#Well barrier software Companies

[bilbobagginsomebabez]

is anybody else upset that instead of authors' unions and the development of labor power, every ounce of discourse and effort towards writers making a living wage is geared towards digital intellectual property rights and digital theft protection. like i don't know about anybody else but I am actually not excited for major publishing companies to be algorithmically searching for and DMCA striking books that are "similar enough" to their copyright. I don't trust AI to be able to tell when something is adulterated metadata vs when something is just very similar. I fucking hate DRM already. I hate buying a book and either being restricted in use of my property or taking it through multiple complicated steps to remove it for an epub file compatible with calibre, where I can file and tag it appropriately.

and i don't think we're going to find any kind of salvation for writers and writing this way. I think we're going to launch another digital arms race (like with removing DRM) while continuously empowering the already wealthy to consolidate power and crush meaningful change through slap suits and the like.

and this is because digital theft is the only problem that the publishing industry is willing to address. because strengthening intellectual property protections doesn't protect art or artists, it allows the big players to better control the playing field and force it to benefit themselves.

Okay, this may prove useful.

[youzicha]

It's cute to say that stealth aircraft got rounder for the same reason that video game characters did: because the computers got more powerful. But it's not the complete story. More accurately, it was specifically Lockheed's stealth aircraft that evolved that way.

Famously, a Lockheed employee noticed a paper describing how to calculate electromagnetic scattering from a polyhedron. They implemented it in software and used it to design the Have Blue demonstrator, which evolved into the F-117.

But at the same time, Northrop developed the Tacit Blue demonstrator, which was not designed using the edge diffraction software, and did not consist of only flat polygons.

Tacit Blue was the first aircraft to use "edge convolution" (a.k.a. "Gaussian stealth"). This smoothes out the edges by convolving them with a gaussian function. In particular, the convolution makes the edge of the wing sharper than if it was just a wedge between two polygons (with an ideal gaussian function it would extend out infinitely, so the acute angle would approach 0 degrees). This means that the edge of the wing will reflect less radar waves if it is illuminated directly from the side (from the horizon), which is the typical case if the plane is flying straight and the enemy radar is far away.

All stealth aircraft now use the gaussian smoothing idea, and you can clearly see the commonalities between Tacit Blue and the Northrop B-2.

Actually, when it came time to design the ATF (which evolved into the F-22), Lockheed also had to abandon their edge diffraction software. The ATF chief engineer commented:

We did not know how to analyze a curved stealthy shape in those days. The software wasn't sophisticated enough, and we didn't have the computational capacity we needed. We had our hands tied by the analytical problems. Lockheed had become convinced that, if we could not analyze a design as a stealthy shape, then it could not be stealthy. We would not break through that barrier until 1984. [...] We simply started drawing curved shapes even though we could not run the designs through our analytical software models. When we went to curved airplanes, we began to get more acceptable supersonic and maneuver performance. Instead of relying on software models, we built curved shapes and tested them on the company's radar range. The curved shapes performed quite well in the radar tests.

So in the end, I think the "smooth stealth planes" (B-2, F-22) were mainly designed heuristically and evaluated by building actual model airplanes; having fast computers to simulate them was not the bottle neck.

[dazz-linglight]

Miss Independent

(inspired by Ne-yo's song)

(GirlBoss!Reader x Personal Assistant! Hongjoong) (Colleagues to lovers) (fluffy romance) (reader is afraid of storms) (short office romance) (possibly there will be a part 2 with smut)

In the bustling halls of a cutting-edge technology company in a very busy commercial building, you, a remarkable business woman and Vice President of this company, got known for your determination and relentless focus on achieving a successful career, betting all of your efforts on growing this company scratch with your best friend. You learned over time that you needed to be tough to progress, since this area was widely controlled by men and there's always someone trying to discredit women. So you made it a personal mission to get your company to be a safe place and be the best professional you could be.

You're an admirable leader, but your personal life took a backseat. You always worked endless hours and overtime, focusing solely on doing business. The company kept rising well, then came a problem: your assistant decided to resign to go work for your competitor. Now you have to go over interviews to find a new assistant, so you did. You participate actively in the process, since whoever gets hired would work directly with you, so you felt the need to be sure they would be capable enough.

You didn't make it easy for anybody, you made specific questions and a few of the candidates didn't know how to answer or started stuttering, others weren't as qualified and you were getting tired. It lasted four days until you met Hongjoong one morning doing an interview for this job. A young and talented software developer, that didn't show any fear and aswered your questions perfectly well, looking in your eyes without any fear. After 40 minutes you told him to stay and gave him a few tasks to see how he would go. Hongjoong showed himself to be smart, quick witted, committed to work and serious about it. At the end of the day you called him to your office to give the final answer. He entered bringing a cappuccino and placed it in front of you in your desk.

"This is for you, Miss." He said and you tilted your head, letting out a very light smile at the action.

"Thanks, Hongjoong. You can sit down." You offered the seat in front of you and he did as told while you took a sip of the coffee.

"Well, I have to say you impressed me in a good way. None of the other candidates caught my attention like you did today." You started and Hongjoong visibly relaxed at your feedback.

"I did my best, I'm glad to hear that from you, Miss."

"I'm sure you'll be even more glad to hear that you will be hired. You can bring your documents to the HR department tomorrow at 8 in the morning and sign our contract." You got up from your seat and Hongjoong did the same, bowing to you and you raised a hand to greet him, which he took and shook your hand.

"Thank you Miss ______, I will not disappoint you." Hongjoong smiled widely and you let his hand go, switching off your computer and getting your bag to leave, dismissing Hongjoong to go home.

|•••••Time skip•••••|

The first six months of working together were a challenge. You resisted any form of distraction, maintaining a strictly professional relationship with Hongjoong. Everyday he came to your office to report and receive new tasks, he brought your lunch and coffee and as days passed and you worked side by side, he started making a few little efforts to make the barriers give way. One afternoon, you were reviewing an important document in your office when Hongjoong walked in. He noticed the tired look on your face and suggested you take a break. You resisted with a frown at first, but Hongjoong someway succeeded at convincing you to go the snack bar on the first floor of the building.

The snack bar was peaceful at this hour and made a good break from the stressful office atmosphere. You felt at ease with Hongjoong's presence and he offered to buy donuts. You both sat down, ate and talked about trivial things and sharing laughs here and there. You found yourself truly relaxing for the first time in years.

After that day, you and Hongjoong began sharing more and more moments outside of work. Having lunch together became a routine and when you worked overtime he occasionally invited you to dinner together. He opened doors for you, drives you off, treated you like a princess. You both didn't talk clearly about it, but you were beginning to feel something that had long since receded from your mind: the spark of romance. However, you struggled with those feelings. It seemed so wrong, he is your assistant and you're the boss. You felt afraid of mixing love and business, worried about the consequences a relationship could have for the company you had worked so hard to build. But every time you're together, the chemistry between you becomes impossible to ignore. It started making you mad.

One day, you left your office because you needed a document that was with Hongjoong, but as soon as you saw him you noticed something and frowned. Yujin, a beautiful co-worker, was approaching him a little more intimately than usual. They seemed to be having a lively conversation and Yujin didn't hide her interest, touching his arm unnecessarily. You, feeling a pang of jealousy, tried not to act affected, but you couldn't avoid the stress of seeing the scene. Your mind created several unpleasant scenarios. "Is he interested in her? Is he flirting back?"

"Kim Hongjoong." You spoke in a firm and serious tone, catching the attention of the two who were talking.

"Yes, miss? Do you need anything?" Hongjoong stood up and responded, no longer paying attention to Yujin.

"Come to my office and bring the project presentation I asked you this morning. Quickly." You said sharply and looked at Yujin from the corner of your eye, who soon got up and left the place.

"Yes, ma'am." He spoke and you turned around and walked back to your office as Hongjoong saved the presentation file you asked for. You slammed the door angrily and headed towards your table, a minute later Hongjoong entered and came over to you.

"Here's the presentation, Miss ______." He gave you the pendrive and you sighed, connecting it on your computer to open the file. You inspected it and pointed things out for Hongjoong to add since you thought it wasn't enough yet.

"You're staying overtime today, we need this presentation ready for the meeting we'll have with our client tomorrow morning." You told looking back at him and he nodded.

"All right, I'll bring my laptop here." He left the room and came back a minute later with his laptop, sitting down and placing the laptop in front of him and started guiding him specifically on what to add to the presentation. An hour passed and all the employees began leaving since work time was officially over.

It's mid summer and it was very hot during the day, but as the night came many clouds could be seen in the floor-to-ceiling window behind you. Hongjoong finished the details on the presentation and saved it as a sudden storm started. You looked at the window and the lights went out, the fear started creeping out on you but Hongjoong didn't notice yet as he got his phone to activate the flashlight amidst the darkness and the sound of rain outside. Hongjoong placed his phone in a way it illuminated both of you and he finally could see your face again, now noticing your pained expression and your heavy breathing.

"Are you okay, Miss ______?" He questioned with a frown and you shook your head no as a thunder sound out loud and you covered your ears. Hongjoong got worried about you, wanting to keep you safe, so he got up and closed the curtains of your window, coming behind you to cover your shoulders with his blazer.

You've always had a paralyzing fear of thunder, and that night, the storm was fierce, growing stronger and stronger. As he touched your shoulders he felt your whole body shaking with fear and then he crouched to your level and brought up inside his arms in a warm hug, whispering words of comfort. "Don't worry, I'm here with you. You're safe. The storm will pass soon." You looked into his eyes hugging his waist carefully, grateful for his presence.

"I hate storms, they make me so nervous, Hongjoong." Your eyes had tears on the edge of falling down, while you and Hongjoong shared an intense look, full of repressed emotions. This was the first time you were truly showing vulnerability to him and he was astonished, all he ever wanted was to take care of you. He pulled your head to his chest and you could listen to his heart beating fast just like yours.

"I don't know if this is really the right time to say this, but.. but I can't deny how I feel anymore. I'm in love with you, ______." His words echoed in the empty office as he broke the silence and confessed his feelings. You were shocked. You didn't expect that he felt the same way you did all this time. Your heart jumped now, not anymore because of fear but from happiness.

"I'm in love with you too, Hongjoong. I tried not to, but it's stronger than me." You squeezed Hongjoong as tight as you could and he kissed the side of your head softly. You looked up and offered your lips to him, which he understood and closed the little distance, sealing the beginning of a long-awaited romance. The storm outside seemed to symbolize the change in your lives and the relationship from boss and assistant to lovers.

"I want to be with you and take care of you through all the storms, will you let me?"

"Of course, Hongjoong." You smile widely and he cupped your face, caressing your cheeks as he smiled as well. "Will you take me home?"

"As long as you wish, my darling."

|•••••••|

Over the next months, your relationship with Hongjoong blossomed into a great love. You chose to main discretion at work, avoiding any favoritism or conflict of interest and not letting the coworkers know you are together. They only knew Hongjoong is in a relationship but he never told them with who. You realized that by making room for love in your life, you weren't weakening your career, but actually strengthening it. Hongjoong supported you in every aspect, becoming a partner in all areas of your life and you become his.

Together, you faced new challenges and business opportunities while the company prospered even more. You found balance between personal and professional life, discovering that you can be a successful leader and at the same time share a loving relationship, that success in business didn't have to mean sacrificing love and personal happiness.

[agentsquirrelsgotrobots]

The Stars, The Moon, The Sun, and an Incoming Constellation

A DP x DC x Tfrb fic - also posted on my Ao3 Agentsquirrel

After marrying Danny and getting engaged to Tucker, Sam packs up the trio and heads to Griffin Rock, a place that is rumored to be just as chaotic as Amity Park.

Of course, the Fenton luck follows them, and the three of them find out their family will soon become bigger than they thought.

"Shots fired at the dock! Dad, be careful!" Cody said, his voice shaking with worry.

"I promise, all protocol will be followed to the letter." Chase said, speeding towards the dock, Blades flying overhead.

They parked, and immediately, Charlie knew they were in over their head. A white goth woman no older than Dani was pinned behind a cement parking barrier, her forehead grazed and her forearm shot right through the skin, missing bone but severing muscle. She was oddly calm though, her body language free of shock as she kept pressure on her wound and watched the battle with rapt concentration.

"Danny, love, quit being cocky and wrap this up. The police are here, and Tuck's gotta scram." She said into her flip phone, the thing absolutely ancient compared to the cell phone, this year's model, shoved in her steel toed boot.

"Chase, I can't see anything! Whatever is opening fire is just a green blur!" Blades was bordering on a full on panic, Dani fully in control.

"It looks like a fight between a gang trying to set up shop and whatever that green blur is. Stay back dad, looks like it can fly fast." Dani said, retreating from the fight after scanning for civilians. The situation seemed to be resolving itself without them.

"Miss, do you require medical attention?" Charlie yelled over the sounds of gunfire.

"I'm fine, my partner needs to HURRY THE FUCK UP!"

With one last final blast, a white, blue eyed, black haired boy ran from the scene and behind Chase, his sneakers soaked in blood and a green substance Charlie hoped was paint.

"I got trapped between that… thing and the shootout. I don't know what I stepped in, but I think it's all blood." He said, panting hard, his face and arms cut up from debris. "My name is Danny Mason. That's my wife Sam. I'm a medic, got a first aid kit on you?" Charlie handed it over, and on a whispered count of three, he dashed over to his wife, quickly applying a tourniquet and dragging her towards the squad car. "Tuck's fine, is at the hotel. After we give a statement, I am taking you to the hospital."

"Wait." Graham said over comms Daniel and Sam Mason-Foley, with their fiance Tucker? Like, Mason industries, and Foley computer systems? Dad, half the island buys their tech, its the most repairable, environmentally sustainable, and secure software and computer companies on the market, and a flagship brand against planned obsolescence. Please, play nice. This could legitimately be huge for the island."

"Noted. Kade, you too."

Kade sighed. "Got it. Be nice to the Luskey Jrs."

"Do you need a ride? I can follow up on a statement later. I can have you flown to the mainland for a checkup or let you call for a ride."

"It's not-" Sam started, wincing as Danny cleaned her head wound.

"We will take that flight. I don't like the look of her head wound, and I am no good at stitches."

"First, call Tucker, so he can rub it in our faces." Sam said, hissing as Dani caught up to them and started redressing her wounds, Chase and Charlie clearing the area, Charlie trying not to vomit at the sight of the finely pureed gangster decorating multiple shipping containers and an overturned forklift.

"Well, this is… unpleasant." Chase said, wrinkling his nose at the smell.

In the background, Blades flew towards the mainland, very glad he wasn't on clean-up duty.

"Hey, there's my moon and stars!" Tucker said, dropping his duffel bag on a spare chair before resting a hand on Danny's shoulder and kissing Sam's cheek.

"Only if you are the sun." Sam said, a little loopy from the pain medication, the hospital keeping her under observation for a few more hours.

The nurse came in, oddly nervous, holding a box. "So, I have some news. Sirs, could I ask Mrs. Mason a question in private? Hospital policy, it will only take a minute."

"Oh." Danny said, suddenly concerned. "Sure. Be back soon, Sam. Love you."

"Love you too." Sam replied as Tucker and Danny awkwardly shuffled out of the hospital room.

The nurse watched them leave, then took a deep breath. "It's hospital policy to for this to be private. There's a few questions I have to ask first, but…" She opened the box. Inside, there was a positive pregnancy test, in a sanitary box, and some paperwork.

Sam looked shocked, covering her mouth and choking back a squeal. "I'm pregnant." She whispered. "I thought that. Could you bring my partners in?"

"Of course, but I have to ask a couple of questions before it, standard stuff."

"Oh. OK."

"First I have to give you this." The nurse gave Sam a couple of business cards with referrals to maternity resources, domestic violence hotlines, and reproductive care information. "Nothing personal, we give them to all patients with positive tests. In the same vein, have you experienced any threats of violence, acts of violence, coercion, or felt that your right to consent has been violated by chosen partners, friends, ex partners, or family members?"

"No."

"Would you like or have the need for confidential referrals to counseling on your pregnancy, either by our support counselors or religious clergy?"

"No."

"Would you like to keep the test?"

Sam smiled. "Yes. Could you bring my partners in?"

The nurse nodded, and closed up the box with the test inside. "In the box is the same forms and resources in writing, and some other paperwork. Congratulations."

"Thank you." Sam said, wiping away a few tears.

Tucker and Danny rushed back into the room, their voices overlapping with worry.

"Guys, enough. Open the box." Sam said, offering it to Danny.

Danny ripped it open, throwing the top aside. He dropped it in shock. "I'm…I'm…"

Tucker gasped, a huge grin on his face. "We are gonna be dads!" He yelled, rushing to hug Sam while shaking with excitement.

"I didn't know I could…" Danny said, obviously in shock.

"Danny, DANNY!" Sam yelled, snapping him out of his trance. "I demand attention for my sacrifice."

"Oh!" Danny squeaked, jumping into action. He gave Sam a peck on the cheek before grabbing her hand and flopping into one of the chairs. "We gotta call Jazzy."

"No, duh, but first, I want you two." Sam grumped, returning Danny's kiss. "I already have names for 'em." She said, resting her head on Danny's shoulder while Tucker was already looking up all the latest baby gear and thinking up his own.

"If it's Danny's bio kid, then it's gonna be Cassiopeia or Orion. If it's Tucker's bio kid, it's either Sadie or Orion. My selections are final and not up for debate."

"Yes, ma'am." Danny and Tucker intoned, only half joking. Sam's word was law, after all.

Danny counted backward in his head and gasped. "Uh, Sam. Who's gonna tell your parents that this one's probably mine?"

"Not it!" Danny and Tucker yelled, Sam catching on too late.

"Fuck." Sam hissed.

Danny chuckled. "Apparently, we are quite good at that." He earned a tug on the ear for that comment. "Ow. I deserved that."

Tucker did the math too. "Yep. First one is likely gonna be… no, wait, Danny failed math, we have got a fifty-fifty shot here."

"Meh. Doesn't mean much to me. I am bad at doing hair anyway." Sam said, only half joking.

[archoneddzs15]

Sony PlayStation - Wizardry New Age of Llylgamyn

Title: Wizardry New Age of Llylgamyn / ウィザードリィ・ニューエイジ・オブ・ライルガミン

Developer/Publisher: Sir-Tech Software / Thunderstone Japan / Soliton Soft / Locus Company

Release date: 28 October 1999

Catalogue No.: SLPS-02349

Genre: Compilation / RPG

Another winner here, considering I already played its predecessor on the Sega Saturn (Wizardry Llylgamyn Saga). New Age of Llylgamyn contains remakes of Wizardry 4 The Return of Werdna, and Wizardry 5 Heart of the Maelstrom. These two were already available on the PC Engine previously (one as part of Wizardry III-IV), and I had a good time with Wizardry 5 on the Super Famicom but this one just makes things even better with nicer graphics and an up-to-date soundtrack. And better still, it's bilingual too, so there is no language barrier to be had when playing it. Well worth a recommendation indeed. The PlayStation version was also re-released as part of Success Corp's "SuperLite Gold" budget series.

[frank-olivier]

Women, Work, and the Future of Japan: A Catalyst for Change

Japan's post-war economic resurgence was once driven by its distinct work culture, but this same culture has now transformed into a double-edged sword, imperiling the nation's future prosperity. Historically, Japan's collectivist ethos, rooted in the pursuit of "Wa" (harmony), fostered stability and cooperation, but in today's context, it often manifests as a rigid hierarchy where excessively long working hours are misconstrued as the pinnacle of loyalty and dedication. This has severe human consequences, including "karoshi" (death from overwork), plummeting birth rates, and a dwindling workforce.

The country's inherent risk aversion, stemming from a deep respect for tradition, hinders innovation, with the fear of disrupting social balance outweighing the benefits of progress. This is evident in Japan's struggles to keep pace with global technological advancements, particularly in software and artificial intelligence, leading to stagnation and erosion of its competitive edge. Furthermore, traditional workplaces prioritize visibility and seniority over merit, resulting in ineffectual leadership, misguided decision-making, and a brain drain as talented individuals seek opportunities abroad.

Recent government initiatives aimed at improving work-life balance and promoting sustainability offer hope, as do forward-thinking companies adopting flexible work arrangements to attract top talent. However, a profound cultural shift is necessary for Japan to reclaim its innovative forefront. This requires blending cherished traditions with the uncertainties of innovation, fostering an environment that encourages risk tolerance, creativity, and merit-based advancement. A gradual shift in societal values, emphasizing individual creativity alongside collectivist principles, is crucial, as are structural reforms in workplaces and educational institutions promoting meritocracy, flexibility, and lifelong learning.

Interwoven with these challenges is the complex situation of Japanese women, who face traditional expectations, societal pressures, and workplace demands that profoundly impact their lives and the country's future. The notion of "ikigai" (finding purpose in life) often narrowly translates to family devotion for women, leading to unfulfilled potential and stagnation. This results in low labor force participation rates, a persistent glass ceiling, and underutilized parental leave policies, placing an undue burden on women and threatening individual well-being and the broader social and economic landscape.

A growing pushback against these traditional expectations, marked by women-led startups, flexible work arrangements, and paternal leave initiatives, signals a tentative shift towards inclusivity. To truly empower Japanese women, however, a profound societal transformation is needed, involving a reckoning with outmoded gender roles. Education and awareness campaigns, alongside the promotion of male allies embodying modern masculinity, can challenge these norms. By celebrating the diverse contributions and aspirations of its female population, Japan can dismantle barriers, realizing the full potential of its women and securing a vibrant future for the nation. The path forward hinges on choosing between the status quo and a new trajectory that values, supports, and empowers Japanese women to thrive, ultimately determining the country's prosperity.

Japanese work culture is unsustainable (pigallisme, April 2024)

Sunday, December 1, 2024

[gracecpy]

Why Are Social Games Are More Than Just Playing: The Community Impact

Hello again! :D I hope everyone is doing well <3

Online gaming communities play a vital role in the digital age, transforming gaming from an individual pastime into a shared social activity. With improved technology and widespread internet access, players can interact, connect, and work together with like-minded gamers. This evolution has reshaped social interactions and strengthened connections within the gaming world.

What is Social Gaming? 👩🏻‍💻

A brief explanation of what social gaming is :)

Social gaming refers to online games that are designed to be played with or against other people, often through social networks, online communities, or mobile apps. Unlike traditional single-player games, social games encourage interaction among players, promoting social connections, collaboration, and competition. These games are typically more casual and accessible, allowing people of various skill levels to participate and enjoy the experience together.

It is also important to note that social media has played a pivotal role in shaping social gaming in recent years, transforming gaming into a more community-centered and interactive experience.

Gamers have various reasons for playing. A 2023 report from the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) highlights that some of the main motivations include having fun, passing the time, and relieving stress. Regardless of their reasons, many gamers are able to experience the benefits of gaming.

The Cultural Impact of Gaming 🕹️

Gaming has evolved significantly from its beginnings and has had a major influence on our culture. It’s no longer just a pastime; it’s become a way of life, shaping music, fashion, and even communication. Gaming has developed its own unique language, complete with specific terms and slang.

One of the greatest cultural impacts of gaming is its ability to unite people. It has enabled individuals from around the world to connect and interact, creating a space for communities to form and share experiences. Online gaming allows players to meet and play with others from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and countries, breaking down barriers and fostering understanding between people who may never have crossed paths otherwise.

Image credits: USA Today Tech

Gaming has also influenced the entertainment industry, becoming a major source of entertainment that competes with movies and TV shows in both popularity and revenue. The gaming industry is now worth billions, with titles like Grand Theft Auto V and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 each earning over a billion dollars in sales. Additionally, gaming has grown into a popular spectator sport, with esports tournaments drawing millions of viewers globally.

One of the most profound effects gaming has had on our culture is its ability to spark creativity and innovation. It has nurtured some of the world’s most inventive minds, with many game developers later becoming entrepreneurs and founding companies that have transformed industries. Gaming has also driven the development of new technologies and inventions, such as virtual reality headsets and motion-sensing controllers.

During the COVID-19 Pandemic 😷

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, social interaction was restricted by government mandates and business closures, including schools, workplaces, restaurants, and gyms. The stay-at-home orders that followed significantly reduced opportunities for in-person interactions.

The restriction on in-person interactions had significant societal effects. Social interaction and support are crucial for positive emotional well-being, while isolation and loneliness can negatively impact mental health.

During the period of social distancing, online social gaming became a safe and accessible source of entertainment and interaction.

The Positive Impacts of Social Media on Community-Building in Gaming 💆🏻‍♀️

Social media has brought significant improvements to the gaming industry, offering players a platform to connect and form communities. Social media allows players to share their gaming experiences and connect with others worldwide, fostering a sense of inclusivity and belonging within the gaming community.

Furthermore, social media offers game developers a direct way to engage with their audience, making it evident that it plays a crucial role in the growth and success of the gaming industry.

Building Connections! 🌏

Online gaming communities bring people together through shared interests, often focusing on specific games or genres like first-person shooters, role-playing games, or strategy games. Connecting with others who share a passion for the same games can be highly rewarding, providing opportunities to exchange strategies, share tips, and build friendships with those who understand their enthusiasm.

Furthermore, online gaming communities have broken geographic barriers, uniting people from various cultures, backgrounds, and experiences. This creates a diverse and global gaming environment, offering players new perspectives and promoting inclusivity and understanding.

Teamwork! 💪🏼

In many online games, teamwork and collaboration are key to success in many online games, requiring players to join forces to complete quests, achieve objectives, or overcome opponents. This focus on cooperation fosters social interaction and helps players develop interpersonal skills, as they must communicate, coordinate strategies, and support one another to reach their goals.

Collaborative gameplay helps players develop important skills like leadership, problem-solving, and effective communication. These abilities can be applied to real-life situations, enhancing social interactions beyond gaming.

Emotional Support 🫂

Online gaming communities offer a sense of belonging and support to individuals who may feel isolated or overlooked in other parts of their lives. These spaces allow gamers to connect with others who share their interests and provide emotional encouragement, which can be especially helpful for those dealing with social anxiety or challenges in forming connections in traditional social settings.

Gaming communities provide a space for forming lasting friendships and meaningful connections. Many include forums, chat rooms, and social media groups where members can discuss not only gaming but also personal topics. These platforms often become places for sharing experiences, seeking advice, or enjoying casual conversations.

Challenges ⚔️

Despite the benefits of online gaming communities, they also come with challenges, particularly the risk of toxic behavior and online harassment. The anonymity provided by online platforms can lead some individuals to act abusively towards others, negatively affecting the gaming experience and deterring people from engaging in these communities.

To combat this problem, many gaming platforms have introduced strict rules to encourage respectful behavior and penalize offenders. Players are also urged to report harassment or abuse, while community moderators are essential in ensuring a safe and welcoming environment.

Gaming, once a solitary activity, has become a global phenomenon due to social media. These changes have transformed both the gaming experience and the structure of gaming communities.

Social media has become essential for gamers and developers, connecting people, building communities, and introducing new dynamics in gaming.

To conclude this blog 🔏

Online gaming communities have had a profound impact on social interaction, revolutionizing the way people connect and engage with each other. These communities provide a space for gamers to build connections based on shared interests, collaborate and work together towards common goals, and seek emotional support from like-minded individuals. They have created opportunities for individuals to connect and form friendships across geographic boundaries and have fostered a sense of inclusivity and understanding.

With the existence of social media, it has greatly influenced gaming communities by connecting players, building communities, and enhancing the experience. While challenges exist, the benefits are clear, and it continues to shape the future of gaming in exciting ways. When used responsibly, social media can foster connection, learning, and engagement, making gaming more dynamic and inclusive.

References

WeAreTechwomen. (2024, July 2). Game on | How social media levels up gaming communities

https://wearetechwomen.com/game-on-how-social-media-levels-up-gaming-communities/

Jonathan Shroyer. (2023, May 11). The impact of social media on the gaming industry

https://chiefcxofficer.com/the-impact-of-social-media-on-the-gaming-industry

Ethan Davis. (2023, Dec 3). The Impact of Online Gaming Communities on Social Interaction

https://ethan-davis.medium.com/the-impact-of-online-gaming-communities-on-social-interaction-8c85f4f89d48#:~:text=Through%20collaborative%20gameplay%2C%20players%20can,interaction%20beyond%20the%20gaming%20sphere.

Matthew Urwin. (2024, August 29). The Real Benefits of Video Games

https://builtin.com/articles/online-gaming-social-benefits

Rita Maggioli. (2023, March 17). The cultural significance of gaming and its evolution over the years

https://landing.jobs/blog/gaming-culture-evolution/#:~:text=It%20has%20influenced%20music%2C%20fashion,ability%20to%20bring%20people%20together.

Mary E Ballard. (2023, March 18). Importance of Social Videogaming for Connection with Others During the COVID-19 Pandemic

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9047596/

[financial-consulting]

Why Instant Financial Insights Matter for Businesses Today?

Introduction Today’s fast-paced business environment, waiting until the end of the month to understand a company's financial position is no longer sufficient. Real-time accounting has emerged as a game-changer, offering immediate access to financial data, allowing businesses to make informed decisions faster than ever before. Here’s a look at why real-time accounting is trending and how it benefits businesses in this dynamic economic landscape. RVAK Consulting LLP provides comprehensive taxation services tailored to help businesses navigate complex tax regulations and optimize compliance. From strategic tax planning to accurate filing and representation, RVAK ensures clients meet their tax obligations efficiently, minimizing liabilities and maximizing opportunities.

What is Real-Time Accounting?

Real-time accounting leverages advanced accounting software and cloud technology to update financial data instantly as transactions occur. Instead of waiting for monthly or quarterly reports, business owners and stakeholders can access live financial information at any moment.

Why is Real-Time Accounting a Trending Topic?

Several factors are driving the adoption of real-time accounting:

Demand for Agility: Businesses must adapt quickly to changing market conditions, and real-time data empowers them to make swift, well-informed decisions.

Digital Transformation: With the rise of cloud-based accounting solutions, updating financial data instantly has become more accessible to businesses of all sizes.

Risk Management: Real-time insights enable proactive decision-making, helping businesses identify potential risks and address them before they escalate.

Key Benefits of Real-Time Accounting

Improved Cash Flow Management: Real-time accounting allows businesses to monitor their cash flow instantly. They can see which payments are due, forecast cash needs, and avoid potential cash flow issues.

Enhanced Decision-Making: Instant access to financial data allows business leaders to make informed, data-driven decisions. Whether it's expanding operations or cutting expenses, real-time data provides the accuracy needed to act confidently.

Accurate Financial Forecasting: With up-to-the-minute data, companies can create more accurate financial forecasts, helping them better prepare for future needs or investments.

Simplified Compliance and Tax Reporting: Real-Time Accounting simplifies compliance by maintaining accurate records that can be accessed and verified easily, making tax filing and audits more straightforward.

Reduced Errors: Automating data updates in real-time minimizes the risk of manual entry errors, leading to more accurate financial records and fewer discrepancies.

How to Implement Real-Time Accounting in Your Business

Choose the Right Accounting Software: Select a cloud-based accounting system that integrates seamlessly with your business processes and supports real-time data updates.

Automate Transaction Entries: Leverage automation features for expenses, invoicing, and payroll to ensure transactions are recorded immediately, reducing manual work.

Integrate Bank Feeds: Many modern accounting platforms allow you to sync bank transactions directly, enabling instant reconciliation and more accurate cash flow tracking.

Regularly Monitor Key Metrics: With real-time data, it’s easy to monitor KPIs, cash flow, and profit margins. Set up dashboards for an at-a-glance view of your company’s financial health.

Challenges to Consider

While real-time accounting offers numerous benefits, there are a few challenges businesses may face:

Cost of Technology: Implementing new software or upgrading existing systems may require an initial investment, which can be a barrier for smaller businesses.

Data Security: With real-time data being cloud-based, it’s critical to have robust cybersecurity measures in place to protect sensitive financial information.

Learning Curve: Shifting from traditional to real-time accounting can require training, especially for employees accustomed to older accounting processes.

The Future of Real-Time Accounting

As technology advances, real-time accounting is expected to become even more accessible and integral to financial management. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are likely to further enhance the capabilities of real-time Accounting, enabling more predictive insights and even automated financial decision-making. RVAK Consulting LLP provides comprehensive taxation services tailored to help businesses navigate complex tax regulations and optimize compliance. From strategic tax planning to accurate filing and representation, RVAK ensures clients meet their tax obligations efficiently, minimizing liabilities and maximizing opportunities.

Conclusion

Real-time accounting offers a competitive edge, enabling businesses to access financial insights instantly, respond to market changes, and make data-driven decisions. With the rise of digital tools and automation, implementing real-time accounting is easier than ever, allowing companies of all sizes to benefit from instant, reliable financial data. In an ever-evolving business landscape, real-time accounting may well become the new standard for financial management.

[satoshi-mochida]

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 coming to PC on January 30, 2025 - Gematsu

Publisher Sony Interactive Entertainment and developers Insomniac Games and Nixxes Software will release Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 for PC via Steam and Epic Games Store on January 30, 2025, the companies announced.

The companies also confirmed that there is “no additional story content planned” for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 first launched for PlayStation 5 on October 20, 2023.

Here is an overview of the game, via its store pages:

Spider-Sense tingling…

Mask-up for more thrilling web-slinging heroics as Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 swings onto PC. Developed by Insomniac Games in collaboration with Marvel, and optimized for PC by Nixxes Software.

A City Under Siege!

Spider-Men Peter Parker and Miles Morales face the ultimate test of strength inside and outside the mask as they fight to save the city, each other and the ones they love, from the monstrous Venom and the dangerous new symbiote threat.

Traverse an Expanded Marvel’s New York

Explore a larger Marvel’s New York than ever before, featuring two new boroughs—Brooklyn and Queens—as well as locations like Coney Island, and more. Swing, jump, and utilize the new Web Wings to travel across the city, switching between Peter Parker and Miles Morales in open world exploration to experience different stories and epic new powers.

Experience Two Playable Spider-Men

Wield Peter’s new symbiote abilities and Miles’ explosive bio-electric venom powers, and discover upgradeable, high-tech equipment that enhances the combat experience for extensive gameplay depth and variety.

Battle Iconic Marvel Super Villains

Fight against a variety of new and iconic villains, including an original take on the monstrous Venom, the ruthless Kraven the Hunter, the volatile Lizard, and many more!

A More Accessible Spider-Man Experience

Support for a range of accessibility features strives to create a Marvel’s Spider-Man experience without barriers, that can be enjoyed by more players of different abilities.

Pre-Purchase Offer

Pre-purchase to receive:

Arachknight Suit early unlock for Peter with three color variants

Shadow-Spider Suit early unlock for Miles with three color variants

Web Grabber gadget early unlock

+3 Skill Points

Digital Deluxe Edition

Edition includes:

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

Arachknight Suit early unlock for Peter with three color variants

Shadow-Spider Suit early unlock for Miles with three color variants

Web Grabber gadget early unlock

10 exclusive suits for Peter and Miles (five each)

Additional Photo Mode items

+5 Skill Points

Watch a new trailer below.

PC Announce Trailer

[govindhtech]

Agilex 3 FPGAs: Next-Gen Edge-To-Cloud Technology At Altera

Agilex 3 FPGA

Today, Altera, an Intel company, launched a line of FPGA hardware, software, and development tools to expand the market and use cases for its programmable solutions. Altera unveiled new development kits and software support for its Agilex 5 FPGAs at its annual developer’s conference, along with fresh information on its next-generation, cost-and power-optimized Agilex 3 FPGA.

Altera

Why It Matters

Altera is the sole independent provider of FPGAs, offering complete stack solutions designed for next-generation communications infrastructure, intelligent edge applications, and high-performance accelerated computing systems. Customers can get adaptable hardware from the company that quickly adjusts to shifting market demands brought about by the era of intelligent computing thanks to its extensive FPGA range. With Agilex FPGAs loaded with AI Tensor Blocks and the Altera FPGA AI Suite, which speeds up FPGA development for AI inference using well-liked frameworks like TensorFlow, PyTorch, and OpenVINO toolkit and tested FPGA development flows, Altera is leading the industry in the use of FPGAs in AI inference workload

Intel Agilex 3

What Agilex 3 FPGAs Offer

Designed to satisfy the power, performance, and size needs of embedded and intelligent edge applications, Altera today revealed additional product details for its Agilex 3 FPGA. Agilex 3 FPGAs, with densities ranging from 25K-135K logic elements, offer faster performance, improved security, and higher degrees of integration in a smaller box than its predecessors.

An on-chip twin Cortex A55 ARM hard processor subsystem with a programmable fabric enhanced with artificial intelligence capabilities is a feature of the FPGA family. Real-time computation for time-sensitive applications such as industrial Internet of Things (IoT) and driverless cars is made possible by the FPGA for intelligent edge applications. Agilex 3 FPGAs give sensors, drivers, actuators, and machine learning algorithms a smooth integration for smart factory automation technologies including robotics and machine vision.

Agilex 3 FPGAs provide numerous major security advancements over the previous generation, such as bitstream encryption, authentication, and physical anti-tamper detection, to fulfill the needs of both defense and commercial projects. Critical applications in industrial automation and other fields benefit from these capabilities, which guarantee dependable and secure performance.

Agilex 3 FPGAs offer a 1.9×1 boost in performance over the previous generation by utilizing Altera’s HyperFlex architecture. By extending the HyperFlex design to Agilex 3 FPGAs, high clock frequencies can be achieved in an FPGA that is optimized for both cost and power. Added support for LPDDR4X Memory and integrated high-speed transceivers capable of up to 12.5 Gbps allow for increased system performance.

Agilex 3 FPGA software support is scheduled to begin in Q1 2025, with development kits and production shipments following in the middle of the year.

How FPGA Software Tools Speed Market Entry

Quartus Prime Pro

The Latest Features of Altera’s Quartus Prime Pro software, which gives developers industry-leading compilation times, enhanced designer productivity, and expedited time-to-market, are another way that FPGA software tools accelerate time-to-market. With the impending Quartus Prime Pro 24.3 release, enhanced support for embedded applications and access to additional Agilex devices are made possible.

Agilex 5 FPGA D-series, which targets an even wider range of use cases than Agilex 5 FPGA E-series, which are optimized to enable efficient computing in edge applications, can be designed by customers using this forthcoming release. In order to help lower entry barriers for its mid-range FPGA family, Altera provides software support for its Agilex 5 FPGA E-series through a free license in the Quartus Prime Software.

Support for embedded applications that use Altera’s RISC-V solution, the Nios V soft-core processor that may be instantiated in the FPGA fabric, or an integrated hard-processor subsystem is also included in this software release. Agilex 5 FPGA design examples that highlight Nios V features like lockstep, complete ECC, and branch prediction are now available to customers. The most recent versions of Linux, VxWorks, and Zephyr provide new OS and RTOS support for the Agilex 5 SoC FPGA-based hard processor subsystem.

How to Begin for Developers

In addition to the extensive range of Agilex 5 and Agilex 7 FPGAs-based solutions available to assist developers in getting started, Altera and its ecosystem partners announced the release of 11 additional Agilex 5 FPGA-based development kits and system-on-modules (SoMs).

Developers may quickly transition to full-volume production, gain firsthand knowledge of the features and advantages Agilex FPGAs can offer, and easily and affordably access Altera hardware with FPGA development kits.

Kits are available for a wide range of application cases and all geographical locations. To find out how to buy, go to Altera’s Partner Showcase website.

Read more on govindhtech.com

[markalison231]

Best Oil and Gas Construction Company, well construction Company

iDrilling Technologies (iDT), recognized as a reliable construction partner for the oil and gas, Well construction sector. We stand out as leading Oil and Gas Construction Company, well construction Company. Best as Engineering services, Drilling Construction Companies, well integrity, Reduce conventional footprint, Global networking, Risk matrix, ERD wells, well performance analysis, HPHT wells, Onshore wells, water wells, Deepwater wells Companies, Hydraulics and hole cleaning, Stuck pipe prevention, Casing design and material selection, Loss circulation management, Well barrier software, Hydraulics and hole cleaning software Companies. Visit https://idrillingtechnologies.com/

[mariacallous]

On Sunday, October 29, Ahmed Azza was given permission to leave his neighborhood for the first time in three days. He passed the surveillance camera trained on his front door and the group of Israeli soldiers stationed on the hill above and walked eight minutes to the checkpoint at the end of his street. He placed his belongings on a table to be searched, made mandatory eye contact with the facial recognition camera, and crossed through the rotating metal barriers into Hebron. Ten hours later, he was given a one-hour window to return home before the checkpoint closed and he was locked out—or in—for the next two days.

Azza lives in Tel Rumeida, Hebron, the most tightly controlled neighborhood in the West Bank. Since 1997, Tel Rumeida has formed part of H2, a section of Hebron controlled by the Israeli government. Around 35,000 Palestinians and 850 Israeli settlers live in this area, where Israeli soldiers impose a system of segregation that heavily restricts the movement of Palestinians. It’s enforced with a network of surveillance that includes at least 21 manned checkpoints, on-the-spot searches, and watchtowers, plus a vast array of CCTV cameras dubbed “Hebron Smart City.” According to critics, the aim of this system is to make life as difficult as possible for Palestinians, slowly forcing them to leave their homes and make way for Israeli settlers.

The West Bank has long been seen as a testing ground for Israeli surveillance technology and tactics. Its defense exports have doubled in the past decade, partially thanks to the success of companies producing surveillance systems, like Elbit, Candiru, and Rafael, as well as NSO Group, which produces the Pegasus spyware. But on October 7, on the other side of Israel, the country’s famed surveillance network apparently failed. Hamas gunmen breached the high-tech border separating Gaza from Israel and murdered 1,400 people, taking more than 200 hostages. Since then, a growing sense of paranoia has given Israel’s government the impetus to ramp up restrictions and surveillance in the West Bank, according to analysts and activists working in the region.

“We’re rats in a lab,” says Azza, over a cup of tea at his workplace in Hebron. “I want to go to the beach, I want to see the sea, I want to taste the water. Here, we don't have this freedom.”

The flagship component of the West Bank’s surveillance infrastructure is known as “Wolf Pack.” According to Amnesty International, its purpose is to create a database featuring profiles of every Palestinian in the region. One strand of this software, known as Red Wolf, uses facial recognition cameras placed at checkpoints to inform Israeli soldiers via a color-coded system whether to arrest, detain, or allow through Palestinians who approach. If the system doesn’t recognize an individual, it will automatically enroll their biometric data into Red Wolf, without their knowledge.

Another strand, known as Blue Wolf, has been described as “Facebook for Palestinians.” It requires Israeli soldiers to photograph Palestinians individually via a smartphone app in order to record them in the database. According to Breaking the Silence, an NGO made up of former Israeli soldiers that opposes Israeli military occupation of Palestinian territories, prizes were offered to different units based on how many Palestinians they could photograph within a week.

“There are indications that the data gathered by this software impacts whether a person can get a work permit, whether a person can move from place to place within the West Bank, whether a person can get into Israel and work there or leave the country via Ben Gurion Airport, and a whole range of other things,” says Antony Loewenstein, author of The Palestine Laboratory, a book investigating the links between Israel’s military and technology sector.

According to Azza, as he approaches a checkpoint and is picked up by a facial recognition camera, Israeli soldiers can see his profile from up to 100 meters away. They know who he is, who his family members are, where he lives, and his entire history of interactions with them. When he was 16, Azza was arrested for allegedly having a knife, but he denied the allegations and was later found to be innocent. He says this data is displayed every time he passes a checkpoint, meaning he is unfairly targeted and sometimes detained for up to three hours at a time. In recent years, he’s begun pre-emptively stripping to his underwear each time he enters a checkpoint, to avoid the lengthy process of being searched multiple times. “It’s a violation of our privacy,” he says.

Israeli officials claim the rollout of surveillance technology helps contribute to a "frictionless" occupation, reducing contact between Palestinians and Israeli soldiers. Instead of troops frisking every Palestinian who passes a checkpoint, this tech allows them to target only those who have a “negative” history. Instead of conducting night raids to gain intelligence, Israeli soldiers can simply use drones to spy on the specific people they are interested in.

The Israeli Defense Force declined to provide an attributable comment.

Many of Israel’s key surveillance technologies have been developed and tested in the West Bank. Israel’s military has promoted close collaboration with the private tech sector, meaning that military-trained engineers are able to learn new skills from private companies. After leaving the military, they are often headhunted by the private sector.

“That’s a key aspect of the Israeli defense sector, showing that it’s possible to maintain and manage a brutal occupation for over half a century, which can then be exported like flat-pack repression to other nations across the globe,” says Loewenstein.

Since the war began on October 7, restrictions for Palestinians living in the West Bank have risen to unseen levels. Residents told me that now they are allowed to leave the neighborhood just three days per week. In addition to the curfew imposed in Tel Rumeida, raids against Palestinian militia groups have ramped up, and the number of Israeli soldiers on the streets has increased, due to the call-up of the army reserve. It's also meant some Israeli settlers are now donning their army reserve uniforms, blurring the contours of the state. Across the wider West Bank, at least 121 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

“We are not just numbers,” says a doctor from Hebron, whose name has been withheld to protect his identity. During a break from his shift at Ramallah Hospital, he explains that he now lives locally, but his parents and siblings still live in Hebron. Normally, he’d spend his weekends visiting them, but in recent weeks he has been unable to travel due to delays caused by the closure of checkpoints across the region. Since October 7, he says, he’s treated two Palestinians who have been shot by Israeli forces. Three others who were also shot arrived at the emergency reception but were soon pronounced dead. “There’s a tragedy inside every single one of us in the medical team,” he says.

The task of investigating and documenting the killings of Palestinians in the West Bank has become more challenging in recent weeks. Normally carried out by NGOs such as Al-Haq—one of the key human rights organizations in the region—these groups have been unable to work properly due to the closure of checkpoints and the fear of violence enacted by Israeli settlers.

“Since the 7th of October, our field researchers have not been able to meet directly with victims or eyewitnesses because of the situation. They cannot move freely,” says Tahseen Elayyan, a legal researcher at Al-Haq, over a cup of coffee in their modest office in Ramallah’s Old Town. “Even before, they didn’t have full freedom, but now there are more restrictions on their movement and they’re sometimes afraid to go to areas because of settler attacks. We know about the killings, but we cannot document them properly.”

In October 2021, Al-Haq and a number of other human rights groups were controversially labeled terrorist organizations by the Israeli government. Weeks later, it was revealed by the NGO Front Line Defenders that six of them had previously had their devices hacked by Pegasus software. “They used technology and surveillance to control our work,” says Elayyan.

A question eliciting both fear and hope is whether surveillance technologies are even effective. Despite employing many of these systems across Gaza, Israeli security services were caught off guard by Hamas’ surprise attack on October 7. “On the one hand, we can talk about facial recognition technologies and how bad they are and how harmful they are for democracy, but on the other hand, you say to yourself, who wants to use them? What help did it give?” says Tehilla Shwartz Altshuler, a senior fellow at the Israel Democracy Institute think tank.

Ori Givati, a former Israeli soldier and advocacy director for Breaking the Silence, says the surveillance program is now out of control. “We have to differentiate between securing Israel, which is Israel’s duty and responsibility, and expanding the occupation. There is a huge difference. Occupying more doesn’t mean more security for Israel,” Givati says, “I don’t think that in the long term, if we now use more systems of surveillance against Palestinians, this is what brings us security. We cannot accept this because it doesn’t work.’

[adasitecompliance]

How To Avoid a Website Accessibility Lawsuit

Every day, thousands of people are unable to use and interact with websites because of web accessibility issues. This can lead to a website accessibility lawsuit for you or your company. Over the past few years, certain regulations and guidelines to prevent this have emerged – more specifically, the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA).

The Act was carried as a civil rights legislation, which passed in the US to protect the rights of people with disabilities, as well as prohibit any discrimination against them. As per the ADA website rules, all people with disabilities have to have equal opportunities to participate in programs, receive services, seek knowledge, and express themselves freely.

Why Is Web Accessibility Important?

Website accessibility refers to the ability of people with a wide range of physical and mental disabilities to access websites, products, systems, services, and facilities featured on a website. For instance, web accessibility means that visually impaired or blind people can purchase tickets, use apps, recharge transportation cards, and use other services offered online.

Web content should be accessible to people, even ones using screen readers and other assistive technologies and automated tools. In times when around 1 in 5 people in the U.S. lives with one or more disabling conditions, statistics show that there are more than 50 million people in the United States and around 1.3 billion around the world who have a certain form of disability.

At the same time, improved digital accessibility benefits everyone. The features that would be designed for 20% of the population can also be used by the other 80% – we all know that anyone can be affected by a disability, which is why equal access matters. Adhere to these new standards for the disabled or you are likely to face a website accessibility lawsuit soon.

Digital Accessibility Features That Can Benefit Everyone

Some of the most important digital accessibility features that can benefit everyone include the following:

Text-to-Speech and Voice Recognition features, help people access online services on a mobile device when driving, or when their hands are full.

Features that enable captions on media content, can help when you are in a noisy environment or in situations when you don’t want to distract others.

An option to easily magnify text by screen magnifiers, which can help disabled and people with vision impairments and difficulties, but also people who suffer from temporary eye injuries.

Besides regular business compliance, an ADA site can improve the overall marketing of the company, especially when using the right tools that are known as popular in this manner. These can assist you in avoiding a website accessibility lawsuit.

About ADA & The Web Accessibility Guidelines

Web accessibility guidelines have existed for two decades. They aim to bring usability and user experience design together, removing barriers for people with disabilities and enabling more users to complete tasks online.

Generally speaking, these guidelines are designed to provide a sufficient level of detail for any person interacting on the web. Some guidelines involve discrete and identifiable criteria (for example, embedding images and link areas with appropriate text) while others require greater amounts of professional discretion (the use of code to improve navigability, predictability, compatibility with certain software, etc.).

Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)

Establishing a legal framework around digital accessibility ensures that companies give equal access to content to disabled users, and make their services accessible to a large audience. Over the past decade, companies have been rushing to embrace accessibility in order to strengthen their financial and ethical benefits. The legal requirement came into effect in 2010, known as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

This legal framework outlines all the digital accessibility requirements for every company profile in the United States. Basically, ADA compliance ensures that a set of laws is put in place to prevent any discrimination against people with disabilities. It is applicable in all areas of public life including work, school, education, and transportation services. Established by the Department of Justice, ADA compliance requires websites to enable people to use the Internet as well as online services.

Who Needs To Follow The ADA Requirements?

There are three main titles within ADA, where Title I applies to all businesses with at least 15 full-time employees. Title II of the ADA applies to state and local government compliance. Lastly, ADA Title III refers to most businesses as well as non-profit business entities in the “accommodation” and “public spaces” categories.

Online services and digital information are also considered public accommodations and require ADA compliance. Below is a summarized list of companies, businesses, and organizations that are required to comply and are at risk of ADA lawsuits in case of violations:

State and local government offices

Private business entities employing 15 or more people

Corporations that operate for the benefit of the public

Banking Institutions

Hotels and travel/tour agencies or businesses

Hospitals and healthcare institutes

Schools, universities, and educational institutions.

WCAG

A document known as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) is what has been the globally accepted standard defined by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). The regulations spread through three levels of accessibility for both online and digital services, including:

Level A is the minimum level of accessibility that is required for individuals to make digital content accessible to people with disabilities.

Level AA is the medium level of accessibility that is required for individuals to access and interact with digital content, navigating it without any barriers.

Level AAA is the maximum level of accessibility that is required for individuals, where digital content needs to be accessed but also has an additional interface layer, providing the most convenient experience.

Many types of web content are unable to reach Level AAA. On the other hand, Level AA compliance is the minimum required level in order to make a website accessible.

Why Are WCAG 2.0 And 2.1 Created?

The WCAG 2.0 and WCAG 2.1 guidelines have been created to provide a clear methodology and a unique standard for digital accessibility that meets the needs of all individuals, companies, and governments. The standard applies to a broad range of web technologies, implemented by a set of web development and web design techniques, as well as tested by a range of automated tools.

In times when many businesses or website owners don’t understand how people interact with their websites or mobile apps, having an ADA website that conforms to the regulations can help you prevent accessibility lawsuits.

Moreover, a website designed as per the latest website usability and accessibility reviews is a good way to expand your reach to a broader target audience, improve your marketing efforts, and ensure that every user has equal access to your information, products, or services.

Here, it is important to prepare the digital content including text, audio, video, graphics, and illustrations with alternatives, as well as use formats that are supported by the users’ assistive technologies.

Still, the remaining challenges include the lack of skilled developers that are trained in accessibility, as well as the lack of awareness about ADA compliance and how to build an ADA-compliant website or mobile app and avoid a website accessibility lawsuit.

U.S. Rehabilitation Act

The U.S. Rehabilitation Act is a federal law that prohibits any discrimination on the basis of disability in programs conducted by federal agencies. The rule applies to programs receiving federal financial support and includes the following two sections designed for website accessibility compliance:

Section 504 of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act, protects children and adults with disabilities from discrimination in schools and workplaces. There are specific accessibility criteria for online educational resources.

Section 508 of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act, where government bodies and federal services are required to make electronic and information technology (EIT) accessible to all people, including disabled people.

ADA Lawsuits Are On The Rise: Is Your Website At Risk?

While many still don’t understand what accessibility is and why it is important, advocates are everywhere writing guides and helping website owners understand and implement these digital accessibility rules. However, website accessibility lawsuits are on the rise and make the news nearly every day in the United States. This happens mostly because there are still no enforceable regulations for website accessibility.

The set of regulations is under Section 508 by law, where federal websites in the U.S. are required to check and meet these standards. In order to prevent ADA lawsuits, most simply follow Section 508 or the WCAG 2.0 and 2.1 AAA guidelines.

Accessibility laws are changing and are different in many countries. Besides the U.S., the UK and Canada are also starting to enforce accessibility. However, we will stick to the site accessibility lawsuits and how to prevent them by complying with the law while making your website accessible.

Popular Website Compliance Lawsuits & Settlements

Statistics from Seyfarth show that in 2018 alone, there were a total of 2258 website accessibility lawsuits to the federal court, which was a 177% jump from the previous year. In 2019, the number of cases also increased, most of which were in the retail, food service, entertainment and leisure, travel/hospitality, self-service, and real estate industries.

One of the first federal court lawsuits filed against a big name occurred in 2006, when the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) as the plaintiff sued Target, a U.S. supermarket chain, for its inability to comply with ADA rules.

In the hospitality industry, Domino’s Pizza was one of the companies which received a lawsuit filed in federal court. In 2016, a visually impaired man sued the popular chain because his screen reader was incompatible with their mobile app, so the device could not read aloud its contents.

In 2012, the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) filed a lawsuit against Netflix, for not providing closed captions in its online TV and movie streaming services. The plaintiff has taken legal action against the popular streaming service and the case quickly arrived at federal court.

Education facilities have not been exempt from lawsuits, too. Two federal class-action lawsuits were filed against Harvard and MIT by the National Institute of the Deaf (NAD) for not providing captions in their online content and courses. After four years of legal action on federal court grounds, Harvard was made liable to pay $1.5 million in litigation and attorney fees.

In most of these cases, big names could have saved themselves from litigation costs and bad publicity by simply adding some accessibility features to their website to reduce the risk of such lawsuits.

Recent posts show that even today, the number of lawsuits filed against companies in federal court actions is increasing. Many small to medium-sized businesses are on the radar, too. Among all states, New York, California, and Florida seem to be hotbeds for legal ADA-related lawsuits.

How to Comply With The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

If you want to prevent an ADA lawsuit, the only route is to plan for, design, as well as build an accessible website. This form of inclusive design should optimize content and help the visually impaired, as well as people with other disabilities, to use and interact with your website.

In fact, every business with a website, mobile app, or internet software application should hire an accessibility specialist to go over the site and ensure full ADA compliance. In order to have an ADA-compliant business website optimized for people with disabilities, you will need to hire these experts who know what needs to be changed and how to ensure compliance.

For instance, if you apply ARIA with HTML5 or your image alt tags are not written properly, you could be facing a lawsuit. However, the source of most ADA lawsuits is the actual inability to access web pages or mobile apps, especially for visually impaired or blind people who use assistive technologies.

There are some builders that are integrated within content management systems and help website owners make the site ADA-compliant. Elementor, a popular WordPress theme-building, and page design plugin are one of them. The plugin helps incorporate parallax, dynamic content, and animations that comply with the accessibility guidelines. There is also the creation of new themes, headings, and footers with full developer control.

What Can You Do To Create An Effective ADA Website And Comply With WCAG: Checklist

The WCAG guidelines outline a set of principles and techniques that make web content “perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust.” In other words, users should be able to access content, use interactive elements, navigate through web pages and apps, and use the content on their device of choice.

There are three vital ways to achieve the goals for website accessibility:

Correct use of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript

Organization of content properly and logically, so that both humans and assistive tools can interpret its layout, including the use of text alternatives for visual content (YouTube is a good example of this – the platform was designed to automatically add captions to videos uploaded on the network).

Extra attributes are added to HTML and other code so that assistive devices can be used effectively, complying with the existing web accessibility standards.

From Braille readers used for hearing and reading text or images to screen readers and magnifiers for blind or visually impaired users and keyboard/joystick navigators for people who can’t use a mouse or other input controls, all of these ways ensure compliance.

How Do You Test Web Accessibility Across Different Devices?

There are two main ways to test how content shows on a website or mobile app.

The first is automated testing, which involves running a test against the latest WCAG principles. With this method, you can identify 20% to 30% of the compliance issues. That is why developers use it as a starting point when familiarizing themselves with the WCAG requirements set by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Second is manual testing, which is obviously more detailed and complex and will deliver the BEST RESULTS. Here, the testing should identify areas of partial compliance with regulations. Common tests use keyboard-only testing schemes to identify where certain issues occur for people who cannot use mouse or touch interfaces. We specialize in manual testing and correcting all errors.

Within manual testing, there is also the practice of testing pages and case scenarios with a screen reader or an emulator that shows how a webpage will respond to a user who wants to access content with text-to-speech technology.

Run a FREE SITE SCAN with us today to test the accessibility of your website.

Facing An ADA Lawsuit? Here Are 4 Steps To Make Your Site Accessible

As we mentioned above, the purpose of the ADA is to ensure that any disabled person has the same opportunity and rights as others in ensuring that digital content is accessible. Violating ADA can land you a lawsuit and some serious fines (up to $20,000 or more), and the best way to avoid potential litigation for a violation is through the four steps below.

Identify Your Barriers – Examining your business site and any of its features that could be a barrier to people with disabilities is usually the best place to start. Know that having more text is never a bad idea, as more people use assistive technologies nowadays. Put yourself in the shoes of an impaired person and try to understand whether your site is designed so you can freely navigate through its pages.

Understand The Requirements – Understanding the ADA requirements is equally important for everyone. New websites are already being designed with web accessibility in mind, and seeing what these rules require can only help you visualize and plan for new content in a better way.

Train Your Staff To Assist – If you work with a web design specialist, make sure that person is familiar with WCAG and able to align your content and marketing tools to support the ADA laws.

Hire A Professional – If you have multiple websites, or find it difficult to optimize your company website to comply with web accessibility laws, you can always seek our professional assistance to prevent an ADA lawsuit.

Hiring expert ADA consultants to audit the level of your website’s accessibility, provide guidance on remediation, and maintain accessible design is recommended if you want to lower the risk of a potential lawsuit.

Final Words

The bottom line of complying with web accessibility is that it offers a number of ways to build a reputation but also targets a broader audience. Users deserve to have equal access to content online, and many of their common tasks have been identified by regulators as essential for modern living. Therefore, it is vital to take advantage of these services and opportunities, and doing that would also prevent accessibility lawsuits.

Every organization, whether large or small, should ensure that they are aware of their accessibility obligations. In doing so, they will mitigate any risks of facing an accessibility lawsuit, but also maximize their revenue potential. In the end, wider accessibility equals a better online experience for everyone.

How good is your web accessibility? If you need help making your company website or mobile app accessible and complying with U.S. Federal regulations, contact us today. We will carry out a full audit and suggest the best ways to help your business site ensure full ADA compliance and prevent lawsuits.

[nationalfacilitiesdirect01]

Top 10 Trends in Facility Management

The pandemic has altered the way almost every business operates. From restaurants and retail to office buildings and factories, nearly every industry has undergone a drastic change in day-to-day operations with new safety mandates and public health protocols. These changes have forced organizations to prioritize facilities management solutions that meet consumer expectations and provide a seamless and engaging experience both on-site and off. As a result, today’s facilities managers must be proactive and knowledgeable of the latest trends in the industry if they want to take their operations to the next level. Here are the top 10 trends that are streamlining the facilities management workflow.

Top 10 Facilities Management Trends in 2022

1. Improved Communications

Communications between FMs and industry partners will continue to be a priority in the field. Cutting-edge software, like the project management systems we use at National Facilities Direct, will lead the way toward optimal efficiency and streamlined communication. Facility managers will play an integral role in laying the infrastructure that will improve the communication process between collaborators to better facilitate project workflow.

2. Increase in Smart Technology

As the Internet of Things (IoT) continues to grow, facility managers will have more access to advanced technology with sensors, processing abilities, and automation that create a more flexible and interactive experience for technicians, employees, and visitors. Smart technology can help facilities managers create a comfortable, energy-efficient environment and optimize building functions ranging from fire protection, security, and asset tracking systems, as well as lighting management, HVAC maintenance, and smart parking.

3. Using Artificial Intelligence to Enhance Collaboration

As facilities become more and more digitized, communication is critical for successful collaboration between teams. Artificial intelligence (AI) has the ability to simplify systems integration by streamlining communication between different departments and breaking down barriers preventing teams from working together.

4. Building Information Modeling

FMs will begin to see an increase in Building Information Modeling (BIM). BIM is software that maps the physical characteristics of a building over its lifetime. This system helps architects, builders, and FMs plan smarter buildings and take a more proactive approach to repairs using data from BIM software. This can help reduce costs, improve efficiency, reduce safety risks, and enhance facilities management.

5. Planned Preventative Maintenance

Similar to BIM, Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) is a way to use technology to formalize and anticipate maintenance needs. This predictive maintenance model helps you proactively plan for regularly scheduled maintenance as well as provides a system to quickly adapt to unexpected changes. This proactive approach helps save time and money in the future, rather than reacting to new needs as they arise, because it allows FMs to better understand the assets of each building so you and your partners can make plans for the unexpected.

6. Data-Driven Decision-Making

The changes we’ve all experienced over the last few years will undoubtedly create a hefty database of information, data, and statistics. As FMs plan for upcoming projects, they will rely more heavily on this data to better inform their decision-making process. Utilizing data can help reduce overhead, minimize downtime, increase efficiency and improve system calibration.

7. Greater Environmental Approach

Companies in nearly all industries are being proactive and placing greater priority on eco-friendly practices that limit or negate their carbon footprint. FMs should be directly involved in these conversations and can expect to see more emphasis on innovative energy management solutions and how eco-friendly factors will affect employees, customers, and the environment.

8. Flexible Workspaces

As more organizations begin to move back into the office, the landscape of the working environment will change. Whether moving fully back into the office or developing a hybrid model, FMs should anticipate how the changes in workflow will alter the building needs and operations. Technology will also play a role, as organizations may have used the pandemic to review their technological needs.

9. Personalized Work Environment

As more and more employees return to the office, they will expect a similar feeling of comfort and ease that they experienced at home. While human resource managers may focus on accommodating those shifts, FMs may be asked to deliver Soft FM functions that foster a good environment to improve employee retention as well as customer loyalty.

10. Simplicity with Self-Supported Integrated Facilities Management

Between the changes in workflow, personnel, and the general world around us, we could all use a little simplicity in our lives. From improved processes to enhanced technology, FMs can expect to consolidate, group, and maximize resources to minimize manpower. Self-supported integrated facilities management simplifies workflows and processes to create more time for planning and utilizing budgets on proactive technologies to drive success.

Utilizing Industry Trends

These cutting-edge trends pave the way toward better service and better performance. By taking a proactive approach to facilities management technology, communication, and processes, you can build trust and become a leader in your industry.

Developing Innovative Partnerships

When you need a trusted and forward-thinking facilities management partner, choose National Facilities Direct. No matter your facility management needs, we solve problems for both the long and short term that meet resolution-time needs and make your job easier.

Contact us today to learn how our self-performing, self-supported, and self-communicating integrated facilities management services can take your facilities management to the next level.

Visit Our Website - https://nationalfacilitiesdirect.com/

[ogadaedwine]

The Ultimate Guide to Marketing Strategy

The Ultimate Guide to Building a Successful Marketing Strategy

A firm uses a marketing strategy as a plan or strategy to market and sell its goods and services. It often contains a target market, a value offer, a SMART approach, and a strategy for reaching and interacting with customers. Market analysis, product creation, branding, price, promotion, and distribution are typical components of a marketing plan. Effective marketing tactics may aid a business in boosting revenue, luring in new clients, and building brand recognition. Many small businesses struggle to stay ahead of the competition and build their business. While it's challenging to bypass the barriers, it is possible to set a higher standard. You just need the right strategy to keep things moving in the right direction.  In this blog post, you will learn about the nine pillars of a successful marketing strategy and how to build one around each of them. You will also get advice on creating market-focused strategies, content strategies, and a whole lot more. Read on for more information so that you can begin developing a successful marketing plan for your business.

Define your objectives

Before you develop your marketing strategy, it is highly recommended that you define your objectives. Aiming means focusing on and working on the fundamentals. Your ability to meet your objectives on time is directly proportional to how consistently and budgeted you are. A well-streamlined goal planner must include the budget, and the number of audiences targeted within the scope of time. The criteria of marketing, whether PPC, influencer marketing, or affiliate marketing. However, the mode of promoting your product solely depends on how financially capable you are. Consistently following your set objectives will help you impede overspending and losses.

Do the Market Research

Consumers, who must have experienced similar products from other companies, only react to the value of your products when they can reach, see, and taste them. A brand needs to research the market for its propositions before its last launch. Doing in-depth research can help you understand the product's competitiveness and thereafter take prompt actions to stand out from the crowd. You need to know the demand rate, the population age group, and gender to target the right audience. Another aspect is the mode of shipping products to people who cannot reach you on time. Most customers would prefer store-to-door delivery to direct shopping. This means that you need an online delivery system or e-commerce site with secure payment methods to accelerate the ordering process. How are you going to do the market analysis? Direct marketing that involves mouth-to-mouth can be an effective way to hire the foreigners you would like to have as day-to-day shoppers. Use established community bases and streets to give them the product or service trials, provide the questionnaire where possible, and let them leave their contact information. First, ensure that contact information is secure and not disclosed to third parties. Finally, you've got a number or email address to ask how they would recommend your brand, challenges, and improvements. While contacting or sending a survey to your prospects, follow the best practices to avoid getting spammed. It is also worth doing the poll on online spaces, especially when dealing with software products or services. This may include directing the audience to the web CTA.

Be Customer-Centric

Define the value proposition of your products; illustrate how your product is beneficial, why they may need it, how to use it, and when to use it. Giving your target audience a product value that helps them understand its significance will put your brand ahead of the competition. Advertising newly tested and approved hair jelly, for example, by providing the ingredients, price, people who need it, and its effects, would be beneficial. When they buy and realize it works as advertised, the likelihood of building and keeping new customers will be high. Being customer-centric also means providing the right pricing without hidden charges. You also ensure that customer service is flawless, with an effective communication desk and staff who are equipped to respond to customer queries and recommendations on time.

Be flexible with your plan and adjust as you learn more

People who are in a hurry and filled with anxiety find it very hard to reach the target. Seeing positive results, especially when you are just getting started, takes time and patience. You need to stick with one strategy at a time, so that when one approach fails, you can adjust to the next one. For example, running PPC is always a preferred first option for most startups because of its affordability. However, you think of trying influencers after hitting the targeted business milestone. What inspires most startups is the capacity to generate a good return on investment so that they can use the profits instead of using the rest of their savings to start over. It is not life-threatening to see your company crumble-which is common with many small businesses. It is important to restart the process instead of giving up the first time. Expect little. Most dominant and successful businesses today could not exist if their owners gave up.

Be Realistic About Results

 One of the hardest but most important aspects of any marketing plan is being realistic about the results you want based on your ultimate marketing goals. While you may not want to emphasize the reduction in production over your extraordinary efforts, understand that a robust ROI is not achievable overnight and takes time. This is because your marketing strategy is the backbone of your business success, and without it, your investments may hang in the balance.  It is also important to track the performance of the brand promotion to have a clear picture of whether or not you are succeeding. Generating leads that turn out to be real buyers and consistent consumers of your products and services needs to be a top-notch path for any marketer. Don't just craft an idea, promote it, then leave it there. In every aspect of a marketing plan, whether paid per-click, affiliate, or influencer marketing, leverage the analytics tools to grasp the performance of your brand performance. Based on the performance, you'll see what needs to be changed and implemented. When analyzing marketing data that can help you understand the target audience's response to your brand, brand reputation is a paramount factor. New prospects go with reputation rather than price and quantity. Don't create a clickbait ad that's different from what you offer. Market your products and services with reputable agencies and influencers. Finding real and trustworthy influencers isn't an easy task due to bot dominance in the social media space, but there are influencer marketing agencies that can help you search, enroll, and track the performance of your campaigns.

Build an Audience through the Promotional Offers.

Having a decent number of prospects for your business means success nowadays. With competition in the market still reigning, it is important to develop a pricing strategy based on the buyer capabilities. Every smart brand has a CTA button on their website homepages that directs new visitors to what to do—most probably the subscription form or the pricing table. Offering your products and services at discounted prices every year or every quarter could make new visitors purchase instantly compared to those selling at rigid prices. The main reason why most consumers leverage coupons is that they want to save on their first purchase of a particular service. This will help them slash their budget allocation for other matters. This strategy seamlessly works with affiliate marketing, where brands can decide to cooperate with affiliates in return for a commission for every successful purchase. Many people are searching for coupons daily when making purchases, therefore, it's worthwhile to try it out. Once you've successfully built huge email lists, sending monthly newsletters with new promotional deals could help your brand drive more sales because whenever they want to purchase a product, it'll be yours first. You can also create advertisement banners with discounts and this can drive a lot of traffic into sales to your e-commerce website

 Be Customer-Centric 

One of the best things about small businesses is that corporate structures and bloated salaries do not hold them, hostage. You can be customer-centric ‌in your marketing strategy. For example, you could have one marketing strategy that involves publicity, one that involves creating content, and one that involves customer service. If customer service is your strong suit, you could also have one strategy that encompasses these components. 

Be SMART

  As you crave success for your brand in the market with similar and selective products and services, be smart enough to counter the stiff competition in your approaches. You need to be specific for goal effectiveness. Outline your steps to cover and accomplish your marketing goals. Another thing is that your actions must be verifiable, quantifiable, measurable, and accountable. Aiming for 10000 audiences in reach and within a specific time requires that you use analytics tools. You need to know the engagement rates, impressions, clicks, and conversion rates and declutter the backlogs before trying another strategy. Again, make your marketing objectives achievable with realistic targets. While creating ad campaigns, focus on the relevant factors, such as the target location, topics, and language. And the ad's subject must apply to the target audience's topics. Relevancy creates a sense of seriousness and integrity in your promotions. Finally, your marketing objectives need to be time-bound. Have the right timeframe and develop a deadline for all your campaigns. Start and implement on time. In a new project, implementation is always the biggest obstacle to goal achievement. Stay on track, get your budget ready, and implement it. The increase in conversion rates would begin by implementing SEO-friendly features like mobile-friendly banners and optimizing your pages and speed. So, within a set time frame, you will get the expected result.

Be Proactive

 As your marketing implementation develops, it is important to be assertive to combat scale-backs. This means that you should not wait for something to happen before you take action. You should take immediate action ‌to ensure that your marketing strategy is successful and achievable on time. Building a successful brand requires that product and user security are at the heart of everything. When you start up, don't pump all your money into it because any company is capable of going bankrupt to the extent of losing everything. Ensure that your company doesn't infringe on the user's confidential details, like credit cards, and is fully GDPR compliant.

Bottom line

The most effective marketing strategies are those that are built on past accomplishments and use a gradual but systematic approach to planning a successful development. Although it may take some time and effort, the effort will be rewarded in the end. A sound marketing plan may support the growth of your company for many years. Your chances of success, growth, and profitability will increase, helping you get back to 100 percent with your business. Read the full article

[xerox-candybar]

Wonderfully organized, well-constructed post! I spent so much time thinking about healthcare issues that the spirit moved me to reboot and expand on this. (Disclaimer: I spent a few hours writing and I fear I don’t have much edit left to energy, or something 😅)

Owning so many companies, with so many different services, allows UnitedHealth to profit from their own mishaps. We have laws against such monopolies, in theory, but these laws are useless without meaningful action. This played out recently (Feb 2024), during the Change Healthcare breach:

The same source (An Arm and A Leg—an excellent podcast from NPR’s wonderful Dan Weissman) continues:

Providers who wanted to take their business elsewhere often found that it was useless—because some of the of the “competing” companies were also owned by United, and each insurance company decides which clearinghouses they will work with. Source? Me. I work in insurance billing and choosing vendors, configuring Clearinghouse software + assisting with electronic payment setup is something I frequently do for small group practices and solo providers. Several asked if they could avoid using Change and my answer was “no, Change is the only way to set up direct deposit with Anthem/Aetna/etc.”

(More venting below)

Every major insurance company needs a clearinghouse (otherwise we’d have to send all claims and payments via snail mail). Upon purchasing Change Healthcare, United Healthcare also obtained definitive information on what their competitors were paying for services, and how much of that cost was shared to the client in the form of a copay.

Providers aren’t allowed to share information about the rates they get but fuck that. My company can’t legally prevent me from telling coworkers my salary. Why does insurance get to bully people like that? Especially when they are treating providers like company employees and not independent contractors, which is how they are classified and paid. Allegedly the gag rule was repealed in NY state recently, but I haven’t bothered to check because…….i find it really hard to care. One disgruntled millennial screaming into the tumblr void is absolutely nothing compared to what insurance companies have done, and will continue to do, to fuck with the markets. (Even if aforementioned millennial had been gifted with hyper focus by the Autism gods and subsists entirely on espresso and spite.)

But back to the non-payments…from the Change Hack and the denied claims and the everyday negligence that is endemic to health insurance companies.

Maybe they do pay out the money eventually—the denials are overturned, the data breach gets fixed (ish) and the money starts getting paid out again…. Here’s the thing, though. As long as that money is in the insurer’s bank account, they get interest on it—oftentimes compound interest because behemoth companies have leverage to demand things like that from their vendors. In many cases, interest is due to providers for mishandled / wrongfully denied claims, but they rarely pay it out. I have seen insurance companies systemically underpay claims for months. It takes me, on average, about a year to resolve and I spend about 10-15 hours on this per month. When the correction payments role in, they come in without interest and I’m too exhausted to bring it up. In my state (NY), the timeline for prompt pay is 45 days but the specifics are never clearly defined… and if you wanted to fight for this money, if you had to time to fight for this money, if you knew your rights and where to find them, you’d still have to complain to the state. Anyway the interest payment is like 2% and amounts to pennies per claim. It’s way less than insurance gets for holding the money (from what I understand, and I’m sure they’re cooking the books with all that surplus cash they’re hoarding. At the end of the day, cash is an asset.

…

Propublica has been doing incredible work on lack of/barriers to receiving mental health care (on all insurance companies, not just United), including their questionable “algorithm” and disproportionate claims denials—UnitedHealth is, quantitatively speaking, The Literal Worst.

Wikipedia lists several different legal cases ranging from compliance failures, to excessive lobbying, to racketeering, to SEC violations, to manipulating insurance rates, to buying previously independent research groups, to influencing high-profile healthcare economists to publish and present misleading research on who is to blame for high health care costs (the culprit is everyone except for United, according to the researches hired by United) but what stands out to me is the Medicare overbilling:

You are defrauding the fucking government. You know the one that’s been tasked with enforcing the rule of law? How much gaul do you think that takes? “We will systemically defraud a government program that is highly popular with one of the most active voter blocks, confident that whatever happens, we will turn out fine.”

And it did turn out fine. The government didn’t fire them. United still offers Medicare Advantage plans. For the love of god, why??

All of this is gross, disgusting, infuriating and unfair. In my honest opinion, as someone who spent more time on the phone with insurance than anyone I know and love, I am begging you to consider a different takeaway:

- UnitedHealth is winning at capitalism, and capitalism is the system we are in. When I look at all this, my writer brain thinks “I could not come up with a better supervillain.” My business + econ brain things, “yeah, these are common strategies most companies take”… granted, companies do not normally try all these strategies at once, but United is big so they can.

- UnitedHealth can afford major fuckups. A lawsuit, a settlement, etc—it’s just cost of doing business for them. They’ve probably done the math and decided “yeah, the potential loss is much less than the possible gain here. Hold onto your hats and RELEASE THE ALGORITHM.”

- UnitedHealth cares little for bad press. What else are you gonna do, find another healthcare company? This is America, we really only have five. Most people have coverage through their employer so it’s not like you get a say. Capitalism gonna capitalism—your company will favor whatever costs coverage the least. The Amazons and Microsofts of the world have some bargaining leverage, but most companies don’t. Most companies won’t consider the cost of time spent dealing with a shitty insurance company, because that is an expense they passed on to you, dear worker.

- This happened because we let it. By “we”, I mean our government, our regulators. I don’t think the average citizen is culpable, but we do have influence.

…From my own anecdotal experience, I remember how strongly some people felt about the Affordable Care Act. I wouldn’t argue with them—that never works—but I would casually mention “well I have a pre-existing condition (depression), and when I sought treatment as a teen in the early Aughts, my parents (both social workers with private practices of their own) opted to pay full fee out of pocket because they worried I would never, ever get insurance coverage if the fact I sought treatment for depression ever appeared in my medical history. This new legislation saves me about a hundred dollars a week for the rest of my life, basically**.” because insurance can’t do that anymore, not since the ACA. (**ymmv, based on your deductible, but I won’t get into that right now.)

Anyway. If my first ACA comment went over well, I might add “I also enjoy not paying more for health insurance simply because I have a uterus and therefore might become pregnant some day, which is exceptionally frustrating because the same company will not cover my birth control or at least acknowledge that an unborn is very much like a parasite, or that giving birth is the most medically expensive thing you can do. There’s a risk I could die and/or my baby could die, if all parties survive the childbirth, the aforementioned offspring will most likely become a dependent on my health insurance plan, and that’s one more human that you’ll have to go through the trouble of denying claims for. That kind of labor doesn’t grow on trees!” This also changed (mostly) because of the ACA.

But my point is this. If privatized healthcare becomes as unpopular as universal health care once was, it might have a fighting shot under some administration (probably not this one, honestly)… if enough people make a fuss, and enough people come to see all the gaslighting that went into making us hate it in the first place.

Original Medicare is socialized health care. People like original Medicare. I don’t really work with it, but I’ve heard from other billers that it is straightforward and (relatively) easy to deal with, especially in light of the ceaseless industry horrors we’ve all come to accept. The few times that Medicare has come up, everyone is easy to talk to, friendly, and they’re all on shore—which is more expensive on paper but most cost efficient for me because they always know what they are talking about. If I work less, I can use those same billable hours doing more productive things like helping to grow the practice, improving office operations, or helping clients fight dumb claims denials.

We are the only industrialized country in the world that does not have Universal Healthcare. Maybe there are some industrialized counties in outer space that we have yet to discover. Idk. anything’s possible, but it wont change my argument. United Health care is the 9th largest company by revenue. The bulk of their business is in one country (US), with a healthcare system that looks radically different from all other industrialized companies. How the hell is that even possible?

…..

When I learned about the death of Brian Thompson, I was not surprised to learn that health executives frequently face death threats. I do my best to exercise compassion in all circumstances but I did not find it readily accessible, here. You are literally killing people. Why are you surprised to learn that countless people believe that you too belong amongst the dead? In the words of my wonderful, talented friend John Minus: “if people are largely indifferent/enthused by your death, maybe you fucked up. That’s just science.”

The gremlin in me wants to argue that the money spent not denying so many goddamn claims could be offset by the costs of not having to worry about getting getting murdered but I just really, really want people to understand that it is so much worse than what you think. Evil innovates, just as capitalism intended. People are getting paid unfathomable amounts of money to visualize and execute more heinous schemes than the average salt-of-the-earth human could ever hope to imagine.

….

Links because tumblr started to eat my formatting halfway through:

- https://www.unitedhealthgroup.com/content/dam/UHG/PDF/investors/2023/UNH-Q4-2023-Form-10-K.pdf — their most recent 10-K report. (10-k = 10-K is a comprehensive annual report filed by publicly traded companies. It is mandated by the US SEC (Securities Exchange Commision). The 10-K outlines the company’s current financial situation, risks going forward, and the general strategy. It also includes a detailed summary of the company's financial performance, organizational structure, financial statements, earnings per share, subsidiaries, executive compensation, and any other relevant data (as per Investopedia.)It’s incredibly fascinating if you are into such things.

- https://kffhealthnews.org/news/podcast/the-hack/

- https://armandalegshow.com/

- https://www.hhs.gov/answers/health-insurance-reform/can-i-get-coverage-if-i-have-a-pre-existing-condition/index.html

- https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/fact-sheet/womens-health-insurance-coverage/amp/

- https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/issues/birth-control/facts-birth-control-coverage

https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/issues/birth-control/facts-birth-control-coverage

- https://www.teamhealth.com/news-and-resources/press-release/teamhealth-provider-groups-continue-nevada-fight-for-justice-for-patients-and-clinicians

- https://theintercept.com/2021/08/10/unitedhealthcare-yale-surprise-billing-study/

- https://axenehp.com/international-healthcare-systems-us-versus-world/

- https://www.marketwatch.com/amp/story/if-medicare-for-all-is-so-bad-why-is-medicare-so-popular-c29bb1aa

UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting (4 December 2024)

Sources: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8