digital circus gangle Jeffrey Allan Parsons Advocates for Family Crisis Support 12-19-2024 09:24 PM CET | Media & Telecommunications Press release from: Getnews / PR Agency: Erase Technologies, LLC Image: https://www.globalnewslines.com/uploads/2024/12/1734581737.jpg Jeffrey Allan Parsons, West Columbia, Texas Helping Families Rebuild: Why Community Support Matters Jeffrey Allan Parsons [ https://www.jeffreyallanparsons.com/ ], a renowned expert in coins and collectibles, is turning his attention toward a cause close to his heart: supporting families in crisis. Drawing on his own experiences of generosity and giving back, Jeffrey is calling on individuals and communities to step up when neighbors are in need. "Families facing sudden loss need more than sympathy-they need action," Jeffrey says. "Whether it's a house fire, a natural disaster, or an unexpected tragedy, the difference we can make together is huge." The Numbers Don't Lie According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), there are an average of 346,800 home fires annually in the United States, displacing thousands of families. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reports that only 48% of Americans have emergency funds set aside for crises. For many, recovery is a daunting uphill battle. "I've met families who lost everything," Jeffrey shares. "For them, even a small gesture-a meal, clothes, or help with rebuilding-means the world. It gives them hope." Jeffrey recalls a moment that solidified his commitment to helping others. "I saw a family on the news whose home had burned down. They had nothing left. I couldn't just sit there. I called the station and donated $5,000 to help them get back on their feet." Why Action Matters Jeffrey believes acts of kindness inspire more people to contribute. "When one person steps up, others follow," he says. "It creates a ripple effect. Imagine if everyone gave just a little bit-we could rebuild lives so much faster." But financial support isn't the only answer. Jeffrey emphasizes that time, skills, and connections can be equally valuable. "Sometimes, it's not about money," he says. "Offer to babysit, cook a meal, or even just listen. Those things matter, too." A Life Built on Giving Jeffrey's passion for helping others is deeply rooted in his upbringing. Raised on a farm in Buffalo Hart, Illinois, he learned the value of hard work and community support. Over the years, his career as a collector and estate sale expert has allowed him to connect with countless families, often during times of transition or loss. "I've seen how resilient people can be," Jeffrey says. "But resilience grows stronger when it's supported by others." His own family is a big part of his motivation. Jeffrey and his wife, Bree, have five children and nine grandchildren. "Family is everything to me," he says. "I want my kids and grandkids to know that we're here to help others whenever we can." How You Can Help Jeffrey encourages everyone to get involved in their local communities. "Start small," he advises. "Look around-someone in your town might need help right now. A small effort on your part can make a life-changing difference for them." For those looking to make a bigger impact, consider donating to organizations that provide emergency relief or volunteering with local groups. "There's no wrong way to help," Jeffrey says. Closing the Gap Jeffrey's message is simple: Be there for each other. "Whether it's a financial gift, time, or skills, every contribution counts," he says. "We're all in this together, and the more we support one another, the stronger our communities will be." For Jeffrey, advocacy isn't just a cause-it's a way of life. "It's not about the coins," he says with a smile. "It's about the people. That's what really matters." Media Contact Contact Person: Jeffrey Allan Parsons Email: Send Email [ http://www.universalpressrelease.com/?pr=jeffrey-allan-parsons-advocates-for-family-crisis-support ] City: West Columbia State: Texas Country: United States Website: https://www.jeffreyallanparsons.com/ This release was published on openPR.Asia Naphtha/Gasoline-Gasoline margins dip; naphtha crack weighed down by poor demand

What's happening in Syria? Everything we know as President Assad flees and rebels claim victory

How major US stock indexes fared Wednesday, 11/27/2024FJWU hosts inspiring summit

The quest to endow machines with the spark of imagination that fuels human ingenuity has long fascinated the AI community. While significant progress has been made, capturing the essence of creative cognition remains an open frontier. Symbiotic, an emergent AI startup, seeks to tackle this challenge head-on, aiming to redefine the notion of machine creativity. Founded in 2024 by Harvard and Oxford graduates Riccardo Di Molfetta and Kevin Kermani Nejad, Symbiotic aims to build a new class of AI systems inspired by how creative geniuses think. Despite the startup's "meta-stealth" status, the founders have shared insights into their recent progress. Building a Superhuman Creative Thinker? Symbiotic distinguishes creativity from general intelligence. The team is currently engaged in applied research to develop a system that emulates the processes employed by human creative thinkers across a diverse range of tasks. “If you think about human creative genius,” says Di Molfetta, “what sets it apart isn’t merely the general intellectual abilities, but the ability to view the world through a different lens, actively explore novel ideas, and generate new questions rather than solving existing ones.” It all began with an early fascination with Renaissance thinkers. Di Molfetta spent his childhood in Italy poring over their works and writings—an interest that eventually led him to search for the roots of creative achievement in the human mind. "As a child, I was obsessed with their works," he recalls. "Renaissance thinkers weren't merely artists or thinkers—they were truly universal minds," he adds. Riccardo distinguished himself early, emerging as a runner-up among 6,000+ students in his yearly cohort at King's College London. This earned him a letter of commendation from the Duke of Wellington, who cited his "extraordinary achievement” and mentioning his “potential to change the world”. He went on to secure scholarships to both Oxford and Harvard, ultimately choosing the latter where he graduated with top marks while undertaking concurrent coursework at MIT. Riccardo and Kevin have dedicated countless hours to studying the thought patterns of creative thinkers. Nejad explains, "What we've found is that, compared to the average person, the neural processes of creatives are far less linear." He continues, "Individuals like artists, musicians, and innovators often form connections between seemingly unrelated concepts, forming associations that a typical brain might not consider." Nejad’s background has set him up perfectly for this line of research. Born in Iran, his remarkable aptitude for electronics emerged at a young age. At just 12, he invented a device that enabled remote control of home installations via SMS—well ahead of the IoT revolution. This innovation earned him the title of Iran’s youngest inventor. After studying Applied Mathematics at Edinburgh, he’s now a final-year PhD candidate at Oxford University. Known for his research at the intersection of machine learning and neuroscience, Nejad is particularly suited to investigate the underpinnings of biological and computational creativity. Recognizing that foundational research is crucial for such an ambitious endeavor, the team at Symbiotic believes this is the best path to developing a product that, in the long run, will, as Di Molfetta explains, “not only feel like conversing with a creative genius, but actually entering its mind.” Federico Panzera, one of the founding members of the startup, describes how foundational research has been at the core of Symbiotic's efforts. “We’re working to unlock functionalities that go far beyond today’s capabilities,” he explains. Symbiotic’s approach aims to bridge a long-standing divide between the field of Computational Creativity (CC) and the latest developments in Generative AI for human creativity–with tools such as Midjourney and DALL-E. On one side are those focused on creating machines that could one day exhibit creativity in their own right, while on the other are those building tools to augment human creativity without addressing the machines' own creative agency. Panzera is well-versed in the world of art, having brought the collections of his grandmother, Barbara Scurto—a famous Futurist painter—to the world’s most prestigious international exhibitions. He argues that focusing solely on the tools, without developing creative intelligence, defeats the purpose of augmenting human creativity. "Asking a non-creative machine to augment human creativity is like asking someone who's never experienced music to compose a symphony," he explains. "True co-creation requires a system that speaks the same language as creatives." A New Approach Under Wraps To achieve their goal, the Symbiotic team has developed a novel set of benchmarks and challenges that they believe their system should be able to tackle. These tests go far beyond the capabilities of frontier LLMs. “Current models are still far from reaching the thresholds we’ve defined,” Di Molfetta explains. “We’re looking at creativity as a multi-dimensional, multi-faceted system; therefore, new evaluations are essential.” The question of machine creativity looms large, and while it's too early to make definitive claims, the two founders believe they know a path forward—what they refer to as "creative computation." While the specifics of their method remain under wraps, their research direction has attracted substantial interest from leading institutions in both academia and industry. The Road Ahead With a first undisclosed round of funding secured, Symbiotic is poised to make significant strides in the field of AI creativity. The team is working closely with creatives from across forms and genres to build a superhuman creative computer. Despite strong interest from venture capital firms, Symbiotic chose to focus on perfecting its technical roadmap before seeking additional funds and held off on further investment rounds until their technical plan was completed. “Given the novelty of what we are doing, we believe it’s crucial to have a solid technological foundation before we start scaling it up,” Nejad concludes. However, this is set to change, with Symbiotic announcing plans to initiate their next round of funding in the coming weeks. The pursuit of creative intelligence doesn't just promise technological advancement; it ushers in a host of questions about the future. Could machines one day rival the creative genius of humans, and if so, what implications would that have for artists, innovators, and society at large? This quest pushes us to consider how we value human creativity and how we might coexist with intelligent systems that can not only replicate but also originate superior concepts. The journey ahead is uncertain, but it has the potential to reshape the world in ways we are only beginning to imagine.Wake Forest keeps Detroit Mercy at arm's length for win

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — One person was shot to death Thursday afternoon and three others were injured in the French Quarter, New Orleans’ historic tourist district, police said. Police responded to the shooting at the intersection of Iberville and Royal streets at around 12:21 p.m. and had at least one of three suspects in custody, Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick told reporters. Kirkpatrick said at least three masked suspects were in a silver 2016 Honda Accord when they pulled up outside Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse and opened fire. “This was not random, and we could see that,” Kirkpatrick said in a media briefing at the scene. The arrested suspect’s name and the expected charges have not yet been released. Kirkpatrick urged the other suspects to come forward. “We know who you are,” she said. “We’re asking you to come in, turn yourself in.” At least one firearm has been recovered, she said. It’s the second shooting incident within a week in Orleans Parish. On Sunday, gunfire broke out twice as the Nine Times Social Aid & Pleasure Club’s second line parade rolled through a neighborhood, wounding 10 people, then killing two people and wounding a third 45 minutes later as the parade crossed the Almonaster bridge. “Tragically, we are faced with another mass shooting this week,” said New Orleans City Council president Helena Moreno in a statement. “This is an overall gun violence problem throughout our city and we cannot stand for it. This is not who we are and those responsible will be apprehended and fully prosecuted.” Kirkpatrick noted that in November 2023, 20 murders were recorded. Thursday’s shooting brings the number to nine so far for November 2024, she said. The last shooting involving multiple people in the French Quarter happened in Nov. 2022, when five people were shot, none fatally, in the 200 block of Bourbon Street. In Nov. 2016, one person died and nine were wounded in a shooting. Meanwhile, the two victims from Thursday’s incident were listed in stable condition and a third was in surgery, Kirkpatrick said. Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse was closed at the time of the shooting. No workers were injured and the business will remain closed Thursday, spokesperson Lindsay RossInterior ministry advises KP against using state resources in PTI rally