#Teams Meeting Room Hardware

[engagisblog]

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[manyblinkinglights]

ugh my room looks nice when I remove the MULTIPLE LAUNDRY BASKETS OF CRAP from my bookshelves, leaving only books. However! That! Is my crap!

That is a significant capital investment IN CRAP. Old mic, controllers, flight sticks, spare keyboards, bags of pokemon figurines, batteries, stickers, post-its, CRAP. Blank CDs, ripped CDs. Stores of emulation in potential laid in by past mbl against future hardship. HDDs.

I still read and daydream, but I MAKE videogame( asset)s, these days, I don’t have the same endless well of need to play them. Plus old games aren’t that great anyways—I’m glad to HAVE played them and been shaped by them, but if I’m really in trouble someday I don’t need to be able to emulate a PS2. Indie games and phone games (VRChat itself will eventually even be a damn phone game)—I should probably shed a lot of this hardware.

The REAL thing that should be done is properly install all the software for emulation on my backup pc, get all my backup hdds in place, get it all working, and then discard the old stuff. But that’s so much. I use that neural architecture for Blender and Unity now, not other teams-of-people’s lifeworks.

Other people can archive the video games… I think I should discard my old hardware of just video games. I will always be able to turn to video games in better times but it’s not worth unusable stores of physical crap that I will have to leave behind if eg I become homeless, versus stolen comics and ebook library that just needs any screen. I don’t NEED this STUFF. I’m not into weird enough stuff to personally need to hold on to piles of it. I can MAKE my OWN stuff. Stuff is other people. Maybe the real stuff is the people we meet along the way

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

Telescope for NASA’s Roman Mission complete, delivered to Goddard

NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is one giant step closer to unlocking the mysteries of the universe. The mission has now received its final major delivery: the Optical Telescope Assembly, which includes a 7.9-foot (2.4-meter) primary mirror, nine additional mirrors, and supporting structures and electronics. The assembly was delivered Nov. 7. to the largest clean room at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, where the observatory is being built.

The telescope will focus cosmic light and send it to Roman’s instruments, revealing many billions of objects strewn throughout space and time. Using the mission’s Wide Field Instrument, a 300-megapixel infrared camera, astronomers will survey the cosmos all the way from the outskirts of our solar system toward the edge of the observable universe. Scientists will use Roman’s Coronagraph Instrument to test new technologies for dimming host stars to image planets and dusty disks around them in far better detail than ever before.

“We have a top-notch telescope that’s well aligned and has great optical performance at the cold temperatures it will see in space,” said Bente Eegholm, optics lead for Roman’s Optical Telescope Assembly at NASA Goddard. “I am now looking forward to the next phase where the telescope and instruments will be put together to form the Roman observatory.”

Designed and built by L3Harris Technologies in Rochester, New York, the assembly incorporates key optics (including the primary mirror) that were made available to NASA by the National Reconnaissance Office. The team at L3Harris then reshaped the mirror and built upon the inherited hardware to ensure it would meet Roman’s specifications for expansive, sensitive infrared observations.

“The telescope will be the foundation of all of the science Roman will do, so its design and performance are among the largest factors in the mission’s survey capability,” said Josh Abel, lead Optical Telescope Assembly systems engineer at NASA Goddard.

The team at Goddard worked closely with L3Harris to ensure these stringent requirements were met and that the telescope assembly will integrate smoothly into the rest of the Roman observatory.

The assembly’s design and performance will largely determine the quality of the mission’s results, so the manufacturing and testing processes were extremely rigorous. Each optical component was tested individually prior to being assembled and assessed together earlier this year. The tests helped ensure that the alignment of the telescope’s mirrors will change as expected when the telescope reaches its operating temperature in space.

Then, the telescope was put through tests simulating the extreme shaking and intense sound waves associated with launch. Engineers also made sure that tiny components called actuators, which will adjust some of the mirrors in space, move as predicted. And the team measured gases released from the assembly as it transitioned from normal air pressure to a vacuum –– the same phenomenon that has led astronauts to report that space smells gunpowdery or metallic. If not carefully controlled, these gases could contaminate the telescope or instruments.

Finally, the telescope underwent a month-long thermal vacuum test to ensure it will withstand the temperature and pressure environment of space. The team closely monitored it during cold operating conditions to ensure the telescope’s temperature will remain constant to within a fraction of a degree. Holding the temperature constant allows the telescope to remain in stable focus, making Roman’s high-resolution images consistently sharp. Nearly 100 heaters on the telescope will help keep all parts of it at a very stable temperature.

“It is very difficult to design and build a system to hold temperatures to such a tight stability, and the telescope performed exceptionally,” said Christine Cottingham, thermal lead for Roman’s Optical Telescope Assembly at NASA Goddard.

Now that the assembly has arrived at Goddard, it will be installed onto Roman’s Instrument Carrier, a structure that will keep the telescope and Roman’s two instruments optically aligned. The assembly’s electronics box –– essentially the telescope’s brain –– will be mounted within the spacecraft along with Roman’s other electronics.

With this milestone, Roman remains on track for launch by May 2027.

“Congratulations to the team on this stellar accomplishment!” said J. Scott Smith, the assembly’s telescope manager at NASA Goddard. “The completion of the telescope marks the end of an epoch and incredible journey for this team, and yet only a chapter in building Roman. The team’s efforts have advanced technology and ignited the imaginations of those who dream of exploring the stars.”

TOP IMAGE: Upon arrival at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, the Optical Telescope Assembly for the agency's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope was lifted out of the shipping fixture and placed with other mission hardware in Goddard's largest clean room. Now, it will be installed onto Roman's Instrument Carrier, a structure that will keep the telescope and Roman's two instruments optically aligned. The assembly's electronics box –– essentially the telescope's brain –– will be mounted within the spacecraft along with Roman's other electronics. Credit NASA/Chris Gunn

CENTRE IMAGE: In this photo, optical engineer Bente Eegholm inspects the surface of the primary mirror for NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. This 7.9-foot (2.4-meter) mirror is a major component of the Optical Telescope Assembly, which also contains nine additional mirrors and supporting structures and electronics. Credit NASA/Chris Gunn

BOTTOM IMAGE: This photo shows the Optical Telescope Assembly for NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which was recently delivered to the largest clean room at the agency's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. Credit NASA/Chris Gunn

[starrspice]

Hi there

Hey hello everyone.

I have not been super active lately (I’ve been kinda busy and life’s been a little crazy) BUT

I won’t leave you entirely empty handed. You guys voted for an OC ramble so Here you go!!!!

Because OMG I’m feral and they’re all I think about! There’s a LOT of info because I love them, and want to ramble so if you’re interested there’s more below the cut

SO let’s start with the main 4 I’ve had in my brain since I was like. 15

Meet the U.F.O.S.

What’s U.F.O.S. Stand for? Universal Freelance Operation Specialists ofc. They’re mercenaries! Got a job you need done? They do it no matter what star system or how dirty the job!

The team themselves are considered high level fugitives by the intergalactic administration (but that doesn't stop them from causing more chaos) and without even knowing they actually kick started the rebellion against the administration! Some people call them heroes while others call them criminals.

As for the actual members of the team:

◇Zai is always looking to get into trouble. He's the wild of the group and despite his cheery demeanor he's actually quite unpredicatble. He was rescued from an underground intergalactic fighting ring (similar to underground dog fighting rings) and most of those violent tendencies carried on with him. He was also outfitted with painful upgrades and augmentations intended to improve his battle abilities. He often avoids physical contact with people he doesn't know well but is rather touchy feely with the rest of the crew (especially Ango who he loves to pester). He's still relatively fresh from the underground fighting scene and still battles with night terrors and violent tendencies as a result

♧Ango is a techy guy who's last nerve is hanging by a thread. He's the brains of the operation and honestly is tired of always being the smartest one in the room. Despite being great with tech he doesn't really know how to deal with emotions well. Growing up emotions were never really rewarded in his family so he struggles to embrace things that involve feelings. He's the straight man and tries to keep things on track even though he often gets carried away himself. Defensive, prideful, and grumpy He's the perfect target for Zai's incessant pestering. He isn't afraid to get his hands dirty and values hard work above all else.He's on the intergalactic administration's top 10 most wanted list due his dangerous skill with tech and a rumored hacking fiasco that caused an uproar in the administration. His body is soft and stretchy like an earth slug but minus the slime so he's able to slip through small spaces with ease.

♡Gidget is a care taker/ accompanying android originally built to guard and take care of a rich aristocrats daughter. She was intended to be upgraded to an older looking model when the girl she cared for grew too old for a doll like companion. Eventually taking on the role of a personal nanny/bodyguard.However, Under a new intergalactic ruling AI as advanced as hers were dubbed sentient and were no longer allowed to be used as free labor. Not wanting to have to pay Gidget (or treat her like a person) she was cast out with the trash. After a few years of scraping by and repairing herself with scraps and spare parts she was taken in by Captain Mars and repaired by Ango before joining the U.F.O.S. Despite her small and cute stature she is actually equipped with borderline illegal high grade defense weaponry and combat programs and acts as the muscle of the group! Her toy like design makes most people mistake her for a child companion bot to which she angrily corrects that she is an unowned sentient AI. She struggles a lot with her self image, solely due to the fact her hardware doesnt match her software. Forever stuck looking like a child's toy and underestimated. Eventually in a failed mission Gidget gets damaged beyond repair. Luckily Ango is able to save her personality and memory chips and transplants them into a new body made custom for her. The Team missed her terribly for the few months it took to rebuild her.

♤A notorious Phantom thief and criminal Mastermind, Mars has been avoiding capture for years and has become a master at all kinds of things. She's bold, head strong, confident, and a jack of all trades. She's the one who formed the U.F.O.S. and is the heart of them all that keeps the team together and everything running like a well oiled machine She gets tired of Ango and Zai's antics (so she says) but adores her team. Their health, and happiness is her top priority. She considers the team to be her own family and treats them as such. With a powerful force of fire and dragon like features She's a force to be feared and a sight to behold. Her only known injury being the scar over her left eye and her tattered left ear. It's this very same scar that left her having a hard time trusting others, being very selective about who she lets close to her. Her past before she broke out of prison and formed the U.F.O.S. is shrouded in mystery. All anyone really knows is that she has a sister back on her home planet and that they don't get along well.

I've had the idea for the U.F.O.S. Webcomic for forever but i always had trouble nailing down a few plot points. The one thing thats never changed is the bond of the team being the main focus of the whole thing. A group of misfits who fit together, and who care about eachother more than anything else in the universe.

NEXT UP

Cybil and Sophie!!!!

☆Cybil Calaway

Cybil is a Half Siren, and lead singer and guitarist to a garage band in her home town (Here in the reference sheet provided she's 19). Unlike Sophie who attends the local private academy, Cybil attends the local highschool and has a reputation akin to the cliche "Bad girl" But the truth of the matter is Cybil is unapologetically herself, which a lot of locals consider to be rude or brash. She's a little blunt and sarcastic but has a big heart and cares deeply for those close to her. She's extremely passionate about music and writes all the song her band preforms. And despite her punk rock appearance, she's actually quite kind and often helps the members of her community wherever she can! She also helps her older siblings and her father at his grocery store.She has a total of 7 siblings, 2 of which have already moved out for college. One of her siblings is her twin sister Pheobe, who tragically dies in a car accident when they were 26. Cybil and Sophie broke up when they moved to different parts of the country but Cybil often remembers Sophie as one of her first great loves and the one that got away. After getting a degree in Musical composition Cybil wound up becoming the manager of her younger sister Aubrey's pop rock band and lead the band to great success! She and Aubrey both took a couple of years off from touring with the band to grieve Pheobe (and for Cybil to adjust to now taking care of Pheobe's daughter, Allison)

♡Sophie Delavigne is A rich werewolf girl who's a bit of a goody two shoes (She's 18 in the reference sheet).Except when she's with Cybil.

Despite being the poster child for a perfect, preppy, rich daughter, Sophie actually struggles a lot with identity issues. Having done whatever her family wanted of her growing up, now in her senior year of highschool she's in a panic trying to figure out who she is and what she wants to pursue in college. Upon meeting Cybil she slowly begins to find herself and enjoys the person she is when they're together. With Cybil's help Sophie realizes she wants to become a writer and possibly run her own publishing company!

Sophie has always had a friendly rivalry with her older sister Solene, and during their college years they competed to try and be named the next head of the family. Somewhere along the line Sophie gave up the competition to instead focus on her studies and personal goals, which is what lead to her sister taking over her father's company. After college Sophie slowly worked her way up the ladder. She was extremely upset when her father bought out the company she worked for (and she believes any future promotions will be her father's doing).

In my original idea for the webcomic they met in their senior year in highschool only to break up when they move to different colleges and then reconnect about 9 years later

And there you have it there's my oc info ramble for you

Feel free to ask me ANY questions im more than happy to ramble about them any time!! These are my main ocs but ive got plenty more

[neurunique]

Ramattra Fanfiction WIP sample

3rd person, story centres around Ramattra interacting with certain Overwatch team members, especially Mercy

I wrote this ages ago but figured I'd post some of it and maybe that will lead me to get the ball rolling and write more...

This story is set before the recall, and takes place instead of Ramattra forming Null sector, as if he stops in between to contact Overwatch for help instead of jumping right into the formation of the organisation.

He may still form null sector afterwards. The plans he has are probably still at the forefront of his mind. 

However, for the purposes of this story, you don’t know that.

There will more than likely be lore loopholes or things overlooked.

For example, Ramattra’s nemesis form exists, but is still a work in progress. He attacks with his staff (void orb) primarily, and has all the kit he does in Overwatch the game, as does Mercy, Genji, etc.

They are located in Gibraltar,

Story will aim to be present tense, apologies if I slip up at some moments.

In addition, the first part I initially wrote was in 2nd-person (Mercy’s pov) so while I edit this it might slip up too. Sorry!~

Enjoy my story, I have barely seen this ship in writing so I’m quite excited to contribute, I certainly have many other ideas for them meeting, interacting, engaging. 

<3 Petal

“You.”

His voice echoed with a low tone across the empty training room. Angela stood a reasonable distance from him, as she always did in battles and meetings. 

She still didn’t know him all that well. All she knew was that he was an Omnic, and quite a unique one at that. 

Even his voice had such a unique layer to it, unlike other omnics she’d met in the past, and she’d met many aswell as helped them in her time as a medic. It was… inviting, but simultaneously it held a clear message: do not get too close to me, human. Stay in your lane.

Mercy looked up, and while he didn’t frighten her, Ramattra always gave her a little jump whenever he made ‘eye contact’ with her or approached her. Luckily, it was rare; the most she saw of him was his back, during missions while assisting him and her other team mates.

Though, she always preferred to help him over the others, and she couldn’t quite explain why.

She swallows and awaits his next words; would it be approval…? Dismissal? Criticism? If so, hopefully constructive; Ramattra had never given her feedback before, positive or negative.

He takes two step forward and raises his head at her. “...were great out there today. Thank you for keeping me alive, and at high strength.”

Mercy breathes, a sigh of relief aswell as a release of tension she hadn’t even known was building up. She smiles, nothing more, to express her thanks. After all, Ramattra was always one of few words, she didn’t expect anything further to come of it…

“There are, however, some things I wish to improve,” he adds, “I understand you have significantly enhanced hardware to help you ‘fly’, however I notice you often… not utilising it. You often perch yourself close to me, behind cover, instead.”

“...which is fine… but you do have other people to help, you know.”

Mercy blushed, entering that same brain-zone she does when she finds herself doing exactly what he described; now that it had hit her outside of battle, she knew what it was that compelled her to behave this way. 

Not that she planned on sharing it.

Ramattra chuckles, “is there perhaps a reason for this behaviour? You appear to be at the same physical status this very minute as when it occurs.”

What the…

Almost tauntingly, Ramattra steps forward yet again, mere inches from her.

Mercy quickly scans around her to see who was nearby; everyone had already left from the meeting post-battle, as she thought.

Her heart races at the sight of him so close, so much taller than her; the front of him was a lot nicer than the back, a lot more detailed in her opinion, a lot more beautiful. She admired many designs, she’d worked on some herself over the years. Ramattra’s was definitely one of her favourites so far.

“You’re asking me why I get distracted, is that correct?” Mercy asks, a lot clearer than Ramattra had expected; perhaps he had been wrong about her enhanced state, perhaps she was just bored during the fights, and he had overestimated his supposed effect on her.

“Yes, I guess I am, respectfully of course.” Ramattra stayed firm, and held a peaceful tone while speaking to her. Though, he felt a slight twang of fear, that he may have misspoke, may have misinterpreted…

Mercy laughs lightly. She knew just how she’d throw him off. “Well, if you must know, I find you to be intriguing. No one else quite like you has joined Overwatch before. It’s refreshing, and it’s a challenge to keep you at peak performance.”

He nods, anticipating more from her.

“As for the distraction… well, I could be helping the others more, but the truth is none of them can protect me like you can.”

Ramattra says nothing, but he feels as if more explanation is required. Humans, human women, something he truly knew less than he thought about.

“I stick to you more, because if something were to happen, I would feel safest relying on you to step in and help me. And, I get the most output by helping you. Your equipment, shall I say, is quite …” She swallows, nervously. The truth was, Ramattra always scared her a little, the mere fact that she didn’t truly know his allegiances, his intentions; he could swap and hurt her at any point, and she knew that if he decided to, she wouldn’t last more than a second against him.

“It’s… a lot more lethal than most of the others here.” 

As well as that, I think of how you’d feel closer to me, how your body would feel against mine, how your body would react to touches in different places–

Of course, that would never be said. And she hoped he would never know. She’d felt like this before, about Genji, a long time ago now; she knew something like this couldn’t eventuate, for many reasons…

“It’s good to know someone here is reliable. I truly thank you for your consistent hard work, Angela. You are good at what you do. I am flattered…”

Mercy’s body tenses, hoping the flattery he refers to is nothing more than to his strength and protective potential. But the way he says it, it’s almost as if he’s expecting her to reveal more; or as if he already knew in the first place…

“... to be your first preference.”

He breaks the gaze between them and reads out the time. “Well, you might be my strongest teammate, and I’d enjoy speaking further, but you do need to sleep. I should get going.”

With a slight panic, before he’s even walked off, Angela spits out; “wait–! I…”

Raising his head to mimic an eyebrow raised, Ramattra waits patiently…

“I– I don’t really, I mean…” She clears her throat, and giggles softly. A sound that strikes him more than it should, “I don’t often sleep, but please don’t tell anyone. After all the experimenting I’ve done, I’ve acquired quite a schedule, with my medical progress seeming to lighten my demand for sleep. And if I do need sleep, I usually drink coffee..."

She sighs, worried she’s talked for too long already. The truth was probably more that Ramattra had better things to do.

“I’m just saying, I’ve got more time than you think. So if there’s anything you need, or-or want- I’m available.” *** I've written more afterwards, like them going on a date... but I plan to write a scene where they talk in her office and speak of her technologies etc... Originally it was going to be 2nd person with reader being mercy BUT it makes more sense to be 3rd person...

Anyway, I guess I'm posting this to gage if anyone actually likes this, maybe I can continue it or even in comic format ;w;

I imagine a lot of interactions between him and other overwatch heroes too. Aswell as interactions if/when he still forms null sector later on...

Thank you for reading ^w^

[tobiasdrake]

Episode 27 - The Day of Sagittarius

Oh hey, it's my star sign. That's neat. I'm sure only good things will happen here.

I have no idea what's going on (dream probably) but I am here for it. Confirming once and for all the previous implication that Haruhi is a sci-fi nerd.

*spit take* HAHAHA WHAT

We're at war with the Computer Club!?

When? XD When will Haruhi's antagonism of the poor, traumatized Computer Club prez end? She blackmailed him into giving her a computer, conjured an interdimensional space cricket to eat his brain, and now her fleet is going to obliterate his fleet for no clear reason.

Also one of her flunkies invented a fake girlfriend for him who he never even got to meet.

When will we stop torturing this poor boy who just wanted to do nerd shit in his nerd room? XD

Oh, he picked this fight.

Never mind. Let's fuck his shit up. Teach you to stand up to your bully, nerd boy. What good can possibly come from further exposing yourself to Haruhi?

I love how the game is "an original we developed" but there's a 3 in it.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

NERD BOY'S SHIT HAS BEEN FUCKED

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

WHAT DID I TELL YOU? FURTHER EXPOSURE TO HARUHI IS HOW YOU GET JUMP KICKED IN THE HEAD!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Just take the L and go, man. Your pride is not worth this.

Oh shit yes. Computers for everyone? Let's fuck him up hard.

That'd be a computer for Mikuru, one for Kyon, one for Itsuki, and a second computer for Haruhi because Yuki won't use hers anyway!

I love that Yuki is completely fucking hopeless at using a computer manually because she's never had to do that before in her life. Just because she's a robot, that doesn't mean she understands contemporary hardware.

But it does grant her a benefit to learning quickly.

I love their fleets. Haruhi imagines a wide variety of different aliens serving under her. Mikuru imagines she leads a cluster of adorable kitties. Yuki imagines identical Yuki drones serving as extensions of her. And Kyon imagines nothing because he has no imagination.

Oh, those fucking nerds are cheating. I'm glad Haruhi kicked Prez in the head.

Good thing we have a robot on our team!

We would be so lost without Yuki. She's the only member of this group that has her shit together. I'm glad she came with the room.

Imagine if we'd picked a different room and got a houseplant. Do you think a houseplant could beat the Computer Club's cheating? The answer is yes, probably, because Haruhi would make it so. But still.

I think she should kick him in the head again.

Haruhi demonstrating her character growth from the meltdown fight again. She's still possessive as a kneejerk reaction, but when Yuki indicates she'd actually be willing to participate in Compouter Club, Haruhi backs off.

Though she also annexes the Computer Club in the process. This wasn't part of the deal and only came up right this second, so I'm pretty sure this is how Haruhi's rationalizing backing off and letting Yuki participate in their activities.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Red Team Blues Chapter One, part four

My next novel, Red Team Blues, is nearly here! I start my tour on Saturday, with two appearances at the LA Times Festival of Books:

https://events.latimes.com/festivalofbooks/schedule/

If you’d like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here’s a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/20/links-arent-performances/#henched

To kick things off, I’m serializing chapter one, where we meet Marty Hench, a 67-year-old, hard-charging forensic accountant with 40 years’ experience busting Silicon Valley’s most eye-watering scams, and learn about his last case — recovering a billion dollars’ worth of cryptographic secrets.

Here’s the previous installments:

Part one:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/17/have-you-tried-not-spying/#unsalted-hash

Part two:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/18/cursed-are-the-sausagemakers/#henched

Part three:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/19/whats-wrong-with-iowa/#henched

Here’s where US readers can pre-order the book:

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250865847/red-team-blues

Here’s pre-orders for Canadians:

https://services.raincoast.com/scripts/b2b.wsc/featured?hh_isbn=9781250865847&ht_orig_from=raincoast

And for readers in the UK and the rest of the Commonwealth:

https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/red-team-blues-cory-doctorow/7225998?ean=9781804547755

And now, here’s today’s serial installment:

We built the system to be secure. You know me, I’m a paranoid old creep with a dirty mind, so everything I did, I did right. The keys were on an air gap system. I bought that system myself off a pile of boxed HP laptops at Fry’s just a couple of weeks before they closed their doors for good.”

“Rest in peace.”

“It was time. But back when you could go into Fry’s, you could pick up a laptop sealed in shrink-­w rap, carry it yourself to the cashier, pay cash for it, and walk out, stopping only to show your receipt to the poor door-­checker. Then you could take it to the data center, badge into the clean room, lay out your workbench, unscrew that sucker, and remove every single network interface with a pair of pliers, not just snipping the traces but ripping them right off the board.”

“Lucky you didn’t snap the board.”

He grimaced. “I did. I bought three of them so I could take a mulligan or two if I needed it. I only needed one spare, as it turned out. Then it went into a safe, a good safe, rated for three hours. There’s a watchman who makes physical rounds of every safe room, every two hours. And I locked up the BIOS with a hardware token. Steal that laptop, you’d still need my token.”

“And yet . . .”

“You know how they say anyone can design a security system that he himself can’t figure out how to break?”

“Schneier’s law.”

“Schneier’s law. Yeah. Someone smarter than I am figured it out.”

“The watchman?”

“No, though he might have been in on it. They fired him. The safe was opened, the laptop was gone.”

“And the hardware token?”

“You’ll love this.”

“I can’t wait.”

He tugged his forelock and adopted a broad Cockney accent that would have embarrassed Dick van Dyke. “Guv’nah, I was pickpocketed, so I was.”

“I don’t believe it. Pickpocketing is supposed to be a dead art. Who was working the scam, Apollo Robbins?”

He shrugged. “I don’t reckon so. But yeah, there’s plenty of Vegas acts that do pickpocketing stuff, and there’s a pretty big YouTube competitive pickpocket scene with tutorials. Plus, there’s the European talent, a lot of it, never really died out there. Covent Garden is like a plague reservoir for the pathogen, and you get an outbreak every year or two.”

“You had the hardware token on your key ring?”

“That day, I did. I’d been in the data center. Then we went to dinner. Hydra. The prix fixe. The chef’s table is nice, but the taster menu gets you the octopodi. Someone bumped me between the data center and my front door.”

“Oof,” I said. “Did you have to ring the downstairs neighbor’s doorbell and climb out on their balcony?”

“Don’t be stupid,” he said. “In the first place, Sethu has her own keys. In the second place, the outside doors here are locked and armed when we’re AFK.”

I’d noticed the locks on the outside doors, and the break sensors, and the cameras — ­both the covert and overt ones. There were probably some I’d missed. I wouldn’t put it past Danny to have a lidar rig in the shrubs, something to help the system distinguish between cat burglars and house cats.

“The watchman from the data center,” I said. “That’s your guy. Probably not the mastermind, but he’ll be the key to it all.”

“Looks like they socially engineered him. Matched him on Tinder, messaged him, Oh, is that where you work? I’m just around the corner — ­want to meet me for a quick boba tea?”

“Catfished. Honey trap.”

He sighed. “Yeah. It was a good one.”

“You reported the theft?”

“The insurance company will pay for a new laptop, which, frankly, I don’t need, because I already have the spare I bought when I was going through the whole rigamarole to set up the air gap. But that’s not the valuable part.”

“No, it isn’t. How about the keys?”

“Yeah, how about them?”

“First, have you warned your source that you lost them, so they can tell Apple and Samsung and all the other manufacturers that rely on those secure enclave chips? And second, have you warned your users that their money isn’t safe?”

He looked over at Sethu, at Palo Alto, at his lemonade glass, and at the clouds in the sky. Long looks. The silence spoke volumes.

“How much money is the Trustlesscoin ledger worth, Danny?”

He looked me dead in the eye now. “About a billion.”

We’d already been talking about trillions, so I shouldn’t have been shocked. But tech founders are always throwing around big numbers, and I’ve developed the mental habit of knocking a few zeroes off any claims about “total addressable markets.”

Trustlesscoin was the new crypto on the block. My unconscious estimate of its value was in the low tens of millions, which is also a big number, but not a billion.

“A billion here, a billion there — ­”

He cut me off. “Pretty soon, it starts to add up to real money. Yeah, I know, Marty. Don’t joke, you’re not good at it.”

“When did you lose the keys?”

He checked his watch — ­a mechanical one, not ostentatious, an old wartime Rolex, from when men’s Oysters were the size of a nickel, not these giant tourbillon monstrosities that cost a million bucks and looked like a poor man’s idea of a rich man’s watch. “Seventy-­four hours and thirty minutes ago.”

“Give or take.”

“You’re not good at comedy, Marty. We’ve established that.”

“What fallout has there been?”

“Not much,” he said. “In fact, maybe none. We have a pretty good statistical picture of what normal Trustless transaction activity looks like, and nothing has rung the alarm bells yet.”

“Yet. But maybe not ever. Maybe they can’t figure out how to exploit what they got.”

“Or maybe they’re biding their time. Or running an old-­ school salami-­slice grift, shaving a lot of pennies, getting ready to cash out.”

“Can you block that? They have to convert Trustlesscoins into fiat to get away with it, right?”

“They do, but we can’t stop them. We’re on every major exchange, not just to other tokens but also a bunch of different kinds of fiat and stablecoins. How do you think we got to a billion dollars so quickly? Trustless is both highly liquid and highly efficient. That’s why it’s the future of finance.”

“And money laundering.”

For a second, I thought he was going to throw his lemonade glass, dash it to the cool flagstones of his roof garden. He took a deep breath and then another and then set the glass down. “And money laundering. Marty, stop fucking with me. I am keenly aware that there are money launderers using my service. That has been apparent since the start. Some of these money launderers are very far away and would struggle to reach me if my technology did something to upset them. Some of them are closer.”

He shook his head violently. “Marty, I am shitting bricks here. There’s another shoe getting ready to drop, and when it does, I’m going to go down with it. Hard. I’m not just talking about losing my reputation and my fortune, I’m not just talking about ruining the life of that woman over there who dragged me back from the brink. I’m talking about being targeted for physical violence by unreasonable, sadistic, powerful criminal men who amassed their fortunes by spilling an ocean of blood and who cannot be placated. Nor can they be fended off, not unless I want to live my life inside a bunker.

“I don’t know who stole those keys, Marty. I shouldn’t have had them in the first place. I am now in a position where everything I hold dear is on the line, and so I called you. You and I go way back, you’re my friend and I trust you, but I didn’t call you because I wanted to cry on your shoulder.”

“You called me because you think I can get the keys back.”

“Bullshit. I called you because I’m desperate. I don’t think anyone can get those keys back. I think that inside of a month, everything I care about will be in ruins. Major technology platforms that depend on secure enclaves for things way beyond Trustlesscoin will be exposed because of my recklessness, and they will be fucked. Secure enclaves are designed to be tamper-­ proof. You try to take one off a board the way I did with those air gap laptops’ network interfaces and you render them permanently inoperable. They can’t be field updated. They have no flashable BIOS. A vulnerability in a secure enclave is permanent.

“But the trillions of dollars in damage that I will do to the largest tech companies in the world will not worry me, because I will either be on the run or dead. Not a good death, either, Marty.

“So I called you because before that happens, I plan on exhausting every avenue of mitigation available to me.”

“If I recover them?”

He snorted. “You do that, you might save my life and rescue a third of the top performers on the S&P 500 from their worst earnings call since the Great Financial Crisis.”

Today (Apr 21), I’m speaking in Chicago at the Stigler Center’s Antitrust and Competition Conference. This weekend (Apr 22/23), I’m at the LA Times Festival of Books.

[Image ID: A squared-off version of Will Staehle's cover for the Macmillan edition of 'Red Team Blues.']

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[disredspectful]

heya! I was scrolling through the tags on that ask-culture post and saw yours, and just wanted to stop by to say that that's really cool!! I was enamoured with the idea of the large hadron collider when I was a kid-- what was it like working there (if you're allowed to say)? do you have any interesting stories from those days? and were any of you amused at the rumors going around back then, that "when they turn on the LHC the world will totally end!1!!"?

(my own "funny" anecdote: I remember playing Zelda: Twilight Princess and eating a cheese sandwich that day, patiently waiting for the sky to light up or some black hole to appear, even though I knew it was fearmongering newspaper bullshit lmao... just the awe at the thought that we had a construct so powerful to smash atoms like that was rocking my world, I was so excited to see what things we would discover from it!)

Hi anon, thanks for asking!

The experience of working at the LHC will probably change a lot depending on when you are there and what you work on. I've met a few people who work on "beams", which is all about the low energy proton systems that get things started and the focusing magnets and stuff, but most people I know are on one of the four big LHC experiments: ATLAS, LHCb, CMS, and ALICE. So there's always people who do almost purely data analysis, but I think it's fun to talk about the hardware of the detectors themselves and what it feels like to work on them.

People who work on ATLAS probably have the most boring experience. Not that their detector isn't cool (it's very very cool), but ATLAS is located at the main CERN campus, so I don't think there's really much of an "ATLAS control room culture" different from the general CERN campus culture. Noone has to bike between CERN and the control room, or take the shift bus at 6am (all the bus drivers have fantastic music taste btw). They can go to the main cafeteria. Being "on a detector shift" just sort of has less of a vibe for them.

I'm going to talk about the LHCb detector because I'm fairly familiar with it and they just rebuilt the WHOLE thing in 2019-2023. So it's like they're back in 2009 again really. LHCb is about a half hour bike ride from main CERN, tucked in between the back fence of Geneva airport and a McDonald's (I like to joke that the detector is under the McDonald's but it's not). So when you're on site at LHCb, you have to hang out with other people from LHCb! And during the rebuilding period, you also get to meet a lot of the technicians. Not everyone who works on the LHC is a physicist, on the detector side we do also have some awesome people who help us put the damn thing together (electrical engineers and former mechanics). There's a lot of gruntwork to be done to put a detector together, and for me it involved cleaning and plugging in a whole lot of optical fibre connectors (to the sound of the disco radio station). There was this one spot on the stairs to the scaffold we called the "helmet check": there was a pole sticking out and people usually duck enough to miss it with their head, but still hit the helmet. Working on scaffold 3m up in the air to reach the top of the detector parts is cool.

The detector pieces are mostly assembled above ground and then moved downstairs when they're complete. To be clear, "downstairs" here is 100m underground by elevator. There's a big cylindrical hole on site ("the pit") where detector components can be lowered in by crane. I just think that's pretty cool!

Anyway if you're friends with the detector teams, you get to hear a lot of the "real facts" early and without politics. Sometimes you try not to admit the detector is behind schedule on construction until after someone else has already admitted to needing a delay. Sometimes everyone can tell that a deadline is going to be missed but you can't announce that too early just in case your estimate of how much you'll miss the deadline by is too far off. Sometimes you hear that something is broken a few days before it's officially announced. Sometimes you hear that another detector asked for a beam stop and it was to try to get a bird out of their detector cavern (I don't think they ever found the bird). I know in the early years there was a months long repair shutdown caused by a pine marten chewing through an important power cable. LHCb has a local cat that drops by to visit and people put photos of it on twitter.

I wasn't on the project early enough for the first turn on, but I was really glad to be around for this upgrade period. Seeing the detector up close really gives you a sense of the scale (huge), and working on the details really lets you know how much time and care and effort goes into it. And that's without even discussing the software and computing stuff! Huge project for humanity overall, such a privilege to be there myself for a little bit of it and have put my hands on it (while appropriately electrically grounded of course).

The whole thing was a pretty unique life experience. Long and busy days at the detector, but cool, and having lunch (or on site BBQ) with my colleagues was always great. I think I'll always miss it, but I don't regret changing jobs to have a better work life balance.

Don't know if that was what you were hoping to learn, this was kind of a hardware and lifestyle based ramble. Feel free to ask follow up questions or ask more about the science/data analysis side, there's lots of stories there too!

(And if you're in Geneva over winter, try to get yourself on a tour of one of the detectors! You can't go in the other months when the beam is on, winter is guaranteed Tour Time but there is sometimes a week or so in summer.)

[purplesimmer455]

Cam then met Piper’s moms, and baby cousin Emily. She already met Hamuera at the party, and he shyly said hi to her before heading off to his room. Emily, who was usually loud and goofy, was unusually quiet. Piper glanced at her, and noticed that she blushed as Cam said that Piper had told her about how Emily played soccer, and that Cam used to play as well. Piper smiled and thought it was kind of cute that Emily had a crush, and decided to tease her about it later.

In Emily’s mind, she just felt weird as heck. As soon as Piper and Cam had walked in and Cam said hi to her, Emily felt like her face was turning red and her heart was beating faster and her hands were getting clammy. She wondered if it was some kind of bug, like the cold that was going around in her class three weeks ago. She hoped not, since she wanted to be able to play with her soccer team and all.

While Emily then started talking with Piper, Chrissy turned to Cam. “So, what do your parents do, Cam?” She asked. “Well, my dad is a writer by day and fancy cook in our house by night.” Cam added, smiling. “And my mom owns a hardware store in Copperdale. She also helps build sets for the local theater and she has her degree in engineering so she does odd jobs or consulting.” She said. “Okay, that’s pretty cool.” Chrissy said, smiling. “What about you?” She asked. “Currently, I’m in the chess club at Copperdale, and I help my mom in the store sometimes, plus she taught me how to build and fix stuff so anytime one of our relatives have an issue, my mom tells them to let me check it out as if I’m a pro, but honestly all I do is turn stuff on or off, or use my tools to fix some random thing.” Chrissy laughed. “Plus.” Cam added. “My dad and I take woodshop classes some saturdays at the rec center, and I built a wonky but useable chair.” Chrissy grinned. “If you’re trying to impress me, it’s working.” She joked. Cam laughed too. “I am, honestly, Mrs. Hecking-Feldman.” She said. “You can call me Chrissy.” Chrissy said. “And I understand, when I started dating Piper’s mom Luna, I was so nervous to impress her moms, and I’ve known them since I was a toddler.” She added convivially. “But anyway, it’s really great to meet you, Cam. I can see why Piper talks about you so much.”

Piper overheard this and said, “Mama, honestly.” And blushed. “What does she say about me?” Cam asked, giving Piper a mischievous smile. “There’s so much.” Chrissy said as Piper covered her face with her hands. “But one time, I took Piper shopping and as soon as she saw a 90s style black t shirt, she sighed and said, ‘This is just like something Cam would wear.’ And had such a moon eyed expression. She really likes you.” Piper groaned as Cam laughed and her mama grinned. Cam felt kind of bad that Piper had to be embarrassed alone, so she added. “Well, my mom and dad keep saying that I talk about Piper a lot too.” Piper grinned at her this time. “Anything specific?” She asked teasingly. "No, but according to them I keep bringing you up. Like Piper said or did this, and when my sister Cecilia talked about San Myshuno U, I brought up that you take art classes there." She said. Piper smiled at this.

[learningnewways]

Second Day

After a busy first day meeting the team, we had a much shorter day today, visiting a local church and a family from that church who live in a slum.

There are 11 people living in their tiny house, which is essentially a shack. The house would probably be around 15m2, all one open room with bedding, clothing and cooking equipment altogether. Children sleep on the floorboards or under the house on hammocks, as the house is built on poles since it floods in the rainy season. They share a toilet with many other families, so around 50-70 people. People “shower” with no privacy, it really is communal living. It was humbling to be invited into their home and to see how they live. It felt like I was in the movie Slumdog Millionare, but Cambodian version, sitting in their tiny shack with a tin roof and a communal toilet.

It’s interesting to be back in a third world country, walking through slums and meeting locals. It’s hard to see how they live, knowing there’s not going to be change anytime soon. Children sleeping altogether on mouldy floorboards next to rubbish and mud, very vulnerable to sickness and exploitation. It’s also hard to know what to do to help, to provide support that is actually helpful and going to change lives positively. Giving handouts is seldom a good thing and given that we’re here so short term, quality relational work is also a bit difficult. Luckily, Q used to be a builder, so he is proving to be very helpful over here. The team knew Q’s skill set, and knew this family’s home, or shack as we would call it, needs some work, so we’ve organised for him to help out.

While we were visiting with them, looking at what needed to be done and hearing about their family, they asked us to pray for them. I honestly didn’t know what to say, and just looked over at Q giving him the, “this ones all yours” look! The family are Christians too and when you see the way they live, their circumstances and how despite all of that, they are faithful to God, it makes you feel pretty stink about your own faith or lack there of. When they asked us to pray for them, you could tell they were so excited to have white people praying for them. Even though they spoke no English so couldn’t understand our prayers. It felt weird to be seen as somehow more spiritual or qualified to pray for them than others, as we are no better than them. Perhaps it was simply that people saw them as people worth caring about that made them happy? They said they had been praying for help with their house and that we were an answer to prayer. Wow. That was incredible.

The temperature over here is around 35-40 most days, so their little house was very hot, even with the fan on. Only around 20% of homes in the villages have aircon or refrigeration of any sort, and power itself is super expensive. In both homes we visited, they turned on the fan only once we arrived. Most houses we’ve seen have connection to power or solar panels for charging phones and operating fans. It’s so interesting that everyone has cellphones and dresses so nicely, yet live in such hard conditions. It was the same in The Gambia. You’d never know their living conditions based on their appearance. When they’re in the slums and villages it does look like it, but when they go out, they put on their best clothes and look just like everyone else. I was even surprised by S’s standard of living, because when we first met he had such a nice backpack and what looked to be a brand new shirt, it was so clean and tidy.

After our visit to the family, we went to a hardware store to source building materials so Q can fix their flooring, as it is rotting and uneven. Q is very happy to have a practical way of helping out here. Not sure how helpful I’ll be with the project... I guess I can measure things... I’m surprised by the lack of English spoken here too, with only around 20% of the population speaking English. In The Gambia, almost everyone knows English, especially the younger generation. But over here you have to pay more to go to an English speaking school. To find such a highly tourism reliant city where the next generation don’t speak great English is fascinating.

It was a short day but still an important one. I always really appreciate visiting locals and seeing how they live. It reminds me of the excess I have and how much further our money goes over here. I know that going into locals homes is rare, that most Westerners and tourists don’t get that opportunity to see the reality of life. We are looking forward to getting stuck into this project, although the heat will be a big challenge!

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The design phase is where the magic begins, as Kitchen Mart's team of skilled designers works closely with clients to understand their vision and preferences. They translate these insights into a cohesive design that not only looks stunning but also enhances the room's functionality. By integrating custom cabinetry with other design elements, Kitchen Mart ensures that every inch of space is utilized efficiently, resulting in a more organized and clutter-free kitchen or bathroom. This attention to detail and commitment to excellence have made Kitchen Mart a go-to destination for homeowners seeking bespoke cabinetry solutions.

Custom Cabinetry Options: Tailoring to Your Needs

Custom cabinetry is an art form that requires precision, creativity, and a deep understanding of the client's vision. Kitchen Mart excels in this domain by offering a wide array of options that cater to diverse tastes and preferences. From selecting the perfect cabinet door style to choosing the ideal finish and hardware, every detail is meticulously considered to ensure that the final product is both beautiful and functional. Their custom cabinets can be crafted in various styles, including face frame, frameless, or inset, and are made from superior materials such as all-wood or plywood, providing a level of customization that pre-made cabinets cannot match.

The Manufacturing Process: Quality and Precision

Kitchen Mart's custom cabinets are crafted in their state-of-the-art facility, where precision and quality are paramount. This advanced facility allows them to build cabinets that are not only visually stunning but also durable and long-lasting. By controlling every aspect of the manufacturing process, Kitchen Mart ensures that every cabinet meets their exacting standards, guaranteeing a level of quality that surpasses mass-produced alternatives. Their commitment to using high-quality materials and craftsmanship results in cabinets that are built to last, providing homeowners with peace of mind and a beautiful kitchen or bathroom for years to come.

Installation and Project Management: Streamlining the Remodeling Process

Kitchen Mart understands that remodeling can be a daunting task, especially when dealing with multiple contractors and suppliers. To alleviate this stress, they offer a comprehensive service that encompasses everything from design to installation, including demolition, electrical work, and plumbing. By handling all aspects of the project in-house and hiring no subcontractors, Kitchen Mart ensures that the process is streamlined, efficient, and completed to the highest standards. This approach also allows for better project management, ensuring that timelines are met and budgets are respected. With a singular focus on customer satisfaction, Kitchen Mart provides homeowners with peace of mind throughout the remodeling journey.

Customer Satisfaction and Testimonials

Kitchen Mart's success is reflected in the numerous testimonials from satisfied clients who have experienced their exceptional service firsthand. Clients appreciate the professionalism, efficiency, and personal touch that Kitchen Mart brings to every project. Whether it's a major kitchen overhaul or a minor update, the feedback consistently highlights the company's ability to deliver results that exceed expectations. This level of satisfaction is further underscored by the fact that 75% of Kitchen Mart's business comes from repeat customers or referrals from friends and family, a testament to their commitment to building lasting relationships with their clients.

Looking to the Future

As Kitchen Mart continues to evolve and innovate, they remain committed to their core values of quality, customer service, and craftsmanship. With their extensive experience and expertise in Custom Cabinets Sacramento, they are well-positioned to meet the evolving needs of homeowners in the Sacramento area. Whether you're envisioning a modern kitchen with sleek lines or a traditional space with classic charm, Kitchen Mart is the partner you can trust to bring your vision to life. By combining cutting-edge design with timeless craftsmanship, they ensure that every kitchen they create is not just a functional space but a true reflection of the homeowner's personality and style.

[signaturetechnicalservices]

Kitchen Renovation in Dubai

Enrich Your Space Value With Our Smart Kitchen Renovations

Signature Technical Services is a specialist of Kitchen Renovation in Dubai and is offering amazing discounts on all exclusive remodeling services. We provide fast, efficient and cost-effective kitchen interior renovations, making them energy-efficient, comfortable and convenient to be around. With our services, you can increase the value of your kitchens and of course, whole interiors. Whether you need to change the look of a small kitchen or want a luxurious upgrade of a bigger interior, our services will provide you with your dream kitchen spaces in no time! Our fully customizable designs, prompt customer service, and stunning craftsmanship make us the ideal interior designers in Dubai for any kitchen. We pay attention to every detail specified so you end up with the kitchen you always wanted. Whether you’re looking for a complete kitchen renovation or just a minor update for better coziness and style, we specialize in turning rooms into customized sanctuaries. Handling flooring specialized woodworking, drapes, rugs, and all the extras, our exactness and creative touch bring about warm stunning spaces that go beyond what you hoped for and stand the test of time.

We Provide Low-Cost Office Renovations To Improve Building Evaluation

Make Your Kitchens Valuable With Our Kitchen Renovation Services

At Signature Technical Services, we offer a wide range of kitchen renovation services in Dubai including kitchen makeover, kitchen remodeling, kitchen cabinet installation, countertop installation, and more. We can also provide you with expert advice on kitchen design, material selection, and cost estimates. Our team of experienced professionals will be there to help you every step of the way, ensuring that your kitchen renovation project is completed on time and on budget. We understand that the cost of kitchen renovation in Dubai can be a major concern for many homeowners. That is why we are committed to offering you the best prices for all our services. We will work with you to create a customized kitchen renovation plan that meets your budget and fits your needs. We can also help you find the best deals on materials and furniture so you can get the best value for your money. For those who are looking for a complete kitchen makeover, Home Handle can provide you with a variety of options. We can help you select the perfect cabinets and countertops for your kitchen, as well as the right appliances that will help you maximize the space in your kitchen. We can also provide you with expert advice on the best materials and colors to use for your kitchen renovation project.

CALL AT: 971 56 105 4788

Types Of Kitchen We Offer

Small/Minor Kitchen Remodel

This includes wall painting, plumbing and electrical fixture replacement, floor covering, cabinet hardware & face frame updating & occasionally the addition of new appliances.

Midrange/Partial Interior Renovation

Within this servicing, you can get all major surfaces of your kitchen replaced, new flooring installations, new countertop installations, new sink, cabinetry and island additions (optional)

Major/Upscale Kitchen Remodel

This one is an extensive servicing which includes high-end floor plans, rearrangement of pipelines and wiring, luxurious finishes and surfaces, innovative appliances and customizations.

Renovation specialist

Explore Our All-inclusive Kitchen Renovation Services

We offer kitchen cabinet work (addition, resurfacing,wrapping, etc.), countertop work, floor treatments, paint jobs/wallpapering/wall paneling, window treatments, appliances, MEP (mechanical, electrical and plumbing) work, and all kinds of layout modifications. You can get both small changes and complete overhauls, depending on your needs and preferences.

In addition, you can also get custom modifications and styling services to make your kitchen depict your unique taste finely. Reach out today!