#POD hashtag

[panashifzco]

From Challenges to Solutions: How Self-Service Kiosks Are Adapting to POD Needs in the UAE

Inclusivity is at the heart of the UAE’s vision for a connected and equitable society. With the government’s strong commitment to empowering People of Determination (POD), businesses and technology providers are stepping up to design self-service kiosks and applications that cater to everyone. These efforts are not just about compliance—they’re about creating a seamless, empowering experience for all users.

As the demand for kiosk machines grows, so does the need to address the unique challenges faced by People of Determination. Let’s explore how the UAE is leading the way in inclusive design, the importance of overcoming these challenges, and the cutting-edge technologies driving this transformation.

UAE Government Initiatives for Inclusive Kiosk Design

The UAE government has been a global leader in promoting accessibility and inclusivity. Several initiatives have been launched to ensure that self-service kiosks and digital applications are designed with People of Determination in mind:

National Policy for Empowering People of Determination This policy outlines the UAE’s commitment to creating an inclusive society. It emphasizes the need for accessible technology, including kiosk machines, to ensure that People of Determination can participate fully in all aspects of life.

Dubai’s Smart City Initiative As part of its Smart City vision, Dubai has mandated that all public-facing technologies, including self-service kiosks, adhere to strict accessibility standards. This includes features like audio guidance, tactile interfaces, and multilingual support.

Accessibility Standards for Public Services The UAE has introduced accessibility standards for public services, requiring that kiosk machines in government facilities, transportation hubs, and healthcare centers are fully accessible to People of Determination.

Collaboration with Technology Providers The UAE government is partnering with technology providers to develop innovative solutions for inclusive self-service kiosks. These collaborations focus on integrating advanced hardware and software features that cater to diverse needs.

The Importance of Inclusive Kiosk Solutions

Creating self-service kiosks that cater to People of Determination is not just a regulatory requirement—it’s a moral and business imperative. Here’s why:

Promoting Social Inclusion Accessible kiosk machines ensure that People of Determination can independently access services, fostering a sense of empowerment and inclusion.

Enhancing Customer Experience Inclusive design improves the overall customer experience, leading to higher satisfaction and loyalty among all users.

Complying with Regulations Adhering to accessibility standards helps businesses avoid legal issues and align with the UAE’s vision for an inclusive society.

Driving Innovation Addressing the needs of People of Determination encourages innovation, pushing businesses to develop cutting-edge solutions that benefit everyone.

Overcoming Challenges with Advanced Technologies

To meet the needs of People of Determination, self-service kiosks are leveraging new technologies in both hardware and software. Here’s how:

Hardware Innovations

Adjustable Height and Ergonomic Design Modern kiosk machines are being designed with adjustable heights and ergonomic features to accommodate wheelchair users and individuals with limited mobility.

Tactile Interfaces and Braille Keypads Incorporating tactile buttons and Braille keypads ensures that visually impaired users can navigate self-service kiosks independently.

High-Contrast Screens and Large Fonts Screens with high-contrast displays and large fonts make it easier for users with visual impairments to read and interact with the kiosk.

Contactless and Gesture-Based Controls For individuals with limited dexterity, contactless and gesture-based controls provide an alternative to traditional touchscreens.

Software Innovations

Accessibility Options in Kiosk Applications Kiosk applications are now being designed with built-in accessibility features, such as:

Multilingual Support Offering multiple language options ensures that self-service kiosks are accessible to a diverse range of users, including expatriates and tourists.

AI-Powered Personalization Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being used to personalize the kiosk experience based on user preferences and needs. For example, AI can detect a user’s preferred language or accessibility settings and adjust the interface accordingly.

Real-Time Assistance Some kiosks now offer real-time assistance through video calls or chatbots, enabling users to get help from a live agent if needed.

Real-World Applications in the UAE

The UAE is already seeing the impact of these innovations in various sectors:

Healthcare: Hospitals are deploying kiosk machines with audio guidance and tactile interfaces to help patients with disabilities check in or access medical records.

Transportation: Airports and metro stations are installing inclusive self-service kiosks with multilingual support and adjustable heights to assist travelers with disabilities.

Retail: Malls and supermarkets are adopting kiosks with high-contrast screens and simplified interfaces to cater to diverse customer needs.

Restaurants: Self-service kiosks in restaurants feature accessibility options like audio guidance, tactile buttons, and adjustable heights to ensure that People of Determination can use them independently.

The Future of Inclusive Kiosks in the UAE

As technology continues to evolve, the potential for creating even more inclusive self-service kiosks is limitless. Emerging technologies like augmented reality (AR), voice recognition, and advanced AI will further enhance accessibility and usability for People of Determination.

The UAE’s commitment to inclusivity, combined with advancements in kiosk machine design, is setting a global benchmark for accessible technology. By prioritizing the needs of People of Determination, businesses can not only comply with regulations but also create meaningful, empowering experiences for all users.

Conclusion

The journey from challenges to solutions in designing inclusive self-service kiosks is a testament to the power of innovation and empathy. The UAE’s initiatives and technological advancements are paving the way for a future where kiosk machines are accessible to everyone, regardless of ability.

As businesses and technology providers, we have a responsibility to ensure that no one is left behind. By embracing inclusive design and leveraging cutting-edge technologies, we can create self-service kiosks that truly empower People of Determination.

What steps is your organization taking to make kiosk machines more inclusive? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below!

[petrovna-zamo]

#showusyourcostume 🎃

[katiefratie]

Guys this sucks, this sucks and is bad,

Like it's So good let's get everyone's everything out on the table but god fuck intraparty conflict

[asmoshoebox]

i stand by this actually.

[hell0jon]

Statement of hell0jon, regarding their experience of burning their fucking ass on a smoke machine during a primary school disco

Statement never given

[consumare]

           TRYING TO CHANGE THEM CHANGED ME FOREVER.

@beyondthescully & @consumare & @spookyagentfmulder.

[pr]

can i just say i think its ridiculous that everyone hates dolphins now bc theyre capable of SA, but like everyone forgets female dolphins exist! theyre not out there doing that! the females are beautiful and intelligent and out there saving ppl from sharks! dont write off an entire species bc they men have deplorable tendencies!

[drchucktingle]

had a great time on THE GAYLY PLANET talkin about not just my favorite star trek character but one of my favorite fictional characters of all time DATA. so honored to discuss on this star trek pod and relate to my autistic trot. listen on all podcast ways

[lizardsfromspace]

One aspect of TikTok that's faded, but which was the major driver of panic about it for most of its life, was the TikTok Challenge: the moral panic about dangerous or offensive trends on TikTok that were taking over.

And I do mean moral panic because even basic research turns up that the majority of TikTok Challenge stories were unfounded, or exaggerated.

Many of them straight-up didn't happen. There are trends that never had a challenge attached at all, like Momo, but others were never a thing on TikTok at all. The stories have a similar form to them. For instance, there was once the "shoot up your school challenge" that sparked a huge series of warnings and cries to repeal Section 230 and ban this sick filth...and then, at the very end of those stories, an acknowledgement that there was no source video - that no one had found evidence it existed on TikTok at all.

Let's define a "challenge", because any bad thing that happens on TikTok was branded a "challenge". But in my view, it has to contain, well, a challenge: some element of showing yourself doing it, and then daring others to do it, too. As we'll see, it's actually pretty difficult to find evidence many challenges ever existed

One of the more well-documented is the alleged Benadryl challenge. In mid-2020, a trio of teens overdosed on Benadryl and claimed they got the idea from a TikTok claiming you can get high off taking it. They were treated at the hospital, and TikTok deleted the video in question and blocked the relevant hashtags. But then a couple months later stories about Benadryl overdose deaths started attributing it to the "Benadryl challenge". But...all they were doing was citing the original story as proof the challenge existed. A story that doesn't include a challenge, and where the TikTok video referenced had been deleted and the topic blocked. When a reporter actually investigated, they found no evidence of any challenge videos, and found that, just as TikTok had said, the search itself was blocked. In other words, and this is a trend you see a lot in coverage, the existence of a panic about something on TikTok meant everything sprang from TikTok: because of that story, any teen overdosing on Benadryl *had* to have gotten the idea from a TikTok challenge - TikTok had to be grafted on to every relevant story regardless of relevance, and each new story including it became more evidence it was all down to TikTok. Because teens would never do something irresponsible without an app...would they?

So let's talk about the elephant in the room. Tide pods. The Tide pod challenge was a thing, but it was not a thing to the extent that the media made it into a thing. So how many teens ate Tide pods?

86. Non-stop global media coverage for months over 86 teens doing a stupid stunt. While over 10,000 kids were accidentally exposed to laundry detergent in the year before with hardly any coverage. Discussions over, hey, maybe memes aside it's bad for children to have this dangerous thing look so colorful essentially stopped completely thanks to this panic, during which time stories about children unknowingly eating Tide pods were folded into the panic and attributed to the Tide Pod Challenge. Discussion of actual product safety, discussion of how to prevent harm to over TEN THOUSAND people, had to give way to a moral panic about 86

86 sounds bad, but is a really small number in the scheme of things - and absolutely disproportionate to the media coverage, which lasted for months and endlessly blasted all young people for eating Tide Pods.

There are others. For instance, after Kia failed to include an anti-theft device in their cars, thefts of Kia cars skyrocketed, and some young joyriders posted videos of this on TikTok and other platforms - and posted guides on how to do it yourself. These videos were removed, but somehow "someone posted a guide to steal an easy-to-steal car online" turned into "there's a challenge on TikTok daring you to steal cars" which then turned into attributing all thefts of the car without anti-theft tech in it to TikTok. But in this case, there is a source video, an original video that made stealing Kias look cool.

It was posted on Youtube.

"Slap a Teacher" went viral, and was a complete hoax, as was NyQuil Chicken. Many of the videos in the "Devious Licks" challenge were, as well, hoaxes. These stories go viral enough to spark a well-meaning FDA warning saying hey, don't do this, which is taken as evidence that people were doing it. But in just about every case, it's relatively few people, or the challenge didn't exist. The stories have a familiar form: description of death or incident, statement from concerned parents, interviews with cops and maybe a child psychologist, and then a denial from TikTok. What these stories rarely, if ever, include is any citations of where on TikTok the challenge began, or any independent research into them. Notably, even stories admitting it's a hoax often go on to talk about how we need to control it anyway. When TikTok said a video didn't exist on their platform, it's natural to suspect the social media corporation of lying, but oddly they appear to have been telling the truth most of the time, and were rightly saying content didn't exist or only made up a few videos stopped early on.

(I'm mainly talking about America, but this happened internationally, too. There was, as I understand it, a major panic about the "Charlie Charlie" challenge in Latin America - indeed, it was the panic that brought it to the Anglosphere - but it was, you know. Literally just Ouija boards/Bloody Mary. Meanwhile, the "Blue Whale" challenge started in Russia, off a reporter essentially imagining a game because two teens who died by suicide had images of blue whales on their computers, but there's no evidence of any challenge - but the press, normally reluctant to report on suicides, rushed to give breathless coverage to teen suicides - which, after all, only happen due to the Blue Whale game - likely causing copycats of a game that never existed. Most ridiculously, when a video of a creepy statue of Michael Jackson went viral, Mexican police warned parents about the "Ayuwoki Challenge". Which was...looking at a creepy statue of Michael Jackson online)

But let's address the real elephant in the room. Of the TikTok challenges that really took place to some degree, what are they? Devious Licks was about vandalizing school property. The Tide Pod challenge and its ilk were about eating something stupid. The Milk Crate challenge and its like were about doing dangerous stunts.

And I experienced TikTok challenges like this when I was in high school. I remember this group of kids who egged one of their number on to punch glass, which shredded their hand; I remember people being dared to snort pixie stix dust off the table; I remember people stealing the soap dispensers from the bathroom and the mouse balls out of the mice, because oh wait, it wasn't TikTok challenges, all that happened when I was in 9th grade in 2004

The TikTok challenges that are *real* are just...routine teen misbehavior? Being attributed to an app ruining the kid's minds. Teenagers have been peer pressuring each other into doing stupid things since time immemorial; it didn't start because of phones.

The people who spread these panics did or saw equally dumb things when they were that age. Now that they're older, and parents themselves, it's scary and dangerous. How do you reconcile that? You don't - what you did as a kid was an innocent prank, the same acts happening now are scary and Never Happened When I Was A Kid. So there must be some explanation. In the 80s it was metal music, in the 90s & 00s it was video games, and in the 2020s it was TikTok Challenges. There always has to be some media corrupting the youth into doing what the youth have always done, because "you grew up and became more mature and aware of your own mortality" is not an option you want to dwell on. Meanwhile, actual harmful trends go unnoticed; most of the people who spent a year dunking on teens bc 86 people ate Tide Pods have no idea about how many teen boys have become, essentially, cultists for figures like Andrew Tate or how hard they're being recruited; coverage was lavished on challenges that never existed, but not on true crime obsessives starting a hate campaign claiming a trans woman on TikTok was a serial killer

There are two other factors here. One is a drive to not take the issues facing young people seriously. This has been a long-term function for moral panics - since it's easier to say kids don't face any real problems, they're just being corrupted by outsiders, and we just need to ban video games or "Satanic" music or Slenderman or TikTok challenges to 'fix' it. You had real problems as a teen; but these kids today, they're just whiners. If teens no longer overdose or act out or harm themselves for any reason but Being Told To Online, then there's no need to look any deeper at society

The other is that the defining moral panic since 2020 has been the idea that young people are a barely-literate fascistic mob of unruly hooligans who are acting out More Than Ever, a moral panic that's being used to push legislation that harshly cracks down on the rights of young people and their access to society and their ability to be independent from their parents. But I heard some anecdotes that kids are, like, totally mean now when they never were before so it's probably true, and we should make them their parent's property to stop it

[deskraven]

My Terran Cyber-sync Ideas

I wanted to post these with my Jawbreaker+Hashtag fusion design but I run out of ideas and want to post these before I'm proven wrong lol.

Basically my idea of cyber-sync is a mix of Steven Universe fusion and Digimon Jogress evolution. Like SU fusion, syncing creates a new individual with their own personality and in some way represents the relationship between the two bots that formed them. And like Digimon Jogress, the new individual will have their own alt mode - which is often NOT just a combination of the singular bots' alt modes but something unexpected.

Um and here goes my ideas of each fusion's alt mode:

Jawbreaker + Nightshade = dragon

Jawbreaker + Hashtag = boat

Nightshade + Hashtag = escape pod

Thrash + Twitch = flying bike with propellers

Thrash + Nightshade = Star Wars speeder

Jawbreaker + Twitch = Quimbaya jet

Twitch + Nightshade = Naussica's glider

Twitch + Hashtag = ?

Thrash + Jawbreaker = ?

Thrash + Hashtag = ?

[eveletii]

Become the Bard!

Follow in the footsteps of the most prolific bard of all time in this mini version of the classic Legacy Challenge, that will stir up drama in your game! Give the classic Shakesperian tales your own spin and live out epic stories of love, comedy and tragedy in The Sims 4. It's going to be worthy of a standing ovation!

In total there are 5 Generations in this challenge, each representing a different Shakesperian play.

The official hashtag for the challenge is #ShakespeareLegacyTS4. Break a leg!

Overall Rules

Lifespan: Normal

Cheats: Allowed only when setting up scenarios

Recommended Mods: UI Cheats Extension e MC Command Center.

Necessary Packs

Lovestruck

Growing Together

Cottage Living

Horse Ranch

High School Years

StrangerVille

Get Famous

Recommended Packs*

Seasons

Nifty Knitting

My Wedding Stories

*These packs are not required to complete the challenge, but can add to the storylines.

❝You grew up wealthy, with a big happy family. There weren’t too many rules, except for one: the sims across the street are not to be befriended. But you were never one to follow rules anyway... Especially when one of the neighbors is so cute...❞

❤✧✦✧❤

Aspiration: Soulmate

Traits: Lovebug, Family-Oriented and Gloomy

Career: Romance Consultant

✧ Complete the Soulmate aspiration (or die trying!) ✧ After that dramatic beginning to your love story, you sure have a lot of advice to give. Monetize it by maxing the Romance Consultant career! ✧ Be the ultimate lover and max the Romance skill by interacting with your partner ✧ Create two households, with 5-8 Sims each. Pick a family to control ✧ Make sure there is at least 1 teenager in each household, they’ll be the main couple ✧ It is important that ALL adults from one household HATE the Sims from the other one, and vice versa! (Cheats may be used to achieve that) ✧ Elope with your partner as soon as you both become Young Adults and then move to a different Neighborhood or World ✧ Have only 2 children, twins or close in age ✧ Have a date night with your partner once a week. (You may do it on random days or create custom holidays using the Calendar)

❝You’re not easy. You know that. Your sibling knows that. Your parents know that. A smarty-pants with a temper, with too many ideas and too little patience. But does that mean you can’t find the one? If your parents did it, so can you, right? I mean, not that you’re looking for someone. Or... are you?❞

❤✧✦✧❤

Aspiration: Best-Selling Author

Traits: Hot-Headed, Bookworm and Romantically Reserved

Career: Politician

✧ Complete your aspiration and become the best-selling author on the San Myshuno Times! ✧ You have a lot to teach the world, but the world has one thing to teach YOU: kindness. Join the Politician career and max it, through the Charity Organizer branch ✧ Soften your edges by maxing the Charisma skill ✧ Develop a DIFFICULT dynamic with your family during your teenage years ✧ You can only date once you become a Young Adult ✧ Go on 3 failed dates before finding The One ✧ Have only 2 kids, both girls. (Cheats may be used to achieve that) ✧ You must get married when on Level 4 of your career, and then pick the Charity branch ✧ Work slowly on your charisma skill throughout your career.

❝A free-spirit with a heart of gold, you knew what you wanted from an early age, and left your home to run a wool farm, filled with sheep and llamas. You and your younger sister are two peas in a pod, even though you two are polar opposites. You, a tomboy, her, a princess. Once she graduates high school she comes to live with you at the farm. You thought it’d be just you two forever... That’s when a cute local comes along...❞

❤✧✦✧❤

Aspiration: Country Caretaker

Traits: Animal Enthusiast, Socially Awkward, Rancher

Career: None

✧ Be the pride of Finchwick Fair by completing the Country Caretaker aspiration ✧ You must NOT join any careers throughout your life, and all the money you make must come from the farm ✧ Get first place at a Finchwick Fair competition at least three times in your life ✧ Show off your country skills by maxing the Gardening and Cooking skills ✧ Get at least Level 5 on the Cross-Stitching or Knitting skills (if you have Nifty Knitting) ✧ Become BFFs with your little sister as children ✧ Move out of your parents’ home as a teenager, half-way through high school to start your farm in Henford-on-Bagley (Start small, taking little money from the original household with you. Dropping out of high school or not is up to you) ✧ Have only 2 kids, both girls. (Cheats may be used to achieve that) ✧ You must date and marry only Sims from the world you live in ✧ You must marry at the end of your late Young Adult days/early Adult days ✧ You can only have ONE child ✧ You must use the Simple Living lot challenge in your home lot

❝Marriage? Never! You’ve had a serious partner once, and let’s just say it didn’t go well, and it gets worse! After all, exes are forever. You two bump into each other all the time and the fighting is endless. Could all this hatred just unhealed wounds from your love story gone wrong, or could all this fighting hide something more?❞

❤✧✦✧❤

Aspiration: Chief of Mischief

Traits: Noncommittal, Self-Assured and Mean

Career: Military

✧ Be the bane of your ex’s existence by completing the Chief of Mischief aspiration ✧ Get to Level 5 in the Military career and then switch to a new one of your choice. Achieve Level 5 in the new career ✧ Max out the Mischief skill and get to at least Level 5 on the Logic skill ✧ Your traits must be acquired in the following order: 1- Self Assured, 2- Mean, 3- Noncommittal ✧ Date only ONE Sim as a Teenager. After much fighting, break up before turning Young Adult ✧ Rekindle the flame and marry your ex as an Adult. Have as many kids as you please ✧ Join the Military career and stay in it until you get married. After that, switch careers to a career of your choice ✧ Start developing your Mischief skill during your teenage years

❝A creature of romance and drama, you were born to love and to shine on and off stage. Your life is the most daunting story in your family to date. But that’s probably because this Challenge doesn’t include The Scottish Play.❞

❤✧✦✧❤

Aspiration: Serial Romantic

Traits: Romantic, Creative and Erratic

Career: Acting

✧ Master the Serial Romantic aspiration and win (and break!) a lot of hearts ✧ Reach the top of the Acting career ✧ Get to Level 10 on the Mischief, Romance and Acting and at least Level 5 in the Charisma skill ✧ Have a close relationship with your parent who was the past generation’s heir and develop a Jokester family dynamic with them ✧ Date A LOT and from and early age, but only get engaged once. During the wedding ceremony, leave your partner at the altar ✧ Children are allowed, but not mandatory ✧ Begin developing the Mischief skill with your parents

[green-with-envy-phandom-event]

Welcome to Green With Envy's second year, folks!

The first one went so spectacularly and had so much support that we're back at it again!

~~~~

For those of you who didn't participate or spectate last year, this is an artist event that comes in two parts.

Part one is the chill half of the event, aimed at people who love to draw but hate to color. Over the next two months, a form will be open for anyone to drop Danny Phantom themed line art at the event's doorstep. Which we will promptly "ooh" and "ahh" over before hoarding away.

Part two is the competitive half of the event, aimed at people who love to color but hate to draw. This is where things get spicy~ After being divided into small pods of 3 to 8 people, colorists will compete for points by taking brushes to as much line art as physically possible!

But this competition has a twist. What line art you color and when completely changes how many points your team gets! It's all about strategy, and if you aren't careful, another team may just come in and Poach your precious lead away from you!

All are welcome regardless of skill level for both halves of the event.

~~~~

The official hashtag for the event this year is #greenwithenvy2024 

In-depth Rules can be found here and some things have changed this year, so make sure to look!

Tutorial can be found here

FAQ can be found here

The discord server for this event is here

~~~~

Line Art and All Sign-ups Due: Sunday, February 25th (02/25/24) 11:59 pm, Pacific Time Zone

Coloring Starts: Friday, March 8th (03/08/24) 8:00 pm Pacific Time Zone

Coloring Due: Sunday, April 7th. (04/07/24) Pacific Time Zone

Sign-ups for line artists are here (closed)

Sign-ups for colorists are here (closed)

Line artist submissions go here (closed)

Colorist submission form can be found in the Discord.

P.S. Remember when looking at the dates to account for your daylight saving's time. What day it happens on depends on where you are in the world!

~~~~

We are so excited to bring this awesome event back to the Phandom, and we can’t wait to see you all there!

Big shout out to @foxyteah for letting us use their bootylicious line art from last year's event to make this year's banner! And to @ectoblastfromthepast, @weshney, @englandamericaitaly and @tytach for coloring it!

~~~~

Looking for links to last year's stuff?

2023 Free-To-Color Line Art

2023 Event Decal?

2023 Masterpost?

[disaster-racing]

I don't usually do text posts, but I just have to ask - has anyone else noticed something strange with the Screaming Meals streams recently? James and Clem have been making some weird comments about Marcus, and they sound... a bit worrying? So I went back to their previous streams to check, and here what they said:

Qatar quali stream:

C: "We're trying, you know, to really promote this channel… trying to make it grow, got no idea what we're doing. And Marcus Armstrong doesn't wanna help us." J: "Yeah. To be fair, he doesn't have a say these days in what goes on his Instagram." C: "Does he not? Oh! That's true, I forgot about that. That is true."

C: "So, so, can you… is that the real reason, the fact that you haven't got enough devices, that you're not listening to our stream, or is it sort of censored in the household, per se?" M: "Yeah, the US has actually censored Screaming Meals, umm…" C: "Oh, see, I didn't think it would have been–" J: "Sort of a North Korea situation, is it?" C: (laughs) M: (laughs) "For obvious reasons, mate, for obvious reasons." C: "Yeah, doesn't seem to be the US, but err…"

J: (talking to Marcus) "I don't know about you but the last time I checked my bank account, fuck me, there was some… there's gotta be some numbers missing, but…" C: (closes eyes, laughing)

Qatar sprint stream:

J: "Marcus gets to the UK sometime in November so we'll definitely be filming some stuff in November, as long as he's allowed to. Um, then you can get some more pods."

Qatar race stream:

J: "Marcus says please call a bit later than lap 15, with an x." C: "What a loser! Just always skiving off work." J: "Yeah, why, like… I dunno, he's probably getting screamed at or something, I dunno." C: "Marcus is? Yeah… well, he has been under quite a lot of pressure hasn't he, recently." J: "Yeah… " … C: "No, he hasn't lost control of his downstairs. He has lost control of his credit card, though." J: "He certainly has lost control of his credit card. Anyway!"

C: "Marcus joining us as well for a short trip [in Brasil]. Interesting." J: "Yeah apparently we're not allowed to talk about that." C: "No, we're not. Good times."

J: "Shall we give Marcus another go?" C: "Nah." J: "Fair enough." C: "He was being his usual 'I'm too cool for you guys'…" J: "He was being a bit, wasn't he. He's probably on another sanction from speaking to us." C: "I think so yeah. Must be one of those sanctions."

Mexico race stream:

J: "I'm gonna give Armstrong a buzz." C: "No chance he answers." J: "I believe he's due to fly out 9pm Mexico time." C: "He'll be under heavy control. …has your number not been placed on the 'banned' list?" J: "Ah, no, this is a burner." C: "Oh, mine has. Mine has." […] C: "Quite a lot of restrictions to get in contact with Armstrong these days."

Q&A stream:

(talking about what they would buy if they had to spend £1million on each other) J: "Then for Armstrong… ummm, I'd, I dunno, I'd probably just help him pay off his credit card debts." C: "True! Paying off his credit card debts would be something. Definitely."

C: "Look, we've got Loraine with the hashtag Free Marcus." J: (snorts) "No comment."

And when Marcus was on the sprint race stream last night, he seemed a bit tired and low energy, quite different to how he was on the streams earlier in the year. Maybe I'm just overreacting, but I really hope he's okay and some of the things they've said aren't as concerning as they sound...

[katiefratie]

😬 Troy's not there 😬

[dreadnought-despair]

hi its me again i fear. is kaponos nose injured or does he wear the Band-Aid for hashtag fashion. if it is injured how hasnt it healed yet

would you believe me if i told you this stumbles into endgame spoiler territory

doylist explanation: i think it looks cute for his design

watsonian explanation: kapono forgot the bandage was on his face. he probably hasn't looked in a mirror since he woke up on the dreadnought

spoiler explanation:

minor injury from playing volleyball or something. after word got out to the dreadnought about The Tragedy they were in a hurry to get everyone in the cryogenic pods with little regard for what they were wearing at the time. hence everyone wearing their costumes or iconic outfits-- they were getting ready for their ultimate talent exams. it's only been a couple days since the injury from kapono's point of view so it still hurts, and he doesn't remember where it came from so he thinks it safer to keep the bandage

[hjnxx]

the words that come to mind when it comes to hijinxx is sisterhood. not so much found family — though i guess they’re one in the same these days — but i think it holds a much stronger sentiment than family. mostly because they were formed by the survival show and are the winners from their respective pods. love kq but if given the chance i would burn sbs / mnet / whatever burn down to the ground. with the quickness.

it’s kind of obvious with pairings involving ahyeon because she’s genuinely the sweetest fucking person to walk the planet actually, but hijinxx as a whole have so much love and respect for each other as individuals. it’s obvious in ahyeon choosing the girls over the company when asked, even if said jokingly. it’s obvious in the way micha pushes them relentlessly during practices because she knows it’ll pay off wonderfully on stages. it’s obvious in yuina bluntly stating she would have quit being a trainee had it not been for the girls. and it’s obvious in eunji bursting into tears during every music show win and the girls surrounding her every time without fail. it’s the subtle acts of service and kindness, in each joyful moment said and unsaid, and the jinxx pile up selfie after every practice titled 4JINXX4EVER. you can’t have one without the other three, you know.

but, as is with every group, fans love their duos. and i’m guilty of it myself. head yumi in charge for a reason, you know. big HYIC. and so because i have all the time in the world and then some, i'll be giving you a somewhat brief rundown on each jinxx pairing. so the next time you hear someone losing it on your timeline and you see a picture of micha and yuina standing next to each other at the airport, you can u-turn it honestly because yumis are kind of insane. peace and love.

AHYEON AND MICHA

AKA — CAPTAINZ

now this one might come to you as a shock. why are they called captainz when there’s only one leader? well, my dear viewer, you’ve done half your homework. you’re aware that micha is, in fact, the leader of hijinxx. good job! now let’s do a little deep dive.

in 2023, ahyeon and micha were selected for a shoot with elle korea and … whew. let’s just say jinxxtwt shut down. you couldn’t pay me to tell you what the theme for the shoot was. just that it happened, and every trixx could not stop talking about this life changing moment. and i think it was so life changing because—it’s expected of micha’s on screen personality. she’s very bold and demanding and incels hate her, truly. ahyeon, on the other hand, is very sweet! jinxx lore aside! would bet my entire life savings she’s never hurt a fly once. but the moment we saw her in that dark makeup? hunched over in that chair and looking straight into my soul like she was going to eat me alive? yeah. yeah.

one deranged trixx tweet gone viral, locals finding the shoot, and a trending hashtag later, captainz was born. not like the duo didn’t exist before the shoot, obviously. but good-cop-bad-cop is too long and most importantly, fuck twelve.

as oldest of the group and leader respectively, it’s obvious these two are going to be seen a lot. especially against the Tiny TNT Terror. i’m sure ahyeon has greys. they’ve been referred to as hijinxx’s parents on more than one occasion and i think they’ve settled into the roles perfectly. micha gives harsh criticism that’s reminiscent of your dad getting mad at you for forgetting what seven times eight is, and ahyeon reminds you of your strengths and gets you ice cream when she picks you up from school. it’s very balanced.

they also keep each other in check, which is mutually appreciated. during micha’s short break from her injury, she’s admitted that ahyeon was the one who had expressed her worries long before the incident. her biggest regret wasn’t listening to her and now she knows when to start listening to her body. ( even though every reasonable person knows she’s not going to listen because she has a capital c Complex… but that’s its own video ) similarly, ahyeon doesn’t know when to fucking quit—but like, mentally. and micha has called her out in front of cameras to quit getting so in her head about things, which just makes her smile and micha tries to act like ahyeon doesn’t exude pure love in that smile. could achieve world peace with that smile.

standing in front of the kq building with a giant I ❤️ CAPTAINZ sign.

AHYEON AND YUINA

AKA — YUYEON

so this pairing is basically every picture of a tired parent and their incredibly hyperactive leash child. that’s basically it.

except that’s not it, and dare i say, merely surface level yuyeon, because they’re more than just viral clips of ahyeon trying her best to keep yuina from (jokingly, though most times, not) ruining the group image. free her! god forbid a girl tell a creepy host it is fucking weird to find a nineteen year old attractive at forty-two when his hairline is receding and he also happens to have a wife and kids. get him again, yui.

anyway, yuyeon. yuina has called ahyeon her literal older sister on more than one account, and it tracks with ahyeon being the oldest of three. yuina has been ‘exposed’ for wearing her clothes and jewelry on more than one occasion. true little sister activity. ahyeon is probably used to it at the point but i think she just sees it as aw she picked my clothes because she’s comfortable around me. and who wouldn’t be comfortable around sunshine reincarnate.

but an aspect that i don’t really see anyone talk about when it comes to yuyeon is that ahyeon really sees who yuina is. she does it with all the girls as Group Mom, but it’s different with yui. sometimes yuina will isolate herself when she gets overwhelmed and emotional—and between eunji who cries openly and micha who probably hasn’t cried since the age of five, where does yuina fit on that spectrum? honestly, i think yui has a hard time expressing any other emotion other than Pure Joy and Sarcasm for The Bit as Resident Ankle Biter. cause she’s their energy pill, you know? she’s supposed to keep group morale up. but even she gets tired, and i’m glad she has ahyeon to turn to when she feels the need to retreat.

AHYEON AND EUNJI

AKA — EUNYEON

you’re going to soon find out that every trixx is a eunyeon fan. it’s a given. you can’t like hijinxx without liking eunji, and if you don’t like eunji, then ahyeon will politely end your career like she did on that one fan call. why would you tell the biggest eunji defender that you like hijinxx as a trio you dumb fucking no brained waste of breath—

so if you tuned into house of cards, first off, you may be entitled to financial and emotional compensation. fuck mnet. secondly, you’d know that eunyeon was guaranteed to make it because of how much the viewers loved it when ahyeon and eunji were picked for the same challenge. they were incredibly cute. they melted even the strongest of hearts. ahyeon was a strong leader for all the challenges she was in, and when eunji was with her, her talent really blossomed. and then there was that devastating clip of eunji sleeping in ahyeon’s bed after waking up from a nightmare that got leaked from recorded bts footage that went viral. the kind of shit that makes you cry for real. and i know i said that they don’t remind me of this, but that’s found family.

because you don’t really understand how bad it was for pre-debut fans of eunji. people calling her talentless, organizing for her removal, the judges’ harsh ass criticism, and seeing her try not to cry during practices. having ahyeon helped her both mentally and emotionally as a person but also performance and presence wise as an idol. and honestly, i can admit she still does have a ways to go, but she’s flourishing. and i’m glad she had ahyeon and the girls next to her.

they’re also just really fucking cute. like, really fucking cute. there’s many a time where eunji can be seen dozing off on aheyon’s shoulder and ahyeon has a highlight with an infinite amount of tabs that is just dedicated to her ( favorite ) child. that’s mother and daughter for real. eunji even spends chuseok with ahyeon’s family. let me move on before i burst into tears.

MICHA AND YUINA

AKA — YUMI / 00Z

my time has come.

yumi, aka variety crack cocaine, is the most popular duo to come out of hijinxx. on house of cards they had no nice things to say about each other but were always paired together for funny bits. then they debut together! then they’re at it like cats and dogs for all of 2021 and 2022 until ahyeon gets incredibly fed up. and you know you’ve fucked up when ahyeon gets pissed at you. according to eunji, it’s the only time she’s ever seen her get truly mad. rumor has it she cussed them out like a sailor. oh to be a fly on the wall!

something definitely switched after ahyeon’s intervention, though. they’re a lot friendlier towards each other now, but i say that to mean they’re as friendly as that one cat terrorizing an entire neighborhood but picks its fights carefully. infighting is allowed but if anyone outside of the group says or starts shit, it's wraps. and i kind of adore them for it because that’s real sisterhood.

a lot of people think they have something going on though. something something token yuri. everyone loves a good enemies to not-so-enemies to ‘they maintained eye contact for over 0.3 seconds, they must be having nasty gay sex every night, poor eunyeon!’ and as head yumi in charge, i’m gonna need everyone to a.) stop acting like y’all are in heat, b.) grab some common sense while you’re at it, and c.) stop projecting your fantasies onto them, please. can we please be normal for two seconds! just because they’ve overcome their differences and can actually stand to be around each other for more than ten minutes doesn’t mean they’re fucking ‘til the sun comes up and sets. save it for the wasteland that is the yumi tag on ao3.

yuina and micha are just so interesting to watch, though. as much as they hated each other then, debuting together has them united and they now share a similar goal of trying to last in this heartless industry for as long as possible. and i think out of all of them, these two understand it the most. sly commentary masked as concern, subtle touches and entire conversations had just by looking at each other, and the bluntness that comes with not being afraid to let the other know what they’re feeling in that moment. yuina is also extroverted enough for the both of them, and as much as micha may act like she hates the feeling of skin on skin contact, i just know she appreciates it.

you know what. give it up for gay people one more time.

MICHA AND EUNJI

AKA — SISTERZ

now this duo didn’t have a ‘duo name’ for the longest. they were referred to as miji for the longest and everyone kind of knew what you were talking about. cute big sister little sister duo. there’s a clip floating around somewhere of micha cussing out a staff member because eunji had a wardrobe malfunction. if that isn’t true sisterhood representation—‘cause why would they let her go out like that? glad mimi tore them a new one. but anyway.

a few months ago, on their 4th anniversary, eunji revealed that she thought micha hated her for the longest. the girls were aghast, to say the least, if yuina nearly falling out of her chair meant anything. eunji quickly goes on to explain that she doesn’t think so anymore and that she’s glad that they’re on better terms now, but she definitely felt like she was getting singled out. in typical micha fashion, she tells her that she was lacking severely and she needed to be harsh because she was convinced she could make it.

[ don’t get me wrong, though. i thought you had potential. but it was like you were giving up before even trying. and at first it was like, maybe her winning fourth place was a fluke. but then i heard you singing in the studio late at night after solo practice and thought—this girl needs to be on stage. but you had no training experience. so i had to be three times harder on you than with the others. ]

eunji was in tears by the time micha had finished and to the surprise of literally everyone who witnessed it, she gave eunji a hug. as in, heo micha, public enemy number one to all things affectionate and sweet, initiated a hug. it only made eunji start bawling even more, which made her cringe much to yuina’s delight, but she didn’t let go until she calmed down. and ahyeon made an offhand comment about them being like true sisters, and that’s where sisterz was born.

micha and eunji are my second favorite duo after yumi because their relationship is so sweet. it’s someone who has been in the industry since she was nine, who knows the ins and outs, rights and wrongs, looking out for someone venturing into uncharted territory for the first time. because the industry will descend onto you if you make even the slightest mistake breathing.

now micha can’t pretend she doesn’t have a heart anymore. she’s so fucking soft for this whole entire group even she pretends not to. we all cheered and cried until we passed out.

YUINA AND EUNJI

AKA — SANRIOZ

okay, this one is fairly easy to explain. so yuina and eunji went as my melody ( eunji ) and kuromi ( yuina ) for halloween in 2022, and it kind of skyrocketed from there. they have matching keychains, always match headbands at fansigns, and even got a shout-out from the official brand. sanrioz are another fan favorite because they’re kind of like yin and yang. they’re so different but they compliment each other so well.

eunji is introverted while yuina is extroverted, so yuina brings her out and helps her experience things she never would have thought she would have done, and eunji is a safe space for yuina to be herself. though not in the way ahyeon is for yuina. with eunji being the youngest, yuina has said she doesn’t like to worry her with too much especially since she has so much to catch up on, but that when she sees her by herself, she’ll just hangout with her in silence. she’s said that sharing the same space with her to even just nap for a few minutes while eunji plays on her switch are dear moments to her.

if you heard ugly sounds just now that was me crying.

now that you’ve been given a rundown on the different pairings, comment below which one you would get into a fight about with a thirty year old on twitter. someone tell them their kitchen is on fire and it’s not because they’re cooking. later, y’all.

—and quit bullying me in the community tag and fulfill your god given purpose of tagging me in yumi tweets. okay? okay. ciao.