#most common iPhone issues

[runwayrunway]

id be interested in seeing you rank plane emojis from different platforms (by their livery, or by whatever else) just for fun, if you want!

You're right. I WILL do this for fun, because this is fun. Not based on livery, since they're mostly white with blue wings - just how much I like them. I'll be adding a rating out of 10 for each one because I think that's the tradition for this sort of thing.

Apple - 4/10

I mean, because I have an iPhone this is my default conception of an airplane emoji - I think it's fine, I just find it a bit offputting how they model the individual flaps and cockpit windows but the rest of it is a white airbrushed tube. It's a weird contrast.

It's fine, I think. Acceptable. I maybe think emojis by default aren't the most aesthetically pleasing.

Google Noto Color Emoji - 4.5/10

I think this is a slight improvement over the Apple version because of the more consistent stylization. It's also a little more contemporary, since most airliners that are flying now have two engines. I like that they added a few windows and highlights to keep the cabin interesting, and I think it's a bit...something that they took off the flaps but added flap track fairings. Cockpit windows look awful though.

Samsung - 2/10

This is a bit more of a realistic shape for an airplane but for some reason I don't like it. Maybe it's the fact that you can barely recognize that there's a tailfin at all, or the cockpit window looking weirdly...shiny? I think what gets me the most, though, is that those engines look like Super Mario pipes.

Microsoft - 1/10

She's a little...phallic somehow. I just think a top-down view of an airplane is almost always going to look worse if you make it super round and blobby. On the bright side, it's still recognizable as a plane.

WhatsApp - 7.5/10

I really like the way this one is red. Way to stand out in a crowd. It's also quite realistic without giving up on being stylized. My one issue is with the cockpit windows, which look a bit out-of-place and weird. This seems to be a common point of failure for this sort of emoji. Also, I'm unsure if this is meant to be a two-engined 747, but if it is points off for those not existing.

Twitter - 6/10

I hate to ever hand it to Twitter but this is just solid. That's an airplane, just a very simplified and round one. Even the cockpit windows on this one look okay.

Facebook - 3.5/10

Maybe airplane emojis with airbrush shading just look bad to me. There's nothing fundamentally wrong with the shape of this but I don't think they differentiated the tailfin from the fuselage enough. It looks like a stub. Also, what is up with that miserably short wing chord?

Telegram - 7/10

I mean, it looks like a 3D version of the Apple one, but it's surprising how much making it 3D improves it. Plus, gotta hand it to them deciding their emoji was being flown by Tex Johnston. I admire that sort of verve.

Microsoft Teams - 0/10

On the flipside, animating this one and making it 3D makes it so much worse! It looks like it was made right when people just figured out that 3D animation was a thing that was possible to do, back in the 50s or something. And boy are those pixels crunchy - I wouldn't mind this if it weren't already heinous. Seriously, how is that tailfin even attached?

Skype - 10/10

Now this I really like. Most of these are impossible to assign a model to but this distinctly looks to me like one of the earlier, stubbier 737s, just really short with a pointy nose, and she's waving at you. Crisp, nice smooth animation, just fantastic.

Twitter Emoji Stickers - 0/10

Looks bad. One of the few of these which are very easy to recognize as a specific model of airplane - this is clearly a 747, based on the inclusion of the hump. There is a reason basically none of the others are trying to be a 747. Adding a weird lump to the front of your emoji doesn't really make it any less weird-looking, and rendering a plane from above tends to be weird-looking already. It looks like she was stung by a bee.

JoyPixels - 6.5/10

As with the WhatsApp red, I appreciate anything setting itself aside in color, so I have to compliment the choice of this sort of toothpastey green. This is one of the better simplified airplanes we've gone over today, and the only thing I really dislike is that it has the same issues with the tailfin Facebook does.

Toss Face - 0/10

I can barely tell this is supposed to be an airplane. It makes me want to, excuse the mental image, toss face.

JoyPixels Animations - 10/10

Now THIS is what I'm talking about! Just a nice little pixel aircraft, doing the same sort of smooth wriggling as the Skype airplane - no criticisms.

Sony PlayStation - small/10

Adequate, but too small to really assess further - but the fact that I don't dislike anything about it is honestly a credit at this point.

Noto Emoji Font - 3.5/10

This just looks like the Samsung emoji but rendered with plain lines. Removing detail from these tends to improve them.

OpenMoji - 0/10

Oh, no, I take it back! Too few details! It's like a torpedo with wings awkwardly stapled on. A really phallic one at that.

emojidex - what the hell/10

I think this more or less looks fine, and the livery it has also looks fine, but I'm so thrown off by the fact that I don't think this is a real airplane. I am obviously not an authority on every model of airplane ever built but I'm reasonably sure this isn't a real one. It most resembles a BAe 146/Avro RJ, the only four-engined t-tail plane intended for passengers rather than heavy cargo. But the 146/RJ has high wings, located above the cabin windows, so...what is this airplane? What does emojidex know that they're not telling us?

Messenger - 7/10

While not ugly per se, it's a bit futuristic for my taste. Still, the choice to model it from a position other than directly from the top avoids a lot of the pitfalls that make many of these so bad to look at.

LG - 4/10

Boring? Yeah, without question. But this is just a good representation of an airplane, and at this point I'll accept that. Does the tail thing, though.

HTC - 3/10

Something about the way this is shaped makes this look more like a rocketship than an airplane. Or a Convair Pogo.

SoftBank - 5/10

A decent pictoral representation of an airplane. See: LG. Fixes the tail thing.

Docomo - 5.5/10

Also a decent pictoral representation of an airplane, but I think rendering it in silhouette gets rid of many of the pitfalls associated with airplane emojis. No details to mess up, just the shape of an airplane. Why do the majority of these have four engines? Seriously, there are only three four-engine airliners in passenger service right now. Have the people designing these not flown since the early aughts?

au by KDDI - 2.5/10

Okay, I know I've been saying being a good representation of an airplane is good enough but this is just simplifying too far. This isn't an emoji, it's a unicode character.

Mozilla - 1/10

Why pointy but only sometimes? Why does the tail pinch in like that? It's ugly, Mozilla, you made an ugly one.

[writers-potion]

hi!! im working on a story that takes place at a 2012 public high school - the issue with that is that i was not in high school in 2012 lmao. do you have any tips on how to keep it feeling realistic?

Well, neither was I!! But here are some tips:

Define Your General Setting

Sure, high school has a different feel compared to an average town/city setting. However, it is still a part of the bigger community, and will be impacted by external factors.

What part of the world are your writing about? What's the general economy like? What's the most common occupation of the kid's parents? What's the prevailing fashion/art/music style?

Your teens will be impacted by the popular culture and trends of the time, so start by outlining the general setting!

Fashion

I think this is where schools have changed the most. There are going to be some overlaps between early 2010s and late 2000s, so if you think in the direction of Y2K fashion, it should fit.

On a general note, I think 2010s fashion was vibrant, with lots of colors and flashy items...

Side fringes and backcombed/straightened hair were still very popular

most girls had huge messy sock buns on top of their heads

boys had the Justin Bieber cut.

Jack Wills and Hollister were pretty popular, and a lot of girls had a Paul's Boutique jacket and a Jane Norman bag for their PE kit (or one of the Hollister bags with a topless guy on).

Converse were universally cool, and there were lots of imitation brands.

Open flannel shirt over a t-shirt was a pretty popular outfit.

Skinny jeans and band t-shirts

bright chunky rubber band bracelets.

Vans were cool among the alternative kids.

Getting different colours on your braces was cool.

Most of the boys had at least one of those t-shirts with the buttons and the mismatched cuffs.

School-uniform-wise, short ties with big fat knots were cool, and hard kids would pluck a stripe or two out of their tie.

Tucking in shirts was initially not cool, then it became cool to tuck at the front but not the back.

Lots of boys wore black trainers, and lots of girls wore those ballet pumps.

Girls doing their lips with their foundation, with a thick ring of black eyeliner and spidery clumpy mascara - and having a visible orange line where your foundation met your neck was common.

Multiple ear piercings were popular with the alternative crowd

Belly button piercings were big for girls

Just search up some pictures on Google, you should get plenty of "Early 2010s teen fashion starter pack"

Social Media

Smartphones were already popular, and with the introduction of Snapchat(2011) and Instagram(2010), the social media hype was just starting to boom

Facebook and Twitter were popular - basically everyone was on it

TikTok(2016) and Discord(2015) didn't exist yet

Pictochat

Phones were allowed in the classroom, but phones/laptops weren't an important part of school work like it is now.

Digital Devices

Phones-wise, most people had pretty basic dumbphones (although they were just called mobiles back then), and not everyone carried them all the time

Blackberry (BBM), Nokia, LG Cholate, iPhone if you're rich enough

Most kids were on PAYG phones, so you'd run out of credit sometimes (i.e. no more calls or texts) and have to go to a physical shop to top up. Nobody really had data, and there was always a moment of panic if you accidentally opened the web browser on your phone because it was so expensive. Wifi became a thing around 2012.

Nintendo DSes: Mario Kart, Animal Crossing, Nintendogs

iPods or another MP3 Player

Slag

Slang-wise, Urban Dictionary is a good resource.

Fleek, peng and YOLO were popular with some crowds. Leetspeak was a thing online, especially in nerdy communities. Emoji were starting to take off 

rawr" (or "rawr means I love you in dinosaur") and "xD" as a laughing face 

Music

One Direction, Jedward, Katy Perry, Carly Rae Jepson, Justin Bieber, JLS, Little Mix, Beyonce, Paramour, My Chemical Romance, Bring Me The Horizon, Black Veil Brides, Ke$ha, Eminem, The Killers, OMI, Gotye, Bruno Mars, Macklemore, Skrillex, deadmau5, blink-182, Green Day, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, Lana Del Rey.

Fandom Stuff

Twilight was huge, then Hunger Games.

Harry Potter was everywhere all the time, people would go to midnight releases for the books and movies.

High School Musical was popular, then that crowd migrated to Glee and Mean Girls.

The Olympics were in London in 2012

Other Stuff

Reese's peanut butter cups, Marshmallow Fluff, Nerds, etc. 

Veganism wasn't well-known, but still there were a few

Lots of casual homophbia, kids jsut genuinely not knowing rather than truly hateful towards it

Here are some movie suggestions, that shows school like in early-mid 2010s quite well:

Easy A

The Duff

LOL

For YA Novels - Be Timeless

Before you start doing any of the things above, remember this if you're writing a YA novel: The key of this genre is to feel somewhat timless, taking readers back to their high school years no matter when and where they've gone through it.

High school is the phase where many people feel awkward, unsure of themselves, feeling special in their own head but knowing that they're not really.

And it's not like the problems just disappear when we hit adult life. A major reason why YA novels are so popular is that they address themes that are repeatedly felt by the general human being, often in a such a direct, straightforward way that provides vicarious satisfaction.

[jackalopesao3]

Ruri Tunes Help/Guide

Short of it: turn off all your graphics + prioritize performance, use up/down instead of left/right.

Even if you have a newer phone and a fast connection you may still be lagging and that can cause combo mess ups with Ruri Tunes.

ADHD + Migraine lifesavers for me too - may be helpful to some of my followers who have similar issues.

I’ve been having combo issues with RT even after mastering extreme - it was confusing because I was positive I was hitting everything on time. I kept shrugging it off as timing issues on my end but it was actually my phone and the app. I didn’t think about lag because my phone is newer.

Here’s a quick guide to how I now play:

1. Check your settings:

2. Controls:

Up/Down is still easier than right/left for me - this is a common tip but throwing it in there.

3. Graphics Setting:

The most important setting for dealing with lag!

Turn ALL the graphics off!

This also helps if you have ADHD or are easily distracted! No additional graphics or effects except for what you’re trying to hit and the characters.

No background card animations!

The animated cards trigger my migraines at times and turning everything off shuts functions like that down. There’s a lot less flashy and distracting things to throw you off!

4. Prioritize Performance:

Don’t let the “slow” full you. Everything is pretty fast on my end and this game still lags! That was what was throwing off my combos! Combining performance with turning all the graphics off helped me so much!

I would have never guessed it was lag until I started playing around with Graphics. Again, iPhone 13 + high speed connection (phone isn’t even a year old yet) and this still wasn’t enough to avoid lag.

I’m not sure what speed and phone model combination can run everything without lag so I recommend anyone having trouble with combos to try this.

[aemondslefteyeball]

Sic Transit Gloria Mundi (7)

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6

[Modern!Aemond x Fem!Reader]

[Warnings: Gore, death, animal attacks, masturbation, creepin']

[Summary: They best pop some broken shot bottles between their fingers]

(Love y'all hoping I'll get two out next week have a good weekend drink water)

Word Count: 4.9k

Chapter 7

Three months after the disappearance, life was back to normal for most. Aemond found himself growing ever more restless as the summer cast a sweltering heat over King’s Landing. Despite how awful he felt, he was starting to handle it better. Helaena wasn’t the I-told-you-so type, but he still couldn’t bring himself to tell her that he continued going after the promised five sessions. He wondered if other people could see the difference in him. Earlier this week he had responded to his secretary when she asked him how his day was instead of grunting. But the torment of not knowing where you are was eating him alive. The scans in Moat Cailin were apparently going slower than expected due to issues with interference or something along those lines. Days blended into each other but that morning he had walked into his Grandfather’s office and requested a long weekend; it was the closest thing to a vacation he had taken after graduating. Otto once again shot him that empathetic glance, and nodded. “Aemond.” His hand had been resting on the doorknob when his Grandfather called out. He turned, half expecting to be lectured. “I would have done the same for your Grandmother.” Otto Hightower was not a man anybody could accuse of being emotional, but there was a deep sorrow in his voice Aemond had never been privy to. He had never really heard much about her, but supposed this was why. Aemond nodded at his Grandfather once more before leaving the room. 

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------

After the night at the tree, you refused to go back there. It made no matter, Barba wouldn’t push you to do it. Whatever poison had seeped into you had only metastasized, it seemed. The days blurred together and your nights were riddled with serpents twisting in the burrows of the Earth. Finding little comfort in rest, you found yourself at your clearing more often. Tonight you were joined by Barba, who was looking at you excitedly before pulling out her black iPhone. You looked at her questioningly, what could have been months ago all of you agreed to limit phone usage to ten minutes a month unless absolutely necessary. 

“Is it okay if I play something?” Her voice was as soft as always, but you braced yourself for religious music. 

You smiled and nodded, “Yeah go ahead.” Giving her the ‘all go’ gesture, she turned the device on and pulled up her Spotify library. 

Barba gave you a meek look for a second, her icy eyes gauging your expression. “So, Uhm, I have a kinda unconventional music taste?” 

You smiled, figuring that you could stand to listen to music about the Old Gods as long as she was happy. “Oh, I’m fine with anything.” You shrugged, secretly hoping that she wouldn’t play any country music. 

“Are you sure?” Barba raised an eyebrow as she tilted her head towards you. “Like it’s not super common.” Suddenly curious at whatever tree music she was hiding, you just shot her two thumbs up. 

You thanked R’hllor above that it was not country music. It was not Old Gods gospel either. So far it seemed to be some folksy song that had the occasional sound effect. You nodded approvingly, folk music wasn’t your favorite genre but it was pretty good. It also made sense for Barba, though you wondered why she thought folk was so unconventional. As soon as you started to close your eyes and enjoy the singing a scream pulled you out of your thoughts and had you staring between the phone and Barba. She just offered a small smile before the tempo of the song picked up and the growl started again. “Barba what the fuck?” was the only thing that you could even think to say. She just shrugged at you as she turned the volume up and tilted it so you could hear better. You hadn’t heard a lot of metal before, but the song actually sounded pretty nice. You still couldn’t stop staring at Barba in shock though. Who would’ve thought that the quietest, sweetest girl in all her classes listened to this? “Honestly I kinda fuck with it.” You started dancing as best you could to the insanely fast tempo. What the fuck are this guitarist’s fingers made out of? “Heavy metal Barba.” 

“Oh, this is black metal actually.” She corrected, a gleam in her eyes as the two of you clumsily danced to the undanceable song. Barba tilted her head back to scream with the song, you miming guitar. She started laughing then, and the two of you continued until the song was winding down. When Barba stopped giggling, she handed the phone over to you expectantly. 

“This is your ten minutes, listen to what you want.” You moved to hand the phone back to her before she pushed it so it remained in your hand. 

“Seriously I just threw you in the deep end, pick a song.” You scrolled through her library hopefully, searching for the song you had been hoping to find. 

When you clicked on it, Barba’s face lit up in recognition. “Teenage Mary said to Uncle Dave, ‘I sold my soul, must be saved.’” Both of your voices rang through the clearing. “Gonna take a walk down to Union Square.” When the timer sounded the two of you groaned in unison. Barba shut the phone off and put it into her back pocket. 

“What do you think of Aly’s expedition?” Barba sat on the log, you following on the one across the fire from her. 

“It’s dangerous.” You sighed, dangerous didn’t really even begin to cover it. The only mercy at your disposal was the heat. “Sara seems pretty on board with the idea. Floris too. Sabitha won’t let Aly go without her…” You paused for a moment, glancing into the fire. “I think I want to go.” 

Barba stared at you hard for a second before pulling her lips into a hard line. “The Cessna is too dangerous, but this is fine?” 

“There’s safety in numbers, and we know our feet work. Can’t say the same for the ‘ol shitbird.” You weren’t sure if you were ready to tell her about your dream the night prior. Ivestragī se sȳndror mazilībagon ao dāez. A crimson river swept through the valley, white driftwood caught in pink rapids. Se riñar, ñuha riña. A cloud of red smoke was the last thing you remembered before Baela shook you awake that morning. Barba would no doubt tell you how the terror you felt while sleeping was a gift. She snapped you out of your thoughts with a dry laugh. 

“Fine. But if it doesn’t work I’m taking the plane south.” 

“I understand.” 

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aemond had bid entirely too much money on the pink monstrosity that sat before him. Regardless, you couldn’t come home to a torn duvet cover without having immediate questions. He inhaled again before he stepped into the bedroom. Vhagar thankfully wasn’t napping in her usual spot, and taking that as a sign Aemond tossed the new one on the bed as best he could. He could just have the maid straighten it later. His task in the room was completed, but he couldn’t wrench himself away from the closest substitute he had to you. He walked across to the other side of the room, looking at your desk. A few textbooks were stacked off to the right, and Aemond flipped through them before moving into an iPad, stapler, and tape. He opened the top drawer, rummaging through it to find basic office supplies. Following that he moved on to the bottom drawer. This too yielded nothing. A few folders were neatly labeled with subjects and an unmarked manila envelope. He flipped through the folders and didn’t find anything of interest. He undid the string on the envelope next, pulling out a few pieces of sketch paper. Aemond lightly brushed his fingertip across the drawing’s lower lip, a rising hunger growing in him. The next one was decidedly more risque. You were playing the piano but with a robe draped around you. Draped was a loose word for it, as the robe seemed to be a formality. Plum silk looked as if it had been poured around your hips, your naked back exposed to him. Aemond took in a sharp breath as he dragged his eye over the soft curve of your waist. From the angle you had been drawn at, he could see the curve of your breast, infuriatingly too little of it however. His eye lingered on the image for a second longer before he took in the next one with a widened eye. Aemond felt a predatory grin slip across his face as a burning jealousy took hold of him.

The paper was promptly set down on the desk before the blonde reached to undo his belt, cock painfully throbbing against his slacks. Upon being freed, it slapped against his buttoned shirt and he let out a groan. Aemond spread the precum down onto the rest of his length, holding a breath in before releasing it with a soft moan as he stroked down to the base. His eye locked down intently on the drawing of you, back arched and face twisted in pleasure while presumably, Emerson was bringing you to your peak. His pace grew more fervent, angrier at the thought of it. You looked blissful, but he knew he could break you down to the point of deliriousness. Aemond would find you when you were playing piano, and you would be as oblivious to his presence as always. He decided he would stand behind you then as he pumped his cock with one hand now, eye tightly shut. He would brush your hair to one side, letting his breath draw goosebumps from you. He would insist you keep playing, while one hand tossed that little skirt aside and snaked into your panties. If you stopped, so would he. The thought drove him wild, and he was bound to escalate it. His breath came out in pants, pace quickening. Aemond would kneel between your legs next, spreading one while taking care to leave the other so your foot could still rest on the pedal. From there he would plant gentle kisses along the tops of your thighs, wondering what your moans would sound like. Finally, he would tear off your panties, relishing in either your submission or annoyance. Aemond knew you would be so good for him after he dragged his tongue up your slit, swirling his tongue around your bud before pressing on it hard enough to make you gasp. His tongue lowered to the hole, pushing his tongue into it while pressing his aquiline nose on your clit. If you behaved he would reward you greatly, though truth be told either path would end in the same result. You would still end up spread on the piano, your skirt tossed up around your hips as he relished the sweet moan on your lips when he finally entered you. When you met his gaze he would start rolling his hips into you. He wondered if you would buck your hips as you approach your peak. He would be unrelenting. Unyielding. He would move his thumb to assault your bud until you started to shake. Aemond needed to feel you clench around him, head tossed back in abandon as you unraveled on his cock. The pace at which he stroked himself increased as he gritted his teeth. Aemond was a jealous man, and he wouldn’t stop until you were unable to remember your own name, let alone your ex’s. A primal groan was released from Aemond’s lips as he finally came, but it wasn’t enough. It wouldn’t be enough until you were looking him dead in the eye when he came in you. Aemond reached out a hand to lean against the desk, catching his breath before he put his cock away. 

Fuck.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Why didn’t you tell them about your dream?” 

You paused for a moment, wondering if it was a rhetorical question. You continued to examine the charred body of the deer with a detached eye. When you met Barba’s icy blue eyes you sighed. “Aly is a brick wall with hair.” Barba leaned back on her heels, nodding for a second. Your gaze flickered back to the stag, curiosity took hold of you. Reaching down, you wrenched a vertebra out of the corpse, holding it up to the light for a moment like a gemstone. “This bone didn’t burn at all.” You examined it for a moment before smiling at Barba and getting up. 

You met Sabitha, Aly, Nettles, and Myrielle at the clearing in front of the cabin. Shooting Aly a small smile, you tugged at the straps of your backpack. “When do we leave?” 

Aly smiled back at you “In an hour.” 

You nodded, taking a knee and unzipping your rucksack, pulling the bone out of it. You had fashioned a piece of twine through it, and approached Sabitha while she was putting her water bottle in her bag. “This is kinda weird, but will you take this?” 

Sab’s eyebrows knit together, running her fingertips across the bone before she looked back up at you. “Sure, but why am I going to be wearing a vertebra on my neck?” 

“Just do it, please. I think it’ll keep you safe.” 

“Like a lucky rabbit's foot?” 

“I had a dream last night.” You weren’t sure why you couldn’t stop the words from spilling out of your mouth. Thankfully Sabitha smiled at you, gesturing at you to continue. “There was, I don’t know. Red smoke and a river of blood. Just please keep it on you, okay?” 

“Yeah, sure. Thanks Y/N.” She pulled you in for a quick hug before you two turned back to the group. 

The group was exchanging hugs, hope on their faces as they saw you guys off. Yelling suddenly rang out as Rhaena bustled out of the cabin. “Wait! Wait for me. I’m coming.” Rhaena panted before she looked at Ser Criston with doe eyes. “Criston, I mean Ser Cole. Please don’t try to talk me out of this, okay?” Her eyes were pleading, Cole looked as if he were a shell of a man. “I’ve given it a lot of thought, and I just feel like my friends really need me.” Baela’s lips pulled into a tight line across her face and you sucked your breath in through your teeth as quietly as possible. 

“Oh, wow. Well, that’s uh…” Ser Criston looked away for a second, his face suddenly twisted in false disappointment. “You know what? That’s really brave of you, Rhaena.” They both giggled for a moment before he met her gaze again. “I’ll do the best I can without you.” 

“I’ll come back for you, I promise.” Baela physically cringed, and you shrugged at her. She’s your sister.

“Okay.” Rhaena went in for a hug immediately after, and Criston’s mask dropped. He stared at all of you with a long-suffering look. He tentatively patted her on the back, his face scrunched as he did so. Everybody else in the group tried to distract themselves as Rhaena leaned in for a moment longer, sighing dreamily. 

Last hugs were exchanged as the group of you set off into the brush. The mood was cheerful, and the breeze was a relief. You hummed quietly to yourself as you took in your surroundings. Marguerita Passion had to get her fix. She wasn’t well, she was getting sick. Went to sell her soul, she wasn’t high. Didn’t know, thinks she could buy. Dappled sunlight shone through the leaves, and Nettles joked about girl scouts. In the afternoon you found yourself actually starting to bond with Rhaena. She still seemed a little off, but she was interesting. The group of you hung back a little while Aly and Sabitha picked up their pace. Eventually, Aly’s gaze turned back to you, before she turned and gave Sabitha a look. Subtle. You didn’t hear the conversation, but Aly looked grave. Not that anything was new, really. When darkness fell camp was quickly established. “So get this.” Sabitha was animated as she spoke, her face lighting up. “After Bill Pullman falls in love with Sandra, his fucking brother wakes up! It’s a whole ass mess. I mean, this dude actually thinks that Sandy is his fiancee.” She gestured wildly, locking eye contact with everybody. “So just…” Howling rang out in the distance, and all of you froze. You looked in the direction it came from and swallowed. Your heels dug into the dirt. 

Aly rocked back for a moment, looking at the fire. “We’ll be fine. Wolves are scared of humans. Besides, it doesn’t sound like they’re very close.” The nagging feeling still didn’t sit right with you, and you stared at Sabitha for a second, who was rubbing the vertebra. “We can take turns keeping watch, just to be extra safe but I really don’t think we have anything to worry about.” 

“You know who does need to worry?” Sabitha wiggled her eyebrows. “Our girl, Sandy. Because she does not know this man and he’s never seen her before he’s like, ‘Who is this girl?’ And his doctor is like, ‘Well, you must have amnesia because you don’t remember your wife-to-be.” As Sabitha rambled on, the group relaxed. Eventually, your eyes grew heavy, and you last remembered Sabitha moaning about how unfair it is that Natasha Lyonne is straight.

Morning found the group anxious, but ready to carry on. Birds sang and insects chirped as you continued. Later in the morning, Aly heard the sound of rushing water, and the group of you rushed to it excitedly, undoing the lids on your bottles. To your horror, the water was a deep, muddy red. “I don’t think we should drink it,” Rhaena announced, letting the handful of water she had cupped drain back into the river. 

“No shit.” Myrielle sniped. “It smells weird.” The scent of rust hung heavily in the air, with no signs of life in the stream.

“Y/N, what did you tell Sab about your dream?” Your arms crossed over your chest as you took a step back, gaze flitting away. “A river of blood?” Nettles continued. Your eyes were locked onto the water. “And a cloud of smoke.” 

Aly scoffed after Myri had finished, her eyes rolling. “Yeah, and last night I dreamed I went water-skiing with Jaenara Belaerys, so.” Rolling your eyes and shaking your head, you found your friendship with Aly growing ever-thinner. It was okay if she didn’t believe in things, but you were getting sick of her constantly shitting on everybody else. She was out eating dirt last night but you were crazy for what happened at the seance. 

“Mineral deposits can change the color of the water,” Rhaena spoke out. “Like iron, maybe?” 

Sabitha nodded, looking at it again. Aly smiled at her. “I’m sure that’s what it is then. Come on, this has been a fun pit stop but we need to keep moving.” She turned on her heels, clodding away. 

“Um, guys.” Myrielle held the compass up. The dial was spinning all over, never landing in one spot. 

Sabitha stared at it for a second before looking away. “The iron in the water could be messing with it. Especially this much of it. It’ll probably work again when we’re away from the water.” Her tone was hesitant as Sabitha gripped the vertebra that hung from her neck. 

“Seriously?” Aly shot the group a hard stare. 

“I don’t know, maybe we should think about going back?” Myri looked at Nettles hesitantly.

“We just need to get away from here.” Aly grabbed one strap and shifted her weight to her left leg. 

“Wait, let's think about this.” Sabitha blurted out. 

Aly stepped forward, her gaze flat. “Think about what?” 

“I don’t know, this stream? It is a pretty big coincidence that Y/N dreamed about it… we heard wolves last night…” You decided to stay out of it, suddenly regretting your admission to Sabitha. All you wanted to do was try to keep her safe, not start infighting.

“You have to be fucking kidding me.” 

“I’m just saying tha-” 

“What? What are you saying? That the fucking woods are speaking through Y/N? That they don’t want us to leave? Do you know how insane that sounds? The woods don’t give a shit and all this nonsense.” She gestured towards you suddenly as you met her gaze, your nerves being grated ever thinner. “And dreams and omens and whatever the fuck.” Aly gestured to the bone on Sabitha’s neck. “That is. We can survive without a compass. We’ll use the sun to travel south and we can place cairn stones or something under trees. There is a solution for everything.” Aly was going to make an amazing engineer. Absolute disregard for human feelings and a stubborn resolve to fix anything. “An explanation for everything. Now, that said, nobody forced you to come with me. Anybody that wants to go back, by all means.” She spat. “But I’m losing daylight.” You shared wary looks with each other before you looked at the river one last time. Doc Martens rustled leaves as you followed Aly. 

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------

He swore he wouldn’t do this again. Aemond cursed Emerson, but he knew that was a deflection and cursed himself afterward. Once he regained full control of himself he put the sketches back into the manila envelope and placed it back in the desk. He let out an audible sigh at the empty room, his gaze landing on the bed again. Some giant moth… thing of yours stared back at him from atop the bed where he had haphazardly thrown it after putting the new duvet on. Closing the bottom drawer to the desk Aemond walked back to the closet door. Pushing it further open, he took a deep breath before rummaging through the hamper once more. He would have the maid wash your clothes, but not all of them. And after three months in the wilderness, you wouldn’t miss a few pairs of panties. This was a turning point, he promised himself. What had been done was already in motion, but he wouldn’t deny it to himself any longer. He was attracted to you and missed your presence in the house. Aemond would talk about it with Dr. Greenwood and make it right. The expiration date on your marriage was a little under a year and a half away, but maybe until then the two of you could come to an understanding with each other. Besides, it wasn’t like Emerson would be here for you when you returned. After Taenys had morphed from emotional support to a vine growing on Emerson she attended fewer briefings before she had stopped coming altogether the past month. The last he had checked, she made her relationship with her public on social media. You deserved better, but in the meantime, he could fuck you hard enough that you would forget about her. He made one last move to the drawer of your nightstand, opening it before grabbing one more item and making his way out of the room. He spent the rest of the day alone. Helaena was at some summer camp with the twins, and the solitude had been weighing heavily on him. He did ask the maid to do your laundry, and he was grateful that she wouldn’t ask questions about the stains on it. Every day felt like a repeat. He was the first person who would be contacted when you were found, but he couldn’t help the compulsion to continue checking Twitter for continued updates. Aemond had always prided himself on his restraint but found that his need for you was becoming an addiction. He reminded himself that he would sort it out with Dr. Greenwood, not that she needed to know everything. Aemond would fix it as he had done his entire life, and things would be better when you returned. At some point he locked himself into his office, diving back into his work for a few hours respite from the storm in his head. When his eyes grew too bleary to continue, he returned to his room. Every step of his routine was just another meaningless thing he did to occupy his time. When he finally finished, he stood at the edge of his king-sized bed observing his bounty. Three pairs of panties, and the journal that had been almost entirely filled. He needed to get to know you if he was going to be of any use when you returned, after all. 

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------

You fluffed the blanket before placing it on the ground. Your feet ached from all the walking on shitty terrain, with your mind weighed down by exhaustion. “I know it doesn’t feel like it, but we’re one step closer to home. I promise this will all be over soon.” You shook your head as Aly spoke, just wanting to sleep and get fucking help. 

Silence hung in the air for a brief second. “We don’t need another speech, Alysanne. We need to sleep.” Sabitha’s face hardened as she glanced back into the fire. “I’ll take first watch tonight.” 

Aly shook her head, sitting by the tree. “Let me do it. You should all rest. Aly leaned against the trunk of the tree, and your eyes grew bleary as the flickering of the fire faded from your vision. 

Silver hair flashed through the dense brush. You ducked under vines as you followed after the man. The silver hair evoked some feeling of familiarity but you couldn’t quite place it. Jungle grew over pillars of stone, with the man flickering between them. The further he walked, the more intricate the stone became. The jungle seemed to either respect or fear it, as the plant line abruptly ended after you stepped into a clearing. Your boots padded over black cobblestone as you pursued the man, pace quickening. “Wait!” You ran after him, but he always seemed to elude you. He was only walking, but with a strange sort of glide to it. The man finally entered an ominous building. You stopped to stare at it for a second before taking a deep breath and entering. To your surprise– and horror– the man was waiting for you inside. He stood casually across the room, clad in strange, sunset-colored robes. Long silver hair cascaded down part of his ruined face. Flesh melted and sloughed off. The closer you looked at the man, the less human he started to appear. Ēdi naejot gaomagon ziry syt se dārion. His voice was half-gurgled, and you stepped back suddenly. You picked up maybe three words of what he said, but what you did know didn’t sound great. Then it dawned on you. That voice. His eyes were swollen sickeningly far from the socket, and you could see his jaw hanging loose where the sinew melted away. Charred bone crept into a Cheshire grin as the demeanor of the man changed. Kessa sagon. Se riñar emagon vēttan ziry sīr. The melted man continued forward with a predatory grin. Weeping, blackened skin hung off his body like a glove, slowly dripping down his body. You stepped too far back and stumbled back onto the stone. The man was upon you in an instant, doughy fingers digging in as he whispered in Valyrian. You were unsure of exactly what he was doing, but fingers wrenched into your right thigh, muscles tensing as you cried out. His swollen eyes opened briefly, purple and blazing. Suddenly the whispers turned to growls before his eyes closed one last time. Īlē ivestretan

You woke up to the shaking of the wolf’s head. Sabitha yelled as she was pulled away from your side. A scream wrenched from your lips as the canine bit into your leg. You panicked suddenly, bringing your boot to kick at its head before angling your foot so the steel toe collided with the wolf’s temple. It let out a pained whimper and you didn’t give it a moment to recover. You were on it in a second with a rock you had grabbed and promptly bashed it into the creature's head. Grunts of exertion left you as you slammed the rock back into the ruined mess of skull and brains, unable to see from the tears blurring your vision. A hand was suddenly placed on your shoulder, and you choked out a sob as Nettles pulled you back from atop the body. A buzzing sounded in your ears, and your vision started to blur. Your thigh looked like ground beef when you could see it clearly, and Nettles moved to wrap a makeshift tourniquet around it. When it was done, she helped lift you to stand. Left arm wrapped around Nettles’s shoulder, the pair of you walked towards where the rest of the group was gathered. Your gait grew unsteadier, and you were unprepared for the sight of Sabitha on the ground. The lower right half of her face had been torn apart by the wolves, her teeth visible through the holes in her cheeks. Aly kneeled beside her, wailing while holding the vertebra. Streams of blood oozed from Sabitha’s face as you collapsed against Nettles.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sabitha :(

Black Metal Barba’s Jam

Taglist: @chainsawsangel

[beardedmrbean]

Following the police killing of George Floyd in the US, the Black Lives Matter movement was largely imported into Britain, with a rapid expansion of our own grievance industrial-complex. This disastrous superstructure peddled the myth that the UK’s social, political, and economic systems are deliberately rigged against racial and ethnic minorities. This form of aggressive racial identity politics from the US – a comparatively youthful country struggling to get to grips with the legacy of slavery on its own soil and recent forms of segregation – fundamentally undermined the credibility of the British anti-racist cause. 

I issued a warning over this in an article for this paper back in June 2020. Promoting the concept of “white privilege” – in a country where some of the most materially-deprived and culturally marginalised communities predominantly belong to that race – was always going to lead to awful outcomes. Yet public-sector organisations such as the BBC and the NHS, two woefully underperforming behemoths funded by the British taxpayer, time and again provided a platform for pro-BLM radical activists to pour scorn on one of the most tolerant, anti-discriminatory and pro-equality countries on the planet. 

BLM-mania also saw a flurry of corporations taking the opportunity to deflect attention away from their own business practices by jumping on supposedly virtuous causes of “racial justice”. Across a variety of sectors, a class of DEI “professionals” was ushered in – often as unproductive as they are divisive. Companies announced a range of costly initiatives, donations and hiring sprees, with little scrutiny. 

In mainstream politics, we were greeted to a cringeworthy image of Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and his deputy Angela Rayner “taking the knee” for a social movement that says it cares about young black lives but rarely flags the impact of gang-related knife crime in London. Labour MP Dawn Butler, no stranger to inflammatory language, weaponised Floyd’s death by calling for the Tory government to get its “knee off the neck of the Black, African Caribbean, Asian and minority ethnic community” in a House of Commons statement. All of this was a national embarrassment. 

Now, though, we seem finally to have come to our senses – and the BLM movement has been thoroughly discredited. Like many identitarian causes which are full-to-the-brim with rank opportunists, it has suffered from high-profile cases of fraud. In the UK, this includes Xahra Saleem – a high profile BLM activist. She was sentenced to two and a half years after it was found that she used her profile to raise money for young people in the St Paul’s area of Bristol and then spent it on herself. The judge said that money was used “not for their benefit but for your own, funding a lifestyle for yourself that you could not otherwise have afforded”. 

The prosecution said that, in the 15 months to September 2021, there were more than 2,500 payments made from Saleem’s account which included general shopping and bills, plus a new iPhone, hair and beauty appointments, clothes stores, Amazon purchases, taxis and takeaways.

Lessons must be taken on board from the era of BLM-mania. Attempts to coerce the wider public into believing that Britain should be ashamed of its history and appalled with its record on race relations should never be tolerated again. Because for all its flaws, Britain has contributed a magnificent amount to the advancement of humankind – and like many of my compatriots spanning a wealth of backgrounds, I am proud to call it home.

[reigntheday]

An Orc in New York #2

The shock of the surroundings makes him release his grip on the dangling humans leg. He barely pays attention as the human drops to his back and rolls away. His eyes filled with the new alien surroundings as he takes several steps forward. A sound as loud as a horn blast fills the air and he takes a defensive stance as he searches for the source of the sound.

Standing in the middle of what seems to be a road he looks down at the… the… cart? Wagon? But where’s the horses?

Inside it are more humans one seems to be hitting something aggressively in front of themselves and everytime they do the sound blasts out.

Covering his ears he lifts one leg high and stomps down on the front of the strange transport. The aluminum unibody construction of the car crumples without resistance. The large green foot ramming down hard enough to collapse the front suspension and pop the back of the car up. The damage causing the horn to die out mid honk, with steam and smoke issuing from under the crumpled and bent hood.

He removes his hands from his ears and huffs at the crumpled heap, nodding and turning away. As he does he feels two sharp prongs jab into his mid-section followed by a strange sensation of his muscles convulsing and twitching in the area. Letting out a hiss he turns to see the human that had woken him with some weird contraption in their hands. A contraption which has wires running all the way from it to the prongs stuck in his midsection.

He places a hand over the wires, feeling the electric shock run through his thick sink enough to annoy him and yanks the prongs from his body. Then he yanks the contraption away from the human and drops the wire. Narrowing his vision on the human which has declared themself his enemy, he advances while shaking the tingling electric feeling from his hand.

Unsurprisingly the human turns and runs. Screaming.

Ultimately, he decides it’s too much hassle to chase the screaming human down. There was much more important things going on, like where in the gods was he?

Another loud, undulating noise, and this time accompanied with bright lights in the colours of red and blue herald the arrival of yet another strange vehicle. This one stops in front of him and out jump two more humans. These humans seem to be dressed alike, a uniform, and both of them brandish something small in their hands, much like the contraption the other human had used on him though not quite the same.

“Get on the ground!” One of the humans shouts, a male.

“Hands on your head!” The other, a female shouts next.

Common tongue, a pain to speak for him but he tries.

“Any human that dare wager their life to impede me step forth.” He growls through his tusks. His tall, green frame towering over them with his glaring red eyes, and body of hulking muscle. “Any challenge set before me will be met in kind.”

The two look at each other, then back to him. He can see the uncertainty in their eyes, the man’s hands shake slightly as he holds out what must be a kind of weapon.

Silence.

Taking this as communication that they do not intend to act, he nods and turns away from the uniformed humans.

Suddenly the ground under him was rushing with great urgency to meet him, and he discovered that this place was where the most dishonourable humans dwelled. Once on the ground his vision darkened and he fell unconscious.

*to be continued*

** edited to remove some grammatical and spelling mistakes which I will forever blame on iPhone autocorrect 😤 I write super good 💪🏻*

[iphoneabmbulance]

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[glavilio]

iirc a while ago you mentioned disliking microsoft - just wondering if you have any recommendations for another os to use and guides to read on it? ive been considering switching from microsoft for a while now but because ive had my computers for a while it feels like a big change

i get it! i've been split pretty much 50/50 windows and mac for my whole life (with some experience with linux) and i'd say they arent all that different in the most important ways. the barrier for mac, which is quite a big one, is that you need apple hardware like a macbook. however, if you acquire one, you'd probably find the major things like the file system, using applications, etc are very intuitive regardless of what specific OS you are most used to. On mac, most things are very streamlined and self contained, applications do not use a central registry and while they store data in shared folders (for example, "application_support" which is roughly equivalent to something like "APPDATA" on windows), applications are mostly contained within themselves. for an illustrative example: firefox has a .app package in the applications folder, and stores its cache and history in application support, and that's it. as a result, uninstalling apps is almost always a matter of deleting the app file and not using a central uninstaller in settings (though some more complex apps have their own uninstaller). shortcuts and aliases are very rare, and in my opinion most things are easier to find than on windows. its difficult for me to explain exactly what i mean, but there is only one "layer" to macOS. windows is built on principles of backwards compatibility, so there can be a lot of junk where a more central cohesive system would be easier to use and less likely to break. one of my strongest frustrations with windows is that it has two entirely separate (3 if you count the registry) applications for changing settings, and they look and behave completely differently. apple's cohesion is a trade off, as it requires axing functionality that isn't common or popularly necessary anymore (RIP 32 bit programs), but i find it's absolutely worth it. in all, the way macOS functions is a lot like how a phone does, in terms of the way its designed, though i'd argue its more like an android than an iphone. it has a reputation for being locked down and less customizable, but i'd say that isn't accurate for most useful or desirable tinkering. it requires using the terminal and learning some unix commands but it's quite straightforward once you do, and less likely to break or frustrate you as windows is (in my opinion). linux of course is leaps and bounds above both proprietary systems but that's not really my area of expertise. at the end of the day, windows is accessible, that's its biggest advantage and the source of a lot of its problems. it has to run on old architecture, cling to obsolete and archaic systems because that's what people know and expect, and appeal to microsoft execs by jamming in new useless features to impress clueless shareholders. the main issues with microsoft is that it wants to be apple, and its management pushing cortana, and the all things people hate about windows 8, 10, and 11 is completely at odds with its fundamental design principles. that's why its so terrible and so ugly to me. macOS is like if those features were thought out, intuitive, and part of a well designed whole, instead of being wasteful, bloated, and a constant annoyance to the people who actually desire the unique things windows has to bring to the table.

oh and to answer your actual question since this just turned into one of my rambles: i would recommend trying out a linux distribution (like ubuntu or debian) by booting it on a flash drive and playing around with it to get a feel for the file system and other core aspects. its designed somewhat similarly to mac since they are both unix-like but its free and open source. if you hate it then its probably best to not spend a lot on a macbook. if you live near an apple store (or another dept. store that has electronics display models) you can go in and play around on one. there's lots of guides online, though i find its best to just fuck around and if things go wrong, seek answers online. also one last thing is that if you do decide to go with a mac, its no problem to just keep using windows for what you need it to. i have an old PC laptop i use to play video games that only run on windows after all.

[yourtoradorasextendedwarranty]

Communication is Nuanced

So I've been seeing less traffic than usual, likely because I tend to post very doomer stuff. Or rather, stuff that makes people feel very doomer.

As such here's a topic that's less such and also kind of important for people to understand.

So above are the types of communication in general when it comes to verbal communication. Now something that tends to go hand in hand with is Nonverbal communication which can be seen with examples below.

Now why am I talking about this? Well fact is, These are the two most prominent forms of communication as they are often the best forms of communication. Reason being is because we transmit a lot of information through nonverbal means more often than not. It's one of the reasons that sarcasm is easier to notice when it's verbalized and you, or when you can see the person. It's normally communicated by an eyeroll or a shrug or even through vocal inflection.

Which brings me to Tumblr and other forms of social media. Most platforms like this one have one very huge issue. Purely as a matter of the technology, we communicate through written text or emojis or in some cases we do both. We do this as a means to imitate nonverbal communications like gestures, facial expressions, etc. Though in truth they do not have the same fundamental impact as actually seeing the nonverbal forms of communication in real time. Something simple like an eyebrow raise during a conversation can have a different meaning depending on where in the conversation it takes place.

However, in text, most people have to guess when it takes place even assuming you send an emoji to imitate it. As such, when communicating with people online, it's very important to do your best to loosely understand what is trying to be said, and ask questions if you do not fully grasp what is being said, or if you think that they could potentially mean something else.

I think one of the reasons that political and social discourse is so bad honestly is that people have gotten so used to communicating online that they have lost the ability to see nuance. Moreover, they have lost the understandings of nonverbal communication along the way with it. Now a days sarcasm isn't seen so much for what it is, so much as often it's seen as an attack.

Hand gestures, even common ones with very trivial meanings are not taken out of context of what they used to mean. Even so much as a shrug now, which was the universal "I don't know" or "It can't be helped" is misunderstood by people frequently. Language used to have a level of normalcy to it. Verbal and Nonverbal communication didn't often stray from it's original meaning, even when slang was involved.

Long story short, language and meanings are important. And asking honest questions not with spite or anger, but asking questions with the want of understanding seems to be a lost art. It's not bad to ask questions. And often times you should. Not everyone is good and conversing with others. Some excel at verbal, some excel at text based, some excel at nonverbal. Communication is how we live, thrive and survive as a species. And we need to stop warping and changing language to suit the wants of small population groups. Especially when that change alienates the other 90%+.

We as people need to start doing our best to actually learn proper communication, and start realizing that of the varying forms of it, written is the hardest to get your meaning across with. As such, we need to learn the nuances of it, and start learning to ask questions, and talk to people before we make the worst assessments. Mind you, take this all with a grain of salt. Some things can be extrapolated from and understood without deeper understanding, but we will not always know when that is the case.

As and example. I was sending out a tweet to someone asking if the camera on the new iPhone was worth upgrading for. However while thinking out everything in my head, I typed out, "At that point, just aim for a mid end newer camera", when in my head what I was thinking was, "Most newer phones are not worth upgrading for in general especially if you are on the prior model. Cameras especially are not making leap and bound upgrades that make the prices worth it. So if you would WANT to upgrade for the use of a better camera, you should just get a camera."

As you can tell. Those two things when held side by side are the same in meaning. However, the first with out the second, ends up getting the response I got which was, "I was asking a question about a phone". Which I could grasp was probably an annoyed response. But I have no one to blame buy myself for not actually putting into words what I was trying to express. And that's a thing that I myself need to also work on in regards to communication.

[appyplanetservices]

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Moreover, their repair process follows strict quality control measures to ensure that each device is thoroughly tested before being handed back to the customer. This attention to detail guarantees that your repaired device will function optimally, providing a seamless user experience.

3. Timely Service and Warranty

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When it comes to Apple repair services in Bangalore, Appy Planet stands head and shoulders above the competition. With their team of skilled technicians, genuine Apple parts, timely service, and customer-centric approach, they have established themselves as the go-to destination for Apple device repairs. So, the next time you find yourself in need of professional assistance for your iPhone, iPad, MacBook, or iMac, look no further than Appy Planet. Trust them to restore your Apple device to its former glory and get you back to enjoying the seamless Apple experience you know and love.

[nickgerlich]

It’s For You

It is now safe to say that we have an entire generation that has known cell phones their entire lives. They have never felt the need for a land line. They have always had a phone in pocket or purse, ranging from 10-key flip phones, to sliders, Blackberrys, and more recently, smartphones.



I’m talking about Generation Z, of course, the social cohort whose demarcation year—1997—is considered the point after which online life had become nearly ubiquitous. What those demographers overlooked, though, is that this was about the same time that cell phone ownership became nearly as common. While we can all take some credit in this, Gen-Z quickly realized that these phones are for more than just talking or texting. They are lifestyle devices.



I got my first cell phone in 1994, a Motorola bag phone that had to be tethered to both vehicle power and a rooftop antenna. It was basically a heavy walkie-talkie, but it worked. And boy howdy were the fees high. I paid by the minute, which went down a little bit in the evening. Suffice it to say, I only used it for very important calls.



What most people don’t realize is that the first cell phone was introduced in 1973. Marty Cooper is credited as being the inventor, the visionary who saw the need for mobile communications. But the wheels had already started rolling at least a decade prior, because the Dallas Police Department already had dictaphones for squad car and motorcycle cops when John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. They relied on a cellular network much like that which we have today, albeit with much less clarity.

It’s just that it took a long time for this product to diffuse, primarily because of cost. They required development of an entirely new infrastructure, one which we are still trying to complete. I laugh at T-Mobile’s ads that say they have 99% of all Americans covered. Right. If they all stay home. The ad says nothing about how much (or how little) geography they have covered, which we have all discovered whenever we fall off the grid out west.



But now Mr. Cooper, still a visionary, predicts a future in which we will all have cell phones implanted under our skin. Cue the Biblical prophesies of end times and all that once more. It’s one thing to envision using our palm print to buy at an Amazon store. It’s quite another to imagine our iPhone embedded in our body.

It’s not like others haven’t already tried to go down this road, but it was with wearables. Google Glass was a well-intended but poorly deployed set of eyewear that could function much like a smartphone. It landed with a $1500 thud in 2013. More recently, there is the collab between Meta and Ray-Ban that has yielded similar glasses.

But wearables have always been more about the hype than the hope for a better user experience. They still have a long way to go, which may have served as impetus for Mr. Cooper to picture a phone that was not just on our body, but also in it.



Of course, this leaves a lot of other unanswered questions, because without a visual aspect, it just becomes another Alexa device. We need screens somewhere, which necessarily involves a handheld device, or perhaps holograms that are projected before our eyes. Now it’s time to cue the crashes and missteps.



And how might we issue orders? By merely thinking of them? Or would we have to actually say something, kind of like we do with our digital assistants today? And if we are texting to someone, would we similarly have to enunciate it and rely on voice dictation—which can be dangerous—to get the job done?

Now imagine the ability to merely “think” something into action. Or being able to instruct the computer that is inside your head to access ChatGPT and have it compose an essay while you are finishing an in-class exam. Of course, you’d have to be able to download it somehow, but those are mere details. And consider social media. We might be able to post content, as well as click the Like and Heart icons without ever tapping a finger. The possibilities are limitless.



By now you have probably detected that I am poking a little fun at this notion. Truthfully, I consider it just a bit absurd. Well, I once thought the same of the first iPhone, but a year later I drank the Kool-Aid. I have guzzled it ever since, and I bet I could just as easily drink from this fountain as well. I think Mr. Cooper’s idea needs some fine-tuning and then selling. It could take a few years, maybe decades.

Just like the first cell phones needed a quarter of a century before they took off. Innovations can be like that. Gen-Z can say they were at least here for the beginning of the conversation of the embedded phone, but there may be a couple more generations down the road before one emerges that can lay claim to having lived their entire lives with it.



And now I am left trying to figure out what my generation can claim as ours. I’m thinking color television and microwave ovens. They’re not much, but they were a start, and we embraced them. You’re welcome.

Dr “We Were Simple Like That“ Gerlich

Audio Blog

[lkenvs3000w23]

Interpreting Nature Through Art

There are many different ways to interpret nature, but one way is through art.  Using art to interpret nature is a powerful tool to increase engagement and enjoyment for guests (Beck et al. 2019). There are many different ways a nature interpreter can use art to engage their audience, it can be through dance, music, theatre, paintings, and poetry. Using these different forms of art as a nature interpreter is a unique way to connect your audience with nature on a personal level.  

The thing about art is that multiple people can look at the same painting or listen to the same song, but all of them will interpret the meaning in different ways.  This is why for centuries artists have resisted having anyone  “explain the meaning”  of a  painting or sculpture; they insist that each person should have an individual response and interpretation of the significance of the work (Beck et al. 2019). For many artists, art is a way for them to express their emotions when it comes to nature, and can use their artwork to help educate people on certain environmental issues. This can make people experience a lot of different feelings and emotions and this is a good way for artists to use their art to help promote conservation. 

One way that nature can be interpreted through art is by photography, and now that we live in a world where basically everyone has an iPhone or a phone with a camera this is becoming one of the most common ways. Taking pictures of nature is something that I have done my whole life, every time I see a sunset, a unique landscape, or some kind of wildlife I have always felt the need to capture the moment by taking a picture. 

Another way that I have been able to frequently interpret nature through art is by frequently visiting Algonquin Park. As I mentioned in previous blogs, my family's cottage is right at the gate of Algonquin park, so growing up I would always go multiple times a year. One of my favorite things to do at the park is go to the park's art center. The art center has some of the most breathtaking art I have ever seen in my life. However, there was one artist whose art I really enjoy and that is the artwork of Tom Thompson. My favorite painting of his is of Canoe Lake.  Canoe Lake is a lake that I have canoed on for my whole life and whenever I see that painting it makes me feel calm and relaxed.  In fact, this is actually the lake he died on, and one summer my friends and I even canoed to the site of his grave. Although I have spent a lot of time in Algonquin Park the art of Tom Thompson has really helped me connect with nature and help me find my sense of place.

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World. Sagamore Venture.

1 note

[godtier]

had to add to this:

younger users are so very focused on everything they do having distinct "morality," as if life was a mass effect dialogue exchange where there's an obvious "paragon" (good) and "renegade" (bad) choice clearly outlined at all times.

here's what I think contributes to that:

having no concept of blocking accounts on platforms that don't focus on algorithm-driven content (such as tumblr). don't like smth? no problem, just click "I don't like this" or "show me less content like this" and your feed will be saved! if they can't do that, their first instinct isn't to just block the person or account. it's to preach to them as to why their content is "harmful, actually." they don't like it, they're used to the apps tailoring content for them, why are they seeing this thing they don't like? clearly someone is gaming the algorithm to spam porn or something. therefore, they must be a degen. this is not to say they don't block ppl at all, it just seems more common to block as a result of a bad encounter or by being told by a third party that the other user deserves to be blocked rather than incidental discovery of content.

related to that, a lot of ppl (not just younger users) take random comments on the internet as law. "oh that person is a [bad thing]." they don't fact check. fact checking can be twisted into "I don't believe this person" or "I'm invalidating this person's own experience" or "I'm defending the accused and condoning it by asking for evidence." it's a big issue anymore. no one asks for the sauce, they just take shit at face value, even up to very serious accusations.

mob mentality. wanting to be part of a movement. not wanting to rock the boat. when someone gets accused of shit, or even if they like a ship that's "problematic," it's easier to go along with the group than be the dissenter. humans crave "togetherness" or like... "caveman tribes" where they can band together around a common enemy. peer pressure, basically.

one of the biggest ones imo: the enshittening of the internet. most major platforms have bans on NSFW content so it's far less likely to accidentally stumble upon it. especially if there's an algorithm in place; don't search for it, you won't get served it. ergo, no accidental porn discoveries, no desensitization to it. in addition, most major art platforms don't allow porn at all, so searching for fanart is usually uneventful. Google and other search engines default to safe search. most people don't tailor their settings for platforms/devices they use anymore (default iPhone ringtone/text message sounds anyone?), so it's not something they experience.

a bonus theory: fandom becoming mainstream. with "normies" actively participating in fandom more than ever, the concepts of smut fic or fanart coexisting with the gen fanworks isn't as understood as the default by younger people. rather than being part of a normal fandom experience, it's seen as "degenerate" or "weird."

there's probably other things that contribute to it, but I feel like those are the major factors. it is definitely very unnerving behavior to see unfold. rather than the old guard gatekeeping shit (which is bad regardless ofc), the new blood is creating a mass shift in how stuff is perceived and labeling people as degens for having a sex drive lmao.

i make a lot of posts to the tune of "you're allowed to be horny btw" because it's becoming increasingly clear that adults being sexual in (clearly marked and blockable!) spaces is being stamped out and made out to be evil both legislatively and in the moral zeitgeist, especially among younger folks. not even in the "wait to be a horny adult online when you're An Adult" way, just an ingrained puritanical outrage response to *anything* that isn't chaste wholesome perfect all-ages allowed. it's unnerving and scary.

[repairmyphonetodayuk]

Cracked iPhone Screen? MacBook Issues? Let Us Help You Start the New Year Right

Why Device Repairs Are Essential in the New Year

Our gadgets are more than just tools; they’re lifelines. From managing work emails and attending virtual meetings to staying connected with friends and family, your iPhone or MacBook plays an integral role in your daily life. A damaged device can hinder productivity and create unnecessary stress. Starting the year with a fully functional iPhone or MacBook allows you to focus on what truly matters.

At Repair My Phone Today, we specialize in repairing a wide range of issues, ensuring that you don’t miss a beat. Whether your iPhone screen is shattered, your MacBook won’t power on, or your device’s battery isn’t holding a charge, our team of experts is ready to assist.

Common iPhone and MacBook Issues We Solve

Cracked iPhone Screens Cracked screens are among the most common issues we encounter. Beyond the unsightly appearance, a damaged screen can impact touch sensitivity and worsen over time. Our team uses high-quality replacement parts to restore your iPhone to like-new condition.

Battery Problems If your iPhone or MacBook battery drains quickly or fails to charge, it’s time for a replacement. A healthy battery ensures your device stays reliable throughout the day.

Software Issues From unresponsive apps to operating system glitches, software issues can significantly slow down your devices. We provide comprehensive diagnostics and solutions to get your iPhone or MacBook running smoothly.

Water Damage Accidental spills or drops into water can wreak havoc on your devices. Our technicians are skilled in water damage repairs, salvaging your iPhone or MacBook whenever possible.

Read More: https://medium.com/@repairmyphone.today/cracked-iphone-screen-macbook-issues-let-us-help-you-start-the-new-year-right-67158ebf5515

[idestinyapplerepaircenter]

Your Trusted Partner for Apple Repairs: iDestiny Apple Service Center in Lucknow

When it comes to premium technology, Apple stands tall as a global leader, offering state-of-the-art products like iPhones, MacBooks, iPads, and Apple Watches. However, even the most reliable devices sometimes require professional care and maintenance. That’s where iDestiny Apple Service Center in Lucknow steps in as your trusted partner for all things Apple.

Whether you’re facing a software glitch, a cracked screen, or battery issues, iDestiny is here to provide top-notch service. This article dives deep into what makes iDestiny the go-to Apple Repair Center Lucknow and how it caters to all your Apple repair needs, ensuring your devices function flawlessly.

The Importance of an Authorized Apple Repair Center

Owning an Apple device comes with an expectation of superior performance and quality. But what happens when something goes wrong? Choosing the right service center becomes crucial. Here’s why an authorized iPhone Service Center Lucknow like iDestiny is the best choice:

Certified Technicians: Authorized centers employ Apple-certified technicians who are trained to handle Apple devices with precision.

Genuine Parts: Repairs done at authorized centers guarantee the use of genuine Apple parts, ensuring durability and optimal performance.

Warranty Protection: Repairs carried out by unauthorized service providers can void your Apple warranty. iDestiny ensures your warranty remains intact.

Advanced Tools and Diagnostics: Authorized centers like iDestiny use state-of-the-art tools to diagnose and fix issues accurately.

Common Issues Addressed at iDestiny Apple Service Center

Apple devices are known for their reliability, but occasional problems can arise. The iDestiny Apple Repair Center Lucknow is equipped to handle a wide range of issues, including:

1. Screen Repairs and Replacements

Cracked or shattered screens are a common problem for iPhone users. At iDestiny, technicians replace damaged screens with genuine Apple components, restoring your device to its original condition.

2. Battery Replacement

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3. Water Damage Repair

Accidental spills or submersion can cause significant damage to your Apple device. iDestiny’s team specializes in diagnosing and repairing water-damaged devices.

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From operating system crashes to app malfunctions, the technicians at iDestiny can resolve a variety of software-related issues.

5. Camera and Audio Issues

If your iPhone’s camera or microphone isn’t functioning correctly, iDestiny can repair or replace faulty components to restore your device’s capabilities.

6. MacBook Repairs

Whether it’s a malfunctioning keyboard, overheating issues, or a broken display, iDestiny offers comprehensive MacBook repair services.

Why Choose iDestiny in Lucknow?

Lucknow is home to many Apple users, and iDestiny stands out as the most reliable iPhone Service Center Lucknow for several reasons:

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Situated in a prime location in Lucknow, iDestiny is easily accessible to residents and businesses alike.

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Understanding the importance of your Apple device in daily life, iDestiny strives to offer quick and efficient service without compromising on quality.

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At iDestiny, customer satisfaction is a top priority. The team takes the time to understand your concerns and provides clear communication throughout the repair process.

5. Transparent Pricing

iDestiny offers competitive and transparent pricing for all its services, ensuring you know exactly what you’re paying for.

How to Ensure the Longevity of Your Apple Devices

While iDestiny is always here to assist you, proper care and maintenance can help prolong the life of your Apple devices. Here are some tips:

1. Invest in Protective Accessories

Use screen protectors, sturdy cases, and keyboard covers to protect your device from physical damage.

2. Avoid Overcharging

Overcharging your device can degrade the battery over time. Unplug your charger once your device is fully charged.

3. Regular Software Updates

Keep your device’s software up to date to benefit from the latest features and security enhancements.

4. Clean Your Device Regularly

Dust and dirt can accumulate in ports and buttons. Use a soft, lint-free cloth to clean your device periodically.

5. Backup Your Data

Regularly back up your data to iCloud or another storage solution to safeguard against data loss.

iDestiny: More Than Just Repairs

iDestiny is not just an Apple Repair Center Lucknow—it’s a hub for all your Apple needs. Whether you’re looking to upgrade to the latest iPhone or need advice on optimizing your MacBook, iDestiny has you covered.

1. Device Upgrades and Trade-Ins

Thinking of upgrading to the latest Apple device? iDestiny offers trade-in programs that make the transition seamless and cost-effective.

2. Apple Accessories

From chargers to cases and AirPods, iDestiny stocks a variety of genuine Apple accessories to complement your device.

3. Technical Support

Facing issues with syncing, setting up a new device, or using Apple software? iDestiny’s technical support team is here to assist you.

Customer Testimonials

Don’t just take our word for it—here’s what some of our satisfied customers have to say about iDestiny:

Ritika Sharma: "The team at iDestiny was quick to diagnose and fix my iPhone’s battery issue. Highly recommend them!"

Amit Verma: "I had a cracked MacBook screen, and iDestiny repaired it perfectly. Great service and friendly staff."

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How to Reach iDestiny

Ready to give your Apple device the care it deserves? Visit iDestiny today and experience professional, reliable, and customer-friendly service.

Address: Shop No-11, beside Of Royal Enfield Showroom, Cross Road Plaza, Badshah Nagar, Mahanagar, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 226006

Phone: 9199183111

Website:iDestiny Apple Service Center in Lucknow

Final Thoughts

Your Apple device is more than just a gadget—it’s an essential part of your life. Choosing the right service center is crucial to ensuring its longevity and optimal performance. iDestiny Apple Service Center in Lucknow is your trusted partner for all Apple repairs and maintenance needs.

From quick fixes to comprehensive repairs, iDestiny combines expertise, genuine parts, and exceptional customer service to deliver an unmatched experience. So, the next time you’re searching for an Apple Repair Center Lucknow or an IPhone Service Center Lucknow, you know exactly where to go.

[beesandwasps]

When Google, which owned part or all of approximately 90% of all Internet advertising businesses, started working with the NSA and the world’s governments realized that having a privatized spy company which would hand over everybody’s data was so convenient that they would look the other way, and you were so successfully distracted by an anti-Apple/iPhone campaign that you forgave them for it. (Apple, though they aren’t that great either, really and truly does have a better track record on privacy than any of the other big tech companies. Mozilla — the makers of Firefox — do an annual privacy rating, and if you read it you will see that they really want to ding Apple but they can’t because Apple really isn’t screwing their customers that way. Meanwhile Android is constantly transmitting your data to Google and spying on everything you do, but that gets forgiven because… uh… for Reasons, I guess.)

I remember, more than a decade ago now, somebody discovered that there was a file being kept on iPhones which listed locations the phone had been. There was no evidence that this file was ever sent to Apple or accessed by any third parties, but it existed. There was a full-blown Senatorial investigation for days, with Apple executives being questioned about it. It eventually turned out that the file had been created as a temporary cache (so they wouldn’t have to keep requesting the current location) by a developer who forgot to periodically erase the file. Apple issued a patch which periodically deleted the file and the matter was — eventually — dropped.

At the same time as that investigation — literally, the news broke while they were doing the questioning — it was found that Android was not only storing location information but a bunch of encrypted other stuff, and unlike iPhones, Android devices were periodically sending the file to Google. Google was not investigated — not a single employee was called to testify about this breach — although they quietly removed that specific code in the next update.

And much of the reason they got and continue to get away with this is that Android is partially open-source (not the Google marketplace or most of the Google API, of course, which come preinstalled on basically all Android devices, but the lower-level stuff), which makes a lot of left-leaning techies weak in the knees and willing to discard their common sense and ethics. The open source movement has done a lot of subtle damage to the tech world by that sort of process — people are willing to put up with all kinds of things from open-source projects which they would not tolerate for a second from closed-source ones.

love when ppl defend the aggressive monetization of the internet with "what, do you just expect it to be free and them not make a profit???" like. yeah that would be really nice actually i would love that:)! thanks for asking