#data source: transcripts

[buffydataviz]

BTVS ships episode count review

I was thinking about Buffy's 3 main ships (to me): Bangel v. Spuffy v. Fuffy. I was wondering how many episodes (BTVS or ATS) where each ship has scenes together. Then inspired by these two polls I decided to add in two other non-Buffy ships: Gethan and Spangel.

Kudos to the Fuffy and Gethan shippers, who are working with not a TON of episodes with scenes together. Especially Gethan shippers, who only have 4 canon episodes! To be fair, Spangel fans only had 13 until S5 of ATS.

Summary ship episode count: Spuffy (Spike x Buffy): 71 Bangel (Buffy x Angel): 49 Spangel (Spike x Angel): 35 Fuffy (Faith x Buffy): 21 Gethan (Giles x Ethan): 4

Any blatant negative ship comments, like calling a specific ship indecent will get you blocked. Ship and let ship. Other comments welcome.

Full details under the cut!

What's the Universe? The TV Buffyverse. (BTVS TV or ATS TV eps, the comics and books don’t count.)

How to start? I started with the pre-count. The pre-count is episodes where both characters in the ship appeared.

Spuffy pre-count: 96 (inc. 0 on ATS) Bangel pre-count: 56 (inc. 2 on ATS) Spangel pre-count: 42 (inc. 22 on ATS) Fuffy pre-count: 21 (inc. 1 on ATS) Gethan pre-count: 4 (inc. 0 on ATS)

How to verify? I did not rewatch all the episodes! I rewatched a few, after checking transcripts, recaps, and ship gif pages.

What doesn't count? Someone talking about the other person, because I am not trying to include the various episodes where Faith is haunting the show. They must appear in a scene together for it to count. They must both be fully aware of each other. Shared dreams (like the Fuffy ones) do count, but regular dreams do not. Buffy Bot, Wishverse Buffy, and FirstEvil Buffy do not count. I treated Faith and Buffy as their "mental" selves during the two body swap episode scenes. Also I treated Angel the same as Angelus and soul-less Spike the same as soul-ed Spike.

Notes per Ship...

Spuffy (Spike x Buffy) 71 total S1: 0 / S2: 7 / S3: 1 / S4: 9 / S5: 18 / S6: 17 / S7: 19 / ATS: 0 4x06 Wild At Heart does not count because in the cemetery she is not aware he can hear her speech "to him." 4x16 Who Are You? does not count because Spike encounters Faith in Buffy's body, so I counted that as a Faith-Spike scene. 4x22 Restless also does not count because while he appears in Xander's dream and so does Buffy, this is Xander's dream so neither appearance counts. 5x08 Shadow does not count because he dreams of her, but it's not a shared dream. Bangel (Buffy x Angel) 49 total S1: 6 / S2: 19 / S3: 18 / S4: 1 / S5: 1 / S6: 0 / S7: 2 / ATS: 2 (S1) 3x03 Faith Hope and Trick does not count because when naked Angel appears at the end Buffy has already left. 3x09 The Wish does not count because Wishverse Buffy is not regular Buffy. 4x08 Pangs does not count because Buffy is not aware of him. Spangel (Spike x Angel) 35 total S1: 0 / S2: 10 / S3: 1 / S4: 0 / S5: 0 / S6: 0 / S7: 0 / ATS: 24 (S1, 2, 5) 4x08 Pangs does not count because Spike does not share a scene with Angel. 7x21 End of Days and 7x22 Chosen both do not count because while Spike watches Angel, Angel does not seem to be aware of him watching. For ATS, besides all of S5, they share scenes in 1x03 In The Dark and 2x07 Darla.

Fuffy (Faith x Buffy) 21 total S1: 0 / S2: 0 / S3: 13 / S4: 2 / S5: 0 / S6: 0 / S7: 5 / ATS: 1 (S1) Every Faith appearance in a BTVS episode means she will have a scene with Buffy. She has 5 Buffy-less episodes on ATS. I did count the dream sequence in 3x22 Graduation Day Part 2 because I read it as a shared dream. They are both aware of the other.

Gethan (Giles x Ethan) 4 total S1: 0 / S2: 2 / S3: 1 / S4: 1 / S5: 0 / S6: 0 / ATS: 0 Similar to Faith, whenever Ethan appears in an episode, he will have a scene with Giles.

This doesn't have visualization yet but I wanted to share the results.

[lifeamongtheamazons]

For my linguistsics degree, I did a project on why I'm seeing more people saying "on accident" instead of "by accident." I looked at almost a million pieces of writing pulled from news sites, blogs, academic articles and television transcripts. I found almost three hundred cases of "on accident" being used. It was a surprisingly even spread across sources. Even more interesting, I organized the hits by date and tracked an upward swing in use as time goes on. This means that the use of "on accident" is increasing over time, and may eventually supplant and drive out the classic usage of "by accident." I like to call this prepositional shift.

Now, looking at my data and looking at the age ranges of the writers or speakers, the majority of them were under the age of thirty. So I interviewed a panel of people, choosing twenty with a spread of about half above thirty, and half below. Those older than thirty years of age felt "strongly" or "very strongly" that "on accident" was wrong in all cases, and that "by accident" was the only correct phrase. However, those younger than thirty were much less rigorous, with more than half feeling "ambivalent" or "less strongly" about which was correct. This demonstrates a generational link in preposition usage.

When presented with options for the definitions of "by" and "on," we also get some interesting data. For by, there are two main definitions according to the Oxford English Dictionary: 1. Identifying the agent performing an action. Or 2. Indicating the means of achieving something. Whereas "on" has many more definitions, the pertinent ones being 1. To indicate the manner of doing something or 2. To indicate active involvement in a condition or status. By the above definitions, either "by accident" or "on accident" is a correct usage of the term. However, native speakers of English could not successfully define either preposition, instead just choosing one, the other, or both as "sounding correct."

The only evidence for a rule-based shift that I could find was a correlation with the paired phrase for the opposite condition "on purpose." While the younger interviewees were ambivalent about the correctness of "on accident," they uniformly rejected the correctness of the suggested phrase "by purpose." So the shift can only be in one direction according the the native ear, towards the preposition "on."

Whether this means that the particular usage of "by" is becoming archaic or the definition of "on" is expanding is a possible subject of further study using a wider range of phrases. But I found the wider acceptance of "on accident" versus "by accident" to be a fascinating look at how prepositions can shift meaning and usage over time.

So now I'm curious, five years from my initial study (and itching to try the Tumblr poll feature):

[lakecountylibrary]

A behind-the-scenes look...

Music credit:

Lord of the Land by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1400022

Video description and audio transcript continue under the cut:

[Description: A get ready with me video narrated by a library employee, comprised of several short scenes.

Narration: Get ready with me to open a local library. My day typically starts at 8:30 and first I turn on the lights. Simple, but essential in banishing the dark spirits from the stacks.

The narrator walks into the library and turns on the lights. Several shadowy figures disappear behind the shelves as the lights come up.

Narration: Next I head down to book up the computers. Libraries require a lot of data, so we always hack into a few government databases to provide top-tier reference work.

He logs into his computer and begins typing furiously, then turns to the camera with his hand on his chin and an intent look on his face.

Narration: After that, I tend to our Guardian Tree that protects the library from evil spirits like censorship and sentence fragments.

A shot of a tree in a large planter in the middle of the library.

Narration: It's been really into cozy mysteries lately, so we do our best to provide. Thank you, Tree Spirit!

The librarian lays out three cozy mysteries on the planter's rim, then bows to the tree with his hands pressed together.

Narration: Today's a bit special, since it's the monthly taming of the library bookworm. So I grab my Library of Congress blessed sword and my favorite cardigan - plus two to my AC - and head down to the dungeon.

The librarian reaches down to grab a sword and cardigan from under his desk. He shrugs on the cardigan then takes the sword into an elevator and walks through a basement hall lined with book boxes.

Narration: Down in the dungeon we've got lots of damaged items and overstocked James Patterson books to keep the worm sated. But sometimes extra care is needed. A well scourged dragon is the key to any good collection development policy. Thanks for hanging out. Tell us how your bookstore or library gets ready. Bye!

He pulls out the sword and prepares to leap into battle in a darkened room with a flowery, cheerful sign on the door reading Sorting Room. The video ends mid leap. /description]

[nellywrisource]

A writer’s guide to the historical method: how historians work with sources

In this post, I provide a brief overview of how historians engage with different types of sources, with a focus on the mindset of a historian. This insight could be valuable for anyone crafting a character whose profession revolves around history research. It may also prove useful for authors conducting research for their book.

Concept of historical source

The concept of historical source evolves over time. 

Initially, the focus was mainly on written sources due to their obvious availability. However, as time has progressed, historians now consider a wide range of sources beyond just written records. These include material artifacts, intangible cultural elements, and even virtual data.

While "armchair historians" may rely on existing studies and secondary sources, true professional historians distinguish themselves by delving directly into primary sources. They engage in a nuanced examination of various sources, weaving together diverse perspectives. It's crucial to recognize the distinction between personal recollection or memory and the rigorous discipline of historical inquiry. A historical source provides information, but the truth must be carefully discerned through critical analysis and corroboration.

Here's a concise list of the types of sources historians utilize:

Notarial source

Epistolary source

Accountancy source

Epigraphic source

Chronicle source

Oratory and oral source

Iconographic source

Diary source

Electronic source

Example: a notarial source

These are documents drafted by a notary, a public official entrusted with providing legal certainty to facts and legal transactions. These documents can take various forms, such as deeds, lawsuits, wills, contracts, powers of attorney, inventories, and many others.

Here we are specifically discussing a lawsuit document from 1211 in Italy.

A medieval lawsuit document is highly valuable for understanding various aspects of daily life because in a dispute, one must argue a position. From lawsuits, we also understand how institutions truly operated.

Furthermore, in the Middle Ages, lawsuits mostly relied on witnesses as evidence, so we can access a direct and popular source of certain specific social situations.

Some insight into the methodology of analysis:

Formal examination: historians scrutinize the document's form, verifying its authenticity and integrity. Elements such as structure, writing style, language, signatures, and seals are analyzed. Indeed, a professional historian will rarely conduct research on a source published in a volume but will instead go directly to the archive to study its origin, to avoid transcription errors.

Content analysis: historians proceed to analyze the document's content, extracting useful information for their research. This may include data on individuals, places, events, economic activities, social relations, and much more. It's crucial to compile a list of witnesses in a case and identify them to understand why they speak or why they speak in a certain manner.

Cross-referencing with other sources: information derived from the notarial source is compared with that of other historical sources to obtain a more comprehensive and accurate view of the period under examination.

Documents of the episcopal archive of Ivrea

Let's take the example of a specific legal case, stemming from the documents of the episcopal archive of Ivrea. It's a case from 1211 in Italy involving the bishop of Ivrea in dispute with Bongiovanni d'Albiano over feudal obligations.

This case is significant because it allows us to understand how feudal society operated and how social status was determined.

The bishop's representative argues that Bongiovanni should provide a horse as a feudal service. Bongiovanni denies it, claiming to be a noble, not a serf. Both parties present witnesses and documents supporting their arguments.

Witnesses are asked whether the serf obligations had been endured for a long time. This helps us understand that in a society where "law" was based on customs, it was important to ascertain if an obligation had been endured for a long time because at that point it would no longer be contestable (it would have become customary).

The responses are confused and inconsistent, so witnesses are directly asked whether they consider Bongiovanni a serf or a noble. This is because (and it allows us to understand that) the division into "social classes" wasn't definable within concrete boundaries; it was more about the appearance of one's way of life. If a serf refused to fulfill his serf duties, he would easily be considered a noble by bystanders because he lived like one.

Ultimately, the analysis of the case leads us to determine that medieval justice wasn't conceived with the logic of our modern system, but was measured in oaths and witnesses as evidentiary means. And emerging from it with honor was much more important than fairly distributing blame and reason.

Other sources

Accounting source: it is very useful for measuring consumption and its variety in a particular historical period. To reconstruct past consumption, inventories post mortem are often used, which are lists of goods found in households, described and valued by notaries to facilitate distribution among heirs. Alternatively, the recording of daily expenses, which in modern times were often very detailed, can lead to insights into complex family histories and their internal inequalities - for example, more money might be spent on one child than another corresponding to their planned future role in society.

Oral source: in relation to the political sphere, it is useful for representing that part of politics composed of direct sources, that is, where politics speaks of itself and how it presents itself to the public, such as a politician's public speech. However, working with this type of source, a historian cannot avoid hermeneutic work, as through the speech, the politician aims to present himself to a certain audience, justify, persuade, construct his own image, and achieve results. This is the hidden agenda that also exists in the most obvious part of politics.

Iconographic source: it concerns art or other forms of "artistic" expression, such as in the case of an advertising poster. They become historical sources when it is the historian who, through analysis, confers upon them the status of a historical source. Essentially, the historian uses the source to understand aspects of the past otherwise inaccessible. The first step in this direction is to recontextualize the source, returning it to its original context. Examining the history of the source represents the fundamental first step for historical analysis.

Diary source: diaries are a "subjective" source, a representation of one's self, often influenced by the thoughts of "others," who can be close or distant readers, interested or distracted, visible or invisible, whom every diary author can imagine and hope to see, sooner or later, reflected on the pages of their writing. Furthermore, they are often subject to subsequent manipulations, and therefore should be treated by historians only in their critical edition; all other versions, whether old or new, foreign or not, are useful only as evidence of the changes and manipulations undergone over time by the original manuscripts.

Electronic source: historians use Wikipedia even if they often don't admit it out loud.

This blog is supported through tips here on Tumblr. If you’d like to support me, please consider giving a tip.

[mariacallous]

On Saturday, an Associated Press investigation revealed that OpenAI's Whisper transcription tool creates fabricated text in medical and business settings despite warnings against such use. The AP interviewed more than 12 software engineers, developers, and researchers who found the model regularly invents text that speakers never said, a phenomenon often called a “confabulation” or “hallucination” in the AI field.

Upon its release in 2022, OpenAI claimed that Whisper approached “human level robustness” in audio transcription accuracy. However, a University of Michigan researcher told the AP that Whisper created false text in 80 percent of public meeting transcripts examined. Another developer, unnamed in the AP report, claimed to have found invented content in almost all of his 26,000 test transcriptions.

The fabrications pose particular risks in health care settings. Despite OpenAI’s warnings against using Whisper for “high-risk domains,” over 30,000 medical workers now use Whisper-based tools to transcribe patient visits, according to the AP report. The Mankato Clinic in Minnesota and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles are among 40 health systems using a Whisper-powered AI copilot service from medical tech company Nabla that is fine-tuned on medical terminology.

Nabla acknowledges that Whisper can confabulate, but it also reportedly erases original audio recordings “for data safety reasons.” This could cause additional issues, since doctors cannot verify accuracy against the source material. And deaf patients may be highly impacted by mistaken transcripts since they would have no way to know if medical transcript audio is accurate or not.

The potential problems with Whisper extend beyond health care. Researchers from Cornell University and the University of Virginia studied thousands of audio samples and found Whisper adding nonexistent violent content and racial commentary to neutral speech. They found that 1 percent of samples included “entire hallucinated phrases or sentences which did not exist in any form in the underlying audio” and that 38 percent of those included “explicit harms such as perpetuating violence, making up inaccurate associations, or implying false authority.”

In one case from the study cited by AP, when a speaker described “two other girls and one lady,” Whisper added fictional text specifying that they “were Black.” In another, the audio said, “He, the boy, was going to, I’m not sure exactly, take the umbrella.” Whisper transcribed it to, “He took a big piece of a cross, a teeny, small piece … I’m sure he didn’t have a terror knife so he killed a number of people.”

An OpenAI spokesperson told the AP that the company appreciates the researchers’ findings and that it actively studies how to reduce fabrications and incorporates feedback in updates to the model.

Why Whisper Confabulates

The key to Whisper’s unsuitability in high-risk domains comes from its propensity to sometimes confabulate, or plausibly make up, inaccurate outputs. The AP report says, "Researchers aren’t certain why Whisper and similar tools hallucinate," but that isn't true. We know exactly why Transformer-based AI models like Whisper behave this way.

Whisper is based on technology that is designed to predict the next most likely token (chunk of data) that should appear after a sequence of tokens provided by a user. In the case of ChatGPT, the input tokens come in the form of a text prompt. In the case of Whisper, the input is tokenized audio data.

The transcription output from Whisper is a prediction of what is most likely, not what is most accurate. Accuracy in Transformer-based outputs is typically proportional to the presence of relevant accurate data in the training dataset, but it is never guaranteed. If there is ever a case where there isn't enough contextual information in its neural network for Whisper to make an accurate prediction about how to transcribe a particular segment of audio, the model will fall back on what it “knows” about the relationships between sounds and words it has learned from its training data.

According to OpenAI in 2022, Whisper learned those statistical relationships from “680,000 hours of multilingual and multitask supervised data collected from the web.” But we now know a little more about the source. Given Whisper's well-known tendency to produce certain outputs like "thank you for watching," "like and subscribe," or "drop a comment in the section below" when provided silent or garbled inputs, it's likely that OpenAI trained Whisper on thousands of hours of captioned audio scraped from YouTube videos. (The researchers needed audio paired with existing captions to train the model.)

There's also a phenomenon called “overfitting” in AI models where information (in this case, text found in audio transcriptions) encountered more frequently in the training data is more likely to be reproduced in an output. In cases where Whisper encounters poor-quality audio in medical notes, the AI model will produce what its neural network predicts is the most likely output, even if it is incorrect. And the most likely output for any given YouTube video, since so many people say it, is “thanks for watching.”

In other cases, Whisper seems to draw on the context of the conversation to fill in what should come next, which can lead to problems because its training data could include racist commentary or inaccurate medical information. For example, if many examples of training data featured speakers saying the phrase “crimes by Black criminals,” when Whisper encounters a “crimes by [garbled audio] criminals” audio sample, it will be more likely to fill in the transcription with “Black."

In the original Whisper model card, OpenAI researchers wrote about this very phenomenon: "Because the models are trained in a weakly supervised manner using large-scale noisy data, the predictions may include texts that are not actually spoken in the audio input (i.e. hallucination). We hypothesize that this happens because, given their general knowledge of language, the models combine trying to predict the next word in audio with trying to transcribe the audio itself."

So in that sense, Whisper "knows" something about the content of what is being said and keeps track of the context of the conversation, which can lead to issues like the one where Whisper identified two women as being Black even though that information was not contained in the original audio. Theoretically, this erroneous scenario could be reduced by using a second AI model trained to pick out areas of confusing audio where the Whisper model is likely to confabulate and flag the transcript in that location, so a human could manually check those instances for accuracy later.

Clearly, OpenAI's advice not to use Whisper in high-risk domains, such as critical medical records, was a good one. But health care companies are constantly driven by a need to decrease costs by using seemingly "good enough" AI tools—as we've seen with Epic Systems using GPT-4 for medical records and UnitedHealth using a flawed AI model for insurance decisions. It's entirely possible that people are already suffering negative outcomes due to AI mistakes, and fixing them will likely involve some sort of regulation and certification of AI tools used in the medical field.

[resurgentclass-stardestroyer]

Soooo I've been obsessed with the image in this post since I first saw it, and decided to hunt down the source [Star Wars Character Encyclopedia: Updated and Expanded (2016 Edition)]. Here's Mitaka's page, and a close-up of that image; unfortunately it's tiny!

Feel free to use, edit etc.

Update: here's the best digital version of that image that I can find, slightly edited [maybe I'll clean it up someday..]:

Additional notes and transcript below:

[Google lists Mitaka's actor Sebastian Armesto at 5'8" and the fact that they added 3" to him makes me giggle. Let him be a little short!]

The fact that Mitaka's homeworld is listed as 'Uknown' is interesting to me. I wonder it's something thought out by the writers, or just hand-waving [guy didn't even have a name in the movie credits, iirc]. I've long hced that Mitaka was born on a starship to Imperial parents - but it's also possible that Mitaka was taken into the FO at a very young age and simply doesn't remember his home planet.

As most Mitaka enjoyers know, Mitaka graduated at the top of his class in the Academy. Despite being appearing terrified when facing Ren, he's evidently very, very good at his job. And, I know "Ren's unforgiving command style" is being tongue in cheek, but it does implicate a contrast to Hux's command style, which is apparently not-so unforgiving.

Something I see some get wrong — Mitaka is part of the FO Navy, not the Army. He's in charge of starships rather than ground forces, and he would make the ranks of Commander, Captain, and Admiral rather than Major, Colonel, and General.

So apparently Mitaka was indeed, under Hux, the one in command of not only recapturing Dameron and Finn, but also the retrieval missions on Jakku, and giving orders — which to me seems quite a step above the responsibilities of a mere Lieutenant and why I hc Mitaka as a Lieutenant Commander, but I digress. It makes sense then why it was specifically Mitaka who was designated to tell Ren about their failure to capture both the droid and the 'fugitives' — though it's also my hc [have lots of those] that Mitaka could have put this on an underling, but chose to face Ren and take the blame personally out of a sense of duty and honor, despite being terrified.

Editing note, because I'm a graphics nerd at heart: the half-tone dots in the close-up are predictably driving me bonkers, but from what I can tell, there's not much that can be done about it other than a time-consuming paint/smudge over, or messing with PS plug-ins [as far as I know -- I'm very new to scanning print]. I tried some descaling and blurring, but of course you can't do much of that without a loss of quality and clarity, and that's something I hate to sacrifice. I'll keep messing with it. Or, if someone has any idea of another source for this picture you would be my savior ! This is the only instance I can find of this image.

Transcript:

Lieutenant Mitaka First Order Officer

Data File Affiliation: First Order Homeworld: Unknown Species: Human Height: 1.8m (5ft 11in) Appearances: VII See Also: First Order TIE pilo; Finn; General Hux; Kylo Ren

Dopheld Mitaka is an attentive young officer serving aboard the First Order flagship Finalizer. A top graduate in his Academy class, Mitaka is not prepared for Kylo Ren's unforgiving command style.

The First Order naval uniform is descended from the sharp, authoritarian styles worn by officers of the Old Empire. The charcoal gray fabric signifies naval service, while the flared breeches and stiff boots help in maintaining a rigid posture. The command cap carries the starburst symbol of the First Order.

Tough Job After failing to recapture the escaped prisoner Poe Dameron and the deserter FN-2187, Mitaka continues to oversee the progress of search teams scouring the desert wastes of Jakku. Mitaka has the unenviable task of updating Kylo Ren on the search after the fugitives flee Jakku aboard the Millennium Falcon.

[Image Caption] Mitaka issues orders on behalf of General Hux to stop the escaping TIE fighter carrying Poe Dameron and FN-2187.

[pandemic-info]

Text from https://www.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/910-24/transcript-mayor-adams-holds-in-person-media-availability

Dear Mayor Adams,

No.

The entire point of masks — especially fitted respirators, i.e. N95s, which do not leave gaps around the face — is to protect the wearer from harmful airborne pathogens.

Let's break that down:

If : someone who is

A. visibly sick and carelessly spreading it everywhere (as many do), or

B. is unknowingly, asymptomatically shedding viral particles (also, as many do, because most people erroneously think it's over and generally take no precautions) was in that vehicle,

Then: there's a high likelihood they've left viral particles in the air.

It's really fucking simple:

AIRBORNE viral particles can LINGER IN THE AIR for hours.

That means the masked person getting into a vehicle — who doesn't want to / can't afford to get sick(er), even despite regular harassment and threats that Mayor Adams doesn't give a shit about — will not be safe to remove it inside.

Neither is it a good idea to try to enforce this based on mask type, force medical permits, etc. Others have written about this extensively. Unlike (effective) mandates, these bans are not based on science or data. E.g.:

First, addressing the claim that mask bans are necessary for facial recognition and societal safety, growing data shows that face masks are less effective than sunglasses in masking face identity. Another study claims “Convolutional Neural Networks are highly capable of learning features and accurately identifying the image, even when the only fully visible part of the face is the eyes.”

—

Those statements betray how out of touch this mayor is with the average person who actually walks NYC streets and takes public transit.

"This person" he refers to, as we all know, was not attacking random individuals. "This person" went after one specific man who had millions of dollars worth of blood on his hands:

"For people who do not have money or social connections at hospitals or the ability to spend weeks at a time on the phone, a denied health-insurance claim can instantly bend the trajectory of a life toward bankruptcy and misery and death."

—

Adams et. al., driving their private cars on sidewalks, don't care if regular, vulnerable people are endangered daily by everyone who chooses entitlement, selfishness, or just plain willful ignorance.

—

New Yorkers, the next mayoral election is in 2025:

Until then, contact NY officials:

Even if they are already for / against an issue, it still makes a difference to tell them (source: they and volunteers for these offices say so themselves).

If you have the spoons, please help. If you're able to call, do that. People who are disabled, chronically ill, etc. have to do so much of this lifting alone while they're already exhausted.

[felassan]

Mass Effect: The Board Game - Priority Hagalaz (Official Trailer)

"Join Shepard, Garrus, Wrex, Liara, and Tali on one final, desperate mission. Set during the events of Mass Effect 3, the crew of the Normandy must uncover the sinister secrets of a downed Cerebrus cruiser before a deadly storm hits. However, hidden deep within the ship’s bowels is an even greater threat than they could have ever anticipated... Mass Effect: Priority Hagalaz - The Board Game is a cooperative, story-driven game for 1-4 players designed by Eric M. Lang and Calvin Wong Tze Loon 黃子倫. A branching narrative ensures a unique experience with each playthrough, evolving based on your actions. Early decisions in the heat of combat will have a lasting impact on your later missions. Renegade may be an efficient path to victory, but Paragon scores higher War Readiness. The choice is yours."

[source] [Pre-order link]

There is a trailer for the Mass Effect board game! ◕‿◕ It contains new voice lines by Mark Meer as Commander Shepard, concerning the story/mission of the game.

Transcript of Shepard’s lines:

“Admiral Hackett has a mission for us. Cerberus has outfitted a research cruiser to avoid our raids. It suffered a massive systems failure while hiding in the atmosphere over Hagalaz. The cruiser’s crashed on the planet. Normandy is the closest ship. There’s a deadly storm coming and we don’t have much time. Let’s get down there and find out what Cerberus is hiding. Several refugee ships have also gone off the grid. We think Cerberus might have them. Our orders are: keep the research data out of Cerberus’ hands. Retrieve it if possible. And rescue any captives we find along the way. Liara. Garrus. Tali. Wrex. You’re with me. We don’t know what we’re gonna find down there. Let’s get it done. Mass Effect the Board Game - Priority: Hagalaz. I’m Commander Shepard, and this is my favorite board game on the Citadel.”

[danishphoner]

recalling that one time when i got obsessed with tlsp interviews and might have gathered (almost) all of them for further cataloguing on tumblr but wasn't quite sure if they'd still be somewhat relevant in the present day lmao:

[niqhtlord01]

Humans are weird: The Monster I’ve Become

( Don’t forget to come see my on my new patreon and support me for early access to stories and personal story requests :D https://www.patreon.com/NiqhtLord )

Alfonso awoke to the sound of the doors to the interrogation cell slowly opening followed by two figures entering. Neither said anything to him as they entered and closed the door behind them. He eyed each carefully as they positioned themselves in the room but likewise said nothing. Both were Mendrari though by their clothing he could tell they were of different status.

The first wore a decorative robe of bright green with tiny red triangle patterns sewn into the fabric. This covered the majority of their body save for their hands and feet, both of which adorned with the finest off world shoes and gloves he had ever seen since coming to the planet. They sat down across from Alfonso at the table and set down the data pad they had been reading when they entered the room.

Unlike the first figure the second, who was lurking just outside of the cone of light provided by the lone light source of the room, was a far contrast in wardrobe. They wore a tight military uniform with Drenti metal fragments woven into the fabric essentially turning it into a sudo suit of armor.

Though he couldn’t make out much detail while they stood in the shadows, Alfonso saw a glint of crystal on the military figure’s shoulder indicating rank and wagered that they were at least a general in the Mendrari military; or whatever equaled to a general in the Terran Republic.

“Alfonso Muñoz,” the first figure at the table began, “do you know why you are here?”

Their native language was being translated by a linguistic unit attached to their throat. Even so, Alfonso found the experience unpleasant as it was like listening to two voices speaking at the same time.

“I will not answer questions until I am provided a Terran counsel.” Alfonso replied.

“This is not a human world,” the first figure replied dismissively, “you will not be provided a counsel for these proceedings.”

“I am a sovereign citizen of the Terran Republic and demand a-“

Alfonso never finished his sentence as the second military figure paced around the table and back handed him across the face. The blow wasn’t enough to break his jaw, yet a glob of blood fell from his mouth all the same. Mendrari skin having the same texture as sandpaper didn’t help the matter. Alfonso recovered from the blow feeling like his right check had been scraped clean off.

If the sudden violence was upsetting to the first figure they gave no sign of it. They merely waited for their military compatriot to finish before continuing.

“Given the severity of your crimes and the threat to our own security you present your government has not been informed of your detention.”

The words slowly sank into Alfonso as he straightened up and spat a thick glob of blood at the military figure’s feet.

“And here I thought your kind were above such crude tactics as kidnapping.” Alfonso chuckled. “And what sort of threat could I be if you already have me locked up in a cell?”

“A question I wish to have answered.” The first figure replied.

Entering several keys on their data pad a holographic panel appeared in the center of the table. Several images and transcripts began scrolling through the display while the first figure watched for any reaction from Alfonso.

“You have been identified as a leader of the terrorist organization D.A.A.I.F, or “Defense Against Alien Influence Front”.”

Alfonso shrugged. “It’s not a name I personally would have gone with, but you know about changing horses mid race and all.”

“We also know that the group has been planning a large attack scheduled to take place in the coming rotations; you will tell us the target and the method in which your compatriots will use.”

Alfonso leaned back in his chair and looked at the alien opposite him. “And why would I turn in my comrades, Mr… ?”

“Chu’ll,” The first figure replied before pointing to the second alien, “and this is Merg’ell.”

“And we both know they were not true comrades.” Chu’ll finished.

Alfonso said nothing as the holographic feeds changed and brought up only data regarding him. “We know that you only joined D.A.A.I.F five months ago and have never fully embraced their co leaders or values as an organization.”

“They hate your species, that’s enough for me.” Alfonso replied coldly, but Chu’ll shook his head.

“We know that their hate and your hate are not the same.” Chu’ll countered. “You were not at home with a group whose most dangerous attack to date has been a series robberies against banking institutions. You wanted more.”

“What are you expecting me to say?” Alfonso asked. “Do you think I’ll suddenly spill my guts and detail all my plans? Give out all the sources the group had? Beg for your forgiveness and plead for my life?”

“We are wasting our time with these games.” Merg’ell spoke for the first time.  Their hand shot out and latched around Alfonso’s throat and tightened. “Tell us what we want and you may spend your remaining days without constant pain.”

Alfonso felt the grip tighten more and more around his throat; the sandpaper like texture of Merg’ell’s skin adding even more discomfort and pain as he started gasping for breath.

Just as he was started to see shadows creeping from the corners of his eyesight his would be killer relented and released him.

Gasping for breath he could barely hear Chu’ll speaking to him once more.

“We know you were part of the first contact incident with our people. We understand that your feelings towards are kind must be-“

“You….understand…nothing.” Alfonso spoke between gasps. He would be damned if this alien piss sack would preach to him that they understood his feelings.

“You took my wife and child from me, burned my home to the ground, slaughtered my friends and family and left my world to burn.” Alfonso replied. His anger swelled within him like a raging fire as he remembered the day the Mendrari invaded. He could still see the lifeless eyes of his pregnant wife looking up at him as he sifted through the rubble of his home. He could smell the scent of her burning hair, and feel the warmth drain from her skin.

“If your wife was here with you now, would she still love the man you have become?”

As if ripped from his memories by Chu’ll’s words Alfonso looked up at the alien and watched as they recoiled slightly in their chair. His gaze was that of death itself as he teetered on the idea of lunging forward and ripping the throat out of the alien.

It took a moment but Alfonso finally calmed himself down and decided on another tact.

“Do you know how your sphere drives work?”

Whatever Chu’ll or Merg’ell had been expecting the human to reply this was not it.

“Excuse me?” Chu’ll asked for clarification.

“Your sphere drives.” Alfonso repeated. “Do you know how they work?”

Merg’ell slammed his fist into the table. “I said en-“

Chu’ll held up a hand and the military lackey ceased his outrage. He huffed and retreated back into the surrounding shadows while Chu’ll answered.

“Engineering was never my strong suit.” The alien admitted.

“Whereas it was mine during my previous life.” Alfonso answered with a grin. “I loved technology and observing all of the tiny intricacies of how a device works.”

Now invested in the discussion he leaned forward against the table. “You see unlike jump drives my people use which only sends the ship it is attached to, your sphere drives essentially make a bubble around the entire ship easily a few kilometers in size and launch it as a whole. This makes it safer for travel.”

“I fail to see what this has to do with the topic at hand.” Chu’ll spoke, but this only made Alfonso nod as if he had just been asked the correct question from a favorite student.

“It all ties in but since you’ve been patient I can explain.”

“You are right that D.A.A.I.F was incompetent, but what they did have was a well-established network of sympathizers and suppliers able to get whatever you needed if you could provide enough funds.”

Wheels began turning for Chu’ll and Alfonso saw a glint in the alien’s eye as he started putting the pieces together.

“The bank robberies…” he began as Alfonso nodded.

“A means to get enough funds to purchase several dozen of your sphere drives.”

“To supply an attack fleet?” Merg’ell spoke up, but Alfonso shook his head.

“You’d have seen that many ships coming several systems away; no, I had a much better idea for them.” He looked at Chu’ll and smiled as the threat of the unknown began to plague the alien’s mind.

“What did you do?”

“Have you ever wondered what would happen if a sphere drive was activated in atmosphere?” Alfonso asked.

“They would….” Chu’ll began as the final piece fit into place. “Oh my gods.”

“Exactly.” Alfonso finished. “They’d rip apart everything that was within their sphere and launch it hurtling into space leaving a gaping void in its wake!”

Merg’ell pulled out a communicator of his own. “This is Merg’ell to command; begin immediate orbital scans of major population centers for sphere drive energies.”

“Still so small.”

Merg’ell cut off the link to look down at the human who was now looking up at him.

“What did you say?” Merg’ell demanded as he hoisted the human up again; only this time Alfonso was far less afraid.

“You think I would settle my revenge with just a few cities?” the human mocked. “No; just as you took my world from me I shall take yours.”

“You speak of madness!” Merg’ell shouted as he shook the tiny human. “You could not destroy a planet with sphere drives.”

“That depends on your definition of destruction.” Alfonso remarked with a grin.

Merg’ell was going to demand the human to elaborate but they did so without provocation.

“When you punch enough holes in a ship it will eventually sink; so what do you think will happen when those sphere drives detonate in the atmosphere across this entire world at the same time?”

The horrific picture finally came into focus for both aliens as they were no longer dealing with a terrorist threat, but a global extinction level event.

“How do we stop it!”

Both aliens demanded, but Alfonso just grinned and closed his eyes as he heard a low rumbling far down the corridor of the complex he was held in.

“I activated their countdown sequence the moment you capture me. It’s already too late.”

[sprinklecipher]

How much Dialogue there is in Apollo Justice (in Graphs)

Made some graphs about the dialogue in AJ/AA4~

Total Dialogue by Episode

Total Dialogue by Character

(Character graphs broken out by episode and additional details below the cut)

Episode * Character

Overall, there's around 207,000 total words of dialogue in AA4, which is pretty much dead-on equivalent to AA2 (but unsurprisingly a good bit less than any of the 5-episode games--other than AA1, which only just barely edges it out).

Data source: I’m using a dataset that I put together pulling from the episode transcripts on the Ace Attorney wiki (which I did almost entirely via Python, but with a bit of manual cleanup). There’s bound to be some error resulting from that process, but the numbers should be pretty close.

Other graphs: I made similar graphs for the AA trilogy here (for dialogue by character) and here (for the dialogue by episode), and for the Investigations duology here

[delta-pavonis]

I would love to hear more about Raspberries and Rum?

*cackles*

OKAY. So this came from a conversation that I had with @wordsinhaled in, no joke, NOVEMBER 2022. And I still haven't written all of it. BUT some of the bits from our conversation are goddamned SOLID GOLD and I am cracking myself up all over again reading the transcript. [Important background science here (just read the title).] Here is me just copy-pasta-ing from Discord with no indication of who is saying what:

hob getting wasted on dream’s jizz because he tastes like a good mixed drink suddenly a thing i need to see Hob as New Inn bartender keeps trying to make a new rum cocktail with raspberry flavor and no one understands why referencing it makes Hob blush, it is just a reference to that cool space data, right? now suddenly need a 5+1 where hob keeps making dream trial raspberry rum cocktails until they find the Perfect One and dream is very bemused Gotta keep going back and comparing to the actual source material apparently raspberry season in the UK starts in june where he’s like fucking. up handmaking raspberry simple syrup in the middle of the night and dream is like “ah, offerings” Because, honestly, he is technically trying to figure out a way to have everyone who orders the drink get drunk on something that tastes like his husband's jizz? And I find that fucking hilarious? Definitely deranged Hob humor mainly because he’s like, do i want everyone to suck your dick? this is reserved for me but do i want everyone to know the JOY of this taste? perhaps However, first time a university student of his orders the cocktail, once it is on the menu, Hob has A Moment of Regret™️  just a moment though i wonder if dream is aware he tastes like this or if he just. came up with the most reasonable taste he felt he would have when composing his physical body, which of course would be nothing like human and of course some esoteric shit like didn’t even think about it once so he keeps trying this drink and being like yes my very competent bartender husband perfecting his fancy raspberry drink i am so proud but hob is looking perpetually more glinty around the eyes each time he gets closer to the mark and dream is like, cottoning on that Something Is Up eventually dream is like “there is some... significance here. that i am missing.” and hob has to turn around and hide his face in his hands because somehow he never thought he’d have to Explain what he was doing especially because i feel like this would be some shit hob would try to do one time in the middle of the night while planning the summer drinks menu and then somehow he’d be neck deep in recipes from google weeks later but then dream is fucking. super out of left field when he finds out like... “you are crafting a libation. to me.” and hob is like uhhhhhhh no???? not actually???? am i??? I mean... just... based... on you? Hob will argue semantics on this dream is like you’re distilling my essence into a drink that all your patrons will imbibe and hob is like uhhh maybe? uuuhhh... maybe I am? okay but dream like THAT’S KIND OF HOT and hob is like I WASN’T TRYING TO BE HOT I WAS BEING STUPID and dream is just. yes. my husband can be very stupid. and very hot "These two things are not mutually exclusive, my dear Hob." of course this has to culminate in “you mean to tell me you don’t know you taste like raspberries and rum? you just made yourself taste all... lovely and you had no idea?” “i had not the faintest idea, indeed.” “you’ve never...?” “i have had no occasion to... sample myself, as it were.” “sample... jesus. alright. what are you, an hors d’oeuvre at the department party?” “no. but it seems i could be its signature drink.” DREAM IS A LIL BITCH hob’s inner exhibitionist cackling at forcing his staid ass colleagues to drink this drink while dream broods in the corner indulgently eyeing his antics everyone like “wow robbie this is a GREAT cocktail mind if i nick the recipe off you” and hob is like “ah no actually, it’s a bit of a jealously guarded secret” NO. Dream overhears and that's how he introduces himself, the little shit "And you are?" "Oh, I am Hob's Jealously Guarded Secret."

Here is the first chapter of the 5+1 that is in that WIP file (under cut because NSFW - cw for drunkenness and blowjobs):

One: May

It starts as a joke. A joke in Hob’s head that he doesn’t tell anyone. Because he knows that after this many years walking God’s green Earth that he can have a slightly warped sense of humor. 

So Hob keeps his motivations to himself and dusts off his bartending skills, back from when he had just opened The New Inn and was still getting the staff up-to-snuff. And then he sets to work. 

He has to figure out the rum first. Actually, Hob knows exactly which rum he would like to use, the second batch of ron miel honey rum by Destilerías Arehucas produced shortly after they opened on Gran Canaria island in 1884, but as far as he can tell there are only three bottles of it left in the world and they are all in his personal collection. 

So Hob called some friends and obtained as wide a variety of current lines of Canary Island honey rum that he could manage. He bided his time until the next Friday night, poured out a shot of each in a row on his coffee table, and proceeded to get fantastically pissed.

(Could Hob have sipped and spit out the liquor as he tasted them? Sure. Was this more fun? Absolutely.)

It was only after Hob was well toasted that Dream sidestepped into his living room. 

Hob was off the couch and on his knees in front of Dream before he even really decided what to do with his drunk-ass self. He was nuzzling into the fly of familiar black jeans and Dream was letting out a surprised hiccup of a moan and Hob was pretty sure his brain had dissolved into giddy bubbles of lust and want.

Long fingers wound into Hob’s hair and held him there as he rocked forward, purring, “Why hello to you, too, Hob Gadling. I did not expect ah!” A gasp when Hob started peeling away the clothing. “Expect quite this manner of hospitality upon my arrival.”

“Gotta…” Hob had the single-minded determination only liquor could provide. “Need to check…”

Dream made a curious hum of an inquiry at that, but Hob didn’t have time to explain. The taste of the rum was already being diluted by all the saliva pooling in his mouth and he needed to compare them. 

It had been just over a year since His Stranger had walked back into his life. Slightly less than that since they realized what absolute idiots they were for each other. It was enough time, given the many many repetitions Hob had to practice, for him to get really fucking good at getting Dream off with his mouth.

Hob, in his infinite need to stroke his own ego, had timed it once. Well, more than once. Many times actually. The current record was 143 seconds from first press of lips to spend. Hob drunkenly thought he could do better than that. Not that he had his phone handy. Ah well, that wasn’t a good reason to not try.

Dream finished getting hard in Hob’s throat, sobbed as Hob swallowed repeatedly. His lover was shaking with it already, Hob preened distantly, and moved to press the tips of his fingers just so into Dream’s perineum. Another press and stroke behind Dream’s balls, this time while Hob sucked with his entire lung capacity as he backed away, and then the Lord Morpheus was coming with a strangled shout right onto Hob’s tongue.

Hob savored it for a moment, eyes closed, cataloging the taste, before swallowing and scrabbling away from Dream to the table. He grabbed the bottle of what he thought was the best flavor match and took a pull from it.

“Oh yeah,” Hob’s ass hit the floor with a thump. “That’s it.”

[anyab]

Via sdn.world and NasAlSudan

December 21

Amidst the recent developments in Sudan, it is crucial to prioritize the voices of the Sudanese people. We have curated a comprehensive resource that includes recommended accounts to follow and guidance on using specific hashtags to effectively amplify news: Follow these hashtags for updated information and to contribute to the conversation: #KeepEyesOnSudan #EyesOnDarfur #TalkAboutSudan #SudanUpdates #SaveSudan #السودان_خارج_التغطية_الإعلامية #انقذوا_السودان #لازم_تقيف #السودان_يستغيث #الدعم_السريع_مليشيا_ارهابية Your active participation using these hashtags will help bring attention to the unfolding events in Sudan.

Transcript:

Sudanese voices bring firsthand experiences and deep insights into the country's history, culture, society, and current affairs. Their works offer authentic and nuanced perspectives that external observers may not always capture.

@Bsonblast

@Kandakat_alhaqq

@Amjadalnour

@yousraelbagir

@MohanadElbalal

@Nasalsudan

@Oxdamoe

Transcript:

Sudan Action Week

An initiative to unite Sudanese individuals and their allies to educate, unify, and mobilize efforts toward supporting Sudan. Started on Dec 17, 2023.

Remaining Themes for the Week

20 dec contact your representatives

Discover various ways to contact your representatives and advocate for addressing the war in Sudan.

21 dec. Centering sudanese voices

Debunking hashtags and identifying the appropriate news sources on social media and online.

22 dec. Day of donation

Amplify and learn about fundraisers supporting Sudanese people currently on the ground in Sudan.

23 dec support sudani businesses

Explore ways to support Sudanese businesses, whether through online orders or in-store shopping.

24 dec. Honouring our martyrs

Reflect on and pay tribute to those who have lost their lives in the conflict.

Transcript:

Centering sudanese voices

Accounts to follow

@sdn.world

@ana.sudani

@tartola0123

@oxdamoe

@sudan.updates

@project.taghyir

@red_maat

@womenofsudan

@kandakamagazine

@darfurwomenaction

Twitter/ X:

@Kholoodkhair

@taggy_

@mazinB

@sudanwarmonitor

@HkZuk

QQueen Asadoya

@Dicktator117

QElbashirldris_

@minlayla77

@haneeenss

Transcript:

Centering sudanese voices

NEWS AGENCIES

www.SudanTribune.com

www.DabangaSudan.org

www.SudanWarMonitor.com

www.3ayin.com/en/

www.500WordsMag.com

www.Reuters.com

www.APnews.com

HUMANITARIAN DATA

www.ReliefWeb.com

UNOCHA- Situation Report

www.acleddata.com

JOURNALISTS

@yousraelbagir

@AIMigdadHassano

DAILY NEWS SWEEP

Sign up to the mailing list at

tinyurl.com/sudannewssweep

Transcript:

#KeepEyesonSudan

Coined in 2020, this is a prominent hashtag used by Sudanese people to consistently raise awareness about Sudan's ongoing issues

#EyesonDarfur

A variation of #Keepeyesonsudan to specifically center the atrocities that are happening in the Darfur, as they have traditionally been far more violent and with less media coverage

#TalkAboutSudan

A newly found hashtag is gaining traction to shed light on both the crisis in Sudan and the apathy toward Sudanese suffering.

#السودان_خارج_التغطية_الإعلامية

Translates 'Sudan is outside of international media coverage,' This aims to draw attention to the lack of international media focus on Sudan's issues

#SudanUpdates

An original and consistently used hashtag to share information regarding Sudan's situation and ongoing developments.

#لازم_تقيف

Translates to 'Ceasefire' or The war must stop,' it advocates for halting the ongoing conflicts.

#الدعم_السريع-مليشيا_ارهابية

Translates to the 'RSF is a terrorist militia,' this hashtag is used to expose the RSF's acts of violence.

Transcript:

#SaveSudan

In response to Sudan's humanitarian crisis and violent conflict. It's used to spotlight the dire conditions and the potential threat to Sudan's existence due to the ongoing war between the RSF & SAF.

#انقذوا_السودان

Translates to 'Save Sudan,' it`s among the prominent hashtags used by Arabic speakers to highlight the current crisis.

Transcript:

10 HASHTAGS FOR SUDAN

#KeepEyesOnSudan

#EyesOnDarfur

#TalkAboutSudan

#SudanUpdates

#SaveSudan

#السودان_خارج_نطاق_التغطية

#انقذوا_السودان

#لازم_تقيف

#السودان_يستغيث

#الدعم_السريع_مليشيا_ارهابية

[violetsandshrikes]

Since sharing this post about a usful AI used to compile and graph research papers, I've realised I have a few other resources I can share with people!

Note: I haven't had a chance to use every single one of these. A group of post-grad students has been slowly compiling an online list, and these are some I've picked out that are free (or should be free and also have paid versions). However, other students using them have all verified them as safe.

Inciteful (Using Citations to Explore Academic Literature | Inciteful.xyz) – similar to connectedpapers + researchrabbit. Also allows you to connect two papers and see how they are linked. Currently free.

Spinbot (Spinbot - Article Spinning, Text Rewriting, Content Creation Tool.) – article spinner + paraphraser. Useful for difficult articles/papers. Currently free (ad version).

Elicit (Elicit: The AI Research Assistant)  – AI research assistant, creates workflow. Mainly for lit reviews. Finds relevant papers, summarises + analyses them, finds criticism of them. Free (?)

Natural Reader (AI Voices - NaturalReader Home (naturalreaders.com)) – text to speech. Native speakers. Usually pretty reliable, grain of salt. Free + paid versions.

Otter AI (Otter.ai - Voice Meeting Notes & Real-time Transcription) – takes notes and transcribes video calls. Pretty accurate. Warn people Otter is entering call or it is terrifying. Free + paid versions.

Paper Panda (🐼 PaperPanda — Access millions of research papers in one click) – get research papers free. Chrome extension. Free.

Docsity (About us - Docsity Corporate) – get documents from university students globally. Useful for notes.

Desmos (Desmos | Let's learn together.) – online free graphing calculator. Free (?)

Core (CORE – Aggregating the world’s open access research papers) – open access research paper aggregation.

Writefull (Writefull X: AI applied to academic writing) – Academic AI. Paraphrasing, title generator, abstract generator, apparently ChatGPT detector now. Free.

Photopea (Photopea | Online Photo Editor) – Photoshop copy but run free and online. Same tools. Free.

Draw IO (Flowchart Maker & Online Diagram Software) – Flowchart/diagram maker. Free + paid versions.

Weava (Weava Highlighter - Free Research Tool for PDFs & Webpages (weavatools.com)) – Highlight + annotate webpages and pdfs. Free + paid versions.

Unsplash (Beautiful Free Images & Pictures | Unsplash) – free to use images.

Storyset (Storyset | Customize, animate and download illustration for free) – open source illustrations. Free.

Undraw (unDraw - Open source illustrations for any idea) – open source illustrations. Free.

8mb Video (8mb.video: online compressor FREE) – video compression (to under 8mb). Free.

Just Beam It (JustBeamIt - file transfer made easy) – basically airdrop files quickly and easily between devices. Free.

Jimpl (Online photo metadata and EXIF data viewer | Jimpl) – upload photos to see metadata. Can also remove metadata from images to obscure sensitive information. Free.

TL Draw (tldraw) – web drawing application. Free.

Have I Been Pwned (Have I Been Pwned: Check if your email has been compromised in a data breach) – lets you know if information has been taken in a data breach. If so, change passwords. Free.

If you guys have any feedback about these sites (good or bad), feel free to add on in reblogs or flick me a message and I can add! Same thing with any broken links or additions.

[lets-try-some-writing]

The Grim Dark Archives: Transcript #004 Higher Ups

[Transcript taken [Redacted: Sensitive data]. The following transcript is technically personal, but I've decided to put it here nonetheless. The conversation I had was with one of the higher ups who I will leave unnamed for privacy reasons. I was attempting to explain my reasoning behind my decision to... attempt further investigation into the aliens on my own.

I just can't sit here and listen as problems arise. [Redacted] is indeed useful when he feels like being so, but I refuse to wait around twiddling my thumbs while more horrors go on around me. I want to be proactive and learn as much as I can about this threat so that hopefully, when the time comes, I can do something to stop it.

Transcript begins.]

══════════════════

Agent Witwicky: Thank you for accepting my request for an audience BLANK.

BLANK: Of course.

Agent Witwicky: I am sure you saw my report and my detailed plan.

BLANK: I did, and I can't say I fully agree with it. I assume you came here to explain yourself?

Agent Witwicky: That would be correct, Sir.

BLANK: Go on then.

Agent Witwicky: Very well. I will try to keep things as concise as possible.

Agent Witwicky: To begin, I feel that we should begin looking more into the Autobot threat. They have claimed to be allies, but [Redacted] has proven this to be at least quite likely to be false. Not to mention these Decepticons have yet to do anything whereas the Autobots have already claimed civilian lives.

BLANK: And what exactly is your goal here Witwicky?

Agent Witwicky: I understand that it would be dangerous to dedicate a team to the task of understanding these aliens. And so I would like to suggest a singular agent be assigned this mission. That way if things fall through, this agent could be cut off from the government and claimed to be rogue, saving the US military from the ire of any potentially harmed parties.

BLANK: A sound suggestion. Let us imagine that you are this hypothetical agent for a moment. What would you be doing exactly?

Agent Witwicky: I would first get into contact with Agent Fowler and establish communications. He is by far the most knowledgeable and I would like to collect statements from him regarding the Autobots.

BLANK: That could be done without a dedicated mission.

Agent Witwicky: Yes, but what I would do after this would be less easy to accomplish for anyone tied down by military regulation.

Agent Witwicky: I would then take the risk of speaking to Optimus Prime in order to possibly acquire further information on Cybertron and its people. We currently have very little actual information. [Redacted] is a good source, but he only speaks on subject we inquire upon. I would like to dig deeper, to ask the Prime himself about Cybertron and its history. Maybe then we can determine the best course of action.

BLANK: That goes far beyond what we need to keep them in line.

Agent Witwicky: I need to know Sir. I need to understand these beings. Don't we have agents sent to other countries to understand them? Why can we not have an agent here to understand the aliens too? They could have valuable data, maybe even information on other worlds for NASA to use-!

BLANK: Enough. I understand Witwicky. Let us drop all pretenses here. What do you intend to do?

Agent Witwicky: I want to interact with the Autobots personally, to get their statements and stories. The more we know, the better chance we have of fighting back. I don't intend to tell [Redacted] about my visits either. Having two sources of information will help us pick out what is real and what are lies.

BLANK: We can make you a Diplomat. But I see that look in your eyes, that isn't the extent of what you want to do. Right?

Agent Witwicky: Correct Sir. I also want to look into the children. I want to see the changes they undergo and hopefully gain greater insight through them.

Agent Witwicky: Rafael runs a blog. He hasn't posted much, just a few thoughts every couple of days. But [Redacted] has implied that he will join the Archive, an organism of knowledge. A human mind cannot handle huge amounts of data, so there must be an outlet for all of it. I want to see how his thoughts change.

BLANK: You want him to be a test subject?

Agent Witwicky: Isn't he already one? We can't get him out now. So the best thing he can do for humanity is show how he is changing.

BLANK: ...

Agent Witwicky: The girl, Miko, she has a journal and a sketch book. I intend to get access to those things and transcribe the information they hold. Miko is the only one out of the children who is unaware of her situation. I want to see how that changes her view and if she can pick up anything we can't.

BLANK: I see...

Agent Witwicky: Then there is the older boy, Jack Darby, Arcee's target. He is by far the most interesting at present. He has been issued regular conversations with the military sanctioned therapist, correct? I want access to those recordings. Jack must hear things we could never comprehend. He must know so much more than us-

BLANK: Witwicky, what are you really after here?

Agent Witwicky: What do you mean? I've already said that I want to understand our potential enemies to help us fight back more effectively-

BLANK: No Witwicky. You have a personal investment here. What are you actually hoping to get from all this?

Agent Witwicky: ...

Agent Witwicky: I want knowledge. [Redacted] is hardly explaining anything. I hate having missing pieces in my puzzle.

BLANK: I see.

BLANK: ...

BLANK: Your orders will be issued soon. Consider yourself no longer outwardly affiliated with the United States Military. We will fund you and you will have access to everything you need, but if you are discovered, you will have no protection. Do you understand Sam?

Agent Witwicky: Yes Sir. When can I begin my work?

BLANK: As soon as you feel ready. Keep this information from [Redacted] as long as possible. He's already proven capable of violence when threatened.

══════════════════

[Transcript ends.

The higher ups were dubious about granting me my new position, but they will understand with time. It's going to be dangerous, that's for sure. But this way we will learn so much more about our enemies. Especially with [Redacted] here as well.

I don't mean to use the children, but considering they are all but lost causes, I think its for the best to just... make the best of their situation. Learn what we can so that no others share their fate.

Here's hoping the Decepticons are less convoluted.

Agent Witwicky signing off.

Recording end.]

[adbros]

30 ways to make real; money from home

Making money online from the comfort of your home has become increasingly accessible with the growth of the internet and digital technologies. In 2023, there are numerous realistic ways to earn money online. Here are 30 ideas to get you started:

1. Freelance Writing: Offer your writing skills on platforms like Upwork or Freelancer to create blog posts, articles, or website content.

2. Content Creation: Start a YouTube channel, podcast, or blog to share your expertise or passion and monetize through ads, sponsorships, and affiliate marketing.

3. Online Surveys and Market Research: Participate in online surveys and market research studies with platforms like Swagbucks or Survey Junkie.

4. Remote Customer Service: Work as a remote customer service representative for companies like Amazon or Apple.

5. Online Tutoring: Teach subjects you're knowledgeable in on platforms like VIPKid or Chegg Tutors.

6. E-commerce: Start an online store using platforms like Shopify, Etsy, or eBay to sell products.

7. Affiliate Marketing: Promote products or services on your blog or social media and earn commissions for sales made through your referral links.

8. Online Courses: Create and sell online courses on platforms like Udemy or Teachable.

9. Remote Data Entry: Find remote data entry jobs on websites like Clickworker or Remote.co.

10. Virtual Assistance: Offer administrative support services to businesses as a virtual assistant.

11. Graphic Design: Use your graphic design skills to create logos, graphics, or websites for clients on platforms like Fiverr.

12. Stock Photography: Sell your photos on stock photography websites like Shutterstock or Adobe Stock.

13. App Development: Develop and sell mobile apps or offer app development services.

14. Social Media Management: Manage social media accounts for businesses looking to enhance their online presence.

15. Dropshipping: Start an e-commerce business without holding inventory by dropshipping products.

16. Online Consultations: Offer consulting services in your area of expertise through video calls.

17. Online Surplus Sales: Sell unused items or collectibles on platforms like eBay or Facebook Marketplace.

18. Online Fitness Coaching: Become an online fitness coach and offer workout plans and guidance.

19. Virtual Events: Host webinars, workshops, or conferences on topics you're knowledgeable about.

20. Podcast Production: Offer podcast editing, production, or consulting services.

21. Remote Transcription: Transcribe audio and video files for clients.

22. Online Translation: Offer translation services if you're proficient in multiple languages.

23. Affiliate Blogging: Create a niche blog with affiliate marketing as the primary revenue source.

24. Online Art Sales: Sell your artwork, crafts, or digital art on platforms like Etsy or Redbubble.

25. Remote Bookkeeping: Offer bookkeeping services for small businesses from home.

26. Digital Marketing: Provide digital marketing services like SEO, PPC, or social media management.

27. Online Gaming: Stream your gaming sessions on platforms like Twitch and monetize through ads and donations.

28. Virtual Assistant Coaching: If you have experience as a VA, offer coaching services to aspiring virtual assistants.

29. Online Research: Conduct research for businesses or individuals in need of specific information.

30. Online Real Estate: Invest in virtual real estate, such as domain names or digital properties, and sell them for a profit.

Remember that success in making money online often requires dedication, patience, and the ability to adapt to changing trends. It's essential to research and choose the opportunities that align with your skills, interests, and long-term goals.