#apple invites app

[jypsyvloggin]

Apple’s NEW Invites App for iPhone: Everything You Need to Know

Apple’s NEW Invites App for iPhone: Everything You Need to Know Apple has quietly launched a brand-new app called Invites, designed to make event planning and RSVPing easier than ever for iPhone users. Whether you’re organizing a casual get-together, a business meeting, or a big celebration, this app aims to streamline the process with Apple’s signature simplicity. Here’s everything you need to…

[basicpart]

Apple Suddenly Confirms Unexpected New iPhone App Is Now Live

Updated Feb. 4 with details of the new Invites app now it’s been confirmed by Apple. Apple has just released a surprise new feature for the iPhone to help you invite people to parties and other events, according to a new report, as part of a revamp to Apple’s calendar app. And it’s available now. Apple iPhone 16. Getty Images On Tuesday, Feb. 4, Apple announced that Apple Invites app had gone…

[divorceblogger]

love how even tumblr’s tagging system is not functioning properly anymore <3

[zenlossq]

Introducing Apple Invites, a new app that brings people together for life’s special moments

February 4, 2025

PRESS RELEASE

Introducing Apple Invites, a new app that brings people together for life’s special moments

CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today introduced Apple Invites, a new app for iPhone that helps users create custom invitations to gather friends and family for any occasion. With Apple Invites, users can create and easily share invitations, RSVP, contribute to Shared Albums, and engage with Apple Music playlists. Starting today, users can download Apple Invites from the App Store, or access it on the web through icloud.com/invites. iCloud+ subscribers can create invitations, and anyone can RSVP, regardless of whether they have an Apple Account or Apple device.

“With Apple Invites, an event comes to life from the moment the invitation is created, and users can share lasting memories even after they get together,” said Brent Chiu-Watson, Apple’s senior director of Worldwide Product Marketing for Apps and iCloud. “Apple Invites brings together capabilities our users already know and love across iPhone, iCloud, and Apple Music, making it easy to plan special events.”

Beautiful Invitations That Create and Capture Shared Moments

To get started with Apple Invites, users can choose an image from their photo library or from the app’s gallery of backgrounds — a curated collection of images representing different occasions and event themes. Integrations with Maps and Weather give guests directions to the event and the forecast for that day.

Additionally, participants can easily contribute photos and videos to a dedicated Shared Album within each invite to help preserve memories and relive the event. And collaborative playlists allow Apple Music subscribers to create a curated event soundtrack that guests can access right from Apple Invites.

Apple Intelligence Makes Invites Even More Fun

With Apple Intelligence, creating unique event invitations is easy. Users can tap in to the built-in Image Playground experience to produce original images using concepts, descriptions, and people from their photo library. And when composing invitations, users can use Writing Tools to help find just the right turn of phrase to meet the moment.1

Simple Ways to Manage and Join Events

Hosts get full control of their invite experience: They can easily view and manage their events, share invitations with a link, review RSVPs, and choose the details they want included in the preview, like the event background or a home address. Guests can view and respond to an invitation using the new iPhone app or on the web without needing an iCloud+ subscription or an Apple Account. Attendees control how their details show up to others, and have the ability to leave or report an event at any time.

Additional iCloud+ Premium Features

In addition to event creation in Apple Invites, iCloud+ subscribers have access to many more premium features:

Expanded storage allows users to keep large libraries of original, high-resolution photos, videos, and files safe in iCloud, and easily accessible across all of their devices and the web.

Private Relay keeps browsing in Safari entirely private from network providers, websites, and even Apple.

Hide My Email generates unique, random email addresses whenever needed.

HomeKit Secure Video allows users to capture and review home security footage in an end-to-end encrypted format.

Custom email domains enable users to personalize their iCloud email address.

Family Sharing allows users to share their iCloud+ subscription with up to five people at no extra cost.

Users can learn more about subscribing to iCloud+ at apple.com/icloud, with plans starting at just $0.99.

Availability

Apple Invites is available today as a free download from the App Store for all iPhone models running iOS 18 or later, and can be accessed on the web at icloud.com/invites. Some features are not available in all regions or in all languages. For more information, visit apple.com/ios/feature-availability.About Apple Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple’s six software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV+. Apple’s more than 150,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth and to leaving the world better than we found it.

Apple Intelligence is available on iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max, iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max running iOS 18.2 and later, and can be accessed in most regions around the world when the device and Siri language are set to localized English for Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, the U.K., or the U.S.

Press Contacts

Tania Olkhovaya

Apple

tolkhovaya@apple.com

Shane Bauer

Apple

shanebauer@apple.com

Apple Media Helpline

media.help@apple.com

[todayscroll]

How to use Apple's new event planning 'Invites' app

Apple has released a new app called Invites that is designed to make it easy to create custom invitations for events using an iPhone or on the web. Invites is Apple’s version of Partiful, a popular invitation app that was crowned Google Play’s Best App of 2024.  Invites lets you create and share invitations, RSVP to events, contribute to Shared Albums, and curate event soundtracks. To create an…

[mostlysignssomeportents]

An adversarial iMessage client for Android

Adversarial interoperability is one of the most reliable ways to protect tech users from predatory corporations: that's when a technologist reverse-engineers an existing product to reconfigure or mod it (interoperability) in ways its users like, but which its manufacturer objects to (adversarial):

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/10/adversarial-interoperability

"Adversarial interop" is a mouthful, so at EFF, we coined the term "competitive compatibility," or comcom, which is a lot easier to say and to spell.

Scratch any tech success and you'll find a comcom story. After all, when a company turns its screws on its users, it's good business to offer an aftermarket mod that loosens them again. HP's $10,000/gallon inkjet ink is like a bat-signal for third-party ink companies. When Mercedes announces that it's going to sell you access to your car's accelerator pedal as a subscription service, that's like an engraved invitation to clever independent mechanics who'll charge you a single fee to permanently unlock that "feature":

https://www.techdirt.com/2023/12/05/carmakers-push-forward-with-plans-to-make-basic-features-subscription-services-despite-widespread-backlash/

Comcom saved giant tech companies like Apple. Microsoft tried to kill the Mac by rolling out a truly cursèd version of MS Office for MacOS. Mac users (5% of the market) who tried to send Word, Excel or Powerpoint files to Windows users (95% of the market) were stymied: their files wouldn't open, or they'd go corrupt. Tech managers like me started throwing the graphic designer's Mac and replacing it with a Windows box with a big graphics card and Windows versions of Adobe's tools.

Comcom saved Apple's bacon. Apple reverse-engineered MS's flagship software suite and made a comcom version, iWork, whose Pages, Numbers and Keynote could flawlessly read and write MS's Word, Excel and Powerpoint files:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/06/adversarial-interoperability-reviving-elegant-weapon-more-civilized-age-slay

It's tempting to think of iWork as benefiting Apple users, and certainly the people who installed and used it benefited from it. But Windows users also benefited from iWork. The existence of iWork meant that Windows users could seamlessly collaborate on and share files with their Mac colleagues. IWork didn't just add a new feature to the Mac ("read and write files that originated with Windows users") – it also added a feature to Windows: "collaborate with Mac users."

Every pirate wants to be an admiral. Though comcom rescued Apple from a monopolist's sneaky attempt to drive it out of business, Apple – now a three trillion dollar company – has repeatedly attacked comcom when it was applied to Apple's products. When Apple did comcom, that was progress. When someone does comcom to Apple, that's piracy.

Apple has many tools at its disposal that Microsoft lacked in the early 2000s. Radical new interpretations of existing copyright, contract, patent and trademark law allows Apple – and other tech giants – to threaten rivals who engage in comcom with both criminal and civil penalties. That's right, you can go to prison for comcom these days. No wonder Jay Freeman calls this "felony contempt of business model":

https://pluralistic.net/2023/11/09/lead-me-not-into-temptation/#chamberlain

Take iMessage, Apple's end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) instant messaging tool. Apple customers can use iMessage to send each other private messages that can't be read or altered by third parties – not cops, not crooks, not even Apple. That's important, because when private messaging systems get hacked, bad things happen:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_celebrity_nude_photo_leak

But Apple has steadfastly refused to offer an iMessage app for non-Apple systems. If you're an Apple customer holding a sensitive discussion with an Android user, Apple refuses to offer you a tool to maintain your privacy. Those messages are sent "in the clear," over the 38-year-old SMS protocol, which is trivial to spy on and disrupt.

Apple sacrifices its users' security and integrity in the hopes that they will put pressure on their friends to move into Apple's walled garden. As CEO Tim Cook told a reporter: if you want to have secure communications with your mother, buy her an iPhone:

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/tim-cook-says-buy-mom-210347694.html

Last September, a 16-year old high school student calling himself JJTech published a technical teardown of iMessage, showing how any device could send and receive encrypted messages with iMessage users, even without an Apple ID:

https://jjtech.dev/reverse-engineering/imessage-explained/

JJTech even published code to do this, in an open source library called Pypush:

https://github.com/JJTech0130/pypush

In the weeks since, Beeper has been working to productize JJTech's code, and this week, they announced Beeper Mini, an Android-based iMessage client that is end-to-end encrypted:

https://beeper.notion.site/How-Beeper-Mini-Works-966cb11019f8444f90baa314d2f43a54

Beeper is known for a multiprotocol chat client built on Matrix, allowing you to manage several kinds of chat from a single app. These multiprotocol chats have been around forever. Indeed, iMessage started out as one – when it was called "iChat," it supported Google Talk and Jabber, another multiprotocol tool. Other tools like Pidgin have kept the flame alive for decades, and have millions of devoted users:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/07/tower-babel-how-public-interest-internet-trying-save-messaging-and-banish-big

But iMessage support has remained elusive. Last month, Nothing launched Sunchoice, a disastrous attempt to bring iMessage to Android, which used Macs in a data-center to intercept and forward messages to Android users, breaking E2EE and introducing massive surveillance risks:

https://www.theverge.com/2023/11/21/23970740/sunbird-imessage-app-shut-down-privacy-nothing-chats-phone-2

Beeper Mini does not have these defects. The system encrypts and decrypts messages on the Android device itself, and directly communicates with Apple's servers. It gathers some telemetry for debugging, and this can be turned off in preferences. It sends a single SMS to Apple's servers during setup, which changes your device's bubble from green to blue, so that Apple users now correctly see your device as a secure endpoint for iMessage communications.

Beeper Mini is now available in Google Play:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.beeper.ima&hl=en_US

Now, this is a high-stakes business. Apple has a long history of threatening companies like Beeper over conduct like this. And Google has a long history deferring to those threats – as it did with OG App, a superior third-party Instagram app that it summarily yanked after Meta complained:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/05/battery-vampire/#drained

But while iMessage for Android is good for Android users, it's also very good for Apple customers, who can now get the privacy and security guarantees of iMessage for all their contacts, not just the ones who bought the same kind of phone as they did. The stakes for communications breaches have never been higher, and antitrust scrutiny on Big Tech companies has never been so intense.

Apple recently announced that it would add RCS support to iOS devices (RCS is a secure successor to SMS):

https://9to5mac.com/2023/11/16/apple-rcs-coming-to-iphone/

Early word from developers suggests that this support will have all kinds of boobytraps. That's par for the course with Apple, who love to announce splashy reversals of their worst policies – like their opposition to right to repair – while finding sneaky ways to go on abusing its customers:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/22/vin-locking/#thought-differently

The ball is in Apple's court, and, to a lesser extent, in Google's. As part of the mobile duopoly, Google has joined with Apple in facilitating the removal of comcom tools from its app store. But Google has also spent millions on an ad campaign shaming Apple for exposing its users to privacy risks when talking to Android users:

https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/21/23883609/google-rcs-message-apple-iphone-ipager-ad

While we all wait for the other shoe to drop, Android users can get set up on Beeper Mini, and technologists can kick the tires on its code libraries and privacy guarantees.

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

https://pluralistic.net/2023/12/07/blue-bubbles-for-all/#never-underestimate-the-determination-of-a-kid-who-is-time-rich-and-cash-poor

[hencheri]

stalker/perv ten but reader finds him a cutie patootie instead of getting scared 🤓

18+. mdni.

warning: stalking, dubcon.

a.n.: at first i wasn't sure where to go with this.. but i really like it!? hope you do, too <3

.

he always has a black hoodie over his head, hands in pockets and gaze low on the pavement. he follows you each night to your apartment. without a doubt, he's behind you, silently walking at a steady step.

you don't know who he is since you've never seen his face. you've wondered a few times what he looks like, and even thought about discovering it for yourself, but you never did. never had the balls.

until today.

you don't know why, but you've decided to speed up your steps. maybe to see if he would keep up, and to no surprise, he did.

usually, he never enters your apartment building. he always stops there and watches you from a couple of feet away. but today, just before turning the corner, you do a 180 and face him.

he's taken aback, taking a few steps backwards. his eyes are hidden under his hood, but you can decipher the outline of a big nose, lips sealed in a straight line.

"who are you? what do you want?" you immediately ask, not taking your eyes off of him.

you've been scared of him at the beginning, but as the nights passed, you've overcome the fear. he felt like a part of your routine in a weird way.

this time, he looks like the one scared of you, stepping backwards until his back meets the fence surrounding your apartment building. you move up and you can see under his hood, his eyes avoiding yours.

he doesn't answer so you rapidly reach up and snatch his hoodie off of his head. he can't hide anymore, so he has no other choice than to finally look at you.

sweet brown eyes stare back at you, fluffy bangs brushing his forehead. the mysterious man who obsessively follows you each night is... pretty.

"i'm sorry." he seems so embarrassed, and it endears you. you can't help but feel some pity for him. he's clearly harmless, and it shows even more now that he doesn't dare to do anything.

"answer me. who are you?" you repeat with a stern voice this time.

his cheeks are flushed red, his adam's apple bobbing as he swallows down. you notice his hands moving inside the pocket of his hoodie, and with no response from him, you decide to grab his wrist, pulling his phone out.

you steal it from his hand, a small protest coming out of his mouth, but he shuts up immediately when you shoot him a glare.

his phone was already opened as he was on the app camera. the picture at the bottom catches your attention and you click on it without thinking twice.

you discover plenty of videos and photos of yourself taken from afar. the majority are just you walking back home with your outside clothes on, but some of them are extremely perverted.

you see yourself in bikinis from pics you've posted on instagram, others where the focus is on specific parts of your body like your thighs and breasts — most of them taken at school — and the most disturbing pictures; you changing through your bedroom's window.

you raise your eyebrows, astonished to see such a behaviour coming from a cute guy like him. you don't even know him and he has a whole album about you.

you scoff, looking up at him, "so, that's what you want?" you ask.

his eyes widen, still very much flustered. "huh, n-no... i-" he stutters out, shaking his head, unable to align any words that make sense.

"you want to fuck me? is that it?"

he stares at you blankly when hearing your question, a few seconds pass where you wait for him to say something, but you think you guessed just right with the shy nod he gives you after.

he of course doesn't complain when you drag him inside of your apartment, the first thing you do is pulling his pants down and taking his cock in your mouth.

his hands grab your hair, small moans escaping his pretty pink lips, his hair going into his eyes as he watches you sucking him off. you know you might be a little insane for inviting your stalker into your home, but that makes two of you now, right?

he's literally amazed by the scene happening in front of him, fingers pulling on your hair, not wanting you to stop for one second. you're surprised when he takes control, snapping his hips against your face, his balls slapping your chin.

you inevitably choke around him, and he loves it, groaning above you. you try to endure it, but you rapidly have to tap his thigh for him to stop, to give you a breath of air.

but he doesn't and instead ignores you, continuing his assault on your mouth. his grip on your hair is painful and makes your scalp sting, using his hold on you to move your head how he wants.

you're whining around him and it sends delicious vibrations throughout his body, thighs shaking as he's closer and closer to his orgasm.

when he pulls out of your mouth, a string of saliva connecting his tip to your lips, he furiously tugs on his cock.

"f-fuck, fuck," he curses out before painting your face in his white cum, thick ropes landing on your cheeks.

you look like a mess, the most beautiful he's ever seen you, and he takes out his phone to capture the moment. he wants it forever engraved in his mind.

he never thought you would ever offer him this, but he definitely will seek more now that he knows you're as fucked up as he is.

[zumicho]

home┊002┊004

003: monsters under the bed

© zumicho all rights reserved. do not repost, modify, steal, plagiarize, or translate my works on any platform.

────────────────────────

[ RINTARO POV ]

“do you think we’re bad people?”

she stumbles into my room, dispatching yellow tinted light to disrupt the peaceful darkness of my sleep. If she were a different person, it would’ve been a problem. It’s unexplainable why I can’t bring myself to treat her the same way I treat everyone else. 

yelling and exaggerated laughter spill in from outside - a sign that my teammates haven't stopped abusing the ‘freeflow sake’ perk we were gifted by reception. I was lucky enough to slip out before it got too crazy; from the looks of it–she wasn’t. 

her head tilts, a supposedly small movement, but it does wonders. she frowns down at me–and for a minute I think it’s my bedhead. 

“..what?” 

“you didn’t answer my question.” oh.

"'bad' is subjective."

and she pouts, amplifying her already apple-red cheeks.

"do you think I'm a bad person?" I ask.

our hands brush together as she leans over the bedframe, conducting a scientific analysis of my nose (it feels like). "yes."

"why--"

"you invited me over, but you only really talked to me at the door. saying hi when you let me in and ignoring me for the rest of the night makes you a terrible host. and a bad person." I would usually laugh at someone this drunk, but no one's ever been this offended that I didn't talk to them. I sit up, guilt stabbing at my side.

"I would try and make it up to you," I squint at the clock above the window. "I can't think of anything other than walking you home though." that earns me a sigh.

"unless you want to sleep over." my mouth has a mind of its own. "there's only one bed in this room." her liquid courage is contagious.

she bites at her bottom lip, and I stare. I'm not ashamed. I'm just being relatable. atsumu would agree. anyone else would do the same. this is normal. not just me.

"no." her hands meet her hip, a failed attempt at being stern. "that would make me a bad person too." she lectures, all the while crawling under the covers and laying her head on the pillow beside mine. aran's going to complain in the morning, but that's a tiny price to pay for this view.

an hour passes, and I think she's asleep, but as I close my eyes, I find out we were both awake. her fingers intertwine with mine as she whispers: "are there monsters under the bed?"

I smile. real & big. "you're baby in a grown woman's body." is all the sarcasm I can manage. looking at me through her eyelashes, all starry-eyed in a I-could-kiss-you-right-here-and-now-but-that-would-absolutely-destroy-the-both-of-us kind of way, she asks, "so you don't believe in monsters?" "I do. but I bet they'd be scared of me," I joke. I swear her grip on my hand tightens, and she's closer than she was. maybe it's just hopeful imagination.

I’ve never been akin to commitment; why is it now that I feel the need to change? 

────────────────────────

ib: @/wipsbymaya on tiktok, it’s embarrassing how much inspiration I get from that app but it birthed this so I guess it’s not so embarassing

author’s note: how we feeling chat

@phoenix-eclipses @thechaosoflonging @yuminako @nbcvs @tenjikusstuff4 @intergalacticrory @sonicsolos @yenonnoff @wyrcan @cnnmairoll @causenessus @reads-stuff-quietly @giocriedpower @applepi25 @gra-eae @lilchubbyyy @thvvluvr @toges-cough-syrup @steiins

[bogbutteronmycroissant]

The strike had ended, but we don't need it to do the right thing. These suggestions are still viable.

If you, like me, are trying to help but don't know how to, here are some suggestions:

Call out of work or/and school (I understand if this is not a possibility)

Share information and flyers, visibility is important

Urge for political action in your community

Refrain from buying anything not-essential (specially online)

Limit social media use unless it is to support Palestine

DONATE DONATE DONATE DONATE

TELL EVERYONE YOU KNOW, I CAN'T STRESS THIS ENOUGH

Boycott actors and singers that have expressed their support for Israel like Gal Gadot and Lana del Rey

Here are some brands to avoid and put pressure on:

If donating money or calling out of your job/school is not possible for you due to personal reasons, I understand. Here are some things you can also do:

Enter this link: https://arab.org/click-to-help/palestine/ (you can click once a day for free and donations are sent)

Sign petitions like the following one: https://chng.it/B2bQBG5sRt (it's to urge the ICJ to invite journalists covering the war in gaza to testify in the genocide case)

More petitions: (this one is for justice for a student facing suspension after taking down a zionist flag. He was also assaulted by an administrator, but of course the administration hasn't faced any retaliations): https://chng.it/v5tsmKww8Q

https://chng.it/MLWLRqL6zr (this one is to exclude Israel from EuroVision, which, honestly, should've happened a lot of time ago)

https://chng.it/7TZL8pYRbs (this is for apple to approve the 'No Thanks' app, which helps people identify boycotted products)

EVERY ACTION COUNTS

[koiiiji]

Heey I loved the joker nsfw scenario you write so goood can I request sth very fluffy for example how each day with him goes, where he takes us on dates and so on?🩷 also you could maybe include some angsty scenarios where we want to watch him at a fight night but he doesn’t want us to see the cruel world he lives in bcs hes so protective and etc

suuure hun!!! sorry that it took me too long to answer, have no idea why ur request displayed in my app only after 6 days so i started to work on it late.

hope you will like it! enjoy🤓🤍

xo-xo💋

｡‧˚ʚ°ɞ˚‧｡ ───

mere mention of apples brought a fond smile to your lips, thinking of Joker's peculiar fondness for everything apple-related. from his shampoo to his gum, his love for the crisp fruit permeated every aspect of his life. you even gift him home fragrance with apple taste. and especially joker liked sweets with apples, all kind of pies, muffins, ice creams and etc, everything with apples. and when you stumbled upon the viral tiktok video featuring the famed apple croissant, you knew it was the perfect choice for your date. you immediately sent a link of that café to Joker. no need to say that date idea was approved in a second.

as you rode the metro toward the new cafe, anticipation for your date with Joker bubbled within you. dressed in your best outfit and with your makeup flawlessly applied, you were ready to make this a day unforgettable, preferably without any distractions from his “colleagues.” or so you thought.

but just as you were lost in thoughts of sugary delights and stolen moments with Joker, a notification from him shattered your reverie. Your smile faltered as you read his message, the words weighing heavily on your heart. “sorry, im in the bar, Wooin said it emergency. don’t wait for me, maybe ask your friends and have fun. i’ll be late. sorry.”

with a sigh, you decided to continue the date alone, and buy that damn apple croissants, unwilling to let Wooin's interference ruin at least your evening. the idea of waiting for your girls seemed futile, knowing they likely had their own plans for evening.

when you entered the cafe, when you were paying for your croissant, you still couldn’t get rid of unpleasant idea. you knew Joker hated it when you stepped into his “work life” and saw him fighting in the actagon. but since Wooin decided to take him away from you so brazenly, you thought that there would be nothing wrong with you grabbing him after this stupid match, and taking a take out bag of croissants with you, you headed to that ill-fated bar.

｡‧˚ʚ°ɞ˚‧｡ ───

as you walked into the dimly lit bar, the contrast to -at least expected- date was stark. the once vibrant excitement for sharing apple croissant after that damn match had faded, replaced by a sense of disappointment and frustration. the air hung heavy with the stench of alcohol, mingling with the faint undertones of stale sweat and spilled drinks. each step you took seemed to echo against the grimy floor, the stickiness clinging to the soles of your shoes, a tangible reminder of the less-than-inviting atmosphere.

despite your reluctance, you made your way through the crowded space, weaving through intoxicated patrons who stumbled and swayed in a haphazard dance of inebriation. the cacophony of voices, laughter, and clinking glasses assaulted your senses, drowning out any semblance of peace or tranquility.

as you approached the bar, your eyes scanned the dimly lit room, searching for the familiar figure of Joker amidst the chaotic scene. and then, like a sudden chill down your spine, you felt the unwelcome presence of an arm slung over your shoulder.

"hi there, little thing," came Wooin's voice, dripping with an unsettling mixture of familiarity and condescension. words sent a shiver down your spine, his presence a stark reminder of the intrusion upon your plans and the disruption of your evening.

despite the façade of casualness in his tone, there was an underlying tension, silent dislike, Wooin never liked your presence, Joker was distracted, which means he did his job badly. you resisted the urge to shrug off his arm, instead steeling yourself with a forced smile, masking the turmoil brewing beneath the surface.

in that moment, surrounded by the oppressive atmosphere of the bar and the unwelcome company of Wooin, you couldn't help but feel a sense of betrayal, both by Joker's absence and by the intrusion of his colleague into your plans. it was a bitter reminder of the complexities of relationships, the delicate balance between loyalty and disappointment. and then your heart sank. the crowd roared, drawing attention to the center of the bar. to the octagon. people seemed to be chanting someone's name, and it clearly wasn't Joker’s. Even though Joker protected you from this world and did not allow you to appear at his fights, you knew he never lost, so why was the crowd rooting for someone else today? these and other thoughts were constantly running through your head.

as you watched in disbelief, Wooin approached you with a sly grin, his words cutting through the chaos of the bar like a knife. "you see, darling," he began, his voice dripping with malice, "Joker's task tonight is not to win, but to fall." the revelation hit you like a sucker punch to the gut, leaving you reeling with shock and betrayal.

as the fight in the octagon reached its climax, you stood frozen in the midst of the raucous crowd, your heart pounding with a mixture of fear and disbelief. you couldn't tear your eyes away from Joker, his form battered and bruised. Wooin's words echoed in your mind, Joker's gaze found yours across the sea of spectators. In that moment of connection, you saw the pain etched in his eyes, a silent plea for understanding and forgiveness.

as the final blow landed, and Joker stumbled to the ground, you felt a surge of anguish wash over you. it was a bitter pill to swallow, knowing that his fall had been orchestrated not by his opponent's strength, but by the cold calculations of those who saw him as nothing more than a pawn in their game.

｡‧˚ʚ°ɞ˚‧｡ ───

in the quiet solitude of the changing rooms, you found Joker sitting alone, his hands trembling as he attempted to patch up his wounds. without a word, you approached him, your hands reaching out to gently grasp his own.

in that moment of shared vulnerability, the weight of the world seemed to lift from your shoulders, replaced by a sense of clarity and resolve. and as Wooin's departing footsteps echoed in the distance, leaving you alone with Joker, you knew that this was your chance to confront the truth that lay between you.

with a trembling voice, you said “you know that you always can stop doing.. this..” after thinking a little, you added "and start with something new..." you looked around the small room, meaning all his work in general, "well, less violent". Joker just smiled at you and with a trembling hand reached for the bag that you had brought with you, his fingers brushing against the delicate pastry nestled within. with a bittersweet smile, he took a bite of the apple croissant, savoring the taste of sweetness and redemption that lingered on his lips.

｡‧˚ʚ°ɞ˚‧｡ ───

[historical-kitten]

Inviting Ancient Roman Politicians to a Modern Costume Party

Gaius Julius Caesar

Enjoys a good party and accepts your invitation, but when you go to pick him up you aren't sure if he's in a costume or just dresses like that. It's a very fabulous look. Or maybe he's dressed up as Elton John?

Marcus Licinius Crassus

The only way he attends is if you bribe him to go. He takes cash, Google pay, Apple Pay, Paypal, Cash App, and Venmo. It costs extra if you want him in a costume.

Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus aka Pompey

He will accept your invitation, but he wants to go in one of those inflatable costumes that looks like he's riding an elephant. If you can fit that in your car and through all the doorways, he'll be decent company at the party.

Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus aka Augustus

If Agrippa is meeting you there, lead with that and you might convince him to join you. He'll want all the details on the party and who will be there, so indulge him. He doesn't particularly want to wear a costume, but might dress as Apollo if pressed.

Marcus Antonius aka Mark Antony

He will absolutely come to your party, you don't even have to twist his arm. He likely takes it over once he arrives, though, so be prepared! He is fun and charming, but will not be going home sober. He might dress as Hercules, Dionysus, or Osiris.

Marcus Aemilius Lepidus

The way he disappears when you're at the party, he might as well be dressed as the Invisible Man. No really. Where'd he go?

Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa

He will go and stay with you, a loyal friend, unless Octavianus shows up and then he ultimately follows him. He didn't wear a costume but let someone paint a teardrop on his face. He wins "Most Original Costume" for his 'personification of human sadness' outfit. He doesn't look happy about it.

Publius Clodius Pulcher

He's always up for a party and will look a million times better in his costume than you do. Whatever you do, don't tell him about that girl's night only Halloween party unless you want him to show up dressed like one of the girls. (He'll be really fun, but might cause a divorce.)

Sextus Pompeius Magnus Pius

He is gracious as a guest and wears a nautical Captain's costume. He'll party with you, but not over indulge. Just don't ask if he's a pirate, that's rude.

Marcus Junius Brutus

He only accepts the invitation if friends of his are going to the party. His costume seems to be a dark hood and cape and he disappears into the corner with Cassius soon after you arrive.

Gaius Cassius Longinus

He is quite amiable with his friends and if he's yours, he'll accept your invitation. The costume is sleek and dark and furtive, possibly a rogue or assassin? Just don't be hurt when he disappears into a corner with Brutus at some point in the night.

Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix

You do not want to invite him, do you? If you do, he accepts. Although he was wearing regular clothes initially, they're definitely covered in blood before you're at the party for long. That's fake blood... right?

Marcus Tullius Cicero

You have to cajole him to go, but once he is there, he is happy to be the center of attention telling jokes and stories. Wearing a costume is beneath his dignity, but judging everyone else's is not.

[mariacallous]

Picture this, if you will: hundreds of grey-haired grannies ganging up to face down a group of neo-Nazi skinheads. Some of the skinheads have beer bottles in their hands. The grannies are armed with nothing more than umbrellas and hand-knitted woolly hats. It sounds like a corny sketch for a TV comedy show. But no. It’s election time in Germany’s eastern Länder (federal regions), and the grannies are out on the streets.

There’s no Granny Party. The movement, called in German Omas gegen Rechts (Grannies against the right), has grown into a national and international force since it was founded in 2017 by an Austrian psychotherapist and evangelical priest, Monika Salzer.

It is widely assumed here that apathy and low voter turnout will result in a far-right victory. But election posters showing a cartoon granny with a rainbow flag carry a simple message: “Granny says – go out and vote!” Apart from the rainbow, a symbol of tolerance, sexual liberation and diversity, there is no instruction on how to vote.

In between elections, the Grannies are busy knitting and babysitting. But they also raise funds, for example by baking and selling cakes, to finance the poster campaign and a set of beer mats that make up a pub quiz.

In Leipzig, my new home town, the Grannies have raised enough money to install three new Stumblestones (Stolpersteine). These are little brass plaques inscribed with the names of people whom the Nazis deported and murdered in the 1930s and 40s. The new plaques commemorate the Wesly family – Hermann, a Jewish publisher of music and books, his wife, Berta, and their daughter, Margot. Berta and Hermann were taken to Auschwitz and murdered in the gas chambers. Margot escaped to England – but the British authorities put her in a concentration camp too, as an enemy alien.

A violin and an accordion were played during the installation of the little plaques where the Weslys’ house once stood. The stonemason’s hammer punctuated the music with a slow beat. Then Granny Gisela read out a short account of how the family was persecuted and how we must never forget. Many spectators were in tears. The memorial is on the doorstep of the new building that now stands on the site – a kindergarten. Its head teacher joined the ceremony and promised to find a way of explaining the story to the kids “without scaring them too much”. I remarked that it was a very special moment. Granny Sylvia put me right.

“Sadly, it’s not so special. This brings the number of Stolpersteine in Leipzig to almost 800. There is one on almost every street,” she said, before inviting us all to join her for coffee and cake.

Later she shared a link to the Stolpersteine app in the Google Play store (also on Apple). It’s true – there are hundreds of Stumblestones. Many are not for Jewish victims, but for brave souls like William Zipperer who tried to stop the Nazis and save their neighbours. He was executed in January 1945 for plotting against the state. 

As a mark of respect, the Grannies regularly go out to polish the small memorials set into the pavements, to light candles and lay flowers.

There is another side to the movement. They are part of the Antifa, Germany’s radical ultra-left. Not quite as radical as Lina Engel, the antifascist activist who is serving jail time in Dresden for plotting physical attacks on neo-Nazi pubs and meetings. Nor have any Grannies been caught setting fire to building sites where executive homes are replacing the old affordable blocks of flats – a typical Antifa action. 

They upload videos to TikTok. And they are taking their campaign out of the city and into villages and suburbs where right wing parties recruit people who feel neglected or “left behind” by the Berlin government.

“Solidarity without borders instead of right wing propaganda,” says the Radical Grannies’ poster, urging supporters to join them in a mass demonstration. These are Grannies who don’t knit. 

[basicpart]

Introducing Apple Invites, a new app that brings people together

February 4, 2025 PRESS RELEASE Introducing Apple Invites, a new app that brings people together for life’s special moments CUPERTINO, CALIFORNIA Apple today introduced Apple Invites, a new app for iPhone that helps users create custom invitations to gather friends and family for any occasion. With Apple Invites, users can create and easily share invitations, RSVP, contribute to Shared Albums, and…

[quirkyfries]

Clearing drafts, have some EAPS Eclipse and Ruin headcanons I plan to use sometime, may have future installments

When Jake asked if pets were allowed, Eclipse made a roomba. It has since been named Norman the floorman. Eclipse does not call Norman by name, and if he does, he denies it. Norman’s name is spelled on its side in sticker letters, and someone keeps taping knives to it and letting it loose in the lab. There is a permanent notice on the lab whiteboard to specifically not do that.

In my eclipse design the safety vest is a spite thing. Lefty would get on to Eclipse about workplace safety. Eclipse figured out that, because of fazbear’s crappy rules, as long as he was complying with one (1) rule then he was fine. Lefty has since conceded but Eclipse doesn’t believe the matter is settled and still wears it regardless. He only takes it off when it’d benefit him to not be seen immediately.

Also in my design, the bracelet is one of those rubber bands in the shape of animals. The one Eclipse has is a cat. On the same note, the bead necklaces (think Mardi Gras necklaces) were given to him by Jake/Andrew when kids were gifting them to their favorite staff. He still doesn’t know how they got ahold of them. (The smiley pin was a gift from Earth.)

Ruin enjoys using hand puppets to entertain small children who won’t understand theatrical references. This is totally not inspired by that guy with the raccoon puppet on tiktok

Ruin doesn’t have a space to himself (or if he does I haven’t picked up on it? In his nightmare episode he wakes up in a party room,) but he’s okay with it because he has a lot more friends and he doesn’t shut all the way off if he does sleep (for fear of nightmares.) I like to think Ballora has invited him to at least one sleepover that ended in late night tea-time conversations. Not “sleeping” properly is causing Ruin a battery issue, but he doesn’t entirely have the means to fix it right now. Instead, he takes steps to manage it.

Ruin has exceeded the expected lifespan of a daycare animatronic, and his memory storage has to be managed in order for new information to store. As much as he’d like to forget the sins of his past, he won’t let himself be free of it, both because he feels he doesn’t deserve that and because they were valuable lessons to him. I have yet to decide exactly how he does this but it involves something akin to Apple's feature of offloading data from apps but not deleting them--for Ruin, this is forgetting exactly how events played out but still knowing they happened. He would remember he was happy when a child gave him a drawing, but he wouldn't remember what the conversation was about before and after was because that's not the part he thought was most important to keep. This would show a level of sentimentality in him.

Ruin’s tendency to be distracted by new surroundings (shown in several episodes) is both a hypervigilance issue and a Sun “constant stimulation” trait working in tandem. Ruin’s most prominent Moon trait is his intelligence and independence, both of which became more prominent out of necessity due to events following the AI merging.

(CW talking about implied child death for the rest of the post)

Out of everyone, Ruin would freak out the most if there were an intruder in the daycare—yes, even if he’s not a daycare attendant anymore, and yes, even more than Sunpea. They just show it in different ways. Ruin’s first concern is the children’s safety, dealing the threat second, and he’d seem calm the whole time (he is not, but you won’t know it.) Sunpea’s first concern is the children’s safety, his own safety second, and he’d be visibly upset the whole time. (Whether or not Moonpea has any input is debatable but not the point.) The difference is their levels of self preservation. You can read between the lines in this one, only one of the two had truly failed to protect their children before

One facet of Ruin's past that I think wasn't expanded on enough in canon is the horror of situation vs. purpose. Ruin mentions that he was very good with children, both AIs that are him were daycare attendants and he continued that job for a time. We also know that Ruin had to kill children, or at the very least stand by with the knowledge it was happening. Ruin's job was to look after children, to protect them, and then he was made to do the opposite. When his Creator confronted him, he could have refused, let his Creator kill him, and those children would've died by another's hand. Instead he agreed and likely did it himself. I like to think he had some amount of mercy, as much as he could safely get away with under the watch of infected peers and his Creator. I also think that's why as mentioned in the hc above, he would put himself in danger to protect children in the dimension he promised to help steer in the right direction. He won't fail them this time.

[newkatzkafe2023]

Last one was adorable, but what if the roles were switched and it was the Monkey King boys with the Monkey Queen y/n? 🧐

Do you mildly hate the monkey queen or something🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

(LMK Wukong) You are a celestial female monkey whose territory is a jungle island. You lived in solitude for many years Until a certain monkey literally crash landed into your life. I'm mad, he was annoying He would Talk your ear off,flirt with you and Serenade you with a bunch of songs that will make you cover your ears. And he keeps coming back no matter how much you kick him off your jungle island. It probably doesn't help that he can just fly on his nimbus cloud back. Finally having enough you decided to throw the man a bone And go on at least one date with him. Of course one thing left to another and now you're pregnant. Of course he's not aware and you want to keep it that way. You finally gave birth to your cub until he showed up again. You try to remain calm and hide until he goes away. But your baby seem to be aware that that's his father and zipped right out of your arms and right dead smack into his. After He came back to his senses and got his balance back. You told him exactly what happened hopeing maybe this would scare him off for good. Wait why is he smiling??? And why is he asking you to be his girlfriend?!?!?

(NR Wukong) Goddamn you really considered getting a restraining order with this guy. By no means, were you interested? He was attractive looking, but that's all you felt he's got for going for him. And you Can't win with him because no matter how many times you kicked him off your island he just keeps bouncing right back just to do the same thing he was doing. Originally it was so annoying. One night he came to your house with a bottle of wine And was once again flooded in with you. When asking you on a date, finally throwing a man a bone. You agreed because well you happen to like Angry orchid apple Wine. The next morning you woke up to him inside your Bed. Already knowing what's going on and what's happening? You kicked him out your house once again. A few months later, you were busy handling your new born. Calm, you'll love the little guy very much. But he is quite a handful invite. He seems to be just as clinging to you as his father is and speaking of his father. A certain young man named lee had dragged them by his many years to your home as an apology and for him to take responsibility for what happened. Unfortunately for you, he has no problem dealing with that. And you're gonna have to see more of his face great.

(HIB Wukong) He was really cool with you. You had a lot in common. So you had no problem with him coming over to your territory. To hang out or even talk to you. He then introduced you to Liuer Who was the sweetest happiest boy you ever met These two were the best company you had in a long time. One day Wukong Came by himself because you had Some things to ask of him. You quickly told them that your heat was coming up and that he was the only one you felt can help you with it. Despite being shocked and the massive blush on his face. He agreed to help you since he started liking you over the time you spent together and vice versa. A few months later He finally confessed about how He felt about you and you felt the same And surprised them with the baby cub you had with you that looks a lot like him. It would have been a nice surprise if he didn't pass out.

(Mk Reborn Wukong) This guy just irks your nerve. Apparently he wasn't too happy at the fact that you got your own place and all your own stuff so to win.All that stuff you have. He challenged you to a battle which didn't even last long. Because you beat his ass what a bat that you found in your home. This became the beginning to a bloody rivalry. Because every time he shows app, you gonna have to fight him. Fist or with a weapon in was just not Goin anywhere and it became a battle of back-and-forth. Push and pull all that stuff. One time he was more aggressive than usual and so were you? And I hope you understood why until you had Performed impulsive But pleasurable action against each other And seemingly horrified by what he just did with you. He took off your island hopefully never to be seen again. Well it would have been if that same dumb ass with The attitude problem of a fire cracker didn't knock you up. You weren't too upset though. You were gifted with a beautiful cub and you wouldn't trade her for the world. A bunch of months later, a monk named tang was dragging monkey king by the ear towards you. Apparently he found out what the Wukong did and is now making him take responsibility. He could grumble and growl. All he wants, but the second he sees you with a Cub That looks like you to blend together he realized what he needs to do.

(Netflix Wukong) You Guys were already friends in the beginning. You found him to be quirky, energetic cheerful and well a bit innocent too. He was also fairly naive to the world around him. But that's because he's brand new and you super cute. You To experience a lot of things together and go to a lot of places. You were even there when he found that talking stick. And you gave him support with the whole jade palace and the Dragon king war going on and you were even sealed under the mountain with him. You guys been through a lot and when you got out, you addressed that you had feelings for one another celebrated. A few months later, you guys have 2 cute little cups. Who knows what the future holds for your little family.

FEEL FREE TO REBLOG

[todayscroll]

Apple’s Invites App Requires an iCloud+ Subscription to Host an Event

This product was born into existence right around the time the Vision Pro launched in early 2024, because who in their right mind would make an accessory for the flagging headset in 2025? Kyle Goodrich, a former augmented-reality designer at Snap, posted on X at the time about a prototype of a protective cover for the Vision Pro. It went viral, and Dbrand suggested a collab. Nearly a year later,…