ORANGE — LaunchSpace and the central Massachusetts-based Workers Credit Union have teamed up to educate 16- to 24-year-olds on personal finance in the event they want to start their own businesses.“It’s something that LaunchSpace has always really...

Greenfield Recorder - LaunchSpace, Workers Credit Union team up to teach personal finance to 16- to 24-year-olds in Orange

The 911 center is operated by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office ... This initiative falls squarely within the scope of telecommunications network and software technologies,” said Michael Rahman, chief intellectual property officer for Figgers ...

As scrutiny mounts, DeSantis’ Disney district cancels no-bid 911 contract

The "ICT & Telecommunications Industry in Botswana 2023" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Botswana ICT & Telecommunications Industry Report 2023: Mobile Money and Innovative Offerings Fuel Botswana's Telecom Surge

Vodafone's bid on Tuesday to sell its Spanish business is the latest move by European telecom firms trying to strengthen their financial health by divesting assets, consolidating markets and selling stakes to investors.

Explainer: Why are European telecom firms selling assets?

The Oklahoma Department of Corrections announced today that the new Orange Alert notification system is operational and ready for citizens to opt in. ODOC worked with Rave

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Orange and MásMóvil have chosen Romania's Digi to acquire assets they must divest to address EU competition concerns over the proposed merger of their Spanish businesses.

MásMóvil and Orange choose Digi to buy post-merger assets

Orange said its overall 5G network reached a coverage of 83.2% of the Spanish population as of the end of September

Orange reaches 38 Spanish cities with 5G SA

Telecoms companies argue that Alphabet's Google, Meta's Facebook, Netflix, Microsoft and Amazon should bear some of the high-speed network rollout costs because they make up a huge part of internet traffic.

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BRUSSELS (Reuters) - French telecoms group Orange and Spanish peer MasMovil have picked Romania's Digi to buy assets they plan to divest to address EU antitrust concerns over their Spanish tie-up, two people with direct knowledge of the matter said on Tuesday.

Exclusive-Orange/MasMovil Pick Digi to Buy Assets Being Sold to Address EU Concerns - Sources

French telecoms group Orange and Spanish peer MasMovil have picked Romania's Digi to buy assets they plan to divest to address EU antitrust concerns over their Spanish tie-up, two people with direct knowledge of the matter said on Tuesday.

Exclusive: Orange/MasMovil pick Digi to buy assets being sold to address EU concerns - sources

ORANGE

orange

The Story-book of Science by Jean-Henri Fabre, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book here . THE ORANGE-AGARIC CHAPTER LXV. THE ORANGE-AGARIC “MUSHROOM seeds, or spores, form on these gills, these points, and on the walls of the tubes of which these holes are the orifices. I recommend to Jules the following experiment. We will take some mushrooms whose caps are not yet thoroughly spread. We will place them this evening on a sheet of white paper. During the night the blossoming will be finished and the ripe seeds will fall from the gills of the agarics and the tubes of the boleti. To-morrow morning we shall find on the paper an impalpable dust, red, rose, brown, according to the kind of mushroom. Binocular Microscope “This dust is nothing but a mass of seeds, of spores, so fine that they cannot be seen separately without a microscope, so numerous they cannot be counted. There are millions and millions of them.” “A microscope,” interrupted Emile. “Is that the instrument with which you sometimes look at things so small that the naked eye can scarcely see them?” “Yes. A microscope enlarges the objects seen through it, and shows them to us in all their details of structure, although they would be hidden from the unaided eye by their smallness.” “Will you show us through the microscope the mushroom spores when I have collected them on a sheet of paper?” asked Jules. “I will show them to you. One spore is enough, under favorable conditions of heat and moisture, to germinate and develop into white filaments or mycelium from which will spring at the right time numerous mushrooms. How many mushrooms would be produced if all the spores that fall by myriads and myriads from the gills of a single agaric were to germinate? Here again we have the story of the cod, the louse, all the feeble creatures, in short, that reproduce their kind in such immense numbers.” “To have mushrooms, then, as many as we want, it is only necessary to sow the spores?” Jules again inquired. Spores “In that you are mistaken, my dear child. Up to this time mushroom culture has been impossible, because the care required by their excessively delicate seeds is not understood by us, or may even be beyond our power. Only one edible mushroom is cultivated, and even in growing this we use not the spores, but the mycelium. “They call it the hot-bed mushroom. It is an agaric, satiny white above and pale rose beneath. In the old stone quarries near Paris they make beds of horse manure and light earth. In these beds they put pieces of mycelium known to horticulturists under the name of mushroom-spawn. This spawn ramifies, pushes out numerous filaments, and from these finally spring the mushrooms.” “Good to eat!” “Excellent. Among the mushrooms we gathered are those that I am going to acquaint you with. “Look at this first of all. It is an agaric. The upper surface of the cap is a beautiful orange-red; the gills underneath are yellow. The stalk rises from the bottom of a sort of white bag with torn edges. This bag, called volva at first enveloped the whole mushroom. In growing and pushing above ground, the cap broke it. This kind, they say, is the best of all, the most appreciated. It is called the orange-agaric. “This other agaric, likewise orange-red, and also provided with a bag or volva at the base of the stalk, is called the false orange-agaric. Would you not, however, think it was the same kind?” “I don’t see much difference, for my part,” responded Claire. “Nor I either,” said Emile. “I see a difference,” Jules declared, “but it is very slight. The second agaric has white gills, while the first has yellow.” “Jules has sharp eyes. I will add that in the false orange-agaric the upper surface of the cap is sown with shreds of white skin, debris of the torn volva. The other one has not these shreds, or very few. “If one did not pay attention to these slight differences, one would commit a very fatal error. The first mushroom is a delicious viand; the second, or false orange-agaric, is a deadly poison.” “I am no longer surprised,” said Jules, “at your telling Simon that it is impossible for us, without long study, to distinguish the good from the bad kinds. Here are two mushrooms almost as much alike as two drops of water: one kills, the other is excellent.” “Not a year passes without its lamentable cases of poisoning, from a confusion of the two kinds. Remember carefully their characteristics, so as not to expose yourself some day to a terrible mistake.” “I will be very careful not to forget them,” Jules promised. “Both orange-agarics are orange-red and have a white volva or bag. The eatable orange-agaric has yellow gills; the poisonous one, white gills.” “Besides,” added Emile, “the poisonous orange-agaric has numerous shreds of white skin on the cap.” “Look at this other that I picked from the trunk of a tree. It is a large, dark-red boletus. It has no stalk. It fastens itself to old trunks by one of its sides. It is called the tinder-agaric boletus, because its flesh, cut in thin slices, dried in the sun, and made flexible by hammering, makes tinder.” “I did not dream that tinder came from a mushroom.” said Jules. “The truffle is the most important of eatable mushrooms. It grows under ground, like the mycelium that produces it. Its odor betrays its presence. A very keen-scented animal, the pig, is led into the wood. Enticed by the smell of the subterranean mushroom, the pig roots with its snout at the spots where the truffles are hidden. Then the pig is driven away, but to console him they throw him a chestnut; and finally the precious mushroom is dug up. In its shape the truffle bears no resemblance to ordinary mushrooms. It has a bulky round body, wrinkled, and black flesh marbled with white.” About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Jean-Henri Fabre (2018). The Story-book of Science. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/56795/pg56795-images.html This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org , located at https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html.

THE ORANGE-AGARIC

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: Chapter V - The Five Orange Pips

Simple and rational: LTE Cat M1 for high power wide area networks (WAN’s) which are plugged into an AC power outlet. LoRa for battery powered WAN’s. More detail . here Quick takes: Body blow to , which is being dumped. Expect more defections in the EU, but not China. NB-IoT looks stillborn in N America. NB-IoT Correctly re-positions Cat M1 as a high powered WAN technology. It should be struck from the LPWAN conversation, really. Huge lift for Semtech and difficult to imagine them remaining independent now. Major scalability challenges remain for developers working to overcome the myriad weaknesses of Lorawan, which serious developers should . avoid If you liked this article, please hit the ❤ icon below and me. follow

Want To Know What Orange’s New LPWAN Strategy Is?

Bitcoin has already won as a store of value — but for it to become everyday money, spending it needs to be seamless. Right now, it’s not. Whether it’s high fees, slow transactions, or lack of merchant support, using Bitcoin for everyday payments is frustrating. I’m building a wallet designed to change that. As a solo founder, I’m tackling the technical and UX challenges to make Bitcoin spending effortless. Here’s how I’m doing it to build the MVP for Nummus. Nummus Quick Overview of The Problem Quick Overview of The Problem Despite Bitcoin’s origins as electronic cash, today’s wallets paradoxically prioritize storage over spending. This market is divided into four categories, each with spending limitations: custody solutions (like exchange wallets) offer familiar interfaces but lack transparency, self-custody wallets (like Electrum) favor technical users, hardware wallets require physical devices, and Lightning wallets introduce channel management complexity. Average people attempting to spend Bitcoin face significant pain points: confirmation times, unpredictable fees, confusing address formats, and transaction irreversibility. While the Lightning Network addresses some issues, it creates new complications with channel capacity, liquidity management, and connectivity that present substantial barriers for average users. These challenges explain the significant gap between Bitcoin ownership and actual spending usage. While over 106 million individuals globally own some amount of Bitcoin, only about 400k use it for daily transactions (0.377% of Bitcoin holders, which is still a great amount) [1]. Similarly, merchant adoption remains limited despite Bitcoin’s global recognition — approximately 15,000 merchants worldwide accept direct Bitcoin payments [2] compared to the 100+ million accepting Visa [3] or Mastercard [4]. The real-world impact of these limitations becomes clearest in countries attempting to adopt Bitcoin for everyday use. In El Salvador, despite Bitcoin’s legal tender status, a 2023 survey by the Chamber of Commerce found that only 14% of businesses regularly process Bitcoin transactions [5]. The primary barriers cited were complexity of implementation, user experience issues, and technical limitations rather than any inherent rejection of Bitcoin itself. What’s missing in the market is a wallet specifically designed to overcome these barriers — a solution that abstracts away the technical complexity of both on-chain and Lightning transactions while maintaining true self-custody. Current wallets typically treat spending as one feature among many rather than optimizing the entire experience around payment scenarios. My wallet focuses on spending, creating an experience that rivals traditional payment methods in simplicity while preserving Bitcoin’s fundamental advantages. This approach reflects a key insight about technology adoption: new systems gain mainstream acceptance not through technical superiority alone but through accessible user experiences. Just as email and the internet needed user-friendly interfaces before achieving mass adoption, Bitcoin requires spending solutions that mask complexity while leveraging its unique strengths. Bridging the Gap: Leveraging Existing Payment Infrastructure Bridging the Gap: Leveraging Existing Payment Infrastructure The challenge we face is clear: How do we make Bitcoin as intuitive as swiping a credit card while preserving its core benefits? Consumer payment habits have been shaped over five decades, and expecting mass behavioral change in the short term is unrealistic. Perhaps the most elegant solution is also the most pragmatic — why not integrate with existing payment rails rather than replace them entirely? By treating established networks like Visa and Mastercard as complementary systems or layer 2 rather than competitors, we can create a hybrid approach that offers the best of both worlds. These legacy payment processors already have the merchant relationships, consumer trust, and infrastructure that Bitcoin lacks. By building interoperability layers that connect Bitcoin’s security and sovereignty with Visa’s ubiquitous acceptance, we can accelerate adoption without requiring sudden behavioral shifts from either consumers or merchants. This approach acknowledges a fundamental truth about technological adoption: new systems gain traction not by demanding users abandon familiar tools but by seamlessly enhancing them. The path to hyperbitcoinization may not require reinventing the wheel but rather building better roads that connect to the existing infrastructure. connect to the existing infrastructure. From Concept to Creation From Concept to Creation I recognized both the challenge and the opportunity in this space, and instead of waiting for someone else to build the solution, I decided to take action myself. After six weeks of intense planning — defining the product vision, study, technical approach, and development roadmap — I began bootstrapping an MVP. My combination of technical background and industry experience from my last startup, BitEscrow, equipped me with the knowledge needed for this challenge. While I’m building independently, I’ve strategically assembled a small advisory board of industry experts who provide critical feedback and guidance when needed, ensuring I don’t miss important perspectives despite working solo. Working alone has also forced me to be ruthlessly efficient with feature prioritization. Every feature must justify its existence through direct user benefit rather than abstract “nice-to-haves.” This constraint-driven development approach has yielded a cleaner, more focused product than might have emerged from a team with more resources but less focus. That said, the greatest challenge of solo development isn’t technical — it’s psychological. The isolation and total responsibility can be overwhelming at times. To combat this, I’ve developed some strategies to help: Live-streaming on Twitch for accountability
Time blocking
Listening to video game OSTs to make building more fun and engaging
Implementing decision frameworks to prevent analysis paralysis
Talking to other Bitcoin developers to ask questions
Putting my health first to prevent burnout
Minimal software to manage my workflow Live-streaming on Twitch for accountability Twitch Time blocking Listening to video game OSTs to make building more fun and engaging Implementing decision frameworks to prevent analysis paralysis Talking to other Bitcoin developers to ask questions Putting my health first to prevent burnout Minimal software to manage my workflow The solo approach comes with limitations I’ll eventually need to address, but for now, the freedom to build without friction, the ability to make uncompromised decisions, and the direct connection to the product vision outweigh the challenges. Day in the Life Day in the Life My routine is built around maximizing focus and productivity while maintaining sustainable energy levels. Each day follows a deliberate structure that optimizes my performance. The first thing after waking, I take my supplements, followed by coffee and a focused five-minute Twitter session — not for doomscrolling but to scan for industry developments and news that might impact my work. After checking essential communications (email, Slack, messages), I sit down to plan my day and review my goals, todo.md, and company roadmap. By 10 AM, I’ve started deep work mode — a state of complete concentration that carries me through until 5 PM. This period always begins with dedicated learning time. For 90–120 minutes, I immerse myself in self-study, currently focusing on pure logic and mathematics as foundational skills. On alternate days, I dive into Bitcoin development, banking systems, or programming certifications. For my self-study textbooks, I am using material from publishers like O’Reilly for Bitcoin and programming, Wiley for banking and Finance, and the “Teach Yourself” series for maths — dense, comprehensive resources that don’t water down complex concepts. For my certifications, I am currently halfway through Boot.dev (great course) and plan to do more in the future. Throughout these study sessions, I maintain focus with minimal instrumental music, often the Factorio OST or my curated concentration playlists. After study time concludes, I transition to my dual operational roles: building and marketing. On development days, I livestream my coding sessions, which typically run for two to three hours. These public sessions create accountability and help build community around the project. After ending the stream, I often continue coding for another one to two hours to wrap up complex problems or implement solutions I’ve been contemplating. This separation allows me to balance the benefits of public development with the need for occasional deep concentration without an audience. livestream Marketing days follow a different rhythm but equal intensity. I write technical and educational content about Bitcoin’s potential as collateral, develop compelling product narratives, and strategically distribute this material across platforms where potential users gather. Rather than scattered posting, each piece of content serves a specific purpose in my acquisition funnel. Post-work, physical activity becomes essential — an hour at the gym resets my mind and prevents the physical deterioration that can come from intensive computer work. Upon returning home, I prepare a protein shake and do small chores: tidying my living space, meal prepping, running essential errands, and managing personal matters. Evenings involve light gaming, watching Primeagen on Twitch, or reading as mental cooldown activities. Weekends remain largely work-free unless absolutely necessary. My exceptions are limited to quick check-ins on analytics or responding to user questions — activities that don’t derail recovery time. Even during errands or commutes, I optimize for learning by consuming technical podcasts focused on development practices and programming innovations. All of this work is mentally demanding and requires sustained focus, so I’ve totally eliminated common cognitive drains from my life. Saying no to bad habits is arguably more important than saying yes to good habits; I avoid social media beyond my scheduled check-ins, having deleted apps from my phone to prevent idle scrolling. Processed foods, seed oils, alcohol, and recreational substances never enter my system — they create brain fog that can linger for days, turning potentially productive hours into wasted time. Digital hygiene is equally important. Blue light from screens disrupts sleep hormones, so I use blue light filters on all devices after sunset, have red lights throughout my space, and wear orange-tinted glasses starting at 11 am and red-tinted glasses after 7 pm. I’ve learned that even “minor” distractions like casual web browsing or YouTube can fracture attention for hours afterward. Sleep quality is non-negotiable, so screens disappear at least an hour before bed. This routine isn’t about performative discipline, Instagram morning routines, or Silicon Valley optimization culture — it’s a practical framework that serves my current needs as a solo founder. I’m not Patrick Bateman meticulously applying face masks, nor am I rubbing a banana peel on my face and waterboarding myself in overpriced ice water at 4 am. I still sleep in occasionally, take days off when needed, and work on personal projects that recharge me. This is a marathon, not a sprint, and sustainability matters more than perfection. What I’m aiming for is mental clarity, not some idealized productivity aesthetic for TikTok or Instagram. I’ve simply discovered that certain habits — limiting digital distractions, prioritizing sleep, avoiding substances that fog my thinking — directly improve the quality of my technical decisions and implementation. And when you’re building alone, those decisions compound dramatically. Each good choice moves the project forward; each suboptimal one creates technical debt I’ll have to address later. The difference between a clear mind and a foggy one isn’t trivial — it’s often the difference between shipping on schedule and endless delays. Tools of the Trade Tools of the Trade Obsidian serves as my second brain, housing my planning system, task management, internal documentation, and resource library. I’ve kept plugin use minimal to avoid complexity but have customized it with vim motions for efficient navigation. My vault follows the PARA method (Projects, Areas, Resources, Archives), providing a clear organizational structure without needless hierarchical complexity. Obsidian Claude Desktop and Terminal have become indispensable thought partners in my workflow. Unlike more basic AI assistants, Claude helps me refine complex technical concepts, identify gaps in my reasoning, and explore alternative approaches to problems — essentially providing the benefits of a technical co-founder without the organizational overhead. Claude Desktop and Terminal Cursor + Ghostty form the backbone of my development environment. This IDE and terminal combination offers the perfect balance of modern features with minimal bloat. Cursor’s AI-assisted programming capabilities help maintain momentum during complex implementation challenges, while Ghostty’s performance means I never wait for my tools to catch up with my thinking. Cursor + Ghostty Zen Browser manages the inevitable explosion of reference tabs that accompanies deep research and development work. Rather than fighting the natural tendency to open multiple resources, this tool helps organize and contextualize them, creating separate workspaces for different aspects of the project. Zen Browser Figma handles all visual design work, from early wallet mockups to final UI implementations. Its collaborative features allow me to easily share designs with advisors and Twitter for feedback without cumbersome export processes. Figma Texts consolidate all messaging platforms, preventing the cognitive drain of context-switching between communication tools and keeping conversations organized by project rather than by platform. Texts Raycast + Mac keybinds + Vim motions form the foundation of my keyboard-centered workflow. I’ve methodically reduced mouse usage to near zero, inspired by Primeagen’s efficiency-obsessed approach. Every common action has a keyboard shortcut, and application launching happens through Raycast’s intelligent command system rather than visual browsing. Raycast + Mac keybinds + Vim motions This environment represents years of refinement, eliminating any tool that creates friction or distraction. The result is a workspace where technology amplifies thought rather than interrupting it, allowing me to maintain the sustained focus necessary to build. Screenshot of my obsidian vault. I use this every day for writing, planning, and storing. Screenshot of my obsidian vault. I use this every day for writing, planning, and storing. Roadmap Roadmap My path forward is in five main phases: Phase 1: Build an exceptional non-custodial Bitcoin wallet focused exclusively on what matters: intuitive interface, transaction speed, and self-custody. Phase 1: Phase 2: Launch and build our initial user community, personally engaging with early adopters in my community discord and implementing their feedback through rapid iterations to refine our core offering. Phase 2: my community discord Phase 3: Accelerate development and create a small team with specialized talent while maintaining our product vision. Phase 3: Phase 4: Remake the wallet, serving users who prioritize convenience over absolute control. More on this later. Phase 4: Phase 5: Make the credit card, loans, and beyond. Phase 5: Conclusion Conclusion As I approach the launch date for the Bitcoin Conference in Vegas, I’m more convinced than ever that we’re at a critical inflection point for Bitcoin adoption. The gap between Bitcoin’s usability as everyday money and its current implementation is one we can bridge — not through revolutionary disruption, but through thoughtful evolution that respects how people actually use money today so that the habits of tomorrow are easier to adopt. Technical challenges, regulatory questions, and market education all present significant hurdles. But the potential impact makes these challenges worth facing. Every person who moves from simply holding Bitcoin to actively using it strengthens the network, expands the ecosystem, and brings us one step closer to a more resilient, accessible financial system. If this vision resonates with you, I invite you to join the journey. Whether you’re a developer who wants to contribute code, a Bitcoin enthusiast willing to test early builds, or simply someone interested in following the project’s development, your involvement matters. Visit my community Discord to connect, provide feedback, and ask me anything — I am very active there. You can also follow my development livestreams on Twitch and Twitter to see the product evolve in real time. I also have a newsletter for my product development. my community Discord Twitch Twitter newsletter I’ll be unveiling the first version of that future at the Bitcoin Conference in Vegas. I hope you’ll join me there — or online — as we take this crucial step toward making Bitcoin not just something we hold but something we use every day. You can join the waitlist here to receive early access to the beta release and exclusive updates on development progress via a weekly newsletter. Stay tuned. join the waitlist here Sources Sources How Many People Own & Use Bitcoin? and How Many People Own Bitcoin?
15,000 Merchants accept Lightning Payments
Number and share of merchants who use Visa
Number and share of merchants who use Mastercard
14% of Salvadoran businesses have transacted in BTC How Many People Own & Use Bitcoin? and How Many People Own Bitcoin? How Many People Own & Use Bitcoin? How Many People Own Bitcoin? 15,000 Merchants accept Lightning Payments 15,000 Merchants accept Lightning Payments Number and share of merchants who use Visa Number and share of merchants who use Visa Number and share of merchants who use Mastercard Number and share of merchants who use Mastercard 14% of Salvadoran businesses have transacted in BTC 14% of Salvadoran businesses have transacted in BTC

I’m Building a Bitcoin Wallet as a Solo Founder: Here's How

Authors:
(1) Kinjal Basu, IBM Research;
(2) Keerthiram Murugesan, IBM Research;
(3) Subhajit Chaudhury, IBM Research;
(4) Murray Campbell, IBM Research;
(5) Kartik Talamadupula, Symbl.ai;
(6) Tim Klinger, IBM Research. Authors: Authors: (1) Kinjal Basu, IBM Research; (2) Keerthiram Murugesan, IBM Research; (3) Subhajit Chaudhury, IBM Research; (4) Murray Campbell, IBM Research; (5) Kartik Talamadupula, Symbl.ai; (6) Tim Klinger, IBM Research. Table of Links Abstract and 1 Introduction Abstract and 1 Introduction 2 Background 2 Background 3 Symbolic Policy Learner 3 Symbolic Policy Learner 3.1 Learning Symbolic Policy using ILP 3.1 Learning Symbolic Policy using ILP 3.2 Exception Learning 3.2 Exception Learning 4 Rule Generalization 4 Rule Generalization 4.1 Dynamic Rule Generalization 4.1 Dynamic Rule Generalization 5 Experiments and Results 5.1 Dataset 5.1 Dataset 5.2 Experiments 5.2 Experiments 5.3 Results 5.3 Results 6 Related Work 6 Related Work 7 Future Work and Conclusion, Limitations, Ethics Statement, and References 7 Future Work and Conclusion, Limitations, Ethics Statement, and References 4 Rule Generalization Importance of Rule Generalization: An ideal RL agent should not only perform well on entities it has seen but also on unseen entities or out-of-distribution (OOD) data. To accomplish this, policy generalization is a crucial feature that an ideal RL agent should have. To verify this, we used EXPLORER without generalization on the TW-Cooking domain, where it performs well, however, it struggles on the TWC games. TWC games are designed to test agents on OOD entities that were not seen during training but are similar to the training data. As a result, the policies learned as logic rules will not work on unseen objects. Importance of Rule Generalization: For example, the rule for apple (e.g., insert(X, fridge) <- apple(X). ) cannot work on another fruit such as orange. To tackle this, we lift the learned policies using WordNet’s (Miller, 1995) hypernym-hyponym relations to get the generalized rules (illustration in Figure 5). Motivation comes from the way humans perform tasks. For example, if we know a dirty shirt goes to the washing machine and we have seen a dirty pant, we would put the dirty pant into the washing machine as both are of type clothes and dirty. dirty shirt washing machine dirty pant dirty pant clothes dirty Excessive Generalization is Bad: On one hand, generalization results in better policies to work with unseen entities; however, too much generalization leads to a drastic increment in false-positive results. To keep the balance, EXPLORER should know how much generalization is good. For an example, “apple is a fruit”, “fruits are part of a plant”, and “plants are living thing”. Now, if we apply the same rule that explains a property of an apple to all living things, the generalization will have gone too far. So, to solve this, we have proposed a novel approach described in Section - 4.1. Excessive Generalization is Bad: “apple is a fruit” “fruits are part of a plant “plants are living thing”. 4.1 Dynamic Rule Generalization In this paper, we introduce a novel algorithm to dynamically generate the generalized rules exploring the hypernym relations from WordNet (WN). The algorithm is based on information gain calculated using the entropy of the positive and negative set of examples (collected by EXPLORER). The illustration of the process is given in the Algorithm 1. The algorithm takes the collected set of examples and returns the generalized rules set. First, similar to the ILP data preparation procedure, the goals are extracted from the examples. For each goal, examples are split into two sets - E+ and E−. Next, the hypernyms are extracted using the hypernym-hyponym relations of the WordNet ontology. The combined set of hypernyms from (E+, E−) gives the body predicates for the generalized rules. Similar to the ILP (discussed above) the goal will be the head of a generalized rule. Next, the best-generalized rules are generated by calculating the max information gain between the hypernyms. Information gain for a given clause is calculated using the below formula (Mitchell, 1997) — where h is the candidate hypernym predicate to add to the rule R, p0 is the number of positive examples implied by the rule R, n0 is the number of negative examples implied by the rule R, p1 is the number of positive examples implied by the rule R + h, n1 is the number of negative examples implied by the rule R + h, total is the number of positive examples implied by R also covered by R + h. Finally, it collects all the generalized rules set and returns. It is important to mention that this algorithm only learns the generalized rules which are used in addition to the rules learned by ILP and exception learning (discussed in section 3). 5.1 Dataset In our work, we want to show that if an RL agent uses symbolic and neural reasoning in tandem, where the neural module is mainly responsible for exploration and the symbolic component for exploitation, then the performance of that agent increases drastically in text-based games. At first, we verify our approach with TW-Cooking domain (Adhikari et al., 2020a), where we have used levels 1-4 from the GATA dataset[3] for testing. As the name suggests, this game suit is about collecting various cooking ingredients and preparing a meal following an in-game recipe. To showcase the importance of generalization, we have tested our EXPLORER agent on TWC games with OOD data. Here, the goal is to tidy up the house by putting objects in their commonsense locations. With the help of TWC framework (Murugesan et al., 2021a), we have generated a set of games with 3 different difficulty levels - (i) easy level: that contains 1 room with 1 to 3 objects; (ii) medium level: that contains 1 or 2 rooms with 4 or 5 objects; and (iii) hard level: a mix of games with a high number of objects (6 or 7 objects in 1 or 2 rooms) or a high number of rooms (3 or 4 rooms containing 4 or 5 objects). We chose TW-Cooking and TWC games as our test-bed because these are benchmark datasets for evaluating neuro-symbolic agents in text-based games (Chaudhury et al., 2021, 2023; Wang et al., 2022; Kimura et al., 2021; Basu et al., 2022a). Also, these environments require the agents to exhibit skills such as exploration, planning, reasoning, and OOD generalization, which makes them ideal environments to evaluate EXPLORER. 5.2 Experiments To explain EXPLORER works better than a neuralonly agent, we have selected two neural baseline models for each of our datasets (TWC and TWCooking) and compared them with EXPLORER. In our evaluation, for both the datasets, we have used LSTM-A2C (Narasimhan et al., 2015) as the Text-Only agent, which uses the encoded history of observation to select the best action. For TWCooking, we have compared EXPLORER with the SOTA model on the TW-Cooking domain - Graph Aided Transformer Agent (GATA) (Adhikari et al., 2020a). Also, we have done a comparative study of neuro-symbolic models on TWC (section 5.3) with SOTA neuro-symbolic model CBR (Atzeni et al., 2022), where we have used SOTA neural model BiKE (Murugesan et al., 2021b) as the neural module in both EXPLORER and CBR. We have tested with four neuro-symbolic settings of EXPLORER, where one without generalization - EXPLORER-w/o-GEN and the other three uses EXPLORER with different settings of generalization. Below are the details of different generalization settings in EXPLORER: Exhaustive Rule Generalization: This setting lifts the rules exhaustively with all the hypernyms up to WordNet level 3 from an object or in other words select those hypernyms of an object whose path-distance with the object is ≤ 3. Exhaustive Rule Generalization: IG-based generalization (hypernym Level 2/3): Here, EXPLORER uses the rule generalization algorithm (algorithm 1). It takes WordNet hypernyms up to level 2 or 3 from an object. IG-based generalization (hypernym Level 2/3): For both datasets in all the settings, agents are trained using 100 episodes with 50 steps maximum. On TW-Cooking domain, it is worth mentioning that while we have done the pre-training tasks (such as graph encoder, graph updater, action scorer, etc) for GATA as in (Adhikari et al., 2020a), both text-only agent and EXPLORER do not have any pretraining advantage to boost the performance. This paper is available on arxiv under CC BY 4.0 DEED license. This paper is available on arxiv under CC BY 4.0 DEED license. available on arxiv [3] https://github.com/xingdi-eric-yuan/GATA-public

Beyond Seen Worlds: EXPLORER’s Journey into Generalized Reasoning

Getting ready for spring? Many people plant gardens if they can during the growing season, but you can also have a small garden indoors on your windowsill year-round. Even if you live in an apartment and don’t have a lot of time, it's still possible to have a tiny garden. Growing plants is a self-care activity that can bring back multifold benefits. During the winter, I found 2 books about growing little indoor gardens. Because there was so much information in these books, I definitely didn’t pick up everything, but I do want to share some helpful lessons I learned. A couple of books that might be helpful are: Plantas Medicinales en mi Balcón by Serge Schall
This book has pictures and a lot of information about different types of plants (especially herbs) you can grow indoors. It reads like a reference book and was more difficult for me to get into than the following book. Plantas Medicinales en mi Balcón by Serge Schall
This book has pictures and a lot of information about different types of plants (especially herbs) you can grow indoors. It reads like a reference book and was more difficult for me to get into than the following book. Plantas Medicinales en mi Balcón by Serge Schall This book has pictures and a lot of information about different types of plants (especially herbs) you can grow indoors. It reads like a reference book and was more difficult for me to get into than the following book. El Libro de los Germinados by Ann Wigmore
This is a book about how to grow bean sprouts in your own home. It has step-by-step instructions for how to choose the right beans, grow the beans, and cook the sprouts. There are even recipes for salads that include bean sprouts as an ingredient. Did you know that some bean sprout meals might have as much vitamin C as an orange? I didn’t know until I read this book. El Libro de los Germinados by Ann Wigmore
This is a book about how to grow bean sprouts in your own home. It has step-by-step instructions for how to choose the right beans, grow the beans, and cook the sprouts. There are even recipes for salads that include bean sprouts as an ingredient. Did you know that some bean sprout meals might have as much vitamin C as an orange? I didn’t know until I read this book. El Libro de los Germinados by Ann Wigmore This is a book about how to grow bean sprouts in your own home. It has step-by-step instructions for how to choose the right beans, grow the beans, and cook the sprouts. There are even recipes for salads that include bean sprouts as an ingredient. Did you know that some bean sprout meals might have as much vitamin C as an orange? I didn’t know until I read this book. After reading a good part of El Libro de los Germinados, I tried to sprout my own bean sprouts. They sprouted, and I cooked them. I ended up serving the dish at dinner with others. Several people told me the dish tasted really good. It was a success! Here are the steps so you can do the same! Get some beans.
The book recommends a variety of beans, but lentils, green soybeans, alfalfa, and peas are options. I used mung beans. Get some beans.
The book recommends a variety of beans, but lentils, green soybeans, alfalfa, and peas are options. I used mung beans. Get some beans. Get some beans. The book recommends a variety of beans, but lentils, green soybeans, alfalfa, and peas are options. I used mung beans. Wash the beans and soak them overnight.
I washed the mung beans gently 2-3 times to remove dirt, bad seeds, and other debris. Then I put the mung beans to soak in a pot and covered the mung beans with a lid. Put the pot in a dark, warm place, which, in my case, was an unused oven. Wash the beans and soak them overnight.
I washed the mung beans gently 2-3 times to remove dirt, bad seeds, and other debris. Then I put the mung beans to soak in a pot and covered the mung beans with a lid. Put the pot in a dark, warm place, which, in my case, was an unused oven. Wash the beans and soak them overnight. Wash the beans and soak them overnight. I washed the mung beans gently 2-3 times to remove dirt, bad seeds, and other debris. Then I put the mung beans to soak in a pot and covered the mung beans with a lid. Put the pot in a dark, warm place, which, in my case, was an unused oven. Drain the beans.
The next morning, I drained the mung beans and gently washed them again. After I did that, I removed most of the water and put the lid back on them. I again put the covered pot in a dark, warm place. Drain the beans.
The next morning, I drained the mung beans and gently washed them again. After I did that, I removed most of the water and put the lid back on them. I again put the covered pot in a dark, warm place. Drain the beans. Drain the beans. The next morning, I drained the mung beans and gently washed them again. After I did that, I removed most of the water and put the lid back on them. I again put the covered pot in a dark, warm place. Wash the mung beans again.
The next morning, a majority of the mung beans had sprouted, but I wanted the sprouts to be a little bigger. I needed to wait for them to grow more. I washed the sprouts gently and drained them again, and replaced the lid, setting it back in the oven. Wash the mung beans again.
The next morning, a majority of the mung beans had sprouted, but I wanted the sprouts to be a little bigger. I needed to wait for them to grow more. I washed the sprouts gently and drained them again, and replaced the lid, setting it back in the oven. Wash the mung beans again. Wash the mung beans again. The next morning, a majority of the mung beans had sprouted, but I wanted the sprouts to be a little bigger. I needed to wait for them to grow more. I washed the sprouts gently and drained them again, and replaced the lid, setting it back in the oven. The next day, the sprouts had grown enough to be able to eat, so I washed them gently again and removed them from the pot. It was time to cook them for dinner! Most of the sprouts looked healthy and delicious for eating, but if anything is spoiled, smells or looks rotten remove those sprouts as soon as you notice the problem. When the fully sprouted sprouts were ready, I was excited to cook them to share with others. Here is the recipe for how I cooked my sprouted mung beans. When the fully sprouted sprouts were ready, I was excited to cook them to share with others. Here is the recipe for how I cooked my sprouted mung beans. Sprouted Mung Bean Salad This can be a stand-alone dish, or it can also be used as a crunchy condiment on a sandwich with hummus. Ingredients Canola oil or oil of your choice 1 small sprinkle asafoetida 1 small sprinkle of mustard seeds 1 small sprinkle cumin seeds 1 chopped onion 3-4 cloves of chopped garlic 2-3 cups sprouted mung beans 1 sprinkle red chili powder to taste 1 very small sprinkle of turmeric ½ tsp ground coriander ½ tsp ground cumin Salt and pepper to taste Directions Heat the oil in the bottom of a pot. Keep the heat on medium to avoid burning the ingredients.


Add the mustard and cumin seeds with the asafoetida to the oil that is warming. Allow the seeds to begin moving and popping before adding the next ingredients.


Add the chopped onion and allow it to cook until soft and transparent.


Add the garlic, stirring occasionally to ensure it does not burn.


Then, add the mung beans and allow them to cook thoroughly. They will change color and become softer.


Sprinkle in all other remaining seasonings to taste.


Cook thoroughly until all flavors are mixed together. (If you cook the sprouts for longer or in a skillet, they might become crunchy. I cooked them until they were soft and no longer raw.)


Take off the stove and serve warm. Heat the oil in the bottom of a pot. Keep the heat on medium to avoid burning the ingredients. Heat the oil in the bottom of a pot. Keep the heat on medium to avoid burning the ingredients. Add the mustard and cumin seeds with the asafoetida to the oil that is warming. Allow the seeds to begin moving and popping before adding the next ingredients. Add the mustard and cumin seeds with the asafoetida to the oil that is warming. Allow the seeds to begin moving and popping before adding the next ingredients. Add the chopped onion and allow it to cook until soft and transparent. Add the chopped onion and allow it to cook until soft and transparent. Add the garlic, stirring occasionally to ensure it does not burn. Add the garlic, stirring occasionally to ensure it does not burn. Then, add the mung beans and allow them to cook thoroughly. They will change color and become softer. Then, add the mung beans and allow them to cook thoroughly. They will change color and become softer. Sprinkle in all other remaining seasonings to taste. Sprinkle in all other remaining seasonings to taste. Cook thoroughly until all flavors are mixed together. (If you cook the sprouts for longer or in a skillet, they might become crunchy. I cooked them until they were soft and no longer raw.) Cook thoroughly until all flavors are mixed together. (If you cook the sprouts for longer or in a skillet, they might become crunchy. I cooked them until they were soft and no longer raw.) Take off the stove and serve warm. Take off the stove and serve warm. When I served this dish at dinner, I got a lot of compliments about how great it tasted and how healthy it was. Some people found inspiration to grow sprouts of their own as well. I am curious to sprout other types of beans and seeds. I plan to make another sprout salad with a variety of different sprouts and maybe also make sprout-filled sandwiches with homemade hummus. There are a lot of possibilities. This book by Ann Wigmore talks about soups with sprouts and even desserts! Definitely, self care through healthy eating and cultivating plants takes time and space. It's totally worth it, though. When you are able to make a dish for others, it brings people closer together. I can see loads of opportunities in having a small windowsill garden and sprouting beans and seeds weekly. These ideas were new to me, but I am open to learning more through books and personal experiences. Many people feel the same way. I hope your discoveries brighten your days, too.

Self-Care Rest Stop: Cultivating More Than Just Food

What If There Was a Right Way to Argue Online?

¿Qué pasaría si existiera una forma correcta de discutir en línea?

Entä jos olisi oikea tapa väitellä verkossa?

E se houbese un xeito correcto de argumentar en liña?

オンラインで議論する正しい方法があったら?

Интернетте дауласудың дұрыс жолы болса ше?

온라인에서 논쟁하는 올바른 방법이 있다면 어떨까?

Ce se întâmplă dacă ar exista o modalitate corectă de a argumenta online?

Что, если бы существовал правильный способ спорить онлайн?

Шта ако је постојао прави начин за свађу на мрежи?

Tänk om det fanns ett rätt sätt att argumentera online?

ብኢንተርነት ክትከራኸረሉ እትኽእል ቅኑዕ መገዲ እንተ ዚህሉኸ፧

Điều gì sẽ xảy ra nếu có một cách đúng đắn để tranh luận trực tuyến?

Authors:
(1) UTKUCAN BALCI, Binghamton University, United States;
(2) MICHAEL SIRIVIANOS, Cyprus University of Technology, Cyprus;
(3) JEREMY BLACKBURN, Binghamton University, United States. Authors: Authors: (1) UTKUCAN BALCI, Binghamton University, United States; (2) MICHAEL SIRIVIANOS, Cyprus University of Technology, Cyprus; (3) JEREMY BLACKBURN, Binghamton University, United States. Table of Links Abstract and 1 Introduction Abstract and 1 Introduction 2 Background & Related Work 2 Background & Related Work 3 Data 3 Data 3.1 Identifying Tankie Subreddits 3.1 Identifying Tankie Subreddits 3.2 Identifying Ideology Subreddits and 3.3 Post Collection 3.2 Identifying Ideology Subreddits and 3.3 Post Collection 4 User-Base Analysis and 4.1 Graph Construction & Community Detection 4 User-Base Analysis and 4.1 Graph Construction & Community Detection 4.2 Community Growth 4.2 Community Growth 4.3 User Migrations Over Time 4.3 User Migrations Over Time 5 Content Analysis and 5.1 What do tankies talk about? 5 Content Analysis and 5.1 What do tankies talk about? 5.2 Who are tankies talking about? 5.2 Who are tankies talking about? 5.3 Misalignment Analysis 5.3 Misalignment Analysis 5.4 Toxicity Analysis 5.4 Toxicity Analysis 5.5 Domain Analysis 5.5 Domain Analysis 5.6 Lemmygrad Analysis 5.6 Lemmygrad Analysis 6 Discussion & Conclusion and 6.1 Limitations 6 Discussion & Conclusion and 6.1 Limitations 6.2 Implications & future work, and References 6.2 Implications & future work, and References A DATA A DATA B NAMED ENTITIES B NAMED ENTITIES C MISALIGNMENT ANALYSIS C MISALIGNMENT ANALYSIS D DOMAIN ANALYSIS D DOMAIN ANALYSIS 5.3 Misalignment Analysis So far, we have discovered that tankies focus more on state-level political events and less on social issues and ideological principles than other far-left communities. In this section, we investigate the differences in word usage between tankies and other far-left communities. Given the broad spectrum of beliefs represented in left-wing extremism, capturing their complexity with basic tools is a challenging task [67]. To overcome this challenge, we employ the concept of alignment. This involves mapping the word usage in tankies to that of other far-left communities via multidimensional word embeddings, thereby providing a deeper understanding of their unique characteristics. Aligning Multidimensional Word Embeddings. Understanding the language usage in polarized communities is challenging due to their distinct vocabularies for identical concepts. E.g., Democrats and Republicans are political adversaries. Thus, a Democrat might say that “Republicans are America’s greatest threat” (and vice versa), making direct comparisons of their language less useful when it comes to polarizing topics. To address this, KhudaBuksh et al. [69] formulate the problem as a form of translation between two groups using the same natural language. While not every “translation” is as clear-cut as the previous toy example, this technique has seen refinement [82] to capture more complex, multidimensional aspects of ideological differences. As such, it emerges as an ideal tool for distinguishing disparities between tankies and other left-wing ideologies. Aligning Multidimensional Word Embeddings Preprocessing and Training. Following the same method as [82], we tokenize each comment for each far-left community corpus, remove formatting tokens and hyperlinks, make all characters lowercase, and common bigrams and trigrams into single tokens to catch the possible usage of organization names. To stabilize the word embeddings, we oversample sentences from non-tankie far-left subreddits until they reach the same size as tankies. We then train Word2Vec skip-gram models [81] for each far-left community using 100 dimensions and a maximum vocabulary of 30,000 words. To account for oversampling, we adjust the threshold for the number of times a word must appear - which is set to 5 for tankies - by multiplying it with the size increase factor for other far-left communities. We choose the top 5,000 words from the shared vocabulary of each community pair as “anchor words.” This is based on the findings of Milbauer et al.[82], who showed that this selection provides similar accuracy to using the entire shared vocabulary. To translate the embeddings between the communities, we employ the MultiCCA implementation from sci-kit-learn [90], as it gives the best accuracy. Preprocessing and Training. Discovering Misalignments & Conceptional Homomorphisms. We look for misaligned and conceptually homomorphic word pairs (with tankies as the source community) that have a cosine similarity of more than 0.5, and categorize the pairs that reflect polarized meanings, informed by both the literature and our previously presented results. We exclude r/Marxism and r/IWW from our analysis due to the small number of posts and vocabulary of these communities (See Figure 1). We also exclude r/alltheleft due to lack of literature regarding this community. In the end, we find seven topics that tankies are misaligned with the at least one of r/communism, r/socialism, r/DemocraticSocialism, or r/Anarchism: 1) acceptance of CCP narratives, 2) Stalinist leaning, 3) acceptance of the Russian narrative in Ukraine, 4) anti-Zionist leaning, 5) pejorative terms to ideologies, 6) leaning towards state-sponsored media, and 7) US politics. Discovering Misalignments & Conceptional Homomorphisms. Below, we describe each of these in detail. In addition, just because two communities have misalignments and conceptual homomorphisms does not necessarily explain what those misalignments and homomorphisms mean, which is central to our goal of understanding tankies in relation to the far-left. To address this, we performed a small-scale qualitative analysis (see Appendix C.1) with a sample of posts containing misaligned words that inform our interpretations. We also performed a quantitative validation experiment (see Appendix C.2 for details) that further support our interpretations. Acceptance of CCP Narratives (Magenta). Previously, we saw that the most popular topic tankies talk about is about the Uyghur Genocide and their most popular named entity is China. While it is possible that tankies may support the narrative of the CCP due to China being an AES country, as well as there being stories of r/GenZedong users attacking Uyghurs and promoting violence against them in the press [27], our previous analysis does not provide sufficient evidence to support this conclusion. Acceptance of CCP Narratives (Magenta). The first indication this is true from our misaligmment analysis is tankies’ use of the Chinese government’s preferred nomenclature of Communist Party of China (CPC) [22, 73, 93] instead of the more commonly used western term CCP. Additional indication along these lines is how tankies are misaligned with respect to Uyghurs. There is substantial evidence that China detains Uyghur Muslims and sends them to so-called “political re-education camps,” which are rife with human rights abuses [61, 96, 134] up to and including evidence of genocide [53, 124]. This misalignment is demonstrated through boarding schools & Uyghurs (i.e., that the Uyghur detention camps are merely typical schools), internment camps & camps, and reeducation camps & camps misalignment and conceptually homomorphic pairs. Finally, our analysis reveals a marked discrepancy in the discourse of tankies when it comes to the classification of individuals engaging in acts of civil disobedience. This disjuncture is further complicated by the historical precedent of the CCP’s characterization of peaceful protesters as “rioters” [38], which may serve as an indication of tankies’ alignment with the CCP’s narrative. As we check the top 10 most similar words by cosine similarity to “rioters” in the embedding of tankies, we find Hong Kong and hk words. We also find a Tiananmen Square & riots misalignment pair. Stalinist Leaning (Lime). Tankies, as defined, have a tendency towards Stalinism (see Section 2). However, according to the definition provided by the subreddit r/InformedTankie, they primarily identify as Marxist-Leninists. So far, our previous analysis shows that tankies tend to focus more on topics related to Stalin and mention Stalin more frequently than Lenin in comparison to other far-left communities. Here, we identify several misaligning and conceptually homomorphic pairs that suggest a greater level of support for Stalinism among tankies. For example, we see misalignment in de-Stalinization & Khrushchev, destalinization & Khrushchev, Khrushchev & Stalin, and destalinization & Gorbachev pairs. Nikita Khruschev was General Secretary of the CPSU (Communist Party of the Soviet Union) after Stalin and is known for his de-Stalinization efforts [40, 66]. On the other hand, Mikhail Gorbachev is considered a successor of Khruschev’s de-Stalinization efforts [66]. For r/Anarchism, de-Stalinization & USSR is a conceptually homomorphic pair, which is meaningful when we consider the history of Anarchists in Soviet Gulag Camps [29, 84]. Stalinist Leaning (Lime). We also find trot & Trotskyists, trots & Trotskyists, trots & tankies, and Trotskyists & Stalinists misalignment pairs. Interestingly, leading additional credence to tankies’ Stalinist leaning, “trot” is a pejorative term used for Trotskyists, which was originally used by USSR-supporting elements during Stalin’s reign [3, 120]. Acceptence of the Russian Narrative in Ukraine (Cyan). The support of tankies for the hardline Soviet era extends to Russia’s current authoritarian regime’s actions. We find that tankies are more accepting of the chosen nomenclature from the self-proclaimed republics in Ukraine’s Donbass region, Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR) and Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), which were explicitly recognized by the Russian government and used as casus belli for the 2022 invasion of Ukraine [129]. This pattern is not unusual among the far-left; a previous study [49] found that over 22% of comments on r/socialism between January 1, 2022, and March 15, 2022, were associated with topics presented by Russian state media, with more than 100 comments explicitly discussing Ukrainian Neo-Nazis. For r/communism, r/socialism, and r/Anarchism, we see this leaning from LPR & Donbass, DPR & Donbass, LPR & Donetsk, and LPR & Donetsk misalignment pairs. We find that LPR and DPR are not in the vocabulary of r/DemocraticSocialism (and conceptually homomorphic pairs regarding LPR and DPR were off-topic). This might be because the focus of r/DemocraticSocialism is more on US politics than AES and Russia - Ukraine war (see Figure 9). However, we see anti-Ukraine leaning of tankies from Zelensky & Trump conceptually homomorphic pair between tankies and r/DemocraticSocialism. Acceptence of the Russian Narrative in Ukraine (Cyan). Anti-Zionist Leaning (Green). USSR had anti-Zionism efforts since its establishment [112], and today’s far-left anti-Zionism is showing similarity with USSR’s anti-Zionist campaigns [123]. We can see tankies have more leaning towards anti-Zionism from Zionist & Israeli, Zionists & Jews, Zionist & Israel, Zionism & Israel, and isntreal & Israel pairs. These pairs show that tankies simplify the complexity and diversity of Jewish identity and also the establishment and development of the State of Israel. Furthermore, this usage of Zionism disregards the historical and ongoing discrimination that non-European Jews have faced within Israel [115]. It also ignores the fact that not all Jews or Israelis support the Zionist movement and the state of Israel [71, 115]. As we find later in Section 5.4, tankies have the most proportion of posts with high identity attack against Jews in the far-left community. Anti-Zionist Leaning (Green). Pejorative Terms to Ideologies (Gray). We find tankies tend to refer to other ideologies with pejoratives. E.g., anarkiddies, anarchildrem, and anarkids instead of anarchists, succdems, succ dems, and succs instead of socdems, and westoids and libshits when referring to liberals. We also find ultras & tankies and radlibs & tankies pairs. Considering tankies is a pejorative term used by other ideologies, this finding means that tankies use ultras and radlibs in a pejorative way, similar to the Democrats v. Republicans example. Pejorative Terms to Ideologies (Gray). Leaning Towards State-Sponsored Media (Orange). We find RT & NYT and CGTN & CNN pairs between tankies and r/DemocraticSocialism. CGTN and RT are media organizations that receive direct support from their respective governments; CGTN is controlled by the Chinese government, while RT receives funding and backing from the Russian government [37, 85]. A previous study [48] Leaning Towards State-Sponsored Media (Orange). that involves RT and CGTN found that Russian and Chinese news outlets frequently employs “conflict” or “crisis” to refer Russian invasion of Ukraine, while Western news outlets typically use “war” and “invasion.” As we find later in Section 5.5, tankies have the highest proportion of sharing new outlets from China and Russia, and have the least proportion for news outlets from western democracies. US Politics (No Highlight). We find that tankies frequently discuss Joe Biden, displaying a similar focus as r/DemocraticSocialism users have on Donald Trump. This tendency can be observed through the usage of phrases like “Bidens & Trumps” and “Sleepy Joe & Biden.” Additionally, the anti-democratic leaning of tankies is evident from their discussions on topics such as “popularity contest & elections.” US Politics (No Highlight). Takeaways. Analyzing the level of the usage of words between tankies and r/communism, r/socialism, r/DemocraticSocialism, and r/Anarchism allowed us to quantify and expand the literature on the attributes of tankies. We find that tankies are more accepting of CCP narratives and lean more towards Stalinism compared to these subreddits. They are also more likely to accept Russia’s narrative on Ukraine and show a stronger inclination towards Anti-Zionism. In addition to these ideological preferences, tankies tend to use pejorative terms when discussing ideologies and have a higher preference for state-sponsored media, particularly when compared to users in the r/DemocraticSocialism subreddit. Furthermore, tankies demonstrate less support for Joe Biden than those in the r/DemocraticSocialism community. Takeaways By understanding these distinct tendencies, our findings contribute to the existing literature on tankies and offer a deeper understanding of their communication styles and ideological leanings within online communities. This paper is available on arxiv under CC BY 4.0 DEED license. This paper is available on arxiv under CC BY 4.0 DEED license. available on arxiv

How Do Tankies Speak? A Misalignment Analysis

The beginning of March, 2025, was marked by a significant event in the tech world - Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona. The event gathered industry leaders like Microsoft, Google, Orange, and Vodafone to showcase their latest innovations. Notably, FC Barcelona, alongside the Barça Innovation Hub educational platform, participated by presenting groundbreaking projects from the club’s managers and partners at the Sports Tomorrow Congress stand Mobile World Congress Mobile World Congress The Products and Concepts That Stole the Show MWC showcased a range of innovative devices that could one day reach consumers. Several eye-catching developments were displayed at company booths, drawing significant visitor interest. Samsung's display division unveiled several prototypes, including an asymmetrical Z Flip phone that folds in two places, leaving part of the screen visible. A standout was a Nintendo Switch-style portable console with a hinge for folding. Another highlight was Project Moohan—Samsung's first augmented reality (XR) headset built on Android. Developed in collaboration with Google and Qualcomm, it leverages multimodal AI to enable more natural, conversation-like interactions. Lenovo was not left behind: the company unveiled the ThinkBook Flip concept—a flexible OLED-screen device similar to the ThinkBook Plus Gen 6. Unlike its predecessor, however, the ThinkBook Flip’s screen remains static and folds backward. The device is set to launch in June 2025. Xiaomi, meanwhile, announced the global release of its 15 Ultra smartphone, bringing it to the UK and Europe in addition to China. The device features a 4.3x periscope lens and a 200-megapixel sensor with enhanced low-light capabilities—an unexpected but welcome surprise for many attendees. Xiaomi also introduced a modular optical system concept with a magnetic lens mount, offering a standalone camera with a sensor larger than most smartphones. Cultural Changes in Fan Communities Driven by Crypto and AI As part of the Mobile World Congress (MWC), Barça Innovation Hub also hosted the two-day Sports Tomorrow Congress event, where doctors, physiotherapists, analysts, and other experts shared their experiences and discussed the latest developments in sports, research, and development. In particular, Albert ‘Chapi’ Ferrer, former FC Barcelona player and coach of the Barça Legends team, spoke about the development of football over the past decades and new directions in the industry, noting that it has become an integral part of the entertainment industry. At the same time, FC Barcelona women's goalkeeper Cata Coll spoke about how modern devices such as WIMU, heart monitor belts and biometric rings help athletes monitor their body condition and regulate their workload. The speech by FC Barcelona President Joan Laporta, who reminded the audience of the importance of the club's roots and values, which are at the heart of its identity, was not left unnoticed. According to Laporta, they help Barça to remain true to itself despite the challenges of the modern world. The club's president also mentioned BIHUB's commitment to the start-up industry and called it a winning combination that allows it to be at the forefront of innovation without losing its essence. Joan Laporta Joan Laporta ‘Now is the right time to reimagine the future. The club must redefine itself to meet the expectations of global markets and fan communities while staying true to who we are.’ said Joan Laporta. ‘Now is the right time to reimagine the future. The club must redefine itself to meet the expectations of global markets and fan communities while staying true to who we are.’ The growth and transformation of the sports industry require organizations to adopt new approaches to attract investors and engage fans. As a result, fans have moved from the usual sports experience of watching matches to new formats of interaction that embrace the latest technologies. In particular, the development of crypto and AI has opened up new horizons for sports organizations, encouraging them to create interactive experiences for fans and attract new investments. The cultural changes that the fan community has undergone under the influence of cryptocurrencies and artificial intelligence were discussed at Sport Tomorrow Congress by Alex Starikov, Web3 Solutions Lead at WhiteBIT. Sport Tomorrow Congress Sport Tomorrow Congress Alex Starikov Alex Starikov ‘By 2026, 70% of top-tier European football clubs are expected to adopt blockchain and AI fan engagement tools’, said Alex Starikov, referring to the Deloitte report ‘2024 Sports Industry Outlook’. ‘By 2026, 70% of top-tier European football clubs are expected to adopt blockchain and AI fan engagement tools’, report report It is worth noting that this figure looks quite realistic, given the number of current partnerships between sports organizations and crypto companies. For example, according to CoinGecko's 2024 report, there were more than 40 active partnerships at the time, most of which were football clubs. This fact indicates that such collaborations are not only gaining momentum and expanding the capabilities of both industries but also changing the way fans interact with them. according according In particular, Alex Starikov highlighted several trends in football fan communities: Social networks (TikTok, Telegram, X, Discord) are becoming the main ‘hubs’ for the community
VR and AR open up new opportunities for fans by creating a unique experience
NFTs and crypto assets are gaining popularity in fan communities thanks to tokenization and digital goods. Social networks (TikTok, Telegram, X, Discord) are becoming the main ‘hubs’ for the community VR and AR open up new opportunities for fans by creating a unique experience NFTs and crypto assets are gaining popularity in fan communities thanks to tokenization and digital goods. Separately, he noted the role of artificial intelligence. For example, according to Starikov, AI agents and chatbots have become powerful tools to improve fan engagement, while AI-based analytics allow for more efficient match prediction and deeper analysis. In particular, the speaker highlighted the potential of AI agents - autonomous programs that can analyze data, interact with fans, and make decisions. They are significantly superior to chatbots as they provide a more advanced and personalized experience. It is also important that they can integrate with the blockchain, which allows them to perform tasks such as analyzing match data, interacting with dApps, making transactions, and even launching tokens. This creates new opportunities to engage fans by providing them with an interactive experience. An important point of the presentation was the discussion of the integration of blockchain into football clubs, where they can become ‘guardians’ of digital infrastructure. According to Starikov, clubs can take part in the so-called digital revolution, which ensures the security of the blockchain. By integrating blockchain into their operations, they can also generate revenue from each transaction and distribute a portion of it in the form of digital rewards for fans. The event concluded with a landmark session by Barça goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen on technology and sport. The German goalkeeper shared how the process of analyzing sports results has changed and what new technologies are available to footballers today. He spoke about tools such as VAR and systems that allow goalkeepers to review their own performance. Stegen emphasized that the role of data is very important for implementing improvements, as it helps to move one step forward. The goalkeeper also emphasized the importance of video recordings, not only of the matches themselves but also of the recovery process after an injury. Marc-André ter Stegen Marc-André ter Stegen As a final note, Marc-André ter Stegen admitted that he often uses artificial intelligence tools, including Perplexity, and expressed his interest in entrepreneurship, which led to his investment in cybersecurity projects. To sum up, The MWC has once again proved that technology is changing not only gadgets but also the way we interact with sports, business, and even communities. There are even more innovations ahead, and who knows - maybe next year we will see even more futuristic solutions. Lead image source: Samsung Newsroom Lead image source: Samsung Newsroom Samsung Newsroom

Sports, Screens, and the Future of Fandom at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona

As part of the Spacecoin Writing Contest, the fine folks at Spacecoin and HackerNoon have asked: Will Elon Musk colonize Mars in his lifetime? It depends, I suppose, on what you mean by colonize. If you mean creating a vibrant, large-scale settlement in the grandiose Kim Stanley Robinson sense of the word, the answer, unsurprisingly, is no. That’s not to say there won’t be some kind of Martian foothold in the not-too-distant future. We’ll likely see boots on the ground before Musk shuffles off this mortal coil for a questionable afterlife on a Neuralink server. And when that moment comes, the media spectacle alone will be worth the wait. The first selfie, taken against a rust-colored sky and beamed across the void by The First Human On Mars, will break the internet, triggering profound audience capture and giving Earth’s perpetually outraged masses something to argue for instead of against. At least for a few news cycles. Of course, the reality lurking behind the euphoric headlines will be far less cinematic. What The Mars Foothold Might Look Like A functional, self-sustaining colony in Musk’s lifetime—as in a place where people live, love, and build lives that don’t hinge on recurring supply drops—just isn’t in the cards. The problem isn’t lack of ambition. It’s physics, biology, and the Red Planet’s fundamental indifference toward our delusions of Martian grandeur. What will we see? Probably a mishmash spectacle of 20-minute time delayed live streams and gritty DITL updates on X peppered with ironic branding opportunities. And of course, a few extremely lonely astronauts transmitting increasingly bleak vlogs to the good folks back home. Think a glorified Antarctic research outpost but with worse WiFi, or The Martian, but less funny and with more product placements. Which is to say, we won’t see anything resembling the glassine Martian arcologies or gerontological life-extension clinics of Red Mars. A Skeptic’s Guide To SpaceX’s Roadmap To Mars Here is a passage taken from SpaceX’s Mars & Beyond Roadmap To Making Humanity Multiplanetary. And I quote: Why Mars? At an average distance of 140 million miles, Mars is one of Earth's closest habitable neighbors. Mars is about half again as far from the Sun as Earth is, so it still has decent sunlight. It is a little cold, but we can warm it up. Its atmosphere is primarily CO2 with some nitrogen and argon and a few other trace elements, which means that we can grow plants on Mars just by compressing the atmosphere. Gravity on Mars is about 38% of that of Earth, so you would be able to lift heavy things and bound around. Furthermore, the day is remarkably close to that of Earth. I have to tip my hat to the copy editors at SpaceX. This is a really effective piece of writing. One carefully engineered understatement after another designed to coax the reader into a quasi-hypnotic, carefree state. Martian life, evidently, is bliss. Spin of this caliber is remarkably persuasive. The language and economy of expression is so gentle and unassuming it would lull a caffeinated squirrel to sleep. Not so much sterile corporate-speak, but a form of lowkey verbal jujitsu that by comparison makes the summit of Mt. Everest sound like a Sandals resort. For example, calling Mars “one of Earth’s closest habitable neighbors” is like a realtor describing a condemned building as “full of potential” or an airline referring to a mid-air explosion as an “unscheduled rapid deboarding event.” It’s the same rhetorical sleight of hand that could rebrand suffocating in a barren, radiation-blasted wasteland as “adapting to novel atmospheric conditions.” Mars is “habitable” in the same way the bottom of the Marianas Trench is. Habitable, sure, technically speaking, but only if you stick the landing, bring your own highly complex life support systems, and make peace with the constant, looming specter of instant death. Allow Me To Translate Further In More Practical Terms Mars is about half again as far from the Sun as Earth is, so it still has decent sunlight. Translation: Mars is so far away, the Sun will look like a small anemic disk in the sky. And thanks to the planet’s pathetically thin atmosphere and no global magnetic field, hazardous energy particles from said anemic disc, along with a constant bombardment of cosmic radiation, will scramble your DNA and pose significant long-term health risks like cancer and acute radiation sickness. It is a little cold, but we can warm it up. Translation: It’s really cold. Colder than Antarctica at its absolute worst. For reference, the median surface temperate is –85°F and can dip to around -225°F. The kind of cold that will induce frostbite faster than you can say “terraforming.” Speaking of, we’re looking further into radically transforming the entire planet’s climate via nukes, moholes, and orbital mirrors. Heads-up, it could take a while, so pack extra sweaters. We can grow plants on Mars just by compressing the atmosphere. Translation: I don’t even know where to begin. #JustCompressIt Gravity on Mars is about 38% of that of Earth, so you would be able to lift heavy things and bound around. Translation: You can lift heavy objects and do sick backflips. But your newfound super-power comes at a cost. Prolonged exposure to low gravity will lead to back pain, muscle atrophy, and bone density loss. Oh, and Martian gravity might, among other things, mess with your organs and eyesight, too. Make no mistake, your body is evolved for life on Earth, not Mars. Given the absence of artificial gravity, bring a gym bag and prepare for an intense regimen of frequent exercise. Furthermore, the day is remarkably close to that of Earth. Translation: Mars has a 24-hour and 37-minute day. Your circadian rhythm might not be too off-kilter, but that’s assuming you can even sleep at night. You know, Claustrophobic Existential Dread (CED) of living in a glorified tin can for the rest of your life where a single system failure means instant death. (Let’s also note the roadmap’s strategic omission of the fine dust situation on Mars. Dust like orange talcum powder that will get into everything. EVERYTHING. Computers, living modules, rovers, your bloodstream. Often leading to headaches, sinus trouble, sore throat, bronchitis, lung distress, and the occasional hardware malfunction that spells no uncertain doom.) Don’t Get Me Wrong, I’m Rooting For Becoming A Multiplanetary Species I really am. There’s something undeniably seductive about the notion. Back in the 2010s, before the Texas Exodus, I toured SpaceX HQ in Hawthorne, CA. I rubbed elbows with brilliant aerospace engineers and inspected Merlin engines up close. The sheer audacity of such precision-controlled hellfire. It was a genuinely inspiring experience. There’s poetry in the idea of some future descendant of the first Martian standing atop a wind-sculpted dune and pointing at a pale blue dot in the sky and thinking, That’s where great-great-grandpapa grew up. But a colony in Musk’s lifetime? No. Not in any meaningful, civilization-altering sense of the word. For now, that’s a fantasy best left to sci-fi novelists and TED Talk enthusiasts. And yet—perhaps absurdly, naively—it’s a fantasy worth having. Because even if the SpaceX roadmap is more branding exercise than blueprint, there’s something deeply human about looking up and wanting more. About staring at a barren red rock 140 million miles away and thinking, we should try anyway. The reckless belief that maybe we could has a gravity of its own. In a world dominated by cynicism, doomscrolling, and algorithmically optimized despair, maybe it’s one force we shouldn’t try to escape. Product placements and all. As part of the Spacecoin Writing Contest , the fine folks at Spacecoin and HackerNoon have asked: Will Elon Musk colonize Mars in his lifetime ? Spacecoin Writing Contest Spacecoin Writing Contest Will Elon Musk colonize Mars in his lifetime It depends, I suppose, on what you mean by colonize . If you mean creating a vibrant, large-scale settlement in the grandiose Kim Stanley Robinson sense of the word, the answer, unsurprisingly, is no. colonize Kim Stanley Robinson Kim Stanley Robinson That’s not to say there won’t be some kind of Martian foothold in the not-too-distant future. We’ll likely see boots on the ground before Musk shuffles off this mortal coil for a questionable afterlife on a Neuralink server . And when that moment comes, the media spectacle alone will be worth the wait. Neuralink server The first selfie, taken against a rust-colored sky and beamed across the void by The First Human On Mars, will break the internet, triggering profound audience capture and giving Earth’s perpetually outraged masses something to argue for instead of against. At least for a few news cycles. for Of course, the reality lurking behind the euphoric headlines will be far less cinematic. What The Mars Foothold Might Look Like A functional, self-sustaining colony in Musk’s lifetime—as in a place where people live, love, and build lives that don’t hinge on recurring supply drops—just isn’t in the cards. The problem isn’t lack of ambition. It’s physics, biology, and the Red Planet’s fundamental indifference toward our delusions of Martian grandeur. What will we see? Probably a mishmash spectacle of 20-minute time delayed live streams and gritty DITL updates on X peppered with ironic branding opportunities. And of course, a few extremely lonely astronauts transmitting increasingly bleak vlogs to the good folks back home. Think a glorified Antarctic research outpost but with worse WiFi, or The Martian , but less funny and with more product placements. Which is to say, we won’t see anything resembling the glassine Martian arcologies or gerontological life-extension clinics of Red Mars . The Martian Red Mars A Skeptic’s Guide To SpaceX’s Roadmap To Mars Here is a passage taken from SpaceX’s Mars & Beyond Roadmap To Making Humanity Multiplanetary . And I quote: Mars & Beyond Roadmap To Making Humanity Multiplanetary Mars & Beyond Roadmap To Making Humanity Multiplanetary Why Mars? At an average distance of 140 million miles, Mars is one of Earth's closest habitable neighbors. Mars is about half again as far from the Sun as Earth is, so it still has decent sunlight. It is a little cold, but we can warm it up. Its atmosphere is primarily CO2 with some nitrogen and argon and a few other trace elements, which means that we can grow plants on Mars just by compressing the atmosphere. Gravity on Mars is about 38% of that of Earth, so you would be able to lift heavy things and bound around. Furthermore, the day is remarkably close to that of Earth. Why Mars? At an average distance of 140 million miles, Mars is one of Earth's closest habitable neighbors. Mars is about half again as far from the Sun as Earth is, so it still has decent sunlight. It is a little cold, but we can warm it up. Its atmosphere is primarily CO2 with some nitrogen and argon and a few other trace elements, which means that we can grow plants on Mars just by compressing the atmosphere. Gravity on Mars is about 38% of that of Earth, so you would be able to lift heavy things and bound around. Furthermore, the day is remarkably close to that of Earth. I have to tip my hat to the copy editors at SpaceX. This is a really effective piece of writing. One carefully engineered understatement after another designed to coax the reader into a quasi-hypnotic, carefree state. Martian life, evidently, is bliss. Spin of this caliber is remarkably persuasive. The language and economy of expression is so gentle and unassuming it would lull a caffeinated squirrel to sleep. Not so much sterile corporate-speak, but a form of lowkey verbal jujitsu that by comparison makes the summit of Mt. Everest sound like a Sandals resort. For example, calling Mars “one of Earth’s closest habitable neighbors” is like a realtor describing a condemned building as “full of potential” or an airline referring to a mid-air explosion as an “unscheduled rapid deboarding event.” It’s the same rhetorical sleight of hand that could rebrand suffocating in a barren, radiation-blasted wasteland as “adapting to novel atmospheric conditions.” Mars is “habitable” in the same way the bottom of the Marianas Trench is. Habitable, sure, technically speaking, but only if you stick the landing, bring your own highly complex life support systems, and make peace with the constant, looming specter of instant death. Allow Me To Translate Further In More Practical Terms Mars is about half again as far from the Sun as Earth is, so it still has decent sunlight. Mars is about half again as far from the Sun as Earth is, so it still has decent sunlight. Mars is about half again as far from the Sun as Earth is, so it still has decent sunlight. Translation: Mars is so far away, the Sun will look like a small anemic disk in the sky. And thanks to the planet’s pathetically thin atmosphere and no global magnetic field, hazardous energy particles from said anemic disc, along with a constant bombardment of cosmic radiation, will scramble your DNA and pose significant long-term health risks like cancer and acute radiation sickness. Translation: It is a little cold, but we can warm it up. It is a little cold, but we can warm it up. It is a little cold, but we can warm it up. Translation: It’s really cold. Colder than Antarctica at its absolute worst. For reference, the median surface temperate is –85°F and can dip to around -225°F. The kind of cold that will induce frostbite faster than you can say “terraforming.” Speaking of, we’re looking further into radically transforming the entire planet’s climate via nukes, moholes, and orbital mirrors. Heads-up, it could take a while, so pack extra sweaters. Translation: We can grow plants on Mars just by compressing the atmosphere. We can grow plants on Mars just by compressing the atmosphere. We can grow plants on Mars just by compressing the atmosphere. Translation: I don’t even know where to begin. #JustCompressIt Translation: Gravity on Mars is about 38% of that of Earth, so you would be able to lift heavy things and bound around. Gravity on Mars is about 38% of that of Earth, so you would be able to lift heavy things and bound around. Gravity on Mars is about 38% of that of Earth, so you would be able to lift heavy things and bound around. Translation: You can lift heavy objects and do sick backflips. But your newfound super-power comes at a cost. Prolonged exposure to low gravity will lead to back pain, muscle atrophy, and bone density loss. Oh, and Martian gravity might, among other things, mess with your organs and eyesight, too. Make no mistake, your body is evolved for life on Earth, not Mars. Given the absence of artificial gravity, bring a gym bag and prepare for an intense regimen of frequent exercise. Translation: Furthermore, the day is remarkably close to that of Earth. Furthermore, the day is remarkably close to that of Earth. Furthermore, the day is remarkably close to that of Earth. Translation: Mars has a 24-hour and 37-minute day. Your circadian rhythm might not be too off-kilter, but that’s assuming you can even sleep at night. You know, Claustrophobic Existential Dread (CED) of living in a glorified tin can for the rest of your life where a single system failure means instant death. Translation: (Let’s also note the roadmap’s strategic omission of the fine dust situation on Mars. Dust like orange talcum powder that will get into everything. EVERYTHING. Computers, living modules, rovers, your bloodstream. Often leading to headaches, sinus trouble, sore throat, bronchitis, lung distress, and the occasional hardware malfunction that spells no uncertain doom.) Don’t Get Me Wrong, I’m Rooting For Becoming A Multiplanetary Species I really am. There’s something undeniably seductive about the notion. Back in the 2010s, before the Texas Exodus, I toured SpaceX HQ in Hawthorne, CA. I rubbed elbows with brilliant aerospace engineers and inspected Merlin engines up close. The sheer audacity of such precision-controlled hellfire. It was a genuinely inspiring experience. There’s poetry in the idea of some future descendant of the first Martian standing atop a wind-sculpted dune and pointing at a pale blue dot in the sky and thinking, That’s where great-great-grandpapa grew up. That’s where great-great-grandpapa grew up. But a colony in Musk’s lifetime? No. Not in any meaningful, civilization-altering sense of the word. For now, that’s a fantasy best left to sci-fi novelists and TED Talk enthusiasts. And yet—perhaps absurdly, naively—it’s a fantasy worth having. Because even if the SpaceX roadmap is more branding exercise than blueprint, there’s something deeply human about looking up and wanting more. About staring at a barren red rock 140 million miles away and thinking, we should try anyway. we should try anyway. The reckless belief that maybe we could has a gravity of its own. In a world dominated by cynicism, doomscrolling, and algorithmically optimized despair, maybe it’s one force we shouldn’t try to escape. maybe we could Product placements and all.

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