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"Turn off the hate and lies": Facebook Users Union

Christian Carlos. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P].

The Facebook Users Union, an organization founded by Media Alliance and Global Exchange, is calling on Facebook users to raise awareness about hate speech or misinformation on the Mark Zuckerberg-founded social network Facebook.

Facebook Users Union claims that: "we deserve to have news where objective content is not drowned out by virulent and sensationalist content" based on false information and avoid hate speech. To do this, the organization proposes the creation of a kind of digital switch to "turn off" such content which, they claim, can be easily implemented and the decision lies solely with Facebook.

Although the petition indicates that this measure has been slow to be implemented, the initiative aims to prevent the creation of another disinformation bubble like the COVID-19 pandemic and the general elections held in the U.S. that culminated in the suspension of Donald Trump from several social networks, including Facebook, for at least 2 years after the violent attacks against the U.S. Capitol where the favorable result of Joseph Biden, now president of the U.S., was ratified.

"We deserve social media platforms free from attacks on our elections, free from pandemic misinformation, and free from threats to our physical safety," says the petition which can be signed at the link below: https://facebookusers.org/2021/03/20/tell-facebook-flip-the-switch-on-hate-and-lies/

"Facebook can and should build and turn on such a switch," reads the petition. In addition, they allude that it is "a crucial first step" to avoid the torrent of lies and hate that Facebook has perpetuated and flooded on its platform.

They point out that social networks, including Facebook, can implement such a measure to pause "viral content" as it checks for dangerous misinformation and incitement to hatred and violence; however, adopting and implementing such a feature opens the debate to possible biased censorship. On the contrary, the Facebook Users Union claims that "none of us want Mark Zuckerberg deciding what is true, what is false, what is hate speech and what is not".

They add that because of the new digital reality resulting from the COVID-19 quarantine, "curbing the super-dissemination of content has the potential to destabilize our political system, polarize our population, undermine public health and threaten our physical integrity".

Facebook's algorithmic amplification formulas, they point out, prioritize controversy, sensationalism and, with it, hate speech "and prey on personal vulnerabilities to drive viral content."

The formula is quite simple, as it is decided that only 0.01 percent of posts that exceed 10,000 interactions could be reviewed "once the circuit breaker is activated, the post would be "paused" until it is reviewed by a human being. It would remain on the user's profile page, but could not be amplified."

They claim that this measure can be implemented in different markets and therefore applied in different languages.

FDA Gives Green Light to Alzheimer's Drug

By Pamela Cruz

The Food and Drug AdministrationFDAapproved a drug called Aduhelm on Monday, the first to address Alzheimer's-related cognitive decline.

The drug was approved using the accelerated route, to which they resort in the case of "a specific medicinal product for a serious or life-threatening disease that provides a significant therapeutic advantage over existing treatments". 

"Alzheimer's disease is devastating and can have a profound impact on people's lives not only for those affected but for their loved ones," explained Patrizia Cavazzoni, M.D., director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. 

The specialist explained that currently available therapies only treat the symptoms of the disease; "this drug option is the first therapy that targets and affects the underlying disease process of Alzheimer's disease. 

He added that after learning from the fight against cancer, the accelerated approval pathway can bring therapies to patients more quickly while spurring more research and innovation.

Alzheimer's is a progressive, irreversible brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills and, eventually, the ability to perform simple tasks.

Although its specific causes aren't fully understood, Alzheimer's disease is characterized by changes in the brain, including amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, or tau, which cause the loss of neurons and their connections. These changes affect the ability to remember and think.

A light in the long tunnel

Although long-awaited, the decision has caused controversy after a panel of independent experts last November found insufficient evidence of Aduhelm's benefit.

Aduhelm, manufactured by Biogen of Cambridge, Massachusetts, was evaluated in three separate studies in a total of 3,482 patients. 

These results supported its accelerated approval, which is based on the surrogate endpoint of reduction of beta-amyloid plaque in the brain, a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. 

Under the accelerated approval provisions, which gives patients earlier access to treatment, the FDA requires Biogen to conduct a new randomized controlled clinical trial to verify the drug's clinical benefit. 

If the trial fails to prove clinical benefit, the FDA may initiate proceedings to withdraw approval.

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Business in the new era – how to market effectively?

Nancy Zhang. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P].

As the economy is reopening, every large and small business must adapt to the new normal. Businesses that hadn’t embraced digital marketing possibilities, realized it became a necessity. However, as most digital markets know, being successful in digital marketing takes time. Just like with anything else, there is a learning curve, but also perks that come with having a wider digital presence. The sooner your business can pivot online and leverage digital marketing, the faster your business will grow in this new era.

Social media is one of the best ROI (Return on Investment) strategies available today as 3.77 billion people around the world use the internet, of which 2.8 billion use social media. Due to its sheer size, social media can provide a huge amount of outreach and exposure to marketing.

People spend a large part of their time online and this online presence offers a great target audience for Digital marketing services are limited not just to e-commerce apps and website, but they expand to social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and so on. It is possible to connect to audiences all around the world and from all demographics. 

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit hard in spring 2020, digital media usage spiked like never. Facebook traffic jumped by 27% and other media channels followed closely with spikes of 15-16%. While that spike has subsided, this event inspired the beginning of a new era in Digital Marketing.

As awareness of the potential for digital media grew, everyone that could start running more ads, posting more frequently, and investing more in digital activities. Rising trends in digital technology provide boundless scope for various brands and industries to connect with their target audience. By focusing on building consumer experiences and making connections with them through digital means, business and/or brand can have a good chance to attain a competitive advantage.

While these insights do give us information about our customers, that traditional markets couldn’t dream of, following every comment, engagement and statistic is basically impossible. Luckily for all digital marketers, the big data has been met by several innovative solutions that help us interpret it and follow it – live.

This way you can stay on top of everything that is going on in your digital channels – from the number of visitors on your website, to the effectiveness of your campaigns. And I speak from experience when I say that these insights are what will really make the difference in the effectiveness of your campaigns – both for the customer, and for your margin too. 

Sometimes, the constant changes in the digital world can be a lot to wrap your head around. Naturally, if you are not in the playfield daily, it’s hard to know the ins and outs of the game. It’s always smart to consult with real experts who have the knowledge and the experience to help you reach your goals. Investing in your digital real estate, is after all, an investment in your company’s future.

About the author

Nancy Zhang is a digital marketing consultant, host of MarketWatch360 – a weekly business talk show that connects local small businesses with local business organizations. She is also the founder of MarketerWitch LLC, a digital marketing agency that specializes in helping local businesses launch and grow online. She uses her experience in digital marketing and software to lead a team of digital marketers in various creative initiatives. Her best piece of advice to every business owner is: Always keeping marketing strategies up to date and leveraging technology to offer better customer experience!

Apply for a FREE business consultation, click here: https://forms.gle/2H284n3cfbiwiknS7

California awards celebrate the best of ethnic journalism in epic 2020 coverage

California Governor Gavin Newsom opened the California Ethnic Media Awards on Thursday, June 3, with a special tribute to the sector for covering the epic news stories of 2020

By: Jenny Manrique

20 ethnic media journalists were honored for their coverage of the most epic events of 2020, from COVID-19 and the economic recession to the racial justice movement and immigration reform, at a virtual California Ethnic Media Awards ceremony Thursday night.

Out of 235 entries from reporters working in print, digital, TV and radio platforms in eight languages, the winners were chosen in nine categories by a culturally and linguistically fluent panel of judges who are familiar with the challenges of working in the industry.

"Ethnic media has quickly become an increasingly indispensable bridge for communicating with diverse populations within our state," said Governor Gavin Newsom at the opening of the ceremony.

"You have worked against all odds to make sure our communities were informed about the year's historic news events... You have been key to maintaining an inclusive communications infrastructure that brings our communities together when so many forces, as you well know, threaten to pull us apart," the governor added.

The multilingual awards were sponsored by Ethnic Media Services and California Black Media and will award each winner $1000 in cash. The nine categories included coverage of the 2020 Census, the COVID-19 pandemic and its disproportionate impact on ethnic communities, the economic crisis that exacerbated racial and economic fault lines in California, immigrant rights, and the racial justice movement sparked by the murder of George Floyd.

Exceptional reporting on the impact of climate change, the 2020 election, editorials that served as a call to action for ethnic audiences, and the innovation and resilience of community media in surviving the pandemic were also recognized.

"Thank you to all the journalists, reporters, editors and photographers who work long hours without recognition every day, are committed to telling stories and covering unreported stories that we would otherwise never hear about," said Regina Brown Wilson, executive director of California Black Media.

In their acceptance speeches, the honorees acknowledged the support of their editors and families, as well as the challenges of covering ethnic communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, racist policies and hate crimes.

"Words can be deadly, or they can be life-affirming. As the idle intellectual elite strive to cancel culture, we are tasked with taking the knee out of truth's throat and reaffirming and defining journalism in our own image," said Rose Davis of Indian Voices, an award winner for her landmark essay "The Census and the Fourth Estate," which advocates for Native American participation in the census despite their mistreatment for centuries.

Danny Morrison winner in the English language television category for his analysis of the Black Lives Matter movement in Bakersfield said that "as an African American living in Central California I always knew we had a lot of work to do regarding the inequities within our race...It's why my team and I went to prisons, schools, churches, youth groups and more to talk to the underserved and the forgotten because we understand the struggle that in most cases we have lived through."

Jorge Macias, awarded for his digital coverage of climate change for Univision, recalled how in the last four years "we all suffered from the denial of climate change, and even in the moments of terror in California with these devastating fires, former President (Donald) Trump claimed that science knew nothing... This award means a lot because as human beings we have to battle with this absurd view of climate change.

Khmer TV's Tony Lai, who writes poems rather than editorials to persuade his audience to get vaccinated, observed that in normal conversation words travel in one ear and out the other, whereas poetry "can tell a story that not only resonates in the mind, but also makes them want to hear it over and over again."

Vansh Gupta of Siliconeer, South Asia's first digital newspaper from Silicon Valley, stressed the media's responsibility to "empower and encourage the next generation" as he dedicates himself to sustaining his family business. "We strive to give them that voice."

Kiyoon Kim of the Korean station YTV American won his award for his coverage of Korean Americans' participation in the Black Lives Matter movement in Los Angeles. The reporter mentioned how shocking it has been for him after only two years in the United States to see how "the multi-ethnic protesters were all united under the slogan of 'no peace, no justice'. I have never experienced that in my home country".

The evening was hosted by Odette Alcazaren-Keeley and Pilar Marrero, both distinguished veterans of the ethnic media industry. Some 20 elected officials, community leaders, academics and writers paid tribute to the industry in videotaped speeches. Sandip Roy, once a software engineer in Silicon Valley and now an award-winning author and journalist in India, said if it weren't for ethnic media giving him a platform, he wouldn't be a writer today.

After presenting awards to Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese reporters for stories on issues impacting Black and Latinx communities, Alcazaren-Keeley announced a special award for cross-cultural reporting. The winner, Jeanne Ferris of News from Native California, documented how the fates of two peoples converged when Japanese Americans were imprisoned in World War II on reservation lands.

At the close of the ceremony, Sandy Close, executive director of Ethnic Media Services, said the gathering of reporters from so many racial and ethnic groups to celebrate not only their work, but each other's, was the real gift of the evening. "Ethnic media are like fingers on a hand," he said, quoting Chauncey Bailey, a black media veteran killed in 2007 for investigating wrongdoing in his own community. "When we work together, we are a fist."

Ethnic media journalists recognized

By Pamela Cruz

"Ethnic media has quickly become an increasingly indispensable bridge for communicating with diverse populations within our state," said Governor Gavin Newsom, during the opening ceremony of the California Ethnic Media Awards.

The awards seek to honor all those journalists who from their trenches bring reliable and quality information to the minorities of the state.

Thus, 20 ethnic media journalists were honored Thursday for their work in nine categories including the 2020 census, the COVID-19 pandemic and its disproportionate impact on ethnic communities, and the economic crisis that exacerbated racial and economic fault lines in California, immigrant rights and the racial justice movement sparked by the murder of George Floyd.

Exceptional reporting on the impact of climate change, the 2020 election, commentary that serves as a call to action for ethnic audiences, and the innovation and resilience of community media in surviving the pandemic were also recognized.

The winning entries were selected by judges with knowledge of the language and culture who understand the challenges of working in the industry. They were chosen from more than 230 stories broadcast across print, digital, television and radio platforms in eight languages.

The multilingual awards were sponsored by Ethnic Media Services and California Black Media, which awarded each winner $1,000 in cash. 

At the time, Regina Brown Wilson, executive director of California Black Media, thanked all the journalists, reporters, editors, photographers and publishers who work long hours without recognition every day. 

He recognized all those who "are committed to covering and telling stories that go unreported and that we would otherwise never hear.

In their acceptance speeches, the honorees acknowledged the support of their publishers, and their families, and agreed on the challenges of covering ethnic communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, racist policies and hate crimes.

In closing the ceremony, Sandy Close, executive director of Ethnic Media Services, said the gathering of reporters from so many racial and ethnic groups to celebrate both their own work and the work of others was the real lesson of the evening. 

"Ethnic media can be counted on the fingers on one hand," Close said, quoting Chauncey Bailey, a black media veteran killed in 2007 for investigating wrongdoing in his own community. "When we work together, we are a fist."

"The challenges are immense, but, as Governor Newsom said, we are needed more than ever."

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Sexual Nostalgia: Remembering Old Lovers May Be a Wake-Up Call

Fantasizing during sex is very common, even, experts say, can help those relationships that have fallen into a rut. 

Among the most common desires is to think about one or more people during sexual encounters, But what happens when that other person is an examiner, and to what extent is it healthy?

People enter into romantic relationships to satisfy psychological needs for emotional and sexual intimacy, and to the extent that they meet these needs, they feel fulfilled. 

However, there will be times when a partner is unwilling or unable to meet your needs, and satisfaction with your sex life and relationship may deteriorate.

In that sense, it could happen that in order to remember better times, one may think of an old lover. 

Dr. Amy Muise, director of the SHaRe Lab and an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at York University in Canada, refers to sexual fantasies about past partners as sexual nostalgia in a study.

Why do people feel sexual nostalgia?

Previous research shows that people feel homesick when they are depressed, and memories of happy times past improve mood, even if only momentarily. 

A team of researchers led by Muise and colleagues wondered whether people engage in this behavior for similar reasons: namely, as a way to boost their mood and self-confidence when they are dissatisfied with their relationship and sex life.

They also questioned whether sexual nostalgia was just a form of fantasy, or whether the two could be distinguished in terms of the circumstances in which people engage in them.

Finally, the researchers wondered whether attachment style might influence the use of sexual nostalgia. 

Some people, however, develop an insecure attachment, and this comes in two styles. On the one hand, people with anxious attachment fear that their lover will leave them, so they become very demanding and clingy. However, they are still strongly committed to their partner, just as securely attached people are.

Those with an avoidant attachment style, on the other hand, are reluctant to get too involved in any relationship, and instead value their independence. These people engage in romantic relationships, but avoid getting too close to their partner and generally do not trust their lover to meet their needs. 

Muise's attachment style studies observed that those with an avoidant attachment style engage in sexual nostalgia differently than those who are secure or anxiously attached. 

Thus, they predicted that most people only indulge in sexual nostalgia when they are sexually or relationally dissatisfied. In contrast, those with an avoidant attachment style are likely to engage in high levels of such a mechanism, regardless of how satisfied they currently are with their relationship.

When do people feel sexual nostalgia?

The researchers explored whether sexual longing is qualitatively different from other types of sexual fantasy AND whether there are differences in the experience of sexual longing between those with and without an avoidant attachment style, in a series of three studies. 

In the first two, they recruited people who had been in a committed relationship that had ended. These participants first indicated whether they were currently in a new romantic relationship or still single. They then responded to surveys assessing types of sexual fantasies, including sexual nostalgia. 

An analysis of the sexual fantasies people reported showed that they fell into four categories: romantic sexual encounters, submissive sexual acts, group or emotionless sex - usually with strangers - and fantasies about a previous partner. The last, sexual nostalgia, stood out from the other three types of sexual fantasy.

Thus, people who primarily referred to sexual nostalgia did so when they were single or dissatisfied with their relationship or sex life. In other words, sexual nostalgia seems to play a different psychological role than other types of sexual fantasy.

How does it affect relationships?

To see how sexual nostalgia plays out in real life, Muise and colleagues conducted a third study in which they recruited 98 cohabiting couples to participate in a longitudinal study. 

Over 28 days, participants individually responded to a short version of the survey used in the first two studies. The results confirmed the finding that people are more likely to exhibit this behavior on days when their relationship or sexual satisfaction is low.

In addition, those who reported regular sexual nostalgia were also less satisfied overall with their relationships. 

The study suggests that it is possible that recurrent sexual longing may have harmful effects on the relationship. However, the data are correlational, meaning that relationship dissatisfaction could be the cause of sexual longing.

In any case, the results of these three studies show a consistent pattern, namely, that people engage in sexual nostalgia as a response to unmet relationship and sexual needs. 

Fantasizing about an examiner is also distinctly different from other forms of sexual fantasy, as people engage in them regardless of their relationship status or satisfaction. 

In addition, people with an avoidant attachment style, who try to maintain an emotional distance from their sexual partners, experience high levels of sexual nostalgia even when they are generally satisfied with their relationship and sex life.

Sexual nostalgia, like other forms of nostalgia, is a psychological coping mechanism that we engage in when we are dissatisfied with our situation. 

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Facebook extends Donald Trump's suspension for 2 years

suspension

Christian Carlos. Peninsula 360 Press [P360P].

The social network run by Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook, announced that it will extend the suspension of its services to Donald Trump, former U.S. president; however, the Facebook Oversight Board determined that the sanction should be extended indefinitely.

Facebook announced that due to the consequences of his statements in which he incited thousands of people to take over the U.S. Capitol represent "a serious violation" of Facebook's policies.

In January of this year, Trump incited thousands of people to violently take over the Capitol during an event certifying the validity of last November's 2020 election where his Democratic counterpart, now U.S. President Joseph Biden, won.

Several social networks were in the need to interrupt their services to the exmandatario to avoid a wave of violence in the U.S.; so YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat and Twitch limited access to their information and access to publish on that platform by considering it a threat to the security of the United States.

Facebook's suspension will be effective for two years from the first day of its suspension, January 7. This was announced Friday by Nick Clegg, Facebook's vice president of global affairs. The suspension, therefore, would take effect until January 7, 2024, which would allow Trump to continue a presidential campaign for that year.

Trump's suspension on Facebook responds to the violation of the Terms of Use of the social network where the suspension of the service is established for at least one month and up to two years for "inciting violence" or provoking riots such as those that occurred in January in the US Capitol; therefore, the independent oversight board of Facebook, determined that the first suspension of the president of the social network was "appropriate".

First 15 winners of $50K each in the "Vax for the win" announced

*The second drawing will take place next Friday, June 11.
*California ranks eighth in the world with more than 38 million vaccinations administered

This Friday, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced the first 15 Californians who will receive $50,000 each for being vaccinated against COVID-19, as part of Vax for the Win

The $750,000 awarded in today's random drawing is part of this new program in California that seeks to distribute a total of $116.5 million.

The nation's largest vaccine incentive program includes $50 gift cards for newly vaccinated residents and cash prize drawings for everyone who has received at least one dose. 

The historic program is designed to encourage Californians to get vaccinated before the state reopens on June 15.

California ranks eighth in the world with more than 38 million vaccines given; more than 70 percent of the adult population has received at least one dose.

"The state has made incredible progress in the fight against COVID-19, with the lowest case rates in the entire country and millions more vaccines administered than any other region. But we're not stopping there - we're doing whatever it takes to get Californians vaccinated as we approach June 15 to help us safely reopen and get the state roaring again," said Governor Newsom.

A creative approach with Vax for the Win

Since the launch of Vax for the WinApproximately one million doses of vaccine have been administered, including approximately 350,000 Californians who are just beginning their vaccination process. 

"Given that more than 70 percent of adults have already received at least one dose, the program Vax for the Win is the creative approach we need to give the final push to those who remain unvaccinated," said Dr. Tomas J. Aragon, CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer.

More than 21 million Californians age 12 and older are at least partially vaccinated and have been automatically entered to win cash prize drawings. 

The second drawing for $50,000 will be held next Friday, June 11, when 15 more citizens will be selected. 

On June 15, when California safely reopens, 10 winners will be selected to receive $1.5 million each, for a total of $15 million in cash prizes. 

On top of that, the 2 million newly vaccinated Californians who have received their dose since the launch of the Vax for the Win will be eligible to receive $50 prepaid and grocery cards.

Winners in today's drawing reside in the counties of: Mendocino, Los Angeles, Santa Clara, Alameda, San Diego, San Francisco, Orange, and San Luis Obispo. 

Winners began to be notified directly by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) within hours of the drawing and for the next four days by phone, text message, email or other form of contact associated with the vaccine registry. 

Winners must complete their immunization schedule in order to claim their prize. If a minor is a winner, the cash will be deposited into a savings account until they turn 18 years of age. To protect their privacy, winners will have the option of accepting their cash prize while remaining anonymous or declining it.

You can learn more about the Vax for the Win program here.

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Bond sale will fund construction of veterans' building in Redwood City

The City of Redwood City announced that proceeds from the sale of up to $65.4 million in tax-exempt lease revenue bonds will be used to fund the first phase of the new Veterans Memorial/Senior Center building in Red Morton Park.

Phase 1 improvements include a new Veterans Memorial/Senior Center building -VMBSC- with theater, catering kitchen, multi-purpose rooms, senior club room, physical education wellness rooms, non-profit partner offices, garden space, and mini-gym with Pickleball courts. 

The programs that veterans are receiving now will continue in the new VMBSC. 

Individual investors can buy the bonds from Wednesday, June 2, subject to market conditions, while institutional pricing for the bonds took place on Thursday, June 3.

The purchase of lease revenue bonds can be made through a loyalty investment account. 

Individual retail investors may log in or create a new loyalty account to participate. The City and the underwriter offer no guarantee that orders placed will be filled. 

The Series 2021 bonds will be the only General Fund debt after issuance.

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UFO video is authentic: Pentagon

The U.S. Department of Defense confirmed that a video showing a "swarm of UFOs - Unidentified Flying Objects" near San Diego, California, is authentic.

The video showing the UFOs, which went viral in mid-April, has been one of the most searched videos in the last two months by millions of people.

The images show an oval object followed by 14 UFOs. 

The video, it was reported, was filmed from a U.S. Navy ship that captured the 14 UFOs, which will now be investigated.

According to CNN, the U.S. military said one of its ships took the mysterious new video of the UFO in the sky.

"Splash. Splash. Set course and range," military personnel comment in the video.

According to the U.S. Department of DefenseThese UFO videos, and those leaked in 2019 - from the USS Omaha Information Center - and 2015, are legitimate and part of an ongoing investigation.

Sue Gogh, spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Defense, confirmed the news, saying that the pilots in charge of the material are commissioned on the USS Russell.

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