#digital parking meters

[jefkphotography]

Digital parking meter display, in The Netherlands.

[fucksurass]

PIP BOOPS YOU

Dont look under the cut. If you know whats good for you.

HE BOOPS YOU 5000000 TIMES

[gardens-light]

On The Run

After discovering Optimus Prime in your family barn, normality seemed to briefly throw itself out of the window.

The leader of the Autobots couldn't be anymore in your debt. For as you spend every waking moment putting him back together- repairing and replacing parts of him to the best of your skill.

Admittedly, he almost gave up on humanity. As time seemed to prove itself that they would always look after their own, and protect what's theirs- no matter the cost. Betrayal unleashed it's ugly face to him multiple times, slapping him with the reality that Earth may not be safe for him and his Autobots anymore.

Yet here you stand before him. A warm smile with an aura of glittering hope, burning away his darkness of doubt. It was as though the Universe itself spoke through you, giving Optimus a warmth he thought was forgotten long ago. But he cannot help wander... how far could his trust in you really go...?

Content: Mild coarse language. Events takes place in Transformers- Age of Extinction. (Minor spoilers.) Mention of weaponry. Reader insert.

Word count- 2,800k

Sparkmate Series: Part 1 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 (End)

"Don't move like that."

Your hands pressed against Optimus' chest plate as you stood upon the scaffolding.

"The welds are still fresh. Transforming back into your truck form could ruin them- it would be like undoing stitches on a wound."

His Spark burst like small firecrackers as your delicate fingers brushed across his chassis. Jolts of electricity rush through his wires, as your touch run up towards his neck. Heat swept through his metal plates, as you reached up towards his cheek.

"You still need to heal, Big Guy. You of all people should know these things takes time..."

Optimus' optics snapped open. Your touch still lingering upon his chest plate like a ghostly inferred sensation. The memory of the previous hours of the day, playing on repeat within his processors. The haze of sleepiness soon rubbed off, his surroundings becoming faminular again.

His optics scanned the barn, the nocturnal wildlife outside disturbed the still night air. Your small whimpers of your voice caught his attention, Optimus' spark gave a warming glow as he looked down at you.

Engine grease staining your hands, as you curled up upon an old couch. Sleeping peacefully on your side, resting your head in the crook of your elbow.

Optimus' servo touched his lower abdomen, his digits feeling a fresh weld stretching up his side. A gentle sigh left him.

She must of pulled another all nighter.

Grabbing a blanket with his free servo, Optimus carefully draped it along your body. Allowing the tip of his index finger to trace your curves.

His Spark hummed, filling his chest with gentle warmth. Optimus quickly pulled away from you, placing his servo over his Spark.

No. Closing his optics, a heavy sigh left his mouth. Shaking his helm before the thought could permanently fixed itself to his processors. Nothing like that exists. It's just a romanticide idea...

---

"Y/N!" Tessa's voice shouted from the porch.

Stopping mid-weld upon Optimus' side. Gently tapping on the metal sheet, signaling for the Autobot to hold it in place while you pulled down your goggles around your neck.

"I don't like the tone of her voice..." you looked up at Optimus. He saw the worry shining in your eyes. "Hold that tightly, it's only half welded. Hide in there."

His optics followed your pointed finger, "go underneath the floorboards. It might be cramped for you, but it keep you be safe. Don't come out till I say."

Quickly leaving the barn and closing the door behind you. Swallowing down your nerves, as the sight of multiple black cars parked all across the gravel driveway and front lawn. Followed by your dad's truck.

"Oh no..."

A helicopter hovered a few meters away from the house. Disturbing the still air. As soon as the black vehicles parked, multiple heavy armoured individuals got out and scouted the farm.

A man wearing a leather jacket and sunglasses approached you, as your dad came to your side.

"Sweetie..?"

"I donno, Dad-"

"Mr Cade Yeager, my name is James Savoy. I'm a federal agent." Savoy took a look around the property. "My men and I are trying to track down an abandoned truck."

You watched one of the men walk past Tessa. Her eyes staring something in her hands, her fingers playing with the object. You saw her adjusting her breath to a calm rhythm, before looking up in your direction.

"It's a nice spread you've got here." Your attention turned back to Savoy. "Too bad she's up for sale."

"Thanks, and she's not." Cade boldly spoke. "And do you mean that truck?" he pointed to an vintage ute covered in rust, the grass and flowers started to reclaim it for many years now.

"Afraid not... y'know Mr Yeager. We received a call from someone whom is concerned about this truck. That wasn't you?"

You briefly glanced daggers to Tessa's direction. She quickly shook her head rapidly, using her index finger to draw a cross over her heart.

"The only thing I'm concerned about is you being on my property without permission."

Savoy scoffed at your dad's words.

"You know, there's a rule about people messing with people from Texas-"

"And we don't know what truck you're talking about."

Savoy took a step towards you, taking off his sunglasses allowing his narrowed stare to burn into your eyes. "The kind that cost American lives!... Ma'am..."

Savoy studied your firm expression before turning back to his men, "search the property!"

"What? What you mean 'search the property'? You don't have a warrant!" Cade protested.

Savoy glared at him, stepping into Cade's personal space. "My face is my warrant"

You swallowed nervously, trying to keep steady shallow breaths as you watched the men move throughout the farm. Roaming into the house and approaching the barn. Voices scratched over their radios, as the buzz of drones flew above.

Cade turned and looked at you, "what is going on Y/N?-"

"I don't know, Dad..."

His brown eyes studied you, "you sure?... I'm happy to vouch for you but I need to know what it is."

You hesitated before speaking, " I. Don't. Know..."

---

"The fuck is all this junk?"

"A hoarder's yard. That's what."

Optimus looked up at the floorboards, hearing voices and footsteps of the agents entering the barn. Trying to lower himself further down in the cramped floor space, his face wincing in pain as the half welded sheet dug into his thighs. Automatically covering it up with his servo.

"Clear!"

"Clear!"

A groan escaped from an agent's lips. His footsteps retreating back to the barn doors, "there's no signs. We've got nothing."

Optimus rested his helm against the dirt wall.

"Sir! We have a live armed missile in the trash!"

The Autobot's wide optics quickly glanced up back up.

Oh no... Y/N!!

---

"Shit..." you hissed under your breath. Feeling Cade's questioning daggers immediately turning your way.

"I-I thought it was a dud." You lowly admitted. Hands clenched into fists.

Savoy's glaze switched between you and Cade.

"Look! Okay, yes. Yes, I found a truck. All right!" you admitted.

Tessa kept shaking her head. Cade leaned towards you, muttering your name.

"I towed it back for the parts, and left it here on the driveway last night. This morning it was gone." You gazed at Savoy. "When? Where? I don't know- I swear to God. That's as much as I know about him!"

You tried to approach Tessa. Eyes staring at the ground, Cade's voice shouted questions at you as he followed. But Savoy grabbed your arm.

"Ma'am-"

"What?-"

"You just said 'him'." Savoy smiled as your terrified expression told him everything. "Take them down!"

Your heart jumped into your throat. Fear running up your spine, as the agents forcefully grabbed Cade and Tessa, throwing them down against the grass.

"They don't know about the truck!" you protested. "I know! I know about it! Please, let them go!"

Savoy grabbed your jaw, forcefully making you look at him. "What kind of woman betrays her flesh-and-blood brethren, for some alien metal?"

"He's more human than you ever be!"

He groaned, wiping your spit away from his face. Savoy's fist made contact with your face, two agents restrained you by the arms holding you up. As Savoy grabbed your jaw again.

Clicking his fingers, the agents restraining Cade and Tessa pulled out their weapons. Clocking the gun and removing the safety.

"You'd kill my family?!-"

"If I have to. You've got ten seconds to tell me where the truck is."

Cade fought against the agent whom knelt against his back. "Don't you fucking dare touch my daughters! Hurt them and I'll kill you!"

Tears ran down Tessa's face as she yelled out for you and Cade. The sound of a gunshot made you flinch.

"Next one will go through your father's head." Savoy warned. "Now, the truck-"

"I've told you everything I know!" you protested. "He was here, and now he's gone! That's all I swear!"

---

"I'm telling you the truth!" your voice cried. Hearing the pain in your tone made Optimus' Spark weep. "He's not here! I swear! He's not here!"

"Tell your men to back off! Don't you dare fucking shoot my daughters!"

"Y/N! Y/N! Please!"

The cries from you and your family wurld around Optimus' head. Hearing Savoy countdown from ten, as he continued yelling his demands at you.

Optimus withdraw his cannon from his back plates. Clocking it, allowing the weapon to light up and wurl. Allowing his face guard to untuck from his faceplate and cover his mouth.

Let's roll!

Erupting from underground, Optimus opened fire at his enemies. Blowing them out of the way, and reducing the barn to splinters.

"Here I am!" his machical voice roared, standing at his full height. Allowing all to see him.

His Spark pulsating fast as his optics laid on you. Rage filled him as he changed the output of his cannon, firing non-lethal EMP's in your direction.

"Stay away from her!"

You knelt to the ground, using your arms to shield you from the blast as the agents flew away from you. Tessa and Cade quickly rushed to your side.

"What the fuck is going on?" Cade yelled over the comotion.

"Run Y/N!" you looked up at Optimus as his cannon returned to deadly rounds. "They're going to kill you! Get out of here!"

Heeding the Autobot's warning, grabbing your sister and dad by their hands. Running towards the wheatfield on the left of the farm. Two missiles came from above. Turning your once family home into nothing but rubble.

Without warning the sound of a car engine roared in the air, quickly stopping at the bottom of the wheatfield. As a white Hatchback raced down the hill, and came skidding to a halt before the three of you.

The passenger door flew open. "Hurry! Get in the car!" the male driver yelled.

"Daddy! Y/N! Get in the car!" Tessa shouted. Shoving your dad into the front passenger seat, and trying to pull you into the back with her.

"What about Optimus? We can't just leave him!-"

"Stop protesting, Y/N! And get in the car!"

"Perimeter! Optimus moving your way!" Savoy yelled into the receiver of his radio.

Optimus looked ahead. Breathing a little easier, once his scanners assured him you were at a safe distance. Seeing the Hatchback race down the road, a low groan escaped Optimus' mouth as he crouched down. Forcing his metal plates to shift, loud churning noises rumbled throughout his mechanical body, as he transformed back into a truck.

You and Tessa clung onto the roll cage for dear life, as the hatchback raced down the open fields.

"What's happening, baby? Who are these guys?" the male driver asked Tessa, looking at her reflection through the rearview mirror.

"It's the truck!" she yelled over the engine. "They want my sister's truck!-"

"Truck?! What truck?!" Cade looked at you over his shoulder. He turned to Tess, "who are 'they'?" his attention fell back onto the male driver. "Who are you? And who the hell are you calling, 'baby?'-"

Tessa and the driver paused.

"I know you heard me!-"

"He's Tessa's boyfriend!" you cried out.

Cade's eyes widened, "what?-"

"His name is Shane! I saw him leaving Tessa's room in his underwear!"

"What?!-"

Tessa punched your arm, "well Y/N brought home a Transformer!"

You punched her back. "If you're going to tell a secret. At least get it right! Optimus was already in the barn!"

"At least I tried to keep your secret!-"

"If we survive this. You two girls have a lot of explaining to do!" Cade shouted.

You and Tessa slouched back in the rear seats.

Shane bit his lip, hesitating for a moment before speaking. "Mr Yeager, this was not how I wanted us to meet ok?-"

"Introduction later!" Cade yelled. "Just shut up and drive the car!"

Two black cars appeared in Shane's rearview mirror. Putting the accelerator closer to the ground, the Hatchback raced through the neighboring paddocks.

"I'm going to try and lose them in the cornfield!" Shane spoke over the roaring engine, as he took a sharp right turn. Driving down a dirt road, kicking up dust and dirt behind him.

A scream left your mouth, as your wide-eyed gaze saw one of the black cars quickly emerging from the tall corn. "Watch out!-"

"Brace for impact!"

Heeding Shane's warning, you and Tessa grabbed hold of the handles above the passenger door. Reaching out for one another, as the car t-boned into the side of Shane.

Screams filled the car, as everyone tried to shield their eyes from the rain of glass. Forcing the Hatchback off the dirt track and into the tall field, Shane kept surprising control of the car. The vehicle swerved in and out of trees.

The speed chase continued onto the main road. Shane weaved in and out of oncoming traffic, effortlessly changing lanes and avoiding pedestrians. Other drivers bleeped their horns and flashed their headlights.

Tessa scrunched up her face, as the sound of crashing cars piled up behind as Shane drove through red lights. And sped through traffic.

Your heart beat hard against your ribcage. Anxiety and adrenaline raced through your veins. Closing your eyes and placing a hand over your stomach as Shane drifted around a corner.

"Great! Now they're firing at us!" Tessa said as bullets ricocheted off the Hatchback.

You and her quickly braced yourselves against the driver and front passenger seat.

"Man! I don't know how I'm driving so good!" Shane exclaimed with a smile. "It's like, today I've gone to a whole other level-"

"Road! Focus!" Cade shouted.

"Shane! Look out!" he drifted around another corner as Tessa's warning came to him.

Your stomach turned into a sickening knot, "I honestly don't know how long I can hold myself together-"

"Y/N! If you throw up on my jeans. I will never forgive you!"

You looked up at Tessa, giving her questioning eyes. "That's your concern right now?!-"

"Hang on!" Shane momentarily stopped the car. Skidding to the side, before putting his foot down on the pedal again and crashing through an empty cafe.

Exiting through the back alley and down an old, forgotten road.

"Lose them through the factory, Shane!"

"You got it, Babe!"

Racing around the empty car park of an abandoned factory. Swerving around corners and driving through large gaps in the building.

"I thought you knew how to drive this thing!" you shouted, as it appeared nothing Shane did was working in losing the tail chasers.

Optimus' Spark raced through his wires, as he drifted and turned through the factory. His scanners having a hard time keeping track of the little Hatchback. Metal plates shifted and groaned as he unleashed his full height, jumping from roof to roof of the factory in an attempt to keep up with you.

You quickly looked out the back window, as Optimus' voice called out for you. Your eyes widening as he rolled in the way of the black cars, causing them to slam into him and setting alight upon collision.

"Take them upstairs!" Tessa pointed from the backseat.

"We're gonna lose them on the fifth floor!" Shane agreed.

The knot in your stomach tightened as the Hatchback entered a multi-story car park. Your skin turned pale, bracing yourself against the back of your dad's seat, as the car drifted around corners and moved up the levels.

"Do that thing, Shane!"

"You know it-"

"What? What thing?" your panicky tone questioned.

"What we're about to do is gonna be kinda scary." Somehow Shane's tone didn't sound much of a warning, as he failed to hide the excitement in his tone.

Pressing the accelerator fully against the floor, Shane looked at Tessa through the rearview mirror. "Ready, Babe?"

"Got it" she said, leaning as far forward as she could. Grabbing onto the handbrake.

"Three. Two. One.. Pull!"

At Shane's command, Tessa pulled the handbrake as hard as she could. Causing the car to sharply stop, then turn right and continue racing towards a ramp that hung out of a window.

"No! No! No!" Cade cried.

The pit of your stomach lifted during the brief seconds of weightlessness. Until it dropped hard once gravity pulled you back down. A high pitch scream left your mouth, hands clutching into the back of Cade's seat, ripping the fabric. As you closed your eyes tightly.

By some miracle the Hatchback roughly landed on a ramp upon the ground. The two black cars behind you wasn't so lucky.

"You two girls are so grounded!" Cade shouted, as Shane drifted around one more corner.

Churning and clunking noises begun to erupt from the engine. The car finally came to an abrupt halt, as Shane slammed on the breaks.

Smoke begun to leak out of the hood.

"Shit! We gotta go!"

Shane and Cade quickly got out of the Hatchback. Optimus blared his horn, rolling up a few feet behind.

"Optimus!" you shouted as Cade helped you get out of the car.

The four of you ran towards the rusty truck. Quickly dodging the rain of bullets from above. Once safely inside, the Autobot sped out of the car park and raced towards the entrance to the highway.

[ronearoundblindly]

For your Valentine's ask game: #7 Jake Jensen x reader, idk why but it seems fitting 😂

Shut Up, Jensen, one of my Valentine's Fics for 2024!

Oh, this poor, poor, awkward perv. He's pervy until there's a naked lady around and then 😳 "...when I was four, I shoved pennies up my nose..." Seriously, boi, shut up!

Warnings for spice, i.e. a setup to smutty times, but mostly suggestive. MINORS DNI, just to be safe. There's plenty for you to read on my Light Masterlist, but this one is not for you! WC 1042

You’ve always had a soft spot for nerds, and now, that’s translating to a damp spot on your fanciest panties you wore for this date.

Jake Jensen goofy-grinned his way through the entire evening, making you almost snort a tequila sunrise through your nose, and he never let up. The humor made you comfortable. It’s endearing to see his nervousness right on his graphic-T sleeve as opposed to being ‘manly’ and aloof.

It’s so, so refreshing to hear someone say, “I’m having a great time,” “I don’t want the night to end,” and know deep down in your bones that they mean “spending this time with you has made me happy” instead of “I’ve done enough to get laid now, right?”

Unsurprisingly, it does mean Jake’s done enough to get laid.

You give him your address so he could park his Jeep outside your building. There are parking meters, but tomorrow is Sunday when they’re free. No big deal. You left the bar (which was after the restaurant, which was after the coffee shop) a minute or two before in order to meet him at one of the open spots and walk him in. He can’t meet you at your door because there is a locked gate to your courtyard, and then a keypad for your building, and then about three corridors to navigate. It’s just easier to show him the way.

You can hear that fucking car coming a mile away.

Jake smiles and waves as he parallel parks—with extreme precision, you note—then hops out, gesturing to the meter questioningly.

“Don’t worry about it,” you shrug, jumping to the edge of the curb before he steps up so you can use the height for a kiss on his cheek.

It’s adorable how flustered he gets at just that tiny bit of affection. Though it’s dark, it’s obvious he blushes ferociously, rubbing at the back of his cropped, short hair, racing to gather his thoughts.

“Did you know there are almost three hundred ways to make change for a dollar? Two hundred ninety-three to be ex—woah—“

You grab his hand to lead him inside.

At the gate, you have to pause for the magnetic lock.

“I’m surprised those things even take change anymore,” Jake muses quietly, courteous for the neighbors’ sake, “because physical money only makes up 8% today’s currency…in the whole world.” He slides past the thick steel grating. “Thank you, digital banking.”

He follows behind you in the maze of concrete paths to the next entry.

“People leave like half a million dollars worth of loose change at airport security. That’s a little shocking,” he whispers when you motion for him to take a left, “think you’d splurge for some decent toilet paper with that kind of dough, or maybe some more cup holders in those row-seats? They could, I don’t know, offset the cost of making pennies. Shit cost two cents. Is worth one. Wild…

“Meanwhile, a dime has 118 ridges on the rim of the smallest circumference.”

Doesn’t even matter what he’s saying, the more his plump pink lips move, the more insanely turned on you get. You have to crowd him through your own doorway before you start stripping in the middle of the hall.

You peel your blouse off the instant your keys clatter onto the dinette table. You spin around to grab him by the screen-printed emblem of his t-shirt.

“There are 1.4 billion $2 bills in circulation.”

He gives a little oof sound when his back hits one of your bedroom walls, and there’s a barely audible whimper as your hands snake up under soft, well-worn fabric.

Holy shit, is this boy cut!

Your thumbs actually catch on the deep ridge of his Adonis belt. Dimes got nothing on you, Jake Jensen…

His breathing has changed significantly. “Did you know they—“ he gasps and swallows “—still make those?”

Ok, why is it hotter when he’s not even trying?

“Fun fact: if you went to Zimbabwe, guess which currency you’d…use?” The neckline of his shirt has to pop over his glasses before he fixes them. “The U.S. Dollar. Seriously! Same damn mon—EH.”

His belt buckle is tricky to navigate from this angle and in the very low light of your bedside lamp. You give up on his pants to unzip your skirt at the hip and let it fall.

Jake stands perfectly still with his hands half-raised.

“You’re…really fucking pretty—sorry—really pret—sexy, not that I—but beautiful. You’re really—”

He sucks in a breath as you step within inches of him again, reaching up to carefully pull his glasses over his ears and place them by the lamp.

“Fuck…”

Your index finger tucks into the elastic of his boxers where they peek out above the belt.

“Yeah, so I’ve been—I’m—I don’t have a—what I’m trying to say is—“ he squeezes his eyes shut and wiggles his fingers higher in the air, searching for the right thought “—the most commonly printed bill is actually the one-hundr—“

“Jake,” you interrupt, gently smoothing your hands over his thick shoulders. He is so ripped, what the hell? You guess there are nerds and then there are nerds, wow…

“Do you want to continue?”

He nods super fast, eyes growing wide in panic.

“Good.”

You smash your lips to his, hauling him down and you up by the sturdy tower of muscle he is.

“Condoms are in the drawer,” you mutter between breaths.

He lets out a high, choked whine before clamping his huge, warm hands to your waist, melting into you and your touch.

You coax the both of you toward the bed, swatting at his belt as a signal for him to help, and he does, though he’s not the greatest multitasker. He huffs and smirks, breaking the kiss so he can unlatch, unbutton, and unzip.

Then he looks up at you. 

“So you like movies…?”

You cup his jaw in your hand and pinch, a gentle peck on his lips as encouragement to focus. “Less talking, more fucking, Jensen.”

He opens his mouth, clearly running through a series of replies, but thinks better of it and  pushes down his pants and boxers all at once.

Lloyd Hansen and a kiss on a place of insecurity ⬅️ ➡️ Steve Rogers and a kiss on a scar

[Main Masterlist; Ko-Fi]

@supraveng @1950schick @patzammit @whiskeytangofoxtrot555 @yiiiikesmish @ashesofblackroses @spectre-posts @jaqui-has-a-conspiracy-theory @brandycranby @buckysprettybaby @ellethespaceunicorn @peyton--warren Y'all getting sick of me yet???

[satoshi-mochida]

Ever 17: The Out of Infinity and Never 7: The End of Infinity remasters coming west on March 6, 2025 - Gematsu

Spike Chunsoft will release the newly announced remastered versions of Ever 17: The Out of Infinity and Never 7: The End of Infinity digitally for PlayStation 4, Switch, and PC via Steam in the west, day and date with their Japanese and Asian release on March 6, 2025, the companies announced.

Ever 17: The Out of Infinity will be priced at $29.99 and Never 7: The End of Infinity will be priced at $19.99. A “Ever 17 / Never 7 Double Pack” containing both titles will also be available digitally for $44.99.

Both titles will support English, Japanese, and Traditional Chinese text options with Japanese voice-overs.

Here is an overview of the games, via Spike Chunsoft:

About the Series

The Infinity series is a science fiction suspense adventure game series released in Japan in the early 2000s by KID Co., Ltd., a company known for its work on numerous adventure games. The series is characterized by a world where time loops exist. Each installment features an independent story, allowing players to enjoy elements of science fiction, suspense, and mystery in each one.

About Ever 17 : The Out of Infinity

Save me from this cage of infinity. Takeshi Kuranari, an ordinary college student, visits the underwater theme park LeMU. An accident occurs, trapping Takeshi and 6 other individuals inside LeMU, 51 meters below the surface. With no hope of rescue, Takeshi explores LeMU along with the mysterious girl Tsugumi and part-time employee You, searching for a way to escape to the surface. A theme park of dreams and hopes sunk in the depths of the mysterious blue ocean. Can dreams and hopes still be found there? Or is there some other mystery lurking? Overcoming one crisis after another, they search for a way to escape.

About Never 7: The End of Infinity

To the promise we once made and the place we must return. The protagonist, Makoto Ishihara, had the worst possible awakening. He had a dream in which a girl died a tragic death right in front of his eyes. The seminar training camp was supposed to go off without a hitch… or so Makoto believed. April 6th… The day everything changed. The uneasiness turned in to despair, and the premonition turned into calamity… Will Makoto be able to stop the tragedy and see the light of the morning on Day 7?

About Ever 17 / Never 7 Double Pack

Stand up to the fate of infinity! Two classic visual novels written by Kotaro Uchikoshi make their way to the West after over two decades of initial Japanese release! Enjoy the science fiction, mystery and love stories in Ever 17 / Never 7 Double Pack!

Visit the official English website here.

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

Uplift Underway in Finland’s Kvarken Archipelago

Some 20,000 years ago, during the Last Glacial Maximum, the Baltic Sea sat under a sheet of ice as thick as 3,000 meters (10,000 feet). Scientists estimate that the weight of that ice pressed the land down more than 500 meters (1,600 feet).

Since the glaciers receded and the weight was lifted, the land has been bouncing back. The rates of uplift, known as glacial isostatic adjustment or isostatic rebound, in this region are among the highest on Earth. By one estimate, 700 hectares of new land—about twice the size of Central Park in New York City—rise from the sea each year along the coast of the Gulf of Bothnia, the Baltic Sea’s northern arm.

This uplift is especially apparent in the Kvarken Archipelago of Finland. The area, seen in this image acquired by the OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 8, is an agglomeration of islands that is constantly changing as the land rises. Its approximately 5,600 islands and 2,400 kilometers (1,500 miles) of shoreline form labyrinthine waterways that present hazards to ships but exploration opportunities for canoers and kayakers. The Kvarken Archipelago, along with the High Coast region across the gulf in Sweden, is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The terrain emerging from the sea has revealed remarkable glacial formations. On and around the island of Björkö, shown in this detailed view, unique features known as De Geer moraines have surfaced thanks to isostatic rebound. These washboard-like ridges form when water running beneath the ice deposits boulders, stones, and finer material at the ice edge. When the ice retreats or a large block breaks away, another moraine begins to form at the new edge.

De Geer moraines typically measure 1 to 2 kilometers long and 2 to 5 meters high, spaced 50 to 200 meters apart. Scientists think their presence and spacing are related to the speed of ice-margin retreat, the water depth in which they were formed, and the terrain beneath the ice. LiDAR-based digital elevation models have recently revealed the existence of more De Geer moraines in southern and western Finland than previously realized.

The constant emergence of new land after the ice’s disappearance affected how people ultimately developed the area. For example, the land on which the town of Vaasa was founded was a forested island in the early 14th century. The island later merged with the mainland, and Vaasa grew throughout the 17th and 18th centuries as a thriving harbor and trading point. Still, the land continued to rise, causing the coastline to migrate farther and farther from the town. In August 1852, a napping peddler’s pipe ignited a fire that destroyed much of the settlement. Officials took the opportunity to reestablish Vaasa about 6 kilometers (4 miles) to the west to make it a coastal city once again. Remnants of the original town are preserved in “Old Vaasa” (or Vanha-Vaasa).

The islands, peninsulas, and coastlines around the Kvarken Archipelago and the Gulf of Bothnia will continue to morph and evolve. Since the ice retreated, the land has risen at least 286 meters (938 feet); this figure corresponds to the elevation of the ancient shore and so-called “world’s highest coastline,” located across the gulf at Skuleberget in Sweden’s High Coast. The remaining 100 meters or so of depression should equilibrate over the next several thousand years, scientists say.

In that time, the sea level will continue to drop relative to the land, and the Gulf of Bothnia will continue to narrow. Millennia from now, the shores of Finland and Sweden may even connect at the narrowest point, rendering the northern Gulf of Bothnia an inland lake. However, the exact nature of these changes will depend on how much global sea level rise—driven by ice melt and thermal expansion of ocean water—offsets the regional land uplift. Currently, the rate of regional uplift, at about 9 millimeters (0.4 inches) per year, outpaces the 3.4 millimeters (0.13 inches) of global sea level rise per year.

NASA Earth Observatory images by Wanmei Liang, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Photo by Hendrik Morkel, Unsplash. Story by Lindsey Doermann.

[the-bus-called-graveyard-8]

Madagascar in Nickelodeon Magazine (part 4 of 4)

This last part is some miscellaneous Madagascar content that has appeared in various issues of Nick Mag. I used to keep all my Nick Magazines in big binders so I could reread them, but some years ago I decided to finally get rid of them. I only kept a select few (the Madagascar ones, of course) but before I tossed the rest I flipped through five years' worth of issues looking for any scraps of Madagascar. I don't know which issues any of these bits and bobs are from, but here they are nonetheless!

First we have a prank DVD cover for an absurd mashup of several 2000s animated movies called "Flushed Through the Hedge in a Happy Car". One of the characters parodied is Alex the lion, and several aspects of Madagascar appear in film's description. Full transcript under the read more.

Front cover:

"Flushed Through the Hedge in a Happy Car"

A penguin, a taxi, one wild ride...

Starring Will Smith, Tom Hanks, Ellen DeGeneres, Wanda Sykes, and Luke Wilson

From the creators of "Charlotte's Open Barnyard"

Back cover:

A break-dancing New York City Penguin named Happy (Wanda Sykes) is accidentally shipped to a zoo in Mexico City. The homesick bird escapes and meets a hilariously sassy taxi named Turbo McCab (Will Smith), who offers to drive her home. Along the way, they get stuck in the woods during hunting season, freeze solid during an ice age, and visit an underground rodent city, where they pick up a tuxedo-wearing mouse named Wobbly (Tom Hanks). Just outside of New York City, Turbo gets a flat. A nerdy raccoon named AJ (Ellen DeGeneres) offers to take Happy over the hedge to find a spare.

Once in human territory, Happy becomes obsessed with Dancing in the Suburbs. Will Happy find happiness as a reality show star? Will her lion dance partner (Luke Wilson) ever learn his moves? Will Turbo ever get to race in the Madagascar 5000? Can penguins really talk? And who is paying for all of Turbo's parking tickets?

2-Disc DVD Collector's Edition

Bonus features include:

A step-by-step look at the 350-day process of creating convincing CGI fuzzy dice.

Deleted scenes that were cut because they stink real bad.

Voice talent farting into the microphone during recording.

Trailers for other penguin movies.

Director's commentary.

Director's dog's commentary

Rated P for Penguin

Digitally mastered for superior penguin cuteness

Next we have three ads I snipped out of different issues.

Top left: Madagascar video games

"Madagascar and the all new Madagascar: Operation Penguin

Go from the zoo to a place that's totally new

Rule the city and the jungle in two hit games based on the hit movie. In Madagascar, play as Alex, Marty, Gloria, and Melman in a wild adventure. Available on all video game consoles. In Madagascar: Operation Penguin, play as Private Penguin in madcap missions, available only on GameBoy Advance."

Bottom left: Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa video game

"Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa

For PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, PC, and DS

Play as all the main characters—including the penguins—through the story of the Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa movie.

Tip: In the soccer match in the In Madagascar level in single-player mode, Mort the lemur can be a tough goalie. Raise the Power Meter to the 75 percent mark and you can kick the ball over Mort's head and score nearly every time.

Zelda the roving reporter: Do you have a license to drive that?"

Right: TPoM world premiere

"What's New on Nick

Penguins of Madagascar

The penguins are back, and this time, it's for their very own show! Catch the premiere immediately after the Kids' Choice Awards on Saturday, March 28. And check out the first-ever Penguins of Madagascar online game at nick.com."

Lastly, we have this crossover comic of the Penguins with Aang from Avatar: The Last Airbender. I don't have the cutout of this, but I distinctly remember seeing it in the Gag Station of one issue's Comic Book section. I was able to find it online but unfortunately I don't know the artist.

And that's every time Madagascar was featured in Nickelodeon Magazine!

[blueepink07]

Yuno MV locations from the first three dates

Beginning with yellow Yuno, we have the Hachiko statue - Tokyo, Shibuya ward

Story

"Professor Eizaburo Ueno of Tokyo University adopted Hachiko in Akita prefecture in the early 1920s. The two were inseparable, with Hachiko accompanying his master to Shibuya Station each day when the professor would head off to work at Tokyo's Imperial University. The faithful pup would come back to the station each afternoon at 3pm to greet Ueno upon his return. Unfortunately, the professor died in 1925 while at the university and never returned for a final goodbye with his pet. However, the loyal Hachiko continued to visit the station daily until his own death nearly 10 years later. His own death made headlines, and he was cremated and buried next to his beloved owner."

Message

Next, we have the karaoke where Yuno goes after!

On the karaoke machine it can be seen the word "Joesound" written. Although there isn't a place or a company named like this, I had found a karaoke place near Hachiko statue and Shibuya scramble crossing (since Yuno seems to remember some landmarks from Tokyo she had visited) named JOYSOUND.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find the room where Yuno stayed, however the machine and TV look similar with the one from the MV.

Also, a fun thing to note for the reason why they might have chosen to write Joesound instead!

"The closest sounding kanji name to "joe" is 常 (Jō). It is pronounced "Jō" with two syllables. The kanji means "constant" or "always"."

I think the meaning is similar with what the lyrics of Stickybug imply. To be always by your lover side (like a stickybug) until the day you die.

"If I’m lucky, we’ll stay like this till the day we’re covered in wrinkles

Since I’ll surely be just as smitten with you on the day I die

I want to make all your dreams come true

As for my dream, it’s to be that stickybug right by your side"

Going back to the Hachiko statue, the message of the story has similar connotations. Hachiko never actually stopped from loving the professor, always coming back to the station, until the day he died too...

Continuing with green Yuno! These where the easiest to find and I don't think there is much to say about them...

Tokyo Skytree - Sumida city ward

From the shape of the window structure, it looks like Yuno was on the tembo galleria.

No wonder Yuno has dressed herself up so elegant! The client definitely has a lot of money, considering the price to visit just the Tokyo Skytree is 6800 yen for both of them (45,37 $)

During night, however, the scenery changes and Yuno is now in Tokyo tower - Minato ward. They seem to be in an expensive restaurant!

Assuming that they also visited the Tokyo Tower, depending on which deck they went, the prices still seem to be somewhat high!

If they visited the main deck, in total the price should be 2200 yen (14,68 $). For the top deck tour, in total the price should be 5400 yen (36,02 $) (online reservation) or 5800 yen (38,69 $).

Next we have purple Yuno!

Yokohama Cosmo World - Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture

(I would be happy if someone can read the hour on the clock...!)

"Yokohama Cosmoworld is an amusement park in Yokohama’s bayside Minato Mirai district. Although it occupies a rather compact area, it has a variety of rides and attractions which are suitable for either family outings, days out with friends, or romantic dates."

What is interesting about this amusement park is that there is no entrance charge!

However, a single ride can cost between 300 (1,98 $) - 900 yen (5,95 $).

Since the Ferris wheel seems to be the main attraction in Yuno's MV:

"Yokohama Cosmoworld is dominated by a giant Ferris wheel, called Cosmo Clock 21, which has a large digital clock at its center. Standing 112.5 meters high with a 100 meter diameter, this was the world’s tallest Ferris wheel until 1992, and it still holds the record as the world’s biggest Ferris wheel with a clock. Cosmo Clock 21 is one of the characteristic features of the Yokohama Bay skyline and is especially beautiful at night when it is illuminated with an LED light show of constantly changing colors."

"The wheel has 60 gondolas which can each carry eight passengers and it takes 15 minutes to complete a full turn of the wheel. A ride on Cosmo Clock 21 costs 900 yen."

It seems that this image takes place during day, most likely when Yuno and the client where on their way to the Yokohama Cosmo World. Considering that they don't get back home until night, they probably spent all the day until closing in the amusement park. (Cosmo world is open from 11.00 to 20.00)

The client definitely spent a lot of money, taking into consideration that they probably tried many rides!

Since I tried to estimate how much money some of these clients spent, I want to point out the client which appears with Grey Yuno in the second MV. Grey Yuno seems to be the happiest with him and even shows his hand (hands seem to be very important in Milgram, Amane's second MV is a good example for this, the hand representing her mother, an important character for her story) which at some point in time gave her warmth. The places where they go on a date don't seem to be some important landmarks as the others, so the money the client payed shouldn’t be as much. He also only gives 3000 yen (19,82 $) to grey Yuno, which quite pales in comparison with the money some of the other clients spent .

To round off I will add some pictures to visualize better the places where Yuno went!

[captaindibbzy]

I fucking hate pay by app. I don't want to download your shitty app. I don't want to pay by phone. If you don't want Fucking cash then let me tap my god damn bank card on the parking meter. I have placed to be. I don't want to spend 15+ minutes downloading your buggy software to my phone, logging in, inventing a password, reading your terms and conditions, typing out my card details, trying to find out how secure your payment system actually is, wafting my phone around in the air and praying for signal, to pay £5 to park in a place I may never have visited before and probably never will again, because you can't be arsed to pay someone to empty the change out of a parking meter once a day. And actually I'm reaching an age now where I don't nesecerily want to take my Fucking Phone with me everywhere I go.

You're not just excluding old people. You're excluding anyone who doesn't have a mobile phone or a digital life. Which is more people than you think. And also it's not a fucking secure method of paying for your shit ass inaccessible car park in the first place. Someone's gonna tape a QR code over your sign and everyone's gonna be unhappy.

[deas-junk-bin]

My brethren in Typhojem, Maul is 5'9, not 5'7.

I see a lot of people claim Maul is 5'7. I see where people are going wrong here, and I'm not setting out to insult anyone, but there is a step missing in your calculation if you got that answer!

See, according to an official (archived) online character encyclopedia, Maul is 1.75 meters tall. Converting meters to feet, you'll see that 1.75 meters is equivalent to 5.74147 feet. It can be tempting to skim this and interpret it as 5 feet and about 7 inches, but that's not quite right!

See, the first digit after a decimal point represents a fraction of that number out of ten. So, for instance, 0.5 is the same thing as 5 over 10, or 5 divided by 10. You can also express them as percentages by multiplying the decimal value by 100, so 0.5 is also the same thing as 50%, or half.

Inches, however, are out of TWELVE, not ten. An inch is one-twelfth of a foot. One foot equals twelve inches. Why do we do this? I don't know. I'm sure it's a very interesting historical story, but for the moment it's basically arbitrary. The point is, 0.7 feet is seven tenths of a foot, and we are looking to measure in twelfths of a foot, which is what inches are.

So we need to convert units a second time: feet to inches. You'll see that 0.74147 of a foot is equivalent to 8.89764 inches. We typically round up for a decimal value that high, so we're looking at approximately 9 inches. Then we go back to the information we got from our first unit conversion, which is that we're adding those 9 inches (which are the same thing as our 0.74147 of a foot from earlier) to a value of 5 feet. Maul is 5 feet and 9 inches tall.

You can also get this information by searching up the real-life height of Ray Park, who portrayed Maul in live-action. Park is listed as being 5'9 on IMDb, with 1.75 meters listed as the metric equivalent of that height.

Maul is still definitely the shortest person in his family, but after all he's suffered, surely we can allow him the dignity of those two inches?

[hclib]

Parking Meters Subjected to Rigorous Tests to Determine Ability to Withstand Minneapolis Weather

While the Minneapolis City Council contemplated an ordinance for installation of parking meters along the curbs of city streets in July 1936, members of the city's engineering department put a selection of meters through a series of rigorous tests. How would they stand up to the varied climatic conditions of Minneapolis, where temperatures range from -34 to 108? Above, Ralph Springman and Vurn Johnson check results after freezing the parking meters at an ice cream plant. 10 parking meters manufactured by five companies were included in the tests which included freezing, baking, sand blasting, and drenching with water.

The results of the test? The parking meters couldn't take it. All of the meters developed mechanical defects when subjected to 120-degree heat, minus 6-degree cold, swirling dust and sand, slug and coin insertions and timing tests.

This caused some delay, but in August 1936, the city ok'd installation anyway. But then parking meter battles ensued. Bids were rejected, the ordinance came under fire and motorists rebelled. Minneapolis's first parking meter wouldn't be installed until April 4, 1940.

See more photos of the testing in the Minneapolis Newspaper Photograph Collection in the Hennepin County Library Digital Collections.

[kyliesnaked]

The Mommy Protocol

Chapter 5.1

(More setup)

7 Days before the Incident

There was something about showers that have always helped me relax. Maybe it was the feeling of being clean, or the therapeutic nature of water washing over my body, but I’ve always loved showers. While I’m sure that any girl prefers baths, and those are fantastic, I always envisioned a shower like standing under a tropical waterfall, at peace with nature. I don’t linger though, as dorm showers are communal things and I’d rather not spend too much time around the other girls. My showers are intimate, personal reflection events and I don’t see the need to share them with others. I wrap my hair up in a towel and the other across my body before I slip my feet into a pair of flip flops. The wet, slapping noise they make when they hit my heels is both aggravating and amusing. I hate the noise when other people do it but find it oddly satisfying when I do.

I only pass a few people in the halls on the way back to my room and none of them bother with me. I didn’t see the point in ingratiating myself with them at any time throughout the year and now that I was looking to leave I didn’t see a reason to do so now. With my door safely shut behind me, and my roommate still gone, I felt comfortable enough to drop the towel from around my body. I try not to look at the scars. I know they are a crucial part of me but I hate them. I allow myself a few moments to air dry before I open my closet for something to wear. Most of my apparel is like my attitude, dark and full of metal. There are a few instances though, where I know that I need to be socially presentable to get anywhere in life. If I was applying at Hot Topic or Spencer’s Gifts, I would have outfits for days, but for other jobs, that wouldn’t fly. I reached for the more professional of the two outfits I had for such occasions and felt my breath catch in my throat. It was a full length black dress with a hemline of roses embroidered around it. I could vividly recall the last day I wore that dress and the darkness that came with it.

I put it aside. I didn’t have time nor did I care for memories.I pulled my underclothes on and wiggled my toweled head through the dress, letting it fall down my frame. I worked the pockets out and slid my phone in one and my keys in the other. I finished drying my hair and ran a brush through it. It wasn’t fine enough to get wrecked in the wind, but I didn’t take any chances, trying it up in a ponytail to get it off the back of my neck. I looked at my face in the mirror, trying to decide if I should drag the box out but decided against it.

”This is me. Take it or leave it.” I said to my reflection. I slid my feet into some flats and was on my way.

The bus ride was quiet. In the middle of the day, there wasn’t a lot of risk in riding the bus. They were heavily monitored around the campus and most of the vagrants or undesirables lived in the city center, a few miles away. When the bus pulled up to the stop nearest my destination, I was astonished by how close to the college it was. I had only been riding for a few blocks and hadn’t expected to be getting off so quickly. The building was unassuming with only a few floors. It was across the street from the local library, long since forgotten in this digital age, and in front of it were a series of parking meters. I walked down the block towards it wondering how I had never seen this building before. I remembered the library and the smell of books, but had no recollection of a building across the street. Intrigued, I went up to the front door, which slid aside noiselessly upon my approach. Up ahead sat a receptionist desk and behind it, a well dressed woman. She was tapping away at something and as I approached the desk, I could see that it was a virtual keyboard. She took notice of my presence and looked up over her rose gold framed glasses.

“Yes?”

I was put off slightly by the suddenness of her question. She came across like she’d never worked as a receptionist before or had any idea how to welcome guests.

“Is, uh, Emily available?”

“What division?”

“Theoretical applications. Division B.”

“Last door on the left.” The woman returned to typing without so much as a goodbye. Pompous bitch. I thought as I moved around her desk. The entryway was essentially barren. There were a few plastic plants and some hard metal benches but nothing that made this place out to be a high tech robotics facility. I walked down the plain white hall as instructed. There were four doors on each side but none carried a name. Two doors had a low electrical humming coming from it and the sound of cooling fans running at speed.

I stood in front of the last door on the left and felt the hair on my arms rise. A chill came over me. For a brief moment it felt like I was the dumb blonde in a slasher movie about to find the serial killer behind the obvious don’t open that door door.

I gently knock on the door, feeling massive amounts of trepidation. I couldn’t explain why, at least not with words. The door opened, and a woman in a white lab coat appeared.

“When I was told that someone had called about the flier, I almost didn’t believe it! Come in, come in!”

I entered the room to find that it opened up to a large, spacious workspace with an array of computers on a shelf type desk thing. I don’t know how to describe it, so just work with me here. The computers and monitors went the full width of the room and behind it, the walls looked like a long line of windows but I couldn’t tell what was behind them.

“My name is Dr. Emily Rothschild. You must be Alexis, yes?”

The woman was middle aged, with large framed glasses, and her brunette hair twisted into a messy bun. She reminded me of the people you see in doctor shows or high stakes movies, too busy being focused on her work to care about her appearance. I admired that kind of mentality, even if I wasn’t the type of girl to practice it.

”I-uh, yeah. I’m her. I mean, my name is Alexis.”

”Splendid, splendid. Here, have a seat and we will get started.”

The seat was a folding chair in front of a folding card table, hastily erected and placed in the middle of the room. A cursory glance around the place gave me the impression that they didn’t entertain guests much.

”Where are my manners? This is Bryan Gibson, lead engineer on this project. He’s been helping me iron out some of the bugs and glitches with our hardware to software integration matrices.”

”I…” I stammered. “I don’t know what that means.”

Mr. Gibson reached out his hand and gently shook mine. His skin was surprisingly soft for a man. Maybe that was just my internal stereotyping, but I could swear I could smell a hint of vanilla hand sanitizer. “In layman’s terms, it's making sure the brain is telling the body the right thing to do. And that the body is properly responding to the commands it’s given.”

”Oh. Sounds technical.”

”It very much is. But once you understand the framework behind it, it becomes really simple.”

”Yes, yes. Let’s not bore her out the door with the science speak. Tell me, Alexis. What do you know about A.I.?”

”That it stands for artificial intelligence. That’s about it, really. It’s been big in the news lately.”

”And what is intelligence, in your opinion?” Dr. Rothschild asked, “And there are no wrong answers here. We just want your perspective.”

I didn’t think to come prepared to answer any philosophical questions. I hated that class anyway, too much interpretation, but only one right answer according to my professor.

”Intelligence, to me, is the ability to look at a problem and determine an adequate solution. Like how we build machines to make our lives easier.”

The woman smiled, her cheeks lifting up her glasses slightly. “Absolutely correct! So, what would you say artificial intelligence is?”

”Letting the machine do the problem solving for us.”

”And how does that make you feel?”

”I…I don’t feel a certain way about it.”

”How come?”

”I just think that there will always be certain problems that only people can solve. I get a lot of the discussion around whether or not they will replace us, but I don’t think that will ever happen.”

”We don’t either.” Bryan said. “At this point, A.I. is a tool we can use to make our lives better. That’s what we are trying to do. Make lives better. And one of the ways we can do that is by helping people with their day to day activities.”

”Take senior care, for instance.” Dr. Rothschild chimed in, “Senior housing is critically understaffed and those that remain are overworked and underappreciated. Same with day care. These are people in need of care and consideration but don’t have adequate means of communicating their needs. But what is the one thing that people have that robots don’t?”

I tried to think of something but my mind was drawing a blank so I did the next best thing. I guessed. “Uh, emotions?”

”Well, you are not wrong. Empathy. Feeling. These are things that we can’t quantify in data or code. They have to be learned and developed.” She looked at Bryan who nodded slightly. “We still have a lot more to discuss, but I’d like you to meet someone. Follow me.”

We walked down the length of the room and at the end of the glass was a wooden door. Dr. Rothschild scanned her keycard and the electric lock clicked open. I followed her into the room and as the lights flickered on, I gasped. Sitting in the center of the room in a normal looking chair was a person or rather, something that looked like a person.

”I’d like you to meet Alyssa. Say hello, Alyssa.”

It rose to its feet, its eyes opening as it did so. Its movements were smooth, nearly a perfect replication of human movement. Nearly. Its face, highlighted by blonde hair, was uncanny. So close to real that my brain could tell that something was off. Its soft features and perfectly smooth skin were covered by a black blouse and a light blue skirt that went down to its plain black shoes. Its eyes seemed to see right through me and I felt immediately uneasy.

”Hello. My name is Alyssa. How may I help you?” It held out a hand and I cautiously took it. Its grasp was loose and my hand slipped from its grip after the first shake.

”As you can see, we have a long way to go, but Alyssa is our prototype.”

”Prototype what?” I asked, still eying the machine. It may have looked like a person, but it was not a person.

”Caregiver. If we can alleviate some of the burden of senior care with a few Alyssas, then imagine the potential for care in other sectors. Rehab. Child care. Education. Special needs. The possibilities are endless!”

”So what do you need me for?”

”We would like you to work with Alyssa in a closed environment, unbothered by the outside world. She learns from stimuli and she’s been programmed with as much data as we can give her on caregiving.”

”Closed environment? Like, in here?”

”Yes. If we can get Alyssa’s movements and mannerisms to be more human-like, we are confident that we can present her as the first fully functional nurse's assistant.”

”What do I have to do?”

“Well, there are some forms to fill out. Non disclosure agreements to sign. Things like that. Most of the core of your work will just be interacting with her and letting her learn from you. She has a full database of protocols she can draw from. We really tried to be as thorough as possible.”

”That’s it? Three months in a room?” I kept wracking my brain for a catch. Surely this was strange but not the worst thing imaginable. I didn’t particularly care about being outside anyway. Three months in a series of rooms trying to teach a robot how to be human didn’t seem like that bad of a gig.

“That’s the crux of it, anyway. You will have to input some personality data and stuff like that so she can better interact with you but that’s minor stuff. We can knock that out before the end of the week and you can start on Monday. Sounds good?”

I couldn’t come up with enough reasons to back out. The job seemed simple enough. Maybe being stuck indoors for three months would be a problem, but it was really no different than winter in the city. I hated the cold and the snow so staying inside was preferred. I didn’t talk to many people on the reg and what little social media scrolling I did was only to find outfit ideas off of Pinterest. As far as I was concerned, no one would even know that I was gone, for that’s how little anyone cared about me. And you can’t miss your friends if you don’t have any.

”Yeah. We can give it a try.” I finally said, “Looks like you and I are going to be roommates, Alyssa.”

”That will be most amazing,” it said.

I half smiled, “Yeah, we have a lot of work to do.”

[aimarketingdubai]

Dubai's Smart City strategy

Dubai's Smart City Strategy is an ambitious initiative aimed at transforming the city into a global leader in technology, innovation, and sustainability. Launched by the Dubai government, this comprehensive strategy leverages digital technologies and data-driven insights to improve the lives of residents, enhance government services, and foster economic growth.

Key Pillars of Dubai's Smart City Strategy

Digital Transformation: At the core of the strategy is the digitization of government services. This includes providing online access to public services, streamlining administrative processes, and implementing paperless transactions. The goal is to create a seamless and efficient experience for residents and businesses when interacting with the government.

Data-Driven Decision Making: Dubai's Smart City strategy emphasizes the collection and analysis of data to inform decision-making and improve city management. This includes using sensors and IoT devices to gather data on traffic flow, energy consumption, and environmental conditions. By analyzing this data, the city can optimize resource allocation, improve infrastructure planning, and enhance public safety.

Technological Innovation: Dubai is actively promoting the development and adoption of cutting-edge technologies, such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and cloud computing. This includes supporting research and development initiatives, fostering partnerships with technology companies, and creating a regulatory environment that encourages innovation.

Sustainability: A key focus of the strategy is to create a sustainable and environmentally friendly city. This includes initiatives to promote energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions, and encourage the use of renewable energy sources. Dubai is also investing in green infrastructure, such as parks and green spaces, to improve the quality of life for residents.

Citizen Engagement: The Smart City strategy emphasizes the importance of citizen engagement and participation. This includes creating platforms for residents to provide feedback, share ideas, and contribute to the development of the city. The goal is to create a sense of community ownership and ensure that the Smart City initiatives align with the needs and aspirations of the people.

Key Initiatives and Achievements

Happiness Meter: Dubai has implemented a "Happiness Meter" to gauge citizen satisfaction with public services and city initiatives. This real-time feedback system helps the government identify areas for improvement and prioritize projects that enhance the well-being of residents.

Paperless Strategy: Dubai has launched a "Paperless Strategy" aimed at eliminating paper transactions in government offices. This initiative has significantly reduced paper consumption, streamlined administrative processes, and improved efficiency.

Smart Mobility: Dubai is investing in smart mobility solutions, such as autonomous vehicles, smart traffic management systems, and integrated public transportation networks. These initiatives aim to reduce traffic congestion, improve road safety, and enhance the overall transportation experience.

Blockchain Strategy: Dubai is exploring the use of blockchain technology to enhance security, transparency, and efficiency in various sectors, including government services, logistics, and healthcare.

AI Lab: Dubai has established an AI Lab to develop and deploy artificial intelligence solutions for city management. This includes initiatives such as using AI to optimize traffic flow, improve public safety, and enhance the efficiency of government services.

Impact and Future Outlook

Dubai's Smart City strategy has already made significant progress in transforming the city into a technologically advanced and sustainable urban center. The initiatives have improved the efficiency of government services, enhanced the quality of life for residents, and attracted investment and innovation.

In the future, Dubai aims to further leverage technology to create a city that is not only smart but also resilient, inclusive, and human-centered. The focus will be on using technology to address challenges such as climate change, social inequality, and economic diversification. By continuing to invest in innovation and prioritize the needs of its citizens, Dubai is poised to become a global model for smart city development.

[expressghost]

"The first bike I bought was an early spoke-type GS400, which I got from a friend　 as a second-hand item. It was refreshing to see the gear shift displayed in digital numbers on the meter. I had a Yoshimura 2-in-1 hand-bent muffler and it was a blast. (The photo shows my high school days. We were allowed to ride bikes up to 125cc to school, but I used to ride a GS400 to school. I couldn't park it in the school bike parking lot because it would be bad if I was found out. I always parked it in a secret base in front of the school.)"

[moralesmilesanhourlibrary]

trackmeet (pt. 1 + 2)

summary: you're the top student on the track team until a certain someone beats your record. originally posted: sept. 2, 2019 and sept. 21, 2019, respectively a/n: this was later re-written in 2023! whether it will be completed? who knows...

This was your third time trying out for track. For the past two years, you’d had the fastest time out of everyone on the team. THE fastest. Before the first day of school, you ran laps around the park, around your yard. As per usual, you stretched on the sidelines with others, your water bottle sitting on the gym floor to your right.

Exactly five minutes and forty eight seconds before tryouts began (you were keeping track on your digital watch), a pair of red and white Nike sneakers trip over your water bottle.

“S-sorry,” a disembodied voice chokes out. You cut your eyes at the stumbling figure, but ultimately pay them no mind and return to your stretching routine.

“Alright, everyone line up around the gym, on the gray lines please!”

After various excercises, the coach had everyone meet up on the track outside for a 100-meter dash. You had this in the bag. Tilting your head from side to side and pulling your slender legs behind you, you get in position to sprint.

“GO!”

You practically fly into action. As expected, nearly all of the participants were behind you (and stayed behind you). All except for one. With red and white Nikes.

No matter how much or when you pushed your legs and feet, the kid was way ahead of you. Seeing the coach’s expression of pleasant surprise made you a whole different typa mad. Running was the only thing you could look forward to. Be told you were the best at. It wasn’t fair.

After being dismissed from tryouts, steaming rage boiled in the pit of your stomach and laboured your breathing. Second place. You caught a look at the kid who beat you. He was slender, and about your height, and packing his things to go.

He catches you unintentionally glaring at him and freezes, sheer terror transforming his face. The boys sprints out of the gym, just as fast as he did on the track. Looking down at your watch, you furrow your brows as you realize you were about to be late for dinner, and your mom wouldn’t be too excited about that. Unknowingly, you catch up to the kid outside the entrance of the school, who begins to look around and creep towards the side of an adjacent building, but duck behind the nearest bush before he can turn around and catch you.

Was this stalking? Yes. Was it absolutely necessary? Duh!

You expected him to take out some illegal shit, like performance-enhancing drugs or something, but what you saw made your jaw drop.

The boy climbed the building with his bare hands, then shot some substance from his arm to swing to the next. And the next. And the next.

-

Frustrated as you were about being one-upped at tryouts, the email confirming you’d been selected to be on the team took some of the sting away. What was at the forefront of your thoughts, though, was what you’d witnessed just after.

You had to find that kid.

Making a beeline for the cafeteria, you scanned through the sea of faces for him. In your search, you lose your sense of direction and step back into another body. Whipping around to apologise, you couldn’t believe your luck–he had been right behind you.

“S-SORRY-”

“Excuse me-”

You awkwardly interrupted each other. Before the kid could rush past you, you firmly grab his shoulder and he hesitantly turns to face you again. Banking on his fear, you give the boy the most intense stare you could muster.

“Hey,” You began a little too casually, “can we like, talk?” You look around, “privately?”

Without a word, the boy quickly nods and follows you at your signal to a more discreet corner of the cafeteria. Once the two of you are seated, you give him your best politician smile.

“So, did you make it onto the track team?” you ask, sweetly. The boy relaxes a little. “Y-yeah, I got the email. You?” Nodding, you cut right to the chase, “I have a bit of a hunch, and I need to confirm it.” Once again, the kid you were interrogating tenses.

You pause for a moment to phrase the question, then ask, “how did you swing off of all those buildings yesterday?” You’re almost amused at the sheer horror that took over the boy’s face. Before he can answer, the bell rings and students begin streaming through the double doors of the cafeteria to get to class.

You watch the new Spider-Man swing through Brooklyn every evening on television, or as you were walking home, if you were really lucky. You began to recognize the way he practically flew from building to building. It was the same way that boy suddenly launched himself up onto skyscrapers–the same hand motion, too. The look on his face told you your intuition was correct. Being Spider-Man more than likely gave him some kind of athletic advantage.

Knowing this made you feel a little better about your own running abilities.

[the-garbanzo-annex-jr]

Israel’s southernmost resort city of Eilat now finally has a waterpark.

After four years of construction and 110 million shekels in investment, the Waterland park opened its doors to the public this week. The site stretches over more than 20 dunams, or five acres.

The developers say Waterland boasts some of the world’s most innovative water attractions, “with spectacular digital effects.”

The park encompasses several complexes: a water slide complex for adults, a complex for children, a computerized wave pool, food courts, an amphitheater, a conference hall and a spacious changing area.

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The developers say the slide complex is the only one of its kind in the region. It includes three water towers, with the tallest clocking in at 24 meters (79 feet) high.

Visitors can purchase tickets for either daytime activities from 10am to 6pm, or nighttime activities from 8pm to 12am.

The park was originally supposed to open in spring of 2021, but the coronavirus pandemic resulted in the construction being delayed by nearly two years.

The waterpark was constructed at the spot of the Texas Ranch tourist location, which was often used as a film set. Years before the construction of the Waterland began, Texas Ranch was shut down and abandoned.