Mediaboss Marketing

Highlights

The Hunter x Hunter Dark Continent is inhabited by extremely dangerous creatures, the likes of which have only been teased in the story thus far. Nonetheless, it is also rumored to hold treasures of immeasurable value so in the distant past, humanity attempted to send multiple expeditions to achieve these riches. Of these many, only five had survivors, and all brought back threats capable of leading humanity to extinction.

Due to the dangerous nature of these five threats, it was decided that setting foot on these lands would only lead to great disasters. The V5 signed the Treaty of Non-Aggression and all expeditions to the continent were officially banned for the 200 years that followed. That said, human curiosity and greed often prevailed, and 149 illicit expedition attempts were made. With a survival rate of 0.04%, few people have lived to tell the tales of these lands and very little information is available in the Known World.

RELATED: Hunter x Hunter: Overpowered Nen Abilities In The Series, Ranked By Power

The Five Threats that exist in the Dark Continent are proof that this place is too wild and dangerous for even the strongest people in the Hunter x Hunter world. Not much is known about these threats as they receive no more than an offhanded mention, but what little is known is enough to classify them as far more dangerous than even the chimera ants. The threats that fans have seen are in a classified laboratory, and they are believed to have been inflicted upon humanity as penance for having attempted to enter these lands.

The first of the five threats of the Hunter x Hunter world is known as Pap, a dark and fearsome entity dubbed the "Human-Keeping Beast". Renowned for its unnerving habit of preying on humans and keeping them as pets, this enigmatic creature inhabits a secluded mountain range located on the Dark Continent. Despite its remote dwelling, the terror of Pap does not remain confined to these boundaries, and evidence of its activities has surfaced in the known world, with victims having been found far from its natural lair.

The Hunter x Hunter world knows Brion as The Botanical Weapon, the threat that was brought back from the second successful dark continent expedition. Though it is one of the threats fans know least about, its appearance has been revealed to be an ominous-looking human body with an enormous sphere where the head should be. Alongside Zobae, it is considered one of the weaker threats in the Dark Continent, but nonetheless, only two individuals survived the expedition which met its fate at its hands.

The second biohazardous Dark Continent threat is Zobae, known as the immortality illness. It is a disease that kills almost everyone who contracts it and of those who encountered it, only one survived. This survivor has now turned immortal and entirely self-sustaining, but this immortality likely came at the expense of his mind; he is quarantined in a lab with no remaining sense of self and no cure available, condemned to an eternal hell.

Hellbell and Ai are two of the most dangerous of the five threats from the dark continent. Though little is known about Ai in particular, both creatures seem to be intrinsically tied to the dark side of human nature, and both seem to be able to manipulate human behavior. Hellbell presents as a two-tailed snake capable of infecting its prey with murderous intent, though whether it is a single being or a species is yet uncertain. It is extremely ferocious and of those who encountered it, only 1% has survived.

Even less has been revealed of Ai, a gaseous life-form with limb like appendages known as the codependency of desire, though a popular theory identifies Nanika as a possible exemplary of this species. It is in fact confirmed that Nanika came from the Dark Continent and due to the similarity in the crushed form of their victims and the codependent nature of her relationship with Alluka, this is likely true.

Not much is known on the five threats, but what has been revealed is more than sufficient to demonstrate the unimaginable level of danger in the Dark Continent. Though Togashi has hinted at working on new chapters, there is still no release date, and the Hunter x Hunter community can only hope that the mysteries of this world will one day be resolved.

Hunter x Hunter is available to stream on Prime Video.

MORE: Hunter x Hunter: The Nen Power System Part I - The Four Major Principles

Read the original:

Hunter x Hunter: The Five Threats, Explained - GameRant

Lee Vitaht is a youth from Tip Valley, Nottingham, a slum area where the unemployed are forced to live until society can find a use for them. One day he enters a competition to appear on the Reality TV programme Live Island with the chance to win immortality. Lee Vitaht would love to live forever so he can finally witness Forest win the Prem and possibly see the Broadmarsh Centre flattened. But as Reality TV host Android Marr explains, we work in immortality, not miracles.

AI Up Mi Duck is an interactive fiction game that can be downloaded from itch.io. It explores the impact of technology on our lives and issues of transhumanism - the idea that we can somehow become untethered from our flesh and live forever. Nobody is quite sure exactly what transhumanism means or how it will work, but its got a lot of people interested and generated a load of cults, with Ray Kurzweil, author of The Age of Spiritual Machines (2000), the alpha prophet.

The hope is that emerging technologies such as genetic engineering, AI, cryonics, and nanotechnology can somehow help humans stop ageing and relegate death as a twentieth century inconvenience. One of the most extreme versions of this ideal is that our consciousness can be downloaded and rebooted into some kind of external mainframe computer. Lets just hope the broadband connection is stronger than my GiffGaff connection. But consciousness is not a tangible thing like a foot or finger and so whether you can download something that is difficult to define or locate is a bit of a challenge.

To help me research the game, I read Matt OConnells To be a Machine (2017), and discovered that the idea of connecting ourselves to a wider network may not be that far fetched. The body, after all, is a series of electrical circuits. If this could be emulated somehow, it would completely redefine what it means to be human. For those who cant wait for such innovations, fear not. You can get your frozen corpse stored in a massive cryogenic warehouse in the hope that one day medicine and technology will be able to reanimate the brain, thereby providing a second chance at life. Then theres the hubris of the life hack brigade who think that a strict diet and exercise will help prolong life. If getting up at four oclock in the morning every day to do 1,000 press-ups while bingeing on raw food is the key to eternal life, its a no from me. Its the quality rather than the quantity of life that matters.

In writing this game with animation students from Confetti, one thing became abundantly clear: I dont want to live forever. It would be tedious. Theres only so many times you can get Homer Simpson socks for Christmas or watch fireworks over Trent Bridge before the novelty wears off. Theres something humbling about coming to terms with your mortality that helps you appreciate your allotted three score years and ten.

Read this article:

AI Up Mi Duck: An Interactive Fiction Game Exploring ... - LeftLion

Yet, three days after that poll hit, Democrats took Republicans behind the woodshed, enshrining the right to make reproductive decisions in the Ohio constitution, taking control of the Virginia legislature, taking a state supreme court seat in Pennsylvania, and reelecting a popular Democrat as governor in the deep-red state of Kentucky.

This all gave me whiplash. Just like in 2011, we have an early poll screaming doom and gloom for a Democratic incumbent. Yes, we are officially in the Democratic bedwetting era for the 2024 presidential election. But heres some advice from someone whos been here before: Dont panic. Heres why.

Silvers 2011 analysis did not age well: A year later, Obama wiped the floor with Mitt Romney. But Silver wasnt alone. In this publication, polling done a year out had Obama tied with Romney in 10 battleground states; we ended up winning 9 of them. In December 2011, a Gallup poll had Obama losing to Romney by 5 percent across 12 battleground states; we won 11. Bill Clinton trailed about this same time in his reelection cycle. A year before a presidential election, it is just too early to get an accurate read on how the people will actually vote. There are a few reasons for this.

The people who take the time to answer pollster questions right now are already politically engaged. They are either die-hard partisans or trying to make a point. But swing voters arent tuned in yet and may not decide who to back until very late, and they are the ones who will decide this election.

You cant predict what hasnt happened yet. Think of all the election-shattering news that happened in the year before. In 2008, the subprime bubble popped, cratering the economy. In Obamas reelection, the economy rebounded and then Hurricane Sandy hit, focusing attention on the presidents empathy and effectiveness in a crisis. In 2016, we all got sick of the phrase, But Her Emails! and in 2020, a global pandemic turned the election on its head. Next year, what will it be? Will Trump go to prison? Its possible. (Can you campaign from behind bars?) I wouldnt even call these October surprises you can almost guarantee that something big and unexpected will happen next year.

Elections are a choice, and we havent formalized that choice yet. Once voters know their options, their opinions change. While I dont see any likely alternative than a rematch between Biden and Trump in 2024, thats not what voters see. There is still a GOP primary going on, and several candidates left for Trump to officially beat.

Instead of fretting about early polls, Democrats should follow real data like voter registration, special elections, and turnout and concentrate on what matters:

Focus on the economic message. Back in 2011, we were in the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression and unemployment was historically high. But I believed then and I still believe that the economy is what voters care about most, so we focused our energy on building up Obamas economic message. Specifically, we talked about how the president saved the American auto industry and how it created hundreds of thousands of jobs. That work paid off, with approval of Obamas handling of the economy rising from 35 percent in November 2011 to 48 percent right before the election. The Biden campaign has a much better economy than we did in 2011, and its individual policies are very popular; there is still plenty of time to break through with voters the policies they like are actually Bidenomics.

Double down on the battleground states. In 2011, the data told us that working class voters in battleground states would decide the election. The Biden campaign knows that there are just seven battleground states this time, with a few paths to victory. Biden can win if he holds onto the Blue Wall states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin; he can hold onto his gains from 2020 in the Sunbelt; and he can try to expand the map by winning North Carolina. And Biden has smartly already begun this work, with the campaign increasing its $25 million advertising spend in these key states.

Get ready for the GOP opponent that Biden has already defeated once. In 2011, we didnt know who wed face in the general election. We also didnt know how formidable Romney would be. But very likely, this is going to be a choice between Biden or Trump. With Biden, you get a president who has passed historic legislation, running on popular policies with little-to-no drama in the White House. With Trump, you have a candidate charged with 91 felony counts and a different court date every week. Trump means right-wing extremism, everyday chaos, criminal behavior, fundamental freedoms stripped away, and a rejection of democratic norms. While some will argue that Trump is already defined in voters minds, many Americans still arent paying close attention to the election. I believe voters will move in Bidens direction when they hear what the president has done, and get reminded (by Democrats and Biden himself) of the chaotic, lawless circus that was Trumps presidency.

This will be a very close election, and there will be plenty more times Democrats will feel nervous. But what will make a difference is the work itself, engaging voters and spreading a positive message about his accomplishments, economic policies, and views on issues like abortion and freedoms. Biden has been counted out time and time again, and hes proved pollsters and pundits wrong. His campaign (along with the rest of us) needs to ignore the noise and build the strong campaign it needs to win just like in 2020. And Democrats need to remember what I learned back in 2011: Voters decide elections, not polls.

More:
I Was Obama's 2012 Campaign Manager. There's No Need to Panic Over Biden. - POLITICO

1. Bill Maher scolds Obama's 'moral equivalency' on Israel-Hamas: He 'disappointed me'  Fox News
2. Alan Dershowitz calls out Obama's 'deep hatred of Israel': 'He should be ashamed'  Fox Business
3. 'Nobody's hands are clean': Obama urges reflection amid Israel-Hamas conflict  POLITICO

Read this article:
Bill Maher scolds Obama's 'moral equivalency' on Israel-Hamas: He 'disappointed me' - Fox News

Consider the many questions. How do you regulate AI without stifling innovation? How do you ensure global cooperation and standards? How do you protect vulnerable industries and job markets? How do you make sure tight controls at home dont result in geopolitical rivals like China surging ahead? It will take a leader of exceptional talent to even begin to tackle all or any of that. Obama is uniquely qualified and seems invigorated by the challenge.

While Donald Trump is often viewed as the Twitter president, it was Obama who was the first to be elected thanks to the then-emerging medium of social media. With a tech-savvy young campaign staff, Obama was able to secure many small donations from a vast number of people, raising his profile in a way that might have proved more difficult with traditional media outlets alone.

In office, he was an extremely digitally literate president. He appointed the federal governments first chief technology officer and later directed the creation of the US Digital Service a department, inspired by a similar outfit in the UK, that was responsible for revamping many of the governments online services. If youve visited government websites that dont look like relics from the mid-1990s, you can often thank the service. While it had a troubled launch, Healthcare.gov went on to enroll tens of millions of Americans in health care.

These feats were only possible thanks to Obamas concerted effort to get capable technology brains into government jobs and to make public service a more appealing prospect for those who could otherwise pursue better pay in Silicon Valley. The government had been leveled up. We are far better equipped to handle the AI revolution because President Obama laid those foundations, said Jennifer Pahlka, who served as US deputy chief technology officer under Obama, when I spoke to her this week. Obama seems ready to do it again, telling The Verge the country needs hotshot young people who are interested in AI to do a stint outside of the companies themselves and go work for government for a while.

Pahlkas new book, Recoding America, isnt ostensibly about artificial intelligence, but it does highlight the work that needs to be done within government to overcome some of the bureaucracies that might slow down progress as America seeks to adopt and contain AI. Encouragingly, the book appeared recently on Obamas shared reading list in which he detailed some sources he had used to shape my perspective over the past year. Hes trying to say something with that list, Pahlka suggests, noting Obamas careful balance of material highlighting AIs harms but also sources that speak of its potential.

His respect of technology companies and the work they do made Obama a mostly popular figure in Silicon Valley, so much so that when he left the White House, some speculated that he might become a venture capitalist. During his time in office, he held town halls at top companies such as LinkedIn and Meta Platforms Inc. and was the star draw at 2016s South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas, one of the premier technology events of the year. When Obama made a historic trip to Cuba, he took with him Brian Chesky, the chief executive officer of Airbnb Inc. (Following a stint at Amazon.com Inc., Jay Carney, Obamas former press secretary, is now Airbnbs head of policy one of several former Obama figures to find roles in tech.) Bidens relationship with big tech is rockier.

But Obama knows where Silicon Valley thinking hits its limits. Government will never run the way Silicon Valley runs because, by definition, democracy is messy, he said in 2016. This is a big, diverse country with a lot of interests and a lot of disparate points of view. And part of governments job, by the way, is dealing with problems that nobody else wants to deal with.

Obamas record on tech is not without its blemishes, however. As president, he oversaw some of the most egregiously harmful use of cutting-edge tech, with drone warfare and the NSAs dragnet of surveillance. And those who think technology companies have become too powerful point to Obama upholding an antitrust status quo that failed to challenge big tech deals, such as Facebooks acquisitions of WhatsApp and Instagram.

It must also be said that one technology that can be enormously harmful, social media, exploded under his watch. As he benefited from the enormous boost it gave to his campaigning and reputation, he was perhaps less focused on the emerging harms of hate speech and misinformation.

These are subjects he seems to be thinking about deeply now. At a recent event held in Chicago to commemorate the 15th anniversary of his election victory, Obama was in a reflective mood, one of his former staffers told me, discussing his time in office and the current state of the world, then asking: Was there something else I could have done?

Well, if Obama is feeling regret, then he should channel that energy toward dealing with AI, which will come to encompass many issues we know Obama cares deeply about. It will affect fairness in policing, in voting rights, in job creation and workforce diversity. It will transform education and access to it. It is already upending creative industries (the Obamas own a production company) and the legal profession (he used to be a lawyer). He has been deepfaked perhaps more than any other individual.

You wont find a more capable figure who can harness the best of Silicon Valley while understanding how vital it is to keep such advancements under sensible control.

Link:
Obama is the AI czar we need for global cooperation - Deccan Herald