I’m only now realizing I didn’t get a photo of this. Sad, since his sim-pit is a true gaming sight to behold!) None of these items are terribly unusual considering the current, and common, VR usability requirements. A Group of Anti-Social VR Users In group settings, where multiple VR stations are setup for people to use simultaneously, interaction among people is nearly non-existent. When I visited South by Southwest, many areas showed this type of a setup. From the standpoint of trying to give everyone a chance to view the same material, this is the most efficient VR method. However, it also eliminates any sort of outside interaction. A throwback to The Mumny VR Experience at SXSW. Everyone watched the same video simultaneously, but you couldn’t even hear each other’s laughter. To be clear, I do not mean “outside” in the sense of “outside of VR.” I mean that in these controlled environments there is no interaction within the headset/VR world, either. This is the most passive way to experience VR. You cannot speak to the person next to you, as they are also consumed by what they’re seeing and hearing. You cannot speak to anyone inside the headset, as that construct does not yet exist for situations such as these. This is true parallel play, and requires no more social skills than that of a toddler’s. The only people interacting, here, are the ones not inside VR. For those of you who didn’t grow up with a mother going after a master’s degree in psychology (and endlessly trying to evaluate your psyche at the dinner table), parallel play is one of the first steps as young children learn social behaviors. Typically, in early childhood, kids play next to each other without influencing each other’s behavior. Interaction is either minimal or non-existent. Back to D.C., shall we? With the chair contraption neatly tucked away, out of the base stations’ view, my brother-in-law, Adam allowed me to be the first to try the system for the night. As the headset was plastered forcefully onto my face, Adam jokingly called me a VR virgin. “Hardly!” I exclaimed back toward a wall where my headset blindness had convinced me he’d be. I’d find out all too soon how right he was when it came to the VIVE. While I’ve used quite a few setups, I’d never been able to use a VIVE with this much freedom. There was no ultimate goal (such as finding a way to run a 360 clip), no salesperson talking to me the whole time, and no strangers huddled together all using these to see the same pre-recorded video I was also viewing. OMG! Even the stick is different! VR virgin? Still a no. VIVE virgin? Turns out I really was one. The controls were different. The navigation was different. The introductory how-tos were different. Everything was drastically different than any other setup I’d previously encountered. There are some very serious implications among VR and AR in this realm, but we’ll save that for another day. The Sole User (with Bystanders) So, here I am in Adam’s home office strapped into VR and standing in the middle of what was, for all intents and purposes, an empty room. To ensure the live-in pup, Marvin (a cute, cuddly mutt with floppy ears and a lazy eye), wouldn’t trip me or tangle cords, my sister, Rikki, sat guard at the door while holding his collar. Adam supervised me closely at first, but he, too, had to move to a chair just outside of the room in order to give me enough free space to move about. Finally, (this was a family event, after all) my dad also pulled a chair up to join the now huddled, doorway family. I spent some time exploring the new entertainment. I went through a tutorial where I got to throw a stick to a robotic, one-eyed slug-dog-thing while standing atop a cliffside. Despite my efforts, I could not get robo-slog to leap off the cliff after a “poorly thrown” stick. (My dad worked on this more later, and it is, indeed, possible. Don’t worry, robo-slog comes back safe, squirmy, and ready for belly rubs.) Photo courtesy of gamecrate.com. I definitely didn’t create this, though my creation made people physically sick, so chalk that up as one for me! Painting a pyramid! Next, I got to experience by Google. I could see myself spending a great many hours in this app in the furute—I am a designer, after all. For those not in the know, this is an app where you can determine colors and types of paint brushes to use in a 360 degree space. Instead of using perspective on a 2D grid to make something look three dimensional, you are actually drawing in three dimensional space! You can draw a line, and walk around it. I chose to make a really quick and thrown-together pyramid. Experimenting with all of the entertaining brushes (snow, fire, electricity, rainbow, etc.), I was able to create something truly nauseating. No joke, I was “standing inside” my 3D marvel, and the movement made my stomach churn. Tilt Brush It was only at this point, the moment when I’d made myself so physically sick in this amazing virtual world, that I finally took the headset off. Without telling my family why, I asked who wanted to view my masterpiece from the inside. “We’ve been watching you on the screen,” my sister said. It was a kind attempt to say no, but I insisted she give it a try. This might be the very moment when my face shows the sudden onset of nausea. Sitting in the seat my sister once occupied, I noticed how inherently social we are as humans. . My family was trying to make non-social entertainment a group effort. Social and… kind of stupid With Rikki in the simulator, I now see what she’d been viewing on the computer monitor. A small (in comparison to the 360 degree version) and rather poor representation of what I’d been interacting with inside the VR. Three of us sat, trying to hold a conversation while also watching Rikki nauseate herself inside my sickening pyramid. From time to time, one of us would say something to her. Inside VR, with the earphones on, it’s hard to hear everything being said, so any, “whatcha doin’ now?” questions or comments come off as a sad and desperate attempt to interact with someone who’s attentions are 100% somewhere else. Next, we stuck my dad inside the pyramid. I don’t know that it sickened him, but it bored him a great deal. He went on to Google Earth rather quickly. There, you can zoom in or out of anywhere on the globe and explore locations. In another desperate attempt, the rest of us kept trying to get him to talk about what he was doing so we might feel part of the action. I don’t really know what we were expecting. Maybe some sort of Mark Twain-style narration? I, starting to realize I could interact at the same level without sitting in the doorway, opted to move just two feet away in order to play some Mario Party and wait for my next turn. I WAS Luigi, but I still lost. I was next into Google Earth, and I did what I expect most people do: I went to explore places I already knew. Go to the see the Eiffel Tower? Nah, let’s see where I live! Then, since I’m on vacation, why don’t I take a walk by where I work. This was actually pretty cool. I got to walk down paths I knew very well, but the world is one reminiscent of Minecraft. And, since Google Earth is getting their imagery from a variety of off-site sources, some details were a bit off. For example, I had to walk straight through a boulder to get from the Carriage House to Lake Superior. Glensheen Despite this, I must have been having fun. The family insisted on snapping a photo of me with Google Earth Glensheen in the background. I even tried posing for the camera, though it took a few tries for them to get me looking in the right direction. It’s hard to make out any recognizable Glensheen attributes on the monitor behind me. Adam apologized for the poor monitor image in the background, but I didn’t care too much, as I was enjoying the time inside VR. Besides, they knew I’d probably use these photos in a blog and were doing me a favor by snapping them. The quality, whether they’d been good or bad images, wasn’t ever an issue. It was the interaction among each other we were going for, and the truth is this: When acting as a VR bystander, your whole purpose in life, at that moment, is to find a way to interact in a world where you cannot be—to find a way to connect on a level that isn’t available. After Google Earth, I went on to try Audioshield. Best compared to Guitar Hero, I can honestly say this is how I’d like to experience all of my music all of the time. I won’t go into further detail about how great this was, as many others have done so better than I can in a few short sentences. My favorite review is titled “ ,” and can be found . This virtual reality game lets you punch your music in the face here This was about the time when all bystanders gave up on trying to interact. Since Audioshield, more so than the previous apps we’d tried, takes up all of the user’s attention and faculties, no outside conversations are possible. I believe this was why our doorway family began to disperse. Rikki took a turn on the game, and then she and I hunkered down on the couch to let my dad and Adam set up the full sim pit. : though I am currently critiquing the limitations of group interactions when it comes to VR, I think this experience is a great testament to humans and my amazing family. We gathered like excited children to wait for our turns on this technology marvel. Adam seemed just as excited to give us these new experiences—patiently walking my dad and me through navigation. Rikki, though I’m sure she’s seen this same scenario a variety of times in her home, also got excited to sit and watch. While they opened their home and tech to us, and as I was noticing how we were trying to find some unconventional ways to interact among each other, I also realized I wouldn’t have had as much fun inside the VR had I not known my stumbles and odd movements were providing a source of entertainment for others. Having the group there for the duration of play enhance the experience for the better! It is important to note did Online VR Play As with many online games, VR also allows you to interact with other players via the internet. The difference here, as it seems, is that the world becomes so fluid, so immersive, that the other users are slightly less “real.” I got to hear Adam explain a lot of this as I started yelling at my computer generated Mario Party opponents. Though I was in the next room as he walked my dad through flying a plane with the sim pit, I could hear well and knew I wasn’t visually missing anything. A flight simulator as seen at the Smithsonian. These setups are more encompassing than the VIVE, as they rock and roll as the plane moves. My dad, a pilot for more than forty years, was excited to get a chance at virtual flying. He’d been in simulators many times before—for the purposes of getting certified in certain aircraft — but VR is different. These applications allow the user to explore without knowing there will be a catastrophic malfunction from which the pilot needs to recover (a common training technique in aircraft simulators). Here, he can explore his surroundings, and in games, he can enter war-like scenarios where a person fights the enemy planes who are also real people in the same VR, interactive environments. A standard VR flight simulator as seen using the Oculus Rift. Image courtesy of Road to VR. In one such instance, as Adam regaled, he’d been playing for a significant period of time when a particular plane caught his attention. As opposed to many standard online games, this one did not provide him the means or opportunity to interact with that individual. While I didn’t ask for details, it was clear there was no way to speak to the person in a conventional gaming sense. You can’t type a message on the keyboard (it’s not convenient so it’s not necessarily an option), you can’t speak verbally to your team mates (no microphones), and there’s no running list of who’s playing (it would impede the line of sight). The next day, at work, Adam discovered the previous day’s plane/pilot had been his coworker. All that time, they’d been in the same game playing together, but neither knew who the other was. This gave them an opportunity to discuss the game and have a conversation that would not have happened otherwise, but speaking about an experience after the fact, even when both parties were present for the activities, is not as authentic as having those conversations during gameplay. Going forward, there may be instances where they could recognize each other, but communication is still restricted due to current online VR capabilities. Sure, there’s likely some online VR games giving better communication options across sets of players, but it’s not currently the standard. Instead, whether we know the others or not, we are restricted to a silent type of play. Parallel play indicates we do not influence others’, but in a war-time games, the goal is exactly the opposite—you want to attack the other players. If basic communications aren’t available, and we do not know who it is we play against, true interaction cannot exist and does nothing more for our social requirements than would a computer. VR, in its current form, is one of the least social and most isolating entertainment options in existence. For it to survive long term, though, this must change. As evidenced by our need to interact as bystanders—in that desperate yet slightly humiliating way—most humans want to spend their time socializing with others. Sometimes this means just sitting near another person. Other times, this is lengthy debates over current events. Regardless, when one person is experiencing something the others “can’t,” our natural reaction is to find a way to be involved. In VR, we’ve discovered a few solutions—all throwbacks to parallel play. But, as we outgrew and evolved past this toddler tendency, so must VR if it’s going to stick with us for decades to come. One last thanks must go out to Rikki and Adam (and Marvin) for unending entertainment and great hospitality. I should probably also extend an added “thanks” for them tolerating me while I gravitated toward VR/AR displays at museums and snapped photos for future use. You’re guys are awesome!

Social VR: Yup, We’re Toddlers Again—Back to Parallel Play

The Useless Skills You're Still Learning 

Studying is Overrated 

Children Should Not Be Content: The Case Against Kid Influencers

ልጆች ይዘት መሆን የለባቸውም፡ በልጆች ተጽእኖ ፈጣሪዎች ላይ ያለው ጉዳይ

Uşaqlar Məmnun Olmamalıdır: Uşaqlara Təsir Etdirənlərə Qarşı Dava

Los niños no deberían estar contentos: el caso contra los influencers infantiles

Lasten ei pitäisi olla tyytyväinen: tapaus lapsivaikuttajia vastaan

子どもは満足してはいけない：子どもインフルエンサーに対する反論

아이들은 만족해서는 안 된다: 아이 영향력자에 대한 사례

Децата не треба да бидат задоволни: Случај против деца инфлуенсери

ماشومان باید محتوا نه وي: د ماشومانو د نفوذ کونکو پروړاندې قضیه

ළමයින් සෑහීමට පත් නොවිය යුතුය: ළමයින්ට බලපෑම් කරන්නන්ට එරෙහි නඩුව

Vana Havafanire Kugutsikana: Nyaya Inopesana Nevana Vanofurira

Carruurtu waa inaysan ku qanacsanayn: Kiiska Ka Dhanka ah Saamaynta Carruurta

Çocuklar Mutlu Olmamalı: Çocuk Etkileyicilere Karşı Dava

Computers are Easy, People are Hard: How to Coach for Excellence in Tech

Amazon is back at it again, trying to convince us that mixing retail with reality TV is the future we’ve all been waiting for. Their latest venture, “Buy It Now Bonanza,” launching October 30th, is basically a lovechild of Shark Tank and a hyperactive QVC on espresso shots who’s been blessed by Billy Mays. Entrepreneurs will strut out onto the stage and pitch their products with the desperation of someone pitching their business in a doomsday bunker for the chance to be featured in a dedicated “Buy It Now” store on Amazon and $20k in cash. The differentiating twist? You, dear viewer, can buy these products live as the show unfolds. Yep, you’re now part of the equation. Lauren Anderson, Amazon MGM Studios’ head of brand and content innovation, says the show is “all about giving audiences a glimpse into Amazon’s collaborative process with small businesses”, and “an opportunity for Amazon to showcase how they work with entrepreneurs.”  (So, a nicer way of saying: “Look, we’re not just a digital jungle where products go to get lost!”) But let’s peel back the glittery PR gloss and see it for what it is: t-commerce (television commerce) on a sugar rush, primed to turn your TV into a 24/7 carnival of consumerism. Let’s pause for a history lesson. T-commerce isn’t some new-fangled tech bro gimmick; it’s been around since the days when shoulder pads were in fashion and Madonna was still scandalous. It’s just an umbrella term that covers every possible way a person can be seduced into spending money from their couch. Remember QVC? That wasn’t just your grandma’s background noise while she knit itchy scarves. That and late-night infomercials were the pilgrims of t-commerce, turning casual TV watching into a full-contact sport where the prize was a set of steak knives or a fitness gadget that doubled as a coat rack. But fast-forward to the 2020s, and t-commerce has had a glow-up, and spawned an offspring known as shoppable TV. The main difference is that shoppable TV refers specifically to when sophisticated tech turns any TV into a virtual checkout lane. Take LG, for example, which integrated a platform called “LG Channels” that allows viewers to click on interactive ads and purchase products directly from their screens. Then there’s Walmart, which partnered with NBC Universal to launch a shoppable TV experience that transformed shows like Today into seamless shopping opportunities. By scanning a QR code or clicking a button on their remote, viewers could add products to their Walmart cart without ever leaving the couch. It’s a new era where your favorite sitcom can double as a personalized shopping mall—minus the mall walkers and pretzel stands. But whether it’s calling a number splashed across the screen in a retro cable ad or scanning a QR code while half-watching a reality show, the goal is the same: to turn your TV into a giant, digital impulse-buy button. You see it, you want it, you click it, it’s yours. It’s the lazy shopaholic’s dream—or nightmare, depending on your credit card limit. And Amazon? They’ve been trying to perfect this blend of entertainment and shopping for years, but with the success of Prime Video and the constant buzzing drone of Alexa in our homes, they’ve finally got the audience hooked. “Buy It Now Bonanza” isn’t their first attempt to turn TV into a digital mall. Remember those awkward QR codes popping up during shows, urging you to whip out your phone and buy some obscure kitchen gadget? Or that ill-fated Style Code Live that fizzled out in less than a year? Yes, we’ve seen this dance before. But Amazon’s nothing if not persistent, and like a toddler with a bag of sugar, they just keep going. So why could this be the moment they get it right? Well, for one thing, it’s not just about shopping—it’s about the spectacle. You’re not being asked to buy a product; you’re being lured into an emotional narrative. You’ll watch an entrepreneur put their heart, soul, and probably a second mortgage on the line, while Amazon executives and Gwyneth Paltrow (because, why not?) decide their fate. It’s high stakes, it’s drama, and if produced well, it’s the ultimate feel-good (or cringe) binge. And that’s where the genius lies. Because as you’re drawn into the tension and drama, you’ll almost forget that you’re being sold something. Almost. But the real strategy here is even sneakier. Amazon doesn’t just want your money; they want your future. This show is their latest attempt to reposition themselves not just as a place to find the cheapest toilet paper, but as a destination for discovering the cool, quirky, and innovative. They’ve been struggling to move from being the “everything store” to the “inspiration store,” but it’s tough to inspire when your algorithm keeps pushing bulk toothpaste. This show is a bet that by packaging product discovery in the slick, shiny wrapping paper of reality TV, they might finally convince you that they’re more than just an online bazaar. Yet, despite all the polish, there’s a part of us that wonders: isn’t this just a really, really long ad? But…does that really matter if it’s entertaining enough? Maybe not. Even Bernstein analyst Mark Shmulik quipped, “This feels more elegant than QR codes.” At the end of the day, if “Buy It Now Bonanza” manages to pull us away from doom-scrolling through social media or pretending to be interested in another AI-generated news article, maybe we’ll forgive Amazon for turning our TVs into a giant checkout screen. After all, we’ve already given in to binge-watching; is binge-buying really that far behind? And with that, perhaps it’s refreshing to focus on a piece of tech news that, for once, has nothing to do with AI. Well, unless Alexa decides to join the panel next season. Amazon is back at it again, trying to convince us that mixing retail with reality TV is the future we’ve all been waiting for. Their latest venture, “Buy It Now Bonanza,” launching October 30th, is basically a lovechild of Shark Tank and a hyperactive QVC on espresso shots who’s been blessed by Billy Mays. a lovechild of Shark Tank and a hyperactive QVC on espresso shots who’s been blessed by Billy Mays. Entrepreneurs will strut out onto the stage and pitch their products with the desperation of someone pitching their business in a doomsday bunker for the chance to be featured in a dedicated “Buy It Now” store on Amazon and $20k in cash. The differentiating twist? You, dear viewer, can buy these products live as the show unfolds. The differentiating twist? You, dear viewer, can buy these products live as the show unfolds. live Yep, you’re now part of the equation. Yep, you’re now part of the equation. Yep, you’re now part of the equation. Lauren Anderson, Amazon MGM Studios’ head of brand and content innovation, says the show is “all about giving audiences a glimpse into Amazon’s collaborative process with small businesses”, and “an opportunity for Amazon to showcase how they work with entrepreneurs.”  (So, a nicer way of saying: “Look, we’re not just a digital jungle where products go to get lost!”) But let’s peel back the glittery PR gloss and see it for what it is: t-commerce (television commerce) on a sugar rush, primed to turn your TV into a 24/7 carnival of consumerism. But let’s peel back the glittery PR gloss and see it for what it is: t-commerce (television commerce) on a sugar rush, primed to turn your TV into a 24/7 carnival of consumerism . primed to turn your TV into a 24/7 carnival of consumerism primed to turn your TV into a 24/7 carnival of consumerism Let’s pause for a history lesson. T-commerce isn’t some new-fangled tech bro gimmick; it’s been around since the days when shoulder pads were in fashion and Madonna was still scandalous. It’s just an umbrella term that covers every possible way a person can be seduced into spending money from their couch . Remember QVC? That wasn’t just your grandma’s background noise while she knit itchy scarves. T-commerce isn’t some new-fangled tech bro gimmick; it’s been around since the days when shoulder pads were in fashion and Madonna was still scandalous. every possible way a person can be seduced into spending money from their couch every possible way a person can be seduced into spending money from their couch That and late-night infomercials were the pilgrims of t-commerce, turning casual TV watching into a full-contact sport where the prize was a set of steak knives or a fitness gadget that doubled as a coat rack. But fast-forward to the 2020s, and t-commerce has had a glow-up, and spawned an offspring known as shoppable TV . The main difference is that shoppable TV refers specifically to when sophisticated tech turns any TV into a virtual checkout lane. Take LG, for example, which integrated a platform called “LG Channels” that allows viewers to click on interactive ads and purchase products directly from their screens. shoppable TV shoppable TV shoppable TV Then there’s Walmart, which partnered with NBC Universal to launch a shoppable TV experience that transformed shows like Today into seamless shopping opportunities. By scanning a QR code or clicking a button on their remote, viewers could add products to their Walmart cart without ever leaving the couch. It’s a new era where your favorite sitcom can double as a personalized shopping mall—minus the mall walkers and pretzel stands. But whether it’s calling a number splashed across the screen in a retro cable ad or scanning a QR code while half-watching a reality show, the goal is the same: to turn your TV into a giant, digital impulse-buy button. You see it, you want it, you click it, it’s yours. It’s the lazy shopaholic’s dream—or nightmare, depending on your credit card limit. But whether it’s calling a number splashed across the screen in a retro cable ad or scanning a QR code while half-watching a reality show, the goal is the same: to turn your TV into a giant, digital impulse-buy button . You see it, you want it, you click it, it’s yours. It’s the lazy shopaholic’s dream—or nightmare, depending on your credit card limit. to turn your TV into a giant, digital impulse-buy button You see it, you want it, you click it, it’s yours. And Amazon? They’ve been trying to perfect this blend of entertainment and shopping for years, but with the success of Prime Video and the constant buzzing drone of Alexa in our homes, they’ve finally got the audience hooked. “Buy It Now Bonanza” isn’t their first attempt to turn TV into a digital mall. And Amazon? They’ve been trying to perfect this blend of entertainment and shopping for years, but with the success of Prime Video and the constant buzzing drone of Alexa in our homes, they’ve finally got the audience hooked. finally Remember those awkward QR codes popping up during shows, urging you to whip out your phone and buy some obscure kitchen gadget? Or that ill-fated Style Code Live that fizzled out in less than a year? Yes, we’ve seen this dance before. But Amazon’s nothing if not persistent, and like a toddler with a bag of sugar, they just keep going. But Amazon’s nothing if not persistent, and like a toddler with a bag of sugar, they just keep going. So why could this be the moment they get it right? So why could this be the moment they get it right? Well, for one thing, it’s not just about shopping—it’s about the spectacle. You’re not being asked to buy a product; you’re being lured into an emotional narrative . You’ll watch an entrepreneur put their heart, soul, and probably a second mortgage on the line, while Amazon executives and Gwyneth Paltrow (because, why not?) decide their fate. Well, for one thing, it’s not just about shopping—it’s about the spectacle. Well, for one thing, it’s not just about shopping—it’s about the spectacle. asked you’re being lured into an emotional narrative It’s high stakes, it’s drama, and if produced well, it’s the ultimate feel-good (or cringe) binge. And that’s where the genius lies. Because as you’re drawn into the tension and drama, you’ll almost forget that you’re being sold something. Almost. Because as you’re drawn into the tension and drama, you’ll almost forget that you’re being sold something. Almost. Because as you’re drawn into the tension and drama, you’ll almost forget that you’re being sold something. Almost. But the real strategy here is even sneakier. Amazon doesn’t just want your money; they want your future. This show is their latest attempt to reposition themselves not just as a place to find the cheapest toilet paper, but as a destination for discovering the cool, quirky, and innovative. But the real strategy here is even sneakier. Amazon doesn’t just want your money; they want your future. Amazon doesn’t just want your money; they want your future . future destination for discovering destination for discovering discovering They’ve been struggling to move from being the “everything store” to the “inspiration store,” but it’s tough to inspire when your algorithm keeps pushing bulk toothpaste. This show is a bet that by packaging product discovery in the slick, shiny wrapping paper of reality TV, they might finally convince you that they’re more than just an online bazaar. Yet, despite all the polish, there’s a part of us that wonders: isn’t this just a really, really long ad? But…does that really matter if it’s entertaining enough? Maybe not. Even Bernstein analyst Mark Shmulik quipped, “This feels more elegant than QR codes.” Yet, despite all the polish, there’s a part of us that wonders: isn’t this just a really, really long ad? really At the end of the day, if “Buy It Now Bonanza” manages to pull us away from doom-scrolling through social media or pretending to be interested in another AI-generated news article, maybe we’ll forgive Amazon for turning our TVs into a giant checkout screen. After all, we’ve already given in to binge-watching; is binge-buying really that far behind? After all, we’ve already given in to binge-watching; is binge-buying really that far behind? really And with that, perhaps it’s refreshing to focus on a piece of tech news that, for once, has nothing to do with AI. Well, unless Alexa decides to join the panel next season. And with that, perhaps it’s refreshing to focus on a piece of tech news that, for once, has nothing to do with AI. Well, unless Alexa decides to join the panel next season.

Amazon’s ‘Buy It Now Bonanza’: The Shoppable Spectacle That’s Out to Make Your Wallet Weep

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Ki jan yo bati workflows AI nan mond reyèl la ak AutoGen: Gid etap pa etap

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Facebook. Where do I even begin with this colossal junkyard of a platform? It's like someone took the concept of social networking and doused it in a vat of incompetence. Let's talk about how Facebook has managed to mess up beyond all common sense. Firstly, their idea of content moderation seems to be more about randomly throwing darts at a board than actually using any sort of coherent logic. Legitimate posts in perfectly innocuous groups are being whisked away into the digital ether while spam proliferates like a disease. Seriously, how does a post about genuine advice or a thoughtful discussion get flagged and removed, but the umpteenth spammy post for shady sunglasses or miracle weight loss pills in totally irrelevant groups get a free pass? It's like Facebook has an algorithm that's not just broken but actively malicious. Facebook cares more about profit margins than the user experience. Instead of fostering a community where people can share meaningful ideas and connect on a genuine level, they've turned it into a virtual junkyard where the loudest, most obnoxious, spammy advertisers and paid-to-post parasites reign supreme. What happened to valuing quality over quantity? Now, it's all about how many eyeballs they can shove in front of spammy URL posts or advertisements, regardless of whether those eyeballs are seeing something worthwhile or utter garbage. It's a race to the bottom where meaningful content is drowned out by an endless barrage of clickbait. And let's not forget the privacy nightmares. Facebook has more tentacles in your personal life than an overbearing mother-in-law. They track your every move, every click, every like, and probably your wet dreams if they could. Remember when Facebook was caught red-handed with plans to sell user data and received support from Facebook’s most senior executives, including CEO Mark Zuckerberg and chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg? Yeah, that happened, and somehow, we're all still here, feeding the beast with our personal information. According to approximately 4,000 pages of leaked internal documents obtained by NBC News, Zuckerberg allegedly supervised strategies aimed at centralizing the social network's influence and stifling competitors by using user data as leverage. This occurred despite public assurances from the company about protecting user data. The documents primarily cover the years 2011 to 2015. Facebook’s (Meta) latest spam joke Case in point: I joined a Facebook group dedicated to blogging and guest posting. Perfect, right? Wrong. I posted a meticulously crafted message with a URL, offering insightful tips on how to craft a perfect guest post. What did Facebook do? They promptly removed my post, citing some obscure community guideline violation. Meanwhile, the same group was inundated with spam posts about irrelevant topics, worthless websites, and other scammers, hawked by individuals paid to spread digital garbage like confetti at a clown convention. Facebook has lost its way. Digital Nonsense It's crystal clear that Facebook has lost its way. They seem more interested in padding their profits than ensuring a quality user experience. Maybe they're scrimping on competent programmers because their algorithms can't tell the difference between genuine content and spammy trash. There are better options out there, folks. Platforms that actually give a damn about quality and fairness. They know how to handle spam: swiftly and decisively, with bans and suspensions flying like justice from a vigilant sheriff. Meanwhile, Facebook twiddles its thumbs, letting the spammers run amok like unruly toddlers in a toy store. It's time for a change It's time for a change. Governments should consider banning this digital travesty of a platform. We deserve better. We deserve platforms that respect our time, our data, and our intelligence. Facebook had its chance. It's time to let it fade into irrelevance, like the distant memory of a regrettable haircut or Myspace. Facebook could have been a force for good - Instead, it’s a spam-loving machine The saddest part is that Facebook could have been a force for good. It could have been a platform where people from all walks of life could come together, share ideas, and foster genuine connections. Instead, it's a bloated, soulless husk of what it could have been—a place where spam rules and meaningful interaction is a rare gem buried under layers of digital detritus. Facebook is a joke Facebook is a joke—a sad, outdated relic in the age of superior social media alternatives. Let's move on, shall we? There's a whole world of digital connectivity out there, waiting for us to embrace platforms that actually value what matters. Facebook's love affair with scammers Facebook's love affair with scammers is a textbook example of corporate greed overshadowing ethical responsibility. They don't just turn a blind eye to scammers; they roll out the red carpet for them. It's like they have a special VIP section reserved for shady operators peddling everything from fake diplomas, get-rich-quick schemes, dodgy products and digital services. It's like they're saying, "Scam away, folks! Just make sure the ad revenue keeps flowing." They rake in cash hand over fist while unsuspecting users fall victim to schemes that would make even the most seasoned con artist blush. Facebook doesn't care. And the best part? Facebook doesn't care. They're too busy counting their ill-gotten gains to bother with pesky details like vetting advertisers or ensuring the legitimacy of promoted services. Who cares if someone's promoting a Ponzi scheme or selling snake oil disguised as miracle cures? Certainly not Facebook, as long as those sweet advertising dollars keep pouring in. Facebook's revenue - Willful ignorance Let's face it: a substantial chunk of Facebook's revenue likely comes from scammers. I mean, do they even bother to check? The obvious answer is no. It's the digital equivalent of renting out billboard space to a carnival barker without asking what's under the tent. They're complicit, whether through negligence or willful ignorance. So, while the rest of us navigate the internet with caution, Facebook gleefully lines its pockets with ad click money earned from the misfortune of others. It's a disgrace, a betrayal of trust, and a stark reminder that when it comes to ethics, Facebook is MIA. Facebook's laissez-faire attitude towards scammy and spammy advertisers is not just irresponsible—it's reprehensible. They owe their users better. They owe the digital community better. It’s time our governments finally put a stop to this mayhem. Hence why I have decided to start my own movement, a reporting agency that finds, responds to and reports every scam we come across. Then, provide a database every month to my national government that reflects the reported scams Meta refuses to remove after being reported. A visionary will emerge - Sooner than you think! Someday, a visionary will emerge—someone smarter, bolder, and more ethical than Zuckerberg and his cohort of profit-driven enablers. This visionary will revolutionize social media, leaving Facebook (or Meta, as they now call it) in the dust. (Watch this space) Picture this: a platform where authenticity reigns supreme. Only real people, genuine advertisers, and vetted content are allowed. No more scams, no more clickbait, no more shady dealings. It's a place where integrity is not just a buzzword but a guiding principle. This new social media titan will prioritize user safety and privacy above all else. Children will be protected, personal data will be guarded like a treasure, and transparency will be the cornerstone of every interaction. Imagine a digital space where users can connect, share, and thrive without fear of exploitation or deception. And yes, this platform will make money. But unlike Facebook, its success won't come at the expense of its users' trust. It will be a fair exchange where value is delivered without compromising principles. Advertising will be relevant and respectful, enhancing the user experience rather than detracting from it.  It’s coming, believe me. Maybe sooner than you think. Meta, beware. The winds of change are blowing, and it's only a matter of time until you become the next Myspace—a relic of a bygone era. The future belongs to those who innovate with integrity and prioritize the well-being of their community. So, brace yourself because the revolution is coming, and when it arrives, the world will finally have a social media platform worthy of its users. So, Facebook, if you're listening (which you probably are because, let's face it, you're always listening), get your act together. Clean up your act. Start valuing quality content and user experience over your bottom line driven by spam and scams. Stop treating us like commodities to be sold to the highest bidder. Until then, I'll be over here, trying to salvage what's left of my faith in social media. And maybe, just maybe, hoping for a platform that actually gives a damn about its legitimate users instead of spammers and scammers. It's time they cleaned up their act and started prioritizing integrity over profit, and governments start handing out major penalties Until then, caveat emptor: let the buyer beware, especially when it comes to anything Facebook promotes on its junkyard of depict, spam and filth. Facebook. Where do I even begin with this colossal junkyard of a platform? It's like someone took the concept of social networking and doused it in a vat of incompetence. Let's talk about how Facebook has managed to mess up beyond all common sense. Firstly, their idea of content moderation seems to be more about randomly throwing darts at a board than actually using any sort of coherent logic. Legitimate posts in perfectly innocuous groups are being whisked away into the digital ether while spam proliferates like a disease. Seriously, how does a post about genuine advice or a thoughtful discussion get flagged and removed, but the umpteenth spammy post for shady sunglasses or miracle weight loss pills in totally irrelevant groups get a free pass? It's like Facebook has an algorithm that's not just broken but actively malicious. Facebook cares more about profit margins than the user experience. Instead of fostering a community where people can share meaningful ideas and connect on a genuine level, they've turned it into a virtual junkyard where the loudest, most obnoxious, spammy advertisers and paid-to-post parasites reign supreme. What happened to valuing quality over quantity? Now, it's all about how many eyeballs they can shove in front of spammy URL posts or advertisements, regardless of whether those eyeballs are seeing something worthwhile or utter garbage. It's a race to the bottom where meaningful content is drowned out by an endless barrage of clickbait. And let's not forget the privacy nightmares. Facebook has more tentacles in your personal life than an overbearing mother-in-law. They track your every move, every click, every like, and probably your wet dreams if they could. Remember when Facebook was caught red-handed with plans to sell user data and received support from Facebook’s most senior executives, including CEO Mark Zuckerberg and chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg? Yeah, that happened, and somehow, we're all still here, feeding the beast with our personal information. plans to sell user data According to approximately 4,000 pages of leaked internal documents obtained by NBC News, Zuckerberg allegedly supervised strategies aimed at centralizing the social network's influence and stifling competitors by using user data as leverage. This occurred despite public assurances from the company about protecting user data. The documents primarily cover the years 2011 to 2015. Facebook’s (Meta) latest spam joke Case in point: I joined a Facebook group dedicated to blogging and guest posting. Perfect, right? Wrong. I posted a meticulously crafted message with a URL, offering insightful tips on how to craft a perfect guest post . guest post What did Facebook do? What did Facebook do? They promptly removed my post, citing some obscure community guideline violation. Meanwhile, the same group was inundated with spam posts about irrelevant topics, worthless websites, and other scammers , hawked by individuals paid to spread digital garbage like confetti at a clown convention. spam posts other scammers Facebook has lost its way. Digital Nonsense It's crystal clear that Facebook has lost its way. They seem more interested in padding their profits than ensuring a quality user experience. Maybe they're scrimping on competent programmers because their algorithms can't tell the difference between genuine content and spammy trash. There are better options out there, folks. Platforms that actually give a damn about quality and fairness. They know how to handle spam: swiftly and decisively, with bans and suspensions flying like justice from a vigilant sheriff. Meanwhile, Facebook twiddles its thumbs, letting the spammers run amok like unruly toddlers in a toy store. It's time for a change It's time for a change. Governments should consider banning this digital travesty of a platform. We deserve better. We deserve platforms that respect our time, our data, and our intelligence. Facebook had its chance. It's time to let it fade into irrelevance, like the distant memory of a regrettable haircut or Myspace. Facebook could have been a force for good - Instead, it’s a spam-loving machine Facebook could have been a force for good - Instead, it’s a spam-loving machine The saddest part is that Facebook could have been a force for good. It could have been a platform where people from all walks of life could come together, share ideas, and foster genuine connections. Instead, it's a bloated, soulless husk of what it could have been—a place where spam rules and meaningful interaction is a rare gem buried under layers of digital detritus. Facebook Facebook is a joke Facebook is a joke—a sad, outdated relic in the age of superior social media alternatives. Let's move on, shall we? There's a whole world of digital connectivity out there, waiting for us to embrace platforms that actually value what matters. Facebook's love affair with scammers Facebook's love affair with scammers is a textbook example of corporate greed overshadowing ethical responsibility. They don't just turn a blind eye to scammers; they roll out the red carpet for them. It's like they have a special VIP section reserved for shady operators peddling everything from fake diplomas, get-rich-quick schemes, dodgy products and digital services. love affair with scammers shady operators fake It's like they're saying, "Scam away, folks! Just make sure the ad revenue keeps flowing." They rake in cash hand over fist while unsuspecting users fall victim to schemes that would make even the most seasoned con artist blush. Facebook doesn't care. And the best part? Facebook doesn't care. They're too busy counting their ill-gotten gains to bother with pesky details like vetting advertisers or ensuring the legitimacy of promoted services. Who cares if someone's promoting a Ponzi scheme or selling snake oil disguised as miracle cures? Certainly not Facebook, as long as those sweet advertising dollars keep pouring in. Facebook's revenue - Willful ignorance Let's face it: a substantial chunk of Facebook's revenue likely comes from scammers. I mean, do they even bother to check? The obvious answer is no. It's the digital equivalent of renting out billboard space to a carnival barker without asking what's under the tent. They're complicit, whether through negligence or willful ignorance. So, while the rest of us navigate the internet with caution, Facebook gleefully lines its pockets with ad click money earned from the misfortune of others. It's a disgrace, a betrayal of trust, and a stark reminder that when it comes to ethics, Facebook is MIA. Facebook's laissez-faire attitude towards scammy and spammy advertisers is not just irresponsible—it's reprehensible. They owe their users better. They owe the digital community better. It’s time our governments finally put a stop to this mayhem. Hence why I have decided to start my own movement, a reporting agency that finds, responds to and reports every scam we come across. Then, provide a database every month to my national government that reflects the reported scams Meta refuses to remove after being reported. the reported scams A visionary will emerge - Sooner than you think! Someday, a visionary will emerge—someone smarter, bolder, and more ethical than Zuckerberg and his cohort of profit-driven enablers. This visionary will revolutionize social media, leaving Facebook (or Meta, as they now call it) in the dust. (Watch this space) Picture this: a platform where authenticity reigns supreme. Only real people, genuine advertisers, and vetted content are allowed. No more scams, no more clickbait, no more shady dealings. It's a place where integrity is not just a buzzword but a guiding principle. authenticity content This new social media titan will prioritize user safety and privacy above all else. Children will be protected, personal data will be guarded like a treasure, and transparency will be the cornerstone of every interaction. Imagine a digital space where users can connect, share, and thrive without fear of exploitation or deception. And yes, this platform will make money. But unlike Facebook, its success won't come at the expense of its users' trust. It will be a fair exchange where value is delivered without compromising principles. Advertising will be relevant and respectful, enhancing the user experience rather than detracting from it.  It’s coming, believe me. Maybe sooner than you think. Meta, beware. The winds of change are blowing, and it's only a matter of time until you become the next Myspace—a relic of a bygone era. The future belongs to those who innovate with integrity and prioritize the well-being of their community. So, brace yourself because the revolution is coming, and when it arrives, the world will finally have a social media platform worthy of its users. So, Facebook, if you're listening (which you probably are because, let's face it, you're always listening), get your act together. Clean up your act. Start valuing quality content and user experience over your bottom line driven by spam and scams. Stop treating us like commodities to be sold to the highest bidder. Until then, I'll be over here, trying to salvage what's left of my faith in social media. And maybe, just maybe, hoping for a platform that actually gives a damn about its legitimate users instead of spammers and scammers. It's time they cleaned up their act and started prioritizing integrity over profit, and governments start handing out major penalties Until then, caveat emptor: let the buyer beware, especially when it comes to anything Facebook promotes on its junkyard of depict, spam and filth.

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