Hi, I'm 26M. I am a "certified and registered" medical assistant (CRMA) since 2019 [pro tip, there is no difference between CMA and RMA, its literally the same]. I am certified and registered by the American Medical Technologists (AMT). I have always been fascinated by medicine. I was a very young child when I first got hooked, I have been seen every corner of medicine ever since. As it turns out, I'm pretty damn good in the field. I worked on this useless certification since before I was 18. In 2016, I graduated high-school and was a duel enrollment student my senior year. I went to my local community college during duel enrollment and was convinced by my superiors at the time that becoming a CMA was a great way to go.
I was told that by becoming a CRMA I would have bettehigher annual pay rates and higher probability of being hired for jobs. I was told that the credits I would obtain at my community college for this certification would be a great addition to many health related bachelor majors like Pre-Med and RN programs. Even contribute to a faster graduation much "like an associates". Only that I wouldn't have an associates which wouldn't be very "applicable" to the real world after graduation unless I continue to a bachelors. But a certification to get a "large head start".
Jesus fucking Christ, head start this, head start that, benefits here, benefits there. God, I want to vomit just listening to myself regurgitate all these words of affirmation said to me. Over the coarse of nearly 5 YEARS I am here to tell you that NOTHING of what I was assured or told was true.
Now here is the reality of what you will discover, post-covid, what being a CRMA really does for you.
- A CRMA certification grants you NO competitive benefits and NO reasonably competitive annual pay compared to anyone who gets hired with out a CRMA certification.
Literally no Benefits, none. I have been the lowest annually paid Technician, Medical Technician, Mental Health Technician, for EVERY JOB I EVER OBTAINED and WITH my CRMA certification. I worked at many extremely well known medical institutions from Childrens psychiatric residential care hospitals to where I am now working at one of the greatest health care institutions IN THE FUCKING COUNTRY of the USA and I am STILL one of the lowest paid compared to the majority of my fellow technicians. I currently get paid $18.20 an hour in one of the most expensive areas on the east coast. My co-workers laughed at me and then showed me their pay stubs at $24-26 per hour pay FOR THE SAME JOB. Then new hires that came after me getting $22 FOR THE SAME JOB, NO CRMA CERTIFICATION, NO BACHELORS, NOTHING. Yeah. Oh and good luck making that case to your manager. Getting any kind of raise is next to impossible no matter how long you work or how hard you work or how well you work at your position.
- A CRMA certification today will LESSEN your chances of being hired.
Yup, you heard it here first folks. Obtaining your CRMA certification means that you are of a higher education standard and can handle higher responsibilities, conduct more hands on care with patients, and even more universal in the world of medicine assistants for all kinds of levels of care. Yeaaahhh well after covid, that means that any and all health care networks are going to essentially hire anyone else to do those jobs. Qualified or not. According to my past managers, Nursing managers, and most business sides of health care networks, medical assistants have low level qualifications, little education, or education needs to even just become a CRMA. Furthermore, less urgent responsibilities, I guess? I was just doing CPR on a man in a 30 min code sweating my dick off but sure, I guess not. This means that from the business end perspective they don't need someone with higher qualifications to do the same job. It's simple economics. Why pay someone with proper qualifications $35-40,000 when you can choose the less qualified, less trained, and less educated person for $20-25,000 annually and still obtain the same results within a certain field of practice. It's the quantity over quality kind of mentality. Over my many years I have seen so many unqualified, uneducated, and relentlessly lazy individuals work beside me completely unaware of their responsibilities on the floors of the hospital. You WILL experience these people as your co-workers, guaranteed, now days more than ever.
- CRMA CERTIFICATION CLASSES DO NOT CONTRIBUTE JACK SHIT TO A BACHELORS
After all was said and done and I "graduated" (I guess..) from my community college I went on to my bachelors only to find out that 90% OF MY CREDITS I TOOK AT COMMUNITY COLLEGE WERE NOT APPLICIBLE. Literally 90%, I essentially was 21 starting at my 4 year university and at ground zero with barely anything to show for my efforts to get this CRMA certification. Then covid hit, everyone had to go home, and that really messed everything up. I couldn't focus at home and my grades started to tank due to my really awful home situation but I'm not here to talk about that. So I decided to take a gap year to get a night shift Technician job back at home as a float technician. Never the less, in academia I was majorly behind. Yes Yes Yes, I know. Life is not a race, it's a journey. Some of us struggle more than others. However, here I am at 26, I need to work to pay for an apartment (which I can barely pay for because I'm just a tech in a really expensive area), I need to stand on my own 2 feet, I need to pay for my car and car insurance, I need my own health insurance as per required by the state, and I'm LITERALLY JUST A JUNIOR AFTER ALL THIS TIME. I'm part time in school now so I don't burn myself out working and going to school (tried that, nearly 2 years of my life 7 days a week, no sleeping in, no breaks, fall-winter-spring-summer, just to try and catch up and I will never do that again.). So, at the part time pace I'm going I will graduate 3 years or more from now if I don't go full time literally NOW. I WILL BE BASICALLY 30.... If I do go full time in school I'll be able to graduate in about 3 semesters, I have no idea how I'll be able to financially do that even with loans.
- YOU WILL BE EXPOSED TO INTENSE, HARSH, HAZERDOUS, PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, AND MENTAL EXTREMES INVOLVING YOUR PATIENTS ALONG SIDE YOUR NURSES AND DOCTORS.
I have worked before, during, and after the worst of what covid-19 had to throw at us on Emergency department (ER), Intensive care, Progressive care, Medical-surgical care, Post Anesthesia care, Observation, hospice, and psychiatric care units/floors/facilities. I have seen families and children watch me as I do CPR on their Father before being shooed away so they aren't scarred for the rest of their life. I was forced to be sat on 1:1's with fully grown men with biceps the size of my face with the body build of a line backer having explosive and uncontrollable manic episodes, convincing themself that us health care workers were human traffickers, and somehow after hours of screaming what I can only describe as absolute madness, have the strength to bend the metal his restraints were tied too. I am 6'2", 220 lbs, consistently go to the gym and play lacrosse the majority of my life and for a moment I wondered if that was going to be my day. Furthermore, later in the day meeting said manic patients wife, I couldn't help but notice the bruises all over her face, her arms, legs, chest... everywhere.
I have witnessed patients with HSV-1 (facial/oral herpes), HSV-2 (Genital herpes) and HIV/AIDS fling various bodily fluids such as blood, spit, urine, excrement, and even ejaculate attempting infect someone with malicious intent. I had one patient admit that they tried to infect another purposefully because they didn't want to feel so alone. Patients will try to get to know you, you're going to be the one they probably see first or most through out the day when they use their call bell. Mostly, they'll want to have normal chit chat in normal ways but there is always that 1 or 2 with other intentions. I have my last name covered on my hospital ID because I WAS FOLLOWED. I am 26M, and all it took was some good and casual conversation talking about ourselves and our lives. I like to talk to my patients and get to know them so they know that I do care about their well being. Obviously, I'm not about to talk about crazy personal details of my life, separation of church and state n all that but that's all it took. Sad to say but even some of the insane have somewhat decent communication skills. A 12 hour shift and some conversation through out one shift, that's really all it takes. That was just one instance, my co-workers (the majority are female) have to many to keep tally.
You will encounter patients who are uncontrollably releasing their bowels and YOU are the one that needs to clean that up. House keeping isn't around the corner all the time and bleach wipes are there for a reason. You will encounter ALL bodily fluids on walls, floors, sinks, tables, chairs, beds, cabinets, and even on the ceiling (rare but yeah). You will be most likely responsible for your patients daily hygiene, dental, denture care, and shaving. If a patient is incapable of wiping after they released their bowls, and yes sometimes a little to early, got poop on themselves, their gown, socks, and down their leg... yup you guessed it, YOU gotta clean it up and in some cases re-wash the patient entirely. Most cases, your nurse or any help from fellow techs will be somewhere else probably dealing with another mess. Personal hygiene is ABSOLUTELY IMPORTANT for a patients health care while they are in your care. It's been proven that daily hygiene being done accelerates patient discharge rates. It matters. Which is why our position matters. If we don't wash our patients on a daily basis they will be more susceptible to infections and diseases. Especially if the patient is already immunocompromised. Depending on what unit you will be working on. You will also likely be responsible for checking equipment, making sure equipment is up to date, doing quality checks on defibrillators, refrigerators, and various other equipment that your unit uses every single day and for multiple times a day. I once witnessed two nurses go feral over a bladder scanner, I already bladder scanned both their patients by that time, both patients were fine. I could rant for an unfathomable amount of time about this position and all the essential things that we must do and provide with quality care and consistent accuracy. Don't get me started on Vaccinations at urgent cares, phlebotomy, obtaining samples for lab to do their mad scientist stuff, and the differences of technician/medical assistant responsibilities between different networks.
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Conclusion...
This is a small section of what it means to be a dedicated Medical Assistant/Technician. Do yourself a favor. If everything I said doesn't worry you much, go for it. If you want the experience or the desire for the experience and you are in a state where you can value the experiences more than the pay, go for it. I was like that once too, now I have no choice but to think more about how I will pay for myself and my future. Regardless, The Lord knows we need the help and I'll be happy to meet you and train you. However, you must know that you will always be appreciated. You'll hear the phrase "we appreciate you" or "Thank you for all your help today", from your nurses, fellow techs, managers, nursing managers, and doctors alike right before you leave to clock out. You'll just never be properly valued the way you should for the immense efforts you provide. You'll be just a tech. The health care field worker bee....

https://www.athersys.com/investors/press-releases/press-release-details/2023/Athersys-Announces-Successful-Type-B-Meeting-with-the-FDA/default.aspx
Successful type b meeting with the FDA!
Primary Endpoint in Pivotal Acute Ischemic Stroke Trial Will Become mRS Shift Analysis at Day 365
Modifications Reflect Observations from Healios' Recently Completed TREASURE Trial in Japan and the Evolution of Stroke Standard of Care
CLEVELAND--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Athersys, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATHX), a cell therapy and regenerative medicine company developing MultiStem® (invimestrocel) for critical care indications, announced planned amendments to its MASTERS-2 clinical trial protocol following a Type B meeting with the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). Held on March 21, 2023, the meeting addressed Athersys’ proposed modifications that seek to establish primary and secondary endpoints that it believes best reflect the full potential benefit of MultiStem treatment for patients with acute, moderate-to-severe ischemic stroke as well as the evolving standard of care.
Following a meeting Athersys convened in November 2022 of leading stroke experts, regulatory specialists, and statisticians to discuss potential changes, Athersys proposed four modifications to its ongoing pivotal Phase 3 MASTERS-2 clinical trial protocol, all of which were accepted by the FDA. After finalizing agreement around the statistical approach, Athersys will implement the following amendments to the MASTERS-2 protocol:
Athersys will change the timing of the primary endpoint assessed by shift analysis in modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score to Day 365, from Day 90 previously. Athersys will retain shift analysis in mRS score at Day 90 as a key secondary endpoint, along with other revised secondary endpoints. Athersys will remove eligibility caps on concomitant reperfusion therapy (e.g., tPA, MR imaging or tPA+MR imaging) to ensure the final study population is reflective of current standard of care in the population eligible for this therapy. Athersys may elect to have an independent statistician conduct an interim analysis to assess potential sample size adjustment. MASTERS-2 currently plans to enroll 300 patients and enrollment, as previously communicated, is >50% complete. “The MASTERS-2 clinical trial protocol changes agreed to by the FDA reflect what we have learned from the completed MultiStem Phase 2 MASTERS-1 trial and the TREASURE clinical trial run in Japan by our partner Healios, as well as the significant evolution of standard of care in treating acute ischemic stroke. We appreciate the FDA’s guidance, which we believe ultimately will benefit stroke patients worldwide,” stated Dan Camardo, Chief Executive Officer of Athersys. “We view the outcome of our meeting as the best-case scenario. Although changing the primary endpoint to Day 365 extends the duration of MASTERS-2, we believe our accepted modifications enable accelerated patient enrollment and provide a higher conviction for demonstrating treatment potential.”
Athersys was previously granted Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT), Fast Track designation and Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) agreement for the use of MultiStem in the treatment of ischemic stroke. These designations enable sponsors to work closely with the FDA and receive guidance on expediting advancement of designated programs.
“The proposed changes we submitted to the FDA allow us to thoroughly evaluate the mechanisms through which we hypothesize MultiStem cell treatment can provide benefit to patients suffering an acute ischemic stroke,” commented Dr. Robert W. Mays, Executive Vice President of Regenerative Medicine for Athersys. “This outcome more accurately reflects our belief that MultiStem’s treatment effect extends beyond Day 90 and is better reflected with a Day 365 assessment of functional recovery.”
Additional information regarding the MASTERS-2 clinical trial is available here.

Hello everyone, my i751 got denied in December 2022 with USCIS stating that I abandoned my application because an RFE was sent and I ddnt respond even though I did not receive it. During this entire waiting period of almost 3yrs, I have made several phone calls to USCIS to follow up on my i751 application, set up info-pass appointments, service requests on processing time etc and no RFE was mentioned to me until my denial letter. So, I filed an i290B with my primary reason being USCIS error because my address ddnt change and I did not get the RFE that was shipped to me. Plus nobody mentioned it to me when I called to ask about my application processing time and all the other times I spoke to officers in person and on the phone. On the other hand, this denial came while I was out of the country and i was able to reenter in January with a I-551 stamp in my passport. When I got home, the denial letter was dated Dec 16, 2022, and I had 33days to file an i290B- motion to reopen which I did and USCIS received on Jan 17, 2023. However, my stamp expires next week and I booked and appointment to try and get a new one. When i spoke to an officer to schedule this infopass appointment, he told me my i290B application had a note saying LATE. Which I am pretty sure will result in another denial even though I responded within 33days. I am so tired and wondering if anybody has been through anything similar… and what else can I do?

As I have been saying, I am a 55m and I have been a PreCog all my life, this is my attempt to save people besides myself. My safety is never in question.
I revealed to my family and friends in June of 2022 that I was a time traveler via documents, FB messages, etc... After that I started posting in reddit timetravel but I didn't know about removing posts so that was some chaos I had to smooth out.
In my third post I announced:
There is a time traveler who I will call “J” and she is disrupting the normal state of time and space.
J has the ability to communicate to us all. I am not special in that regard. She communicates via dreams/visions and I can tell the difference.
I am sorry if this is disjointed, if it helps think of the movie Memento).
J does not see time like I do, so she may not present things in order from our perspective... we good, things make sense at the end.
J is constantly trying to make this easier to understand for everyone to understand and she is constantly fine tuning things to get enough to understand. Her plan is for our descendants get to the stars. She keeps jumping back to her train station, making changes to try to get you to understand.
As near as I can tell she needs the help of our descendants, but I do not know how true that is, as I do not trust her.
****
This was how I started it my very first try....
If you do not have a physics background that is fine. I will not get into a physics lesson. But, I do have one ask.
If you do know someone with a physics background, ask them if what I am describing is possible if the MWI theory was true. What it would mean if there actually was an infinite number of timelines and you had the ability to move between them.
****
How many are thinking LOL?
This was the issue with a previous timeline… we had trouble with this part.
Nobody got it in time, so things went dark.
That is ok my timeline fam, hopefully infinite universes get widely understood this go around as J uses the infinite part to try to make it easier to understand…
Now I don’t have to spend much time on MWI.
Adapt, learn and repeat.
****
I will use movies as examples as much as possible to make it as easy to understand for as many as possible.
Infinity of universes examples are in the the awesome movie Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. There is also the awesome movie Everything, Everywhere All at Once, and how they represented the infinite of universes.
The only thing I want you to focus on is universes and the infinity of the choices.
That part is so true(infinity). J claims that there are no sausage universes, we are never rocks, we are never paint, or any of the other things. It is an infinity of different versions of us all slightly different. She literally has infinite number of possibilities, but the light makes it easier. I have not looked at them all, it takes me forever to peer into one.
I have been calling the timelines but others want to call them universes, multiverse, etc...
We are talking about the same thing. The universe is affected by the flow of time, and I can be outside the boundaries of this universe projected into the Yeoh Dimension which lets me 'turn around' and look at the infinite of universes, they all move evenly, steadily following the march of time... so I call them timelines.
A timeline is a single universe from the HumanVerse.
The HumanVerse is a subset of the infinity of universes, to be part of the HumanVerse the timeline must contain human life.
I am a human and give 0F about timelines that do not have us.
If you see me use the word timelines, if you want to think universe, multiverse, whateverse... we good. It is the infinity part I need you to be thinking about, the infinity of options J has.
Now I want you to think what it would mean if there actually was an infinite number of timelines AND you had the ability to move between them.
I figured out how to jump between timelines, jumping from a flesh suit body on one timeline and jumping to my body on another timeline.
I have had the ability since I was 9 when I fell face first into a bonfire and quickly left that timeline/universe.
****
The last timeline it was at this point in time when I started to get into the cat theory, I found out he was a pedo (I do not know what I do not know).
So I jumped back and created my Mötley Cat Theory to avoid carrying that name into the future.
The Mötley Cat Theory
This theory is like a certain quantum cat theory put forth by a known pedophile, with some important differences. The cat is not in the box with a device that has a 50% chance of killing it. The cat is in a box with a device that can affect the cat in an infinite number of ways, setting an infinite number of states that the cat can be in.
Obeying quantum theory, the cat is every state until the box is opened and the state of the cat is known. The state of the cat when it is put in the box is not in question, it is set, constant and establishes the direction of the flow of time… from the known state of the cat to the unknown infinite states of the cat.
The box that the Mötley Cat is put in is what I was taught to call a “Black Box”. In science and engineering, the term black box refers to any complex device for which we know the inputs and outputs, but we do not know the how of the black box, as the inner workings of the black box is unknown.
The output of the black box are the timelines that come out, and I illuminate the ones we want. J bundles them and I am on the timeline heading towards the light.
I hope enough people can understand the Mötley Cat theory and hope my blatant theft of this theory from the pedo doesn't ruffle too many feathers. Mi scusi!
****
The first crossroads is the upcoming debt ceiling and the Quantum Outcomes that result from setting that cat's state. I am just looking at the lit timelines and seeing the easiest path.
I humbly propose we just raise the debt ceiling now to avoid any issues.
The second crossroads is the upcoming election fight between Biden and Trump in 2024.
I am trying to avoid chaos, and to try to keep everyone calm. I think my proposal will do that.
****
Welp, time to see what spawns from this as we all travel forward in time.
I would suggest before making big decisions you should sleep on it and see what J sends you.
****
I am hoping to use Reddit to communicate.
If you find me as you go down the rabbit hole and think I want to meet anyone, you are wrong.
I am asking to be left alone, just like I said months ago. I am a 55m with heart troubles.
It is a paradox, I want to be left alone, yet I had to talk.
Grrrr. Damn you irony! Please respect my wishes.

I'm at a loss. I had to move from my home town and state a year ago due to some serious family issues. I only had one or two close friends where I used to live, and now due to the distance we hardly talk to see eachother.
I can't afford a car at the moment and take the bus or my bike, and I work 7am to 3pm Monday through Friday. I tried jamming community college into the mix and all of the classes were online, I never had a chance to go to the campus.
No one in any of my classes seemed nice or promising because I'd never even met them or they were like 40+ year old women doing school later in life and whatnot.
I ended up having to drop it anyway because I couldn't juggle it on top of taking care of myself, apartment, and going to work.
I can't make friends at work either because I work in the kitchen of a private office building. I only have 3 coworkers, two of which are 60+ year old men.
I'm in kind of a cheap, run down city and there's not any nice cafés or shops or wherever I would think of meeting people. Anything remotely promising is 1+ hr by bus or just way out of the way. I looked at old posts in here saying try "community events" or things like yoga classes. I don't have the means to regularly do stuff like that hoping I get lucky.
I don't really know what to do. I don't know anyone here. I feel so isolated and I just want a girl friend to hang out with. I tried taking the bus to some college towns but the only people that approach me or seem to cross paths with me are guys that are looking to go out. I've been in a relationship for over a year with someone and I have to keep saying to these people that I'm not interested and it's just discouraging.
I see a lot of tips on the "how" to make friends here, and I can converse just fine. I just have absolutely no idea where to physically even start looking for someone to speak to.
Thanks

decided to do this cuz not only could i not find a guide but all i found was people saying it was impossible so i decided to give it a shot.
Pawlenty VP, cakewalk difficulty
split visits half and half with Florida and Ohio with maybe one more to Ohio as it will be the closest states.
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-1 I’d like to take a trip to Europe, meeting with NATO leaders to talk about Russia and giving the European Union my assurance that the United States is committed to collaborating on strengthening relations, and tackling current economic issues.
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-2 Governor Pawlenty has served as a lesson in good governance to us all. I’m mightily impressed with his administrative experience and excited to get to work crafting legislation with him at my side.
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-3 In 2008, it is clear that the American people want change. I will build upon the progress made in the last eight years, while working with both parties in Congress to forge a path ahead. My opponent claims he represents change, but his ideas of big government and raising taxes are just as old and out of touch as ever.
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-4 I’d rather not make a big deal of the endorsement; I’d be happy to let him endorse me, but tying my name to Bush so vocally might hurt our chances in the long run.
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-5 There’s no way we can compete with Obama’s celebrity status. Let him grab the attention for a bit, while we solidify our campaign organization, unveil specific policy planks, and continue to spread the message that I am the experienced, capable candidate who can lead our nation in troubled times.
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-6 There’s no point trying to compete with Obama’s celebrity online. What we can do is outrun him on television. I want to be hitting the swing states hard with advertisements. We can lock up the older voters in a way Obama can’t.
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-7 Only if that’s what it takes to defeat the terrorists. My number one priority is creating the conditions to get American soldiers home, and those conditions are safety at home and safety abroad.
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-8 I don’t want to get too much into the policy, what we need to focus on is the message. Voters need to know that in times like these, experienced and capable leadership will see us through the worst crises.
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-9 (achievement question) We should have broken up these monopolistic corporations years ago and brought the financial sector closer to the people. Too big to fail is too big to exist. How many Americans will suffer at the hands of this Bush-made crisis before they realize the folly of capitalism?
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-10 It’s time to set politics aside. I’m suspending my campaign for the time being, and going to Washington to help negotiate a bailout. I invite Senator Obama to do the same, so we can focus on making a deal for the American people.
(5201) (if youre like me and you didnt know, right click on questions and hit inspect element to see the code value for every question so you can pick the best debate answers)
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-11 I’d like to take some time, maybe an ad spot or two, to specifically target the people who are spreading these lies, disavow them and disprove them. We need to come together as Americans, and we’ll reach out to the Obama campaign to make it happen.
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-12 We expected this attack to be made. His answer wasn’t perfect, but we’d be best served by moving on and forgetting all about it. Let’s shift the focus back to the issues ahead of the debate and stick to the message during it.
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-13 Obama is too dangerous for America. I want that to be the message we’re putting out -- on the internet, on the television, everywhere. I want a massive robocall campaign to hammer the point home: we don’t know the real Barack Obama.
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-14 I plan to revolutionize health care. By deregulating individual insurance markets so people can get covered across state lines, we can provide a tax credit of up to $5000 to offset the cost of insurance. Senator Obama will impose a mandate that will hurt small businesses immeasurably.
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-15 We need to turn the tables. Let’s release an ad highlighting his disrespect for our troops in Afghanistan, and how he voted to cut off their funding, increasing the risk to their lives. Obama is too dangerous for America.
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-16 No ma’am. He’s a decent family man - a citizen, that I just happen to have disagreements with on fundamental issues, that’s what this campaign is all about - he’s not.
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-17 I do support closing the center at Guantanamo, and I certainly oppose the use of torture against detainees. All that we have accomplished through maintaining these policies is providing more recruits to al-Qaeda.
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-18 His age isn’t an issue, but his experience is. We have a lifetime of political and military experience to capitalize on here. Obama lacks any of that, and is dangerously unqualified to handle the problems we face.
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-19 I believe climate change is a serious issue, and if you look at my record, you can see I’ve taken it very seriously. We need to innovate in nuclear, solar, wind and ethanol, and as President I will work to achieve a 65% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050.
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-20 I would support peoples’ rights to enter into legal agreements, for insurance and other areas. The unique status of marriage should be retained between a man and a woman. I don’t, however, support a federal ban.
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-21 Yes, I believe Roe should be overturned. I would support a constitutional amendment banning abortion in all cases outside rape, incest and risk to the mother.
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-22 We need to increase our energy independence. The best way to do this is to expand offshore drilling making new investments in electric cars and nuclear energy. I oppose a windfall profits tax, unlike Senator Obama.
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-23 Wright is off the table. Any such attack would smack of desperation and racism at a time when we should be coming together. I do not want to be seen as a racist candidate. We’ll stick to the issues and our other attacks.
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-24 The many crises facing our nation demand a steady hand. I may not be able to reach above my head, but I will reach across the aisle to make sure both parties are united in working for the American people. Let’s come together, and bring the right kind of change to our beloved country.
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-25 Ohio and Indiana are going to decide this election. We’re going to blitz Cleveland, Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Dayton, before one final rally in Fort Wayne.
I tried this strategy 4 times and won all but one so it shouldn't be too RNG heavy.
You don't need to campaign in Colorado as you get 270 exactly without it but you can totally win it even without visiting it
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Not impossible! hope this helps!

Some background: I was born in Punjab, and emigrated to the U.S while really young. My family was fearful after the 1984 Anti-Sikh riots and were fortunate to gain entry. I'm not religious, borderline agnostic.
At this time, Punjab faces unprecedented silencing. It's an interesting notion to see a country that labels itself as the world's largest democracy result to silencing over 27 million people, as well as arresting without due process under the colonial-era law of NSA. It seems to circumvent the extrajudicial process.
I'm fluent in Punjabi and I can speak/understand Hindi well. So I've seen interviews of BJP members who are supported by the RSS (which was modeled after the Nazi and Italian Fascist Parties). In these interviews, they regard Sikhism as a sub-sect of Hinduism. There are countless other indications in Punjab that show the attempts of assimilation under one religion.
From everything that my remaining extended family in Punjab has told me, Amritpal went around and simply discussed his desire to get Punjabis off of drugs and onto the path of religion. I've watched his full interviews.
Even Deep Sidhu and Sidhu Moosewala suspiciously died only around the time they began to speak about injustices.
There are talks of a separatist movement, and it's possible that I may be wrong. I hope you all can educate me. But Sikhs have asked for equal protected rights, representation, and autonomy. Which India has repeatedly ignored. We've seen what happens to Muslims and Christians.
If a separate state isn't granted, how do you propose fixing the issues plaguing India? Because India has, throughout the past century, proven that it can't be trusted to help persecuted minorities.
Amnesty International 2022 Report
I'm curious to learn here so I may ask follow-up questions.

A California Senate committee has approved a bill to legalize possession of certain psychedelics and facilitated use of the substances.
The legislation from Sen. Scott Wiener (D), which was refiled in December after a more expansive version was derailed last session, cleared the Senate Public Safety Committee in a 3-1 vote on Tuesday and next heads to the Appropriations Committee.
Meanwhile, a Republican lawmaker recently filed a new, narrower Assembly bill aimed at providing access to psychedelic therapy for military veterans. It hasn’t yet been scheduled for any committee action.
The broader measure that is advancing would legalize the “possession, preparation, obtaining, transfer, as specified, or transportation of” specific amounts of psilocybin, psilocyn, DMT, ibogaine and mescaline for personal or facilitated use. Notably, “synthetic” psychedelics like LSD and MDMA would not be legalized, unlike the provisions of the previous version of Wiener’s legislation.
Beside personal possession being legalized, the bill would also specifically provide for “group counseling and community-based healing” involving the entheogenic substances.
It would also repeal state law prohibiting “any spores or mycelium capable of producing mushrooms or other material which contain psilocybin or psilocyn.” The state ban on drug paraphernalia for the covered substances would also be eliminated under the legislation.
“These are not addictive drugs. And these are drugs that have significant potential in helping people to navigate and to become healthy who are experiencing mental health, challenges substance use challenges,” Wiener said at Tuesday’s hearing.
“We know that cities in California and elsewhere have passed resolutions to categorize enforcement of these particular criminal laws as the lowest law enforcement priority,” he said. “This is an important step for California. This is about making sure that people have access to substances that they need that are not addictive.”
Witnesses who testified in favor of the legislation include representatives of the Heroic Hearts Project, the California Public Defenders Association, the City of West Hollywood, a clinical psychologist, a harm reduction expert, a nurse practitioner facing deportation over psychedelics possession and more. Opponents include the California District Attorneys Association and the San Diego district attorneys office.
The prior version of the legislation passed the full Senate and cleared two Assembly committees before Wiener decided to pull it from consideration once its main provisions were gutted by a third Assembly panel.
The new bill contains at least two key changes from the measure that advanced last session.
First, is excludes synthetic psychedelics like LSD and MDMA from the list of substances that would be legalized and focuses only on those that are derived from plants or fungi.
When the prior version of the legislation was in jeopardy near the end of the 2022 session, Wiener sought to make a deal to save it by removing synthetics in an attempt to shift law enforcement organizations from being opposed to neutral on the bill. That move was opposed by advocates and ultimately did not produce a passable proposal.
Peyote is also excluded from the bill’s legalized substances list, which is responsive to concerns raised by some advocates and indigenous groups about the risks of over-harvesting the vulnerable cacti that’s been ceremonially used.
Under the second major change to the bill from last year’s version, it no longer includes a provision mandating a study to explore future reforms. The senator had said that the study language was unnecessary given the high volume of research that’s already been done and continues to be conducted.
The “allowable amount” section of the bill prescribes the following psychedelics possession limits:
DMT—2 grams
Ibogaine—15 grams
Psilocybin—2 grams, or up to 4 ounces of “a plant or fungi containing psilocybin”
Psilocyn—2 grams, or up to 4 ounces of “a plant or fungi containing psilocyn.”
Meanwhile, a separate bill from Assemblymember Marie Waldron (R) was introduced last month to legalize psychedelics-assisted therapy for military veterans.
Specifically, it would allow licensed clinical counselors to administer controlled substances—including but not limited to psilocybin, MDMA, LSD, ketamine and ibogaine—to veterans for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury or addiction.
People who receive the treatment would need to go through a minimum of 30 sessions each lasting at least 12 hours, with at least two two counselors present for each session.
Advocates are optimistic about the prospect of Wiener’s psychedelics legalization bill this round. Not only have California lawmakers had more time to consider the proposal since its original introduction, but there’s significantly more momentum behind psychedelics reform this session as lawmakers in states across the country across the country work to tackle the issue.
Just last week, a Minnesota House committee took up a bill to establish a task force to study and advise on the potential legalization of psychedelics like psilocybin, MDMA and ibogaine.
Texas lawmakers recently filed a series of new bills aimed at promoting and expanding psychedelics research in the state.
This month, the Oklahoma House of Representatives approved a bill to promote research into the therapeutic potential of psilocybin while providing legal protections against prosecution for people with eligible conditions who possess the psychedelic.
Also this month, a Rhode Island House committee held a hearing on a bill that would remove penalties for the use and possession of psilocybin and allow the home cultivation of psychedelic mushrooms for personal use.
The Washington State Senate recently passed a bill to create a task force supporting research into psilocybin and develop a pathway for legal access to the psychedelic.
Hawaii’s Senate and House passed three psychedelics research bills earlier this month.
Missouri lawmakers also cleared a GOP-led bill in committee this month to facilitate research into the therapeutic potential of certain psychedelics such as psilocybin, MDMA and ketamine.
Those are just a few examples of the types of reforms that legislators across the country are considering this session.
An analysis published in an American Medical Association journal last year concluded that a majority of states will legalize psychedelics by 2037, based on statistical modeling of policy trends.
A national poll published this month found that a majority of U.S. voters support legal access to psychedelics therapy and back federally decriminalizing substances like psilocybin and MDMA.

Dear Complete-Light-2909,
I really did not mean to not respond. It's just that I get busy, especially during the weekdays. I switch jobs at the end of the month so I am pushing extra hard on two ends. But I think you deserve responses to your points. But can we take just one point at a time?
About the homelessness issue here's a sample of what you wrote:

Fair enough. But to be clear the questions I posed about the organization with helping the homeless and the hungry will not be answered?
Maybe you die hards should start helping the starving folks instead of lining the pockets of a corrupt and cult organization.

I feel we did touch on it, but maybe not as thoroughly as you wanted. Dignitynduty had some thoughts. I also addressed it here (scroll down until you hit the section starting with "Since starting to chant...").
I know very little about the SGI in Japan. My perspective on the SGI-USA is basically from what I see in my district, occasional Zoom meetings at the chapter or region level, and publications. My entire practice has been through the pandemic lockdown so my experience is very different from yours. Also I think you raised a fair point when you said that there's a big difference between practicing in LA and in the rural heartland.
May I continue to respond to your question through a personal lens? As you acknowledged, in April my wife and I start our third year of practice. But just on March 5th we celebrated our first year anniversary of receiving our Gohonzon and becoming formal SGI members. "May Contributions" starts in a few weeks and the requirement is you have to be a member for one full year before formally participating through your portal (although we have sent in monthly checks by mail and they were never returned). Finally, we are eligible to participate.
As a family we are proud that we donate to a lot of causes. We donate regularly to the Red Cross disaster efforts both in the United States and abroad. Our favorite cause is the local Ukrainian Center and they provide financial and material support to their homeland. We contribute funds, boxes of goods (very much like what your children do), and one of us does hours of both volunteer and paid work.
Let me join these two strands of thought. When it comes to helping important problems--like homelessness, starvation, and disasters-- our choice is to go through an organization like the American Red Cross that knows exactly the best way to do this. This should be our choice. The SGI-USA organization has another purpose totally and we back that 100%. So I don't think that "start helping the starving folks" is a fair criticism.
As far as "lining the pockets of a corrupt and cult organization" goes, the SGI USA has a lot of expenses. We have many (I read somewhere over a hundred) activity centers that require rent, utilities, and upkeep. Each year we are building more centers. Where we live, depending on traffic and weather, it can take two to three hours to get to one. Everyone here is chanting that we can have a center much closer to us. (That is not just a funding decision, we have to raise enough people to sustain one.) We have a gorgeous Conference Center in Florida which we hope to attend someday. There are many staff members who deserve decent salaries and benefits. We have a wonderful online footprint and publications that must be paid for.
With all of these expenses, I simply don't see where the modest contributions my family and others make can stretch far enough to "line the pockets" of anything or anyone.
I hope you can accept these comments as sincere attempts to address your concern at least partially. It's the best I can do from my standpoint. Sorry but I have to run and start my day.

Fedilemma
Leading up to the Federal Reserve's March 21-22 monetary policy meeting, traders had been expecting the FOMC to ratchet up its key interest rate by 50 basis points because the economy appeared to be surprisingly robust. But then three U.S. banks failed - Silvergate Capital (SI), SVB (SIVB) and Signature Bank (SBNY) - and a fourth is teetering (check out the latest headlines related to First Republic (FRC)). That may have Fed policymakers rethinking their expectation for a rate hike today and their upcoming rate path, while the whole episode came during the Fed's blackout period, creating even more uncertainty about what may lie ahead.
Backdrop: As a reminder, the Fed has increased its key rate for eight straight meetings, bringing the federal funds rate target range to 4.50%-4.75%, from 0.0%-0.25% in the past year, in its drive to push down inflation. Meanwhile, the core PCE price index, the central bank's preferred inflation gauge, showed a jump of 4.7% Y/Y in February, up from 4.6% in January, but easing from 5.2% in March 2022. Don't forget that efforts to shrink the bank's balance sheet were upended last week, as financial institutions borrowed a whopping $153B from the Fed's discount window (and $12B from the newly created Bank Term Funding Program), though assets from emergency lending tend to fall as soon as a crisis subsides, compared to holdings added under quantitative easing.
With regards to whether to hike or not, the decision won't be easy. Inflation still remains very high and a pause now could signal there are deeper problems within the banking system. On the other hand, there are fears that the Fed is moving too far, too fast with its aggressive rate increases, and some see the current banking crisis as a direct result of tighter monetary policy. Ultimately, things will boil down to whether the financial stability problem has been limited to a handful of regional banks that has been successfully contained, or if something systematic has broken - with the possibility of the crisis morphing into something larger.
By the numbers: According to the latest Wall Street Breakfast survey, around 70% of the 1,740 respondents expect the central bank to go for a smaller 25 basis point hike, though 20% believe that the Fed will pause its hiking cycle (and about 10% still see the possibility of a 50 bps increase). Any surprises will surely jolt markets, so pay attention to the Fed's dot plot - which will be published alongside its policy decision at 2 PM ET - as well as Jerome Powell's press conference a half hour later. SA contributor James Baker expects the central bank chair to "emphasize the continuing strength in the employment, the Fed's intention to make money available to any bank needing funds to meet deposit withdrawals, and the Fed's continuing commitment to bring inflation down." (84 comments)
Deposit runs
U.S. officials are prepared to take more actions if needed to ensure liquidity in the banking sector, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said yesterday during an American Bankers Association meeting in Washington, D.C. She defended federal regulators' actions to protect the depositors of Silicon Valley Bank (SIVB) and Signature Bank (SBNY), saying "our intervention was necessary to protect the broader U.S. banking system." While conditions have improved with aggregate outflows stabilizing, "similar actions could be warranted if smaller institutions suffer deposit runs that pose the risk of contagion." Yellen also cited a need to re-examine current regulatory and supervisory regimes, and expressed worries over a last-minute deal to resolve the debt ceiling. (3 comments)
Meet Bard
Google (GOOG, GOOGL) has released its artificial intelligence chatbot for public use as it responds to the growing threat from rival projects at Microsoft (MSFT) and OpenAI. The Bard chatbot will be available to a limited number of users on a waitlist picked from those in the U.S. and the U.K., before Google offers it in more countries. The company is also learning from missteps of OpenAI's ChatGPT and its own demonstration of Bard, by limiting the amount of interaction that can occur between Bard and users. Calling the situation a "code red" in February, Google AI chief Jeff Dean said the tech giant was moving "more conservatively than a small startup" since it has much more "reputational risk" in providing erroneous information. (31 comments)
Earnings swoosh
Shares of Nike (NKE) jumped 4% in after-hours trading on Tuesday after topping earnings expectations and touting inventory management actions. However, the gains didn't hold, and the stock even ended the session down 2%. Management noted continued promotional activity that compressed margins by 330 basis points to 43.3% - disappointing against a 43.7% consensus expectation - and the sneaker giant said it would "continue to take a cautious approach in planning our business, leading with intentional financial and operational guardrails." Inventories were also up 16% to $8.9B compared with the year-ago period, while China continues to remain a sore spot for Nike, with sales declining 8% Y/Y across the region. (22 comments)
Today's Markets
In Asia, Japan +1.9%. Hong Kong +1.7%. China +0.3%. India +0.2%. In Europe, at midday, London -0.1%. Paris +0.3%. Frankfurt +0.5%. Futures at 6:30, Dow flat. S&P -0.1%. Nasdaq -0.2%. Crude -0.4% to $69.41. Gold +0.3% to $1947.20. Bitcoin +0.3% to $28,205. Ten-year Treasury Yield unchanged at 3.60%
Today's Economic Calendar
7:00 MBA Mortgage Applications 10:30 EIA Petroleum Inventories 2:00 PM FOMC Announcement 2:30 PM Chairman Press Conference
Companies reporting earnings today »
What else is happening...
Sticker shock: UK inflation rate unexpectedly rebounds to 10.4%.
PIMCO said to lose $340M from Credit Suisse (CS) AT1 debt writeoff.
GameStop (GME) surges after meme player records a surprise profit.
DWAC on watch with Trump expected to be formally indicted today.
Vote of confidence ahead of court ruling on SEC-(XRP-USD) case.
Ford (F) brings an all-electric Explorer to European markets.
Dodge (STLA) unveils its last super-fast gasoline muscle car.
Intel (INTC) shakes up leadership, announces new foundry leader.
These stocks are picking up Bed Bath & Beyond's (BBBY) lost market share.
Home improvement? Check out the latest housing stats on sales and prices.

I (F55) have had this FWB relationship with a man (M51) for over two years. He told me from day one it's just a "Friends with Benefits", does not want a serious relationship right now. At the same time he meets a woman (from his country) while he is there visiting his sick father. She's a cancer doctor, young, pretty and they hit it off and they become boyfriend/girlfriend. I found out by seeing a post on FB. He made up this ridiculous story and I believed him. As of Nov 2020, they are engaged. She lives in another country and he lives here in the states. I see him about 2-3 times a week, just for sex. Yes, I am aware of his relationship status with this girl, but I keep seeing him. We've gotten to know each other on a personal level, and have great conversations. Over and over again he tells me that he doesn't plan on marrying her until he retires, in about 10 years. I have been back and forth back and forth on how and why I am doing this to myself. The longer I am with him, the more it's going to hurt when he does marry her, to which I told him that will be the end for us. He is getting ready to spend over a week with her...she is coming to the states to be with him. It kills me knowing she gets the relationship and connection I crave - fun, passion, intimacy, his full attention, love, and all that comes with a full blown relationship. Yes, I'm jealous. But once she leaves, it's back to having only sex (FWB) with me and clearly there isn't much of the Friends part. There is a lot of other details that come with this story. One other thing, I have been dealing with female problems since I met him and as of today, I had a scare of possibly having cervical cancer. Thank God that its not cancer, but I am having to go through a stressful time and constantly worrying about my health; which stems from both of us having unprotected sex from the very beginning. That's on both of us. I know I need to break it off with him. But I can't...or don't want to honestly. I'm broken physically and mentally and I don't know how to fix me. Therapy is too expensive. I have exposed my situation to a few friends, they give me advice and at the same time support me. I need help!

Hi!
My last company ended my contract last November, and I am actively looking for a new position. I have been sending out CVs with occasional cover letters, but I have not had a single interview so far. Unfortunately, there aren't any junior positions available in my home country of Hungary, nor are there any remote positions available in the EU. However, I continue to send out my applications and have been getting rejected all the time, but mostly ghosted.
Previously, I worked for a small agency in Copenhagen for about a year and spent my internship there for four months. Before that, I made money with freelance gigs, such as creating WordPress sites and web shops with WooCommerce. Although these experiences are not directly relevant to a full-stack position, I have had a few full-stack projects for Hungarian SMBs in the last two years, including shipping a web3 project last December. Unfortunately, I can't really showcase these projects as most of them are obsolete or no longer active.
I think my CV is getting rejected everywhere because, according to my "real-world" job experience, I only have about one year, and my freelance experience is being neglected. It seems like it's just a sad way to add another one to two years to my experience.
How can I highlight my freelance work and make it look more professional? I only have one code I can show, a full-stack project written two years ago. I have an idea to write an article about "revisiting" my old code and discussing what and how I would change it today. However, I doubt that any Hrecruiter will read it after checking my CV.
Here is the work experience section in my CV:
Frontend developer at X - Aug 2021 - Nov 2022

• Refactored and enhanced legacy codebase and created new pages and reusable components in Vue.
• Merged multiple app instances into a SPA and removed a handful of technical debt while also improving the overall speed and UX.
• Implemented a global state management system with Vuex and enhanced data fetching and handling throughout the application.
• Created new API endpoints in Django and refactored current ones to better suit the front end using Python.
• Worked remotely in the last couple months

Freelance Web Developer - 2017 - 2021

• Created a full-stack web application using Next.js on the front end with ChakraUI and GraphQL with Prisma on the backend. Designed a database and used PostgreSQL and deployed it to a VPS via Docker Compose.
• Contributed advice and web services leveraging WordPress and WooCommerce for SMBs.

Summary

• Stanford's Alpaca is a lot cheaper to train ($600) and almost as good as ChatGPT. AI models just got super accessible.
• Google and Microsoft will add AI in their Gdocs/Word, Sheets/Excel, Slides/Powerpoint, etc rendering many recent SaaS obsolete.
• Bard released to limited users. Underwhelms users with its lack of creativity.
• GPT-4 can understand images, excels at human exams, better at avoiding inappropriate responses.
• UK govt investing 900 million Euros in BritGPT to counter China.
• Baidu gave a presentation about its Ernie Chatbot. Pre-recorded responses disappoint users. Share prices fall.
• Apple looking to launch its own LLM chatbot.
• Amazon working on AlexaTM, a language model like ChatGPT.
• Midjourney's V5 is much more vibrant, realistic, and better at hands.
• Bing releases free Image Creator based on Dall-E.
• As AI image generators get better, potential for new startups to come up in AI storytelling space.

Read this post with AI-generated visuals in my newsletter.

Stanford's Alpaca

Stanford researchers have unveiled an artificial intelligence (AI) model that performs almost at par with ChatGPT but cost them only $600 to train.
Alpaca is a seven-billion parameter variant of Meta’s LLaMA. It was fine-tuned using 52,000 instructions generated by GPT-3.5 (ChatGPT). (Much like the way, human testers were used to fine-tune ChatGPT, Stanford used the model behind ChatGPT to train their Alpaca AI.)
In tests, Alpaca performed comparably to OpenAI’s model but produced more hallucinations.
Alpaca is significant because it proved that building and training new AI models can be insanely cheap.
This could potentially enable more people, including bad actors, to create new cheap models.
It also shows once you make your model public, even without revealing its code, it can be used to build better models by competitors (like using ChatGPT to instruct Alpaca while training).
Could this make companies like OpenAI, Google, and Microsoft even more aggressive in guarding their proprietary tech?
On the plus side, the future where you will be able to train your own ChatGPT-like AI using your own computer just got closer.

AI In Google Workspace and Microsoft 365

Both companies have indicated that AI will be heavily incorporated into their apps. Google showed visuals of their AI being used in Gdocs to write full articles, in Sheets to write formulae, and in Slides to generate complete presentations with text and AI-generated images.
Microsoft's demo was better. They showed their AI tools live in action. Their Copilot AI will be available across apps like Word, Presentation, Excel, etc, and will be able to aggregate data about any topic across these apps to answer questions, plan meetings, generate responses, etc. Copilot will also be able to take live notes in meetings and recap the discussion done so far.
While this means a massive boost to our productivity, it also spells the death of many SaaS companies built around providing GPT-based features in these apps. Even tools like Jasper might be rendered obsolete.

Bard's Limited Release

Google has started rolling out its AI chatbot Bard, but it is only available to certain users in US and UK and they have to be over the age of 18.
The initial response to Bard has been lukewarm with users complaining that is much inferior to Bing Chat. It demonstrates less creativity and is prone to more mathematical errors. In fact, a button to "Google It" appears after every response of the bot, as if an indicator of its own insecurity.
It is seemingly faster than Bing but that's likely due to a smaller model. A smaller model would also explain its poor performance.

OpenAI Unveils GPT-4

GPT-4 is multimodal, meaning that it accepts both text and image inputs. It is better and safer than ChatGPT.
Some of its demo'ed abilities:

• GPT-4 can understand hand-drawn mockups and convert them into working website code.
• It can analyze complex documents like tax codes but also perform accurate maths besides citing appropriate laws and principles to calculate tax.
• GPT-4 also outperforms GPT 3.5 in human exams like Bar, SAT, and GRE (scoring in the 90th percentile vs ChatGPT's 10th percentile) and has a much longer contextual memory.

It’s only available in the ChatGPT Plus paid subscription and via an API waitlist. Bing chat has also been using an early version of GPT-4 for the past 5 weeks.
I am curious about the results we could get if Alpaca is trained using a bigger LLama model and fine-tuned with GPT-4.

Global AI Race Begins

The UK government is investing £900m in the supercomputer as part of an artificial intelligence strategy that includes ensuring the country can build its own “BritGPT”. The aim is to counter China’s AI influence and to ensure that the UK remains competitive in the field of AI.

Google's PaLM and Makersuite

Google Cloud has announced that its artificial intelligence (AI)-powered applications, such as the Pathways Language Model (PaLM) API for language models and the Makersuite prototyping tool, are now available to developers.
Google Makersuite is a prototyping environment to test and improve ideas for generative AI applications. It is an app that augments the PaLM API with ways to engineer prompts, produce synthetic data, and customize the fine-tuning of a model.
With MakerSuite, developers can iterate on prompts, augment their dataset with synthetic data, and easily tune custom models.

Baidu's Ernie

Ernie is a natural language processing (NLP) deep-learning model developed by Baidu, a Chinese multinational technology company. The model contains 10B parameters and achieved a new state-of-the-art score on the SuperGLUE benchmark, outperforming the human baseline score.
Ernie is likely to enjoy a significant market advantage on its home turf over U.S.-made products, due to both China’s own drive for technological self-sufficiency and the country’s strict internet censorship. However, its demo was a lackluster presentation with pre-recorded responses.

Apple's Foray Into LLMs

Apple is rumored to be developing an AI to rival ChatGPT. The New York Times report claims that Apple recently conducted an internal event focused on generative AI content and large language models (LLM), which are the neural networks that power chatbots like ChatGPT. Apple has a huge cash reserve and with their track-record of delivering highly intuitive products, it will be exciting to see what they do in the field of AI.

Amazon’s AlexaTM

Amazon’s AlexaTM 20B model has been in the news recently. It is a 20-billion-parameter sequence-to-sequence (seq2seq) language model that exhibits state-of-the-art performance. The model is now available for non-commercial use to aid the development and evaluation of multilingual large language models (LLMs).
The model is also available in Amazon SageMaker JumpStart, SageMaker’s machine learning hub. And has shown competitive performance on common NLP tasks and benchmarks (SuperGLUE and XNLI).

Midjourney Releases V5

Midjourney v5 brings with it improved “efficiency, coherency, and quality,” Midjourney said on its website. V5 now responds with a “much wider stylistic range” than version 4, while also being more sensitive to prompting, generating less unwanted text, and offering a 2x increase in image resolution.
Midjourney v5 can generate realistic human hands fairly well, which was a problem with previous versions. It also generated believable portraits of humans and people in natural poses. Will it take away opportunities away from small-time models and graphic designers?

Microsoft's Bing AI Image Creator

Microsoft has given its AI image generator its own dedicated Bing Create site. Bing Image Creator is powered by an advanced version of OpenAI’s DALL-E model and performs surprisingly well even with natural language inputs. The images are free to create and the more descriptive you are, the better output you get.
I am particularly excited about the use of AI image generation in storytelling. There's potential for new startups to come up in this space that use AI-generated stories, and combine it with AI visuals, and AI voice-overs for realistic and personalized storytelling experiences.
That's all the AI news I found interesting this month. Please share your feedback and thoughts in the comments.

I did a money diary this exact week last year about signing the offer letter for the company I work at now. I ended up getting a 5K COL adjustment (62k > 67k) once I moved to Philly. I expressed in the previous journal that I was worried about my taxes since I moved states and work for an NYC company from PA. As many suggested in the comments, it ended up being pretty simple (I used FreeTaxUSA).
SECTION ONE: ASSETS AND DEBT
Retirement Balance - $31,400. A mix of Roth IRA, 401(k), and traditional brokerage.
Equity - N/A
Savings account balance - $11,600 in Emergency Funds; $7,500 in a HYSA that I saved up during college and will use to pay off my student loans when payments resume this summer. Because of this, I consider myself debt free.
Checking account balance - $900; I had a $600 sinking fund for my food/shopping/entertainment in Paris, but I got $300 in cash birthday gifts.
Credit card debt (and how you accumulated it) - $0; I pay my cards off regularly.
Student loan debt - $7,500 for a Political Science and Social Policy Degree with a minor in English. I got a full-tuition scholarship, but had small gaps in aid during my first two years because my school required underclassmen to have on-campus housing and a meal plan.
—
SECTION TWO: INCOME
Income Progression: I’ve been at this job 9 months, make $67k, and it’s great. The people, the work, the benefits. It’s my first post-college, salaried position. I have pretty much no complaints about it and am hoping to get a merit raise during our summer evaluations.
Main Job Monthly Take Home: $3,400 (paid semi-monthly)
$1200/mo in total taxes (fed, state, local, SSI/med); $1000/mo to 401(k); Employer pays 100% of health premiums.
No other income currently, no parental contributions, etc.
—
SECTION THREE: EXPENSES (my portions, I live with a roommate)
Rent - $750/mo. Renewing in May; hoping it stays the same or doesn’t increase dramatically
Retirement/Investment contribution - $540/mo to Roth IRA (401(k) contributions detailed in the Income section).
Savings contribution - $460/mo to sinking funds, $200/mo to General Savings/Emergency Fund
Debt payments - None besides regular payments to my cards
Donations - $80/mo to whatever feels right
Food - ~$500/mo ($300 groceries + <$200 dining out)
Electric - $75/mo
Wifi - $65/mo
Cellphone - $300/yr (Mint Mobile)
Renter’s Insurance - $100/yr
Subscriptions - $8/mo; $7 for Apple Music and $1 for iCloud Storage
Annual Subscriptions - $380/yr; $190 for Credit Card Annual Fees; $165 for ScentBird Subscription; $25 for Google Storage
Gym Membership - $10/mo; $50/yr for Annual Membership Fee
I started on a health journey last June (lost 50+ lbs!). Back then, I was in search of any kind of fitness that I would enjoy and actually go to. I ended up getting a $190/mo membership (2 classes/wk) to a RUMBLE (HIIT Boxing) studio and went 2x a week from June - Nov. In December, I bought a flat-fee holiday package that made my classes cheaper ($19/cls vs $23/cls) and more flexible, so I froze my subscription and got a 30 class package.
In January, I started strength training 4x/wk at Planet Fitness and went down to 1x/week at RUMBLE. I love my current routine, but PF and RUMBLE are both a 35 min walk from my house, and I go to the gym early in the morning. So, I’m considering joining the closer (<10 min walk), but more expensive ($72/mo) gym soon.
I’m still slowly burning through the RUMBLE holiday package and plan to cancel my subscription. I’m hoping they do a summer sale so I can buy another class package. If not, I’ll just buy classes ad hoc after I run out.
No pet, car, or therapy expenses currently.
—
SECTION FOUR: MONEY/TRAVEL DIARY
ACCOMMODATIONS
The flight and accommodations for this flight were booked in September after getting an email from Going (formerly Scott’s Cheap Flights) about $500 tickets to Paris the exact weekend of my birthday. I stayed in a Sonder that I also booked back in September for about $480. I bought a $30, 5 GB international eSIM from Airalo. I was able to post on social media, send iMessages, and check my bank accounts with no problems and no extra data needed.
​
Day 1
Today is payday and the beginning of my week off. I clear my credit cards, invest my Roth deposit, and go to the gym.
After the gym, I pick up last minute toiletries ($45.35) and plane snacks ($21.48). I end up on a wild goose chase looking for a Universal Adapter ($34.39), so I get McDonald's (I wanted a Shamrock Shake) while I’m out ($9.15 - this feels expensive for McDonald's?)
My mom gives me a call around 8pm and asks if I’ve checked my bank account. Today was payday, so I had, but not since early that morning. She gifted me $200! After, I spend three hours retwisting my locs and go to bed around midnight.
Day 1 Spend - $108.37
​
Day 2
Today is Sims 4 Expansion Pack (and flight to Paris) day! I can’t install the game until 1PM ET. Lame.I do one last check to ensure I have everything I need, transfer my Paris Sinking Fund ($600) into my checking account, and then play the Sims to pass the time. At 4, I take the Regional Rail to the airport.
I breeze through TSA and read Another Country by James Baldwin until boarding begins. Upon boarding, I’m stopped and informed that my carry-on is “too big.” They were clearly picking people at random to move their bags because as the woman walked down the jet bridge with my bag, she rolled it past a man who had the exact same suitcase as me in another color. Annoying.
They don’t give me a chance to take out my laptop and snacks, this is my first time traveling internationally, I triple checked the sizing requirements, so this stressed me out. I was terrified of my bag getting lost. I vent to my best friend about the bag situation; she helps me calm down. Once we’re airborne, I spend the next 6 hours rotating between reading, watching Wakanda Forever, and listening to music.
Day 2 Spend - $0
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Day 3 (my birthday!)
We land in Dublin at 8am, and I activate my international eSIM. I see my older brother gifted me $100 via Cash App. Even though it was just a quick layover, being in Ireland on St. Patrick’s Day made me happy. The Irish were teeming with happiness and excitement. I board my second flight and land in Paris at 1pm, finally am reunited with my bag, and get to the section of town I’m staying in via train ($12.18).
While I wait for a friend to arrive on the train from London, I try French McDonalds per the recommendation of my best friend ($14.95 - seriously, why the hell is McDonalds so expensive?)
Friend arrives and we explore Paris! We then stop at a bakery, I grab a pain au chocolat ($1.60) and slip into a bar nearby. My friend lets everyone know it’s my birthday, and they buy us lots of rounds of shots and drinks. My friend closes the tab for the couple of drinks we actually ordered, and we head to a club that’s having a St. Patrick’s Day party around the corner.
I later try to redeem my Starbucks birthday item, but the barista gently lets me know it’s not valid in France. However, he throws in a free refresher and my friend buys me a blueberry muffin. We head back to the hotel so I can freshen up and change into my birthday dress. We take a nap and head back out for the night on the train ($8.96 RT for 2). We have dinner at a delicious restaurant, which my friend pays for.
Our last stop of the night is an Afro-Caribbean spot that has great music and friendly staff. I tell the bartender it’s my birthday and ask for a drink recommendation. He makes some spicy concoction in a gold bowl with peppers. It’s quite delicious but is strong and makes my nose run! The staff gifts me at least two more shots, and I decide to call it quits on alcohol for the night after that. We dance and laugh the night away with the friendly staff, and I pick up the tab before we leave ($27.81).
Day 3 Spend - $65.50
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Day 4
My friend has been teasing a surprise and finally reveals it’s Disneyland! I laugh and realize I hadn’t disclosed the rest of my itinerary — I have a Disneyland reservation for Monday (after my friends went home)! However, I booked a non-park hopper ticket for Walt Disney Studios, so I’m excited to be able to experience them both thanks to my friend!
We had a late, drunk night last night so we started the day a bit late. Grabbed a quick brunch ($6.74) and head to Chessy via the train ($19.68). We got Premier Access (skip the line/lightning lane) for a handful of rides ($79.15), I bought some Stitch merch ($21.39), and we got ice cream ($5.35).
After a few hours at Disney, we head back to Paris to meet up with one of my friends from college who also lives in London. He’s a hyperextrovert and is ready to hit the town immediately. We wanted to go to the Eiffel Tower, but missed the last bus and grabbed dinner nearby ($89.96). My friend from high school started feeling a bit sick, so she went back to the hotel and my college buddy and I spend the night bar hopping, dancing, chatting, and eating until 3am ($37.44).
Day 4 Spend - $259.71
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Day 5
Both friends head back to London today but at different times. I start the day a bit late after saying goodbye to my high school friend.
My college friend and I grab breakfast at a nearby restaurant ($41.18). After that, we head out to explore an area of the city near the train station so it’s easy for him to board the 5pm train. We grab some pastries and a baguette ($11.66) and set out to explore. We saw the lock bridge, Arc de Triomphe, took goofy photos, visited the Notre Dame restoration exhibit, and danced alongside a drum parade.
On the walk back to my room, I check my email to see I missed the Eiffel Tower climbing tour I scheduled back in September. I go back to the room, let my phone charge, and pay a fee to reschedule the tour ($10.70). I head out to see the Eiffel and other tourists sites via a Sundown Seine river cruise ($8.99 for 4 bus tickets).
After a few hours, I’m beat and head back to the Sonder. I got a Poke Bowl from a French/Hawaiian/Sushi fusion place we passed by last night and some chicken wings ($22.89). I spend the rest of the night relaxing.
Day 5 Spend - $95.42
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Day 6
I really want to sleep in, but the Climbing tour doesn’t allow cancellations within 24 hours and charge no-shows. I head out around 9:30 am. Despite being tired and annoyed, the tour was great. I have a lunch Steakhouse reservation at 2:30pm at Disney, so I’m sort of in a rush and happy the tour ends right on time at 12:30. I hop on the train ($10.70 RT tickets) and make it to Disneyland at 1:30 pm.
With an hour before my reservation, I stop into a bunch of stores and buy merch ($70.60). I make my way to The Steakhouse for lunch ($37.44). I am stuffed, so I walk a couple laps around Walt Disney Studios to get a lay of the land, take photos, and walk off lunch before indulging in some shows and rides.
A couple hours go by and I grab some dessert ($4.28) and rent a portable charger ($4.28). I wanted to ride Crush’s Coaster before my dinner reservation, but it had a crazy wait time and premier access sold out for the day, so I buy premier access for and ride Avenger’s Flight Force instead ($12.84), return the portable charger, and head to dinner at Bistrot Chez Remy ($58.83).
I stay until 9:30 pm for the light show, have snacks ($9.63), then head back to the hotel to shower, pack, and sleep.
Day 6 Spend - $208.60
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Day 7
I have a protein bar for breakfast, check out at 10am, and grab a final ticket ($12.29) to the airport. I start to feel lightheaded and try to drink some water, but it doesn’t help much. So, I get McDonalds ($8.91) before boarding my flight and feel a lot better. I grab a Kinder ($1.72) from a nearby store because I’d never tried one. Amazing!
I am excited to get home and get back into my normal meal prep and exercise routine. I make it back to Philly at 7pm. I take a shower and go straight to bed.
Day 7 Spend - $22.71
—
Week Total - $760.52
Food + Drink - $406.74
Fun / Entertainment - $194.68 (shopping, tour reschedule, premier lanes)
Home + Health - $34.39 (universal adapter)
Clothes + Beauty - $45.35 (last minute toiletries)
Transport - $72.80
Other - $4.28 (portable charger rental)
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Lastly, reflect on your diary!
While I’d never spend close to this in a normal week, celebrating my birthday in a way I enjoy is very important to me. I’m excited to travel more in the future.
I feel like I spent too much money on individual transport tickets; I should’ve brought the booklet of 10. But $73 for a bunch of days is still pretty cheap. I had a sinking fund of $600 originally, but the cash gifts from my mom and brother increased it to $900.
Overall, Paris was cheaper than I expected. I was worried $600 wouldn’t be enough. I picked up the tab a lot of places since there wasn’t an easy way for us to split the bill in multiple currencies (USD, pounds, euros), and I’m trying to hit the minimum spend on a new credit card. Had I been more willing to figure out bill splitting, I probably could've stayed under $600.
Relatedly - this trip inspired me to revisit my goal of becoming fully fluent in Spanish. French-speakers were visibly irritated when I spoke English (which I wasn’t upset about and expected). I did practice some French (beyond the basics like bonjour and merci) with my sister before the trip, but it always came out sounding like Spanish. So, after the first day, I resorted to starting conversations in Spanish.
If they spoke Spanish, great! However, many were caught off guard and didn’t speak Spanish, so I would then ask, in Spanish, if they spoke English, then converse in English — which made them noticeably nicer. Definitely gonna work on brushing up my Spanish and work towards fluency. I eventually want to learn French and ASL, too.

What will you be doing with this PC? Be as specific as possible, and include specific games or programs you will be using.

In that order of importance:
2D animation and rendering (After Effects)
3D animation and rendering (Blender)
Gaming 1440p

What is your maximum budget before rebates/shipping/taxes?

€1500 but I can go to €1600 if necessary

When do you plan on building/buying the PC? Note: beyond a week or two from today means any build you receive will be out of date when you want to buy.

This week or next week

What, exactly, do you need included in the budget? (ToweOS/monitokeyboard/mouse/etc)

Tower only, I already have the monitor (1440p 144hz) and the keyboard and mouse

Which country (and state/province) will you be purchasing the parts in? If you're in US, do you have access to a Microcenter location?

EU - France

If reusing any parts (including monitor(s)/keyboard/mouse/etc), what parts will you be reusing? Brands and models are appreciated.

Monitor (1440p 144hz), keyboard, mouse

Will you be overclocking? If yes, are you interested in overclocking right away, or down the line? CPU and/or GPU?

Maybe in a few years if the CPU gets old

Are there any specific features or items you want/need in the build? (ex: SSD, large amount of storage or a RAID setup, CUDA or OpenCL support, etc)

32gb of RAM (I am currently hitting the 16gb threshold really often when I work)
5900x or 7700x? Or maybe Intel? Whichever is the most powerful in that budget for animation and rendering.
As for the CG I don't really know, 3060ti or 3070 may be enough?

What type of network connectivity do you need? (Wired and/or WiFi) If WiFi is needed and you would like to find the fastest match for your wireless router, please list any specifics.

No WiFi required

Do you have any specific case preferences (Size like ITX/microATX/mid-towefull-tower, styles, colors, window or not, LED lighting, etc), or a particular color theme preference for the components?

No visual preference, the quieter and simpler the better (I'll disable RGB if there's any parts like that anyway)

Do you need a copy of Windows included in the budget? If you do need one included, do you have a preference?

Not necessary

Extra info or particulars:

Thanks !

Warning: Long post ahead!
Hi everyone! First a short background story about me. I was a stateless Chinese person for my whole life up until now due to my parents late marriage registration because of their illiteracy, as of right now I am 22 years old. Before covid, we discover that I am eligible for thai citizenship because my mother is Thai (those born out of wedlock in Malaysia usually follow their mother's nationality) and I also have the relevant documents like thai birth certificate and a legitimate parental marriage registration (before I was born). Why my parents not able to register their marriage on time in Malaysia? Because my father was married to his ex wife, whom he had a falling out with. Then she go to Thailand and fall in love with my mother. My parents wanted to married and raise a family in malaysia, but my father didn't divorce his ex wife yet. Why? Because his ex wife was hospitalized at the same time I was in my mother's womb, so that's why late registration. So I was born out of wedlock and not able to obtain Malaysian citizenship.
Then my dad passed away in 2016 so it seems like I had no chance to get Malaysian IC. Before covid, after we discovered I was eligible for Thai citizenship, we went to the Royal Thai Consulate in Penang to request a special pass to cross the border into Thailand to apply Thai citizenship. I also use a new Thai name for my Thai identity so my Malaysian name and Thai name are different. The passport expired in 5 years. Then covid hit, and we can't afford (we are a rather poor family) to cross the border into Thailand even after MCO because of the expensive procedures and quarantines and also my mum is busy with work.
So just last 2 months, we were able to find time to go Thailand Songkhla province and apply Thai IC and it was successfully done in less than 1 week, we also go apply for my Thai passport with 10 years validity. Then we travel to meet my maternal grandparents up north in Thailand at Mae Sai, Chiang Rai to stay there for 1 more month. After coming back literally just yesterday, I found a letter in my motorcycle basket while washing it. At first I thought it as TNB etc letter. Then after further inspection, it was a letter from KDN asking me to head down to Putrajaya to obtain my surat keputusan for Malaysian citizenship, usually those with this notice letter will be eligible to obtain IC after they get their sijil kewarganegaraan.
So right now I have 2 citizenship, Malaysia and Thai. Which begs the question in the title. I was hoping to keep the Thai citizenship but Malaysia does not allow dual citizenship. I asked a Penang City Council YB in charge of this statelessness/citizenship issue, if there is a way to lay low profile with my Thai citizenship and they said cannot. Because when I come back to Malaysia from the trip in Thailand, I used the Thai passport to enter Malaysia, they already have my facial profile and fingerprints. So the record is there in immigration. If I didn't denounce my Thai citizenship when I have Malaysian IC, the authorities will know I have a Thai passport when I go make a new Malaysian passport because of the similar profile and fingerprints. Even if I didn't have any records about my Thai identity in Malaysia and didn't use my Thai passport to enter. Malaysia still have a right to request the information from the Thai Embassy/Consulate despite the policy of embassies not sharing confidential information about their citizens. There is an exception to kids born in Malaysia who are Thai citizens though and the Thai embassy/consulate share their info out yearly/monthly (I forgot) with their Malaysian counterparts to check if their Thai citizens have obtain Malaysian citizenship or not. This is what the Penang City Council YB told me.
Basically I have to choose one or the other, and I am having a tough time choosing it because the 1+ month spent in Thailand, I felt a bit of affection for the country even though my Thai language is subpar. Maybe I should restrain my emotions and choose Malaysia citizenship for its obvious benefits and denounce Thai citizenship. I can't sleep right or eat right. I write here so maybe you guys can ease my mind a bit along with the opinions of my friends and family. Thanks!

Hey everyone!
A couple of days ago, I came across a good car option (2012 Honda) in another state, and having seen it in real life, I'm even more tempted to buy it. I need another car anyway, and given that it's a private seller, I get to save a few bucks.
However, this is my first time dealing with a private seller, and I want to take all the possible precautions before parting with my money, and I am hoping to get some advice here. Here are some of my concerns:
Documentation - I want to ensure the seller has all the necessary documents for the car, including the title and registration. How can I verify that the paperwork is genuine and up to date?
Condition - I'm not savvy in mechanics or technical stuff. From what I saw, the car is in a good trim even though it's not the latest model. The owner claims he has never had any accidents and has taken good care of it since he bought it. Should I take it to a repair shop and pay for an inspection, or is it the seller's responsibility? What should I look out for in the first place when inspecting the car?
Payment - It's pretty bothering that the seller told me he'd prefer cash, and when I told him that I'm not used to carrying that much money in my pocket (he is asking for $9K), he didn't seem too excited about it. Could this be a red flag? Should I insist only on a recorded payment?
Also, should I drive the car myself or have it delivered instead? Frankly, I'd like to test my new vehicle if the tech inspection doesn't show any critical issues and drive it for at least 200 miles. Is it a good decision? Or would it be wiser to use a shipping car cross country expert right from the start to avoid surprises?
I want to make sure that I have everything covered, so any advice or tips would be highly appreciated. Thank you in advance for your help!