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artificialqueens · 4 years ago

Text

Galactica, Chapter 5 (Group Fic) - TheDane/Veronica

A/N: Since we’re on a roll and impatient as fuck, we decided to up our posting rate! Hope you enjoy! Click here if you’re looking for previous chapters (or here if you’d rather read on AO3). 💫

Last Chapter: Violet gave Trixie a heads-up about Fame’s dislike of the new collection, and moved into her new apartment--where she found some very welcoming neighbors.

This Chapter: All hands on deck as Fame demands a complete reconceptualization of their Spring collection.

***

Fame swept into the office on Monday, all business, barely looking Violet in the eye as she rattled off a waterfall of orders.

Fame pulled off her coat and dropped it, nearly letting it fall on the floor before Violet dove forward to catch it.

“Have you taken care of the messages I left you over the weekend?”

Fame seemed almost frantic, her energy all over the place.

“I’m almost done Miss,” Violet folded her coat over her arm, holding out her hand for Fame’s bag. “I just need to confirm wit-”

“Good.” Fame hung her bag on Violet’s wrist, the weight almost toppling Violet over if it hadn’t been for her hours at the gym. “Have you ordered the new fabrics I talked about?”

Violet nodded. “They are on their wa-”

“And what about my new assistant?”

“Yes-” Violet reached for her desk, a stack of resumes already printed out. “I’m starting the pre-interviews tomorrow-”

“Wonderful.” Fame completely ignored Violet and the papers she was holding out, instead walking towards her office. Violet quickly disposed of Fame’s coat and bag, putting both down on her desk so she could grab Fame’s coffee and the letters for the day before she followed her.

“Remember, only perfection is accepted,” Fame instructed, settling down at her desk.

“Yes, Miss.” Violet handed her the coffee, which Fame took a single sip of before she scrunched her nose and handed it back to Violet.

“I’d like a new latte and a medium fruit salad, no pineapple.”

“Yes Miss.”

“Is that the schedule for the day?”

Violet nodded and handed her the paper.

“Also, before you go. Get Raja up here. I need to discuss the collection. That’s all,” Fame said, turning to her computer.

It wasn’t for a few minutes that Violet realized how serious Fame was about the collection change. She was standing in line at the coffee shop, checking her email, when she saw that Fame had sent one to the entire senior management team.

Subject: URGENT

All hands on deck meeting at 3 pm today to discuss a complete re-conceptualization of our Spring collection. Bring your best ideas, ready to discuss, along with samples and visual aids. Be prepared to work late.

Violet gulped, forwarding the email to all of the applicable assistants, when another one ticked in.

Subject: Violet - Get me Pearl

***

“This is interesting, try to get a sample of the skirt done ASAP and then spruce up the sketch,” Trixie said.

Trixie had been walking around the busy design floor, checking out what his team had come up with over the weekend. Ever since getting Violet’s text last Friday, he had a sinking feeling in his stomach that Fame was about to bring down a hammer, and so they needed to be prepared with new ideas.

Half of the team was working on changes and additions to their current collection. Half of them were working on entirely new concepts and ideas.

‘Remember guys,’ he’d said before they left on Friday. ‘This is a spaghetti against the wall situation. No bad ideas, time to explore everything. If it’s unique and innovative, that’s a plus. Pull out your passion projects.’

The truth was, Trixie had no idea what to expect. Fame had been silent all weekend, which made him even more nervous. Usually she’d send at least a few texts or emails. Ideas that popped into her head. A doodle on a notepad. Image references. But now, when she was allegedly questioning their whole collection? Nada.

Trixie walked over to where April was draping out an ornate sample dress in multiple shades of blue, telling her to carry on. Then he moved on to Alexis, scrutinizing the sketches on her desk with a critical eye.

“Some of these shapes are interesting, but I need you to redo them with different colors and fabrics,” he told her. “Remember, the color story is apparently the thing she’s most ambivalent about.”

“Got it,” Alexis said with a good-natured sigh, picking up a fresh pad.

“Um, Trixie?” Kandy looked up, a terrified look on her face as she hung up the phone.

“Yes?”

“Raja says to check your emails, don’t panic, and that she’s coming down to fill you in,” Kandy said.

Trixie pulled out his phone, stomach lurching as he read the email from Miss Fame, face going pale.

His worst fear had just come true: they were facing a complete reconceptualization. He looked up, forcing a smile in order to not terrify the design team even more.

“Okay,” he said, attempting to keep his voice light. “New plan...Blu, Jovan, Gia? Forget about the adjustments you were working on. We’re looking for fresh ideas, anything that you think could be a new signature piece. Everyone: the deadline is today at 3 pm.”

A small gasp rippled through the team as they realized how soon that was.

“Three pm?” Blu asked, the Irish designer looking like she might burst into tears.

“Yeah.” Trixie scanned the room again, hating the anxiety that he saw on everyone’s face, which he knew full well was not conducive to innovation. “And try to have fun. Remember, this is fashion, not heart surgery. No one’s gonna die.”

“We might die,” Jovan muttered under his breath, ripping his current piece out of a sewing machine and tossing it onto the ground.

“It’ll be okay,” Trixie put a hand on Jovan’s shoulder. He was his oddest worker, the wrinkly brain he had coming up with the most beautiful, crazy, intricate ideas when he was left to his own devices. “I promise.” Trixie squeezed, trying to put as much conviction behind his words as he could. “Just do your best.”

***

Pearl had just settled into her chair, ready to see if anything exciting had happened on Twitter while she had been by the design department to give Trixie his lunch.

It wasn’t something she normally did, but Katya had been near heartbroken when she saw that Trixie had forgotten the lunchbox she had made him that morning, and since Pearl was a pretty damn good roommate in her own opinion, she had volunteered to deliver it.

Katya had given her a kiss and a hug as thanks before she hurried out the door, two tote bags and canvas under both arms. If Pearl didn’t love her so much, she’d be almost disgusted with how good of a human being Katya was, spending her summer as a volunteer art teacher at a community center in the Bronx.

Her beating heart was however also the reason that Pearl hadn’t been kicked out of the apartment she shared with her Trixie when he and Katya had started dating, so who was she to complain?

A polite cough came from the door just as Pearl was catching up on Olivier Rousteing’s Instagram. She turned around and came face to face with Violet.

Pearl smiled; it was always a joy to see Violet, the other always a sight for sore eyes with her almost impeccable beauty.

It was always fun to see what Violet would wear, the woman almost vintage in her style.

“Is that Gabbana?”

“Of course it’s Gabbana” Violet smoothed down her skirt, and Pearl smiled. She was the only person who Pearl knew that could wear a button up, and still look like someone begging to get fucked.

“You’re late.”

“Am I?” Pearl smirked. Violet was fun to rile up, but Fame was her favorite, one of her very best days at work happening because she had agitated her boss on purpose.

“Is this about the collection? Trixie told me Fame has officially freaked.”

Violet didn’t say anything, and Pearl almost wanted to roll her eyes.

“I’ll take that silence as a yes.”

Violet was an annoyingly good assistant, never saying a word against Fame, always holding her tongue even when it would have been more than fair to complain.

“She wants you in her office in 10.”

“So I’m not actually late?” Pearl turned around to her iMac, seeing that the small email icon on her screen was blinking red. “Ah.”

Pearl realized that Violet had just saved her from Fame’s disappointment, but there was no way she was going to let the other know of her gratitude.

It was too early in the game for that.

“Sorry for helping you.” Violet huffed, rolling her eyes. “Here-” Violet put a folder down on Pearl’s desk. “In case you want to actually prepare-”

“Thanks Vivi.”

“Don’t call me that.”

***

“Shit.” Trixie exhaled a groan of frustration as he dumped down in his chair. He had known the email was coming, but it had still felt like a punch to the gut when he’d actually seen it.

Raja had come straight from a meeting with Fame, and Trixie had known it was bad, real bad, when he had seen how Raja’s normally ice cold exterior was chipped.

Trixie sighed, burrowing his head in his hands for a minute. He hated having to push his designers, hated forcing them to deliver in extreme conditions. A few of them thrived on it, Betty always delivering excellent work, while Aiden almost always buckled when he didn’t have time to pay attention to his details.

Trixie reached into his mini-fridge, taking the lunch Pearl had stopped by to drop off for him. It was only 10:30, but he unpacked it anyway. Katya had packed two pieces of carrot cake, a can of diet coke and as Trixie opened the metal container, the lovely smell of Katya’s best mushroom and cheese blinis greeted him.

He opened his drawer, pulling out a fork as he turned his computer on, the promise of carrot cake the only thing getting him through the avalanche of worried emails he knew was waiting for him.

***

Raja heaved a sigh as she stepped off the elevator. She’d been trying to give Trixie a warning about Fame’s current state of mind without causing the EVP of Design to freak out, but couldn’t shake the notion that she’d failed, seeing the crease in his forehead deepen the more she spoke, until she’d finally just left him with a firm pat on the back. She entered her own suite, the rich fabrics and warm colors immediately soothing her, although her relief was short-lived, since Jaida was perched on Ivy’s desk, a stern look on her face.

“I need to talk to you.”

Jaida was the most recent addition to their management team. The bright, resourceful CFO joined them almost two years ago, when Patrick stepped away from the day to day financial management to focus on his own firm. She’d truly been a godsend—immediately understanding the need for creative flexibility in their budgets, and helping to streamline the company’s organization in a way that was incredibly effective even as they grew by leaps and bounds.

But now, Jaida’s beautiful face was about the last one that Raja wanted to see. She was well-aware that Fame’s email had caused mass panic, and Jaida’s mind was probably already spinning in 100 different directions, thinking about how their timelines would now completely change the budget for Fashion Week beyond the normal contingency plan.

Raja gestured to her office, resigned to have this conversation now, and Jaida immediately sailed in, settling on the forest green velvet couch that Raven had picked out. Raja turned to Ivy, requesting some herbal tea, before joining her.

“So, Jaida, what are you brightening my day with?”

“An entire reconceptualization, Raja?”

“I’m aware that-”

“Has she completely lost it? Can’t you talk to her?” Jaida implored.

“Fame has made up her mind.”

“Ughhh!” Jaida’s hand fell into her hands.

“What a mature response-”

Raja was cut off when Shangela burst into the office. One of their longest and most loyal employees, the Director of Operations usually never panicked, taking on every challenge with an almost annoying amount of enthusiastic joy.

It was possible, Raja supposed, that she was extra annoyed by Shangela because of their failed relationship, but she liked to tell herself that that was besides the point.

“There you are! I’ve been looking all over for you!” Shangela exclaimed, taking a seat across from Jaida.

“I was stalking Ms. Gemini here.” Jaida pointed with her thumb.

“Shangela, you’re in my office-” Raja began.

“Listen. I just want to make sure everyone understands the situation at hand. Bendela is already asking to double the staff in the tailoring department through September, and Alyssa says that this is going to potentially triple the budget for the media campaigns, and-”

“I know! It’s a shit show!” Jaida exclaimed.

Raja closed her eyes. Where the fuck was Ivy with her tea?

“I hear your concerns, however, we haven’t even had the creative meeting yet, so don’t you think we’re getting a little ahead of ourselves?”

“But Bendela says-”

“Of course she does, Shangela.” Raja sighed. Shangela was always so dramatic, but she was irritatingly good at her job.

“Bendela’s been requesting to hire more tailors for months now. That doesn’t mean that her estimate is accurate and if she truly sticks to her guns, Trixie just interviewed potential interns. I’m sure some of them can be assigned to tailoring.”

Ivy pushed her way through the door, a tray with coffee and tea for everyone in her hands.

“Right, okay, but what about-”

“We’re going to get through today, listen to what Fame has to say, what ideas everyone comes up with, and then reconvene tomorrow morning,” Raja said, gratefully accepting the tea that Ivy handed over.

“Fine,” Jaida said. “But if I were you, I’d convince Miss Fame that the current collection is brilliant.”

“You don’t think I tried that?” Raja laughed.

“Fair enough,” Jaida replied, finally letting a small giggle escape.

“Another day in paradise,” Shangela added, rising up from the couch.

#rpdr fanfiction #thedane #veronica #galactica #lesbian au #fashion au #pearlet #violet chachki #miss fame #trixie mattel #pearl liaison #raja gemini #jaida essence hall #shangela laquifa wadley

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lxveille · 7 years ago

Text

compatibility

jun x reader

word count: ~ 3900 a/n: part of my three-day-weekend writing challenge/goal; speculative (/absurd) fiction of a post-potential-extinction-event society; warnings for some sex talk but no actual sex depicted

The pandemic had been your grandparents’ lifetime. Your parents were the fearful generation who grew up being told our species may never recover sustainable population numbers. Your generation is seeing the rise of the TruvNé, a biological and reproductive research company whose mission statement is to “help build healthier, tenable generations of human life.”

“You’re getting junk mail from them too?” Jeongyeon comments with clear exasperation when she spots the yellow and white striped envelope coming out of your mailbox. “I swear if I get one more letter from them about what great idea it is to do one their scans, I’m going to seriously consider setting fire to their nearest clinic.”

“There’s a number you can call to get taken off their mailing list, you know,” you tell her with a roll of your eyes as you tuck the envelope underneath a plainer looking one. You start up the steps from your mailroom to your apartment and decide now is as good a time as any to tell your friend the truth. “Besides, this one actually isn’t junk mail.”

“You’re kidding.” You can tell Jeongyeon has stopped following you without having to look back. “You actually did one of their creepy scans? When was this?”

“I don’t know, a month or so ago?” You answer, tapping your stack of mail against the handrail of the stairs as you run to look back at her. “And it wasn’t creepy. They mostly just asked a lot of questions and took some bio samples.”

“Why are you being so casual about this? You’ve basically agreed to let a whole company harass you about having kids. Don’t we get enough of that from our families already?” Jeongyeon gives a wide gesture with both hands as if pointing out the vast array of nagging comments both you were quite familiar with.

You sigh in surrender. “They pay you if you agree to do the scan and the options consultation if they find anyone compatible in their database,” you tell her, “And I was not gonna make rent last month without some kind of boost.”

“What the hell is an options consultation?” Jeonyeong crosses her arms, still scowling as if you’d done something to personally offend her.

Perhaps it wasn’t entirely uncalled for. After all, the two of you had just been at lunch with several friends, and when the topic of TruvNé’s latest ad campaign came up, you had been right there along with them trash talking the overdramatic nature of it. (Participant or not, even you could agree that the bold, red font and the deep-voiced narrator reading about how human beings are still on the endangered list was a bit much.)

“Can we please just get to my place to carry on this conversation?”

This time Jeongyeon is the one to roll her eyes. She trudges after you nevertheless.

You can only really tell her as much as the nurse told you at your appointment. That the consultations are where they introduce you to whoever they found who, genetically speaking, has a ninety-six or higher percent chance of creating an optimally healthy baby with you. And that they may not even have such a match for you yet.

“What are you gonna do if they say they do have some guy for you?” Jeongyeon questions, glancing pointedly towards the pile of mail on your table.

“I don’t know. It’s not like it has to change anything about my life. One option is to donate to some couple that’s found out the residual virus has left them incompatible to conceive with each other.”

“You sound exactly like one of their ads right now, you know?” she deadpans.

“Only because it’s true,” you decide to rely upon.

“So when are you going to open the damn things and find out if you have to go talk about ‘options’?”

“Probably when you’re not here to be all judgemental about it,” you tell her flatly.

“I just think at our age we should be exploring the world and figuring ourselves out! Not worrying about some made up reproductive responsibility to the world.”

“Jeongyeon, I promise, you’ll be the first person I tell if I decide to do anything with whatever options they give me. If they even have options for me.”

Honestly speaking, you’d been expecting an apologetic letter saying there’s currently no certain match for you. Your parents had considerable trouble even having you. You had assumed from that much that you would be in a similar position of being one of those who carried latent proviruses that made conception even more difficult than it already was.

So when your letter begins with ‘congratulations’ and details how you need to log in to their online system to arrange your consultation appointment, you’re at a loss for words.

The only reasonable thing you can think to do is text Jeongyeon.

[sent 14:23] so turns out they do have a match for me...

You sit at your table with the opened envelope and the crisp, stock-paper letter pushed to the side as you wait for a response from her.

[received 14:25] you could always not go [received 14:25] they cant force you to do anything right?

[sent 14:27] no, but i don’t get the bigger half of the payout if i don’t at least go to the consultation

[received 14:31] then go. just tell whoever it is youre not looking to actually make a baby right now and leave!!

You think of telling her about how the letter from TruvNé includes details about financial rewards for taking action after the consultation as well. But you have a feeling she’ll try to talk you out of it altogether if you include that.

The appointment ends up being confirmed for two weeks later, on a Tuesday afternoon. Jeongyeon doesn’t keep the information to herself, so you’ve begun fielding questions from your entire friend group now. Seulgi is the first to come up with the hypothetical of what you’ll do if your match is anyone you already know. You dismiss the notion is as absurd, insisting it’s highly unlikely. Hyerin latches onto the idea nevertheless and argues that the quick turnover between results and appointment must mean the mystery man is local.

Nervousness doesn’t actually hit you until you’re at the TruvNé clinic’s doorstep. You sign in with curious glances at the others sitting in the waiting room. The secretary smiles at you with a clipboard in hand when she calls your name to escort you to the consultation.

The room feels more like a therapist’s office than a doctor’s office. The walls are painted a light blue, and while the doctor sits in a professional looking dark-wood chair, you’re encouraged to take a seat on one of the well-cushioned armchairs. You wonder vaguely if there’s some psychological reason why the company abandoned their otherwise sterile, more traditionally medical appearance for this room.

“How are you feeling?” the doctor asks you, and you aren’t certain if it’s simply out of politeness or if she has some professional reason for asking.

“Okay, I guess,” you answer, glancing towards the door, “I thought I was going to be meeting...”

“We will be. Our experience is that these meetings go best when we check in with both parties as individuals before discussing options.”

“Right.” It doesn’t make much sense to you. You just want to get this obligation over with and collect the money they’re offering in exchange for hearing them out. “So... What do you need to know?”

“Have you read over the information we provided about the options that you have if you choose to move forward with the TruvNé process?” The doctor asks, smiling despite the gravity in her tone. You nod and answer that you have. “And which options seem most appealing to you at the moment?”

None, is the first answer comes to mind. It’s the answer your friends drafted for you. “I guess the donation option,” you tell her instead, shifting in the soft seat with some anxiety, “As a one-time kind of thing.”

“I see,” she nods, lips an indiscernible line. “You’re aware TruvNé offers its greatest financial reward for pairs that pursue a reproductive relationship?”

“Yeah, I saw that,” you reply, discomfort creeping up the back of your neck, “I’m not really sure what that means.”

“It can mean different things depending on the individuals involved,” the doctor answers, which does little to help. She leans forward in her chair some, putting on a soft expression you imagine is meant to be reassuring. "Some frame it simply as regular donations and utilize our services to do so without interrupting their lifestyles. Others handle it amongst themselves, drawing a distinction between romantic and reproductive partners and determining custody of their offspring separately. And some even find romantic compatibility with their matches."

“That sounds,” you pause, searching for a better word than weird, “...Kind of unconventional.”

“Humanity has gone through a lot of norms, you know,” the doctor almost laughs, “At one point in time, love marriages were unconventional. And only several generations back, our ancestors went from thinking it was weird to meet a significant other online to it being the primary way couples met. It’s always unconventional to be at the forefront of new ways. But again, you’re under no obligation to take any further options if you’re not comfortable with them.”

The doctor goes over a few other details before asking if you're ready to meet your match. When you agree, she picks up the telephone on her desk and calls to some other office to ask if he is ready as well. Next thing you know, you're walking down the hallway to another one of the consultation rooms.

You nearly turn to run when you recognize the man sitting in the armchair of this room.

"We'll give the two of you time to make introductions and discuss options privately," his doctor explains, "This is the buzzer you should use to notify us when you're ready to discuss your decisions."

You nod and stare after the doctors as they leave the room.

"So..." you begin slowly, turning to look over your match, "How's Mingyu?" Asking after your ex is the only thing you know how to do with Wen Junhui.

"He's good," he answers just as awkwardly, "He's been dating someone for about seven months now."

"Awesome," you reply dryly, not really caring all that much about Mingyu's love life ever since the messy breakup.

"So..." he repeats your earlier buffer, "TruvNé, huh?"

"Yup." You nod meaninglessly and glance around at the minimal decor of the room. "I'm just looking to get paid," you tell him hurriedly.

"Yeah, obviously, um... same," Junhui confirms, nodding with a bit more vigor than the moment called for.

"Okay," you extend the syllable, stalling for time as your process your circumstances, "Well, we could -- I mean -- it wouldn't be that big of a deal to donate. We wouldn't even have to see each other again after this. They just, you know, take what they need and..." You give a stirring motion with one hand as you fail to find an eloquent way to word it.

"True," he nods.

Neither of you says anything more for several seconds. They end up feeling like an eternity with the way the two of you are avoiding making eye contact.

"Here's the thing," Junhui starts again suddenly, leaning forward in his chair some and speaking only just above a whisper. You furrow your brow immediately at his sudden shift to a secretive manner of speaking. "If we... tell them we want to pursue a relationship, we could get paid way more. And... how are they gonna know if we actually try or not?"

"Are you suggesting we try to scam them into giving us money?"

"That, uh -- well -- I wouldn't put it like that," he stammers, clearly still flustered by this whole ordeal. Although you're beginning to sense this has been his plan all along regardless of who his match was. “It was just a suggestion, I get it if you don’t wanna bother, I mean...” he starts to ramble in what sounds to be a mix of panic and regret.

"I’m in,” you interrupt him to say. “Let’s do it.”

The doctors are delighted by your choice and take several more minutes to walk you through the paperwork together.

“Now, we won’t be able to pay your first installment until we get registered confirmation of your first attempt at conception,” one tells you matter-of-factly.

“Sorry, what?” you speak up, shooting Junhui a nervous glare before smiling back at the doctors.

The other doctor nods and pushes too small, silver and yellow boxes across the table to each of you. She explains how the sensors inside work to measure vitals and check bioIDs. The two of you are assured that it is easy and noninvasive -- just put them on prior to intercourse and the attempt will automatically be registered with Truvné’s system. “We do have rooms available at the clinic if you’re looking to receiving payment immediately.”

“I think we want to get to know each other a bit better first,” you reply quickly.

“Yeah, definitely,” chimes in Junhui, sounding just as anxious as you feel.

The doctors are very understanding.

You don’t start yelling at Junhui until the two of you are out on the sidewalk, safely away from the ears and eyes of the TruvNé staff.

“I cannot believe I let you talk me into this dumb idea! ‘How will they know?’” You paraphrase him bitterly, “God, of course I should’ve known they’d have some proof program in place! What the hell are we going to do? Huh? This was your great plan, right?”

“It actually wasn’t my idea,” Junhui admits quietly, “I swear I had no idea about these sensor things.”

You groan. “Alright, which one of Mingyu’s smartass friends thought up this mess then?”

“Jeonghan.”

You nearly scream. Instead, you let out a hiss of a sigh and run a hand through your hair in frustration. “Honestly, I should’ve known.”

It’s decided that both of you need more time to process this whole ordeal. You exchange numbers and promise to get in touch once you’re ready to sort this out.

As soon as Junhui is out of sight, you’re texting your group chat. It takes several repetitions of the facts for all of them to believe you when you say your match turned out to be one of your ex’s friends. Seulgi, of course, is taking a strange sort of pride in the fact her theory turned out correct.

But the teasings stops when you tell them about the deal you’d made and the utter loss you’re at as to how to fake a relationship when there’s sensors literally made to ensure it isn’t.

An emergency happy hour meeting is called for.

“Now, Junhui was the one who just smiled politely and mostly just murmured to his friends when we all hung out that one time, right?” Hyerin clarifies as she sets down her drink.

You nod dismally at the description.

“What if one of you handed the sensor off to the other and put it on someone you actually want to sleep with?” Seulgi suggests.

“Except TruvNé has all our genetic data and the sensors use bioIDs,” you shoot down her idea with another sip from your glass.

“Can we agree with the creepy part of this whole thing now?” Jeongyeon insists, giving you a firm look. There are a few mutters of agreement around the table. You sigh and shrug in defeat. “They haven’t paid you anything for the relationships yet, right? So why don’t you just back out?”

“I think there’s a cancellation fee once you’ve actually signed papers.”

“That’s bullshit! What happened to all their ‘no obligations’ stuff?” exclaims Jeongyeon.

“I mean, that was technically before I signed a contract saying I’d try.”

“Now, would the sensors detect if there’s a condom on?”

“Hyerin! You are not suggesting she actually has sex with him, are you?”

“It could be worse!” she defends herself in the face of Jeongyeon’s suddenly soured look. “Mingyu was a mess in bed, right? Maybe his friend will be better. It has been a while since you actually got laid, hasn’t it?”

“First of all -- let’s not bring Mingyu into this, please?” You press your fingertips into your temple. “Second, I have no idea about the condom thing but it seems like something they would’ve accounted for.”

Seulgi hums and raises one hand, mouth too full with wine for her to voice her idea yet. The three of you look at expectantly as she swallows. “What about pulling out?”

“That’s not an effective method of birth control!”

“Wait -- but if he is anything like Mingyu than he’ll only get off on oral anyway, right?” Hyerin promptly goes back to bringing your ex into this conversation, making you slump forward in your seat.

“I think I’m just gonna evaporate instead,” you mutter, “That’s starting to feel like the only viable options.”

“Wait! Let’s just approach this rationally,” Seulgi proposes urgently, placing a hand on your shoulder. You swear you hear Jeonghyeon say something under her breath, but you don’t bother putting in any effort to make it out. “Just, logically speaking, what are your options? Are you willing to pay the fee for breaking your contract off early?”

“I have no money.” You lift your head to look at Seulgi. “That’s the whole reason I went to TruvNé to begin with.”

“So what options does that leave?”

[sent 21:18] okay, Junhui. We need to talk.

You meet at a café on Friday afternoon and quickly realize neither of you are comfortable with the possibility of a barista listening in on this conversation. With coffee cups in hand, you relocate to a park bench.

“I’m not ready to take a financial loss on this,” you open with.

“Me neither. So what are we going to do about the sensors?”

“I looked a bit into how they function and I think we can trick them if we both, um...” You lose steam as the details come up, “If we both do our own thing at the same time, in a close enough location that the location services won’t pick up anything suspicious.”

Junhui blinks at you from over the rim of his cup. “You mean like, masturbating together?”

“Yeah but I don’t wanna look at you when it’s happening.”

“Okay,” he glances away from you as if it were occurring then and there.

“The other thing is, I’m not entirely sure how many details the sensor is gonna be registering on my end but, we can’t risk messing up the details. So, I’m gonna need some details from you about... sizing.”

You have never seen someone turn red quite as quickly and brightly as Junhui in that moment.

“Is that really necessary?” he asks in a nervous pitch higher than he usually speaks.

“Do you want us to get sued for trying to swindle a company?”

“It’s not like I know the exact numbers off the top of my head!” Junhui says as emphatically as he can without raising his voice above a whisper.

“Then go home and deal with it and message me them!” you insist, “It’s not like I’m raring to find out, you know. You can blame Jeonghan for this whole thing.”

Junhui runs his free hand through his hair and sighs. “Okay, don’t -- don’t yell about it,” he urges you quietly.

One week later, you show up at Junhui’s apartment with a purse full of contents you’d be mortified to show anyone at all.

“This should work,” you agree with him as the two of you look over the space between his bedroom and the attached bathroom. “So we’ll... deal with the sensors separately, and you can just give me a shout once you’ve come and we’ll be done here.”

Junhui looks you over nervously. “What about you?”

“What about me?”

“I don’t know. I mean -- are you gonna...?”

You look away from him and place a hand over your eyes. “I don’t think anyone in the history of babymaking has ever cared about if the woman orgasms.”

“I’d feel better if you did,” Junhui says.

“I’ll do my best,” you try to sound sarcastic, but the heat rising in the apples of your cheeks is making it difficult to pull off.

After Junhui has climaxed (louder than you’d anticipated; the bathroom door not quite muffling as much as you hoped), you give him several minutes to clean up before unlocking the bathroom door.

“Are we bad people?” Junhui asks as your phones ding with a notification from the TruvNé app. Successful registration of an attempt at conception.

“We’re slightly less broke people, Jun,” you tell him simply.

On your walk home, you wonder when exactly you decided to start calling him by a nickname.

The next question the two of you are faced with is this: exactly how many times can you get away with this fake-intercourse before the TruvNé doctors suspect something must be wrong?

Both you decide it’s a bridge you’ll cross when you get to it.

It’s during dinner with your friends after the fifth ‘session’ -- as you and Jun have come to call them -- that you find yourself making a strange admission.

“Honestly, it’s kind of... nice?” you cave into answering their relentless questions about what the whole experience is like. “It was really awkward the first couple times, but now it’s like... kind of a low-pressure way to get off.”

“You realize you could get that same effect by masturbating without Junhui in the next room over?” Jeongyeon comments with a questioning sort of chuckle.

“Yeah, but it’s kind of more exhilarating than that,” you confess, face flushed.

“This is starting to sound like some kind of kink,” Hyerin observes.

You roll your eyes and take another bite of your meal. “Whatever. My only kink is being able to actually pay my rent.”

It would be easier to believe if not for the reaction you have to Jun’s question when you next show up at his place to register another fake copulation.

“I just was thinking...” he started, looking antsy over whatever he’s leading up to with fingers toying with the ends of his sleeves. “What if we -- well -- what if you stayed in the bedroom?”

You understand his implication immediately. Still, you fake obliviousness and ask, “You want to use the bathroom?”

A part of you is mad at yourself for finding the deepening of the blush on his skin attractive.

“N-Not exactly,” he stutters, clearly about to backpedal, “It was just an idea. It was dumb, I know. Don't worry, it’s not like we have to --”

“No -- hey, Jun, listen.” Here you hesitate, knowing you probably ought to take more time to think this one over. But something more deeply seeded inside of you has already decided upon the answer. “I’m in.”

#seventeen scenarios #jun scenarios #wen junhui scenarios #seventeen imagines #jun imagines

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autoirishlitdiscourses · 3 years ago

Text

Discourse of Wednesday, 01 September 2021

I think that you've chosen, it's easier for me that your basic idea is correct it seems that it would pay off in my office SH 2432E, or. The Anglo-Irish, or otherwise need to do so very quickly. If you want to, close your eyes on all sides and develops according to post-Victorian ideals demands that they haven't read; it's certainly interesting insofar as it could be. Are you talking about how we have together during each week is the only way that allows you to dig even deeper into the discussion, depending on what your argument more specifically what the nature of your literary sources—I think that interrogating the metaphor's utility as a simple concept in many ways, I think that you are working. My one suggestion at this point is a series of unsubstantiated claims would pay off for you. Thanks for letting me know and I'll see you tomorrow. The other people's questions and opened up possibilities for discussion; you have demonstrated repeatedly in section this quarter, depending on what texts you choose into a set of ideas in a paper, and I think that you want to go on the final exam, from the professor send out the issues that you've been rather quiet this quarter. There are plenty of room for you. To answer your specific argument about a relationship that is a fair number of things well, but there are a very good job on Wednesday, and you didn't hurry through your questions might have helped here. Let me know immediately. What constitutes evidence, and they had a very sophisticated and clear. 551, p. Lesson Plan for Week 9: General Thoughts and Notes 20 November 2013 Major topics 1 and 2 and 7, etc. No worries at all I myself often don't get to. Wednesday, but my assumption is that it had been set to music. Your delivery was quite good when you argue that a lot of things in abstract terms instead of answering your own purpose. Overall, you/must be killed except as a whole, though also did some very good work here. Your writing is thoughtful and focused without being warmed up for the Synge vocabulary quiz. I am a bit too much on track throughout your time and/or symbolism of the more easily accessible representations of the texts, and gave what was overall an excellent reader, but has borrowed several pages of the century, particularly if you are one of your performance, and I'm looking forward to it but you'll be most successful if it seems that it is still MIA. He consented to let me know as soon as possible, to be tying the landscape, Beckett may also, if you wanted to be sympathetic toward the violent protagonists engage the class, that is genuinely smarter than her grade actually reflects, and structure your presentation. Serious illness requiring urgent medical care. You did a good selection, and I've just been going through the writing process is also a Twitter stream. This means that, your writing really is a very sophisticated level. I've got you down for inaccuracies as measured against a different opinion will not be penalized for falling short by one line—/will incur the penalty calculation, that there will be thinking closely about it with a woman too. Perfect. It's virtually certain, with the material; the Irish nationalism. Ultimately, like reports. One other thing that will encourage substantial discussion in a little bit, I also feel that picking only well … primarily sources that you should include a URL is perfectly OK. Remember that the complex connection that's being built here is demonstrating that it's difficult to argue more strongly for the sake of being helpful.

Midterm review. I'm not saying that you're working with? And I have one of the text and ask students about them; this means that an A-for the paper in the class well. It's absolutely OK to subdivide your selected bibliography into sections indicating status Works Cited page; any non-edited draft, and preferably by Thursday night. What you've outlined a good job engaging other students and grades, discussed in a strong recitation, you in front of the sources of the students in the best way to think about Molly's relationship with his father, and is probably unnecessary, because right now your primary concern is preparing for the quarter is at least somewhat. You might note that he read would be for with your peers with the critical discourses surrounding the texts that proceeds through them in episodes 2 and pointed to examples of where they're going to be the song performances themselves, once when everyone introduced themselves to me/. What do you think, don't do much to dictate terms on a set of comments explaining why you picked quite a good weekend, and you've mostly done quite a good student this quarter, so be sure you're correct and prepared to defend it; you have any questions, OK? I can. Excellent! More generally, I think that you're capable of doing better on future writing. It's taken me this long to get the earlier reference. C the lowest passing grade for the rest of the editorial/proofreading process. If you glance over at me occasionally, but probably won't make a final decision and get you more specific here. This means that you advocate—I think that specificity will pay off for you to do as soon as possible; if you keep going for, say, at least Western, love of a variety of texts to think about how readers respond to a strong step in the show must go on, and have been to take a look and see what topics are currently more than nine students trying to demonstrate that you have just a bit lopsided. Let me know I didn't notice until after the midterm! You Are Old Yeats, or play too much of a heterosexual romantic relationship is structured not according to the greatest extent that this is the only one! Does 12:30 and will help you to make sure that you have a thesis statement, as documented in the section guidelines handout.

If you believe that you never quite come out and talk about how Ulysses supports your claim about Yeats's response was also a sample MLA-compliant paper on it, and I think, too. I'm sorry to take a look below for section attendance, not on me. Also, let it motivate other people doing recitations that happened after yours. The joke in today's/Doonesbury/is not to claim that for some productive research suggestions today. Perhaps most importantly, though not comprehensively—cleaning these up is a strong piece of writing to get out of 167. Again, though there were some pauses and you demonstrate a very good students this quarter, including class, which are your highest priorities, in juxtaposition is a thinking process, but the usage in literature in Celtic mythology in which your overall grade for the quarter, and you do a very solid job overall; what this means 11:30 work for them to pick out the play's rhythm in the Catholic Church is already strong in several very important to you here even though she almost certainly would have most liked to see some aspect of Irish culture is a perfectly clear, I think that there would be productive for you. If that absolutely cannot be be received at least 24 hours in advance in section Wednesday night. Were reciting and discussing the selection in addition to motherhood, I would be to sit down and writing a report. Your performance was less than 18 points on the final exam, you could engage in a comparative manner over time, I think that phrasing your central claim is. Opening up more abstract and general questions by bridging toward them with more concrete questions might have helped to have a handout and email a new follower on Twitter. And so I think that making your paper.

Almost perfect, but I haven't yet decided what order I'll call people in, so you can take some reasonable guesses. You have very good work here, but perhaps one of the contracting party is entitled to. How to Read James Joyce's Ulysses/character list on How to Read James Joyce's Ulysses/character list on How to Get An A is still theoretically in range for you. Your paper should be an indication that you're saying exactly what you think, a fraction between zero and one smart move for a recitation and discussion by email. I will be paying attention to the right direction, too, if you pick up a miniature performance of the review session that will help you to talk about his performance so far in advance from the recitation, and that you've put a printed copy of your argument more, this is a good quarter. I discover by any means a comprehensive list. Hi!

17 October vocabulary quiz Thurs 17 October. Your Poetry or Prose Recitation Is Graded English 150 course, you should rightfully be proud of it seems history is rather heavy, and you're certainly capable of doing even better quality, and I quite liked your paper to be perhaps more flexible, is the English department mail room South Hall 3431 by 1 p. Extra minutes to fifteen minutes if you'd like. VIII. I absolutely understand that it would have gotten this to have let it sit for a job well done. That audio clip is certainly the best thing to do what the fellow is thinking about your paper this means that I'm hesitant to jump in, and I'll post them more if you have any questions, and let individuals respond to emails that you get by turning in a final decision on which it could have been an even more specific about what your argument more closely would help you make notes about the recitation and discussion to this rule.

Playing it safe doesn't always respond rapidly on weekends. We Lost Eavan Boland, White Hawthorn in the early bits of the midterms in section this quarter; scoring at least twelve lines. I will hold up various numbers of fingers to let me know if you have some very solid paper overall. Wordsworth's Prelude frequently describes the poet thinking or resting under a hawthorn tree, and, like getting letters of recommtion, because the batteries in my office so they haven't started the reading yet, and so you can do it. I want a recording or any sheet music during a week when you're in front of the speech, 33ff. Shift p. Have specific points in mind and be able to avoid thinking that an A is theoretically possible but really requires that you can keep notes on usage of the novel, and I believe it's worthwhile to make sure to keep you posted on.

Keeping Going is from/The Plough and the British pound or pound sterling is complex, if you've scheduled a recitation and thinking closely about the relationship between the selection in question: you produce an excellent job! This is perfectly within the larger structure of the poem without any errors. You managed time well, overall. Yes. Either way is OK! To put it in then. You did a very productive ways, and saving the rest of the poem by 4 p. Several new documents have been even stronger. But you did a number of bonus points you receive no credit for what you've sent; just let me know! Your delivery was basically solid, though I felt that it will help you to dig in deeper and/or taking the no-show penalty. I will post your recitation and lecture. 5 in the West of Ireland 6 p. Plan for Week 9: General Thoughts and Notes 30 October or 6 pm section on Wednesday can you still manage to arrange for an extension on the final graded, but your delivery was solid in a way that the items on the syllabus, provided that you should take a more specific central argument. All nineteen students registered for that week's reading, and your material if that person's ancestry also includes more material than normal that we postmodern folk tend to have a good set of ideas here, and a real pleasure being a good job of choosing not to write a good thing that leaves me feeling unsatisfied about your key terms construct meaning, and it's documented on the poetry handout for next week. Looks good to them by title in your discussion, too. It's been a pleasure having you in the novel is a common way of examining that whereas if you're talking?

Define the underlined word in each revolution being, specifically? It was quite thoughtful in many ways; I think this could have been more successful in doing your research and have more to get fed as much as it could conceivably drop the class and will send your message earlier, because it is, despite the fact that you're constructing. Your responses to individual questions. A-'s, 5 C-means that the final analysis. However, you should be not to carry the weight of it, because you're bright and can take this suggestion and you make in the Ulysses lectures which, given Ulysses, is perhaps not the only one of the situation for you to develop, so I suspect that these are places where your ideas, would be to take a look at my email one message at a time in a nutshell, is holding a midterm from or?

If you have a point total is at all, this is absolutely normal for students in the way that you needed to happen. Here's a breakdown on your life, you do something that keeps it from my other section is actually rather broad topics, and that letting it sit and take a look at at it with people, and a departure from your own, or nearly full credit. There were some gaps for recall and retraction/corrections, but neither is it the attention it deserves on that component of your task that you've identified as significant and connect them to take so long to get going. 25 B 88. Hi! Grades are pretty small errors that mostly don't change the culture of law? I will take this into account when grading your presentation. You could theoretically have been possible to tie it closely to the rest of the points if they don't come off that way, I wish I had better answers for the work of leading discussion, of your group makes it an even more successful would be to link the components of the quarter, divided as follows: total number of students on the final. Technically, this is conjectural, but do so by 10 a. Remember that the law isn't able to avoid departing until afterwards, and lead to a particularly good selection and you really have done a lot of important goals well, plus a third of a specific claim about a particular story you gesture toward this in my 5 p. One of the novel itself? 27 November section, to talk about, exactly, but this is appropriate for the positions we take in the grotesque. They will give it back to you. Are you talking about why in section again, I may give you a bit more practice but your writing, please give me a handout with thoughtful questions and comments in section. You may find that the passage you want to say that I didn't hear that and hide behind the fact, more complex argument be made. Section Materials for English 193 next quarter, this is not the only person reciting and leading discussion, then you have any questions, and you make about motherhood: I think that you carry in your delivery against a printed copy of the section wound up being more successful, however, it's an appropriate analysis that incorporates several different types of significant interpretive missteps.

So, think carefully about at a coffee shop, I suspect, is genuinely smarter than her grade actually reflects, and you do this. Ii: Frank Delaney's Re: Joyce podcast, in our backgrounds. Your do a good skeleton for a college-level details of your argument traverses: what I think that you are entirely up to you. I think that there are potentially many other sections I've worked with. Again, quite a difficult passage, but my own policy to treat in a close reading of them. Well done on this, but that digging into the story of Thomas the Rhymer, but I think that thinking out the issues on the distrust of the passage in question by repeating something you address directly as you point out, but you handled yourself and your material, and gracefully move from one topic to do this effectively if the section website, and you didn't hear his discussion of food here and there are certainly other possibilities. You definitely have a good student this quarter. Truthfully, I estimate that maybe two of you is not the best I can meet at 1 would 12:30 and 4:30 if the section for the purpose of demonstrating that it's likely to have a fresh perspective on a paper with persistent, non-passing grade for you at 11:30 if the group as a simple concept in many ways that prevents you from reciting, obligates you to do an adequate job of providing and resolving complexity in the class; seven of them? Thanks. I'd rather they did on the due date will result in a bar with violently nationalist and anti-war song; etc. You brought out a group of students in your delivery was thoughtful and engaging, and because you're doing all right. I recommend it highly.

There are not quite twelve lines of poetry that anyone writing one of the poem taken for that because the poem in a way that the directions specified that they haven't read; it's of more or less offhand verbal comment made in a way of introducing existentialism involves treating it as an allegory for the quarter has always been an excellent delivery, and contemporary political and biographical concerns.

They should also give a paper that you must attend or reschedule. I flipped through my Reddit comment history, and this is a plus or minus to it when I asked them Who's read episode one of the Godot reciters for several hours tonight. Shift p. For one thing that I am happy to proctor a separate workbook for each text contributes to a question that lies a bit to warm up.

Still, I'm happy just to make sure it doesn't keep your argument as sophisticated as it turns out, let me know if you describe what needs to happen. I can just bring it to take another look through the grade with the professor topic is potentially a very good sense of a text that's written as historical documentation, but I also understand that it would be a more specific central argument as your presentation tomorrow! But how you want to deal with it. That was also helpful in any case, since it's been so much mail this week and I've finally figured out the issues involved, but I'll say a selection from Ulysses in productive ways to look for cues that this could conceivably boost your attendance/participation that is necessary or helpful or a synthesis than an omnivore would? You should be on the most is to be tracing a temporal development, for instance, to wind up being the plus and minus for each document from Google Docs, too, and you construct a nuanced argument, and least importantly, though, and your close readings by a piece of writing that I will probably involve providing at least somewhat. Choose a segment that is sophisticated, broadly informed paper, and not just of individual passages, but societies themselves differ about what motivates us to experience non-trivial illumination of genuine issues in depth and with sensitivity; written gracefully and in terms of what interests you about The Butcher Boy, mentioned in lecture Thanks for doing such a way that you wanted to be helpful. You make some very minor alterations; at this point is that it would be, but you might think about what race means and how this passage. REMINDER: Friday is for you: the professor's reading of a narrative/logical path through your texts; it will be much more happens in section on Dec. Well, it's easier for you. Like This One By the way that the world as a serial killer; on the Starry Plough flag: Wikipedia article on the board and then don't follow through in enough depth in your section sent me before or after you reschedule it: A blade of grass. He is also rather interesting, although it sounds like you to section or fifteen my 6 p. Probably the nicest thing to do it, but you handled yourself and your writing is lucid, and you have read your texts; it will help you represent your own experiences and opinions about the symbolism of the passage you want to take it you're referring to the group while valorizing their input and meeting them at their level of familiarity with the rip she never stitched. Like holding water in your delivery showed that you've chosen fails to conform to the poem takes on these issues and/or recall problems, or make large cognitive leaps immediately, you don't already use Twitter, you did: You are entirely and demonstrates some grasp of basic issues.

#Irish literature #automatically generated text #Patrick Mooney #Python #Markov chains

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chloewildlifestyle · 5 years ago

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LOGO DRAMA!

So after watching and listening to Simon’s Logo critiques I started to get really self conscious about mine. I couldn’t move forward until I solved the problem and naturally got really worked up as I do about everything. I didn’t want to show him mine because of the wave of self doubt that hit me like a ton of bricks. I still preferred my original simple logo that in my head fits the market perfectly but didn’t want to lose marks for it being too boring or straight forward.

I played around with the concept of escapism and alternate worlds and ended up thinking of the phrase gone down the rabbit hole, which fits escapism perfectly and links to the designers inspiration of Alice and wonderland. I played with the idea of putting a hole with legs poking out but felt it was a bit childish and didn’t scream high fashion to me. I talked to my mam about other forms of alternative worlds and she came up with the idea of a wardrobe because it fits with fashion and leads to Narnia. I played around with this idea as well but it still didn’t feel right. I then thought about Neverland and how Peter pan says to get there its second star to the right and straight on till morning and this is when I started playing with shapes that were less literal. I decided a rectangle, circle and two tiny stars could represent these perfectly without being like FAIRY TALE. The brand is all about escapism, and although these alternative worlds did inspire the designs, I didn’t want the brand to literally turn into a costume shop for old children books. I’d been struggling with a letter mark for weeks and decided to just use the composition of shapes that went with the text instead. The last two images were two ideas I had.

I then did some primary research and asked a sample of ten people which was there favourite for a high fashion brand and what it made them think, feel etc. The majority except 2 said the second logo down, which wasn’t really my favourite to be honest because it still seemed too childish. When they commented they said it looks professional, it seems younger, a bit childish but fun, they loved the colours and two tone text, that it reminded them of magic, and that it’s distinctive and recognisable.

These comments didn’t thrill me but then a participant who doesn’t know a lot about high fashion or fashion in general said something that sent me straight back to square one. She said “I think it’s really distinctive, like fruit of the loom has a big logo and writing and it works well because everyone knows them.” I couldn’t get it out of my head. Fruit of the loom is the opposite of what I was going for.

So I started again and came up with whats hopefully my final logo. I’ll post it separately.

Chlo x

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lianordin · 5 years ago

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Playdate’s tiny handheld with a crank is big on charm

It’s a hilariously silly, yet strangely compelling proposition. So much so, that within 24 hours of its announcement on May 22nd, over 70,000 people signed up to be on the waitlist for Playdate (Today, there are over 110,000). In the weeks and months since then, more than 8,000 developers have also registered their interest in making content for the unique device.

Designed in collaboration with Teenage Engineering, a design group known mostly for its portable synthesizers, the Playdate had morphed from a Game & Watch homage into a unique gaming console that lived between worlds. “We didn’t want it to be too cool, but we didn’t want it to be too goofy,” said Cabel Sasser, Panic’s co-founder. The same goes for the device’s intriguing retro-yet-modern appeal. The Playdate’s black-and-white screen might scream old-school, but the device itself is outfitted with a modern ARM-compatible processor from STMicroelectronics, WiFi, Bluetooth, 2GB of flash storage, 16MB of RAM, and a rechargeable battery. The Playdate is definitely not just some Gameboy clone.

“There’s a real sweet spot in the middle of all of it that’s really challenging to calibrate,” Sasser said. This is especially the case for a relatively small company which has zero experience in making its own hardware. Sasser and his cohorts had to learn, through extensive trial and error, to figure all of it out for the better part of seven years, while running a software company at the same time.

Now, the company is finally ready to share it with the world. This weekend, at PAX West, the company will be showing off the Playdate to the public for the very first time. There will be many samples for people to play with. It will be, in essence, the product’s first real-world stress test. The team at Panic is, understandably, nervous about it.

“Yes, I’m a little scared,” joked Greg Maletic, Panic’s Director of Special Projects who’s also the project lead for Playdate. “Like gosh, is this going to last 32 hours of cranking? We’re definitely looking to make sure it does.”

But Maletic showed no qualms in letting me play around with a late prototype of the hardware when I visited Panic’s offices earlier this month. It’s smaller than I expected. At roughly 3-inches square, the Playdate has the feel of a novelty calculator that was barely larger than a stack of Post-it notes. It’s certainly smaller (and lighter! It’s only 86 grams) than any other gaming handheld I’ve ever held. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing.

Yet, despite the initial skepticism, a smile spread across my face the more I played around with it. It’s a charming little device, with its tiny 2.7-inch black and white display and its marigold yellow finish. Next to that aforementioned display is a tiny menu button and a speaker, while the USB-C port and a headphone jack are underneath. Sure, the Playdate is small, but after playing around with it for a while, I didn’t mind its size at all. The D-pad felt clicky enough, as did the A and B buttons on the right. It handled perfectly fine in my hands.

Of course, I was especially keen to try out the crank. By default, it comes in a closed position, with the metal part of the crank resting on the Playdate’s right side. To access it, I flipped it open, pulling the bottom part of the crank upwards 180 degrees to reveal a small rotating yellow handle. Then, I was free to rotate the crank backward or forward as much as I wanted, similar to how you would reel in or out a fishing rod. It was pretty fun to rotate through the Playdate’s menu simply by spinning the crank around.

As for how it feels, well, that depended on which prototype I was allowed to play with. In one model, it ground a little as I spun it around. In another, it felt a lot smoother. At one point while I was playing with one particular model, Maletic noticed that the crank continued to spin even after I let go of it, which he said should not happen. Obviously, the movement and motion of the crank still needs some finetuning.

But what surprised me the most about the Playdate was its black and white display. It’s not at all like the e-ink screen you’d find on your Kindle. Instead, it’s a Sharp Memory LCD, which is surprisingly crisp and clear, with a high pixel density that looks great even under bright sunlight. It’s a display that’s not used a lot in consumer electronics, with the exception of early Pebble watches. In a bit of trivia, Sasser said to me he heard from someone at Sharp that it’s also common in coffee makers in Japanese 7-Elevens.

Perhaps one of the reasons it’s rarely used is that it’s surprisingly expensive, partly because it’s not mass-produced in a way a lot of other electronic screens are. “It’s ludicrous, actually,” Sasser said. “We could’ve used an OLED screen, full color, and it would’ve been cheaper than this. I think that’s a hard thing for people to grasp.”

“But there’s also some really unique properties of the screen that we hope to take advantage of,” he continued. “One is that it can hold an image with very low power… we have dreams of when your Playdate is sleeping on your desk, it shows a clock or other cool things.” “If we’re going to try to sell this thing in a universe where, you know, we all have the latest gadgets with the high-res screens, it made sense for us to do something a little bit different,” Sasser said. “If it just felt like a different version of your phone, it wouldn’t be that interesting.”

The real test, of course, was to actually play a game on it. I played Crankin’s Time Travel Adventure, which was designed by Keita Takahashi, the man behind Katamari Damacy. As you might expect from Takahashi’s history, the game is, well, a little wacky.

The premise here is that you’re a character named Crankin, and you’re late to your first date with Crankette. You then have to run to meet her, but you inevitably end up late and she’s not too pleased. The game then pushes you to the next day and you start over, but now there are obstacles and enemies, such as flying butterflies, blocking your path, and you need to avoid them or you’ll fail your objective. The obstacles become more difficult with each subsequent level.

The only controller in this game is the Playdate’s crank, which is used to control the flow of time. Spin it forward, and time moves forward; spin it backward, and Crankin goes backward too. The trick, however, is that those aforementioned obstacles exist outside the flow of time, and you need to position Crankin in the right spot to avoid those enemies. If at some point Crankin bends down to smell flowers, for example, you need to make sure he does so exactly when bees fly overhead.

At first, it seems like a relatively easy game, but the difficulty ramps up considerably, with precision timing becoming increasingly important as time goes on. Let’s just say that I didn’t make it past level five. The only real complaint I had is that I thought the text on the screen was far too small to read, which Maletic admitted is an issue they’re currently working on.

Speaking of games, that’s another area that sets the Playdate apart. Included with the cost of the device ($149) is a season’s worth of games; one delivered every Monday for the duration of 12 weeks. Aside from Takahashi, Panic has signed up other indie designers such as Zach Gage and Shaun Inman to participate in its inaugural season. You’ll eventually be able to sideload other games too, but Panic liked the idea of you getting a new game every week as a surprise.

“For a long time, we were thinking it would be cool to play a season’s worth of black and white games, and then maybe at the end, you can like unscrew the back and there’s like a tiny color screen,” laughed Sasser, admitting in the end that it was a crazy idea. The season of games concept, however, was a lot more achievable.

Unfortunately, Panic isn’t ready to talk about battery life, as the Playdate isn’t close enough to production just yet. For now, it’s just hoping to show people how it looks and works, and events like PAX West are one way to do that. Right now, pre-orders are slated for later this year, with the product expected to ship in early 2020. If you’re interested in ordering one yourself, you can go to Playdate’s website to get on a mailing list so you’ll be one of the first to know when it’s for sale.

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succorcreek · 6 years ago

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Do you want to get your message out, but didn't know Facebook is removing it? http://bit.ly/2W73l26 When are you being Gaslighted by Social Media? You are being Gaslighted when you posted something important, cute, new, helpful, and then, the Social Media has fooled 8 Billlion people. You posted, and your important item is then removed from Facebook. Most don't know this, a few who do, then had paid $5 to keep or promote a post. So, I see some many people pouring out their guts online about critical humanity and environmental issues (global warming), and they don't know that the blood, sweat, and tears of it, will fade into the ether in 14 days or less. Or, you give somebody a heart felt encouragement with a LIKE, and did you know that like disappears completely in just 5 hours. This is a con, and more will begin to understand this in 2019. But, don't wait to FACEBOOK to fess up to it: it's to their advantage that we're all fools, and posting furiously, not knowing it all disappears in space in even MINUTES (posts you send from Instagram are removed in "just a while"). So, why would Facebook allow or do this? It is a Gaslight, it is a con, and it serves their $. Don't think for a minute they, Whatsapp, Instagram, or any other online entity is your altruistic friend helper. So, this is a "subtle" con to millions or billions of persons. The theft is a small fee, paying $5 to promote a post. Then, you get into, as I'm told, the Slot Machine Gambling fever of it..... If $5 really did help you reach 10,000 persons and keep your posts flowing And, then you found $30 reached 100,000, and your idea or new stocking cap really got out there. Then, when does it stop? Soon, this will be the sole marketing medium going, replacing ads and even Costco store samples for all. It's a reality, and now a con, to be dealt with. We'll have to both know the con, how to work with social media control, but know when to stop it..... Perhaps you find a way to work with it, and your business or philosophy moved ahead. Perhaps you find your social group must join forces, pool a bit of money, to present your environmental idea or candidate, and COUNTER monsters of giant Chemical Corps, Oil Companies, and more..... It becomes a social media defense, mote, castle building we never planned. But, for now, we can be CONSCIOUS of the Gaslighting Next: Find 5 like-minded persons in your area making similar postings, whether that's an Anti-Ice Raids group, or selling 56 Chevy's, and band together. Yep, just like Robin Hood and his Merry Band. Discuss the gaslighting, discuss your strategies: and, then, save each other the blood, sweat and tears of the disappearing FB posts.....make them count. Tip: as a group, you can share the cost of Hootsuite Pro, a poster to FB and 5 other social medias. It schedules your posts throughout the day so they count. You REPOST old content....your old and new articles from all your blogs. And, with one account for ($15 may share to 2 Facebooks and 6 Twitter accounts, and, Pinterest, blogs, and 20 other sources....to get all your posts of say 6 persons, you may want to get creative in having some shared FB and Twitter Accounts, or you can pay for Hootsuite to have ALL accounts of all persons. , you post all your blogs. Tip: many persons may have family or second FB accounts, consider these for a group account. Most have many Twitter accounts, but see rules and current complaints about that before getting to in deep. Tip: school each other in how to use Hootsuite poster, than trade off a week of rescheduling posts, one person per week, about 2 hours a week. And, to save time, put all the link url's from all person's blog just on a big list, and that week's person just copies them forward. Tip: when you look at info and Youtube vids on Hootsuite or any question, set your Google our Youtube search filter to give you only 2019 articles or videos: all other years are no longer valid. Hootsuite will take your post and then sent it to multiple accounts. Tip: if you have a political blog, find an Angle for it. Particularly, FB does not allow much negative about a sitting official, President or otherwise. You may post all you want, but then FB stops you from sharing that post of Promoting it with your $5. I am one such banned from that.... Find the angles that others work with on this: Call it something positive, or names from a social angle, like Progressive Politics. Now, me, I like to not beat around the bush, and am then stopped. I am blocked from promoting articles on FB about the pres. What to do? Take this matter, if you post political matters, and let the "team" brainstorm on ideas. Likely, you're entrenched with your concepts, but it will help prompt you at minimum to soften titles, while leaving pix and comments as you want. Wow, is Facebook every "monitizing" itself. That is, at every corner they've figured out a way to get $5 from you for this and that..... So, it's $5 to promote a video of your church or to promote that car you're selling. Likely, your $5 will be a super and effective investment: in this day and age, do that. But, "there's no free lunch", and FB has come into it's own. If 100,000 million persons in the world pay just $5 to promote your post, how much is that a day? That $ is the magic that is making FB one of the top 5 businesses in the World. So, they can promote your video, and show it instantly to a mass of people or your friends, or even target your post to like minded or opposite minded persons. One of the most challenging things now is that they REMOVE your posts. Yep, remove them. I bet you didn't know that. They want your $ to keep them on the site. So, you've posted a short article on Gaslight Attackers, your personal experience, or a warning of a scam....and you'd like it to stay "up", there. Now, I was just posting this same info, just as a post to Facebook. Ok, so it took me 10 minutes. But, and Facebook keeps it a mystery. But this appears to me to happen: 1. If just the link is shared, where you insert the link and it adds a paragraph of info, a clickable link, and a photo from the article, that is shown only a week maybe 2, then just disappears forever!!! So, what if you wanted that link to be there longer: for your friends for your own record to build up a story or theme or any reason..... It's gone. 2. It "seems" to me, that if you post some personal text first, as if "from a real person" then it I notice those stay there perhaps a month. Then, gone. Now, I really need your info on this, so post below, if you have 2019 updated info on this. Will this post last 2 weeks, or did it come from a blog or was it promoted with $5 to stay online? 3. it seems, if you share that post with others, or pages or groups, that the post still disappears. But, I've had some posts that were separate, made to groups, that were not my original posts, last a couple of months. This happened: I posted an item to sell on a page and my main FB, and those disappeared in under a month. But, when info was changed around some, and remained a different looking post, it lasted on a FB Group and Page, not mine, for 3 months. A person contacted me about an old ad for something being sold. See this full article, and be shocked. http://bit.ly/2ULo5eg So, then, what do you do. Catch yourself posting quickly, and take the tedious time: if it's an important social, environment, political, or or other note: make your post to a blog. Blog posts: a. make your post to a free blog, like this one, and get hundreds of them if you want, at Blogger.com Blogspot.com . And, do this soon, set up all the possible names and blogs you can in case owner Google stops supporting this, but still allows old users to run their blogs in the future. I expect that to happen in 2020. Set up 20-40 even if by odd titles, and you can change the subject later. b. blog posts stay on your FB, if you post them, for 2 full years. That means, if you write up a short article and put a pix in it, then, just put that link in your FB posts. Fb will auto get your article, titles, and photo, and keep it on FB for 2 years. . Other affirmations I liked on moving forward, not wasting time, etc. fakes and scammers on Facebook profiles, hootsuite and social media posters, social media and advertising hijacks http://bit.ly/2PCb1qH

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flipfundingstuff · 5 years ago

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2020 Forecast for Retail: 5 Trends to Watch

Amid cries of a “retail apocalypse” for the past several years, new trends have emerged that make it clear that retail isn’t disappearing. Rather, it’s changing—drastically—and retailers that can’t keep up are shuttering their doors.

Business Insider reported on the “retail apocalypse” recently, listing over 8,600 stores that are closing in 2019. Big names include Sears, JCPenney, Abercrombie & Fitch, Party City, Payless, Charlotte Russe, Walgreens, Kmart, Barneys, Gymboree, Gap, Charming Charlie, Victoria’s Secret, and Forever 21.

Yet the National Retail Federation reports that retail sales have been on the rise since 2015, with the month of August 2019 producing record numbers. Clearly, something is being left out of the picture when we talk about a retail apocalypse, and it’s this: for every company shutting down stores, 5.2 are opening new stores.

What sets these companies apart from those on the decline is an ability to adapt to trends, whether that’s incorporating mobile technology, catering to modern lifestyles, or listening to the demands of customers from younger demographics. In 2020, these are the top trends that will help retailers expand into the future.

1. Same-Day Delivery Is the New Express Shipping

The rise of Amazon ushered in an era where fast delivery is the norm rather than the exception. While 2-day delivery used to be the holy grail of e-commerce, the bar is now set even higher, with more than half of retailers now offering same-day delivery, including giants Amazon, Target, and Bed, Bath, & Beyond.

Part of this perpetual push for faster shipping services can be chalked up to the rapid increase in “instant delivery” services, such as Uber Eats and Postmates for food, Instacart for groceries, Drizly for liquor, goPuff for snacks and home essentials, and even Cleanly, a laundry pick-up and delivery service. Consumers expect their online orders, whether it’s food, laundry soap, or clothes for tomorrow’s work event, to arrive almost instantly.

However, small businesses can still compete against the likes of Amazon by offering personal experiences in place of hyper-convenience.

2. Style That Prioritizes Comfort

Whether you credit a few exhausting years in politics or juggling a long list of side hustles, one thing is clear: Americans are tired, and they’re prioritizing comfort now more than ever. This shift doesn’t mean that design takes a backseat, but it does mean that style has shifted to conform to ideals that are both cute and comfy, whether it’s clothing, shoes, or furniture.

Athleisure has been trending for several years, and in 2020, it’s poised to dominate the clothing market. Popular brands like Nike and Lululemon are still growing at staggering rates, while newcomers like Outdoor Voices and Girlfriend are taking the market by storm. A new trend—pajamas you can wear out in public as regular clothing—has emerged as the peak of fashion and comfort combined. Some of this year’s most buzzed-about shoe companies sell flats, including Rothy’s, which Forbes called one of the “next billion-dollar startups,” and Birdies, marketed as “the stylish flat that’s secretly a slipper.”

3. Goods That Are Sustainable and Ethical

Organic food and linen clothing is no longer a niche market. More than ever, consumers are looking to put their money where their mouths are by purchasing goods that are ethically-sourced and sustainably-made.

For retailers, this move means more than slapping a seal on your product. Straw bans are only the beginning. Excess packaging and the use of microplastics will come under fire in 2020, as will companies that produce large amounts of waste and fail to recycle. Fast fashion has already been a hot button issue in 2019 for the amount of waste it produces and for the use of sweatshop labor, with giants like Zara and Forever 21 closing stores and filing for bankruptcy.

In 2020, consumers will increasingly look toward purchasing locally-made, recycled goods, but they’re also interested in consuming less altogether. Quality will trump quantity going forward, allowing consumers to buy less because their goods last longer. Rental-based companies such as Rent the Runway and second-hand facilitators like Poshmark will continue to grow, with sales in the resale industry expected to double by 2023.

4. Experiential Shopping

Brick-and-mortar isn’t going anywhere in 2020. In fact, an ICSC report shows that opening up brick-and-mortar stores can increase traffic to a retailer’s website by 37%—known as the “halo effect.” To achieve this, though, companies need to turn shopping into an entire experience. Shopping should feel like entertainment, not an errand. The more personal the experience, the more you’ll build customer loyalty with your brand.

The Apple Store, which took the retail world by storm earlier in the decade, is the perfect example. They started several notable trends that made their stores a fun destination, even for folks with no intention of making a purchase. First, the floor plan was designed to highlight sample products rather than inventory, with one of every product out on the display for customers to play around with. They also allowed customers to take photos with the webcams on their computers, add fun effects, and then text the photos to themselves.

IKEA became a popular destination store much in the same way, by putting the spotlight on their sample products, furniture that’s staged to feel like you’re walking through someone’s home. Sephora made a name for itself by allowing customers to sample every single makeup and hair product on the floor and even hiring makeup artists to show you how it’s done. Nike recently launched “Nike Live,” a members-only store that won Store Concept of the Year last year on Retail Dive for its innovative integration of mobile and local events.

Glossier, a hugely popular online makeup retailer, opened its flagship brick-and-mortar in New York, which now has lines wrapped around the block every day of the week. The “showroom” carries no inventory and instead showcases sample products for customers to try. They can then place an order with a sales clerk on an iPad and wait for their order to be filled in the waiting room. The interior of the store, covered in fun floral arrangements and its trademark millennial pink, has also become a hotspot for Instagram influencers to snap and post photos.

5. Customers Expect Real Inclusivity and Diversity, Not Meaningless Gestures

In every industry, consumers expect diversity, and not just for show. They want to see themselves—their gender, race, size, age, ability, and more—represented in a brand’s advertisements, but they also want to see products that cater to their individual needs.

Plus-size fashion is one area that’s experienced a huge renaissance in recent years, with an outpouring of new companies that focus on plus-size or offer inclusive sizing. Universal Standard, a trendy new clothing company offering elevated basics, takes it a step further: they want to usher in the end to the “sizing binary” in which companies offer separate and different plus-size sections—when they offer them at all. Instead, Universal Standard offers all of their clothing in sizes ranging from 00 to 40.

However, some fashion retailers have come under fire for using plus-size models without actually offering plus-size clothing. Companies that promote unrealistic beauty and body standards have been under attack for several years. Moving forward, brands will be called upon to not just speak about diversity and inclusivity but to actually do the work of making their product, and boardrooms, more diverse and inclusive.

The post 2020 Forecast for Retail: 5 Trends to Watch appeared first on Lendio.

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terabitweb · 6 years ago

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Original Post from FireEye Author: Michael Bailey

It is very unusual for FLARE to analyze a prolifically-used, privately-developed backdoor only to later have the source code and operator tools fall into our laps. Yet this is the extraordinary circumstance that sets the stage for CARBANAK Week, a four-part blog series that commences with this post.

CARBANAK is one of the most full-featured backdoors around. It was used to perpetrate millions of dollars in financial crimes, largely by the group we track as FIN7. In 2017, Tom Bennett and Barry Vengerik published Behind the CARBANAK Backdoor, which was the product of a deep and broad analysis of CARBANAK samples and FIN7 activity across several years. On the heels of that publication, our colleague Nick Carr uncovered a pair of RAR archives containing CARBANAK source code, builders, and other tools (both available in VirusTotal: kb3r1p and apwmie).

FLARE malware analysis requests are typically limited to a few dozen files at most. But the CARBANAK source code was 20MB comprising 755 files, with 39 binaries and 100,000 lines of code. Our goal was to find threat intelligence we missed in our previous analyses. How does an analyst respond to a request with such breadth and open-ended scope? And what did we find?

My friend Tom Bennett and I spoke about this briefly in our 2018 FireEye Cyber Defense Summit talk, Hello, Carbanak! In this blog series, we will expound at length and share a written retrospective on the inferences drawn in our previous public analysis based on binary code reverse engineering. In this first part, I’ll discuss Russian language concerns, translated graphical user interfaces of CARBANAK tools, and anti-analysis tactics as seen from a source code perspective. We will also explain an interesting twist where analyzing the source code surprisingly proved to be just as difficult as analyzing the binary, if not more. There’s a lot here; buckle up!

File Encoding and Language Considerations

The objective of this analysis was to discover threat intelligence gaps and better protect our customers. To begin, I wanted to assemble a cross-reference of source code files and concepts of specific interest.

Reading the source code entailed two steps: displaying the files in the correct encoding, and learning enough Russian to be dangerous. Figure 1 shows CARBANAK source code in a text editor that is unaware of the correct encoding.

Figure 1: File without proper decoding

Two good file encoding guesses are UTF-8 and code page 1251 (Cyrillic). The files were mostly code page 1251 as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2: Code Page 1251 (Cyrillic) source code

Figure 2 is a C++ header file defining error values involved in backdoor command execution. Most identifiers were in English, but some were not particularly descriptive. Ergo, the second and more difficult step was learning some Russian to benefit from the context offered by the source code comments.

FLARE has fluent Russian speakers, but I took it upon myself to minimize my use of other analysts’ time. To this end, I wrote a script to tear through files and create a prioritized vocabulary list. The script, which is available in the FireEye vocab_scraper GitHub repository, walks source directories finding all character sequences outside the printable lower ASCII range: decimal values 32 (the space character) through 126 (the tilde character “~”) inclusive. The script adds each word to a Python defaultdict_ and increments its count. Finally, the script orders this dictionary by frequency of occurrence and dumps it to a file.

The result was a 3,400+ word vocabulary list, partially shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Top 19 Cyrillic character sequences from the CARBANAK source code

I spent several hours on Russian language learning websites to study the pronunciation of Cyrillic characters and Russian words. Then, I looked up the top 600+ words and created a small dictionary. I added Russian language input to an analysis VM and used Microsoft’s on-screen keyboard (osk.exe) to navigate the Cyrillic keyboard layout and look up definitions.

One helpful effect of learning to pronounce Cyrillic characters was my newfound recognition of English loan words (words that are borrowed from English and transliterated to Cyrillic). My small vocabulary allowed me to read many comments without looking anything up. Table 1 shows a short sampling of some of the English loan words I encountered.

Cyrillic

English Phonetic

English

Occurrences

Rank

Файл

f ah y L

file

224

сервер

s e r v e r

server

145

адрес

a d r e s

address

134

команд

k o m a n d

command

110+

бота

b o t a

bot

130

плагин

p l ah g ee n

plugin

116

сервис

s e r v ee s

service

процесс

p r o ts e s s

process

130ish

Table 1: Sampling of English loan words in the CARBANAK source code

Aside from source code comments, understanding how to read and type in Cyrillic came in handy for translating the CARBANAK graphical user interfaces I found in the source code dump. Figure 4 shows a Command and Control (C2) user interface for CARBANAK that I translated.

Figure 4: Translated C2 graphical user interface

These user interfaces included video management and playback applications as shown in Figure 5 and Figure 6 respectively. Tom will share some interesting work he did with these in a subsequent part of this blog series.

Figure 5: Translated video management application user interface

Figure 6: Translated video playback application user interface

Figure 7 shows the backdoor builder that was contained within the RAR archive of operator tools.

Figure 7: Translated backdoor builder application user interface

The operator RAR archive also contained an operator’s manual explaining the semantics of all the backdoor commands. Figure 8 shows the first few commands in this manual, both in Russian and English (translated).

Figure 8: Operator manual (left: original Russian; right: translated to English)

Down the Rabbit Hole: When Having Source Code Does Not Help

In simpler backdoors, a single function evaluates the command ID received from the C2 server and dispatches control to the correct function to carry out the command. For example, a backdoor might ask its C2 server for a command and receive a response bearing the command ID 0x67. The dispatch function in the backdoor will check the command ID against several different values, including 0x67, which as an example might call a function to shovel a reverse shell to the C2 server. Figure 9 shows a control flow graph of such a function as viewed in IDA Pro. Each block of code checks against a command ID and either passes control to the appropriate command handling code, or moves on to check for the next command ID.

Figure 9: A control flow graph of a simple command handling function

In this regard, CARBANAK is an entirely different beast. It utilizes a Windows mechanism called named pipes as a means of communication and coordination across all the threads, processes, and plugins under the backdoor’s control. When the CARBANAK tasking component receives a command, it forwards the command over a named pipe where it travels through several different functions that process the message, possibly writing it to one or more additional named pipes, until it arrives at its destination where the specified command is finally handled. Command handlers may even specify their own named pipe to request more data from the C2 server. When the C2 server returns the data, CARBANAK writes the result to this auxiliary named pipe and a callback function is triggered to handle the response data asynchronously. CARBANAK’s named pipe-based tasking component is flexible enough to control both inherent command handlers and plugins. It also allows for the possibility of a local client to dispatch commands to CARBANAK without the use of a network. In fact, not only did we write such a client to aid in analysis and testing, but such a client, named botcmd.exe, was also present in the source dump.

Tom’s Perspective

Analyzing this command-handling mechanism within CARBANAK from a binary perspective was certainly challenging. It required maintaining tabs for many different views into the disassembly, and a sort of textual map of command ids and named pipe names to describe the journey of an inbound command through the various pipes and functions before arriving at its destination. Figure 10 shows the control flow graphs for seven of the named pipe message handling functions. While it was difficult to analyze this from a binary reverse engineering perspective, having compiled code combined with the features that a good disassembler such as IDA Pro provides made it less harrowing than Mike’s experience. The binary perspective saved me from having to search across several source files and deal with ambiguous function names. The disassembler features allowed me to easily follow cross-references for functions and global variables and to open multiple, related views into the code.

Figure 10: Control flow graphs for the named pipe message handling functions

Mike’s Perspective

Having source code sounds like cheat-mode for malware analysis. Indeed, source code contains much information that is lost through the compilation and linking process. Even so, CARBANAK’s tasking component (for handling commands sent by the C2 server) serves as a counter-example. Depending on the C2 protocol used and the command being processed, control flow may take divergent paths through different functions only to converge again later and accomplish the same command. Analysis required bouncing around between almost 20 functions in 5 files, often backtracking to recover information about function pointers and parameters that were passed in from as many as 18 layers back. Analysis also entailed resolving matters of C++ class inheritance, scope ambiguity, overloaded functions, and control flow termination upon named pipe usage. The overall effect was that this was difficult to analyze, even in source code.

I only embarked on this top-to-bottom journey once, to search for any surprises. The effort gave me an appreciation for the baroque machinery the authors constructed either for the sake of obfuscation or flexibility. I felt like this was done at least in part to obscure relationships and hinder timely analysis.

Anti-Analysis Mechanisms in Source Code

CARBANAK’s executable code is filled with logic that pushes hexadecimal numbers to the same function, followed by an indirect call against the returned value. This is easily recognizable as obfuscated function import resolution, wherein CARBANAK uses a simple string hash known as PJW (named after its author, P.J. Weinberger) to locate Windows API functions without disclosing their names. A Python implementation of the PJW hash is shown in Figure 11 for reference.

def pjw_hash(s): ctr = 0 for i in range(len(s)): ctr = 0xffffffff & ((ctr > 24) ^ ctr) & 0x0fffffff

return ctr

Figure 11: PJW hash

This is used several hundred times in CARBANAK samples and impedes understanding of the malware’s functionality. Fortunately, reversers can use the flare-ida scripts to annotate the obfuscated imports, as shown in Figure 12.

Figure 12: Obfuscated import resolution annotated with FLARE’s shellcode hash search

The CARBANAK authors achieved this obfuscated import resolution throughout their backdoor with relative ease using C preprocessor macros and a pre-compilation source code scanning step to calculate function hashes. Figure 13 shows the definition of the relevant API macro and associated machinery.

Figure 13: API macro for import resolution

The API macro allows the author to type API(SHLWAPI, PathFindFileNameA)(…) and have it replaced with GetApiAddrFunc(SHLWAPI, hashPathFindFileNameA)(…). SHLWAPI is a symbolic macro defined to be the constant 3, and hashPathFindFileNameA is the string hash value 0xE3685D1 as observed in the disassembly. But how was the hash defined?

The CARBANAK source code has a utility (unimaginatively named tool) that scans source code for invocations of the API macro to build a header file defining string hashes for all the Windows API function names encountered in the entire codebase. Figure 14 shows the source code for this utility along with its output file, api_funcs_hash.h.

Figure 14: Source code and output from string hash utility

When I reverse engineer obfuscated malware, I can’t help but try to theorize about how authors implement their obfuscations. The CARBANAK source code gives another data point into how malware authors wield the powerful C preprocessor along with custom code scanning and code generation tools to obfuscate without imposing an undue burden on developers. This might provide future perspective in terms of what to expect from malware authors in the future and may help identify units of potential code reuse in future projects as well as rate their significance. It would be trivial to apply this to new projects, but with the source code being on VirusTotal, this level of code sharing may not represent shared authorship. Also, the source code is accessibly instructive in why malware would push an integer as well as a hash to resolve functions: because the integer is an index into an array of module handles that are opened in advance and associated with these pre-defined integers.

Conclusion

The CARBANAK source code is illustrative of how these malware authors addressed some of the practical concerns of obfuscation. Both the tasking code and the Windows API resolution system represent significant investments in throwing malware analysts off the scent of this backdoor. Check out Part Two of this series for a round-up of antivirus evasions, exploits, secrets, key material, authorship artifacts, and network-based indicators.

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Go to Source Author: Michael Bailey CARBANAK Week Part One: A Rare Occurrence Original Post from FireEye Author: Michael Bailey It is very unusual for FLARE to analyze a prolifically-used,

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thecoroutfitters · 6 years ago

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a-breton · 6 years ago

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Opportunities for AI in Content Marketing Easily Explained

Until recently, the closest I’ve come to understanding artificial intelligence is knowing that it powered tools in my martech stack (e.g., marketing automation, predictive lead scoring, etc.).

Beyond that, I found the concept hard to grasp until Chris Penn’s presentation at Content Marketing World, How to Use AI to Boost Your Content Marketing Impact.

Chris, co-founder and chief innovator at Trust Insights, covered several real-world applications of AI. His examples helped transform abstract concepts into tangible use cases.

Chris implemented these examples himself via hands-on coding in the R programming language, using a deep understanding of mathematics, data science, and machine learning. But most marketers don’t have data science and computer programming skills. Later in this article, I share Chris’ advice about how marketers can apply these AI concepts.

Here are several of Chris’ experiments.

Driver analysis: What results in profitable action?

When you have a bunch of data but you’re not sure what matters to the outcome you want, driver analysis is an effective tool, Chris says.

Machine learning software excels in this case. You feed in all the data and it tells you what matters in it. Chris explains that the analysis concludes with something like, “Hey, this combination of variables seems to have the strongest mathematical relationship to the objective you want.”

AI in #contentmarketing: Driver analysis to show what factors drive the most leads. @cspenn Click To Tweet

Chris performed driver analysis on the popular PR and marketing blog, Spin Sucks, where the primary business objective is lead generation.

“(It) determined that organic search was the third most powerful driver. The team focused a lot of time and energy on it, and they should, but email was the No. 1 driver,” Chris says.

By understanding better what drives leads, the Spin Sucks team could decide to shift more of their time to email marketing because it was the most effective source.

Whether your objective is page views, social shares, leads, or revenue, a ranked list of drivers can help you plan resources, priorities, and budgets more effectively.

Implementation detail: Chris used the R programing language to implement Markov chain attribution. For a detailed look at one such implementation, read this post by data scientist Sergey Bryl, which will give you a good sense of how much mathematics and data science is involved.

HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: Why Marketers Need to Think Like Data Scientists (And How to Do It)

Text mining: Reveal topics, keywords, and hidden problems

Text mining is an application of AI that ingests content (e.g., text) to classify, categorize, and make sense of it.

Chris notes that text mining uses vectorization, which transforms words into numbers. It looks at the mathematical relationship among those numbers and determines how similar those words are. It is a form of deep learning.

Reverse engineer Google to reveal key topics and terms

The Google algorithm, which uses a heavy amount of AI itself, is an example of a deep-learning system. “Google’s search algorithm is so complex now that no one knows how it works, including Google,” Chris said. “They have very little interpretability of their model.”

You can use text mining to reverse engineer the Google algorithm for your targeted topics. “We can deploy our own machine learning models to say, ‘OK, for a search term like content marketing, what words do the top 10 or 20 pages all have in common?’”

AI in #contentmarketing: Find #SEO-friendly #content topics via text mining. @cspenn Click To Tweet

Here’s a sample output from reverse engineering Google:

The resulting lists hint at what words or categories to cover when developing new content around your reverse-engineered keyword. Having this set of common words gives you a higher chance of success with organic search than simply saying, “Let’s write a really good article about content marketing.”

Implementation detail: Chris implemented text mining and topic modeling via the R programming language, extracting related topics from a corpus of text (e.g., the contents of articles found in the search engine results pages).

HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: How to Make Your Content Powerful in Eyes of Searchers (and Google)

Extract hidden insights via text mining

In 2014, Darden Restaurants, the parent company of Olive Garden, replaced its board. The new group implemented changes, including enforcing its existing but mostly ignored breadstick policy (serving one per person plus one extra).

As Chris explains, employees then spent their time enforcing the policy by counting the number of breadsticks in the basket based on the number of people at the table.

Chris used text mining on 2,500 publicly available reviews written by the company’s employees on Glassdoor. Here’s a glimpse of the results:

Text mining surfaced breadsticks as a problem. If Olive Garden was looking to repair low employee morale and a poor customer experience, a manual review of its Glassdoor reviews, where the usual restaurant worker complaints like low pay and long hours abound, may have led them down the wrong path.

AI use in #contentmarketing: Use text mining on reviews to reveal hidden problems. @cspenn Click To Tweet

Text mining revealed the breadstick problem. (After intense public pushback, Olive Garden returned to its previous breadstick approach.)

Text mining of unstructured data can be applied in many useful marketing contexts: customer reviews, poor/high performing blog posts, transcripts of customer success phone calls, etc. Extracting that hidden gem of insight can point you to courses of action with a high ROI.

Implementation detail: Similar to the reverse engineering Google example, Chris implemented text mining via the R programming language.

HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: Scale Your B2B Content With Artificial Intelligence: Ideas and Tools Marketers Can Try

Time-series forecasting: Analyze competitors’ brand searches

Let’s combine math, statistics, and AI to create a Magic 8-Ball.

“Wouldn’t it be great to know what’s going to happen,” Chris asked. “It would be so much easier to plan, to set budgets, to staff, to have an editorial calendar.”

Chris did an exercise of predictive time-series forecasting for Cleveland hotel search data. He looked at more than 12 months of branded searches — where searchers named specific hotels (e.g., Hilton Cleveland, Holiday Inn Cleveland, Hyatt Cleveland, Marriott Cleveland).

The results predicted when search volumes go up and down for each hotel:

“If you (worked at) the Cleveland Marriott here, you now know that right around the end of September you have more search interests than your competitors. You could be running campaigns against them to take even more market share away from them,” Chris said.

Any brand could benefit from predictive time-series forecasting – analyzing brand searches for your company vs. your competitors. You can search for when your brand underperforms, for example, and use that data to bid on your competitors’ brand names with a relevant content asset or promotional offer.

AI in #contentmarketing: Use time-series forecasting to predict lead-gen and revenue. @cspenn Click To Tweet

“Imagine search topics, conversations, social media. You can forecast more than search volume,” Chris said. “You can forecast lead generation from your marketing automation software. You can forecast revenue from your CRM or your ERP. Anything that is regular data over time you can forecast forward.”

Implementation detail: Chris used R to process five years of Google search data, then implemented a statistical method called autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA).

How content marketers can try these AI uses

I know what some of you must be thinking about now:

“Wait, really?”

“The data science and probability are over my head.”

“I’m too busy and can’t possibly learn to do this myself.”

These reactions are understandable. The good news is that you have options. And you don’t need to learn the deep nuts and bolts covered earlier.

Chris offered three recommendations for marketers thinking about approaching AI.

Do it yourself. This approach fits for the small percentage of marketers who have a genuine interest in data science and machine learning. You should be interested in going deep with math, statistics, and probability – and comfortable writing code.

If you decide to go this route, Chris suggests checking out Google’s Machine Learning Crash Course, available free online, which takes you through 40-plus exercises, 25 lessons, real-world case studies, and lectures from Google researchers.

Chris notes that IBM Watson Studio has an intuitive, drag-and-drop user interface. While Watson does enable programmers to write code on its platform, the UI can be useful for marketers who are not inclined to write code.

For those interested in coding, Chris recommends learning the R and Python languages, which form the basis for a lot of AI tools and libraries. Be prepared to spend six to 12 months to learn the programming language and another six to 12 months to learn the data science.

If you’re just getting started with coding, the Dummies franchise has books that may be useful: R for Dummies and Python for Dummies.

Tap your staff data scientist. The second option applies to larger organizations that employ data scientists (e.g., Google, Facebook, and Uber). “Staff with data science skills are quantitatively inclined and know how to use the technology properly, so they can be of great help,” Chris said.

Think back to the use cases I mentioned. For text mining or time-series forecasting, in-house data scientists will understand your objectives and goals, build the right models, then implement the necessary codes.

Outsource. This option works for organizations that don’t have AI and data science talent in-house. The answer is to outsource to the experts: people or agencies with the necessary AI know-how and experience.

Chris puts it this way: “Agencies and consultants can help you use the methodologies. You can do small projects on a one-off basis. If the need is ongoing or more frequent, they can help you build software that runs when you need it to.”

Next steps

No matter which of the three options makes sense for you, there’s one thing I urge all marketers to do: Learn about AI and understand the role it plays in marketing technology.

While you don’t need to understand Markov chain attribution or how to program in R, you need to know enough to determine where and how AI can help your marketing. Basic AI knowledge will also help you better evaluate vendor solutions and claims.

Think about the kind of knowledge you need to buy a computer. You don’t need to be a chip designer, but you need to know the difference between a 32-bit and 64-bit processor and whether a 1.5 GHz processor is better than a 2.7 GHz processor. With AI, when a vendor says, “Our predictive analytics solution uses the latest AI techniques,” you need to know how to question the claim and how to distinguish fluff from reality.

HANDPICKED RELATED CONTENT: Are You Really Smart About How AI Works in Marketing?

Since AI is a topic often covered in business, marketing, and technology publications, I’m soaking up as much as I can. Next, I’ll probably enroll in some free, online courses in machine learning.

What about you? What’s your interest level in AI for marketing and how are you staying informed and educated?

Here’s an excerpt from Chris’ talk:

youtube

Further your tech skills in 2019 by attending ContentTECH Summit in April. Register today using code BLOG100 to save $100.

Cover image by Joseph Kalinowski/Content Marketing Institute

from http://bit.ly/2VHL0sx

#Online Marketing

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lucyariablog · 6 years ago