#cookie news network

[miguelinileugim]

[andrevasims]

wtf was nobody gonna tell me that Canadians aren't allowed to share or see news articles on Facebook or Instagram anymore because the Canadian parliament passed a law that Google and Meta (only those 2 companies) have to compensate news publishers for hosting their content, and in response Meta literally just removed all access to news in Canada on their platforms because "News has no economic value to the company and its users do not use the platform for news." (actual quote)

[thedeadthree]

🎶✨when u get this, list 5 songs u like to listen to, publish. then, send this ask to 10 of your favorite followers (positivity is cool)🎶✨

AIRIKA HI TY TYY DEAR this is the cutest thank youu and i hope ur well!! i adore yelling about tunes EEEK 🥀💌☺️

𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃 𝐔𝐏𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐍𝐎𝐖 — hozier, bear mcreary.

𝐒𝐘𝐌𝐏𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐘 𝐈𝐒 𝐀 𝐊𝐍𝐈𝐅𝐄 — charli xcx.

𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐍 𝐎𝐑 𝐋𝐀𝐒 𝐕𝐄𝐆𝐀𝐒 — cocteau twins.

𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐒 𝐎𝐑 𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐄𝐒 — the crane wives.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐑 𝐍𝐄𝐓𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐊 — ramin djawadi.

[fruitymarcy]

Literally me

[jcmarchi]

AI and Data Privacy: How Lerna AI Offers Best of Both Worlds - Technology Org

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/ai-and-data-privacy-how-lerna-ai-offers-best-of-both-worlds-technology-org/

AI and Data Privacy: How Lerna AI Offers Best of Both Worlds - Technology Org

The breakneck speed with which Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming our world has been nothing short of exciting. A report by KPMG Global Tech highlights AI and machine learning as the most crucial technologies for achieving short-term goals for tech leaders today.

Cybersecurity, data privacy – artistic interpretation. Image credit: Artem Bryzgalov via Unsplash, free license

However, similar to any emerging technology, inherent risks exist. One survey, encompassing over 17,000 individuals, found 61% of respondents expressed apprehension about trusting AI systems, with only half convinced that the benefits outweigh the potential risks. A major concern revolves around personal data privacy.

AI systems are data-hungry beasts. To learn and function effectively, they require massive datasets to train their algorithms and fuel performance. This data often includes personal information like names, addresses, financial details, and even sensitive data like medical records and social security numbers. The collection, processing, and storage of such data raise significant questions regarding its usage and vulnerability.

The Road to Data Privacy

The widespread and unregulated use of AI poses a significant threat to human rights and personal privacy. For example, generative AI (GenAI) uses powerful foundation models trained on massive volumes of unlabeled data— which may or may not take personal data privacy into account.

That’s one of the reasons why AI leaders have issued open letters advocating for a temporary pause in GenAI development. They urge policymakers to establish “guardrails” to ensure their responsible use in the future. In response, there have been increased government efforts to ensure that AI is not being used indiscriminately. For example, the EU’s GDPR (passed in 2018) and the AI Act are two separate legislations aiming to regulate how AI is being used to gather data within the European Union.

The reach of AI governance extends beyond developers and AI pioneers. Companies that integrate AI products and services into their operations hold significant responsibilities. These companies must prioritize ethical considerations when selecting and using AI tools.  For instance, ensuring AI doesn’t perpetuate biases present in training data is critical.  Additionally, companies must comply with relevant regulations, such as the EU AI Act if they operate within the European market.

As we navigate the complex intercourse between AI innovation and personal data privacy, it is incumbent upon all stakeholders— business leaders, policymakers, technologists, and consumers— to engage in a constructive dialogue aimed at forging a path forward that maximizes the benefits of AI while mitigating its potential risks. It is right at this intersection that companies like Lerna AI shine brightest.

Data Privacy the Lerna Way

In a post-cookies world where third-party data is dwindling, the imperative for businesses to leverage their first-party data potential has never been more critical. Lerna AI, a game-changer in mobile hyper-personalization recommender systems, offers a compelling solution to this pressing challenge. The innovative mobile SDK empowers apps to personalize content for each user, leveraging a combination of content metadata and on-device user data, including demographic and sensor data.

By training models on this rich trove of first-party data, Lerna AI enables apps to predict optimal content recommendations tailored to each user’s preferences and interests while preserving user privacy. In an era marked by heightened concerns over data privacy and security, Lerna AI’s approach is cold water over parched throats, ensuring businesses can reach their objectives without having to go outside the box of ethics.  As Lerna AI´s CTO, Georgios Kellaris, highlights, “thanks to advances in privacy-preserving technologies like federating learning and differential privacy, training AI models on sensitive data is now possible, allowing us to learn from richer than before data, while protecting user privacy.”

The model is also highly functional; in tests, the AI dusted double click-through rates and all of these happened without any infringement on user data or rights. The tailored approach that Lerna AI brings to the process helps users to stay longer on the app. Personal recommendation aligns with what the average mobile device wants. More than 56% of customers want personalized recommendations and user experiences with 62% of business leaders citing improved customer as a benefit of personalization efforts, according to a report by Segment.

Moving ahead, the convergence of AI and privacy will continue to shape the digital landscape, challenging conventional norms and necessitating adaptive regulatory frameworks. By fostering a culture of responsible AI development and promoting transparency, accountability, and user-centric design principles, we all can harness the transformative potential of AI while upholding the fundamental principles of privacy and individual rights.

[thelcsdaily]

My Birthday Cake

From Ferrara's website: Ferrara’s specialty tiramisu features homemade Savoiardi (Ladyfinger cookies) that they douse with espresso & coffee liqueur and layer with sweet mascarpone. Ferrara is one of New York's most iconic shops and its first Italian Bakery, founded in 1892 in Little Italy. As America's first Pasticceria and espresso bar, it was only natural that people came primarily for the coffee, cookies and cakes, and despite the many changes in the neighborhood over the decades, their offerings are still wowing everyone who walks through the door, instantly transporting them to Southern Italy.

They have been featured on the Food Network's "Best Things I Ever Ate," The New York Times, New York Magazine and just about every media outlet imaginable.

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” — C.S. Lewis

[ceasarslegion]

OK...I'm asking....

Yay!

So this happened in what I consider the worst job I ever had. And that is saying something because I very much worked retail in a mall. I had just graduated uni, I couldn't afford toronto anymore, and I needed a full-time job to make ends meet now that the stability of university was gone. So I went to edmonton because I had one family member I could stay with until I got on my feet. And I was not in a position to turn away a job that paid.

So I took a door to door sales position. For telus. I can hear the canadians in the room wincing so to everyone else: telus is one of the three whole mega megacorporations that control the ENTIRE canadian telecommunications network. And all three of those companies are buddy buddy and have us all by the balls. That's why canadian phone plans are the most expensive in the world. Not in the developed world: in the WORLD.

The meth lab incident happened on my 3rd whole day on my own. I was in St. Albert, which is this suburb of edmonton that is like if a kale smoothie and that guy who won't shut up about bikhram yoga had a baby they abandoned in an HOA meeting. Which is what makes this that much more unhinged: it was in the most cookie cutter suburbia part of the EMR.

So I was doing my knocks in my blue Jay's hat and my telus branded polo shirt with my clipboard and I knock on my next door. I'm greeted by a middle aged woman who proceeds to dump on me that she's divorcing her husband of 30 years and moving to New Brunswick. I'm like okay cool I just wanna sell you cable packages, good luck with that?

I write that off and continue along the cul de sac until I knock on this other lady's door. And when I say talkative I mean a real chatty Kathy. She practically grabs me by the collar and plops me down on her deck chairs, shoves a coffee in my hand, and says "HEY TELUS GUY DID YOU KNOCK ON METH GUYS DOOR???" And points to the house of the lady who just told me she was getting a divorce

At this point I have forgotten about my commission. I have forgotten about my shitty supervisor and how every part of this job sucks and how I wanna go back to Toronto. I have thrown away my clipboard I have started sipping her coffee that could very well be spiked with something and I go "you have to tell me about the meth guy"

That house I knocked on? The weird oversharing lady who was getting a divorce? Her husband was running a meth lab out of the basement THEIR ENTIRE MARRIAGE and she ONLY FOUND OUT THEN?? He called it his man cave and said that she wasn't allowed in?? And then one day she went down out of curiosity and it was a METH LAB??? All the bonuses he said he got at work were meth money.

I'm still enamored by how this happened. Did it not smell? Like for those who don't know edmonton there is a HUGE meth problem here. Like across the political aisle we all agree that something has to happen about all the meth, the details get foggy and that's where people argue, but needless to say I have smelled and been offered meth before just by virtue of living downtown. That shit REEKS. Like you know meth smell because it somehow smells like the word "meth." You will know what you are smelling even when you've never smelled it before. And it lingers. It hangs. It gets into walls. I know when I've taken a train car before because the smell of that guy who hotboxed it with meth smoke last week will still kinda be there. There's no way that house didn't smell like ass down to the foundation.

And the "you arent allowed in my man cave" excuse... im enamored by both the sexism towards his OWN WIFE and the way she just... went along with it for 30 years? Never set foot down there? The sexism and the just believing it?

I kept trying to steer the conversation back to the meth lab and this lady I was on the porch of kept actively trying to buy internet deals from me. Like she was the only person I ever pitched who was TRYING to get my bundles. I ended up just handing her my list of products and told her to check off what she wanted and was like "more meth lab?" And she went right to "yknow i think if I was your age I would've been a boy now. We didn't really have those terms when I was a kid" I DID NOT BRING THAT UP MA'AM I DONT HAVE TIME FOR YOUR GENDER CRISIS TELL ME MORE ABOUT THE METH LAB

That job was so shit that that was the only one I ever quit with no back up plan and did not regret for a second. I then went to the mall and handed out CVs and got my retail job by the end of the week from doing that.

[stirpicus]

I'm a bit of a character outfit/costume nerd and I was wondering if you had anything to share about what went in to making the outfits for The New Order's season 2 outfits? I can tell that Lukas and Petra keep the more "hero" appearance because they are still active adventures, while Axel and Olivia have more casual clothes becuase their focus has shifted from being adventurers to being leaders of Redstonia and Boomtown respectively. (Also whoever decided that Axel should wear a flannel and a skull shirt was so right and deserves cookies.)

The goal for season 2’s costume design were to reflect two things:

1. How things had changed in the characters’ lives since the first season - Lukas is still an adventurer, but a new one focused on stories and exploration, hence his new (frankly, anime-inspired) outfit. Petra is still clinging to the past which is why her armor is still the same one from the portal arc, just endlessly repaired and cobbled back together. Axel and Olivia have traded adventuring for running their towns, so their clothes reflect that… and then of course Ivor is a ninja now. Naturally.

2. How the server/world on the whole had changed and evolved - Something we never got the chance to show is that Beacontown is a hub city connected to every other town by a complex subway and mail tube system. It’s even connected to worlds within the portal network thanks to complicated and well-organized use of the enchanted flint & steel + the atlas of the old builders. This means that people from all over the world(s) are coming together in Beacontown to make it a melting pot of all kinds of styles and appearances. Characters like Radar in his hoodie + tie combo, Jack’s urban pirate look, Stella’s power suit.. these are some of the looks meant to reflect the increasing diversity of Jesse’s world and move the art direction away from some of the semi-medieval/fantasy vibes that were still hanging around.

[probablyasocialecologist]

What if Tucson’s million new trees — and the rest of the country’s — didn’t just keep sidewalks cool? What if they helped feed people, too? That’s what Brandon Merchant hopes will happen on the shadeless south side of Tucson, a city where about one-fifth of the population lives more than a mile from a grocery store. He’s working on a project to plant velvet mesquite trees that thrive in the dry Sonoran Desert and have been used for centuries as a food source. The mesquite trees’ seed pods can be ground into a sweet, protein-rich flour used to make bread, cookies, and pancakes. Merchant, who works at the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona, sees cultivating mesquite around the city and surrounding areas as an opportunity to ease both heat and hunger. The outcome could be a network of  “food forests,” community spaces where volunteers tend fruit trees and other edible plants for neighbors to forage. “Thinking about the root causes of hunger and the root causes of health issues, there are all these things that tie together: lack of green spaces, lack of biodiversity,” Merchant said. (The food bank received half a million dollars from the Biden administration through the Inflation Reduction Act.) Merchant’s initiative fits into a national trend of combining forestry — and Forest Service funding — with efforts to feed people. Volunteers, school teachers, and urban farmers in cities across the country are planting fruit and nut trees, berry bushes, and other edible plants in public spaces to create shade, provide access to green space, and supply neighbors with free and healthy food. These food forests, forest gardens, and edible parks have sprouted up at churches, schools, empty lots, and street corners in numerous cities, including Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Seattle, and Miami. “It’s definitely growing in popularity,” said Cara Rockwell, who researches agroforestry and sustainable food systems at Florida International University. “Food security is one of the huge benefits.” There are also numerous environmental benefits: Trees improve air quality, suck carbon from the atmosphere, and create habitat for wildlife, said Mikaela Schmitt-Harsh, an urban forestry expert at James Madison University in Virginia. “I think food forests are gaining popularity alongside other urban green space efforts, community gardens, green rooftops,” she added. “All of those efforts, I think, are moving us in a positive direction.”

[dbs-scans]

Halloween Event 2023 — The Kamome Monster Nursery Monstagram Account

Hello all! In this post, we've compiled the event hosted on AidaIro's Twitter account in 2023 to celebrate Halloween: a return to the Kamome Monster Nursery!

This time, we take a look at the nursery's new social media account...

🎃Announcement🎃 To all nearby residents: First, allow us to express our gratitude to everyone for always being such good neighbors to our monsters and researchers. Tonight, we have taken it upon ourselves to review a common concern we receive: that our facility seems dangerous and gives people the creeps.

In light of this, we have decided to set up a social media account to allow all of you to see our monsters and researchers in action. By viewing the feats and day-to-day lives of our nursery, we hope it may help you better understand our noble mission. 🎃🎃🎃

—The large-scale social networking service, "Monstagram"... Apparently there's an account on there that posts not just the day-to-day lives of humans, but monsters as well...

What spine-chilling lives could these monsters possibly be leading? With shaky hands, I decided to take a peek at this "Kamome Monster Nursery" account on "Monstagram"...

There are already a few posts here. Now, which one should I view first...?

POLL:

【We're gonna bite'cha!】✅

【The Monster Prodigy】

【Aim to hollow out your opponent, and... Punch!】

【Who's up? ～Whispering Sweet Nothings・For Eternity...～】✅

Alright, let's open up Monstagram...

【Who's up? ～Whispering Sweet Nothings・For Eternity...～】 Oops! I accidentally clicked on a weird video! This man is treating me like a kitten. Is the sexy voice really necessary...? I think I'll go to sleep early tonight...

【We're gonna bite'cha!】 It's a video of three monsters practicing their dance moves. Their footwork's a mess, but you can tell they're giving it their all. I wonder if they're going to put on a show...?

—Setting aside that researcher's cryptic video, it seems to me that the monsters are planning something. What could it be...? Now, which one should I look at tomorrow?

POLL:

【The Monster Prodigy】✅

【Aim to hollow out your opponent, and... Punch!】 

【Outing With the Older Boys】✅

OK, let's open up Monstagram again...

【Outing With the Older Boys】 Three monsters are being lead through town by an adult monster and an adult human male. The monster in front is leading them with a flag. He's so cool and collected... wow... I've decided: in my next life, I want to be reborn as a flag!

【Target Spotted!】 I found the continuation to the last photo. It seems they went to the city to go shopping. The monster is pointing at a hat shop. I guess she found what she was looking for. That's nice.

【The Monster Prodigy】 The three monsters are practicing writing. There are envelopes and stationery nearby. Are they writing a letter to someone...? The one with the best handwriting out of the three of them seems to be the one with all the wings growing out of it. That one's so skilled, I... I can't even read it...

—I feel like I'm beginning to get an idea of what the monsters are planning. I'll take a look at the rest of the posts tomorrow...

I'm going to go on Monstagram today, too!

【Secret Nightly Routine】 I-I didn't know monsters could be this adorable...!! The secret to keeping her tail so fluffy is by brushing it daily and bribing it with cookies, it seems.

【Aim to hollow out your opponent, and... Punch!】 The Three Monsters are training. No way — are they preparing for battle...!? Maybe they're planning on beating somebody up. Monsters are awesome... ...

—Tomorrow it will finally be Halloween. I wonder how they're all going to spend it......

Looks like they didn't post any updates on Monstagram today. The monsters and researchers must be too busy to post anything.

Judging by the posts I saw, those monsters were probably doing all that work in preparation for today. I wonder if the three of them are enjoying Halloween with the researchers right now...? If they come to town, I'll hand out treats to them... ...

🎃 Happy Halloween! 🎃

[forager-m]

TWST RARE PAIR WEEK: Day 2 - Reality TV AU

Ship: Kalim Al-Asim x Silver (カーリシル)

Art + Drabble

BREAKING NEWS: Kalim Al- Asim Kisses Co-Star Silver In Last Episode of "LOVE: TWISTED"

05/04/XXXX

Written By: Forager_M

LOVE:TWISTED, directed by Dire Crowley, aired March 18, 2020, is a hit reality romance drama wherein well-known figures are put against each other. The prize? The love of the show's protagonist, Yuu.

However, it seems a different romance has been brewing behind the scenes, revealing itself in the last episode of LOVE:TWISTED Season 3.

Kalim Al-Asim, known for his love of music, dancing, parties, and his fun, happy personality that brings joy to fans all over the globe, suddenly kissed fellow competitor and co-star Silver on screen during the episode's ending segment.

The kiss shocked the cast members, audience and Silver himself. Silver, who is known for his love of nature, his beautiful voice, and his awkward, serious but charming personality is notorious for his blank expressions.

Screenshots of Silver's reaction spread on social networks such as MagiCam, MyLog, and TweetTweet with hashtags: #KaliSil, #SilverLV:TWSTD, #KalimLV:TWSTD trending in Scarabia and Briar Valley for three days after. Fans have taken to making edits, memes, and art of the now iconic kiss scene.

Following the incident, there has been scrutiny of KaliSil moments in past episodes.

TweetTweet user 'YuuOwnMyHeart' posted:

#KaliSil

Episode 5 - Kalim answered Silver when asked who's the most beautiful person he knows. They're so obvious???

TweetTweet user 'Single_Twisted' posted:

#KaliSil

GUUYS THAT PART IN EP 2 WHEN SILVER AND KALIM WALK AWAY TOGETHER??? HELLO??? AND THEM LITERALLY NAPPING TOGETHER IN EP 10??? I'VE BEEN A KALISIL TRUTHER SINCE DAY 1 I KNEW IT.

Other notable moments:

Season 1, Ep 5 - Kalim putting extra food on Silver's plate during lunch.

Season 1, Ep 6 - Silver calls Kalim 'cute' in a segment where he's asked to describe other cast members.

Season 1, Ep 13 - Kalim hears Silver singing and stares at him for 5 minutes before joining in. Song: Once Upon A Dream (Orginal Artist: Aurora)

Season 2, Ep 1 - Silver gives Kalim a surprise gift for the start of the season.

Season 2, Ep 3 - Silver interrupts Kalim when Kalim and Yuu are playing with the water guns in the pool area.

Season 2, Ep 7 - Kalim asks for Silver to sing the song: A Whole New World (Original Artists: Jasmine and Aladdin) with him during the karaoke segment.

Season 2, Ep 10 - Silver bakes a special batch of thumb print strawberry jam cookies for Kalim only.

... And many more moments! Please comment your favorites below!

The cast have released their own statements or posts regarding the KaliSil kiss during interviews and on social media.

When interviewed in 'Chitchat With YUU', Yuu laughed with a knowing look.

"Silver cares deeply for Kalim... And I know Kalim treasures Silver."

Other cast members have posted on MyLog:

Idia

GGS nice rizz Kalim

Re: Riddle

... What???

Leona

Jesus fucking christ right in front of the cameras. I'll hand it to them, that takes guts.

#KaliSil

Cater

CONGRATS KALIM AND SILVER!!!! YOURE BOTH TOTES CUTE TOGETHER <3 #KaliSil

Deuce

Silver and Al-Asim-senpai kissing was really out of nowhere. I didnt expect that! But I think it was really cool!!! Good luck guys, wish u all the best #KaliSil

Malleus

Silver and I have been friends since childhood. I am so delighted and pleased to see him find joy. May love prosper and may your time together be plentiful. #KaliSil

Re: Leona

Wow it mustve been hard for you to figure out how to post. Lots of surprising things have been happening lately.

Epel

No way, you're telling me Kalim Al-Asim and Silver got someone before me thats kinda crazy bro. #KaliSil

Sebek

IT IS UNACCEPTABLE CONDUCT TO KISS IN FRONT OF THE CAMERAS IN SUCH A MANNER. SILVER APOLOGISE IMMEDIATELY.

... congratulations to your union. #KaliSil

Lilia

I'm not ready to walk my son down the aisle yet T T they grow up so fast... #KaliSil

Jamil

Congratulations on growing up and doing something yourself for once. #KaliSil

Re: Epel

Yo who hurt you.

News to come on the couples status on LOVE:TWISTED. Follow for more!

[armysantiny]

My Exception – HRJ

P: Renjun x gender neutral reader | G: drabble, fluff | Inc: reading corners, movie nights, renjun and y/n being really soft, pastries, movie snacks, hot drinks | Wc: 600 | W: food (bc pastries/snacks) | R: G

Summary: Renjun’s reading time is sacred; a dedicated few hours every weekend spent with him, his wax melts, a book, and a hot drink. Though he can make an exception for y/n. He can always make an  exception for them.

Min's notes: Everyone say thank you to Kyu <;33

Renjun inhales as he settles down in his loveseat, the sandalwood and cardamom wax melt covering his little reading corner in warmth. The air around him smells inviting, tempting him into drifting away into the world of his books. He’s already got a book in mind, picking it out from his stack of books and returning to where he last left his bookmark. It’s a romantic thriller, pulling at his imagination as soon as he begins to read.

Y/n’s on their way back from an outing, he’s got a coffee beside him, and he’s got a good book. What more could he ask for?

It’s silent in the shared apartment, bar the occasional turning of the page and hum of interest. The twists in the novel have already started to appear, one by one in a slow but addicting pace, and Renjun finds himself theorising more as he goes along, taking sips of his coffee and making a note to thank y/n again for splurging on the Nespresso machine. It’s a thing of beauty.

“…home baby~!” y/n’s voice pulls Renjun out of the scene he was reading, drawing his attention to the door where his partner’s taking off their shoes. He leans forward, grins when y/n eventually spots him and waves his greeting. He looks for his bookmark, slotting it in between the pages and returns the paperback to the mini library stand of books. Sure, he could go back to reading his book, knowing all too well y/n would be more than happy to respect his reading time, but he’s missed them.

He can pause his reading time for his favourite person.

“I brought some pastries from that café you like, wanna have some later?” Y/n asks, making their way over to Renjun’s little reading nook and draping themselves over the back.

“Sure. Movie night?”

“Movie night.” They confirm, tapping their lips for a kiss, a pleased smile on their face seconds later when Renjun grants their wish. “How’s the book?”

“It’s so good! The police just started hunting down one of their suspects,” y/n chuckles as Renjun starts becoming more and more animated, “but if you ask me, I don’t think the professor did it at all, he’s clearly trying to cover up for someone else.” Renjun’s review continues, and a little ball of fondness grows in y/n’s chest as they listen, admiring the man they get to call their own. They subtly ask him to budge over and take a seat beside him, half sitting across the grey Hampshire loveseat and half hanging over the armrest.

It's comfy. They’re comfy, with him.

The wax melt burner sits on the tv stand this time, a new wax melt on the surface melting away as y/n brings a tray of cookies from the kitchen, Renjun holding their drinks. It’s a movie night, there’s a shower of rain outside and the Netflix menu screen stares back at the pair, awaiting to play their first of many films that evening. Renjun’s the first to sit down, open arms inviting y/n to cuddle up beside him as they rest on the sofa.

“Want to pick first?” Renjun offers, a simple thing of a gesture and he basks in the soft affection he feels when they nod, a languid smile on their face. He watches them pick, eventually landing on a movie they’ve been putting off for a while now and rests his head on top of theirs.

“Hey, don’t fall asleep just yet,” y/n warns, a smile in their voice. “I’ve been dying to watch this with you.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

© copyright work of armysantiny 2023-2024

Networks: @kwritersworld, @kdiarynet, @ultkpopnetwork, @whipped-kpop-creators, @blankjournal

If you’ve made it this far, thank you for reading! Consider reblogging, leaving some feedback or donating to my kofi!

Taglist: @teeztheflag, @jeonqquk, @mikailo666, @babyboobean, @taem-min, @iiindigocheesecake, @xavi-in-kpopland, @flowerjun, @marxenash, @tinystarstay | Taglist form

[reasonsforhope]

"As countries around the world begin to either propose or enforce zero-deforestation regulations, companies are coming under growing pressure to prove that their products are free of deforestation. But this is often a far from straightforward process.

Take palm oil, for instance. Its journey from plantations, most likely in Indonesia or Malaysia, to store shelves in the form of shampoo, cookies or a plethora of other goods, is a long and convoluted one. In fact, the cooking oil or cosmetics we use might contain palm oil processed in several different mills, which in turn may have bought the raw palm fruit from several of the many thousands of plantations. For companies that use palm oil in their products, tracing and tracking its origins through these obscure supply chains is a tough task. Often it requires going all the way back to the plot level and checking for deforestation. However, these plots are scattered over vast areas across potentially millions of locations, with data being in various states of digitization and completeness...

Palmoil.io, a web-based monitoring platform that Bottrill launched, is attempting to help palm oil companies get around this hurdle. Its PlotCheck tool allows companies to upload plot boundaries and check for deforestation without any of the data being stored in their system. In the absence of an extensive global map of oil palm plots, the tool was developed to enable companies to prove compliance with regulations without having to publicly disclose detailed data on their plots. PlotCheck now spans 13 countries including Indonesia and Malaysia, and aims to include more in the coming months.

Palm oil production is a major driver of deforestation in Indonesia and Malaysia, although deforestation rates linked to it have declined in recent years. While efforts to trace illegally sourced palm oil have ramped up in recent years, tracing it back to the source continues to be a challenge owing to the complex supply chains involved.

Recent regulatory proposals have, however, made it imperative for companies to find a way to prove that their products are free of deforestation. Last June, the European Union passed legislation that prohibits companies from sourcing products, including palm oil, from land deforested after 2020. A similar law putting the onus on businesses to prove that their commodities weren’t produced on deforested land is also under discussion in the U.K. In the U.S., the U.S. Forest Bill aims to work toward a similar goal, while states like New York are also discussing legislation to discourage products produced on deforested land from being circulated in the markets there...

PlotCheck, which is now in its beta testing phase, allows users to input the plot data in the form of a shape file. Companies can get this data from palm oil producers. The plot data is then checked and analyzed with the aid of publicly available deforestation data, such as RADD (Radar for Detecting Deforestation) alerts that are based on data from the Sentinel-1 satellite network and from NASA’s Landsat satellites. The tool also uses data available on annual tree cover loss and greenhouse gas emission from plantations.

Following the analysis, the tool displays an interactive online map that indicates where deforestation has occurred within the plot boundaries. It also shows details on historical deforestation in the plot as well as data on nearby mills. If deforestation is detected, users have the option of requesting the team to cross-check the data and determine if it was indeed caused by oil palm cultivation, and not logging for artisanal mining or growing other crops. “You could then follow up with your supplier and say there is a potential red flag,” Bottrill said.

As he waits to receive feedback from users, Bottrill said he’s trying to determine how to better integrate PlotCheck into the workflow of companies that might use the tool. “How can we take this information, verify it quickly and turn it into a due diligence statement?” he said. “The output is going to be a statement, which companies can submit to authorities to prove that their shipment is deforestation-free.” ...

Will PlotCheck work seamlessly? That’s something Bottrill said he’s cautiously optimistic about. He said he’s aware of the potential challenges with regard to data security and privacy. However, he said, given how zero-deforestation legislation like that in the EU are unprecedented in their scope, companies will need to sit up and take action to monitor deforestation linked to their products.

“My perspective is we should use the great information produced by universities, research institutes, watchdog groups and other entities. Plus, open-source code allows us to do things quickly and pretty inexpensively,” he said. “So I am positive that it can be done.”"

-via Mongabay, January 26, 2024

--

Note: I know it's not "stop having palm oil plantations." (A plan I'm in support of...monocrop plantations are always bad, and if palm oil production continues, it would be much better to produce it using sustainable agroforestry techniques.)

However, this is seriously a potentially huge step/tool. Since the EU's deforestation regulations passed, along with other whole-supply-chain regulations, people have been really worried about how the heck we're going to enforce them. This is the sort of tool we need/need the industry to have to have a chance of genuinely making those regulations actually work. Which, if it does work, it could be huge.

It's also a great model for how to build supply chain monitoring for other supply chain regulations, like the EU's recent ban on companies destroying unsold clothes.

[quotidian-oblivion]

How do you get people to interact more with your fanfic?

I AM SO GLAD YOU ASKED

Mainly because I love ranting about psychological patterns and discussing analytical points on stuff like this.

So the following tips are general things which can be used for any kind of advertising, I will let you know when something is fanfiction specific. These are just personal tips from the stuff I learnt in psych class, stuff I learned while being in a professional environment, stuff I learnt through programs and stuff, and just stuff I've learned through experience. SO GET READY!

The first thing you should know before following any of this is: Don't let disappointment crush your life. Look, sometimes nothing works the way we want and it's bound by fate to crash. Don't let it stop you from living your life or trying new things or doing things which you love. If you lose interest in something, fine, it's okay. Really. There are quintillions of things in this world and you have only one of them in your hand. Get out there. Do stuff.

Now, let's see.

1. Networking

Always, always, always say this when someone wants something to be known. Because this is how it works:

Alexandra 👧 is very excited about her cookies. This is her first time baking them and she thinks it's the best thing ever! So she tells her friend Mariam 🧕about it and asks Mariam to try one. Mariam does and she enjoys the cookies very much because they're halal and so she is able to eat them and enjoy them!

One day, Mariam 🧕 is talking about baking to her work friend Bethany 👩 and she mentions Alexandra's cookies. Alexandra 👧 was regularly making cookies so Mariam 🧕 took some and gave one to Bethany 👩. Bethany ate it and enjoyed it very very much!

Mariam 🧕 also gave a cookie sample to her mother, father, sister and brother. They loved it very much and enjoyed them.

Bethany 👩 was later craving some cookies so she asked Mariam for more and Mariam directed her to Alexandra 👧. Alexandra and Bethany met and chatted and Alexandra gave her more cookies.

Time passed, and Alexandra one day got up from bed and started her routine of making morning cookie when she realized... she has three hundred people who were asking for her cookies and some were overseas too, asking for her cookies. She had started a whole business simply by talking to people. Wasn't that an awesome way the world worked? 🍪

~

Okay, so here's what happened: one person told another person about their product. Assuming that person is a very sociable person, they told their family, friends and whoever they came into contact with about the product when a related topic was brought into the conversation. The people who heard about the product from her are 80% from the same culture as her, so there is one type of community who knows about the product and may or may not purchase it. Either way, if they remember or if it's relevant, they will bring up the product to other people and those people will tell other people and the cycle will go on.

But then, one of those people has a connection to a person outside of that community, and that person may or may not purchase the product and like it. And if they like the product, they will remember it and they'll tell others about it and soon, a whole new community will know about the product and may or may not purchase it or spread information about it.

The cycle goes on and on because humans are literally like the strands of a spider's web. They're connected with the entire world one way or another, no matter how far their connection points are.

That's why networking is so important. And you'll see that the best kind of advertising is when it's someone you know recommending you to try something. This is a type of social conformity and it's beautiful to see how humans love sharing things. Use this aspect of humanity to show what you have to offer to the world.

I don't necessarily use marketing stuff for my fanfics except sometimes because a) I just like writing and posting things and b) going full on marketing is exhausting and I'd much rather save up that energy for money-making things or irl things. For me, fanfiction just happens. But I totally and absolutely respect people who do what they can to reach out and show off their work to everyone as they should! I like it when people do that because it means that they're proud of what they created and humans are sharing creatures, so when they share, it strengthens human connection and that's beautiful.

So, in terms of advertising and marketing, it's very very necessary to network.

How do you network?

I'm glad you asked! In terms of fanfiction, here's what you can do:

Follow: Follow and keep following people on tumblr, no matter how many digits your following stats show. My following stats are nearly in quadruple digits cuz I abesnt-mindedly click the follow button lmao. The good thing about this is that the more you follow people, the more the chance that they might see the notification and check out your blog and come into contact with your fanfiction.

Post: This seems obvious, but there's more to it. The more you post on ao3 or whichever platform you use, the more your username appears to people and the more people might see and register and remember your name and check out your account. In terms of fanfiction though, I'd suggest you post only things you want to, don't pressure yourself to write please. Fanfiction is one of the things that are meant to be enjoyable and if you don't enjoy it, then even if you get like a thousand kudos, you will still not feel happy because you're tired from all the forced content.

Content: In order for more views or people to see your stuff, not just fanfiction but anything in general, then your content must be memorable. Alexandra's cookies were memorable bc of their taste, which is why Mariam and Bethany were able to remember it and pass it on to other people and ask Alexandra for more of it. The content can be a) very good in quality b) have a lot in quantity (only works on some stuff) c) be very beautiful or pretty or noticeable d) content is posted on a regular schedule e) be relatable. The content has to be something that is memorable. The two best ways a content is memorable is if it's either very good in quality or relatable. In terms of fanfiction, the plot would be brilliant or the writing would be brilliant, or the plot would be something the readers wanted to see like a certain trope or an underrated trope which is in demand. Or the plot is something that has happened to the readers and provided them with a secondary experience (this, you cannot control).

Creator: The creator of the content must also be memorable. Because content can get lost sometimes. Bethany may forget where she got the cookies from had she not had that chat with Alexandra. Fanfiction titles can get lost and people might not remember. Authors are easier to remember than fanfiction titles a lot of the times because there's that human-human connection. So in the author's notes maybe you drop some lore about the story you've written, or mention something crazy that happened to you while writing the story, or you rant about a part of the fandom you are or maybe analyse a thing from canon. Whatever it is. In terms of fanfiction, it's especially good for your author's notes to relate to the story. But since it's fanfiction and it's literally something I do for fun, I use the author's notes to just... talk 😅. I really don't care if people read it or not, I'd like it if people read my notes and comment on something they want to comment on because I love holding conversations in the comments. Which brings me to another thing: Answering comments can be a way for you to be noticed. But not just any answers, if the commenter has left a unique comment or if it holds something like an analysis or something, then replying in equal to it means that the reader may see your reply and your name appears twice in their brains, creating a wrinkle in the brain which stores your name. BUT. Since it's fanfiction and it's something fun (wow, that's becoming my phrase) I hold conversations in the comments because I like talking to people. Fun fact! The way I talk in text, like with the "uh"s and "um"s and the elipsis and stutters is literally how I talk irl. Even the word "lol" and "lmao" I actually do say those words irl lmao. So my replies to comments take a while because sometimes I don't have the energy to hold conversations or interact with people and I just don't feel like a simple "thanks!" and heart emoji is enough. Another fun fact about me.

Other ways to reach: Tumblr has been a huge part in people discovering my fics because I like socializing with people on there :) I like sending asks to people, I like messaging them, I like talking to them over reblogs even if it means scrolling all the way down my screen, I like doing tag games, I like collaborating with people on different projects. I like doing all this because it's like... I'm better in terms of talking online than irl because there's not pressure of facial expressions and since I can get quiet irl sometimes, I utilise my ability to be able to actually socialize online. I love my moots and our conversations ^^ So it's not advertising in my book, but it is a strategy to use when you want to market something. I use it irl when I want to be noticed for a job or for a position or if I want to sell something, I make friends all around and make sure they're okay with me talking about the thing I want to sell or talking about me being good for a position so when the time comes, they can purchase something or I can use them as referees. In fact, this is a very, very very important tactic to use in the professional world. Make. Work. Friends. Make work friends, they're so so helpful and make sure that you're a work friend for someone too, because it all only works in reciprocity. Becase when you make a friend, a friend will behave like a friend. And friends (good friends), check out each others' works or interests at the very least. Even if they're not interested, they're willing to hear about it. But other than tumblr, there's another big thing you can do: READ AND COMMENT ON OTHER PEOPLE'S WORKS!!! PLEASEEEEEEEEEEEE. TRY TO COMMENT ON EVERY SINGLE FIC YOU READ. Fanfiction is a community. If you don't take part in it, you'll be left out. It's a rule, I'm sorry, but that's how humans work. Wherever you live, if you don't take part in the community you're in, you'll be left out. It's the real world, kids.

2. Quality of content

We already touched base on this and I've said quite a lot on it already, but. This is definitely something I do for my fics in terms of advertising (and also self-improvement). Because no one will want to read something which has the grammar of a kindergartner and has a plot as obscure as a sphinx's riddle.

Improving your product, constantly and regularly is very, very important. If you compare my first work to my most recent one (okay- maybe not my most recent one, cuz the current fic I'm posting rn is something I wrote after months of writer's block), you'll see that there has been a drastic improvement. So.

How do you improve the quality of your work?

I'm glad you asked that too!

Peers: Have people or friends you made online or irl who look over your writing and provide feedback. If you look into my yes beta and no beta tags and also see how many people I've co-written with, you'll see that I interact and involve a lot of people a lot of the time with my writing. It's a) because self-improvement is awesome and b) just having people involved in your interest is awesome!

Open mind: Always have an open mind when it comes to creating. If someone has a mindset of "I'm already good at this" or "I can do wayyy better than this writer", they will never, ever, ever, ever, ever improve and therefore they will never get the amount of attention they want. Trust me, I've met people like those, and they're arrogant assholes. Sure, you will feel like that sometimes, and yes, I feel like that sometimes too. But here's the thing: use it to your advantage. I've come across many fics which I thought "oh my God, the plot/writing is so shit", but I never voiced it out loud. If it was something that really irked me, I complained about it to my friends privately, but didn't (or tried not to) mention the name to protect the integrity and passion of the creator. What I did instead was something that was better for me: I let it improve my work instead. I intently read the work that annoyed me and when I found exactly what I didn't like about it, I took it in stride and then went back to my own work and made sure that my work didn't have that. It's very humbling to see something you hate and then you go back to your own work and see you have the exact same thing there. Multiple times. It's humbling and also an advantage because you've improved yourself. If you knew the amount of fics I wrote out of spite because I found something I didn't like and wanted to fix it... Yeah. The important thing here is that this process does not disrupt - or even touch - the original creator's process. They are not your responsibility. You are. In this note, be assured: no matter who you are or what your content is, it will always have someone who is yearning to find that exact content. Even if you think it's shit, it will have an audience. And you don't want to pop their bubble do you? So please, please please for the sake of all fanfic readers out there, do NOT enter "I'm so sorry, my writing is bad" or "oh my Goddddd, guys don't read this it's so bad loll" or "I don't really like what I've written here... but here you go anyway!" or anything like that. Do. NOT. It's simply the worst thing you can do to others and yourself.

Find tips: I have a hundred page google doc that is compiled of every single tip I could gather in the year 2022 from tiktok, youtube, pinterest and tumblr. Every. Single. One. I could. Find. And I constantly refer to it when writing. (I also have another google doc full of study tips, and another which is just general tips. Yeah... i had a lot of free time in 2022. I don't now lol, so it hasn't been updated in years)

3. Reaching out

By this, I mean tagging. I use every and any tags in my fics, but only correct or relevant tags. Ao3 is amazing in a way where people will actively search what they're looking for. So a brilliant way where people will find you is when you tag.

Tag correctly. When people tag popular ships or certain characters or other popular tags for "reach", it creates the opposite effect. It will make sure people will never read any of their works again if they can help it because that's just a shitty thing to do.

When you do tag correctly though, you will find the exact people who want to read fics like yours and you will make a name for yourselves.

Tag as much as you can unless it's inappropriate. Tagging everything you can think of is another way to get reach and it's something I absolutely do (and also bc, idk why, but tagging is one of the fun things about posting fics for me lol. Ig I like the organization). Whether it's character trait tags like "Tim Drake Whump" to plot tags like "Ice skating" to genre tags like "Crack and fluff" to warning like "waterboarding", it is a) a way where people who don't/can't read the stuff they want can stay away from it and no one receives hate comments and if they do, well, that reader is just fucking stupid and blind and it's not your fault and b) the people who do want to read those tags will find your fic. Yes, tag everything. Trust me, there will be people scrolling through tags like MCD and Dead Dove (example: me when I'm in a Mood) and when they find your fic, they will be delighted and leave excited comments.

~

So this isn't exactly very organized lmao, but I typed this up in one sitting. I hope it helps!

[jcmarchi]

Said no to tracking cookies? Good chance your data are still being collected - Technology Org

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/said-no-to-tracking-cookies-good-chance-your-data-are-still-being-collected-technology-org/

Said no to tracking cookies? Good chance your data are still being collected - Technology Org

When browsing the internet, it’s hard to escape those annoying pop-ups: ‘Control your cookies! Accept or decline.’ You might make an effort to decline the cookies. Privacy is key. Good for you, right? That’s mostly wishful thinking, according to the research of Amit Zac and his colleagues. Our study shows that 65% of the websites we were able to test ignore user rejection choices.’

Just a quick reminder: What are digital cookies again? ‘They’re small files installed on your computer to gather information’, says Zac. ‘Your location, IP address, previously visited pages, and email address are examples of information that cookies track and collect.’ Websites are legally obliged to get permission to gather personal data – hence the annoying pop-ups. ‘The regulation aimed to protect the privacy of EU citizens online’, Zac explains.

Intentional violations

What is the level of compliance when it comes to the requirements of consent? That’s the question Zac asked in his research with Ahmed Bouhoula, Karel Kubicek, Carlos Cotrini and David Basin from the computer science department at ETH Zurich. They created an automated process using machine learning methods, which allowed them to analyze 100 thousand websites in Europe. The results were stunning: around 90 percent of websites seem to fail at least one requirement. ‘That’s an incredibly high percentage. If this percentage of people did not follow traffic laws, they would not leave their homes. The online world seems to be different from the offline world, and I wanted to know why,’ he says.

The research differentiates between 2 types of violations. ‘Naive violations’, as Zac calls them, and back-end intentional violations. ‘An example of a naive violation is to not ask for consent to collect cookies at all.’ The research showed that 32 percent of websites visited by European users, lacked a question for consent altogether. ‘These violations are very visible and easy to detect. So visible that the France Data Protection Agency (CNIL) has already fined Google, and others, for not including a reject button next to the accept button for cookies. We found that 56% of our studied sample is still missing a reject button’.

A back-end violation is sneakier and happens behind the veil of compliance, which makes it much harder to notice. ‘It means that a website does whatever it wants on the back-end, regardless of your answer. When you click on “reject all cookies”, it still uses tracking cookies, even though you have explicitly opted out. Our study shows that 65% of the websites we were able to test, ignore user rejection choices. Websites also often collect information before you answer the consent pop-up, or register closing the pop-up screen as giving consent. The law does not allow that in most cases. Explicit consent is needed for gathering your personal data.’

User manipulation

In addition, companies use so-called ‘dark patterns’ to nudge for more consent. ‘The classic example is the use of colors. The accept button is made more attractive by the use of bright colors and the reject button is made less visible and colorful. Another example is hiding the reject option by using smaller letters, making it harder to notice. The research showed that on many websites the “accept” and “reject” buttons for cookies look very different, which might indicate user manipulation.’

The machine learning method the researchers created allowed them to differentiate between violations made by popular websites and smaller websites. ‘We found that the more popular websites score low when it comes to the easily detectable violations, such as not having a consent banner. But these websites score relatively high on the back-end intentional violations. The popular websites are a bit sneakier about violating your rights. They give you the feeling you’re protected by asking for consent. But in reality, it’s worse because they ignore your choices. It’s a facade of compliance.’

Is it then still worth the effort to refuse cookies when you visit a website? ‘I still take cookies seriously. I always say no and try to minimize my exposure to random click traps online. You can install an extension on your browser that blocks attempts to collect your data, regardless of your cookie answer or use a VPN. Although I think most users don’t bother, maybe because of the illusion that makes them believe they are protected under the system.’

Next step: new technology

‘At this point, cookie consent notices are broken,’ states Zac. So how do we fix this gap between the law and reality? ‘There are small companies that lack the technical and legal knowledge to comply with regulations. We want to help small and medium size players to become compliant by offering them useful technology. Policy makers should also help the naive players because not all companies are intentionally violating the laws.’

Other firms are purposely violating the law; for them a different approach is needed. ‘Some websites operate under the impression that they won’t get caught. This is where the internet becomes the wild west. Data protection agencies can’t keep up with the technology and the diffusion of dark patterns. We need new technologies to address this on a much bigger scale. That’s the next step. I want to approach the right people in the Netherlands and say to them: “We have the methods here to boost compliance with the law.”’

Source: University of Amsterdam

You can offer your link to a page which is relevant to the topic of this post.

[liyawritesss]

ʟᴇᴛ ᴍᴇ ꜰɪx ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʜɪɴɢꜱ ɪ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅɴ'ᴛ ꜰɪx ʙᴇꜰᴏʀᴇ

Characters: Insomniac!!Miles Morales x Black!Fem!Reader

Type: Fic

Word Count: 2k

Synopsis: You were one of the many things Miles had neglected when he took up the mantle of Spiderman, not to mention the fiasco involving ROXXON and The Underground during what was supposed to be his winter break from school. He plans on changing that on New Year's Eve.

Warnings: Light cursing, this is game miles who is canonically seventeen so be mindful of that when reading! Honestly nothing else just a boy tryna fix his mistakes lmao.

A/N: I just finished the game and when I tell you this boy got all types of giddy, like he’s so precious (as is every other miles) and deserves the world bc WHY THEY DO HIM LIKE THAT !!! Anyway hope you enjoyyyyy!!!

Song Suggestions: “So Into You” by Tamia; "Running On My Mind" by Ali Gatie

Tags: @6-noir @babyboiboyega @badass-dora-milaje @jacuzziwaters @mbakuetshurisprincess @shuriszn @verachii @writingintheshadowsforever @cafehyunji @lulu-network @niyahwrites @pantherheart @marsfunzon22 @briology @honeybleed @romiantic @queenofthespiderverse @onlyperc @starsoir @yasminisbroke @asensitivecookie @kdyance @sussybaka10 @daisydark @ykimobessed @famedrs-blog

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Miles would think that after spending much of November & December swinging through the many buildings of Harlem, that he’d be used to the biting cold that nipped at his skin through the material of his spider-suit. Feeling the piercing bite of snow and hail against his body that sting and melt upon contact was a reminder of just how much of his winter break wasn’t actually a ‘break’, what with everything that had happened during the holidays. 

Yet, when he was walking through the entrance of Central Park, the fur of his hood guarding the sides of his neck against the breeze that ruffled the branches and the fairy lights that were strung through them, he thinks that, somehow, someway, it’s gotten colder than what he can take.

He could have chalked it up to the unpredictability of New York weather, or the cold air that comes from the water that the city is surrounded by, but the thunder in his chest and the clamminess of his hands tells him otherwise. Eyes dart between the many passers by, some he knows, others he doesn’t but still greets out of kindness, but he’s got his eyes trained for someone in particular. Someone who’s face he’s not sure if he’s ready to see, nor knows if they will even spare him a glance.

Miles walks further into the park, passing the many stalls open for a variety of winter time snacks and foods for people to enjoy - hot chocolate, fresh-made cookies, soft pretzels - anything warm and filling as people wait for the real attraction to begin. As appetizing as it all looks, his own anxiety prevents him from thinking too hard on buying something to chase away the aching cold that’s beginning to rest in his bones - partially from his own anxiety, partially from the actual cold that keeps the mounds of snow solid and glistening even under the artificial lighting.

He tries to remember the words of Ganke and the encouragement of his mother. ‘She was completely into you, dude,’ said the raven haired boy as he pushed his glasses up his face, ‘as long as you’re sincere about it, I doubt she’ll just give you the cold shoulder.’

That’s the same reason she should give me the cold shoulder! Miles thought, but never said to Ganke, because in truth, they both were thinking it.

‘You’ll be lucky if she doesn’t rip your head off, mijo,’ Rio sighed, though if Miles was honest, he’d rather have heard that than any sugarcoating from the older woman, ‘whatever you decide to do, one thing is very clear; you have to be okay with whatever decision she choses as well.’

It wasn’t like Miles intended on ghosting you, but with the responsibilities of his newfound role as Harlem’s Spiderman, paired with the fiasco that was ROXXON and The Underground (which, he still dealt with the remnants of - the glowstick army held absolutely no chill, and it left a lot of mess for Miles to clean up on a day to day basis), there were a lot of things he’d unintentionally neglected.

His homework was one thing - he could speed through it and ask Ganke for help; and if he pulled the best sob story he could muster, he’d even be able to garner an extra day or two.

Salvaging a talking stage would be much more difficult. Proposing a relationship (which he had planned to do before…well, everything) was near impossible.

Fog comes from his lips as Miles sighs into the air, scanning the surrounding area that he’d walked into. Hearing a familiar song play over a distant speaker, it gives him an idea of where to begin looking for you.

His feet turn and move before his head does, and ironically, such a movement causes for his body to collide into another - and for a moment, the aching chill in his chest is replaced with a burst of warmth as the person stumbles into him while attempting to regain their balance.

“Shoot- sorry!” Miles is quick to apologize, though any further words get stuck in his throat when he realizes who exactly has bumped into him. 

Who could mistake the soft locks that adorned your head, cascading down your shoulders covered in your black jacket? Or the way your pretty eyelashes dance across your cheeks? Or those gorgeous eyes of yours that captivated him from the moment he saw you…

…which, as he begins to focus, Miles notices that they’ve shifted from shocked to disbelief. And not the good kind.

“Oh,” you murmur out, giving him a once over with little interest; but whether it was trained or genuine, he’d never know, “it’s just you.”

“Ouch,” Miles breathes, brows furrowing in hurt, “that hurts.”

“Good.” You huff, eyes scanning for a way out of the most awkward situation you could’ve found yourself in on what was supposed to be a memorable night out by yourself.

You try to escape, slipping past Miles’ side, brushing against his arm. Unfortunately, you don’t get far, when you feel the faint grip of his hand on your elbow, pulling you back. “Wait, (Y/N), can we just-”

“Wait?” The word leaves you in a scoff, and Miles knows that he’d chosen the wrong word to start off this encounter.

“I’m gettin’ real tired of that word- especially as it pertains to you.” you scoff, and it’s an especially hard jab into his chest that leaves a newfound sting that’s neither cold nor warm; just dull and painful.

“Really, really fucking tired, but y’know what?” He feels you spin around in his hold to face him, though now your words make him unable to look into your eyes as his hand falls, and your face twisted in frustration comes into view.

“I just happened to be such a nice person that gives people one too many chances they don’t deserve; so go ahead Miles,” you say, “go ahead and tell me what exactly I should be waiting for? What I have been waiting for?”

You had that effect on him - being able to render him speechless with little to no effort at all. It was one of many things that attracted him to you, and he’s reminded of that as he watches your hair fill with snowflakes and your eyes light up with a fire he’s never seen before.

“You’re angry-” Miles begins.

“I’m angry-” you scoff again, ready to turn and leave for the second time at his obvious observation.

“-you’re angry, and you should be; you have every right to be angry with me!” Miles tries to maintain a calm and collected composure as he speaks, though he can already feel his own frustrations influencing the evenness of his voice.

“You ghosted me, Miles.” You say, and the boy notes the way your expression shifts from vexation to hurt as you speak the words. “Two weeks, you ghosted me, and then you show up here and all you have to say for yourself is that ‘i have every right to be angry with you’?”

The brown skin boy winces at your cold words, his hand coming to wipe down the length of his face as he tries to formulate the right words to say to you, to somehow clear his name with you, and at least get you to not hate him. Because while he couldn’t tell you the truth - at least, not yet - perhaps his sincerity would justify his actions. He hopes it does, because this is possibly his only chance of ever reconciling with the girl he’d fallen for months ago.

“I know it looks bad,” Miles sighs, tugging his lip between his teeth as he speaks, “I know it looks real bad, but you have to believe me when I say I never meant for it to happen.” 

There’s a plea in his eyes that begs for you to hear him out, to spare him a moment of your time like you first did when he called your name down the halls of Visions Academy to talk to you and compliment your Spiderman charm on your bookbag. You’re silent as that memory flashes before you, and Miles takes it as an opportunity to continue.

“I’ve been dealing with a lot,” Miles begins again, “and I’ve been taking on so much, much more than I could handle, and it’s been weighing me down a lot; and I know that none of that is a justification for why I never responded back to you, but I mean it when I say that I never, never, meant for it to happen.”

There’s a soft waver in his voice that you pick up on, which causes your brows to furrow. The air around the two of you shifts to something warmer; the lights begin to blur - perhaps it’s because of the tears that begin to prickle at the corners of your eyes. The emotions build at an overwhelming pace.

Miles sees this, and slowly takes a step forwards towards you. When you don’t pull back, he begins to speak again.

“I meant what I said,” he mutters, close enough to do so, “about liking you- I-I'm crazy about you, (Y/N).”

It’s now your eyes that find it hard to meet his, constantly darting between his hazel orbs and the fabric of his red sweater underneath his coat. Arms folded across your chest in a metaphorical attempt to guard your heart, oddly reminiscent of the same stance you took when Miles initially told you that he wanted to talk to you on a romantic level.

Miles purses his lips together in a tightly, before parting them once more, “I’ve lost a lot already, with everything that’s happened.” he hums, and when your darting eyes finally settle onto his own, his hands reach for your arms to pull you in closer, hands shaky and unsure, but guided by an unrivaled sense of determination. “I don’t wanna lose you, too.”

There’s a long moment of silence that befalls the both of you, and Miles wonders if he’s said something wrong, if he’s mentioned something he shouldn’t have. He can’t read you, face obscured by the way your soft locs fall across your face. Yet, you haven’t moved from his hold, and while he doesn’t want to get his hopes up, he can’t help but feel a bit of solace in that fact.

A suck of your teeth and a raise of your head makes his stomach jump as he awaits your response; your eyes hold a sense of irritation, but if Miles is correct, there was an inkling of something else in there…

“It don’t take that much to text someone, Miles,” You mutter out, voice low and strained against your own emotions.

“I know.” He answers. “I ain’t got nothin’ to help my case there.”

The breathless chuckles that leaves his lips in an attempt to ease the air garners him the smallest of smiles to tug at your lips, and for once in this entire engagement, his stomach loosens from the tight pull his anxiety had on it.

“And I know that it hurt you…” he says these words carefully, still well aware of the tight rope that he walks in regards to making amends, “but if you’re willing to give me another chance…I can promise to try.”

Your jaw clenches in thought, silence befalling the two of you once again. There was a part of you that was resistant to his insistence, a part that had suffered and wanted to refuse his advances in fear of being subjected to the possibility of it happening again. Yet, you made the choice to look up at him once again, and while you hate to admit it, the way the fairy lights dance in his eyes and shine against his skin is definitely clouding your judgment in the moment.

You suck your teeth again, an unamused expression donning your face as your arms drop from your chest and instead find their way onto his. The other hand that rested on your arm now travels to your waist - careful in his movements, aware that while you’ve dropped your guard and entered his space, Miles still has a lot of making up to do.

“I’ll think about it,” You hum, and it garners you a smile from him; that was practically code for I’ll unblock you, but you’re still in the doghouse.

“I’ll think about it while you buy me hot chocolate.”

“Yup, there it is.” Miles teases, lips spreading into a hearty chuckle.

“Uhuh, get to movin’, big steppa.” A gentle push on his chest has Miles turning in the direction of the nearest hot chocolate stand. You follow in tow as the clunking of his Timberlands echo against the ground, your own shoes creating a softer sound as they follow in tow.

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