#custom drone solutions

[dronesurfusa]

Dronesurf

Website: https://www.dronesurf.com/

Address: 

East Coast HQ: 130 13th Ave, Indialantic, Florida 32903, United States

West Coast HQ: 1315 W 149th St, Gardena, California, 90247, United States

Dronesurf, based in Florida and California, specializes in high-quality drone aerial cinematography. They offer a range of services including drone rentals, stock footage, and custom projects. Their portfolio showcases diverse applications of drone technology in cinematography, highlighting their expertise in this field. Dronesurf is your go-to solution for professional aerial footage, delivering innovative perspectives for various projects.

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[i4technolab]

In today’s fast-paced world of logistics innovation and evolution have become the driving forces behind success. As we step into 2024, the logistics sector will undergo extensive disruptions, fueled by game-changing innovations that promise to revolutionize supply chain management as we know it.

At iFour, we take immense pride in our expertise in the logistics industry, and we are excited to share with you the trends that are currently transforming this dynamic sector in Australia. As a leading custom Logistics software development company, we understand the unique challenges and opportunities facing businesses in the Australian market.

Here are the key trends that are reshaping the logistics landscape and how our solutions can help your company stay ahead of the curve.

[suzukiblu]

WIP excerpt for Cheshire behind the cut; "think pink", a.k.a "Kon meets pink kryptonite and decides to fuck Tim and his boyfriend about it". This man knows what he's about, friends; we can't judge him for that. (( chrono || non-chrono ))

“I’m going to go find more towels,” Tim says abruptly, then turns around without lifting his head and heads towards the bathroom. It is . . . not especially illuminating, Kon’s gonna go with? Yeah, no; definitely not all that illuminating. 

“Uh . . .” He looks after Tim, then glances back at Bernard, who’s very obviously barely repressing laughter. “Are there towels I am not aware of on this boat? I really don’t remember there being that many towels on this boat.” 

“There are not, no,” Bernard says. “At least not the last time I did laundry, anyway.” 

“You do each other’s laundry?” Kon asks, not really sure what he thinks about that. 

“Technically I’ve done your laundry now too, if you were actually wondering where your clothes are and count, you know, the sheets and everything else we fucked into filth,” Bernard says with a shrug and a dismissive wave of his hand. Kon thinks if Tim does not actually marry this dude, he is never gonna forgive him for fumbling this one. 

“That’s actually disgustingly domestic of you, man,” he says. Bernard grins at him again, then reaches up and pinches one of his cheeks. 

“Look, if you’re gonna be busy being fucking adorable all weekend, I gotta channel my cuteness aggression somewhere,” he counters reasonably. “So like my options were domestic chores or fucking you awake and that one seemed rude since we didn’t talk about that kind of thing when we did our quickie negotiations.” 

Kon briefly considers the idea of waking up feeling either Bernard or Tim already inside him and then wonders exactly how cold Tim’s shower gets. Probably not cold enough to let him have a normal response to that idea, yeah. 

Goddamn invulnerability. 

“I mean, like–I wouldn’t have complained,” he says, trying to at least sound normal about it. 

He kinda does not sound normal about it, yeah. 

“Right, well, that’s a core memory now,” Bernard mutters under his breath. “Good to know.” 

Kon laughs, feeling his face flush redder again. Just . . . goddamn, that’s flattering. Like–Bernard says a lot of flattering shit, is all. And Kon’s used to joking around with people a lot, even while he’s flirting them up, but usually the people he’s joking around with aren’t using the opportunity the way Bernard’s been. Like–usually it’s like the teasing and ribbing and roasting kind of joking, but Bernard’s been being, like . . . 

Flattering, again. 

Being–complimentary, basically. 

It’s kinda weird, getting talked up like that. Joking and flirting, yeah, but also like . . . he doesn’t know. Pink kryptonite-themed supervillainy and club jackets and jokey future fantasies and custom sex toys and . . . 

Bernard really does keep doing that, doesn’t he. Like–getting teased by Bernard’s been the literal opposite of getting roasted, really. 

So just . . . flattering, yeah. 

Tim does, in fact, come back with more towels, which Kon is not convinced he didn’t steal from a neighbor via Bat-drone or something just to have an excuse to cover for whatever that whole “ngh” thing a minute ago was over. Like, that would just be a very “Tim” kind of solution to that kind of thing, is all. 

“Where did those even come from, babe?” Bernard asks, wrinkling his nose. “Are those even yours?” 

“Yes,” Tim says with literally zero tells or signs of lying. 

So like, he’s definitely lying, yeah. 

“Uh-huh,” Kon says, raising his eyebrows at him. Tim continues to show absolutely zero sign of lying or any hint of guilt or shame or hesitation. 

“Shower’s ready,” he says. 

“Did you buy those?” Bernard asks incredulously. “I–how, babe?!” 

“God, you’re such a fucking weirdo, Rob,” Kon says, and really cannot keep himself from sounding like a fond fucking dumbass about it. The fact he can think of like six different ways Tim would buy some weird random thing he needed for whatever weird random purpose just off the top of his head does not make him feel any less like a fond fucking dumbass, though. 

This absolute friggin’ nerd, for frick’s sake. 

“I have no idea what either of you are talking about,” Tim says. “Which of you wants first shower?” 

Kon glances reflexively towards Bernard, who just shrugs. 

“Up to you, buddy, you’re the guest here,” he says. 

“Uh,” Kon says, and then has the very weird experience that is not actually being able to decide if he wants something as basic as the first shower or not. Like–not even in the sense of feeling like he needs to pick “right” or whatever, just . . . like, there’s kinda just . . . 

Like it’s just–not working, is all. Which, like . . . what the fuck? 

Kon tries to make his stupid useless brain work, or at least make his stupid mouth say–something, even just “sure” or “whatever’s good” or “naw, you pick” or even fucking “rock paper scissors you for it?” or  . . . just, like–just anything, at this point. 

And Tim . . . tilts his head a little. 

“Mm,” he says, his eyes tracking something across Kon’s face that makes Kon immediately regret having a face and also makes him immediately want to stick said face in Tim’s face. “We really have been scening a lot, haven’t we.” 

“Uh . . . kinda, I guess,” Kon says, still feeling–weird, kind of. Just . . . like the thoughts just won’t connect, or like he’s forgotten how to just . . . how to . . . 

He doesn’t know. Just–like he’s forgotten something, kinda. 

Which, yeah, forgetting something is totally a thing that Kon is cool and good and fine with doing and feeling and not at all freaked-out by or–

“Why don’t we let Bernard go first, then,” Tim says less like a question and more like an order, and that whole stupid useless brain that’s been refusing to work in Kon’s head just immediately rolls over and goes belly-up and bares its throat and wants Tim to pet it, ideally with Robin’s gloves on. So that’s, like, a thing. 

And it’s specifically a thing that really clears out Kon’s stupid useless thoughts, because it immediately feels like every single smoldering ember of anxiety and uncertainty and weird stupid senseless bullshit just waiting to flare up somewhere in there just went out all at once, easy as blowing out a candle. 

Yeah. That’s really a fucking thing. 

[morgan-va]

Corporate Dread (Serial Designation N x Reader)

Main Masterlist

In a world where drones are more of a liability than a solution, you're stuck in the soul-sucking grind of customer support at JCJenson, a company that promises "safety" while leaving you to clean up their mess. Between endless spreadsheets, horrific drone-related incidents, and an overbearing boss, your life is nothing short of monotonous.

But when you're roped into a last-minute assignment that throws you far outside your job description, you find yourself face-to-face with something much more mysterious than just another defective drone. With a truck full of questionable cargo, a cryptic mission, and a weekend stolen from you, you can only wonder what JCJenson really has in store-and whether you're just another cog in their relentless machine.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

[probablyasocialecologist]

The Brutalist’s most intriguing and controversial technical feature points forward rather than back: in January, the film’s editor Dávid Jancsó revealed that he and Corbet used tools from AI speech software company Respeecher to make the Hungarian-language dialogue spoken by Adrien Brody (who plays the protagonist, Hungarian émigré architect László Tóth) and Felicity Jones (who plays Tóth’s wife Erzsébet) sound more Hungarian. In response to the ensuing backlash, Corbet clarified that the actors worked “for months” with a dialect coach to perfect their accents; AI was used “in Hungarian language dialogue editing only, specifically to refine certain vowels and letters for accuracy.” In this way, Corbet seemed to suggest, the production’s two central performances were protected against the howls of outrage that would have erupted from the world’s 14 million native Hungarian speakers had The Brutalist made it to screens with Brody and Jones playing linguistically unconvincing Magyars. Far from offending the idea of originality and authorship in performance, AI in fact saved Brody and Jones from committing crimes against the Uralic language family; I shudder even to imagine how comically inept their performances might have been without this technological assist, a catastrophe of fumbled agglutinations, misplaced geminates, and amateur-hour syllable stresses that would have no doubt robbed The Brutalist of much of its awards season élan. This all seems a little silly, not to say hypocritical. Defenders of this slimy deception claim the use of AI in film is no different than CGI or automated dialogue replacement, tools commonly deployed in the editing suite for picture and audio enhancement. But CGI and ADR don’t tamper with the substance of a performance, which is what’s at issue here. Few of us will have any appreciation for the corrected accents in The Brutalist: as is the case, I imagine, for most of the people who’ve seen the film, I don’t speak Hungarian. But I do speak bullshit, and that’s what this feels like. This is not to argue that synthetic co-pilots and assistants of the type that have proliferated in recent years hold no utility at all. Beyond the creative sector, AI’s potential and applications are limitless, and the technology seems poised to unleash a bold new era of growth and optimization. AI will enable smoother reductions in headcount by giving managers more granular data on the output and sentiment of unproductive workers; it will allow loan sharks and crypto scammers to get better at customer service; it will offer health insurance companies the flexibility to more meaningfully tie premiums to diet, lifestyle, and sociability, creating billions in savings; it will help surveillance and private security solution providers improve their expertise in facial recognition and gait analysis; it will power a revolution in effective “pre-targeting” for the Big Pharma, buy-now-pay-later, and drone industries. Within just a few years advances like these will unlock massive productivity gains that we’ll all be able to enjoy in hell, since the energy-hungry data centers on which generative AI relies will have fried the planet and humanity will be extinct.

3 March 2025

[honeysuckle-roses]

Zydrate Anatomy (1)

Masterlist - Future!Donnie x F!Reader (Villain AU)

Word Count: 1.8K

Warnings: None (for now)

Chapter Summary: Sometimes, you have weird customers at a coffee shop.

“Breaking news.”

“We just received an update from the NYPD about the most recent attacks that have plagued the city in the past few weeks.”

“All of the perpetrators in the attacks have been found with traces of an unknown substance in their systems after arrest, states the NYPD Commissioner.”

“The Commissioner advises that if you come across someone with these symptoms, immediately dial 911. The symptoms include stumbling, glazed-over eyes, twitching, and purple liquid drooling from their mouths.”

“If you make contact, be warned, the suspects are known to be extremely hostile and have an inhuman strength-”

“That’s enough of that.”

The click of a remote sounds beside you as the television hanging in the corner of the coffee shop changes from the news channel to a random food channel, a voice droning on about how to correctly sear a steak for the perfect flavor.

While carefully pouring the steamed milk into a cappuccino, you glance over to find your coworker, Emery, being the one to change the channel. With a huff of air, she tosses the remote back into the small wicker basket hidden under the cash register before going back to making a mocha frappe.

The few customers sitting in the shop didn’t seem to mind the change, more occupied with the company across from them or their devices.

“They’ve been talking about the same thing for weeks— Mocha frappe for Jess!”

“I mean, it is pretty concerning— Cappuccino for Mike!”

The two customers quietly grab their respective drinks, few words of gratitude spoken as you and Emery go to clean the equipment that had been used. You began to wash the milk pitcher that had the steamed milk, Emery waiting her turn to clean the blender, no customers waiting in line to take your attention from the conversation that had been started.

Scrubbing the froth from the sides of the milk pitcher, the hot water stinging your hands only for a second as you rinse the small pitcher before setting it aside to dry. Stepping to the side, you watch as Emery begins to clean the remnants of the mocha frappe from the blender while you use paper towels to dry your hands.

“It’s only seemed to have gotten worse over the past few days,” You start to say while throwing away the crumpled paper towel, grabbing a cloth that had been soaking in a diluted bleach solution to begin wiping down the counters, “It makes sense for them to continuously push the story.”

Emery sighs as she sets aside the cleaned blender, drying her hands as you had done prior, before reaching into a cabinet for a bag of coffee beans to refill the grinder.

“They’ve been talking about it every day for weeks. They haven’t even found who’s been doing it, or what the substance is.”

The coffee beans trickle into the grinder as Emery slightly shakes the bag, causing them to fully pour into it before she quickly shifts the bag up so it doesn’t overfill. You can feel the heat of her gaze as you walk over to place the cloth back into the solution, where it would soak until it was needed again later.

The silence, somehow loud by how her gaze remains locked on your back as she closes the bag, is short-lived as you turn to look into her eyes. You know the reasoning behind her stare; she would be getting off the clock soon, leaving you to work the shop alone until closing.

The coffee shop that both of you worked at was a special one, situated near a college campus and remaining open until 9 o’clock, since the students are usually getting out of their last class at 8.

“I’ll be fine,” You reassure with a smile quickly forming on your lips, “It’s only 6 hours by myself.”

As you pass by her to go clean off a table, you gently nudge your hip against her own, “I’m a big girl.” Your words are a light chuckle, which only grows as you hear her worry-filled sigh from behind you.

“You’ll call when you start to walk home?”

“I always do.”

—

The last hour was always the worst when you were on your own. The first half of the hour was packed with the students who had gotten out of their class and needed a pick-me-up before starting their studying, while the second half of the hour was completely dead since those same students went to the library instead.

Glancing at the clock, chin in your hand as you lean against the counter, you sigh at the information that was presented to you.

25 minutes left.

You just had to make it through 25 more minutes. You could practically hear your bed calling your name from your apartment.

The familiar ring of the door opening has you quickly perking up, your customer service attitude taking over your exhaustion as quickly as it would go away when the customer would eventually leave.

The figure that walked through the door wasn’t something you had expected to see.

Even in the middle of August, the person was decked out in a hoodie and sweats, the hood pulled up, and a medical mask covering the lower part of their face. You could practically feel the waves of heat that just had to be radiating off of them.

“Welcome!” You chirp out your usual greeting with a perkiness only ‘customer service you’ could achieve at such a late hour, “How can I help you today?”

As the person finally makes their way to the cash register, their head perks up a bit, revealing just a little more to you about their features.

They wore what seemed to be a purple mask over their eyes, a piercing shining against their left brow, which… were they drawn on? With Sharpie? 

And their eyes…

While they were both aimed in your direction, one was very obviously fake, the glass eye having been dyed almost the same color as their mask, aside from the lighter colored iris and the black pupil. Their opposite eye, the real one, had an iris that was almost as dark as the pupil.

“Black eye coffee.”

The voice behind the mask was clearly male, his words quickly interrupting your thoughts about his features. His gaze was intense as he continued to stare down at you, something you had never really experienced with customers.

Sure, there were the tired ones, the silent ones, the unusually peppy ones. You had even gotten used to the customers who were a bit short with you before the coffee, and had a complete personality turnaround once they had taken that first sip.

But you’ve never had anyone stare at you like you were about to tell him the worst news of his life.

Maybe he just really wanted some late-night coffee.

Keeping the smile on your face, you nod while clicking the order into the tablet at the cash register, “One black eye coffee. That’ll be $4.50.”

You watch as one of his hands is finally pulled out of his hoodie pocket, holding a $5 bill towards you with, surprisingly, three gloved fingers. Gently taking the bill, you begin to count out his change, a bright smile on your lips as you hand him a quarter.

Mutants and Yokais, while still being a new development in the past few years, were gaining more and more laws around them being accepted into society. You still remember the protest that had ravaged the streets when the first law was passed that prohibited discrimination against them.

As laws for mutants kept being passed, fewer protests were happening as an understanding began to grow. Of course, there were still the few who believed they shouldn’t be treated like humans, but they were usually quickly silenced by those around them with heated glares and whispered words.

Once his hand, gripping the change tightly, hides itself back into the pocket of his hoodie, you turn and get started on his order. Grabbing a cup, you place it under the spout while grabbing the nearby portafilter.

Your actions are basically second nature: grinding the beans, tamping the grounds in the basket, locking the portafilter into place, and starting the brewing process for two shots.

The drip was slow to start before gradually becoming a quick flow. The familiar scent wafts around you as the shot soon fills the bottom of the cup. Moving with the grace of someone doing this for a while, which you have, you grab the cup once the drip comes to an end and pour in the coffee you had brewed earlier.

Popping a lid onto the cup, you place a sleeve over the cup and turn back to face the customer as he remained standing beside the cash register.

“Enjoy! Hope you have a great night, sir.”

Handing over the coffee cup, your fingers barely brush against his during the trade-off as he nods at your words. He remains silent before turning and heading towards the door, his hand reaching towards his face as you presume he was pulling down his mask to take a drink.

Expecting him to continue towards the door, you begin to disassemble the portafilter to begin to clean it, but the ring of the door never comes.

Your eyes glance over, finding his figure frozen, his back remaining in your direction. You’re quick to want to ask if anything is wrong, but his words beat you to it.

“The espresso mixing with the brew creates a perfect texture. The beans have clearly not been burned. The temperature a perfect 138°F.”

After his rambling, he turns to look over his shoulder towards you, mask pulled back into place. A strange feeling begins bubbling in your gut at the look in his eyes, something akin to the intensity of earlier, but skewed in a direction you could not follow.

Your eyes lock for what feels like minutes, but truly only lasts a few seconds before he swiftly turns around and barges through the door, his dark attire causing him to blend into the shadows cast by the nearby street lamps.

A shaky breath you didn’t realise you held was quickly released, and you glance at the clock. You found yourself not caring that you were rushing through cleaning and closing up shop 8 minutes before you should’ve, more so wanting to be in the safety of your apartment after what had transpired.

Turning the key and hearing the familiar click of the lock, you grab your phone from your pocket and search for Emery’s name. Clicking the little phone symbol beside her contact, you hold your phone up to your ear to hear the dialing tone, beginning to walk quicker than normal to your apartment.

As your voice fills the empty street, words detailing what had transpired, you’re unaware of the eyes that trail after your every move and the hidden figure that soon follows.

[aldryrththerainbowheart]

Chapter 1: Ghost In the Machine

The hum of the fluorescent lights in "Byte Me" IT Solutions was a monotonous drone against the backdrop of Gotham's usual cacophony. Rain lashed against the grimy window, each drop a tiny percussionist drumming out a rhythm of misery. Inside, however, misery was a bit more… organized.

I sighed, wrestling with a particularly stubborn strain of ransomware. "CryptoLocker v. 7.3," the diagnostic screen read. A digital venereal disease, if you asked me. Another day, another infected grandma's laptop filled with pictures of her grandkids and a crippling fear that hackers were going to steal her identity.

"Still at it?" My coworker, Mark, sidled over, clutching a lukewarm mug of something vaguely resembling coffee. Mark was a good guy, perpetually optimistic despite working in one of Gotham's less-than-glamorous neighborhoods. Bless his heart.

"You know it," I replied, jabbing at the keyboard. "Think I've finally managed to corner the bastard. Just gotta… there!" The screen flashed a success message. "One less victim of the digital plague."

Mark nodded, then his eyes drifted to the hulking metal beast in the corner, a Frankensteinian creation of salvaged parts and mismatched wiring. "How's the behemoth coming along?"

I followed his gaze. My pet project. My escape. "Slowly but surely. Got the cooling system optimized today. Almost ready to fire it up."

"Planning anything special with it?" Mark asked, his brow furrowed in curiosity. "You've been collecting scraps for months. It's gotta be more than just a souped-up gaming rig."

I shrugged, a deliberately vague gesture. "You could say I'm planning something… big. Something Byte Me isn't equipped to handle."

Mark chuckled. "Well, whatever it is, I'm sure you'll make it sing. You've got a knack for that sort of thing." He wandered off, whistling a jaunty tune that died a slow, agonizing death against the backdrop of the Gotham rain.

He had no idea just how much of a knack.

Mark bid me one final goodbye before pulling out an umbrella and disappearing into the night. No doubt he stops at Nero’s pizzeria before going home to his wife and kids. You watched through the shop window before he disappeared around the corner. Then, you locked the door and reached for the light switch. The fluorescent lights flickered a final, dying gasp before plunging the shop into darkness. I waited a beat, the city's distant sirens a mournful choir. Then, I flipped the hidden switch behind the breaker box, illuminating a small, secluded corner of the shop.

Rain hammered against the grimy windowpanes of my "office," a repurposed storage room tucked away in the forgotten bowels of the shop. The rhythmic drumming was almost hypnotic, a bleak lullaby for a city perpetually on the verge of collapse. I ignored it, fingers flying across the keyboard, the green glow of the monitor painting my face in an unsettling light. Outside, the city's distant sirens formed a mournful choir. Here, the air crackled with a different kind of energy.

"Almost there," I muttered, the words barely audible above the whirring of the ancient server rack humming in the corner. It was a Frankensteinian creation, cobbled together from spare parts and salvaged tech, but it packed enough processing power to crack even the most stubborn encryption algorithms. Laptops with custom OSes, encrypted hard drives, and a tangle of wires snaked across the desk. This was Ghostwire Solutions, my little side hustle. My… outlet.

Tonight's victim, or client – depending on how you looked at it – was a low-level goon. One was a two-bit thug named "Knuckles" Malone; the other, a twitchy character smelling of desperation, Frankie "Fingers" Falcone. Malone's burner phone, or Falcone's data chip containing an encrypted message, was now on the screen in front of me, a jumble of characters that would make most people's eyes glaze over. For me, it was a puzzle. A challenging, if morally questionable, puzzle.

My service, "Ghostwire Solutions," was discreet, to say the least. No flashy neon signs, no online presence, just word-of-mouth referrals whispered in dimly lit back alleys. I was a ghost, a digital shadow flitting through the city's underbelly, connecting people. That's how I liked to justify it anyway. I cracked my knuckles and went to work. My fingers danced across the keyboard, feeding the encrypted text into a series of custom-built algorithms, each designed to exploit a specific vulnerability. Hours melted away, marked only by the rhythmic tapping of keys and the soft hum of the custom-built rig in the corner, its processing power gnawing away at the digital lock.

The encryption finally buckled. A cascade of decrypted data flooded the screen. I scanned through it, a jumbled mess of texts, voicemails, location data, or a simple message detailing a meeting point and time. Mostly dull stuff about late payments and turf wars, the mundane reality of Gotham's criminal element. I extracted the relevant information.

"Alright, Frankie," I muttered to myself, copying the decrypted message onto a clean file. "Just connecting people. That's all I'm doing."

I packaged the data into a neat little file, added a hefty markup to my initial quote, and sent it off via an encrypted channel. Within minutes, the agreed-upon sum, a few hundred cold, hard dollars, landed in my untraceable digital wallet. I saved the file to a new data chip and packaged it up. Another job done. Another night closer to sanity's breaking point.

"Just connecting people," I repeated, the phrase tasting like ash in my mouth. The lie tasted even worse. I knew what I was doing. I was enabling crime. I was greasing the wheels of Gotham's underbelly. But bills had to be paid. It was a convenient lie, a way to sleep at night knowing I was profiting from the chaos. But tonight, it felt particularly hollow. And honestly, did it really matter? Gotham was already drowning in darkness. What was one more drop?

Gotham was a broken city, a machine grinding down its inhabitants. The system was rigged, the rich got richer, and the poor fought over scraps. I wasn't exactly helping to fix things. But I wasn't making it worse, right? I was just a cog in the machine, a necessary evil. I was good at what I did, damn good. I could see patterns where others saw chaos. I could exploit vulnerabilities, both in code and in the systems of power that held Gotham hostage. It was a skill, a talent, and in this city, unique talents were currency. I was efficient and discreet. But every decrypted message, every bypassed firewall, chipped away at something inside me. It hollowed me out, leaving me a ghost in my own life, a wire connecting the darkness.

I leaned back in my creaky chair, the rain still pounding against the window. The air was thick with the scent of ozone and melancholy. Another night, another decryption, another small victory against the futility of existence in Gotham. The flicker of conscience, that annoying little spark that refused to be extinguished, flared again. Was I really making a difference? Or was I just another parasite feeding off the city's decay?

I closed my eyes, trying to silence the questions. Tomorrow, there would be another encryption to crack, another connection to make. And I would be ready, Ghostwire ready to disappear into the digital ether, another ghost in the machine, until the next signal came. As I waited for the morning, for the return of the fluorescent lights and the mundane reality of "Byte Me" IT Solutions, I wondered if one day, the darkness I trafficked in would finally claim me completely. Because in Gotham, survival was a code all its own, and I was fluent in its language. And frankly, some days, that didn't seem like such a bad deal. For now, that was enough.

[danielgold-16]

The Urn part 3

Thanks to @aaronazizsasilver5, @polo-drone-063 and @polo-drone-126 , my amazing bros for their help. And thanks to our Cap, @hypnogold, for leading us to the Gold!

Part 2

"Lure, Trap and Turn." was the only thing on its mind as it started its walk back to the town.

The drone flew back home the following day. During the flight, people were staring at this attractive young man wearing a black rubber polo with gold accents.

The flight attendant was paying special attention to this very calm customer, who seemed focused beyond anything he had seen before.

The drone bumped into the attendant as it was walking to the bathroom, and the young flight attendant decided to try his luck.

10 minutes later, the flight attendant left the bathroom. He didn't know it yet, but soon, his goals would become clearer, more focused.

Finally landed, the drone left the airport and, after a short cab ride, found itself in a neighbourhood that seemed familiar, according to its host memory.

He turned left and left again, then right, only to find itself in front of a club.

The sound was so powerful that the drone could feel the ground trembling all around it.

The drone smirked, looking at the name of the club.

Pulse

He walked on, passing the club and reaching a dark alley. The need to relieve itself was strong, but there was something, someone else in this dark alley.

His eyes met the blond twink dressed in skinny jeans and white sneakers.

Attracted at first, the twink smiled but as the drone drew closer, the twink saw it for the Apex predator it was and started running away but the drone was too fast, and soon the twink was held firmly, forced to look into the drone's dark eyes. Soon, the lad was under the drone's control, and spirals had started to form in the twink's eyes. He would soon make a fine addition to the Collective.

Pleased by this new conversion, the drone moved on.

It had to find a way to make sure the Collective grew as much and as fast as possible.

Suddenly, the solution came to it.

Its host had been popular in his high school. Why not go there and recruit new drones? From there, the growth would spread.

The drone walked passed a community, looking at the beautiful sign.

Maple High

He walked on and reached the High School.

There was only one possible move. The drone started walking the dark corridors and came to a halt.

He was standing in front of a locker.

Richard Gold

He opened it and removed its black rubber polo, letting the gold polo re-emerge.

Daniel folded the rubber polo carefully and placed it in the football's captain locker.

As Daniel walked away, he heard the voice one last time.

*"You have served the Collective well, Daniel. Don't worry, we will see each other sooner than you think."*

Ready to serve, to become part of something greater? Join the Golden Army. Whether you take the path of a player bro or embrace the hive as a drone, there's a place for you here. Reach out to @brodygold to start your transformation. Find your purpose, commit to the gold, and let the team shape you. 💛

[silentmagi]

Crude Service:

This au seems fun, lets add some sugar and spice, everything nice and…a can of whoop ass to it? Eh sure why not brain-

Headcanon that’s already kinda been discussed, everyone at the shop has their own signature brew, j and uzi’s have been discussed, why not the others?

V’s is a simple one she perfected in her early days called “shy reprise” it’s cheesecake-esque in flavor with a hint of nutmeg-like flavor that may catch you off guard if you don’t read the ingredients under it.

N has technically two, “doggo’s warm smile” is the one for your average drone, it’s almost hot chocolate-like flavored oil with marshmallow-esque things safe for drone consumption in them with a cute doggo art on it. The other one is “senti cups”, this worlds version of pup cups, it seemed fitting he’d be the one to make a version of them for the sentinels

Cyn’s is “good morning smile”, it’s the strongest oil order in the shop that they got, wakes you right the hell up, accompanied by art of “:)”,”:3”,”<:)”,and sometimes rarely “<:3”, the flavor is classic oil with a bit of vanilla-like flavors to temper it

Solver has “sleepy solution” an oreo-like flavor to the oil and despite being a oil brew, it typically does as it’s job entails, getting someone ready for sleep mode after a long nights work

Tessa’s…tessa’s is called the “gala’s mess”, while uzi’s takes from the flavors at the end of the week, tessa’s is taken from the start and add’s in fixing’s of red velvet-like flavoring, condensed oil sprinkles, and whip cream-like substance and then finely mixed together.

Speaking of solver in this au, being how in canon it’s kinda something that’s been here longer then anything else and just saw drones and went “oh that’s a good form”, in this au, I headcanon solver acts as the manager that deals with karens (which rarely happens) or people just giving their workers a hard time. As for looks, think of EMET from evolve but bulkier, most of its facial expressions are emoticons but facing like how a face should, its cctv camera eyestalks as it’s actual eyes that come out the back of it’s head and wrap around to the front over the top of the emotive screen. Does still have its powers, mainly only uses the basic symbol one to just…hold out extra feisty customers at a distance and set them outside.

Question time again:

1.how are the families doing in this au, nori and khan doorman, yeva and her husband and doll, alice and beau, and what jobs do the parents have in this au, if there is any differences from canon.

2.uzi’s thoughts on her co-workers

Crude Service

The AU can be a lot of fun if you lean into it being a little shop (of horrors), and just have them all be quirky little maniacs.

I love the various drinks, and how you gave them flavor profiles for the drones to enjoy, and yes, N would make senti-cups for the sentinels, after V failed to make them for the cute babies she has tamed.

The Solver being an entity as well as a drink can probably cause a lot of confusion, and should be exploited for lots of laughs.

Listen, you get the StarBolts being 'dealt with' by J, so Karens and jerks can be handled by Solver who is happy to just observe all the people coming through and their mistakes. Using the powers to play bouncer is amusing, and Uzi learning it as well would be hilarious to me.

. . . I just pictured her and Solver playing split the wishbones with some particular idiots.

Answers segment:

They're doing good, The Doormans are proud of their daughter, even if they're sleeping in separate rooms. Mostly cause Khan sleeps on his plans for doors, and Nori sleeps in her bed. Yeva, her husband, and Doll are having a time working as delivery servers. Alice and Beau are odd jobbers. Khan is an engineer, Nori is a DJ.

"Thank god I'm the only sane one here…"

[hiredassault]

LAWTON FAMILY EMPIRE :-

1. Lawtonville

The entire town was built around the Lawton estate ;; complete with streets named after family members, legacy statues, and centralized governance subtly run by their financial influence.

2. Lawton Station ; Train Depot.

A grand, old world railway station serving Lawtonville ;; built during the industrial boom && still bearing the engraved family crest on the archway.

3. Lawton Downs Racetrack

A luxury horse racing venue funded by George Lawton; hosts private races, charity events, and serves as a hub for high society gossip.

4. Lawton Diner

A retro, chrome-accented eatery originally opened for workers and now preserved as a town relic --- still displaying family photos and vintage menus with “Miss Genevieve’s Specials.”

5. Lawton Greens Golf Course

An exclusive members-only club where deals are struck && the Lawtons’ social supremacy remains subtly enforced through legacy plaques and reserved holes.

6. Lawton’s General Market

A multi-generation grocery enterprise that started as a farmstand and grew into a local chain--- stocked with branded wines and high-end imported goods.

7. Lawton Strategic Solutions (Private Military Firm)

A shadowy security and weapons consulting group founded post-Vietnam by a Lawton cousin ;; tied to international contracts, ex-military personnel, and controversial operations.

8. Lawton Bank & Trust

A family-established private bank that funded local businesses and civic projects ; also served to exert financial control over the town.

9. Lawton Arms Factory

A manufacturing plant tied to defense contracts and hunting gear -- fitting Floyd’s future obsession with weaponry && marksmanship.

10. Lawton Estate Grounds

Vast land surrounding the mansion, possibly including a vineyard, horse stables, and hidden features like an old war bunker or escape tunnel.

11. Lawton Private School

A prep school bearing the family name where children of town elites (including Edward and Floyd) were groomed for academic and political success.

12. Lawton Medical Clinic

A pristine clinic or hospital with a family wing ;; donated to the town but subtly controlled through appointments and board seats.

13. Lawton Family Courthouse

The local legal building featuring a Lawton-donated wing, ensuring influence over judicial outcomes when necessary.

14. Lawton Memorial Park

A landscaped park built after a staged philanthropic gesture ;; includes a statue of George Lawton and plaques commemorating family donors.

15. Lawton Family Chapel

An ornate building used for family ceremonies and curated public religious events -- also a private meeting space shielded by spiritual pretense.

16. Lawton Mausoleum (Cemetery Grounds)

A forest-locked stone crypt housing generations of Lawtons, including Edward ; Floyd rarely visits, but the grounds are immaculately kept.

17. Lawton Airstrip (Private Landing Strip)

A minimally staffed but fully functioning strip for private jets and high-value deliveries --- often used for unrecorded travel or weapon shipments.

18. Lawton Warehouse & Logistics Hub

A large industrial space used for storing shipments, surplus arms, and possibly black-market goods; located discreetly near the town edge.

19. Lawton Drone & R&D Facility

High-security facility developing prototype drones and digital tracking systems, many tested in overseas or urban conflict zones.

20. Lawton Firearms Museum

A showcase of the family’s weaponry lineage --- from hunting rifles to customized revolvers; closed to the public, invitation-only for collectors.

21. Lawton Theater House

Once grand and glittering, now half-abandoned; built by Genevieve’s side of the family as a show of cultural dominance -- now used only on rare, eerie occasions.

[mariacallous]

Shortly before noon on Aug. 19, 2023, a Russian cruise missile sliced past the golden onion domes and squat apartment blocks of the Chernihiv skyline in northern Ukraine. The Iskander-K missile slammed into its target: the city’s drama theater, which was hosting a meeting of drone manufacturers at the time of the attack. More than 140 people were injured and seven killed. The youngest, 6-year-old Sofia Golynska, had been playing in a nearby park.

Fragments of the missile recovered by the Ukrainian armed forces and analyzed by Ukrainian researchers found numerous components made by U.S. manufacturers in the missile’s onboard navigation system, which enabled it to reach its target with devastating precision. In December, Ukraine’s state anti-corruption agency released an online database of the thousands of foreign-made components recovered from Russian weapons so far.

Russia’s struggle to produce the advanced semiconductors, electrical components, and machine tools needed to fuel its defense industrial base predates the current war and has left it reliant on imports even amid its estrangement from the West. So when Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, major manufacturing countries from North America, Europe, and East Asia swiftly imposed export controls on a broad swath of items deemed critical for the Russian arms industry.

Russia quickly became the world’s most sanctioned country: Some 16,000 people and companies were subject to a patchwork of international sanctions and export control orders imposed by a coalition of 39 countries. Export restrictions were painted with such a broad brush that sunglasses, contact lenses, and false teeth were also swept up in the prohibitions. Even items manufactured overseas by foreign companies are prohibited from being sold to Russia if they are made with U.S. tools or software, under a regulation known as the foreign direct product rule.

But as the war reaches its two-year anniversary, export controls have failed to stem the flow of advanced electronics and machinery making their way into Russia as new and convoluted supply chains have been forged through third countries such as Kazakhstan, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates, which are not party to the export control efforts. An investigation by Nikkei Asia found a tenfold increase in the export of semiconductors from China and Hong Kong to Russia in the immediate aftermath of the war—the majority of them from U.S. manufacturers.

“Life finds a way,” said a senior U.S. intelligence official, quoting the movie Jurassic Park. The official spoke on background to discuss Russia’s evasion of export controls.

Some of the weapons and components analyzed by investigators were likely stockpiled before the war. But widely available Russian trade data reveals a brisk business in imports. More than $1 billion worth of advanced semiconductors from U.S. and European manufacturers made their way into the country last year, according to classified Russian customs service data obtained by Bloomberg. A recent report by the Kyiv School of Economics found that imports of components considered critical for the battlefield had dipped by just 10 percent during the first 10 months of 2023, compared with prewar levels.

This has created a Kafkaesque scenario, the report notes, in which the Ukrainian army is doing battle with Western weapons against a Russian arsenal that also runs on Western components.

It is an obvious problem, well documented by numerous think tank and media reports, but one without an easy solution. Tracking illicit trade in items such as semiconductors is an exponentially greater challenge than monitoring shipments of conventional weapons. Around 1 trillion chips are produced every year. Found in credit cards, toasters, tanks, missile systems, and much, much more, they power the global economy as well as the Russian military. Cutting Russia out of the global supply chain for semiconductors is easier said than done.

“Both Russia and China, and basically all militaries, are using a large number of consumer electronic components in their systems,” said Chris Miller, the author of Chip War: The Fight for the World’s Most Critical Technology. “All of the world’s militaries rely on the same supply chain, which is the supply chain that primarily services consumer electronics.”

Export controls were once neatly tailored to keep specific items, such as nuclear technology, out of the hands of rogue states and terrorist groups. But as Washington vies for technological supremacy with Beijing while also seeking to contain Russia and Iran, it has increasingly used these trade restrictions to advance broader U.S. strategic objectives. For instance, the Biden administration has placed wide-ranging prohibitions on the export of advanced chips to China.

“At no point in history have export controls been more central to our collective security than right now,” Matthew Axelrod, the assistant secretary for export enforcement at the U.S. Commerce Department, said in a speech last September. U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan has described export controls as “a new strategic asset in the U.S. and allied toolkit.”

Russia’s ability to defy these restrictions doesn’t just have implications for the war in Ukraine. It also raises significant questions about the challenge ahead vis-à-vis China.

“The technological question becomes a key part of this story and whether or not we can restrict it from our adversaries,” said James Byrne, the director of open-source intelligence and analysis at the Royal United Services Institute, a British think tank.

In the Russian city of Izhevsk, home to the factory that manufactures Kalashnikov rifles, shopping malls are being converted into drone factories amid a surge in defense spending that has helped the country’s economy weather its Western estrangement. Arms manufacturers have been urged to work around the clock to feed the Russian war machine, while defense is set to account for one-third of the state budget this year.

“We have developed a concept to convert shopping centers—which, before the start of the SMO [special military operation], sold mainly the products of Western brands—to factories for assembly lines of types of domestic drones,” Alexander Zakharov, the chief designer of the Zala Aero drone company, said at a closed event in August 2022, according to the Russian business newspaper Vedomosti. “Special military operation” is what the Russian government calls its war on Ukraine. Zala Aero is a subsidiary of the Kalashnikov Concern that, along with Zakharov, was sanctioned by the United States last November.

Defense companies have bought at least three shopping malls in Izhevsk to be repurposed for the manufacture of drones, according to local media, including Lancet attack drones, which the British defense ministry described as one of the most effective new weapons that Russia introduced to the battlefield last year. Lancets, which cost about $35,000 to produce, wreaked havoc during Ukraine’s offensive last year and have been captured on video striking valuable Ukrainian tanks and parked MiG fighter jets.

Like a lot of Russia’s weapons systems, Lancets are filled with Western components. An analysis of images of the drones published in December by the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security found that they contained several parts from U.S., Swiss, and Czech manufacturers, including image processing and analytical components that play a pivotal role in enabling the drones to reach their targets on the battlefield.

“The recurring appearance of these Western products in Russian drone systems shows a keen dependence on them for key capabilities in the drone systems,” the report notes. Lancets are not the only drones found to contain Western components. Almost all of the electronic components in the Iranian Shahed-136 drones, which Russia is now manufacturing with Iranian help to use in Ukraine, are of Western origin, a separate analysis published in November concluded.

Early in the war, the Royal United Services Institute analyzed 27 Russian military systems, including cruise missiles, electronic warfare complexes, and communications systems, and found that they contained at least 450 foreign-made components, revealing Russia’s dependence on imports.

One of the principal ways that Russia has evaded Western export controls has been through transshipment via third countries such as Turkey, the UAE, and neighboring states once part of the Soviet Union. Bloomberg reported last November that amid mounting Western pressure, the UAE had agreed to restrict the export of sensitive goods to Russia and that Turkey was considering a similar move. Kazakh officials announced a ban on the export of certain battlefield goods to Russia in October.

Suspected transshipment is often revealed by striking changes in trade patterns before and after the invasion. The Maldives, an island chain in the Indian Ocean that has no domestic semiconductor industry, shipped almost $54 million worth of U.S.-made semiconductors to Russia in the year after the invasion of Ukraine, Nikkei Asia reported last July.

Semiconductor supply chains often span several countries, with chips designed in one country and manufactured in another before being sold to a series of downstream distributors around the world. That makes it difficult for companies to know the ultimate end user of their products. This may seem odd—until you realize that this is the case for many everyday products that are sold around the world. “When Coca-Cola sells Coca-Cola, it doesn’t know where every bottle goes, and they don’t have systems to track where every bottle goes,” said Kevin Wolf, a former assistant secretary for export administration at the U.S. Commerce Department.

While a coalition of 39 countries, including the world’s major manufacturers of advanced electronics, imposed export restrictions on Russia, much of the rest of the world continues to trade freely with Moscow. Components manufactured in coalition countries will often begin their journey to Moscow’s weapons factories through a series of entirely legal transactions before ending up with a final distributor that takes them across the border into Russia. “It starts off as licit trade and ends up as illicit trade,” said a second senior U.S. intelligence official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The further items move down the supply chain, the less insight governments and companies have into their ultimate destination, although sudden changes in behavior of importers can offer a red flag. In his speech last September, Axelrod, the assistant secretary, used the example of a beauty salon that suddenly starts to import electronic components.

But the Grand Canyon of loopholes is China, which has stood by Moscow since the invasion. In the first days of the war, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo warned that Washington could shut down Chinese companies that ignored semiconductor export controls placed on Russia. Last October, 42 Chinese companies were added to export control lists—severely undercutting their ability to do business with U.S. companies—for supplying Russian defense manufacturers with U.S. chips.

But as the Biden administration carefully calibrates its China policy in a bid to keep a lid on escalating tensions, it has held off from taking Beijing to task. “I think the biggest issue is that we—the West—have been unwilling to put pressure on China that would get China to start enforcing some of these rules itself,” said Miller, the author of Chip Wars.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) said: “Due to the restrictions imposed by the United States and key allies and partners, Russia has been left with no choice but to spend more, lower its ambitions for high-tech weaponry, build alliances with other international pariah states, and develop nefarious trade networks to covertly obtain the technologies it needs.

“We are deeply concerned regarding [Chinese] support for Russia’s defense industrial base. BIS has acted to add over 100 [China]-based entities to the Entity List for supporting Russia’s military industrial base and related activities.”

Export controls have typically focused on keeping specific U.S.-made goods out of the hands of adversaries, while economic and financial sanctions have served broader foreign-policy objectives of isolating rogue states and cauterizing the financing of terrorist groups and drug cartels. The use of sanctions as a national security tool grew in wake of the 9/11 attacks; in the intervening decades, companies, government agencies, and financial institutions have built up a wealth of experience in sanctions compliance. By contrast, the use of export controls for strategic ends is relatively novel, and compliance expertise is still in its infancy.

“It used to be that people like me could keep export controls and sanctions in one person’s head. The level of complexity for each area of law is so intense. I don’t know anyone who is truly an export control and sanctions expert,” Wolf said.

Export controls, experts say, are at best speed bumps designed to make it harder for Russia’s defense industrial base to procure Western components. They create “extra friction and pressure on the Russian economy,” said Daniel Fried, who as the State Department coordinator for sanctions policy helped craft U.S. sanctions on Russia after its annexation of Crimea in 2014. Russia is now paying 80 percent more to import semiconductors than it did before the war, according to forthcoming research by Miller, and the components it is able to acquire are often of dubious quality.

But although it may be more cumbersome and expensive, it’s a cost that Moscow has been willing to bear in its war on Ukraine.

Western components—and lots of them—will continue to be found in the weapons Russia uses on Ukraine’s battlefields for the duration of the war. “This problem is as old as export controls are,” said Jasper Helder, an expert on export controls and sanctions with the law firm Akin Gump. But there are ways to further plug the gaps.

Steeper penalties could incentivize U.S. companies to take a more proactive role in ensuring their products don’t wind up in the hands of the Russian military, said Elina Ribakova, a nonresident senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. “At the moment, they’re not truly motivated,” she said.

Companies that run afoul of sanctions and the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, a U.S. federal law that prohibits the payment of bribes, have been fined billions of dollars. Settlements of export control violations are often an order of magnitude smaller, according to recently published research.

In a speech last month, Axelrod said the United States would begin issuing steeper penalties for export control violations. “Build one case against one of the companies extremely well, put out a multibillion-dollar fine negotiation, and watch everybody else fall in line,” Ribakova said.

And then there’s the question of resources. BIS has an annual budget of just $200 million. “That’s like the cost of a few fighter jets. Come on,” said Raimondo, speaking at the Reagan National Defense Forum last December.

The agency’s core budget for export control has, adjusted for inflation, remained flat since 2010, while its workload has surged. Between 2014 and 2022, the volume of U.S. exports subject to licensing scrutiny increased by 126 percent, according to an agency spokesperson. A 2022 study of export control enforcement by the Center for Strategic and International Studies recommended a budget increase of $45 million annually, describing it as “one of the best opportunities available anywhere in U.S. national security.”

When it comes to enforcement, the bureau has about 150 officers across the country who work with law enforcement and conduct outreach to companies. The Commerce Department has also established a task force with the Justice Department to keep advanced technologies out of the hands of Russia, China, and Iran. “The U.S. has the most robust export enforcement on the planet,” Wolf said.

But compared with other law enforcement and national security agencies, the bureau’s budgets have not kept pace with its expanding mission. The Department of Homeland Security has more investigators in the city of Tampa, Florida, than BIS does across the entire country, Axelrod noted in his January speech.

On the other side, you have Russia, which is extremely motivated to acquire the critical technologies it needs to continue to prosecute its war. The Kremlin has tasked its intelligence agencies with finding ways around sanctions and export controls, U.S. Treasury Undersecretary Brian Nelson said in a speech last year. “We are not talking about a profit-seeking firm looking for efficiencies,” the second senior U.S. intelligence official said. “There will be supply if there is sufficient demand.”

[soon-palestine]

Workers said Project Nimbus is the kind of lucrative contract that neglects ethical guardrails that outspoken members of Google’s workforce have demanded in recent years. “I am very worried that Google has no scruples if they’re going to work with the Israeli government,” said Joshua Marxen, a Google Cloud software engineer who helped to organize the protest. “Google has given us no reason to trust them.” The Tuesday protest represents continuing tension between Google’s workforce and its senior management over how the company’s technology is used. In recent years Google workers have objected to military contracts, challenging Google’s work with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and its role in a defense program building artificial intelligence tools used to refine drone strikes. Workers have alleged that the company has cracked down on information-sharing, siloed controversial projects and enforced a workplace culture that increasingly punishes them for speaking out.

Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the Tuesday protest and workers’ concerns over Project Nimbus. The Israeli Finance Ministry announced its contract with Google and Amazon in April 2021 as a project “intended to provide the government, the defense establishment and others with an all-encompassing cloud solution.” Google has largely refused to release details of the contract, the specific capabilities Israel will receive, or how they will be used. In July 2022, the Intercept reported that training documents for Israeli government personnel indicate Google is providing software that the company claims can recognize people, gauge emotional states from facial expressions and track objects in video footage. Google Cloud spokesperson Atle Erlingsson told Wired in September 2022 that the company proudly supports Israel’s government and said critics had misrepresented Project Nimbus. “Our work is not directed at highly sensitive or classified military workloads,” he told Wired. Erlingsson, however, acknowledged that the contract will provide Israel’s military access to Google technology. Former Google worker Ariel Koren, who has long been publicly critical of Project Nimbus, said “it adds insult to injury for Palestinian activists and Palestinians generally” that Google Cloud’s profitability milestone coincides with the 75th anniversary of the Nakba — which refers to the mass displacement and dispossession of Palestinians following creation of the state of Israel in 1948.

In March 2022, The Times reported allegations by Koren — at the time a product marketing manager at Google for Education — that Google had retaliated against her for criticizing the contract, issuing a directive that she move to São Paulo, Brazil, within 17 business days or lose her job. Google told The Times that it investigated the incident and found no evidence of retaliation. When Koren resigned from Google in August 2022 she published a memo explaining reasons for her departure, writing that “Google systematically silences Palestinian, Jewish, Arab and Muslim voices concerned about Google’s complicity in violations of Palestinian human rights.” Koren said Google’s apathy makes her and others believe more vigorous protest actions are justified. “This is a concrete disruption that is sending a clear message to Google: We won’t allow for business as usual, so long as you continue to profit off of a nefarious contract that expands Israeli apartheid.” Mohammad Khatami, a YouTube software engineer based in New York, participated in a small protest of Project Nimbus at a July Amazon Web Services conference in Manhattan. Khatami said major layoffs at Google announced in January pushed him to get more involved in the Alphabet Workers Union, which provides resources to Khatami and other union members in an anti-military working group — though the union has not taken a formal stance on Project Nimbus. “Greed and corporate interests were being put ahead of workers and I think the layoffs just illustrated that for me very clearly,” Khatami said.

[c4fabrication]

Crestone 4Runner Roof Rack for Your Next Off-Road Journey

When it comes to upgrading your Toyota 4Runner for off-road adventures, a high-quality roof rack is a must-have. The Crestone (2010-2024 4Runner Roof Rack) from C4 Fabrication is designed for durability, versatility, and style. Whether you're heading off the beaten path or simply need extra storage space for your gear, this roof rack is built to handle the toughest conditions while enhancing your vehicle’s functionality.

This full-length aluminum roof rack, designed for the 2010-2024 5th Gen 4Runner, expands on our lineup of tried-and-true rack systems. Engineered for toughness, this rack ensures your gear reaches the destinations that matter most. Built with ¼-inch aircraft-grade aluminum side panels and stainless steel hardware, it provides superior strength while remaining lightweight. Secure your gear by bolting into one of the nine extrusion crossbars or by strapping it directly to the side plates. Best of all, this rack is drill-free and requires zero modifications to your vehicle.

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This roof rack is not just about functionality; it also enhances the aesthetic appeal of your Toyota 4Runner. Its sleek, low-profile design minimizes wind resistance, improving fuel efficiency while reducing noise at high speeds. The easy installation process means you can spend less time in the garage and more time on the road, exploring new trails and destinations.

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When you invest in the Crestone Roof Rack, you’re getting a complete package that includes:

Aircraft-grade aluminum side rails for strength and durability

Nine adjustable extrusion crossbars to accommodate different load sizes

Integrated mounting points for accessories such as light bars, traction boards, and rooftop tents

Black anodized crossbars for a sleek, long lasting finish

Black oxide stainless steel hardware for corrosion resistance

Black textured powder coat finish for superior protection

Drill-free installation with no modifications required

Note: The C4 Fab Summit Hatch Ladder is sold separately.

Who Needs This Roof Rack?

The product is perfect for:

Overlanders who need a durable rack for carrying extra fuel, storage boxes, and recovery gear.

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Key Features & Benefits

High-Strength Aircraft-Grade Aluminum Construction

Lightweight yet strong, ensuring optimal performance without adding excessive weight to your vehicle.

Modular Design

Allows for easy customization with additional accessories to meet individual adventure needs.

Black Textured Powder-Coated Finish

Protects against rust, scratches, and harsh weather conditions, ensuring long-lasting durability.

Nine Extrusion Crossbars

Provides flexibility for different gear setups and mounting configurations, accommodating a variety of equipment.

Integrated Mounting Points

Simplifies the installation of lights, cargo boxes, and other off-road essentials without the need for additional modifications.

Easy Drill-Free Installation

Designed for straightforward installation with no drilling required, making it accessible for DIY enthusiasts of all skill levels.

Improved Aerodynamics

Low-profile design minimizes wind resistance, reducing drag and maintaining fuel efficiency during travel.

Weather & Corrosion Resistance

Made with high-quality materials that withstand extreme temperatures, moisture, and tough conditions to ensure longevity.

Heavy-Duty Stainless Steel Hardware

All components are built to last, with black oxide stainless steel hardware providing superior corrosion resistance.

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Maximizes storage space, allowing for a clutter-free interior and a more comfortable ride.

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The Crestone 4Runner benefits a wide range of users:

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1x Set of aircraft-grade aluminum side rails

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Pest Control Market Insights Health and Hygiene Awareness Driving Preventive Solutions

The pest control market is a dynamic industry influenced by evolving consumer demands, regulatory frameworks, and technological advancements. This article delves into key insights about the pest control market, highlighting factors driving growth, challenges, and opportunities for innovation.

Pest Control Market Insights: Urbanization Driving Demand

Rapid urbanization has led to increased pest infestations in cities, requiring effective management strategies. Dense housing developments and waste mismanagement provide fertile grounds for pests, pushing urban consumers and municipalities to seek professional pest control services.

Pest Control Market Insights: Focus on Sustainable Solutions

Consumers and businesses are increasingly favoring environmentally friendly pest control options. The demand for biopesticides, organic repellents, and integrated pest management (IPM) techniques has surged, reflecting a shift toward sustainability within the industry.

Pest Control Market Insights: Technological Advancements in Pest Control

Technology is transforming pest control methods. Innovations such as AI-powered pest monitoring, IoT devices for real-time detection, and drone-based pest spraying systems are enhancing efficiency and precision, catering to both residential and industrial needs.

Pest Control Market Insights: Agriculture Sector and Pest Management

Agricultural pest control is critical for ensuring food security and maximizing crop yields. Precision agriculture, biological pest control methods, and automated pest monitoring systems are becoming integral to managing pests in farming.

Pest Control Market Insights: Commercial Sector Expansion

The commercial pest control market is growing significantly as industries like hospitality, food processing, and healthcare prioritize pest management for regulatory compliance and customer safety. Commercial facilities are investing heavily in regular pest inspections and preventive measures.

Pest Control Market Insights: Health and Hygiene Awareness

Heightened awareness about health risks associated with pests, such as disease transmission and allergic reactions, is driving consumers to opt for preventive pest control measures. The focus on hygiene has intensified in the wake of global pandemics.

Pest Control Market Insights: Challenges in Rural Areas

While urban areas have easy access to pest control services, rural regions face challenges such as limited service providers and lack of awareness. Addressing these gaps presents a significant growth opportunity for the pest control market.

Pest Control Market Insights: Regulatory Landscape and Compliance

Strict regulations governing pesticide use and environmental protection are reshaping the pest control industry. Companies must invest in compliance and innovation to meet regulatory standards while delivering effective solutions.

Pest Control Market Insights: Mergers and Strategic Alliances

Mergers, acquisitions, and collaborations among pest control companies are driving market consolidation. Strategic alliances help businesses expand their service offerings, adopt new technologies, and enhance their market presence.

Conclusion: Unlocking Potential in the Pest Control Market

The pest control market offers immense growth opportunities, driven by urbanization, health awareness, and technological advancements. However, addressing challenges such as sustainability, rural access, and regulatory compliance is essential. By focusing on innovation, eco-friendly solutions, and strategic collaborations, the pest control industry can achieve long-term growth and success.

[messinwitheddie]

Spittle what’s it like being a tallest? How did you look when you were younger?(you know before you got a lol beefy and stuff?😅)

Spittle "*grunt!* Being tallest is a sweeeeet gig, *grunt!* if you can be encoded with the title.*grunt!* It's a little overwhelming *grunt!*at *grunt!*first. *grunt!*A lot of pressure. I had big boots to fill when I was measured...

It zapped at first. A lot to learn. I was me, but I had to be a MUCH better me that I didn't know and I had to do it fast. I had to give up huge parts of myself to play the role, or I thought I had to at the time. You learn to work you-time into your schedule.

It was tricky. I dominate instantly, but I don't learn fast. Now that I'm more experienced, I understand why those two things aren't the same and only one will make being the tallest easier. I have a tighter grip on stuff now, y'know? Life hack; learn to trust your fellow drone to fix things themselves. Yeah, I'm THE drone, but I'm not THE drone.

Being a tallest means dealing with problems. How the sputch am I supposed to know how to fix 90% of them? I'm TALL! Not too many problems for me unless you count needing to have EVERYTHING you own custom fitted. After a while, I learn to listen and one of my drones will come up with something or droves of them will huddle up and come up with some stuff. They throw suggestions at me and I pick a solution with gut instinct-- by that I mean I run the ideas by my advisor, my personal frylord, my personal trainer here and my coordinator-- aaand, my high generals if the problem is armada related and they haven't irritated me too much. They work closer with the labor-drones so they can decide what would work best for everyone.

To let you in on not much of secret, I'm a very lazy tallest. Just a pretty face slapped on a perfectly sculpted flesh vessel to spew orders out of. But hey, the system is working.

Younger me...Before I was tallest?? I will respectfully not show images of me in my cadet and elite training days. It's not that I looked much different. I'm just not proud of the drone I was then. I was always on the tall, beefier side, even as a smeet. Obviously, I wasn't quite this tall or chiseled, but I was still impressive physically. Even as a smeet, I was tall and intimidating.

I was kind of spooch chute though. Can't remember too much about my smeetery years. I'm sure I was a rotten little brat. If it wasn't for my height I might have been held back in holo-visor lessons for another 5 years before graduating to basic cadet training on Ir's surface. A few the of shorter smeets I used to pick on got growth spurts during basic training and taught me a lesson in the holo battle simulations.

They forced me to learn the difference between being tough, looking tough and acting tough. Good lesson to learn before you're measured tallest."

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What is artificial intelligence (AI)?

Imagine asking Siri about the weather, receiving a personalized Netflix recommendation, or unlocking your phone with facial recognition. These everyday conveniences are powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI), a transformative technology reshaping our world. This post delves into AI, exploring its definition, history, mechanisms, applications, ethical dilemmas, and future potential.

What is Artificial Intelligence? Definition: AI refers to machines or software designed to mimic human intelligence, performing tasks like learning, problem-solving, and decision-making. Unlike basic automation, AI adapts and improves through experience.

Brief History:

1950: Alan Turing proposes the Turing Test, questioning if machines can think.

1956: The Dartmouth Conference coins the term "Artificial Intelligence," sparking early optimism.

1970s–80s: "AI winters" due to unmet expectations, followed by resurgence in the 2000s with advances in computing and data availability.

21st Century: Breakthroughs in machine learning and neural networks drive AI into mainstream use.

How Does AI Work? AI systems process vast data to identify patterns and make decisions. Key components include:

Machine Learning (ML): A subset where algorithms learn from data.

Supervised Learning: Uses labeled data (e.g., spam detection).

Unsupervised Learning: Finds patterns in unlabeled data (e.g., customer segmentation).

Reinforcement Learning: Learns via trial and error (e.g., AlphaGo).

Neural Networks & Deep Learning: Inspired by the human brain, these layered algorithms excel in tasks like image recognition.

Big Data & GPUs: Massive datasets and powerful processors enable training complex models.

Types of AI

Narrow AI: Specialized in one task (e.g., Alexa, chess engines).

General AI: Hypothetical, human-like adaptability (not yet realized).

Superintelligence: A speculative future AI surpassing human intellect.

Other Classifications:

Reactive Machines: Respond to inputs without memory (e.g., IBM’s Deep Blue).

Limited Memory: Uses past data (e.g., self-driving cars).

Theory of Mind: Understands emotions (in research).

Self-Aware: Conscious AI (purely theoretical).

Applications of AI

Healthcare: Diagnosing diseases via imaging, accelerating drug discovery.

Finance: Detecting fraud, algorithmic trading, and robo-advisors.

Retail: Personalized recommendations, inventory management.

Manufacturing: Predictive maintenance using IoT sensors.

Entertainment: AI-generated music, art, and deepfake technology.

Autonomous Systems: Self-driving cars (Tesla, Waymo), delivery drones.

Ethical Considerations

Bias & Fairness: Biased training data can lead to discriminatory outcomes (e.g., facial recognition errors in darker skin tones).

Privacy: Concerns over data collection by smart devices and surveillance systems.

Job Displacement: Automation risks certain roles but may create new industries.

Accountability: Determining liability for AI errors (e.g., autonomous vehicle accidents).

The Future of AI

Integration: Smarter personal assistants, seamless human-AI collaboration.

Advancements: Improved natural language processing (e.g., ChatGPT), climate change solutions (optimizing energy grids).

Regulation: Growing need for ethical guidelines and governance frameworks.

Conclusion AI holds immense potential to revolutionize industries, enhance efficiency, and solve global challenges. However, balancing innovation with ethical stewardship is crucial. By fostering responsible development, society can harness AI’s benefits while mitigating risks.