Think Forward.

Dopage, un problème de santé publique...

Aziz Daouda, 11 mon.
3 min read.
Je viens de passer une journée mémorable à Khouribga, le 30 décembre de l’année écoulée à l’invitation de l’Agence Marocaine Antidopage que préside la vaillante Fatima Abouali. C’était à l’occasion de l’une des étapes de la Caravane Nationale « Sport sans dopage », visant la sensibilisation des jeunes quant aux dangers des substances dopantes sur la santé; caravane placée sous le haut patronage de Sa Majesté le Roi , que Dieu l'assiste. A chacune de ces invitations, car ce n'est pas la première puisque j'avais participé à l'étape de Laayoune et d'Errachidia, l'occasion m'est donnée pour m'adresser aux autorités et personnalités présentes mais surtout aux dirigeants sportifs et aux jeunes. AMAD est l’autorité marocaine compétente en matière de lutte contre le dopage. Elle est assez récente puisque n’a été créée que suite aux directives royales contenues dans la lettre historique aux assises du sport en 2008. Elle compte aujourd'hui 3 ans d'âge. Cela ne veut point dire que les sportifs marocains n’étaient pas contrôlés avant la création de l’AMAD. C’était alors les fédérations internationales, puis une agence régionale qui contrôlait les sportifs dans toute la région d’Afrique du Nord. Sa Majesté disait en substance en 2008, dans cette lettre : « …Cela vaut également pour le dopage, qui constitue un phénomène étranger à nos traditions et à notre culture et qui est répréhensible par la loi et l'éthique sportive. C'est pourquoi Nous engageons les autorités compétentes à sévir vigoureusement contre cette pratique et à faire preuve d'intransigeance dans la répression de l'utilisation et de la commercialisation des substances dopantes, et ce, conformément à la législation nationale et à nos engagements internationaux en la matière. » C’est à cela que travaille sans répit l’AMAD. Outre de veiller sur les sportifs de haut niveau soumis de par la règlementation internationale à des protocoles strictes de contrôles réguliers, en compétition et surtout et beaucoup en dehors des compétitions, L’agence s’attaque aussi à un phénomène dont nous tardons probablement à prendre conscience, celui du recours par les amateurs adeptes de la culture du corps à des produits apparemment innocents et inoffensifs mais qui peuvent constituer un danger véritable pour la santé notamment des jeunes, souvent inconscients, insoucieux ou mal informés et formés. Le recours à des produits tels que certains compléments alimentaires, d’origine des fois douteuses, constitue un danger de santé publique et c’est pour en informer les populations que l’AMAD a initié la caravane qui sillonne le territoire national pour justement mettre beaucoup d’informations à la portée des jeunes. Prendre des produits d’une certaine nature peut s’avérer extrêmement dangereux avec des répercussions des fois irréversibles pouvant aller à des myopathies graves, des troubles de pression artérielle, des troubles graves de la sexualité et tant d’autres problèmes de santé. C’est dire qu’il ne s’agit pas d’effets secondaires auxquels on pourrait s’accommoder. Le professeur Moulay Ahmed Belimam, secrétaire général de l’AMAD, n’arrête pas de le répéter et d’alerter sur ces dangers d’un autre genre, des dangers des temps modernes. Certains compléments alimentaires comptent dans leurs compositions des stéroïdes anabolisants et autres molécules non autorisées et non admises dans la pratique sportive pour leur nocivité et parce que détournée de leur usage thérapeutique normal. Il s’agit en fait de contourner l’inefficacité des produits de fabrication de base de ses compléments alimentaires en y ajoutant des molécules et composants dont les effets sont connus, par exemple sur le volume musculaire notamment par leurs effets la rétention d’eau. Le volume musculaire, outre la question de l’apparence laisse donner une impression de force, hélas oh combien illusoire. les personnes prenant ces produits, apparemment forts, ne sont même pas aussi forts que la moyenne des personnes non entrainées. Les recherches ont aussi montré le caractère addictif de ces produits ; le consommateur se retrouve ainsi pris dans un engrenage qu’il ne va plus maitriser. Qu'une discipline sportive isolée soit contaminée par le phénomène de dopage, on peut toujours objecter qu'il s'agit d'un fléau que l’on peut possiblement circonscrire. On peut alors prendre des mesures appropriées et corriger l'anomalie. La gravité découle ici du fait que de nombreuses disciplines sportives et pratiques physiques pour ne pas dire toutes sont contaminées. Des jeunes dont l’objet de la pratique n’est pas la compétition ou encore des jeunes qui pratiquent sans la moindre volonté de faire partie du mouvement sportif national sont aujourd’hui victimes insoucieuses de pratiques nocives pour leur santé et illicites vis à vis de la loi. Cela devient préoccupant. Il y a là un problème de santé publique et de mise en œuvre de la loi. S’imposent ainsi des mesures de contrôle des produits suspects, de leur traçabilité et de la nature de leurs composants tout aussi bien que s’impose de débusquer les circuits d’approvisionnement et de la commercialisation frauduleuses. Et il y a urgence. Reste aussi à persévérer dans la voie de la lutte contre les pratiques de dopage car c'est aussi de la triche ; c’est interdit et encadré par les règlements sportifs mais également par la loi. Les consommateurs/utilisateurs de produits et pratiques interdites doivent en être dissuadés. Ceux qui en font la promotion, ceux qui en font commerce, sportifs, dirigeants doivent savoir que c'est à la fois dangereux et illicite. Tous doivent comprendre que c’est une triche inadmissible et qu’il y a au Maroc une loi qui prévoit des punitions sévères pour cette triche-là spécifiquement. Celui ou celle qui se dope, finit toujours par se faire attraper car toute substance introduite dans le corps est détectable. Tous ce que vous mettez dans votre corps à peine consommé laisse des traces ; des traces détectables en laboratoire. La loi aujourd’hui ne punit plus que le sportif en cas de dopage mais également toute personne en relation avec le cas confondu. En 2022, l’AMAD a effectué un total de 919 tests, dont 704 effectués par l’AMAD en qualité d’autorité de contrôle et 215 prélèvements, comme autorité de prélèvement réalisés pour le compte et à la demande d’autres organismes.
blogger.com/blog/posts/924802102...
Aziz Daouda

Aziz Daouda

Directeur Technique et du Développement de la Confédération Africaine d'Athlétisme. Passionné du Maroc, passionné d'Afrique. Concerné par ce qui se passe, formulant mon point de vue quand j'en ai un. Humaniste, j'essaye de l'être, humain je veux l'être. Mon histoire est intimement liée à l'athlétisme marocain et mondial. J'ai eu le privilège de participer à la gloire de mon pays .


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How Nature's Deadliest Creatures Influence Medicines?

Anas Bedraoui, 4 mon.
2 min read.
When we think about the most dangerous animals in the world, we often imagine deadly snakes, venomous spiders, or stinging scorpions. These creatures are feared for their powerful venoms, but what if I told you that their venoms could save lives? It may sound surprising, but many scientists are now using these dangerous venoms to create new medicines. Here are some of my thoughts on this fascinating topic. Spider venom might give you chills, but it is also giving hope to people who suffer from strokes. The Australian funnel-web spider (Atrax robustus) produces a venom that contains a peptide called Hi1a. This peptide has been found to protect brain cells from damage caused by a stroke. Researchers are studying Hi1a to create treatments that could save the lives of stroke victims and help them recover more quickly. Snakes are some of the most feared animals on the planet, but their venom is helping to treat serious illnesses. For example, the Brazilian pit viper (Bothrops jararaca) produces a venom that contains a molecule called bradykinin-potentiating peptide (BPP). This molecule has been used to develop a class of drugs known as ACE inhibitors, which are commonly prescribed to treat high blood pressure and heart failure. These drugs work by relaxing blood vessels and reducing blood pressure, turning a deadly venom into a lifesaving medication. Scorpion venom is another powerful substance that is being turned into medicine. Researchers have found that a protein in scorpion venom, chlorotoxin, can bind specifically to cancer cells without affecting healthy cells. This discovery has led to the development of a drug called Tumor Paint, which helps surgeons see cancer cells more clearly during surgery. The venom of the deathstalker scorpion (Leiurus quinquestriatus) is being harnessed to ensure that cancerous tissue is removed more precisely, reducing the risk of recurrence. The ocean is home to many venomous creatures, like cone snails and jellyfish. The venom of the cone snail (Conus magus) contains a compound called ziconotide, which has been developed into a drug for severe chronic pain. Ziconotide works by blocking calcium channels in nerve cells, preventing pain signals from reaching the brain. This non-opioid painkiller offers a powerful alternative to traditional pain medications and has been a significant breakthrough in pain management. Bees and wasps are often seen as pests, but their venoms are being used to help treat autoimmune diseases. Melittin, a peptide found in bee venom, has shown potential in treating conditions like multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Melittin can modulate the immune response and reduce inflammation. Scientists are working to isolate and modify melittin to enhance its therapeutic effects while minimizing side effects, offering new hope to patients with these challenging conditions. The Gila monster is a venomous lizard whose saliva contains a hormone called exendin-4. This hormone has been turned into a drug called exenatide, which helps people with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar levels. Exenatide mimics the action of a natural hormone that stimulates insulin release and inhibits glucagon production, effectively controlling blood glucose levels. It's amazing to think that a substance from a lizard's mouth can help millions of people control their diabetes. Centipedes might seem like creepy crawlies, but their venom is showing promise as a pain reliever. The venom of the Chinese red-headed centipede (Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans) contains a peptide called SsTx. SsTx can block pain signals by inhibiting sodium channels in nerve cells, offering a new approach to pain management. Researchers are synthesizing SsTx in the lab and conducting trials to evaluate its effectiveness and safety, potentially leading to new, non-addictive painkillers. It is truly fascinating how scientists can transform deadly venoms into life-saving medicines. Studying these natural toxins, researchers are finding new ways to treat some of the most challenging diseases and conditions. This innovation shows the incredible diversity of nature and emphasizes the importance of preserving these species and their habitats. The transformation from venom to cure is a remarkable testament to human ingenuity and the power of nature. Attached, please find our open-source scientific article explaining everything in detail.
sciencedirect.com/science/articl...

THE END OF AN EPOCH

Brad Ovitt, 5 mon.
2 min read.
I've never heard anybody ask the question, "how risk adjusted is civilization?" I suspect that many of us know the answer. Even if we refuse to admit it, civilization is not secure. We are in the most consequential period of modern human history. Not only are times changing faster than they ever have before, the avenues to our demise are most plentiful. I have a few theories about the universe, the first being that all things bring about their opposite over a sufficiently long time. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Thus, all things are paradoxes. The second being that all things are connected through mutual mechanics. All things are conscious (panpsychism), which is a controversial take, and my argument is that our conscious thinking clearly has an effect on the world, so consciousness must be a physical force. The third being that good and evil are fundamental forces. Good seeks to create life and evil destroys the vessel it occupies. Goodness is God and evil is Satan. All things are paradoxes, thus evil creates good and vice versa. Examples of evil include suicide and hedonism (like homosexuality and pedophilia, though there's a big difference between a homosexual who has children and a homosexual who chooses sexual satisfaction over preservation of life). My final theory is that the mechanics that govern consciousness and physics enforce the paradoxical nature of the universe. An epoch is a period of birth and death as all forces become balanced, continuing like a wave. All things are connected through magnetic and electric forces, it's just to complicated to understand in practice. If we are to then inspect civilization, we see a rise in evil. There is an epoch fairly frequently, about 80 years, or one human lifetime, that oscillates between evil and good. The last time it happened was WW1/WW2. We are right on point for another collapse of our values. There are plenty of signs, like the prevalence of homosexuality, which is evil in nature because it destroys the vessel it's in. Western society is on the brink of population collapse, suicide rates have risen sharply, especially among younger people, and faith in the principles of our society has never been weaker. Divorce is commonplace, dating is a nightmare, and quite simply, people see less value in life and each other. People on the street dress like mental patients and children go to school to learn that queer is good and they should distrust their parents. Free speech is under assault and Liberal Democracy is on the verge of collapse. How long can we go without blowing ourselves up in nuclear war? Or allow AI to destroy us? Or spread devastating bioweapons? Or even a large scale conventional war? Evil destroys the vessel it occupies. From these ends, I believe we're on the verge of the end of an epoch.

But what is happening before our eyes?

Aziz Daouda, 5 mon.
What is happening to the world? France is about to stand to attention under the rule of a man who has barely passed his baccalaureate, but who is nonetheless charming and appealing. An angel's face that has managed to conceal an entire history of adulated hatred, obvious racism, claimed segregationism and the overt fascism of the party it embodies. As if by magic, with the help of the bought-in media, the young bachelor managed in the twinkling of an eye to disguise an entire ideology and bamboozle the people of France, who would eventually realise that Vichy was no accident and that a very large proportion of the population at the time was not in the Resistance but rather in the Collaboration... France is moving to the right, but nothing is really likely to change, at least not immediately, because for that to happen you need full power, and that requires a RN President, a RN Prime Minister and a RN parliamentary majority. The RN are not stupid and will know how to wait... unless young Bardella is in a hurry and has his own agenda aimed at overtaking Mme Le Pen and putting her out of the running for the next presidential elections. Will he be in such a hurry to move quickly? Possibly, but unlikely. In any case, the attitude of the amateur President, a poker player, will have been the cornerstone in accelerating the success of the RN and is now the propellant of the expected rise to the presidency of Mme Le Pen, in a short time... Because with Bardella, Macron will no doubt be kept under "house arrest" at the Elysée Palace by his sweetheart, and no more. Far from it, in South Africa we were expecting the real change desired and wanted by the rainbow people, after decades of ill-fated 'dictatorship' by the ANC, which has made memory rent the sole basis of a policy that has led to disaster and the hopeless impoverishment of a large fringe of the population. This will not be the case. The ANC has just obtained 20 of the 32 ministerial posts in the new so-called government of national unity. The most important missions have not escaped it in this unprecedented government. Finance, Energy, Foreign Affairs, Police and Justice remain in ANC hands. The main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, has only been given six portfolios in the new government: Agriculture, Environment, Home Affairs and Public Works - in other words, the breakthrough ministries. On the other side of the Atlantic, things are not looking good. The recent Biden-Trump debate revealed an America staggering to the rhythm of the crumbling president. America is going through a real disaster, a moment unprecedented in its history, a moment of confusion and political fatigue. A moment that makes you wonder whether it was possible for Americans to have sunk so low and for their major parties to have become so locked in a historically astonishing blindness. The world's leading power thus appears to be in a state of serious decrepitude, presenting the world with a spectacle of desolation and shipwreck. The American people have a choice between a colourful, neo-authoritarian old man and another old man who is crumbling and still president, but who won't give up... Isn't it embarrassing for the American people (50 million live viewers) to see their president's memory failing, a president who has lost the coherence of his words, lining up words in sentences that are as inaudible as they are confused. Isn't it embarrassing for them to see that, opposite them, their only choice is a colourful character whose run-ins with the law are not about to get any easier. Let's go back to Africa and see that the Mauritanians have chosen continuity with Ould El Ghazouani, whom they re-elected with nearly 56% of the vote... Will this time be the right time for stability in this Sahelian country, a colonial legacy with a population of barely 5 million, which has undergone more than one brutal change through successive coups d'état, a country where political crisis is an almost permanent feature of daily life; tribal and personal rivalries are bitter and unremitting. This is the way the world is going, a world that is certainly changing but not very reassuring... In any case, this is not the world that we dreamed of and that we are preparing to bequeath to future generations. But what is happening before our very eyes?But what is happening before our very eyes? That's the way the world works. Doubts here, worries there, but there's no doubt that tomorrow will be different - yesterday was already different from today...

The Formation of Freeze Behavior or Reaction That Leads to a Defeat in a Team Performance

Simo Idrissi, 5 mon.
3 min read.
Our cognitive framework is shaped by influences—what others perceive we can do becomes integrated into our understanding and beliefs. Similarly, as we engage in interactions, our behavior adapts—much like muscles strengthening through exercise. Our brain, too, grows more resilient when exposed to any high stressors. Interestingly, high-intensity experiences don’t necessarily lead to psychological issues like depression. Our brains constantly adapt, learning and growing stronger through challenges. High-intensity experiences don't necessarily lead to negativity, but rather help us adjust and improve. When we face challenges, it’s not merely a replay of the past; it’s an opportunity to add effort, focus, and performance. Success reinforces this process, enhancing our self-worth and fostering a sense of accomplishment. As someone who has played soccer and received coaching from my youth through adulthood, I’ve discovered that soccer offers a unique chance to challenge and enhance our abilities. The dynamic stressors—each teaching moment—contribute to improved performance. Adaptability is key. Occasionally, our minds become foggy, leaving us clueless. But patience becomes our ally, helping us regain mental strength and find solutions to new challenges. Challenging tough opponents who believe they can easily score against us shakes and activates our stressors. We encounter a blend of emotional illusions (overthinking or fear of failure), exaggerated intensity, and tactical complexity. Our coaches may emphasize the strength of rival opponents, presenting their past performance as an analyzation for our game preparation. However, even though we can see things, and read events, the opponents' invincibility lead us to a freeze reaction— a temporary mental shutdown that hinders performance—when we step onto the field and face those opponents who prove their capabilities by controlling the game. Freeze Behavior on the Field: Imagine this: You're a defender facing a team known for their aggressive attackers. The pressure mounts as they break through your midfield. Fear clouds your judgment, making it difficult to track their movements. This is freeze behavior in action. For midfielders, freeze behavior might manifest as hesitation during crucial passes. Doubting your abilities can lead to missed opportunities and disrupted team flow. Forwards facing a seemingly unbeatable goalkeeper might feel overwhelmed, stifling their creativity and attacking instincts. I vividly recall involving in few games I was under such experiences. An away game in Morocco against one of the top opponents. They controlled every aspect of the play, scoring three goals in the first half. We felt disoriented, confused, and overwhelmed—an experience akin to being near a grenade explosion. Our vision blurred even we can see, sounds muffled even we hear, and instincts kicked in as we desperately tried to protect ourselves. The interplay of perception, pressure, and performance shapes our reaction to freeze state. Recognizing these dynamics allows us to navigate challenges with resilience and adaptability. Yet, in our home game, we approached things differently. Acknowledging our weaknesses and understanding the opponent’s level, we played with caution and patience. The result? A hard-fought 1-0 victory. Our experience and preparation made all the difference. Freeze behavior occurs when the brain can’t handle the unexpected load, halting down to conserve energy. The brain system in this state thinks is saving lives by not doing anything even you could move, you could see, and you could hear. But anticipating challenges and drawing from prior experience a better picture allows us to face them patiently, wisely and with resilience. Remember, freeze reaction is a state that you can’t feel and recognize unless you trained to do so. Freeze mode can be overcome through awareness, preparation, and teamwork. Tools to recognize or manage freeze state Mindfulness Techniques: Players should stay present and focused during critical situations. Breathing exercises or visualization can help reduce detachment from what is going on. Positive Self-Talk: Players should understand the level of the opponent with positive affirmations to regain control of reading the surrounding better. Preparation and Repetition: Rehearse the same high-pressure scenarios in practice. Familiarity reduces the shock of intense moments during games. Team Support: Players no matter how good they are, they’re not alone among eleven but one of the eleven players. Teammates provide emotional support and can help break the freeze state if you understand the muffled sound and try to track the sounds to communicate better. Learn from Past Experiences: Reflect on successful moments when pressure was high. What worked? How can those trends or patterns be applied again? Take Control of Your Performance: Freeze state is a common challenge, but it's not unbeatable. By practicing these tools and building mental resilience, you can overcome this hurdle and reach your full potential on the field.

Artificial Illusion: The Hype of AI - Part 1

Anas Bedraoui, 5 mon.
I personally see AI as a hype that will slow down with time. Nowadays, people include AI in their projects to seize opportunities. For example, if you have a failing business, just add the word AI and you might attract investments. If you're doing research, switch to AI or include a part of it, even if it's not necessary, and you may receive funding. AI is becoming a buzzword, and if you believe it's not, you might get frustrated. You might feel unworthy as a human and worry about being replaced by a robot that lacks emotions, creativity, and the incomparable qualities of the legendary creation: humans. As I mentioned in a previous opinion article, "Just use AI in your speech and you'll sound fancy." This trend has permeated many sectors. I’ve had conversations with CEOs of startups that claim to use AI for groundbreaking innovations :). When I asked them simple questions about the models they used, the reasoning behind their choices, and the specific applications, they would talk broadly about AI—just AI, yes AI, and that’s it. It's reminiscent of the old saying, "Fake it till you make it," but with a modern twist: "Artificial Illusion." As Mark Twain once said, "It's easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled." This seems particularly true in the world of AI hype. The enthusiasm for AI has led to a phenomenon where merely mentioning it can lend credibility and attract resources, even when the actual implementation is minimal or superficial. This trend not only dilutes the genuine potential of AI but also risks disillusioning stakeholders who may eventually see through the facade. True innovation requires substance, not just buzzwords. If Shakespeare were alive today, he might quip, "To AI, or not to AI, that is the question." The answer, of course, is that while AI has its place, it’s not the end-all and be-all. We should remember Albert Einstein's wise words: "Imagination is more important than knowledge." AI lacks the imagination and creativity that humans bring to the table. The real secret to success isn’t in the latest tech jargon, but in honest, hard work and genuine innovation. So next time someone dazzles you with their AI-powered business model, just remember: A little skepticism can go a long way. Or as George Bernard Shaw put it, "Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance."

A weak G7, weaker than ever...

Aziz Daouda, 5 mon.
Giorgia Meloni, the woman propelled to power by the Italian outer right-hand, received the G7 in an unprecedented situation. Of all those present, she is probably the only one to feel strong, while the others are almost all politically weakened or moribund. The situation in Great Britain is in the process of pushing Mr Rishi Sunak out of office, with Brexit just around the corner and the situation far from stabilising, especially economically. Its French neighbour is going through the same nightmare, having been forced to call a general election following the debacle of his majority in the European elections, to the benefit of Mr Jordan Bardella,with only the baccalaureate in hand, who no doubt dreams of attending the next G7 summit alongside Mr Macron. Cohabitation is not far off... Macron has played Russian roulette and risks receiving the only bullet in the barrel in the heart. Not far from there, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, unable to become a worthy successor to Angela Merkel who is back to normal life, is also in great difficulty and has been genuinely weakened since the last European elections. Among other things, he has come under fierce criticism from within his own coalition. The representatives from across the Atlantic at this summit are in no better shape. Mr Justin Trudeau, who is going through a difficult time both at home and politically, looking more attenuated than ever. Some Canadians are even saying that Canada has never been in such bad shape. His American neighbour is also exhausted and is not certain of staying in the White House, with Donald Trump bullying him and showing his fangs. So it was a G7 of people bathed in weakness that Ms Meloni received in a superb pink suit, as if to signal to her peers that she, the woman in the group, was the only one comfortable in her chair. Madame Meloni, who called Macron irresponsible few months ago, was there strutting her stuff and looking down on him. She'll probably be there, at another G7 with a triumphant president Mme Lepen...or who knows, President Bardella.... an Italian next to a italian...Bardella is Italian origin. So in this G7 of weakness, once decried, fascism finds itself powerfully rehabilitated and frequented... Mussolini and why not Hitler are so happy about it in the depths of their graves... Their offspring are doing a good job and today dominate the most powerful political and economic group, the G7, which is also becoming the group of shame in the eyes of those who still believe in the greatest lie of modern history: humanism and universal values... The question that arises is whether the real winner in this situation of Western uncertainty is none other than the Absent-Present Vladimir Putin... who has just won the elections by a landslide, and who awaits all these fine people on Ukrainian soil...

Why you should eat your weeds

Brad Ovitt, 5 mon.
2 min read.
I went outside for a walk today with a tupperware bin and looked for medicinal plants. I quickly found Indian paintbrush (also useful for making dye), wild daisy, woodland strawberry, and purple hyssop. According to traditional medicine: Indian paintbrush is applied topically as a poultice to alleviate rheumatism and arthritis. Leaves and flowers are made into a tea to regulate menstrual cycles, alleviate menstrual cramps, and address other reproductive health issues. It can also be applied as a poultice to provide localized relief. Tea of the leaves and flowers can also be used to treat indigestion, bloating, used as a digestive stimulant, used to treat coughs and bronchitis by clearing the respiratory tract, and can also be used as a hair treatment. Wild daisy has natural anti-septic and anti-inflammatory properties that can be used to treat wounds. The tea is known to treat coughs, bronchitis, aid digestion, soothe skin conditions like eczema when applied topically, and provide mild pain relief. Woodland strawberry leaves can be made into a strong infusion and used as a mouthwash to treat gum disease and promote oral hygiene. Fresh leaves and juice can be applied to the skin to treat acne, eczema, and other skin conditions. Leaves applied to wounds are anti-septic. Purple hyssop is considered a general tonic to improve overall health. Tea made of dried leaves and flowers acts as an expectorant to clear mucus and ease breathing, promotes better sleep, reduces anxiety and stress, reduces inflammation, and promotes a healthy gastrointestinal tract. It can also be made into a tincture. An economist will tell you that the government inflation target, usually about 2%, is used to encourage people to spend money and increase the flow rate of capital. Now, after decades, the medicinal methods we knew for our environment have been forgotten in exchange for processed nature wrapped in cheap industrial byproducts (supplements), quite possibly because the economic policy is designed to wrap every bit of value in an industrial profit-driven process, despite nature providing a healthier and more fulfilling way of life. And our leaders have the gall to tell us that they need a deficit to address the climate crisis. Just yesterday, my grandpa was showing me his plan to burn down the beaver damn to lower the water level so I can collect the yellow lotus roots below the waterline. Roots and leaves of lotus can be made into a tea to treat fever, diarrhea, promote liver and spleen function, and improve reproductive function. While I was down by the damn, I noticed tinder conk (a fungus) growing a dead tree, which can be dried and ground into a powder to promote healing and stop bleeding for wounds, treat gastrointestinal issues, treat inflammation, urinary tract infections, coughs, bronchitis, and asthma. Behind my house there is a birch tree with chaga growing on it. Chaga boosts the immune system, reduces inflammation, acts as a nootropic, helps with conditions like gastritis, supports liver function, helps with symptoms of old age, and can be added to grease to treat psoriasis and eczema, or it can be bathed in for whole body support. It also makes a great base for a tea or soup. Birch leaves and sap can be used to treat skin conditions and is used in hair care. Tea, sap, and bark can be used to treat digestive conditions, urinary tract infections, kidney stones, and edema. Birch leaves and bark can be used to treat fever, arthritis, rheumatism, infections, bronchitis, and cough. Everyone should learn the natural medicine around them. Disclaimer: this is not medical advice.

The Secret Cancer Cure + Commentary

Brad Ovitt, 5 mon.
Professor Rosalie David, at the Faculty of Life Sciences, said: “In industrialised societies, cancer is second only to cardiovascular disease as a cause of death. But in ancient times, it was extremely rare. There is nothing in the natural environment that can cause cancer. So it has to be a man-made disease, down to pollution and changes to our diet and lifestyle.” We are poisoning ourselves and industrial society cannot keep going as it is. Autism as well, used to be effectively unheard of, but is now commonplace. Chronic illness has skyrocketed over the past 30 years. I don't find it unreasonable to suggest that the way humans live will be radically altered over the next 40 years and it will not come easy, politically or personally. It means we will bear the political consequences and must learn the skills necessary for a better existence within our environment.

HYBRID VIGOUR

Pat01Butcher, 5 mon.
You may remember that quaint old adage, ‘Keep Politics Out of Sport’. It had its heyday among apologists for the South African government at the time of the sporting boycott of the apartheid era. There has probably never been a dumber slogan. It would be like Castor without Pollux or Laurel without Hardy. Politics has as much relevance on the playing field as in Parliament, in the dressing room as in the boardroom. I don’t doubt that the boycott of sports-mad South Africa contributed substantially to the end of racial separation. And thanks to the collision of the European Athletics Championships in Rome and the Europe wide elections - save in that isolated outpost of the once Roman Empire, Great Britain & Northern Ireland – you cannot have failed to notice that a preponderance of countries represented here in the Stadio Olimpico feature, well, a lot athletes of colour. Even ignoring, for example, that Britain’s crumbling National Health Service would fall apart completely, were it not for immigrant labour, from surgeons to janitors, what better antidote than this parade of multi-racial excellence to those people and parties who are lurching to the right if not the far-right, driven by anti-immigration policies? Other nations in Europe have long been used to British and French teams fielding athletes whose parents, one or both, hail from colonial outposts. But, gradually other European countries’ immigrants or their offspring began to make their presence felt if not in all walks of life, then certainly on the sports field. Countries from Sweden in the north to Portugal and Italy in the south, to Ireland in the west and Romania in the east have joined in as is apparent in Rome; and that includes conservative Switzerland where women only secured the vote in 1971. I am reminded of a fascinating hour or so I spent with Lee Evans in Athens 40 years ago. Evans was the first man to run under 44 seconds (43.86sec) when he won the Olympic 400 metres in Mexico 1968. A Fulbright scholar and a vocal proponent of racial equality, Evans and his fellow US medallists Larry James and Ron Freeman wore Black Panther berets on the victory rostrum in Mexico, emulating with less clamour the black-gloved salute of their 200 metres colleagues Tommie Smith and John Carlos. Aussie silver medallist Peter Norman sported a badge of the Olympic Project for Human Rights in sympathy. Following his relegation to third by Norman, Carlos incidentally made a comment, maybe tongue-in-cheek, but which still resonates today, ‘I didn’t know a white guy could run that fast!’ When Norman died in 2006, Smith and Carlos repaid the compliment; they flew to Melbourne to be pall-bearers at his funeral. But, back to Evans: we had been invited to an Olympic symposium in Athens in the mid-1980s, he for his celebrity and subsequent teaching and coaching career in Africa, me since I had managed to con my way into a job on a newspaper which still had a vestige of prestige around the world. I don’t know how we got on the subject, and I was very wary of saying the wrong thing, but Evans had no such constraints. He lectured me on ‘hybrid vigour’ or cross-pollination, a term better known in botany, and something that racists would call miscegenation, ie inter-marriage and procreation. Evans had no qualms, citing several leading athletes of mixed race from that period four decades back, including Daley Thompson, a product of a Nigerian father and Scottish mother, who had recently won his second Olympic decathlon title. Evans claimed that humans are nothing special, and although he didn’t use the term, he argued that we, like animals and plants are simply part of the same eco-system, responding to the same dynamics; whence his championing of hybrid vigour. The evidence of his thesis is manifest in the continuing rise of rainbow nations on the track and field of endeavour called Athletics.

Data is Not the new Oil, Data is the new Diamonds (maybe)

Tariq Daouda, 6 mon.
Over the past decade I have heard this sentence more than I can count: "Data is the new oil". At the the time it sounded right, now I see it as misguided. That simple sentence started when people realized that big tech (mostly Facebook, Google) were collecting huge amounts of data on their users. Although it was before (in hindsight) AI blew up as the massive thing it is now, It had a profound effect on people's mind. The competitive advantages that companies who had data where able to achieve inspired a new industry and a new speciality in computer science: Big Data, and fostered the creation of many new technologies that have become essential to the modern internet. "Data is the new Oil", means two things: 1- Every drop is valuable 2- The more you have, the better. And it seemed true, but it was an artifact of a Big Tech use case. What Big Tech was doing at the time was selling ads with AI. To sell ads to people, you need to model their behaviour and psychology, to achieve that you need behavioural data, and that's what Google and Facebook had: Behavioural data. It is a prefect use case, were the data collected is very clean and tightly fits the application. In other words, the noise to signal ratio is low, and in this case, the more data you can collect the better. This early success however hid a major truth for years. For AI to work great the quality of the dataset highly matters. Unlike oil, when it comes to data, some drops are more valuable than others. In other words, data like a diamond needs to be carved and polished before it can be presented. Depending on the application, we need people able to understand the type of data, the meanings associated to it, the issues associated to collection and most importantly how to clean it, and normalized it. It is in my opinion that data curation is a major factors in what differentiates a great AI from an below average AI. Those who misunderstood this concept ended up significantly increasing their costs with complex Big Data infrastructures to drown themselves in heaps of data that they don't need and hinder the training of their models. When it comes to data hoarding and greed are not the way to go. We should keep in mind that data has no intrinsic value, the universe keeps generating infinite amounts of it. What we need is useful data.

The West Misunderstands Putin

Brad Ovitt, 6 mon.
Putin can't go to war with NATO (the West is right on that point), but he's not being given an option. Western forces are ramping up the support for Ukraine as progress stalls and Russian forces see significant gains. Putin's perspective is that he is already at war with NATO because he's fighting Western arms from Western funds. The West sees it as a question of Ukrainian sovereignty. Ukraine is independent, it should be able to defend itself, even against the threat of a nuclear weapon. Western leaders have blocked all communication channels for a ceasefire under the naive assumption that Ukraine can win back all the territory and everything will be merry. Putin now is threatening to launch a nuclear bomb in Ukraine. Putin thinks he's at war with NATO, a war he can only win with nuclear weapons. The Russian army vs NATO with sanctions would smoke Russia's forces 99 out of 100 days unless there are nuclear weapons. Nukes are the only defense Russia has against a major conflict with NATO. Remember, Putin went into the war telling his people that Ukraine was becoming too friendly to the West and needed to be stopped from joining NATO. He can't go back to his people and say we lost, Ukraine got all their territory back, and they're going to join NATO. It's a Western fantasy. He will drop a nuke first. He is pleading to the West to take his warnings seriously, but Western leaders think he's bluffing. He is being given no choice but to demonstrate that Russia is a force that needs to be respected. His only way to do that is to drop a nuke. The Russian people don't take kindly to being embarassed on an international stage. Neither did the Germans before WW2. It's why Russians care so much about winning at the Olympics, or having the best chess players. The Russian mentality is suicidal. They still love Stalin after he killed 20 million of his own people because Stalin made the Russian people seem formidable. The Russians will die before they look like cowards. That's why Putin's only choice is to win territory in Ukraine or drop a nuke. I think WW3 is about to begin. According to Russian newspapers, Putin does too.

South African elections: change or continuity?

Aziz Daouda, 6 mon.
3 min read.
It's a fact: the ANC lost badly in the 2024 elections, unlike all the previous ones in which it held sway without any notable rivalry. Memory rent and populism with a taste for fighting against all sorts of chimeras, promises that were never kept, were no longer enough to win over the masses and get them to vote for those who today are more likely to be held responsible for what many South Africans feel is a betrayal. The results today confirm the debacle of the party in power since Mandela. Ramaphosa's ANC is still the country's leading party, but it has been heavily punished, with just 40% of the vote. That's a dry loss of 17 points compared with the 2019 elections. The latter already heralded today's debacle. For the South Africans. The results of the 2019 elections were already a kind of alarm bell... But it was not enough for the expected wake-up call, for the realisation that something had to change. As a result, this year's South African legislative elections will go down in the country's political annals, with some interpreting the results as the expression of a fed-up with the political system imposed since 1994 by the ANC. The results obtained today would require a cohabitation, which is rather unprecedented, as the ANC has governed without sharing power since 1994. The question is, with whom will this coalition be formed? Many are inclined to think that it will be with Zuma; a multi-recidivist who has been convicted many times, he has managed to regain control and revive those nostalgic for the struggle, namely the ANC's armed wing... Umkhonto we Sizwe... known as MK. This ‘new party’ managed to glean 14.9% of the vote, putting it in third place. If it were to join the ANC, this would in fact give the same party, with these two factions, a comfortable majority of just over 55%, a score quite close to that of the ANC in 2019, which was some 57%. If this coalition is formed, South Africa will not have changed and the ANC will have five years in which to either reform the country and get it back on track, or to bog it down further in economic and social problems. The separatists in the Cape region who believe that the country cannot be saved would have more opportunity to make their voices heard. The ruling party's corruption scandals, most recently that of the former Speaker of the National Assembly, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, have certainly had an impact, but not to the extent of bringing about radical change. Jacob Zuma, who was president from 2009 to 2018 and was found guilty, is now back through the window with the support of the ANC's armed wing... This shows that part of society is not sensitive to scandal and votes on the basis of allegiance rather than morality when it comes to the exercise of power. Cyril Ramaphosa, the outgoing president, is fairly certain, according to his own words, of obtaining a majority, as he finds it hard to see all the opposition parties getting on the same side and denying the ANC a majority. In other words, nothing will change in practice. The question then is whether this new coalition situation will find the right answers to the question of endemic unemployment, for example? The turnout of around 60% of the 27 million people called to the polls is almost the lowest since the beginning of the rainbow country's current political experiment. This is another indication of the disenchantment between the 62 million inhabitants and their political model, which no longer reassures them about their future. The flight of capital to neighbouring countries is a strong indication of this disenchantment. The next few days are likely to bring their share of surprises, but will they be enough to really surprise? Here are the final results of these elections • ANC 40.18, • Democratic Alliance (DA) 21.82 • Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) 14.59 • Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) 9.49 • Inkhata Freedom Party (IFP) 3.86 • Patriotic Alliance (PA) 2.06 • Freedom Front (VF) 1.36 • ActionSA 1.18 • African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) 0.60 • United Democratic Movement (UDM) .049 You will have noticed that three of the 10 parties that obtained votes have the word freedom in their names and that three claims to be democrats... This says a lot about the expectations of the South African people and their dreams. In any case, these elections will have an impact on the history of the country and will have repercussions on the whole continent. South Africa is currently the second largest economy in Africa.

Lament

Taha Mrichi, 6 mon.
0 min read.
Flaming thoughts of sacred infractions, Delicate lines of a spider’s thread, Milk pale phantoms of familiar conformations, Vast libraries of words unsaid. Liquid night, foreign and odd, As color draining from the face of God. Where now is the bright gaze, and the smile burning? Warm sinews of fabled strength never returning?

The future of AI is Small and then Smaller.

Tariq Daouda, 6 mon.
We need smaller models, but don't expect big tech to develop them. Current state-of the-art architectures are very inefficient, the cost of training them is getting out of hand, more and more unaffordable for most people and institutions. This effectively is creating a 3 tiers society in AI: 1- Those who can afford model development and training (Big tech mostly). And make *foundation models* for everybody else 2- Those who can only afford the fine tuning of the *foundation models* 3- Those who can only use the fine tuned models through APIs. This is if far from an ideal situation for innovation and development because it effectively creates one producer tier (1) and 2 consumer tiers (2 and 3). It concentrates most of the research and development into tier 1, leaves a little for tier 2 and almost completely eliminates tier 3 from R&D in AI. Tier 3 is most of the countries and most of the people. This also explains why most of the AI startups we see all over the place are at best tier 2, this means that their *Intellectual Property* is low. The barrier to entry for competition is very low, as someone else can easily replicate their product. The situation for tier 3 AI startups is even worst. This is all due to two things: 1- It took almost 20 years for governments and people to realize that AI is coming. In fact they only did it after the fact. The prices for computer hardware (GPUs) where already through the roof and real talent already very rare. Most people still think they need *Data scientists*, in fact they need: AI Researchers, DevOps Engineers, Software Engineers, Machine Learning Engineers, Cloud Infrastructure Engineers, ... The list of specialties is long. The ecosystem is now complex and most countries do not have the right curriculums in place at their universities. 2- The current state-of-the-art models are **huge and extremely inefficient**, they require a lot of compute ressources and electricity. Point number 2 is the most important one. Because if we solve 2, the need for cloud, DevOps, etc... decreases significantly. Meaning we not only solve the problem of training and development cost, we also solve part of the talent acquisition problem. Therefore, it should be the absolute priority: __we need smaller, more efficient models__. But why are current models so inefficient. The answer is simple, the first solution that works is usually not efficient, it just works. We have seen the same things with steam machine and computers. Current transformer based models, for example need several layers of huge matrices that span the whole dictionary. That's a very naive approach, but it works. In a way we still have not surpassed the Deep Learning trope of 15 years ago: Just add more layers. Research in AI should not focus on large language models, it should be focusing on small language models that have results on par with the large ones. That is the only way to keep research and development in AI alive and thriving and open to most. The alternative is to keep using these huge models than only extremely wealthy organisation can make, leading to a concentration of knowledge and to too many tier 2 and tier 3 startups that will lead us to a disastrous pop of the AI investment bubble. However, don't count on Big Tech to develop and popularize these efficient models. They are unlikely to as having a monopoly on AI development is on their advantage as long as they can afford it. Universities, that's your job.

Impending Nuclear Apocalypse

Brad Ovitt, 6 mon.
An atomic blast releases three types of radiation: beta particles, neutron radiation, and gamma rays. After a few days the only radiation are neutron radiation and gamma rays from radioactive fallout. It's believed most people outside cities would survive the initial blasts. There will also be a nuclear winter, estimates show it could last from days to a decade, making it extremely difficult to grow food. Everything will be poisoned from fallout. I already have the basics: air filters, water filters, geiger counters, gold, guns, 6 months worth of canned foods, etc. Many would survive up to this point, but come out realizing they have no source of clean water, food, and are already on the brink of death. Most would later die from radiation poisoning, cancer, starvation, or conflict over resources. It's believed that after two years, almost everybody would die. Given the current war in Ukraine and it seemingly not having a resolution, nuclear war is more concerning every year. It is irresponsible to consider something potentially so devastating as irrelevant to our everyday concerns. The fact is that preparing a little can significantly increase your odds of survival and something everyone should do. As much as we don't like to think about it, it could actually happen. **WHERE ARE THE TARGETS?** In the case of a full-blown nuclear exchange, if you live in Europe, The Middle East, North America, Russia, China, Korea, or any countries in proximity, you are at high risk of being a direct nuclear target. The goal of a nuclear exchange isn't to kill as many people as possible in the blasts, but to make the aftermath as hellish as possible for the survivors. Primary targets will be military bases, major cities, and intermediary infrastructure. The aftermath will be absolute anarchy, as people are killed over shoes and canned beans. **WHO'S PREPARED?** There isn't a comprehensive list. Switzerland has fallout shelters to house her entire population. **ARMOR YOURSELF** Conflict over resources will be a major tension in a post-apocalyptic world. You want to protect yourself, not only from the potential of violence, but also radiation exposure. You want to be bulletproof. You want to be radiation resistant. Hydrogenated Boron Nitride Nanotubes (H-BNNTs) are 100x stronger than steel with best-in-class protection against neutron radiation. And unlike other ultra-high-strength materials, H-BNNTs are astonishingly easy to manufacture in bulk and spin into sheets. They're typically used to reinforce other materials and can be purchased in a powdered form for that purpose. What I'm going to do is buy a full body cooling garment as an underlayer and build an exolayer of radiation-resistant plates. It sounds kind of silly, but in a radioactive world you need to protect cover yourself or you will probably get sick and die. This can only be done with impractically heavy layers or by using cutting-edge materials. H-BNNTs are also hydrophobic so radioactive matter won't stick to you. They also self-heal. Another reason this is an absolute must: unless sufficiently protected, nuclear radiation can make you impotent. People will provoke you if you have things. Being resistant to small bullets with armored plates is invaluable. I'll also build a helmet I can screw air filters into. Consider the predicted mortality causes: radiation poisoning, cancer, starvation, or conflict over resources. An armored suit of such specification would effectively protect against radiation poisoning, cancer, and conflict over resources. It's remarkably valuable and there is no substitute. How to make BNNT according to Jun Hee Kim et al.: "Ball milling is a promising technique to synthesize BNNT at industrial scale with low cost. In principle, direct reaction between boron and nitrogen in ambient conditions can be stimulated by introducing defective or amorphous structure in boron starting powders. This transformation is easily done by applying sufficient amount of mechanical energy that is controlled by several parameters such as milling time, and intensity (round per minutes). Therefore, the quantity of BNNT can be immensely produced in a typical run. This process is dependent on the milling time that could be extended to hundreds of hours, and the subsequent annealing of treated boron powder has an essential role in the formation of BNNT." **BE SCARY AF** Suppose your starving and have no weapons. You see someone walking and eating an apple from the bushes. If they don't look armed, you might want to jump them and steal their food. If they're wearing a full bullet-resistant armor suit with a semiautomatic rifle strapped to their back, you might think twice. **SOURCES OF FOOD** What are the best sources of food during the nuclear winter? Your neighbors and pets, and not in the way you'd like to think. You might not be able to grow anything outside. Sourcing energy for a greenhouse will be exceptionally difficult. People will also try to kill you if you do have food. You can mill flour out of cambium, the inner layer of tree bark, to make bark bread. You can also grow mushrooms and nutritional yeast. Dinner a la oyster mushrooms, nutritional yeast, bark bread, and bat meat. Not bad given the circumstances. Other than that, you're pretty much hopeless. There is no easy answer to the problem of finding food. Clean water can be sourced from a well or collected from the condensate of boiling water. **WHERE SHOULD YOU HIDE?** When you learn that nuclear war has been initiated, you should consider the amount of time you have, and go to your basement or another underground dwelling before the blast. It's important to stay underground for a 2-3 weeks, then you can come up and assess the circumstances. Make sure you have a geiger counter to assess your exposure to radiation. **WHO'S IN CHARGE??** The government would collapse. Some places would remain untouched by direct nuclear bombing. Countries in Africa, South America, Australia, South East Asia, Oceania, and of course Antarctica, may remain safe. Getting there would be a top priority. Aid packages may also arrive, but probably not. Every country would be suffering it's own ecological crisis as a result of radioactive material carried by weather. There is also the possibility of haven cities that were not destroyed by blasts through shear luck. READ THE ROAD. Gangs will block the roads to take your things, but if you can't survive by yourself, it would be wise to try to find a haven city. **NUCLEAR FANTASY** Some places could be hit REALLY hard. In America, England, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, and other major targets, it would be a mistake to assume that society will ever be remotely similar. Some people hold out hope for gov aid. It won't be coming. The government will collapse. As Einstein said, WW4 will be fought with sticks and stones

Sport as a sustainable development tool?

Aziz Daouda, 6 mon.
3 min read.
Anyone operating in the public sphere is doubly challenged when it comes to sustainable development and social responsibility. Those active in sport are also. It has to be said that the issue of sustainable development is very confused in people's minds. In some countries, the need is for development pure and simple, so that people can live decently, in dignity, with their needs properly met, while benefiting from the wealth of their countries. However, there is a lot of confusion in the messages conveyed by almost all the politicians and various influencers who have taken over the issue without the slightest competence in the field, with a predominance of ideology in their communication, which makes it difficult to understand a subject that is so important. For example, to say that the planet is in danger is just ridiculous. It's humans who are threatened with extinction and a whole host of problems that are likely to arise before they do, if nothing is done to reverse the trend. So isn't it legitimate to openly ask whether carbon offsetting as a solution is a way of keeping the poor poor and the rich comfortable? When I was working in my capacity as a direct manager in sport, the issue of sustainable development was much more concerned with its social rather than its environmental dimension, but it just so happens that sport and athletics in particular, in certain regions of the continent, have made it possible to solve an enormous number of problems by improving the standard of living of individuals. Each time, this improvement has had a positive impact on the immediate environment of the people concerned and sometimes on an even wider circle around that person, at the level of an entire village through the creation of schools, health facilities, means of production and water points. I'm one of those who are convinced that the return and enhancement of customary systems and ancestral traditions - the result of a cultural accumulation over time and history - is extremely important, not in a vision of nostalgia or ‘folklore’, but rather as a source of solutions to current problems. People all over the world have always set up ingenious systems to solve their problems of water supply, conservation and sharing, for example. Pour en revenir aux valeurs actuelles, le sport, sans doute aucun, est un vecteur d'éducation des jeunes filles et des femmes, une école du vivre ensemble, de paix et de diplomatie. Il est du reste le moyen le plus efficace pour la cohésion et l’inclusion sociale, même quand il s’agit de populations carcérales. Dans les années 80 j’avais initié l’activité sportive en faveur des handicapés dans mon pays, ce qui a abouti peu de temps après à la création d’une Fédération Royale Marocaine dédiée. Aujourd’hui au Maroc, la quasi-totalité des catégories de personnes à besoins spécifiques bénéficient d’encadrements sportifs dans des centaines associations and numerous specialist centres. Morocco's achievements in this field are often cited as an example. As a result of this conviction, I am still involved in two major associations dedicated to physical activity and sport for girls and women: the Association Nationale Femme et Activité Physique (National Association for Women and Physical Activity), set up in the early 1980s by Mrs Fatima El Faquir, and the Association Femmes Réalisations et Valeurs (Women's Achievements and Values Association), set up by Mrs Nezha Bidouane. Both of these organisations provide tens of thousands of women with regular, sustained exercise. I also take part quite regularly in activities initiated in prisons, etc. In order for sport to play its role of sustainable and social development properly, there are many things that need to be improved in the training of supervisors. First of all, we need to give priority to academic training in specialised institutions and faculties. Physical activity and sport are highly complex fields. The international federations have done a very poor job of sticking their noses into training. They should focus on qualifications and leave training to the university system. We mustn't forget that sport itself is threatened by climate and environmental risks, but also by a host of abuses that it can undergo or engender. Global warming, for example, is forcing sportsmen and women to adjust their training times, while the lack of water means that certain sports facilities cannot be installed in certain areas (swimming pools, tennis courts, golf courses, etc.). The atmospheric and noise pollution caused by certain sports, the violation of human rights that tarnishes the credibility of certain major sporting events, and the psychological or physical violence inflicted on sportswomen are all threats that weigh heavily and compromise the noble mission of sport. Another major risk here is exploitation, whether financial or physical. I'm thinking here of all those young sportsmen and women who are exploited, lured into a bright future by the promise of good things, in various so-called training centres that obey no demonological rules or ethical codes. I'm also thinking of sexual exploitation, paedophilia, harassment and the sexual exploitation of young girls. There is also the heresy of all these highly polluting activities that call themselves sports... whether directly through the use of powerful engines, rubber, plastic and other harmful components. La violence est également présente au quotidien dans le sport notamment quand les enjeux sont très importants et quand s’y ajoute une dimension exagérée de fanatisme. Racism is also increasingly expressed without embarrassment in the stands by a public increasingly free of moral or legal constraints, with disconcerting impunity. So of course there are actions being taken through what is commonly known today as Safeguarding. Many international federations, including World Athletics, have embarked on this path. Let's wait and see the results of such strategies, but the fact remains that these issues cannot be resolved by simple rules and sanctions. The creation by the United Nations of the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace was certainly conceived with this in mind. The day was proposed by an African, the Moroccan Kamal Lahlou

How our Indian modern education system is ruining the youth of our country????

Ajeetkgr1, 6 mon.
4 min read.
At first we will discuss about how was our indian education system in past???? our indian education system totally based on (Gurukulam) So, the question is now that what was Gurukulam in our indian history? In our culture, it was like this that both education and medical treatment were provided absolutely free of cost. Both these works were done through funding provided by the society. But in this article we will discuss only about Gurukul and not about Ayurvedic treatment All the subjects, arts and physical skills taught in our Gurukul are described below in turn. Subjects 1. Languages:- Sanskrit, Prakrit, Gujrati, Hindi, English 2. Jain philosophy and Jainism:- Shutdarshan, philosophy, Required Formulas 3. Mathematics:- Simple and quick methods of mathematics, practical calculations 4. Ayurveda:- Healthy lifestyle (daily routine, seasonal routine, lifestyle) Charak Samhita, Shushrut Samhita, Ashtanga Hridaya etc. studying in Gurukul 5. Astrology:- seasonality , study of Panchang, Zodiac period, auspicious time, Chaughadiya, Hora Prahar, Yogini, Horoscope, basic knowledge of body postures, Ashtanga Nimit etc.!! 6. Kautilya's Arthashastra:- Training in Management and Leadership!! 7. History:- Ramayana, Mahabharata, History of Jainism including sections 1 to 4 and knowledge of all traditions of the world!! 8. Oncology:- Nyay Vidya( wisdom tales, chess game, riddles) 9. Ethics:- Chanakya's ethics and various moral stories 10. Vastu Shastra: - Home architecture, City architecture, Temple Architecture, Base Architecture 11. Material Knowledge and General Knowledge:- Matter, Atoms, Aggregates, Transformation of Matter and Aggregates, Various Properties of Matter and Current Serious Problems of the World!! 12. Miscellaneous Science: Craft Science, Botany, Metallurgy, Underground Water, Tantra Science, Mechanical Science, Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Regional Science (World Philosophy Geography) 13. Spiritual knowledge: - Yoga philosophy, meditation, development of soul, liberation 14. Business Education:- Accounting, Transactions, Buying and Selling, Production and Construction, Management and Operations, Promotion and Publicity, Art 1. Drawing:- Sketch, Real drawings, shadow drawings, colour drawings 2. Music art: – Singing – Knowledge and training of various ragas 3. Instrumental Instruments:- Sitar, Dholak-Tabla, Harmonia, Manjira, Venu Vadan, Violin, Sarangi, Jaltarang etc... 4. Acting:- Dance (Kathak, Raas, Bhangra dance etc..), Drama, One-act play, Dialogue, facial expressions and body movements!! 5. Conversation:- Speech, Statement 6. Magic :- Fundamentals and different games 7. Creative art:- Making and creating various things 8. Sewing:- Knowledge of various stitches, using spinning wheel 9. Make-up:- Body make-up, Pavilion make-up, Home make-up, stage make-up 10. Reading:- Practicing quick and effective reading 11. Writing:- Handwriting, article, essay, story, plan paper, speech, poetry, drama, dialogue 12. Other arts:- Making Rangoli hospitality Physical Efficiency Body balance and training and activities: - Lathi fight, wrestling, judo, karate, gymnastics, horse riding, bullock cart, horse cart driving Gaushala related: - Cow milking, cow dung application etc... Devotional: - Performing aarti, lighting a lamp, praying to God... So much knowledge and art was imparted to you at the age of 18. So that when you come out of Gurukul at the age of 18, you are dependent on yourself and not on the government and big industrialists. Let us now talk about the current modern education system. Our modern education system started after the arrival of the British. When the British came to India for the first time in 1608. Before the British, our country was being ruled by the Mughals but they did not cause as much damage to our Gurukul as the British did. Our modern education system is such that it seems as if you have to study things that will not be even 50% useful in life. How does our education system work?? First of all we take admission in any school from class 1 to 5 like Pvt.. Or Government School . After this we take admission for 6th-8th. And then after completing this study, we again take admission for 9th-10th in any private or government college and give the 10th board exam. This is about 10th studies. We spent our 10 years in learning just two languages and studying the fundamentals of Science and Social Science And in memorizing some stupid math formulas that have nothing to do with our lives. After passing 10th, we are given three streams for further studies (arts, commerce and science) In our Gurukul education system, students have already made their career by the age of 18, but in this system it is decided only after 18 years what we should do. After 10th, all the students are divided into three categories, some take arts, some take commerce and those who want to study something different take science. Here also you will be taught the same things which you could never use to improve your life. Science students are mostly taught Maths, Physics, Chemistry and two languages Hindi and English. Every child dreams of improving his life and society through his education but here everything will be taught which will have only one meaning i.e. how to get a government job. So that I can live in peace. And there are only one people who are doing all this wrong and that is those who have already studied through this system, they have not done anything in their life with this education and they are busy making us like them by teaching us the same. Let me take a simple example: if you want to become a lawyer in India, then first of all you have to complete your studies from 1st to 12th, then after that you have to give the entrance exam of a good law college where you will do your graduation, After that you will have to pass the AIBE exam and get Bar Counseling registration done, then after this you will have to practice under a senior lawyer. By doing all this, your age will be around 30+. That means if you want to become a simple lawyer then it will take 30 years before you can live a settled life. Such is our modern education system But it did not happen like this, in our Gurukul, the basics of all these educations were completed by the time you turned 18. The youth of our country are illiterate even though they are educated. They have no knowledge of politics or their rights, that is why in our country a criminal can become a politician but not a civilized citizen. There is so much unemployment in our country because we have not been taught from childhood that which could be useful in eliminating our unemployment. The youth of today are addicted to drugs and are engrossed in gaming. They have neither any skills nor any art by which they can create their own personality in this world. And our ideals have also become like that, today we do not know our freedom fighters as much as we know today's young actor

I Spent 7 Days in Singapore... My Life Changed, Here is Why

Anas Bedraoui, 6 mon.
Spending a week in Singapore was an unforgettable experience that left a lasting impact on my life. From the moment I arrived, I was captivated by the city's unique blend of modernity and tradition, its vibrant culture, and its cutting-edge innovation. Here are the key moments and discoveries that made my stay transformative. Day 1: A Fusion of Cultures Singapore is a blend of various cultures, and this was immediately evident. Wandering through neighborhoods like Chinatown, Little India, and Kampong Glam, I immersed myself in diverse traditions, cuisines, and architectures. Each area told a story of the people who have made Singapore their home. In Chinatown, I visited temples and savored street food while chatting with local shopkeepers (mainly in Chinese Mandarin) who shared the history of their businesses. Little India dazzled me with its colorful markets and the aroma of spices, where I learned about Indian festivals and rituals from friendly vendors. Kampong Glam, with its vibrant street art and the majestic Sultan Mosque, offered insights into Malay culture. This cultural immersion made me feel connected to the global community, appreciating the rich traditions that coexist harmoniously in Singapore. Day 2: A Green Oasis in a Concrete Jungle The Gardens by the Bay was a highlight of my trip. The futuristic Supertree Grove and the serene Cloud Forest left me in awe of how Singapore harmonizes nature with urban life. I spent hours exploring the lush landscapes, marveling at the diversity of plant species. A gardener I met shared stories about the meticulous care and effort that goes into maintaining these green spaces, emphasizing Singapore's commitment to sustainability and green living. This encounter inspired me to think more about how I can incorporate eco-friendly practices into my daily routine. Despite the city's strict rules, which made finding a smoking area a bit of a challenge, I appreciated the clean and green environment that these regulations help maintain. Day 3: Innovation and Inspiration Attending the 22nd World Congress of the International Society on Toxinology was the primary reason for my visit. Here, I had the honor of presenting my research and engaging with some of the brightest minds in the field. Conversations with researchers like Pr. Jan Tytgat and Pr. Manjunatha Kini opened my eyes to new possibilities in my work. Their innovative approaches and groundbreaking discoveries reignited my passion for scientific research. The congress was held at the National University of Singapore (NUS), and I was struck by the beauty and modernity of the campus. NUS, with its state-of-the-art facilities and vibrant academic atmosphere, stands as a testament to Singapore's commitment to education and research excellence. Day 4: Culinary Adventures and Unexpected Encounters Singapore's food scene is legendary, and I made it a mission to try as many local dishes as possible. From hawker centers to high-end restaurants, each meal was a culinary adventure. Trying dishes like Hainanese chicken rice, laksa, and chili crab expanded my palate and appreciation for the artistry of food. At a late-night food stall in Newton Food Centre, I struck up a conversation with a group of construction workers who shared their experiences and struggles. Their stories of hard work and resilience left a lasting impression on me, highlighting the human side of Singapore's rapid development. Despite the strict laws, the city felt incredibly welcoming and orderly, contributing to its reputation as a clean and safe destination. Day 5: A Glimpse into the Future and a Brush with Reality A visit to the Singapore Science Centre and Fusionopolis showcased the country's commitment to technological advancement. The innovations in AI, biotechnology, and sustainable development were impressive and motivating. Seeing these advancements firsthand made me more enthusiastic about the potential of my own research in AI for drug discovery. Later that night, while exploring Geylang, a less-touristy part of town, I had an unexpected encounter with a group of youths who shared tales of their tough upbringing and the challenges they face. This stark contrast to the city's polished exterior added a layer of depth to my understanding of Singapore, showing that even in a seemingly perfect city, there are stories of struggle and resilience. Day 6: Reflection and Growth On my penultimate day, I took some time for personal reflection at the serene East Coast Park. The peaceful environment provided the perfect backdrop to contemplate my experiences and the new insights I had gained. A local fisherman I met there shared his life philosophy, emphasizing the importance of balance and mindfulness. This interaction made me realize the importance of balancing professional aspirations with personal well-being. The warm, tropical weather, although humid, added to the overall tranquility of the park. As I sat by the sea, watching the ships go by, I felt a profound sense of calm and clarity, understanding the need to find harmony in life. Day 7: Farewell with a New Perspective As my time in Singapore came to an end, I felt a profound sense of gratitude. The city's spirit of innovation, cultural richness, and commitment to sustainability had left an indelible mark on me. I was especially struck by the friendliness and honesty of the people. Everywhere I went, locals were ready to help, whether it was giving directions or sharing their stories. Unlike many other cities, I didn't encounter any scammers or beggars, which added to the sense of safety and trust. I returned home with a renewed sense of purpose, inspired to incorporate the lessons I learned into my everyday life and research. My seven days in Singapore were more than just a trip; they were a series of experiences that changed me. This dynamic city showed me the power of diversity, the importance of innovation, and the value of sustainability. My interactions with people from all walks of life, from researchers to laborers to those on the fringes of society, gave me a more nuanced perspective. My life was changed in ways I never expected, and I am eager to see how these experiences will shape my future.
linkedin.com/in/anas-bedraoui-21...

A Solemn Recognition of The World

Brad Ovitt, 6 mon.
4 min read.
The entire world is one industrial-social complex. Let's face it, we're slaves. A slave is someone who must serve another for an adulterated form of life, liberty, and property. Every single person who lives in modern society is by some extension in service of another for their needs. Tracing back the development of our condition is a history of mass servitude to a ruling class. In preindustrial civilization, a large portion of the population was categorized as a classical slave. Moving up the class hierarchy, people were given a greater degree of independence to influence the world around them and their social standing, but to that measure served the same institution as the slave. In the postindustrial world, the most productive economies consist of an educated and independent populace. Eventually, it became feasible to envision civilization controlled by the people, legitimate only by social contract. It was believed that such a civilization would be resistant to the contamination of slavery. But, to be afforded even the most basic dignities of life, we must still be in service to the needs of the enslaving apparatus. If you own land, you must pay property taxes to the government you serve to further encroach upon you. If you do not own land, you must work to make money to pay for a place to live and pay the government again. If you do not, you are homeless, which is illegal. If you break the law, you are put in prison, which is an even more hellish form of classical slavery. The only difference is that the modern enslaving apparatus benefits more from an educated and economically mobile population than it does from a form of classical slavery. You're free to be mobile, but the enslaving apparatus quickly colonized the entire planet so you can't leave. We've confused classical slavery as the only kind of slavery. If you feel free as you are, it is only by coincidence, and if you try to exit the enslaving apparatus, your only is choice is to hide from it in the most remote stretches of the planet. We no longer have the right to total self-reliance, which was once taken for granted. **TRAJECTORY OF THE MODEST SOUL** Consider the trajectory of the modest soul. The modest soul will listen to their parents, their teachers, and all those adults who have their true interests at heart. They will pursue higher-education, perhaps the study of STEM or Liberal Arts. It is here we find unexpected tragedy. The modest soul will find themselves in debt, indoctrinated by a ridiculous education system that's destroying an entire generation, and become a productive member of a society that poisons it's population, censors ideas, and is fundamentally evil and subjugating in a host of ways. It wasn't always like this, and perhaps was acceptable, that is until recently. What's next? The modest soul gets married, that is if they can in a dating pool full of disappointment and the sheltered expectations of a bygone era. They have children, but most marriages end in less than a decade. They've reached their 30s, are divorced, and their body is fading because they were taught that an average and unhealthy lifestyle is acceptable, as well as due to unnatural difficulty determining which food actually is healthy. They put their kids who already don't respect them into the education system where they'll be taught the most ridiculous ideas about how to behave and be a decent person. Maybe their kids will dye their hair, or dress ridiculously, or self-harm, all because of psychological phenomena caused by a corrosive civilization. At this point the modest soul will be in a dire situation that they were never equipped to handle. By the time they're in their 40s, they'll have accepted they're expired well past their physical prime and their life has been a history of disappointment and failure, with the occasional modest and inconsequential victory. For their masters, they will have generated millions of dollars, for which they still find themselves financially dependent, pay-check to pay-check. Will they ever retire? Maybe, but modestly at best. They will lack the respect of their family, they will look back on their life without confidence, and live for trivialities. Due to their poor health standards, they live a life with chronic illness and struggle to afford the medication they need, which also comes with negative side-effects. When they die, their family will be burdened by the obligation of a funeral. Lives such lived are a hallmark of our civilization. The inability for the average person to attain even a moderate well-being has a devastating impact on the society we call ours. Yet, it isn't ours, it's *their's*, because we have built a system in which we are slaves to each other. In places once free, people were healthy and served only their community. Their contribution was solely voluntary. People attained a natural level of satisfaction far greater than is commonplace today. While their trials were greater, they were prepared to succeed and found a greater respect for themselves and love amongst their kin. Today, communities are fractured and hierarchically organized to exploit each other in an industrial-social complex, encouraging disintegrity through lateral relationships. **INDUSTRIAL-SOCIAL COMPLEX** After the COVID vaccines first came out, I asked my Biology teacher if they were safe. She told me they're the safest vaccines ever made because of the mRNA platform. According to the CDC's *COVID-19 Vaccination and Non–COVID-19 Mortality Risk*, "this report describes lower non-COVID-19 death rates among COVID-19 vaccinated people." They say the vaccines make you healthier. They say everyone over 12 years old should get vaccinated. But, the CDC says the vaccines are entirely safe? They aren't, it's propaganda. We've been mislead, censored, and poisoned, a consequence of the industrial social complex. According to a military study I can't find anymore, pulmonary embolisms are up as much as 900% in the vaccinated population. In certain age groups, all-cause mortality is up as high as 40%. How do you make money in pharmaceuticals? Increase the rate of chronic illness, which has been happening rapidly since the late 80s. Leaked emails show Fauci conspiring with top officials to avoid their conversations being accessible through the freedom of information act. They poisoned us. When I was in student government we were working on a vaccine rally to get people vaccinated. I'd read reports about heart issues caused by the vaccine and raised the issue that we should at least inform people of the potential side-effects. In a vote that was 57-3, they voted to deliberately mislead the public and say the vaccine was entirely safe. I'm running out of space here, but my point is that these things don't make sense unless people have hidden agendas they aren't accountable for.

White Sheet

Fatima Zahra EL hajji (Tima EL), 6 mon.
1 min read.
He gave her a white sheet. She asked him, "What do you want me to do with it?" He replied, "Start by making your first drawing." She told him, "I don't know how." He asked her to choose from the color pens. She picked one that she liked very much and started to make the first line on the white sheet, then the second line, and the third line. She asked him for more colors. He gave her two more colors, and she was very happy because her white sheet was turning into a beautiful drawing. She asked him for even more colors. He told her, "You might not be able to manage all these colors, and it could end up ruining your beautiful drawing." She reassured him, "Don't worry, it will be a very beautiful drawing." He gave her more colors, and she started to add one color after another. The white sheet became filled with many colors. Eventually, the white sheet became chaotic with all the colors. She paused, looking at her drawing, and felt that it had lost its meaning with so many colors. She felt like she had made a mistake on her white sheet. She asked him for another white sheet. He told her, "You can't have another white sheet; only one is given to you. But I can give you this brush to erase some of the colors from your drawing." She started to erase some of the colors, but they didn't come off completely and left traces on the white sheet. He told her, "When you move forward, it is usually hard to go back. You should move forward and find the white in your sheet again.

In the age of AI Engineering; the frantic craze to replace Software Engineers

THEJEDI, 6 mon.
4 years have passed, and I have been engineering software for machine learning models. I have seen models for pest disease identification, chest conditions localization and detection, food classification and identification and now predominantly chatbots for generally anything. Somehow, the goal now is to automate the work of software engineers by developing models that are able to build end-to-end software. Is this goal profound? I think it is, and I say, "bring it on, let's go crazy with it". There has been uncertainty and fear associated with the future prospects of Artificial Intelligence, especially with the replacement of software developers. Despite this uncertainty and fear, a future where it is possible to build applications by just saying the word seems intriguing. In that future, there would be no application solely owned by "big tech" companies anymore because everyone can literally build one. The flexibility and ease of application development would push popular social media companies like Snapchat, Instagram etc. to make their APIs public (if not already public), portable and free in order to maintain their user base. This results in absolute privacy and freedom for users and thus makes it a desired future. As a rule of thumb, automation of any kind is good. It improves processes and speeds up productivity and delivery. However, one could argue that whenever there is a speed up, there is a time and human resource surplus. Because in the history of humanity, we automated food production by way of mechanized farming and created enough time and manpower surplus which we used to create abstractions around our lives in forms of finance, and industry, etc. So, in the race to automate engineering, what do we intend to use the time and manpower surplus for? But this question is only a different coining to the very important question: "what are the engineers whose jobs would be automated going to be doing?". And the answer is that when we think of the situation as a surplus of manpower, we can view it as an opportunity to create something new rather than an unemployment problem. For example: As a software engineer, if Devin (the new AI software development tool that was touted as being able to build end-to-end software applications) was successfully launched and offered at a fee, I would gladly pay for it and let it do all my tasks while I supervise. I would then spend the rest of my time on other activities pleasing to me. What these other activities would constitute is the question left unanswered. Would they be profitable, or would they be recreational? Regardless, the benefits we stand to gain from automating software engineering are immeasurable. It makes absolute sense to do it. On the other hand, though, we also stand to lose one enormous thing as a human species: our knowledge and brilliance. Drawing again from history, we see that today any lay person could engineer software easily. This was not possible in the early days of Dennis Ritchie, Ken Thompson, Linus Torvalds etc. More and more as engineering becomes easier to do, we lose the hard-core knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of systems. For example, today, there is a lot of demand for COBOL engineers because a lot of financial trading applications which were built in the 90's needs to be updated or ported to more modern languages. The only problem is that no one knows how to write COBOL anymore. It is not that the COBOL language is too old. In my opinion, it is rather that all the engineers who could have learnt to write COBOL decided to go for what was easier and simpler, leaving a debt for COBOL knowledge. So, one big question to answer is whether there would be any engineers knowledgeable enough to recover, resurrect or revive the supporting systems to automated AI systems in scenarios of failure just like in the case of COBOL? When we make things easier for everybody, we somehow make everybody a bit dumber. AI Assisted Engineering: Having discussed the benefits of autonomous software engineering tools and also demonstrated that full automation could cause a decline in basic software engineering knowledge, what then is the best means by which automation due to machine learning could be applied to software engineering? Assistive engineering. This conclusion is based on studies of pull-requests from engineers who use copilot and those who do not. Let us present some examples: `console.log` is a debugging tool which many JavaScript engineers use to debug their code. It prints out variable values wherever it is placed during code execution. Some engineers fail to remove `console.logs` in their code before committing. Pull requests from engineers who use Github's copilot usually do not have any missed `console.log` entries while those from engineers who do not use copilot, do. Clearly, the assistive AI tool prompts engineers who use them about unnecessary `console.logs` before they commit their code. Another example is the level of convolution in code written by AI assistants. With copilot specifically, it was observed that engineers grew to be able to write complicated code. This was expected due to the level and depth of knowledge possessed by the AI tool. Sometimes though, this level of convolution and complication seemed unnecessary for the tasks involved. Amongst all the applications of ML to industry, it is observed that full autonomous agents are not possible yet and might ultimately not be possible in the future. Really, if humans are to trust and use any systems as autonomous agents without any form of human intervention or supervision, it is likely not going to be possible with ML. The reasons being the probabilistic nature of these systems and the inhumanity of ML. The only systems achievable using ML that humans would accept as autonomous agents are superintelligent systems. Some call it artificial general intelligence or super AI systems. Such systems would know, and reason more than humans could even comprehend. The definition of how much more intelligent they would be than humans is not finite. Due to this, an argument is made that if the degree of intelligence of such superintelligent systems is not comprehensible by humans, then by induction, it would never exist. In other words, we can only build what we can define. That which we cannot define, we cannot build. In the grand scheme of things, every workforce whose work can be AI automated, is eventually going to be "somewhat" replaced by Artificial Intelligence. But the humans in the loop cannot be "totally" replaced. In essence, in a company of 5 software engineers, only 2 software engineers might be replaced by AI. This is because in the end, humans know how to use tools and whatever we build with AI, remain as tools, and cannot be fully trusted as domain experts. We will always require a human to use these tools trustfully and responsibly.

Technological Singularities of The 21st Century

Brad Ovitt, 6 mon.
2 min read.
A technological singularity is a technological advance that would radically transform society in ways that cannot be predicted. For example, **AGI**, the idea being that sufficiently powerful AI can make itself more capable and continue the trend at an unpredictable rate. As the machine becomes more capable, it is more able to make itself increasingly capable. Another technological singularity that can be expected in the 21st century is due to the rapid advancement of **quantum computing**. Unlike classical computing units, called transistors, which scale in performance linearly, quantum computing units, called qubits, scale 2^n, where n is the number of qubits. For every qubit you add to the system, the performance doubles. Quantum computers are currently limited in size due to *noise*, interference in the computation, but they're improving rapidly. IBM unveiled the largest quantum computer with 1,121 qubits, with plans to build a 100,000 qubit system by 2033 (youtube.com/watch?v=7aa_ik_UYTw). A 100,000 qubit system will be able to solve problems not possible on any existing computers. While Quantum computers aren't faster for all problems, there stands a substantial problem set with a potential for quantum speed up. A quantum computer of this size would spark a revolution in chemistry and physics simulation so profound that it would be a technological singularity. Another technological singularity we can anticipate is the point at which **virtual reality becomes indistinguishable from physical reality**. Remember, don't go into the matrix. Imagine a world in which people are abducted and placed into a simulation. They wouldn't even know. They could then be used for reproductive farming. There is also **rapid advancement in anti-aging**, to the point in which the first person who will never die has probably already been born. The dynamics of a society with people who have spanned an unnatural number of generations is unknown. There is also the possibility of a **breakthrough in physics** that would lead to capabilities we currently don't know are possible, similar to the quantum revolution of the 20th century, which enabled the atomic bomb and a host of other revolutionary technologies. We can also anticipate a biological singularity, in which science allows the development of deadly pathogens that can target certain groups. The future of war may not be firepower, but combat will highly deadly pathogens. Why blow up a country when you can kill it's population and leave it intact? **CONCLUSION** In his famous work *INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY AND IT'S FUTURE*, the Unabomber argued that industrial society will eventually collapse, causing never-before-seen devastation on a civilizational scale. Luddites and Amish are examples of people who are skeptical of technology as a means to improve society. I won't go into the arguments here, but perhaps technological society will collapse, leading to a religious civilization that is highly skeptical of technology. Also, worth pointing out is the possibility of an ecological singularity. A solar flair of sufficient intensity could destroy every electrical system on the planet, an event that cannot be predicted. The agricultural economy would collapse, causing mass starvation on a global scale, leading to a civilization skeptical of technology. It would also be naive to leave out the possibility of nuclear warfare. My goal is not to terrify you but to point to out that we live in a civilization highly exposed to risk. Recall the myth of Pandora's box. God gives Pandora a box and tells her to never open it. Curiosity gets the best of her and she opens it, letting out all the evils of world, and at the bottom of the box she finds hope. We're quickly opening boxes that we don't know the contents of. It seems likely to me that the 21st century will be the most consequential in the history of civilization. We live in truly special times.

Third Paradoxist Manifesto by Florentin Smarandache

Brad Ovitt, 6 mon.
2 min read.
Therefore, don't enforce any literary rules on me! Or, if you do, I'll certainly encroach upon them. I'm not a poet, that's why I write poetry. I'm an anti-poet or non-poet. I thus came to America to re-build the Statue of Liberty of the Verse, delivered from the tyranny of the classic and its dogma. I allowed any boldness: - anti-literature and its literature; - flexible forms fixed, or the alive face of the death! - style of the non-style; - poems without verse (because poems don't mean words)- dumb poems with loud voice; - poems without poems (because the notion of "poem" doesn't match any definition found in dictionaries or encyclopedias) - poems which exist by their absence; - after-war literature: pages and pages bombed by filthiness, triteness, and non-poeticality; - paralinguistic verse (only!): graphics, lyrical portraits, drawings, drafts... - non-words and non-sentence poems; - very upset free verse and trivial hermetic verse; - intelligible unintelligible language; - unsolved and open problems of mathematics like very nice poems of the spirit - we must scientificize the art in this technical century; - impersonal texts personalized; - electrical shock; - translation from the impossible into the possible, or transformation of the abnormal to the normal; - pro Non-Art Art; - make literature from everything, make literature from nothing! The poet is not a prince of ducks! The notion of "poetry" and its derivatives have become old-fashioned in this century, and people laugh at them in disregard. I'm ashamed to affirm that I create lyrical texts, I hide them. People neither read nor listen to lyrical texts anymore, but they will read this volume because it's nothing to read! However, the Paradoxist Movement is neither nihilism, nor disparity. The book of the non-poems is a protest against art's marketing. Do you writers sell your feelings? Do you create only for money?? Only books about crimes, sex, horror are published. Where is the true Art? In begging... . You may find in this book of uncollected poems everything you don't need and don't like: poems not to be read, not to be heard, not to be written at all! Enjoy them. Only after nuisance you really know what pleasure means. They provide a mirror of everybody's infinite soul. Art, generally speaking, is pushed up to its last possible frontiers toward non-art, and even more... Better a book of blanc pages, than one which says nothing. A very abstract and symbolic language is further used, but very concrete at the same time: non-restrictive verse from any form or content. It takes advantage of cliche against itself. EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE, THEREFORE: THE IMPOSSIBLE TOO! Hence don't wonder about this anti-book! If you don't understand it, that means you understand all. That is the goal of the manifesto. Because Art is not for the mind, but for feelings. Because Art is also for the mind. Try to interpret the un-interpretable! Your imagination may flourish as a cactus in a desert. But, The American Manifesto of the PARADOXISM is especially a revolt of the emigrant to the United States who doesn't speak English, against the language - an anti-language book written in more than a broken English (the American speech of Tomorrow?)... [From the book: NonPoems, by Florentin Smarandache, Xiquan Publishing House, Phoenix, Chicago, 1991, 1992, 1993; the volume contains very experimental so called , such as: - poems without verse; - poems without poems; - poem-drafts; - drawn-poems; - poems in Pirissanorench (language spoken in the South-West of the United States by a single person); - super-poems; - graphic poems; - upset-poems.]
fs.unm.edu/a/paradoxism-en.htm

Function of the American Political Body

Brad Ovitt, 6 mon.
3 min read.
The American Federal Government has been weaponized against dissent, media is increasingly censored and controlled, foreign interests have an unprecedented influence on political power, and many politicians are extorting money from their policy influence. **Media Censorship/Bias** There used to be a law called the Fairness Doctrine that required media sources to report the news without political bias, but it was eliminated in 1987. There has been a rise in partisan news coverage since, resulting in isolated groups and a brewing resentment and distrust between them, manifested in congressional activity. It used to be there were two parties and they worked to balance each other, but now they act like single-party interests warring against each other. Traditional news sources not only compete on narrative, but try to discredit each other along party lines. On the other hand, there is the new world of social media, so party interests have turned to censoring certain narratives, on which the House Committee on The Weaponization of The Federal Government wrote an 880 page report called *THE CENSORSHIP-INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX: HOW TOP BIDEN WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALS COERCED BIG TECH TO CENSOR AMERICANS, TRUE INFORMATION, AND CRITICS OF THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION*, which says it all. **Foreign Interests** In 1970, a Soviet journalist named Yuri Bezmenov defected to the United States. He claimed the Soviet Union was executing a long-term plan to subvert American society. Currently, there are several foreign entities with their mits in American pockets. Russia has been accused of election interference several times. China has also been accused of large-scale espionage and interference. TikTok was recently banned in America over concerns of it being an extension of Chinese Communist Party and a mechanism of social subversion. Reading the law that banned it, it also extends FISA, the governments surveillance program for foreign and domestic citizens, but nobody reports that. From the House Committee on Oversight: “We found 170 major bank violations. These were from six major banks, and they alleged that the Bidens were, among other things, money laundering, and receiving suspicious wires from state-owned entities. […] The bank is alleging that the Bidens took a suspicious wire from the Chinese government, and then laundered it through these shell companies. Many laws were broken there.” Personal investments by legislators tend to significantly out-perform investors on Wall Street. It's believed that they're insider-trading and no longer represent the needs of the people. They can still get elected because there's a one-party mentality created by the isolated news sources. Everyone thinks the other side is shit, but in reality, both are shit. **Wokeism And Useful Idiots** Wokeism is a nuanced cultural movement with good intentions and awful consequences. Google's Gemini explains Wokeism: "Wokeism is the promotion of liberal progressive ideology and policy as a way to express sensitivity to systemic injustices and prejudices. It's also defined as a set of theories that revolve around "identity, gender, and race". The core principle of wokeism is to "reveal and condemn concealed forms of domination"." Disaster comes wherever people start identifying as Woke. In San Francisco and Seattle, where Wokeism first took root, the homeless population and crime rate have skyrocketed. Wokeism attempts to address systemic issues and prejudice: disproportionate incarceration rate for black males, income inequality between men and women, but disrupts meritocracy to do so. In attempt to reduce the black population in prisons, they stop enforcing laws, because black people do commit significantly more criminal activity on a per-capita basis. When the laws stop being enforced dangerous people are empowered and kept out of prison. They sell drugs, they steal, and communities fall apart. Substance abuse becomes prevalent, homelessness, prostitution, etc. In Seattle, someone can defecate in the middle of road and not get arrested. You can shoot a gun at someone and walk out of prison that night with no bail. You can shoot up heroine in public and the cops will watch you do it. You can set up homeless tents outside schools. The laws go unenforced. When the Mayor of Seattle was asked in 2019 about the devastating crime rate, he said he's a firm believer we can't arrest our way out of this problem. After police brutality gained widespread public attention due to the George Floyd murder, even though an autopsy revealed he had a clinically lethal dose of fentanyl in his blood, Woke protesters championed "defund the police" as the crime rate was rising. In justice, police brutality is a problem and needs to be addressed as well. The axiomatic flaw of Wokeism is that meritocracy is seen as a concealed form of domination. The incentive is not to do better, but to appear more disadvantaged, so people act crazy. Insanity is mislabeled as virtue and compassion. Because it doesn't make any sense, Wokeism is often antagonistic to free speech as well. I call Woke people useful idiots because they're loud about their ideology and easily taken advantage of by ideas against their own interests. **Why you should care** Since WW2, America has basically acted as world ocean police, ensuring the security of international free-trade. America has one of the largest collections of nuclear weapons. America is the greatest force in NATO. America is always on the cutting-edge of science and technology. The NSA is probably spying on you. These problems will make it to Europe as American import.

She

Fatima Zahra EL hajji (Tima EL), 6 mon.
0 min read.
I see her in every part of my life. I can't forget her; she accompanies me in every step. I remember her bright eyes and her big smile. I recall her small dreams and the hopes she said every night before falling asleep. I remember how she looked; the world resembled her greatly. I remember her small friends and their names. I remember the first time she felt scared and shed her first naive tears. I remember her failures and her joy for her first success. I remember the first time she said no and moved forward without looking back. Every year, as I read her letters, I see her hope to remain within me for all my life. She was the most beautiful part of my life for a quarter of a century, and she will remain so forever.

America is falling apart

Brad Ovitt, 6 mon.
3 min read.
Over the past two decades, America has transformed from a functional republic to a klepocratic republic fueled by information censorship and deep-state interests. The level of political polarization is at an intensity only paralleled by the civil-war era of the 1860s. It is so bad, if I were unfamiliar with the situation, I wouldn't believe me. 8 years ago it was completely different. I understand there are other nations under far greater distress, but America is in a unique kind of decline, not seen anywhere else, serving as a warning to other liberal democracies in the 21st century. In Seattle, Washington, the streets are littered with homeless drug abusers with tents propped up in EVERY park and EVERY street. The democracy is dysfunctional. Take a look at this video of a city meeting in Seattle: https://youtu.be/bpAi70WWBlw?feature=shared&t=240. Citizen 1 to council members: "Will you manage these camps? Will you enforce the law?" Council Member: "If property damage or violence is committed you need to call 911." Citizen 2 to council members: "You've lost all credibility when you say ... you said two words, you said call 911. Do you understand that the police have told us to vote you all out so they can do their jobs, and you're telling us to call 911. You're smiling! You think this is funny, you think it's funny the way we're living?" People cheer with their signs that say "**LISTEN TO US**." It's been 5 years and the problem has only worsened. Policy decisions seem conspiratorially designed to destroy the nation. Petty crimes are almost entirely unenforced. Political violence has been normalized. The Department of Justice has become weaponized for political purposes. Substance abuse has never been worse. National security is in crisis. The majority of Americans don't trust the elections. The school systems are failing. "Our K-12 public education system is not designed to be effective in student learning, educator performance, or the effective utilization of money. Devoid of accountability, it will never effectively educate our children. It would be more accurate to describe our public education system as our country’s largest adult employment program." - Donald Nielsen, Senior Fellow and Chairman, American Center for Transforming Education The scope and speed of America's unraveling is unprecedented and difficult to emphasize enough. If I wanted to destroy the country I would do everything that politicians are doing. I've linked a document at the bottom from a Republican House Judiciary Committee outlining constitutional violations and censorship of true information from the existing presidential administration. The document is almost 900 pages long, but to summarize: it's a horrible situation. **LOOMING THREAT OF CIVIL WAR** Donald Trump is the first president in American history trying to defend his innocence in court. He's also running for re-election. He lost the last election, criticized it's integrity, and mobilized his supporters to break into the US capitol, killing four people. In a recent interview he said he hasn't ruled out the possibility of political violence if he loses again (cnn.com/2024/04/30/politics/trump-political-violence-2024-time-interview/index.html). America is also facing what I consider to be the worst migrant crisis in her history. The borders are completely open, which the FBI director called a major national security threat. For 4 years the president has been complicit with an open-border policy, repeating the lie that he doesn't have the presidential authority to fix the problem. It's not that I'm advocating an anti-immigration stance, but it's believed that tens of thousands of foreign military nationals have crossed the border, in what some have labeled a "planned invasion." https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/01/26/texas-border-dispute-breeds-loose-talk-civil-war-resistance-right/ Also, the worst substance abuse and homelessness crisis in American history. Streets of major cities are overrun with tent encampments and drugged out "zombies," as people call them, because they roam incoherently with necrosis of their flesh from a drug called xylazine, also known as Tranq. There are widespread reports of mentally-ill homeless people attacking pedestrians in major cities. This movie was made depicting an American civil war in 2024 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt17279496/ According to Gallup News, the approval rating for Congress is 18%. I haven't talked to a single person who's told me they think a civil war in 2024 is implausible. **CONCLUSION** There is A LOT that I haven't gone over, but America is in freefall. The system has been hijacked by a kleptocracy and cultural subversion. For many Americans, the 2024 election is their last hope to see the system work. Most people plan to vote not for their preference, but against who they're afraid of being in power. I don't know how to explain to it to myself, it seems surreal.
judiciary.house.gov/sites/evo-su...

Understanding Deception Play in Soccer: How Defenders Can Shed Robotic Behavior and Stand Against Deceptive Play

Simo Idrissi, 7 mon.
2 min read.
In soccer, experience isn't something that can be simply adopted or rigidly followed. When a player from a different league is brought into a local league, they bring with them unique styles and tactics, including the art of "Deception Play". "Deception Play" isn't just a simple fake move. It's an unpracticed art, a symphony of self-worth and tradition, culture, societal priorities, magic, and sometimes, controversy. The player who executes this deception play does so in such a way that the defender, unprepared for this style of play, can seem like a robot, mechanically defending against an unknown and unrepeated reaction. These players, new to the local league, can carry the ball or their body around without revealing their true intentions, leaving defenders at a loss. Local players, both professional and amateur, unfamiliar with these deceptive moves, may struggle to defend against them. These players may need to learn how to study the individual intelligence and playing style of these players. The issue that can arise is that these local players can't just learn how to read the deceptive play by playing games, they should learn it from a person who understands the mental mechanisms and has experienced the reading procedures to detect the deceptive play. While a game is organized by a coach, the coach's duty ends at that level and players should take responsibility for leading while the game is in flow. Players who lack the ability to understand how to defend against these deceptive plays are prone to making numerous mistakes. To prepare a generation of players for such surprises in the flow of the game, they need to learn from those who already know how to hone and sharpen the attitude and mentality of the players. This way, they can better anticipate and react to these deceptive plays without resorting to simple robotic moves. While the unpredictability of a soccer game is a given, it doesn’t mean that some players are unaware of the events during a game. Players exhibit skills such as sprinting, controlling the ball, and executing passes with impressive accuracy. Yet, it can be surprising for coaches to see a team, despite its excellent performance, lose the most critical part of the game - the final score. Long-term exposure to different traditions of soccer can refine a player’s decision-making skills. This development, similar to sustainable growth from a player’s early years, doesn’t just occur by jumping to the highest levels. It’s a process akin to surfing; one cannot simply bypass all the smaller waves to ride the biggest one. A soccer player learns to adapt to all systems and traditions to reach the team, elite, and national team levels, gaining experience in recognizing events and striving to make the right decisions. However, if a player bypasses the levels and jumps directly to the biggest wave, they may face many challenges at the elite or national team levels with less creativity in their decision-making process. While this might help the player progress through the levels, it won’t equip them with a variety of concepts to automate the right decision-making, as this requires understanding the mechanics of events. Early experiences should progress through levels to reach the highest levels. If a player skips levels and jumps directly to the top, their reactions may become unbalanced, appearing primitive and lacking in emotional intelligence. This is especially true when trying to match what is detected with innovative decision-making. An analyst would definitely recognize the limitations of a player’s ability to acquire and cope with the events. Unfortunately, if a player is still battling at a top level, that process can delay self-assessment and recognition of self-awareness. Simo Idrissi

Got My First Project and Immediately Stumbled over a Pebble (a Little Story of My Personal Experience)

SilverSworntoWrite, 7 mon.
2 min read.
A few days ago I received an update about my application for an online project. It was midnight, and I was in my bed when I decided to check my Email to see if there is any new mail stuck in the spam box. Unexpectedly, there were two mails from a hiring company stated that they approved my application and asked me to follow a training course. I supposedly had to be excited because not only it was the first time I got into a project, but also the first time I applied for something and I actually passed. Imagine that you have been struggling to find a job for months and then one day you received a notification that you are now a part of the (temporary) team. Instead, I was worried because the Email was sent a day ago and I lost it when I could not access the course. "Have they removed me because I was late?" I thought whilst holding back my tantrum. In a heavy heart, I submitted into failure as I prepared to dive into slumber. In my closed eyes, I began to fall in denial that I was busy perfecting my portfolio (that was the truth anyway, and that was frustrating because my laptop kept lagging) and caused me to miss the mails. Five minutes, ten minutes, nothing happened. I could not sleep. The thought of my incompetence filled my head. Even my eyes were in searing pain, my heart danced in restless rythm. Surrendering, I opened my eyes and my laptop for once again. This time, I went to see my most trusted companion that always stands by the line, ChatGPT. Why would I decide to chat with an AI? Well, AI does not have feelings. Therefore, I do not need to feel bad to rant to it. Moreover, it gives me suggestions which is more useful than mere sympathy. And Gepetto (the name I assign to it) gave me a suggestion if I could find a contact to the company and send a message, asking if they would reconsider to accept me back. I thought it sounded like a beg, but it would be better to try than to completely gave up without a fight. Then a few days later, one of my messages reached someone, who then informed me about where to ask for help. Long story short, I finally reached out to the support team. And with a little nudge from them (and the fact that I had already calmed down), I finally able to proceed with the project. Turned out they had never removed me. It was indeed just my incompetence that makes every minor problem becomes a big deal. Although I must admit that the adrenaline was real. My regrets, my impulsing bloodstreams, it all brought down in one night. Now that everything is under control, I have to say my greatest gratitude to whoever person or team who had decided to help me at the first time. It might be just a small act, but with their help, I could get out from the situation, in which was a big matter to me. Wherever they are, I hope they have a great life. Why would I share such story? I have no idea. I thought it could inspire somebody out there that your decision to help someone, no matter how small you may think it is, means greatly to them (and it might be a lesson to me too, that I have to be more attentive.) Thank you for reading.

Read This Blog and You Will Become an AUTHOR

Anas Bedraoui, 7 mon.
Writing consistently is a simple action with profound impact. I discovered its transformative power firsthand, reshaping how I understand myself and the world around me. In this blog, I share how regular writing can change your life, as it did mine. Gaining Clarity Writing has always been part of my life, but committing to it daily unveiled its true potential. Amidst daily clutter and responsibilities, writing offered me clarity. Each word helped sift through the chaos of thoughts, allowing me to focus and prioritize. It was less about recording thoughts and more about understanding and organizing them. Building Confidence and Expertise With every piece I wrote, I found and refined my voice. My early writings were far from perfect, and that was okay. Each sentence and paragraph built my confidence. Writing about subjects I was passionate about, especially snake venom, not only allowed me to share knowledge but also deepened my own understanding. This cycle of learning and sharing became a cornerstone of my academic and professional growth. Therapeutic Benefits Long before I recognized its need, writing was my therapy. It offered a non-judgmental space to express vulnerabilities. Writing about daily challenges at university or personal concerns made these burdens lighter. It rendered fears and stresses tangible, making them easier to manage. This emotional outlet was vital for my mental well-being during the demanding years of my PhD. Inspiring Others As my writing skills improved, my audience grew. Through Bluwr, I connected with enthusiasts keen on understanding complex venom and AI topics. The positive feedback was incredibly rewarding, affirming that my words could make difficult concepts clearer for others. Becoming an author is more about the routine of writing than publishing a book. Regular writing practice can change you—not just in communication, but in perception and interaction with the world. If you're considering starting, this is your sign. Write a little every day, about anything that inspires you, here on Bluwr. Over time, you might discover that the author you aimed to be is simply who you've become through writing.

Unlocking the Gaps in Soccer: Bridging Player Identification, Pedagogy, Andragogy, and the Player-Centered Approach

Simo Idrissi, 7 mon.
2 min read.
In the professional soccer competition atmosphere, where every game presents a unique challenge, the journey of player development is both intricate and a life-learning process that starts with pedagogical aiming for player-centered and team-centered approaches and can reach the level of andragogy that utilizes the team-centered approaches. From navigating the transition from youth to adult teams to fostering a performance that pours out into a team accomplishment goal, the landscape of coaching and player readiness continually evolves. At the heart of this progression lies a pivotal concept: the player-centered approach. This methodology places the player at the forefront, empowering them to learn through trial and error while cultivating profound accountability for their progress. It’s a strategy particularly potent in the formative years of player development, where honing individual skills and grasping the game nuances are paramount. However, as players mature and progress from youth performance to adulthood performance, their learning needs other solutions to fill the gaps. Adult learners typically benefit from an andragogy approach, which emphasizes self-directed learning, practical application of skills, and learning driven by internal motivation. This aspect forces individualism, which is sometimes overlooked and makes the player think and react individually or embed their energy and individual investment into team performance. Many teams or national teams struggled with results, even though the players’ performance was acceptable or good. Players of these teams displayed high physical qualities, but less emotional intelligence, mental behavior, and self-awareness performed during the last two World Cups or other games locally or internationally. The challenge lies in bridging these two approaches - transitioning players from a player-centered pedagogical approach to an andragogy approach. This transition isn’t a simple switch but a gradual process that requires careful planning and execution. For example, youth soccer player development can miss enhancing emotional intelligence and mental preparation during the selection or development procedures because the selection of these players during the player identification process was less effective in helping players jump into the other levels. One key aspect of this bridging process is to help players (young or adult) become more aware of their surroundings on the field. It is an aspect that combines experience and science to help players grasp the momentum of what is going on, what they should learn, and even how to think to find a problem-solving solution to the situation. As the earlier discussion, some players may be physically adept but struggle with situational awareness. The andragogy approach is beneficial for adult learning, but when integration of team-centered is clear and precise. By encouraging self-directed learning, players can be guided to pay more attention to their surroundings, anticipate the actions of other players, and make more informed decisions during the game. This solution is helping those high-quality players who are already aware of these, but other quality players need to fill the gap to understand the andragogy and still believe in performing as part of the team. It’s important to note that this “bridge” is a one-size-fits-all solution when understood correctly. Each player is unique, and the transition from pedagogy to andragogy should be tailored to their individual needs, abilities, and learning styles. The ultimate goal is to develop players who are not only physically ready to play but also aware, understand, and value the importance of teamwork and situational awareness. In essence, the player development journey is a dynamic and multifaceted one. By embracing the principles of pedagogy and andragogy while performing the player-centered and team-centered, we can cultivate a new generation of soccer players who are not only physically proficient but also possess the cognitive agility, emotional intelligence, and mental attributes to excel in any situation. Simo Idrissi

AI Is Eroding The Art Of Writing

Anas Bedraoui, 7 mon.
1 min read.
From a young age, I've been captivated by writers who express complex ideas through books, articles, and blogs. This inspired my dream of becoming a writer myself. Initially, I used writing as therapy; whenever I felt overwhelmed or distressed, I would write, knowing the paper wouldn't judge my feelings like humans might. As I advanced in my education, enrolling in a PhD program, I honed my academic writing skills. However, the advent of generative AI models like ChatGPT marked a turning point. These tools could replicate much of what I considered unique in my writing, leading me to wonder if we are losing the art of writing. With the rise of platforms like Medium and LinkedIn, blogging has become accessible to everyone, which is wonderful. However, it raises questions about authenticity. Can we truly know if the content was crafted by the person, or was it generated by AI? It's a distressing reality. Previously, securing freelance writing or blogging jobs was straightforward, but it has become challenging to discern whether someone is genuinely a writer or merely claiming to be one. This ambiguity has narrowed opportunities for passionate young writers like myself, who wish to pursue their passion and earn a living. I believe that the ancient wisdom of writing is being eroded by AI. However, this won't deter us from reading or writing. Human writing resonates with emotions, which AI-generated text often lacks, typically relying on repetitive phrases like "embark," "journey," "unleash," and "dive into." While everyone is free to use tools as they see fit, if AI constitutes more than 50% of your writing, then those aren't truly your words or expressions; they belong to the machine. I personally use AI for my research, correcting grammatical mistakes, and sometimes for checking paraphrasing suggestions. However, once I began generating AI text, I started feeling that it wasn't truly mine. It felt more robotic than human, lacking any real emotion.  I truly believe that generative AI will never be able to reach the beauty and complexity of the human mind. How one can convey emotions through text is truly something distinctive of the human nature and will never be reproduced.
medium.com/@anasbedr/ai-is-erodi...

How Many Scorpions Do You Need To Make $100,000 Annually?

Anas Bedraoui, 7 mon.
Starting a business in the specialized field of scorpion venom extraction can seem appealing because of the high prices that medical and research industries pay for this potent substance. However, making a lucrative income from milking scorpions is more complex than it might initially seem. I personally believe that understanding the numbers and logistics is essential before entering this unique venture. Understanding Venom Value Firstly, it’s important to acknowledge the market value of scorpion venom, which is among the most expensive liquids by volume. Depending on the species and the quality of the extraction, the venom can fetch anywhere from $8,000 to $12,000 per gram. The high cost is due to the venom’s use in medical research, including cancer treatment studies and antivenom production, making it highly sought after in specific scientific communities. Practical Yields and Species Considerations Not all scorpions are created equal when it comes to the value of their venom. Species like the Deathstalker (Leiurus quinquestriatus) are particularly coveted due to their potent venom, which is rich in compounds useful for medical research. However, even with a valuable species, the amount of venom each scorpion produces is minimal — typically around 0.5 to 2 milligrams per milking session, and you can safely milk them about twice a month. The Math Behind the Venom Let’s break down the numbers. To set a realistic income goal, suppose you aim to make $100,000 annually from venom sales. Assuming you can sell the venom at an average price of $10,000 per gram, you would need to produce 10 grams of venom each year. Since 1 gram equals 1,000 milligrams, you would need a total of 10,000 milligrams of venom annually. Each scorpion might give you 1 milligram per milking, and if milked twice a month, that’s 24 milligrams per scorpion per year. To meet your income goal, you would therefore need about 417 scorpions. This figure highlights the scale of what might initially seem like a small operation. Considerations and Challenges Beyond just the numbers, there are significant challenges and considerations in setting up and running a scorpion venom extraction business: Setup and Ongoing Costs: Initial costs can be quite high, as specialized equipment and facilities are needed to house and safely milk scorpions. Legal and Ethical Issues: There are often stringent regulations governing the use of animals for commercial purposes, including licensing and welfare considerations. Market Demand and Stability: The market for scorpion venom is niche and can be volatile. Establishing reliable connections within the industry is essential for success. Personal Thoughts I personally think that while the potential for high income is alluring, the scorpion venom extraction business requires a deep commitment and a robust understanding of both the science and the market. It’s not merely about having a large number of scorpions; it’s about creating a sustainable and ethical operation that can consistently produce high-quality venom in a market that is inherently limited and highly specialized. Feel free to reach out if you’re interested in starting this business!
linkedin.com/in/anas-bedraoui-21...