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findjoosoftware · 1 year ago

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Navigating the World of Online Payment Processing

The world of commerce has undergone a remarkable transformation with the rise of e-commerce, and at the heart of this evolution is online payment processing. From purchasing products and services online to managing subscriptions and making digital donations, online payment processing has become an integral part of our daily lives. In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the intricacies of online payment processing, exploring its significance, the key players in the industry, security measures, and the latest trends shaping the future of digital payments.

The Significance of Online Payment Processing

Online payment processing is the engine driving e-commerce and digital transactions. Its importance extends far beyond the convenience it offers. Here are some of the key reasons why online payment processing is crucial:

Global Reach: It enables businesses to reach customers worldwide, breaking down geographical barriers and expanding their customer base.

Convenience: Customers can make payments and purchases from the comfort of their homes or on the go, making the shopping experience more convenient.

Security: Secure payment processing ensures that sensitive financial information is protected, reducing the risk of fraud and unauthorized access.

Efficiency: The automation of payment processing streamlines financial transactions, reducing manual labor and processing times.

Business Growth: Online payment processing supports the growth of online businesses, enabling them to scale their operations and reach new markets.

Diverse Payment Options: It offers a wide range of payment methods, allowing customers to choose the option that best suits their preferences and needs.

The Key Players in Online Payment Processing

Online payment processing involves several key players, each with distinct roles and responsibilities. Understanding these players is crucial to grasp the intricacies of the payment ecosystem:

1. Merchants

Merchants are businesses or individuals who sell products or services online. They integrate payment gateways into their websites or applications to accept payments from customers.

2. Payment Gateways

Payment gateways are intermediaries that facilitate the transfer of payment data between the merchant and the financial institution. They verify the transaction, handle the encryption of data, and ensure that the payment is securely processed.

3. Acquiring Banks

Acquiring banks, also known as merchant banks, are financial institutions that work with merchants to provide them with the necessary accounts and tools for accepting payments. They play a critical role in authorizing and settling transactions.

4. Issuing Banks

Issuing banks are the financial institutions that issue credit and debit cards to consumers. They are responsible for authorizing transactions initiated by cardholders and ensuring there are sufficient funds for the purchase.

5. Card Networks

Card networks, such as Visa, MasterCard, and American Express, establish the rules and infrastructure that govern payment card transactions. They facilitate communication between acquiring and issuing banks.

6. Customers

Customers are the individuals or businesses making purchases or payments online. They provide their payment information to complete transactions.

Ensuring Security in Online Payment Processing

Security is a paramount concern in online payment processing. As the digital landscape evolves, so do the threats to security. Here are some of the key security measures and technologies in place to safeguard online transactions:

1. Data Encryption

Data encryption ensures that sensitive payment information, such as credit card numbers, remains secure during transmission. Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption is a common technology used to protect data.

2. Tokenization

Tokenization replaces sensitive card data with tokens, which are useless to cybercriminals if intercepted. This adds an extra layer of security to payment processing.

3. Two-Factor Authentication

Two-factor authentication (2FA) requires customers to provide additional verification, such as a one-time code sent to their mobile device, to complete a transaction.

4. Fraud Detection

Advanced fraud detection systems use artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyze transaction data in real-time and identify potentially fraudulent activities.

5. Regular Updates

Payment processing systems should be regularly updated to patch vulnerabilities and ensure that they are up to date with the latest security standards.

6. Compliance with Regulations

Adhering to industry and regional regulations, such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), is essential to maintain security.

Trends Shaping the Future of Online Payment Processing

Online payment processing is an ever-evolving field. Several trends are shaping the future of digital payments:

1. Contactless Payments

Contactless payments, made through mobile wallets and near-field communication (NFC) technology, have gained popularity due to their speed and convenience. The use of smartphones for payments is on the rise.

2. Biometric Authentication

Biometric authentication, such as fingerprint and facial recognition, is increasingly used for secure and convenient payment authorization.

3. Cryptocurrency

Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin are gaining acceptance as a means of payment, offering fast and borderless transactions.

4. In-App Payments

In-app payments within mobile applications provide a seamless purchasing experience for users, making it easier to complete transactions without leaving the app.

5. Enhanced Security Measures

Continual advancements in security measures, including machine learning-based fraud detection and risk analysis, will help reduce the risk of fraudulent transactions.

6. Cross-Border Payments

As businesses expand globally, cross-border payment solutions are becoming more vital. Payment processors are adapting to accommodate international transactions and currencies.

7. Payment Integration

E-commerce platforms and online businesses are increasingly integrating payment solutions directly into their platforms, streamlining the payment process for customers.

Choosing the Right Online Payment Processing Solution

Selecting the right online payment processing solution is crucial for businesses. Here are some key considerations to keep in mind:

1. Integration

Choose a payment solution that seamlessly integrates with your e-commerce platform or website. This ensures a smooth checkout experience for your customers.

2. Security

Security

is a non-negotiable aspect of online payment processing. Ensure that the solution you choose complies with industry standards, such as PCI DSS, and offers robust encryption and fraud prevention measures.

3. Payment Options

Consider the range of payment options the solution supports. The more options you provide, the more accessible your business will be to a broader customer base.

4. Scalability

Opt for a payment processing solution that can scale with your business. As your business grows, the payment solution should be able to handle increased transaction volumes.

5. Reporting and Analytics

Access to reporting and analytics tools can provide valuable insights into customer behavior, transaction trends, and financial performance. Choose a solution that offers comprehensive reporting capabilities.

6. Customer Support

A responsive customer support team can be invaluable in resolving issues quickly and ensuring that your payment processing runs smoothly. Consider the quality of customer support provided by the payment solution.

7. Costs and Fees

Different payment processors may have varying fee structures. Ensure that you understand the pricing model and any additional fees associated with the solution. Consider how the costs align with your business's budget.

8. Reputation

Research the reputation of the payment processing solution. Read reviews, ask for recommendations, and assess its track record in terms of reliability and security.

The Evolution of Online Payment Processing

Online payment processing has come a long way from its early days, and its journey continues. As technology advances and consumer preferences shift, the landscape of digital payments will keep evolving. Businesses that embrace the latest trends and invest in secure and convenient payment solutions are better positioned to thrive in the digital age.

The significance of online payment processing in today's world cannot be overstated. It has revolutionized the way we shop, transact, and do business, making life more convenient for consumers and enabling the growth of countless online enterprises. As we look to the future, the trends in online payment processing, from contactless payments to cryptocurrency, will shape the way we make payments and conduct financial transactions. By staying informed, adapting to these trends, and choosing the right payment processing solution, businesses can ensure a seamless and secure payment experience for their customers and position themselves for success in the evolving digital economy.

#Memberships #Reservations #Events #Appointments #Donations #Payments #Emails #Messaging #Accounting #Reporting #Event Planning #Membership Management #Email Tracking #Marketing #Online Payment Processing #Association Management Software #Customer Relationship Management #Fitness Center Management #Membership Management Software

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reasonsforhope · 2 months ago

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"When Ellen Kaphamtengo felt a sharp pain in her lower abdomen, she thought she might be in labour. It was the ninth month of her first pregnancy and she wasn’t taking any chances. With the help of her mother, the 18-year-old climbed on to a motorcycle taxi and rushed to a hospital in Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe, a 20-minute ride away.

At the Area 25 health centre, they told her it was a false alarm and took her to the maternity ward. But things escalated quickly when a routine ultrasound revealed that her baby was much smaller than expected for her pregnancy stage, which can cause asphyxia – a condition that limits blood flow and oxygen to the baby.

In Malawi, about 19 out of 1,000 babies die during delivery or in the first month of life. Birth asphyxia is a leading cause of neonatal mortality in the country, and can mean newborns suffering brain damage, with long-term effects including developmental delays and cerebral palsy.

Doctors reclassified Kaphamtengo, who had been anticipating a normal delivery, as a high-risk patient. Using AI-enabled foetal monitoring software, further testing found that the baby’s heart rate was dropping. A stress test showed that the baby would not survive labour.

The hospital’s head of maternal care, Chikondi Chiweza, knew she had less than 30 minutes to deliver Kaphamtengo’s baby by caesarean section. Having delivered thousands of babies at some of the busiest public hospitals in the city, she was familiar with how quickly a baby’s odds of survival can change during labour.

Chiweza, who delivered Kaphamtengo’s baby in good health, says the foetal monitoring programme has been a gamechanger for deliveries at the hospital.

“[In Kaphamtengo’s case], we would have only discovered what we did either later on, or with the baby as a stillbirth,” she says.

The software, donated by the childbirth safety technology company PeriGen through a partnership with Malawi’s health ministry and Texas children’s hospital, tracks the baby’s vital signs during labour, giving clinicians early warning of any abnormalities. Since they began using it three years ago, the number of stillbirths and neonatal deaths at the centre has fallen by 82%. It is the only hospital in the country using the technology.

“The time around delivery is the most dangerous for mother and baby,” says Jeffrey Wilkinson, an obstetrician with Texas children’s hospital, who is leading the programme. “You can prevent most deaths by making sure the baby is safe during the delivery process.”

The AI monitoring system needs less time, equipment and fewer skilled staff than traditional foetal monitoring methods, which is critical in hospitals in low-income countries such as Malawi, which face severe shortages of health workers. Regular foetal observation often relies on doctors performing periodic checks, meaning that critical information can be missed during intervals, while AI-supported programs do continuous, real-time monitoring. Traditional checks also require physicians to interpret raw data from various devices, which can be time consuming and subject to error.

Area 25’s maternity ward handles about 8,000 deliveries a year with a team of around 80 midwives and doctors. While only about 10% are trained to perform traditional electronic monitoring, most can use the AI software to detect anomalies, so doctors are aware of any riskier or more complex births. Hospital staff also say that using AI has standardised important aspects of maternity care at the clinic, such as interpretations on foetal wellbeing and decisions on when to intervene.

Kaphamtengo, who is excited to be a new mother, believes the doctor’s interventions may have saved her baby’s life. “They were able to discover that my baby was distressed early enough to act,” she says, holding her son, Justice.

Doctors at the hospital hope to see the technology introduced in other hospitals in Malawi, and across Africa.

“AI technology is being used in many fields, and saving babies’ lives should not be an exception,” says Chiweza. “It can really bridge the gap in the quality of care that underserved populations can access.”"

-via The Guardian, December 6, 2024

#cw child death #cw pregnancy #malawi #africa #ai #artificial intelligence #public health #infant mortality #childbirth #medical news #good news #hope

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mahmoudna · 2 months ago

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“I Need Your Support to Continue My Studies and Build My Future from Gaza🍉🍉

My name is Mahmoud Naeem Abu Hatab, from Gaza.

I am a university student majoring in Software and Databases at Al-Azhar University. Since the beginning of my academic journey, I have been passionate about User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) design, as well as website development. These fields inspire me, and I dream of advancing my skills and building a professional career in them.

Unfortunately, during the recent war, I lost my laptop, which was essential for both my studies and work. I was forced to flee my home and relocate to southern Gaza due to the difficult circumstances. Despite my efforts to replace my laptop, the financial situation has made it impossible to afford a new one.

Without a laptop, continuing my studies or seeking job opportunities in programming and design has become extremely challenging. This directly affects my academic progress and future career.

Today, I am reaching out to ask for your support to help me purchase a new laptop. Having a laptop would allow me to resume my studies and work on programming and design projects that are crucial for improving my skills. It is a vital step towards completing my education and pursuing my dream of becoming a professional in programming and UX/UI design.

I know that the situation in Gaza is difficult, but I believe education is the only path to building a better future for myself and my family. If you are able to contribute any amount to help me get a new laptop, it would be a real opportunity for me to get back on track academically and professionally.

I am determined to keep learning and working despite the challenges, but I need your support to achieve this goal. Every donation or act of help, no matter how small, will make a significant difference in my life.

If you’d like to support me, you can donate through:

GoFundMe

USDT

If you can assist in any way, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.

Thank you for your support and kindness! 🌿

@gaza-evacuation-funds @appsa @nabulsi27 @palestinegenocide @orblesbian @palebluebutler @pallasisme @fallahifag-deactivated20240722 @vakarians-babe @sayruq @ @plomegranate @riding-with-the-wild-hunt @queerstudiesnatural @tamamita @apollos-boyfriend @riding-with-the-wild-hunt @queerstudiesnatural @palestinegenocide @sar-soor @akajustmerry @annoyingloudmicrowavecultist @feluka @marnosc @flower-tea-fairies @flower-tea-fairies @tsaricides @tsaricides @belleandsaintsebastian @ear-motif @brutaliakent @raelyn-dreams @troythecatfish @4ft10tvlandfangirl @90-ghost @paper-mario-wiki @nabulsi @prisonhannibal @beepiesheepie @walcutt @schoolhater98 @commissions4aid-international @sar-soor @zigcarnivorous@tododeku-or-bust@turtletoria @brutaliakhoa @flower-tea-fairies @schoolhater @baby-girl-aaron-dessner @sayruq @omiteo777 @malcriada @neptunerings @bat-luun @kaneverse @nightowlssleep @staretes @friendshapedplant @soon-palestine @aria-ashryver @heritageposts @magnus-rhymes-with-swagness-blog @khangerinedreams @kordeliiius @mazzikah @feluka @dlxxv-vetted-donations @girlinafairytale @a-shade-of-blue @vakarians-babe @babygoatsandfriends @self-hating-zionist @mangocheesecakes @dlxxv-vetted-donations @gazaboovintage @gazavetters @wellwaterhysteria @sar-soor @applebunch @irhabiya @sayruq @xxx-sparkydemon-xxx @junglejim4322 @reptilianspecies @dr-lapdance @tamamita @cantsayidont @fairweathermyth @dear-indies @eruthiawenluin @katealot @lenasai @stalinistqueens @ayeshjourney @gaza-evacuation-funda @el-shab-hussein @irhabiya @nabulsi @ibtisams @dlxxv-vetted-donations @tododeku @a-shade-of-blue @gaza-relief-fund @catnapdreams @northgazaupdates @buttercuparry @stuckinapril

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goodluckclove · 6 months ago

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Popping in from the void to spread the news that the nonprofit National Novel Writing in a Month has declared that not supporting genAI has "classist and ableist undertones".

Also popping in to say that the main technology NaNo uses to track wordcount is wildly available for free, meaning either on your own or with friends you can practice the useful part of the experience on your own at virtually any time. Without people aggressively hounding you for donations or pushing the support of exploitative software and writing scams. Or like exploiting kids? They've done so much bullshit at this point I've lost track.

What the fuck is going on? At this point I think NaNo is actively trying to push it's primary audience away until it's just Derrick, the tech guy who is thrilled to generate 30 novels in 30 days. He's not donating shit to this Good Person Nonprofit, but he's super happy to self-publish all of his new manuscripts with stolen art work, reveling in the fact that he is not only a Real Writer, but now also a disabled rights activist somehow. Cool!

That is all.

No it isn't. Here, for those who might want their next read to come from a new or painfully familiar place.

Now that is all.

#nanowrimo #fuck ai #writeblr #writing community

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scoutofmymind · 1 month ago

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Saw that someone said Luigi’s Reddit had a post where he eluded to a pretty heavy drinking habit in college, which then makes me think about drunk ex!luigi. I’m sorry, but you write angst too well

Unlearn Me — { Luigi x Reader}

Content: SFW, angst, yearning, slight pining, mentions of canon back pain, ex’s reminiscing, heartbreak all over again.

Wc: 4,336 (holy shit)

Notes; Two semesters of carefully crafted distance crumbles at 3AM in the computer lab when your final project implodes hours before the deadline, leaving you with no choice but to seek help from the one person you've been avoiding since the breakup.

Before we continue, I cannot ignore that wildfires continue to ravage Los Angeles, countless families have lost their homes and livelihoods. I urge you to consider supporting those affected through any of these donation links, additionally, Roadogs on Instagram is looking for fosters for mass evacuations of shelter dogs in California.

Foster or donate if you can. xo.

Now, let’s go.

"Mother fucker," you curse, attacking your keyboard with increasingly desperate keystrokes.

Each combination might be the one to salvage this disaster, but deep down you know it's hopeless — your software has corrupted itself into oblivion, taking six months of work with it.

"You can ask for an extension," Emma suggests, her voice carrying the weight of exhaustion that matches your own. Your roommate had burst into the media center still wearing her pink silk pajamas, immediately launching into a nervous tirade about after-hours permissions and potential expulsion risks.

Her constant hovering and worrying grates on your last nerve, and you tell her to leave.

Predictably, she refuses.

"Listen, I'm not just gonna leave you here on your own." She leans across your workspace, her body pressing against your laptop screen until it tilts halfway closed. You freeze, fingers suspended above the keys, terrified of losing what little progress you've made in this digital archaeology expedition. "There's - like - a murderer on campus."

"One girl said she was followed home," you gently remind. Under normal circumstances, Emma's mother-hen routine would be endearing — charming, even. But right now, with your project in shambles and deadline looming, her protective hovering feels suffocating. "Not murdered, Em."

"May as well have been." Emma fixes you with that look — the one that screams why am I the only rational person here? While her nails tap nervously against your desk. "Probably hasn't left her room since. And you know what? Smart girl.”

You scrub your hands over your face, your eyes fixed on the projector's word vomit — an endless stream of error messages and unintelligible code painting the drywall from a tired projector like some twisted modern art piece.

Not exactly what you were going for.

Emma stands mesmerized, "How did you even do this?" She watches the cryptic display crawl across the wall, her eyes tracking each line as if she could decode it. "This reminds me of-" she catches herself, the name hanging unspoken between you. She's learned that lesson the hard way. "This is wild.”

You can't help but notice.

Notice how she almost speaks his name, how these meaningless strings of letters and numbers somehow bridge the gap to memories you've tried so hard to bury — promises whispered under star-sprinkled skies, fingers intertwined beneath the cosmic glow.

Moments that felt eternal then, ephemeral now.

Your gaze drifts to your phone, lying face-down like a surrender.

You blink several times, trying to clear the ghosts from your vision before speaking, your voice emerging barely above a whisper, as if the words themselves might shatter something in the air, "Should I text him?" You ask, offering the idea as if it was something too controversial to be spoken aloud.

Emma shifts her weight, both from exhaustion and the sudden weight of responsibility.

Your night's trajectory now rests in her hands — she who has witnessed every shade of you, from triumph to devastation. Her own memories of him surface: the way he'd raid her ice cream stash only to replace it with a premium pint the next day, how he'd tackle the dish mountain without prompting, those small gestures that made him feel like family.

"He was my favorite boyfriend of yours," she'd told you once, in a moment of wine-honest conversation. "He was a good boy."

A good boy who made a couple mistakes.

But those mistakes had compounded like interest on a debt you never agreed to pay, until the rift between you and Luigi widened into an ocean.

Everything good had been pulled out with the tide — your trust, your shared future — swept away to depths where no light could reach.

"I-" Emma's hand finds the back of her neck, her expression cycling through a slideshow of conflicted emotions. You can see her internal struggle; the desire to crawl into her bed warring with her loyalty to you. And she knows you well enough to realize you'd stay here until sunrise if necessary. "I mean — babe, I love you, but you can't fix this." The admission seems to pain her, as if acknowledging your limitations feels like betrayal. "We aren't techies."

You stare helplessly at your gutted gallery, stripped bare by your own accidental digital vandalism. Your artwork, your portfolio, your future — all reduced to incomprehensible strings of code projected onto an indifferent wall.

"Do you think he'd come?" The question escapes before you can stop it, your eyes magnetized to your phone as if your stare alone could resurrect that old text thread, buried beneath months of careful silence.

"Of course he would."

A soft, defeated whine escapes you as you turn back to glare at your corrupted work, as if you could intimidate it into fixing itself through sheer force of will.

Emma's voice softens, "Hey, he's mature enough to understand you've exhausted your options."

A violent shudder runs through you at the thought of Luigi being your last resort.

You'd managed to exile the visceral memories — the heated arguments that left you gasping for air, the promises that turned to vapor in the morning light.

"Which are?"

Emma looks down at her Pokemon-clad self, then back at you. "Me." She gestures vaguely in your direction, "and you."

The campus sleeps around you, everyone else lost to their dreams or late-night calls home. Just the two of you remain, trapped in this dimly-lit purgatory on a Wednesday night, while error messages mock your existence with their endless scroll.

"Slim pickin's," you mutter as your fingers betray you, finding Luigi's contact with muscle memory that refuses to die.

How many times had you pressed these same digits before?

But this is different.

Different because you haven't spoken since that night in your kitchen, when you stood with your back to him, voice steady despite the trembling in your hands, "So, we aren't going to try to figure this out?" You asked, and he’d responded with some pretentious comparison about your relationship being like corrupted code, fundamentally flawed, destined to fail its own quality test.

The irony isn't lost on you — the very metaphor he used to end things is now the thread that might pull you back into his orbit. Your only connection besides the elaborate dance of avoidance across campus, treating each other's paths like holy ground neither dares to tread.

Opening the thread, you're greeted by your last exchange — your final words to him blazing across the screen in angry blue bubbles: "I want my fucking shit back or I'll make your life a living hell." Such poetry. Your new message hovers in the text box, simpler, desperate in its brevity.

Hey need help with somethin. U up??

You thrust your phone at Emma like it's burning your fingers, watching her eyes widen as they catch on those months-old texts — digital artifacts of your rage that should have been scrubbed before tonight's desperate plea. "Jesus," she whispers, amusement dancing in her expression. "I'd still be licking my wounds if I were hi-"

The familiar buzz cuts through the air, a notification chime that once made your heart leap but now makes it sink.

"What'd he say?" You mumble, gaze fixed on the mocking projection that bathes the room in its sickly digital glow, code continuing its relentless march across the wall.

Emma settles into a chair, hunching over your laptop's makeshift altar. "Said he's at Ruddy's." She squints at a fresh message. "He said 'what do you want?'" She deepens her voice into a cartoonish baritone, making him sound like a caveman discovering text messaging for the first time.

You can't blame him for the cold response — you’d scorched that earth thoroughly.

But a selfish part of you wants to delete the whole exchange, pretend this moment of weakness never happened, go back to the careful choreography of avoiding each other's existence.

But you can't.

The corrupted gallery looming on the wall is a stark reminder that pride is a luxury you can't afford right now.

His icy reception is the natural consequence of your scorched-earth campaign, those venom-laced messages sent in the throes of heartbreak and confusion.

You'd played the role of the woman scorned perfectly, even though you'd written your own tragic script.

"Just send him a picture." You wave listlessly at the wall, where your work continues its digital decomposition, folding in on itself like a dying star. The error messages stretch into an endless serpent of nonsense, each iteration making less sense than the last.

The artificial shutter sound of Emma's photo breaks the silence, followed by the soft swoosh of sending. The wait feels eternal until-

Ding

Emma's attention snaps to your phone resting on her thigh, her eyes widening. "He's typing like he-"

Sorry;m,, I’m fucked uo

I am

fucked up

Emma clicks her tongue and rises, crossing the room to lob your phone into your lap, screen up. "Guess some things don't change." You manage a weak half-grin, memories flooding back unbidden — Luigi stumbling into your dorm in the small hours, wrapped in whiskeys warmth, all soft edges and desperate hands.

"Well, make up your mind." Emma's yawn threatens to unhinge her jaw, arms wrapping around herself like armor. "Are we done here, or are you gonna have him come take a look?"

I’n be there son

I’ll be rherw soo

I’ll be there soon

You stand to wrap your arms around Emma’s shoulders who reluctantly curves her arms upward to squeeze your shoulders. “Go home.” She seems reluctant to listen, staring at your phone screen as if it would take her home itself. “I promise, I’ll be just fine.”

The space between you pulses with that unique warmth reserved for someone who shares your roof, your darkest secrets, and the monthly struggle with Con Edison. "Just don't make any brash decisions."

"Oh, Em." You press a kiss to her forehead. "You think I'm so much cooler than I am."

Emma's laugh follows her as she spins toward the door, collecting pieces of herself like breadcrumbs — the scarf draped over a chair, the coat hung forgotten, the backpack abandoned when the day still held promise.

Each item a marker of how long this digital nightmare has stretched, from sunshine to moonlight.

And as if summoned by cosmic irony, the lab door swings open to reveal Luigi. "Oh - hey, E." The surprise flickers across his face before he schools his features back to neutral.

"Hey, Lu." Her greeting carries the easy familiarity of their old routine, like NPCs in a cozy game exchanging preset dialogue, their paths crossing exactly as programmed.

"You g'na help me with this?"

Emma shakes her head, patting his shoulder as she passes — a gentle handoff. "I did my time." You want to protest, but words fail as you absorb the sight of him, eight months of careful avoidance crumbling in an instant.

"Ahh-" Luigi waves, feigning disappointment through the druken haze. "Need a walk back home?"

Ever the shepherd, guardian of late-night wanderers.

It didn't matter who you were — friend, stranger, ex-lover’s best friend and roommate — his self-appointed mission to ensure everyone's safe return never wavered.

You'd once wondered if it stemmed from some deeper anxiety, his mind unable to rest until every sheep was accounted for in its fold.

Tonight though, the alcohol has mercifully dulled that protective instinct. Emma's potential disappearance into the night ranks lower on his list of concerns than usual, although Emma herself had been the one earlier to warn you of the murderer on campus.

"You still got my location," Emma reminds him — a callback to conversations past, to the day she'd granted Luigi permanent access to her whereabouts, a level of trust you'd wisely withheld.

"Right."

She presses a kiss to her fingers, flashing you a peace sign with the same hand before it briefly lands on Luigi's shoulder. Then she's gone, disappearing into the snow-globe world he'd just stumbled in from. He stands before you now, arms hanging like dead weight, his eyes somehow both wide and narrow.

"Hey," you whisper.

"Hey."

You gesture weakly at the wall where your work writhes in digital agony. "So, uh — remember that time you salvaged Professor Wren’s entire thesis when her drive crashed?"

Luigi's eyes follow your hand, professional interest temporarily overriding the awkwardness. He steps closer, squinting at the corrupted display, "Jesus," he mutters, "what did you do to it?"

"Would you believe me if I said nothing?" The laugh that escapes is more nervous than you'd like. "It just. - it started disintegrating during final checks."

He's already pulling out his laptop, muscle memory from countless late-night tech rescues. The familiarity of it hits you in the chest — how many times had you watched him do this same thing, hunched over his keyboard, bottom lip caught between his teeth in concentration?

"I can try," he says finally, not quite meeting your eyes. "But no promises. When's this due?"

"Tomorrow at nine."

"Of course it is." He drops into the chair beside you, close enough that your elbows almost touch, but enough of a distance to still feel far away. “Okay, walk me through what it's supposed to look like when it's not — uh - whatever this is."

For a moment, Luigi stares at the corrupted display where red pixels bleed and stutter across the wall. His fingers hover over his keyboard, then pause. "Wait. This is your circulatory modeling project? The one you were-“ He cuts himself off, remembering this was before the eight months of silence.

"Yeah." You swallow. "It was working perfectly until an hour ago. Real-time hemodynamics, pressure differentials, vessel elasticity. Everything." Your voice cracks slightly on the last word, feeling more helpless when you verbalize it.

He nods, already typing with uncanny precision despite the slight sway in his posture. "Show me the base code. Did you save any backups?"

"Three. All corrupted." You lean forward, careful not to crowd him as you pull up the mangled files. "It's like something got into the core simulation and just - I dunno - started rewriting them."

"Hm." His eyes scan the screen with that laser focus he somehow maintains no matter how much he drinks, that familiar furrow appearing between his brows. "These values are cascading. One corrupted variable triggering a chain reaction through the whole system." He glances at you, slightly overshooting before correcting. "When's the last time it ran correctly?"

You check your phone. "6:43 PM. I have a screen recording from then."

"Good. That's good." He pulls up a second window, his typing still flawless even as he reaches with his free hand to steady himself against the desk. "We can compare the execution logs, maybe isolate where it started going wrong." His fingers fly across the keys with a precision that seems to mock his clearly inebriated state, and for a moment, it feels like those eight months never happened. "I'm going to need coffee for this." He looks up at you from where he sat, “Or more booze.”

You land on coffee, your feet carrying you down the familiar path to the kitchenette.

The fluorescent lights flicker dimly at this hour, casting strange shadows across the linoleum, the lab's overpriced espresso machine hums to life under your touch, its gentle whirring a counterpoint to the distant sound of Luigi's typing.

Suddenly you're back in that first year, both of you hunched over at 3 AM, him teaching you the proper way to pull a shot: “You're murdering it, stop torturing the beans”, your quiet laughter echoing through empty halls.

"Got it.” His voice carries down the corridor, slurred but triumphant, snapping you back to present.

You return to find him illuminated by screen-glow, his tie loosened and dark hair disheveled. The paper cup lands in front of him — double shot, one packet of raw sugar.

He doesn't stir it, never has.

Instead, he tips the cup back, and you hear that familiar crunch of sugar crystals between his teeth, a sound that used to drive you crazy, until somewhere along the way it became endearing.

Still, the jumbled code taunts you from the screen, though its chaos seems less threatening now. Under Luigi's touch — steady despite the alcohol — your final project is slowly remembering its original shape.

"You should have texted sooner," Luigi murmurs, tilting his head back to collect the last sugar crystals from his cup. The movement exposes his throat, his collar wrinkled where he's been tugging at it all night.

"Well," you say, watching the way his fingers dance across the keys, each stroke precise despite his obvious intoxication, "takes a minute to swallow something as big as my pride."

The corners of his mouth twitch upward, eyes never leaving the screen where broken code is knitting itself back together under his attention.

"Oh," he huffs out a laugh, the sound low and dangerous in the quiet lab, "I've seen you swallow far bigger things before."

It strikes like summer lightning — quick, bright, and leaving the air charged in its wake. The innuendo lands with no real bite, yet you find your jaw slack, a startled laugh shaking loose from your chest.

"Kidding," Luigi says, his eyes flicking from screen to you and back again. There’s a ghost of a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth, softened by the alcohol but still sharp enough to cut. You wave him back to his work, grateful for the blue glow of monitors that hides your flush. "You kinda set that up perfectly, though."

He squints up at the projection where your broken code still bleeds across the wall, letting out a soft grunt of frustration at some digital roadblock. "Just mean — ya know, you could have caught me two beers deep instead of seven."

You shrug a shoulder, watching as the projection slowly crystallizes into something recognizable. "Seems you work better under such conditions."

The lie tastes metallic.

You both know the truth.

Luigi would have come if he was sober as sunrise or drowning in bourbon. Would have come with broken ribs or pneumonia or his heart barely beating. Would have traced these familiar hallways blind, deaf, or dying — because that's what the two of you do.

Have always done.

You've seen him at rock bottom, curled into himself on cold bathroom tiles at midnight, trembling hands pressed against his mouth as if he could physically hold back the pain that wracked his body. Watched him try to explain to puzzled doctors how someone so young could hurt so constantly, the frustration in his voice when they suggested it was all in his head.

You were there through the trials of medications, the nights when existence itself seemed too heavy to bear.

And you've seen him soar; standing tall in that charcoal suit that made him look older, more polished, shaking hands with tech giants who saw in him what you'd always known was there, his future spreading out before him like a golden road, brilliant and boundless.

Now he sits here, seven drinks deep but coding like he's never been clearer, and you realize that maybe both versions are equally true.

Maybe that's what makes him Luigi — the ability to contain multitudes, to be simultaneously broken and brilliant, wounded and wonderful.

He catches you watching him and raises an eyebrow, the gesture slightly delayed, which means you must have been a bit too obvious. "What?"

"Nothing.”

His fingers pause on the keys, and even through the alcoholic haze, his gaze pins you like a butterfly to cork. "No, really. What?" The words have a slight blur around their edges, but his focus is knife-sharp.

You could deflect again, but there's something about 4 AM and code that glows like dying stars that makes honesty feel less dangerous, perhaps you’re finding comfort in the fact that Luigi is drunk, although you’re stone cold sober.

"Just thinking about that time in the Thompson building bathroom." Your voice comes out softer than intended. "When you couldn't stand up, and I had to convince the janitor you had food poisoning."

He doesn't flinch from the memory like he used to.

Instead, his mouth curves into something caught between a smile and a grimace. "You told him it was from the cafeteria." His fingers resume their dance across the keyboard, but slower now. "Got the whole place investigated by health services."

"Yeah, but got us three days off while they checked fucking everything.” you remind him.

"Got me through that week," he corrects quietly, and for a moment, the mask of that brilliant-drunk-techie slips, showing the man underneath who still remembers what it feels like to be held together by nothing but someone else's faith in you.

Then he blinks, and the vulnerability is gone, replaced by that familiar crooked grin. "Though I maintain the cafeteria deserved the inspection anyway."

The projection flickers, another section of code healing itself under his touch, and you wonder if he knows you'd do it all again.

Every bathroom floor, every late-night crisis, every moment of putting him back together - you'd choose it every time.

"Speaking of which," you venture carefully, watching his hands move across the keyboard. "How's the new treatment working?"

His right shoulder shifts in what might be a shrug, but there's a shadow of a real smile playing at his mouth.

Not the sharp, defensive one he wears like armor, but something softer, more genuine. "Six months post-op and I actually slept through the night last week. First time in -“ he pauses, considering, "Fuck, I don't even remember how long."

The admission hangs in the air between you, weighted with the two years of 2 AM phone calls, of nights spent pacing, of pain medications that never quite touched the core of the problem.

Watching him try to code through hands that wouldn't stop shaking.

"Still hurts sometimes," he adds, almost absently. "But it's different now. More like background noise than a scream." His fingers still on the keyboard, and for a moment he looks almost surprised by his own words. "Guess that's what normal people feel like all the time, huh?"

The question carries an edge of wonder, like someone who's lived in darkness suddenly discovering dawn.

You watch him roll his shoulder — a gesture that used to be followed by a wince but now flows smooth and unconscious — and think about how strange it must be, learning to live without constant pain after it's become part of your identity.

"Though I kind of miss having an excuse to drunk-code at 4 AM" he adds, but you both know it's a lie.

The code blurs on the projection as silence settles between you, charged with something that's been building for ages — through bathroom floors and hospital visits, through triumphs and failures, through pain and healing.

The alcohol has stripped away Luigi’s careful boundaries, leaving raw honesty in their place.

"You know," Luigi says slowly, finally turning from the screen to face you fully, "I never thanked you properly. For all of it."

"You don't need to-"

Your diagram pulses back to life, the holographic heart rotating lazily against the wall.

Its red glow bathes the room in a surreal warmth, catching on the sharp angles of Luigi's face, softening them into something almost dreamlike.

The light flickers across his cheekbones, turns his eyes to amber, makes the whole moment feel suspended between reality and imagination.

"I do." His voice is quiet but firm, steadier than someone seven drinks deep should manage. "Because I've been thinking — now that I can actually think clearly without-“he gestures vaguely at his back, at all the years of pain, "I've been thinking about how you're the only constant. The only person who never-“ He trails off.

You lean a little closer, drawn by the vulnerability in his voice. "Never what?"

"Never saw me as broken." He turns himself toward you, and there's something desperate in his eyes, something the alcohol has finally given him the courage to show. "Never treated me like I needed fixing. Just stayed. Through everything."

Your lips part, but the words catch in your throat. He takes your silence as a sign, turning back to the screen with a sharp exhale that might be resignation or relief — you're not sure which would be worse.

"Lu,” you say softly, and something in your voice makes his fingers still on the keyboard. "Look at me."

He does, slowly, like he's afraid of what he might find.

The neon bathes half his face in crimson, leaving the other half in shadow, and you see the moment his carefully constructed walls start to crumble.

"Time hasn’t changed that much about me.” you say, each word deliberate, heavy with meaning.

His breath catches audibly. You watch the impact of your words ripple across his face — surprise, understanding, and something else, something that makes your heart race against your ribs.

"Hasn’t it?” Luigi is focusing on you now, the reason he really came here now practically completed but pushed aside until further notice. “Eight months is a long time to hold onto -“ he gestures vaguely between you, as if he can’t quite say what it was. Hopeless devotion, the right person, wrong time.

“Not long enough to forget.”

“Forget what?”

“You.”

His breath catches again, a sharp inhale that seems to pull all the oxygen from the room. When he speaks, his voice is rough and ragged, “Maybe that’s the problem.” His gaze drifts down to watch as you lick your lips, and back up again. “Maybe you should have.”

#req #luigi mangione fanfic #Luigi mangione x reader

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odinsblog · 1 month ago

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A right-wing think tank that helped draft Project 2025 plans to target volunteer editors on Wikipedia with malicious tracking links who it alleges are "abusing their position" by publishing antisemitic content, according to a report Tuesday in the Forward.

Documents obtained by the outlet say employees of the Heritage Foundation plan to use facial recognition software and a database of hacked usernames and passwords to find the editors, who mainly use pseudonyms.

The report comes after Wikipedia editors voted in June to label the Anti-Defamation League as a “generally unreliable” source of information on the Israel-Palestine conflict. The Wikipedia vote meant the ADL should usually not be cited in articles on that topic. Other unreliable sources, according to Wikipedia editors, include Russian state media, Fox News’ political coverage and Amazon reviews, according to CNN.

It also comes as tech billionaire and "first buddy" Elon Musk publicly asked people to stop donating to the site, which he called, "Wokepedia."

The Heritage Foundation reportedly sent a blueprint for its plans to Jewish foundations and other potential supporters.

"The slideshow says the group’s 'targeting methodologies' would include creating fake Wikipedia user accounts to try to trick editors into identifying themselves by sharing personal information or clicking on malicious tracking links that can identify people who click on them. It is unclear whether this has begun," according to the Forward.

Staffers of the organization also flooded federal agencies with thousands of public records requests, seeking information on government employees' communications about topics like climate change, voting, and gender identity. (source)

#politics #wikipedia #heritage foundation #elon musk #republicans #project 2025 #fascism #republicans are evil

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bynux · 8 months ago

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Asking For Donations — This Will Likely Be My First & Last Time Doing This

Cshpp - $d1pl0mat

Hey all, I'm a neurodivergent transfeminine person who could use a bit of a financial boost. I've been unemployed for over a year due to autistic burnout and a lot of life circumstances piling on in a short time. Thankfully, things seem to be settling into place and good things are on the horizon, but I need a bit of a push to get there.

The Good: I currently have an apprenticeship lined up that will pay me well and get me into my desired field of software development. I only have to do a behavioral interview (which I expect to pass with flying colors) and I'll be starting training next month. This will enable me to move in with my partners and largely get my life back on track.

The Not-So-Good: That still leaves me with about a month and a half of not getting paid yet. Like I said above, I've been unemployed for just over a year, taking odd jobs and helping my partner(s) with finances as a way of keeping afloat. However, the family I'm living with has their food assistance on hold and I'm unsure when that problem will subside. This is on top of running low on gas, medical weed, and with a phone bill due in the very near future.

This request isn't quite as urgent as some of the others you might see, but if you have $10-20 to throw my way I'd be insanely appreciative. I'm seeking a total of ~$300 to be solidly set with groceries, gas, meds, my phone bill, and a little overhead for incidentals.

Thank you in advance <3

#beg post #queer #lgbt #lgbtq #lgbtqia #trans #transgender #neurodivergent #autism #actually autistic

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captainbabeville · 2 days ago

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Update on my current situation

For anyone who wants a backstory. I was assault last year which landed me with a fractured jaw and missing front tooth. The first surgery landed me in major debt and I was at rest of losing my place to stay. Fast track to these past couple of weeks. My jaw shifted again and I needed revision surgery, which landed me in even more debt that I still have to pay off. But I managed to get the surgery done thanks to you all.

However with everything going on and all of my previous warnings I was evicted from my place and have since been out of place to live. I and many on my friend on here have been sharing and trying raise the first half of rent and the deposit to be able to room with someone who offered. I am thankfully we raised the first half and I am here safe. Thank to everyone who helped 🤍

BUT just a few days ago while I was on the street my laptop was stolen. It’s a big deal since I work in IT and security plus do music on the side to make ends meet. If I didn’t need certain software and specifications to run my work I would not be as stressed out about all of this. Without it I can’t pay the rest of the rent that is due 25th, latest the 28th

Please if you are able to help please donate or if you can’t please share l. I don’t want to land back on the street. If I’m able to find an affordable second hand laptop with whatever is donated then I’ll be able to work. Then the worst will be over. I’m praying 🙏🏼😪

Rest of rent due $24/$600

Possible budget for second hand laptop $0/$300

Donate HERE

#mutual aid #help needed #trans #lgbtq

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donorkitesoftware · 3 months ago

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Customization Services for Donation Management Software

Enhance your donation management software with our customization services. Tailored solutions to meet your unique needs and boost donor engagement!

#software for church contributions #church donation tracking software #software to track church contributions #church contribution software #church donation management software #contribution software for churches #church giving records software #donations software for churches #church donation software #top church donation software #best church donation software #church giving software #church donation software online #online giving software for churches #church donor management software #donation software for churches #fundraising software for churches #church donation receipt software #best church giving software #church contribution tracking software #church donor software #church giving tracking software #software to track church donations #donation tracker software #donation tracking software #donation management system #donation management software #donation collection software #donation processing software #donation software for nonprofits

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taigacryptid · 6 days ago

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how to get into citizen science

what is citizen science?

it's scientists collaborating with everyday people to collect and analyze data!

why should i participate?

you can engage in science without needing a background or formal education in science. if you have passion for it, then you're all set!

it can teach you skills that you can put on a resume and take with you to use in other fields!

in some cases, you can earn service-learning/volunteer hours!

while anti-intellectualism is on the rise (especially in the US), it's more important than ever to learn about and care for the natural world, education, and academia as a whole

donations are always great, but many projects lack enough people to do the work, so that's where citizen scientists come in to help lighten the load

what can i do?

iNaturalist is probably the most popular citizen science project out there. you can take pictures of animals and plants and ID them (they have an auto-suggest feature that accounts for the appearance and location of the organism, and gives you likely species)

Merlin Bird ID from Cornell Lab is similar to iNat but only for birds, and gives the ability to record birdsong and ID birds based on that!

FathomVerse lets players ID deep sea animals from real images collected by researchers, improving the AI they use to ID! (reminder that analytical AI is great, generative AI is not!)

Zooniverse has 83 active projects ranging from subjects such as physics and biology to history and literature! pick your favorite subject and start there!

HerpMapper is like iNat but only for herps (reptiles and amphibians), and they're extra careful about sharing location data of all observations for the sake of protecting vulnerable species (this one has my herp prof on the advisory committee :D)

Smell Pittsburgh is a project aimed to track the air quality in Pittsburgh, one of the most polluted cities in the US

Sensor Community lets anyone buy an air or noise sensor to install and collect data about air or noise pollution (they have guides for assembling it and installing the necessary software)

FrogWatch USA from Akron Zoo accepts volunteers nationwide to ID frogs based on their calls during breeding season

Reef Life Survey accepts volunteers to help catalog and monitor coral reefs

WomSAT allows anyone to report wombat sightings so they can be protected! (only for Australia, of course)

Marine Debris Tracker lets anyone log marine pollution that they've cleaned up, as well as any dumping sites (they also collect data from smaller organizations including schools, so try to find a local one you can join!)

eButterfly is like iNat but just for butterflies!

Foldit is a free game where you can contribute to molecular research by learning about protein structures

#citizen science #science #volunteer #taiga talks

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fluidangel · 1 year ago

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ok since i've been sharing some piracy stuff i'll talk a bit about how my personal music streaming server is set up. the basic idea is: i either buy my music on bandcamp or download it on soulseek. all of my music is stored on an external hard drive connected to a donated laptop that's next to my house's internet router. this laptop is always on, and runs software that lets me access and stream my any song in my collection to my phone or to other computers. here's the detailed setup:

my home server is an old thinkpad laptop with a broken keyboard that was donated to me by a friend. it runs yunohost, a linux distribution that makes it simpler to reuse old computers as servers in this way: it gives you a nice control panel to install and manage all kinds of apps you might want to run on your home server, + it handles the security part by having a user login page & helping you install an https certificate with letsencrypt.

***

to stream my music collection, i use navidrome. this software is available to install from the yunohost control panel, so it's straightforward to install. what it does is take a folder with all your music and lets you browse and stream it, either via its web interface or through a bunch of apps for android, ios, etc.. it uses the subsonic protocol, so any app that says it works with subsonic should work with navidrome too.

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to listen to my music on my phone, i use DSub. It's an app that connects to any server that follows the subsonic API, including navidrome. you just have to give it the address of your home server, and your username and password, and it fetches your music and allows you to stream it. as mentionned previously, there's a bunch of alternative apps for android, ios, etc. so go take a look and make your pick. i've personally also used and enjoyed substreamer in the past. here are screenshots of both:

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to listen to my music on my computer, i use tauon music box. i was a big fan of clementine music player years ago, but it got abandoned, and the replacement (strawberry music player) looks super dated now. tauon is very new to me, so i'm still figuring it out, but it connects to subsonic servers and it looks pretty so it's fitting the bill for me.

***

to download new music onto my server, i use slskd which is a soulseek client made to run on a web server. soulseek is a peer-to-peer software that's found a niche with music lovers, so for anything you'd want to listen there's a good chance that someone on soulseek has the file and will share it with you. the official soulseek client is available from the website, but i'm using a different software that can run on my server and that i can access anywhere via a webpage, slskd. this way, anytime i want to add music to my collection, i can just go to my server's slskd page, download the files, and they directly go into the folder that's served by navidrome.

slskd does not have a yunohost package, so the trick to make it work on the server is to use yunohost's reverse proxy app, and point it to the http port of slskd 127.0.0.1:5030, with the path /slskd and with forced user authentification. then, run slskd on your server with the --url-base slskd, --no-auth (it breaks otherwise, so it's best to just use yunohost's user auth on the reverse proxy) and --no-https (which has no downsides since the https is given by the reverse proxy anyway)

***

to keep my music collection organized, i use beets. this is a command line software that checks that all of the tags on your music are correct and puts the file in the correct folder (e.g. artist/album/01 trackname.mp3). it's a pretty complex program with a ton of features and settings, i like it to make sure i don't have two copies of the same album in different folders, and to automatically download the album art and the lyrics to most tracks, etc. i'm currently re-working my config file for beets, but i'd be happy to share if someone is interested.

that's my little system :) i hope it gives the inspiration to someone to ditch spotify for the new year and start having a personal mp3 collection of their own.

#spotify #music #streaming #yunohost #subsonic #soulseek

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kryptid-kat · 2 years ago

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Resources for streamers, vtubers and youtubers

I have been doing my own streams and videos on and off for a couple of years and I have found a couple of websites that was a big help when i was planning what games to play and such. So here are they!

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Gaming A little something that helped me out a LOT when choosing games to play for an audience. How Long To Beat: Website that gives you an estimate on how long a game would take to play through. Great tool if you want to find a short game or if you want to figure out if you want to commit to a longer one.

Can You Run It: Giving system requirements for games. Both minimum and recommended. If you are not sure what components you got in your pc the site offers an .exe file that will check your pc for you.

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Stream Some of my fav stream plugins and extras

Pando stream pet: make streams a little bit more exciting with a stream pet!

Ko-Fi stream alerts: ko-fi site donations show up on stream, custom alert and donation goal tracker (for twitch or youtube)

Stream Elements: Sponsorship tools, chat bot, alerts and and other useful bits

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Vtubers there would be a LOT to cover here and I may ant to do a separate masterpost on tracking softwares and such, this ma ybe a little copout for now. Vtuber resourches twitter constantly updated with free and payed assets and commissions.

Vtuber resourches masterpost carrd

#vtuber #streaming #youtube #twitch #masterpost #kat talk

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pcttrailsidereader · 10 months ago

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The Ever-Changing Length of the PCT

The most recent edition of the PCT's "Trail Dirt" tackled the mystery of the PCT length . . . it has been a topic that has been a curiosity also explored on this website -- https://pcttrailsidereader.com/post/618834872879939586/it-looks-authoritative-and-permanent-but-the The midpoint looks so official but as this article explains, the length of the trail is constantly changing . . . hence moving the midpoint. However, the marker stays put.

Easy, 2,650 Miles, right? Well… not quite.

By Galen Keily

The question of the PCT’s length comes up often, with guidebooks, phone apps, and other sources across the internet offering varying figures. In recent years, PCTA has come a long way in better tracking and calculating distance. While we regularly reference the rounded figure of 2,650 miles as shorthand for the trail’s length, our current best estimate places it at approximately 2655.8 miles. It’s complicated because the length actually varies year by year, and homing in on highly accurate mileage for a trail that spans thousands of miles can pose significant challenges. We know that trail mileage matters a lot to PCT trail users. Read on to discover some of the complexities involved in determining the true length of the PCT.

Northern Terminus, Photo by: Ryan Weidert

It Moves!

Sometimes, the trail gains a mile or two, or sometimes, the trail shaves off miles (you’re welcome thru-hikers!) You might be thinking… how does this happen, isn’t the trail already on the ground? While true, PCTA, alongside managing agencies and dedicated trail crews, continually refines and optimizes the trail’s route. These efforts range from minor adjustments to larger-scale relocation projects aimed at enhancing the overall trail experience. For instance, routine maintenance often involves realigning sections of the trail to improve sustainability, such as adding switchbacks or adjusting trail tread within the existing corridor. These alterations might end up making the trail a bit longer or shorter, typically on the order of hundreds of feet. Pretty small potatoes when looking at a trail that crosses thousands of miles. Other times, the PCT undergoes bigger relocation projects based on a process called Optimal Location Reviews (OLR). These relocations can be significant and can take years to complete. These projects aim to relocate the PCT to a location better suited to providing a natural setting, scenic beauty, and safe public access, among other things. As a result of these projects, the trail’s length may fluctuate by several miles. But they also end up making the trail safer and more enjoyable for all.

The Sierra Buttes Relocation – Old decommissioned PCT shown in dashed black line, current PCT in maroon.

What’s so hard about miles?

Calculating distance across such a large geographic extent is challenging. Even minor inaccuracies that are repeated hundreds of thousands of times compound errors, resulting in significant discrepancies in overall mileage. For example, if each point in our PCT dataset were off by 1ft, the margin of error would be over 200 miles. Additionally, the translation from a three-dimensional Earth to a two-dimensional map necessitates “projecting” data in GIS (Graphical Informational System) software, which can introduce different types of accuracy loss. However, advancements in technology offer us promising avenues for improvement, such as using LiDAR (laser scans of the earth) to more precisely capture and map changes to the trail.

A little bit about the data

PCTA’s current iteration of PCT mapping data is built upon data that was donated to the organization from the Halfmile Project. You may have heard of Halfmile, he and his team are kind of a big deal. The resulting data from this project’s multi-year effort was the best, most accurate data for the PCT of its time. Volunteers in the project mapped thousands of miles of trail with survey-grade custom and commercial GPS units and spent tremendous amounts of time analyzing, processing, and curating the results.

Halfmile, using his iPhone to control the Long Distance Geo Logger. The blue GPS unit is in the lower black side pocket of his pack. You can see coiled cable right above it.

Building on this legacy, PCTA now builds upon that same highly accurate data from Halfmile, revised to account for re-routes and trail reconstruction that have happened since PCTA assumed control of the data. We maintain our PCT Centerline (the line data for the trail’s location) and Mile Markers (points every tenth or half mile), with new versions released on an annual basis, usually in January. The data is displayed on our Interactive Map and made available on our PCT Data webpage, freely available for download in a variety of formats. By fostering an environment of transparency and accessibility, we empower trail users, app developers, and agency partners alike to utilize this standardized dataset, facilitating seamless communication and navigation along the trail.

Graceland takes an emotional moment at the Northern Terminus after an adventure of a lifetime. Photo by: James Townsend

Conclusions

As we continue to monitor changes, refine our modeling of the PCT, and offer it to users in new ways, we realize that our data remains imperfect. Digitally representing the complexities of the natural world always is. Despite this, the Association’s renewed prioritization of data management, built upon the invaluable foundation set by the Halfmile project, marks significant progress in this work. We recognize that our path toward data accuracy is ongoing and that we’re by no means at the finish line (approx. 2,655.8 ), but we’re always improving, collaborating, and working to celebrate the intricacies of the PCT in this unique aspect of our work.

Author: Galen Keily

#midpoint #2650 miles #length of PCT #trail re-routes

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