Month: December 2024

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To be an internet user in 2024 is like being a hamster running on a wheel. The modern web is largely composed of consumer services that use artificial intelligence-based algorithms to hook people to stay logged on — for better and for worse.    
“You as a user make choices,” says Tina Eliassi-Rad, a computer sciences professor at Northeastern University and a core faculty member of the Northeastern Network Science Institute and the Institute for Experiential AI. 
“You watch certain things. You buy certain things. You’re producing training data for these AI algorithms, specifically recommendation systems — think Amazon, think Netflix, think Match.com” 
“These AI algorithms produce suggestions to you, those suggestions supposedly influence your choices,” she adds. “Through that, you’re producing more training data for the algorithm, and round and round we go.” 
In essence, the web is made up of a series of human and AI feedback loops correlated with user behavior, Eliassi-Rad explains. 
Eliassi-Rad is one of several Northeastern researchers who have proposed a new area of study they are calling “Human AI Coevolution” to better understand and analyze these feedback loops. Other researchers on the project include Northeastern professors Ricardo Baeza-Yates, Albert-László Barabási and Alessandro Vespignani. 
For this research project, the team analyzed AI algorithms used in a variety of services, including online retailers, social media sites, navigation services and AI-based text and image generation clients.  
Human-AI interactions are not isolated exchanges, Barabási says.
“They form an intricate network of feedback loops,” he says. “Each click, each choice, each recommendation doesn’t just affect the individual — it ripples across the network, influencing the behavior of others and shaping the evolution of both human society and AI systems. 
“Understanding this dynamic at the interface of network science and AI research is crucial if we are to harness these systems for societal benefit rather than allowing them to amplify unintended consequences.”
Baeza-Yates is quick to note that this is not designed to be a discussion around “biological evolution,” but rather “about how human behavior and human society is impacted by technology.” 
“In this work, we emphasize the urgent need to investigate how humans and AI algorithms continuously influence each other, creating a potentially endless feedback loop that leads to complex and often unintended systemic outcomes,” adds Vespignani. 
“This calls for the establishment of a new field of study at the intersection of AI and complexity science, dedicated to understanding, characterizing, and potentially anticipating the large-scale societal impacts of AI deployment,” he notes.  
Vespigani explains that the Human AI coevolution framework “puts at the center the continuous and dynamic interaction between humans and AI systems, where each influences the other’s evolution.” 
He highlights that these feedback loops have “far-reaching social implications.” 
“These include shaping public opinion, influencing consumer behavior, and even redefining social norms,” he says.
“By providing a structured approach to analyzing these complexities, the framework allows us to systematically identify potential risks, such as polarization or bias, and develop strategies to design AI systems that promote fairness, inclusivity and societal well-being.”
Cesareo Contreras is a Northeastern Global News reporter. Email him at c.contreras@northeastern.edu. Follow him on X/Twitter @cesareo_r and Threads @cesareor.
© 2024 Northeastern University

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SportsMillions is a top-tier social casino with plenty to offer, and it features many ways to unlock free coins and games.
That’s one of the driving reasons why this platform is so popular, despite only launching in 2024.
Whether you’re a gambling veteran or a novice player, you’ll unlock 1,000 free GC and 3 free SC when you sign up at SportsMillions.
That sizeable no-deposit bonus is then compounded with offers of further discounts, free coin boosts, and daily rewards.
To learn how to unlock and use the SportsMillions no-deposit bonus, read on – I’ve got you covered.
Yes, the SportsMillions no-deposit bonus is reserved exclusively for first-time users of the site.
However, that’s the tip of the iceberg of promotions this site offers.
If you’re hungry for more bonuses, it’s worth taking a second to probe through the site’s live promotions and don’t forget about that daily login reward.
Yes – users taking advantage of the SportsMillions social casino can win real cash prizes or gift cards through the site’s sweepstakes mechanic.
This is common enough in the social casino business, and as it’s governed by sweepstakes law, it’s all above board and legitimate.
The requirements are fairly simple, and as long as you play through your SC at least once before trying to redeem them (at a value of 1 SC for $1 USD), you’re set.
The site also has relatively low minimums compared to other platforms, which is a huge win. You need just 10 SC to redeem against a gift card, and 75 SC for a cash prize.
SportsMillions has a few services that it offers to users across North America, and they’re split into propositions, each one being marketed to different states.
No SportsMillions services are offered in:
Additionally, the site doesn’t allow users to access social or sweepstakes services in:
It’s admittedly one of the more restricted social casinos.
If you’re eager to play anyway, you can check out one of the many other sweepstakes casinos that have been reviewed.
The SportsMillions no deposit bonus doesn’t include free spins, but the GC and SC that you invest in the games can easily be thought of as free spins.
For instance, playing Joker’s Jewels Wild Slot on SportsMillions has a minimum spin of 0.2 SC, and with the 3 SC bonus you get when you sign up, you’ll theoretically have unlocked 15 free spins.
What’s more, you could win more SC while playing, so the free spins can effectively continue past that limit.
SportsMillions doesn’t use a bonus code system – you simply get the no-deposit bonus for registering a new account on the platform.
That’s not to say that there aren’t any bonus codes on SportsMillions.
Some promotions will require or feature such a mechanic, but the welcome bonus is much more accessible than that.
To play on SportsMillions, you must be from one of the unrestricted states and you must be over the age of 21.
These are the core requirements to play on the site – and to secure the no-deposit bonus.
At all times, you need to adhere to the site’s terms and conditions, otherwise, you could forfeit any SC and GC you’ve accrued thus far.
For instance, don’t try accessing the site through a VPN from a restricted state.
Aside from that, there’s almost no strategy to consider to secure your no-deposit bonus with SportsMillions.
On most sweepstakes sites, Gold Coins are a digital currency used to fund spins, games, and other things like tournament entries. This is how things work on SportsMillions.
Gold Coins can be purchased in packages, and you can then use those coins in the various games and offers on the platform.
With each purchase of GC, you’ll unlock free Sweeps Coins.
Sweeps Coins are a no-purchase token that can be won by playing games or by taking part in special promotions.
These are the tokens that you can eventually convert into cash prizes, gift cards, and other redemptions on SportsMillions.
SportsMillions has managed to accrue a 3.7-star rating on TrustPilot, and despite being a much newer platform than most competing sites, it’s already turning heads.
It uses a unique operating model that players – especially sports fans – simply love.
For instance, on SportsMillions, you can play Blitz’em, a sports-focused game that sees you stake SC against sports predictions, and if you’re successful, you’ll win massive stacks of Sweeps Coins.
The site looks modern and is easy to use, which is another huge win for fans – particularly the less confident gamers.
Many of the site’s reviews mention a fast withdrawal system and great customer support functions, both of which are vital to the ongoing success of a social casino.
When I picked up my free GC and SC from SportsMillions, I headed straight into the games that were unlocked and waiting for me.
First, I played through Joker’s Jewels Wild Slot, which has a 0.2 SC minimum spin requirement.
I wasn’t kept occupied for long, but it was enough to get to grips with the site.
To be honest, SportsMillions doesn’t give a large enough welcome bonus to make a strategy worthwhile.
The games boast a high RTP, but it’s highly unlikely you’ll earn much from your no-deposit bonus.
It’s more there to act as an introduction chapter to the site.
SportsMillions regularly runs a solid rotation of promotions and boosts, many of which feature free GC and SC rewards.
At any time, you can get boosts on purchases, free daily rewards, and spinwheel games, all of which reward you with free tokens.
The site also runs an advantageous VIP scheme that regularly rewards members with free coins – which can (hopefully) eventually be turned into free money.
No, the SportsMillions no-deposit bonus is reserved exclusively for new members – but existing members have plenty of other promotions to take advantage of.
Yes, SportsMillions facilitates real-money prizes that can be picked up by redeeming at least 75 SC.
No, SportsMillions is not available in Montana, along with nine other states.

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Stylist Highlights the Connection Between Self-Image and Spiritual Identity in New Initiative  EIN News
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The Mega Millions jackpot has reached $740 million, the eighth-largest in the game’s history and the biggest ever in the month of December.
To win the jackpot, you must match all six winning numbers in a drawing. To play, you pick six numbers from two different pools: five numbers from 1 to 70 and one number from 1 to 25, which is the gold Mega Ball.
>📺 24/7 Chicago news stream: Watch NBC 5 free wherever you are
But don’t expect to win, as the odds of taking home the jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350.
However, you’re much more likely to win a smaller prize, ranging from $2 to $1 million. The odds of winning any prize is 1 in 24, according to the lottery.
Here’s a look at the odds for each prize amount:
Mega Millions tickets cost $2 each (although they’ll be going up to $5 later in 2025). If there’s no winner, the jackpot will keep growing, as a portion of ticket sales is added ahead of each draw.

The next draw is Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 11 p.m. ET. If no one wins the prize, the jackpot will roll over to the next draw on Friday, Dec. 20 at 11 p.m. ET.
If you want to watch the draw live, check out the Mega Millions’ YouTube channel. Updates about winners are posted on the Mega Millions website on Wednesday and Saturday mornings after winning tickets have been verified.
Want to make extra money outside of your day job? Sign up for CNBC’s online course How to Earn Passive Income Online to learn about common passive income streams, tips to get started and real-life success stories.
Plus, sign up for CNBC Make It’s newsletter to get tips and tricks for success at work, with money and in life.

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HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — With the holiday season in full swing, Houston's New Faces of Pride is hoping to channel some of that cheer to help some of our city's most vulnerable students.
Organizers for the city's newest LGBTQ+ Pride celebration will host a school supply drive Wednesday at George Country Sports Bar in Montrose.
From 6-9 p.m., the community is invited to drop off school supply donations to help LGBTQ+ students start their semester off on the right foot.
An Amazon wishlist has also been created for those who would like to give online.
The drive benefits students served by Houston nonprofit Out for Education, which has expanded inclusion by providing scholarships to LGBTQ+ students since 1999.
President Brandi Lira said these students often begin their college careers without a safety net that can mean the difference between graduation and dropping out.
"A lot of them either are not out or they gain the confidence to come out, and then their parents are either not supportive financially, not supportive in other ways, and so when it comes time to go into college, they may or may not have the financial backing they need," Lira said.
The school supply drive is only the first event of several planned to help support Out for Education's mission through the 2025 Pride season, president Bryan Cotton said.
"We simply want to help kids get an education," Cotton said. "We're not just a celebration organization. When we put this together, we looked at what we needed in the community, and it was support for our smaller organizations, (and) this year we went with one we felt so strongly about: Out for Education."
In its inaugural year, Houston's New Faces of Pride provided $20,000 in aid to Tony's Place and Grace Place, two nonprofits focused on serving the needs of homeless LGBTQ+ youth.
The organization said it hopes to help Out for Education scholarship recipients with the tools they need to make it across the graduation stage, and into positions of influence in their communities.
George Country Sports Bar is located at 617 Fairview St., in Montrose.
ABC13 is proud to be official media partner of Houston's New Faces of Pride.

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December 16, 2024 – Palo Alto, California
Stanford University’s FDCI (Future of Digital Currency Initiative) and Eliza Labs, creators of the open-source Eliza agent framework, today announced a groundbreaking research partnership to explore how autonomous AI agents will transform digital currency systems.
The collaboration, set to begin in Q1 2025, brings together Stanford’s expertise in digital currency research with Eliza Labs’ cutting-edge capabilities in autonomous agent development.
Leveraging Eliza Labs’ open-source Eliza framework for autonomous agent development, the partnership will tackle fundamental questions about how AI agents can establish trust, coordinate actions and make decisions within decentralized financial systems.
This research comes at a critical moment as autonomous agents increasingly influence economic systems and financial services – with the Eliza framework providing a proven foundation for developing reliable and scalable agent-based systems.
Professors Dan Boneh and David Mazières, who will oversee the research fellowship program, said,
“This collaboration represents a unique opportunity to shape how AI agents will interact within digital economies.
“By combining FDCI’s established infrastructure with Eliza Labs’ expertise in multi-agent systems, we’re positioning ourselves at the forefront of this transformative technology.”
Shaw Walters, founder of Eliza Labs, said,
“We are incredibly excited to partner with Stanford’s [FDCI] – one of the most prestigious programs for digital currency research – to explore how AI agents can reshape the future of financial systems.
“Together, we’re combining Stanford’s academic rigor with our widely used Eliza AI agent framework to drive trust and governance in decentralized economies.”
The research program will unfold across three phases throughout 2025, focusing on three core areas.
The initiative will produce open-source frameworks, simulation platforms and practical applications in automated market-making systems and decentralized financial services.
Early-stage findings and developments will be shared through peer-reviewed publications and industry presentations.
The partnership is actively seeking select industry collaborators, offering early access to emerging technologies and direct involvement in shaping research directions.
For venture firms and blockchain infrastructure partners, this represents an opportunity to position themselves at the forefront of agent technology development while accessing emerging technical talent in the field.
Research outcomes will include novel trust frameworks for autonomous agents, scalable multi-agent coordination protocols and formal models for agent governance in decentralized systems.
These developments aim to establish foundational standards for agent interaction in digital economies.
Eliza Labs is at the forefront of developing next-generation autonomous agent systems.
Founded in 2024, Eliza Labs is the creator of the Eliza agent framework, an open-source platform designed to revolutionize the way autonomous AI agents are created, deployed and managed.
The Eliza framework enables powerful multi-agent simulations, empowering developers, researchers and businesses to build advanced AI systems.
Eliza Labs is committed to pushing the boundaries of AI technology to shape the future of intelligent, autonomous systems.
For more information, users can visit the website.
Sarah Cohen, founder of SJC PR
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New Study from Kong Highlights Rising Threat of AI-Enhanced Security Attacks  Telecom Reseller
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Livegood, Transforming Health and Well-Being in a Sustainable and Accessible Wa  newsbreak.com
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A bearish sentiment dominated the futures oil market to start the week Monday after last week's gains due to mixed data from China confirming…

Barney Bahrenfuse and Suzanne Castello, who farm near Grinnell, Iowa, are recipients of Practical Farmers of Iowa's 2025 Sustainable Achievement…
Editor’s Note: This story, originally published Dec. 13, was updated with comments from U.S. Chief Veterinary Officer Rosemary Sifford at 2:38 p.m. Dec. 14.
**
REDFIELD, Iowa (DTN) — Keeping New World screwworm (NWS) out of the United States is a priority for USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). APHIS announced $165 million in emergency funding has been secured from the Commodity Credit Corporation to protect the country’s livestock and other animals.
On Nov. 22, the Chief Veterinary Officer of Mexico notified APHIS of a positive NWS detection in a cow in extreme southern Mexico. During the past two years, NWS has spread throughout Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala.
Given the severity of the threat from NWS, APHIS restricted the importation of animal commodities, including live cattle, from or transiting through Mexico following the notification.
In a statement to DTN on Dec. 13, U.S. Chief Veterinary Officer Rosemary Sifford said that upon detection of New World screwworm (NWS) in Mexico on Nov. 22, USDA suspended trade in cattle from Mexico pending implementation of an enhanced protocol to ensure they are free from NWS prior to entering the U.S.
“Several media outlets are reporting that imports of live cattle and bison will resume before the holidays,” she said. “While the U.S. continues to work very closely with Mexico and has agreed to protocols, it will take some time to implement these due to multiple steps needed to resume trade, including facility inspections and approval.
“APHIS does not expect this to happen before the holidays, and shipments will likely resume incrementally after the New Year, with full resumption of live animal movements sometime after that,” she said.
Protecting American livestock from foreign pests is a top priority, and APHIS will only approve these measures when confident the threat of NWS crossing the border has been mitigated, she noted. APHIS will then announce when trade resumes.
FUNDS WILL HELP PREVENT THE SPREAD
Friday’s funding announced will help USDA work with Mexico and Central America to stop the spread of NWS farther north through Mexico and protect the U.S. through surveillance, animal health checkpoints and domestic preparedness. This will also help reestablish a biological barrier in Panama and eradicate NWS from the affected areas in Mexico and Central America.
“The current outbreaks in Central America demonstrate the need for USDA to increase its investment in NWS eradication and prevention,” USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt said in a news release.
“If NWS were to spread to the United States, it would result in significant economic losses and threats to animal health and welfare. This funding will allow for a coordinated emergency response to control the outbreak and prevent NWS from spreading to the United States,” she said.
LOOK FOR SYMPTOMS IN ANIMALS
NWS are fly larvae that infest living tissue of warm-blooded animals, causing infection. According to APHIS, the maggots will burrow into a wound, feeding as they go and causing extensive damage by tearing the host’s tissue with sharp mouth hooks. The wound becomes larger and deeper. NWS can cause serious, even deadly damage to the animal.
The adult screwworm flies are about the size of a common housefly with orange eyes, a metallic blue or green body, and three dark stripes along their backs.
Affected mammals and birds show signs of irritated behavior, head shaking, smell of decay, evidence of fly strike and presence of fly larvae in wounds.
APHIS says the best prevention of NWS in the U.S. is by avoiding infestation. Be alert for symptoms in pets and livestock, ensure that pets traveling internationally are inspected for screwworm, and check your vehicle for screwworm flies if in an NWS-infested area. Producers should notify herd veterinarians immediately if symptoms are seen.
Eradicating NWS is only possible through sterile insect technique. Iowa’s state entomologist Robin Pruisner told DTN the logistics and efficacy of releasing sterile male NWS works well, and the process has been used previously in the U.S. to eradicate the problem.
“The sterile insect technique (SIT) involves sterilizing millions of male insects using ionizing radiation before releasing them into the wild to mate with wild females,” she said. “As no offspring can be produced, the SIT leads to drastic reduction in the wild populations of the disease carrier while minimizing the use of pesticides.”
Since females only mate once, this helps eliminate the population. The SIT process has been used in Latin America this year.
Jennifer Carrico can be reached at jennifer.carrico@dtn.com
Follow her on social platform X @JennCattleGal
(c) Copyright 2024 DTN, LLC. All rights reserved.
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