#Government programs

[mossymagpie]

The Affordable Connectivity Programs funding is expected to end early this next year. For those who don't know it gives a lot of people free or reduced Internet services.

I receive a 30 dollar credit each month off of my bill, and even then my bill is still $50/month. This is really going to hit hard, especially for people who currently receive free WiFi through the program. It's important people have Internet access in their homes, and it's something a lot of people cannot afford to lose right now. While yes public WiFi is an option not everyone has the ability to get themselves around to places that offer it.

Spectrum has a link where you can send an email asking to extend the program here

You can also contact your state representative too. You can use this link to look up who your representative is.

This program saved me during the pandemic when I lost my job, and even if it loses funding I will be fine for now, but that is not the case for everyone, especially with the rising cost of bills and internet access in general.

[thenib]

Derek M. Ballard.

[californiastatelibrary]

Nothing says Valentine’s Day like the government quoting Shakespeare to warn you against STIs. We hope you get a kick out of this 1990 poster from our Gov Docs collection! 

Link to file: purl.fdlp.gov/GPO/gpo42651

[triangle-of-death]

Government programs

[dailydeclassified]

"How AI and Human Intelligence Work Together: The Story of a CIA Agent and an AI Bot in 1983"

Introduction:

As technology advances, the use of AI is becoming more and more common in different fields. One of the fields where AI is making a significant impact is intelligence gathering, and one story that stands out is that of a CIA agent and an AI bot. This blog will explore how AI and human intelligence can work together to achieve extraordinary results.

Section 1:

The CIA Agent and the AI Bot The story began when the CIA agent received an assignment to gather intelligence on a terrorist group that was planning a major attack. The agent knew that it was a challenging task that required gathering data from various sources and analyzing it to identify potential threats. However, time was limited, and the agent needed to act fast.

To help with the task, the agent was assigned an AI bot that could crawl the internet and collect data from various sources. The bot was programmed to identify specific keywords and phrases related to the terrorist group, which helped the agent to get a better understanding of the group's activities and plans.

Section 2:

The Benefits of AI in Intelligence Gathering AI is becoming more prevalent in intelligence gathering because of its ability to process vast amounts of data quickly and efficiently. In the case of the CIA agent, the AI bot was able to collect data from a variety of sources, including social media, news articles, and other online resources. The bot then analyzed the data and identified potential threats, which helped the agent to make informed decisions.

Section 3:

The Role of Human Intelligence in AI-Driven Intelligence Gathering While AI is a powerful tool for intelligence gathering, it has its limitations. AI algorithms are only as good as the data they are fed, and they lack the ability to interpret context and make judgments based on human intuition. This is where human intelligence comes into play.

In the case of the CIA agent and the AI bot, the agent was able to provide the necessary context and interpret the data collected by the bot. The agent's experience and expertise allowed him to identify potential threats that the bot may have missed, and to make informed decisions based on his analysis.

Section 4:

The Future of AI-Driven Intelligence Gathering The story of the CIA agent and the AI bot is just one example of how AI and human intelligence can work together to achieve extraordinary results. As AI technology advances, we can expect to see more collaboration between humans and AI bots in intelligence gathering and other fields.

However, it is important to remember that AI is not a replacement for human intelligence. Instead, it is a tool that can help humans to process and analyze vast amounts of data quickly and efficiently. In the future, we can expect to see more AI-driven tools and technologies that are designed to support human decision-making rather than replace it.

Conclusion:

The story of the CIA agent and the AI bot is a perfect example of how AI and human intelligence can work together to achieve extraordinary results. By leveraging the power of AI to collect and analyze vast amounts of data quickly, and combining it with human intelligence to provide context and interpret the data, we can make informed decisions that can help keep us safe in an ever-changing world. As technology continues to advance, we can expect to see more examples of AI and human intelligence working together to achieve great things.

https://dailydeclassified.blogspot.com/.../how-ai-and...

[biteitwhenitssoft]

Hi! Funding for the ACP ended in April 2024!

Yeah! This April is the LAST MONTH all of us relying on this program will be receiving any credit from it! The ACP was some kind of ONE TIME GRANT of money that has run out! "The ACP is managed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and provides low-income households with $30 a month to purchase internet services and equipment. Since its creation, the ACP has provided over 23 million families, including over 366,000 in Massachusetts, with financial assistance for broadband access. However, due to the popularity of the program, ACP funding is estimated to expire in the coming year."

What can you do about this? Same as every damn problem in the United States! You just gotta email a representative! That's really all you can do!

I will say, cynicism aside, I emailed many of my own states officials and I did receive an email back from one of them, Senator Markey, claiming he and his colleagues ARE trying to do something about it. It's obviously going to take for fucking ever to get anything implemented, but at least they're actually aware of the issue and trying to fix it. "That is why on October 19, 2023, I joined my colleagues in urging congressional leadership to extend funding for the ACP and create a long-term solution for this critical program. In addition, in October 2023, I joined my colleagues in introducing the Promoting Access to Broadband Act (S.3024), which would establish a grant program for states to inform qualifying individuals of their eligibility for the FCC’s ACP and Lifeline programs." If you live in a different state, emailing your goverment officials may be even more important to getting these things passed.

I know every post on here is like "call your rep! call your rep!" but I actually emailed and got a response, so! Try it out! You can try these links to use pre-written emails.

Good luck.

Turns out with the Affordable Connectivity Program, ISPs CAN NOT shut off your internet.

Seriously. If you’re living in the US, and you’re at or below poverty line, sign up for the affordable connectivity program. it gives you like $30+ a month off your current internet bill and it makes it so they can’t disconnect you if you don’t pay them.

[sohaibsmart]

A take a look at how a few of Trump's picks to guide well being companies may assist perform Kennedy's overhaul

The group that President-elect Donald Trump has chosen to guide federal well being companies in his second administration features a retired congressman, a surgeon and a former talk-show host. All may play pivotal roles in fulfilling a political agenda that might change how the federal government goes about safeguarding Individuals’ well being — from well being care and medicines to meals…

[auntbibby]

heres a video tour of the new basement suite i moved into, and an explanation of the annoying capitalist reason why i had to move...

hope u like it!

[jediaxis101]

[knacknews]

Read This To Learn All About Home Mortgages

TIP! Now is the time to try refinancing your home even if you are upside down on the mortgage. The Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) has been revamped to let homeowners refinance their home regardless of how underwater they are. To find the right home mortgage, you must understand what goes into a mortgage. How much knowledge do you have about home mortgages and its terms? The information…

[amira-g1234]

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[longlistshort]

Moses Soyer’s oil painting, Young Girl, is one of the works on view in A New Deal: Artists of the WPA from the CMA Collection at Canton Museum of Art. The exhibition is a reminder of one of the best social programs ever created by the US government and the positive impact it had on the country during one of its hardest periods.

From the museum about the exhibition-

Against the backdrop of severe economic strife caused by the Stock Market Crash of 1929, President Franklin Roosevelt created the Works Progress Administration (WPA), which put roughly 8.5 million Americans, including more than 173,000 men and women in Ohio, to work building schools, hospitals, roads and more. Within the WPA was The Federal Art Project (FAP) which provided employment for artists to create art for municipal buildings and public spaces. The FAP had a non-discrimination clause that meant it attracted and hired artists of color and women, who previously received little attention in the art world. The only guidance the government offered about subject matter was to depict the “American scene” and stipulated no nudity or political issues. The goal was for artists to help the United States develop its own distinct American style of art, especially as artists in other parts of the world were forbidden freedom of expression and ordered to create artworks that projected the beliefs of their governments.

Though the WPA artists in the United States shared the common goal of capturing life in all its variety and promoting national pride, they each had different approaches, and many modified their typical subject matter to fit whatever project they were assigned. The arts before and after the New Deal relied on private patronage and the philanthropy of wealthy and elite institutions: galleries, museums, dealers. But during the WPA, art wasn’t a luxury good, it was seen as an essential part of our democracy. Artists were seen as professional workers who were making important and significant contributions to American life. The artworks made under the WPA became the collection of the American people and were put in public collections – hospitals, schools, post offices, housing projects, etc. – ensuring they were part of communities. The arts were seen as an important part of a democratic society and the American way of life, with a richness of experience and accessibility to culture.

While artists were offered opportunities through the WPA, they were far from immune to the distress caused by the Depression, and many still struggled to make a living. Will Barnet detailed a bleak scene he came across, saying:

“It was like a war going on. There were bread lines and men lined around three, four, five, six blocks waiting to get a bowl of soup. It was an extraordinary situation. And one felt this terrible dark cloud over the whole city.”

Moses Soyer also described the hardships artists experienced, saying,

“Depression–who can describe the hopelessness that its victims knew? Perhaps no one better than the artist taking his work to show the galleries. They were at a standstill. The misery of the artist was acute.”

The FAP supported the creation of thousands of works of art, including more than 2,500 murals that can still be seen in public buildings around the country. The FAP also supported art education and outreach efforts, including traveling exhibitions and art education programs for children. The WPA and FAP had a significant impact on the American art scene, and many of the artists who participated in the program went on to become important figures in the art world.

A New Deal: Artists of the WPA from the CMA Collection highlights the lives of artists from our Permanent Collection who worked for the WPA, and in doing so, fostered resilience for a struggling nation. You will learn about the projects they worked on, the subjects they were interested in, and how their own lives were affected by the Depression. Each of these artists helped to foster the nation’s spirit and prove that even in the darkest of times, art serves as a uniting force to collectively lead people into a brighter future.

And about Moses Soyer and his painting from the museum-

The Depression set the mood for most of Soyer’s art expression, and his portraits of people seem to be preoccupied with a sad secret. His portraits were often of solitary figures, using professional models or his friends, capturing in these paintings the spirit of his sitters, their dreams or disillusionment. He is best known for his introspective figure paintings of weary, melancholy women in muted colors, matching the mood of his sitters with the pigment in his paint. He was inspired by artist Edgar Degas, who used color expressively.

On the museum’s website you can find both the artwork on display for the exhibition and also a gallery of the museum’s entire collection organized into several categories.