#Newsletter Design Company

[mediapasta]

From Designing Logo for k12 to Corporate we are recognised as one of the best graphic design company in mumbai Enquire With Us Now!

[butchvamp]

we know EA interfered a lot with veilguard, i definitely do attribute the "sanitization" of the setting directly to EA's meddling, i even think to some extent taash's quest and the corporate representation feel of it all was influenced heavily by EA and not just weekes. and i think a lot of the companions being so shallow and their quests feeling half-baked is also mostly due to time constraints and rewrites/cut content-- the writers genuinely did do the best they could with what they had, and i feel for them and their frustrations. but. there are also just a lot of really bad decisions made elsewhere, too. like i said the racism has always been present in these games and it's always been a problem, it's literally baked into the worldbuilding, though i can definitely agree that some of it was potentially made worse specifically in veilguard due to constant rewrites and the loss of context and cohesion, but like... it was always there to begin with... and it's not "unfair" for players to point this out.

both things can be true-- EA absolutely fucked these people over, and we shouldn't be speculating conspiracy theory-type shit about the writers hating fans or whatever when we know. we know EA interfered, we know there were creative differences, we know they ruthlessly laid off a lot of the people that poured their blood, sweat, and tears into this game! EA is both stupid and actively malicious, they get no sympathy from me. veilguard absolutely is a casualty of the current state of the gaming industry. and i also think there were a lot of poor writing decisions made independently of that as well, that are fair to criticize and question. a lot of these problems are the same problems we've seen in every single DA game, and this consistency makes it clear this is not just an issue with corporate overreach.

but i really feel for everyone involved with making this game, this shit was clearly a very long and tiring fight, i can't even imagine the kind of constant corporate shitstorm they had to deal with for ten fucking years, and personally there is no NDA in the world that would keep me from talking shit. so these guys are stronger than me lol

[spacealiencafe]

did the entire field of graphic design get swallowed up by interns who are bad at using canva

[abiodun-360degree]

A Management Profile. Chester Barnard (1886 -1961) Pioneers of Field of Management)

A Management Profile. Chester Barnard (1886 -1961) Pioneers of Field of Management) A good man is hard to find and that may explain why Chester Barnard was always in demand. The longtime President of New Jersey Bell donated his administrative talent and bundles energy to public services as diverse were the National Science Foundation, the Board of Health of New York City, the Rockefeller…

[sankalp812]

Digital Marketing Agency South Delhi | Social Media & SEO in Kalkaji | Online Marketing Services

We are a Quality Driven Digital Marketing Agency in Kalkaji, South Delhi, India. Uni Square Concepts provides professional Social Media, SEO & other top digital marketing services.

[moosha-mushroom]

Media I imagine different fiction podcasts in instead of the media of being a podcast.

TMA: A selection of volumes, relating to the fears, each with those removable covers. Those covers has a victim or two, and then underneath the cover is a really detailed cover. The paper is decoratively ripped, with a kind of scraggly font, and each has a foreword and ‘author’s note’ from Jonathan Sims.

Malevolent: A really gritty graphic novel with deadly detail in each panel, and very little color. Maybe a trinket on each important character has a color? Like Arthur’s eyes being yellow or Oscar’s collar having a blue sheen to it. The novels are long, dramatic, and intimate in a visceral way.

Welcome to Night Vale: Local 58 bullshit. A broadcast on television with low quality images and audio, tacky music, and a kind of 80’s aesthetic. Each episode the words WELCOME TO NIGHT VALE zoom onto the screen, the purple eye behind them. And each weather segment is an animated short by a different artist.

The Penumbra(Juno Steel): A webcomic. Hours spent scrolling downward a comic that has so much color and GEOMETRIC design. Juno and his curvy jaw, brown pie slice eyes, a cartoonishly high collar for his investigator jacket. Nureyev and his sharp square jaw, shimmering jewelry, and stick legs. Characters sticking out of the panels, fonts changing constantly, a little blue Juno that does his narration and *guitar theme plays* each time he appears.

Wolf 359: A classic comic. Issues month by month. Different special covers of the characters in extra dramatic poses or scenes. Even MORE panel breaking than Juno Steel. So MUCH onomatopoeia, even for small things like the clink of a panel or the disapproving hiss of Hilbert in the background. Geometric designs like Juno Steel, but less colorful. Like the superhero art style mixed with a more stylized look.

Midnight Burger: You pull up the Midnight Burger website. They have a hidden page that has a sort of script-comic thing going on, where the art is next to the writing. Small coded in notes from Leif sometimes pop up if you hold your arrow over the art. Links are attached to the parts where Effie and Zebulon play music, linking you to the music so you can listen to it while you read.

Desert Skies: An animated show. Indie, something you’d find on YouTube. The animation is bouncy and incorporates 3D animation alongside the 2D. Maybe the Sphere Movers have 3D models and the staff don’t? The credits are short because it was made by one guy. People are complaining about it on Twitter /j. People are making content farms about it. Everyone is pissed at Corson like they’re pissed at Jax.

The Amelia Project: A sort of simulation video game. You play as Arthur. You listen to their stories and draw pieces of the tale to invent their death. Every once in a while the game transitions to a point and click suspense game where you solve puzzles as Cole and Haines. Maybe there should even be an Operation-esque part of it where you work as Kozlowski.

Ghost Wax: A novel with a lot of pictures spliced in it. The stories are all in a single book, though the book is through Luca’s perspective— so he picks up on the ghost’s body language and Voncid’s reactions. The pictures are tarot cards with each victim as a card. Some are repeat cards— Lorem does not have a card at the end of the story. Nor does Our Home or Evening at the Ardent. The pictures are only white with black line art. No color whatsoever.

Kakos Industries: A company newsletter. Not a broadcast. A newspaper that arrives at your door and has big bold letters with the main story and pictures of the events that happen in the story as it goes. And the Sunday Comic page is full of employee shenanigans. Some innocent… some not.

I am losing my mind.

[afeelgoodblog]

The Best News of Last Week - February 5

1. Austin experimented with giving people $1,000 a month.

People who received guaranteed basic income in one of Texas' largest cities reported reduced rates of housing insecurity. Austin was the first city in Texas to launch a taxpayer-funded guaranteed-income program when the Austin Guaranteed Income Pilot kicked off in May 2022. The program served 135 low-income families, each receiving $1,000 monthly.

2. Germany: Tens of thousands in Berlin protest far right

Around 150,000 people have attended a protest rally in the German capital, Berlin, against the far right and its ideology, the latest in a series of such demonstrations across Germany in recent weeks.

3. Sweden: Where it's taboo for dads to skip parental leave

It's been 50 years since Sweden introduced state-funded parental leave, designed for couples to share. The pioneering policy offers some surprising lessons for other countries.

4. Germany tests 4-day workweek amid labor shortage

While Germany, struggles to find enough workers, dozens of companies are starting an experiment that will see employees work a day less. In February, 45 companies and organizations in Germany will introduce a 4-day workweek for half a year.

5. K9 finds missing endangered 11-yr-old, gives her kisses

An 11-year-old girl, reported to be missing and endangered, is now safe after she was found by a sheriff’s K9 deputy in Wimauma, Florida. Her handler asked if the K9 could give the girl kisses as a reward to the K9 for locating the girl, and the heartwarming moment was captured on the deputy’s body camera.

6. Oregon Zoo releases seven critically endangered condors back to nature in California

Seven California condors were released into the wild in the U.S. state after the endangered animals were hatched and raised at Oregon Zoo.

7. EU will force cosmetic companies to pay to reduce microplastic pollution

Beauty companies will have to pay more to clean up micropollutants after EU negotiators struck a new deal to treat sewage.

Under draft rules that follow the “polluter pays principle”, companies that sell medicines and cosmetics will have to cover at least 80% of the extra costs needed to get rid of tiny pollutants that are dirtying urban wastewater.

---

That's it for this week :)

This newsletter will always be free. If you liked this post you can support me with a small kofi donation here:

Buy me a coffee ❤️

Also don’t forget to reblog this post with your friends.

[gelistiricim]

FREEGİVEAWAYCENTER - SİLVER

Online giveaways have become a popular way for companies to engage with their audience and attract potential customers. Understanding the different types of online giveaways can help individuals discern the authenticity of such offers. Some common types of online giveaways include: - Social media giveaways on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter - Website giveaways hosted by brands on their official websites - Email giveaways where participants enter by subscribing to a newsletter or mailing list - Sweepstakes and contests with specific entry requirements and rules Being aware of the various formats of online giveaways can assist participants in identifying legitimate opportunities to win prizes like the win iPhone 15 pro max.

iPhone 15 pro max giveaway can present exciting opportunities to win coveted prizes, it is crucial to watch out for red flags that may indicate potential scams or fraudulent activities. Some red flags to be cautious of in online giveaways include: - Requests for payment or purchase to enter the giveaway - Unsolicited messages claiming you have won a prize - Lack of official rules or terms and conditions - Poor website design or unprofessional communication By recognizing these warning signs, individuals can protect themselves from falling victim to online giveaway scams and ensure a safe and authentic participation experience.

Participating in legitimate online giveaways can be a fun and rewarding experience when done thoughtfully and cautiously. To increase the chances of engaging with genuine giveaways and avoiding potential scams, consider the following tips: - Research the hosting company or brand to verify their credibility - Read the giveaway rules and terms carefully before entering - Avoid sharing personal information beyond what is necessary for participation - Be wary of offers that seem too good to be true - Opt for well-known and reputable websites or social media platforms for participation By following these tips and staying vigilant, individuals can navigate the online giveaway landscape securely and potentially win exciting prizes like the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

[warningsine]

Living online means never quite understanding what’s happening to you at a given moment. Why these search results? Why this product recommendation? There is a feeling—often warranted, sometimes conspiracy-minded—that we are constantly manipulated by platforms and websites.

So-called dark patterns, deceptive bits of web design that can trick people into certain choices online, make it harder to unsubscribe from a scammy or unwanted newsletter; they nudge us into purchases. Algorithms optimized for engagement shape what we see on social media and can goad us into participation by showing us things that are likely to provoke strong emotional responses. But although we know that all of this is happening in aggregate, it’s hard to know specifically how large technology companies exert their influence over our lives.

This week, Wired published a story by the former FTC attorney Megan Gray that illustrates the dynamic in a nutshell. The op-ed argued that Google alters user searches to include more lucrative keywords. For example, Google is said to surreptitiously replace a query for “children’s clothing” with “NIKOLAI-brand kidswear” on the back end in order to direct users to lucrative shopping links on the results page. It’s an alarming allegation, and Ned Adriance, a spokesperson for Google, told me that it’s “flat-out false.” Gray, who is also a former vice president of the Google Search competitor DuckDuckGo, had seemingly misinterpreted a chart that was briefly presented during the company’s ongoing U.S. et al v. Google trial, in which the company is defending itself against charges that it violated federal antitrust law. (That chart, according to Adriance, represents a “phrase match” feature that the company uses for its ads product; “Google does not delete queries and replace them with ones that monetize better as the opinion piece suggests, and the organic results you see in Search are not affected by our ads systems,” he said.)

Gray told me, “I stand by my larger point—the Google Search team and Google ad team worked together to secretly boost commercial queries, which triggered more ads and thus revenue. Google isn’t contesting this, as far as I know.” In a statement, Chelsea Russo, another Google spokesperson, reiterated that the company’s products do not work this way and cited testimony from Google VP Jerry Dischler that “the organic team does not take data from the ads team in order to affect its ranking and affect its result.” Wired did not respond to a request for comment. Last night, the publication removed the story from its website, noting that it does not meet Wired’s editorial standards.

It’s hard to know what to make of these competing statements. Gray’s specific facts may be wrong, but the broader concerns about Google’s business—that it makes monetization decisions that could lead the product to feel less useful or enjoyable—form the heart of the government’s case against the company. None of this is easy to untangle in plain English—in fact, that’s the whole point of the trial. For most of us, evidence about Big Tech’s products tends to be anecdotal or fuzzy—more vibes-based than factual. Google may not be altering billions of queries in the manner that the Wired story suggests, but the company is constantly tweaking and ranking what we see, while injecting ads and proprietary widgets into our feed, thereby altering our experience. And so we end up saying that Google Search is less useful now or that shopping on Amazon has gotten worse. These tools are so embedded in our lives that we feel acutely that something is off, even if we can’t put our finger on the technical problem.

That’s changing. In the past month, thanks to a series of antitrust actions on behalf of the federal government, hard evidence of the ways that Silicon Valley’s biggest companies are wielding their influence is trickling out. Google’s trial is under way, and while the tech giant is trying to keep testimony locked down, the past four weeks have helped illustrate—via internal company documents and slide decks like the one cited by Wired—how Google has used its war chest to broker deals and dominate the search market. Perhaps the specifics of Gray’s essay were off, but we have learned, for instance, how company executives considered adjusting Google’s products to lead to more “monetizable queries.” And just last week, the Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit against Amazon alleging anticompetitive practices. (Amazon has called the suit “misguided.”)

Filings related to that suit have delivered a staggering revelation concerning a secretive Amazon algorithm code-named Project Nessie. The particulars of Nessie were heavily redacted in the public complaint, but this week The Wall Street Journal revealed details of the program. According to the unredacted complaint, a copy of which I have also viewed, Nessie—which is no longer in use—monitored industry prices of specific goods to determine whether competitors were algorithmically matching Amazon’s prices. In the event that competitors were, Nessie would exploit this by systematically raising prices on goods across Amazon, encouraging its competitors to follow suit. Amazon, via the algorithm, knew that it would be able to charge more on its own site, because it didn’t have to worry about being undercut elsewhere, thereby making the broader online shopping experience worse for everyone. An Amazon spokesperson told the Journal that the FTC is mischaracterizing the tool, and suggested that Nessie was a way to monitor competitor pricing and keep price-matching algorithms from dropping prices to unsustainable levels (the company did not respond to my request for comment).

In the FTC’s telling, Project Nessie demonstrates the sheer scope of Amazon’s power in online markets. The project arguably amounted to a form of unilateral price fixing, where Amazon essentially goaded its competitors into acting like cartel members without even knowing they’d done so—all while raising prices on consumers. It’s an astonishing form of influence, powered by behind-the-scenes technology.

The government will need to prove whether this type of algorithmic influence is illegal. But even putting legality aside, Project Nessie is a sterling example of the way that Big Tech has supercharged capitalistic tendencies and manipulated markets in unnatural and opaque ways. It demonstrates the muscle that a company can throw around when it has consolidated its position in a given sector. The complaint alleges that Amazon’s reach and logistics capabilities force third-party sellers to offer products on Amazon and for lower prices than other retailers. Once it captured a significant share of the retail market, Amazon was allegedly able to use algorithmic tools such as Nessie to drive prices up for specific products, boosting revenues and manipulating competitors.

Reading about Project Nessie, I was surprised to feel a sense of relief. In recent years, customer-satisfaction ratings have dipped among Amazon shoppers who have cited delivery disruptions, an explosion of third-party sellers, and poor-quality products as reasons for frustration. In my own life and among friends and relatives, there has been a growing feeling that shopping on the platform has become a slog, with fewer deals and far more junk to sift through. Again, these feelings tend to occupy vibe territory: Amazon’s bigness seems stifling or grating in ways that aren’t always easy to explain. But Nessie offers a partial explanation for this frustration, as do revelations about Google’s various product adjustments. We have the sense that we’re being manipulated because, well, we are. It’s a bit like feeling vaguely sick, going to the doctor, and receiving a blood-test result confirming that, yes, the malaise you experienced is actually an iron deficiency. It is the catharsis of, at long last, receiving a diagnosis.

This is the true power of the surge in anti-monopoly litigation. (According to experts in the field, September was “the most extraordinary month they have ever seen in antitrust.”) Whether or not any of these lawsuits results in corporate breakups or lasting change, they are, effectively, an MRI of our sprawling digital economy—a forensic look at what these larger-than-life technology companies are really doing, and how they are exerting their influence and causing damage. It is confirmation that what so many of us have felt—that the platforms dictating our online experiences are behaving unnaturally and manipulatively—is not merely a paranoid delusion, but the effect of an asymmetrical relationship between the giants of scale and us, the users.

In recent years, it’s been harder to love the internet, a miracle of connectivity that feels ever more bloated, stagnant, commercialized, and junkified. We are just now starting to understand the specifics of this transformation—the true influence of Silicon Valley’s vise grip on our lives. It turns out that the slow rot we might feel isn’t just in our heads, after all.

[linkablewritingadvice]

How much should it cost to be a writer?

It depends what route you’re taking. If you are planning to go for traditional publishing, which looks like you finishing a manuscript and then querying agents who will then take your book to publishers, you should be paying for basically nothing. One exception would be if you decide to hire an editor to get a pass over your manuscript and/or query package before sending it off, but this is not required.

If you are in the process of trying to get your manuscript traditionally published, you may be approached by a “publisher” offering to publish your manuscript for a fee. THIS IS A SCAM! An author should never be paying for “publishing services.” Anyone asking you to pay for your own printing, marketing, etc. costs is taking advantage of you. These are called vanity publishers and they will not turn you a profit, help you attract readers, or provide you the prestige of being published. 

Always check on Writer Beware - search for the name of the person or company. You can also just google that name along with the word “scam” or “reviews.” In general, don’t let yourself be blinded by dreams, or let yourself be convinced that something is a good idea because you really want it to be true. Never, ever, ever pay a publisher.

If you are going the self-publishing route, you will be paying for certain things, but none of those should be payment to be published. You are the publisher. Uploading your manuscript to Amazon or other marketplaces is free. However, you will be paying for things that a publisher typically pays for. This could include:

-Cover art - you could do this yourself, though this isn't recommended. A good cover is key to a book's success, so budget to purchase a pre-made book cover, or hire a professional cover artist.

To find pre-made book covers, you can just Google "premade book covers," or check one of these sites: BookCoverZone RockingBookCovers Beetiful

And here's a list of places to buy both custom and pre-made cover designs that's a good start. You can also check Reedsy and Etsy for people listing cover design services. If there is a self-pubbed author whose covers you love, try asking them what artist they use.

-Formatting - you could do this yourself using a formatting program like Atticus, or you could hire someone who does professional e-book formatting.

Here's an article on the turbo-DIY route. Here's a list of formatting programs you can use. To hire someone, you can simply search for book formatting services or look at places where people list such services for hire, like Reedsy, Fiverr, or certain Reddit boards.

-Ad campaigns - you may want to pay for ad campaigns on platforms like Meta or Amazon. More niche, author-specific platforms like BookBub, Book Funnel, or Book Sirens also come with certain costs. 

-Author services - you may wish to hire an expert in things like marketing, blurb copy, social media metrics, newsletter management, etc. You can find information on that here.

Be aware that scam publishers might try to pitch themselves as "author services" - you should be paying someone to help you with specific aspects of your self publishing work, NOT paying to be published.

-Software and platforms - whether it's a subscription to Duotrope, a paid Scribophile account, access to pro Canva features, etc. you may decide to pay for tools that you will use to do your work well.

-Expert advice - some people offer courses, books, or other resources on how to do specific things like write a compelling blurb or run an effective ad campaign. You may notice that a lot of the links I shared here will include upsells from people doing exactly this!

Be very cautious about this, as most of these people claim that they make tons of money on their self published books, but really, they make their money selling this stuff to people like you. Always check out a person’s free resources first, and wait to invest in this sort of thing until you have a specific question you need answered or are trying to do a very particular thing that you need granular guidance on. 

One thing you should NOT pay for is a review, feature, or interview. Self-published authors will be approached by a lot of scammers who claim that, for a nominal fee, they will share information about your book to their huge audiences. These are completely useless and a waste of money. Never spend money on this.

Always keep track of what you are spending on all of this. You may be able to deduct it from taxes you pay on your income from writing, and you will want to really understand what your profit margins look like.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Private equity ghouls have a new way to steal from their investors

Private equity is quite a racket. PE managers pile up other peoples’ money — pension funds, plutes, other pools of money — and then “invest” it (buying businesses, loading them with debt, cutting wages, lowering quality and setting traps for customers). For this, they get an annual fee — 2% — of the money they manage, and a bonus for any profits they make.

On top of this, private equity bosses get to use the carried interest tax loophole, a scam that lets them treat this ordinary income as a capital gain, so they can pay half the taxes that a working stiff would pay on a regular salary. If you don’t know much about carried interest, you might think it has to do with “interest” on a loan or a deposit, but it’s way weirder. “Carried interest” is a tax regime designed for 16th century sea captains and their “interest” in the cargo they “carried”:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/04/29/writers-must-be-paid/#carried-interest

Private equity is a cancer. Its profits come from buying productive firms, loading them with debt, abusing their suppliers, workers and customers, and driving them into ground, stiffing all of them — and the company’s creditors. The mafia have a name for this. They call it a “bust out”:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/06/02/plunderers/#farben

Private equity destroyed Toys R Us, Sears, Bed, Bath and Beyond, and many more companies beloved of Main Street, bled dry for Wall Street:

https://prospect.org/culture/books/2023-06-02-days-of-plunder-morgenson-rosner-ballou-review/

And they’re coming for more. PE funds are “rolling up” thousands of Boomer-owned business as their owners retire. There’s a good chance that every funeral home, pet groomer and urgent care clinic within an hour’s drive of you is owned by a single PE firm. There’s 2.9m more Boomer-owned businesses going up for sale in the coming years, with 32m employees, and PE is set to buy ’em all:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/12/16/schumpeterian-terrorism/#deliberately-broken

PE funds get their money from “institutional investors.” It shouldn’t surprise you to learn they treat their investors no better than their creditors, nor the customers, employees or suppliers of the businesses they buy.

Pension funds, in particular, are the perennial suckers at the poker table. My parent’s pension fund, the Ontario Teachers’ Fund, are every grifter’s favorite patsy, losing $90m to Sam Bankman-Fried’s cryptocurrency scam:

https://www.otpp.com/en-ca/about-us/news-and-insights/2022/ontario-teachers--statement-on-ftx/

Pension funds are neck-deep in private equity, paying steep fees for shitty returns. Imagine knowing that the reason you can’t afford your apartment anymore is your pension fund gambled with the private equity firm that bought your building and jacked up the rent — and still lost money:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/02/25/pluralistic-your-daily-link-dose-25-feb-2020/

But there’s no depth too low for PE looters to sink to. They’ve found an exciting new way to steal from their investors, a scam called a “continuation fund.” Writing in his latest newsletter, the great Matt Levine breaks it down:

https://news.bloomberglaw.com/mergers-and-acquisitions/matt-levines-money-stuff-buyout-funds-buy-from-themselves

Here’s the deal: say you’re a PE guy who’s raised a $1b fund. That entitles you to a 2% annual “carry” on the fund: $20,000,000/year. But you’ve managed to buy and asset strip so many productive businesses that it’s now worth $5b. Your carry doesn’t go up fivefold. You could sell the company and collect your 20% commission — $800m — but you stop collecting that annual carry.

But what if you do both? Here’s how: you create a “continuation fund” — a fund that buys your old fund’s portfolio. Now you’ve got $5b under management and your carry quintuples, to $100m/year. Levine dryly notes that the FT calls this “a controversial type of transaction”:

https://www.ft.com/content/11549c33-b97d-468b-8990-e6fd64294f85

These deals “look like a pyramid scheme” — one fund flips its assets to another fund, with the same manager running both funds. It’s a way to make the pie bigger, but to decrease the share (in both real and proportional terms) going to the pension funds and other institutional investors who backed the fund.

A PE boss is supposed to be a fiduciary, with a legal requirement to do what’s best for their investors. But when the same PE manager is the buyer and the seller, and when the sale takes place without inviting any outside bidders, how can they possibly resolve their conflict of interest?

They can’t: 42% of continuation fund deals involve a sale at a value lower than the one that the PE fund told their investors the assets were worth. Now, this may sound weird — if a PE boss wants to set a high initial value for their fund in order to maximize their carry, why would they sell its assets to the new fund at a discount?

Here’s Levine’s theory: if you’re a PE guy going back to your investors for money to put in a new fund, you’re more likely to succeed if you can show that their getting a bargain. So you raise $1b, build it up to $5b, and then tell your investors they can buy the new fund for only $3b. Sure, they can get out — and lose big. Or they can take the deal, get the new fund at a 40% discount — and the PE boss gets $60m/year for the next ten years, instead of the $20m they were getting before the continuation fund deal.

PE is devouring the productive economy and making the world’s richest people even richer. The one bright light? The FTC and DoJ Antitrust Division just published new merger guidelines that would make the PE acquire/debt-load/asset-strip model illegal:

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/07/ftc-doj-seek-comment-draft-merger-guidelines

The bad news is that some sneaky fuck just slipped a 20% FTC budget cut — $50m/year — into the new appropriations bill:

https://twitter.com/matthewstoller/status/1681830706488438785

They’re scared, and they’re fighting dirty.

I’m at San Diego Comic-Con!

Today (Jul 20) 16h: Signing, Tor Books booth #2802 (free advance copies of The Lost Cause — Nov 2023 — to the first 50 people!)

Tomorrow (Jul 21):

1030h: Wish They All Could be CA MCs, room 24ABC (panel)

12h: Signing, AA09

Sat, Jul 22 15h: The Worlds We Return To, room 23ABC (panel)

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

https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/20/continuation-fraud/#buyout-groups

[Image ID: An old Punch editorial cartoon depicting a bank-robber sticking up a group of businesspeople and workers. He wears a bandanna emblazoned with dollar-signs and a top-hat.]

[historical-fashion-polls]

hello again dear anon! 💖

to respond to your second question: yes, I know a few places you could check out! ☺️☺️ I've made a little list:

I simply must shout out I Do Declare, an incredible queer-owned and ethically manufactured clothing company! I believe they currently go up to 3xl, although they've been consistently expanding their size ranges since I've been aware of the brand. they tend to do limited releases and pre-orders throughout the year rather than having things consistently in stock, so it's worth signing up for their newsletter or following them on social media if you're interested in getting something from them. you can still view all their styles in the "shop" tab of their website, so you can see the kinds of things they've offered in the past 💕

Blackwood Castle is another queer-owned, ethically manufactured clothing company, although they tend more toward the gothic and the victorian rather than medieval/renaissance. but depending on how you styled the pieces – or the aesthetic you had in mind – their pieces could still give that fun ren faire historic flair! I believe their sizes go up to 5xl, and while not all of their pieces have low necklines, a number of them do, so it might be worth checking out their site! 💖

my last recommendation is Firefly Path, although I do want to put the caveat here that I have never ordered anything from them, so I can't personally speak to the quality of the garments. however, I wanted to add them here since they are a small studio that takes custom orders, if that was the route you wanted to go. because they do customs, I believe they could do almost any size or garment type. they focus on fantasy-inspired clothing, and I could totally see their garments being worn to a ren faire 💕

one last piece of advice I'll add here for finding similar clothing is to look around on social media and see who your favorite brands/designers follow and interact with. that's honestly how I found a lot of these great companies! ☺️☺️

I hope these are at least a little bit helpful, and if anyone else has any recommendations, feel free to drop them in the comments below! 🥰🥰

also a disclaimer that these are not paid promotions and I am not affiliated with these companies in any way – I just either really enjoy their clothing and/or think they could be a good resource for the kinds of garments you're looking for 💕💕

[aroaceleovaldez]

the show chb logo was also ripped from fandom, like in the past decade all the official chb shirt had the logo without the circle and then the fandom started doing and the show went for it, sorry your tags reminded me of that

[Link to post/tags in question]

Yeah, I know Delphi Strawberry Service has done more circular-based CHB shirt designs for ages, and I've seen the more circular-based designs floating around for awhile. I think Magicbysab's circular-based CHB shirt designs also predate the show design? Those are just the ones I can think of off the top of my head. I understand on a level that if they did base it off fandom designs, particularly if they're basing anything on widespread fanon or fandom-based concepts, it can be difficult to pin down credit or may even seen unnecessary. But if they're going to be doing that I feel like at least they could hire like, a fandom consultant of sorts? Instead of just ripping off from the fandom, hire someone from the community who produces that already so at least there's some recognition and acknowledgement of where it originated.

Heck, in some instances if you ask around in the fandom it's not hard to pinpoint who specifically popularized certain concepts! I could talk for ages about Cherryandsisters being a driving force behind photokinesis!Will, or Saberghatz with plague!Will (tbh between the two they spearheaded a ton of early Will/Solangelo fanon), and I swear Drksanctuary alone is behind like 50% of Alabaster fanon, etc etc etc. People in the fandom know these things! Heck, we know ReadRiordan company knows how to do that kind of thing! They commissioned Viria for the official art, and the UK Riordan newsletter reaches out to fans all the time to feature their work (with credit, they're one of the better ones)! Though in Rick's book tours he did showcase Viria's art (at least with credit) without asking before she got commissioned, and during the Tower of Nero book tours they actually straight up stole a solangelo edit from Pervysloth with completely zero credit (link is to my canon url readriordan parody blog).

I think it doesn't help as well that Rick and his editor allegedly use the fandom wiki in place of a series bible. The PJO wiki is notorious for putting inaccurate information or fanon onto pages at random and having no sources. (What I wouldn't give for the PJO wiki to have frequent book/page sources a la Warrior Cats wiki...) There are what, now almost 18 books in the main series alone? Of an extremely renowned best-selling series that's 20 years old and now being adapted for TV? And they STILL don't have a series bible? That's like, step 1 of writing a series. This kind of reliance of the fandom for resources and concepts definitely isn't new for them.

It just feels so bizarre as to what it says about how the ReadRiordan company views the fandom and the creatives within it. I understand that trying to figure out how to give credit to the concept of "CHB shirt design, but circular!" is difficult, if you even can find out who did that first or popularized it. But if you're going to rip things from fandom, at least find somebody to try and credit? Show that you put in even the tiniest amount of effort? And if you get it wrong and people know, they'll correct you and that's that! But ReadRiordan just keeps trying to actively obscure these kinds of things, even with their own media, not ripped from the fandom, which makes it feel all the worse when it gets pointed out. And a lot of the time the whole reason those concepts get popular is because they're filtered through big names in the fandom! The fandom is a community! We know these people! We can point to them and explain exactly what they popularized! Remember how Velinxi popularized long haired Piper with the heart-shaped flyaways? Goodness only knows how many fandom designs are heavily influenced by Viria and Minuiko and Burdge (and Indigonite and Fuocogo and Ikimaru and Thecottonproject and Joker-ace and Sixofclovers and Vikingmera and Saber and Cherry and and and-). If you are in the community this stuff is easy to find. But Rick and the ReadRiordan company clearly being ~5 years behind with fanon pretty obviously tells me that they're not in the community at all, and aren't bothering trying.

[codingquill]

Why is landing an Internship as a Computer Engineering/Computer Science Student so hard ?

Hey there, dear coders!

I apologize for my long absence—life caught me off guard with a lot of work and projects. Now that I finally have some time, I wanted to make a post to connect with you all. Thank you so much for 1,000 subscribers! I know maintaining a community requires consistent posting, and I feel like many of you might have forgotten about me. But I promise to make something big out of this. I've been thinking about starting a newsletter where you can receive weekly emails from me, discussing something I learned that week or anything that intrigued me and I felt like sharing.

Now, back to our question: Is it really hard to land an internship as a computer science student? The answer is yes, and as a computer engineering student myself, I can attest to this.

I've often wondered why it's so difficult. After some observations, I discovered that almost every computer science student's resume looks the same. The portfolios are nearly identical, lacking uniqueness. If you've studied at the same school as your friends, what would make a recruiter choose you over them?

This is where uniqueness and a sense of self come in. Your portfolio or website should reflect exactly who you are as a person and highlight your strengths.

The second crucial factor is dedication. I've had classmates who are extremely dedicated. They might not have any special skills, but they show immense interest in what they want to do. This drive is palpable, and recruiters can sense it too.

Sometimes, the resume isn't even the most important aspect. For big companies like Oracle, what you say and know during the interview and technical tests matters more. The resume is just the very first step.

So, what I've learned along the way can be summed up in two words: uniqueness and dedication.

Now how to Create the Perfect Resume to Land an Internship as a Student ?

1. Keep the design simple:

Avoid extra designs or too many colors. While uniqueness is important, recruiters generally do not favor overly designed resumes.

2. Structure your resume properly:

- The Resume Header

Contact Information:

Full name and title: List your first and last name. Use the title of the role you want instead of your current title.

Professional email address: Use a clean format like firstname.lastname@gmail.com.

Phone number: Choose the number you check most frequently. Record a professional voicemail greeting if yours is too casual.

Address: List only your city and state. Let recruiters know if you're willing to relocate if applicable.

LinkedIn or other professional social media: Include your LinkedIn profile if it's active and relevant. List any portfolios or computer engineering-related sites.

- The Resume Summary

A paragraph where you describe yourself by answering these questions:

What is your professional style? (Use one or two descriptive words such as patient, critical thinker, consensus builder, excellent designer.)

What is your greatest engineering strength?

What will you add to this particular team?

What is your process for building and maintaining computer networks?

What are you proudest of in your career?

Example:

Motivated computer engineering student with a strong foundation in software development and solid analytical and problem-solving skills. Looking for an opportunity to enhance my skills in a challenging professional environment.

- The Employment History Section

Be specific about how you contributed to each position and the impact you made.

List the job title, organization name, dates of employment, and 3–6 bullet points showcasing your achievements.

Start each bullet point with a strong action verb like collaborated or designed.

Highlight significant achievements rather than just listing responsibilities.

If you have no experience, include a projects section. This will act as your experience. Highlight how you worked on each project and your passion for it.

- The Skills Section

Combine hard and soft skills. The skills section is often the first place recruiters look to ensure you have the key abilities they're seeking. Your entire resume should support the skills you list here.

- The Education and Certifications Section

List your education, including any relevant courses or special achievements during your degree. Also, mention any certifications you have, whether from freeCodeCamp, Google, Coursera, etc.

By following these tips, you can create a resume that stands out and showcases your unique strengths and dedication. Good luck with your internship search, and remember to stay true to yourself!

[mariacallous]

This week, the Kremlin sought to dominate public information spaces with narratives about Russia’s attack with a nuclear-capable ballistic missile on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro. The incident was splashed across the front pages of Russian news outlets and served as the centrepiece of state-controlled TV discussions. The objective is clear: domestically, to enforce a patriotic siege mentality; internationally, to stoke fears of nuclear war, to intimidate, and to weaken support for Ukraine.

Fraudsters fighting fakes

Instead of giving this fear-mongering more oxygen, we focus on something topical, though no less revealing. Enter the Kremlin-funded ‘Global Fact-Checking Network’, a supposedly international initiative to combat bias and disinformation. Under different circumstances, the irony of this endeavour might even be laughable. But it’s dead serious – another weaponised tool to enable and amplify international manipulation.

The network was unveiled at the Kremlin-organised ‘Dialogue on Fakes 2.0(opens in a new tab)’ forum in Moscow last week, hosted by the Russian government-funded NGO ANO Dialog. According to its director(opens in a new tab), Vladimir Tabak, the initiative aims to establish standards for fact-checking, inviting journalists and organisations to join after signing a so-called ‘Code of Responsible Fact-Checking(opens in a new tab)���. The network claims it will develop tools to identify fake news, train professionals, and compile a public database of ‘proven false data’, accessible globally.

Fact-checking as camouflage

Training experts, setting standards, and creating tools to combat disinformation are goals EUvsDisinfo fully supports. But there’s a catch: ANO Dialog(opens in a new tab) and its subsidiary Dialog Regions are Kremlin-funded entities designed to manipulate information domestically and globally to serve Kremlin interests. Its director, Vladimir Tabak(opens in a new tab), is under EU sanctions and in 2024, the US Treasury(opens in a new tab) linked the organisation to Russia’s foreign influence operations, including AI-driven election interference and the Doppelgänger disinformation campaign.

In other words, ANO Dialog and Vladimir Tabak are themselves producing and spreading disinformation and running information manipulation operations for the Kremlin. Announcing a ‘global fact-checking network’ is just the latest iteration of a years-long campaign to copy the verbal and visual vocabulary of actual fact-checking organisations to spread lies.

Lapsha Media and WarOnFakes

In 2021, ANO Dialog signed a ‘Memorandum on Countering Fakes(opens in a new tab)’, which had been set up by major Russian internet companies. It then started the ‘Lapsha Media project(opens in a new tab)’, a website and social media campaign with all the trappings of a fact-checking organisation: slick promotion videos telling users to not believe everything they see online, a weekly newsletter with ‘top fakes’ and information for readers to send in their own ‘fakes’ to be checked by ‘experts’.

Lapsha media is available in Russian and targets Russian-speaking audiences, but Timofej Vasiljev(opens in a new tab), who worked for ANO Dialog in the past, set up the WarOnFakes project, a propaganda project posing as a fact-checking organisation which was available in multiple language (although it failed to gain much following among European audiences).

Deception wrapped in data

ANO Dialog disguises itself as a modern, technologically advanced NGO, whose main goal is to offer advice on communications and digitalisation to Russian state institutions. Commenting on the dangers of online disinformation and fake news fits this role. Its director Tabak is regularly quoted and invited to panels(opens in a new tab) by Russian state media to talk about the dangers to society of ‘fake news’ and ‘deep fakes’ and how he and his organisation aim to fight it.

Some results of this fight were presented in a special ‘Fake News Dissemination Study(opens in a new tab)’ for the above-mentioned conference. What exposes this document as a manipulative fake is its ostensible exactness. The organisation claims to have ‘revealed’ 4,051 fakes in 2023, which were allegedly seen by 12 million persons. In 2024, they claim to have identified more than 4,000 fakes, but thanks to their ‘anti-fake system’ these were so far seen by only 8 million persons. The report even includes a chart which shows which months had the highest number of fakes in the last years and a heatmap to show the total number of identified fakes in each Russian region.

No math in disinformation

By providing these numbers, ANO Dialog tries to make it appear as if it had an understanding of the total amount of fake news or disinformation in Russia. Yet there is no method to reliably measure the amount of disinformation anywhere. Disinformation is not potatoes. It is an abstract concept enabled by manipulative behaviour which comes in many different forms and happens on many different mediums and channels.

The report implies that what it counted was ‘fake’ or inaccurate information. But disinformation doesn’t always work with lies; it often works with half-truths, or even completely accurate information that is taken out of context or presented in a manipulative way, exaggerated, coupled with non-related events, and so on. How would that be counted? As half a fake? As a third of a fake? And who decides how much of a fake that is?

We at EUvsDisinfo have worked professionally since 2015 in countering disinformation and manipulation following a comprehensive concept, which we described in April 2020 and elaborated in July 2023.

EUvsDisinfo also maintains a database, which last week reached the sad milestone of 18,000 examples of disinformation cases. These are merely an illustration of disinformation narratives directed at the EU and its neighbours. We do not claim to be able to quantify the vast amounts of manipulative content being produced every day.

Confusion is the main goal

ANO Dialog is of course not really concerned with these questions because it is itself a major producer of manipulative content. This report is just one more attempt to make it appear that there is a Russian alternative to fact-checking organisations. It works in much the same way that Russian officials often claim that there is no free-speech in Western countries. Their argument is pure whataboutism: ‘If you say we don’t have free speech, we say you don’t have free speech. And then you will not have less free speech and we will not have more free speech’. In reality, the people listening will be a little more confused about free speech and that’s the goal.

It is about taking up space in the information environment and drowning out other voices.

Don’t be deceived!

Other things the Kremlin called fake this week:

– The West did not organise the DHL cargo plane crash in Vilnius to blame Russia

The Kremlin’s disinformation machine churned out an absurd conspiracy theory this week, claiming that the West orchestrated the crash of a DHL cargo plane in Vilnius in order to frame Russia. The theory, promoted by a Russian State Duma member, hinges on a tenuous connection to a Times article that highlighted concerns about parcel bombs and their potential use by Russian intelligence. The crash, which occurred on 25 November, involved a Boeing 737. Lithuanian authorities and DHL are investigating the cause(opens in a new tab), with initial assessments pointing to either technical issues or human error.

The case is an illustrative example of information manipulation by pro-Kremlin media. They did not wait for the results of the investigation but put out their own version of an anti-Russian conspiracy by ‘Anglo-Saxons’ almost immediately. This story was spread by the main TV station Rossiya 1 and the main Russian newswire RIA. In this way, they attempt to dominate the information environment and have search engines pick up their version of events first. It is instructive that these main outlets spread this story so soon: this allows other outlets in the pro-Russian infosphere to republish and amplify it. We have written before about how members of the presidential administration control the main Russian information environment through the use of temnik guidelines.

– North Korean soldiers are fighting alongside Russia against Ukraine

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov called news that North Korean soldiers are being deployed against Ukraine ‘another batch of fake news’. In fact, there is evidence from US, South Korean and Ukrainian sources that the North Korean regime has sent more than 10,000 troops to join the war against Ukraine. This has also been confirmed by HRVP Josep Borrell(opens in a new tab) and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte(opens in a new tab). Peskov’s reasoning for why this could not be true was interesting: because it was not reported by Russian milbloggers. An official of the country that ranks 162 out of 180(opens in a new tab) in the press freedom ranking by Reporters Without Borders apparently still relies on the credibility of independent sources for validation – ironic, given the Kremlin’s routine suppression of free speech and independent media.

– Russia receives weapons from other countries

Another example of the Kremlin’s attempt to obscure uncomfortable truths came this week when Dmitry Medvedev, Vice Chairman of Russia’s Security Council, denied that Russia receives military equipment from other countries. Medvedev claimed that the ‘absolute majority’ of weapons, missiles, and ammunition used in the war against Ukraine is manufactured in Russia. However, substantial evidence contradicts this assertion. By November 2024, South Korean intelligence reported that North Korea had sent over 9 million artillery shells(opens in a new tab), missiles(opens in a new tab), and other weapons to Russia in more than 13,000 containers(opens in a new tab) since August 2023. Iran provides Russia with drones(opens in a new tab) and China is providing critical components(opens in a new tab) to sustain Russia’s military industry. This heavy reliance on external supplies exposes significant gaps in Russia’s own production capabilities. We said we would not mention the ballistic missiles in this review, but here we are after all.

[abrandnewshadow]

2005 mcr newsletter [email] about the founding of skeleton crew

"SKELETON CREW ONLINE

To whom it may concern,

Hello friends, this is Frank from My Chemical Romance. First of all, I would like to thank you all for helping my dreams come true. I cannot express my undying

gratitude for your support of this little band. You have made it possible for four kids from New Jersey and one from Chicago to make a difference in this world. Thank you, thank you, thank you, from the depths of my polluted New Jersey heart, thank you.

Ok, so now that the mushy stuff is out of the way I wanted to tell you about something that's going on in my life. I am clogging up your inbox with junk mail to let you know that I have embarked on a new creative adventure. Over the past few years, I have met lots of extremely talented people… tons of them. The thing is, I have not only become friends with these people, but I have also become a huge fan of the art they create. When that happens, the next logical step is to figure out how to work with them in the best capacity. So I wanted to start a company or companies that would be able to showcase the talents of my friends, my heroes, and the people who inspire me to live each day of my life as if it were my last. What I came up with was Skeleton Crew (skeletoncrewonline.com). Skeleton Crew is a record label, book publisher, and clothing design company. I figured if I was going to do it, I might as well do it all. I have always had a passion for record collecting, especially rare releases. If I'm a fan of the band I have to have it all, it's a sickness really. So Skeleton Crew Records will put out limited edition releases, colored vinyl, picture discs, and things I would want as a record collector. Basically whatever the band wants to do, we will put out. Some of the bands you might have heard of, some of the bands you might not have. The one thing they will all have in common is that I like them, which means they are worth checking out. (I have wanted to start a record label of my own for years, I'm really excited.)

Skeleton Crew Publications will release books written or illustrated by musicians, artists, athletes, and just all around interesting people who have something to say. I want to create a different forum where art and ideas can be presented. With media some of these artists have not experimented with or explored yet. I think this division of Skeleton Crew is the most interesting, and the one to definitely keep your eye on. We will not censor any of the artists, they will have full reign over what they create. (Again the only thing the authors may have in common, is that I am a fan.)

Last, but not least, is Skeleton Crew Clothing. This is not a t-shirt company! I can type it again if you didn't read it the first time…this is not a t-shirt company. I have nothing against t-shirts, some of my best friends wear them, and I enjoy them as well. All I'm trying to say is that Skeleton Crew is a clothing design company; we are in the process of developing a fall/winter line that will involve more than just screen printed t-shirts. You will be able to wear nothing but Skeleton Crew products for weeks straight to any occasion or destination and never think twice about whether your uniform is comfortable, appropriate, or fashionable. The designs are rad, I must say so myself. There are teasers on the website for you right now, but we'll keep you in anticipation of the clothes for a little bit longer.

This is a business that has a greater good in mind, Skeleton Crew will donate a portion of all profits to different charitable organizations, decided upon by the artists we work with. I have a feeling you guys are gonna enjoy what we come up with; at least I hope you do. Skeleton Crew will have a booth on upcoming Warped Tour dates on the East coast. I will drop you guys a short email letting you know when exactly that will be.

Until then, go to the site, skeletoncrewonline.com, you can email us for additional information. So far it's been really fun and hard just developing this project, I can't wait to get things rolling and hear what you guys think. I created Skeleton Crew from my heart and with my friends so I hope you check it out. Thanks for reading, I'll see you at the show.

keep the faith - frank m.c.r. & s.c.."

posted by bringyrbullets on lj