#Centre for Applied AI

[youthchronical]

Industry leaders term Karnataka’s FOF and deep tech fund biggest boost yet for ‘Beyond Bengaluru’

T.V. Mohandas Pai The government’s announcement in the State Budget to set aside ₹300 crore for a Fund of Funds (FOF) and ₹100 crore for deep tech development has received praises from the industry leaders and experts who feel that these initiatives will go a long way in boosting the start-up ecosystem in clusters such as Mysuru, Mangaluru and Hubballi. The government plans to introduce…

[chronically-chaotic-cryptid]

on my knees BEGGING people to stop using AI. data centres already use more energy than dublin and galway combined and you know what needs data centres, and more of them? AI! they've caused power outages in local communities and use over a fifth of ireland's energy, and you know what's a really easy way to stop new data centres being built? to stop using AI and increasing demand on those data centres

[mcytrecursive]

Rules and FAQ 2025

Schedule (All dates are 11:59pm EST):

Discord Opens: Jan 31

Sign-ups Open: Jan 31

Nominations Open: Jan 31

Nominations Close: Feb 23

Sign-ups Close: Feb 28

Assignments Out By: March 3

Final Date for Gifts to be In: March 31

Work Reveals (works are anon): April 7

Writer Reveals (anon lifts): April 14

What is this event?

This is a fandom gift exchange for recursive fic— fic of fic— within the MCYT fandom. We are also allowing recursive art and web weaves and podfic— art, web weaves, and podfic inspired by fic, art, podfic, and other web weaves!

Gift Minimums:

Fic: 1k words

Art: 1 drawing, completed to a standard you would normally post as “finished”. This varies by art style, but we expect at least a clean sketch on unlined paper, or equivalent in your style.

Web Weave: a compilation or collage with a minimum of 10 elements, appropriately sourced. 

Podfic: Audio or multi-voice audio of a minimum of 1k words or the complete work, whichever is shorter, edited to whatever level you normally post as finished.

Rules for Participating: 

Must join our Discord for communication, and follow all discord rules.

Must do your best to produce a gift that meets the minimum requirements within the time of the event.

Must contact a mod ASAP if you don’t think you’ll get your gift out on time or at all, or you want to withdraw

Must request a gift (offer prompts) from at least three source materials and offer to create from at least four source materials.

Any under-18 persons found requesting or offering NSFW content will be banned from this and all future iterations of the exchange.

Because of Tumblr, Ao3 and Discord TOS, you must be 13 or older to participate.

Rules for Creating: 

Your gift doesn’t have to contain only the characters requested by your giftee, but it does have to centre on at least one requested character. 

Any shipping must be kept to PG-13 levels or below unless your recipient specifically requested NSFW. Any non-requested NSFW is grounds for a ban from this and all future iterations of the exchange. NSFW can only be requested if you are in the 18+ collection.

Respect your giftee's DNW (Do Not Want) list. Any gift found to be in violation of a reasonable DNW is grounds for a ban from future iterations of the exchange.

Dark or Violent themes must be tagged appropriately.

Major Archive Warnings must be opted into. Any non-requested major archive warnings are grounds from a ban from this and all future iterations of the exchange.

Prepare a gift in good faith, attempting to make something your recipient will like. Mods reserve the right to ban people for being an asshole.

No AI-created content.

Links:

All-Ages AO3: [here]

18+ AO3: [here]

A03 exchange signup instructions: [here]

Apply for an Ao3 account (currently a 10-day waiting list): [here]

Discord: [Here]

Nomination Form: [here]

Blanket Permission Statement Database (not exhaustive of every author with permission, but can be a place to start) (currently down for re-work!): [link]

FAQ:

How does a fandom gift exchange work?

People fill out a signup where they offer prompts for gifts they would like to receive, then also offer types of gifts they are willing to make, and then they're matched on Ao3 so everyone gets an assignment to make a gift for another person. All these gifts go into a big collection, and they're revealed when everyone participating has a gift.

How will this event work?

This is a Derivative Works recursive exchange. People nominate fics or art that either have a blanket permission statement (fun database here), or a comment from the author saying that works inspired by their work is okay. Then each work is entered into the official tag set as its own thing you can request. People sign up as they would for a normal exchange, with up to ten of these fic fandoms as being something you are either offering to write for or requesting for your own gift. Once matched, you then write a side story, prequel, sequel, AU, or something else within the universe of that fic. 

For example, I had the idea that I really want to see a side story about Etho and Iskall in This Is About A Stuffed Bird, by Bee_4. I will sign up and request that fic as one of my fandoms (and others, you need a minimum of three fandoms), and meanwhile I’m offering to write people’s requests for This Is About A Stuffed Bird by Bee_4, the trinkets and the treasures we brought back from the crusades by Odaigahara, The Extradition by Onelituli, or The Dollhouse by MawoftheMagnetar.

I will be matched during matching week, we'll have our creation period like is usual for an exchange, and when I post my gift I will be using both the "gift to" function (to my recipient) and the "inspired by" function (to whoever's fic I'm writing something inspired by). Once posted, there will be an anonymous period of the exchange where I get a mystery gift and my gifter gets a gift that is on anon as well, and then all will be revealed a week later.

The author I want to make fic for isn't on the database, what do I do?

In that case, you would check to see if the author has a listed permission statement that isn't in the database (this is normally under the "bio" section of an author's profile on Ao3). If they do not have one, check if they have a listed way to contact them, or comment (politely) on the fic that you're interested in, asking permission to enter the work in an exchange making works inspired by mcyt art (see template below).

To be accepted as a source material for this exchange, you would need either a blanket permission statement that is unlimited—"feel free to make any fic you want"—or limited in a way that is simple for the mod team to check on. "No NSFW fic" is simple to check, "No bad dad Phil" is not. You may ask this only in a polite way, and do not show up asking them in four different venues. We do not want this to turn into harassment of authors.

If there are multiple authors for a work, you need a permission statement from each one.

Orphaned works, or deleted-with-permission-to-repost works will be considered to have given permission for recursive work, as the author has given up the fic. Anonymous fics still require author permission, as the author retains creative control of the work.

What do I say to ask permission?

This is just an example, but feel free to say something along the lines of: "Hey, I really like your [fic/art]! I’m going to be participating in an exchange where people make fic and art inspired by MCYT works, and I was wondering if you are okay with people making fic/art/web weaves/other fanworks based on your [fic/art]?"

How many fandoms/fics do I need to sign up?

To increase matching possibilities, we will be using Yuletide rules for sign up. You must request a minimum of three unique source materials, and you must offer a minimum of four unique source materials. "Source Materials" here refers to fics, art, or web weaves. Your source materials do not need to come from different originating servers.

You must make sure that you request at least two source materials that are not created by you, and offer at least three source materials that are not created by you.

What happens if I don't match to anyone?

If there is no one who you can create for, you will be offered the opportunity to add more source materials to your sign-up. If you do not wish to add any more fics or art to your signup, you will not be able to participate in the exchange, and your signup will be deleted. It's a good idea to keep an eye on the sign-ups during the sign-up period, to make sure that you're matchable to someone's requests!

If there is no one who can create for you, you will go up as an Initial Pinch Hit, and somone will volunteer to make a fic or art for you.

What if no one knows about the source material (art/fic) that I want to nominate?

There will be a promo channel in the discord! You can make your pitch for why your source material is the best and everyone should love it there.

I can’t finish my gift in time, now what?

No worries, life happens. The important thing is that you notify the mods as soon as possible, so that a Pinch Hitter can be assigned. A Pinch Hitter is an artist or writer who steps in to save the day and make a new gift on an accelerated timeline. 

I want to be a pinch hitter!

First of all, thank you. I hope you're ready to speed-read some fic, and then create like the wind. There will be a role in the discord that you can assign, and then you'll be pinged with a pinch hit request when they go out!

What if no one signs up to make a gift for me when I go up as a Pinch Hit?

The exchange will not open until everyone has a gift. If Pinch Hits are not picked up until the deadline, the work reveals will be delayed until someone is able to pick up the PInch Hit. This will continue for as long as necessary until everyone has a gift.

Is shipping allowed?

Yes. Because there is no broad fandom-wide consensus about how Creator boundaries are to be enforced in specific cases (whether it's okay to write beeduo as /r or /p is an obvious one, or whether it’s permitted to ship Joel Smallishbeans) or between specific fandoms (Lifesteal approach to shipping and boundaries is different from HBG is different from DSMP), the mods will not be policing any specific understanding of boundaries across the event. The event will operate on Don't Like Don't Read, in that everyone will have the chance to opt in for themselves as to if they want certain relationships to be written as platonic or romantic, and NSFW will have to be specifically opted into. Delivering un-asked for shipping or NSFW is grounds for a ban from the event. 

Is NSFW allowed? 

Yes. NSFW works are allowed, but must be specifically opted into. You are only allowed to opt into NSFW within the 18-plus collection. No one under 18 is permitted to join the 18-plus collection and attempts to do so will be grounds for a ban from this event and anywhere else the mod team touches. For the comfort of the greatest number of participants, anything with the tags Underage Sex or Adult/Minor will not be permitted to be part of the event. 

How are Minors defined for the purposes of those warnings?

We are using the age within the work— so if the fic itself would require the tags. This applies both to works nominated as source materials and as works given as gifts. There are many well-known fics that either age up or age down their characters, and people will be operating within those canons. It does not make sense to make a list of characters who are minors (or by extension, who are not), when the source materials people are pulling from can have set the characters ages anywhere from infant to immortal, regardless of what the original streams were. As such, we will be asking people to make sure that the work they create has all necessary characters being of-age in the text, even if the source material has them as younger. In cases of ambiguity the mods will be interpreting with an attempt at good faith, but note that clear attempt to circumvent the content rules will fall under the "do not be an asshole" provision and could also result in a ban.

Is RPF allowed?

This is intended to be a character-focused exchange, but a lot of older works in this fandom are still tagged as Video Blogging RPF, Minecraft, or are wrangled into VB RPF. Because of this, and because with some duos or groups the line between RPF and RP is fuzzy anyways, the mod team will not be legislating what counts as MCYT for the purposes of this exchange. We will be taking your word for it. 

Is Dark/Violent content allowed?

Yes. For many of us, the source material that originally drew us to the fandom includes major character death, torture, murder-for-hire, death games, public executions and more. The fanfiction that arose from the source material follows in that trend. We will allow dark content to be part of the event, but it must be tagged for. 

We also ask that participants use best judgement in delivering commonly triggering topics un-asked for. If a triggering topic is a canonical element in a work, we will assume that to be a tacit opt-in. We reserve the right to ban people at mod's discretion for delivering unrequested triggering content, under the "do not be an asshole" rule.

What sort of triggering topics should be avoided?

We do not want to put down a list because any list would naturally be non-exhaustives, so we are primarily asking people to use their best judgement. If a trope involves extreme physical violence, violation of consent, dehumanization, extreme terror or fear, body horror, or death, then it should probably not be included unless specifically asked for or checked with your recipient via the mods.

Note that if a triggering topic is a canonical element in a work— for example suicide, child death, or addiction— we will assume that to be a tacit opt-in unless the person specifies differently.

Are major archive warnings (noncon/underage/graphic depictions of violence/MCD) allowed?

Aside from the content rules governing NSFW (no underage or adult/minor, for the comfort of the greatest number of participants), major archive warnings are allowed. Depictions of real life horrors such as genocide and slavery are not-uncommon motifs in MCYT fics, and the mod team is not interested in legislating which types of horrors, griefs or abuses are inherently worse than others and are therefore off-limits. Because holding writing to a quality standard or saying only survivors can write atrocities is unworkable from a moderation standpoint, the three mentioned major archive warnings (MCD, Graphic Depictions of Violence, Noncon), are permitted to be included.

However, Major Archive Warnings must be explicitly opted into on Ao3. For the comfort of the greatest number of participants, participants in the all-ages collection will not be able to opt into noncon. Delivering un-asked for major archive warnings is grounds for a ban from this event. The mod team reserves the right to warn other mod teams on both the MCYT and Multi-fandom side about your bad behaviour.

Is AI content permitted?

No. Specifically, what is colloquially referred to as “AI” content— large language models such as Chat GPT or Midjourney that have been trained on Common Crawl’s unsourced art and writing— is not permitted. Machine-assisted writing or art helpers such as spell check or grammarly are fine. 

What is a DNW?

All participants will have the opportunity to fill out a DNW, which stands for Do Not Want. This is anything that has the potential to ruin a gift for you, and is where you opt out of content that would trigger, squick, or just displease you. DNWs must be phrased politely, (so no "No foster aus because they suck and you suck if you like them"), and they must be reasonable, (so no attempting to box someone into a specific gift, i.e. "DNW anything that isn't a space au where Tommy is a dinosaur-hybrid and Tubbo is a ghost bee and they rampage through the living ship named Las Nevadas"), and they must be specific and clear, (so no “no triggering content"), but they can be as petty (disliking specific art styles) or as broad-reaching (no modern aus, no specific ships, no crossovers with specific servers or fics) as you like. Deliberately breaking someone's DNW is grounds for a ban from the exchange. 

How do I sign up/nominate?

We made specific posts for this, as it's a bit complicated! You can check them out here.

How many source materials can I nominate?

You can nominate a maximum of 10 source materials!

My recipient requested 10 things, but I've only read four of them. How many gifts do I have to make?

You only have to make ONE gift, no matter how many things you matched on. Match on ten source materials— you make one gift. Match on one source material— you make one gift.

Can I do the exchange anonymously?

While your offers remain private, and you can always give a gift on anon, your requests will be public, and you will receive a gift publically. We would recommend that you not request anything that you do not want publically associated with your account, or use a sock account if you're concerned. Moreover, you must publicly join the discord, so this is not the exchange to participate in if you want to be 100% anonymous.

Can I make more than one gift?

If you wish to sign up twice, you will need two Ao3 accounts, and you will need to change your discord name to indicate that both accounts are yours, so we know we have you in the discord. You'll also need to inform the mods that you are using a sock account, so we can make sure that we do not match you to yourself.

If you do not want to go through all of that hassle, you are still welcome to make as many gifts as you want, and give them as treats! Treats are extra gifts— on top of your normal assignment— that you manually address to the recipient and manually add to the collection, and they'll be revealed along with all the normal gifts when we do the grand reveal. Treats do not have to meet minimum, but they do have to be complete works. Treats are very welcome!

[preservationofnormalcy]

[Director Council 9/11/24 Meeting. 5/7 Administrators in Attendance]

Attending: 

[Redacted] Walker, OPN Director

Orson Knight, Security

Ceceilia, Archival & Records

B. L. Z. Bubb, Board of Infernal Affairs

Harrison Chou, Abnormal Technology

Josiah Carter, Psychotronics

Ambrose Delgado, Applied Thaumaturgy

Subject: Dr. Ambrose Delgado re: QuantumSim 677777 Project Funding 

Transcript begins below:

Chou:] Have you all read the simulation transcript?

Knight:] Enough that I don’t like whatever the hell this is.

Chou:] I was just as surprised as you were when it mentioned you by name.

Knight:] I don’t like some robot telling me I’m a goddamned psychopath, Chou. 

Cece:] Clearly this is all a construction. Isn’t that right, Doctor?

Delgado:] That’s…that’s right. As some of you may know, uh. Harrison?

Chou:] Yes, we have a diagram.

Delgado:] As some of you may know, our current models of greater reality construction indicate that many-worlds is only partially correct. Not all decisions or hinge points have any potential to “split” - in fact, uh, very few of them do, by orders of magnitude, and even fewer of those actually cause any kind of split into another reality. For a while, we knew that the…energy created when a decision could cause a split was observable, but being as how it only existed for a few zeptoseconds we didn’t have anything sensitive enough to decode what we call “quantum potentiality.” 

Carter:] The possibility matrix of something happening without it actually happening.

Delgado:] That’s right. Until, uh, recently. My developments in subjective chronomancy have borne fruit in that we were able to stretch those few zeptoseconds to up to twenty zeptoseconds, which has a lot of implications for–

Cece:] Ambrose. 

Delgado:] Yes, on task. The QuantumSim model combines cutting-edge quantum potentiality scanning with lowercase-ai LLM technology, scanning the, as Mr Carter put it, possibility matrix and extrapolating a potential “alternate universe” from it.

Cece:] We’re certain that none of what we saw is…real in any way?

Chou:] ALICE and I are confident of that. A realistic model, but no real entity was created during Dr Delgado’s experiment.

Bubb:] Seems like a waste of money if it’s not real.

Delgado:] I think you may find that the knowledge gained during these simulations will become invaluable. Finding out alternate possibilities, calculating probability values, we could eventually map out the mathematical certainty of any one action or event. 

Chou:] This is something CHARLEMAGNE is capable of, but thus far he has been unwilling or unable to share it with us. 

Delgado:] You’ve been awfully quiet, Director. 

DW:] Wipe that goddamned smile off your face, Delgado.

DW:] I would like to request a moment with Doctor Delgado. Alone. You are all dismissed.

Delgado:] ….uh, ma’am. Director, did I say something–

DW:] I’m upset, Delgado. I nearly just asked if you were fucking stupid, but I didn’t. Because I know you’re not. Clearly, obviously, you aren’t. 

Delgado:] I don’t underst–

DW:] You know that you are one of the very few people on this entire planet that know anything about me? Because of the station and content of your work, you are privy to certain details only known by people who walked out that door right now.

DW:] Did you think for a SECOND about how I’d react to this?

Delgado:] M-ma’am, I….I thought you’d…appreciate the ability to–

DW:] I don’t. I want this buried, Doctor. 

Delgado:] I…unfortunately I–

DW:] You published the paper to ETCetRA. 

Delgado:] Yes. As…as a wizard it’s part of my rites that I have to report any large breakthroughs to ETCetRa proper. The paper is going through review as we speak.

DW:] Of course. 

Delgado:] Ma’am, I’m sorry, that’s not something I can–

DW:] I’d never ask you directly to damage our connection to the European Thaumaturgical Centre, Doctor. 

Delgado:] Of course. I see.

DW:] You’ve already let Schrödinger’s cat out of the bag. We just have to wait and see whether it’s alive or dead.

Delgado:] Box, director.

DW:] What? 

Delgado:] Schrödinger’s cat, it was in a–

DW:] Shut it down, Doctor. I don’t want your simulation transcript to leave this room. 

Delgado:] Yes. Of course, Director. I’ll see what I can do.

DW:] Tell my secretary to bring me a drink. 

Delgado:] Of course. 

DW:] ...one more thing, Doctor. How did it get so close?

Delgado:]Ma'am?

DW:] Eerily close.

Delgado:]I don't–

DW:] We called it the Bureau of Abnormal Affairs.

Delgado:] ....what–

DW:] You are dismissed, Doctor Delgado.

[thursdayisbetterthanfriday]

Cybernetics with Chinese Characteristics & why we suck at the real Grand Strategy Game

Part 2 - The Quickening

Back in 2023, I wrote this more blog-like post about the mid 20th century McCarthyite purges of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the knock on effects that had - Namely the inception of the Chinese nuclear program, one-child policy and Chinese computing scene.

Since nothing is new under the sun, we have recently witnessed yet another example of America shooting itself in the foot, yet again, due to it's McCarthyite style purge of Chinese technology.

The release of the Chinese created AI system DeepSeek R1 last week has lead to the largest US stock market loss in history with NVIDIA stock decimated.

A record $465 Billion was wiped off its valuation in a single day. In 2024, the government of Turkey spent this much in a year on it's responsibilities?

Why did this happen?

As always, a lot can be put down to US foreign policy, and the in-intended implications of seemingly positive actions.

Do you want to start a trade war?

Back in the relatively uncontroversial days of the first Trump Presidency (Yes it does feel odd saying that) there were scandals with hardware provided by Chinese company Huawei. This led to the  National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 which explicitly banned Huawei and ZTE's hardware from use in US Government institutions. It also meant the US had to authorise US component manufacturer purchases by these companies.

Crucially this had a 27 month window. This allowed both companies to switch suppliers, and production to domestic suppliers. This actually led to Chinese chip advances. Following on from this came the 2022 move by the US Department of Commerce: "Commerce Implements New Export Controls on Advanced Computing and Semiconductor Manufacturing Items to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) ". This further limited the supply of semiconductor, supercomputer, and similar hardware to the PRC and associated countries.

Ok, well so far this is fairly dry stuff. You might think it would hamper Chinese development and, to some extent, it did.

It also proved to be the main catalyst for one financial quant.

Meet the Quant

Meet Liang Wenfeng (梁文锋). Educated to masters level, Liang was keen to apply machine learning methods to various field, but couldn't get a break. Finally, in the mid 2000's, he settled on a career investigating quantitative trading using machine learning techniques.

He became successful, founding several trading firms based around using machine learning methods, but his interest in base AI never seemed to cease. It was in 2021 that he started purchasing multiple NVIDIA GPUs to create a side project, leading to the creation of DeepSeek in 2023.

Now, due to import limitations, there were limitations on computation. This, however, did not stop DeepSeek's programming team.

Instead they used it as their strength.

Constrains Breed Innovation

For many years, the Western model of AI releases have focussed on making ever larger and larger models.

Why?

Let's break this down from an evolutionary point of view. Modern Western technology companies are largely monopolistic and monolithic. Many of these companies have previously hired staff at higher salaries not to fill roles, but to deny their competitors, and middle market firms, high-flying staff.

They also closely guard trade secrets. What's the training data? What algorithms were used in construction? Guess you'd better chat up some Silicon Valley bros at parties to find out.

For these kinds of firms, having control over large models, housed in data centres makes perfect sense. Controlling model deployment on their own computing systems, and not using local machines, means that they can not only control their systems more carefully, it also means that they can gatekeep access.

If your business model is to allow people to access your models on your servers, and your employees are focussed on making the biggest, best, models, there is no impetus to innovate more efficient, smaller models.

Companies such as OpenAI therefore have the following traits:

Research/Model focus on size over efficiency

Profit driven culture, with emphasis on closed source code

OpenAI's initial focus was as a non-for-profit developing Artificial General Intelligence. This became a for-profit driven company over time. - “I personally chose the price and thought we would make some money.” - Sam Altman

Staff working within paradigm they set in the early 2020's with established code libraries and direct contact with hardware companies creating chips

Significant capital investment - Upwards of several $ billions

DeepSeek, in comparison, is slightly different

For DeepSeek, necessity made innovation necessary. In order to create similar, or better models, than their counterparts, they needed to significantly optimise their code. This requires significantly more work to create, and write, libraries compared to OpenAI.

DeepSeek was started by financial quants, with backgrounds in mainly mathematics and AI. With a focus on mathematics and research, the main drive of many in the company has been exploration of the research space over concerns about profitability.

DeepSeek has also done what OpenAI stopped years ago: actually releasing the code and data for their models. Not only can these models therefore be run via their own gated servers, anyone can replicate their work and make their own system.

For DeepSeek, their traits were:

Research/Model focus on both efficiency and accuracy

Research driven culture, with open nature - “Basic science research rarely offers high returns on investment” - Liang Wenfeng

Strong mathematical background of staff, with ability to work around software, and hardware, constraints

Low capital investment of around $5.5 million

From an evolutionary point of view, DeepSeek's traits have outcompeted those of OpenAI.

More efficient models cost less to run. They also more portable to local machines.

The strong ability of DeepSeek's research focussed staff allowed them to innovate around hardware constraints

Opening up the code to everyone allows anyone (still with the right hardware) to make their own version.

To top it off, the cost to make, and run, DeepSeek R1 is a fraction of the cost of OpenAI's model

House of Cards

Now we can return to today. NVIDIA has lost significant market value. It's not just limited to NVIDIA, but to the entire US technology sector with the most AI adjacent companies losing from 10% to 30% of their valuation in a single day.

The culture, and business model, of OpenAI isn't just limited to OpenAI, but to the entire US technology ecosystem. The US model has been to create rentier-style financial instruments at sky-high valuations.

US tech stocks have been one of the only success stories for America over the past few decades, ever since the offshoring of many manufacturing industries. Like a lost long-unemployed Detroit auto-worker the US has been mainlining technology like Fentanyl, ignoring the anti-trust doctors advice, injecting pure deregulated substances into its veins.

The new AI boom? A new stronger hit, ready for Wall Street, and Private Equity to tie the tourniquet around its arm and pump it right into the arteries.

Like Prometheus, DeepSeek has delved deep and retrieved fire from the algorithmic gods, and shown it's creation to the world. The stock market is on fire, as the traders are coming off of their high, realising they still live in the ruin of barren, decrepit, warehouses and manufactories. The corporate heads, and company leaders reigning over the wreckage like feudal lords, collecting tithes from the serfs working their domain.

A Tale of Two Cities

The rise of DeepSeek isn't just a one-off story of derring-do in the AI world: It's a symbolic representation of the changing world order. DeepSeek is but one company among many who are outcompeting the US, and the world, in innovation.

Where once US free-markets led the world in manufacturing, technology and military capability, now the US is a country devoid of coherent state regulated free-market principles - its place as the singular world power decimated by destroying the very systems which made it great.

"Our merchants and master-manufacturers complain much of the bad effects of high wages in raising the price, and thereby lessening the sale of their goods both at home and abroad. They say nothing concerning the bad effects of high profits. They are silent with regard to the pernicious effects of their own gains. They complain only of those of other people." - Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations

By selling the jobs of working class communities to overseas businesses, destroying unions and creating rentier based business models without significant anti-trust measures, US business and political elites have sealed the present fate of the country.

The CCP led, but strongly anti-trust enforcing, China has been able to innovate, ironically, using the free-market principles of Adam Smith to rise up and create some of the world's best innovations. The factories, opened by Western business leaders to avoid union/worker labour costs in their own countries, have led Shenzhen, and similar cities, to become hubs of technological innovation - compounding their ability to determine the future of technologies across the world.

Will America be able to regain its position on top? It's too early to say, but the innovative, talented, people who made America in the 20th century can certainly do it again.

As Franklin D. Roosevelt once said: “The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerated the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than the democratic state itself...

We know now that Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob.

Never before in all our history have these forces been so united against one candidate as they stand today. They are unanimous in their hate for me—and I welcome their hatred.”

Until then, here's a farewell to the American Century 在那之前, 再见美国世纪

[peachjagiya]

Did you ever stop and think why he posted their Hawaii pics just before AYS? Why he's been publicly out and about with his irl friends? Did you ever consider that he wants you to pay attention to HIM and not a scripted show meant to rebuild the narratives that TK have dismantled during solo era.

Once again you have fallen into Hybe's trap. All everyone is talking about is that show and the narratives it was designed to perpetuate. Tae prepared a lot of nonmusic stuff before he left (Jinny's, Pixid, Tiny Desk, Running Man, Dingo Story, Spotify interviews, numerous magazine interviews and Japanese shows etc) and you're ignoring all his wonderful solo content for AYS! He bared his soul in Suchwita and you're letting his words get buried under garbage Hybe content and antis' stupid arguments!

WAKE UP!!!! DON'T LET HYBE USE YOU TO MAKE THEIR CONTENT RELEVANT! DON'T LET HIS NAME GET STUCK IN HYBE'S NARRATIVES MEANT TO FUEL FANWARS! USE YOUR PLATFORM TO AMPLIFY HIS SOLO CONTENT TO HELP HIM TELL HIS OWN STORY USING HIS OWN WORDS! HE NEEDS YOU TO HYPE HIM UP!! DON'T LET HIM DOWN!!!!

Hmmmmmmmm.

I do not enjoy the tone here.

Ok so we stop talking about Hybe's abject failure. We stop bringing attention to how their greed for money led them to:

Capitalise on Tae's personality but treat him like trash

Embolden haters to hate even harder

Position Jungkook as a rough caveman and screw his debut schedule with no regard for his physical wellbeing

Construct a show so mindboggling in it's intentions that the reputations of all of them are being dragged through the mud

Show their whole ass.

We stop talking about that... Then what? Then Army keeps its head up it's ass and Hybe never gets the scrutiny they deserve? Jimkooks and Tae antis continue to control the narrative?

I haven't been here a super long time so my opinion might mean nothing but I've never seen people talking this much about how much Hybe suck. They're dropping the ball left right and centre and I think we should keep applying the pressure, actually. It's kind of wild that you think this is a win for Hybe when even the mainstream army and k-army are saying "this was really eye opening" in exactly the way Hybe would prefer they didn't.

People who are talking about it are not letting Tae down and it's also wild that you're framing it that way. We are supporting and promoting his work alongside calling out his mistreatment. I think if you go look at Tae or Taekook blogs here, you'll see we're as enthused about his words and work as we are dismayed by Hybe.

I dunno. This ask feels unnecessarily aggressive. I'm confused by it.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

This day in history

I'm in TARTU, ESTONIA! AI, copyright and creative workers' labor rights (TOMORROW, May 10, 8AM: Science Fiction Research Association talk, Institute of Foreign Languages and Cultures building, Lossi 3, lobby). A talk for hackers on seizing the means of computation (TOMORROW, May 10, 3PM, University of Tartu Delta Centre, Narva 18, room 1037).

#20yrsago Japan jails academic for writing P2P app https://web.archive.org/web/20040512194433/http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/latest/story/0,4390,250207,00.html

#20yrsago Blogger redesign notes https://stopdesign.com/journal/2004/05/09/blogger.html

#20yrsago TheyRule: applying information design to corporate directorships https://theyrule.net

#20yrsago Don’t just protect the unconceived: protect the inanimate! https://fafblog.blogspot.com/2004_05_02_fafblog_archive.html#108411098508640046

#15yrsago Brit MP saw undercover cops egging crowd to riot at G20 https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2009/may/10/g20-policing-agent-provacateurs

#15yrsago Elsevier has an entire division dedicated to publishing fake advertorial “peer-reviewed” journals https://science.slashdot.org/story/09/05/09/1514235/more-fake-journals-from-elsevier

#10yrsago Against the instrumental argument for surveillance https://www.theguardian.com/technology/blog/2014/may/09/cybersecurity-begins-with-integrity-not-surveillance

#10yrsago Congressmen ask ad companies to pretend SOPA is law, violate antitrust https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2014/05/pols-ad-networks-pretend-we-passed-sopa-and-never-mind-about-antitrust

#10yrsago Japanese man arrested for 3D printing and firing guns https://kotaku.com/japanese-man-arrested-for-having-guns-made-with-a-3d-pr-1573358490

#5yrsago Americans with diabetes are forming caravans to buy Canadian insulin at 90% off https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/americans-diabetes-cross-canada-border-insulin-1.5125988

#5yrsago Big Tech is deleting evidence needed to prosecute war crimes, and governments want them to do more of it https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/05/facebook-algorithms-are-making-it-harder/588931/

#5yrsago Buried in Uber’s IPO, an aggressive plan to destroy all public transit https://48hills.org/2019/05/ubers-plans-include-attacking-public-transit/

#1yrago KPMG audits the nursing homes it advises on how to beat audits https://pluralistic.net/2023/05/09/dingo-babysitter/#maybe-the-dingos-ate-your-nan

[theseabreezestreet]

welcome to the market's information centre... the seabreeze street's coordinators ask that you read over the following rules carefully. when applying to the street, you acknowledge that you read over these rules and accept them.

» the seabreeze street is both a sfw & nsfw network, as such you must be at least 18 years of age to join. minors are not permitted to join nor interact with the seabreeze street due to this. » the coordinators of the street expect that the registered vendors uphold to the quality of behaviour expected of them. we do not tolerate harassment, bullying, hate speech and any other form of discrimination. this type of behaviour will be dealt with accordingly by the coordinators. » you are the curator of your own experiences on tumblr and other online sites. the seabreeze street is a dark content friendly network and welcomes dark content creators openly. please make sure to tag any content as such while adhering to the content guidelines. » plagiarism and ai usage are especially banned from the seabreeze street network. we will not tolerate any works found to be using ai or results of plagiarism and the creator shall be removed from the network as soon as possible. » we expect that registered vendors of the seabreeze street communicate with the coordinators. as we are an active community, we'd like that our vendors be active too. if you need to go on hiatus, you are expected to tell coordinators so that we may work with you. this rule reaches to url changes, blog moves and intention to leave the network too.

[sleepysadden]

My gripes with AI and its acceptance

People on the internet participating in spaces centred around creative work of any kind (both technical and more free-form) are often wary of infringing on creative rights of others. These people are an important factor in enforcing proper treatment of original authors by pointing out cropped references to the author, blurred watermarks, providing sources and meticulously analysing code they suspect to be stolen.

It's always satisfying to see a person trying to pass someone's work as their one be called out for it and made to stop through pure societal pressure directed towards something deemed unjust. Unfortunately these techniques are applicable only on singular individuals or small groups. Any bigger entity tends to lack a 'face' towards which any attempts can be directed. This is why its often much harder to enforce rights of smaller creatives whose work is being stolen by bigger entities. It requires an official process often going through channels of the entity in question (dubious effectiveness) or through the legal system (expensive, tasking, and long). And that is if the copyright infringement could be shown, which used to be somewhat easy. AI changed that.

Casey Rickey demonstrated on his YouTube channel how one could go about replicating a specific style using his own and Salvador Dali's work as an example. The results were in my opinion not exactly successful but close enough to be concerning. Currently available AI models are cheap for what they can produce and while their results are sub-par and often recognisable as AI (which is also changing rapidly) they are free or close to free which is much less than an artist would charge for a commission. This is likely enough to undermine real artists through: 1 - their works likely being already included in current models, 2 - ability to copy their exact style to a text or image prompt. Both of those currently seem to be legally untouchable as in both cases unlawful (and unethical) use of source material is near impossible to prove outside of catching the culprit in-act, as mentions of similar style could be dismissed as subjective and not exactly proving anything (which is fair, but doesn't help the victim).

Is AI generated content derivative?

We could assume AI generated content to be a more advanced way of taking inspiration in someone's work and trying to replicate things that we deem worth replicating in it, an admiration-through-imitation kind of approach. Though I would argue that intent here is important. Is the intent really to appreciate someone's work or is it to gain a close-enough copy of the work? In my case I consider it more as a form of advanced tracing, which doesn't gel well with being derivative.

Being more on the conceptual side - AI, in it's current, non-consensual form is theft. But what is it stealing? It's not exactly the works themselves, it's more (at the risk of being too abstract) about the work that was put in. AI is not a way to steal the effect of someone's work, but rather to steal days of training and personal input that made the work the way it is. It's offering to apply someone's expertise to an idea of a stranger at no cost to them and with potential loss of income by the original artist. It's a commission, but the artist is absent.

The above was written without aid of generative AI's. I might have more to say about this later, but it's enough for now.

Edit: I forgot about my actual point. My conclusion is that because AI generated content in its current form is inseparably involved in copyright infringement of people whose works cannot be extracted from the model nor can they be properly compensated for damages (as it is almost impossible to say for certain whether their rights are infringed upon or not) - all authors of generative AI's that cannot provide a complete list of sources for its training data along with proof of rights to using them cannot offer their AI as a service, cannot accept payment for using them, should not have created them and may not create any without providing such sources.

[kakashiweek]

Kakashi Week 2024 FAQ

If your question is not answered here please reach out to us via message or ask, or reply to this post!

You may also be looking for our 2024 prompts, or find our full guidelines helpful.

What kinds of works can I create? Anything centred on Kakashi and inspired by one (or more) of the prompts! That goes for any media and any type of content, so long as the work(s) are newly created by you. No usage of generative AI is welcome in Kakashi Week.

What mediums can I work in? We are a creation event, but so long as you have created something, it counts! That goes for fanart and fanfiction, of course, but also meta, not!fic style writings, GIFsets, physical crafts like amigurumi, etc.

Are there minimum requirements? Only that you newly create something inspired by one of our prompts! Sketches and doodles are welcome! So are short or micro fics!

Do I have to work from the prompts? All Kakashi Week submissions must be inspired by one of the prompts (including, of course, the Free Day, for which you are welcome to create to whatever theme or prompt you dream up, and Any AU, which can apply to any style of canon divergence as well as full-on AUs).

Do I have to use both prompts to participate on a day? Absolutely not! If you wish to combine them, feel free; if you wish to write something separate for every prompt, we are impressed and you are welcome to do so! You are only required to use one prompt to inspire your work, however.

Can I combine a prompt from this event and [some other event] to inspire one work? As long as it is within the other event’s rules, go for it!

Are early/late submissions accepted? No submissions before September 15th, please! Late submissions will be accepted until the end of September.

You're welcome to post previews, peeks, or snippets before the event, however, and if you mention/tag us we'd love to reblog them too!

Are non-Kakashi ships allowed? As long as Kakashi (whether in a ship as well or not) is the main focus of the piece, any background/side ships are fine.

Are Kakashi/OC ships allowed? Of course!

Is NSFW content allowed? Absolutely! We do require you tag and warn appropriately, and keep NSFW content behind a cut if posting on Tumblr, but all ratings and content are welcome.

Is [sensitive/triggering content of some kind] allowed? Absolutely! We do require you to tag and warn for the content appropriately, as well as tucking it behind a cut if posting on Tumblr, but all content is welcome.

Can I submit an older/previously posted work for the event? Sorry, no. Only new works will be accepted for the event. New works that are connected to existing works or series are more than welcome however!

If I write for one prompt, is it okay if I draw for another? Of course! Mix and match between whatever mediums you choose for any of the prompts that inspire you.

Can my work be a WIP? Sure thing! As long as chapter one (or whatever) is inspired by one/more of our prompts and posted during the event, it's welcome! You can post the rest of the work at your leisure.

Does my work have to be in English? Nope! Works in any language are welcome - just please tag/mention what prompt it's for in English, for the sake of our ability to locate and track your work!

What do I have to do for you to reblog my work? We'd love to! Please mention us in your post @kakashiweek (you may also wish to use our tracked tag, #KakashiWeek2024, but those sometimes go astray), and also be sure that the above rules for NSFW or triggering content being behind a cut (with a warning) are followed. Fics (whether in Tumblr post or linked to another platform) must have a header that at minimum gives a rating and any ship(s) featured, and warnings if applicable; lengthy, as well as NSFW or triggering, works must be behind a cut.

What do I have to do to get my work in the AO3 collection? Our AO3 collection (Kakashi Week 2024) is open but moderated solely to filter out any mistaken submissions and to be sure that we see all works for the event! All you have to do is submit your work to the collection and we’ll check that it’s for Kakashi Week so we can track it, then approve it! (If we haven’t done this within a day or so, feel free to reach out to us via message or ask on Tumblr.)

I have a question that isn’t answered here! Please send us an ask or message, or reply to this post, and we’ll be happy to answer it! By default we will publish asks, but we will keep answers private if you prefer, or you are welcome to ask anonymously.

~Kakashi Week Mod

[cargozforwarehousingandstorage]

What are the latest warehouse automation technologies?

Gone are the days of manual labour and static, inefficient operations. Today, we stand at the forefront of a revolution driven by the latest warehouse automation technologies. These innovations reshape how businesses handle inventory, fulfil orders, and optimize supply chains.

From autonomous robots and artificial intelligence to the Internet of Things (IoT) and advanced data analytics, we'll explore how these technologies enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and ensure seamless operations in modern warehouses.

1-Robotic Process Automation (RPA): RPA involves using software robots to automate repetitive tasks like data entry, order processing, and inventory tracking. The robots interact with various systems and applications to streamline workflows.

2-Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs): Robotic vehicles called AMRs navigate and operate in warehouses without fixed infrastructure, such as conveyor belts or tracks. They perform tasks like picking, packing, and transporting goods.

3-Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs): AGVs are similar to AMRs but typically follow fixed paths or routes guided by physical markers or magnetic tape. They are commonly used for material transport in warehouses and distribution centres.

4-Goods-to-Person Systems: This approach involves bringing the items to the workers rather than having workers travel throughout the warehouse to pick items. Automated systems retrieve and deliver goods to a workstation, reducing walking time and improving efficiency.

5-Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (AS/RS): AS/RS systems use robotics to store and retrieve items from racks or shelves automatically. These systems can significantly increase storage density and optimize space utilization.

6-Collaborative Robots (Cobots): Cobots are designed to work alongside human workers. They can assist with tasks like picking, packing and sorting, enhancing efficiency and safety.

7-Warehouse Management Systems (WMS): While not a physical automation technology, modern WMS software uses advanced algorithms and AI to optimize inventory management, order fulfilment, and warehouse processes.

8-Vision Systems and Machine Learning: Computer vision technology combined with machine learning can be utilized for tasks such as object recognition, inventory movement tracking, and quality control.

9-IoT and Sensor Networks: Internet of Things (IoT) devices and sensors collect real-time data on inventory levels, environmental conditions, equipment health, and more, enabling better decision-making and predictive maintenance.

10-Voice and Wearable Technologies: Wearable devices and voice-guided picking systems can provide workers with real-time information and instructions, improving accuracy and efficiency.11-Automated Packaging Solutions: These systems automate the packaging process by selecting the appropriate box size, sealing packages, and applying labels, reducing manual labour and ensuring consistent packaging quality.

[mcytrecursive]

Rules and FAQ

Schedule (All dates are 11:59pm EST):

Discord Opens: Jan 26

Sign-ups Open: Jan 26

Nominations Open: Jan 26

Nominations Close: Feb 21

Sign-ups Close: Feb 24

Assignments Out By: March 2

Final Date for Fics to be In: March 30

Work Reveals (works are anon): April 6

Writer Reveals (anon lifts): April 13

What is this event?

This is a fandom gift exchange for recursive fic— fic of fic— within the MCYT fandom. We are also allowing recursive art and web weaves and podfic— art, web weaves, and podfic inspired by fic, art, podfic, and other web weaves!

Gift Minimums:

Fic: 1k words

Art: 1 drawing, completed to a standard you would normally post as “finished”

Web Weave: a compilation or collage with a minimum of 10 elements, appropriately sourced. 

Podfic: Audio or multi-voice audio of a minimum of 1k words or the complete work, whichever is shorter, edited to whatever level you normally post as finished.

Rules for Participating: 

Must join our Discord for communication, and follow all discord rules.

Must do your best to produce a gift that meets the minimum requirements within the time of the event.

Must DM a mod ASAP if you don’t think you’ll get your gift out on time or at all, or you want to withdraw

Must request a gift (offer prompts) from at least three source materials and offer to create around at least four source materials.

Any under-18 persons found requesting or offering NSFW content will be banned from this and all future iterations of the exchange.

Because of Tumblr, Ao3 and Discord TOS, you must be 13 or older to participate.

Rules for Creating: 

Your gift doesn’t have to contain only the characters requested by your giftee, but it does have to centre on at least one requested character. 

Any shipping must be kept to PG-13 levels or below unless your recipient specifically requested NSFW. Any non-requested NSFW is grounds for a ban from this and all future iterations of the exchange. 

Respect your giftee's DNW (Do Not Want) list. Any gift found to be in violation of a reasonable DNW is grounds for a ban from future iterations of the exchange.

Dark or Violent themes must be tagged appropriately.

Major Archive Warnings must be opted into. Any non-requested major archive warnings are grounds from a ban from this and all future iterations of the exchange.

Prepare a gift in good faith, attempting to make something your recipient will like. Mods reserve the right to ban people for being an asshole.

No AI-created content.

Links:

Ao3: [here] A03 exchange signup instructions: [here] Apply for an Ao3 account (currently a 10-day waiting list): [here] Discord: [Here] Nomination Form: [here] Database of Nominated works: [non-explicit] [explicit] Blanket Permission Statement Database: [link]

If you are not already there, you can add yourself to the Blanket Permission Statement Database here! Just scroll to the bottom and enter the link to your permission statement.

FAQ:

How does a fandom gift exchange work?

People fill out a signup where they offer prompts for gifts they would like to receive, then also offer types of gifts they are willing to make, and then they're matched on Ao3 so everyone gets an assignment to make a gift for another person. All these gifts go into a big collection, and they're revealed when everyone participating has a gift.

How will this event work?

This is a Derivative Works recursive exchange. People nominate fics or art that either have a blanket permission statement (fun database here), or a comment from the author saying that works inspired by their work is okay. Then each work is entered into the official tag set as its own thing you can request. People sign up as they would for a normal exchange, with up to ten of these fic fandoms as being something you are either offering to write for or requesting for your own gift. Once matched, you then write a side story, prequel, sequel, AU, or something else within the universe of that fic. 

For example, I had the idea that I really want to see a side story about Etho and Iskall in This Is About A Stuffed Bird, by Bee_4. I will sign up and request that fic as one of my fandoms (and others, you need a minimum of three fandoms), and meanwhile I’m offering to write people’s requests for This Is About A Stuffed Bird by Bee_4, the trinkets and the treasures we brought back from the crusades by Odaigahara, The Extradition by Onelituli, or The Dollhouse by MawoftheMagnetar.

I will be matched during matching week, we'll have our creation period like is usual for an exchange, and when I post my gift I will be using both the "gift to" function (to my recipient) and the "inspired by" function (to whoever's fic I'm writing something inspired by). Once posted, there will be an anonymous period of the exchange where I get a mystery gift and my gifter gets a gift that is on anon as well, and then all will be revealed a week later.

The author I want to make fic for isn't on the database, what do I do?

In that case, you would check to see if the author has a listed permission statement that isn't in the database (this is normally under the "bio" section of an author's profile on Ao3). If they do not have one, check if they have a listed way to contact them, or comment (politely) on the fic that you're interested in, asking permission to enter the work in an exchange making works inspired by mcyt art (see template below).

To be accepted as a source material for this exchange, you would need either a blanket permission statement that is unlimited—"feel free to make any fic you want"—or limited in a way that is simple for the mod team to check on. "No NSFW fic" is simple to check, "No bad dad Phil" is not. You may ask this only in a polite way, and do not show up asking them in four different venues. We do not want this to turn into harassment of authors.

If there are multiple authors for a work, you need a permission statement from each one.

Orphaned works, or deleted-with-permission-to-repost works will be considered to have given permission for recursive work, as the author has given up the fic. Anonymous fics still require author permission, as the author retains creative control of the work.

What do I say to ask permission?

This is just an example, but feel free to say something along the lines of: "Hey, I really like your [fic/art]! I’m going to be participating in an exchange where people make fic and art inspired by MCYT works, and I was wondering if you are okay with people making fic/art/web weaves/other fanworks based on your [fic/art]?"

How many fandoms/fics do I need to sign up?

To increase matching possibilities, we will be using Yuletide rules for sign up. You must request a minimum of three unique source materials, and you must offer a minimum of four unique source materials. "Source Materials" here refers to fics, art, or web weaves. Your source materials do not need to come from different originating servers.

You must make sure that you request at least two source materials that are not created by you, and offer at least three source materials that are not created by you.

What happens if I don't match to anyone?

If there is no one who you can create for, you will be offered the opportunity to add more source materials to your sign-up. If you do not wish to add any more fics or art to your signup, you will not be able to participate in the exchange, and your signup will be deleted. It's a good idea to keep an eye on the sign-ups during the sign-up period, to make sure that you're matchable to someone's requests!

If there is no one who can create for you, you will go up as an Initial Pinch Hit, and somone will volunteer to make a fic or art for you.

What if no one knows about the source material (art/fic) that I want to nominate?

There will be a promo channel in the discord! You can make your pitch for why your source material is the best and everyone should love it there.

I can’t finish my gift in time, now what?

No worries, life happens. The important thing is that you notify the mods as soon as possible, so that a Pinch Hitter can be assigned. A Pinch Hitter is an artist or writer who steps in to save the day and make a new gift on an accelerated timeline. 

I want to be a pinch hitter!

First of all, thank you. I hope you're ready to speed-read some fic, and then create like the wind. There will be a role in the discord that you can assign, and then you'll be pinged with a pinch hit request when they go out!

What if no one signs up to make a gift for me when I go up as a Pinch Hit?

The exchange will not open until everyone has a gift. If Pinch Hits are not picked up until the deadline, the work reveals will be delayed until someone is able to pick up the PInch Hit. This will continue for as long as necessary until everyone has a gift.

Is shipping allowed?

Yes. Because there is no broad fandom-wide consensus about how Creator boundaries are to be enforced in specific cases (whether it's okay to write beeduo as /r or /p is an obvious one, or whether it’s permitted to ship Joel Smallishbeans) or between specific fandoms (Lifesteal approach to shipping and boundaries is different from HBG is different from DSMP), the mods will not be policing any specific understanding of boundaries across the event. The event will operate on Don't Like Don't Read, in that everyone will have the chance to opt in for themselves as to if they want certain relationships to be written as platonic or romantic, and NSFW will have to be specifically opted into. Delivering un-asked for shipping or NSFW is grounds for a ban from the event.  Is NSFW allowed? 

Yes. NSFW works are allowed, but must be specifically opted into. No one under 18 is permitted to opt into NSFW and attempts to do so will be grounds for a ban from this event and anywhere else the mod team touches. For the comfort of the greatest number of participants, anything with the tags Underage or Incest will not be permitted to be part of the event. 

Is RPF allowed?

This is intended to be a character-focused exchange, but a lot of older works in this fandom are still tagged as Video Blogging RPF, Minecraft, or are wrangled into VB RPF. Because of this, and because with some duos or groups the line between RPF and RP is fuzzy anyways, the mod team will not be legislating what counts as MCYT for the purposes of this exchange. We will be taking your word for it. 

Is Dark/Violent content allowed?

Yes. For many of us, the source material that originally drew us to the fandom includes major character death, torture, murder-for-hire, death games, public executions and more. The fanfiction that arose from the source material follows in that trend. We will allow dark content to be part of the event, but it must be tagged for. 

We also ask that participants use best judgement in delivering commonly triggering topics un-asked for. If a triggering topic is a canonical element in a work, we will assume that to be a tacit opt-in. We reserve the right to ban people at mod's discretion for delivering unrequested triggering content, under the "do not be an asshole" rule.

What sort of triggering topics should be avoided?

We do not want to put down a list because any list would naturally be non-exhaustives, so we are primarily asking people to use their best judgement. If a trope involves extreme physical violence, violation of consent, dehumanization, extreme terror or fear, body horror, or death, then it should probably not be included unless specifically asked for or checked with your recipient via the mods.

Note that if a triggering topic is a canonical element in a work— for example suicide, child death, or addiction— we will assume that to be a tacit opt-in unless the person specifies differently.

Are major archive warnings (noncon/underage/graphic depictions of violence/MCD) allowed?

Aside from the content rules governing NSFW (no underage or incest, for the comfort of the greatest number of participants), major archive warnings are allowed. Depictions of real life horrors such as genocide and slavery are not-uncommon motifs in MCYT fics, and the mod team is not interested in legislating which types of horrors, griefs or abuses are inherently worse than others and are therefore off-limits. Because holding writing to a quality standard or saying only survivors can write atrocities is unworkable from a moderation standpoint, the three mentioned major archive warnings (MCD, Graphic Depictions of Violence, Noncon), are permitted to be included.

However, Major Archive Warnings must be explicitly opted into on Ao3, and delivering un-asked for major archive warnings is grounds for a ban from this event. The mod team reserves the right to warn other mod teams on both the MCYT and Multi-fandom side about your bad behaviour.

Is AI content permitted?

No. Specifically, what is colloquially referred to as “AI” content— large language models such as Chat GPT or Midjourney that have been trained on Common Crawl’s unsourced art and writing— is not permitted. Machine-assisted writing or art helpers such as spell check or grammarly are fine. 

What is a DNW?

All participants will have the opportunity to fill out a DNW, which stands for Do Not Want. This is anything that has the potential to ruin a gift for you, and is where you opt out of content that would trigger, squick, or just displease you. DNWs must be phrased politely, (so no "No foster aus because they suck and you suck if you like them"), and they must be reasonable, (so no attempting to box someone into a specific gift, i.e. "DNW anything that isn't a space au where Tommy is a dinosaur-hybrid and Tubbo is a ghost bee and they rampage through the living ship named Las Nevadas"), and they must be specific and clear, (so no “no triggering content"), but they can be as petty (disliking specific art styles) or as broad-reaching (no modern aus, no specific ships, no crossovers with specific servers or fics) as you like. Deliberately breaking someone's DNW is grounds for a ban from the exchange. 

How do I sign up/nominate?

We made specific posts for this, as it's a bit complicated! You can check them out here.

How many source materials can I nominate?

You can nominate a maximum of 10 source materials!

My recipient requested 10 things, but I've only read four of them. How many gifts do I have to make?

You only have to make ONE gift, no matter how many things you matched on. Match on ten source materials— you make one gift. Match on one source material— you make one gift.

Can I do the exchange anonymously?

While your offers remain private, and you can always give a gift on anon, your requests will be public, and you will receive a gift publically. We would recommend that you not request anything that you do not want publically associated with your account, or use a sock account if you're concerned. Moreover, you must publicly join the discord, so this is not the exchange to participate in if you want to be 100% anonymous.

Can I make more than one gift?

If you wish to sign up twice, you will need two Ao3 accounts, and you will need to change your discord name to indicate that both accounts are yours, so we know we have you in the discord. You'll also need to inform the mods that you are using a sock account, so we can make sure that we do not match you to yourself.

If you do not want to go through all of that hassle, you are still welcome to make as many gifts as you want, and give them as treats! Treats are extra gifts— on top of your normal assignment— that you manually address to the recipient and manually add to the collection, and they'll be revealed along with all the normal gifts when we do the grand reveal. Treats are very welcome!

[words-and-threads]

I initially thought this was about university papers and was super confused because you can't write a research paper in class unless it's three days long and held in the library. And just about every in class assignment or exam I've seen is already handwritten (actually a serious problem for some disabled students. I worked in an accessible testing centre and this came up fairly often,) but you can't make every paper an in-class assignment. That's absurd. And if you just demand handwriting, well...it doesn't take a genius to write an AI paper and transcribe it.

So this could only apply to assignments that require at most one or two books, probably stuff at a high school level. High school essays were trash in 2008 when I graduated so I don't think AI is the main problem there. There are many, many problems, but that's more of a symptom.

Tbh I'm always going to be suspicious when someone's argument for a strategy is "well we used to do it this way." Yeah. And sometimes we change the way we do things for a reason.

An ex-colleague of mine was complaining to me the other day about the ai problem in her students' papers, and I told her, "Just make your students hand-write them in class. Easy." She looked at me like I was insane and tried to explain how that would never work, but I just said,"That's how we did it for a thousand years. The invention of word processors doesn't erase all that."

To me it seems obvious. Readings are done out of class, handwritten essays are done within it. No more ai papers.

[engineeringcollegeccourses]

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Engineering at MVJCE: Shaping the Future of Technology

In a world driven by data and digital transformation, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) have emerged as two of the most powerful forces shaping industries, economies, and the very fabric of human life. At MVJ College of Engineering (MVJCE), the B.E. in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning program stands at the intersection of cutting-edge research, hands-on learning, and real-world impact.

Why AI & ML?

AI and ML are no longer just buzzwords. They are key components in a range of applications—from self-driving cars, facial recognition, and natural language processing to predictive analytics in healthcare and finance. As demand for intelligent systems grows, so does the need for engineers who can build, train, and optimize these systems.

The MVJCE Advantage

At MVJCE, located in the heart of India’s tech capital—Bangalore, students benefit from both an academically rigorous curriculum and proximity to some of the world’s leading tech companies. The Department of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning is designed not just to teach concepts, but to nurture innovation, research, and industry-readiness.

Core Curriculum Highlights:

Mathematics for Machine Learning

Python and R Programming

Neural Networks and Deep Learning

Data Mining and Big Data Analytics

Reinforcement Learning and Natural Language Processing (NLP)

AI Ethics and Societal Impact

Labs & Innovation Hubs

MVJCE boasts state-of-the-art AI and ML labs, where students can work on projects ranging from autonomous drones to healthcare diagnostics using AI. Through hackathons, internships, and industry tie-ups, students get to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world challenges.

Industry Connections & Career Opportunities

Thanks to strong industry linkages, students regularly interact with professionals from tech giants like Infosys, TCS, Wipro, Google, and IBM. Graduates of this program are in high demand across sectors such as:

Software Development

AI Research

Data Science

Robotics

FinTech & HealthTech

MVJCE also encourages students to participate in research and innovation through its Incubation Centre, which supports budding entrepreneurs and tech startups.

A Future-Proof Degree

With AI and ML evolving rapidly, MVJCE ensures its syllabus is constantly updated, blending academic fundamentals with the latest in AI trends, tools, and frameworks. This keeps students ahead of the curve in a world where AI is transforming the way we live and work.

Final Word

The B.E. in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning at MVJCE isn’t just a degree—it’s a launchpad for future innovators, problem-solvers, and leaders in the AI revolution. For students passionate about intelligent systems and a smarter world, this program opens doors to limitless possibilities.

[cutepg]

IIT JAM Career Scope After M.Sc: Top Opportunities & How to Prepare for IIT JAM 2026 

Are you planning to pursue M.Sc from a reputed institute like an IIT, NIT, or IISc? If yes, then clearing IIT JAM 2026 can be your ideal launchpad! This prestigious exam not only opens doors to top postgraduate programs but also leads to a wide range of high-paying and impactful career paths. 

In this blog, we will explore the career scope after M.Sc through IIT JAM, and guide you on how to start your preparation for IIT JAM 2026 smartly. 

🔍 What is IIT JAM? 

IIT JAM (Joint Admission Test for M.Sc) is a national-level entrance test conducted by the Indian Institutes of Technology for admission to: 

M.Sc (2 years) 

Joint M.Sc.-Ph.D. programs 

M.Sc.-Ph.D. dual degree programs 

The exam is conducted for subjects including Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biotechnology, Economics, and more. 

🎓 Career Scope After M.Sc Through IIT JAM 

Getting into an M.Sc program via IIT JAM is a significant academic milestone. But what comes after M.Sc? Let’s explore the major career options: 

1️⃣ Ph.D. & Research Career 

After M.Sc, many students opt for a Ph.D. in India or abroad. IITs, IISc, IISERs, and foreign universities offer excellent opportunities in advanced research. Fields include: 

Quantum Physics, Organic Chemistry, Pure Mathematics 

Life Sciences, Nanotechnology, Artificial Intelligence 

Earth Sciences, Environmental Science 

You can pursue a Ph.D. through fellowships like: 

CSIR-UGC NET JRF 

GATE Fellowship 

INSPIRE Fellowship 

PMRF (Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship) 

2️⃣ Jobs in Government R&D Organizations 

With an M.Sc from IITs or top institutes, you can apply to reputed government R&D centers such as: 

ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) 

DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) 

BARC (Bhabha Atomic Research Centre) 

CSIR Labs 

IIT/NIT/IISc research labs 

These jobs are not just well-paid but also provide high job security and research freedom. 

3️⃣ Assistant Professor & Teaching Jobs 

M.Sc + Ph.D. or qualifying CSIR NET can lead to a career in teaching. You can become: 

Assistant Professor in central or state universities 

Lecturer at engineering and science colleges 

Faculty for competitive coaching institutes 

Top EdTech platforms also hire subject experts for content development and teaching. 

4️⃣ Public Sector Jobs (PSUs) 

Many PSUs recruit science postgraduates through the GATE exam or interviews. Major PSUs include: 

ONGC 

IOCL 

NTPC 

BPCL 

BHEL 

You can also appear for other central government jobs like: 

SSC CGL 

UPSC Civil Services 

State PCS 

5️⃣ Private Sector Opportunities 

Companies in the private sector recruit M.Sc graduates for roles like: 

Research Scientist 

Data Analyst / Data Scientist 

Chemist / Lab Analyst 

Clinical Research Associate 

Environmental Consultant 

Industries include: 

Pharma (Sun Pharma, Cipla, Dr. Reddy’s) 

FMCG (Unilever, P&G) 

Analytics (TCS, Infosys, Mu Sigma) 

Biotech & Agrotech companies 

6️⃣ Entrepreneurship & Startups 

M.Sc graduates from IITs also have access to incubation centers and entrepreneurship cells that support startups in: 

Biotech & healthcare 

EdTech & e-learning 

Environmental solutions 

AI & machine learning 

Many alumni have founded their own companies after M.Sc! 

7️⃣ Study Abroad After M.Sc 

Many students pursue MS or Ph.D. abroad after M.Sc to gain global exposure. Countries like the USA, UK, Germany, and Canada offer scholarships and assistantships for M.Sc holders from reputed Indian institutes. 

📘 How to Prepare for IIT JAM 2026 

If you’re aspiring to build a strong career through IIT JAM, your preparation must be strategic and focused. 

Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you begin: 

✅ 1. Understand the Exam Pattern & Syllabus 

IIT JAM is a computer-based test (CBT) with 60 questions divided into 3 sections: 

Section A: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) – 30 Qs 

Section B: Multiple Select Questions (MSQ) – 10 Qs 

Section C: Numerical Answer Type (NAT) – 20 Qs 

👉 Negative marking applies in Section A. 

Download the latest syllabus for your subject and stick to the official topics only. 

✅ 2. Make a Study Plan 

Create a realistic study timetable: 

Week 1–4: Brush up on basics from NCERT and B.Sc books 

Week 5–20: Deep dive into core topics + PYQs 

Week 21–26: Revise, practice mock tests, and time yourself 

✅ 3. Enroll in Online Coaching (Optional but Effective) 

Online coaching platforms like IFAS EdTech offer: 

Subject-wise video lectures 

Regular doubt-solving sessions 

Daily practice questions 

Full-length mock tests with analysis 

AI-based performance tracking 

This saves time, gives structure, and ensures you don’t miss important topics. 

✅ 4. Practice Previous Year Papers 

Solve at least 10 years of IIT JAM previous year papers. They help you: 

Understand the trend of questions 

Identify high-weightage chapters 

Improve speed and accuracy 

✅ 5. Take Mock Tests Weekly 

Mock tests simulate the actual exam. Analyze each mock test for: 

Time management 

Mistake patterns 

Accuracy improvements 

Platforms like IFAS Online Test Series are ideal for this. 

✅ 6. Use Trusted Study Material 

Recommended books for preparation: 

Mathematics: B.S. Grewal, S.C. Malik 

Physics: H.C. Verma, D.C. Pandey, Resnick & Halliday 

Chemistry: O.P. Tandon, Atkins, Morrison & Boyd 

Biotechnology: Satyanarayana, Lehninger 

✅ 7. Revise with Short Notes 

Make formula sheets, flowcharts, and diagrams for revision. These are helpful in the final 1–2 months before the exam. 

 Final Tips to Crack IIT JAM 2026 

Be consistent – Even 3 hours daily can lead to big results 

Focus on understanding, not just memorization 

Join study groups or forums for motivation 

Use online test series to identify weak areas 

Stay calm, confident, and disciplined throughout 

Whether you dream of joining a top IIT, becoming a scientist, working in a government lab, or founding your own startup – IIT JAM is the gateway to fulfilling those aspirations. 

An M.Sc degree earned through IIT JAM is not just a qualification — it’s a career accelerator. 

So start preparing today with a clear plan, expert guidance, and the determination to succeed! 

[studydocument]

The Price of Dishonesty: A Real Estate Licensing Case Study

Integrity and trust are vital in any industry, but they hold even more weight in the world of real estate. This was the lesson learned in the case of Saul v. Department of Fair Trading, where the actions of one real estate agent brought into question the ethical standards of the industry.

The Case at Hand

Maryellen Saul was at the centre of this case, which revolved around her eligibility to hold a real estate agent's license. The Department of Fair Trading had to determine whether Saul's past actions made her unfit for the role.

The Ethical Misstep

What did Saul do to cast doubt on her integrity? When she applied for her registration certificate under the Property, Stock and Business Agents Act (PSBA), she conveniently left out some important details. She failed to disclose her past convictions and the fact that she had used other names, including Brady and Burling.

This was not a one-time occurrence. In 2007, Saul applied for an auctioneer's license and a real estate agent license, yet again omitting crucial information. By falsifying her application, Saul had committed a serious ethical violation, which could result in severe consequences such as hefty fines or imprisonment.

Consumer Protection Implications

You may wonder why such seemingly minor omissions could have such significant consequences. However, the laws governing the real estate industry are in place to protect consumers and maintain public trust. Without honesty and transparency, the industry's integrity would be compromised, and people would lose faith in it.

In this case, the Department of Fair Trading took disciplinary action against Saul, revoking her license and barring her from applying for one or holding a licensed business for seven years. This was a harsh punishment, but it clearly showed that unethical behaviour would not be tolerated in the real estate industry.

Ethics in Real Estate

Real estate agents are held to a high ethical standard and must follow strict codes of conduct. For instance, one cannot operate a real estate business without a valid license. Additionally, anyone with a conviction for a dishonest offence within the past ten years may be disqualified from obtaining a license.

Failure to adhere to these ethical standards can result in penalties such as fines, license suspension, or even revocation. It is crucial for real estate agents to understand and uphold these ethical codes to maintain the industry's integrity.

Possible Course of Action

When there is a discrepancy between ethics and actions, there are methods to address the issue. In this case, the tribunal reviewed the decision and took into account all of the relevant facts and laws before making it. If you want to explore more, head to desklib’s website and explore more about this topic with our AI researcher tool.