#i make two tiny mistakes (miss this instance which the camera also missed and then tell a friend what the parent said because it hurt and I

[magpie-trove]

*

[path-of-my-childhood]

"Miss Americana" Director Lana Wilson on Capturing Taylor Swift, Mid-Transformation

By: Chris Willman for Variety Date: January 31st 2020

Lana Wilson was taking a risk - albeit a pretty good bet - when she set out to make what turned out to be “Miss Americana,” her new Netflix documentary. As Taylor Swift told Variety: 

“When I began thinking about maybe possibly having a documentary-type thing happen, it was really just because I felt like I would want to have footage of what was happening in my life, just to have later on in my life, even if we never put it out, or even if we put it out decades down the line. When we brought Lana on board, I was pretty open with her about the fact that this may be something that I wasn’t actually ready to put out. So I think we began the process without a lot of pressure, because I didn’t necessarily think that it was an actual eventuality to put out the documentary.”

Wilson was too fascinated by what she was getting early on to worry much about whether her subject would sign off on releasing it. At the outset, she was catching Swift at the end of the “Reputation” album/tour cycle, when Swift was finding a more contented place in her personal life and finally exorcising Kanye-gate from her system. The star quickly moved on to the making of “Lover,” her most upbeat album, with Wilson getting fly-on-wall footage that captures the joy of creation and eureka moments in the writing process in a way few films ever have. And then things got more interesting altogether when Swift decided that the days she could afford to be standoffish about what was happening in the country had come to an end. The movie - and by now, it was a movie - had its third act.

Variety spoke with Wilson for the magazine’s cover story last week on Swift, prior to “Miss Americana’s” Sundance premiere. Here’s a breakout of more of that conversation.

There is some footage in the movie that goes back a few years that clearly predates your involvement. When did you start filming - was it during the “Lover” writing and recording sessions or the “Reputation” tour before that? I came on during the tour. She had been collecting bits and pieces of footage; she often filmed stuff with her own cell phone - songwriting stuff. Netflix introduced us, and we really hit it off the first time we met. She had watched my previous work, and I had admired her for years, not just for her music, but also the fact that she had written all of her own songs since she was 15, and that she’s the sole creative force behind the whole shape of her career. When we met, I remember being excited that she didn’t want to make a traditional pop star documentary. She knew that she was in the middle of a really important time in her life, coming out of a very dark period, and wanted me to collaborate on something that captured what she was going through that was raw and honest and emotionally intimate.

When we first talked about it, she immediately wanted me to bring my perspective as a director to what was going on with her now and to make a film that really had something to say. I think the first time we met, we talked for 20 minutes about narrative structure in documentaries, and we even talked about film score in documentaries. At one point she said that she didn’t like documentaries that are like propaganda, and I was thrilled to hear that. In my work, I take stories that are often told through sound bites and headlines and bring depth and complexity to them. My goal is always to reveal the humanity that’s beneath the oversimplification. And to me, there are few things more frequently diminished and reduced by others than female creative forces.

It could be seen as a feminist statement, or at least some kind of intention on her part, that she picked someone who’d made an abortion documentary (“After Tiller”). It could also mean that she was just more comfortable with a woman. I think that’s totally true. When I started filming, it was before she’d come out politically. But that said, even before meeting her, I could only imagine how much pressure and scrutiny she’d faced as a powerful and successful female artist. And I definitely sensed that those pressures would be ones that other people and especially other women and girls could relate to. Obviously, yeah, I’m a female artist working in a male-dominated industry. So although Taylor and I inhabit very different worlds, I figured that we’d have some shared experiences. And I also worked with an all-female crew, which I do think helped her feel comfortable right off the bat, and a small crew. When I met her, she hadn’t done an interview in almost three years. The first one she did was an audio (-only) interview with me for this film. So it was a big deal, and trust was a big part of that.

You had an all-female crew, but Morgan Neville’s name is on there as a producer, and he’s not a gal. [Laughter.] What’s his role in it? He was a part of the creative process, and it was wonderful to get to work with him, as a creative sounding board, from start to finish. On the crew, I will say that we did always have male production assistants, because I like trying to show people that men can fetch coffee for women, and not just the other way around! So that was the only exception to the all-female rule.

It had to have been a small crew, when you were filming the fly-on-the-wall creative stuff in the recording studios, sometimes in very small control rooms. It was often just me and one or two other people in the room with her, trying to keep the footprint as small as possible. You know, no one had filmed her writing songs before. That was some of my favorite stuff to film, but it was also the stuff where we tried to really be the most low-key presence possible. You’re just in a tiny room, and it feels so amazing to watch her get in the zone creatively. One of the most fun parts for me as a director is when it feels like you’ve been in the studio for enough hours that everyone is so relaxed that you really feel invisible in a wonderful, exciting way.

When she’s having the talk with her team about wanting to make endorsements for the midterm elections, which is maybe the most important scene in the film, it’s not clear if that is something you shot or if that was something that was on the spur of the moment, where she had someone get a camera in your absence. That was spur of the moment. So that was something someone on her team shot who was pretty good with the camera. That was very last minute. I’d been starting to work with her and talk with her before that, and I’d say, “If something’s happening last-minute that could be at all important or meaningful, film it with your cell phone, of if there’s someone around you that has a little DSLR camera or something, they could film it.” It allowed us to get really powerful, crucial scenes like that one that might’ve been hard logistically to get otherwise. And I love the personal quality of that material from especially the few little bits of stuff from her cell phone.

She told us she wasn’t sure she wanted to actually make or release a movie when filming started. Did she make that clear to you when it started? Like, this might be on spec, and might not come out? Well, it was less talking about the end result and more, honestly, just talking about what she was going through emotionally at that time and the kind of things that were on her mind. Then we’d brainstorm stuff that could be cool to film. I love the idea of filming really quiet, almost more mundane moments, because I think that ordinary/extraordinary contradiction that’s so central to the life of someone in the public eye is really interesting. I loved that moment early in the film where she’s alone in the car in the dark after the show riding to her hotel room - the idea of going from being on a massive stage in front of tens of thousands of people to being an ordinary person alone just going to bed at the end of the night.

She’s already been pretty candid with her fans. There are moments in the film where she’s shown as being annoyed with the fans and photographers gathered outside her door and that sort of thing. Do you think she felt okay with being portrayed as not being happy at all times? Oh yeah, totally. She’s a complex human being, and I think whether you like her music or not, if you watch this movie, you really get to know her as a human. And as you say, she writes so candidly in her lyrics about the hardest times, the times when she made mistakes. And that is what her fans love her for. But a lot of people don’t share their hard times. The most popular photos on Instagram are of weddings and babies, when what’s really relatable and what’s meaningful is connecting with someone over that time things weren’t perfect, or the friendship or relationship that didn’t work out, or the argument you had with your mom or something. You know, everyone wants to feel less alone in the more difficult experiences in life. And that’s one reason why they turn to art. And I think it’s why people watch movies. And the happy moments are meaningful when you’ve also been through the sad ones. Young girls need to see that their heroes are just as human as they are. And I think girls and boys of all ages could benefit from that reminder.

I want people to be surprised by it because I think that Taylor Swift is someone who everyone thinks they know. But I think if people start watching this film, they’ll realize they’re watching a film about this iconic artist deciding to live life on her own terms, and it’s a feminist coming of age story. I think they’ll be surprised by her sense of humor and her self-awareness, and they can appreciate the craft of songwriting, for instance. So I hope that even if people are not fans, that they’ll watch the movie and be really surprised and also feel like they’ve just met a complicated, layered human being.

Very few people at the superstar level have the gift of healthy self-awareness that she seems to have. Self-consciousness, yes, but self-awareness, that’s more rare. Yeah, it’s so true. I’m sure you’ve seen bits of the home movies in some of her videos in the past. When I looked at the home movies, what struck me the most about them is that she really always has been the same person. She’s been kind and generous and smart and imaginative and very hardworking since she was a girl. At age 11 she knew exactly what she wanted to do with her life. One of my favorite moments in the archives in the film is this clip of her, where she’s like in a diner and it’s just after the release of her first album, and she’s 16. Her childhood dream has just come true. And she tells the interviewer that she wakes up everyday being like, “Yes, this is happening.” But then she tells herself, “Now you have to figure out how to make it last.” That is so her. She had so much maturity and pretentiousness then, and she knew she wanted this to be her career and her life, and she wanted to write songs forever. It’s incredible to see a person at that age that self-possessed and cognizant.

At one point she says she wants to use her platform to speak out because she’s aware she won’t be in this position forever, where her opinions have some kind of import. Not that she’s predicting a major downfall, but she knows she won’t always have this attention. That’s undoubtedly true, but at the same time, she’s one of the only ones besides Beyonce that we would imagine being almost as big a star in 20 years, and not necessarily subject to the normal standards of diminishment of interest. She’s conscious of the historically short lifespan of female pop stars, and it’s so poignant when she says that. But it’s hard to know what will happen, though, because she issuch a trailblazer. I mean, there’s just been no one like her, and her fan base and the relationship she has with her fans is so unique, and, I mean, she’s already done so many things that no one else has done before — who knows what will happen in the future? She is cognizant of what’s happened in the past and what’s going to happen in the future … but it could be anything, because she’s different than anyone that’s come before.

We can hope we all live long enough to find out what a 50- or 60-year-old Taylor Swift is like. I love that idea too. I want to go to the arena tour of a 60-year-old Taylor Swift. I want to know what the songs she’s writing then are.

The last third of the film focuses on her decision to make a political statement and what comes after. It was a profound decision for her to make, and a multilayered one. In that, I saw this feminist coming-of-age story that I personally connected with, and that I really think women and girls around the world will see themselves in.

You didn’t actually have the “Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince” song in the movie, but that’s the song on the album that most speaks to her political turn. So it seemed like a good thing to title the movie after? It was cool because it’s obviously, yeah, a reference to this song she wrote that has political themes. It was interesting that when the documentary was announced, her fans instantly understood some of the themes the film would have, because of the song title. And then for me, even if you don’t know the song, I see the movie as in some ways looking at the flip side of being America’s sweetheart. So I like how the title evokes that, too.

You have the twin moments of disappointment in the movie. Early on, you have the Grammy disappointment, and then later there’s the midterm result disappointment. Those are the parallel scenes, almost, where she’s having to deal with the results not turning out as she planned and one of these ultimately being more important than the other. I’m glad you noticed that. That means a lot. One thing that I think is amazing about her is that she goes to the studio and to songwriting as a place to process what she’s going through. I loved how, when she got the Grammys news, this isn’t someone who’s going to feel sorry for herself or say “That wasn’t right.” She’s like, “Okay, I’m going to work even harder.” And I think it’s amazing how you see her strength of character in that moment when she gets that news. Then with the election results, I loved how she channeled so many of her thoughts and feelings into this song (“Only the Young”). It was a great way to kind of show how stuff that happens in her life goes directly into the songs. You get to actually witness that in both cases.

Were you surprised that she addressed having had what could be described as an eating disorder? She seems hesitant to use that term but finally does. She’s been open about so many things, but that’s not something that she’s revealed. No, that’s one of my favorite sequences of the film. I was surprised, of course. But when you hear her talk about it, I love how she’s kind of thinking out loud. And yeah, she’s an icon of beauty, but even for an icon of beauty, as she articulates so beautifully, women are in this double bind situation. It’s impossible for anyone to meet every standard of beauty. It’s an impossible situation. And every woman will see herself in that sequence. I just have no doubt. And I do think people will be really surprised by it.

I tend to be clueless about these minor shifts in weight or body size, until people point them out en masse. It never would have occurred to me that she was any less thin on the “Reputation” tour until I started seeing comments about weight gain. But there are those who have their antennae out for the slightest change, and often it’s women, maybe it’s because you’re under that scrutiny yourselves. But you can also just not notice people being really skinny, because we’re all so accustomed to seeing women on magazine covers who are unhealthy skinny, and that’s become normalized. I think it’s interesting what you say about what you read during “Reputation” about her weight, because you really can’t win. There is a moment in the film where you see that part of the media backlash she experienced during 2016 was people saying, “Oh, she’s too skinny.” People complain if you’re too skinny, and if you’re not too skinny, you’re too fat. It’s incessant, and I can say this as a woman: It’s amazing to me how people are constantly like “You look skinny” or “You’ve gained weight.” People you barely know say this to you. And it feels awful, and you can’t win. So I think it’s really powerful to see someone who is a role model for so many girls and women be really honest about that. It’s a brave thing of her to do, and I think it will have a huge impact.

Her interactions with Kanye West are such an essential part of the story, but that’s not a name that has really ever escaped her lips publicly since 2010; she’ll say “a person” or something euphemistic if she has to address it. So I was in suspense to see whether or how much it would come up in your film,  given how little capital she wants to give this guy in her life. It’s a crux, twice, of her journey of self-acceptance, but it’s easy to imagine her not wanting it in the film. I think it’s an important part of the story, but I wanted to position… Like, with the 2009 VMAs, what was surprising to me when I asked her about it was that she talked about how the whole crowd was booing, and she thought that they were booing her, and how devastating that was. That was something I hadn’t thought about or heard before. And it meant a lot more to me because it made more sense in the context of her being this extraordinary young artist who is doing so well, and who, like so many performing artists, loves applause. And then she is on stage [still as a teenager] and it felt like all these people were booing her. When you put it that way, it’s so much more relatable to me, and it’s understandable to anyone, because we all want people to like us. And being on stage with a giant crowd booing would be horrible for anyone. So we tried to use it in a way that showed it in a slightly different light than people have seen before... We all care about what people think about us. It’s not a celebrity problem. It’s a universal one. It’s something everyone goes through, and I think the difference is that with Taylor, it plays out on a massive international stage.

At the outset, you’ve got her in voiceover talking about how she wanted to be the good girl and be accepted. And in the end, she is a good girl, so maybe that’s not a bad thing to want to be, but there are gradations of that. She’s played around with bad girl archetypes in the “Reputation” imagery and songs, but it was role-playing to a degree. Where do you think she ended up on the scale of all that? She starts out as a good girl and she ends up as a good girl who’s decided to speak out. You know, we live in a society in which girls are taught that other people’s approval is of paramount importance to our self-worth. “Do they like me? Was I nice enough? Are they mad at me?” Every woman I know is constantly asking herself these questions. So it’s so relatable in that way. But it’s not about not being a good person. I think that the arc in the film and what Taylor went through was letting go a little bit of what other people think of her, deciding to live on her own terms, and to put her own values first. The transformation that you see is going through this period where she lets go a little bit of that. She’s a good girl speaking out now, in a way. You can’t win everyone over. No one can. I think she’s really accepted that in a deep way.

[superstarjeonghan]

The “Rona” (Entry # 2)

It’s been a while since I’ve written an entry, and let me tell you that there has been a lot of things that happened over the past couple of months. I’ve been having less breakdowns, which is amazing. I’ve also been going out with friends, keeping up with school, spending more time with family (there is actually an unfortunate situation that happened, that led to that instance but I’ll talk more about it later), and surprisingly, I’ve met a couple of people who ended up becoming some of my closest friends.

It’s 2020 now. Which I thought was great, because 2019 was a shit storm (refer to “the_void_entry_1”). Oh, but little did sweet tiny me know that 2020 is far worse. I mean it started out well. I’ve been coming to class regularly (the shear strength that I had to have just to make myself get out of bed is enormous, but I had to do it for the *gags* “learnings”). It was all fun and games, cause the only reason why I attended classes in the first place was to go see my friends and learn something (I guess) to pass the courses. Then out of the blue, I started to like studying again, which is surprising even for me. I got the hang of the lessons, I had answers to engineering problems that I never knew I could do, and I started doing projects and papers days before the submission, which is big because I am a huge procrastinator.

Everything was going well, up until the “rona” showed up. (I call it “rona” short for “corona” please don’t let it confuse you with my friend who is also named Rona, she’s an amazing girl and I adore her, anyway.) Countries and cities all over the world were declaring lockdowns left and right. I thought little of it because I didn’t want another panic attack coming my way, but the situation got bigger and bigger, until our country declared a nationwide lockdown. Grocery stores were packed with people bulk buying canned food, toiletries, and basic necessities, classes were suspended which forced them to do online classes, and streets were guarded heavily with law enforcement officers, soldiers even. First I thought “Online classes, cool. It’s easier to pass the courses when we take online exams because, the internet answers everything!” (yeah I know that’s a shitty thought, but at that time I didn’t know that thousands of people are going to die, and I’m not mentally stable to handle that. Also, the internet does not answer everything, I still had to do manual solving to answer those tests cause the professors made it super hard, I thought I was taking the board exam! *flailing arms angrily*)

As days went by I got super anxious because it finally sunk in that my parents were medical professionals. They need to work. They are required to. I started to worry, but I can’t show that I’m worried because my little siblings are going to worry too. Plus, I’ve always been like the strong independent woman that they’ve come to love but my oh my, this strong independent woman is going to puke because of anxiety. I “tried” to show them that I can handle things in the house when they (parents) are gone. And I told them (little sis and little bro) that everything is going to be okay. “No need to worry.” I say to them as I held back my screams of terror. It’s so damn hard to pretend to be strong in front of your younger sibs! (Panganays rise up!) But we need to do it. I need to do it, because mama raised no bitch.

Stuff about my friends on the other hand went, okay? I guess. I got to hang out a lot with some of them, but my original friend group… Let’s just say that I haven’t had the time to catch up. Not just on stories, but also on studies? Maybe because I’m way behind them now. They’re taking up higher studies while I’m still stuck in my current studies. It’s my fault, though. I am clearly fucked up and I can’t keep up with what society wants students to be in this day and age. I’m a slow learner, I guess. I give up easily, and that I know is true. Long-story-short, I fail a lot of subjects because I lack self-control and I’m dumb as fuck, that’s why I haven’t graduated yet. Now that I think about it, I’ve been studying for 5 years, non-stop. I take classes every semester, even during the summer, I try to enroll for school, and yet… I’m still here. But I guess that’s for another entry.

But, something did happen this year that made it a lot more bearable. Remember the people I said that became some of my closest friends? Well, kids. This is the story about how I met your mothe– (How I Met Your Mother reference!!! I’m so sorry, I’ve been binge watching a shit ton of series to appease the mental breakdown, so please bear with me.) This is the story about how I met the… uh, I don’t know what to call this group, but the group chat name varies from “GYULISANATICS” to “PUSSY GANG”. I’ve met this people online, through stan twitter, and they are one of the funniest people I know. I adore them so much, and I just want to protect them at all costs because they are so precious (even though they are completely savage when it comes to twitter fights). I’m going to talk more about them in a separate entry (I think I’m going to call it “the_gang_entry_3”) because there will be a lot of interesting and hella funny stories to tell about this people. Anyway, I’ve been inactive on stan twitter (on social media in general, like literally the only two apps that I open now are Netflix and YouTube) and I feel like I’m missing a lot. I kind of want to jump in on their conversations but I’m afraid that I wouldn’t know what they’re talking about and I’ll just feel out of place. Like my original friend group (stated in last paragraph).

There was this one time not too long ago, where a feud started on stan twitter where the “gang” was pulled into and everything was in chaos. That time, I was just in bed binge watching “Why R U”. When the last episode ended, I turned on my twitter notifications (I turn off twitter notifications when I’m watching so that annoying notification tab doesn’t pop up) and immediately, my phone started vibrating non-stop. I got notification after notification after notification. So I decided to check stan twitter, and OH. MY. GOODNESS. I didn’t know why my timeline was flooded with selcas (a “selca” is a slang for “self-camera” which originated in South Korea, it is also known as a “selfie”). I checked my DMs and the chat was going crazy. I didn’t understand what was going on so I called a dear friend named Din. I asked her what the heck is happening. Why does my timeline look like that one scene from Spongebob where all the tiny Spongebobs in his brain were running around, panicking, and everything else is on fire? She calmly explained it and told me everything. Sparing no details. That one and a half hour conversation was full of opinions on who we needed to side with. At that time, I really wasn’t sure on whose side I’m on, because everything was still so confusing for me even though Din tried to explain and re-explain everything when I tried to ask questions (and they were a lot, sorry Din.) At that time, the mother in me really wanted to say something, like give advice or tell them that everything is going to be okay, and that they don’t need to listen/mind the people that show them hate (which I know they already knew, because they are strong women as well). But I couldn’t, and I don’t know why. A part of me thought that maybe the thing that I’m about to say is going to rub off in a bad way? Or maybe they’ll think that I’m just being active because of the fact that there is a fight going on and I’m just in it for the “tea”. So I didn’t say anything. Even though I told them that I was going to say something. Now I don’t know if they’ll ever get to know the reason why.

This fucking lockdown got me so fucked up that I’m overthinking the littlest of things.

Well, that’s it for entry 2. I’ll write again soon.

Lastly, I do hope that help is given to the people who need it the most. And remember that it’s okay to not feel okay amidst these series of unfortunate events. There are always people out there who can listen to you… who can help you. Don’t be afraid to reach out.

(I haven’t proofread this entry so if there are any mistakes, I’m sorry. Lol)

[ournervousstudentnut-blog]

Windows 10 vs Windows 8.1: which is best for you?

IT's been more than four years after the Windows 10 released, and though many users initially resisted the shift, it is most certainly here to remain. As always though, there are a number of die-hard fans of prior operating systems that have to make the leap.

Its mix of a far enhanced desktop experience, more intuitive integration of touchscreen features, a plethora of new programs and much better functionality makes it a very clear upgrade over its predecessor.

With loads of new features, improved, integral hardware service and enhanced performance it is also a worthy update for Windows XP and Windows 7 consumers also.

Windows 10 vs Windows 8.1 time

We have found no clear difference in boot times between both OS, not on the 2 computers we employed for this evaluation: a Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon plus a Microsoft Surface Guru. Both notebooks flashed to the login screen in 2 minutes, under either Windows 8.1 and Windows 10; using just fractions of a second's difference between the boot times of the 2 OSes on each machine. 1 characteristic that could shave a couple of seconds off real-world boot instances is Windows 10's facial recognition instrument, which permits an individual to be logged at the moment they sit in the front of the PC. This characteristic, however, takes a particular Intel RealSense 3D camera and won't work with a normal webcam. Together with fingerprint readers, these cameras are now relatively common in high-end laptops, which provides Windows 10 a small edge. Winner Windows 10, by a whisker, but only in the event that you count the tiny possible time saving of facial recognition.

The Ideal port for the Ideal apparatus

But ignore all that if you are using a Windows 10 Telephone or tablet-computer, every one of which utilizes a version variant of Windows 10 to show an interface best suited to each display size. Windows 10's tablet-style, in reality, seems an awful lot like Windows 8 Start screen. Microsoft attempted to market Windows 8 as a working system for every single device, however, it did so by forcing the exact same interface across tablet computers and PCs--just two quite different device types. Windows 10 tweaks the formulation, allowing a PC is a PC and also a tablet computer to be a tablet computer, and it is vastly better for this. And if you've got one of these fancy two-in-one hybrids? Windows 10's Continuum mode has you covered. Except, because of Windows 10's shared heart and universal programs Windows 10 Telephones can even mime appropriate Windows 10 PCs when linked to an external screen.

However, what about gambling?

Here is more guarantee for Windows 10 on the gambling side. DirectX 12, in matches that apply it, should observe healthy improvements. However, in games that don't utilize DX12, it is likely going to be a whole lot closer.

As an instance, I conducted Tomb Raider on our PCWorld zero-point system. It's an Intel Core i7-4770K, 16GB of DDR3/1600, along with a GeForce GTX 980. I used exactly the exact same Nvidia drivers using both OSes. Be aware that I conducted Windows 10 construct 10162 instead of the current construct 10240, as that's the previous ISO of Windows 10 previews that Microsoft made accessibly --no amount of coaxing would get Microsoft's servers to kick anything newer. My tests reveal a certain, if modest, advantage for Windows 10. Here is Tomb Raider for one to gawk in: Other evaluations gave a bit more of a triumph for Win10, but that will not set the world on fire like DX12 is anticipated to games that support you're outside. We are planning a more comprehensive look at Windows 10 gaming functionality, so stay tuned.

Personalization

Back in Windows 8, large icons and easy options were in the forefront. The Start screen enabled one to easily organize and resize live tiles, boosting their performance and ease of use. Together with Windows 10, the timeless tiled and desktop UI are no more different interfaces. Rather, elements of these exist and highly configurable. Live tiles are incorporated in the Start menu, instead of inside their interface, in which they may be transferred, the place to reveal rapid info, or launching apps. Programs can be immobilized or transferred to the menu for simple access.

Start Screen vs. Start Menu

The one most significant addition to Windows 10 is that the yield of the Start Menu, especially for routine desktop computer and regular no-touchscreen-use consumer. The Start are full of Screen of Windows 8 never made sense when using a mouse and keyboard and mercifully Microsoft has addressed this. Rather, Windows 10 includes a Start Menu that integrates the Live Tiles of this Windows 8 Start Screen and it may be made to match the entire screen. It is far more intuitive and makes with a mouse/trackpad and keyboard easier. If you mostly use the background computer in Windows then Windows 10 will make you a lot happier.

Edge Browser and Virtual Desktops

I have listed these both together as they're caught up attributes. The Edge browser (that is still a characteristic restricted at the start ) is Microsoft's effort to claw momentum out of Chrome. Edge works considerably faster than Internet Explorer and is only available on Windows 10. Besides this Windows 10 eventually adds Virtual Desktops such as those seen on Linux and Mac OS X. These enable users without multi-monitor installations to make multiple virtual desktops that are useful for dividing utilization between leisure and work, work into jobs or whatever you need. It is a fantastic feature.

You adore Windows Media Center

Microsoft has revamped plenty of items in Windows 10, replacing a lot of its heritage desktop apps with universal programs. By way of instance, Windows Photo Viewer is dead, replaced with the newest Photos app. However, while you may get Windows Photo Viewer back into Windows 10, you can not get Windows Media Center back. As it has gone, together with DVD playback service. For all, this is not a massive loss -- most people flow instead of seeing DVDs, after all, as well as Microsoft,  has been attempting to kill Media Center because of Windows 8. However, for a few, it might be a deal breaker. If you are a Media Center enthusiast -- or in the event that you desperately enjoy some other heritage features that don't now exist in Windows 10 -- afterward Windows 10 might not be for you personally.

Cortana

Another key new feature of Windows 10 not accessible Windows 8 is Cortana - Microsoft's semantic electronic assistant. A sort of super-Siri, which may engage you in the dialog. Over simple speech recognition, Cortana constantly scours the web for advice to notify its interactions with you. Plus it learns from the behavior, contacts and so forth, to be able to better fit your needs. Cortana on Windows Phone is fairly good, and it is currently on iOS and Android. Therefore that the addition of Microsoft's digital helper is a large boost over Windows 8.

Windows 10 vs Windows 8.1: Pairing

Though it was the largest overhaul of this OS since Windows 95, Windows 8 has been unusually secure and bug-free from the get-go. Really we had it operating on regular work programs six months prior to launch. Windows 10 was, to put it charitably, a bit wobblier. Microsoft is frequently issuing updates for your applications, but these updates frequently lead to difficulties. It looks like every couple of months, there are reports of accidental file deletions, glitches, crashes and other various errors. General stability is definitely better than it had been, but the simple fact that these mistakes persist is bothersome. Thus far, we have not seen any bugs that we would believe sufficient to justify downgrading to a previous version of Windows, however, it must be stated that reliability is not Windows 10's strong suit - and it does not seem like it ever is. On the flip side, Windows 10 Enterprise users may cut out a good deal of the hassle - that we will discuss more in a moment - meaning it is not so much of a problem.

Action Center

Windows 8 Windows Store programs might not have been a joy to use on appropriate PCs, but one crucial benefit they stored rocked my socks: System-wide notifications. Where conventional desktop software will become self-explanatory silos, Windows Store programs will take you a pop-up telling at the upper-right corner of the display when, say, you receive a new email or some fresh direct message from Twitter. If you visit them, that is. Following a notification pops up in Windows 8, then it disappears into the ether, never to be viewed or summoned. It's true that you could theoretically view missed notifications in their programs' individual Live Tiles on the beginning screen, but that hangs out there? Windows 10 cures the ailing with the debut of its new Action Center, which looks in the right-hand facet of the taskbar. Missed notifications will live there until you discount then huzzah! . You will also find quick-action buttons that enable you to quickly manage Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, input Tablet Mode, and much more.

Windows 10 appears to provide essentially no appropriate performance benefit over Windows 8 mainstream evaluations, but let us not be overly negative--since there is no reason to be. Together with Windows 7, Microsoft updated the schedule for the way the OS coped with CPUs, which guaranteed improvements and battery lifetime economies for both Intel and AMD CPUs. That was not a check-off thing for Windows 10. Since Windows 8.1 performances were very great.

There are also some improvement from 8.1 to win10 with backup and previous version which you can restore you deleted file more easily. When you didn’t turn on the backup, try this tip how to recover deleted files windows 8 and hope you have a good luck!

And, let's not forget that Windows 10 ushers at DirectX 12, which should very much yield substantial performance increases in games that support it.

[orbemnews]

The Robot Surgeon Will See You Now Sitting on a stool several feet from a long-armed robot, Dr. Danyal Fer wrapped his fingers around two metal handles near his chest. As he moved the handles — up and down, left and right — the robot mimicked each small motion with its own two arms. Then, when he pinched his thumb and forefinger together, one of the robot’s tiny claws did much the same. This is how surgeons like Dr. Fer have long used robots when operating on patients. They can remove a prostate from a patient while sitting at a computer console across the room. But after this brief demonstration, Dr. Fer and his fellow researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, showed how they hope to advance the state of the art. Dr. Fer let go of the handles, and a new kind of computer software took over. As he and the other researchers looked on, the robot started to move entirely on its own. With one claw, the machine lifted a tiny plastic ring from an equally tiny peg on the table, passed the ring from one claw to the other, moved it across the table and gingerly hooked it onto a new peg. Then the robot did the same with several more rings, completing the task as quickly as it had when guided by Dr. Fer. The training exercise was originally designed for humans; moving the rings from peg to peg is how surgeons learn to operate robots like the one in Berkeley. Now, an automated robot performing the test can match or even exceed a human in dexterity, precision and speed, according to a new research paper from the Berkeley team. The project is a part of a much wider effort to bring artificial intelligence into the operating room. Using many of the same technologies that underpin self-driving cars, autonomous drones and warehouse robots, researchers are working to automate surgical robots too. These methods are still a long way from everyday use, but progress is accelerating. “It is an exciting time,” said Russell Taylor, a professor at Johns Hopkins University and former IBM researcher known in the academic world as the father of robotic surgery. “It is where I hoped we would be 20 years ago.” The aim is not to remove surgeons from the operating room but to ease their load and perhaps even raise success rates — where there is room for improvement — by automating particular phases of surgery. Robots can already exceed human accuracy on some surgical tasks, like placing a pin into a bone (a particularly risky task during knee and hip replacements). The hope is that automated robots can bring greater accuracy to other tasks, like incisions or suturing, and reduce the risks that come with overworked surgeons. During a recent phone call, Greg Hager, a computer scientist at Johns Hopkins, said that surgical automation would progress much like the Autopilot software that was guiding his Tesla down the New Jersey Turnpike as he spoke. The car was driving on its own, he said, but his wife still had her hands on the wheel, should anything go wrong. And she would take over when it was time to exit the highway. “We can’t automate the whole process, at least not without human oversight,” he said. “But we can start to build automation tools that make the life of a surgeon a little bit easier.” Five years ago, researchers with the Children’s National Health System in Washington, D.C., designed a robot that could automatically suture the intestines of a pig during surgery. It was a notable step toward the kind of future envisioned by Dr. Hager. But it came with an asterisk: The researchers had implanted tiny markers in the pig’s intestines that emitted a near-infrared light and helped guide the robot’s movements. The method is far from practical, as the markers are not easily implanted or removed. But in recent years, artificial intelligence researchers have significantly improved the power of computer vision, which could allow robots to perform surgical tasks on their own, without such markers. The change is driven by what are called neural networks, mathematical systems that can learn skills by analyzing vast amounts of data. By analyzing thousands of cat photos, for instance, a neural network can learn to recognize a cat. In much the same way, a neural network can learn from images captured by surgical robots. Surgical robots are equipped with cameras that record three-dimensional video of each operation. The video streams into a viewfinder that surgeons peer into while guiding the operation, watching from the robot’s point of view. But afterward, these images also provide a detailed road map showing how surgeries are performed. They can help new surgeons understand how to use these robots, and they can help train robots to handle tasks on their own. By analyzing images that show how a surgeon guides the robot, a neural network can learn the same skills. This is how the Berkeley researchers have been working to automate their robot, which is based on the da Vinci Surgical System, a two-armed machine that helps surgeons perform more than a million procedures a year. Dr. Fer and his colleagues collect images of the robot moving the plastic rings while under human control. Then their system learns from these images, pinpointing the best ways of grabbing the rings, passing them between claws and moving them to new pegs. But this process came with its own asterisk. When the system told the robot where to move, the robot often missed the spot by millimeters. Over months and years of use, the many metal cables inside the robot’s twin arms have stretched and bent in small ways, so its movements were not as precise as they needed to be. Human operators could compensate for this shift, unconsciously. But the automated system could not. This is often the problem with automated technology: It struggles to deal with change and uncertainty. Autonomous vehicles are still far from widespread use because they aren’t yet nimble enough to handle all the chaos of the everyday world. The Berkeley team decided to build a new neural network that analyzed the robot’s mistakes and learned how much precision it was losing with each passing day. “It learns how the robot’s joints evolve over time,” said Brijen Thananjeyan, a doctoral student on the team. Once the automated system could account for this change, the robot could grab and move the plastics rings, matching the performance of human operators. Other labs are trying different approaches. Axel Krieger, a Johns Hopkins researcher who was part of the pig-suturing project in 2016, is working to automate a new kind of robotic arm, one with fewer moving parts and that behaves more consistently than the kind of robot used by the Berkeley team. Researchers at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute are developing ways for machines to carefully guide surgeons’ hands as they perform particular tasks, like inserting a needle for a cancer biopsy or burning into the brain to remove a tumor. “It is like a car where the lane-following is autonomous but you still control the gas and the brake,” said Greg Fischer, one of the Worcester researchers. Many obstacles lie ahead, scientists note. Moving plastic pegs is one thing; cutting, moving and suturing flesh is another. “What happens when the camera angle changes?” said Ann Majewicz Fey, an associate professor at the University of Texas, Austin. “What happens when smoke gets in the way?” For the foreseeable future, automation will be something that works alongside surgeons rather than replaces them. But even that could have profound effects, Dr. Fer said. For instance, doctors could perform surgery across distances far greater than the width of the operating room — from miles or more away, perhaps, helping wounded soldiers on distant battlefields. The signal lag is too great to make that possible currently. But if a robot could handle at least some of the tasks on its own, long-distance surgery could become viable, Dr. Fer said: “You could send a high-level plan and then the robot could carry it out.” The same technology would be essential to remote surgery across even longer distances. “When we start operating on people on the moon,” he said, “surgeons will need entirely new tools.” Source link Orbem News #robot #Surgeon

[v-writings]

The benefits of trust Sequel to The troubles of miscommunication

Word Count: 8K+ Pairing: Peter Parker x Female Reader Summary: When you and Ned accidentally find out about Peter’s biggest secret, you and Peter have to deal with what that means for your relationship.  Rating: T Warnings: A few Homecoming spoilers. A/N: There’s no angst in this, I promise. Just fluff and Peter being cute as hell.

Hey, wanna head over to Peter’s so we can finish the death star?   Sure, just give me ten mins and come by my house?       K I’ll text you when I’m close

You block your phone and stretch your arms above your head, taking a deep breath. You were happily lounging on your couch while watching a movie but going over to Peter’s home with Ned is far better than what you had planned to do with your time. Besides, the last time you texted Peter was a few hours ago when you got out of school and he told you he had his internship to get to, and you miss him a little.

“Hey mom, I’m going with Ned to Peter’s in ten minutes.” You yell, walking towards your room to change into clothes a little less casual than your old yoga pants with a hole in them.

“Okay, text me if you’re gonna be home for dinner or not!” She yells back, and you respond with a noise you assume she knows means “yes”.

I’m one block away

Ned’s text comes in while you brush your teeth, and you rinse your mouth before replying to him.

I’ll be down in a sec

You grab your backpack which has your wallet and a hoodie inside, and put it on before walking to your mom’s room to tell her you’re leaving.

“Ned’s here, I’ll text you later.” You say, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “Or you text me if I forget.”

“I will, darling. Have fun.” She says, giving you a one-armed hug before going back to work on her laptop.

I’m already WAITING           I’m on the elevator, CHILL

You slide your phone inside your back pocket and sprint towards the front door of the building, where you can see Ned typing on his phone with one hand and holding the Death Star on the other before you feel you ass vibrating.

“I’m already here!” You yell as you open the door, rolling your eyes. “How long did you wait? Two and a half seconds?” You ask sarcastically, taking the Death Star from his hands as you start walking.

“It was three and a half, thank you.” He replies in the same tone, typing something on his phone before sliding it in his pocket. “I think we’re gonna finish it today.” He says excitedly, looking at the toy like it’s a work of art.

Well, to be fair, you think that in a way it is a work of art.

“Yeah, me too. We’re almost done.”

“You did most of the job, though.” He says with a small shrug, and you scoff in response.

“I did not. The two of us did. I just knew a little more than you because I already built mine before this.” You shake your head, even though you did do a lot of the work on this one. Before today, he’d forgotten it in your house and you may or may not have worked a little on it without his help.

“Sure, whatever.” He says dismissively, showing you very clearly that he thinks what you said is bullshit— which it is, actually.

“Hey, can you reach inside the pocket of my backpack? I want some gum.” You walk a little slower as Ned rummages through your belongings, until you hear the zipper closing again and resume your normal speed.

“His ass looks exactly like Peter’s?” You hear him ask from behind you, before he lets out a hearty laugh. “What is this?” You turn around immediately and find him with a piece of paper on his hands, a piece of paper he has no business reading. You practically stomp towards him and rip it from his hand.

“Rude.” You say, folding the paper and putting it on your pocket. “It’s just a list I made. None of your business.”

“Right.” Ned says, still laughing a little. “A list about how Spider-Man has the same ass as Peter?”

“It’s not about that!” You say, rightfully indignant. You made a list about the little details you picked up here and there about Spider-Man to maybe figure out who he could possibly be, and it just so happened that you made the tiny observation that he and Peter had the same ass. The other points were a lot more important, but of course Ned only focused on that one. “I’ve been trying to figure out who Spider-Man is. Along the way I just noticed that his ass looks like Peter’s and wrote it down. But the rest is very valid.”

“God.” Ned says, still laughing. You glare at him and he stops immediately. “Alright, fine. Fine. Sorry. What does the rest say?” You shrug your shoulders and look ahead.

“I don’t think you deserve to know.”

“I’m soooorry.” Ned whines exaggeratedly, wrapping his arm around your shoulders. “I wanna know what the rest says. And I still have your gum.” He smiles and shows you the package on his hand, and you take it from his hand before he can react. “Had your gum.” He corrects himself. “Come on, I wanna know! I like Spider-Man too! Maybe I can contribute to the list.” You consider it for a moment before giving in, because he’s right— he also likes Spider-Man and you’ve been keeping this to yourself for more than enough time, so maybe it will be cool to finally share it with someone.

“Alright, fine.” You accommodate the Death Star on one arm and reach for your pocket again, taking the paper and handing it to him. “Read it for yourself.”

You continue walking as Ned reads, warning him about the occasional pole so he won’t break his skull against it. You know the list by heart already, and you can almost tell which part he’s reading based on his expressions.

Who is Spider-Man?

Irrelevant: his ass looks exactly like Peter’s

Fit but not buff.

Avenger? Doubtful (Do they even exist after that fight?)

Young? Probably not younger than 18 based on what he’s doing

Doesn’t seem very experienced, has made mistakes (but they all have)

Suit changed around the time he fought against Cap America with Iron Man. Upgraded because he’s working for him now? (Sellout?)

Hasn’t been seen with the other Avengers after the fight

“All of this is valid,” Ned says, folding the paper and giving it back to you, “but none of it can even give you a hint of who Spider-Man might be.” You roll your eyes as you put the paper back in your pocket. “Except him having the same ass as Peter. Maybe Peter is Spider-Man!” He jokes, and you can’t help but laugh too as you roll your eyes at him. “Maybe instead of doing the internship he’s actually saving the city.”

“Right. Maybe his internship with Stark is actually a cover up and he’s working with Iron-Man in secret.” You retort sarcastically, shaking your head.

“Yeah! Exactly!” You both laugh at that but your it fades away pretty fast, and you stare at each other for a moment in silence.

“I mean…” You say, looking at him with a frown.

“Come on, [Y/N].” He says, staring at you in disbelief as he stops walking altogether, forcing you to do the same. “Peter is not Spider-Man.”

“I’m not saying he is!” You quickly amend. “But…” You raise your eyebrows at him in hopes you won’t have to say what you’re thinking out loud, but he doesn’t budge. “Have you ever seen them in the same place at the same time?” You grimace at how weak that sounded, and the only thing you get from Ned is an unamused stare.

“Seriously? I haven’t seen Mark Hamill in the same place as Spider-Man either.” You look at him with the same unamused stare, because he’s being dense on purpose. He knows what you’re saying is different.

“It’s obviously not the same.” You sigh and turn around to keep walking. “I’m not saying anything, okay? I hadn’t even thought about it before and it probably won’t make any sense whatsoever when I actually think about it.”

“Of course it won’t.” Ned says, dismissing you like what you just said it’s supposed to be obvious— but you’re pretty sure that what you heard in his voice just now was a tiny bit of uncertainty. 

Or maybe you just imagined it, who knows?

You don’t speak about it again for the rest of the way to Peter’s home— actually, you don’t speak at all. You’re busy trying to find one instance in your memories that completely disproves that Peter could be Spider-Man other than you just thinking that he can’t be, and when you’re one block away from his apartment you’re starting to get nervous.

While trying to prove that you’re wrong you actually realized that a lot of the times when there has been a sighting of Spider-Man, shortly before you had been talking to Peter or had been with him and then he had to leave, for whatever reason. And there’s also the Stark internship which started so shortly after Spider-Man fought against Captain America with Iron Man.

You really try to convince yourself that this doesn’t make sense at all, but the worst part is that it does. You want to believe that if Peter was Spider-Man he would’ve told you, but the truth is that you’ve only been dating for five months and even though you’re doing great, if it was you in his place you’re not sure if you would’ve told him already.

Probably not.

Definitely not.

Either way, you’re sure that pretty soon you’re going to end up seeing Spider-Man when you’re with Peter and then you’ll have all the proof you need, and all these thoughts currently clouding your mind will disappear.

Peter can’t be Spider-Man.

But still, you would swear on your life that his asses are identical.

“Aww…” You say in a whisper, smiling fondly to yourself as you pick up the framed picture on Peter’s desk. It’s a recent one— as a matter of fact, you’re pretty sure you took it less than a week ago while you were studying in the library— and you’re kissing his cheek while he smiles brightly at the camera.

It’s a great picture.

“What?” Ned asks, sitting down on Peter’s bed with the Death Star on his hands. May let you both in when she saw you at the door, without even asking what you were here for. She stopped doing that with Ned years ago and with you after the first couple of weeks.

She did ask you a lot of things during that time, though. Peter ended up completely red in embarrassment every time she was done but you feel like you did pretty well every time she inquired about your intentions with her nephew.

“He’s so sweet.” You say, showing him the picture. Ned tries to smile at it but it comes as an awkward grimace instead, and you laugh out loud before putting the picture back in its place.

When you move to sit on the chair on Peter’s desk, you realize that draped on the back of it is your sweatshirt, the one you’ve been looking for the past few days. You should’ve known he took it— he loves to steal your clothes.

You turn the chair around and sit back, making yourself comfortable. You pick up a ball from the floor and start throwing it on the air only to catch it again, until you get bored and your minds starts to wander back to the thoughts you had earlier— thoughts about Peter being Spider-Man. You shake your head and look at Ned, only to find him checking his phone with a slight frown.

“What’s up?” You ask, tossing the ball to the floor again.

“Peter hasn’t been responding to my messages for a while.”

“Hasn’t he? Huh…” You say, raising your eyebrows and nodding while looking around the room.

“[Y/N]… not again.” Ned says with a roll of his eyes, shoving his phone on his pocket. “He’s not saving the city.”

“Did I say that?” You ask defiantly with a raised eyebrow, crossing your arms. He doesn’t answer. “That’s what I thought.”

“You didn’t have to say it, I can practically hear your thoughts about it.” You bite your tongue to stop yourself from snapping at him, but you’re not able to stay silent for too long.

“Okay but listen—” You say, moving from the chair to the bed next to him.

“[Y/N]—” He groans, shaking his head.

“There could be things you don’t know about him!” You whisper-scream. “There are certainly things I don’t know about him. If aliens and gods can come out of a hole in the sky and if a man can turn into a giant green beast, is it really impossible for a person we know to be Spider-Man?” He just looks at you for a moment before taking a deep breath, and you know you got him.

“I hate it that you made it sound plausible.” You grin widely at him. “What are we going to do? Ask him about it?”

“No!” You quickly say, shaking your head. “I mean, hypothetically speaking, if he was Spider-Man and he didn’t tell you or me about it… he probably has a reason.”

“Right.” Ned says, rolling his eyes. “Fine, I’ll say it’s not impossible, okay?”

You smile at that and remain silent for a while, gloating in this small victory. Ned didn’t say you have a point or that you’re right, but he also didn’t say that you didn’t. When open your mouth to say something else, you’re interrupted by a noise in Peter’s window. You both turn your heads around and you can see the glass sliding down apparently by itself— that is, until you see someone getting in.

No, not someone.

Spider-Man.

And then he takes off his mask, and you see that he’s none other than Peter himself.

This is not happening, not right now. Coincidences of this magnitude cannot happen.

He crawls on the ceiling like a fucking spider, shoots a fucking web from wrist to the door to close it and then he just lets himself fall to the floor like it’s no big deal— and without making any noise— and closes the door slowly and silently.

You really, really want to say something, but you can’t get your mouth to operate. It’s open wide in surprise, and you don’t have to look at Ned to know he looks just like you do right now. He clearly didn’t notice you two sitting on his bed, and if you needed further proof of that, the look his face the moment he turns around is more than enough.

The Death Star falls from Ned’s hands as you both stare at Peter in his all of his suit’s glory, looking incredible. Ned stands up but you still can’t move.

“What was that?” May yells from outside, and Peter quickly turns around with a panicked look on his face.

“Ah, it’s nothing!” He yells back, ready to close the door if she tries to come in.

“You’re the Spider-Man. From YouTube.” Ned breathes out, and that snaps you back to reality. You stand up as well, moving your hands to the sides of your head.

“I’m not. I’m not.” He says, pressing on his chest. His suit suddenly gets super loose and he starts to get it off, like that’s going to convince you that what you just saw didn’t happen.

“Are you serious right now?” You blurt out, shaking your head in disbelief. How can he be denying it after what just happened? After what you saw?

“Babe—” He looks at you apologetically, like he wants to say more but doesn’t know how. You can’t blame him, you’re also completely at loss of words.

“You were on the ceiling!” Ned retorts, and you quickly nod in agreement.

“ I can’t believe this is happening right now.” You say, rubbing your temples and closing your eyes.

“I wasn’t— Ned, what are you two doing in my room?” He asks, and you open your eyes to find him with your sweatshirt in his hand, ready to put it on. If your mind didn’t feel like it’s about to explode, you’d probably think that’s adorable.

“May let us in, you said we were gonna finish the Death Star!” Ned retorts.

“You can’t just burst in in my room—” Peter is interrupted by May suddenly opening the door like nothing happened, and you feel your stomach turning into knots and your heartbeat speeding up.

“That turkey meatloaf recipe is a disaster. Let’s go to dinner. Thai, Ned? [Y/N]? You want Thai?”

“Yes.” Ned says at the same time you start to speak.

“I—” That’s all you can get out before Peter interrupts you.

“No. They have a thing.” He shakes his head. “Not like that, [Y/N] and me have a thing like that. They have a thing to do.”

“A thing to do, after.” Ned says, sounding unsure.

“We have a class project to finish for tomorrow, so we were going to my house to do that now.” You quickly amend, smiling at her a little more reassuringly. How you managed to say that with your voice sounding normal instead of higher considering how nervous you are right now is beyond you.

“Okay.” She answers with a smile, starting to leave. “Maybe put on some clothes.” She tells Peter before closing the door, and that’s when you suddenly realize that she has no idea what happened before she came in.

“She doesn’t know?” Ned shrieks in a whisper as Peter puts on your hoodie. You stare at Peter in disbelief, and your eyes are open so wide that they almost hurt.

“Have you been doing this without telling anyone?” You cry out in worry. What if something happened to him and you never knew the reason why?

“Yes.” He answers you. “Nobody knows. I mean, Mr. Stark knows because he made my suit, but that’s it.”

“Tony Stark made you that?” Ned wheezes out, nearly freaking out. “Are you an Avenger?”

“Yeah, basically.” Peter answers with a shrug, but you doubt that’s actually true. Ned stumbles and grips the bed to steady himself.

“I’m going to sit down for a second.” You say, shaking your head.

“Babe, are you okay?” Peter asks, looking at you with a worried expression. You close your eyes and give him a thumbs up, trying to reorganize your thoughts.

What are the odds that you would start suspecting that Peter was actually Spider-Man around five seconds ago, and then it just so happened to be that you saw him crawling on the ceiling of his room dressed as fucking Spider-Man, turning your suspicions into reality?

You were most certainly not ready for confirmation so soon.

“You can’t tell anybody about this. You gotta keep it a secret.” Peter says, and you look up at him with your eyebrows raised. Of course you can’t tell anyone about this, why would he need to tell you that?

“A secret, why?” Ned asks.

Right. Ned is why he needed to tell you that.

“Because you know what she’s like! If she finds out people are trying to kill me every single night she’s not gonna let me do this anymore.” Peter is talking so fast that you nearly missed a couple of his words.

“If you say it like that it’s pretty hard to see how that wouldn’t be a good thing.” You say, standing up again. He turns to you with puppy eyes and you sigh, feeling like you just got defeated. He knows you can’t resist his puppy eyes. “You know I won’t say anything.” He grabs your face and gives you a quick kiss in thanks before pulling away again.

“Ned?” He asks, and Ned just stares at him. “Come on, Ned, please.” He insists.

“Edward Leeds, you better not say anything about this.” You warn in a low whisper.

“Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay. I’ll level with you.” He says, looking at you both. “I don’t think I can keep this a secret, this is the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me!” He says excitedly.

“Ned!” You say, staring at him with an incredulous look. “Seriously?”

“May cannot know, I cannot do that to her right now. You know? And everything that’s happened with her, I—” He stops himself for a moment, and your heart aches for him, for the meaning behind those words. “Please.” Your hand finds his and you interlock your fingers together, and he gives you a thankful smile. You rest your head on his shoulder while looking at Ned, awaiting his response.

“Okay.” Ned finally says.

“Just— swear it, okay?” Peter insists, and you feel his hand squeezing yours a little tighter. 

He’s nervous.

“I swear.” Ned says, realizing how serious this is for Peter.

“Thank you.” Peter responds, and his tight hold on your hand loosens until he lets go of it completely.

“Yeah.” Ned reassures, and he doesn’t have to add anything else for you to be completely certain that he gets what’s happening with Peter at this very moment very well, probably better than you. After all, Ned was by Peter’s side when he lost his uncle, and you weren’t.

“I can’t believe this is happening right now.” Peter complains, pacing around the room.

“Can I try the suit on?” Ned asks shamelessly.

“No.” Peter deadpans, walking back towards you both.

“How does it work? Is it magnets? How do you shoot the strings?”

“Wait here for a second.” He tells you right before grabbing Ned by the arm and starting to pull him towards the door. “I’mma tell you about this at school tomorrow, okay?”

“Great.” Ned responds, excited. “Okay, but wait then— how do you do this and the Stark internship?” You just stare and Ned in disbelief and so does Peter. Good lord, Ned is a brilliant person but he can be really dense when he truly wants to.

“This is the Stark internship.” Peter explains.

“Oooooh.”

“Just get out of here.” Peter pushes Ned out the door and closes it, and you’re pretty sure that for a second he forgot you were still there. You don’t say anything and he doesn’t say anything, but you know both of you want to speak first. 

In the end, you beat him to it.

“I have to go home and think about this.” You say, walking towards the door. Peter meets you halfway and stands in front of you, looking worried.

“I—”

“You don’t have to say anything.” You quickly interrupt, shaking your head. “We’ll talk later.”

“But I—” You grab his face and push him towards you until your mouths connect, and his hands ball into fists gripping the fabric of your t-shirt as he pulls you closer to him.

“I have to go come and think about this.” You repeat, separating from him. “We’ll talk later, okay?”

“Okay. Okay.” He says, biting his lip nervously. You look at him for a moment before closing the distance between your faces one last time, giving him a short kiss before pulling away completely.

“I’ll see you later.” You say, feeling slightly awkward and out of place. You don’t like this feeling— the feeling that something is wrong between you two when it actually isn’t. But you obviously were not expecting this to happen today and especially not after sort of realizing that Peter being Spider-Man wasn’t as improbable as it should be, so now you have all these feelings and emotions inside you at the same time and you just really need time to process the new information. 

It’s nothing more than that; you wish for a little time to wrap your head around it.

“Okay. See you later.” Peter says, and you give him a small smile before opening the door and leaving his room faster than you ever have before.

While May finishes her dinner, Peter can’t bring himself to stop thinking about everything that happened today, and given the fact that he’s thinking about it all at the same time, it feels more than a little overwhelming.

The guilt over what happened to Mr. Delmar’s business, knowing that tomorrow Ned is going to ask a million questions about everything and that it’s not going to be easy to make sure he doesn’t say anything about this and… well, and then there’s you.

He knows you won’t say anything because that’s just who you are, but he’s also worried about how you reacted. It’s not like your reaction was bad, but it did seem to him that you were having a harder time than Ned adjusting to that new information. It’s not like he can blame you, if he were the one in your place he doesn’t think his reaction would’ve been a lot different than yours. But still, he can’t help but worry about what this means for you both and your relationship. Will this put a strain on it? Will it make you feel like you can’t trust him anymore? God, he really hopes that doesn’t happen because he doesn’t know what he’d do if you stop trusting him, or if you feel like you can’t talk to him about personal things with him anymore.

As he and May return home his worries increase dramatically, and all he wants to do is lock himself up in his room and try to talk to you and clear things up. You’ve always said that good communication avoids many problems, especially since you found out he’d liked you for years while you thought he actually hated you. Ever since the day you started dating Peter has been completely honest about his feelings and thoughts with you, except from when it comes to him being Spider-Man. But for the rest, he’s been nothing but truthful. He knows that his openness to share things with you is one of the things you like the most about him, and the fact that he can be open with you is one of the things he treasures the most.

“I think I’m just gonna brush my teeth and go to bed. I’m tired.” Peter says when he and May get home, even yawning to make it sound more believable.

“Okay.” May says, squeezing his shoulder when she walks past him. “I think I’m going to do the same.”

Once he’s done and finally locked up in his room, Peter immediately takes his phone out and starts typing a message for you.

Hey beautiful. You good?

He sees you writing just seconds after he hits send, and he’s thankful for that because waiting for a response would’ve been hell.

Actually I’m on the verge of freaking out It’s like I haven’t completely realized this is true? And when i do i will freak out completely

“Fuck.” He curses under his breath, fearing that his worries have suddenly turned into facts.

I’m so sorry I’ll promise I’ll make it better somehow There’s nothing to make better babe, or to be sorry for. I promise. I just really want to talk to you about this bc i feel that when I do I will calm down

Your response soothes him a little, but it’s still not enough. He has to talk to you in person, and he knows that tomorrow that is going to be very difficult because he doesn’t see you as often as he’d like and you also can’t talk about something like this in front of everyone. He does have another idea, though, and he really hopes you agree to it.

Did you already go to bed? Yea but I doubt I’ll fall asleep anytime soon So…. What? Can I… Maybe…. Go…. To your room now?

Your eyes widen as you stare at the screen, not knowing what to answer for a moment.

The window is locked. Tap on it softly or text me when you’re outside and I’ll open it for you Sounds like a plan. I’ll be there soon. I’m sorry

You sigh and block your phone before falling back on your bed. Sure, you wanted to talk to Peter but you hadn’t been thinking about talking to him now, and you’re not certain that you sorted out your thoughts enough to truly convey the things you wanted to talk to him about.

Well, tough luck, because the tapping on your window signals that he’s already here.

You open the curtain to find him in his Spider-Man suit but with a dark hoodie on that serves to hide his face a little, and he’s also wearing a backpack. You unlock the window and open it, and he slides in gracefully without making any sounds. You look outside to check if anyone saw you but there’s no one around as usual, so you close the window and lock it again. When you turn around, you find Peter sitting in your bed without the mask on, looking at you with worried eyes as he bites his lower lip.

“Did you bring other clothes?” You ask and he nods, taking the backpack off. “You can change, I’ll wait.” You say, pointing at the folding screen by your closet.

“Thank you.” He says, standing up. Before he can walk away, however, you grab his gloved hand and pull him towards you until his chest presses against yours. He gasps and you smile, moving one arm to wrap around his waist.

“You shouldn’t be as worried as you are.” You whisper before grabbing the side of his face and pulling him towards you until your mouths connect in a sweet kiss.

When you pull away he’s smiling so softly that you can’t help yourself and kiss him again, and when you separate he has a huge grin on his face.

“So we’re good? Nothing changed?” He asks, like he didn’t believe that was the case until right now. Which he probably didn’t— considering that he tends to overthink things sometimes when he comes to you and then becomes worried when he has to reason to feel that way.

“Of course we are.” You say, like it’s obvious. “I just want to talk about it because it’s a big deal. Now, go change.” He rests his forehead against yours for a moment before pulling away and walking towards the screen.

You sit on the bed while you wait for him to be done, contemplating what is the first thing you want to talk to him about.

What exactly can he do? How did it happen? When did it happen? How did he get mixed up in the Avengers drama?

A smile curves the corners of your lips upwards when he reappears in front of you wearing only socks, sweatpants and the blue hoodie that you know you left behind the screen. He’s blushing and his hands are swallowed by the sleeves of your hoodie, which, added to his messy hair, make him look even more adorable than usual.

He just stands there without moving, looking at you expectantly. You open your arms for him and he walks to you, until he’s standing between your legs with your arms around his waist.

“I really just want to talk, babe. You don’t have to be nervous.” He nods and wraps his arms around your neck.

“I know, I know… it’s just that you said you were about to freak out and I got scared because I couldn’t tell you so maybe you thought–” You shake your head.

“Wait. No. That’s not why I was about to freak out. Didn’t Ned say anything to you about the list or what we were talking about before you came?” He looks at you with a puzzled look and shakes his head.

“What list? He didn’t tell me anything.” You groan and throw your head back, because you were expecting Ned to tell him and save you from having to say to his face that you realized he was Spider-Man before seeing him just because of his ass. “[Y/N]?”

You hide your face on his chest for a moment before taking a deep breath and pulling back. Sure, it might be a little embarrassing to admit but better to just get it over with.

“Okay so, a while back I started writing this list of things I had noticed about Spider-Man because I was trying to narrow down who he could be. You know, age range and that stuff.”

“Seriously?” Peter asks with his eyebrows raised in surprise. “Can I see?”

“Fuck.” You swear under your breath. Why not? Better let him read it for himself instead of having to tell him yourself. You nod and reach towards your bedside table, where the list sits folded neatly. “Here you go.” He grins at you and grabs the piece of paper, unfolding it quickly.

“His ass looks exactly like Peter’s?” He nearly shrieks, before a giggle escapes his lips. He covers his mouth with one hand and starts laughing without holding back, but still trying to be as quiet as possible.

“Stop thaaat!” You groan, covering your face with your hands. “At the time I thought it was an observation, how could I have known it was the same ass?”

“Oh God, you’re the best.” Peter says, drying a tear that escaped his eye. “Wait, you don’t think I can be an Avenger?” You uncover your face and look at him with a raised eyebrow.

“After that fight? What even are the Avengers now? Captain America and his team are considered war criminals.” He frowns and pouts.

“Okay but… it’s like, Thor and the Hulk are Avengers and they weren’t there, so if there was a catastrophe they would probably get called to help… and me too. I’m like them.”

“Okay.” You say, not pushing any further because you also don’t want him to feel bad about himself. “Anyway, today when we were going to your place I asked Ned if he could hand me the gum that was in my backpack pocket and the list was there and he read it and he also laughed…” Peter grins, but doesn’t say anything. “And then we were joking that maybe you were Spider-Man and then I was like ‘wait…’ and Ned was like 'no’ and I was like 'but what if…’ and Ned was like 'no’ so I dropped it but I kept thinking and I was trying to remember if maybe we were together at some point when I saw Spider-Man or when he was seen and then I realized that we never were, and sometimes you left right before the was a sighting of him and I kept thinking about the Stark Internship and how it happened at the same time that the fight between Captain America and Iron Man and I–”

“You figured it out.” Peter says, matter-of-factly.

“Sort of.” You shrug. “But that’s not even the thing, it’s that I didn’t get time to process it because two seconds later you were on your suit right in front of my eyes. And I kept thinking that what were the odds that I would think about that and then have it confirmed almost immediately after? That’s why I was about to freak out, not about you being Spider-Man.” His mouth opens in an adorable ‘o’ shape, and you wrap your arms around his waist again to pull him closer. “And then like an hour ago I saw on the news that apparently Spider-Man was there in a super weird robbery where the bank exploded and that really did not help to calm me down.” He gives you a sheepish look and you sigh. “How are you?” You ask, trying to not sound as worried as you are while rubbing his sides softly.

“I’m good. I’m good. They just had these freaky weapons like nothing I’ve seen before. I don’t know where they got them from.”

“What do you mean, freaky?” You ask, pulling back a little. “Like high-tech?”

“Yeah but… this wasn’t just high-tech. It was on a completely different level.”

“Do you think it’s… you know, alien tech?” He shrugs his shoulders and shakes his head.

“I don’t know, maybe. But I want to find out for sure.” You chew on your lip for a moment before letting out a sigh. You wish he wouldn’t get involved in anything that puts him in danger, but that’s not your call to make. It’s his and his only.

“Okay. Just… try to be safe, yeah? Maybe text me once in a while so I know you’re still alive?” Peter smiles and moves his hands to cup your face, but instead of kissing you he just rests his forehead against yours. You grab his wrists and rub your thumbs on them slowly, soothingly, and the atmosphere suddenly shifts into something sweeter and more personal than it was before.

“[Y/N]?” Peter asks in a whisper.

“Yeah?” You ask in the same tone, rubbing your nose on his with closed eyes.

“I love you.” You open your eyes again at his confession, but don’t move an inch apart from that. An involuntary smile takes over your face and Peter mirrors it almost instantly. You close the distance between your mouths and kiss him sweetly, slowly.

“And I love you, Peter Parker.”

“So a radioactive spider bit you and then you nearly died and then you had your powers and then you became a superhero.” You say, and Peter nods. He’s trying really hard to stay awake to answer all your questions, but you’re spooning him and running your fingers through his hair and speaking in whispers and it’s absolutely not helping him at all. “I never told you this but I thought you looked super hot with your glasses. And I miss them a lot.” He lets out a little laugh.

“Thank you.” He says, snuggling back closer into you.

“I mean it! Back when I hadn’t told anyone I had a crush on you I remember I used to see you all flustered with your glasses on sometimes and it was so adorable it physically hurt.” He turns around in your arms so he can face you and looks at you with an eyebrow raised.

“Flustered?” You grin and nod.

“Yeah! You got all nervous for some reason during Chemistry sometimes and you started touching your hair a lot and it ended up all messy and you blushed and it was adorable."  Peter immediately realizes what times you’re talking about and he buries his head on your chest in embarrassment. You might be together now, but that doesn’t mean he wants to remember all the things he did that embarrassed him in front of you in the past, before you started dating.

"Oh no…” He groans, shaking his head.

“What is it?” You ask, rubbing his back soothingly. He lifts his burning face to look up at you, but it takes him a few moments to be able to actually say the words.

“I was flustered because of you. You always looked so nice and when you got the answers right it was like I had butterflies in my stomach and I got really worried that I was going to mess up and make a fool of myself and then you’d think I was a loser.” You shut your mouth to stop the laugh from coming out, but Peter can still see it in your eyes. “It’s not funny.” He pouts, turning around again and bringing your arm with him so you wrap it around him again. He interlocks his fingers with yours and hides his face on the pillow, hoping his blush will recede quickly.

“Peter, don’t you see?” You ask, sitting up behind him and moving your face to the place where his neck meets his shoulder, and then you kiss his cheek softly. “What you were worried about me noticing was one of the things that I loved the most about you.” You whisper against his skin before leaving another kiss there. His blush remains steady, but he turns to look at you anyway. He knows you like it when he blushes.

“Really?” He asks, playing with your fingers. You nod and press a kiss on his mouth that reassures him that you’re being honest.

“You apparently don’t know that being adorable makes you super hot.” He giggles softly and turns towards you to hug you, hiding his face on your neck.

“No, it doesn’t.” He argues, but only because he wants to hear you say why it does.

“Yes, it does!” You whisper-scream. “This thing you did right now? That giggle? The blush? I’m dying right now.” You groan. “When we watch a horror movie and you get scared and sit on my lap so you can hide your face on my neck? I feel like I’m going to pass out.” Peter can hear the humor in your voice, and it makes him feel deliriously happy. He wants to laugh, because hearing you talk about him this way makes him feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

“That’s because I don’t like horror movies. I like it better when we watch sci-fi movies.” You kiss the top of his head and he lets out a pleased sigh.

“I know you do, babe.”

“Do you have any more questions?” Peter asks, once again starting to feel sleepy.

“I do, but we can leave them for tomorrow. You can sleep now, you had quite the day today.” He nods and snuggles as close as humanly possible into you, and you start rubbing his back under your hoodie and scratching his scalp again.

He falls asleep almost immediately after.

“Peter, babe. Wake up.” You say, shaking his shoulder softly. He doesn’t even stir. “Come on, you have to go home before May realizes you’re gone.” He groans and turns around, burying his face on your chest before going still again. “Peter!” You say as loud as possible while trying to not wake up anyone else, shaking him with a little more force. He gasps and opens his eyes, looking at you with an unfocused stare.

“What time is it?” He asks groggily, rubbing his eyes with one hand before yawning.

“Five. You need to go home before May realizes you’re not there.” He nods and closes his eyes tightly before opening them again and blinking a couple of times.

“I really wish I could stay longer.” He complains, getting out of bed and walking towards the folding screen while stretching his arms above his head.

“Me too, baby.” You say, grabbing your phone from your bedside table and opening Instagram while Peter takes his sweet time putting on his suit.

When he walks out again, he’s all dressed up as Spider-Man, save for his mask which hangs from his hand. You get out of bed and walk up to him, taking his face in your hands the moment you’re close enough to do so.

“You’re beautiful.” You say, resting your forehead on his. “I love you.” He smiles and wraps his arms around your back, pulling you close to him.

“I love you too.” He whispers. “Thank you for being so understanding.” You place a chaste kiss on his lips before letting out a sigh.

“The truth is… I will worry about you. There’s nothing we can do about that. But I don’t feel like I’m in a place where I can judge your choices because… if I were to wake up tomorrow with powers I’d want to help people too. You’re such a good person, Peter. So good.” He kisses you right after you say that, melting into the kiss. He whines when you pull away, and you smile at the sound. “But also… look.” You pull away a little so he can see your face clearly, but don’t let go of him. “You will make mistakes, because you’re human. And you’ll have to live with those mistakes. But remember that even if you have super powers you’re still a teenager. Just… try not to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. Now Ned and I know too and you can talk to us… talk to me.” You rub his cheekbone with your thumb soothingly, looking him into his eyes. “More than anything, I want you to be okay.” He stays silent and unmoving for a moment, and then leans forward and kisses you again, deeply. You reciprocate immediately, wrapping your arms around his neck. 

Peter has different ways of displaying his emotions through kisses, and you've been getting really good at identifying what he means based on the way he wraps his arms around you or the depth and length of the kiss. Based on what you just said as well as that, this kiss feels like a thank you.

“I’m sorry.” Peter apologizes when you separate to breathe. “What you said…” He gives you one more kiss and then hugs you tightly, burying his face on your neck. “Thank you.” You smile at that, because it feels good knowing that you were right about the way he felt.

“I really love you, Peter. Not just like a boyfriend but like a friend too. You mean a lot to me.” You say, rubbing his back. “And I’m with you on this. Don’t bottle things up. I… I know it gets bad for you when you do."  You don’t have to say what you mean by that, because you both know. When his uncle died he shut himself off, but you weren’t really close when that happened so you only learned about it because of those nights when you spent hours pouring your hearts out to one another.

"I know.” He mumbles against you skin. “I just… I feel a little lighter now that you know.” Peter pulls back just enough to look at you. “Ned, on the other hand…” You can’t help yourself and let out a small laugh at that.

“Yeah. He’s just really excited. He won’t say anything, though. Don’t worry.”

“I know, I know.” Peter agrees, nodding. “I… hope.” You roll your eyes at him, but the smile that curves your lips is completely out of your control.

“Come on, Spider-Man. You have to go.” He pouts and holds on to you a little tighter. You don’t want him to leave either, but neither your mom nor his aunt will be very pleased if they find out you do this practically on the daily. “I don’t make the rules, beautiful.” He tries to hold back his smile, but fails. “Come on. Off you go.” You pry him off of you and walk towards the window to open it. He sighs exaggeratedly and walks towards you really slowly, which is something he does pretty much every time he has to leave. “I’ll see you again in like two hours.” You giggle, shaking your head at him.

“But I’ll miss you during those two hours.” He complains, hiding his face on your neck as soon as he reaches you.

You pry his head off of you and make him look at you with your hands on either side of his head. He rests his forehead on yours, closing his eyes. For a moment you think he fell asleep, but when his mouth slowly moves to find yours you realize he’s perfectly awake.

“I love you.” He whispers when you separate, rubbing his nose with yours.

“I love you too.” You whisper back, hugging him tightly before pulling away from him.

He gives you one last short kiss before putting his mask on and leaving, but even after he’s already disappeared behind the buildings you can’t help but keep looking at where he just was, transfixed.

It may have taken you a few hours, but you finally managed to process everything that happened, and now you’re left with only wonder and amazement. 

You don’t know how this is going to affect you in the long run or what tomorrow may bring, but you can't deny that knowing your boyfriend is a superhero means that, from now on, things are bound to start getting much more interesting.

THE NEXT PART OF THIS FIC CAN BE FOUND HERE

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[techgadgets365]

What is it?

The X5 was BMW’s first SUV, nee SAV (Sports Activity Vehicle in BMW speak) and it set the tone for models of the type. Genuinely sporty and surprisingly versatile, the X5 has been a favourite for keen drivers and luxury buyers for long. In India too, the X5 has had a good run over the three generations yet. The fourth-gen X5 is out and it marks a slight shift in focus for the model; there’s a greater emphasis on luxury than before. If that’s good news or bad and how the latest X5 fits into the India scheme of things is what we’re going to find out.

What’s it like on the outside?

The new X5 is bigger than you think. Unlike the X3, which looks visually larger than its predecessor, this new ‘G05’ X5, from a distance at least, looks much smaller than the outgoing ‘F15’ X5, despite it being 36mm longer, 19mm taller and a solid 66mm wider. In fact, you might mistake the X5 for an X3 or even an X1, up until the point it pulls up next to you.

This is because of its design, which features sharper lines, tighter skinning and some exaggerated details. The most controversial of these is the enormous chrome-heavy, single-piece kidney grille, which absolutely dominates the front end. From this sprouts a pair of slimmer, more angular headlamps – now with the electric-blue signature of BMW’s Laserlight high-beam system (which gives a throw of 600m) – and, of course, the new-age, C-shaped take on BMW’s LED corona ring DRL signature. The waistline crease flows into a pronounced haunch over the rear wheel, adding some muscle, and this xLine trim looks far more elegant than the M Sport version, which is currently only available with the petrol engine.

Some of us aren’t fans of the way BMW has abandoned the classic L-shaped tail-lamp signature for a more generic, rectangular look, but we like that they’ve stuck with the trademark split tailgate. As for some perspective on just how big this car has gotten, look at the wheels – they have a decent amount of tyre sidewall and don’t look that big, but they’re 20 inches in diameter. A few years ago, this would have been the largest size; now it goes up to 22 inches. And as for the stance, you can go from jacked-up off-roader to hunkered-down M car at the flick of a switch, thanks to the two-axle air suspension new to the X5 (previous cars only had it on the rear axle, so you couldn’t vary the ride height). As ever, you get different-sized front and rear tyres, with the ones at the rear being almost comically wide, with a 305 section – the same as a Lamborghini Huracán!

What’s it like on the inside?

The latest BMW X5’s greater dimensions have, naturally, translated into more interior space. The 42mm increase in the wheelbase to 2,975mm can be easily felt as soon as you slip into the back seat and stretch out, but the even greater sense is of width. The previous X5 was not a narrow car, but in the new one, it feels like there’s a chasm between you and your fellow passenger. It’s a comfortable back seat too, but some might find the backrest a bit too upright, and it’s not adjustable. You can flip it down to free luggage space of course, and if you do, you’ll find the already vast 650-litre space expanding to 1,860 litres, and a really cool motorised luggage cover that whirrs out from its deployed position to under the floor when not needed. What you won’t find anymore are the pair of tiny rear jump seats – they have been left out of the India-spec car this time, likely to differentiate it from the upcoming, three-row X7. What you do get, happily, is a space-saver spare tyre.

Back to the cabin, and more than the outright comfort, it’s the ambience that’s taken a quantum leap. It’s not a stretch to say this xLine variant is approaching 7 Series levels of luxury. Thick bars of dull, unvarnished wood veneer sit on the dashboard, central console and doors, and these are framed in brushed aluminium, which you’ll also find the door handles are fashioned from. The ‘Vernasca’ leather upholstery, available in this cream colour, as well as tan, brown, or black, is wonderfully soft, and there’s even double-stitched leather on the dashboard. The front seats (powered, with a memory function, of course) are big and plush, with a wide array of adjustments, including shoulder support. There are 12 choices of colour combinations for the LED ambient lighting, which even extends to a panoramic sunroof – Sky Lounge, as BMW calls it – and it looks incredible at night.

There are some things that stand out for the wrong reasons in the otherwise high-quality cabin. Those chrome central AC vents, though incredibly well-finished, appear as an uninspired piece of design in this classy BMW cabin. The mode select buttons feel a little flimsy and are tricky to click properly, especially on the move. Then there’s the cut-glass effect on the gear lever, iDrive click-wheel and start button, which has been very polarising. Some find it cool, others find it gaudy, and while on one hand it doesn’t smudge with fingerprints like the standard plastic lever, on the other, in bright sunlight, the reflections off it can hit you right in the eye.

Speaking of points of contention – there’s the new all-digital dial system. While the previous generation of this system (in the 5 Series, for example) mirrored BMW’s classic twin round dials, this new one, which you’ll find on all upcoming Bimmers, adopts a more sci-fi-feeling angular look. This would be fine if it functioned well, but the numbers aren’t as clear to read, the tachometer spins counterclockwise, and when you switch to Sport mode – the tacho needle disappears entirely! Plus, being a screen, they’ve tried to cram it with as much info as possible, which would be helpful, but it’s small and hard to read, which means it’s more distracting to try and find it. The navigation map between the dials, for instance, is monochrome, not full colour, so it blends in rather than standing out. It just seems unintuitive; I wish there was at least the option of returning to the classic dial layout.

We can’t talk tech without mentioning the latest version of BMW’s class-leading iDrive infotainment system, which is presented here on a crisp 12.3-inch touchscreen. Apart from touch, it can be operated by the traditional click-wheel, the touch pad, voice commands and gesture control as well. The tile-based home screen has been replaced with a more tablet-computer-like clustered system, which takes a little getting used to, but ultimately works better at giving you all your vital data at once; and it’s customisable. You also get readouts for real-time power and torque usage, G-force, pitch and yaw angle, and other off-road parameters. There’s also the 360-degree camera with the fun ‘augmented reality’ system that puts a 3D model of the car in a camera-generated depiction of your surroundings. And if you opt for the M Sport trim, you’ll get a head-up display too.

The equipment list on the whole, in fact, is vast and impressive. Apart from what we’ve already discussed already, you’ll find the likes of wireless mobile charging, hands-free parking, four-zone climate control, a 16-speaker Harman Kardon hi-fi, soft-close doors, paddleshifters, adaptive dampers, a powered tailgate with remote opening, auto stop-start, Apple CarPlay (but no Android Auto) and eight airbags. Interestingly, there is only one conventional USB port, but there are three of the new-generation USB-C ports – one at the front, two at the rear – so chances are you’ll have to buy a new cable to make the most of them.

What’s it like to drive?

As we’ve said already, the new X5 is bigger than you think, and while that may apply to its appearance, it isn’t quite as true from behind the wheel, as it was with previous X5s. It’s a trend we’re seeing in most new BMWs – a general ‘softening’ of the driving experience to cater to a wider audience and offer a more luxurious experience, but here, much of the change can be attributed to one mechanical difference – two-axle rear suspension. Previously, X5s only offered air suspension at the rear to aid comfort, but now that it’s at all four wheels, it’s allowed for much more. For one, the ride height can be raised or lowered (in five steps) for varying situations, but the main benefit is a far more luxurious ride. Sure, the massive wheels and tyres can cause a bit of lumpiness over bumps, but overall, the ride is incredibly plush. If you find it too floaty in Comfort mode, switching to Sport gives it a good balance.

Sound insulation, too, is far improved, but again, it’s those big tyres that play spoilsport a bit over expansion joints. The steering has been blunted and softened too, to the point that it is incredibly light at low speeds. It’s almost enough to make you forget this car’s mammoth dimensions; almost.

So it’s great at low speeds, but the contention arises when you’re driving for enjoyment, and here’s where some of the razor-sharp agility of previous X5s is missing. The steering does feel a little mushier, and even in Sport mode there is noticeably more body roll; you really do feel the X5’s size in the corners. But perhaps I’m being a bit harsh because it still handles better than most 2.1-tonne SUVs, with perhaps only a Porsche Cayenne being able to break the laws of physics better. Those massive tyres also afford it prodigious grip, and, despite the AWD, it always has a distinctly rear-biased feel.

Whether you’re barrelling up a mountain road or weaving through traffic, you’ll love the straight-six diesel engine (there’s a straight-six petrol too) and its 8-speed automatic gearbox. With 265hp and 620Nm of torque, it’s got more than enough pulling power to compensate for the X5’s size and weight. It’s not just effortless, it’s downright quick, with 0-100kph coming up in only 6.55sec. And with the quick-acting ZF gearbox (it seems to get better with every new car launched) doing its thing, kickdown acceleration is equally brisk. The good news is the characteristic (and quite thrilling) shove in the guts typical of BMW’s diesel engines is still there. Take it out of Sport mode and – apart from a little bit of hesitation if you catch the gearbox off guard – it is smooth and refined, as is befitting this new, more luxurious X5.

Should I buy one?

The X5 starts at Rs 72.90 lakh (ex-showroom, India). This xLine variant, though, will set you back Rs 82.40 lakh, putting it dangerously close to seven-seat luxury SUVs like the Audi Q7, Volvo XC90 and even the Mercedes-Benz GLS. It stings even more when you realise this isn’t a full CBU import; it’s assembled in India. However, you have to consider a few things, like how much more this car gets you. Not only is it more spacious, it’s more comfortable, thanks to the air suspension, and far better appointed and better equipped now. Then there’s BMW’s updated SU – sorry, SAV – range. The X3 has grown, you also have an X4 now, there will soon be an X7 and below that a new X6; all the models have been moved up the ladder. Sure, it’s not quite the ultimate driving machine that its forebears were, but it’s still pretty damn good to drive – and that can be forgiven for how much better a luxury SUV it is. It’s gotten more expensive, but it’s also a lot more car for the money.

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[alrightpoppins]

all the questions b/c why not :)

you’re my new best friend.

this thing is 50 questions long so it’s under the cut 👍

1. do you have any recurring dreams? what are they?

lately i’ve had a recurring dream of beating the shit out of my cousin.. so there’s that

2. what is your favourite kind of fruit?

hmm.. either clementines, pears, or peaches

3. sweet or savoury?

savory

4. what is your smallest/pettiest fear?

ants. i freak the fuck out if there are ants around me.

5. what is your least favourite vegetable?

probably sweet potatoes. that’s like the only vegetable i can think of that i dislike. i hate sweet potatoes.

6. what is your favourite art movement?

either surrealism or pop art

7. do you drink milk?

no i really should.

8. what was the last line of the last book you read?

…i can’t remember the last book i finished… fuck i miss having time to read.

9. do you like bitter food?

 i can’t really think of any but probably not. i’m too bitter to eat bitter foods too.

10. what is the most significant event in your life so far?

i just did some deep ass thinking and like.. it had to have been my dad leaving. like i don’t even remember that but my life would be 100% different if he hadn’t so i have to say that.

11. what is one thing ( a book, movie, etc ) that has greatly affected you?

 i’m gonna nerd out…

 the wizard of oz bc that’s been my favorite movie since i was 2 years old and if happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow why oh can’t i?

harry potter bc oh mY GOD. that’s like a whole world that is so fucking special and welcoming and magical and do you know how much a fucked up little kid needs magic bc it’s a lot man.

also… supergirl. bc alex danvers is so fucking special to me and her personality, her family values/dynamics, her coming out story are all so relevant and important to me and i cry about it a lot okay??

12. what is your favourite breed of dog or cat?

PITBULLS. i mean all dogs i love every single one of them but pitbulls are the best. and cats… idk i guess fat ones 😂

13. list your top 5 favourite turtle names.

like names that i would choose for a turtle? i love this question.

bubba, roscoe, franklin, squirtle, crush

14. what job would you have if you could have it without going through all of the school or experience that is required?

either a veterinarian or a children’s psychologist

15. are there any names that you dislike so much that you would dislike the person with the name? what are those names?

my dislike of names always comes from disliking a person with that name. and then it ruins the chances of me liking someone else with the same name. for instance: jason

16. what is your favourite letter?

L, J, or G because i like writing them in cursive

17. are there any instruments you wished you played?

i really wish i could play the drums and piano

18. list your best friends.

ellie, nicole, sam, jake, angie, my mom, my grandma

19. would you rather be a skeleton or a ghost?

ghost. definitely.

20. do you prefer fish or lizards/snakes? (as pets)

i’ve never had a lizard or snake so i guess fish.

21. art or music?

music is art??

but if you mean music or visual art, i’d say music.

22. what is your favourite type of flower?

gardenias. i’m trash.

23. soup or salad?

salad.

24. are you good at keeping plants alive?

i haven’t attempted this since i was like 6.

25. do animals tend to like you?

yes which is good bc i love them.

26. what is the worst book you’ve ever read?

i can’t really say. the only one that i never finished was Go Ask Alice.

27. do you collect anything?

not anymore.

28. how many pillows do you sleep with?

as many as i can possibly fit on my bed.

29. whats the latest you’ve ever woken up?

well i woke up at 2pm today. let’s just say that that isn’t my record.

30. how many pictures are on your walls?

sO MANY I CAN’T EVEN TELL YOU. i fucking love pictures.

31. what age did you stop keeping stuffed animals on your bed?

i still have stuffed animals on my bed lmao.

32. what is your favourite candy?

probably gummy bears or 100 gram bars.

33. what is your favourite baked good?

the iced lemon cookies my aunt made for christmas this year. new discovery.

34. do you have a camera? if so, what kind?

yes i have a polaroid camera.

i also have a nicer one but i haven’t used it in a long time. i don’t know the exact model, it’s a fujifilm.

35. do you wear jewelry?

yep. every day i wear my cross, the prayer bracelet sam got me, my rainbow ring, and my class ring. i usually have another 2 bracelets and another ring too.

36. sunrise or sunset?

idek. both man.

37. do you like to listen to music with headphones or no headphones?

either way. i blast it in my room and car. headphones in public.

38. what was your favourite show as a child?

when i was like 6 it was boy meets world…. also murder she wrote.

39. describe your favourite spot in your house.

probably my bed lmao.

40. do you like to be warm or cold?

i’d rather be cold than hot but i’d always prefer warm.

41. the best joke you have.

i’m made of sarcasm, not planned jokes.

42. whats the weirdest thing that you’ve seen happen in a public place?

i’ve seen furries walking around campus before. scary shit.

43. CD or digital?

digital is more convenient but i still buy CDs when i can. i’m a tactile person.

44. who do you miss right now?

poppop. jocelyn. my friends from school. the usual suspects.

45. if you could combine two places in the world, which two places would you choose?

probably somewhere green and scenic in the mountains with either my hometown or NYC

46. describe the worst substitute teacher you’ve ever had.

one time i had a sub in my german class who joined in with some kids and made fun of our teacher and the weight of student who was absent that day. he also let us watch The Interview on youtube on fire.

there’s also mr. finestien who i simultaneously love and hate. he’s adorable and nerdy and means well but if he subs a math class he straight up continues the lesson we’re on and it was like there wasn’t even a sub.

47. do you believe horoscopes?

i think they’re fun and maybe nice bc they can tell you what you wanna hear/give a basis for a little hope. but no i don’t particularly believe in them.

48. are you spiritual?

i’m more spiritual than i am religious.

49. describe your pets ( or family if you dont have pets )

my uncle has a dog named Chaos who lives in the back of my house. he’s a doberman rottweiler mix but he’s tiny as heck, very skittish, and pees when he’s excited.

then there’s Bear. he was my other uncle’s dog but now he’s my grandma and mom’s dog. he’s huge and fluffy. he means well but he’s kind of aggressive and bites/growls at/snaps at people sometimes. he’s always sorry after.

and then there’s Jazzy. she’s my dog and from the same litter as Bear. they’re german shepherd, siberian husky, chow chow mixes. she’s bigger than bear and looks nothing like him. she’s got bright blue eyes that i love a lot. she acts big and tough, fights with Bear a lot and is mean to Chaos. but when she’s out of the house, she’s a little bitch. she’s literally run from a cocker spaniel before. she’s just like me bc she has trust issues, is lazy, likes to be alone, is very stubborn, and has a bum hip. she also eats everything in sight and is sometimes food aggressive. she only really listens to me. 

50. are you good at getting over mistakes?

NOPE. i’m bad at admitting that i was wrong in the first place so getting over it is a time. i learn from them though bc i hate being wrong so much i wanna make sure i don’t fuck up again.

[orbemnews]

Slowly, Robo-Surgeons Are Moving Toward the Operating Room Sitting on a stool several feet from a long-armed robot, Dr. Danyal Fer wrapped his fingers around two metal handles near his chest. As he moved the handles — up and down, left and right — the robot mimicked each small motion with its own two arms. Then, when he pinched his thumb and forefinger together, one of the robot’s tiny claws did much the same. This is how surgeons like Dr. Fer have long used robots when operating on patients. They can remove a prostate from a patient while sitting at a computer console across the room. But after this brief demonstration, Dr. Fer and his fellow researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, showed how they hope to advance the state of the art. Dr. Fer let go of the handles, and a new kind of computer software took over. As he and the other researchers looked on, the robot started to move entirely on its own. With one claw, the machine lifted a tiny plastic ring from an equally tiny peg on the table, passed the ring from one claw to the other, moved it across the table and gingerly hooked it onto a new peg. Then the robot did the same with several more rings, completing the task as quickly as it had when guided by Dr. Fer. The training exercise was originally designed for humans; moving the rings from peg to peg is how surgeons learn to operate robots like the one in Berkeley. Now, an automated robot performing the test can match or even exceed a human in dexterity, precision and speed, according to a new research paper from the Berkeley team. The project is a part of a much wider effort to bring artificial intelligence into the operating room. Using many of the same technologies that underpin self-driving cars, autonomous drones and warehouse robots, researchers are working to automate surgical robots too. These methods are still a long way from everyday use, but progress is accelerating. “It is an exciting time,” said Russell Taylor, a professor at Johns Hopkins University and former IBM researcher known in the academic world as the father of robotic surgery. “It is where I hoped we would be 20 years ago.” The aim is not to remove surgeons from the operating room but to ease their load and perhaps even raise success rates — where there is room for improvement — by automating particular phases of surgery. Robots can already exceed human accuracy on some surgical tasks, like placing a pin into a bone (a particularly risky task during knee and hip replacements). The hope is that automated robots can bring greater accuracy to other tasks, like incisions or suturing, and reduce the risks that come with overworked surgeons. During a recent phone call, Greg Hager, a computer scientist at Johns Hopkins, said that surgical automation would progress much like the Autopilot software that was guiding his Tesla down the New Jersey Turnpike as he spoke. The car was driving on its own, he said, but his wife still had her hands on the wheel, should anything go wrong. And she would take over when it was time to exit the highway. “We can’t automate the whole process, at least not without human oversight,” he said. “But we can start to build automation tools that make the life of a surgeon a little bit easier.” Five years ago, researchers with the Children’s National Health System in Washington, D.C., designed a robot that could automatically suture the intestines of a pig during surgery. It was a notable step toward the kind of future envisioned by Dr. Hager. But it came with an asterisk: The researchers had implanted tiny markers in the pig’s intestines that emitted a near-infrared light and helped guide the robot’s movements. The method is far from practical, as the markers are not easily implanted or removed. But in recent years, artificial intelligence researchers have significantly improved the power of computer vision, which could allow robots to perform surgical tasks on their own, without such markers. The change is driven by what are called neural networks, mathematical systems that can learn skills by analyzing vast amounts of data. By analyzing thousands of cat photos, for instance, a neural network can learn to recognize a cat. In much the same way, a neural network can learn from images captured by surgical robots. Surgical robots are equipped with cameras that record three-dimensional video of each operation. The video streams into a viewfinder that surgeons peer into while guiding the operation, watching from the robot’s point of view. But afterward, these images also provide a detailed road map showing how surgeries are performed. They can help new surgeons understand how to use these robots, and they can help train robots to handle tasks on their own. By analyzing images that show how a surgeon guides the robot, a neural network can learn the same skills. This is how the Berkeley researchers have been working to automate their robot, which is based on the da Vinci Surgical System, a two-armed machine that helps surgeons perform more than a million procedures a year. Dr. Fer and his colleagues collect images of the robot moving the plastic rings while under human control. Then their system learns from these images, pinpointing the best ways of grabbing the rings, passing them between claws and moving them to new pegs. But this process came with its own asterisk. When the system told the robot where to move, the robot often missed the spot by millimeters. Over months and years of use, the many metal cables inside the robot’s twin arms have stretched and bent in small ways, so its movements were not as precise as they needed to be. Human operators could compensate for this shift, unconsciously. But the automated system could not. This is often the problem with automated technology: It struggles to deal with change and uncertainty. Autonomous vehicles are still far from widespread use because they aren’t yet nimble enough to handle all the chaos of the everyday world. The Berkeley team decided to build a new neural network that analyzed the robot’s mistakes and learned how much precision it was losing with each passing day. “It learns how the robot’s joints evolve over time,” said Brijen Thananjeyan, a doctoral student on the team. Once the automated system could account for this change, the robot could grab and move the plastics rings, matching the performance of human operators. Other labs are trying different approaches. Axel Krieger, a Johns Hopkins researcher who was part of the pig-suturing project in 2016, is working to automate a new kind of robotic arm, one with fewer moving parts and that behaves more consistently than the kind of robot used by the Berkeley team. Researchers at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute are developing ways for machines to carefully guide surgeons’ hands as they perform particular tasks, like inserting a needle for a cancer biopsy or burning into the brain to remove a tumor. “It is like a car where the lane-following is autonomous but you still control the gas and the brake,” said Greg Fischer, one of the Worcester researchers. Many obstacles lie ahead, scientists note. Moving plastic pegs is one thing; cutting, moving and suturing flesh is another. “What happens when the camera angle changes?” said Ann Majewicz Fey, an associate professor at the University of Texas, Austin. “What happens when smoke gets in the way?” For the foreseeable future, automation will be something that works alongside surgeons rather than replaces them. But even that could have profound effects, Dr. Fer said. For instance, doctors could perform surgery across distances far greater than the width of the operating room — from miles or more away, perhaps, helping wounded soldiers on distant battlefields. The signal lag is too great to make that possible currently. But if a robot could handle at least some of the tasks on its own, long-distance surgery could become viable, Dr. Fer said: “You could send a high-level plan and then the robot could carry it out.” The same technology would be essential to remote surgery across even longer distances. “When we start operating on people on the moon,” he said, “surgeons will need entirely new tools.” Source link Orbem News #Moving #operating #RoboSurgeons #room #slowly

[orbemnews]

Tasmanian Tigers Are Extinct. Why Do People Keep Seeing Them? The Tasmanian tiger is still extinct. Reports of its enduring survival are greatly exaggerated. Known officially to science as a thylacine, the large marsupial predators, which looked more like wild dogs than tigers and ranged across Tasmania and the Australia mainland, were declared extinct in 1936. But on Feb. 23, Neil Waters, president of the Thylacine Awareness Group of Australia, promised conclusive photographic proof of a surviving thylacine. The four photos, he claimed, showed a family of thylacines, including a juvenile, moving through dense brush. The announcement kicked off a flurry of excitement among wildlife aficionados. But, analysis by thylacine specialists rapidly debunked the photos as a case of mistaken identity. The event is the latest in a tradition of extravagant claims about photographic or video evidence of lost or unknown species that don’t pan out. Why do these cycles occur so regularly, at times even convincing experts? The answer, psychologists say, may lie in quirks of the human mind and how we process information that is at once familiar and difficult to perceive. While such footage occasionally turns out to be a hoax, many stills and videos genuinely show real animals — even if they aren’t what people say they are. In 2005, a WWF camera-trap caught footage of a “mystery carnivore” — likely a flying squirrel — in the jungle of Indonesian Borneo. In 2007, 2011 and 2014, clips of hairless dogs and raccoons in Texas were described as chupacabras. The same year, a kayaker recorded footage that purported to show an extinct ivory-billed woodpecker in an Arkansas swamp, provoking heated coverage and broad scientific interest. Many experts eventually concluded that the bird was more likely a pileated woodpecker. It’s not impossible for species presumed extinct to reappear. Last month, news of the rediscovery of the Black-Browed Babbler, missing since the 1840s, emerged after two Indonesian men caught and photographed a specimen. A day later, an entomologist, announced the discovery of a tiny population — just six specimens — of the Australian cloaked bee, last seen in 1923. That’s part of why the prospect of thylacine footage was so compelling to hopeful researchers. Unlike Bigfoot or Nessie, such animals were unquestionably real, were well photographed while alive and went extinct almost within living memory. Catching a photo of one doesn’t necessarily seem like a stretch. And in the age of smartphones, cameras are everywhere. In fact, footage snapped by camera traps or amateur naturalists can help establish the presence and activity patterns of animals in the environment, said Holly English, a doctoral student in wildlife ecology and behavior at University College Dublin. “There are animals that visit my own garden that I only know about through camera trapping,” Ms. English said. Photos can also help reveal animals living in unexpected places. Her research on breeding populations of exotic wallabies in Britain, for instance, relied partially on images shared over social media. Susan Wardle, a neuroscientists at the National Institutes of Health in the United States, says that cycles of expectant belief undone by deeper analysis may in part be explained by human psychological quirks. Processing every individual sensory detail is impossible, she says, so our brain actively reconstructs our visual world based on the complex but ambiguous input received by our eyes. Research has shown that unclear sensory data — such as a blurry picture — causes the brain to rely more heavily on preconceived patterns to make sense of it. “This means that there is an interesting interaction between perception and cognition — our beliefs and prior experience can influence what we see. Or more accurately, what we think we see,” Dr. Wardle said. This tendency can lead people astray when studying photographic evidence of long unseen animals, sometimes called cryptids, especially if they already have an idea of what they’re looking for. Many people who go looking for such enigmatic creatures have an emotional investment in identifying them, “and are already convinced the creatures are already out there,” said Christopher French, who founded the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit at Goldsmiths, University of London, and recently retired. That pre-existing belief makes it easier to begin seeing quarry in every shadow and rustle of brush, Dr. French adds, or in photographs that don’t offer a clear look at the animal in question. It can also cause people to genuinely miss details that might contradict their preferred hypothesis. In a YouTube video posted on February 23, Mr. Waters, formerly a professional horticulturist, claimed that he’d captured footage that proved the thylacine lived. Walking past a landscape of felled trees, he described setting camera traps in the Tasmanian bush, and catching four “not ambiguous” still images of a thylacine family. Thylacine populations began declining soon after European settlers arrived on Tasmania, an island south of the Australian mainland, in 1803, winnowed by government-encouraged hunting, competition from wild dogs, habitat loss and disease. The last known individual, “Benjamin,” died in captivity in 1936, leaving behind only haunting bits of film footage. There were reported sightings in the decades that followed, which lured multiple expeditions in Tasmania’s wilderness to search for survivors, said Darren Naish, a paleozoologist at the University of Southampton in England. None were successful. Yet reported sightings continued and even increased in the 1980s, and are still reported today. “That suggested that sightings were a social phenomenon, not a zoological one,” Dr. Naish said. Mr. Waters sent his photographs to the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery for analysis by Nick Mooney, a thylacine expert. He and his colleagues debunked Mr. Waters’ claims. “TMAG regularly receives requests for verification from members of the public who hope that the thylacine is still with us,” the museum said in a statement. “Based on the physical characteristics shown in the photos provided by Mr. Waters, the animals are very unlikely to be thylacines.” Instead it said they are most likely Tasmanian pademelons, a stout little marsupial resembling a wallaby. Many thylacine sightings are similar misidentifications, said Adam Pask, a thylacine researcher at the University of Melbourne. “There are quite a few wild dogs roaming around Tasmania,” Dr. Pask said. “So it’s very easy to spot a ‘thylacine’ looking animal in the bush if you look hard enough, and want to see one enough.” These kinds of mistakes are common, Dr. Naish said, in part because even experienced outdoors people and researchers aren’t always adept at identifying animals from unfamiliar angles or in unfamiliar states. Size and distance can be hard to judge in photographs, causing domestic cats to resemble big cats. Subtract fur, as in the occasional rotting raccoon carcass or mangy fox, and even familiar mammals can look deeply uncanny — or like an extinct marsupial predator. “We all make mistakes: even the most experienced naturalists make misidentifications, sometimes hilarious ones,” Dr. Naish said. However, those dedicated to hunting cryptic animals are often primed to accept more ambiguous footage, while dismissing critical opinions from qualified experts. “The single most pervasive cognitive bias we all suffer from is confirmation bias,” Dr. French said. If you’re invested in finding the cryptid you’re searching for, you’re more likely to find the evidence convincing. On March 1, Mr. Waters — who did not return multiple requests for comment — released the photos as part of a 19 minute video, urging viewers to “make up their own mind.” In a subsequent interview with News.com.au, he said that the response to his photos by expert analysts gave him “more fire in my belly to prove them wrong.” “It won’t be much longer,” Waters said. “Because we’re very close to getting irrefutable proof the animal is still here.” Source link Orbem News #extinct #People #Tasmanian #Tigers