#car parking app development

[medrec-tech]

The Future of Urban Mobility: A Comprehensive Guide to Smart Parking Systems

Urbanization is on the rise, and with it, the challenge of managing parking spaces effectively. The traditional parking systems are not only outdated but also contribute to increased traffic congestion, pollution, and frustration for drivers. Enter smart parking systems—an innovative solution poised to revolutionize the way we park our cars. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll delve deep into the mechanics, benefits, and future of smart parking systems, along with the critical role of smart car parking apps in transforming urban mobility.

What is a Smart Parking System?

A smart parking system is an advanced technology solution designed to manage parking spaces more efficiently using a combination of IoT (Internet of Things) devices, sensors, cameras, and software. Unlike conventional parking systems, smart parking solutions offer real-time data on space availability, guiding drivers to free spots and helping parking lot managers optimize space usage. These systems are being rapidly adopted in metropolitan areas, commercial complexes, and even residential neighborhoods.

Key Components of a Smart Parking System:

IoT Sensors: Installed in individual parking spots, these sensors detect the presence or absence of a vehicle.

Cameras and License Plate Recognition (LPR): Used for security and to monitor unauthorized parking.

Data Analytics and Cloud Computing: Data from sensors and cameras is processed in real-time to provide insights and predictive analytics.

Mobile Apps and User Interface: An interface for users to view parking availability, reserve spots, and make payments.

These components work together to create an integrated parking management solution that not only saves time for drivers but also optimizes the use of available space.

How Do Smart Car Parking Systems Work?

The functioning of a smart parking system is both simple and sophisticated. Here's a step-by-step breakdown:

Sensor Installation: Sensors are embedded in parking spots to detect whether a spot is occupied or vacant. These sensors can be magnetic, ultrasonic, or camera-based, depending on the technology used.

Data Transmission: The sensor data is sent to a central server or cloud platform, which processes the information and updates the parking status in real-time.

User Access: Drivers can access this information through a smart parking app or digital signboards, guiding them to available spots.

Booking and Payments: Some systems allow users to reserve parking spaces in advance and pay through the app, streamlining the entire parking process.

Management and Analytics: For parking lot owners and city planners, these systems offer valuable data analytics and insights, such as peak usage times, occupancy rates, and more, which can be used to improve overall parking management.

Benefits of Smart Parking Systems

The adoption of smart parking systems brings numerous benefits for drivers, city planners, and parking lot owners:

1. Reduced Traffic Congestion: One of the most significant advantages of smart parking systems is the reduction in traffic congestion. Studies show that up to 30% of urban traffic is caused by drivers searching for parking spots. By providing real-time data on available spaces, smart parking systems reduce the time drivers spend circling, thus decreasing congestion and emissions.

2. Enhanced Driver Experience: Smart parking apps make the entire process of finding and paying for parking seamless. Features like real-time availability, reservation options, and cashless payments enhance the overall user experience. Some apps even offer added functionalities like locating your parked car, adding to the convenience.

3. Efficient Space Utilization: For parking lot owners, smart parking systems mean more efficient use of available space. By analyzing data on occupancy rates and usage patterns, they can implement dynamic pricing or make adjustments to improve the flow of vehicles, maximizing revenue and minimizing vacant spots.

4. Improved Safety and Security: The integration of cameras and LPR technology helps in monitoring unauthorized access, preventing theft, and managing traffic flow within the parking lot. This leads to a safer environment for both vehicles and pedestrians.

5. Environmental Benefits: Reducing the time spent searching for parking not only decreases fuel consumption but also lowers vehicle emissions, contributing to a cleaner urban environment. As cities aim to become more sustainable, smart parking systems play a crucial role in achieving environmental goals.

Exploring the Features of a Smart Parking App

A robust smart parking app is at the heart of any effective smart parking system. Here are some essential features that make these apps indispensable:

1. Real-Time Availability: Displays current availability of parking spaces, guiding drivers to the nearest free spot. Some apps use color-coded maps or icons to indicate occupied, available, and reserved spots.

2. Reservations and Payments: Allows users to reserve parking spaces in advance, especially useful during peak hours or for special events. The payment feature supports multiple modes like credit cards, digital wallets, or contactless payments, reducing the need for cash or physical tickets.

3. Navigation and Guidance: Many apps provide turn-by-turn navigation to the parking lot and even within multi-level garages, minimizing confusion and ensuring a smoother parking experience.

4. Parking History and Reminders: Keeps track of where and when you parked, along with payment history. Some apps also offer reminders for expiring parking sessions, helping you avoid fines.

5. Integration with Smart City Platforms: Advanced apps are integrated with broader smart city platforms, providing information not just on parking but also on traffic conditions, public transport schedules, and more.

Challenges and Limitations of Smart Car Parking Systems

While smart car parking systems offer numerous benefits, they are not without challenges:

1. High Initial Costs: The installation of sensors, cameras, and the development of software platforms can be expensive, especially for large parking areas. This cost can be a barrier for smaller cities or private parking operators.

2. Maintenance and Upkeep: Like any technology, smart parking systems require regular maintenance. Sensors can fail, cameras need calibration, and software platforms require updates, all of which can incur additional costs.

3. Data Privacy Concerns: With the collection of vehicle and personal data, there are concerns regarding privacy and data security. Ensuring robust data protection measures is essential to maintain user trust.

4. Integration with Existing Infrastructure: In many cases, integrating smart parking solutions with existing infrastructure can be challenging. It often requires significant modifications or upgrades to existing systems, which can be time-consuming and costly.

Market Trends and the Future of Smart Parking

The smart parking market is growing rapidly, driven by the increasing need for efficient urban mobility solutions. Here are some key trends shaping the future of this industry:

1. Integration with Autonomous Vehicles: As autonomous vehicles become more prevalent, they will need to interact with smart parking systems to find, reserve, and park in designated spots without human intervention. This will require advanced communication protocols and a higher level of automation in parking systems.

2. Expansion of Contactless and Automated Solutions: The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the demand for contactless solutions, including automated payments and app-based reservations. This trend is likely to continue, with more parking systems adopting touchless technology to enhance user safety and convenience.

3. Increased Use of AI and Machine Learning: Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are being used to analyze parking patterns, predict availability, and optimize space usage. These technologies will play a critical role in enhancing the efficiency and functionality of smart parking systems in the future.

4. Adoption in Emerging Markets: While smart parking systems are already popular in developed countries, they are beginning to gain traction in emerging markets like India, China, and Southeast Asia. The growing urban population and increasing vehicle ownership in these regions are driving the demand for efficient parking solutions.

5. Integration with Smart City Ecosystems: Smart parking systems are becoming an integral part of smart city ecosystems, helping manage not just parking but also traffic flow, public transport, and urban mobility as a whole. This holistic approach is key to developing sustainable and livable cities of the future.

Conclusion

Smart parking systems are transforming the way we think about and manage parking. By leveraging technology to provide real-time data and automated solutions, these systems offer numerous benefits for drivers, city planners, and parking lot owners alike. From reducing traffic congestion and emissions to enhancing user experience and safety, the advantages are clear. As technology continues to evolve, we can expect even more innovative solutions to emerge, making parking smarter, safer, and more efficient.

Whether you’re a city planner looking to optimize urban mobility or a driver tired of the parking hassle, embracing smart parking systems is a step in the right direction.

[shivtechnolabs-insights]

What You Should Know Before the Development of the Car Parking App

The concept of a parking app arises whenever we are stuck and unable to find a parking spot. These days, it's a real pain to get a parking place. Finding a parking spot is often a major hassle.

For the betterment of their citizens, several modern cities have incorporated car parking apps. There are plenty of opportunities for you to try your hand at generating money.

Scope of developing car parking app

Numerous on-demand programs make it possible to do online shopping, order food delivery, book cabs, and a host of other things. Every one of these car parking app development services has made our lives easier and better.

It makes perfect sense that it would be an attractive feature of a parking app. In particular, it will be helpful for those who are often on the go in search of a parking spot.

The development of parking applications enables us to provide customers with smart parking solutions, therefore easing their parking problems.  

Using parking software is one possible solution to the parking problem, which is a big issue in big cities. Users may easily book a parking spot using the app, taking into account their location and the size of their automobile.

What should you know before the car parking app development?

Create an organizational strategy

Now that you and your investors have a solid understanding of the proposal's significance, the quantity of money you'll need, the prospective profits, the dangers, and the dependability, you can go on with confidence.

A rough estimate of the price may be obtained with a quick examination. The time required to complete this process could range from several hours to a whole day. After a comprehensive evaluation—which might take several days to a week—you can find out exactly how to create a parking app, when to release it, and what features to include.

Meet rivals in the face

An in-depth analysis of the market, present platforms, competitors, and customer behaviour models is necessary to get a complete picture. Utilize a SWOT analysis to determine your parking-sharing software's unique selling points if you want to succeed where your rivals have failed.

A formal organization

This strategy will allow your parking locating app development to penetrate the global market. You may run your company as an LLC, a partnership, or even as a sole proprietorship. How you manage your business will dictate the tasks you are responsible for. In order to minimise your liability and protect your assets from litigation, forming an LLC is the best course of action.

Work together with local groups

Get in touch with local businesses who might be interested in advertising your on-demand parking app for a share of the earnings to increase your customer base. Examples of such businesses include petrol stations, locations to charge electric cars, rest stops, and the like.

UI/UX design matters

UI/UX specialists will present your online parking software's finished product—a static and interactive application prototype. A customer journey map may help you understand how various personas interact with your business.

Choose a software provider with the right expertise

Even though you may use pre-made products for your parking finder app's creation, doing so will limit your ability to add features, enhance your service, and increase your app's usefulness. The most logical way to ensure a problem-free experience would be to collaborate with a trustworthy car parking app development agency that focuses on making one-of-a-kind applications.

Launching process

After the car parking app development company has completed all testing, identified no new flaws, and achieved an agreement, they should proceed to submit the final product to major app stores.

After an app is released to the public, its story is far from over. You will find out in the first few months after the product's launch what features are missing, require modification, or should be removed. Then you may start again with the parking app's development or negotiate a maintenance contract that includes all the latest details.

Conclusion

Hopefully, you have gained a good understanding of what is involved in creating a parking app. If you're still confused, however, it's best to talk to experts in mobile app development. Due to the high need for such services, creating an app for car parking is a fantastic alternative among many other possible app ideas.

[middleeastbrillmindz]

How much does it Cost to Develop a parking app?

Advanced parking applications have not only given a smart solution to the users who are always looking for the best parking spaces for their vehicles but also give them a smooth experience without having to search around the parking lot repetitively. These parking apps have given a simple yet effective mode of parking as the user can book a spot well in advance to avoid last-minute confusion.

If you are looking to develop such smart parking applications, your primary task is to associate with a leading mobile app development company in India like Brillmindz. The team has more than a decade of expertise in developing profitable apps that lead the market for a long time.

Read more:  How Much Does Parking App Development Cost?

[mobileapptechnology]

Car Parking App Development Cost

Today, people have so many cars that they are always in a hurry to find the perfect parking spot. Parking in the wrong places always causes chaos and traffic. This is the main reason for creating a premium parking finder mobile app. It can help users find parking spaces and stop traffic. Developing a parking finder mobile app can help drivers find a parking space. You can choose a parking spot in advance and then you don't have to worry about anything else. There are three most important sections to pay attention to.

Note: To develop an app like Car parking app, you must visit mobile app development companies in texas

What is the parking program?

The parking finder app helps users quickly find and reserve available parking spaces in a nearby location. Using low-power sensors and automated insights, these apps are very useful, making it convenient to reserve parking spaces in advance to save time and effort.

Car parking app development functionality

In addition to assisting drivers in finding a parking place for their vehicle, mobile parking apps provide a hassle-free alternative to continually circling the parking lot in search of a space for your automobile.

These parking mobile apps have made life easier by allowing users to reserve a parking space in advance, thus avoiding last-minute disruptions.

Related Article: Mobile apps development companies in Virginia

The following features are required when developing a car parking mobile app.

Search: Initially, users find their car in the app using GPS or by entering their location.

Comparison: Customers can search for available parking spaces and compare which one suits them best based on price and distance from the intended location to the location.

Reservation: The car driver can reserve a parking space using a unique code.

All payments are made online. The booked parking space must be paid for in the fourth stage.

Driving: Using navigation, the app helps drivers reach their destination. This contributes to a smoother parking experience.

Parking: The last step is to park the car in the place indicated by the driver.

Additional factors that may determine the cost of developing a parking application

a. Integration of third parties in the parking application

The total cost of developing a parking app will increase if additional third-party integrations are required. However, their integration can improve the performance and functionality of your app so you can establish yourself as a leading parking app.

b. Custom features of the Parking App

Adding custom features can go a long way in providing users with a unique and unique experience. In fact, you have a better chance of engaging them when you implement your own custom features. However, the cost of developing a parking app will also increase with each successive feature assigned to your parking app.

Related Article: Top 10 Mobile App Development Companies in USA

c. Parking Program Project Timeline

The timeline of your project can also be a determining factor in determining the cost of developing a parking app. If you want your project to be completed in less time, it would increase the overall parking app development because you can hire app developers who are dedicated to the work. Similarly, if your parking application has too many features, it would increase the development time. Ultimately, this will increase the cost of developing a parking application.

Advantages of Parking Apps

Innovative parking app uses low-cost sensors and real-time insights to provide users with parking information. These are some of the notable benefits of car parking apps.

Improved parking management

Parking apps help users easily find and book parking spaces for their vehicles. For this reason, they can significantly save the time and effort normally spent on manually searching for parking spaces.

Improving user experience

A parking spot app can simplify payment options, provide recommendations, and easily free up parking spaces. In fact, users can control many things just by hand.

Reduction in management costs

Parking apps help service providers and corporations enjoy the power of parking automation. In fact, there is less manual work involved with parking apps with automated technology. This can be a great factor in saving labor costs.

How much does it cost to develop a parking locator mobile app

The cost of developing an app, such as a parking finder, can vary depending on certain elements and the inclusion of multiple features. Take a look at the factors that determine the cost of the program:

Factors that determine the cost of a car parking program

Geographical location of smart parking app developers

The physical location of the app developers plays an important role in determining the cost of the app. An app owner can hire a full-time team of developers or ask experts to build an app on an hourly basis. 

Take a look at the cost per hour of developers in various places:

European developers: £80 - £120 per hour

US Dev er hour

Asian Developers: $20-$35/hour

Third Party Integrations

Another important cost factor for mobile app development is the number of third-party service integrations required.

Individual functions

Each parking app has a few basic features, but the more custom features you decide to add to that app, the higher the overall cost will be. Thus, the cost of developing an application also depends on the number of functions.

Project timeline

It also contributes significantly to development costs. The less time you require to complete the program, the higher the total cost will be.

So if we add the basic car parking app development cost, such an app will cost around $8000-$15000. If you decide to add custom features for the Android and iOS version, it can cost around $18,000. up to $35,000.

Author: I’m Anita Basa, a fascinating Technical Content writer currently working at USM Business Systems. Interested to know about technology updates. Mobile App Development, IoT, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, IOS, and Technology-related content Get connected with me on Linkedin

[insertsomejokehere]

Ok more stuff about superheroes being normal civilians/out of drag because it’s late and i like the concept.

Wonder Woman really likes Herbal teas since they sort of remind her of her childhood and also it’s just nice to have tea in the morning - there is a whole drawer in her kitchen dedicated to tea boxes, most of which are loose leaf.

Green Lantern and Flash have a weekend tradition of playing super Mario brothers which started because Lantern was ranting about the inaccuracies of the space tracks in that game so now they play it and come up with a viable car race track (aka drawing tracks and keeping a notes app on an email to devs that will probably never happen.)

A very normal trip to the park in which Bruce takes his son and his son’s cow (bat cow the legend they are) to a local playground.

Clark visits the farm nearly every holiday and *will* help out with the work load whether his parents want him to or not.

Also he makes really, REALLY good pumpkin pie thanks to Martha. It’s a secret family recipe and absolutely nobody but her and Clark know it.

Bruce probably took some online acting course in his early twenties or so to further develop his ‘brucie’ persona, which in my mind would have just been the first YouTube video he could find after working himself into a neurotic mess at like 4 in the morning.

Green Arrow/Oliver probably has a peloton. He has peloton vibes. Probably put some variation of ‘Green Arrow’ as his username but it’s ok because most people will just assume he’s a mega fan.

[betterbooktitles]

I was standing in Terminal 4 at JFK far away from the impatient scrum of people waiting near my gate for a Delta agent to announce it was their turn to board. As I watched passengers who’d arrived on other flights step around this pool of people buried in their phones, so desperate to be sitting on the plane instead of standing inside the airport, I thought about a review of William Gibson’s 2012 book of essays called Distrust That Particular Flavor, a book I’ve never read.

In “Distrust That Particular Flavor,” Gibson pulls off a dazzling trick. Instead of predicting the future, he finds the future all around him, mashed up with the past, and reveals our own domain to us as a science-fictional marvel… I glanced up from the pages of this book and surveyed the street-side around me, I felt as if I were wearing Gibson-glasses. Cars lumbered past like ponderous elephants of rusty steel, not so different from the cars of 30 years ago, and seemed not to belong in the same world as the tattooed kid punching code into his laptop nearby. Under the spell of this book, I suddenly understood my surroundings not as a discrete contemporary tableau but as a hodgepodge of 1910, 1980, 2011 and 2020. -Pagan Kennedy, NY Times

I am several steps removed: I was remembering reading a review of a book published 12 years ago that was filled with writing previously published in magazines decades earlier. I could have easily downloaded a digital copy of the book on my phone and started reading the source material, but instead, I searched Google for the most pared-down version of what I wanted to remember from Gibson’s writing, that single quote that encapsulated what I was thinking at that moment: 

“The future is already here – it's just not evenly distributed.”

The night before my trip, my phone buzzed and the Delta app offered a tantalizing deal: a few thousand miles to move from the 22nd row of the Main Cabin to Delta Comfort+, one row behind First Class, where I knew there was enough room to cross my legs like I’m on a park bench or extend them as if at home sitting in a recliner. I looked at my phone from my bed and moved my left leg. I felt my knee pop. I hit the button and ordered the nicer seat. “The future is now!” I thought as I rolled over, then checked my 2-3 more times that the alarm on my phone was set correctly before finally falling asleep.

I was flying to visit my family in North Carolina, where I would ride from the Charlotte airport to my parents’ house in a fully-electric SUV, stuck the whole way behind gas-powered lowrider motorcycles and one massive Ford that billowed black smoke from silver exhaust pipes sticking up like goalposts on the back of the truck’s cab. All the while, I’d see how developed the suburbs of Charlotte were becoming, whole blocks of houses and high-rises popping up like dandelions, covering what used to be open fields. I’d watch the Uber app on my phone continually update me on the status of the route, reestimating our ETA every few minutes as we sat in traffic. I would spend the ride glancing from my phone to the map on his dashboard, and wonder how we ever survived before GPS. Between the airport and our destination, we made all but 3 turns.

Before any of that happened, though, before any of the thoughts about watching the future blossom all around me while the past angrily revved its fossil-fueled engines up and down I-77, I had to survive the flight from NYC to Charlotte.

As I scanned the bright open space at JFK, I saw a freckled woman my age sitting alone covered in a yellow blanket. She appeared to be on the verge of tears. Since I was about to take my own emotionally taxing trip, one to see my sick father while his pain was still somewhat manageable, I considered asking simply if she was OK. Then I saw her take out her phone to text someone, and suddenly I couldn’t gauge if she was sad or severely hungover. I remembered that airports (outside the Midwest) aren’t for chatting up strangers. She was in her own little world and didn’t need a man’s halfhearted prying. Everyone in the airport was in sweatpants and pretending they were in their living rooms, pretending to be alone on the couch instead of sitting in a wide room with a hundred other miserable tired people. My attention turned to the black toddler in a green shirt stomping on the bright white linoleum and laughing. He was in a better mood than any adult I could see from my vantage point. His mom called him and said it was time to get on the plane.

We idled at the gate for twenty extra minutes after everyone was in their seats. I read a book on my phone and smiled to myself when I realized the plane door was closed, meaning no one else would be joining me in my row, hence the desperate offer from Delta the night before asking if I wanted a seat for much less than the price when I had originally bought the ticket. This was going to be the most comfortable flight I ever took. The only issue was that several people had left their window covers open, and the Sun was starting to heat up the cabin. A child directly behind me complained to her grandma about her discomfort, a baby cried from the back of the plane, and the toddler I had seen earlier, sitting on his mother’s lap three rows back, was wailing. The mother of the toddler was also traveling with her ailing mother who I’d seen pleasantly thanking the Delta staff earlier for bringing her to the plane in a wheelchair. They were both Southern black women wearing beige sweats from head to toe, and until this moment had spent the holding period at the gate pleading with the kid to “come on and be quiet now” and insisting to passengers around her that he usually doesn’t act this way on planes. I heard people around her say “It’s just fine” and “how old?”

A flight attendant, who I’d recently watched serve booze to everyone in First Class (why not, It’s 10:30 AM somewhere), warned over the loudspeaker that the routine demonstration on plane safety was about to begin. I always feel rude for continuing whatever I’m doing while another human being stands in the aisle showing me how not to die. Remembering to keep my seatbelt fastened during turbulence or to put my oxygen mask on before assisting others could save my life, and yet I sit there, fully ignoring the speech even as a member of the flight crew uses the plastic cover directly above my head to demonstrate how the yellow mask will flop down as we’re all screaming and crying and can’t remember our training. The flight attendant held the mask with both hands inches from my face and I kept reading. This dismissive attitude toward the safety speech is all the stranger when I remember that my biggest fear is dying in a plane crash. 

I was once on a JetBlue flight that hit some rough air. I distracted myself by watching Marvel’s Iron Man 3 on the back of the seat in front of me (this was before I became a professional flyer and brought my own screens with me). There’s a scene in the movie where Tony Stark’s house is destroyed by a helicopter. Right before Stark successfully shoots down the flying assailant, the movie jumped abruptly to the next scene. JetBlue doesn’t edit anything sexy from in-flight entertainment, but they will cut anything that reminds you of your potential fiery death in a plane crash. When I noticed what had happened, I laughed to myself. How silly to think people would be scared by a Marvel movie. Then I thought, “maybe they cut those scenes because crashing is so common and they want you to forget. Why would they cut the scene if it weren’t an actual event that happens all the time?” I worked myself up over not seeing a plane crash in a movie while I was on a plane. I panicked over the absence of a frightening image. That’s how nervous I get on airplanes.Scary stuff.

We were at the step where the flight attendants walked the entire aisle with one hand sliding against the white plastic covers of the overhead compartments to make sure they were secure when the woman holding her crying toddler walked up to my 75%-empty aisle.

“I think if he had a little more room, he’d be fine,” she said to the flight attendant who already had her hands up defensively. “Can we take these empty seats if no one else is coming?”

“It wouldn’t be fair to the people who paid to upgrade.” The flight attendant shook her head as she spoke.

“Well, can I upgrade?” The woman asked.

Sternly, the flight attendant said: “It’s too late for that.”

The woman turned to go back to her seat, and in a huff said “I’m never fucking flying Delta again. Fuck this shit.” As she sat down in her seat, she claimed loudly “if I were a white woman, they’d give me that seat.” 

Her mother sitting in the seat next to her backed her up: “I know that’s right.”

“Excuse me,” I said to the flight attendant, she leaned down, all teeth and painted eyebrows. 

“Yes, sir?” she said.

“I’m happy to switch with her if it makes things easier.”

Before she could answer, the white grandma behind me objected “Yeah, nuh uh! - no, thank you!” Without looking in her direction, I put my hand up to block her face from my peripheral vision and thought “Adults are talking.”

I continued: “I understand not giving her a seat, but if I’m fine with it, it’s OK to swap, right?” 

The flight attendant, with a smugness that reminded me of my Third Grade teacher, said “We don’t reward bad behavior.”

Read the rest here.

[justplainwhump]

Raid

Adrian takes part in a WRU raid.

[pet safety masterpost]

Content / warning: BBU, frankly discussed noncon (by whumpers), implied forced prostitution, WRU things, reacquisition teams, biting, beating. It starts very fluffy, but most of this is in fact very much not.

Slowly, Adrian and Bea began to develop a routine. Marta helped, from a distance, sharing what she knew from years of safehouse work and adapting it to Adrian's reality.

Physical activities, she had recommended. Touch that is affectionate, yet not physical. Defining and defending boundaries for each of them.

It was a challenging journey for both of them, but Adrian found himself enjoying the ride.

Bea helped with and prepared cooking. She didn't have any words for it, and barely any memory, but there was definitely some physical memory to kitchen assistance - with the slight drawback, that that had been with full vision, as they'd learned the hard way when she'd seriously cut herself while chopping onions, and the ER had sent them off because they wouldn't treat pets.

From then on, there were weekly therapy sessions for Bea, a work therapist (WRU-licence for work with pets) visiting them at home and teaching her how to deal with her vision impairment.

Bea refused to leave the apartment without him, but he taught her how to order groceries via app and she took over that task, too.

And then, there was dancing.

Every day after Adrian came home from work, he'd put on a playlist and they'd dance in the small space of his living room for almost an hour. Bea was a great dancer - of course she was, he thought grimly, nobody came out of WRU's training who didn't have perfectly sensual movements and flexibility. But she also seemed to genuinely enjoy it.

They danced Salsa, New York style, and Bea took to it like a fish to water. When he was at work, she browsed YouTube playlists he'd set up for her to find new combinations or try out stylings and decorations, and after he had been the one to teach her for their first two or three sessions, the roles were quickly reversed and she became the teacher.

"That pet really does wonders on you," his colleague at work said. "Haven't gotten laid enough before, huh?"

"She's fantastic," Adrian would reply then, nonchalantly enough not to provoke any follow up questions, and he'd hate that it was true. He was better.

Happier.

Of course, this didn't last long.

---

Adrian was just filing away the reports on his last uneventful inspection, humming the tune of a Salsa song, when his phone rang.

"Hey, Delgado," Kelly's voice was pressed. "Need you for a raid downtown. Illegal brothel, WRU pets involved. Police have requested a WRU team to deal with them. Dispatching three handlers and you. Departure in five. You'll answer to Grimm."

Grimm. The asshole who'd performed 'quality assurance' on Bea. It was even more sickening to imagine now, than it had been back then.

"Grimm and I aren't exactly-"

She cut him off. "You're both professionals, Adrian. He's the most senior employee on the team. Deal with it." She'd hung up, before he could add anything.

Cussing, Adrian grabbed his protective gear and jogged to the car park.

"PSI Delgado," Grimm greeted him, as he eased himself in the back of the van. "What an unpleasant surprise. I don't exactly need moral guidance to raid a house full of second hand Romantics."

"Seems our bosses think you do." Demonstratively, Adrian reached to his chest and turned on the body cam. "Pet Safety means to keep WRU property safe and well-kept. Would be a shame for the company if that weren't your highest prerogative."

Grimm clicked his tongue. "How's your own little whore anyway, eh? You keeping her safe and well-fucked? Or you defending your moral-superiority-slash-virginity against her?"

Adrian grabbed the handle over the door as the van went into a sharp curve. "What happens in my bedroom is none of your business."

"Ah, I see." He chuckled. "Nothing much, then. She's fun when you get her to scream, you know? Three fingers up the ass should do the job."

Adrian forced himself to remain calm. "What about the mission, Grimm?"

"Illegal brothel, bunch of whores with bar codes on their wrists. Police are coming in for the gangsters running it, need us to secure and seize the pets."

"How many?"

"Half dozen Romantics. Guard Dog or two." Grimm smirked. "My handlers and I will handle the Romantics, so you don't need to burden yourself with that depravity."

"Called the wife already, not to wait up," one of the other handlers chimed in. "Going to be a long night evaluating the products. We'll need to make sure they're still functional."

"While Delgado here can check if the Guard Dogs are still functional," Grimm added cheerfully. "Excellent team work."

"Truly." Adrian grinned at him darkly. "Always a pleasure working with other departments."

In his pocket, a burner phone was holding connection to his sister's, continuously sending his location data in the background.

---

It was worse than he'd expected.

Somehow, it always was.

None of the Romantics were registered to the brothel's owners. Runaways, who had either been collected off the streets by criminals or even taken the job up by themselves, earning money by doing the one thing they thought they were good at.

All of them had one thing in common - they were terrified seeing the dark gray WRU uniforms.

Some of them folded into Respect position even without the command, crying and whimpering.

Some tried to make a run for it.

Like the young man Adrian was pinning to the wall right now, barely twenty, high cheekbones, tousled black hair that fell down his back. His translucent robe hid nothing, not the too thin shape of his body, nor the bruises on his neck and thighs.

"Please," he whimpered. "Please, Sir, no, I can't go back, I'll do anything, please."

Adrian pressed him closer into the wall and leaned in. The boy reacted by curving his body against him, baring his neck, trying to rub his ass at Adrian's crotch.

Adrian squirmed. No. He couldn't do this. "See that window to our right?" he hissed. "There's a roof underneath. You hit me, get out there, down, two left turns, there's a red car. Get there, and you'll be safe."

From the end of the corridor, someone whistled. "Delgado trying to get some after all, huh? Need help?"

Adrian flipped the handler off, while he wrestled the pet's legs apart with his knee in an effort to show her what she expected to see. "Not help, fucking privacy would be nice!"

She chuckled. "Sure thing. We help each other, don't we? Be quick." He heard her press a button on her radio. "First floor clear."

Adrian reached for his own pants, pulled open his belt, while watching her leave.

His lips brushed over the boy's ear. "Got it?"

"Sure." The boy pushed back his ass. "I give you a good time and you look away for a second," he purred.

"No. You don't give me anything," Adrian said sharply. "No time. You hit me, you get to the red car. You ran away once, you do it again. Now."

He loosened his grip, and luckily, the kid had understood.

He spun around and punched him in the stomach, then a knee between the legs.

Adrian's loud whine wasn't entirely fake, as he stumbled back and rolled up on the floor. The kid stared at him for a second, and then darted towards the window Adrian had indicated, long hair flying past him like a flag.

Adrian counted to five, before he hit the button of the radio and yelled "Fuck! One got away!"

He just prayed it was true.

"One whore doesn't matter," Grimm's voice cracked in the radio. "Found the jackpot down here, be useful for once, Delgado. Basement, now."

Adrian pushed himself back to his knees. His cheek throbbed where the kid's punch had landed, not much more, but the kick between the legs had been hard. He groaned, as he started to limp towards the stairs.

The police had mostly retreated, a bunch of well dressed people loaded in the back of police trucks, some other officers carrying out computers from upstairs.

Adrian's colleagues however were in the basement, where a group of four trembling pets was huddled up behind a huge Guard Dogs shielding them against the handlers. He was growling lowly, swinging a long iron bar in one hand.

The handlers kept safe distance at the bottom of the stairs, shock batons and guns ready.

"Why don't you just shoot the dude?", the woman who'd been upstairs with Adrian demanded.

"Big guy is worth a mill," Grimm said lowly. "Top grade. Has titanium enforcements and shit. Reacquisition have been on the lookout for him for months. He'll go to refurb in mint condition, and still be on the larger end of six figures."

"Go. Away," the Guard Dog growled.

"Ressource guarding." Adrian mumbled. "Classic side effect of that sort of conditioning. Question is, does he defend all of them, or just one."

"Check the files." Grimm gestured at one of the handlers. "Did one of them escape with him?"

"Twink at the left. Not even a Romantic by designation. Domestic. Valet to their owner. Worth... neglectable."

"Huh." Grimm raised his gun and fired.

The gunshot echoed from the walls, deafening by itself, multiplied by the inhuman scream that rose from the Guard Dog's throat when the Domestic went down.

He lunged forward, at the same moment something pushed into Adrian's back.

Adrian only had time to draw his shock baton before the Guard Dog was on him, metal teeth sinking into the armour on his neck, digging through it, tearing skin and flesh. Grimm, he dimly thought. Fucking Grimm had pushed him in the line of attack.

He couldn't breathe, couldn't even raise his arm with the baton, could only scream, as the man on top of him shook his head with Adrian's neck between his teeth.

Punches rained down on the Guard Dog, vibrating in Adrian's body, his bones, his skull, everywhere. He couldn't see straight, everything a foggy blur, the only thing sharp the teeth in his neck.

There were calls around him, screams and footsteps and groans, and then finally, finally a heavy weight sinking down on him, a release of the stinging hold of his neck, and the welcoming darkness of unconsciousness.

---

When Adrian came to in the hospital the first time, it was for some minutes to a doctor changing the IV bag.

The second time was at night, when he woke up disoriented, trembling from a nightmare about Eric wearing a translucent robe, kissing his neck, then turning into a zombie biting him. Adrian's trembling fingers found a thick bandage around his neck. He rang the nurse for painkillers.

The third time, late in the morning, it was to Handler Grimm sitting in a chair next to his bed.

He closed his eyes, hoping to sleep again and make him go away.

It didn't work.

"Morning, Delgado," Grimm said cheerfully. "Man, you really went all in for the team there, didn't you?"

"Fuck you," Adrian rasped. "You fucking threw me to him as.... as bait."

"You wore armor," Grimm said with a shrug. "And you messed up right before. Plus, you're a fucking pain in the ass." He clasped Adrian's shoulder, and Adrian gasped in pain as it tore at the fresh wound. "And it worked out. I'll cash in the reacquisition bonus, and both of us will keep silent about the details, eh? I'll get you a share."

"What... about the pets?"

"Got more than half of them. They're on the Drip as we speak. Your cutie is still on the run, but don't worry, they all get picked up sooner or later. Until then, I'll make sure you'll get a little solace."

Adrian groaned, and Grimm just chuckled. "Was good working with you, eh? Cheers, PSI Delgado."

Adrian passed out, came back, and passed out again.

Somewhere in between, in the fleeting moments of consciousness, he felt someone curl up at his side, gentle hands brushing over his skin.

"I'm with you," a soft voice whispered. "I'm with you, Adrian Delgado, and I'm keeping you safe." She hummed against his skin, the cheerful tune of a Salsa song.

This time, when he fell asleep, he smiled.

--

---

tag list (let me know if you want to be added or removed): @gottawhump @flowersarefreetherapy @whumplr-reader @highwaywhump @tauntedoctopuses @pigeonwhumps @whumppsychology @labgrowndemon n @whumpinggrounds @somewhumpyguy @whumpzone @tragedyinblue

[octuscle]

Chronivac support?

HELP! My friend used the app on me but I don't know what he did, but I can feel myself starting to change!

Oh yes, your friend did indeed use the app to make some changes. He thinks your life is too boring and that you need to finally assert yourself to your conservative parents. And your boyfriend is a Chronivac connoisseur. He doesn't change you for that. He is changing your father. Every minute that passes, your father is no longer a gay-hating conservative for one more year. He's a liberal defender of gay activists. And his lifestyle changes in other ways, too. Gym instead of golf at the country club. Vacationing in South Beach instead of Palm Beach.

After just a minute, there are stark changes at your dinner. No one wears a tie anymore. But how sick is it to wear a tie to dinner with your parents. Your mom doesn't wear an apron anymore. And she didn't cook anymore either. There's sushi from the delivery service. And you and your boyfriend can hold hands at dinner without any problems.

Your parents' dining room is changing fast. The solid oak furniture is replaced by airy design. And you can watch your father as the workout takes effect. And he likes to show the results. After five minutes, he's sitting at the table in a tight tank top and flirting with your friend. Your mother is relaxed and just laughs. Since your father has started working out with you, your body is getting better and better. And you develop more and more pride for your homosexuality. And on the other hand, the interaction between you and your boyfriend is also more and more experimental and playful.

After a quarter of an hour there is nothing left of the stuffy atmosphere. Your parents are cool. They supported you from the first minute in your coming out. Your boyfriend and you have been living together for a few years and you regularly go out at night to clubs and bars. You no longer jerk off secretly in the bedroom behind closed doors. You are doing it all the time and everywhere. More than once your father had to defend you for causing public nuisance.

You and your boyfriend kiss your mother goodbye and hug your father. You take the elevator to the parking garage, but you don't make it to the car.

I would say that your friend's action was successful. Your relationship is many things. But not stuffy and boring.

[mko001]

#cophypno story P1

So, it turns out my stupid idiotic idea that I thought might get me arrested, actually ended up being the best idea I've ever had!

What was the idea? Well, to get myself a personal cop plaything of course.

How would I implement my idea...well that's the tricky bit...I didn't really know. I kept hoping I'd meet one on one of the lesser known gay apps, or recognise one in one of the seedier bars outside of town. Sadly none of this worked out, well I thought it was going to...I did actually see one cop I recognised in a gay bar in the next town...sadly for me, turns out he was undercover... or so he said anyway, who knows.

So, what did I end up doing...well for a while, absolutely nothing. I'd pretty much given up.

Anyway, one day I ended up down a YouTube rabbit hole, watching one video after the next...I can't even remember what the first video was, when I ended up finding a video about mind control. Worth a watch I thought, even just for a laugh if nothing else.

Well this video ended up captivating me, maybe the video used some sort of subliminal technique to keep me watching, if so it worked. After finishing the video, I went to the user's channel and found loads more videos all covering the subject of hypnosis, mind control, manipulation etc. I was surprised these videos had never been removed, they taught the basics of hypnosis on the willing...and the unsuspecting!

This was when my idea came to light once more...I was going to hypnotise a cop. Wait...I'm being stupid right? I can't just go up to a police officer and use some mind tricks on him...can I?

Turns out I can do exactly that. I spent weeks, maybe even months, researching hypnosis, I even got chatting with the video creator to get some one to one training. I didn't tell him my plan of course. He taught me several ways to hypnotise someone, including a few ways when the subject doesn't even know they're being hypnotised!

Now was the day...there were several officers at my local station I liked, but there is one motorcop I've had my eye on for some time. He seems to be one of the senior officers on the bike squad, bit older than some of the other guys, but that is how I like them. He looks so good in his smart tight fitting uniform and tall boots. So now I just have to wait near the station until he returns from patrol, luckily I didn't have to wait long. As I saw him approach, I drove my car right onto the no parking area outside the main entrance, got out and leant against the outside of the car. Just as I'd hoped, he started to approach. Oh damn, I hope he doesn't notice my trousers starting to tent, I shouldn't have expected anything less though, seeing him approach, looking so damn sexy.

"sorry son, you can't park your car there, you'll have to leave it in the parking lot round back" he said to me. His voice was so smooth, it nearly made me forget why I was here, but I composed myself.

"oh sorry officer, I'll only be a few minutes, can't you just overlook it this time please?"

"sorry, if you don't move it now I'll have to write you up a ticket".

Just as he is about to start writing, I start to distract him,

"hey, before you start writing, have you seen the shine I get on the hood of my car? It's a special wax I use, if you look right at it, it seems to shimmer"

I wasn't lying either, it was a special wax I used. It turns out the hypnosis video youtuber I spoke to had a really developed it himself. He said it's one of the best ways to quickly distract people to start working on them, and he wasn't wrong. The cop was now staring directly at my car, he'd even stopped blinking.

"nice isn't it officer. You find yourself getting drawn into it, it's almost relaxing just to look at it don't you think"?

The officer looked slightly back up at me, his eyes already looked kinda sleepy

"uh huh" was all he could manage to say, before looking directly back at the car. I left him to stare a little longer before continuing.

"Officer...err, what's your name?"

He just about manages to reply;

"Officer Jack Bailey"

"ok Officer Bailey, continue to stare at the car, enjoy getting drawn in, it's magical, you feel so happy, relaxed and at peace as you stare. You can still hear my voice but all other sounds have gone silent. Your thoughts now should be focusing only on the car and on my voice. My voice is the only one you will want to listen to from now on. Keep staring and relaxing"

Jack looked so relaxed I thought he was going to fall over. I went over to his side and put my arm round him, like someone would do with their friend. I didn't want to look suspicious to anyone around, but in reality I was holding him steady. When I placed my a round him, I felt his firm body, he clearly works out. Well this made my trouser tent grow somewhat!

His head was now drooping, I had to be quick now before any other officers showed up.

"Jack, listen to me closely, later this evening after your shift is over, I want you to come to my place, stay in your uniform and come alone. I'll put my address in your pocket. You won't question why your coming, it will just feel right to you. Once you're at mine, we'll continue your programming"

When I said that last bit, I saw his face twitch slightly, he almost looked confused. I needed to strengthen the hypnotic control properly in privacy, but this should be enough to get him to that stage.

"now, in a moment I'm going to wake you up, you won't remember this happening, but you will do as I've told you. Also, you won't write me that ticket, you'll just remember that we've been having a friendly chat before I head away. Do you understand"?

"yeesss... I understand", he sounded so sleepy when he responded.

"now, when I snap my fingers, you'll wake up and we'll finish our conversation, you'll then carry on with your day as normal, but you won't tell anyone about our little chat out here.

*snap*

His face comes back to life, he blinks a few times before turning to me.

"well it's been nice chatting buddy, you take it easy out there" Jack said in his normal voice.

"err yeah thanks officer, I will do. See ya later"

He walked away into the station. I got back in my car and just sat there stunned...had that actually just worked? I kept waiting for some other officers to come out to arrest me...but nothing. Well the true test will be tonight! And you, fine readers, will just have to wait for part 2 to find out if I get my own cop plaything.

[not-alien-girl-v]

Hello, could you write one about the love language like the one with Kit and James but about Kai Anderson please?

warning: tw kai anderson, language, sexual themes

note: i had a fucked the fuck up dream last night. anyways this one isn't as fluffy but its kai anderson what did u expect

words of affirmation: he's fairly into this in like a manipulation kind of way ok so like. if it's your love language he knows what to do to use it for his own gain like just to get what he wants out of you, he'd praise you for certain things that he knows would hold more weight than others. and he's the kind of guy who doesn't need any compliments or verbal reassurance (not that he needs no reassurance, see AHHHH for that) and it hardly makes a difference if you say nice things to him or if you don't, to be honest, your entire relationship could probably survive with no words shared between you at all. and with how rude kai can get sometimes, it would probably be for the best.

quality time: he's really into this. like a lot. like a lot a lot. one thing about being an app developer and a side hustle of leading a cult is that he has flexible hours, and as you met him through being a devoted cult follower, he basically has all the control he wants over your entire life, let alone your schedule. it's an intense thing. it's scary. but luckily, the divine leader is soft for you, being in love, and all. he lets you spend as much time as you want just hanging out at his house, in the basement, wherever you want, and of course, this is all time spent together, but i think he sees it as he's doing you a service by letting you spend so much free time in his presence, so maybe this falls under acts of service. idk. he rarely ever takes you on dates, but when he does, they're simple because they have to be inconspicuous, and he never tells you it's a date he's taking you on, he just tells you to get dressed and get in the car and a few minutes later you're on a romantic stroll in the park after hours.

gift giving: he's not too into giving you fancy shit like james is, no jewelry, no clothes, he likes giving gifts, but in more practical ways. things like food, mostly meals and shit, like if he's out, he'll pick you up some dinner on the way home, maybe a snack from the gas station if he's feeling nice. it's mostly in a 'i wanna take care of you' way, because he has so much control, he knows that it's his job to be the one who pays your bills and whatever. he also is kind of into buying you books, ones that he reads and has some kind of revelation over, he kind of wants to share the knowledge with you, like he wants to be able to have intelligent conversations with you, referencing books that he's read.

acts of service: like he said before, he takes care of you. he pays your bills, keeps you fed, he also gives you money, most of the times, when he knows you need it, but also sometimes just cuz. if you don't accept it during these times, you'll basically have no evidence that kai sees you as any more than a member of the cult, as he'd never leave you a silly little love note with your lunch or anything. he just lays out a wad of cash on your bedstand and that's his unanticipated form of affection for the week. maybe the month. he washes your hair. he claims that it's no big deal, that he was going to take a shower anyways, so you might as well just join him to save time and water but unbeknownst to him, you see right through his nonchalant façade. you know he likes it, the closeness, the nakedness, the messy shower sex it usually leads to.

touch: if you want to touch him, you have to be the one to initiate it, and you have to deal with how he calls you clingy. to be fair, he doesn't mind physical affection like a lot of people think he does, it's just not his favorite. and he's not an idiot, he can tell how much it means to you, being held for a little while after he brutally fucks you, sitting on his lap during a cult meeting, snuggling up to him on the couch after a long day. any time he initiates a form of touch, it's in a protective 'she's mine' kind of way, in times when he feels threatened by another man for your attention, he'll come up and put a hand around your waist, your shoulders, maybe grab a handful of your ass to catch you off guard, but it's not about being close to you, it's just to reinforce the ownership he feels he has over you.

[whoredmode]

A DUBIOUSLY ACCURATE HISTORY OF STILWATER (& STEELPORT)

So if it’s not obvious by the obnoxiously long post I’ve made talking about the musical history of Stilwater, I’m fascinated by the worldbuilding of Saints Row. And in my quest of learning more about the setting of the series, I’ve pieced together my own headcanons on the general history of the city…and its cousin, Steelport. I’ve spent the last several days going over canonical histories of both cities, primarily Stilwater as it was my original goal, and put together my own ideas of how I think the cities developed prior to the start of the games in 2006. Some of this is based on actual canon evidence, other stuff is just my own conclusions. 

CANON TIMELINE

1783

Knight Plaza is founded, predating the founding of Stilwater itself

1787

Pennsylvania becomes a state

Unspecified year in the 1800s

Stilwater founded

1827

Steelport founded

1837

Michigan becomes a state

1940

Stilwater builds a new sewer system

Post-1940: An earthquake strikes Stilwater

1947

Sunset Park is built in Steelport

1970s

Vice Kings VS Los Carnales. Assumedly mid-to-late 70s into early 80s

1977: Stilwater is voted the most family-friendly city

MAPPING THINGS OUT

So it’s never exactly stated where Stilwater and Steelport are located comparatively. We know they’re in the Rust Belt, and Stilwater is expressly stated to be in Michigan. I’m inclined to say the cities are fairly close to each other (Stilwater in Michigan while Steelport is probably closer to Pennsylvania), probably several hours by car, if only because of similarities in industry, aesthetics, and even a few moments in-game. It can be fairly easily implied that the cities are within several hours driving distance of each other (my guesstimate is 7-8 hours away by car); especially given that in the beginning of SRTT they are able to land in Steelport so quickly despite assumedly not even being in the plane for more than an hour before they blow it up. 

TIMING THINGS OUT

The Stilwater Church is a gothic style church, assumedly a product of the gothic revival in the mid-1800s. Given that Steelport was founded in 1827, I’d say Stilwater was founded around this time as well, potentially ~1830. It was an unused territory for several years and did not get further development until after Michigan’s statehood was granted in 1837. 

I believe, given the architecture of Old Stilwater and the architecture of older buildings in Steelport, that both cities had a huge economic boom starting in the 1920s and had a period of growth and expansion. I’d say things were looking up for Stilwater going into the 1940s and 50s, but the earthquake sent the city into a really bad place economically. Worth noting that Steelport did not seem to be affected by the earthquake or tremors, which allowed it to continue to prosper while Stilwater tried to pick up its broken pieces.

Let’s go back a little into the 1800s, after Stilwater’s founding. I believe some time in the late 1830s/early 1840s, private railways were laid nearby to Stilwater, but the area itself would not get connected to the mainland of Michigan by rails until around the 1850s. Initially it was being used as a place for manufacturing, but wealthy people with railroad money saw the potential for a resort area. We’ll get into that in a moment.

Stilwater clearly had some manufacturing business as evidenced by the factories and boatyards, but I don’t think it ever reached the level of industry as Steelport did. Steelport also had the advantage of being founded a few years earlier. We know canonically that Stilwater has a steel factory and an oil refinery. I believe the steel factory is a minimill specifically, given its small size and the junkyard nearby; this means it uses scrap metal in its steel production. I’d date the mill around the 1890s but with several updates through the years until it was ultimately shut down. The oil refinery was probably built around the 1950s or 60s given its look, though it still appears to be somewhat operational? You can still see plumes coming out of the towers.

I know the Carnales own it, but I don't think they're necessarily refining oil or even using it as a cover for something; I think they’re getting profits from it and protecting it. From what I can tell the oil refinery may be the only factory still in actual operation, as the steel mill is just being used for the Carnales’ arms dealing. 

So where does that leave Old Stilwater’s actual primary industry? If it’s not steel factories like Steelport, and the oil refinery didn’t come into being until around the mid-20th century, what did the city do? All throughout Stilwater there’s old, decommissioned railway tracks.

Parts of them were obviously meant for more general transportation of products, as evidenced by the tracks near the factories, but others follow the slightly newer, raised tracks of the transit system. This implies that at one point, Stilwater had a need for moving people into and out of the city. Given that the tracks also led to a nice hotel at one point (the hotel underground in SR2), there was clearly a market for people getting around to some sort of entertainment and/or hospitality.

Which leads me to my theory/headcanon/whatever that Stilwater, starting in the late 1800s and into the early 20th century, had a nice trolley park and was known mostly for its entertainment. This became its primary source of revenue. 

For starters, all throughout SR2, there is talk about returning Stilwater to former glory, and tourism is obviously its most booming industry at that point in the series, so this seems to imply that it was known for tourism at one point. Stilwater itself has such a heavy emphasis on pleasure in the first two games, so it feels as if that’s always been a part of itself. Even just the fact that a record label was able to start and flourish there says that there is an entertainment scene in Stilwater and it’s a core part of its identity. Not to mention it being voted a family-friendly city in the late 70s, a point where it looked as if it might’ve started to recover from its post-earthquake troubles, further implies that there was a family-friendly image it kinda had. I think the idea of it being a trolley park in the late 1800s and into the 1900s makes a lot of sense. Stilwater itself is quite picturesque, and trolley parks began because of the rise in popularity of picnics. Families and friends went out to the nice waterside area of Stilwater, and suddenly there’s a need for more direct lines into and out of the area; next thing you know there’s new entertainment being constructed so more and more people want to come in. This all follows a pretty clear line in terms of what’s in Stilwater.

Trolley parks went out of fashion with the rise of amusement parks in the 1920s, and though Stilwater doesn’t have an amusement park, I believe Stilwater went in the direction of building venues for things like cabaret, bars, and brothels. It ended up leaning more heavily on adult entertainment, which makes sense given how it looks at the start of the series. Stilwater became synonymous with pleasure, even if it was starting to shy away from the more all-ages entertainment it had in the 19th century.  

So by the 1930s, 40s, and 50s, Stilwater was an extremely popular destination. It had great entertainment, beautiful hotels, and easy access to sex, drugs, and alcohol. All of this caught the attention of the Carnales, probably around the late 40s, and by the 1950s they began to have a hand in many of the institutions of Stilwater. 

One thing that caught my attention was a radio ad in SR1 in which Hughes says that his parents moved to Stilwater 50 years ago (so around 1956) and that, at the time, Stilwater was still a lively place. If we’re to assume the earthquake was the beginning of the end of Stilwater, we can easily guess that the earthquake either happened later that same year, or a year afterwards. With that in mind, around 1956-57, a huge earthquake hits Stilwater, razing most of the city. The place is in shambles, both physically and economically. That said, the Carnales are still expecting things like payments for their business, but now many people are unable to comply, having lost their means of income. In turn, the Carnales became a much larger, even more intimidating presence in Stilwater all throughout the rest of the 50s and 60s. 

Presumably at some point in the 1960s, a cult begins to form. People were seeking guidance and safety in the wake of such a huge natural disaster, and thus Philosotology began to take form. It stays relatively in the background for most of its life, but throughout the 60s, 70s, and 80s more and more people join, especially those in places of power. I won’t get too into the development of Philosotology, as this is about the more general history of Stilwater, but I would be remiss to not mention it. The point being, by the 80s and 90s, they’re running things from behind the scenes, to the point they’re just a staple of Stilwater come modern day.

As we move through the 20th century, the progression of the canon story takes form. In the 70s, Julius Little and Benjamin King—sick of the Carnales presence in Stilwater—decide to take back the city. So throughout the 70s, the Vice Kings and the Carnales fight, with the Vice Kings ultimately coming out on top. In the late 70s and early 80s, it seems as if Stilwater might return to former glory, as the birth of Kingdom Come Records helped revitalize the arts and music scene of the city. 

However, the economy of Stilwater does not recover. Generations of Stilwaterians have been hurt by decades of poverty, of negligence by those in power, and it is not the thriving coastal city it was in the early-to-mid 20th century. Obviously, these factors (and many more) contribute to how the events of the first game begin. 

A QUICK TANGENT ABOUT STEELPORT

So where does Steelport fit into all of this? I mentioned it at the start, so surely I must have something to say. 

Steelport was founded in 1827 in Pennsylvania. It was an industrial city, full of steel factories, and it stayed that way for many years. The city steadily grew over several decades, and around the turn of the century, a large number of people from Europe moved to Steelport for work. And it was around this time that the organized crime syndicates of Europe were beginning to take hold in Steelport. 

Fast forward to the 1970s. Phillipe Loren, a high-ranking member of the Syndicate in Belgium, had ties to several of the gangs that were now in Steelport, so he goes to the city himself to see if it’s worth a US expansion. Seemingly pleased, Loren uses his status to begin doing more work with the gangs in Steelport. By the late 80s, Loren had become head of the Syndicate.

It was also around this time in the 70s that I believe Steelport began to essentially fill the hole that was left after Stilwater was destroyed by the earthquake. There was a need for places like hotels, brothels, and casinos in this area of the Rust Belt—and Steelport, being flush with cash, was able to fill that demand. In Steelport’s later years, it became more of an icon of sin and pleasure, perhaps even more than Stilwater was. It was bigger and flashier. But despite its hedonistic charm, Steelport was not exactly heading in a great direction by the 90s. 

Similarly to Stilwater, it fell on hard times economically, with many areas falling into disrepair. Many of these areas are still like this even into the modern day as poverty is still a very large issue within Steelport, though as usual is not a topic of concern for those in charge. Thus, the Syndicate very easily continues to spread its control. By the 2000s, Loren and the Syndicate are running the city. 

Getting a little ahead of my timeline, but worth talking about real quick: in 2011, Loren gets into contact with Maero about arms deals and potential expansion into Stilwater. At this point, Loren was already in bed with Ultor so to speak, but this was his first contact with one of the other gangs. Obviously this deal is hurt by the Saints, but that will only come back to bite them in a few years. 

CONCLUSION

I wanted to write some grand conclusion about all this, but to be honest my eyes are starting to glaze over from hours of running around in the first two games, reading documents on my computer, and scribbling four pages of written notes. I read some official Michigan documents on the history of the railway system in the state. I’ve never even been. What am I going to do with this knowledge now.

Stilwater is interesting and was worth a deep dive into the potential history of the area. I used to be the teaching assistant for a class on worldbuilding in college, so this type of shit is just super fascinating to me. And Stilwater has so many bits of scattered information that I really wanted to try to piece everything together in a mostly coherent way. It’s just a setting I really love for some personal reasons, and I just thought I’d give writing its history a shot. Perhaps in some ways like a love letter to the fictional city, or maybe just as a way to fill my long weekend. Who knows.

[thatshitkrejci]

developed bad anxiety about rideshares at 28 out of nowhere (read: friend almost died in a car accident & then the next day i had to take an uber pretty late and the license plate didnt match the car and the guy gave me a lot of shit for being concerned about that and i almost threw up when he took a different route to my house than what was suggested in the app) and there's a specific venue i usually transit-to and lyft-from but the last time i did this after seeing thursday i had a lil panic attack waiting for the lyft and now im trying to figure out if i should take my bike with me on the train and then ig bike home? but i dont think there's great bike parking at the venue proper and what if my bike gets stolen (thing thats unlikely to happen). anyway i need to be killed about this

[archive-of-note]

I finally figured out what my personal issue/usual squick with large age gap fics is even though I know I’m personally attracted to older men.

It’s the pretty regular lack of real acknowledgment of the implications outside of sex and what the relationship is beyond that.

And I’m a horny dude don’t get me wrong, but I realized what was missing from the fics (for me anyway) was attraction beyond sex.

A good example is @frannyzooey ‘s In the Dark

There’s actually chemistry between the reader and Ezra, there’s mutual enjoyment of things outside of breaking each other’s bed frames, the fear of getting caught is also tinged with the fear of real loss, because they do really enjoy each other’s company.

Anyway I’m rambling, and here’s more of it as I couldn’t sleep and was feeling a way.

Joel Miller x younger!Reader (about 20ish years) no outbreak, really calling it a TLOU fic feels a bit off but he’s who I was thinking about when I wrote it. Also it was like 4am, and seeing as I feel asleep with the notes app open, there’s gonna be some mistakes and clunky writing.

———

You can’t keep doing this.

You look into your own eyes as the realization hits you, the humidity of the shower fogging up the streak you’d just wiped away.

You can’t keep doing this.

But you can’t have a breakdown here, in the shower of a man twice your age with a daughter you could’ve easily gone to elementary school with.

Your stomach rolls, and saliva fills your mouth. You’re going to be sick.

Somehow, you hold it back, at least long enough to get dressed, but when it won’t stay down you flush the toilet as you hurl, hoping he won’t ask questions as you leave.

You breathe in, hold it, and let it out in a stream, before opening the en suite door and rushing out of the bedroom.

He’s in the kitchen, and he tries to say something as you rush past, but you just wave him off, muttering something vague about needing to leave, not even putting on your shoes properly as you rush out of the front door and down the street to where you parked.

You’ve been terrified to park in front of his house, terrified to get caught, terrified of being found out.

Terrified of it being real.

You start the car, thankful for the habit you’d developed of hooking the keys to a belt loop.

A habit you’d picked up from him.

Your stomach twists again, your vision blurs as tears form, and a part of you just wants him to hold you.

A tap against the driver side window makes you jump.

He has your wallet.

Cracking the window open enough for him to slip the fake leather billfold through the crack isn’t enough, he shakes his head and points down, wanting you to open the window properly.

You shake as you do.

“Can you tell me what’s wrong darlin’? You ran out-!”

A cry breaks from your lips and suddenly you’re sobbing, the loud panicky sort, the kind you can’t pretty up in a few seconds or lie about convincingly.

He doesn’t look scared, he just looks worried, and for some reason that makes this worse.

He walks around the front of the car, and you’re already double checking that the locks are open, more out of habit than really thinking about it.

He fits a bit awkwardly into the passenger seat.

“Now I need to know what’s wrong, cause I can’t leave you alone like this, not in good conscience.”

You hiccup, engaging the parking break for something to do with your hands and excuse a few more seconds of silence.

The words stick in your throat.

“Baby?”

His hand cups your cheek and you flinch, he pulls away, shocked. Shocked and hurt.

“What are we doing?”

His brow furrows, confusion and concern coming off of him in waves.

“What do you mean?”

“What is this?” Your voice cracks, “What are we?” It feels like something is trying to choke you, “What are we doing? Really?”

His mouth opens, but words don’t come out, and you’re fighting your body to keep yourself from hyperventilating.

“I-“

“What do you want, Joel?” Pressure is building like something pushing on your chest, forcing the words out, “What do you want from me?” The question ends with a crack, and it just emphasizes the following silence.

“I— can we talk about his inside?” He points out the window, head tilting in that way that makes the light catch the errant grays.

“No.”

If it doesn’t happen here, it won’t happen at all. You need some sense of control and your car is better than his kitchen.

He sighs, pushing your wallet in what would’ve been an ashtray, before turning to more properly face you.

“What do you want me to say?” This whole thing already feels like it’s falling apart, which hurts, but it’s better that it happen somewhere somewhat private.

“The truth.”

He looks down, eyes flicking over the center console and a part of you wants to take it back, take it all back and return to where you were not even twenty minutes ago.

“I don’t know.”

“At all?”

“Not-“ he sighs, turning to look out the windshield, “it’s complicated.”

“No shit.”

He huffs in something that sounds like amusement, and even on the verge of a panic attack you can’t help but crack a small smile.

“You make me happy,” he presses a point between his thumb and forefinger, “and that’s all I’ve really been thinking about.”

“Really?” You can’t believe it, because you know he’s a worrier.

“Been putting everything else on the back burner, it was easier.”

You sink a bit into your seat, most of the tension moving to the back of your neck.

“We can’t keep doing it like this.”

He sighs, “No, we shouldn’t.”

You both sit in the car, silent as you consider what to do now.

He suddenly speaks up, “Made French toast.”

Your stomach rumbles in interest, “With the little maple bacon bits?”

He laughs like that was a stupid question, “is there another way to make it?”

You giggle, sniffing as the sound cracks in your throat.

———

This is where I fell asleep, and honestly I don’t think I could write anymore for this, cause it’s bringing up a lot of feelings I don’t wanna deal with rn.

[jcmarchi]

New AI noise-canceling headphone technology lets wearers pick which sounds they hear - Technology Org

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/new-ai-noise-canceling-headphone-technology-lets-wearers-pick-which-sounds-they-hear-technology-org/

New AI noise-canceling headphone technology lets wearers pick which sounds they hear - Technology Org

Most anyone who’s used noise-canceling headphones knows that hearing the right noise at the right time can be vital. Someone might want to erase car horns when working indoors but not when walking along busy streets. Yet people can’t choose what sounds their headphones cancel.

A team led by researchers at the University of Washington has developed deep-learning algorithms that let users pick which sounds filter through their headphones in real time. Pictured is co-author Malek Itani demonstrating the system. Image credit: University of Washington

Now, a team led by researchers at the University of Washington has developed deep-learning algorithms that let users pick which sounds filter through their headphones in real time. The team is calling the system “semantic hearing.” Headphones stream captured audio to a connected smartphone, which cancels all environmental sounds. Through voice commands or a smartphone app, headphone wearers can select which sounds they want to include from 20 classes, such as sirens, baby cries, speech, vacuum cleaners and bird chirps. Only the selected sounds will be played through the headphones.

The team presented its findings at UIST ’23 in San Francisco. In the future, the researchers plan to release a commercial version of the system.

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“Understanding what a bird sounds like and extracting it from all other sounds in an environment requires real-time intelligence that today’s noise canceling headphones haven’t achieved,” said senior author Shyam Gollakota, a UW professor in the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering. “The challenge is that the sounds headphone wearers hear need to sync with their visual senses. You can’t be hearing someone’s voice two seconds after they talk to you. This means the neural algorithms must process sounds in under a hundredth of a second.”

Because of this time crunch, the semantic hearing system must process sounds on a device such as a connected smartphone, instead of on more robust cloud servers. Additionally, because sounds from different directions arrive in people’s ears at different times, the system must preserve these delays and other spatial cues so people can still meaningfully perceive sounds in their environment.

Tested in environments such as offices, streets and parks, the system was able to extract sirens, bird chirps, alarms and other target sounds, while removing all other real-world noise. When 22 participants rated the system’s audio output for the target sound, they said that on average the quality improved compared to the original recording.

In some cases, the system struggled to distinguish between sounds that share many properties, such as vocal music and human speech. The researchers note that training the models on more real-world data might improve these outcomes.

Source: University of Washington

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