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Andy Cohen, Bravo Stars Mourn Death of RHOC Alum Lauri Peterson’s Son Joshua Waring at 35 – TooFab

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The Bravo family came together over the weekend to mourn one of their own after OG Real Housewives of Orange County cast member Lauri Peterson announced that her son Joshua-Michael Waring had died on Easter Sunday. He was 35.

Waring's sister, Ashley Zarlin, paid tribute to her brother on Instagram while stating that he died from "the relentless grip of addiction." She posted a carousel of images from their lives growing up together, along with a heartfelt message.

"He was brilliant and had limitless potential, but addiction veered him off course," she wrote, calling addiction "a disease that distorts and destroys, leaving behind shattered dreams and broken hearts."

"My heart aches for the lost opportunities for us to grow together as adults, to share laughter and dreams, the conversations that we will never get to have, and the dreams that will be left unfulfilled," Zarlin continued.

She praised their mother for fighting alongside him, "never wavering in her belief that he could overcome this demon," while wishing that she could have done more to change this tragic outcome.

Then, Zarlin called for change in the healthcare system to prioritize "compassion and support above all else," saying that our current system "failed him time and again."

"I pray for a world where compassion and effective support systems replace judgment and neglect, so that others may find the help they desperately need," she wrote.

In her own post, Peterson wrote, "No one can ever prepare you for this feeling of such deep loss. Every fiber in my body hurts. Josh fought every single day for most of his adult life, for his life, but this past Sunday, the challenge was too great."

She eulogized her son beautifully, talking about his joy-filled childhood and his ability to be optimistic and kind through "adult hardship." "He received the most joy, pride and purpose through his daughter Kennady and watching her grow and thrive over the years," wrote Peterson.

She went on to thank everyone who tried to help Josh in his struggles with addiction, as well as all the support she's received while trying to help him.

"Josh I love you so much and I will miss you terribly! I will forever be your 'Mama Bear & Mama Dukes' and every time the clock turns to 11:11, I will expect your call to tell me to make a wish!" she wrote. "What will I wish for now?"

Andy Cohen was among the first to offer his condolences to Peterson, commenting, "Lauri I am so sorry. This is heartbreaking. You tried so hard to save him, and by sharing Joshs story you would up educating people around the world about the tragedy of addiction for those who are touched by it. May Joshs memory be a blessing to you always. Sending your family all my love. "

Heather McDonald commented, "Remember he was so lucky to have a mom who never gave up. RIP." Gretchen Rossi added, "Oh Laurie, my heart breaks for you so much. I know how much you fought for him and always wanted nothing but the best for him. May the Lord surround you with his angels and give you strength through this incredibly hard loss. I love you friend

Taking to the comments section on Zarlin's post, Rossi also wrote, "Im just so sorry to hear this news Ash, You all were such a great support to him for so many years. I am sending you all much love and healing prayers during this painful time. Love you friend ."

"So so sad. Im so sorry to hear this news Ash. Sending you and your family love and prayers ," added Laguna Beach star Casey Beau Brown.

On Peterson's post, Kelly Dodd commented, "Im so sorry for your loss !! My prayers go out to yall !!" Tamra Judge also shared her condolences, writing, "Lauri, Im so sorry. My heart breaks for you. Thinking of you and your family. Sending you all so much love ."

Jeana Keough shared, "My heart breaks for you, i know how hard you worked to be his advocate . Big hug and prayers for your family at this sad time ." Jill Zarin added, "My heart breaks for you and your family and especially his daughter. He was blessed you were his mama bear and you always will be . . Much love , Jill"

Rossi's partner Slade Smiley, who lost his son to brain cancer at just five years old, wrote, "Laurie, Im so so sorry for your loss. this type of pain is something I pray must people will never have to experience. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and the family. The one thing that keeps me going is the thought that this is not good bye, but rather its just Ill see you again soon. Try to stay in the light and know our loved ones are now free of their pain and earthly constraints. Sending love and light to you and the family."

Peterson starred on The Real Housewives of Orange County for four seasons, starring alongside other OG stars Vicki Gunvalson, Jeana Keough, Jo De La Rosa, and Kimberly Bryant. She also shared the screenw ith Tammy Knickberbocker, Quinn Fry, Tamra Judge, Gretchen Rossi, Lynne Curtin, and Alexis Bellino. She returned as a friend for 2013's Season 8.

You can check out her and Ashley Zarlin's full tributes below.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, get help. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline (1-800-662-4357) provides 24/7, free, confidential support for people in distress.

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Andy Cohen, Bravo Stars Mourn Death of RHOC Alum Lauri Peterson's Son Joshua Waring at 35 - TooFab

Former ‘Real Housewives’ Star Reveals Son Has Died at 35 – The Daily Beast

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Former Real Housewives of Orange County star Lauri Peterson has revealed that her 35-year-old son Joshua-Michael Waring has died.

Peterson took to Instagram Saturday to pay tribute to her son, who she said died on Easter Sunday. She did not explicitly reveal how he passed away but noted his well-documented history of substance abuse.

It is with a shattered heart that I write this post to let you know that my sweet Josh left this earth Easter Sunday. No one can ever prepare you for this feeling of such deep loss, she wrote. Every fiber in my body hurts. Josh fought every single day for most of his adult life, for his life, but this past Sunday, the challenge was too great.

Not everyone understands those suffering from substance abuse disorder, but I am forever grateful for your understanding and the impact you made on his life. I also thank those who have supported me through this journey and offering kind words of encouragement by sharing their stories of living with substance abuse disorder and the many parents that have shared their stories over the years with me about the children they have sadly lost due to this illness, she wrote.

Peterson was a main cast member on the first four seasons of The Real Housewives of Orange County and then appeared off and on until season 8.

She gave birth to Joshua-Michael in 1988, followed by daughters Ashley and Sophie.

Waring also leaves behind his young daughter, Kennady.

Her fellow Bravolebrities paid tribute to Joshua-Michael on her Instagram post.

Lauri I am so sorry. This is heartbreaking. You tried so hard to save him, and by sharing Joshs story you would up educating people around the world about the tragedy of addiction for those who are touched by it, Bravo boss Andy Cohen wrote.

Oh Laurie, my heart breaks for you so much. I know how much you fought for him and always wanted nothing but the best for him. May the Lord surround you with his angels and give you strength through this incredibly hard loss. I love you friend , Gretchen Rossi wrote.

My heart breaks for you, i know how hard you worked to be his advocate . Big hug and prayers for your family at this sad time, Jeana Keough wrote.

In February, Waring was arrested on suspicion of punching a security guard in California.

In June 2016, he was charged with three counts of attempted murder for the shooting of 35-year-old Daniel Lopez. After spending four years in prison he entered a guilty plea and was sentenced to time served.

Waring also had multiple arrests on drug possession counts.

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Former 'Real Housewives' Star Reveals Son Has Died at 35 - The Daily Beast

RHOC Alum Lauri Peterson’s Son Josh Waring Has Passed Away at 35, See Her Sweet Tribute to Him – Reality Blurb

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Very heartbreaking news to report asJosh Waring, the son of the Real Housewives of Orange County alum Lauri Peterson, has passed away at the age of 35.

Just moments ago, Lauri took to her Instagram page to announce that Josh died on Easter Sunday.

It is with a shattered heart that I write this post to let you know that my sweet Josh left this earth Easter Sunday, shared Lauri on April 6.

She continued, No one can ever prepare you for this feeling of such deep loss. Every fiber in my body hurts. Josh fought every single day for most of his adult life, for his life, but this past Sunday, the challenge was too great.

Lauri then went on to describe the kind of person Josh was.

Even during adult hardship, Josh continued to maintain his sense of humor, continued to be optimistic, continued to be kind to others, defended those that were unable to defend themselves and continued to love his family so so much! He received the most joy, pride and purpose through his daughter Kennady and watching her grow and thrive over the years, she wrote.

Lauri also shed some light on substance abuse issues, something Josh struggled with throughout his adult life in addition to his run-ins with the law, as she thanked those who tried to help him over the years.

Thank you to all of the people that have tried to help Josh along the way. I am witness to many Angels on earth. Not everyone understands those suffering from substance abuse disorder, but I am forever grateful for your understanding and the impact you made on his life. I also thank those who have supported me through this journey and offering kind words of encouragement by sharing their stories of living with substance abuse disorder and the many parents that have shared their stories over the years with me about the children they have sadly lost due to this illness, shared Lauri.

Lastly, she shared some sweet words for her son.

She wrote, Josh I love you so much and I will miss you terribly! I will forever be your Mama Bear & Mama Dukes and every time the clock turns to 11:11, I will expect your call to tell me to make a wish! What will I wish for now? My heart is with you and I pray you have found the peace that you so deserve. Heaven has gained the coolest angel and you have gained your freedom at last sweet boy. Love always and forever, Mom Joshua-Michael Phillip Waring 12/20/88-3/31/24.

Lauri welcomed Josh in 1988, followed by daughters Ashley and Sophie. Josh is also survived by his young daughter, 11-yr-old Kennady.

RIP Joshua.

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RHOC Alum Lauri Peterson's Son Josh Waring Has Passed Away at 35, See Her Sweet Tribute to Him - Reality Blurb

Meta’s VR Headsets Are Getting a Masturbation Mode – Futurism

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"It's for porn right?" And More

Shortly after the Apple Vision Pro's January release, many buyers were horrified to discover that their wildly expensive new headsets didn't let them download and watch porn. (This isn't all too surprising, given Apple's generally porn-avoidant history. Still, as 404 Media reported, buyers were pissed.)

Enter: Meta, which knows what the people buying its VR headgear really want.

Meta announced last week that its latest software update, v63, would let users of its Quest 2 and Quest Pro headsets more comfortably wear their devices while lying down. In a press release, the company noted that "there are myriad reasons you might want to use your Meta Quest headset lying down," explaining that users might want to lay back while watching a made-for-VR David Attenborough series on the Galapagos Islands, attending bizarre metaverse concerts in Horizon Worlds, meditating, "and more."

Don't play, Meta... we know what "and more" means. VR porn enthusiasts have been hankering for a better lying down mode for a while, and it seems that CEO Mark Zuckerberg's metaverse team has answered the call. Get cozy and freak on, y'all.

There isone catch to the update, though: lying down mode isn't yet available on the Quest 3, Meta's most advanced consumer-oriented headset to date.

But Meta does have a reason for this seeming discrepancy. Inan Ask Me Anything on Instagram this week, the company's chief technology officer and Reality Labs head Andrew "Boz" Bosworth addressed the user concern, explaining that Meta is indeed "planning to bring" the horizontal upgrade to the newer headset but has run into some slow-downs due to the Quest 3's differing "Smart Guardian" interface. (Put very simply, Meta's Guardian systems allow users to draw VR boundaries in their real-world space.)

"I don't have a date for you exactly," Bosworth continued. "But it is coming, and we're making good progress on it."

Of course, masturbation isn't the only reason why a Quest user might want to be able to more functionally lay back while wearing their headset. It's also certainly worth noting that the Instagram user who asked Bosworth about the update during his AMAexplained that it would make their Quest 3 experience as a disabled person far more comfortable an important accessibility consideration for Meta, which urges its "commitment to inclusive design" in its Quest documentation.

That said, some netizens' minds seem pretty fixated on the "and more" of it all.

"It's for porn," one Redditor wrote in response to the above AMA snippet, shared yesterday to a thread in the r/OculusQuest subreddit, "right?"

More on VR porn: Apple Fans Horrified to Discover Vision Pro Cant Play VR Porn

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Meta's VR Headsets Are Getting a Masturbation Mode - Futurism

Meta’s New Image-Generating AI Is Trained on Your Instagram and Facebook Posts

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Earlier this week, Meta announced a new AI image generator dubbed

Cashing In

Earlier this week, Meta announced a new AI image generator dubbed "Imagine with Meta AI."

And while it may seem like an otherwise conventional tool meant to compete with the likes of Google's DALL-E 3, Diffusion, and Midjourney, Meta's underlying "Emu" image-synthesis model has a dirty little secret.

What's that? Well, as Ars Technica points out, the social media company trained it using a whopping 1.1 billion Instagram and Facebook photos, per the company's official documentation — the latest example of Meta squeezing every last drop out of its user base and its ever-valuable data.

In many ways, it's a data privacy nightmare waiting to unfold. While Meta claims to only have used photos that were set to "public," it's likely only a matter of time until somebody finds a way to abuse the system. After all, Meta's track record is abysmal when it comes to ensuring its users' privacy, to say the least.

So Creative

Meta is selling its latest tool, which was made available exclusively in the US this week, as a "fun and creative" way to generate "content in chats."

"This standalone experience for creative hobbyists lets you create images with technology from Emu, our image foundation model," the company's announcement reads. "While our messaging experience is designed for more playful, back-and-forth interactions, you can now create free images on the web, too."

Meta's Emu model uses a process called "quality-tuning" to compare the "aesthetic alignment" of comparable images, setting it apart from the competition, as Ars notes.

Other than that, the tool is exactly what you'd expect. With a simple prompt, it can spit out four photorealistic images of skateboarding teddy bears or an elephant walking out of a fridge, which can then be shared on Instagram or Facebook — where, perhaps, they'll be scraped by the next AI.

Earlier this year, Meta's president for global affairs Nick Clegg told Reuters that the company has been crawling through Facebook and Instagram posts to train its Meta AI virtual assistant as well as its Emu image model.

At the time, Clegg claimed that Meta was excluding private messages and posts, avoiding public datasets with a "heavy preponderance of personal information."

Instead of immediately triggering a massive outcry and lawsuits over possible copyright infringement like Meta's competitors, the social media company can crawl its own datasets, which come courtesy of its users and its expansive terms of service.

But relying on Instagram selfies and Facebook family albums comes with its own inherent risks, which may well come back to haunt the Mark Zuckerberg-led social giant.

More on Meta: Facebook Has a Gigantic Pedophilia Problem

The post Meta's New Image-Generating AI Is Trained on Your Instagram and Facebook Posts appeared first on Futurism.

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Meta's New Image-Generating AI Is Trained on Your Instagram and Facebook Posts