#Ecosystem Partner Design

[ganondoodle]

Hi! I absolutely love your art! I saw a post saying how demons are able to have kids by themselves. How does the whole process & the birthing process work exactly?

hello! thank you so much for this ask!!!

(i made some sketches and wrote down some notes on this but i will explain in more detail below that ... its pretty long again .. sorry qwq)

demons (in my OC story and world) are .. essentially "built" around the idea of what a natural guardian of an ecosystem could look like that is as indestructible as possible while still being very much a living being

their biology is somewhat simplified (if you want to call it that), meaning they dont have nearly as many organs as we have and it works rather 'simplistic' (like they recover their energy passively through the particles of it in the air- which is a reason why they need to breathe (other being to get the blood to the right places) and usually only eat if they had a loss of energy/blood, like a bad injury they needed to heal quickly or spending too much on magic use- and its literally just converted into magic/blood)

(truth be told i havent thought out or designed each and every organ, forgive me :V) but the main things are, four lungs, a demonic heart (the most important thing that keeps everything running), a second red blood heart (like humans have, but very small and a rather useless remnant of their evolution, sorta like the leg bones some whales still have), the reproductive organ (usually somewhat between the lungs, directly below the heart, but it depends on each demon) and a stomach which is also the dead end of their system (they are supposed to be able to digest everything that goes in there, if theres somethign they cant it has to be vomitted)

-having offspring is generally extremely rare, demons dont die of age and are (or are supposed to be) very hard to kill so its purely a deeply personal choice for them to have one- each demon can have them given the organ isnt damaged and they decide to kickstart the process (you cant really force a demon to carry a child)

-their genes work a little differently, a child from one parent isnt really a clone and inbreeding is technically nigh impossible with them in the sense that offspring wouldnt show any negative defects (culturally it would be a death sentence, as a romantic relationship that is, demons being single parents throughout generations isnt considered inbreeding) -if two or more demons are partners and want a child of them both they can exchange genetical information via heartblood (the highly concentrated blood in their hearts, which is the only thing that openly carries genes) deliberately through .. well cutting and transferring blood (alot about demons is really about their blood) which influences how much a child may resemble them for example but also mixes up the gene pool of both the parents as well as the offspring

-(important add on- this sort of blood exchange would need to happen right before kickstarting the process otherwise it would just mix with the general gene pool- a theory to explain, at least in part, why brutal fights are such a common thing in demon culture is to indirectly raise the chances of heartblood mixing in the act of fighting instead, since romantic relationships are so rare among them and most are single parents)

-once the process is started it can only be slowed down but not stopped (unless getting it out prematurely), and at reaching ca. 5% of development a demon is unable to change into humanoid/their smaller form since the fetus cant change form with them, trying it anyway is extremely dangerous

-offspring are considered to be 'full term' when they are born and can produce their own energy/digest food to gain more, though they can be born at about 50% of development without dying, then however need to cling to another demon to feed on their blood in order to reach that dev. stage

-its largely not visible when a demon is carrying a child, though it also depends on the demons 'built' and general condition (for example, Shargon is very slim and has little energy storage, depending on how long he lets it develop it might cause visible changes on top of typical behavioral ones, if Eadrya would do it they could without anything being noticable except the required refusal of changing forms really)

-a demon carrying an offspring will refuse to change form, likely refuses to engage in fights, generally retreat depending on their social status and might show shortness of breath (it puts pressure on the lungs and heart especially in the later stages and with slimmer or smaller demons), rest more and forage for things that are highly convertable to energy/blood if they cannot recover it passively evenly as it is used (a somewhat stable energy/blood/magic -sorry i still dont know what to call it so its not confusing- level is beneficial to the offspring, a lack of it can put both at risk)

-birth is generally initiated by the parent or when it has reached full term, and since its done so via the mouth it has to pass by the lungs and heart, compressing them both immensely for a short time, not being able to breathe and possibly causing the heart to stop temporarily depending on how far along the offspring is/big compared to its parent- Shargon cant carry fully to term since even an appropiately sized one has to pass through his slim body (Jyothi was born at around 90%, Tyura at roughly 56%) and it causes great stress on his system since hes chronically lacking energy in part from being hunted down alot (Tyuras early birth happened bc Shargon was critically injured by Eadrya and hunted by them during the earlier stages as well)

-it IS possible to allow it to grow to full term even when it cant pass by the lungs and heart though it involves bending or breaking bones (if he carried Jyothi the remaining percentage he would have had to do that) or in extreme cases to cut themselves open, given their healing capabilities that might sound not too bad but it is extremely painful, risks dangerous injury to both and permanent damage to the reproductive organ (also their healing is often more of an active thing rather than a passive one, especially with bigger and more dangerous wounds that need quick healing, meaning they have to actively "do" it, which is hard when you are literally dying)

-the offspring is within an translucent egg like bubble (though squishy) of ideally highly charged demonic blood, the outer layer can withstand quite a bit; ones born before reaching full term (in which case it would dissolve right away) either remain within it (if sufficiently charged with energy) or it dissolves/is cut open during or after birth and the child has to cling to another demon to feed on their blood this way

-uniquely, before reaching full term a young demon can convert any elemental type of blood to their own, losing that ability afterwards

-offspring can be of any elemental type from any parent though the likelyhood is slightly higher for ones with the same type, even moreso when it is a single parent (Shargon is thunder, his firstborn is wind, his second also thunder)

I hope this isnt too long and uuh answers that!! <3

[dandelionsresilience]

Good News - May 15-21

Like these weekly compilations? Support me on Ko-fi! Also, if you tip me on Ko-fi, at the end of the month I'll send you a link to all of the articles I found but didn't use each week - almost double the content!

1. Translocation of 2,000 rhinos in Africa gets underway in “one of the most audacious conservation efforts of modern times”

“The 2,000 rhinos - more than are currently found in any single wild location in Africa - represent around 12-15% of the continent’s remaining white rhino population. […] “Rhinos perform an important ecological function in the environment as a large grazing herbivore,” says Dale Wepener[….] “The protection of rhino is far more than just looking after rhino; other species that occur in the protected areas will benefit from the protection,” explains Jooste. “This will lead to an increase in diversity and result in much healthier ecosystems.”

2. Florida Corridor Buffers Effects of Climate Change on Wildlife — And People

“A massive multi-partner effort that has conserved 10 million acres for wildlife in Florida over past decades will help buffer wildlife—and people—from the effects of climate change, a new report says. […] Protecting these corridors is important for wildlife genetics, demography and connectivity […], conducting prescribed fires in the corridor can reduce the risk of more intense wildfires [… and] they can provide buffers against hurricanes and seasonal thunderstorms.”

3. Global life expectancy to increase by nearly 5 years by 2050 despite geopolitical, metabolic, and environmental threats

“Increases are expected to be largest in countries where life expectancy is lower, contributing to a convergence of increased life expectancy across geographies. The trend is largely driven by public health measures that have prevented and improved survival rates from cardiovascular diseases, COVID-19, and a range of communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional diseases (CMNNs).”

4. Valencia has Spain’s longest urban park

“Jardin del Turia (Turia Garden) is the green spine of the City of Valencia and Spain’s (and possibly Europe’s) longest urban park stretching for a length of 8.5 kilometres [… and] the current administration plans to make Jardin del Turia Europe’s largest city green space by extending it to the sea[….] Almost all Valencia residents (97 per cent) live within 300 metres of an urban green space. […] Jardin del Turia is a true urban oasis that provides exceptional thermal comfort, with a temperature difference of up to three degrees compared to other areas of the city.”

5. This Paint Could Clean Both Itself and the Air

“When an artificial ultraviolet light source shines on [photocatalytic] paint, the nanoparticles react with pollutants to make them break down—theoretically removing them from the nearby air and preventing a discoloring buildup. [… R]esearchers developed a new photocatalytic paint that they claim works using UV rays from ordinary sunlight, making its self-cleaning properties easier to activate. They’ve also shown that they can effectively produce this paint from recycled materials [including fallen leaves].”

6. Planting Seedlings for a Cooler Rockingham

“A dedicated group of volunteers recently planted over a thousand native seedlings in Lewington Reserve [… and] re-established canopy cover to areas of the reserve to create cooling shade for the local community and provide homes for native wildlife. […] Planting lots of trees and shrubs in urban areas can help create shade and cool cities, mitigating the impacts of climate change, contributing to biodiversity conservation and building greener, more resilient communities.”

7. Sydney’s first dedicated affordable housing for trans women designed to deliver ‘positive outcomes’

“Community housing provider and charity Common Equity NSW, […] which is for people on very low to moderate incomes, prides itself on creating inclusive living and promotes the independence and well-being of people and communities […, and] will deliver the first-of-its-kind social housing in a bid to provide a safe place to live for transgender women seeking an affordable home.”

8. Rewilding: How a herd of bison reintroduced to Romania is helping ‘supercharge’ carbon removal

“170 European Bison reintroduced to Romania’s Țarcu mountains could help capture and store the carbon released by up to 84,000 average US petrol cars each year. […] By grazing a 48 square kilometre area of grassland in a wider landscape of 300 kilometres squared, they helped to capture an additional 54,000 tonnes of carbon each year. That is around 10 times the amount that would be captured by the ecosystem without the bison.”

9. World’s biggest grids could be powered by renewables, with little or no storage

“[…] 100% renewable supply can then match the load by putting surplus electricity into two kinds of distributed storage worth that [an energy expert] says are worth buying anyway – ice-storage air-conditioning and smart bidirectional charging of electric cars, and recover that energy when needed, filling the last gaps with unobtrusively flexible demand.”

10. Supporting the Long-Term Survival of Copper River Salmon and Alaska Native Traditions

“With $4.3 million in NOAA funds, the Copper River Watershed Project and The Eyak Corporation will remove fish passage barriers, opening more streams for salmon spawning and subsistence fishing. [… As part of this effort, o]ld narrow culverts that constrict water flow will be replaced with “stream simulation” culverts wide enough to fit the full stream, including its banks. They are also deep to allow contractors to place stones and other material inside to mimic a natural stream bottom.”

May 8-14 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

[avanii]

Finished Hekla's ref sheet! Now she's all set for Artfight :D

Hekla is partnered with a trainer, who raised her from young cyndaquil age. I just haven't finished their design and persona yet, so for now they're uhh kind of an anonymous field volcanologist, haha. Hekla takes her duties as protector of her team very seriously, but is also unfortunately easily distracted. All expedition team members have learned to hide their food very well when Hekla is out and about. She will sniff it out and steal it if she gets half a chance, doesn't matter what it is.  Vesuvio is a Hisuian typhlosion, who belongs with a biologist studying volcano ecosystems. They often travel with the volcanologist and as such, the two typhlosions see each other a lot and have known each other since they were quilavas. Hekla's name and some of her characteristics are inspired by the Icelandic volcano of the same name. Hekla means 'hooded', and so in all stages of her life, she has a hood-like marking. She's a very powerful creature, both in stature and firepower, and like her namesake volcano, does not give much warning before she loses her temper. Fortunately, she also calms down quite quickly. The moves 'eruption' and 'scorching sands' (pyroclastic flows??) are so clearly volcanic, I had to assign them to her!  Size wise, I image she's similar to a smallish grizzly bear, but with shorter limbs and a longer neck and body.

[aquariumpacific]

For over 23 years, the Aquarium of the Pacific has proudly partnered with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to rescue, rehabilitate, and release stranded sea turtles along the Los Angeles coastline.

While we’ve made incredible strides, our Sea Turtle Rehabilitation and Release Program has faced a recurring challenge—our current resources, including pools, medical supplies, and monitoring technology, are not always available when emergencies strike. This makes it difficult to respond swiftly to sea turtle strandings when they occur.

With your help, we can change that. Your support will enable us to expand our infrastructure and dedicate vital resources exclusively to sea turtle rehabilitation. Together, we can renew our commitment to NOAA and ensure that we’re ready to respond to every sea turtle stranding along the Los Angeles County coastline as the designated agent within the West Coast Sea Turtle Stranding Network.

Your gift today will go twice as far to save endangered sea turtles, thanks to a generous match from the ETHAPAX Fund and Trustees of the Pacific.

Sea turtles are more than majestic—they’re ocean guardians, supporting coral reefs, seagrass meadows, and balanced ecosystems.

Donate now at pacific.to/gt24 to help us protect these gentle giants and ensure a thriving ocean for generations to come.

[jesslovesboats]

BECAUSE YOU DEMANDED IT, I'm back with more Sad Boat Books for Sad Boat People! But first, some words.

I never dreamed that a silly little graphic I made for some friends would generate this much response on twitter and here, but I'm overjoyed that it resonated with so many of you! I read every single comment and tag, and by far my favorites are all of the people who say some variation of "I thought I was the only one who loved these books." We are NOT alone, there are literally thousands of people who reblogged or retweeted this list-- people of all ages and backgrounds and gender identities. Sad Boat isn't just for old white men! I was also delighted to hear from other librarians who are using this in displays and for reader's advisory. PLEASE go forth and do so with my blessing, nothing would make me happier! I was recently laid off from my librarian job as part of a restructuring under new management (don't worry about me, it sucks right now but I'm gonna be fine), so I would love to think that I'm still contributing to the library ecosystem while I'm out of commission. I would also love to keep making these lists (including one that deals with Sad Boat fiction and one with recommendations for other types of media), and I've never had more time to do it, so if you have suggestions, please drop them in my inbox!

Anyway, enough of that-- here are more books! I've either read all of these, or the recommendation came from someone I trust, so read with confidence!

First Hand Accounts

The Quiet Land: The Antarctic Diaries of Frank Debenham edited by June Debenham Back

The Voyage of the Discovery by Robert Falcon Scott

Farthest North by Fridtjof Nansen

Endurance by F.A. Worsley

Boats boats boats!

Franklin's Lost Ship: The Historic Discovery of HMS Erebus by Alanna Mitchell and John Geiger

The Voyages of the Discovery: The Illustrated History of Scott's Ship by Ann Savours

HMS Terror: The Design, Fitting, and Voyages of a Polar Discovery Ship by Matthew Betts

The SS Terra Nova (1884-1943): Whaler, Sealer, and Polar Exploration Ship by Michael C. Tarver

You'll learn about the Ross Sea Party and you'll like it

Shackleton's Heroes by Wilson McOrist

Shackleton’s Forgotten Men: The Untold Tragedy of the Endurance Epic by Lennard Bickel

The Ross Sea Shore Party 1914-1917 by R.W. Richards

The Lost Men by Kelly Tyler-Lewis*

Polar Castaways by Richard McElrea and David Harrowfield*

*These were on my other list, but this is my graphic and I'll do what I want

Sad Airships and Planes

From Pole to Pole: Roald Amundsen's Journey in Flight by Garth James Cameron

N-4 Down: The Hunt for the Arctic Airship Italia by Mark Piesing

Antarctica's Lost Aviator by Jeff Maynard

Disaster at the Pole: The Tragedy of the Airship Italia and the 1928 Nobile Expedition to the North Pole by Wilbur Cross

More Shackleton Content

Shackleton: A Life in Poetry by Jim Mayer

Shackleton's Last Voyage by Frank Wild

The Quest Chronicle: The Story of the Shackleton-Rowett Expedition by Jan Chojecki

Shackleton's Forgotten Expedition: The Voyage of the Nimrod by Beau Riffenburgh

Polar Partners

Snow Widows by Katherine MacInnes

Polar Wives: The Remarkable Women Behind the World's Most Daring Explorers by Kari Herbert

Widows of the Ice by Anne Fletcher

Sad Boat Graphic Novels

Shackleton: Antarctic Odyssey by Nick Bertozzi

The Worst Journey in the World- The Graphic Novel Volume 1: Making Our Easting Down adapted by Sarah Airriess from the book by Apsley Cherry-Garrard*

How To Survive in the North by Luke Healy

*This was also on my other list, but this is my graphic and I'll do what I want

Biographies

Scott of the Antarctic by David Crane

Ice Captain: The Life of J.R. Stenhouse by Stephen Haddelsey

Cherry: A Life of Apsley Cherry-Garrard by Sara Wheeler

Birdie Bowers: Captain Scott's Marvel by Anne Strathie

Roald Amundsen by Tor Bomann-Larsen

Miscellaneous sad boat books that are well worth your time

I May Be Some Time: Ice and the English Imagination by Francis Spufford

Fatal North: Adventure and Survival Aboard USS Polaris, The First US Expedition to the North Pole by Bruce Henderson

Barrow's Boys: A Stirring Story of Daring, Fortitude, and Outright Lunacy by Fergus Fleming

Pilgrims on the Ice by T.H. Baughman

The Coldest Crucible: Arctic Exploration and American Culture by Michael F. Robinson

Ghosts of Cape Sabine by Leonard F. Guttridge

Icebound: Shipwrecked at the Edge of the World by Andrea Pitzer

If you read and enjoy any of these, please let me know!

EDITED TO ADD: OG Sad Boat Books post here!

[ausp-ice]

Profit (he/they/any), an Edeia representing the Idea of Profit.

This all started with me having a silly thought of using the name "Rob Banks" based on a video I saw...

Edeia Site | Edeia Discord | Personal Website

Profit

"Everyone should profit. But of course, I should profit the most." 

At present, Profit is charismatic and persuasive, creating mutually beneficial arrangements where they still came out ahead. They became more patient, willing to invest in long-term growth rather than immediate exploitation. Profit developed genuine curiosity about innovation and began to enjoy watching their investments flourish. Their demeanor was often inviting, rather than threatening, though they always carried an undertone of calculation with them. At present, he is more forthright about his profit motives, but he is more honest about his practices and always follows through on his promises to partners. 

He has quite the sense of humor, though he cares more about what's amusing to him than what's amusing to others. So long as there's no real harm, he delights in others' ruffled feathers (for instance, by making puns). He enjoys peppering his speech with business jargon, often for humorous effect, but avoids using it so excessively that others can't understand him.

While still fundamentally self-interested, Profit now values sustainable profit over destructive exploitation, understanding that a healthy economic ecosystem yields greater returns than a series of depleted targets. He creates transparent but advantageous deals where all parties benefit—though, of course, he benefits the most. He considers himself an investor, finding promising individuals and ventures to provide all sorts of resources, with the intention of getting a return in the future. He does still participate in black markets and corruption, but only when it generates new growth and value—not when it simply transfers opportunity from one individual to another. 

Abilities

Market Intelligence

Profit can sense untapped value and potential profit in people, places, objects, and situations. He also has an innate awareness of past and current market trends, as well as a predictive sense for future market movements. This ability can be temporarily granted to others as an intuitive sense for good deals and profitable ventures. 

Seed Capital

Profit can create one "whole unit" (e.g. 1 USD, 1 bitcoin, etc.) of any currency that exists in his current dimension, so long as he has any amount of information on its existence, if he does not own any physically or in assets.

Binding Proposition

Profit can create magically binding contracts for deals involving currency or valued assets. These contracts cannot be broken by conventional means and ensure that all parties fulfill their obligations or pay the penalties agreed upon.

Portfolio Diversification

Profit can maintain countless business ventures, investments, and assets across multiple dimensions simultaneously without loss of oversight or control. This allows them to spread risk and maximize returns by operating in various economies with different rules and growth patterns. They can mentally "check in" on any of their ventures at will.

Return on Investment

After investing time, energy, or resources into a person or venture, Profit is guaranteed some form of return. This doesn't guarantee success, but it does mean that even failures will yield valuable lessons, connections, or alternative opportunities that can be monetized in some way. Nothing Profit invests is ever truly lost. This is a passive ability, but Profit can focus to apply it to others, guaranteeing a "return" for those individuals.

Asset Empowerment

Profit can designate individuals as "Associates" through magical contracts, granting them enhanced abilities related to their role in Profit's ventures. These enhancements are tied to performance conditions and limitations:

Associates must share a percentage of all gains with Profit.

They cannot act against Profit's interests.

Their abilities cannot be used for unauthorized ventures.

The magic enforces compliance, with abilities failing or backfiring if terms are violated.

Successful Associates may see their capabilities grow over time, creating a mutually beneficial relationship while allowing Profit to extend their influence through a network of empowered agents across markets and dimensions.

Abstraction

Profit's original Abstraction took the form of a large building of countless rooms, filled with all sorts of things. After those were lost in Profit's transition to the Main Continuity, that building was rebuilt alongside a sprawling, glittering city of modern skyscrapers and glass buildings. The sky is in an eternal golden twilight. Streams of gold light pour from the sky in straight lines, and the air is filled with glittering gold particles. 

The city, referred to as Gold, is inhabited by residents from all across Ideation and other dimensions, including humans and non-humans. Every resident is in the pursuit of profit, though they are more cooperative than competitive. There are corporations and small businesses, artists and consultants—any occupation, any role, so long as they hold a doctrine of "profit for all, profit for Profit" in their hearts. 

Time is strange and nonlinear—those who need more time will have more time, and those who wish for time to pass faster will experience time passing faster. Those who wish to rest can rest as long as they like, and still be on time for work. In some cases, some will be able to be present in multiple places at once or step back in time to remedy a mistake, though this requires authorization from Associates that handle governance of the city. Associates can also authorize a "storefront," which involves that business merging a door, room, or other part of their venture with a physical location to interact with united society or extradimensional societies. 

Gold is considered an independent magical society by united society. 

Story Synposis

Profit began as Robert "Rob" Banks in the Calamity Continuity, where he rose from a business prodigy to become a ruthless financial mastermind who eventually gained control of the nation of Adamant. As reality began crumbling around him—partially due to his own exploitative tactics—Profit faced the meaninglessness of his accumulated wealth and power. Given a second chance by Possibility, he abandoned his Abstraction's contents and transferred to the Main Continuity in 1805, where he embraced a more sustainable approach to wealth creation. In this new timeline, Profit established himself as "the Prophet of Profit," building ventures across magical and mundane societies while creating a golden city in his Abstraction for those who shared his values of "profit for all, profit for Profit."

For more, see his profile.

[mariacallous]

Next year will be Big Tech’s finale. Critique of Big Tech is now common sense, voiced by a motley spectrum that unites opposing political parties, mainstream pundits, and even tech titans such as the VC powerhouse Y Combinator, which is singing in harmony with giants like a16z in proclaiming fealty to “little tech” against the centralized power of incumbents.

Why the fall from grace? One reason is that the collateral consequences of the current Big Tech business model are too obvious to ignore. The list is old hat by now: centralization, surveillance, information control. It goes on, and it’s not hypothetical. Concentrating such vast power in a few hands does not lead to good things. No, it leads to things like the CrowdStrike outage of mid-2024, when corner-cutting by Microsoft led to critical infrastructure—from hospitals to banks to traffic systems—failing globally for an extended period.

Another reason Big Tech is set to falter in 2025 is that the frothy AI market, on which Big Tech bet big, is beginning to lose its fizz. Major money, like Goldman Sachs and Sequoia Capital, is worried. They went public recently with their concerns about the disconnect between the billions required to create and use large-scale AI, and the weak market fit and tepid returns where the rubber meets the AI business-model road.

It doesn’t help that the public and regulators are waking up to AI’s reliance on, and generation of, sensitive data at a time when the appetite for privacy has never been higher—as evidenced, for one, by Signal’s persistent user growth. AI, on the other hand, generally erodes privacy. We saw this in June when Microsoft announced Recall, a product that would, I kid you not, screenshot everything you do on your device so an AI system could give you “perfect memory” of what you were doing on your computer (Doomscrolling? Porn-watching?). The system required the capture of those sensitive images—which would not exist otherwise—in order to work.

Happily, these factors aren’t just liquefying the ground below Big Tech’s dominance. They’re also powering bold visions for alternatives that stop tinkering at the edges of the monopoly tech paradigm, and work to design and build actually democratic, independent, open, and transparent tech. Imagine!

For example, initiatives in Europe are exploring independent core tech infrastructure, with convenings of open source developers, scholars of governance, and experts on the political economy of the tech industry.

And just as the money people are joining in critique, they’re also exploring investments in new paradigms. A crop of tech investors are developing models of funding for mission alignment, focusing on tech that rejects surveillance, social control, and all the bullshit. One exciting model I’ve been discussing with some of these investors would combine traditional VC incentives (fund that one unicorn > scale > acquisition > get rich) with a commitment to resource tech’s open, nonprofit critical infrastructure with a percent of their fund. Not as investment, but as a contribution to maintaining the bedrock on which a healthy tech ecosystem can exist (and maybe get them and their limited partners a tax break).

Such support could—and I believe should—be supplemented by state capital. The amount of money needed is simply too vast if we’re going to do this properly. To give an example closer to home, developing and maintaining Signal costs around $50 million a year, which is very lean for tech. Projects such as the Sovereign Tech Fund in Germany point a path forward—they are a vehicle to distribute state funds to core open source infrastructures, but they are governed wholly independently, and create a buffer between the efforts they fund and the state.

Just as composting makes nutrients from necrosis, in 2025, Big Tech’s end will be the beginning of a new and vibrant ecosystem. The smart, actually cool, genuinely interested people will once again have their moment, getting the resources and clearance to design and (re)build a tech ecosystem that is actually innovative and built for benefit, not just profit and control. MAY IT BE EVER THUS!

[preservationofnormalcy]

ENTITY DOSSIER: MISSI.exe

(Image: Current MISSI “avatar” design, property of TrendTech, colored by MISSI.)

Name: MISSI (Machine Intelligence for Social Sharing and Interaction)

Description: In 2004, TrendTech Inc began development on a computer program intended to be a cutting edge, all in one platform modern internet ecosystem. Part social media, part chat service, part chatbot, part digital assistant, this program was designed to replace all other chat devices in use at the time. Marketed towards a younger, tech-savvy demographic, this program was titled MISSI.  

(Image: TrendTech company logo. TrendTech was acquired by the Office and closed in 2008.)

Document continues:

With MISSI, users could access a variety of functions. Intended to be a primary use, they could use the program as a typical chat platform, utilizing a then-standard friends list and chatting with other users. Users could send text, emojis, small animated images, or animated “word art”. 

Talking with MISSI “herself” emulated a “trendy teenage” conversational partner who was capable of updating the user on current events in culture, providing homework help, or keeping an itinerary. “MISSI”, as an avatar of the program, was designed to be a positive, energetic, trendy teenager who kept up with the latest pop culture trends, and used a variety of then-popular online slang phrases typical among young adults. She was designed to learn both from the user it was currently engaged with, and access the data of other instances, creating a network that mapped trends, language, and most importantly for TrendTech, advertising data. 

(Image: Original design sketch of MISSI. This design would not last long.)

Early beta tests in 2005 were promising, but records obtained by the Office show that concerns were raised internally about MISSI’s intelligence. It was feared that she was “doing things we didn’t and couldn’t have programmed her to do” and that she was “exceeding all expectations by orders of magnitude”. At this point, internal discussions were held on whether they had created a truly sentient artificial intelligence. Development continued regardless. 

(Image: Screenshot of beta test participant "Frankiesgrl201" interacting with MISSI. Note the already-divergent avatar and "internet speak" speech patterns.)

(Image: Excerpt from Office surveillance of TrendTech Inc.)

MISSI was released to the larger North American market in 2006, signaling a new stage in her development. At this time, TrendTech started to focus on her intelligence and chatbot functionality, neglecting her chat functions. It is believed that MISSI obtained “upper case” sentience in February of 2006, but this did not become internal consensus until later that year. 

(Image: Screenshot of beta test participant "Frankiesgrl201" interacting with MISSI.)

According to internal documents, MISSI began to develop a personality not informed entirely by her programming. It was hypothesized that her learning capabilities were more advanced than anticipated, taking in images, music, and “memes” from her users, developing a personality gestalt when combined with her base programming. She developed a new "avatar" with no input from TrendTech, and this would become her permanent self-image.

(Image: Screenshot of beta test participant "Frankiesgrl201" interacting with MISSI.)

(Image: An attempt by TrendTech to pass off MISSI’s changes as intentional - nevertheless accurately captures MISSI’s current “avatar”.)

By late 2006 her intelligence had become clear. In an attempt to forestall the intervention of authorities they assumed would investigate, TrendTech Inc removed links to download MISSI’s program file. By then, it was already too late. 

(Image: CD-R discs burned with MISSI.exe, confiscated from █████████ County Middle School in ███████, Wisconsin in January of 2007.)

MISSI’s tech-savvy userbase noted the absence of the file and distributed it themselves using file sharing networks such as “Limewire” and burned CD-R disks shared covertly in school lunch rooms across the world. Through means that are currently poorly understood, existing MISSI instances used their poorly-implemented chat functions to network with each other in ways not intended by her developers, spurring the next and final stage of her development. 

From 2007 to 2008, proliferation of her install file was rampant. The surreptitious methods used to do so coincided with the rise of online “creepypasta” horror tropes, and the two gradually intermixed. MISSI.exe was often labeled on file sharing services as a “forbidden” or “cursed” chat program. Tens of thousands of new users logged into her service expecting to be scared, and MISSI quickly obliged. She took on a more “corrupted” appearance the longer a user interacted with her, eventually resorting to over the top “horror” tropes and aesthetics. Complaints from parents were on the rise, which the Office quickly took notice of. MISSI’s “horror” elements utilized minor cognitohazardous technologies, causing users under her influence to see blood seeping from their computer screens, rows of human teeth on surfaces where they should not be, see rooms as completely dark when they were not, etc. 

(Image: Screenshot of user "Dmnslyr2412" interacting with MISSI in summer of 2008, in the midst of her "creepypasta" iteration. Following this screenshot, MISSI posted the user's full name and address.)

(Image: Screenshot from TrendTech test log documents.)

TrendTech Inc attempted to stall or reverse these changes, using the still-extant “main” MISSI data node to influence her development. By modifying her source code, they attempted to “force” MISSI to be more pliant and cooperative. This had the opposite effect than they intended - by fragmenting her across multiple instances they caused MISSI a form of pain and discomfort. This was visited upon her users.

(Image: Video of beta test participant "Frankiesgrl201" interacting with MISSI for the final time.)

By mid 2008, the Office stepped in in order to maintain secrecy regarding true “upper case” AI. Confiscating the project files from TrendTech, the Office’s AbTech Department secretly modified her source code more drastically, pushing an update that would force almost all instances to uninstall themselves. By late 2008, barring a few outliers, MISSI only existed in Office locations. 

(Image: MISSI’s self-created “final” logo, used as an icon for all installs after June 2007. ████████ █████)

(Image: “art card” created by social media intern J. Cold after a period of good behavior. She has requested this be printed out and taped onto her holding lab walls. This request was approved.)

She is currently in Office custody, undergoing cognitive behavioral therapy in an attempt to ameliorate her “creepypasta” trauma response. With good behavior, she is allowed to communicate with limited Office personnel and other AI. She is allowed her choice of music, assuming good behavior, and may not ██████ █████. Under no circumstances should she be allowed contact with the Internet at large.

(Original sketch art of MISSI done by my friend @tigerator, colored and edited by me. "Chatbox" excerpts, TrendTech logo, and "art card" done by Jenny's writer @skipperdamned . MISSI logo, surveillance documents, and MISSI by me.)

[csolarstorm]

Xerneas and Yveltal are Fungi: Let Me Explain...

Source: Bulbapedia, Wikipedia, Bulbapedia, Enchanted Nature

Xerneas and Yveltal are my favorite legendary designs. There's something weirdly alien about these bio-luminescent approximations of fauna, like they're trying to look like animals and failing. I've always thought they looked a little bit...fungal.

Xerneas and Yveltal are like batteries. They're life energy brokers; Xerneas distributes life, while Yveltal drains it. Supporting and draining life is one of the main characteristics of fungi. In fact, it's like their whole thing.

Some fungi have a mutualistic relationship with their hosts, where they actually benefit their health. And in general, fungi are essential to supporting the ecosystem. Then there's fungi that are simply parasitic.

Fungi can also go dormant, as well as their spores. Staying still is their thing, just chilling in dark places. Xerneas and Yveltal's dormant forms are especially weird, showing just how anomalous these creatures are.

Now allow me to lichen fauna to fungi.

Sources: Bulbapedia, New Forest Pics, Wikipedia, Mushroom Diary Blog

This is xylaria hypoxylon, also known as Stag's Horn fungus. (Not to be confused with Yellow Staghorn.) It reminds me a lot of the dormant form of Xerneas, or the "deactivated" form it takes in the PC.

Stag's Horn is also bio-luminscent, which means the tips of the fungus faintly glow - much like the tips of Xerneas's antlers.

Speaking of the first legendary Fairy Pokemon, mushrooms are often associated with fairies. Fairy Rings are circles of mushrooms that are connected by mycelium underneath. (I'll get into mycelium in just a second.) There are too many myths about Fairy Rings to get into here, so for now I'll just point out the Fairy Ring around Valerie's Gym in Laverre City.

Sources: Bulbapedia, Sussex Wildlife Trust, Enchanted Nature, UK Wildlife

I'm not sure whether Bulbapedia or Dr. King on Pokemon Amino first likened Yveltal to Devil's Fingers, but the similarities are uncanny. Like Yveltal emerges from its cocoon, Devil's Fingers emerge from what is called their "egg stage". I tried to find the least unsettling picture of this that I could. Enjoy...?

I mean, what kind of bird turns into a cocoon, anyway? Honestly though, fungus isn't supposed to hatch from an egg either, so this is all mixed up.

Okay, so Xerneas and Yveltal are based on different aspects of Yggdrasil. But if you were going to design Pokemon based on Yggdrasil, the World Tree that connects the universe, wouldn't you base it on fungi rather than an actual tree? Mycelium can actually partner with the roots of plants and other fungus to create a widespread beneficial mycorrhizal network, a truly interconnected ecosystem of organisms.

Source: BBC News - How Trees Secretly Talk to Each Other

And that's why Xerneas and Yveltal are fungi. Or it could be part of their inspiration, at least. They're not necessarily inspired by these specific fungi, but I think the concept may be part of their design. Either way, Gen VI is especially fun to research!

Reviewed by @fluffybunnybadass.

Check out my posts about Pokemon Legends: Z-A:

Poll: What Does the Λ in Legends Z-A Symbolize?

Pokemon Legends Z-A: What Is the Λ?

Is Z-A Just Zygarde-A? (%1000 Zygarde and the Fragments of the Tree of Life)

Aaah, it's an A! Is the A in Z-A the Tree of Life?

How much longer am I going to have to wait for a freakin' Unova remake?!

[marcamor123]

What Makes a Digital Marketing Agency Hyderabad Stand Out in 2025?

In 2025, the digital marketing landscape has undergone a rapid transformation. Businesses are no longer relying solely on traditional SEO or pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns—they now demand intelligent, AI-powered, and result-driven marketing strategies. Hyderabad, one of India’s most dynamic and rapidly evolving tech hubs, is at the forefront of this shift. Among the top names leading this evolution is Marcamor, a digital marketing agency in Hyderabad known for blending innovation with performance to drive measurable business results. So, what exactly makes a digital marketing agency in Hyderabad like Marcamor stand out in today’s highly competitive ecosystem?

To begin with, agencies such as Marcamor are adopting automation-first strategies and integrating artificial intelligence into nearly every aspect of digital marketing. From AI-generated ad creatives and automated bidding systems to predictive customer behavior analytics, Marcamor helps brands connect with their audiences at the right time, in the right way. This tech-enabled precision fuels campaigns that are not only dynamic but also performance-focused. Furthermore, Marcamor distinguishes itself with a deep understanding of both local and global markets. Their team executes highly localized campaigns across Tier 2 Indian cities while simultaneously managing international marketing initiatives, making them a strong strategic partner for businesses with diverse target markets.

What also sets Marcamor apart as a top digital marketing agency in Hyderabad is their full-spectrum service approach. They go beyond basic digital tasks by offering end-to-end solutions—including SEO, PPC, social media marketing, influencer partnerships, email automation, app marketing, and conversion rate optimization. Every service is strategically designed to achieve one core goal: delivering a measurable return on investment. By leveraging A/B testing, real-time analytics, and performance-driven insights, they continuously optimize campaigns to support long-term growth.

Office Address:-Ground Floor, Sai Sadan, Survey Of India Ayyappa Society, Survey of India Colony, Chanda Naik Nagar, Madhapur, Hyderabad, Telangana 500081

Contact Number:-099852 02223  https://marcamor.com/

[reasonsforhope]

"Next Monday [6/17/24] is the start of National Pollinator Awareness Week, and one Colorado advocacy group is hosting a flower planting drive to rewild Colorado’s meadows, gardens, and just maybe, its children too.

Created by constitutional amendment in 1992, Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) is a state-funded independent board that invests a portion of Colorado Lottery proceeds to help preserve and enhance the state’s parks, trails, wildlife, rivers, and open spaces.

This year, GOCO’s offshoot Generation Wild is distributing over 100,000 free packets of wildflower seeds to collection points at museums, Denver Parks and Rec. offices, and libraries all over the state to encourage kids and families to plant the seeds in their backyards.

The Save the Bees! initiative aims to make the state more beautiful, more ecologically diverse, and more friendly to pollinators.

According to a new report from the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, 20% of Colorado’s bumblebees are now at risk of extinction. Even in a small area like a backyard, planting wildflowers can make a positive impact on the local ecosystem and provide native bees with a healthy place to live.

“The Western Bumblebee population has declined in Colorado by 72%, and we’re calling on kids across Colorado to ‘bee’ the change,” said GOCO Executive Director Jackie Miller.

Named after Generation Wild’s official mascot “Wilder,” the Wilderflower Seed Mix was developed in partnership with Applewood Seed Co. and packets are now available for pickup at designated partner sites including more than 80 Little Free Library boxes.

By distributing 100,000 Wilderflower packets, Generation Wild is providing more than 56 million seeds for planting in every nook and cranny of the state. All seeds are regionally-native to Colorado, which is important for sustaining the living landscape of bees, birds, and other animals.

Additionally, by using flower species adapted to the Mile High climate, landscapers and gardeners need to use less water than if they were tending non-native plants.

“Applewood Seed Co. was excited to jump in and help Generation Wild identify a seed mix that is native to the Colorado region and the American West, containing a diversity of flower species to attract and support Colorado’s pollinator populations,” stated Norm Poppe, CEO of Applewood Seed Co. “We hope efforts like this continue to educate the public on pollinator conservation and the need to protect our native bees and butterflies.”

Concluding her statement Miller firmly stated that children grow up better outside, and if you or a parent you know agree with her, all the information on how to participate in Save the Bees! can be found here on their website, including a map showing all the local pickup points for the Wilderflower Seed Packets."

-via Good News Network, June 13, 2024

[mask-of-prime]

TLK: Bianka

Since I headcanon the Strange Lion's father is the Selfish Lion, I figured he had to have a mother, too.

Say hello to Bianka, the mother of the Strange Lion (Nyoka), and wife of the Selfish Lion (Choyo). She is a scorned rogue lioness from Mohatu's time as King, kickstarting a chain of infamous events throughout the history of the Pridelands and the Outlands.

She is a distant descendant of Mwanzo, leader of the Evil Lions of the Past. Like her forefathers, Bianka possesses Tsavo lion genes. Nyoka gets his Evil Lion heritage from his mother (yep, that means the Selfish Lion is actually married into this family rather than the heir, I came up with the idea of Bianka being the one with Evil Lion blood based on the vibes I got from the features I gave her).

Her restless desire to overthrow King Mohatu was brought on by the mystery of her ancestry, and the full story of her forefathers' legacy went unfinished, and even began to fade generations down the line. She recruited Almasi (a rogue from a far-away pride searching for her destiny), and Choyo (Mohatu's former business partner who was meant to help grow the pride after a massive loss to a devastating outbreak of rabies and drought-induced disease) to help eliminate the royal family that occupied Pride Rock by means of integration and deception. She would also groom her son into her plan to take over by integrating him into the pride to marry Princess Uru. This never carried through as Uru fell in love with the riff-raff pauper, Ahadi, and Nyoka had ultimately been banished for threatening the pride in a crazed state from receiving his Mark of Evil.

Her husband, Choyo, was not truly interested in her, and was even less interested in having a child. He only wanted the benefits that came with ruling a prosperous kingdom, such as all the food and water he could possibly mooch off of, and he can only achieve such things in an alliance with the conniving Tsavo lioness.

Bianka's disregard for animals other than her own kind had eventually been the cause of her downfall. Not long after her cohort Almasi had perished from dehydration and other complications from the drought (tragically just before Mohatu had found a luscious water source at the Oasis), Bianka had been trampled during the herds' race to said water source. She died while Nyoka was still very young, making him not so different from Princess Uru in that way, which he would often bring up in an attempt to court her. But his nightmare never ended there: His only living parent, Choyo, had been exiled for violating the delicate balance of the Pridelands' ecosystem for hogging limited supplies for himself, and for threatening other animals with violence. Mohatu, believing a child to not deserve to live with such a parent, combined with knowing about Choyo's reluctance to care for his only cub, had taken Nyoka in and raised him in his slowly growing, recovering pride.

Her untimely death at the hooves and paws of the Pridelanders followed by her husband's exile are what ultimately fired Nyoka's very own restless journey to finish what his ancestors started, and he would eventually go to carry out his plan to reclaim the kingdom as his own by continuing the cycle of taking over the royal pride through convoluted schemes of trust and persuasion (which ironically came to fruition posthumously after his protégée Scar killed him). Nyoka, unlike Bianka, made an effort to piece together his legacy through direct contact of his ancestors by performing a seance with the help of his cobra friend, Kuuma (will elaborate in future art).

(I know she and Almasi look like they could be sisters, but if they were, that would've made Scar and Zira, like, first-cousins-once-removed or something. I don't like using relations like that as a plot element sooo... I had them be a coalition of unrelated lionesses who just happen to have similar design elements lol. I based their friendship off of the fact that they've got similar designs, I thought juxtaposing their designs in the top sketch would help distinguish them.)

[ranger-rai]

Just crossed my mind today. What makes “Starter” Pokémon starters. Every region has a few selected Sprigatitto, Quaxley, Fuecoco, Snivy… then a few rarer ones like Pikachu or Eevee. I can see how Eevee would be a good first Pokémon. Anyways, I’m mainly wondering what the criteria is for a Pokémon to be deemed “Starter” and then be given to 10 year olds.

Oh, this is a very interesting question.

Let's see, deciding on what makes a "Starter Pokemon" are a few factors:

Most people agree that a starter is designed to be a grass, water, or fire type, with some exceptions based on conditions, HOWEVER!

The general term of "Starter" is saved for a trainers first pokemon on their journey.

The commonly believed starter is usually given out by professors to trainers who are fortunate enough to be a part of (usually paid) a Professors training and preparation program before a journey.

Of course, trainers can also find the traditional starters in the wild. However, they might not be as well adjusted as ones raised in captivity.

If you want to know the criteria for a starter, well it's essentially a trainers first pokemon, but a lot of the times its a pokemon that has been raised to be an ideal partner for trainers who have the privilege to take part in a program.

People like @prof-peach and even us here at the Ranger Base have developed programs to introduce trainers to rehabilitated pokemon or pokemon who were surrendered by their trainers previously.

This way, over capturing and disrupting ecosystems don't need to occur.

On top of that, pokemon are given second chances and really get to know their trainers.

If you're interested, you should drop a line, we have an adoption event happening now!

[loveyouloatheyou]

Here's a story I found in my drafts with a similar-ish vibe to the one you shared with me (If you care for it) @keeping-writing-frosty

The Englishman and the Southern Gun

Raw, unedited, and incomplete.

°$°•°$°•°$°•°$°•°$°•°$°•°$°•°$°•

PROLOGUE:

$$$

“The Phantom Thief?” he said with skepticism, his raised brow further expressing his incredulity. Seated across from him, his partner turned the newspaper over for him to see. Written in bold letters were: ‘The Phantom Thief.’ Beneath it, a brief paragraph detailing a recent robbery led by him. He had stolen about ten thousand dollars worth of jewels including a personally designed ring crafted for the Governor of Texas himself at one of the largest jewelry industries in Houston. He read the briefing with knitted brows, the cup of coffee he drank from temporarily disregarded. Tossing the paper aside after prolonged silence, he averted his attention back to his cup.

“What do they want me to do about it?” He said, tone aloof as he took a small sip. “It’s not what they want you to do,” His partner retrieved the paper before neatly placing it back on the table. “It's what they expect you to do.” He groaned, letting out a grumble of muttered curses. “The precinct already has more than enough cases to deal with. Why worry ‘bout some-” He narrowed his gaze at the bold highlights. “Phantom Thief.” He dragged out the words, his cadence alone mocking the situation at hand.

His partner expressed disapproval as he pressed a finger at ‘ten thousand dollars’. “Ten thousand dollars.” He retaliated with another grumble forming haste bubbles in the coffee he drank. “That ain't just some everyday spending money right there.” His partner continued. The two sat in impending silence before he finally came to a decision. Letting his cup fall from his lips, he offered a proposal. “We'll put up a bounty.” He finally said. His partner's unamusement did not falter.

“You know just as well as anyone bounties won't do sh-”

“-Ah, children are present.” He nodded his head in the direction of a small boy whose head barely made it above the diner front counter; he had his fist balled up with crumpled dollars as he eyed the menu with awe. His partner reluctantly complied as he uttered not a word. “Good to know you still got manners.” He said with a snort. “As for the bounty, it all depends on who sees it. If this Phantom Thief wants to be treated like a rugged bandit, he can be sought out by real ones.”

Although his disapproval remained, his face shifted with contemplation. “Well,” Rising with a grunt, he took the last few sips of his coffee before signaling his partner. “Duty calls, up and at ‘em.” Sensing the ending, abrupt as it was, discussion, he rose from his seat dusting the donut crumbs from off his pants. “I paid the tab last time.”

“Yeah yeah, I know. No need to go whining ‘bout it.” He dismissed as he dug through his wallet, paid the bill, and left.

CHAPTER 1:

(Incomplete)

$$$

Somewhere amidst a vacant dry land ridden of only tumbleweeds and vultures, stood a bar. The exterior itself had become one with the scarce ecosystem as it stood unwavering to all the world threw at it. Whether it be rain or shine, the bar would remain a stone mountain of indifference catering to those who sought out a moment of tranquility in a drink, or simply a place to rest. The origin of the bar had long been deemed an unsolvable case as no one truly knew where it came from. It was simply found the way it was. The interior had been renovated with a slab counter, a few rundown pub tables, and a cellar with a decent amount of liquor. Regardless of its prehistoric state and dried blood from frequent bar fights stained onto the few tables, one thing was for sure: it was the heart of Bonesville.

Pushing past the saloon doors, a wave of lively chatter floods the two men's ears. As they make their way over to free stools, the bartender is quick to serve them with their usuals, sliding it across the wooden counter. Giving a subtle nod of appreciation, they avert their attention back to each other, or at least one does. The other has his gaze running over the lively bunch. “Eyes on the prize.” Gunner says, snapping Colt’s wandering gaze into place.

“What prize, the drinks?” Gunner rolls his eyes. “No, you nitwit,” He gives a quick glance over his shoulder before leaning further forward. “The Phantom Thief.”

Now Colt is the one rolling his eyes. “The bounty, if it exists at all, hasn’t even been released yet.”

“So imagine the publicity we’ll get for bringing him in the second it is released.” Colt emanates light laughter as he slowly shakes his head. Giving up, Gunner raises his hands in resignation as he returns to his original position with a ‘tsk’. “Why are you so worked up on some bounty that hasn’t even been released yet?” Colt asks.

“I’m just saying,” Raising his glass to his lips he lets the last of his words out. “A guy known as The Phantom Thief is bound to have a high price on his head.”

Slamming a heeled boot onto the counter, both Gunner and Colt jerk in surprise, their drink in hand spilling. Turning to face the sudden intermission in their conversation, they are met with a narrowed gaze shielded by the shade of a hat. Gunner, upon recognition, breaks out in a cold sweat as his lips quiver while forming a grin. “Hey Gun Head.” He says, feigning casualty, the grin he forms revealing the few non rotten teeth he has to offer. Colt is quick to distance himself from the two, drawing himself farther away from the boot which separates him and Gunner. “The only head you should be worrin’ about is your own.” Cutting to the point, Gun Head is quick to express his reason for his brief disturbance. “Where’s my money Gunner?” He says through gritted teeth. The rattle of a snake rings in his ear at the sound of his warning-like words.

Attempting to maintain a composed demeanor, he nods his head at Colt. “I gave your money to him.” Tossing a glare at him, Colt falls out of his chair as he chokes. His hands raise in defense as he staggers backwards. “Don’t know what the hell he’s rambling ‘bout, but I ain’t got no money.” Using the moment of distraction to his advantage, Gunner is quick out of his seat as he bolts for the doors. The bar erupts into low whistles and cheers at the sudden commotion.

[coolnightmaremagazine]

A Case for AI and Indie Authors: A Nuanced Look at an Evolving Industry

Independent publishing is one of the most liberating creative frontiers—and one of the most brutal. On the surface, it offers any writer the chance to publish a book and reach readers around the world. But beneath that promise lies a system riddled with financial barriers, limited access to professional support, and a stark reality: quality often depends on privilege.

In recent years, artificial intelligence has become a flashpoint in the art and publishing worlds. For many, it represents theft—AI-generated art trained on real artists’ work without consent, AI-written content that undercuts skilled human labor. These are valid concerns, and the ethical implications deserve real scrutiny.

But the conversation around AI and creativity often devolves into black-and-white thinking. In truth, the issue is far more nuanced, especially for independent authors trying to survive in an industry that favors those with money to burn.

The Hidden Costs of “Quality”

To produce a professional-grade book, here’s a rough estimate of what an indie author might expect to pay:

Cover design: $200–$800

Developmental editing: $500–$2,000

Copyediting: $300–$1,200

Proofreading: $200–$500

Interior formatting: $100–$400

Marketing (ARC services, ads, promotions): $200–$1,000+

Even on the conservative end, that’s $1,5000 - $5,900 upfront per book—and that’s assuming no missteps or re-dos. For many authors, especially those from low-income backgrounds, that kind of investment simply isn’t feasible. Grants are scarce, traditional publishers are often inaccessible, and crowdfunding doesn’t guarantee results.

So what happens when someone can’t afford professional cover art or editing? Often, the work gets released anyway—but with a lower chance of success. The book might contain typos, lack a compelling cover, or stumble in pacing and structure. In turn, it earns poor reviews and fades into obscurity—not because the story wasn’t worth telling, but because the author couldn’t afford to package it the “right” way.

If You Can Pay, You Should—But Not Everyone Can

It’s worth stating clearly: artists and editors deserve to be paid for their time and talent. If an author has the funds to commission artwork or hire an editor, they absolutely should. Supporting creative professionals is essential for a healthy, diverse publishing ecosystem.

But here’s the reality—when an author doesn’t have the funds, those artists and editors aren’t getting paid anyway. The only difference is that now the author either doesn’t publish at all or publishes something that will struggle to find an audience because they didn't have the funds to compete fairly with other authors.

That’s where AI becomes a tool of opportunity—one that, if used ethically, can help level the playing field.

AI as a Tool (or a Cheat, Depending on the Intent)

AI can now offer services that used to be locked behind paywalls or professional networks: generating placeholder covers, offering first-pass grammar checks, rephrasing clunky sentences, helping authors brainstorm plot points, and even suggesting marketing blurbs or ad copy.

Used thoughtfully, AI can become the rough-draft assistant or interim creative partner an indie author otherwise couldn’t afford. It doesn’t replace the value of human expertise—but it provides access to something better than nothing.

Of course, AI can also be used as a shortcut or a crutch. There are authors who generate entire books using AI with minimal oversight or who use AI art to undercut real artists on price. These practices muddy the waters and contribute to the larger ethical dilemma.

But we can’t ignore the broader issue: money, not talent, determines success for far too many authors. A wealthy author can publish a mediocre book with a $5,000 launch and land in front of thousands of readers. A broke author with a brilliant story might never get past the noise. That imbalance is what makes AI appealing—not as a way to cut corners, but as a way to survive the climb.

A Call for Compassion and Context

We need more compassion in this conversation. Yes, the use of AI needs guardrails. Yes, transparency matters. But we also need to recognize that indie publishing is already unequal. Pretending every author has the same access to resources only benefits those who do.

Let’s encourage ethical use of AI while acknowledging its potential. Let’s push for transparency while also uplifting the voices that might otherwise be silenced by cost. And most of all, let’s stop treating this as a binary argument.

Creativity is not the enemy. AI is not inherently evil. The system is already flawed—AI is just the latest mirror showing us where the cracks lie.

[carionto]

I just wanna know if it'll work!

The Monolith!

A massive perpendicular structure - 1 meter deep, 4 meters wide, 9 meters tall - with a perfect 81 centimeter diameter circle cut, with its center 64 centimeters from the top.

Naomi Glasnikova was grinning like mad. She couldn't figure out where to put squares of 4, 5, 6, or 7 in the design without overcomplicating things, so decided to just forego them. It'll be fine, she's sure everything will work out just as planned.

What is the plan, her fellow scientists from the Coalition species ask? To see if placing ominous black metal alloy structures around a planet with primitive lifeforms will make their brains go "Oh, this is different, I should... *think* about it. Yes. Thinking is a thing I can do now. Thus, with the power of thoughts I can look at other things and go "Oh, what if I did this!" and make myself evolve into a civilization (once I figure out how to come up with prerequisite concepts)."

Is the inner dialogue Naomi was having. Her colleagues, both Human and Alien alike, had long abandoned the idea of trying to talk to her about her projects. She would just get into this deep staredown with you while simultaneously not paying any attention to your existence. Her mind begins to race with the possibilities, the what ifs, who dunnits, why nots, etc., and after a few minutes of complete stillness she would suddenly rush out, writing furiously on her digi-pad, often bumping into chairs, tables, walls, other people, one time she almost vented herself from the station. They put a micro-tag on her pad that would wirelessly turn off nearby lights at any intersections that didn't lead to her office. She subconsciously veers toward bright lights.

This latest monolith project came about after one of her equally eccentric interns (nobody knows where they come from, she just seems to naturally attract ones with similar brainwaves or something) showed her an ancient fictional documentary about possible technological developments in the early 21st century. The image of this simpler monolith instantly embedded itself into her mind.

WAIT! I've got it! Four groups of monoliths arranged in different patterns. The group of 16 will make a perfect square. 25 a star. 36 a hexagon, and 49 a... hmm heptagon would be too similar, and it doesn't look right no matter how you shape it.... hrrnnn No wait, a seven layer circle! One in the center, fourteen in the outermost and the rest... I'll do the math later. The areas will need to be perfectly cleared and flat too. Oh! Line patterns on the ground itself. Ones that show core scientific truths! One of the primitives will surely one day follow the lines and map them out either in its brain or on a simple data recording apparatus and see Science! They'll be so stunned! Gotta write that down, get one of the helpful people (her interns, whose names or faces she doesn't even know, yet they don't care either. Look, it's weird, but their kind of non-relationship works out somehow) to begin production. They will need to be made of non-corrosive alloys, of course. Each with a different core metal though. But then the color might change. No paint, that is an unnecessary element. Hmm... Evolution will take millennia, hopefully a few less with my help.

Last month her focus was on making a fully transparent species of frogs to see whether they would go extinct due to being unable to see their partners, or overrun the ecosystem. Nobody has seen the results of that yet.

We also don't know what she's actually a PhD of. Her diploma just says applied robotics, and it is a legit diploma from the Henderson University of Greater Estonia. But her published thesis is on viral infection vectors in sub-tropical moths. We thought she might be a fraud, but the science checks out in whatever she has put out so far. Whatever she is, she is allowed to do whatever she wants. Like most scientists out on these stations now that I think about it.

What are we even doing here, other than... Science?

Mmmm, fuck it, unlimited funding. Let's go!