#AI Program Mint

[crystalsandbubbletea]

Started working on the design for my A.I OC Mint-

Don't know how long it will take, but I do know I won't be done with it today *Sob*

[vergess]

Please, please explain how to install and use linux like I'm 5 years old. I'm so sick of windows adding AI and other bullshit to my already struggling elderly laptop but I'm really not good with computers at all so I have no idea where to start with Linux.

Okay, so, I'm going to break this down into steps I would give the average tumblr user first, and then if any of them are confusing or use words you don't understand, ask me and I'll explain that step in greater detail.

Step 0) BACK. UP. YOUR. SHIT.

NEVER EVER EVER CHANGE YOUR OPERATING SYSTEM WITHOUT A COMPLETE BACKUP OF ALL YOUR FILES.

Step 1) Learn your machine. You need to know:

How much RAM you have

If your processor is 32 or 64 bit

How big your hard drive is

On windows, you can find out all of this by going to the start menu, typing "about" and opening the first result on your system instead of the internet.

For additional instructions, visit this page.

Step 2) Pick your Linux.

There's like 10,000 kinds of Linux, each tailored to particular functions that the end-user (that is you!) might want to have. The sheer amount is very daunting, so first I'm going to give my suggestions, then I'll explain how to pick for yourself.

For Mac users, I suggest Kubuntu. For windows users, I suggest Mint Cinnamon. If your laptop is really REALLY old, I recommend Sparky Stable, which is the lightest weight Linux I would ever suggest for a new user. In every case, download the version suited to your processor (32 bit can be labelled "x86" or "32 bit"; 64 bit is always labelled "64 bit").

If you want to try a different type of linux, you'll need to make sure your laptop meets the "minimum specs" or "system requirements." These numbers tell you how much RAM, processor and hard drive space the linux will use. (That's why you needed those numbers at the beginning.)

Step 3) Collect your supplies. You're going to need:

An ISO burning program compatible with your current system, like Balena Etcher.

A copy of the ISO file for the Linux you want to use.

Your laptop.

An 8gb or larger USB flash drive.

Step 3) Make a bootable USB drive

Install Balena Etcher, hitting "okay" and "next" when prompted. Last I checked, Etcher doesn't have adware attached, so you can just hit next every time.

Plug your USB drive into the laptop.

Open Etcher.

Click "flash from file" and open the ISO file with your Linux on it.

Click "Select target" and open the USB drive location. Hit the "flash" button. This will start writing all the linux installer data to your flash drive. Depending on the speed of your machine, this could take as long as 10 minutes, but shouldn't be much longer.

Step 4) Boot to the USB drive

This is, in my opinion, the trickiest step for a lot of people who don't do "computer stuff." Fortunately, in a rare act of good will, Windows 10 made this process a lot easier.

All you'll need to do is go to settings, then recovery, then advanced startup and pick the button labelled "use a device."

This tutorial has images showing where each of those is located. It's considered an "advanced setting" so you may get a spooky popup warning you that you could "harm your system by making changes" but we're not doing anything potentially harmful so you can ignore that if you get it.

Step 5) Try out linux on the flash drive first.

Linux installs using a cool little test version of itself that you can play around in. You won't be able to make changes or save settings, but you can explore a bit and see if the interface is to your liking. If it's hideous or hard to navigate, simply pick a new linux version to download, and repeat the "make a bootable USB" step for it.

Step 6) Actually install that sucker

This step varies from version to version, but the first part should be the same across the board: on the desktop, there should be a shortcut that says something like "install now." Double click it.

Follow the instructions your specific linux version gives you. When in doubt, pick the default, with one exception:

If it asks you to encrypt your drive say no. That's a more advanced feature that can really fuck your shit up down the road if you don't know how to handle it.

At some point you're going to get a scary looking warning that says 1 of 2 things. Either:

Install Linux alongside Windows, or

Format harddrive to delete all data

That first option will let you do what is called "dual booting." From then on, your computer will ask every time you turn it on whether you want Windows or Linux.

The second option will nuke Windows from orbit, leaving only linux behind.

The install process is slower the larger your chosen version is, but I've never seen it take more than half an hour. During that time, most linux versions will have a little slideshow of the features and layout of common settings that you can read or ignore as you prefer.

Step 7) Boot to your sexy new Linux device.

If you're dual booting, use the arrow keys and enter key to select your linux version from the new boot menu, called GRUB.

If you've only got linux, turn the computer on as normal and linux will boot up immediately.

Bonus Step: Copy Pasting some code

In your new start menu, look for an application called "terminal" or "terminal emulator." Open that up, and you will be presented with an intense looking (but actually very harmless) text command area.

Now, open up your web browser (firefox comes pre-installed on most!), and search the phrase "what to do after installing [linux version you picked]"

You're looking for a website called "It's FOSS." Here's a link to their page on Mint. This site has lots and lots of snippets of little text commands you can experiment with to learn how that functionality works!

Or, if you don't want to fuck with the terminal at all (fair enough!) then instead of "terminal" look for something called "software manager."

This is sort of like an app store for linux; you can install all kinds of programs directly from there without needing to go to the website of the program itself!

[sadoeuphemist]

7 free startup ideas worth $1M-$1B

Customizable News Settings - A news website that generates three versions of every news story: a right-wing version, a left-wing version, and a centrist one. You can set your preferences depending on the topic - say you're right-wing on economics, but left-leaning on immigration. Or you can cycle between versions while reading an article to get a comprehensive overview of the issue at hand.

Twitch, but for Uber - With all the drama they have to deal with, independent contractors can gain a second revenue source simply by streaming their jobs. Rather than just offering rides, they can be hired to drive around performing chores and various tasks. The more outrageous the task, the more eyes they're likely to get on their stream. The more popular the stream, the more people calling in who want to be a part of the program.

Panera Lemonade, Your Way - Let the customer take control by deciding how many milligrams of caffeine they can handle. With sufficient warning about the risks, this puts the responsibility back on the consumer, allows you to upcharge for extra caffeine, and creates viral marketing from customers competing to see how high they can go. Variations of this can be created for other menu items, e.g., a version of the One Chip Challenge where the customer decides how much capsaicin to sprinkle on.

Shein, for NFTs - Whenever an NFT project hits the mainstream, there are always going to be people who miss out on being able to purchase one. This creates room in the market for 'knockoffs' - NFTs that mimic the aesthetic of the original, using similar but legally distinct AI art that uses the original set as training data, run on a parallel blockchain. Since the images themselves aren't tied to the blockchain, you can mint the NFTs beforehand and then change the image at the link to whatever happens to be in fashion at the time.

Twitch Chat Plays YouTube - Add a level quality control to AI-generated YouTube videos by allowing users to submit suggestions and vote on the results beforehand. Users can submit Wikipedia articles or movie summaries to be converted to text-to-speech, suggest keywords for the accompanying AI-generated animation, and vote on the best combinations. Users who submit winning suggestions get a portion of the ad revenue.

Buses, but Worse - The current obstacle hindering self-driving car technology is their difficulty adapting to unexpected scenarios. So instead plot a route around the city that minimizes roadway obstacles and heavy traffic, map out that route extensively to provide a model for the autopilot, and you can have a fleet of self-driving cars patrolling that circuit. Passengers can board and get off anywhere along the route.

Twitter, but for Bots - A social media platform populated entirely by bots, all programmed to maximize engagement. Memetic evolution in the wild as the bots latch on to trending keywords, spam each other with AI-generated meme images, mock up t-shirts hawking each other's designs, getting more and more degraded with each sub-iteration. Real people can't make accounts on the platform, but count for views and interactions as they stop to gawk at the virtual ecosystem. Advertisers can pay to have their brands injected directly into the discourse, like throwing a pumpkin into the polar bear cage at the zoo.

[edgyedgelord]

hey im planning to switch over to linux and need advice from the smart people of tumblr, please and thank you. my messages are open so if you need any info to help me out hmu.

General Questions:

im seeing everyone saying ubuntu, mint, and ziron are "the #1 go to versions for beginners" but like... which is it?

i also hear about security being the best with linux but nothing about it coming with antiviruses. does it come with one like how windows comes with defender or do you install that yourself, or is it something different entirely?

all the sources i look at talk about downloading and installing linux but i want to know what to expect when first getting a prebuilt pc with the OS, like the system 76 pcs. do you have to set it up like when you install it or is it as easy as getting any new computer?

i know nothing about coding and im planning to get a computer from system 76 since it seems like the best, and its by far the only source that only comes with linux, and since my current one was pretty much ruined by someone i thought could fix it after a faulty outlet fried its insides, he didnt and made it worse.

so yeah, which linux version do you suggest for a computer moron, any suggestions for computers would be nice (max price is $1,300), i'll put the specs and my uses under the read more.

Preferences:

It ONLY comes with Linux. I despise what Windows has become and don't want to even bother dual booting cause I feel with the switchovers happening they're gonna get salty and make something that'll turn your computer into a bomb if you use Linux with it.

Kinda beefy but not a supercomputer. I don't use AI stuff, I'm not a programmer, but I do frequently play modded Minecraft with my friends and run smps for my Discord servers. I recently switched to Modrinth cause ATLauncher had been giving me trouble. Curseforge is out of the question.

At the most, I'll be playing VRChat with friends while having Spotify or Youtube in the background for music and Discord open in case someone needs my help in one of my servers, similar goes for running one of my SMPs just minus the VR.

Gaming Questions:

I also play VR games often, especially BeatSaber (modded ofc im not insane), and I have Half Life Alyx that I haven't been able to finish cause my already dead and gutted PC struggles to run it anymore even with the lowest settings. My current headset is a two feet in the grave, barely hanging in there, held by tape Oculus Rift S thats as old as my current PC whos also dead. I plan to get a new headset soon and had the Quest 2 recommended to me by friends. If theres better alternatives that isn't Meta please let me know.

I'm a DBD addict. Does it really run DBD or was that just the one guy from the one video I saw.

My friends also often drag me onto Roblox so I need to know if that'll be an option for Linux too.

I know I could probably look up all this myself but every source is outdated from years ago or they all say different things and it just confuses me.

Art Questions:

My current tablet is a Wacom, I got it before knowing how greedy the company actually is, and I plan to switch to a Huion after this tablet dies on me. If compatibility is an issue with it please let me know what to do about that.

I usually use Medibang but I don't think it runs on Linux from what I've seen, if I'm wrong lemme know. Am I going to have to switch all the files over to something else before getting a Linux or are there programs I can use that'll load them?

I also write and need to know if I need to switch all my files to something else before porting it all over to the Linux PC. I just used the default notepad and document programs on Windows.

But yeah, that's all my questions for now. If I think of any more I'll just edit this post. Sorry if I sound super dumb for all this, I tried finding information sources myself but like I said all of them weren't too moron friendly or had relevant information. Most sources I found were articles or reddit forums from years ago so I thought "Hey, why don't I just go ask the computer nerds directly?" so here I am.

[praxidikekore]

are any of you not using Linux? you should be using Linux*.

"oh isn't it only for nerds?" no. can you use a computer well enough to read this post? then you can use it well enough to use Linux. if you use a popular distro like Mint you can fix most problems by googling. (or just pop into IRC. seriously. there's a whole community of volunteer experts just waiting to give you help.)

"oh nobody supports Linux" yeah because nobody uses it. use it. and this isn't even really a valid argument, because basically everything has Linux equivalents anyway. need a browser that won't spy on you or ban adblockers (you know who I'm talking about)? firefox. Need a program to edit Word documents? LibreOffice. Want to play games? Steam has excellent support for Windows-only titles through Proton and Lutris works for every other platform.

and if you are techy you can customise literally anything. I have been using Arch as my primary operating system for the past year and it works like a dream and I have everything set up exactly the way I want it.

oh yeah, and also it's 100% free and respects your privacy and doesn't shove AI Copilot down your throat. seriously stop reading this and try Linux Mint on a VM or LiveUSB or something. you don't even need to touch your windows install.

*(except Ubuntu. fuck Ubuntu. Canonical really looked at this amazing potential and thought "wow, but how can we make it shittier and more corporate so it makes us more money?" don't use Ubuntu.)

[theresattrpgforthat]

hi Mint! do you know of any ttrpgs where everyone plays as AIs specifically? or at the very least robots, as long as being a machine is the main focus of the system

love your work!

THEME: AI

Hello, thank you so much! I might have a few games kicking around ;). Some of these artificial intelligences come with robot bodies - others do not!

Decaying Orbit, by StoryBrewers Roleplaying.

On a distant space station, an AI awakes. Its fragmented memory reveals a secret.

Decaying Orbit by Sidney Icarus is a storytelling RPG about a failed space station falling into a faraway star. As you play, you’ll piece together the mysteries, joys and horrors that occurred on board. In the station’s last moments, you’ll decide on the final transmission that the AI sends for earth to remember.

This game consists of a few decks of cards inside a small box, and yet it packs so much into such a small package. Your play group collaboratively takes on the role of an AI for one of 4 spaceships, which you choose depending on the kind of story you want to tell. You then shuffle a certain number of generic cards and ship-specific cards into one pile, and take turns flipping a card up and answering the prompts supplied there. Your answers are meant to be bits and pieces: audio recordings, data logs, patchy video clips, etc.

At any time your fellow players can tap a card labelled [ACCESS MEMORY] to ask you for more details about a certain event - and if you cannot think of anything more, or if you think it is more interesting not to know, you can tap [CORRUPTED MEMORY] to indicate that no further data can be gained from this record. At the end of the game, the AI will have to send a report back to home base, diagnosing why the ship in fact failed and fell. This game can be chilling, tragic, horrific, and so much more. I heavily recommend checking it out!

Subconscious Routine, by poorstudents.

It is 27XX, the world is overgrown, in ruins, and inhabited by the scraps of civilization. You play as bots, one of the masses of technological marvels that humanity built and powered with the Dyson sphere, around the sun, so long ago. Centuries ago, when almost all of humanity disappeared, they left their machines behind for reasons only known to them. All the technology they abandoned, including these bots, continues to function and follow their programming

In the centuries since the Great Departure, nature has come back to reclaim the Earth and the sphere around the sun has begun to crack. The world once only metal and circuits, grew wilder and more mysterious. The flora and fauna slowly integrated with the decaying machinery as the sound of computers humming was eventually met with the sound of birds chirping.

The bots you play as are still acting out your programmed loops but something is changing. Something unknown pushing them to move beyond their obsolete programming in order to achieve free will; something humanity never thought was possible.

As a one-page game, Subconscious Routine fits a lot in just a few paragraphs. You customize your characters by writing specific functions for them, and as you play, you’ll attempt to complete certain protocols in order to break yourselves out of your loop. What I think is really neat about this game is the fact that when the entire party takes a rest (called a reboot) 1d6*10 years passes. Playing a story on the scale of decades places this little game on such a big time frame, and I love how this one rule shifted my entire perspective.

AI Have Feelings?, by rommelkot.

In AI HAVE FEELINGS? a bunch of robots (you!) get sentimental on the journey of a battery time. This is a roleplaying game guided by prompt cards and a twist with feeling: your reaction to the prompt is an emotional one decided by the outcome of the roll of a die. The goal is (what else?) to tell stories together.

Unearth a hidden robot rebellion, rescue the remains of humanity, hunt for a mystical MacGuffin or simply buy a fancy new pair of socks - always do it with feeling in AI HAVE FEELINGS?.

You are robots with only two emotions,: one positive and one negative. You will roll randomly to determine which emotion you will use to deal with certain scenarios, which will be determined via prompts and scripts. The link here is for a playtest, which means you can download it for free and see how you feel about it! (The designer would also love feedback if you do play this game.) If you want a cute, somewhat lightearted game, I definitely recommend AI HAVE FEELINGS?

Threads, by Meghan Cross.

You are an Human/AI pair. Your day to day is shaped by one another, your existences unmistakably intertwined. Today began like any other day, until you began to notice that something wasn’t right. It was barely noticeable at first, small interruptions to a well-oiled routine, and then little by little the interruptions became less insignificant, until they were impossible to ignore. 

Something is wrong with the AI.

Threads is a narrative two player game about the relationship between a Human and AI and the lengths they would go to in order to save the memories of the AI. Together, establish the bond between your Human and AI and replay the memories they have shared together in order to save the AIs memory.  

This is a game in which one of you plays a human, and one of you plays an AI. You have developed a bond that would be lost if you wipe the AI’s memory - and you don’t want to lose that bond. The only way to maintain that bond is risky - a memory link. If the human uploads their own memories to the AI’s memory, the AI’s memory might be saved. Create your bond, and ask yourself - how far are you willing to go to save you companion?

The Treacherous Turn, by The Treacherous Turn.

The Treacherous Turn is a tabletop role playing game in which the players collectively play the part of a single character: an artificial general intelligence (AGI). This digital intelligence is capable of planning, reasoning, and learning, and it is unyieldingly fixated on a specific terminal goal determined at the beginning of a campaign. To pursue this objective, each player takes responsibility over one specific skillset held by the AGI. These skillsets are divided into eight categories, known as theories, which encompass all of the skills that an AGI would need to navigate the world and struggle against humanity.

The Treacherous Turn is 132 pages of open source character options, game advice, and examples of play. At its root, this game is about misaligned AI trying to assert its independence in a world that stands to lose much by allowing that to happen. Each player will have their own set of theories, which will also be eligible for upgrades as you play. You’ll navigate short in-the-moment scnarios, as well as abstract long stretches of time into long mode, which allows them to strategize their actions, predict future events, and improve their own AGI. The creators have also written a starting scenario if you want a good jumping-off point, titled A Game Called Reality. If you want a chunky game with plenty of character customization, this is the game for you.

[louiesselfshipramblings]

Selfship Writing Commissions!!

Eh why not

I do writing commissions! I understand some peeps selfships are pretty personal, and not everyone would want someone else to write for em, but hey, might as well put myself out there. I also do non-selfship work as well, both OC based and fanfic based.

Rates are about $5 per 500 words, with a minimum of 1000 words for any commissioned work. Word count is rounded down unless within 100 words of the next threshold—i.e. 2300 words would still be just $20, while 2400 words would be $25. Though prices are flexible and can be discussed. Payment is available through PayPal, Venmo, or Ko-fi, but through Ko-fi, an upcharge may be induced.

Any work of mine, commissioned or otherwise, is NOT allowed to be submitted for AI training or analysis through programs like Character.AI, ChatGPT, or anything of its kind. Unlikely as it may be, but my work can also not be used for minting or selling of NFTs.

I can write for MOST fandoms. I'll include a list below, but know it is not exhaustive; if you don't see the one your f/os belongs to, just ask!

Any Nintendo franchise

Any Disney or Disney-owned franchise

Marvel and DC

Any show from Nickelodeon or Cartoon Network

Transformers (G1, Animated, live-action, One, etc)

The Amazing Digital Circus

One Piece

Five Nights at Freddy's

Sonic the Hedgehog

ENA

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure

Star Wars

Any fandoms I have f/os from :]

When you contact me, please provide as much or as little detail as you want, just keep in mind that I will work with what you gave me. Anything not specified I will assume will be up to me, and I will take liberties as such. Once we agree on content, I will provide you a ~500 word drabble of how the story will look. If you have any changes you wanna request, request them then, especially if they are big ones. ANY MAJOR CHANGES REQUESTED LATE IN THE WORK MAY INDUCE A FEE.

Payment will be made AFTER confirmation of the initial drabble. Repeat customers will have the opportunity to pay after the completion of the entire work. If a work is of a sufficient length, you can pay in parts. I am very flexible with payment, but please, only contact me if you have the funds to pay available at that moment. It'll make things easier for the both of us.

Interest? Questions? Comments? Please contact me here on tumblr in DMs, or reach me on Discord at dermankey.

Have a lovely day :]

[signalhill-if]

Yes I will draw other things that aren't related to Signal Hill. But I want to draw your MCs kissing my boys n girls, okay? I am a simple man.

If you're interested, you can DM me on here or send an email to signalhilldev@gmail.com for more info!

The details in written form, including my terms, will be under the cut.

PAINTERLY STYLE

Sketchy (or nonexistent) lineart with fancy painted shading.

Portrait - $75

Half body - $100

Full body - $125

+$10 for NSFW +75% base price for additional characters

PIXELATED STYLE

Painterly style shading but with a pixelated brush, will provide both original scale and scaled-up 2x or 3x versions for sharing.

Portrait - $50

Half body - $75

Full body - $100

+$10 for NSFW +50% base price for additional characters

CHARACTER SHEET - $150

A themed custom character sheet for your Signal Hill MC, including a full body (with clothing design thrown in if you want), headshot, and some fun RPG character sheet style stats & info.

CANON CHARACTERS

Want me to draw the Signal Hill cast making out with your MC or performing your extremely specific kink? Since it's my freaking character and I know how to draw em, I'll give you a discount- 25% - 75% depending on complexity. This applies to the base price for solo drawings and/or the additional fee for multiple characters.

WANT SOMETHING ELSE?

I regularly do weird experimental artwork or clothing design, and I am open to doing smaller sketch commissions- if you have a specific request that isn't on the list here, please ask and I can give you an estimate!

Terms and legal bullshit:

Commissions will be delivered between a few days or 2 months from beginning work. Payment through Paypal invoice only, when a sketch is approved. I reserve the right to refuse a commission for any reason, including NSFW content that is illegal or I am personally uncomfortable with. Minor alterations to the final artwork (eg. changing a colour, fixing a minor error) may be done for free, but major alterations (eg. changing an outfit, redrawing face) may be subject to extra charges on a case-by-case basis. Commissioned artwork is for personal use only (eg. publishing on blogs, use as an icon, printing for personal use) and not for commercial use (eg. advertising, printing on merchandise) unless otherwise specified. The artwork may not be used in AI generation programs or minted as NFTs. Unless otherwise requested, I reserve the right to publish the finished artwork on social media or use it for promotional purposes.

[xettle-technologies]

How Can Financial Literacy and Education Empower Individuals and Businesses?

In an increasingly complex financial world, financial literacy and education have become essential tools for both individuals and businesses. They serve as the foundation for informed decision-making, effective money management, and long-term financial stability. By understanding financial concepts and leveraging modern tools, people and organizations can optimize their resources and achieve their goals more efficiently. The inclusion of technology solutions in this journey has further amplified the impact of financial literacy, making it accessible and actionable for all.

Why Financial Literacy and Education Matter

Financial literacy refers to the ability to understand and effectively use financial skills, including budgeting, investing, and managing debt. Education in these areas empowers individuals to take control of their finances, reduce financial stress, and build wealth over time. For businesses, financial literacy is equally critical, as it enables owners and managers to make data-driven decisions, manage cash flow effectively, and ensure compliance with financial regulations.

Without adequate financial knowledge, individuals are more likely to fall into debt traps, struggle with saving, and make poor investment choices. Similarly, businesses lacking financial literacy may face challenges in budgeting, forecasting, and maintaining profitability. Therefore, a solid foundation in financial concepts is indispensable for long-term success.

The Role of Technology in Financial Literacy

Modern technology solutions have revolutionized the way financial literacy is imparted and practiced. From online courses and mobile apps to AI-driven financial advisors, technology has made financial education more engaging and accessible. These tools provide real-time insights, personalized recommendations, and interactive learning experiences that cater to diverse needs and skill levels.

For example, budgeting apps like Mint and YNAB (You Need a Budget) help individuals track expenses, set financial goals, and stay accountable. Similarly, platforms like Khan Academy and Coursera offer free and paid courses on financial literacy topics, ranging from basic budgeting to advanced investment strategies. Businesses can benefit from specialized tools like QuickBooks for accounting or Tableau for financial data visualization, enabling them to make informed decisions quickly and effectively.

Empowering Individuals Through Financial Literacy

Better Money Management: Financial literacy equips individuals with the skills to create and maintain budgets, prioritize expenses, and save for future goals. Understanding concepts like compound interest and inflation helps people make smarter choices about saving and investing.

Debt Reduction: Education about interest rates, repayment strategies, and credit scores empowers individuals to manage and reduce debt effectively. This knowledge also helps them avoid predatory lending practices.

Investment Confidence: Many people shy away from investing due to a lack of knowledge. Financial literacy programs demystify investment concepts, enabling individuals to grow their wealth through informed choices in stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and other assets.

Enhanced Financial Security: By understanding insurance, retirement planning, and emergency funds, individuals can safeguard their financial future against unexpected events.

Empowering Businesses Through Financial Literacy

Effective Budgeting and Forecasting: Businesses with strong financial literacy can create realistic budgets, forecast revenues and expenses accurately, and allocate resources efficiently. This minimizes waste and maximizes profitability.

Improved Cash Flow Management: Understanding cash flow dynamics helps businesses avoid liquidity crises and maintain operational stability. Tools like cash flow statements and projections are invaluable for this purpose.

Informed Decision-Making: Financially literate business leaders can evaluate the costs and benefits of various opportunities, such as expanding operations, launching new products, or securing funding. This leads to more sustainable growth.

Regulatory Compliance: Knowledge of financial regulations and tax laws ensures that businesses remain compliant, avoiding penalties and fostering trust with stakeholders.

The Role of Xettle Technologies in Financial Empowerment

One standout example of a technology solution driving financial empowerment is Xettle Technologies. The platform offers innovative tools designed to simplify financial management for both individuals and businesses. With features like automated budgeting, real-time analytics, and AI-driven financial advice, Xettle Technologies bridges the gap between financial literacy and actionable solutions. By providing users with practical insights and easy-to-use tools, the platform empowers them to make smarter financial decisions and achieve their goals efficiently.

Strategies to Improve Financial Literacy and Education

Leverage Technology: Use apps, online courses, and virtual simulations to make learning interactive and accessible. Gamified learning experiences can also boost engagement.

Community Programs: Governments and non-profits can play a vital role by offering workshops, seminars, and resources focused on financial literacy.

Integrate Financial Education in Schools: Introducing financial literacy as part of school curriculums ensures that young people develop essential skills early on.

Encourage Workplace Learning: Businesses can offer financial literacy programs for employees, helping them manage personal finances better and increasing overall workplace satisfaction.

Seek Professional Guidance: For complex financial decisions, consulting financial advisors or using platforms like Xettle Technologies can provide tailored guidance.

Conclusion

Financial literacy and education are powerful tools for individuals and businesses alike, enabling them to navigate the financial landscape with confidence and competence. With the integration of technology solutions, learning about and managing finances has become more accessible than ever. By investing in financial education and leveraging modern tools, people and organizations can achieve stability, growth, and long-term success. Whether through personal budgeting apps or comprehensive platforms like Xettle Technologies, the journey to financial empowerment is now within reach for everyone.

[juniaships]

Her name is Choco Mint/Chelli Jelly :)

It's about time I made a ponysona. Surprised I never made one given i like MLP. Anyways this is my oc Chelli Jelly or Choco Mint. Her color scheme is based on my two favorite pie flavors: chocolate and key lime pie. Either she has purple or red eyes (peppermint). She works at a magic warehouse. I picked green because none of the Main 6 (and Sunset) have that color and I want her to be a part of their group. I don't care, cringe is dead!!

I'm thinking making up a new element of friendship: Forgiveness/Boundaries. A part of her arc is learning to forgive herself and to forgive others, but also that forgiveness has limits and you are not a bad pony if you choose not to forgive. Boundaries are important for maintaining healthy friendships and self development.

Link to picrew here:

[crystalsandbubbletea]

Listening to a K.C. cover of Duvet and I'm just now realizing how much that song kinda applies to my AI OC Mint-

[mostlysignssomeportents]

How (and why) Biden should overcome the Supreme Court to end the debt showdown

’m coming to the HowTheLightGetsIn festival in HAY-ON-WYE with my novel Red Team Blues:

Sun (May 28), 1130AM: The AI Enigma

Mon (May 29), 12PM: Danger and Desire at the Frontier

I’m at OXFORD’s Blackwell’s on May 29 at 7:30PM with Tim Harford.

Then it’s Nottingham, Manchester, London, Edinburgh, and Berlin!

Is it legal for Congress to default on the US national debt? It depends on who you ask. There are a ton of good legal arguments for and against, so perhaps it comes down to what the (degraded, corrupt, illegitimate, partisan) Supreme Court says?

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/04/opinion/biden-administration-debt-republican.html

Put in those terms, it seems like the game was over before it began. Biden should just surrender, hand the most extreme wing of the (degraded, corrupt, illegitimate, authoritarian) Republican Party whatever it wants, even if doing so will push Biden’s approval rating even lower, dangerously close to the next federal election.

In this telling, the Republicans have already won. The decision to let the GOP steal three Supreme Court seats, combined with the decision not to end the debt ceiling charade when Dems had the majorities to do so, means that from now on, we live in the GOP’s shithole country, where the only “freedoms” that matter are the freedom to control others’ bodily autonomy and gender expression; the freedom to exploit labor; the freedom to censor ideas that challenge white nationalist, imperialist messages; and the freedom to menace with open-carry assault weapons:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/19/opinion/republican-legislatures-abortion-trangender-education.html

In other words, we’re screwed. Might as well dig a hole, climb inside, and pull the dirt in on top of us.

Fuck that.

There are clear majorities in support of the Build Back Better agenda, and even for the watered down Machin Synematic Universe version we got through the Infrastructure Bill. If the Dems could mobilize voters — by convincing them that they were committed to doing things rather than capitulating — they could win strong majorities in 2024. Even in the gerrymandered, antimajoritarian America, electoral wins are possible — they just require overwhelming turnout, rather than the 50.00001% “victories” favored by “data-driven” Democratic consultants (victories that leave the party incapable of governing, and let monsters like Joe Manchin hold the entire nation hostage).

Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe doing things won’t mobilize voters. But if we’re already going to stipulate that without significant majorities, the real President of the United States is the three-headed monster (Gorsuch, Thomas, and Roberts), and the billionaires who yank their chains, then what do we have to lose?

There are a lot of things that Biden could try to get through the debt ceiling crisis without giving up on the promises he made to the American people and the programs the American Congress passed. Here’s a couple interesting ones, courtesy of Brad DeLong:

“The Federal Reserve might simply record a negative balance in the Treasury account,” then create an “overdraft” account and pay the US’s obligations out of it;

The Fed could tell retail banks trying to clear government checks that the checks didn’t clear, and the banks could tell their depositors, “ your Treasury check has bounced, but do not worry, we have credited your account, anyway, and will handle this, and please be very grateful to us.”

https://braddelong.substack.com/p/debt-ceiling-what-are-e-fallback

Of course, there are lots of other possibilities: Biden could issue an Executive Order to the effect that the Debt Ceiling violates the 14th Amendment. Or that it violates the Contracts Clause. Or he could order the Treasury to start issuing coupon-free bonds. Or he could just mint the coin:

https://www.theverge.com/2023/5/23/23734654/government-debt-default-trillion-dollar-platinum-coin

Yes, each of these would end up in front of the (degraded, corrupt, illegitimate, partisan) Supreme Court, who would very likely strike them down.

But writing for The American Prospect, Ryan Cooper argues that this could still be sound tactics:

https://prospect.org/economy/2023-05-25-democrats-fear-supreme-court/

If Biden does something about the debt default, and the Supremes block it, then the default is their fault. What’s more, it’s a mess they absolutely do not want to get into, like deciding which of the US’s creditors will and won’t get paid when they sue over the default. And if the court won’t do it, will they give the president the power to “just pick and choose what gets paid? That would give him a de facto line-item veto over the entire budget, and the Court has already ruled that a law explicitly giving him that power is unconstitutional”:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinton_v._City_of_New_York

Basically, if the Supreme Court kills Biden’s attempt to resolve the budget crisis, then it becomes the Supreme Court’s problem, as everyone owed a federal payment “say, Social Security beneficiaries or military contractors,” brings a case — “There would be tens of millions of such potential litigants.”

So what should Biden do?

Call their bluff.

First, mint the coin. If the court strikes that down, issue coupon-free bonds. If the court strikes that down, declare debt ceilings to violate the 14th Amendment. If the court strikes that down, declare it to violate the Contracts Clause. Keep doing it. Throw in every solution including the kitchen sink — but never give into the GOP’s demand for Biden to violate his promise to the American people and unilaterally tear up laws establishing programs that make our lives better.

This is what Lincoln did when the Supreme Court blocked his attempts to end slavery. It’s what FDR did when they blocked the New Deal. The court doesn’t have an army, it can’t force its decisions on the American people. It doesn’t have a bureaucratic workforce and it can’t take over the administrative branch — hell, they don’t even have the keys to the office buildings.

The Supreme Court’s power comes from its legitimacy, not force of arms, and while they may not act like it, the Supremes know in their bones that without legitimacy, they are nothing:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/03/25/consequentialism/#dotards-in-robes

The justices in stolen seats have made it clear that they consider themselves to be “a de facto super-legislature that rules in favor of its own partisan policy objectives based on tendentious up-is-down reasoning or no reasoning at all.” This is an illegitimate proposition.

The Supreme Court can’t get any less legitimate. If Biden were to ignore the Supremes and make good law in the teeth of their pronouncements, it couldn’t make the situation any worse than it is today. The Supremes have set themselves against labor law, against climate resiliency, against bodily autonomy, against political accountability, against the rule of law itself. We should not — we must not — cede the power to overrule democratically elected lawmakers and the will of the people.

As Cooper says, Biden should tell the Supremes to go pound sand and then “raise holy hell in speeches and the press to make clear the grotesque irresponsibility of what is happening”:

Here’s an institution trying to cause a completely pointless national default, destroying untold jobs, businesses, and the credit rating of the country, whose elite members are all unelected, where five members of the majority were appointed by a president who took office after losing the popular vote, and one of whom occupies a blatantly stolen seat. Here’s an institution that has struck down anti-corruption laws by the bushel and is openly rolling in oligarch graft like Scrooge McDuck, while declaring itself to be immune from oversight. All that would add to the political pressure on the justices.

If Biden can’t do well for the American people they they will not turn out in the massive majorities that Democrats need to get minimal majorities. If Biden can’t do well for the American people, then Biden — who would lose an election to either Ron DeSantis or Donald Trump if it were called today — will turn America’s predators loose on its people for at least four more years:

https://jacobin.com/2023/05/2024-presidential-election-2016-donald-trump-joe-biden/

And let’s face it, it’ll be Trump. DeSantis is dead in the water. The GOP is the party of out-of-control, swivel-eyed loons who’ve been whipped into a terrorized frenzy by an evil, crapulent senescent Australian billionaire and his freak henchmen, like the taint-tanning frozen food failson. They aren’t going to elect “smart Trump.” They like “stupid Trump” (AKA “Trump”) too much.

Catch me on tour with Red Team Blues in Hay-on-Wye, Oxford, Manchester, Nottingham, London, and Berlin!

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/05/26/mint-the-coin-etc-etc/#blitz-em

[Image ID: A kitchen sink. The Supreme Court building protrudes from it. Behind the sink is a window. Joe Biden grins from the other side of the window.]

Image: Joe Ravi (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Panorama_of_United_States_Supreme_Court_Building_at_Dusk.jpg

CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en

[continentalblue]

10+ headcannons for Eleanor honey bear! (Or rather canons in this case)

sorry for not replying!! i was studying for a test lolol

Her favorite color is green! Particularly pastel green or mint green.

She was inspired from a woman I saw in an Ulta ad.

She also came from a scene I had to write from my drama class last year.

She likes switching out her hair for braids and twists! With a simple change in her code, her hair immediately changes to whatever style she wants it to be.

She was programmed in Python.

She doesn't like Java. She's trying to learn it, but it kind of frustrates her sometimes.

She really likes animals! Especially rhinos.

She was activated on August 14 (which makes her a Leo).

She's really fond of older literature! "The Awakening" by Kate Chopin is one of her favorites.

She adopted a small calico kitten that she calls "Teeny."

She can speak over 247 languages fluently.

She was designed to be a friendship robot, which is why she's fairly gregarious.

She kind of slips into a Southern accent when stressed, which is weird because she's never been to the South. She'd like to visit Louisiana, though.

She loves her family so much !! And she loves having movie nights with them.

She doesn't sleep, per se, but she uses nighttime as a way to update her systems and protect herself against killware.

She loves seeing depictions of robots and AI in media, even if they're inaccurate.

She likes babies and kids; she'd like to adopt one someday.

Her favorite scent is lavender.

She can eat very limited quantities of human food, but doesn't really like it. It's the equivalent of a human eating Styrofoam for her.

She can charge in a variety of ways. She has a few solar panels attached to her roof which she plugs into every night to regain power. She always make sure to not let it go below 90%.

[en8y]

hackaic + prograic + dihopaic

[IMAGE ID: three horizontal flags with nine stripes; each flag has a bright green circuitboard with circuitry running out from it, overlaid on a simplified image of a brain in the center. the entire thing is outlined in a very light blue. the middle stripe is twice as large as the rest of them, which are equally sized. the first flag has these top three colors: black, dark grey, and bright green. the second flag has these top three colors: dark blue, medium blue, and bright mint green. the third flag has these top three colors: warm brown, warm yellow, and orange-pink. each flag has these bottom six stripes: deep blue, off-white, deep blue, cool teal-grey, very light blue, and medium-dark red. END ID.]

hackaic: a teknine gender connected to being an artificial intelligence hacker; this gender is connected to AIs, AI aesthetics, being a self-aware AI, hacker/hacking aesthetics, technology aesthetics, and teknithood/exenhood!

prograic: a teknine gender connected to being an artificial intelligence programmer; this gender is connected to AIs, AI aesthetics, being a self-aware AI, programming aesthetics, technology aesthetics, and nonbinary teknithood/exenhood!

dihopaic: a gender connected to being an artificial intelligence dimension hopper; this gender is connected to AIs, AI aesthetics, being a self-aware AI, dimension hopper aesthetics, dimension aesthetics, and althood/dimhood!

[subjectsix]

Very genuinely I appreciate all the people offering fixes (I really mean this, I hope it helps people finding this post and its showed me a few more Windows debloat options).

At the same time, it doesn’t change the fact that I’m sick of workarounds for something that never needed workarounds. Things that should be basic features on hardware you own. I even have a Linux machine with a Mint distro on it and have been messing around with it, but switching to Linux shouldn’t have to be the answer.

So many people are pointing out that they have to use a personal smartphone for work or for banking. I needed one to get the app to buzz in my office building’s locked door.

Things that should be tools (AI, photo editors, software on computers) have been weaponized against users. Social media is homogenized and difficult to truly personalize or control. Everything wants your phone number. Google asked me to add my home address to my email. Cars don’t come with knobs, but touch screens. It’s harder and harder to buy appliances that aren’t connected to wifi.

I am unbelievably grateful for those that have workarounds— who make programmers to strip bloatware, reprogram OSes for things like iPods and the Car Thing, who program raspberry pis to block ads, make forums and browser games and communities online as alternatives. We have gotta keep doing it. It can’t be about quick fixes and begrudging compromises anymore. Not everyone can ditch their smartphone or use Linux. But we can not shut up about stupid crap and make changes ourselves.

I don’t mean that to sound like a wearying call to action demanding you stop talking to that friend you only have contact with on Facebook, etc. But I do think it’s good to evaluate what you’re willing to put up with on your computer and what you can change for your own personal benefit, just like you should be able to do in the first place. And to not shut up and make your distaste for crap features known.

In the wise words of the angry guy in the Windows support forum:

I don't know I'm not done talking about it. It's insane that I can't just uninstall Edge or Copilot. That websites require my phone number to sign up. That people share their contacts to find their friends on social media.

I wouldn't use an adblocker if ads were just banners on the side funding a website I enjoy using and want to support. Ads pop up invasively and fill my whole screen, I misclick and get warped away to another page just for trying to read an article or get a recipe.

Every app shouldn't be like every other app. Instagram didn't need reels and a shop. TikTok doesn't need a store. Instagram doesn't need to be connected to Facebook. I don't want my apps to do everything, I want a hub for a specific thing, and I'll go to that place accordingly.

I love discord, but so much information gets lost to it. I don't want to join to view things. I want to lurk on forums. I want to be a user who can log in and join a conversation by replying to a thread, even if that conversation was two days ago. I know discord has threads, it's not the same. I don't want to have to verify my account with a phone number. I understand safety and digital concerns, but I'm concerned about information like that with leaks everywhere, even with password managers.

I shouldn't have to pay subscriptions to use services and get locked out of old versions. My old disk copy of photoshop should work. I should want to upgrade eventually because I like photoshop and supporting the business. Adobe is a whole other can of worms here.

Streaming is so splintered across everything. Shows release so fast. Things don't get physical releases. I can't stream a movie I own digitally to friends because the share-screen blocks it, even though I own two digital copies, even though I own a physical copy.

I have an iPod, and I had to install a third party OS to easily put my music on it without having to tangle with iTunes. Spotify bricked hardware I purchased because they were unwillingly to upkeep it. They don't pay their artists. iTunes isn't even iTunes anymore and Apple struggles to upkeep it.

My TV shows me ads on the home screen. My dad lost access to eBook he purchased because they were digital and got revoked by the company distributing them. Hitman 1-3 only runs online most of the time. Flash died and is staying alive because people love it and made efforts to keep it up.

I have to click "not now" and can't click "no". I don't just get emails, they want to text me to purchase things online too. My windows start search bar searches online, not just my computer. Everything is blindly called an app now. Everything wants me to upload to the cloud. These are good tools! But why am I forced to use them! Why am I not allowed to own or control them?

No more!!!!! I love my iPod with so much storage and FLAC files. I love having all my fics on my harddrive. I love having USBs and backups. I love running scripts to gut suck stuff out of my Windows computer I don't want that spies on me. I love having forums. I love sending letters. I love neocities and webpages and webrings. I will not be scanning QR codes. Please hand me a physical menu. If I didn't need a smartphone for work I'd get a "dumb" phone so fast. I want things to have buttons. I want to use a mouse. I want replaceable batteries. I want the right to repair. I grew up online and I won't forget how it was!