#WhatsApp chat tracking

[mercymaker]

also, i'm sorry if i'm a bit slow on the replies. yesterday was absolutely exhausting with all the funeral stuff and driving back and forth. and while i did sleep in today, i still feel quite tired, but i'm trying to get back on track

[adviceformefromme]

💖 PRE-NEW YEAR CLEARING OUT (4 WEEKS TILL 2025) [GLOW UP SERIES] 💖

If you’re serious about bringing in that radiant, expansive, abundant energy in 2025 then you need to get real serious about removing any old energy that doesn’t align with this. 

Starting with your phone. Delete old chats in WhatsApp, delete telephone numbers, clear out your social media. Your phone needs to be a reflection of your energy. Old notes that are keeping you hostage to the past remove them. Go through your apps, remove anything that is taking up space, remember the more space you create by removing in all aspects of your life, the more space you create to hold your deepest desires. But remember you need to remove the clutter first. 

Next up is your wardrobe. Those synthetic fabrics hold a very low frequency, linen on the other hand is the highest frequency fabric, so start clearing out those old items that don’t align, that don’t feel good on your skin. Personally I am moving away from loud obvious designer items and now prefer more classic and simple high quality. This is perfect time to get on eBay, Vinted, Depot and start selling. You want everything gone before the new year. So giving yourself a few weeks to declutter and donate those odd socks and clothes that are not a reflection of who you are becoming. 

Your makeup and toiletries. Those almost finished products need to be used up asap or thrown in the bin. Your cabinet will feel way more aesthetic with less clutter and more focused products that you actually use and love. I also recommend using Yuka app to scan your products to see the health rating. No more shampoos that damage our scalps, no more body wash that is trending but actually has harmful products. We are moving into our ethical era, being more loving to our bodies with the products we use, clearing out those toxins. 

Your kitchen. Your pantry. Again those ingredients that are old, almost finished, clear them out! Clear out your cupboards if you’re trying to eat healthy, donate the foods to a charity. Most supermarkets have a bin for un opened food that will go to those in need. Those tub ware with missing lids that are old, get rid of them, the chipped plates and cups. Let go. 

Your emotions. Any low negative emotions that are holding you hostage, now is the time to CLEAR. I highly, HIGHLY recommend working with an EFT tapping coach, in one session you can clear some old emotions. Recently I had been feeling very negative towards my brother, we have a complicated relationship but it was there in the background like poison, polluting my mind each day with resentment and anger. Yesterday I had a 1hr session over Zoom and I cleared all that energy!! The goal is to clear out all the debris before the new year. Invest in yourself, the cost of a tapping coach is cheaper than a meal out with friends, I found my coach on Fiverr (you can book from anywhere in the world). 

I hope these help to keep you on track. This is about becoming your highest expression. Showing up, living and breathing in the most elevated version of you. It requires releasing who you were, in order to be who you truly are! DOn’t sleep on these tips, the results will speak for themselves. 

[amalgamasreal]

Updated Personal Infosec Post

Been awhile since I've had one of these posts part deus: but I figure with all that's going on in the world it's time to make another one and get some stuff out there for people. A lot of the information I'm going to go over you can find here:

https://www.privacyguides.org/en/tools/

So if you'd like to just click the link and ignore the rest of the post that's fine, I strongly recommend checking out the Privacy Guides. Browsers: There's a number to go with but for this post going forward I'm going to recommend Firefox. I know that the Privacy Guides lists Brave and Safari as possible options but Brave is Chrome based now and Safari has ties to Apple. Mullvad is also an option but that's for your more experienced users so I'll leave that up to them to work out. Browser Extensions:

uBlock Origin: content blocker that blocks ads, trackers, and fingerprinting scripts. Notable for being the only ad blocker that still works on Youtube.

Privacy Badger: Content blocker that specifically blocks trackers and fingerprinting scripts. This one will catch things that uBlock doesn't catch but does not work for ads.

Facebook Container: "but I don't have facebook" you might say. Doesn't matter, Meta/Facebook still has trackers out there in EVERYTHING and this containerizes them off away from everything else.

Bitwarden: Password vaulting software, don't trust the password saving features of your browsers, this has multiple layers of security to prevent your passwords from being stolen.

ClearURLs: Allows you to copy and paste URL's without any trackers attached to them.

VPN: Note: VPN software doesn't make you anonymous, no matter what your favorite youtuber tells you, but it does make it harder for your data to be tracked and it makes it less open for whatever public network you're presently connected to.

Mozilla VPN: If you get the annual subscription it's ~$60/year and it comes with an extension that you can install into Firefox.

Mullvad VPN: Is a fast and inexpensive VPN with a serious focus on transparency and security. They have been in operation since 2009. Mullvad is based in Sweden and offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for payment methods that allow it.

Email Provider: Note: By now you've probably realized that Gmail, Outlook, and basically all of the major "free" e-mail service providers are scraping your e-mail data to use for ad data. There are more secure services that can get you away from that but if you'd like the same storage levels you have on Gmail/Ol utlook.com you'll need to pay.

Tuta: Secure, end-to-end encrypted, been around a very long time, and offers a free option up to 1gb.

Mailbox.org: Is an email service with a focus on being secure, ad-free, and privately powered by 100% eco-friendly energy. They have been in operation since 2014. Mailbox.org is based in Berlin, Germany. Accounts start with up to 2GB storage, which can be upgraded as needed.

Email Client:

Thunderbird: a free, open-source, cross-platform email, newsgroup, news feed, and chat (XMPP, IRC, Matrix) client developed by the Thunderbird community, and previously by the Mozilla Foundation.

FairMail (Android Only): minimal, open-source email app which uses open standards (IMAP, SMTP, OpenPGP), has several out of the box privacy features, and minimizes data and battery usage.

Cloud Storage:

Tresorit: Encrypted cloud storage owned by the national postal service of Switzerland. Received MULTIPLE awards for their security stats.

Peergos: decentralized and open-source, allows for you to set up your own cloud storage, but will require a certain level of expertise.

Microsoft Office Replacements:

LibreOffice: free and open-source, updates regularly, and has the majority of the same functions as base level Microsoft Office.

OnlyOffice: cloud-based, free

FreeOffice: Personal licenses are free, probably the closest to a fully office suite replacement.

Chat Clients: Note: As you've heard SMS and even WhatsApp and some other popular chat clients are basically open season right now. These are a couple of options to replace those. Note2: Signal has had some reports of security flaws, the service it was built on was originally built for the US Government, and it is based within the CONUS thus is susceptible to US subpoenas. Take that as you will.

Signal: Provides IM and calling securely and encrypted, has multiple layers of data hardening to prevent intrusion and exfil of data.

Molly (Android OS only): Alternative client to Signal. Routes communications through the TOR Network.

Briar: Encrypted IM client that connects to other clients through the TOR Network, can also chat via wifi or bluetooth.

SimpleX: Truly anonymous account creation, fully encrypted end to end, available for Android and iOS.

Now for the last bit, I know that the majority of people are on Windows or macOS, but if you can get on Linux I would strongly recommend it. pop_OS, Ubuntu, and Mint are super easy distros to use and install. They all have very easy to follow instructions on how to install them on your PC and if you'd like to just test them out all you need is a thumb drive to boot off of to run in demo mode. For more secure distributions for the more advanced users the options are: Whonix, Tails (Live USB only), and Qubes OS.

On a personal note I use Arch Linux, but I WOULD NOT recommend this be anyone's first distro as it requires at least a base level understanding of Linux and liberal use of the Arch Linux Wiki. If you game through Steam their Proton emulator in compatibility mode works wonders, I'm presently playing a major studio game that released in 2024 with no Linux support on it and once I got my drivers installed it's looked great. There are some learning curves to get around, but the benefit of the Linux community is that there's always people out there willing to help. I hope some of this information helps you and look out for yourself, it's starting to look scarier than normal out there.

[pinetreesandtea]

Clone Wars characters and their favourite apps

Ahsoka Tano

TikTok

The space version of TikTok ofc, but a redacted version bc she’s in the war

She’s either have no account and free to scroll to her hearts content, or one of those accounts with no profile and a number username

Would constantly harass everyone to watch TikTok’s she finds funny

Would be all over TogrutaTok LMAO

Pinterest

She’s a Pinterest girlie for sure

I like to think she scrolls through Pinterest during travel and longggg hyperspace trips

When everyone is busy and she can’t really bother anyone

Same as TikTok, it allows her to get a peak of normal everyday life

Secretly loves cottagecore

Has boards of aesthetics, combat poses, recipes she plans to make but never gets around to doing, outfits, and memes ofc

Friendship bracelet patterns.

LinkedIn

This one’s a bit interesting think about but I think she likes to look for gossip on there somehow 😭

“Hmmm… this senator is beefing with this engineer?”

Minecraft

If you’ve seen my Clone Wars Minecraft post that iykyk

Animal Crossing Pocket camp

Rip the free app but I feel like she’d LOVE the game

Would immediately get Animal Crossing Rex into her camp

Snapchat

I think she’d purely only have Snapchat only for the clones and the other padawans

Her location tracking would obviously be off but her highest streak would be with Fives

Their streak would only be broken bc of missions

Anakin Skywalker

TikTok

He’d only download the app because he got annoyed with Ahsoka sending him hundreds of TikTok’s and unable to watch them

Instagram

To keep up with Padme’s posts

Made an anonymous fan account for Padme

Also to keep up with his public image lol

Would be one of those people leaving the most diabolical comments on reels under another anonymous account

Has a 4th account pretending to be rich house wife from Naboo or Coruscant

Twitter

Under yet another anonymous account and amassed quite the following due to how diabolical he is

Might’ve doxed some people

Facebook

Just to keep up with his fellow Jedi knights and masters

Comments on every single post on Obi-Wans page and trolls the dude

Block blast

No comment

Roblox

Once again, he’d only have this game to purely troll and bully children 😭

Obi-wan Kenobi

Doesn’t have TikTok despite Ahsoka’s insistence

BUT he will patiently sit with Ahsoka and let her show him all the TikToks she wants❤️

LinkedIn

Gets into beef with people and academics

He claims that it keeps his wit

But mainly uses it to keep track of the academic/professional world

Whatsapp

To keep in touch with all his off world friends

Has a group chat with some clones

Goodreads

I just KNOW this man has hundreds and thousands of book reviews on there

Might get into the occasional witty back and forth with another reviewer

Will giggle and sip tea as he purposely aggravates someone and starts beef with said person

YouTube

Guided yoga and meditation

Follows cooking videos

Space version of Liziqi is his favourite YouTuber

Garden videos and videos about different cultures

Candy Crush

He has it at FULL brightness and full volume

A clone will be walking down a hall passing his quarters and hears “DELICIOUS” “DIVINE”

Facebook

Is in a Jedi master Facebook group

Responds to Anakin’s with the most disrespectful and diabolical comebacks

Reposts the cheesiest memes (gets a lot of hate from Anakin when he posts these)

Posts nature pics and pretty sunsets

Gets into back and forths with Mace Windu, Kit Fisto, and Quinlan Vos, all of them are willingly doing it for fun

Rex

WhatsApp

Is involved in numerous clone group chats

Likes to keep up with his bro’s

Snapchat

Begrudgingly got it because Ahsoka wouldn’t stop annoying him about it

His snaps are essentially pics of hyperspace and redacted paperwork

YouTube

Watches those military vids that details about weapons and combat

Air soft vids!!

Puts those bushcraft vids on the side while doing something else like filing out reports

Also a big fan of space version of Liziqi

Has watched videos about Togruta culture etc when Ahsoka first became Anakin’s padawan

Watches Workout vids occasionally

Discord

Keeps an eye on his bros as a mod

Solitaire

Plays the game whenever he’s bored

Facebook

Only got it to witness the snide remarks and friendly bickering between the Jedi

Also in a Clone Commander facebook group where they may or may not make fun of the Jedi but it’s very light

Gets into some banter with Cody

[dearfuturehusbandblog]

The Stupidity Doesn't End

Dear Future Husband,

Yesterday was an okay day and today was an okay day. No major hiccups or blowups or stupidity. Things were actually relatively okay.

But of course, that means nothing, because everything can change in a split second.

There's a Little Old Lady in our building who is moving to an old age home soon and MotherLivelyHeart decided that we should have a goodbye party for her.

The discussion of this party went from "we should invite everyone she knows to come say goodbye to her" to "we'll just keep it a building thing."

And every time discussion of this thing came up, I kept saying we should do it in the party/conference room that our building has, but MLH has some unexplained hatred for that room and always nixed the idea. She wanted "to do it in my home. I have a beautiful home for a reason."

The last discussion we had about this party earlier in the week (after she agreed to doing the mealtrain thing on Thursday and before she decided she doesn't want to do that again for quite a while), it seemed decided that we would have the party in the hallway near Little Old Lady's apartment with a tiny table set up with a little nosh and a bunch of chairs, instead of in our apartment.

When MLH bought the stuff for the mealtrain breakfast, she also grabbed a boxed cake and boxed brownies. And at some point she scrounged up a bag of popcorn. And erev Shabbos, BigSis baked the cake and brownies.

Then, on Friday, MLH pinned an event in the building whatsapp chat reminding everyone to come say goodbye to Little Old Lady and the time that she posted was 6:15pm-6:45pm or "after havdallah." And the location she posted was our apartment.

Now, time is important for a few reasons. One of which is that, recently, for some reason unbeknownst to me, we have started following a different havdallah time than we used to.

When I was growing up, we waited the longest time for havdallah because my father thought he was chassidush or something and that's what he'd been taught. But it became an issue when he wasn't davening with any chassidush minyan anymore (and hadn't since I was like 2) and we were the weirdos, having heard havdallah at our friends' houses and still unable to do anything after shabbos (like get a ride home) until the proper zman.

My parents spoke to a rabbi* about it who told them that since they had chosen this time as baalei teshuva who didn't really know anything, they could change it. But it was a one-time change and they couldn't adjust again after that, and to be sure of which time they wanted to switch to.

So when I was in high school, we all of a sudden started keeping the "one hour" that most people keep. I believe this is the opinion of The Gra...?

And so, 6:15pm this week becomes important when, out of the blue, we're not ending Shabbos at like 5:30pm if Shabbos started at 4:30pm, but instead at what I think is the offical Tzais HaKochavim time of around 5:45pm. Because by the time Shabbos is over and we've cleaned up from shelosh seudos and actually finish havdallah it's after 6:00pm, which gives us only 15 minutes to set everything up.

And right before havdallah is when MLH decides to tell us that she forgot to get small plates. Oh, and also we don't have any drinks.

This was something SHE was planning. She didn't ask for any help. In fact, ada raba! She told me point blank that she didn't want me making a big deal over this and buying or baking anything for it. "I'm just going to pick up some cookies or something." I was like "fine, this is your thing, go for it."

Well, Little Old Lady showed up at like 5 after 6pm and parked herself right between the kitchen and dining room, when we had just barely finished havdallah, and nothing was set up yet.

We now have 10 minutes to get everything ready which includes finding a folding table for the hallway, making sure we have a tablecloth for it, tracking down small disposable plates and some drinks.

Because none of this was done before Shabbos.

Then another neighbor shows up and she sits next to Little Old Lady and now the direct path from the kitchen to the dining room is blocked, despite us clearly needing that area cleared to be able to get things set up. But whatever. God help our cluelessness.

MLH makes some statement about getting the hallway set up and BS all of a sudden goes "why?" And MLH says "because that's where we're setting things up." And BS makes a face and says "why? it's cold out there." And MLH goes on some mini diatribe about how our apartment hasn't been tidied up and it's so embarrassing, devastating, and humiliating.

Yes, in front of Little Old Lady and Other Neighbor. FFS.

Well, BS's resistance settles the topic - we're doing it in our apartment.

Which shouldn't really be much of a shock, considering that MLH set the location for the event as our apartment and nobody knew the original intention was to have it in the hallway to begin with. But whatever.

Right after Little Old Lady arrived, MLH started cutting the brownies and needed a tutorial on how. Like, seriously? While she was cutting the brownies I asked her what she wanted to do with the bunt cake.

Her response: "Well, we could do an icing or a drizzle, but that means pulling out the confectioner's sugar and vanilla and making a mess... we could cut it up and put it on plates, or just leave it plain and let people do what they want. It's a cake; don't overthink it."

So fine, I left it alone.

Then at about 6:20pm, while she's cutting the brownies into ridiculous shapes despite what I had shown her, she asks me "What do you want to do with the cake?"

I said, "I don't know, it's your cake, whatever you want."

And I get back a condescending remark through forced smile and gritted teeth: "Thank you so much for your help."

Because, I'm of course the bad guy.

Because she "planned" and did a piss-poor job of it.

Because I clearly needed this right now.

I should add that I've been having issues today with the arm that I broke earlier this year. I don't know the cause of it, but I've been experiencing pain for hours, which she knew. And I even made a comment to her about how the most pain is when I have to rotate my arm and grasp things which is required for cutting and carrying.

Yet she kept trying to get me to cut and carry things.

It's almost like she wants me to say no so that she can be upset.

I don't get it.

Anyway, so now we're hosting this little party in our apartment that is "so gross and disorganized and unclean and an embarrassment" or whatever, and while guests are literally coming in she's puttering around tidying random things and muttering under her breath how embarrassed she is at the state of the apartment.

Which, granted, is a bit unorganized, but isn't unclean. It's just not "host-a-party" clean because we didn't clean to be hosting a party.... because it was supposed to be in the hallway and not in the apartment....

So at around 6:30pm, about halfway through the time she alloted for this "party", MLH was fuming at the embarrassing state of our apartment and my inability to be helpful physically (or idea-wise, considering I just parroted back the whole not overthinking the cake situation to her and I guess that was the wrong thing to do), BS started putting together a glaze for the cake, and I sat down on the couch, out of the way, and checked a few messages on my phone and started cataloguing my thoughts.

And MLH took that opportunity to ask me in a whisper across the room "are you going to join us?" To which I was like "what?" and she said louder "are you going to join us at the table?" and I was like "I don't know, maybe" and she said something like "well, then, just go to your room. this is not nice." Because I guess me sitting on the couch on my phone while things were still being pulled together and Little Old Lady was shmoozing with two neighbors, was the rudest thing I could possibly be doing.

Should I remind you that I'm in my mid-30s?

And being reprimanded like a child.

For being in pain and out of the way while people set up a party that I was told straight-up to not do much for.

I frickin' hate my stupid life.

Shabbos was decent and this is how my week starts.

I'm over it all already.

So, my dear future husband...

Here's wishing you a shavua that's tover than mine.

-LivelyHeart

*and just because my life is ridiculous and stupid, this rabbi was someone my mother was doing work for at the time, and who has since been locked up for being a disgusting pervert who went off the rails when he was found out and arrested. I don't even know if he's frum anymore, not that he truly was if he was really doing all those gross things he was accused of, which I kind of don't doubt, based on the piles and piles and piles of evidence....

[formulafanfics13]

All Eyes on Me - Chapter 14

Masterlist || Latest Poll

Disclaimer:

This fanfic will contain mature themes and topics (smut, abuse, power imbalance, drug use, alcohol dependency, control, and eating disorders). There will not be warnings throughout, so if you proceed with this fic, please bear this in mind!

The McLaren motorhome was nearly empty. Everyone else had gone, drivers back at the hotel, comms team passed out somewhere near the pitlane, stylists long gone. The lights overhead were dimmed, humming softly, casting a sterile glow over the long glass table where Zak Brown and Andrea Stella still sat.

Neither of them had spoken for a full minute.

Their phones were face-down on the table. The messages from the team principals' group chat still fresh in both their heads.

Toto's concern. Lewis' observation. Stefano's brush-off.

Zak ran a hand over his jaw, fingers twitching like he was still trying to calculate a fix that didn't exist.

Andrea just sat there. Elbows on the table. Face unreadable.

"I don't like this," Zak said finally, voice low.

Andrea didn't respond.

Zak leaned back slightly. "I don't like feeling like I missed something."

Andrea nodded once. "Or that we're being played."

Zak looked over at him. "You think Stefano knew?"

Andrea let out a soft exhale. "He used the word monitored."

"That's the part that stuck for me too."

They sat in silence for another few seconds.

Then Andrea spoke again, quieter.

"I've worked with a lot of drivers. A lot of engineers. I've seen people on the edge of burnout. On the edge of collapse. You learn how to spot it."

Zak looked over.

Andrea's voice dropped further. "These girls don't blink."

Zak frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, there's no hesitation. No fidgeting. No questions. No fear. Karen screams at them mid-run, tells them to redo a full circuit, and they just... do it."

Zak nodded slowly.

"They walked a 281-metre track in seven-inch heels after drinking champagne, doing a full-day shoot, and wearing gowns built to kill. None of them slipped. None of them flinched."

"And they're not trained athletes," Zak added.

"They're trained... something," Andrea muttered.

They were both quiet again. Then Zak leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "So what are we looking out for?"

Andrea blinked.

Zak continued, "Toto says to 'watch them'. Okay. But watch for what? What does 'not sober' even mean when they're always performing? When they always look perfect?"

Andrea shook his head. "That's the thing. You can't look for the fall."

Zak raised an eyebrow. "No?"

"You look for the pause." He held up one finger. "That one second where they hesitate. Where they forget to smile. Where the mask slips."

Zak sighed. "How many of those did you see?"

Andrea looked down at the table. Then back up. "None."

They sat in silence again. The hum of the lights above was the only sound.

Eventually, Zak leaned back, folding his arms. "So what do we do?"

Andrea didn't answer right away. When he did, his voice was flat. Resigned.  "We wait."

"And if something happens?"

Andrea's eyes didn't move. "Then we weren't wrong."

PRIVATE WHATSAPP CONVERSATION Fred Vasseur & Toto Wolff

Fred Vasseur ok serious now what do we do?

Toto Wolff what do you mean?

Fred Vasseur about the girls about martha about all of it

Toto Wolff nothing for now

Fred Vasseur you think we should speak to them?

Toto Wolff no

Fred Vasseur you're sure?

Toto Wolff i'm sure they won't tell you anything they won't tell me anything

Fred Vasseur but if martha's using if any of them are

Toto Wolff they won't admit it even if you ask directly

Fred Vasseur so what then we just watch?

Toto Wolff yes watch the way they move watch who talks to them watch when the act slips it always slips eventually

Fred Vasseur and when it does?

Toto Wolff then we decide what to do but until then no headlines no interviews no accusations just eyes open

Fred Vasseur fuck this feels like walking on glass

Toto Wolff it is but you're not the one in heels

Private WhatsApp Group Chat Ferrari 🇮🇹 Fred Vasseur, Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz

Fred Vasseur boys just a quick note nothing urgent

Carlos Sainz uh oh that's how you start a serious text

Charles Leclerc we didn't crash anything, i swear

Fred Vasseur this is not about driving this is about the campaign the victoria's secret girls

Carlos Sainz what about them?

Fred Vasseur there are some concerns circulating among team principals some... behavioural things i don't want to go into too much detail just keep your eyes open

Charles Leclerc what kind of concerns?

Fred Vasseur not confirmed but possibly substances exhaustion pressure that kind of thing

Carlos Sainz you want us to spy on them?

Fred Vasseur no i want you to be aware you'll be around them more than we will they'll be comfortable around you and if anything feels off or wrong or if anyone seems... not okay you come to me quietly

Charles Leclerc is this about martha?

Fred Vasseur mainly but not only they move like machines and that's not a compliment

Carlos Sainz copy that

Charles Leclerc noted i'll watch lila too she's the one around pierre the most he's too distracted to notice things

Fred Vasseur exactly thank you keep it between us this doesn't leave the team no press no jokes just... eyes open, boys

Carlos Sainz always

Charles Leclerc always

The door to Martha's hotel suite slammed shut with a soft click and the explosion of laughter that followed was enough to rattle the champagne flutes still sitting untouched on the gold-trimmed sideboard.

Inside? Carnage. Couture. Comfort.

Robes hung loosely around hips and shoulders, some still in body tape, some already peeled free. Glitter clung to their skin like an afterthought. Heels had been flung somewhere into the corners of the suite. The scent in the air was a mix of vanilla, Dior body spray, and champagne-stained lipstick.

The living area was a mess. Champagne bottles, seven, maybe eight, at this point, were scattered across the coffee table and side counters. Some half-finished, most long emptied. Someone had poured all the remaining glasses to the brim, and no one could remember who. It didn't matter.

The TV was on, volume low, Rihanna's "Pour It Up" humming in the background, her voice the perfect backbeat to this barely-legal disaster of lace and luxury.

Gigi was on the coffee table, barefoot, robe open, satin slip bunched around her thighs, trying, and failing to sing along with Riri as she clutched a champagne flute like a mic. Her voice was horrendous. The girls were crying and laughing.

"Strippers goin' up and down that pole-" Gigi screeched, completely off-key.

"RICH BITCH!" Lila screamed from the sofa, head in Taylor's lap, legs dangling off the side like a ragdoll.

Barbara was curled in an armchair, legs tucked under her, eyes half-closed, one perfectly manicured finger lazily dragging along the rim of her glass.

Taylor, still mostly in her post-show corset with the robe sliding down one shoulder, was painting her toenails bright red, dangerously tipsy and humming with the music like she hadn't walked a literal racetrack in heels two hours ago.

Martha at the centre of it all, cross-legged on the sofa, hair still curled, makeup smudged in a way that looked editorial. A cigarette hung from her lips. Her robe was hanging off one side, pearl necklace still clasped around her throat. In front of her: three perfect lines of cocaine, razor-sharp, carved into the glass surface of the coffee table. She tapped her ash onto a coaster like it was nothing.

"I swear to god," Taylor said, sipping from her flute, "if we get sent to Japan next and I still haven't had sex in a week, I'm lighting the paddock on fire."

Lila groaned. "Speak for yourself. I'm two missed texts away from fucking Daniel in a broom closet."

Barbara smirked, eyes still closed. "Just don't get your tits stuck in the mop bucket this time."

"I have perfect tits," Lila whined.

"You have cocaine tits," Gigi yelled from the table, now holding two flutes and fake-crying into both.

Martha exhaled smoke. "I have champagne tits. Respect the difference."

They howled. She passed the cigarette to Taylor, then picked up the small silver key sitting beside the lines. Without a word, she dipped, tapped, pressed.

One nostril. Inhale. Exhale. Another sip of Veuve.

Unbothered. Untouched. Untouchable.

Lila sat up suddenly. "We should do something batshit in Shanghai. Like, illegal."

Barbara cracked one eye open. "Define illegal."

"Like... I don't know. Fuck a married principal. Lick a trophy. Steal George Russell's lunch."

Taylor grinned. "You say that like it's a challenge."

"Gigi," Martha said, eyes narrowed. "If you don't stop butchering Rihanna, I'm calling Anna Wintour and getting you kicked out of the campaign."

Gigi dramatically dropped both flutes. "My own best friend? Betraying me like this?"

"You're on your third bottle, babe," Taylor laughed. "You tried to tongue kiss the Dyson Airwrap."

"I was flirting," Gigi snapped.

Martha took another bump, leaned back, eyes fluttering closed. For a second, just a second, everything was silent. And then she whispered, "We really are the fucking problem."

Lila raised her glass. "To being the problem."

Barbara raised hers. "To being the danger."

Taylor raised hers. "To not giving a single fuck."

And Gigi, still dramatic on the table, lifted both flutes again, makeup running down her cheeks from the fake tears.

"To cocaine and couture!"

Martha didn't move. She just smiled. Slow. Glassy-eyed. Gleaming. "To all eyes on us."

***

09:43am

The paddock was buzzing, hotter and tighter than usual, the usual swarm of pre-race activity twisted with a new layer of tension. Engineers paced. Strategists hunched over data. Team principals stood in huddles, brows furrowed. Mechanics grunted instructions over comms, drivers half-dressed in base layers, necks craned toward telemetry screens.

The air crackled with fuel, caffeine, and suspicion.

Because today? The men weren't just focused on tyres and setups. They were watching for something else.

The soft, high-pitched clacking of five pairs of trainers on asphalt broke through the paddock noise like a whisper slicing open the wind.

The models had arrived.

Victoria's Secret gymwear, matching, impossibly tight, pastel pink with glossy black trim, clung to their bodies like paint. Each wore the same black sunglasses, hair slicked back or twisted into perfect ballet buns, skin radiant, lips glossy, abs defined.

Not a single one looked tired. Not a single one looked hungover. Not a single one looked like they'd been dancing half-naked on a marble coffee table five hours ago, screaming Rihanna lyrics with powdered noses and champagne-stained smiles.

They moved in a little huddle, Martha at the centre, Gigi and Lila wither side of her, Taylor and Barbara just behind. Phones in hands. Water bottles swinging at their hips. Lanyards bouncing against their collarbones like dog tags.

They walked like they'd just been announced. And every single person in the paddock looked up.

In the garages, the drivers barely pretended to stay focused.

Charles Leclerc's eyes flicked to the left before darting back to his screen. Carlos barely covered his stare with a fake yawn. Oscar's mouth parted. Lando blinked. Twice. Pierre smirked. Esteban elbowed him in the ribs. George cleared his throat. Lewis said nothing, but his jaw ticked once.

In the pit wall huddles, the team principals followed in silence.

Toto, arms folded, sunglasses on, said nothing, but followed them until they disappeared behind the hospitality tents.

Fred, lips pursed, eyes narrowed, said just one word under his breath: "Flawless."

Andrea, standing beside Zak, whispered, "Not even a tremble."

Zak said nothing. He was still staring.

Christian, from the Red Bull garage, rolled his eyes and muttered to Max, "I hope you're not getting used to the distraction."

Max didn't look away. "I'm getting good at ignoring it."

But his tone? Didn't match.

The girls didn't pause.

Security guided them quickly through the lower paddock and into the private hospitality tier, the VIP viewing area, glass-walled and shaded, stocked with fruit platters, champagne flutes (untouched for now), and a handful of billionaires who shifted in their chairs when the girls walked in.

Julia and Karen followed close behind, no comments, no corrections. Just presence.

This was routine now.

The girls peeled into their seats, silent, composed, legs crossed, phones unlocked. A few whispered exchanges. A single soft laugh. Martha's fingers adjusted her necklace. Taylor sipped water. Lila pulled a mint from her bag and popped it into Gigi's mouth without looking.

Everything about them screamed controlled.

From the paddock below, they looked like gods in a box.

From the garages, they looked like bait no one could resist.

And yet? Not one of them slipped. Not one of them looked anything less than ready for Vogue.

And for the first time since the campaign began... The question wasn't whether the models could handle it. It was whether everyone else could.

The lights went out. The engines roared. The girls didn't flinch.

From their VIP suite high above the pit wall, the five Angels sat in matching seats, all crossed legs and black sunglasses, ponytails swaying as they tilted their heads to follow the cars dive into Turn One like missiles.

Martha, seated dead centre, didn't react to the roar. She blinked slowly, sipping from a water bottle like it was rosé. Gigi had her phone out, recording little clips and occasionally whispering "content" into Lila's shoulder. Lila, chewing gum like it was her only personality trait, was already bored by Lap Two. Taylor, ever the competitor, had a notebook in her lap and was taking notes, even though no one knew why. Barbara had one leg folded under her, gaze locked on the track, reading it like scripture.

The grandstand below was vibrating with noise.

Inside the suite? Silence. Cool. Composed.

Karen stood near the door. Julia hovered by the back wall. David was missing, probably pacing or screaming into a headset somewhere, but it didn't matter. The girls were unbothered.

Yuki Tsunoda spun wide on Lap 6 at Turn Ten, narrowly avoiding the barrier. Gigi gasped.

"Is that our little one?" she asked, squinting.

"He's fine," Barbara said flatly, eyes still locked on the screen. "No damage."

Lila tilted her head. "I'd let Yuki ruin my life."

Martha smirked. "Girl, you let caffeine ruin your life."

Max was leading. Naturally. Charles and Carlos were chasing, but just behind. Lewis was stuck in fourth, pacing like a panther, waiting to strike. Oscar was right behind him. Lando had dropped to P8 after a slow start, trapped behind Alonso.

"Is it bad that I'm rooting for Ferrari just because red suits them?" Taylor asked, clicking her pen.

Barbara rolled her eyes. "That's not how points work."

"It's how fashion works," Lila chimed in.

Logan Sargeant ran off wide on exit of Turn Seven, cutting across gravel and rejoining awkwardly behind Zhou.

"America strikes again," Martha muttered.

Gigi cackled.

Daniel Ricciardo pulled a stunning overtake on Bottas into Turn Four and pumped his fist on the radio.

Lila audibly sighed. "I love him," she whispered.

The screen showed a flurry of team logos, Red Bull, Ferrari, Mercedes, McLaren, pit crews swarming like insects.

Gigi leaned in. "How do they change the tyres so fast?"

Karen looked like she wanted to die.

"They practice. Constantly."

Martha tilted her head. "Wonder what else they're that good at doing in two seconds."

Barbara snorted into her water.

Max Verstappen was untouchable, of course he was. Dominant from Lap 1, flawless execution.

Charles crossed second. Lewis in third, the overtake on Carlos sealed the podium. Carlos in fourth. Oscar slid into fifth. Lando scraped sixth. Alonso, Daniel, George, and Yuki rounded out the top ten.

As Max crossed the line, the crowd exploded.

The suite? Still. Silent.

Then Martha exhaled. "Well, that was predictable."

Gigi stood, stretching. "Do we get to go home now?"

Taylor smirked. "Not yet. We're doing podium photos."

Lila groaned. "Do I have to smile?"

"Yes," Barbara deadpanned. "It's part of the charm."

Martha stood slowly, water bottle in one hand, phone in the other. She looked down at the track. Twenty men had just risked their lives for 57 laps.

The checkered flag was long waved, the engines cooled, and the drivers had done their press, debriefs, and quick wardrobe swaps. The sun was beginning to melt into the desert horizon, turning the paddock gold and casting long shadows across the asphalt.

The podium was built, music queued, and mechanics were already crowding the barriers. But all attention drifted again, as always, to the models.

Martha, Gigi, Taylor, Barbara and Lila stepped down from the hospitality suite with ease, led by Julia and Karen, all five of them now changed into sleek slip dresses in pale pinks and silvers, with pointed heels and diamonds on their fingers.

Gigi wore a glass-smooth silver that clung to her like skin. Barbara, in pale blush satin, a thigh slit to the heavens. Taylor in a backless rose-gold, a chain at her waist. Lila, a shimmering silk pink mini, dangerous and doll-like. And Martha, in black satin, low-cut and backless, her diamond necklace resting like a weapon across her collarbone.

Flawless. Shining. Dangerous. The paddock didn't breathe as they crossed. Cameras turned. Drivers looked up.

And the girls? They didn't even look back.

The drivers were already lining up near the podium, race suits re-zipped, team caps on. Lewis, Charles, and Max were preparing to step up, Max with his usual calm stare, Charles biting the inside of his cheek, Lewis expression unreadable.

But all three of them, all of them, turned, just slightly, when the girls arrived.

Lando whispered something to Oscar. Oscar didn't respond. He was staring at Lila.

Pierre's eyes locked onto Taylor for a second too long. She didn't blink.

George gave a small, awkward smile to Barbara, she smirked back like he was cute for trying.

And Max looked at Martha. Just for a beat.She didn't look back. But her head tilted. Like she could feel it.

The champagne popped overhead as Max, Charles and Lewis climbed the podium. Flashes went off. Applause thundered.

And behind the stage, the five girls posed for official campaign photos, standing in a line, hips tilted, smiling softly into the cameras, their gowns shining in the golden light like they'd been carved from it.

David stood nearby, nodding. Karen whispered something to Julia, who typed a note into her phone. Every photo was perfect. Every shot viral-ready.

As the drivers sprayed each other, Martha leaned slightly toward Gigi without breaking pose.

"He's still staring," she muttered, voice barely a whisper.

"Which one?" Gigi asked, smiling wide for the camera.

Martha didn't answer.

Because the truth was it wasn't just one. It was all of them.

[lay-z]

Goddam all of it sounds so good I can't decide who I want

I just want every single one of these men 😭 (separately or all together, I'm not picky 😉)

...why am I so horny currently?

...oh

😳

Oh, you better not imagine that your boyfriends are tracking your period cycle and then Price sharing that image into their separate WhatsApp group chat with the message that he's cleared their schedules for when your ovulation hits, so they all can take care of you 🙂

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Patrick Beuth, Jörg Diehl, Roman H��fner, Roman Lehberger, Friederike Röhreke, and Fidelius Schmid at Der Spiegel:

Private contact details of the most important security advisers to U.S. President Donald Trump can be found on the internet. DER SPIEGEL reporters were able to find mobile phone numbers, email addresses and even some passwords belonging to the top officials. To do so, the reporters used commercial people search engines along with hacked customer data that has been published on the web. Those affected by the leaks include National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Most of these numbers and email addresses are apparently still in use, with some of them linked to profiles on social media platforms like Instagram and LinkedIn. They were used to create Dropbox accounts and profiles in apps that track running data. There are also WhatsApp profiles for the respective phone numbers and even Signal accounts in some cases. As such, the reporting has revealed an additional grave, previously unknown security breach at the highest levels in Washington. Hostile intelligence services could use this publicly available data to hack the communications of those affected by installing spyware on their devices. It is thus conceivable that foreign agents were privy to the Signal chat group in which Gabbard, Waltz and Hegseth discussed a military strike.

Numbers Linked to Signal Accounts

It remains unclear, however, whether this extremely problematic chat was conducted using Signal accounts linked to the private telephone numbers of the officials involved. Tulsi Gabbard has declined to comment. DER SPIEGEL reporting has demonstrated, though, that privately used and publicly accessible telephone numbers belonging to her and Waltz are, in fact, linked to Signal accounts. [...] The White House confirmed the scandal after the fact. Trump insisted that it did not include classified content, a question that is of particular relevance since members of the U.S. government are not permitted to share such information over Signal. The U.S. special envoy for Ukraine and the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, was even in Russia while participating in the chat group.

DER SPIEGEL was able to find some of the contact information for Gabbard, Hegseth and Waltz in commercial databases, while other information was in so-called password leaks, which are hardly a rarity on the internet. One example is the 2019 discovery by Troy Hunt, who found 773 million email addresses and more than 21 million passwords in a hacker forum. Since then, there have been numerous additional leaks. Criminals are constantly compiling new collections from hacks, usually to sell them on forums. [...] The mobile number provided, meanwhile, led to a WhatsApp account that Hegseth apparently only recently deleted. The profile photo showed a shirtless Hegseth in a baseball cap and necklace. Comparisons with other photos of the U.S. secretary of defense using facial recognition software were able to confirm that the photo on the WhatsApp profile was indeed Hegseth.

Several Passwords in Leaked Database

Waltz’s mobile number and email address could be found using the same service provider. The mobile phone number could even be found using a people search engine popular in the U.S. DER SPIEGEL reporters were also able to find several passwords for Waltz’s email address in leaked databases. The information also led to Waltz’s profiles for Microsoft Teams, LinkedIn, WhatsApp and Signal. National Intelligence Director Gabbard was seemingly more careful with her data than her two male colleagues. She apparently had her own data blocked in the commercial contact search engines that contained the data of Hegseth and Waltz. But her email address was to be found on WikiLeaks and Reddit. Gabbard’s email address is available in more than 10 leaks. One of those also contains a partial telephone number, which, when completed, leads to an active WhatsApp account and a Signal profile.

German publication Der Spiegel writes that several of the National Security Advisers for the Trump Administration, including Pete Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard, and Michael Waltz, had their private data breached and the passwords found online.

[generalallxsanjishipper]

Icon made by: me

Hi! Welcome.

This is Generalallxsanjishipper's blog

(A long ass nick, I know.)

*stares at the (not many) but 100% "Yes" votes that was in the poll* (How the hell am I supposed to introduce myself? I have no idea, but okay, whatever—)

Killian here! It's not my real name, but it's my art name. I can be called Isa or Bibi as well. My real name is Barbara.

I'm from Italy and I'm a 2001 girl, She/her pronouns, bisexual, introverted, Virgo (too much of a perfectionist sometimes. Ops)

I am a Writer, a Screenwriter and an Artist. I even went to an art school, but the only thing that I learned there is anxiety. Yey.

I love reading. Like tons of books, but for whatever reason I stopped entirely reading books written in Italian and now I'm constantly binge-reading english stuff.

As a Writer, I create tons of Own Characters, yes. I have honestly so many OCs that it's hard to keep track of them between Original Works and Fanfiction. I have to admit that I never wrote as much fanfiction as I'm doing during those last years, mostly for bad experience with criticism in my first fics. But apparently I got over it after randomly starting to write little One Shots of a few different fandoms. It excalated, now.

To read my stuff, you can find me in AO3, Efp and Wattpad under Killian44peeta's nickname. Even as an Artist, you can find me with that nickname on Instagram. I DO NOT have TikTok and I DO NOT intend to have it. If I change my mind, it's gonna rain for months lol.

I have many, many fandoms.

Listing them all is impossible, but my obsessions usually stuck the most when I have a "main crush" in said fandom. If not, they are fleeting at best... And usually the same main crush is the one that I ship with most people (Not always though).

Yep. I'm a multishipper, pro LGBTQ+ and I love polyamorous relationships.

When I hate a ship, I just hate it. No matter how hard you try to change my mind. Still, I'm of the "live and let live policy" because, damn, ship wars are boring and if you dislike something, YOU BLOODY IGNORE IT.

YOU DO NOT STUPIDLY FIGHT SOMEONE AND SAY TO THEM TO K*LL THEMSELVES BECAUSE THEY DO NOT SHIP YOUR PAIRING. THOSE PEOPLE YOU SHIP DO NOT EXIST. THEY ARE JUST A WRITER'S FANTASY. NO NEED TO BE SO STUPIDLY CHILDISH. JUST CALM DOWN.

*takes a deep breath*

Thanks.

A few examples of my main crushes:

Animated ones first.

Sanji, Corazon, Reiju and Vivi (One Piece), Douxie (Tales of Arcadia), Zuko (Avatar), Mika (Owari No Seraph), Levi, Jean and Yelena (Shingeki no Kyojin), Akashi and Kise(Kuroko no basket), Gwen (Total Drama), Megara (Hercules), Dark Bloom (Winx Club), Hijikata (Gintama), Hyoga, Eden, every Virgo Saint ever except Shun (Saint Seiya+), Shiro and Pidge (Voltron), Lust and Roy(Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood)

Not animated crushes (directly the person, not the role, because if not the list would be sooo much longer, ok)

Daniel Sharman, Danielle Campbell, Colin O'donoghue, Richard Armitage, Ian Somerhalder, Josh Hutcherson, Zoe Kravitz, Tom Hiddleston, Tom Ellis, Hayden Christensen, Bridgette Mendler

(am I forgetting someone? Probably. Sorry)

Welp. I dunno what else to say. Hope you have fun inside my blog? If you wanna be friends (chat here, on Discord, WhatsApp... ) and ask questions I'm okay with it? If you wanna talk with me about (my, yours) stories, I'm DEFINITELY okay with it.

:D I love to rant about fanfictions and original works. I love ranting about ocs and headcanon about characters. Yes.

(do not kill me if I don’t answer immediately, I have a life/I need time to draw/I need time to write)

Bye.

-Killian

[thepastisalreadywritten]

(CNN) — Fresh warthog carcass in tow, a poacher speeds away from Zimbabwe’s Imire Rhino and Wildlife Conservancy.

Blood spatters, footprints and tire marks are the only traces of the crime he has just committed, but a trace is all it takes for the hunter to become the hunted.

His arrest comes a short while later, courtesy of Shinga, a Belgian Malinois that perfectly retraced the poacher’s 2.8-mile (4.5-kilometer) route home, leading an anti-poaching team to his door.

Last October’s pursuit ultimately began much further afield, in the sleepy Welsh town of Carmarthen, where Shinga was born and raised.

It’s home to the kennels of Dogs4Wildlife, a non-profit organization that trains dogs to support anti-poaching units (APUs) in their efforts to protect endangered wildlife across southern Africa.

It’s run by professional dog trainers Darren Priddle and Jacqui Law, who decided to blend their career experiences of developing working dogs for police, security, and military operations with their love of wildlife, after seeing photos of a poached African rhino on social media in 2015.

“It was quite a horrific image. We sat down and we said, ‘Okay, that’s really affected us,’” Priddle told CNN.

“We can deploy dogs in the UK to track people … to look for drugs, firearms and explosives, so why could we not look at developing the dogs that we were training for conservation efforts?”

Puppy love

The duo has since sent 15 dogs to five sub-Saharan African countries, including Mozambique and Tanzania, each one bred by them in southwest Wales.

They usually breed one or two litters each year.

Dutch shepherds and Belgian Malinois are two of the most common breeds for tracking, while labradors and spaniels are typically the detection (sniffer) dogs of choice.

Training begins from as early as two days old.

Priddle acknowledges that sounds young, but he believes early imprinting programs can provide a strong foundation for the formal training that commences around six weeks later.

“There’s a lot of scientific study out there that’s been documented on exposing puppies to touch, different temperatures, different surfaces and textures, as well as different odors that we put into the whelping box when they’re very young,” he explained

“It just helps their brain and (helps) their synapses to fire. We see a lot of advancement in those puppies.”

The curriculum closely follows that of the typical police or security dog, focusing on obedience, tracking, and scent detection — a skill used to sniff out rhino horn, elephant ivory and bushmeat.

The only key difference to the training process is acclimating dogs to the sights, sounds and smells of lions, giraffes and the myriad other species they will help protect.

With rhino and elephant numbers severely lacking in the wetlands of Carmarthenshire, trips to local zoos are organized to desensitize the puppies to African wildlife.

Typically, after 16 to 18 months, dogs are ready for assignment.

Even though Priddle accompanies each one on the long flight to their new home, spending the first month with the anti-poaching unit to provide field and animal welfare training to rangers, goodbyes never get easier.

“The transition from spending every waking moment with that dog, having a very strong relationship, to then letting that go is challenging and difficult,” Law said.

“But as much as it breaks my heart when they go, I know they’re going for the greater good.”

Biting back

Easing the pain are WhatsApp group chats set up for Priddle and Law to keep in touch with and advise APUs across the various reserves and conservancies.

They are particularly active forums, especially given that the organization also provides training and consultancy to teams with existing dog units, such as the Akashinga Rangers, Africa’s first armed all-female anti-poaching squad, who watch over Zimbabwe’s vast Phundundu Wildlife Area.

Naturally, updates of success are a source of immense personal pride for the pair back in Wales.

Shinga’s tracking triumph in October followed the achievements of fellow Belgian Malinois Dan, which alerted his team to a rhino calf that had been caught in a snare trap in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa in 2013

Such victories demonstrate the “game-changing” value such dogs can have when incorporated into conservation efforts, argue the duo, even through their mere presence.

“When these reserves bring a specialist dog onto a wildlife reserve … the word spreads very quickly that the APUs now have the capability to actually catch these poachers on a more efficient and successful basis,” Priddle said.

“Some of the smaller wildlife reserves almost eradicate poaching in all types completely, just because of the deterrent value that dog brings to the party.”

As park manager and head of anti-poaching operations at Zimbabwe’s 10,000-acre Imire conservancy, Reilly Travers has had a front row seat for the last seven years to the impact of Shinga and also Murwi, a Dutch shepherd whose training was paid for by the fundraising efforts of pupils of the local Harare International school.

Capable of covering as much as 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) an hour when tracking, even in darkness, dogs allow rangers to “own the night,” Travers explained, adding an invaluable level of versatility and unpredictability to their arsenal.

And on numerous occasions, Shinga and Murwi have alerted units to potentially mortal threats – be it from poachers or predators – through body language alone.

“They’ve saved our guys on the ground on several occasions and they’ve been responsible for apprehending quite a few poachers,” Travers told CNN.

“It’s had a massive impact on security for Imire. We’ve had a drastic reduction in poaching and the K9 unit has a massive role to play in that … It’s not the silver bullet but it’s a tool that will make a significant difference.”

‘We learn in nature’

Zimbabwe once boasted thousands of rhinos, yet numbers nosedived to less than 450 by 1992 because of poaching networks, according to conservation charity Save the Rhino.

The efforts of Imire, which saw the birth of its 23rd rhino in 2023, helped the country’s rhino population climb back over the 1,000-mark in 2022.

But statistics continue to make for grim reading across the wider continent.

Though the numbers of African rhinos poached annually has dropped steadily since a peak of over 1,300 in 2015, almost 600 kills were still recorded last year, according to Save the Rhino.

It contributed to an overall decline in the total African black rhino population in 2023, though white rhino numbers are on the rise.

And the impact of each loss extends far beyond statistics, Priddle and Law explain, especially at the smaller reserves that Dogs4Wildlife focuses on, which have markedly less anti-poaching resources than the continent’s most renowned parks.

Recalling the sight of a de-horned 25-year-old bull rhino and eight-year-old male in Limpopo, both killed by a single poacher, Law stressed the knock-on effect on the wider environment.

“The vegetation they clear, the seeds they disperse, all the other animals that are impacted. You think it’s just a rhino that’s gone – it’s the whole ecosystem that suffers,” Law explained.

“The owners of that reserve had a relationship with that bull for 25 years – we grieve when we lose a dog after 10 to 15 years.

For us to experience the impact that losing those two rhinos had on the reserve owner sort of gave us added motivation.

It was just horrific. I never want to see that again.”

As Dogs4Wildlife looks ahead to its long-term goal of one day opening a specialized training and canine school within Africa, mobilizing future generations has become a key part of its overall mission.

Its Conservation club, called Siyafunda Ngemvelo – which translates to “we learn in nature” in IsiZulu – has taken more than 180 South African children into reserves as part of a wildlife education program.

Law said that for local people to want to protect rhinos, they must first see the animals’ value to the environment.

“We have to start at the fundamental basics, which is children taking responsibility for their own wildlife,” she added.

“Once they get the passion for it, they’re going to become future rangers, not future poachers.”

[amalgamasreal]

On Personal InfoSec

Been awhile since I've had one of these posts but I figure with all that's going on in the world it's time to make another one of these posts and get some stuff out there for people. A lot of the information I'm going to go over you can find here:

So if you'd like to just click the link and ignore the rest of the post that's fine, I strongly recommend checking out the Privacy Guides.

Browsers:

There's a number to go with but for this post going forward I'm going to recommend Firefox. I know that the Privacy Guides lists Brave and Safari as possible options but Brave is Chrome based now and Safari has ties to Apple. Mullvad is also an option but that's for your more experienced users so I'll leave that up to them to work out.

Browser Extensions:

uBlock Origin: content blocker that blocks ads, trackers, and fingerprinting scripts. Notable for being the only ad blocker that still works on Youtube.

Privacy Badger: Content blocker that specifically blocks trackers and fingerprinting scripts. This one will catch things that uBlock doesn't catch but does not work for ads.

Facebook Container: "but I don't have facebook" you might say. Doesn't matter, Meta/Facebook still has trackers out there in EVERYTHING and this containerizes them off away from everything else.

Bitwarden: Password vaulting software, don't trust the password saving features of your browsers, this has multiple layers of security to prevent your passwords from being stolen.

ClearURLs: Allows you to copy and paste URL's without any trackers attached to them.

VPN:

Note: VPN software doesn't make you anonymous, no matter what your favorite youtuber tells you, but it does make it harder for your data to be tracked and it makes it less open for whatever network you're presently connected to.

Mozilla VPN: If you get the annual subscription it's ~$60/year and it comes with an extension that you can install into Firefox.

Proton VPN: Has easily the most amount of countries serviced, can take cash payments, and does offer port forwarding.

Email Provider:

Note: By now you've probably realized that Gmail, Outlook, and basically all of the major "free" e-mail service providers are scraping your e-mail data to use for ad data. There are more secure services that can get you away from that but if you'd like the same storage levels you have on Gmail/Outlook.com you'll need to pay.

Proton Mail: Secure, end-to-end encrypted, and fairly easy to setup and use. Offers a free option up to 1gb

Tuta: Secure, end-to-end encrypted, been around a very long time, and offers a free option up to 1gb.

Email Client:

Thunderbird if you're on Windows or Linux

Apple Mail if you're on macOS

Cloud Storage:

Proton Drive: Encrypted cloud storage from the same people as Proton Mail.

Tresorit: Encrypted cloud storage owned by the national postal service of Switzerland. Received MULTIPLE awards for their security stats.

Peergos: decentralized and open-source, allows for you to set up your own cloud storage, but will require a certain level of expertise.

Microsoft Office Replacements:

LibreOffice: free and open-source, updates regularly, and has the majority of the same functions as base level Microsoft Office.

OnlyOffice: cloud-based, free, and open source.

Chat Clients:

Note: As you've heard SMS and even WhatsApp and some other popular chat clients are basically open season right now. These are a couple of options to replace those.

Signal: Provides IM and calling securely and encrypted, has multiple layers of data hardening to prevent intrusion and exfil of data.

Molly (Android OS only): Alternative client to Signal. Routes communications through the TOR Network.

Briar: Encrypted IM client that connects to other clients through the TOR Network, can also chat via wifi or bluetooth.

Now for the last bit, I know that the majority of people are on Windows or macOS, but if you can get on Linux I would strongly recommend it. pop_OS, Ubuntu, and Mint are super easy distros to use and install. They all have very easy to follow instructions on how to install them on your PC and if you'd like to just test them out all you need is a thumb drive to boot off of to run in demo mode.

If you game through Steam their Proton emulator in compatibility mode works wonders, I'm presently playing a major studio game that released in 2024 with no Linux support on it and once I got my drivers installed it's looked great. There are some learning curves to get around, but the benefit of the Linux community is that there's always people out there willing to help.

I hope some of this information helps you and look out for yourself, it's starting to look scarier than normal out there.

[crmgurudo]

Why an Omnichannel CRM Strategy is Crucial for Customer Engagement

In the fast-paced digital age, businesses face the increasing challenge of maintaining seamless communication with their customers across numerous channels, from email and social media to instant messaging and live chats. Today's consumers not only expect quick responses—they demand personalized, context-aware interactions regardless of the platform they choose.

Understanding Omnichannel CRM

An Omnichannel Customer Relationship Management (CRM) approach consolidates communication from multiple channels into a cohesive system. Unlike multichannel strategies, where each channel is managed separately, omnichannel CRM ensures every interaction a customer has with a business is connected and accessible through one centralized platform.

Key attributes of an effective omnichannel CRM strategy include:

Unified view of customer interactions

Real-time synchronization across channels

Smooth transitions between communication methods

Why Omnichannel is Essential for Modern Businesses

Consumer studies consistently show that seamless, cross-channel experiences dramatically influence customer satisfaction and loyalty. According to recent surveys, more than 70% of customers expect businesses to provide consistent and connected experiences across multiple channels. Additionally, companies implementing strong omnichannel strategies retain significantly more customers.

An omnichannel CRM facilitates improved customer satisfaction by:

Providing context-aware customer support

Allowing customers to switch channels effortlessly without losing conversation context

Ensuring faster response times and personalized interactions

Practical Examples of Omnichannel CRM in Action

Consider a scenario where a customer contacts your business via social media with a query. With an omnichannel CRM strategy, the conversation initiated on social media can seamlessly continue via email or instant messaging without needing the customer to repeat their issue. This level of interconnectedness helps build trust, saves time, and significantly enhances the customer experience.

How Small and Mid-Sized Businesses Can Benefit

For small and medium enterprises (SMEs), adopting an omnichannel CRM approach offers tangible benefits:

Higher Conversion Rates: Leads receiving consistent, prompt responses are more likely to convert.

Increased Customer Retention: Personalized interactions make customers feel valued, fostering loyalty.

Enhanced Efficiency: Automation reduces manual tasks, allowing small teams to focus on strategic activities.

Improved Team Collaboration: A centralized system ensures marketing, sales, and customer support teams access consistent customer data, fostering collaboration and reducing misunderstandings.

Choosing the Right CRM Solution

When selecting a CRM solution to implement an omnichannel strategy, consider platforms designed specifically to integrate multiple channels into one cohesive interface. For instance, CRM solutions like CRM Guru have gained recognition for enabling SMEs to manage various customer interactions efficiently without the complexity usually associated with omnichannel platforms.

Regardless of the CRM chosen, essential features should include:

Integration with popular communication channels (WhatsApp, email, social media)

Real-time analytics and performance tracking

Mobile accessibility for remote teams

Final Thoughts

An omnichannel CRM strategy is no longer a luxury; it's a necessity for businesses looking to thrive in today's competitive digital market. By prioritizing interconnected communication and customer experience, companies can significantly enhance their customer relationships and build long-term loyalty.

Exploring the capabilities of dedicated omnichannel solutions, such as CRM Guru, can provide invaluable insights into how integrated CRM platforms function. However, the core message remains clear: integrating customer interactions across channels is fundamental to sustained business growth.

[david-goldrock]

I am thinking about them again, so let me tell you the story of Ayala

Ayala is not their name, obviously, none of them names in the story are true.

We met in the 4th grade. I just moved towns and went to this new school, but she wasn't in it. She was at the gifted kid institute. Once every week, they'd pull us out of the school system to let us into a world of happiness, challenge, and understanding. My best of days were from there, I have yet to have told you of the time I got high off of sugar there, but that's a story from another time, for another time.

It's the 4th grade, and I just meet the fellas, many of which I still keep in touch with.

She had glasses. she always wore the same blue hoodie, summer and all. She was always a bit cold. She had this weird bowl cut hair that never crossed her shoulders, as if she cut it the shortest she could without being an outcast. she was funny, she was brilliant, smarter than I am for sure. She beat me at math, and at riddles. She solved a Rubik's Cube while I was fiddling with the upper face. She could speak a bit of Chinese by the end of that year, I couldn't remember anything but my name, which was the same word

She was my best friend at the time. I didn't have a smartphone, so we couldn't text, only call. So we did, often. once a week, twice a week, thrice a week.

When we met, I'd hug everyone. we were still young enough so it wouldn't be weird. We were still young enough I couldn't control my strength, and would often chock my friends out. She was the only one who matched my strength. Some people appreciated the hug but wanted out, not her, her hugs lasted minutes, filling my inside.

The years went on and we grew closer. We made a religion, with goals, rituals and all. we made a plan to kill every adult in the world so only we will remain. We would make jokes, we would make games, we would recite plays, we would write poems.

6th grade. I got my smartphone.

We texted, every day, for hours. We didn't know what memes were back then, nor did we have some, but we would create jokes and tell each other. We'd challenge each other with riddles and philosophical thought experiments. We would plan actual experiments. I told her her experiments would almost certainly be illegal to perform, but she just brushed it off.

7th grade, the hottest class at the institute? gender studies. of course, it is, one day I'd perform the experiment we once designed: track the gifted kid population through a 10-year period and check how many are LGBT. in our institute it's only been 4 years, and we are already over 50%. I am one of the few cishet boys in the class, as to be expected. I challenge and ask questions, often. the class almost never advanced after the first slide, we would get caught up in discussions. the discussions didn't end at class, the WhatsApp group was fuming, always running, 19\7. The discussions didn't end at the group, She and I would chat to the late hours of the night, after the teacher couldn't handle it anymore.

She convinced me god does not exist, and that it is okay, because we had each other. It took her 30 minutes to turn me from a questioner to an atheist.

She was so smart, and so funny, and so... beautiful. She was stunning. No makeup, no fancy clothes, she didn't look like a traditional model, and my parents openly called her ugly to my face.

They could never understand, She was beautiful.

I fell in love. I didn't know it at the time, I didn't recognize the feeling, I didn't know it, but now I do. I fell in love, I fell hard.

Then 8th grade. Covid hits. my grandma dies. I don't know what happened at her side, but shit hit the bottom as well. We fell into a deep depression, both of us. There were weeks at a time I would feel nothing. We would message a lot over that time, I was really sad, she was suicidal.

At 9th grade shit hit the fan, she called me, she didn't call me often by that point, only texted, so I was ecstatic.

"hey david"

"HEY WHAT'S UP? HOW ARE YOU?"

"david can I ask you something?"

"Sure..... what is it?"

"if i'm gone, will you be okay with it?"

"WTF?! NO! WTF? WHY WOULD YOU SAY IT? NO! NOT EVEN AS A JOKE!"

"please"

"NO! AYALA! YOU ARE NOT DYING ON ME"

*hangs up*

I call her mother. It took me 15 minutes to call her, I didn't have her number, Ayala didn't give it to me, and none of my friends had it. I found it 15 minutes later in a "details" card I kept from a year before.

15 dreadful minutes

She responds, she tells me she's safe, she's with her, everything's fine, she knows she is suicidal, they are working on it, thanks for calling

A month later they tell me they are non-binary, and that their name is now Ash. I am shocked. I ask them if I could still refer to them in the female. They say that in hebrew, yes, but to use "they" in english.

Their messages get less frequent

2 months later I get a call from her mom. They tell me she tried to suicide. she took an overdose of pills, and then called the hospital on herself. She is fine, but she is put in the mental hospital for the time being. No phone contact

3 months later, I get a text. "Hi, sorry for being distant, I got my phone back, for a while. I wanted to tell you that the reason I called the ambulance is that I didn't want you to be hurt, or for my cat to be hurt"

They don't respond to any of my texts. I send them memes, and drawings, and get-well-soons. I pray for them every night. I get the occasional text, once a month roughly. "ha ha", "nice one", "use the masculine next time or this will be the last time I text". I didn't even know it bothered them

I finally changed their handle on my phone. I changed it to "Ash (male) GoodHuman". I knew their family name, of course, but it didn't matter, what mattered is that I miss the GoodHuman.

Then... a year passes, and a few months more, they haven't written a text in what seemed like forever.

"Hey david, sorry for ghosting you, It was too difficult responding, I love your texts, and I will try to text you more often"

so we continue to text. turns out, they cut their hair short. they switched to cargo pants and leather, no more blue hoodie. They wore a fedora now, and had new glasses

They had a new boyfriend.

I do not remember their name, I am afraid to go look if I'm honest. I don't like the guy, he seems way too controlling, and way too sure of himself, and way too... too dumb for them. But they were happy, and after the last couple of years, it's been good enough knowing that they were happy

They texted from his phone sometimes. he switched and talked to me sometimes.

I meant to sent her something by mail. I knew the city, but not the address, so I asked.

They told me "Oh didn't I tell you? My parents got divorced. My mom couldn't handle me being trans, my dad could. I live with him now"

They give me the address

It's so close. So absurdly close. Not in my city, but my city borders a field, and the field connects to another city. I lived on the entrance to the field, they lived on the other. Half an hour by bike.

So they invite me over, and I bike. I bike like mad, I didn't know the path, it didn't matter, I rolled through the thorns, they couldn't hurt me, we are about to meet again.

And we met, and we talked, and we watched a musical, and we played, and recited plays, and sand songs, and we riddled each other riddles, and we played philosophy, and it was suddenly like the old times came back.

I asked how was it going with the boyfriend. They told me they actually were polyamorous, and if I wanted, we could have sex right there and then, her father wasn't home.

I suddenly realized... the years have changed me. I say no.

It was getting late, so I went to take my bike and... the thorns punctured them. I didn't even think to look. I waited for their father to return to bring me home, and promised: next time in my house. They gave me an origami frog. I still have it

Their father came later. he drove me back, but by the time we got home, my mother asked where I've been.

I lied. My mother hated Ash, and still called them Ayala. I don't remember my lie, I am pretty sure she knew exactly what happened, but we never talked about that.

Stuff went well for a while, then...

We went into a gender studies discussion. It went as usual, then they said "yeah, but all men are rapists".

"I'm a man"

no comment

"Ash, I ask you to back down, this hurts me a lot"

They doubled down. I don't remember what they said. I remember I shed a tear for the first time since my grandma died and say "If you want to talk with me again, back down, if not, I will not engage again"

I assumed they'd back down in a day. In 2 tops. Every day I'd check the chat, still empty.

5 months later: "I am not backing down, but it shouldn't affect our relationship-"

I stop reading

I write some "professional speech" bs about me being able to accept an apology whenever they'd like, but I cannot continue like this, and wish them the best

This is the last message in our chat

Often I ask myself if I was too dramatic, If this was too much, If I should have accepted it for our friendship. I don't know the answer

This was a year ago. more, actually. They never came for the "next time in my house". The friends who keep in touch with both of us say they are still with the same boyfriend. they colored their hair. they are trying to pass school, but having a hard time with math.

I pray they are still okay

[f1-disaster-bi]

How about Martin and Lando getting to know each other via IG dm and Martin inviting Lando to his gig and Lando being absolutely nervous wreck. Then, Lando invites Martin to watch his race and Martin is just amazed how fast the car goes but also nervous something goes wrong

Oh that's a cute idea!

Martin slipping into Lando's dms around the time that Lando is messing around with DJ. Maybe Martin had spotted Lando at a race Max had invites him too, they hadn't spoken, but he caught Martin's eye and hearing Max talk about him, he was intrigued.

So when he sees a way in, he slides into Landos dms knowing Lando probably might not reply but jokes on him because Lando actually is a fan of Martin's music and is more than happy to start chatting with him and accept advice from him.

Their conversations drift from DJing to racing to getting to know each other and before Lando knows it they've moved over to WhatsApp and they're talking every single day, and they're smiling at their phones.

Maybe Maritn drops a hint that he likes Lando, it's very vague but Lando decides fuck it. If he can drive an f1 car, he can invite the guy he likes and has been kinda flirting with to his race and maybe ask him out.

Martin, despite being to races before, finds himself extremely nervous watching the sessions because yes, Max is his friend and he loves him, but it's somehow harder to watch Lando, who he's fallen for, going at those speeds especially when it's wet on track

And maybe that prompts Martin to say something or kiss Lando before the race because he can't help but worry something will go wrong without lando knowing that he likes him