#Cardinal Support Network

[zinniajones]

SEGM cofounder's wife Sharon Beck is leader of anti-trans parent "support groups" Cardinal Support Network and Parents of ROGD Kids Ohio. She says "trans = child sacrifice" and transition "needs to be outlawed as a Nazi crime."

She's advising Ohio Rep. Gary Click.

Read more

#Sharon Beck #Stephen Beck #Maria Polaris #SEGM #Cardinal Support Network #Parents of ROGD Kids #Parents of ROGD Kids Ohio #cw transphobia #cw violence #cw slurs #Ohio #Gary Click #HB 68 #HB 454

[seafoamreadings]

week of may 5th, 2024

these are written predominantly for the *rising* signs but they are also intuitively "channeled" enough that they should work for any dominant energy you have! (try your sun if you don't know rising, or more advanced readers can try moon, anywhere you have a stellium, etc and see what works best for you!)

aries: this week's new moon is a money and resources moon for you. if you are having any trouble in that arena or just want a boost, this is a perfect time to set related intentions. live in accordance with your highest personal values to complete the magic.

taurus: the entire week's astrology is broadly pretty supportive for you but especially the new moon. use it to reset or reinvigorate your self concept or any aspect of your appearance or personality.

gemini: focus this week on soul work as much as you can. anything to do with integrating your shadow, healing traumas, or building a healthier life are auspicious; bonus points if you can volunteer in a hospital or prison, or with marginalized people of any kind.

cancerians: homebody though you may be this is a good week for socializing, networking, making new friends, and encountering helpful people and spirits. it's ok to sit around a bit but if you need something, don't expect it to simply fall into your lap. it's much less work if you just put yourself in the right places. your intuition can guide you to them.

leo: the new moon this week is great for your public image and reputation. do job applications, get recommendation letters, take professional photos, and if you have a brand, give it a polish around this time.

virgo: an auspicious taurean new moon occurs this week giving you a boost if you are an academic or a traveler or a spiritual person. but perhaps more of a focus for you is the mercury-ceres square shortly thereafter; that cardinal tug of war can feel like you have to rush into starting something, but it's better to wait a week or so. try not to do anything that feels like too much of a chore, unless it is truly urgent. carefully avoid lending or borrowing.

libra: a recent lack of air sign activity might have you feeling a little wilty but the venusian/taurean quality of the time can also be quite supportive to you. don't expect too much from external validation but put a lot of time and care (not necessarily hard work) into yourself, your health and your happiness.

scorpio: the taurus new moon breathes new life into any committed partnerships you are in, especially romantic ones. if you're not in one it might bring one to you, or the first stirrings of one.

sagittarius: if you've felt even the slightest nudgings towards a new routine or workout plan or day to day work, try to follow that inkling! the new moon this week is auspicious for turning the mundane into sacred but daily rituals.

capricorns: the academic or religious among you benefit a lot from the new taurus moon this week. and if you are not particularly academic or religious you might find yourself having a philosophical revelation, or making extensive travel plans.

aquarius: it may be good to spend a little extra time at home this week, really caring for your body and the building or room in which you live. give it its fundamental care, and then also lovingly decorate to boost your mood and strength.

pisces: it is easier to make new friends this week than usual, or simply to make helpful connections with groups or institutions. if you've been looking for a new circle of friends, a new job, or a new organization, start networking and see what the new moon in taurus brings your way.

#weekly horoscopes #weekly horoscope #horoscopes #horoscope #astrology #signs #zodiac #aries #taurus #gemini #cancer #leo #virgo #libra #scorpio #sagittarius #capricorn #aquarius #pisces

[alexthescaredenby]

i finished the KOSA

On the Subject of Safety 

Blaine/Alex Smith 

A paper on the harmful effects of the Kid’s Online Safety Act (informally known as KOSA) on the internet as a whole, as written by a minor. 

Censorship. Control. Tyranny. All of these will come to pass if we allow the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) to become law and cause the internet as we know it to cease to exist, completely and utterly. KOSA is a new bill that has been introduced by senators Blumenthal and Blackburn, which has the stated goal “to protect the safety of children on the internet” (found on the official website of the United States Congress, here.) This is either a lie, or an incredibly misguided attempt to do what it says it sets out to do. Though it is more likely a lie, or at the very least not the entire truth. First, I must note, if for no other reason than posterity and comprehensiveness, that the bill was introduced by both a Republican senator (Blackburn) and a Democratic senator (Blumenthal). It was also backed by twenty-one Democrats (Lujan, Baldwin, Klobuchar, Peters, Hickenlooper, Warner, Coons, Schatz, Murphy, Welch, Hassan, Durbin, Casey, Whitehouse, Kelly, Carper, Cardin, Menendez, Warren, Kaine, and Shaheen) and nineteen Republicans (Capito, Cassidy, Ernst, Daines, Rubio, Sullivan, Young, Grassley, Graham, Marshall, Hyde-Smith, Mullin, Risch, Britt, Lummis, Murkowski, Lankford, Crapo, and Hawley). That totals forty-two supporters of this heinous piece of legislature. Considering that there are one-hundred Senators, if you do some simple math, you will realize that fifty-eight Senators did not support KOSA. In the context of this monumental decision, that is a frighteningly close vote. If this bill were to pass, nearly all online fandom presence would be completely eradicated, and online privacy, as well as personal autonomy, would become nonexistent. And so, I say it again, KOSA supporters are just barely not the majority in the Senate, by a margin of sixteen individuals. Even though the rewrite of the bill is a slight improvement, at it’s core, KOSA is still a harmful internet censorship bill that will damage the very communities it claims to try protect. 

In this bill, a “child” is defined as any person under the age of thirteen, and a “minor” is defined as any person under the age of seventeen. A "parent” is defined as any legal adult who is the biological or adopted parent of a minor, or holds legal custody over a minor. “Compulsive usage” is defined as “any response stimulated by external factors that causes an individual to engage in repetitive behavior reasonably likely to cause psychological distress, loss of control, anxiety or depression”, “Covered platforms” are defined as “an online platform (i.e. Snapchat, Tumblr, Reddit, Twitter/X, Facebook, Instagram, etc.), online video game (i.e. Helldivers 2, Halo, Mario Kart, Civilization 6, etc.), messaging platform (i.e. Snapchat, 4chan, etc.), or video streaming service (i.e. Twitch, YouTube, etc.) that connects to the internet that is used, or is reasonably likely to be used, by a minor” with the exception of “an entity acting in its capacity of: a common carrier service subject to the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.) and all Acts amendatory thereof and supplementary thereto, a broadband internet access service (as such term is defined for purposes of section 8.1(b) of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation), an email service, a teleconferencing or video conferencing service that allows reception and transmission of audio and video signals for real-time communication, provided that it is not an online platform, including a social media service or social network; and the real-time communication is initiated using a unique link or identifier to facilitate access, or a wireless messaging service, including such a service provided through short messaging service or multimedia messaging service protocols, that is not a component of or linked to an online platform and where the predominant or exclusive function is direct messaging consisting of the transmission of text, photos or videos that are sent by electronic means, where messages are transmitted from the sender to a recipient, and are not posted within an online platform or publicly, an organization not organized to carry on business for its own profit or that of its members, any public or private institution of education, a library, a news platform where the inclusion of video content on the platform is related to the platform’s own gathering, reporting or publishing of news content or the website or app is not otherwise an online platform, a product or service the primarily functions as a business to business software or a VPN or similar service that exists solely to route internet traffic between locations. 

Geolocation is defined as “information sufficient to identify a street name and name of a city or town.” Individual-specific advertising to minors is defined as any form of targeted advertising towards a person who is or reasonably could be a minor, with the exception of advertising in the context of the website or app the advertising is present on, (i.e. an ad for Grammarly on a dictionary website), or for research on the effectiveness of the advertising. The rule of construction is stated to be that "no part of KOSA should be misconstrued to prohibit a lawfully operating entity from delivering content to any person that they know to be or reasonably believe is over the age of seventeen, provided that content is appropriate for the age of the person involved". To "know" something in the context of this bill is to have actual information, or to have information that is fairly implied or assumed under the basis of objective circumstances. A “mental health disorder” is defined as “a condition which causes a clinically significant disturbance or impairment on one’s cognition, emotional regulation, or behavior. “Online platform” is defined as any public platform that mainly provides a means of communication through the form of a public forum or private chatroom (i.e., Discord, Reddit, Tumblr, Twitter, TikTok, etc.). An “online video game” is defined as any video game or game-adjacent service, including those that provide an educational element, that allows users to create or upload content, engage in microtransactions, communicate with other users, or includes minor specific advertising (i.e., Happy Wheels, Adventure Academy, Meet Your Maker, etc.). “Personal data” is defined as any data or information that is linked or could reasonably be linked to a minor. A “personalized recommendation system (PRS)” is defined as any system that presents content to a user based on date and/or analytics from the user or similar users (i.e., a like-based system, a view-based system, a “for you” system, or a “people that watched also liked” system). Finally, “sexual exploitation or abuse” is defined as: coercion and enticement, as described in section 2422 of title 18, United States Code, child sexual abuse material, as described in sections 2251, 2252, 2252A, and 2260 of title 18, United States Code, trafficking for the production of images (child pornography), as described in section 2251A of title 18, United States Code, or sex trafficking of children, as described in section 1591 of title 18, United States Code. 

Before I continue with this paper, I would like to draw attention to the fact that nowhere in the defined terms does it define any form of physical, mental, or emotional violence towards minors, only sexual abuse or assault. This will become important later. 

Continuing with the bill, we arrive at the actual regulations, policies and laws proposed by the bill. Here begins Section 3 of the bill, or “Duty of care”. This section includes regulations on the online platform used by a minor, and the duties of it and its owner(s), creator(s), moderator(s), or manager(s). In this section, it is stated that a covered platform must, to the best of its reasonable ability, limit the following harms or dangers to any person who is known to be or reasonably believed to be a minor: 

Anxiety, depression, substance use disorders, suicidal disorders, and other similar conditions. 

Patterns of use that promote or encourage addiction-like behavior. 

Physical violence, online bullying, and harassment of the minor. 

Sexual exploitation or abuse. 

Promotion and marketing of narcotic drugs (as defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802)), tobacco products, gambling, or alcohol. 

Predatory, unfair, or deceptive marketing, or other financial harms. 

With the exception of: 

Any content that is deliberately, independently, and willingly requested or sought out by the minor. 

Any platform that provides resources or information to help mitigate the aforementioned harms to the minor. 

Again, I call attention to the fact that although physical violence is now mentioned and prohibited, it is done so by burying it in the middle of a wall of text. With as touchy of a subject as this is, one would think that more attention would be drawn to it. 

And now we get into the meat and potatoes of this rotten bill, with Section 4, or “Safeguards for minors”. In this section, it is stated that any covered platform shall provide any user who is known to be a minor or is reasonably believed to be a minor, with easy-to-use and readily accessible “safeguards” such as: 

Limiting the ability of other individuals to communicate with the minor. 

Restricting public access to the personal data of the minor. 

Limiting features that increase, sustain, or extend use of the covered platform by the minor, such as automatic playing of media, rewards for time spent on the platform, notifications, and other features that result in compulsive usage of the covered platform by the minor. 

Controlling personalized recommendation systems for the minor, and giving them the option to either opt out of the system entirely or to limit the types of content shown through the PRS. 

Restricting the sharing of GPS data of the minor sufficient for geolocation. 

As well as the options for the minor: 

Delete the account of the minor, as well as any data or content associated with the account, effectively removing any trace of the account’s existence from the platform, and the internet at large. 

Limit the amount of time spent on the platform. 

A covered platform shall also provide parents with the following tools: 

Requirements: 

The ability to manage a minor’s privacy and account settings, including the safeguards and options established under subsection (a), in a manner that allows parents to: 

View the privacy and account settings of the minor. 

In the case of a user that the platform knows is a child, change and control the privacy and account settings of the account of the minor. 

Restrict purchases and financial transactions by the minor, where applicable. 

View metrics of total time spent on the platform and restrict time spent on the covered platform by the minor. 

The bill also states that any minor(s) affected by the aforementioned systems should be given clear, prompt, and easily understood and accessible notice of if the systems have been applied, in what capacity they are applied in, and how they are applied.  

Default Tools: 

A covered platform shall provide the following tools and systems to both minor and parent(s) of that minor, and have them be enabled by default: 

A reporting mechanism, which is readily available and easily accessible and useable, to report any incidents or crimes involving the minor(s), as well as confirmation that such a report is received, and the means to track it. 

To respond to the report in a timely and appropriate manner, within a reasonable timeframe. 

An understanding and appreciation of the fact that a reasonable timeframe is: 

(A) 10 days (about 1 and a half weeks) after the receipt of a report, if, for the most recent calendar year, the platform averaged more than 10,000,000 active users monthly in the United States. 

(B) 21 days (about 3 weeks) after the receipt of a report, if, for the most recent calendar year, the platform averaged less than 10,000,000 active users monthly in the United States. 

(C) notwithstanding subparagraphs (A) and (B), if the report involves an imminent threat to the safety of a minor, as promptly as needed to address the reported threat to safety. 

Accessibility : 

With respect to the aforementioned safeguards, a covered platform shall provide: 

Information and control options in a clear and conspicuous manner that takes into consideration the differing ages, capacities, and developmental needs of the minors most likely to access the covered platform and does not encourage minors or parents to weaken or disable safeguards or parental controls. 

Readily accessible and easy-to-use controls to enable or disable safeguards or parental controls, as appropriate. 

Information and control options in the same language, form, and manner as the covered platform provides the product or service used by minors and their parents. 

The bill also states that no part of the previous statements should be construed to prohibit or prevent a covered platform from blocking, banning, filtering, flagging, or deleting content inappropriate for minors from their platform, or to prevent general management of spam, as well as security risks. It also states that regarding PRSs, it shall be illegal for a covered platform to alter or distort any analytics or data gathered from their platform with the purpose of limiting user autonomy. Also included in this section is that no part of KOSA shall be construed to require the disclosure of a minor’s personal data, including search history, contacts, messages, and location. Also stated is that a PRS for a minor is allowed under the condition that it only uses data publicly available, such as the language the minor speaks, or the minor’s age, and that covered platforms are allowed to integrate third-party systems into their platform, if they meet the requirements laid out in the bill. 

And now our train arrives at Section 5, “Disclosure”. This section includes rules regarding the disclosure of policies, rules, and terms to a user that is a minor or is reasonably believed to be a minor prior to their registration with a covered platform. 

Registration or Purchase: 

Prior to registration or purchase of a covered platform, the platform must provide clear and easily understood information on the policies of the platform, its rules, regulations, etc. As well as any PRS used by the platform, and information on how to turn it and the parental controls on and off. 

Notification: 

Notice and Acknowledgement, Reasonable Effort, and Consolidated Notices: 

In the case of an individual that a covered platform knows is a child, the platform shall additionally provide information about the parental tools and safeguards required under section 4 to a parent of the child and obtain verifiable parental consent (as defined in section 1302(9) of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (15 U.S.C. 6501(9))) from the parent prior to the initial use of the covered platform by the child. 

A covered platform shall be deemed to have satisfied the requirement described in subparagraph (A) if the covered platform is in compliance with the requirements of the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (15 U.S.C. 6501 et seq.) to use reasonable efforts (taking into consideration available technology) to provide a parent with the information and to obtain verifiable parental consent as required. 

A covered platform may consolidate the process for providing information under this subsection and obtaining verifiable parental consent or the consent of the minor involved (as applicable) as required under this subsection with its obligations to provide relevant notice and obtain verifiable parental consent under the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (15 U.S.C. 6501 et seq.). 

Guidance: the FTC may assist covered platforms with compliance with the rules and regulations in this section. 

A covered platform that operates a personalized recommendation system shall set out in its terms and conditions, in a clear, conspicuous, and easy-to-understand manner: 

An overview of how such personalized recommendation system is used by the covered platform to provide information to users of the platform who are minors, including how such systems use the personal data of minors; and 

Information about options for minors or their parents to opt out of or control the personalized recommendation system (as applicable). 

Advertising and Marketing Information and Labels: 

A covered platform that facilitates advertising aimed at users that the platform knows are minors shall provide clear, conspicuous, and easy-to-understand information and labels to minors on advertisements regarding: 

The name of the product, service, or brand and the subject matter of an advertisement; 

If the covered platform engages in individual-specific advertising to minors, why a particular advertisement is directed to a specific minor, including material information about how the minor's personal data is used to direct the advertisement to the minor; and 

Whether media displayed to the minor is an advertisement or marketing material, including disclosure of endorsements of products, services, or brands made for commercial consideration by other users of the platform. 

Resources for Parents and Minors: 

A covered platform shall provide to minors and parents clear, conspicuous, easy-to-understand, and comprehensive information in a prominent location regarding: 

Its policies and practices with respect to personal data and safeguards for minors. 

How to access the safeguards and tools required under section four. 

Resources in Additional Languages: 

A covered platform shall ensure, to the extent practicable, that the disclosures required by this section are made available in the same language, form, and manner as the covered platform provides any product or service used by minors and their parents. 

That concludes Section 5, and now our next stop is Section 6: “Transparency”. This section includes protocols for public transparency for covered platforms, including public reports on the status of potential harm to minors on their platforms.  

Scope of Application: the requirements of this section shall apply to a covered platform if: 

For the most recent calendar year, the platform averaged more than 10,000,000 active users monthly in the United States. 

The platform predominantly provides a community forum for user-generated content and discussion, including sharing videos, images, games, audio files, discussion in a virtual setting, or other content, such as acting as a social media platform, virtual reality environment, or a social network service. 

Transparency: The public reports required of a covered platform under this section shall include: 

An assessment of the extent to which the platform is likely to be accessed by minors; 

A description of the commercial interests of the covered platform in use by minors; 

An accounting, based on the data held by the covered platform, of: 

The number of individuals using the covered platform reasonably believed to be minors in the United States; 

The median and mean amounts of time spent on the platform by minors in the United States who have accessed the platform during the reporting year on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis; and 

The amount of content being accessed by individuals that the platform knows to be minors that is in English, and the top 5 non-English languages used by individuals accessing the platform in the United States; 

An accounting of total reports received regarding, and the prevalence (which can be based on scientifically valid sampling methods using the content available to the covered platform in the normal course of business) of content related to, the harms described in section 3, disaggregated by category of harm and language, including English and the top five non-English languages used by individuals accessing the platform from the United States. 

A description of any material breaches of parental tools or assurances regarding minors, representations regarding the use of the personal data of minors, and other matters regarding non-compliance. 

Reasonably Foreseeable Risk of Harm to Minors: the public reports required of covered platforms under this section shall include: 

An assessment of the reasonably foreseeable risk of harm to minors posed by the covered platform, including identifying any other physical, mental, developmental, or financial harms. 

An assessment of how personalized recommendation systems and individual-specific advertising to minors can contribute to harm to minors. 

A description of whether and how the covered platform uses system design features that increase, sustain, or extend use of a product or service by a minor, such as automatic playing of media, rewards for time spent, and notifications. 

A description of whether, how, and for what purpose the platform collects or processes categories of personal data that may cause reasonably foreseeable risk of harm to minors. 

An evaluation of the efficacy of safeguards for minors under section 4, and any issues in delivering such safeguards and the associated parental tools. 

An evaluation of any other relevant matters of public concern over risk of harm to minors. 

 An assessment of differences in risk of harm to minors across different English and non-English languages and efficacy of safeguards in those languages. 

Mitigation: The public reports required of a covered platform under this section shall include, for English and the top 5 non-English languages used by individuals accessing the platform from the United States: 

A description of the safeguards and parental tools available to minors and parents on the covered platform. 

A description of interventions by the covered platform when it had or has reason to believe that harms to minors could occur. 

A description of the prevention and mitigation measures intended to be taken in response to the known and emerging risks identified in its assessment of system risks, including steps taken to: 

Prevent harm to minors, including adapting or removing system design features or addressing through parental controls. 

Provide the most protective level of control over privacy and safety by default. 

Adapt recommendation systems to mitigate reasonably foreseeable risk of harms to minors. 

A description of internal processes for handling reports and automated detection mechanisms for harms to minors, including the rate, timeliness, and effectiveness of responses. 

The status of implementing prevention and mitigation measures identified in prior assessments. 

A description of the additional measures to be taken by the covered platform to address the circumvention of safeguards for minors and parental tools. 

Reasonable Inspection: when conducting an inspection on the systemic risk of harm to minors on their platforms under this section, a covered platform shall: 

Consider the function any PRS on their platform. 

Consult relevant parties with authority on topics relevant to the inspection. 

Conduct their research based on experiences of minors using the platform that the study is being conducted on, including reports and information provided by law enforcement. 

Take account of outside research, but not outside data for the study itself. 

Consider any implied, indicated, inferred, or known information on the age of users. 

Consider the presence of both English and non-English speaking users on their platform. 

Cooperation With Independent, Third Pary Audit: To facilitate the report required by this section, a covered platform shall: 

Provide directly or otherwise make accessible to the third party conducting the audit all: 

Information and data that the platform has the access and authority to disclose that are relevant to the audit. 

Platforms, systems and assets that the platform has the access and authority to disclose that are relevant to the audio. 

Facts relevant to the audit, unaltered and correctly and fully represented. 

Privacy Safeguards: In this subsection, the term “de-identified” means data that does not identify and is not linked or reasonably linkable to a device that is linked or reasonably linkable to an individual, regardless of whether the information is aggregated. In issuing the public reports required under this section, a covered platform shall take steps to safeguard the privacy of its users, including ensuring that data is presented in a de-identified, aggregated format such that it is reasonably impossible for the data to be linked back to any individual user. A covered platform must also present or publish the information on a publicly available and accessible webpage. 

And now the next stop on our tour is Section 7: Independent Research on Social Media and Minors. This section details the interactions between the FTC and the National Academy of Sciences in the months following the passing of this bill, if and when it passes. It states that the FTC is to seek to enter a contract with the Academy, in which the Academy is to conduct no less that 5 separate independent scientific studies on the risk of harms to minors on social media, addressing: 

Anxiety, depression, eating and suicidal disorders. 

Substance use (drugs, narcotics, alcohol, etc.) and gambling. 

Sexual exploitation and abuse. 

Addiction like behaviors leading to compulsive usage. 

Additional Study: after at least 4 years since the passing of the bill, the FTC and the Academy shall enter another contract, in which the Academy shall conduct another study on the above topics, to provide more up to data information.  

Content of Reports: The comprehensive studies and reports conducted pursuant to this section shall seek to evaluate impacts and advance understanding, knowledge, and remedies regarding the harms to minors posed by social media and other online platforms and may include recommendations related to public policy. 

Active Studies: If the Academy is already engaged in any extant studies regarding the topics described above, it may base the studies required of this section off said study, if it is otherwise compliant. 

Collaboration: In conducting the studies required under this section, the FTC, National Academy of Sciences, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall consult with the Surgeon General and the Kids Online Safety Council (KOSC). 

Access to Data: The FTC may issue orders to covered platforms to gather and compile data and information needed for the studies required under this section, as well as issue orders under section 6(b) of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 46(b)) to no more than 5 covered platforms per study under this section. Pursuant to subsections (b) and (f) of section 6 of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 46), the FTC shall also enter in agreements with the National Academy to share appropriate information received from a covered platform pursuant to an order under such subsection (b) for a comprehensive study under this section in a confidential and secure manner, and to prohibit the disclosure or sharing of such information by the National Academy. 

Next is a short Section 8: Market Research.  

Market Research by Covered Platforms: The FTC, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce, shall issue guidance for covered platforms seeking to conduct market- and product-focused research on minors. Such guidance shall include: 

A standard consent form that provides minors and their parents a clear, conspicuous, and easy-to-understand explanation of the scope and purpose of the research to be conducted, and provides an opportunity for informed consent in the language in which the parent uses the covered platform; and 

Recommendations for research practices for studies that may include minors, disaggregated by the age ranges of 0-5, 6-9, 10-12, and 13-16. 

The FTC shall issue such guidance no later than 18 months (about 1 and a half years) after the date of enactment of this Act. In doing so, they shall seek input from members of the public and the representatives of the KOSC established under section 12.  

As we pull off interstate 8 we come into Section 9: Age Verification Study and Report. This is where the writers evidently started pounding shots of tequila at their desks, as some of the regulations in this section are completely asinine. Here we are told about a mandatory age verification system. Gone will be the days of being born in 1427 as a kid, now our age will be known to any covered platform. Is that what you want? 

Study: The Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, in coordination with the FCC, FTC, and the SoC, shall conduct a study evaluating the most technologically feasible methods and options for developing systems to verify age at the device or operating system level. 

Such study shall consider: 

The benefits of creating a device or operating system level age verification system. 

What information may need to be collected to create this type of age verification system. 

The accuracy of such systems and their impact or steps to improve accessibility, including for individuals with disabilities. 

How such a system or systems could verify age while mitigating risks to user privacy and data security and safeguarding minors' personal data, emphasizing minimizing the amount of data collected and processed by covered platforms and age verification providers for such a system. 

The technical feasibility, including the need for potential hardware and software changes, including for devices currently in commerce and owned by consumers. 

The impact of different age verification systems on competition, particularly the risk of different age verification systems creating barriers to entry for small companies. 

Report: No later than 1 year after the passing of KOSA, the agencies described in subsection (a) shall submit a report containing the results of the study conducted under such subsection to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives. 

Section 10: Guidance. 

No later than 18 months (about 1 and a half years) after the date of enactment of this Act, the FTC, in consultation with the KOSC established under section 12, shall issue guidance to: 

Provide information and examples for covered platforms and auditors regarding the following, with consideration given to differences across English and non-English languages: 

Identifying features used to increase, sustain, or extend use of the covered platform by a minor (compulsive usage). 

Safeguarding minors against the possible misuse of parental tools. 

Best practices in providing minors and parents the most protective level of control over privacy and safety. 

Using indicia or inferences of age of users for assessing use of the covered platform by minors. 

Methods for evaluating the efficacy of safeguards; and 

Providing additional control options that allow parents to address the harms described in section 3. 

Outline conduct that does not have the purpose or substantial effect of subverting or impairing user autonomy, decision-making, or choice, or of causing, increasing, or encouraging compulsive usage for a minor, such as: 

Minute user interface changes derived from testing consumer preferences, including different styles, layouts, or text, where such changes are not done with the purpose of weakening or disabling safeguards or parental controls, such as the following, are exceptions to this: 

Algorithms or data outputs outside the control of a covered platform. 

The establishing of default settings that provide enhanced privacy protection to users or otherwise enhance their autonomy and decision-making ability. 

Guidance to Schools: No later than 18 months (about 1 and a half years) after the date of enactment of this act, the SoE, in consultation with the FTC and the KOSC established under section 12, shall issue guidance to assist to assist elementary and secondary schools in using the notice, safeguards and tools provided under this Act and providing information on online safety for students and teachers. 

Guidance on Knowledge Standards: No later than 18 months (about 1 and a half years) after the date of enactment of this act, the FTC shall issue guidance to provide information, including best practices and examples, for covered platforms to understand the Commission’s determination of whether a covered platform “had knowledge fairly implied on the basis of objective circumstances” for purposes of this act. 

Limitation on FTC Guidance: No guidance issued by the FTC with respect to this act shall: 

Confer any rights on any person, State, or locality; or 

Operate to bind the FTC or any person to the approach recommended in such guidance. 

Enforcement Actions: In any enforcement action made to a covered platform in violation of this act, the FTC: 

Shall allege a violation of this act. 

May not base such enforcement action on, or execute a consent order based on, practices that are alleged to be inconsistent with guidance issued by the FTC with respect to this aact, unless the practices are alleged to violate a provision of this act. 

And now we’re almost on the home stretch, with Section 11, otherwise known as Enforcement. This section outlines, you guessed it, the enforcement of this act. 

Enforcement by the FTC: 

Unfair and Deceptive Acts or Practices: A violation of this act shall be treated as a violation of a rule defining an unfair or deceptive act or practice prescribed under section 18(a)(1)(B) of the Federal Trade Commission Act. 

Powers of the Commission: The FTC shall enforce this act in the same manner, by the same means, and with the same jurisdiction, powers, and duties as though all applicable terms and provisions of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.) were incorporated into and made a part of this act. 

Privileges and Immunities: Any person that violates this act shall be subject to the penalties, and entitled to the privileges and immunities, provided in the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.). 

Authority Preserved: Nothing in this act shall be construed to limit the authority of the FTC under any other provision of law. 

Enforcement by State Attorney General: 

Civil Actions: In any case in which the attorney general of a State has reason to believe that an interest of the residents of that State has been or is threatened or adversely affected by the engagement of any person in a practice that violates this act, the State, as parens patrie (de facto parent of any citizens unable to defend themselves) , may bring a civil action on behalf of the residents of the State in a district court of the United States or a State court of appropriate jurisdiction to: 

Enjoin that practice. 

Enforce compliance with this act. 

On behalf of residents of the State, obtain damages, restitution, or other compensation, each of which shall be distributed in accordance with State law. 

Obtain such other relief as the court may consider to be appropriate. 

Notice: Before filing an action, the attorney general of the State involved shall provide to the Commission: 

Written notice of that action. 

A copy of the complaint for that action. 

Exemption: Clause (i) shall not apply with respect to the filing of an action by an attorney general of a State under this paragraph if the attorney general of the State determines that it is not feasible to provide the notice described in that clause before the filing of the action. 

Notification: In an action described in subclause (I), the attorney general of a State shall provide notice and a copy of the complaint to the Commission at the same time as the attorney general files the action. 

Intervention: On receiving notice, the Commission shall have the right to intervene in the action that is the notice's subject. 

Effect of Intervention: If the Commission intervenes in an action under paragraph (1), it shall have the right: 

To be heard with respect to any matter that arises in that action. 

To file a petition for appeal. 

Construction: For purposes of bringing any civil action under paragraph (1), nothing in this act shall be construed to prevent an attorney general of a State from exercising the powers conferred on the attorney general by the laws of that State to: 

Conduct investigations; 

Administer oaths or affirmations. 

Compel the attendance of witnesses or the production of documentary and other evidence. 

Actions by the Commission: In any case in which an action is instituted by or on behalf of the Commission for violation of this act, no State may, during the pendency of that action, institute a separate action under paragraph (1) against any defendant named in the complaint in the action instituted by or on behalf of the Commission for that violation. 

Venue; Service of Progress: 

Venue: Any action brought under paragraph (1) may be brought in either: 

The district court of the United States that meets applicable requirements relating to venue under section 1391 of title 28, United States Code. 

A State court of competent authority. 

Service of Progress: In an action brought under paragraph (1) in a district court of the United States, process may be served wherever the defendant: 

Is an inhabitant. 

May be found. 

And now we are going to hear about the Kids Online Safety Council we’ve been hearing so much about in the last few sections in Section 12: Kids Online Safety Council. 

Establishment: No later than 180 days (about 6 months) after the enactment date of this act, the Secretary of Commerce shall establish and convene the Kids Online Safety Council to provide advice on matters related to this act. 

The Kids Online Safety Council shall include diverse participation from: 

Academic experts, health professionals, and members of civil society with expertise in mental health, substance use disorders, and the prevention of harm to minors. 

Representatives in academia and civil society with specific expertise in privacy and civil liberties. 

Parents and youth representation. 

Representatives of covered platforms. 

Representatives of the NTIA, the NIST, the FTC, the DoJ, and the DHHS. 

(6) State attorneys general or their designees acting in State or local government. 

Educators. 

Representatives of communities of socially disadvantaged individuals (as defined in section 8 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637)). 

Activities: The matters to be addressed by the Kids Online Safety Council shall include: 

Identifying emerging or current risks of harm to minors associated with online platforms. 

Recommending measures and methods for assessing, preventing, and mitigating harms to minors online. 

Recommending methods and themes for conducting research regarding online harms to minors, including in English and non-English languages. 

Recommending best practices and clear, consensus-based technical standards for transparency reports and audits, as required under this a ct, including methods, criteria, and scope to promote overall accountability. 

And now for Section 13, Filter Bubble Transparency Requirements. Almost to the end! 

Definitions: In this section: 

The term “algorithmic ranking system” means a computational process, including one derived from algorithmic decision-making, machine learning, statistical analysis, or other data processing or artificial intelligence techniques, used to determine the selection, order, relative prioritization, or relative prominence of content from a set of information that is provided to a user on a covered internet platform, including the ranking of search results, the provision of content recommendations, the display of social media posts, or any other method of automated content selection. 

The term “approximate geolocation information” means information that identifies the location of an individual, but with a precision of less than 5 miles. 

The term “Commission” means the Federal Trade Commission. 

The term “connected device” means an electronic device that: 

Can connect to the internet, either directly or indirectly through a network, to communicate information in the direction of an individual. 

Has computer processing capabilities for collecting, sending, receiving, or analyzing data. 

Is primarily designed for or marketed to consumers. 

Covered Internet Platform: The term “covered internet platform” means any public-facing website, internet application, or mobile application, including a social network site, video sharing service, search engine, or content aggregation service. Such term shall not include a platform that: 

Is wholly owned, controlled, and operated by a person that: 

For the most recent 6-month period, did not employ more than 500 employees. 

For the most recent 3-year period, averaged less than $50,000,000 in annual gross revenue. 

Collects or processes on an annual basis the user-specific data of less than 1,000,000 users (about the population of Delaware) or is operated for the sole purpose of conducting research that is not made for profit either directly or indirectly. 

Input Transparent Algorithm: The term “input-transparent algorithm” means an algorithmic ranking system that does not use the user-specific data of a user to determine the selection, order, relative prioritization, or relative prominence of information that is furnished to such user on a covered internet platform, unless the user-specific data is expressly provided to the platform by the user for such purpose. 

Data Provided for Express Purpose of Interaction with Platform For purposes of subparagraph (A), user-specific data that is provided by a user for the express purpose of determining the selection, order, relative prioritization, or relative prominence of information that is furnished to such user on a covered internet platform: 

Shall include user-supplied search terms, filters, speech patterns (if provided for the purpose of enabling the platform to accept spoken input or selecting the language in which the user interacts with the platform), saved preferences, and the current precise geolocation information that is supplied by the user. 

Shall include the user's current approximate geolocation information. 

Shall include data affirmatively supplied to the platform by the user that expresses the user's desire to receive particular information, such as the social media profiles the user follows, the video channels the user subscribes to, or other content or sources of content on the platform the user has selected. 

Shall NOT include the history of the user's connected device, including the user's history of web searches and browsing, previous geographical locations, physical activity, device interaction, and financial transactions. 

Shall NOT include inferences about the user or the user's connected device, without regard to whether such inferences are based on data described in clause (i) or (iii). 

Opaque Algorithm: The term “opaque algorithm” means an algorithmic ranking system that determines the selection, order, relative prioritization, or relative prominence of information that is furnished to such user on a covered internet platform based, in whole or part, on user-specific data that was not expressly provided by the user to the platform for such purpose. 

Exception for Age-Appropriate Content Filtering: Such term shall not include an algorithmic ranking system used by a covered internet platform if: 

The only user-specific data (including inferences about the user) that the system uses is information relating to the age of the user. 

Such information is only used to restrict a user's access to content on the basis that the individual is not old enough to access such content (i.e., not allowing a 13-year-old to access pornography). 

Precise Geolocation Information: The term “precise geolocation information” means geolocation information that identifies an individual’s location to within a range of 5 miles or less. 

Search Syndication Contract, Upstream Provider, Downstream Provider: 

The term “search syndication contract” means a contract or subcontract for the sale of, license of, or other right to access an index of web pages or search results on the internet for the purpose of operating an internet search engine. 

The term “upstream provider” means, with respect to a search syndication contract, the person that grants access to an index of web pages or search results on the internet to a downstream provider pursuant to the contract. 

The term “downstream provider” means, with respect to a search syndication contract, the person that receives access to an index of web pages on the internet from an upstream provider under such contract. 

User Specific Data: The term “user-specific data” means information relating to an individual or a specific connected device that would not necessarily be true of every individual or device. 

Requirement to Allow Users to View Unaltered Content on Internet Platforms: Beginning on the date that is 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, it shall be illegal: 

For any person to operate a covered internet platform that uses an opaque algorithm unless the person complies with the opaque algorithm requirements. 

For any upstream provider to grant access to an index of web pages on the internet under a search syndication contract that does not comply with the requirements of paragraph (3). 

Opaque Algorithm Requirements: The requirements of this paragraph with respect to a person that operates a covered internet platform that uses an opaque algorithm are the following: 

The person provides notice to users of the platform: 

That the platform uses an opaque algorithm that uses user-specific data to select the content the user sees. Such notice shall be presented in a clear, conspicuous manner on the platform whenever the user interacts with an opaque algorithm for the first time and may be a one-time notice that can be dismissed by the user. 

In the terms and conditions of the covered internet platform, in a clear, accessible, and easily comprehensible manner to be updated no less frequently than once every 6 months: 

The most salient features, inputs, and parameters used by the algorithm. 

How any user-specific data used by the algorithm is collected or inferred about a user of the platform, and the categories of such data. 

Any options that the covered internet platform makes available for a user of the platform to opt out or exercise options under clause (ii), modify the profile of the user or to influence the features, inputs, or parameters used by the algorithm. 

Any quantities, such as time spent using a product or specific measures of engagement or social interaction, that the algorithm is designed to optimize, as well as a general description of the relative importance of each quantity for such ranking. 

The person makes available a version of the platform that uses an input-transparent algorithm and enables users to easily switch between the version of the platform that uses an opaque algorithm and the version of the platform that uses the input-transparent algorithm. 

Exceptions for Certain Downstream Providers: Subparagraph (A) shall not apply with respect to an internet search engine if: 

The search engine is operated by a downstream provider with fewer than 1,000 employees. 

The search engine uses an index of web pages on the internet to which such provider received access under a search syndication contract. 

Search Syndication Contract Requirements: The requirements of this paragraph with respect to a search syndication contract are that: 

As part of the contract, the upstream provider makes available to the downstream provider the same input-transparent algorithm used by the upstream provider for purposes of complying with paragraph (2)(A)(ii). 

The upstream provider does not impose any additional costs, degraded quality, reduced speed, or other constraint on the functioning of such algorithm when used by the downstream provider to operate an internet search engine relative to the performance of such algorithm when used by the upstream provider to operate an internet search engine. 

Prohibition on Differential Pricing: A covered internet platform shall not deny, charge different prices or rates for, or condition the provision of a service or product to an individual based on the individual’s election to use a version of the platform that uses an input-transparent algorithm as provided under paragraph (2)(A)(ii). 

Enforcement by FTC: 

Unfair or Deceptive Acts or Practices: A violation of this section by an operator of a covered internet platform shall be treated as a violation of a rule defining an unfair or deceptive act or practice prescribed under section 18(a)(1)(B) of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 57a(a)(1)(B)). 

Powers of Commision: Except as provided in subparagraph (C), the FTC shall enforce this section in the same manner, by the same means, and with the same jurisdiction, powers, and duties as though all applicable terms and provisions of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.) were incorporated into and made a part of this section. 

Privileges and Immunities: Except as provided in subparagraph (C), any person who violates this Act shall be subject to the penalties and entitled to the privileges and immunities provided in the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.). 

Common Carriers and Nonprofit Institutions: Notwithstanding section 4, 5(a)(2), or 6 of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 44, 45(a)(2), 46) or any jurisdictional limitation of the Commission, the Commission shall also enforce this act, in the same manner provided in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of this paragraph, with respect to: 

Common carriers subject to the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.) and acts amendatory thereof and supplementary thereto 

Organizations are not organized to carry on business for their own profit or that of their members. 

Authority Preserved: Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the authority of the Commission under any other provision of law. 

Rule of Application: Section 11 shall not apply to this section. 

Rule of Construction to Preserve Personal Blocks: Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit or prohibit a covered internet platform’s ability to, at the direction of an individual user or group of users, restrict another user from searching for, finding, accessing, or interacting with such user’s or group’s account, content, data, or online community. 

Skipping over Section 14, as it is incredibly short (don’t worry, it’s one line, and I’ll say it at the end), we arrive at Section 15, or “Rules of Construction and Other Matters”. 

Relationships to Other Laws: Nothing in this Act shall be construed to: 

Preempt section 444 of the General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1232g (about 2.72 lb), commonly known as the “Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974”) or other Federal or State laws governing student privacy. 

Preempt the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (15 U.S.C. 6501 et seq.) or any rule or regulation promulgated under such Act. 

Authorize any action that would conflict with section 18(h) of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 57a(h)). 

Fairly Implied on the Basis of Objective Circumstances: For purposes of enforcing this act, in making a determination as to whether covered platform has knowledge fairly implied on the basis of objective circumstances that a user is a minor, the FTC shall rely on competent and reliable empirical evidence, taking into account the totality of the circumstances, including consideration of whether the operator, using available technology, exercised reasonable care. 

Protections for Privacy: Nothing in this act shall be construed to require: 

The affirmative collection of any personal data with respect to the age of users that a covered platform is not already collecting in the normal course of business. 

A covered platform to implement an age gating or age verification functionality. 

Compliance: Nothing in this act shall be construed to restrict a covered platform's ability to: 

Cooperate with law enforcement agencies regarding activity that the covered platform reasonably and in good faith believes may violate Federal, State, or local laws, rules, or regulations. 

Comply with a civil, criminal, or regulatory inquiry or any investigation, subpoena, or summons by Federal, State, local, or other government authorities. 

Investigate, establish, exercise, respond to, or defend against legal claims. 

Application to Video Streaming Services: A video streaming service shall be deemed to be in compliance with this act if it predominantly consists of news, sports, entertainment, or other video programming content that is preselected by the provider and not user-generated, and: 

Any chat, comment, or interactive functionality is provided incidental to, directly related to, or dependent on provision of such content. 

If such video streaming service requires account owner registration and is not predominantly news or sports, the service includes the capability: 

To limit a minor’s access to the service, which may utilize a system of age-rating. 

To limit the automatic playing of on-demand content selected by a personalized recommendation system for an individual that the service knows is a minor. 

To provide an individual that the service knows is a minor with readily-accessible and easy-to-use options to delete an account held by the minor and delete any personal data collected from the minor on the service, or, in the case of a service that allows a parent to create a profile for a minor, to allow a parent to delete the minor’s profile, and to delete any personal data collected from the minor on the service. 

For a parent to manage a minor’s privacy and account settings, and restrict purchases and financial transactions by a minor, where applicable. 

To provide an electronic point of contact specific to matters described in this paragraph. 

To offer clear, conspicuous, and easy-to-understand notice of its policies and practices with respect to personal data and the capabilities described in this paragraph. 

When providing on-demand content, to employ measures that safeguard against serving advertising for narcotic drugs (as defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 802)), tobacco products, gambling, or alcohol directly to the account or profile of an individual that the service knows is a minor. 

And finally, we arrive at Section 16, the last Section, combined with Section 14, which I glossed over earlier. If any part of this act is deemed obsolete, ineffective, or unnecessary at any point in time, it may be removed from the act without any effect to the rest of it. Unless otherwise specified, all regulations in this act shall come into effect 18 months (about 1 and a half years) after the passing of this bill. 

As you can see, this bill makes an impressive amount of sense, and if it were simply used as intended, it would be wonderful. However, because we can never have nice things, legislators, politicians, and the common public have twisted this bill, warping it to serve their selfish desires. Firstly, Senator Blackburn, one of the people behind this whole thing, blatantly said to a camera that she was going to “use KOSA to protect kids from the transgender in this culture.” With the queer community already under fire from all sides, this is the last thing they need, as all it does is further demonize them, and paint them as evil, pedophilic freaks to be feared and hated. A lot of regulations outlined in this bill also provide a concerning amount of control over the children it claims to protect, and it isn’t giving it to the child. It’s giving it to their parents. The adults who, as much as we hate to admit it, don’t always have the best interests of their children at heart. And what’s more, now the conservative Republicans care about people with disabilities, but it’s only when they’re trying to push a different marginalized group off the net. However, as soon as we try to do something as simple as mandating wheelchair ramps for all government buildings, they say “we don’t have the money for that!”. Okay, since obviously you don’t understand basic common sense Mr. Conservative, let me explain this for you: let’s say that KOSA will be fully enforced on every single website out of the over 1 BILLION that currently exist. Let’s say that about half of those comply fully willingly with KOSA, just for the benefit of the doubt. That still lives 500 million noncompliant websites. Let’s say that with legal proceedings and other costs, it would cost 500 dollars in USD per website to bring those websites into compliance. It would cost 250 BILLION dollars in USD to bring 500 million websites into compliance. Now let’s do some math on the wheelchair ramp problem, I’ll use small businesses as an example, since that’s the main subject of complaints on this topic. There are 33,185,550 small businesses registered in the United States. With the average cost per linear foot of concrete ramp being 225 dollars in USD, and saying that every small business has 2 doors that need ramps that are 1 linear foot, that means that every small business would have to pay 450 dollars in USD to make their businesses accessible. Every 3-5 years, you’ll want to reseal that concrete, costing about 3-5 dollars in USD per square foot. That means that a one time expense of 450 dollars to build the original ramps (on average, grossly oversimplified, but you get it), with an recurring cost every 3-5 years of a mere 6-10 dollars in USD. It would cost 4e-9% of what it would cost to enforce KOSA to make every registered small business in the US accessible. That is less than 1% of the money it would cost to enforce KOSA. 

This bill would also enforce a strict “no horny” policy on damn near every website that you can think of. And as much as we like to demonize and vilify them, sex workers, porn actors, and hentai artists are people too, and some of them make a living off what they do. By enacting KOSA, you are driving the lives of more than 2 million people (about the population of Nebraska) into the dirt. KOSA places the value of a child’s innocence over those lives. Now, don’t get me wrong, I am absolutely against child pornography and exposing small children to porn, but we shouldn’t lock down everyone's access to explicit content to preserve 22.1% of the US population’s childlike innocence. KOSA also can lock those children into abusive and dangerous conditions and make the lives of orphans a living hell. By giving the parents of minors total control over their child’s account, you are allowing them to lock down their lives, and expose these children to, at best, harmful misinformation, extremism, and general naivety, and at worst, physical abuse and/or death. That’s another 600,000 lives ground into the dirt under the boot of “safety”. And that little bit about “parens patrie”? That basically means that if you can’t defend yourself (i.e. are homeless, an orphan, etc.), the government is your parent now. Growing up with a faceless, nameless entity in place of any parental figure is NOT a healthy way for a child to live. Again, that’s another 2,823,104 human beings crushed by KOSA. In total, out of just the three categories of people I listed here, over 4,883,104 human beings, with lives, emotions, thoughts, joys and pains, are being royally screwed over by this absolutely horrid bill. 

 We as a society are better than this. Come on people. What memo did I miss that decided that we only need equality for some people? Instead of bickering amongst ourselves like children, we should work together and solve our problems! Isn’t that what we all want!? But no, instead we fight over our inviolable rights as human beings like toddlers over a shovel in the sandbox, instead of behaving like civilized people. And what’s worse, it paints anyone who doesn’t fit the perfect ideal of an American citizen in shades of evil, demonizing and alienating them even more than they already are. What the hell are we doing here? Instead of waving our bureaucracy around, we should get off the chair and do something about it. How many times have we done something without taking a risk? That’s right, NEVER. 

If we claim to be champions of equality, yet only desire it for ourselves, we are just as bad as those whose actions we decry. So please, dear reader, I beg of you. Stop KOSA, stop censorship, stop tyranny if you value this world at all. 

#fuck kosa #stop kosa #kosa #abuse #danger #politics #American politics

[esshetic]

Venus In Aries: Dynamic and all Encompassing

Venus, our planet of Love, Income, Beauty, Nature, and Food, is moving into Aries on the 5th of April for its transit through the cardinal fire sign. With the Sun also in Aries, it is a link-up of like minds and an activation of anything Aries related.

Throughout the month of Aries, we will be supported if we tap into the Venusian energy and how it wants to be treated in Aries. Are you choosing confidence? Then yes. Are you choosing shyness? Then no. Doubt? No. Worry? No. Aggression? Yes. Boldness? Yes. This is how we can work with and feel this transit. Tap into what it is asking us to engage in. Be playful, let go of expectations; this transit feels fun, light, and quick. Work with your ego and desires instead of your mind and heart here. Be cocky and talk your shit. Believe in yourself. See yourself as that girl that owns it right now. Enjoy this transit for what it is; I think we all need some Venus in Aries right now!

Through the Signs:

Aries: With Venus in your sign, being the life and soul of the party in your first house, you are pouring back into yourself, feeling confident and rebuilding your self-esteem. It's your birthday month after all, so enjoy being the centre of attention. The Sun is also helping you shine. Peacock yourself, grab attention, and own the spotlight. Dress intentionally; even if you're just popping to the shops, don’t blend into the background. Allow yourself to be seen and perceived; the viewer's gaze can and will be positive. You have the eye of the tiger right now, so set yourself up for a good summer.

Taurus: Venus, your ruler, will be heading back into your sign, but first, it will have a last shake-down in Aries, nestling in your 12th house. Being Venus-ruled naturally, these transits are a great time for you. Venus wants you to let your hair down and not be so serious or methodical for a while. Why so serious, Taurus? Venus in Aries wants to shake you up and loosen up your morals a bit! Do something you would never do. Maybe you see the person you judge for being footloose and fancy-free, and maybe there's a side of you that wishes you could let go like that. Maybe there's a part of you that wants to be explored through this time. The question is, will you let yourself be driven by curiosity and be pleasantly surprised?

Gemini: Venus will be in your 11th house, and it will like being here as you are a social butterfly who wants to keep things flirty and fun. With Venus in Aries, it certainly supports this energy. I see that you want to get out and mingle, explore, and experience this new sense of confidence you have found in yourself. You are happy to be seen just kicking back and enjoying life. I see you wanting to network and meet new people who spark your interest and curiosity. Perhaps because spring is here, we are all feeling lighter and happier with the longer days, and everyone will feel more receptive to connecting in a way that seemed impossible before.

Cancer: With Venus in your 10th house of public-facing life, you may be experiencing a fall from grace or a crisis in your career-based life, pushing you closer to the edge. The last few months or years of work-life balance or imbalance are finally coming to a sort of head—not closure, but crisis and a moment of flurry and activity. This is for you, Cancer, not happening to you. You'll be examining why you love the things you love—the people, places, or things. What have you swapped out or overcompensated for that could not be a replacement for the one real thing in life that you really want?

Leo: Venus will be in your 9th house, calling you to awaken your passion and turn it inward to your higher mind. Fire up your faith with passion; stop being lukewarm and turn super hot or cold. Infuse passion back into your life; it will be like lighting a match under yourself. You might feel like it would be like lighting a match in a gas-filled room and creating an explosion, but fear not, Leo. It will make you feel alive Leo its time to roar stop being passive and tame.

Virgo: Venus will be transiting your 8th house for a while, feeling like a friend coming to stay for an extended visit. You have to adapt your daily routine to someone else being in your personal space. It's fine and exciting for a few days, but it will wear you down as you start to miss your daily routine and personal space. Venus is taking up space in your life, and while it's lovely they have brought you flowers and brightened up and beautified your life, you are counting down the days until they leave and you can go back to your routine! You don’t like this transit as it will feel foreign, out of body, and uncomfortable, but it's necessary to upgrade your life.

Libra: With Venus hanging out in your 7th house, opposite you, alongside Mercury in retrograde in Aries, you may experience disturbance and disagreements in your life. This transit can leave you feeling quite stressed out, as there is no peace, and you typically prefer to avoid confrontation or having issues with people. You tend to be avoidant and hate having to confront people who have made you feel some type of way. This energy brings boldness, selfishness, and aggressive communication, egged on by Mercury, making you nervous about having to confront people. Right now, you might prefer to bury your head in the sand. So, Libra, you do you.

Scorpio: Venus will be transiting your 6th house. You might hear someone say, "So what?" But I sense a void. Venus is about love and emotions, yet you feel nothing inside; it's all outside to distract from the tiny voice within. This transit is oh so quiet for Scorpio—lots of reflection and cutting off outside noise to dig deeper and start to feel again. Like when it begins to rain, it starts with tiny raindrops before the downpour. This is you starting to feel again, little cracks in your armor allowing the tsunami of feelings to rush in. Feelings will keep you grounded in your body and in reality.

Sagittarius: With Venus hitting up your 5th house of play, this transit will benefit you by keeping life light-hearted and playful. You feel like playing the field and exploring, literally going on adventures to hike and simply be in nature more, as it reminds you of true, unbridled freedom. Sagittarius, you don’t ask for much; you just need to feel free, like a free bird. This transit reminds you of what you truly value in this world and what you have, making you generally grateful for being alive.

Capricorn: With Venus hitting up your 4th house where the Sun and Mercury are also hanging out for a while, this transit influences your home, familiarity, roots, and sense of belonging. I see this transit having you evaluate personal relationships within your family structure, particularly with a male figure in a paternal sense. Healing may come if you let it. Can you see the other side of the argument? Can you see the person as simply flawed human? And then, can you find forgiveness in the situation? Have you suppressed how you really feel instead of accepting the limitations of yourself and others, simply allowing forgiveness for yourself and others?

Aquarius: Venus is in your 3rd house, and I see cat fights—like the way cats congregate in gangs and hang out at night in alleyways, building little feline gangs to do surprise attacks on rival cat gangs! This is the energy of this transit for you guys. With Mercury in Aries and the Sun in Aries, your 3rd house feels full, too much energy hanging out here, and you don’t like it. You might explode and push out the energy of your personal space, which for you might manifest as detachment or maladaptive coping mechanisms due to feeling overwhelmed. Take your time and rest; sleep it out. There is no rush.

Pisces: Venus is in your 2nd house, and life is telling you to go with the flow of the fluctuating demands and needs of life. This season has you planting seeds for the future and looking at where you can sacrifice short-term happiness or instant gratification to be diligent with your future plans. Venus and Mercury are helping you connect to your soul and truth of what you want, and they help you communicate that to yourself. This season is asking you to be honest about what you feel and what you want with life. Take the time to develop grace with yourself as you explore this.

#astrology #asteroid #asteroids #408 #fama #asteroid fama #astro community #astro posts #astrology community #astrology posts #aries #taurus #gemini #cancer #leo #virgo #libra #scorpio #sagittarius #capricorn #aquarius #pisces #first house #second house #third house #fourth house #fifth house #sixth house #seventh house #eight house

[follow-up-news]

When Mike O’Neil opened his bicycle repair shop in Muncie, Indiana, the Cardinal Greenway trail just outside its window stretched only 2 miles south of the shop. Today, it extends 33 miles (53 kilometers) beyond that, but the ultimate vision is far grander. O’Neil hopes the trail born from eastern Indiana’s old railroad tracks will eventually become a central cog in the proposed Great American Rail-Trail — a continuous network of walking and biking routes spanning from Washington state to Washington, D.C. “As the trail gets longer, more and more people use it,” said O’Neil, who has completed five coast-to-coast bike trips and usually comps the repair costs for out-of-state cyclists visiting his Greenway 500 Bike Shop, which he’s owned for nearly two decades. “It would be a wonderful blessing to have it all connected.” The Biden administration was set to open applications Tuesday for a new grant program that for the first time prioritizes not just building trails but connecting the existing ones. The 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law allowed for as much as $1 billion over five years for the program, but Congress has authorized less than $45 million so far.

#Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act

[tfseeds]

TF Isekai World Concept

I have NO idea where to put this idea, but I've been needing to scream it into the void somewhere so it doesn't fade away inside my head.

World/Story concept: An Isekai "people get yeeted to this fantasy world to fight as heroes and slay monsters" but the twist is, there's a curse involved. You could think like the 'ambient horny energy' of CoC. Basically, people from another world *have* to slay monsters in order to maintain/restore their humanity. If they go without monster slaying for too long, the curse starts to degrade their form, with each hero having a specific animal they transform towards.

Far as I've thought so far, the monsters are generic stock - slimes, skeletons, mindless shadow beasts, monster plants, that sort of thing. Aberrations created by ambient chaos magic maybe. Basically, things that are okay to kill without worrying about the ethics too much.

So killing aberrations gets you +humanity rather than +experience points, and killing stronger monsters restores more humanity (and maybe extends how long you can resist the curse before starting to transform again?)

But the transformation process isn't the same every time. Like maybe the hero's first experience is having their ears and nose start to change, making helmets tricky. But after returning to human, their next curse process goes for their hands first, starting to make fingers swell into pads and claws, making thumbs clumsy. Another time they grow a tail. They have to figure out how to wield their weaponry and modify their gear around a constantly changing state of handicaps.

And while defeating monsters restores humanity, losing a fight speeds up the curse. Heroes who aren't outright killed in a fight find themselves suddenly progressing a lot farther into their curse, making it difficult to recover sometimes.

There is an ability to "share" humanity with a fellow hero though. It evens out the level of curse between the two involved in the exchange. It can only be given willingly though, no one can steal humanity (at least that we know of, will stow that idea away for antagonist ideas later).

The natives of this fantasy world are very matter-of-fact about it for the most part. There's an adventurer's guild with support networks for the cursed heroes. They're not super-prolific, but common enough that most towns have one or two in residence. It'd probably be hard to have too many in one place if they thin out the local monsters too much - there's definitely conflicts over "poaching" monster hunting territory.

Failed heroes eventually end up as animals - Maybe some keep their intelligence, while others just fade completely? There may be secret wilderness areas where the Failed Heroes migrate towards to survive.

Random plot brainworms that I've had include a human who's managed to masquerade as a native, working as a small town merchant, and keeps a monster farm in their basement that they can slaughter each day. It's pretty terrible, like Shou Tucker from FMA vibes. Another is a veteran loner hero who is bird-themed, maybe a hawk or red cardinal. Aloof, cool, successful. At some point our newbie hero in their journey finds him beat-up and struggling in a severely transformed state. Like he can't fight effectively due to his hands going full wings. This is where the humanity sharing comes in to play as our good boy helps sacrifice his own levels to get the veteran hero back into a combat-capable state.

#transformation #transfur #world building #tf stories #gosh I haven't touched this side tumblr in YEARS but it's great for shouting ideas into the void at least

[ridenwithbiden]

Here's Another Putin Puppet. Good Job #OHIO Voters

"MUNICH (AP) - A Republican opponent of new U.S. funding for Ukraine argued at an international security conference Sunday that the package stuck in Congress wouldn't “fundamentally change the reality” on the ground and that Russia has an incentive to negotiate peace.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and others have advocated passage of the $60 billion in aid at the Munich Security Conference, which coincided with Ukraine withdrawing troops from the eastern city of Avdiivka after months of intense combat.

But Sen. JD Vance, an Ohio Republican and ally of Donald Trump, said “the problem in Ukraine … is that there’s no clear end point" and that the U.S. doesn't make enough weapons to support wars in eastern Europe, the Middle East and “potentially a contingency in East Asia."

House Speaker Mike Johnson insists he won’t be “rushed” into approving the $95.3 billion foreign aid package from the Senate that includes the help for Ukraine, despite overwhelming support from most Democrats and almost half the Republicans.

If the package goes through, "that is not going to fundamentally change the reality on the battlefield,” Vance argued, pointing to limited American manufacturing capacity.

“Can we send the level of weaponry we’ve sent for the last 18 months?" he asked. "We simply cannot. No matter how many checks the U.S. Congress writes, we are limited there.”

“I think what’s reasonable to accomplish is some negotiated peace,” he said, arguing that Russia, Ukraine, Europe and the U.S. all have an incentive to come to the table now and that the two-year-old war will at some point end in a negotiated peace.

Ricarda Lang, a co-leader of one of Germany's governing parties, the Greens, responded that Russian President Vladimir Putin has shown repeatedly “that he has no interest in peace at the moment.”

Halting weapons supplies to Ukraine now would mean that "either you are prolonging the war or you give up Ukraine and Putin wins,” she said.

If Putin wins, "he, but also other forces like China, are going to learn that it’s possible to just change borders and that NATO is not going to hold it against us," Lang added. That would lead to “a world with less security, and … a world with less freedom for the EU but also for the U.S.”

Vance was part of a large group of U.S. lawmakers who attended the Munich conference. Several of his Senate colleagues met Zelenskyy on Saturday, but Vance did not join them.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Ben Cardin, a Maryland Democrat, posted on social network X after the meeting that Zelenskyy came to the conference “laser focused with a strong message for America: Ukraine needs your support & we’ll use it well.”

Republican senators have been deeply divided on Ukraine."

#Putin's Puppets #Ohio #US Senator

[fatehbaz]

Hannah and Chris: [...] For Ruth Wilson Gilmore, for example, “Life in rehearsal” is one way to describe abolition. To her, this means “building life-affirming institutions” whilst refusing to reproduce rules or remain with regret. Instead of signifying absence, it is both a present and about presence. Ariella Aïsha Azoulay makes the case for “rehearsals with others”, to question sovereignty and its operative mechanisms. For her, this entails imagining camaraderie and alliances and reversing the temporality of opposing sovereign violence “to imagine its demise not as a promise to come but as that which others have already experienced and made possible”. Moten and Harney use the term “rehearsal” to explain their idea of “study” as an always unfinished and improvisatory collaboration: “And since we’re rehearsing, you might as well pick up an instrument too.” [...]

Robyn: Every day I wake up and rehearse the person I would like to be. [...] To use the words of the late, great, C.L.R. James, “every cook can govern.” Organizing, whether formal or informal, whether geared toward a short term goal or a massive, transformative shift: this is what happens when people consciously decide to come together and “shape change,” to think with Octavia Butler. And to move through the world with the intention of making it a better place for living creatures to inhabit. [...] And most importantly, it’s an invitation to join in. And it is a reminder that liberation is not a destination but an ongoing process, a praxis. Every day, groups of parents, librarians, nurses, temp workers, ordinary people, tired of the horrors of the present, come together to decide what kind of world they want to inhabit. [...]

[T]here were 21 hunger strikes in Canadian jails, prisons and detention centers between March 2020 and March 2021 [...]. Indigenous prison organizer Cory Charles Cardinal [...] wrote, too, that “within this architecture of oppression, we are a vibrant community of strong, intelligent brothers who eat together, wrestle and play together, and protect each other from a system that has exploited us.” Cardinal, with others, had organized mass hunger strikes across multiple Saskatchewan prisons, where Indigenous people make up three quarters of state captives. Abolitionist struggle is expansive. In a historic time of mutual aid, newly created support networks, and old and new freedom strategies, we bear witness to rehearsal, study, experimentation in form, a multiplicity of formations of struggle being waged, often most strongly by people for whom freedom has been most denied.

I’m thinking here of Claude McKay’s words from “If We Must Die”: “Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back!” Now of course fighting back looks like many things: street protests, statues beheaded, rolled through a city, and thrown in the sea [...]. But it’s also much more: for so many people, whether abandoned by the state in a pandemic or abandoned by society in a carceral site, fighting back, by virtue of necessity as well as of ethics, is building, always building. This is the freedom work, and the love work, and the care work, of rehearsal.

---

Text by: Robyn Maynard, Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, Hannah Voegele, and Christopher Griffin. “Every Day We Must Get Up and Relearn the World: An Interview with Robyn Maynard and Leanne Betasamosake Simpson.” Interfere: Journal for Critical Thought and Radical Politics. 19 November 2021. [Bold emphasis and some paragraph breaks/contractions added by me.]

#abolition

[snarkywrites]

The New Moon in Capricorn: Dynamic Changes

The New Moon will be in the sign of Capricorn on December 23rd, 2022. Now that Jupiter has entered the sign of Aries, it will be squaring the Sun and Moon in the sign of Capricorn early on this season. What does this mean? It can feel like an awakening for Cardinal signs as well as Cardinal dominants. Now that Jupiter has moved away from Pisces and ingressed in Aries, we can feel more prepared to plan and go after what we want.

Aries – This New Moon is all about career goals and going full speed ahead. It is a time when you feel a lot more confident with where you see yourself. During the next six months, you will be planting those seeds to focus on where you truly want to see yourself and focus more on doing what brings you happiness. It is your time to shine, heal and break free from your limiting thoughts.

Taurus – Expect to see a shift in your philosophy during this time as the stellium in Capricorn officially forms with this Moon transit. Use this time to reflect on the past and see it as a building block to a future that flourishes and shines brighter. You have the essentials to take on anything that comes your way. Capricorn Season will awaken you to new opportunities and meet new people as well.

Gemini – Capricorn season could feel slightly overwhelming with the cluster of planets in the same sign but somehow you know that this is going to allow for growth and changes ahead. You have a supportive circle that will bring you inspiration during this time. Navigating through some past hurts might not be easy but with Venus also here, you feel empowered and prepared to heal.

Cancer – The energy is shifting back to you and your relationships. If those power dynamics have not served you during the last year, it is your moment to switch things up. Understand what you want in an existing or new relationship and be more open to communicating since Mercury and Venus are also in Capricorn. Make this energy about you and your happiness.

Leo – You have gone through a lot of growth with these Saturn transits, now you are going to be able to channel what you have learned into creating a space where you do not feel overwhelmed by your responsibilities. Learning to balance work with healing will be your priority now. Expanding your belief season will also be a theme for you for the next six months.

Virgo – Now that Jupiter has left your relationship house, you are going to apply the lessons in dating and partnerships for the next six months. What you learned during the Jupiter in Pisces transit will be important so you do not repeat the same relationship mistakes. Jupiter in Aries will help you heal from previous relationships and be more open to making profound changes that will help you feel empowered with connecting.

Libra – Claiming your space and showing others just how valuable you are will be major themes with this transit. Saturn in Aquarius has allowed you to focus on work and achieve the successes you deserve. The New Moon will allow you to make changes and redefine the way you view success. Your relationship energy is sparked as well now that Jupiter has re-entered Aries. Networking and going after what you desire comes easier for you now. 

Scorpio – All of these transits in Mutable and Fixed signs are finally shifting gears into Cardinal territory. You could feel this Moon transit as a breath of fresh air and as an opportunity to move ahead with what you desired. Although Uranus might still bring you some havoc, the energy seems to be more manageable with this Moon transit. You are here to pick up the pieces and fix anything that has been shifted by the Saturn transits while focusing on balance.

Sagittarius – Jupiter in Pisces might have rocked or crumbled your world, nevertheless the energy is shifting with Jupiter back in Aries and making a powerful trine to your sign. With the Moon in Capricorn, you can see this as an opportunity to expand in other areas that expand your creativity and allow you to be more comfortable with who you are. Ignore the haters, take charge, and don’t look back.

Capricorn – You are the star of the show with this New Moon in your sign making you feel unusually optimistic. Jupiter has entered Aries and you are focused on preserving your energy and investing in people as well as things that bring you joy and can further your success. You have new game plans to get where you want, you are more trusting in others, and can feel your confidence blossoming.

Aquarius – Things can feel a little cloudy with Saturn still in your sign steering you to the next phase before it moves into the sign of Pisces 2023. This Capricorn Season will push you to contemplate everything that has happened in the last several years. You have been presented with challenges and pushed through like a soldier. Jupiter in Aries will make you feel more open to communicating and sharing with others regarding issues you need to learn how to heal from. Trusting yourself and starting a new foundation for healing and growth will be essential for the next six months.

Pisces – You are in your element now during this Capricorn Season since it can serve as a preview of your Saturn in the Pisces era. The work that needs to be done now will be amplified next year when Saturn moves in your sign. The networking you do will push you forward, reminding you to seek others when you feel overwhelmed. Setting up a more manageable work schedule and plan can also help you feel less pressured by responsibilities.

#Astrology #New Moon in Capricorn

[infp469]

Rick Grimes Birthchart

natal chart / astrology/ zodiac / personality

~*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*~

✧･ Sun in Virgo･✧

Rick having his sun in Virgo is perfect for him. He is precise, exact, and critical, and he knows that the devil is in the details, and he pays attention to them. He is also hardworking, efficient, and methodical and can usually work or reason his way out of any challenge. He has a tremendous sense of duty and will work towards serving the greater good, be it his family, friends, work network, or community. He is skilled at fact finding and enjoys getting to grips with minutiae that many others would find overwhelming. Rick is balanced and fair. Most of all he has a certain noble quality to his bearing which is also humble at the same time. Ruled by Mercury, you will never find Rick standing still for long. As fleet-footed as the Roman god that rules him, Rick is a bundle of energy both mentally and physically. He is a powerhouse of achievement, often solving the next complex problem in his head while his hands do the work of the moment. He is also a very good communicator, as befits a sign ruled by the God of Messages. As competent as he is, he doesn’t always have the confidence to pursue his ambitions or to shoot high. Rick is prone to studying every situation in great detail. He is interested in understanding well, everything and everyone. His goal is perfectionism, in himself, first, then his work, then the others around him, and finally the world. He isn’t being condescending; he’s just trying to do his bit towards improvement and enlightenment. He can also have very discriminating tastes and neatness as an ongoing priority for him. Virgoans are associated with Earth, and most Virgo men are grounded and practical. He is a sensible sort, with a tendency to worry overly much.

✧･ Moon in Cancer･✧

Rick having a Cancer moon would make him a friendly, social, and curious man. Cancer moon men are loyal to their families, nurturing, and supportive of their friends. Rick can charm anyone he meets with his compassionate, nurturing, and sympathetic nature. Although not overly ambitious with money or success, Rick is very protective of the assets he has accumulated. As a Cancer moon, Rick is extremely protective and loyal. He’s a warm, friendly person who loves the company of family and friends. He’s romantic, sensitive, and sentimental. His quiet ways mean others don’t always know what he’s thinking or feeling, though, so sometimes he may come across as moody or withdrawn - even when he’s not. He’s an excellent listener and generally feels most comfortable close to home. Cancer Moon men are charmers. Cancer, being a water sign, is clever and intuitive. Rick can be sometimes quiet, sensitive, moody, intense, and temperamental but he’s an intensely loyal partner who will do anything for those he loves. He loves deeply and fully and everyone will always feel safe with him.

✧･Rising in Aries･✧

Because the element of fire is associated with the radiant sparks of life, this cardinal energy gives Rick a lot of vitality. His body may be naturally strong and firm. An Aries Ascendant man usually sports a tough rugged body. Rick can have an athletic build and a characteristic prominent chin. With an absolutely gorgeous tan. The scars on his body gives him the intense look of a warrior as that of Mars, the Lord of war. Lonely and independent warriors, one could say. There is so much impulse and boldness in Aries Risings that they are most often seen acting on their own. They are usually running way ahead of others. But it is important to note that this is a rather candid attitude. Rick may appear individualistic, but he sure wouldn’t mind having followers on his journey, people to be on his side. Rick will lead because it is his instinct to get there first, before anyone else. Aries rising natives don’t wait for things to happen. They enjoy taking the initiative. When Rick takes charge, you can be sure that he will whip all his teammates in line. He also does well acting on his own. If you want something done well and fast, Rick is the person to approach. Rick can get the job accomplished without any delay. He also can sometimes be diplomatic and tactful when dealing with others.

✧･Mercury in Virgo･✧

Mercury in Virgo is keen on detail, and never performs a job or task without thoroughly studying it first. Like Rick, he is full of curiosity, he loves to delve into distant topics in order to widen his horizons and enrich his understanding of how everything works. Ricks thinking is sly and shrewd. He has a very sharp intelligence and a keen sense of observation. Rick sees the world in detail, he is always ready to analyze his surroundings and draw logical conclusions. Mercury in Virgo natives are quick-witted, logical, rational, and intellectual. Rick is constantly striving to make sense of the world around him and often analyze people to death. He is very self-reliant and an internal thinker who has a very hard time forming intimate bonds with others. Mercury in Virgo men are usually sharp dressers, incredibly precise, methodical and conscientious. Mercuries position in Virgo denotes Rick to be analytical, methodical, and precise due to a natural desire to strive for excellence. These traits make Rick a pleasure to work with, but also may cause them to frustrate others who are unable to meet his exacting expectations. His adaptive capabilities and appreciation of novel approaches allow him to seamlessly blend with any group or society. He is dedicated to making things work in work or at home because his smallest detail oriented minutia is a symbol of perfection.

✧･Venus in Cancer･✧

A Cancer Venus Man is protective of those he loves. Rick wants to take care of his partner/ family and make them feel safe and secure, and he wants them to make him feel that way too. He is highly empathetic and loves to nurture. Rick isn’t the type who leapfrogs from one relationship to the next. When he is at the point where he is ready to enter a relationship, then Rick will already have it in mind that he is looking for a life partner, not just a whirlwind romance. He is highly family-oriented and has every intention of settling down and creating a happy home with that special someone. Rick wants to feel an emotional bond with this person, not just physical attraction. Venus in Cancer men are often attracted to a classic feminine ideal. They want someone who is sentimental, gentle, kind, and affectionate—those who have an air of innocence and who act motherly and nurturing appeal to him. A Venus Cancer man appreciates natural beauty. He likes subtlety and stays away from loud people with flashy clothes and make-up. Someone sensitive and sweet will appeal to him. He’s not into the flirtatious types and prefers a woman who displays sincere devotion. He doesn’t want a partner who likes to be in the spotlight but will go for the wallflowers and shrinking violet types. He will also do everything in his power to help others. He wants them to be happy even at his own expense. He is very paternal and feels the need to act as a father figure to everyone. Liking to play the role of the protector in a relationship. He wants to be an adviser, confidant, the one who is always there to aid his partner, his family, and his friends. He loves to be the emotional support of the ones he loves. This man is a classic homebody. He prefers showering his partner with love in private away from the distractions of the outside world.

✧･Mars in Virgo･✧

Mars in Virgo grants someone a strong work ethic and a goal-oriented nature. They tend to be highly analytical and able to manage many projects and people at once. These individuals are excellent planners and organizers and favor productivity above all else. With Mars is in Virgo, Ricks got the motives of a purist, and strives for perfection. At times, he’s known to sacrifice his well-being, in a relentless instinct to be impeccable. He’s high strung and can have a lot of physical nervousness that he seeks to release in different ways, and one is staying busy. Being born with Mars in the analytical, supercommunicator mutable earth sign Virgo means that Rick likes to take action in a service-oriented, research-savvy ways and he feels most effective and on track when he’s truly helping and proving himself useful to others. As someone with their Mars in Virgo, since they want to feel useful and of service to others and enjoy helping people so much that they may find themselves gravitating toward careers in the healthcare field (like Rick pre-apocalypse being a Police Officer). He tends to enjoy getting into the weeds of organizing, planning, and tracking goals. And because Virgo is ruled by messenger Mercury, language and communication are interwoven with his basic energy and how he takes action. He would prefer to stick with pragmatism over passionate displays of anger, but if he is irritated, it'll come out in the form of cutting criticisms. Between the sheets, he’s thoughtful, potentially in his head at times, and interested in pleasing his partner just as much as being pleased.

#rick grimes #the walking dead #twd #daryl dixon #michonne #michonne hawthorne #michonne grimes #astrology #virgo sun #virgo mercury #virgo mars #cancer moon #cancer venus #aries rising #aries ascendant #carl grimes #negan #negan smith #virgo #cancer #aries #marvel #birth chart #star signs #astro community #carol petelier #lori grimes #marvel cinematic universe #marvel mcu #glenn rhee

[ariesjupiter]

How can fame play out for me ?

I have a Gemini - Sun 17º in 12th house

Taurus - Venus 28º in 11th house

Taurus - NN 28º in 11th house

Cancer - Ascendant 5º



Gemini Sun in the 12th at 17°:

As you may know, 17° is a fame degree. When the Sun, the planet of identity, purpose, energy and vitality is at 17°, it shows someone who receives attention for their creativity and self-expression. With this placement you may be someone who thrives on being in the spotlight and showcasing your talents. It also helps that this gives you confidence and a joyful energy. It’s a common placement for those who make great leaders. Gemini Sun in the 12th means you could be a talented writer, especially when it comes to topics like spirituality, dreams, astrology, and introspection. Sun in the 12th can make you someone that’s private and even introverted. You may need many breaks to regain your energy and creative will.

Taurus Venus in the 11th at 28°:

Venus the planet of pleasure, love, beauty, harmony, values, finances, and material possessions. Venus is at home in Taurus. You have a love of beauty, comfort, and aesthetics and can be very beautiful and graceful. You may have a very beautiful voice. With Venus in the 11th, you love to socialize and may have many friends and networks. The 11th house is associated with sudden fame and fortune. This placement as a whole indicates wealth. 28° is often referred to as a fame degree because it’s associated with familiarity (“house-hold name”) as well as building things from the ground up to create stability. It’s also a Cancer degree which is a cardinal sign—all about initiating and manifesting things. Overall with a fixed Venus sign you can have very loyal admirers/fans who are willing to defend you. You may be someone who’s developed a strong relationship with your fans and interact with them a lot online and in person.

Taurus North Node in the 11th at 28°:

This is similar to your Venus placement. Your mission and purpose is to express your talents, work towards your hopes and dreams, find the beauty in your communities, advocate for others and share your beliefs, and create spiritual, physical, and financial comfort for yourself and loved ones. This placement also suggests the building of self-esteem through the support of friends and larger groups of people (like fans). You must have Venus conjunct North Node which means your destiny involves art, beauty, love, and wealth. You’re someone who may attract good things to you effortlessly.

Cancer Ascendant at 5°:

Cancer Ascendants are typically very in tune with their imagination and are naturally creative. 5° is a fame degree so you can be recognized and appreciated for your talents. You’re someone who creates art, whatever medium it may be, that’s deeply influenced by your emotions. Someone with their ascendant at 5° is someone who shines. You may be very adored and people can perceive you as gentle, caring, and sensitive.

#astrology #asks

[insurrection-if]

Not gonna lie i am simping for Lempo and Curadora could you please give us some facts about them

Lempo and Curadora! There's a little tension between the two, so perhaps don't divulge your interest in one when the other is near. （；^ω^）

Curadora

Out of all the CARDINALS, Curadora is the most attached to her civilian identity. It's an identity that has, in recent years, become heavily scrutinized by the common public - a reality she has come to dread. The MC will encounter her civilian identity at a future point, especially since Sigmund remains a potential ticking time-bomb in his ability to reveal it.

Raised by a single mother, Curadora shares an incredibly close bond with her. Recent changes in their family make-up, however, have caused a minor rift between them.

As a prominent leader in the CARDINALS, Curadora has used her sway over its leadership to organize underground treatment facilities for the Gifted around the world - though she will admit to her particular focus on developing support networks for mental and maternal health.

Due to the nature of her Gift, as well as her dearness to Uriel, Curadora is almost always guarded by another CARDINAL to ensure her physical safety from harm or capture. Sigmund used to primarily fulfill this role, yet with his departure Retriever has reclaimed the position. If he is unavailable, Kalyna or Boar take his place. Curadora is both appreciative towards and troubled by her chaperoned status.

In the uncommon event that all the CARDINALS Inner Circle are gathered together in one place, Curadora leads the preparation of the 'family meal' hosted by Uriel. She has been entrusted with the favorite family recipe, or simply the favorite dish, of each member for these occasions.

Lempo

As a child, Lempo used to be ostracized by her local community, despite the efforts of her foster fathers. Her upbringing was particularly lonely, but it had its material comforts.

Lempo, as a self-proclaimed expert in love, has become the resident matchmaker among the CARDINALS initiates - both for romantic and platonic pairings.

During the existence of her cult, Lempo trained members of the commune to assist in a honey-production business to financially support the greater whole. She loves beekeeping, yet hasn't had the opportunity to nurture a new hive while within the CARDINALS.

Lempo is also an experienced hunter due to her foster fathers. If money ran short within her cult, she happily led expeditions to hunt (and gather) food in the wilderness around them to feed everyone.

Though it initially sparked during an attempted art therapy project to assist Boar in her anger management, Lempo has discovered her novel passion for painting and sculpture. Upon the completion of a work, she eagerly delivers it to Uriel as a gift in hopes that he will display it in one of his many offices. He usually does, though the décor has led to some raised brows.

Thank you for the ask!

#c: lempo #c: curadora #minor ro

[mlmscriptsoftware]

The top programmers are offered by MLM Script in Chennai to clients who are working on MLM software projects. We offer cutting-edge services for all types of software solutions for multilevel marketing. There are numerous multilevel marketing (MLM) plans available, including the International Binary Plan, Binary Plan, Board Plan, Breakaway Plan, Forced Matrix Plan, Matrix Plan, Stair Step Plan, Step Plan, Auto Filling Plan, and Unilevel Plan. In addition to focusing on developing solutions that were created based on our clients' IT requirements, our development and support engineers are working toward achieving 100% customer satisfaction. Through our consultant assistance system, our customers can get in touch with our programmer. MLM software is a potent tool for people starting a network marketing business. 

Multi-Level Marketing is currently king when it comes to passive income. The heart of every successful MLM business is its MLM software. It can be challenging to choose the best MLM programmes for your investment portfolio that also meet the demands of your company. Choose MLM software not solely based on its usefulness. It is strongly encouraged to follow the most recent network marketing trend before purchasing MLM applications. Of course, choosing the top MLM applications for your investment portfolio that meet the requirements of your business is a challenging task. 

Strategies:

1. Identify the Business Challenges

This will save you from overpaying and obtaining applications that fall far short of what you need. You must list all of the issues that your MLM business is now facing and assess whether the chosen MLM programme can address each one. Make a list of the app's needs that you need, then compare it to the MLM software that you want to purchase.

2. Select the Appropriate Budget

This is the cardinal rule when making a large purchase, and we will abide by it here as well. The costs at which various MLM software development firm app developers sell their products on the market vary greatly. 

The product you select must be reasonably priced and have all necessary characteristics. The simplest method to achieve this is to make a list of the companies you require and ask for an estimate based on your requirements. This is how to locate free MLM applications. 

3.Analyze the Software Performance in-depth

The majority of MLM technology companies offer free trials and demos before making a purchase. Make a list of trustworthy companies, then visit their websites. Make your final choice after giving the features a test run to determine whether they are sufficient to help you manage your business. Make sure the products function properly in real-time as well.

Searching online for customer reviews of the applications you want to buy is the most effective approach to achieve this. Examining former users' successes is a great approach to learn about some apps. A real user would be honest with you about the software's issues, especially regarding whether or not they were fixed. 

4. The Reputation of MLM Software Providers

select a reputable vendor wherever possible. You can do this by browsing the internet and getting feedback from former customers. When you start looking for MLM apps, you'll see that lots of software manufacturers boast about their offerings' incredible capabilities. If you select the wrong programme, you risk losing your career. Therefore, always choose a highly regarded, trustworthy dealer.

5. Watch for speed 

MLM software that takes a long time to launch is not something you want to utilise. Speed is a crucial component of MLM software. It will need to manage huge amounts of data and files quickly. Because of this, be sure to get MLM software that employs cutting edge technology. 

6. Invest daily time in your business.

Make an effort each day to establish healthy routines. Every day, it will interact with at least 1 or 2 users on your network. Call them, write them a letter, or leave a remark on their social media posts. Try to convey your caring or existence to them in some way. You may streamline your business's expansion efforts with the use of MLM software.

Presenting your business opportunity or products to at least one member of your network each day is an excellent practice. Continue improving yourself and your attitude of progress. You will achieve through educational webinars, training, and posts that will aid in your personal development and broaden your vision. 

One of these positive traits can help you succeed in MLM recruitment. Progress is perfection since it allows you to get better after you completely maintain these positive practices each day. Using a multi-level marketing platform, you can easily monitor your company's steady progress. 

7. Keep an eye out for Reliable Customer Service

Speaking and selling can be challenging, and the only way to take your prospect's needs and desires into account is to genuinely inquire about them. Many marketers fail to ask the right question and don't listen to it. You can assist your customers with their problems by using a multi level marketing software. Reliable merchants usually provide excellent assistance and after-sales service. Avoid choosing companies that provide a tonne of amenities at absurdly low prices. They can be trying to stay in the lead or bluffing, depending on the situation.

Instead of asking the correct questions about their future, they focus more on learning about their benefits, products and services, and how amazing their firm is. 

You can properly track consumer complaints by using an MLM programme. You will be able to better comprehend them and approach presenting and using your business opportunity once you start asking the right questions. 

8. Develop a business vision.

One of the key characteristics of successful entrepreneurs is their ability to develop big ideas, work tirelessly to nurture them each day, and remain committed despite the challenges they face. Consider crazy ideas and prioritise enormous accomplishments. Have a bigger objective and a bigger game's road map.

Make the decision to be simpler and more efficient, and decide to hire more people and grow exponentially. To put it another way, some people are unable to sponsor or obtain people because they are unable to manage or direct them. You must possess leadership skills. 

Although not everyone is born a leader, you should develop your leadership skills and begin to gain momentum if you want to be able to inspire and guide more people. An MLM software programme can assist you in expanding the scope of your MLM enterprise.

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[vijay1225]

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) Repair Devices Market Forecast 2024-2033

Overview and Scope Abdominal aortic aneurysm repair devices are medical devices used to treat an abdominal aortic aneurysm, a condition that occurs when a section of the aorta wall weakens and the high volume of blood flowing through it exerts pressure on the weak point, causing it to expand outwards and form an aneurysm. These devices (stent grafts) are placed into the aorta by a small groin incision and expand to support the weakest part of the aorta, preventing it from rupturing.

Sizing and Forecast The abdominal aortic aneurysm (aaa) repair devices market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $2.38 billion in 2023 to $2.52 billion in 2024 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.8%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to surgical technique evolution, aging population, healthcare accessibility, research and development, surgeon expertise and training.

The abdominal aortic aneurysm (aaa) repair devices market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $3.22 billion in 2028 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.3%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to growing awareness and education, demand for cost-effective solutions, regulatory landscape, increasing healthcare expenditure, advancements in endovascular . Major trends in the forecast period include minimally invasive procedures, endovascular surgery advancements, rising incidence of aaa, regulatory framework changes, patient-centric care.

Segmentation & Regional Insights The abdominal aortic aneurysm (aaa) repair devices market covered in this report is segmented –

1) By Product Type: Endovascular Stent Graft System, Synthetic Graft System 2) By Site: Infrarenal AAA, Pararenal AAA 3) By Application: Traditional Anatomy, Complex Anatomy 4) By End-User: Hospitals, Ambulatory Surgical Centers, Other End-Users

North America was the largest region in the abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair devices market in 2023. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the global abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair devices market report during the forecast period. The regions covered in the abdominal aortic aneurysm (aaa) repair devices market report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa

Major Driver Impacting Market Growth The growing incidence of abdominal aortic aneurysms is expected to propel the growth of the abdominal aortic aneurysm repair devices market going forward. Abdominal aortic aneurysm refers to the condition that occurs when a section of the aorta wall weakens and the high volume of blood flowing through it exerts pressure on the weak point, causing it to expand outwards and form an aneurysm. Abdominal aortic aneurysm repair devices (stent grafts) are used in treating abdominal aortic aneurysms by inserting into the aorta by a small groin incision and expanding to support the aorta’s weakest section, preventing it from rupturing. For instance, in August 2022, according to the report published by Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, a US-based not-for-profit health system with a comprehensive network of care, around 200,000 people are diagnosed with an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) each year in the US. Therefore, the growing incidence of abdominal aortic aneurysms is driving the growth of the abdominal aortic aneurysm repair devices market.

Key Industry Players

Major companies operating in the abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair devices market report are Cardiatis S.A, Cardinal Health Inc., Cook Medical LLC, Endologix Inc., Lombard Medical Inc., Medtronic PLC, Terumo Corporation, W.L. Gore and Associates Inc., C. R. Bard, Jotec GmbH, Gore Medical, Abbott Laboratories, LivaNova PLC, Boston Scientific Corporation, Koninklijke Philips N.V., MicroPort Scientific Corporation LLC, Lifetech Scientific (Shenzhen) Co. Ltd., Hangzhou Endonom Medtech Co. Ltd., Latecba SA, Nectero Medical, Beijing Jinyu Medical Device Co. Ltd., Beijing Endoncare Medical Devices Co. Ltd., Shanghai MicroPort Endovascular Medical Devices Co. Ltd., Lepu Medical Technology Co. Ltd., Beijing Advanced Cardiovascular Technologies Co. Ltd., CryoLife Inc., Baxter International Inc., Edwards Lifesciences Corporation, B. Braun Melsungen AG, Getinge AB

The abdominal aortic aneurysm (aaa) repair devices market report table of contents includes:

1. Executive Summary

2. Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) Repair Devices Market Characteristics

3. Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) Repair Devices Market Trends And Strategies

4. Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) Repair Devices Market — Macro Economic Scenario

5. Global Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) Repair Devices Market Size and Growth

.

. .

31. Global Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) Repair Devices Market Competitive Benchmarking

32. Global Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) Repair Devices Market Competitive Dashboard

33. Key Mergers And Acquisitions In The Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) Repair Devices Market

34. Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) Repair Devices Market Future Outlook and Potential Analysis

35. Appendix

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[laresearchette]

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[bisluthq]

The point was that if a person in a much more extreme situation can’t realize how fucked up the situation is, someone in a much less serious but still problematic situation won’t. Just because Beyoncé and Aaron can’t see the problem, doesn’t mean it isn’t one. A 40 year old person dating an 18 year old, no matter the circumstances, is a creep and deserves to be called out even if people don’t know them personally. She was also the director, not a fellow actor, so there was a power imbalance. I think less people know about the age difference between Beyoncé and Jay Z because she’s always looked older than she is. Not because she’s aged badly but because she has a more mature face, kind of like Margot Robbie.

I also don’t know Woody Allen and I’m going to call him out for marrying his step daughter even if it was a completely legal thing to do

I actually think that’s a complete false equivalence and kinda naive - I think a person in a much more fucked up situation (because as I say it’s REALLY not comparable to say a sixth grader being raped by his teacher is the same as someone legal but young getting involved with an older person) is far LESS likely to figure out something is not right because that’s what they’ve grown up with. Back to a discussion we’ve been having a lot here re religious fundamentalism - a lot of people who grow up in proper fundamentalist households of all religions and denominations tend not to realize how fucked a lot of it is and many defend it into adulthood because those are really intense situations to be in and the people involved often don’t know better/different (not in a patronizing way, but in a “if you have weird shit happen to you like you think that’s the norm” kinda way). Whereas those of us who grow up in environments that give us more options and open us to new experiences tend to actually be fussier about what we will tolerate or find normal idk. Vili was a dad at like 12/13 - that shaped his life dude. His baby mama was his grade school teacher-a maternal figure. Obviously he couldn’t figure out it was wrong and obviously he was gonna stay and obviously he cared.

Aaron and Beyonce were working professionals with their own money and jobs and networks and connections. It’s weird af but they were down with what happened. They both have continued to grow and establish their own careers and have their own support systems and could fucking leave whenever lol? They both have obviously heard people say it’s weird? They aren’t an abused child, they’re just people who got into a weird thing and seem happy with it??? Also Jay had a similar power imbalance - he was a TOP producer/record exec by then and she was still starting out and he met her when she was younger than Aaron was even but as far as one can tell nothing happened until she was a bit older, they were just friends idk. Directors date, and even marry, their actors (actresses really) all the time. Producers/execs marry artists. It’s not great but it’s also not some cardinal sin. We can’t always find situations that are totally equal in every sphere of our lives.

idk dude I’m not defending her. I think she’s a weird ass lady lol. But I think comparing her to Mary Kay or Woody (PS the worst thing he did wasn’t the stepdaughter marrying thing, which is also super super super fucked because again she was his stepdaughter - not the same as his star, not the same as another 18 year old he met, she was his wife’s daughter - it was the Dylan stuff because Dylan was seven) is really uncalled for?

Sam’s whole deal is super fucking weird lol. I’m not pro what went on. But I think we should leave them tf alone because there are two underage kids involved, he seems happy as larry, it’s not like he doesn’t have plenty of ways to leave/get therapy, so like??? No it really isn’t your/my/our business? Then we’re just passing judgments and moralizing per our own personal ideas of what’s right and what’s not? What YOU can do is not consume their content. You can also hope Woody does actually go to trial for the Dylan stuff. But beyond that like all you can do is say “eh this person really isn’t my cup of tea” 🤷🏻‍♀️ Which is fine bc Aaron isn’t asking you lol.