#sao cardinal

[berserkyuya]

Happy Birthday, Sakura Tange (Cardinal seiyuu)

[sadioradio]

I couldn't be a frontliner in sao dude...I would softlock all of us on a floor or som cause of my stupid ass

[approximateknowledge]

Encyclopaedia Galactica my beloved

*slaps roof of quarter-century-old online nerd project*

this bad boy can hold so much hyperspecific terminology for speculative hard scifi concepts!

[medea10]

My Review of Lycoris Recoil

How did I get into this anime? I had a few open slots for new anime last summer. Plus, this came on the recommendation of one of my friends.

Japan seems to be at the most peaceful here than I’ve ever seen in any anime. That’s thanks to these assassins (known as “Lycoris”). Their jobs are to stop crime before it starts. One such Lycorsis is named Takina Inoue. There’s no doubt that she can get the job done, but really has no mindset for innocent bystanders. For fuck’s sake, she used a machine gun to take down some kidnappers and no fucks given about the hostage. Takina has a mindset that goes like, “You’re alive, right? So, you’re fine!” Takina was later moved to another section by a DA. Takina will now live and work at a café named LycoReco. Random. Actually, quite the opposite as this café has quite the crack-team including the hacker Kurumi, the getaway driver Mizuki, and the bad-ass teacher Mika.

Takina is now the newest member of this little section under the careful eye of Chisato Nishikigi. Chisato is another young girl that’s about Takina’s age and is considered to be the best Lycoris to learn from. However, Chisato is the polar opposite of Takina. Chisato is a lot more extroverted and has a philosophy of avoiding casualties during missions and that includes the bad guys. Can Takina learn something from spending time with Chisato and the other workers at LycoReco?

BETWEEN THE SUB AND THE DUB: This has been claimed by Aniplex of America and Crunchyroll. I got the opportunity to hear the English dub to this and thought they did a really good job. But I already knew it was in good hands when you’ve got Xanthe Huynh and Lizzie Freeman in the cast. Here’s what you might recognize these folks from.

JAPANESE CAST: *Takina is played by Shion Wakayama

*Chisato is played by Chika Anzai (known for Mina on Attack on Titan, Barbara on The Promised Neverland, Ryou on Taisho Fairy Tale, Nanamine on Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun, and Sugawara on O Maidens in Your Savage Season)

ENGLISH CAST: *Takina is played by Xanthe Huynh (known for Platelets on Cells at Work, Hanyuu on Higurashi Gou, Menma on Anohana, Nagisa on Madoka Magica, Hanayo on Love Live, and PallaPalla on Sailor Moon [redub])

*Chisato is played by Lizzie Freeman (known for Chizuru on Rent-A-Girlfriend, Trish on Jojo’s Pt. 5, Hinata on Tokyo Revengers, Cardinal on SAO: Alicization, Mujika on The Promised Neverland, and Kizuna on Shield Hero)

SHIPPING: Let’s just say I ship these two the same way I ship Mikoto and Kuroko from the Railgun/Index series. I support it. I know it isn’t canon-canon, but enough hints were dropped for a majority of fans to support this.

CONTROVERSIAL EYE-CATCH: Has there ever been controversy revolving around an eye-catch? You know, those 5-second eye-catches animes put up halfway into an episode! In episode 11, we get an eye-catch of the girls putting spider lilies (a.k.a. those fucking flowers) in their mouths and smoking them like a cigarette. The higher-ups said, “Oh no, we can’t have our fans mimicking this. Those flowers are poisonous AF!” And so, it is changed from now on! One might think that this was taken way too far. But again, those fucking flowers are poisonous. Cosplayers will do anything to get that perfect shot. I wouldn’t put anything past anyone.

ENDING: Pretty much every major showdown this series has given us is connected to everything that happened in the first few episodes, those ammo hijackers. The one that seems to be pulling the strings is this guy named Majima. He’s the one who looks like a poor man’s Meme Oshino. Majima knows that he’s been tracked by a Lycoris, mainly Chisato. As it turns out, the two of them have more in common than one would think. Both were involved in a major event that caused the massive destruction of the Tokyo Tower. And both had extreme surgery by an institute.

It was made clear that Chisato had some major surgery done. She has no heartbeat due to this advanced machinery put in. Mika and the Alan Institute took a chance with this as Chisato was already showing promise as a Lycoris. But the heart condition she had would have squashed that. Unfortunately, Chisato’s life has been significantly shortened. A shady nurse that’s in cahoots with Mr. Yoshie (the man who gave Chisato’s life a second chance) drugged Chisato during a physical and tinkered with her ticker. At most, Chisato has two months to live.

Bigger changes are also on the horizon. Chisato got the DA to allow Takina to return. And most surprising of all is that LycoReco is going to close down. This means that Kurumi and Mizuki can leave Japan and do their own thing before coming into this life. We gotta start wondering why Mr. Yoshie is behind this sudden change with Chisato. Well, he and Mika made arrangements on how many kills she’s able to make. But as we all know, Chisato doesn’t want to kill anyone. Mika just wanted Chisato to live a happy life. We might have to put all that drama to the side as Majima hijacked all communication and revealed of the Lycoris’s existence (as the group has been top secret up to this point) and kinda set traps all around the city. If the Lycoris see civilians with firearms, they get in position out of habit. So, this is not good. Not just that, but Chisato and Mika are dealing with a hacker who kidnapped Mr. Yoshie.

Chisato made it to where Mr. Yoshie was being held and was confronted by Majima. He was able to tilt the fight to his own advantage and got in a couple of cheap-shots. In the meantime, his hijacking broadcast is still making airwaves showing the residents of Japan that yes, killer little girls walk among us and 3000 people disappear a year because of them. Okay, enough of this Meme Oshino knock-off. Let’s get this LycoReco crew back together again. The crew was able to temporarily knock-out Majima and hack into the system to stop broadcast of the Lycoris. Unfortunately, the higher-ups are ready to exterminate every, last Lycoris because their identities were revealed.

Okay, now is when I can be suspicious of this anime. Never trust an anime that features those red fucking flowers in the opening sequence. Because there’s a chance many characters are going to be killed.

Anyways, Chisato and Takina were able to save the Lycoris that were about to be exterminated. The only thing that fell through for Takina was that she was stopped by Chisato when she tried to go after Mr. Yoshie. He was of course responsible for Chisato’s shortened life-span. But Chisato’s kind nature once again prevents anyone from dying. Although, she does shoot Mr. Yoshie (it just doesn’t kill him). Mika might kill him though. He shows he can really kick ass! Chisato winds up alone with Majima again. He’s going to suicide-bomb the building. Luckily, Takina is coming to the rescue. Now the next things that happen I can only chalk this up as convenience.

Majima takes a nasty tumble during the altercation and is somehow still alive. The “bomb” he set off was really fireworks. Chisato is going to remain alive thanks to Mr. Yoshie again.

Okay then. I’m all for happy endings, but all of this seems rather too convenient.

In the aftermath, LycoReco is back open. But Chisato never returned. Takina eventually went on a mission to track her down. In Chisato fashion, she decided to heal herself alone. Well, everyone wound up together again and end up in Hawaii. Okay, that sounds like something Chisato would do.

This anime was definitely a wild card of excitement. Usually, the summer anime seasons are the “lull” season with not much going on. Last summer was no exception, it was a bit of a lull. But Lycoris Recoil and Made in Abyss were the big hits of that season in my opinion. What’s even better is that Lycoris Recoil is an original anime. The manga adaptation only came out 2 months after the anime’s premier. This anime was silly, action-packed, and just a joy to watch. For all of you action fanatics, this might be right up your alley. Many reviewers say this is like John Wick. I have never watched any of the John Wick movies, but that’s probably an incentive if you have.

I’m glad this anime is getting more attention here and there. I mean, they collabed with Pizza Hut recently. God, could these two be any more like the girls from Railgun?! Okay, that’s all from me. I say give it a go!

If you want to check this out, Crunchyroll has every episode available for streaming (and in several languages as well).

[magical-grrrl-mavis]

Ok let's be real.

Despite it being a guilty pleasure, Sword Art Online is not good. It's just not. The endless criticism for it makes a lot of good points.

However.

Can we stop pretending it's the worst anime ever and enjoying it is a cardinal sin?

It's a bad show with annoying tropes, yeah. But we've got so much worse out there. There are harem anime where the girls are literally slaves, there are anime where creepy sibling incest vibes are reciprocated, enthusiastically, there is a seriously concerning amount of l olicon fanservice.

There's Chivalry of a Failed Knight!

Because it was once popular, the entire internet has decided to tear SAO and it's fanbase to bits when Irregular at Magical High School is right there. And it just doesn't seem proportionate.

[roxwritings]

-Characters-

This list is the list for characters that are from their original media that I like to write or have had extensive practice writing. All characters alphabetical* by the way.

*Marvel and Sword Art Online are the only excuses, just due to how many characters I can write in SAO and how similar names are in Marvel

? = I don't have 100% confidence in them

-RWBY: Amber, An Ren, Arslan Atlan, Blake Belladonna, Cardin Winchester, Cinder Fall, Coco Adel, Emerald Sustrai, Fiona Thyme, Fox Alistair, Grimm, Gwen Darcy, Harriet Bree, Ilia Amitola, Jaune Arc, Lie Ren, May Zedong, Mercury Black, Neopolitain/Trivia Vanille, Neon Katt, Neptune Vasilias, Nora Valkyrie, Penny Poledina, Pyrrha Nikos, Qrow Branwen, Raven Branwen, Roman Torchwick, Ruby Rose, Salem, Saphron Cotta-Arc, Sienna Khan, Summer Rose, Sun Wukong, Taiyang Xiao Long, Terra Cotta-Arc, Velvet Scarlatina, Weiss Schnee, Whitley Schnee, Willow Schnee, Winter Schnee, Yang Xiao Long, Yatsuhashi Daichi

-DC: Batgirl, Batwoman, Beast Boy, Black Canary, Bumblebee, Cassandra Cain, Catwoman, Cyborg, Damian Wayne, Enchantress, Harley Quinn, Jessica Cruz, Katana, Lois Lane, Nightwing, Poison Ivy, Raven, Red Hood, Robin, Starfire, Supergirl, Tim Drake, Zatanna

-Overwatch: Ashe, DVa, Echo, Emily, Genji, Kiriko, Mei, Pharah, Sombra, Tracer, Widowmaker, Zarya(?)

-Resident Evil: Ada Wong, Chris Redfield, Claire Redfield, Ethan Winters, Jill Valentine, Leon S Kennedy, Rebecca Chambers, Rosemary Winters, Sherry Birkin

-Silent Hill: Heather/Cheryl Mason

-Marvel*: Aero(?), Amiko(?), Araña, Black Cat, Danika Hart, Gwen Stacy, Mayday Parker, Silk, Peter Parker, Miles Morales, Anya Corazon, Spinneret, 2099, Peni Parker, Venom (Symbiote, not the attached being)

-Zootopia: Judy Hopps

-Soulsborne: Doll, Emma The Doctor/Gentle Blade, Fire-Keeper (DS3), Karla the Witch, Lady Maria, Maiden in Black, Melina, Melania, Ranni, Sellen, Shanalotte (Emerald Herald),

-League of Legends: Ahri, Akali, Ashe, Caitlyn, Elise, Evelynn, Irelia, Jinx, Kai'Sa, Kayla, Kindred (Lamb), Leona, Lux, Miss Fortune, Morgana, Neeko, Nidalee, Quinn, Samira, Senna, Seraphine, Shyvana, Sona, Vayne, Vi, Xayah, Zeri, Zara

-Valorant: Fade, Jett, Killjoy, Neon, Reyna, Sage, Skye, Viper

-Sword Art Online: Kirigaya Kazuto | Kirito, Yuuki Asuna | Asuna, Shinozaki Rika | Lisbeth, Hosaka Carina Tomo | Argo, Alice Zuberg | Alice Synthesis Thirty, Ayano Keiko | Silica, Sachi, Hoshiyama Midoriko | Zeliska, Takamine Momiji | Kureha, Kirigaya Suguha | Leafa, Strea-MHCP002 , Yui-MHCP001, Asada Shino | Sinon, Afasys | ArFa-Sys, Premiere, Nanairo Arshavin | Seven, Karatachi Nijika | Rain, Shigemura Yuuna | Yuna, Takemiya Kotone | Philia, Quinella | Administrator, Honda Koharu

-Genshin Impact: Amber, Barbara, Beidou, Collei, Eula, Fischl, Ganyu, Jean, Keqing(?), Kujou Sara(?), Kuki Shinobu(?), Lisa, Mona(?), Noelle, Raiden, Sucrose, Xiangling, Yae Miko, Yelan(?), Yoimiya(?)

-Guilty Gear Strive: Elphelt Valentine, Ramlethal Valentine, Giovanna, Baiken, Millia Rage, Bridget, I-No

-Rainbow Six Siege: Ash, Alibi, Azami, Buck, Caveria, Doc, Dokkaebi, Echo, Ela, Finka, Frost, Gridlock, Hibana, Iana, IQ, Lesion, Lion, Mute, Nøkk, Sledge, Solis, Thatcher, Thermite, Thorne, Valkyrie, Vigil, Ying, Zofia

-Tekken 8: Alisa, Asuka, Azucena, Jun, Lili, Nina, Reina, Xiaoyu, Zafina

[queenofthursday6599-blog]

Maple in SAO

You know because Bofuri Season 2 is now coming out I was thinking about the few fanfics I’ve seen of Bofuri SAO crossovers, and about how everyone seems to think Maple would be in any danger in the world of SAO.

Maple became crazy strong due to her unconventional thinking leading to her unknowingly using various game play exploits coded into NewWorld Online, that the Devs had left in the game at the time of release. Not thinking to patch them because surely no sensible person would actually play the game in such a way.

Holes that the Devs didn’t patch until the first event revealed that how the stat system worked (in combination with the various boosts and buffs Maple had managed to get), had allowed Maple to create a character build that was basically invulnerable to physical attacks (and poison).

Something that could be done because the developers still have complete access to the games code, and can change it however they want.

Sword Art Online on the other hand was cut off from all outside influence on it’s launch day. Not to mention the Cardinal System encoded into the game also means that it would more likely than not view any attempt to change the games’ code as attempted cheating.

If there were exploits in SAO that would let Maple create the same character build with the same perks as in NWO, then Maple would have just kept her absolutely broken build from the first two episodes. She just would remain functionally immortal Maple.

Sure Kayaba could probably change the code to nerf Maple into being vulnerable to piercing damage (though the idea that he created SAO alone and had his hands on every minute scrap of code is ridiculous), if he discovered there was an immortal teenage girl wandering around his sandbox, but I honestly don’t know if he would.

Personally I think Kayaba would be too intrigued and amused by what could only be described as a self-made mob to nerf Maple.

I could even almost see Kayaba at one point entertaining the idea of turning Maple into the final boss of the game that had to be defeated. After hearing about her numerous exploits and her gaining such a large number of the unique quest skills/buffs that were scattered around SAO.

Though I don’t think he’d actually go that route, considered he’d planned from the start to be the final boss. After being the hero for the first 95 levels of the game. A kind of great betrayal that the greatest player was really the final boss all along.

[I think he’d entertain the idea of using Maple in his place because it’d essentially be the same thing emotionally, with the added bonus of being completely genuine. Not secretly a developer, or even a beta tester, just a random teenage girl who’d bought the game as her first foray into MMORPGs, who turned out to be the greatest of them all by complete happenstance... Being made the final boss after helping clear level 95. He decided against it because he knew there’d be no way to get Maple to actually play along as the final boss.

Maple would just surrender and die if it meant every other player would get to wake up and go free. That’d be the type of hero she would be at that point if she’d actually been the “Greatest Hero of SAO” up until clearing lvl 95. After years of being the only immortal in a death game, surrendering to her own end to see everyone else go free would be extremely poetic, and make Kayaba seem like even more of a god complex puppet master dick than he already was.]

So no, I don’t think Maple would have been nerfed at all if she and her ridiculous character build managed to happen in SAO instead of NWO. I think Kayaba would have let her run around totally immune to attack damage, and with unlimited Devours on her shield.

I also 100% think Maple would have ended up with a legitimate cult if she was in SAO, rather than her adorable and supportive fan club that she’s got among NWO players.

She’d be the only known immortal in a literal death game (considering Kayaba went out of his way to hide the fact that he was cheating and immortal up until his fight with Kirito). SAO was so crazy there was an entire murder gang running around.

You can’t tell me that in SAO, our sweet Maple, the adorable and immortal devourer of monsters, the flying calamity, wouldn’t have a cult of some sort. Multiple cults even. Because she definitely would.

Humans get weird in times of duress, and you can’t tell me some desperate players wouldn’t look upon Maple as some kind of gift from the divine. Or an agent of evil...

A practically immortal player who gains an in-numeral number of ridiculous power ups and abilities. She’d have to be either sent by the gods to help free them or in league with the devil who’d trapped them in the first place.

[plusultranumber1]

My Thoughts on SAO EP 10, 11, 12, 14

The SAO series continues with the next sequence of heart-wrenching episodes focused on the deepening relationships within the world, the lengths one will go to sacrifice for loved ones, and revealing the inner workings of the SAO world. The series shows that meaningful relationships can be formed in the virtual world, and that those relationships do not hold any less value than those in the real world. 

The love between Kirito and Asuna is cemented within these episodes, and their growth as partners is truly tested. After Asuna saves Kiriko from the rogue commander, they each vow to protect one another and decide to get married. Asuna assures Kirito that her feelings for him are real and it does not matter if it isn’t the real world. The pair have essentially lived an entire lifetime in the game, been faced with many life-or-death situations, and have remained loyal to each other throughout. Their trust in one another and willingness to protect each other display that even though their relationship is formed virtually, they connect with one another on a deeper level, and SAO just so happens to be the medium in which it occurs. Their bond grows when they adopt Yui, and they become a family unit. Experiencing her tragic loss together and still being there for one another shows the strength and stability within their relationship. 

An aspect I found interesting regarding the technology within the programming of SAO was the function of Yui. It is revealed that the game is controlled by a single system called Cardinal which is designed to balance the game, and it can monitor the psychological status of players. Yui is a Mental health counseling AI meant to put players at ease, but the Cardinal system would not let her function. As a result, she was unable to assist players in distress, and instead witnessed people go insane and kill themselves. I wonder why the system would allow such a vital mechanic to not be unable to function properly. She could have been there to help a number of players who could have survived until the end of the game, and provided comfort to the children in the town safe-zone who suffered psychological trauma. She also showed a remarkable range of human emotions for an AI, and I wish the programming behind her and other hidden aspects of SAO could have been explored more.

[louisabalos]

NFL Looking at Dublin and Paris for Regular Season Games

In the past two decades, the National Football League (NFL) has relentlessly worked to bring American football to an international audience. Currently, the league is considering Dublin and Paris as potential future hosts of regular season games.

According to Henry Hodgson, general manager of the NFL’s UK Office, who spoke to the Irish Star, the organization continually conducts feasibility studies in multiple European cities. The NFL evaluates whether a potential city has a stadium suitable for NFL games and measures the local audience interest and engagement.

International games have consistently been attracting large audiences willing to pay high ticket prices. Additionally, the time difference allows the NFL to open new broadcast windows for games, which, despite being at unusual hours, still enjoy high ratings in the States.

The NFL International Series history traces back to the 2005 game between the Arizona Cardinals and the San Francisco 49ers at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. Two years later, the series officially launched with the New York Giants pitted against the Miami Dolphins at Wembley Stadium in London. Since then, the NFL International Series has expanded to playing at least four regular season games abroad. In 2023, five games took place: one at Wembley, two at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and two at Frankfurt, Germany’s Deutsche Bank Park. For the 2024 season, five NFL regular games are to be played abroad: three in London, one in Munich, and one in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

[bu1410]

Good morning TUMBLR - March 14th - 2024

''Mr. Plant has owed me a shoe since July 5, 1971."

Bir Rebaa – Algeria - September 1993 - Dec. 1995

Part 2

CAMANDONA ANTONIO

Antonio was a NUOVO PIGNONE Engineer. He was sent to the Bir Rebaa projectto supervise the installation of the two gas turbines. Originally from Florence, he had been married for years to a Brazilian woman and lived in Sao Paulo, Brazil. I remember his sagacity and his typical ''Tuscanaccio'' jokes. During the adjustment of the turbine anchor bolts, with the steel wires stretched all over the foundation, he had invented a joke that everyone then repeated: ''WATCH OUT FOR THE WIRE!'' He was shouting it with that typical Tuscan accent, it was kinda exhilarating! He described life in San Paolo as very complicated: the entrance and perimeter of his condo - like all those who could afford it - was manned by armed guards, to avoid thefts and illegal occupations. I remember that he was hit by a ''cuddler'' and we had to help him when - during the installation of the central body of the turbine weighing 94 tons - the ground under the tracks of the American crane collaplsed, two turbine sections dropped suddenly and almost on impact ' with the concrete foundation.

ENG. RUBINO. Small, thin, with thick nerd glasses, Iranian wife in tow: this was the AGIP Project Director. A true tyrant who revealed sadistic aspects as the project progressed and certain milestones were not met as per schedule. A day Rubino called Torello on the radio saying that ''He was at site in the tank area and that I can't see any greenery around here'' (he was referring to the fact that was nobody from our side, since we wore green shirts and trousers). It was 2.00 pm on a harsh July day, and the temperatures was 55* C - therefore it had been decided to start working earlier in the morning, and take a long break around midday (which Rubino had approved) Another day the Director ordered to backfill by sand the trenches of the electrical and instrumental cables, even though the cables were intertwined and not yet ''combed' (a jargon expression to say arranged with the right spaces between them) with the risk of interference from the signals. All this in an attempt to speed up the works. Later in the years, I would find Rubino at the head of the Kashagan project in Kazahstan, at least at the early days of the project. He was then dismissed from AGIP following the assignment of the contract worth 280 million USD to Petrofac for the supervision of the works of the Karabotan plant. Rumors were talking about possible bribes in the above contract award. In Bir Rebaa Rubino ordered to built a stable resembling a Tyrolean chalet for two horses he brought from Hassi Messaoud. Hay was transported daily to the site to feed the horse, by AGIP airplane! Rubino and his acolytes enjoyed shooting with bows and arrows, and when once Rubino dropped an arrow on the ground, Mr. Cascinotto (one of the most servile AGIP guy) rushed to pick it up, exclaiming:

Oh God…!

Rubino replied: ''Don't exaggerate Walter… just call me an Director…'' Rubino gave an order that in the same canteen where everyone ate, AGIP employees were served at the table, while we - mere mortals - collect food from self service.

WALTER CASCINOTTO Of Venetian origin, he was one of the AGIP Supervisors who - following their 28/28 shift - we used to see coming and going from Italy 3 times before it was our turn to return for holidays. After long reflections, we concluded that the reason because AGIP personnel shift was 28/28 was that they could not stay more than 28 days in the desert without doing absolutely nothing. A evening during dinner, in the mood for confidences, Walter told us that he had joined AGIP thanks to the recommendation of the then Patriarch of Venice, Cardinal Luciani. Just to say how things were (and still are) in Italy's Corporation Companies. A Friday Walter organized a on an expedition to visit a nearby abandoned Foreign Legion fort. He proudly showed us one of the first portable GPSs, which AGIP naturally already had supplied. We left in convoy, with 4 jeeps, following Walter who led the way. After several comings and goings and stops, in which our ''guide'' got out of the Toyota, repositioned the GPS and then indicated ''over there'' but then the fort was not found, we climbed on foot up a very high dune, and saw the location was just a few hundred meters away: we had gone around in circles for 2 hours thanks to the indications of the legendary Walter, the desert fox.

Former Foreigh Legion fort - Grand Erg Oriental - Algeria.

Pieraccini Renzo – Site Manager SAIPEM Renzo was one of those characters who contributed to make SAIPEM great. He was origanny from Predappio like our Fiorello, he hid an iron will behind a good-natured character. With typically Romagna cunning, he had gained the trust of the suspicious Project Director Mr. Diamante. This fact contributed first of all to facilitating SAIPEM's task, and then to making the Company earn considerable amount of extra works (and money). Pieraccini's personality and technical knowledge obscured Morello's role to such an extent that after a certain time Diamante turned to him directly, effectively bypassing SNAMPROGETTI, and making our presence on site almost useless.

QUADRATINI GIOVANNI Recently hired by SAIPEM, Giovanni was Pieraccini's Deputy - it was clear that the guy had an edge, and was destined for a brilliant career in the Company. He suffered enormously from Renzo's methods, and never missed an opportunity to complain about it publicly. Over the years he would first become SAIPEM manager for Nigeria and West Africa. Then even CEO of SAIPEM Construction Division. Having fallen into disgrace with the Algeria affair, he was ''degraded'' to head of North America and shortly thereafter resigned to move to a Norwegian company, a competitor of SAIPEM.

GENTILINI GIOVANNI Known with the nickname ''Ignoranza'', he was the typical representative of that generation who entered SAIPEM as an excavator or shovel operator, and then rose to the role of Construction Site Manager. Umbrian from Terni, he had the typical ''accent' of that region. Certain outings due to the lack of knowledge of French were unforgettable, perhaps on the radio, where we could all hear:

Monsieur Pieraccini les bagash sont dans la chambre! (which translate in Italian looks like ''the hook****rs are in the room, while he meant ''luggage are in your room) Or during a meeting with the Client:

Prim: SAIPE' travaill tres bie' (First SAIPEM works very good)

Second but not last: we take a yellow highlighter......……

His job was at stake when the ground gave way under the American crane while lifting the turbine, an accident that could have had catastrophic consequences. The ruthless Engineer Diamante asked Pieraccini to fire Gentilini on the spot - Pieraccini did it.

MUSELLI LUCIANO Welding supervisor, known as ''il Madonnaro'' (Madonna's draftman) nickname given to him by Franceschin due to the colored chalks that Luciano always carried in the numerous pockets of his jacket to write on the pipes. I will find Luciano again in Kazakhstan and then, once he retired, as manager of the Arte & Cocina restaurant in Fuengirola, Costa del Sol.

RACHID BENFLITI Project Director on behalf of SONATRAC (Local partner of AGIP) he alternated with Eng. Diamante, who in all respects managed the project. I developed a good relationship with M. Rachid, to the point that he told myself various background stories about his life. He was an Algerian who graduated in Moscow, at the famous Lumumba University for Foreigners. Disenchanted, he had long since stopped believing in the ''Algerian revolution'' - one day we climbed onto a dune overlooking the site, it was sunset and as if he was speaking to himself he said:

Why are we putting all this junk metal together here? Within 20 years everything will be rusty, wouldn't it be better to build a new Las Vegas here? That' kind of business is endless! Once he told me that one day - he had recently arrived in Moscow as a young student - he noticed that there were long queues outside shops, including those selling basic items - and then he asked himself a legitimate question :

If they don't have enough bread for themselves (the Russians) how can they think of helping us Algerians?

During a trip between Hassi Messaoud and Bir Rebaa I asked how he became Project Director. ''I had been in Algiers for two years now, I was working at the headquarters of SONATRAC (the Algerian national oil & gas company) and one day Monsieur Jilani – the General Director – called me to his office.

Yes Benfliti – he tells me – the time has finally come for you to reach Bir Rebaa construction site! You're happy?

Yes M. Jilani I'm happy.

But now – continued Jilani – a big problem arises: you go to the site, and who can replace you here at the headquarters? So who better than you can suggest the characteristics of your possible replacement?

Well M. Jilani' – I replied – my possible replacement here at the Headquarters must have two main characteristics.

And what are they? – Jilani said with an interested look.

This individual must like two things: reading newspapers and drinking tea (or coffee) Jilani' remained speechless - ''Could please explain why you telling that, Benfliti?

Easy to say Hamed – I replied – because in the two years I spent here at the Headquarters I did nothing but read newspapers and drink tea''.

HAMED ABBOUCH Site Manager of the Algerian Civil Works Subcontractor - He called himself ''Gilbert'', a name he had assumed during his long stay in France. A really smart guy, given the bad approach his subordinates were taking to the project, one day had a sign put up at the entrance to their offices – the sign said:

The use of the following words is strictly prohibited within these offices:

Entammer (to begin) peut etre (maybe) demain (tomorrow) Si Dieu veux (God willing) on verra (we'll see)

KAMEL TABTI Known as ''le Kalkul'' (''Calculations'' he was the topographer of the Algerian Civil Works Company. A truly talented person, both from a professional and human point of view. Counting on his wife's dual nationality, and exasperated by the civil war that devastated the country during those years, he managed to emigrate to France. He settled in Strasbourg, where he found employment as a security guard at the European Parliament.

ABDUL RAZZAK A kind young man in charge of the materials testing laboratory.

PALOMINO RAMIRO AGIP had made available a Pilatus, a 6-seater Swiss-made aircraft, for the transport of expatriate personnel from Hassi Messaoud to Bir Rebaa. A sandy landing strip, 800 meters long, had been prepared near the Bir Rebaa field, suitable for safe take-off/landing of the plane. The plane was also used for periodic reconnaissance of the area around the construction site, to monitor any movements of terrorist groups. Two pilots took turns at the controls of the small aircraft. One of these, Palomino, was of Colombian origin. One day he told us how he had made the decision to move to Spain, where he settled with his family. Ramiro lived in Medellin and worked as a pilot for a Colombian oil company. A evening while returning home, he was stopped in front of his house gate by two individuals who offered him a job as a pilot of one of the planes that local drug traffickers used to transport cocaine to the United States. One or two trips a week, $15,000 a trip. Palomino politely refused, and one of the individuals said:

Well, I'll see you back here tomorrow evening, think about it and then you'll give us ''correct'' answer… ah… before we leave.… does your daughter Alejandra always go to the Colejo Departamental Femenino De Belén Sofía? And they left without waiting for the answer. Then – Palomino told us – I entered my apartment and told my wife: -Sophia let's pack our bags, tonight we are all leaving for Spain, my relatives in Barcelona will help us.

But why so suddenly ?? Replied my wife.

Yes Sophia, there is no time to waste – and I explained to her what was behind my decision. Those kind of people - he continued - once I refused their offer - would not have hesitated one day, and my daughter would have been kidnapped and killed.

BIR REBAA LIFE The project had begun, the area affected by the works - with some difficulty - had been covered with a material that was locally called ''tuff''. It was a gray material, which was found in pockets about 7-10 meters deep under the sand. Once abundantly wet, it became very hard and resistant, allowing the movement of construction vehicles, which was impossible in the fine sand of the Sahara.

Kick Off Meeting After making various requests, finally one afternoon in January 1994 the Kick Off meeting was held at site offices - Kick off meeting marks the official start of project activities. It must be said that Site Manager Torello's French knowledge was very poor. He tried to understand what was being discuss during the meetings, and continually asked me for translation/clarification. At a certain point, Torello wanted to speak, and what he said - in front of local Algerians - was not remembered as a good thing. Torello: ''Oui…mais je entend que se fam comme sa…la production vas baiser…baiser…baiser… (accompanying the sentence with a gesture of the hand in which he wanted to make clear that by doing the way in which Sub Contractor intended would have caused ''production dropped…dropped…dropped - but in fact what Algerians understood was '' production would go to fuck itself'') Naturally all the Algerians present were stunned, and since they knew that I spoke French, 16 eyes simultaneously turned towards me with questioning looks, as if to say ''what did he say''? I had to explain – smiling sheepishly – that Mr. Morello was worried about the prospect of a drop in production if certain remedies and procedures were not adopted……

GENDARMERIE NATIONAL We had therefore obtained a small garrison of the Gendarmerie Nationale to guard the camp and the site. They guarded the camp 24/7, and a sort of sentry box had been positioned at the camp gate. It was half past one on a July afternoon, the temperature was around 50°C, we were taking a siesta in the rooms. Suddenly we heard a burst of machine gun fire, and many jumped out of the containers to see what was going on!. A soldier guarding the gate had fainted under the sun, falling with his hand on the trigger, so a series of shots were fired which pierced the water tank. (Luckely not the diesel tank.......). The guy was rescued and taken to the infirmary, where Doc took care of him.

Mr. D'ADIGE - SAIPEM President. It was a few days before August 1994, and one morning we saw the Pilatus going in circles over the site at low altitude: the SAIPEM President had come to visit. After an hour we were all in the meeting room, where Eng. D'Adda gave his speech:

Well…I saw from the plane that the beach is large…umbrellas…few (they were those of the welders) and then hot…very hot…all this should push you to complete the project as soon as possible, so as to be in time to move to the next Hassi R'Mel project! Happy Ferragosto everyone!!

And he left just as he came.

ROTATION TRIP TO ITALY - August 1993 The situation in Algeria in August 1993 was such that we expatriates - on return trips for holidays - flew first to Hassi Messaoud with the Pilatus, then to Algiers with a domestic flight, and stayed overnight at the Mercure hotel. The next day we boarded the Alitalia flight to Rome. That's what I did in that very hot August. Everything went well in the first part of the trip: quiet flight to Hassi Messaoud, a couple of hours of waiting and then an Air Algerie Boeing flew me and a colleague to the Houari Boumedienne in Algiers. The next morning, between checks in and security measures that turned out to be useless, we were finally on the airport bus that would take us under the plane from the terminal. And then pandemonium happened: we heard shots, bursts whose origin we didn't understand!! With quick wits - and also with our hearts beating at hundreds beats x minute - we threw ourselves on the floor of the bus, covering our heads with hand luggage! Outside, the battle raged, with security forces reacting, albeit belatedly. After an endless time - we were not in a position to say whether an hour or a few minutes had passed - we heard the anti guerrilla armored vehicle sirens, the so-called ''Ninja' special forces had entered in force in the parking lot in front of the airport terminal. They were firing wildly at a couple of vehicles which were later identified as the ones terrorists had used to enter the airport. The shots and the screeching of the cars lasted a few more minutes, while we remained there until the police entered the bus, shouting that everything was over! They made us return to the terminal, while on the apron the airport workers tried to clean up all the wreckage left by the fighting. After about 2 hours - during which not a single was pronunced by anybody - we were told to get back on the bus which this time left immediately towards the plane waiting near the take-off runway. We climbed the ladder quickly, without the usual recognition of luggage on the ground, before it was loaded into the hold of the plane. Which took off as soon as all the passengers were seated and their seat belts fastened. During the flight we drank half a bottle of Hennessy cognac each, and woke up when the plane touched the Rome's Fiumicino runway.

RETURN TO ALGERIA – September 1993 The holidays were over, and reluctantly I had to return to Algeria. At Huari Boumedienne airport a surprise awaited me: the domestic flight operated by Air Algerie was carried out with a brand new Boing 757 leased from Colonel Gaddafi's Libyan Arab Airlines. The plane's livery had been repainted, but the original colors of the Libyan Company could still be seen. After an hour's flight and a soft landing on the battered Hassi Messaoud runway, when it was time to get off the plane, the unexpected happened: the airport does not have an adequate ladder that reaches the level of the Boing's door! Standing under the merciless Sahara sun, we were already starting to sweat, when a 'genius guy' from ground services came up with the solution: three wooden pallets were provided at the top of the ladder platformin order allowed us to go down. Any case, with a small jump we all got down to the ground.

TORELLO AND PALEOLITHIC ARROWS.

The 21 days of vacation went by quickly – no one ever explained to me why vacation days pass so quickly, while when you're at work time seems to slow down. After the first 3 or 4 Fridays, almost all of us had lost interest in the search for Neolithic arrows. Only Torello continued to go searching for, while me and my colleagues preferred to rest in what was the only free afternoon of the week. That day no one of us wanted to accompany Torello who, violating the safety procedures that he himself had approved, set off alone in the Land Rover Discovery, a car suitable for '''out of school''''hopping in Western town'' but certainly not for off-roading in Western Sahara. The sun was about to set, and we were watching a tennis match between colleagues when Morello arrived: ON FOOT!

Land Rover Discovery 1990 Model.

Quickly, quickly…let's take a couple of Land Rovers…let's go …

Well… where is Discovery Giuseppe?

Later… I'll explain as I go along… Once we set off, Torello began to indicate the direction: to the right…straight…to the left…it's not far…

We traveled for about an hour, during which Torello explained that the Discovery had sunk into the sand - he had tried everything, but the car had sunk even mire. Luckily for him, a patrol from the Gendarmerie Nationale had passed by, giving him a ride to the camp. We finally arrived in a sort of depression (this was where the arrows and ostrich eggs were usually found) and we saw the Discovery: it was buried till windows level! It was clear that Torello - enraged at having been covered up - had done exactly what should never be done in these situations: accelerate the engine to the max, causing the car sunk in the soft sand. We then positioned the two Land Rovers in front of the Discovery,tide up the cables and attempted a maneuver that immediately proved to be impossible: the car didn't make the slightest movement.

It's late now, we have to get back before dark - We will come tomorrow with a D6 bulldozer, it will make a ramp, remove the sand in front and back side of the Discovery and then drag it out of the hole easily - I said. We returned to camp, with Torello not uttering a word the entire way. If one of us had done what he had done that day, Morello would have kicked him out of the project and perhaps even from the Company. - The next morning during breakfast he had already forgiven himself and was making idiotic jokes about what he was happened – the idea that it could have been much worse had never even crossed his mind.

[qqchurch]

the funny thing about VRMMO series that has time acceleration as part of the game... the cynical side of me can immediately see how that can be exploited for work abuse 😬

imagine working for weeks on end inside the VR world but you're only getting paid by the few IRL hours you actually go through, brrrrr...

the only way that implication could be avoided is embedding the time acceleration function into the gamecode itself and making it impossible to crack, but apart from having an actual Artificial Intelligence guarding the source code like Cardinal did with preventing SAO from getting cracked during its Death Game days, i think there'd really be companies stubborn and ambitious enough to force it to happen anyway

hate it when amazing scifi concepts have the possibility of being co-opted by capitalism in cruel and inhumane ways...

[kisatoto]

It's been a hot while (read: nearly a decade) since I last read the books, however, if I remember correctly, GGO was built of the seed of the Cardinal system which means that porting over accounts was possible. so Kirito just imported his SAO/ALO character to it. In GGO character designs are randomized and seeded, so while you could generate a new model, the fact that he was a femboy meant that it was highly valuable to collectors. He also refused to buy more than the bare minimum and spent all of his money on the laser sword so did not have much left for any new cosmetics.

Still not over this

[nelll101]

Sword Art Online (ep.10,11,12,14)

Very interesting "ending" to the assigned episodes. Now I really have to watch the rest to see how this plays out.

These episodes conveyed complete human emotions the best. It also displayed human desires, no matter if it is right or wrong. There is constant self questioning of the characters about reality and what will transfer from the video game world to the real world. Kirito and Asuna fall in love and get married (really random but w.e.) and Kirito states, "Does our relationship only exist in this world?”. This questions not only reality for them but also love. Can love transfer through multiple worlds and realities? If this world isn't truly reality, is their love neither?

We also see that the SAO world has become extremely realistic to the real world. In level 1 safe zone, they've created a "liberation army" and the army actually antagonizes others due to something with taxes and forces them to give them their armor. There is some type of social structure going on and even some type of capitalism (I think). This is all things that go on in the real world. In the end we find out that Akihiko created this game to build his own reality from his deepest desires. He wanted to create a world that surpassed all our laws and restrictions. After all, he ended up doing exactly what he sought out. He created a reality within a reality of everything he wanted. When Kirito and Asuna state that they feel like they've always been here and Asuna relaying that she wants to go back but doesn't want to leave this world is the perfect evidence that Akihiko succeeded. Although this world isn't "true" reality, it is a reality within itself.

To talk about emotions, the effects one little girl can do in about 2 episodes is pretty surprising. Yui was found by Asuna and Kirito in the woods. She had "amnesia" and starts referring to both of them as her mom and dad. They build a strong connection and we see a motherly and father-ly side to both of them which helps build their character. After Yui kills one of the bosses, she regains her memory and we find out that she is actually AI and she is controlled by the cardinal program. Yui was put there as an emotional regulator for other players. She was unfortunately forced to sit and watch other players mentally decline into psychosis. But, it was something different about Asuna and Kirito that drew her heavily into them. It was joy and love. She was able to go against the program all due to opposing human emotions, but at a cost causing her to be deleted from the system. Yui was most likely put into the show as a way to give the characters more humanistic values and personification. Asuna tells Yui, "I can't smile without you" which I think shows true human emotion. Also, there's other examples such as Asuna basically sacrificing herself for Kirito when he battled Akihiko and the last scene when both of them are "dead", just shows how far love can really take you and that it can truly travel beyond different worlds.

[lunacyn24]

Sword Art Online (Ep 10, 11, 12, 14)

After two plus years, the final boss is finally defeated and the populace that still remains “alive” in Sword Art Online is released from the shackles of being trapped in this man-made AI world. Within episodes 10, 11, 12, and 14 of Sword Art Online, we learn a lot more behind Kirito’s lone-wolf persona, the unknown character, Yui, and the truth behind the Knights of the Blood Oath. After losing a duel with the Head Commander of the guild called The Knights of the Blood Oath, Kirito is forced to join said guild. After this duel, we learn that Kirito was once a part of a small guild, but after every member dies in a trap, Kirito blames himself for their deaths because he knew of the dangerousness of the trap as a beta-tester. Thus, due to his survivor’s guilt, Kirito found it best to distance himself and not grow deep connections with other players, which is honestly lonely and isolating. I know that was his point, which is both understandable and dangerous. Kirito’s self-isolation from guilds is understandable because as the series goes on we see that not everyone is truly as they seem since they’re betraying each other left and right. For instance, what happened with Kuradeel being a member of the Laughing Coffin, the murdering guild, and the killing of Godfree and near death of Kirito. However, Kirito’s loner style is also dangerous in a world where you’re isolated from the real world with no contact or information of what’s going on to your physical body and health, they only know of their HP and that death in SAO means death in the real world. With the introduction of Yui, she is truly an anomaly seeing as she was a girl roaming aimlessly in the forest until Kirito and Asuna found her, she has no memories, and no HP. Despite all of this, Kirito and Asuna take her in as if she were their own child, and protect her to great lengths to the very end when they find out what Yui is, a Mental Health Counseling Program, and what she represents, Cardinal, the system that SAO runs on. Finally, we learn in episode 14, about the truth behind the creator, Akihiko Kayaba,  of SAO, and his façade as Heathcliff, head commander of the Knights of the Blood Oath. All in all, these episodes really touched on the vulnerability and dark side of one’s humanity. We see the dark side of humanity through Kuradeel and the Laughing Coffin, the military men trying to take advantage of the townspeople, and the decline of the populace’s mental health at the beginning and throughout the progression of years trapped in SAO. Vulnerability is found in the genuineness of Asuna and Kirito’s bond, the care of Yui, and the ending of SAO after Heathcliff is defeated. Sword Art Online emphasized the facets of humanity that, as a society, should not be forgotten about, otherwise we’ll lose our way and decline like multiple players did, unfortunately, in this unique world of AI.

[yumemiyas-wips]

I just realized Reki Kawahara predicted AI generated things and I can't.

Sword Art Online's main content (the ladder dungeons) is probably human-scripted, but the series mentions how the Cardinal System (An AI system that replaces the traditional dev team in the game's upkeep) generates quests and items to fill up Aincrad and later Alfheim, by scouring the myths and stories of old and assembling a story out of the parts, and the Caliburn arc's batshit crazy plot is totally something that an AI might create. Everything is surprisingly close to how real AIs work and the year that it first became a commercial product is the same year SAO was made available.

[dreamy-okapi]

Highlights of what I've seen on this site

A sunny playground in Philidelphia

Someone with the same name as me who lives next to some train tracks in Edinburgh

Three cute dogs belonging to someone in Sao Paulo

A sunbathing cat in Singapore

A snowball fight in Istanbul

A supercell storm in Chicago

A painter in Verona

A flock of cardinals in Bandera

why don't you look out a stranger's window and a glimpse of a life completely different and very like yours and remember we're all interconnected. and maybe you'll calm down.