#Technology sector funds

[pallavirajput74]

Tech Titans: Discover the Best IT Sector Mutual Funds in India

[uniqueeval]

ETFs are set to hit record inflows, but this wild card could change it

Exchange-traded fund inflows have already topped monthly records in 2024, and managers think inflows could see an impact from the money market fund boom before year-end. “With that $6 trillion plus parked in money market funds, I do think that is really the biggest wild card for the remainder of the year,” Nate Geraci, president of The ETF Store, told CNBC’s “ETF Edge” this week. “Whether it be…

[headspace-hotel]

USAmericans

Read the Project 2025 manifesto RIGHT NOW

It's MUCH worse than y'all have been hearing

There is so much here you'll have to look at it for yourself, but the climate policy alone is nightmare fuel.

The republican coalition wants to essentially end funding for green energy, dramatically promote and expand fossil fuel industries, and eliminate funding and regulations in all sectors promoting climate change mitigation. Task forces and offices related to clean energy and lowering carbon emissions will be eliminated and replaced with offices for promoting fossil fuels.

They want to LOG NATIONAL FORESTS TO "THIN" THE TREES TO STOP WILDFIRES.

THEY WANT TO FORCE OREGON AND CALIFORNIA TO LOG THEIR NATIONAL FORESTS AND TREAT THEM AS FOR TIMBER PRODUCTION

There are specific provisions in Project 2025 to essentially destroy the Endangered Species Act, causing it to defer to the rights of "economic development" and "private property." The plan includes delisting gray wolves, cutting the budget so that a "triage" system is used to determine which species will get protection, removing funding for research, removing experts and specialists from the decision-making process, and preventing "experimental" populations of animals from being established.

This is so much worse than I expected it to be and there's much more past that: They want to deregulate pesticides and remove much of the EPA's ability to regulate pollutants as well.

Also included in the manifesto is that we should

withdraw from nuclear weapons nonproliferation agreements, build more nuclear weapons, and resume nuclear weapons testing

The manifesto comprehensively outlines the scorched-earth elimination of abortion access, down to ensuring doctors aren't even trained to perform abortions. There are plans in here to disrupt abortion access GLOBALLY, not just domestically.

Not only that,the Republicans plan on reframing family planning programs around "fertility awareness" and "holistic family planning."

I can't even describe it all. I'm trying to give screenshots of the most important things but there's so much.

The foreign policy is a nightmare. They plan to push fossil fuels onto the Global South and promote the development of fossil fuel industry in the "developing world."

It is aggressive and antagonistic towards other nations, strongly pro-military, proposing that we INCREASE (!!!!!) defense spending, improve public opinion of the military and military recruitment, and increase the power to fund new weapons technology.

Just read the Department of Defense section. It's about greatly increasing and strengthening the military-industrial complex, collaborating more closely with weapons manufacturers, removing regulatory barriers to arming our allies and to inventing new military weapons, and recruiting more people into the military. They include provisions to develop AI technology for surveillance. And of course, continuing to support Israel is in there.

Elsewhere it proposes interfering in foreign countries with creepy pro-USA propaganda campaigns, even establishing international educational programs where faculty have to pledge to promote USA interests.

There's a line in here about getting rid of PBS because SESAME STREET is LEFTIST for God's sake.

HOW are people claiming democrats have the same policies. I feel like i'm losing my mind.

[joeygoldy]

Useful Tips for Becoming a Successful Agriculture Investor

Agriculture investment refers to the allocation of financial resources, capital, or assets into various aspects of the agricultural sector with the expectation of generating a return on investment (ROI). This could mean investing monies in agriculture land for sale such as coconut land for sale in Sri Lanka, or other types of investments. It involves deploying funds in activities and projects related to agriculture for the purpose of profit, income generation, or long-term wealth creation. Agriculture investment can take many forms, including:

Farmland Acquisition: Purchasing agricultural land for the cultivation of crops or the raising of livestock. This can involve both large-scale and small-scale farming operations.

Infrastructure Development: Investing in the construction and improvement of infrastructure such as irrigation systems, roads, storage facilities, and processing plants to enhance agricultural productivity and efficiency.

Technological Advancements: Funding the development and adoption of agricultural technologies, such as precision agriculture, automation, and biotechnology, to improve crop yields and reduce operational costs.

Agribusiness Ventures: Investing in agribusinesses, such as food processing, distribution, and marketing, that are part of the agricultural value chain.

Research and Development: Supporting research initiatives related to agriculture to develop new crop varieties, pest-resistant strains, and sustainable farming practices.

Input Supply: Investing in the production and distribution of agricultural inputs like seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, and machinery.

Commodity Trading: Speculating on the future prices of agricultural commodities, such as grains, oilseeds, and livestock, through commodity markets or futures contracts.

Sustainable Agriculture: Funding practices and projects aimed at sustainable and environmentally responsible farming methods, which can include organic farming, agroforestry, and conservation efforts.

Rural Development: Supporting initiatives that improve the overall economic and social well-being of rural communities, often through investments in education, healthcare, and infrastructure.

Venture Capital and Start-ups: Investing in start-ups and companies focused on innovations in agriculture, such as vertical farming, aquaculture, or agricultural technology (AgTech).

Agriculture investment is important for food security, economic development, and job creation in many regions. However, it also comes with risks related to weather conditions, commodity price fluctuations, and market dynamics. Investors often conduct thorough research and risk assessments before committing their resources to agricultural ventures. Additionally, they may need to consider factors like government policies, environmental regulations, and social impacts on their investment decisions in the agricultural sector.

How to become a successful agriculture investor

Becoming a successful agriculture investor requires a combination of financial acumen, agricultural knowledge, and a strategic approach to investment. Here are some steps to help you become a successful agriculture investor:

Educate Yourself: Gain a strong understanding of the agricultural sector, including the different sub-sectors (crops, livestock, agribusiness, etc.). Stay updated on industry trends, market conditions, and emerging technologies.

Set Clear Investment Goals: Define your investment objectives, whether it is long-term wealth creation, income generation, or diversification of your investment portfolio.

Risk Assessment: Understand and assess the risks associated with agriculture investments, such as weather-related risks, market volatility, and regulatory changes, whether you are looking at land for sale or any other type of investment.

Develop a Diversified Portfolio: Diversify your investments across different agricultural sectors and geographic regions to spread risk.

Market Research: Conduct thorough market research to identify promising investment opportunities and potential demand for agricultural products.

Build a Network: Establish connections with farmers, agricultural experts, government agencies, and industry stakeholders who can provide insights and opportunities.

Financial Planning: Create a budget and financial plan that outlines your investment capital, expected returns, and cash flow requirements.

Select the Right Investment Type: Choose the type of agriculture investment that aligns with your goals, whether it is farmland, agribusiness ventures, or agricultural technology.

Due Diligence: Conduct comprehensive due diligence on potential investments, including assessing the quality of farmland, the financial health of agribusinesses, and the technology's potential for scalability and profitability.

Sustainable Practices: Consider investments in sustainable and environmentally responsible agriculture practices, as they are gaining importance in the industry.

Risk Management: Implement risk management strategies, such as insurance, to protect your investments from unforeseen events like natural disasters or crop failures.

Continuous Learning: Stay informed about changes in the agricultural industry and adapt your investment strategy accordingly.

Legal and Regulatory Compliance: Understand and comply with local, national, and international regulations and tax laws that may impact your agriculture investments.

Monitor and Adjust: Regularly review the performance of your investments and be prepared to make adjustments or exit underperforming ones.

Long-Term Perspective: Agriculture investments often require a long-term perspective, so be patient and avoid making impulsive decisions based on short-term market fluctuations.

Seek Professional Advice: Consult with financial advisors, agricultural experts, and legal professionals to ensure that your investments are structured and managed effectively.

Successful agriculture investment often involves a mix of financial expertise, industry knowledge, and a willingness to adapt to changing conditions. It is important to approach agriculture investment with a well-thought-out strategy, and to be prepared for both opportunities and challenges in this sector.

[mariacallous]

https://meidasnews.com/news/republican-mayor-of-3rd-largest-city-in-az-endorses-harris

John Giles, the Republican Mayor of Mesa, Arizona, wrote an OpEd today for the Arizona Republic stating the reasons why he is endorsing Kamala Harris for President. Mesa is the 3rd largest city in Arizona, and the Arizona Republic is the largest newspaper by circulation in the crucial battleground state. 

Giles listed the following reasons why he can't support Donald Trump: 1. He refused to accept the outcome of the 2020 election, and continues to do so. 2. He continues to trash the American legal system to delegitimize it. 3. He orchestrated the "fake elector" scheme in Arizona. 4. He orchestrated the sham "audit" of the election by the Arizona Senate and Cyber Ninjas. 5. He blocked the bipartisan border bill negotiated in the Senate. 6. He treated Infrastructure Week like a joke when cities like his badly needed it.

7. He is a convicted felon and threat to the nation. 8. He has threatened to abandoned NATO. 9. He has eroded public confidence in our institutions. 10. His advisors and associates drafted Project 2025, which is a threat to our freedoms. 11. He is crude and vulgar. Giles then listed the reasons why he isn't just anti-Trump, he is also pro-Harris: 1. The Administration delivered on their promise with infrastructure funding for the Phoenix-Mesa Airport, and made technological investments in the transportation sector. 2. Thousands of new jobs are being created in Arizona with the CHIPS Act. 3. She has taken a strong stand against gun violence. 4. She has taken a strong stand for women's rights which are under assault from MAGA Republicans.

Giles then concluded with the following: "We can choose a future for our children and grandchildren based on decency, respect and morality — or succumb to the crudeness and vulgarity of Trump and J.D. Vance and the far-right agenda they would champion.

Arizona leaders like McCain and Sen. Mark Kelly have embodied the commitment to country over party. And it’s that same high caliber of character and leadership I see in Vice President Harris.

That’s why I’m standing with her. Kamala Harris is the competent, just and fair leader our country deserves. This year too much is at stake to vote Republican at the top of the ticket.

It will take Arizona Republicans, independents and Democrats standing together against a far-right agenda. Let us put country over party by voting to stop Trump and protect our democracy."

Powerful stuff. 

Winning back Arizona is crucial for Donald Trump. It is difficult to see any electoral path to victory for Trump without Arizona. He has continued to support candidates in that state like Kari Lake and Blake Masters who are toxic to moderate voters. He continues to attack the McCain family, who remain popular with those same moderate Arizona voters. 

This endorsement by Giles certainly doesn't help Donald Trump, and gives a big boost to Kamala Harris in Arizona.

[malewifesband]

tbh the thing that gonna make kabru all shy and make his heart flutter is seeing laios like actually being a good king i cannot imagine anything makes him feel quite as in love as kabru saying like "we should try to advance our technological sector" and laios hitting him back with "hmm most of the half-foots in chilchucks union were trap disarmers. i bet theyd be interested in learning the mechanics behind it and theyd be easily able to adapt that if we gave the union some scholarship funds. can you see if we can spare the budget, or do we need to set up a tax to fund it?"

like kabru would just melt

[batboyblog]

Things the Biden-Harris Administration Did This Week #34

Sep 13-20 2024.

President Biden announced $1.3 billion in new funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The Biden-Harris Administration has already invested a record breaking $17 billion in HBCUs since the President took office. HBCUs represent an important engine for making black professionals. 40% of all Black engineers, 50% of all Black teachers, 70% of all Black doctors and dentists, 80% of all Black judges, and the first black Vice-President, Kamala Harris, are HBCU graduates. HBCUs have also been proven to be far better at boosting the long term economic prospects of graduates than non-HBCU colleges. The bulk of the new funding will go directly to supporting students and helping them pay for college.

The Department of Transportation celebrated 60,000 infrastructure projects funding by the Biden-Harris Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This landmark is a part of the Biden-Harris team's effort to address America's long neglected infrastructure. From major multi-state projects to small town railway crossings every project was lead by a local community in need not a make-work project dreamed up in Washington

The Department of Energy announced over 3 billion dollars to support the battery sector. The 25 projects across 14 states will help support over 12,000 jobs. Advanced battery technology is key to the shift to a carbon energy free economy. The move is meant to not only boost battery production but also shift it away from China and toward America.

Maine and Rhode Island both launched a partnership with the federal government to help save low income families money on their utility bills. The program offers low and moderate income households aid in updating wiring, switching to energy efficient appliances, and installing heat pumps.

The EPA announced $156 million to help bring solar power to low-income New Mexico residents. This is part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s "Solar for All" project aimed at helping low-income people afford the switch over to solar power. It's expected that 21,750 low-income households in New Mexico will benefit from the money. New Mexicans can expect to save over the next 20 years $311 million in energy costs.

The Department of The Interior announced the first ever leases for wind power in the Gulf of Maine. The leases for 8 areas off the coast of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine will be sold in late October. The Department believes that once developed the wind power from these leases could produce 13 gigawatts of clean offshore wind energy, enough to power 4.5 million homes. When added to the 15 gigawatts already approved by the Biden-Harris team it brings America close to Biden's 30 gigawatts of clean offshore wind power by 2030.

The Senate approved the appointment of Kevin Ritz to the Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, which covers Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee. The Senate also approved Mary Kay Costello and Michelle Williams Court to district court judgeships in Pennsylvania and California respectively. Costello is the 12th LGBT judge appointed by President Biden, making him the President to appoint the most LGBT people to the federal bench more than during Obama's 8 years. President Biden has also appointed more black women, such as Judge Court, to the bench than any other President. Judge Court also represents President Biden's move to appoint civil rights attorneys to the bench, Court worked for the ACLU in the mid-90s and was a civil rights expect at HUD in the early 2000s. This brings the total number of judges appointed by Biden to 212.

[allthecanadianpolitics]

The federal government will be investing $2.4 billion to accelerate Canada’s artificial intelligence (AI) sector, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Sunday. The investment will be divided between a number of measures meant to advance job growth in the AI and tech industry and boost businesses’ productivity. “This announcement is a major investment in our future, in the future of workers, in making sure that every industry, and every generation, has the tools to succeed and prosper in the economy of tomorrow,” Trudeau said in a press release Sunday. Majority of the funds, $2 billion, will go toward increasing access to computing and technological infrastructure. Another $200 million is being invested into AI start-ups to accelerate the technology in “critical sectors” such as health care, agriculture and manufacturing, the release says. Additional funds will be put toward helping small and medium-sized businesses incorporate AI, with another $50 million being committed to help train workers whose jobs may be disrupted by the technology.

Continue Reading.

Tagging: @politicsofcanada

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Fintech bullies stole your kid’s lunch money

I'm coming to DEFCON! On Aug 9, I'm emceeing the EFF POKER TOURNAMENT (noon at the Horseshoe Poker Room), and appearing on the BRICKED AND ABANDONED panel (5PM, LVCC - L1 - HW1–11–01). On Aug 10, I'm giving a keynote called "DISENSHITTIFY OR DIE! How hackers can seize the means of computation and build a new, good internet that is hardened against our asshole bosses' insatiable horniness for enshittification" (noon, LVCC - L1 - HW1–11–01).

Three companies control the market for school lunch payments. They take as much as 60 cents out of every dollar poor kids' parents put into the system to the tune of $100m/year. They're literally stealing poor kids' lunch money.

In its latest report, the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau describes this scam in eye-watering, blood-boiling detail:

https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/cfpb_costs-of-electronic-payment-in-k-12-schools-issue-spotlight_2024-07.pdf

The report samples 16.7m K-12 students in 25k schools. It finds that schools are racing to go cashless, with 87% contracting with payment processors to handle cafeteria transactions. Three processors dominate the sector: Myschoolbucks, Schoolcafé, and Linq Connect.

These aren't credit card processors (most students don't have credit cards). Instead, they let kids set up an account, like a prison commissary account, that their families load up with cash. And, as with prison commissary accounts, every time a loved one adds cash to the account, the processor takes a giant whack out of them with junk fees:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/14/minnesota-nice/#shitty-technology-adoption-curve

If you're the parent of a kid who is eligible for a reduced-price lunch (that is, if you are poor), then about 60% of the money you put into your kid's account is gobbled up by these payment processors in service charges.

It's expensive to be poor, and this is no exception. If your kid doesn't qualify for the lunch subsidy, you're only paying about 8% in service charges (which is still triple the rate charged by credit card companies for payment processing).

The disparity is down to how these charges are calculated. The payment processors charge a flat fee for every top-up, and poor families can't afford to minimize these fees by making a single payment at the start of the year or semester. Instead, they pay small sums every payday, meaning they pay the fee twice per month (or even more frequently).

Not only is the sector concentrated into three companies, neither school districts nor parents have any meaningful way to shop around. For school districts, payment processing is usually bundled in with other school services, like student data management and HR data handling. For parents, there's no way to choose a different payment processor – you have to go with the one the school district has chosen.

This is all illegal. The USDA – which provides and regulates – the reduced cost lunch program, bans schools from charging fees to receive its meals. Under USDA regs, schools must allow kids to pay cash, or to top up their accounts with cash at the school, without any fees. The USDA has repeatedly (2014, 2017) published these rules.

Despite this, many schools refuse to handle cash, citing safety and security, and even when schools do accept cash or checks, they often fail to advertise this fact.

The USDA also requires schools to publish the fees charged by processors, but most of the districts in the study violate this requirement. Where schools do publish fees, we see a per-transaction charge of up to $3.25 for an ACH transfer that costs $0.26-0.50, or 4.58% for a debit/credit-card transaction that costs 1.5%. On top of this, many payment processors charge a one-time fee to enroll a student in the program and "convenience fees" to transfer funds between siblings' accounts. They also set maximum fees that make it hard to avoid paying multiple charges through the year.

These are classic junk fees. As Matt Stoller puts it: "'Convenience fees' that aren't convenient and 'service fees' without any service." Another way in which these fit the definition of junk fees: they are calculated at the end of the transaction, and not advertised up front.

Like all junk fee companies, school payment processors make it extremely hard to cancel an automatic recurring payment, and have innumerable hurdles to getting a refund, which takes an age to arrive.

Now, there are many agencies that could have compiled this report (the USDA, for one), and it could just as easily have come from an academic or a journalist. But it didn't – it came from the CFPB, and that matters, because the CFPB has the means, motive and opportunity to do something about this.

The CFPB has emerged as a powerhouse of a regulator, doing things that materially and profoundly benefit average Americans. During the lockdowns, they were the ones who took on scumbag landlords who violated the ban on evictions:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/04/20/euthanize-rentier-enablers/#cfpb

They went after "Earned Wage Access" programs where your boss colludes with payday lenders to trap you in debt at 300% APR:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/05/01/usury/#tech-exceptionalism

They are forcing the banks to let you move your account (along with all your payment history, stored payees, automatic payments, etc) with one click – and they're standing up a site that will analyze your account data and tell you which bank will give you the best deal:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/10/21/let-my-dollars-go/#personal-financial-data-rights

They're going after "buy now, pay later" companies that flout borrower protection rules, making a rogues' gallery of repeat corporate criminals, banning fine-print gotcha clauses, and they're doing it all in the wake of a 7-2 Supreme Court decision that affirmed their power to do so:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/06/10/getting-things-done/#deliverism

The CFPB can – and will – do something to protect America's poorest parents from having $100m of their kids' lunch money stolen by three giant fintech companies. But whether they'll continue to do so under a Kamala Harris administration is an open question. While Harris has repeatedly talked up the ways that Biden's CFPB, the DOJ Antitrust Division, and FTC have gone after corporate abuses, some of her largest donors are demanding that her administration fire the heads of these agencies and crush their agenda:

https://prospect.org/power/2024-07-26-corporate-wishcasting-attack-lina-khan/

Tens of millions of dollars have been donated to Harris' campaign and PACs that support her by billionaires like Reid Hoffman, who says that FTC Chair Lina Khan is "waging war on American business":

https://prospect.org/power/2024-07-26-corporate-wishcasting-attack-lina-khan/

Some of the richest Democrat donors told the Financial Times that their donations were contingent on Harris firing Khan and that they'd been assured this would happen:

https://archive.is/k7tUY

This would be a disaster – for America, and for Harris's election prospects – and one hopes that Harris and her advisors know it. Writing in his "How Things Work" newsletter today, Hamilton Nolan makes the case that labor unions should publicly declare that they support the FTC, the CFPB and the DOJ's antitrust efforts:

https://www.hamiltonnolan.com/p/unions-and-antitrust-are-peanut-butter

Don’t want huge companies and their idiot billionaire bosses to run the world? Break them up, and unionize them. It’s the best program we have.

Perhaps you've heard that antitrust is anti-worker. It's true that antitrust law has been used to attack labor organizing, but that has always been in spite of the letter of the law. Indeed, the legislative history of US antitrust law is Congress repeatedly passing law after law explaining that antitrust "aims at dollars, not men":

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/14/aiming-at-dollars/#not-men

The Democrats need to be more than The Party of Not Trump. To succeed – as a party and as a force for a future for Americans – they have to be the party that defends us – workers, parents, kids and retirees alike – from corporate predation.

Support me this summer on the Clarion Write-A-Thon and help raise money for the Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers' Workshop!

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/2024/07/26/taanstafl/#stay-hungry

Image: Cryteria (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HAL9000.svg

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

[soon-palestine]

So it turns out that Elons trip to Israel wasn't just for kosher theater and an IDF propaganda tour.

A secret meeting took place while he was there that went virtually unreported by any news media outlets.

In attendance was Netanyahu, Musk's tour organizer, investor Omri Casspi, Brigadier General Danny Gold, Head of the Israeli Directorate of Defense Research & Development and one of the developers of Iron Dome, Aleph venture capital funds partner Michael Eisenberg, and Israeli cybersecurity company CHEQ CEO Guy Tytunovich who is ex-israeli intelligence unit 8200.

The six men talked about technology in the service of Israel's defense, dealing with fake content and anti-Semitic and anti-Israeli comments, and the use by non-democratic countries of bots as part of campaigns to change perceptions, including on the X platform.

The solution Musk was presented was the Israeli unicorn CHEQ, a company founded by ex-Israeli intelligence unit 8200 CEO Guy Tytunovich that combats bots and fake users.

Following the meeting, Elon signed an agreement with cheQ, and apparently, the reason for the quick closing of the deal was Elons "direct involvement" with the company.

Now. What they won't tell you.

Israel is primarily responsible for the creation of bots. There currently exists dozens of ex-Israeli intelligence firms whose sole purpose is perception management, social media influencing/manipulation, disinformation campaigns, psychological operations, opposition research, and honey traps.

They create state of art, multi layer, AI avatars that are virtually indistinguishable from a real human online. They infiltrate target audiences with these elaborately crafted social-media personas and spread misleading information through websites meant to mimic news portals. They secretly manipulate public opinion across app social media platforms.

The applications of this technology are endless, and it has been used for character assassination, disruption of activism/protest, creating social upheaval/civil unrest, swaying elections, and toppling governments.

These companies are all founded by ex-Israeli intelligence and members of unit 8200. When they leave their service with the Israeli government, they are backed by hundreds of billions of dollars through Israeli venture capital groups tied to the Israeli government.

These companies utilize the technology and skills learned during their time served with Israeli intelligence and are an extension of the Israeli government that operates in the private sector.

In doing so, they operate with impunity across all geographical borders and outside the bounds of the law. The Israeli government is forbidden by law to spy on US citizens, but "ex" Israeli intelligence has no such limitations, and no laws currently exist to stop them.

Now back to X and Elon Musk.

Elon met with these people in secret to discuss how to use X in service of Israel's defense.

Elon hired an ex-Israeli intelligence firm to combat the bots…. that were created by another ex-israeli intelligence firm.

Elon hired an ex-israeli intelligence firm to verify your identity and collect your facial biometric data.

Do you see the problem yet?

Israel now has end to end control over X. Israel can conduct psychological operations and create social disinfo/influence campaigns on X with impunity. They now have facial biometric data from millions of people that can be used to create and populate these AI generated avatars.

They can manipulate public opinion, influence congressmen and senators, disrupt online movements, manipulate the algorithm to silence dissenting voices against Israel, and they can sway the US elections.

When the company that was hired to combat the bots is also Israeli intelligence…

Who is going to stop them?

Cyberspace is the wild.west. There are currently no laws on the books to regulate foreign influence on social media. There is nothing to stop them from conducting psychological operations and disinformation campaigns on unsuspecting US citizens. These companies operate with impunity across all geographical boundaries and there is nobody to stop them. But don't take my word for it.

For anyone wondering what the end game is for this, it was recently verbalized by Vivek Ramaswamy here on X. To narrow and completely eliminate the gap between what we say (think) in private and in public. In practice, the thought police of the future. And X is actively working on it.

[princessanneftw]

We were honoured to welcome Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal to the 88th IEC General Meeting in Edinburgh hosted by BSI, host of the UK National Committee of the IEC.

Her Royal Highness had the opportunity to meet with several leading experts at the forefront of developing international standards and conformity assessment for a safe, reliable and more efficient world.

The event brought together around 1,250 global experts, who attended various technical committee and governance meetings. These sessions focused on sharing best practices and future planning for the development and implementation of global standards for an efficient energy infrastructure, and emerging technologies in the electrotechnical sector.

During her visit, Her Royal Highness was also introduced to the IEC Global Impact Fund, a key initiative aimed to help underserved communities unlock the benefits of electricity safely, build up their capacity to create a better future, and develop solutions to achieve sustainability goals.

@IECStandards | 28 October 2024

[davidson-eric]

The Quantum Financial System (QFS) is a theoretical financial system that aims to challenge the existing banking system and address issues like corruption and manipulation in the financial sector.

It's believed that the QFS would use artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing to revolutionize financial transactions and eliminate the need for traditional systems like SWIFT.

The QFS is designed to resist encryption-breaking attempts by quantum computers, which could redefine data security in the digital world.

While direct investment in the QFS is possible, some believe that ISO 20022-compliant may play an important role in the new system.

Quantum-based technologies in finance offer benefits like enhanced computational power, advanced data analysis, increased security, portfolio optimization, and more.

QFS is the Future, Trump is Fighting for the Future and for the betterment of United States of America.

Move your funds into the QFS ledger account and be safe from the incoming bank crash. I will be here to navigate you onto your transition into the QFS ledger account

[rainbowchaox]

QSMP REWRITE NOTES:

World Building Notes:

The Federation:

The federation is an organization whose mission is to contain and research a select group of individuals. These individuals all were kidnapped from other worlds using their portal technology. The federation has many different sectors working on different experiments. Some sectors specialize in emotional control while others are more dubious such as cloning. They want to make the world perfect no matter the moral cost to achieve that. They care for the islanders the way a scientist cares for their lab rats.

Notable Federation Individuals

Fred: A federation worker that used to be a normal player that specializes in reconnaissance and information gathering. He joined the Federation willingly when the Federation Intentions were still pure and good. But underwent a lot of conditioning and mind breaking to achieve the most perfect worker. Until he met Tubbo. That's when his human emotions start to break through the control. Making him question his loyalty to the organization.

Elena: The lead researcher for the hybrid cloning experiment and the Happy pills. She knowingly knows of the Federation evils even more so than the likes of Walter Bob and Fred. And drugs herself with diluted happy pills to cope. She will be much more important in this rewrite as she later on becomes the main one that deals with the islanders. She thinks her husband is dead but Walter Bob is actually her husband.

The Directors: A board of directors that fund the federation. Not much is known about them but they have the tradition of using animal code names with masks that match. Each has their own way of running things.

Cucurucho: The Federation Boss that only answers to the directors. He is the result of an old federation experiment that was trying to make something similar to a god. He has a brother that is very dangerous. He can be kind in his own way. He just isn’t used to human emotions. Only strive for perfection. He does love his brother though.

Walter Bob: A worker that was forced to become part of the federation and undergo massive brain control. He eventually breaks free and becomes a general of the rebels. Actually the husband of Elena.

Ron: a worker that was kidnapped by Bad but eventually manages to leave after befriending Bad. He was also like Walter Bob and taken away from his family.

The Resistance:

A group of ex federation workers and ex islanders. They are a militaristic and fanatic faction and want to see the Federation taken down at any cost. And will use the islanders for this.

The Codes:

Originally a discarded Federation project that was taken by the Rebels to use as a weapon against the islanders and the Federation. The creatures are a virus so they can also infect and mimic other creatures. The virus is called Binary Sickness.

The Watcher:

An actual god that the Federation experimented on and took the DNA of (which created Cucurocho and his brother). He is currently trapped on another island by the Federation and extremely pissed about it.

Oscurocho:

Cucurocho twin brother that instead of joining the Federation joined their father in his mission to take down the Federation. He can freely move and sorta acts like The Watcher main eyes and ears on Quesadilla. His relationship with his brother is complicated.

Islander Notes:

Fit: A merc for hire that hails from 2B2T, a land ravaged by chaos and destruction. A total wasteland. Wasn’t picked by the Federation higher ups but a welcome edition. His contractor is Madagio. He is human but he had to fix his body with cybernetics. He and Phil had a thing back in the day. Dated Spreen for a short while before Spreen “Died”. Very quickly falls in love with Pac soon afterwards.

Philza: An immortal crow avian that hails from a dimension that is filled with deities. He has tons of bird instincts. He used to be mortal before he died and came in front of Lady Death herself. And Death fell in love with him and gave him another chance at life. He would be immortal unless he loses his only life. Because of his long life he has many stories to tell. He burned kingdoms. He even led some. He just now wants peace and someone to be there for him (Him and his wife discussed in length that it’s fine for him to find other lovers as only when he dies will he be able to see her again). War tires those that live through countless wars. And that’s when he received a ticket. He always wanted a vacation. The Federation is very interested in his immortality.

Slime: A slime hybrid the Federation is interested in for their hybrid testing. He can die but he will create a new him, losing his memories. He eventually gets Binary Sickness and eventually corrupts into a one of the two Code Giants. He is later saved by Mariana.

Maximus: A normal human that was a conspiracy theorist that got too close to unwrapping The Federation dark secrets. So he was tricked thinking he won an all paid trip in a raffle. It was a very long trip. Maximus later joins The Resistance for a short period.

Roier: A spider hybrid that used to be human until a rogue Federation scientist experimented on him. Said scientist is Abueloier. The Federation is interested in taking back their old experiments. It’s why Roier had better treatment from The Federation in the early days.

Spreen: A Merc that travels dimensions and fights battles for whoever pays the most. Morals be damned. He had one priority and that is himself And he would have stayed that way if not for one of the wars he was fighting in. A clumsy newly born reaper would fall out of the sky. And now he has two priorities. Himself and his baby brother. He will do anything to get his family free from The Federation control, even dirty his hands for The Resistance. The Federation picked him because they heard how cold and bloodthirsty he is. They hoped he would cause conflict for the Islanders But The Federation didn’t realize that Spreen is also now a big brother. A very very protective big brother.

Vegetta: A long living elf that is a very powerful wizard. The Federation invited him to research more about such powers. This is also why The Federation gives him better treatment.

BadBoyHalo: A demon that has a job as a Reaper. He is literally one of the oldest on the island, only probably The Watcher is older. He is the cause of numerous disasters in human history. He was brought over by the Federation in order to study demons. He is also treated better by The Federation than other islanders. It may be because Cucurocho has a crush on him.

Mariana: A demigod that the federation is interested in for similar reasons they are interested in the other supernatural leaning Islanders. Unlike the other supernatural islanders Mariana doesn’t know about him being a demi god nor that he has powers. Until much much later.

Jaiden: One of the two remaining bird hybrids that come from the Hybrid experiments that the Federation did. She never lost her memories and always was on the Federation side. She was allowed to leave because Elena pulled enough strings to make it happen. She knows Baghera is pretty much her sister. Jaiden though having her belief in The Federation broken and losing her son Bobby. She accepts her death in the nuclear blast. She never got the chance to tell Baghera they are sisters. That was her only regret before she passed.

Missa: One of the youngest Immortals on the Island. He used to be human until he died to a skeleton. He was then brought to Lady Death to be shown the door to his afterlife of choice. Kristin aka the Goddess of Death saw his kind soul and decided to give him another choice. Said choice was becoming one of her reapers. Missa asked if that would help others and she said yes. So Missa was remade by her using Void. He became a reaper that specialized in Gentle Death and gently guiding children to the other side. Death never stops so he also sometimes works overtime in war zones. He is actually very powerful but is still a novice to the whole immortality business. Also doesn’t help that he is more on the pacifistic side. He doesn’t actually want to hurt others even if he can easily do so. He is a romantic so he falls easily. The type of immortal that hasn’t closed his heart yet having feelings for both immortals and mortals alike. He is actually one of Lady Death's favorite reapers so he can have an audience with her whenever he likes.

Dan: He is a Federation scientist that was mind wiped and allowed to escape. He is behind the creation of The Federation Communications and the Beta version of the Binary Entities. Soon, the mind wiping was starting to wear off so he was fully kidnapped and put on the trains just with the other islanders. It isn’t long until he fully remembers his past and tries to tell Max about everything. Before he could do so he was assassinated by The Federation in order for the information he knew to stay secret. Otherwise the experiments on the Islanders would be compromised.

Foolish: He is the second youngest Immortal. He hasn’t reached the state of closing his heart off towards mortals but definitely has reached the immortal stage of fucking around. He spawned numerous cults and religions out of boredom. He is a minor trickster god that is connected to the sea and rebirth. He can’t die as he will always come back. He created the Totems based on himself when he was bored. Him and Bad always meet each other through the centuries much to his annoyance (He will never admit that Bad is his best friend).

Luzu: He was a Federation intern that worked for Dan during the Codes experiments. He had empathy for the beta binary creatures so willingly let one into his head when he made his escape from the Federation. This beta code would later name themselves Arin. He eventually got into a world where he met Quackity and they almost got married before breaking it off. He is still pining for him even if won’t admit that to himself. Luzu was almost free from The Federation. He remembers his life back as part of the Federation. But he was only an intern so he has no memories of information that The Federation isn’t okay with spreading. It’s when he was packing his stuff from Quackity apartment that is when he saw that Quackity received a ticket. He then met up with someone through his old contacts to forge his own ticket.

Quackity: He is a duck avian that likes to travel dimensions. Federation had no reason to want him as part of their experiment excerpt that he is connected to everyone they personally wanted to come to the island. He has connections to immortals, to demigods, to the people they really were interested in. That's the reason Quackity originally got the ticket.

Rubius: He is fully human and was only invited so the vacation looked legitimate. Imagine the main character of a horror movie. He fully wanted to leave. He never got to see freedom though as he died so early on.

Carre: A human merc that was paid for by The Resistance to find his way into Isla Quesadilla. He would work for them until he eventually died to Eye Workers.

Bagi: A detective that recently found information of a string of missing people connected to something called The Federation. Before she could learn anything more about this case she was notified of a group of criminals that escaped prison and are on the run. She snuck onto the cargo ship as she was given a lead that Felps struck a deal with said criminals to drive them to another location in said boat. Pac,Mike,and Cellbit didn’t realize he didn’t actually know how to drive the boat, which is how all of them crashed onto Isla Quesadilla. The Resistance then forced Cellbit and Bagi to Remember they were twins raised at one of the Federation Child Care Centers. Obviously it was under another name to throw off suspicion. It was called the White Perfection home for Youths. (A orphanage aimed to train children into becoming new Federation Workers). She and Cellbit figured this out and escaped. But in the middle of said escape they lost contact and she eventually forgot how her brother looked. It’s why she became a police officer in the first place to eventually find her brother again.

Cellbit: A convict that escaped with Pac and Mike onto a cargo ship to try and run from the cops. Bagi is his twin sister and both were raised in the White Perfection Home for Youths. Instead of hopping around homeless shelters and adoption centers until finding a family like Bagi did. Cellbit had a much harder life. He became a child soldier during a bloody civil war and was sorta adopted by Bad (who was there busy reaping souls). This is also when he first in desperation ate other humans. Once the war ended he returned to Brazil and became one of the bloodiest serial killers to date before turning himself in. He then was put in prison and later escaped with Pac and Mike. (Despite him eating one of Pac legs).

Pac: A human ex master thief that was imprisoned before escaping with Mike and Cellbit. His leg was eaten by Cellbit so Mike made him a robotic replacement. He eventually falls for Fit when they get to the island and is actually pretty much a genius in chemistry despite not thinking so.

Mike: A human ex master thief and on the side weapons dealer. He was imprisoned with his partner in crime Pac and Cellbit before they all escaped. He obviously doesn’t trust for good reason as Cellbit literally ate Pac leg. His creativity is what made Mine the goddess of creation court him and eventually Marry him. He sometimes get possessed by her.

Felps: A human that tried to get rich as quick as he could by pretending he could drive a boat. He is the reason they crashed on Isla Quesadilla. He actually befriended Cellbit before he was imprisoned. And became a guard in hope of eventually getting him out. He eventually managed to get Cellbit into therapy post jail break and Cellbit got better. He died in Purgatory by debris hitting his head.

Antoine: A very old god disguising himself as a human. The Federation managed to trap him just how they trapped The Watcher on his own island. Despite his powers he can’t leave nor use the full extent of his powers. Eventually he gets his powers back. The plane crashed on purpose because of Kameto (Kameto was ordered to befriend certain individuals and bring them in any way to Isla Quesadilla.)

Pierre: A normal human The Federation is primarily interested because his vast intelligence and open anti-federation sentiments that was harming their good reputation they strove years to perfect. He later on would be killed by the Federation but replaced with an android that shares emotions and memories from the original Pierre.

Baghera: One of two living subjects from the avian experiments. She was considered disobedient and disloyal to the federation so her sister was much more favored. Her only good memories were her “mother” (Elena) and her “sister” (Jaiden). She went through much more trauma inducing experimentations which made her block out her whole childhood once she was out and free. It’s just The Federation wanted her back so much despite Elena's refusal. So they put Kameto a federation operative to get her back along with other persons of interest. She really thought Kameto was her friend. He was there standing with her for her therapy sessions. Once Jaiden dies, she returns from purgatory herself. She finds out Jaiden was her sister and it haunts her for the rest of the rewrite of what they could have been if only Jaiden lived.

Etoiles: He is actually a biological binary entity experiment. All other subjects either mutated, went mad, or deformed. He was the only one that lived. He was actually stolen by one of the kinder scientists to be raised out of The Federation control. Because the Federation wanted to make him a weapon. He can’t really age so he watched said “father” wither and eventually die. He joined many fight clubs and even participated in some wars. He was then “befriended” by Kameto.

Kameto: He is actually a Federation operative. He is the reason why The Federation has its fingers in most world governments. He is as cruel as the organization he works for. He was ordered to bring back a list of people of interest. He acted like he was their friend and managed to convince all to board a plane. He then crashed it on purpose by blowing up the engine with a bomb he planted previously. He killed innocents in the process but did manage to get everyone the Federation wanted on the island. He would then be ordered to spy for the federation. In purgatory Antoine would learn about all of this and leave him to die.

Niki: A cat hybrid that was well known to be very against corrupt government and corrupt companies. She quickly realized something wasn’t right with the “benevolent” charity organization The Happiness Federation. And started vandalizing and even burning Federation Facilities. She was eventually caught and frozen. All the ice prison people were enemies of the Federation. She eventually makes The Island Syndicate.

Tubbo: He used to work as a scientist and engineer for The Federation before he tried to leave. He was one of the people that was raised in one of the federation controlled orphanages. And once The Federation realized he was a genius immediately made him work for them. He is the brain behind the technology that trapped The Watcher (and similarly Antoine) on his island. This is why The Watcher especially hates him. He also was part of the research team that went into portal technology. He decided he wanted to leave seeing people get harmed for research and was frozen after three days worth of mind wiping and torture.

Mouse: One of the first beings the Federation managed to bring through their portal technology. She is the Queen of Hell so was quickly frozen until better technology is available to weaken her so she isn’t a threat.

Tina: A demon that went looking for their queen (in hope maybe she can become an angel) and was similarly frozen.

Lenay and German: A married pair of investigative journalists that was about to publish a paper about The Federation. A lot of which was information the Federation didn’t want getting out. They got kidnapped in their own home and frozen by the Federation. Their research and house was then burned and the public got fed a cover story they died in said fire.

Rivers: Ex Military Merc that was hired by the Resistance to take down the federation but failed and was frozen. When she wakes up she is convinced by Niki that both the Federation and The Resistance don’t care for them. So she immediately leaves The Resistance and creates The Island Syndicate with her.

Willy: Rivers' partner she worked with often as a merc. He was also hired by The Resistance to take down the Federation and failed. He got frozen for his troubles. Unlike Rivers he decided to stay with The Resistance. Eventually being executed by The Federation at Prison for killing Federation workers.

Pol: He was the media and propaganda manager for the Federation. He was the brains behind the Federation's public good reputation. He eventually gained a backbone and wanted to leave the company but the company refused and even started to threaten him and his family. So he fought back by talking to Lenay and German about all the corruption he partaken in or he noticed. He fully became a whistleblower. The federation soon found out and froze him.

Acau: A normal human that was invited by The Federation to the island. He actually came from a pretty wealthy family and the Federation kidnapped him in order to take millions from his family to make sure he lives well. (The Federation acts like he is in some very expensive school and they need to pay the tuition).

Jungyeok: He is actually a alien that crash landed on Isla Quesadilla. And The Federation immediately decided to make him one of the islanders so they can experiment on him easily.

Kon: A bear hybrid that came with Acau onto what they thought was a simple private school. He hates Cucurocho with a passion.

YD: A demon that went looking for three missing demons only to also get trapped on the island. YD and Bad go way back and are immortal besties.

Hugo: A man that survived a shipwreck only to wash onto Isla Quesadilla shore which he suffers even more

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Big Tech disrupted disruption

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/2024/02/08/permanent-overlords/#republicans-want-to-defund-the-police

Before "disruption" turned into a punchline, it was a genuinely exciting idea. Using technology, we could connect people to one another and allow them to collaborate, share, and cooperate to make great things happen.

It's easy (and valid) to dismiss the "disruption" of Uber, which "disrupted" taxis and transit by losing $31b worth of Saudi royal money in a bid to collapse the world's rival transportation system, while quietly promising its investors that it would someday have pricing power as a monopoly, and would attain profit through price-gouging and wage-theft.

Uber's disruption story was wreathed in bullshit: lies about the "independence" of its drivers, about the imminence of self-driving taxis, about the impact that replacing buses and subways with millions of circling, empty cars would have on traffic congestion. There were and are plenty of problems with traditional taxis and transit, but Uber magnified these problems, under cover of "disrupting" them away.

But there are other feats of high-tech disruption that were and are genuinely transformative – Wikipedia, GNU/Linux, RSS, and more. These disruptive technologies altered the balance of power between powerful institutions and the businesses, communities and individuals they dominated, in ways that have proven both beneficial and durable.

When we speak of commercial disruption today, we usually mean a tech company disrupting a non-tech company. Tinder disrupts singles bars. Netflix disrupts Blockbuster. Airbnb disrupts Marriott.

But the history of "disruption" features far more examples of tech companies disrupting other tech companies: DEC disrupts IBM. Netscape disrupts Microsoft. Google disrupts Yahoo. Nokia disrupts Kodak, sure – but then Apple disrupts Nokia. It's only natural that the businesses most vulnerable to digital disruption are other digital businesses.

And yet…disruption is nowhere to be seen when it comes to the tech sector itself. Five giant companies have been running the show for more than a decade. A couple of these companies (Apple, Microsoft) are Gen-Xers, having been born in the 70s, then there's a couple of Millennials (Amazon, Google), and that one Gen-Z kid (Facebook). Big Tech shows no sign of being disrupted, despite the continuous enshittification of their core products and services. How can this be? Has Big Tech disrupted disruption itself?

That's the contention of "Coopting Disruption," a new paper from two law profs: Mark Lemley (Stanford) and Matthew Wansley (Yeshiva U):

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4713845

The paper opens with a review of the literature on disruption. Big companies have some major advantages: they've got people and infrastructure they can leverage to bring new products to market more cheaply than startups. They've got existing relationships with suppliers, distributors and customers. People trust them.

Diversified, monopolistic companies are also able to capture "involuntary spillovers": when Google spends money on AI for image recognition, it can improve Google Photos, YouTube, Android, Search, Maps and many other products. A startup with just one product can't capitalize on these spillovers in the same way, so it doesn't have the same incentives to spend big on R&D.

Finally, big companies have access to cheap money. They get better credit terms from lenders, they can float bonds, they can tap the public markets, or just spend their own profits on R&D. They can also afford to take a long view, because they're not tied to VCs whose funds turn over every 5-10 years. Big companies get cheap money, play a long game, pay less to innovate and get more out of innovation.

But those advantages are swamped by the disadvantages of incumbency, all the various curses of bigness. Take Arrow's "replacement effect": new companies that compete with incumbents drive down the incumbents' prices and tempt their customers away. But an incumbent that buys a disruptive new company can just shut it down, and whittle down its ideas to "sustaining innovation" (small improvements to existing products), killing "disruptive innovation" (major changes that make the existing products obsolete).

Arrow's Replacement Effect also comes into play before a new product even exists. An incumbent that allows a rival to do R&D that would eventually disrupt its product is at risk; but if the incumbent buys this pre-product, R&D-heavy startup, it can turn the research to sustaining innovation and defund any disruptive innovation.

Arrow asks us to look at the innovation question from the point of view of the company as a whole. Clayton Christensen's "Innovator's Dilemma" looks at the motivations of individual decision-makers in large, successful companies. These individuals don't want to disrupt their own business, because that will render some part of their own company obsolete (perhaps their own division!). They also don't want to radically change their customers' businesses, because those customers would also face negative effects from disruption.

A startup, by contrast, has no existing successful divisions and no giant customers to safeguard. They have nothing to lose and everything to gain from disruption. Where a large company has no way for individual employees to initiate major changes in corporate strategy, a startup has fewer hops between employees and management. What's more, a startup that rewards an employee's good idea with a stock-grant ties that employee's future finances to the outcome of that idea – while a giant corporation's stock bonuses are only incidentally tied to the ideas of any individual worker.

Big companies are where good ideas go to die. If a big company passes on its employees' cool, disruptive ideas, that's the end of the story for that idea. But even if 100 VCs pass on a startup's cool idea and only one VC funds it, the startup still gets to pursue that idea. In startup land, a good idea gets lots of chances – in a big company, it only gets one.

Given how innately disruptable tech companies are, given how hard it is for big companies to innovate, and given how little innovation we've gotten from Big Tech, how is it that the tech giants haven't been disrupted?

The authors propose a four-step program for the would-be Tech Baron hoping to defend their turf from disruption.

First, gather information about startups that might develop disruptive technologies and steer them away from competing with you, by investing in them or partnering with them.

Second, cut off any would-be competitor's supply of resources they need to develop a disruptive product that challenges your own.

Third, convince the government to pass regulations that big, established companies can comply with but that are business-killing challenges for small competitors.

Finally, buy up any company that resists your steering, succeeds despite your resource war, and escapes the compliance moats of regulation that favors incumbents.

Then: kill those companies.

The authors proceed to show that all four tactics are in play today. Big Tech companies operate their own VC funds, which means they get a look at every promising company in the field, even if they don't want to invest in them. Big Tech companies are also awash in money and their "rival" VCs know it, and so financial VCs and Big Tech collude to fund potential disruptors and then sell them to Big Tech companies as "aqui-hires" that see the disruption neutralized.

On resources, the authors focus on data, and how companies like Facebook have explicit policies of only permitting companies they don't see as potential disruptors to access Facebook data. They reproduce internal Facebook strategy memos that divide potential platform users into "existing competitors, possible future competitors, [or] developers that we have alignment with on business models." These categories allow Facebook to decide which companies are capable of developing disruptive products and which ones aren't. For example, Amazon – which doesn't compete with Facebook – is allowed to access FB data to target shoppers. But Messageme, a startup, was cut off from Facebook as soon as management perceived them as a future rival. Ironically – but unsurprisingly – Facebook spins these policies as pro-privacy, not anti-competitive.

These data policies cast a long shadow. They don't just block existing companies from accessing the data they need to pursue disruptive offerings – they also "send a message" to would-be founders and investors, letting them know that if they try to disrupt a tech giant, they will have their market oxygen cut off before they can draw breath. The only way to build a product that challenges Facebook is as Facebook's partner, under Facebook's direction, with Facebook's veto.

Next, regulation. Starting in 2019, Facebook started publishing full-page newspaper ads calling for regulation. Someone ghost-wrote a Washington Post op-ed under Zuckerberg's byline, arguing the case for more tech regulation. Google, Apple, OpenAI other tech giants have all (selectively) lobbied in favor of many regulations. These rules covered a lot of ground, but they all share a characteristic: complying with them requires huge amounts of money – money that giant tech companies can spare, but potential disruptors lack.

Finally, there's predatory acquisitions. Mark Zuckerberg, working without the benefit of a ghost writer (or in-house counsel to review his statements for actionable intent) has repeatedly confessed to buying companies like Instagram to ensure that they never grow to be competitors. As he told one colleague, "I remember your internal post about how Instagram was our threat and not Google+. You were basically right. The thing about startups though is you can often acquire them.”

All the tech giants are acquisition factories. Every successful Google product, almost without exception, is a product they bought from someone else. By contrast, Google's own internal products typically crash and burn, from G+ to Reader to Google Videos. Apple, meanwhile, buys 90 companies per year – Tim Apple brings home a new company for his shareholders more often than you bring home a bag of groceries for your family. All the Big Tech companies' AI offerings are acquisitions, and Apple has bought more AI companies than any of them.

Big Tech claims to be innovating, but it's really just operationalizing. Any company that threatens to disrupt a tech giant is bought, its products stripped of any really innovative features, and the residue is added to existing products as a "sustaining innovation" – a dot-release feature that has all the innovative disruption of rounding the corners on a new mobile phone.

The authors present three case-studies of tech companies using this four-point strategy to forestall disruption in AI, VR and self-driving cars. I'm not excited about any of these three categories, but it's clear that the tech giants are worried about them, and the authors make a devastating case for these disruptions being disrupted by Big Tech.

What do to about it? If we like (some) disruption, and if Big Tech is enshittifying at speed without facing dethroning-by-disruption, how do we get the dynamism and innovation that gave us the best of tech?

The authors make four suggestions.

First, revive the authorities under existing antitrust law to ban executives from Big Tech companies from serving on the boards of startups. More broadly, kill interlocking boards altogether. Remember, these powers already exist in the lawbooks, so accomplishing this goal means a change in enforcement priorities, not a new act of Congress or rulemaking. What's more, interlocking boards between competing companies are illegal per se, meaning there's no expensive, difficult fact-finding needed to demonstrate that two companies are breaking the law by sharing directors.

Next: create a nondiscrimination policy that requires the largest tech companies that share data with some unaffiliated companies to offer data on the same terms to other companies, except when they are direct competitors. They argue that this rule will keep tech giants from choking off disruptive technologies that make them obsolete (rather than competing with them).

On the subject of regulation and compliance moats, they have less concrete advice. They counsel lawmakers to greet tech giants' demands to be regulated with suspicion, to proceed with caution when they do regulate, and to shape regulation so that it doesn't limit market entry, by keeping in mind the disproportionate burdens regulations put on established giants and small new companies. This is all good advice, but it's more a set of principles than any kind of specific practice, test or procedure.

Finally, they call for increased scrutiny of mergers, including mergers between very large companies and small startups. They argue that existing law (Sec 2 of the Sherman Act and Sec 7 of the Clayton Act) both empower enforcers to block these acquisitions. They admit that the case-law on this is poor, but that just means that enforcers need to start making new case-law.

I like all of these suggestions! We're certainly enjoying a more activist set of regulators, who are more interested in Big Tech, than we've seen in generations.

But they are grossly under-resourced even without giving them additional duties. As Matt Stoller points out, "the DOJ's Antitrust Division has fewer people enforcing anti-monopoly laws in a $24 trillion economy than the Smithsonian Museum has security guards."

https://www.thebignewsletter.com/p/congressional-republicans-to-defund

What's more, Republicans are trying to slash their budgets even further. The American conservative movement has finally located a police force they're eager to defund: the corporate police who defend us all from predatory monopolies.

Image: Cryteria (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HAL9000.svg

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

[banji-effect]

...This year saw the sudden closure of the charity Women Who Code, a US-based group with 145,000 members. In June it announced that it was shutting down “due to factors that have materially impacted our funding sources". Meanwhile, the US non-profit community Girls in Tech closed in July after 17 years. Founder Adriana Gascoigne told the news site Venturebeat that lack of funding was “the main reason” behind the decision. In addition, the UK initiative Tech Talent Charter, designed to encourage more diversity generally in the sector, shut in June, blaming tech companies for “quietly quitting” equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) commitments.

I'm very much not a tech person, but the sweeping upsurge in misogyny and narrowing of opportunities for women to build networks is apparent across industries

[mariacallous]

Introduction

Research and practice over the past several decades have provided evidence about the effectiveness of some interventions that treat mental illnesses and substance use disorders (SUDs). That research has identified elements of treatment, including psychotherapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and various pharmacotherapies; interventions that combine treatment elements, like relapse prevention for major depression; team-based programs that offer a suite of interventions, such as assertive community treatment (ACT) for severe and persistent mental illnesses; and models that focus on the integration of treatment for depression and anxiety disorders into primary care practices, like the Collaborative Care Model.

Nevertheless, the take up of evidence-based practices has been weak and has stalled in recent years, despite national recognition of the need to address high rates of mental health and substance use disorders. There is a mismatch between the strategies that research suggests are likely to benefit people and the availability of those strategies to people who may benefit from them. The roots of this mismatch may lie in challenges in understanding how to spread effective programs in complex organizational and funding environments, and how to scale the programs, organizational arrangements, and interventions that work. Moreover, though the “technology” for improving mental health and SUD care is understood, there are economic, organizational, and cultural forces that create enormous frictions for efforts aimed at putting knowledge about mental illnesses and SUDs and their treatments to work.  A shaky foundation of behavioral health service access, in which many communities in the U.S. find themselves lacking sufficient behavioral health services, underpins these larger forces.  This is particularly problematic for low-income communities and rural communities, where access issues are large.  And the research itself frequently does not address the impact of the interventions on important populations, including and especially people of color.

In this paper, we focus on four behavioral health policy issue areas that are marked by evidence-based understanding about what works, a need to rely on integration and coordination of effort across multiple sectors of public services, illnesses and circumstances that are highly stigmatized, and a history of institutional designs that create barriers to sustainable programs. These policy issue areas are:

Deploying interventions early in the course of severe conditions, such as psychosis, expected to be persistent and disabling without intervention;

Advancing healthy brain development and behavior in early childhood;

Providing effective and timely response to behavioral health crises; and

Supporting the reentry into communities of formerly incarcerated people with mental health and substance use conditions.

For each of these issue areas, we conducted an environmental scan of the evidence of the issue area’s impact and conducted facilitated interactions with practitioners, experts, and stakeholders.  Across these diverse areas, common challenges and clear strategies to spread and scale evidence-based behavioral health interventions emerged. Tackling these challenges and advancing these strategies create opportunities for philanthropy, governments at all levels, and communities to engage and advance efforts to strengthen evidence-based behavioral health service provision in the U.S. in these four areas.