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veganism · 11 months ago

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The genocide is also experimentation on living beings

Israel is currently testing new weapons in Gaza, some of which will soon be sold globally as "battle-tested," according to Antony Loewenstein, an author who has written a widely acclaimed book on the issue.

For years, the Israeli defense sector has used Palestine as a laboratory for new weapons and surveillance tech, he told Anadolu, adding that this is also the case in the current ongoing war on Gaza.

One of the main reasons why "many nations, democracies and dictatorships support Israeli occupation" of Palestine is because it allows them to buy these "battle-tested" weapons, asserted Loewenstein, author of The Palestine Laboratory: How Israel Exports the Technology of Occupation Around the World.

Another aspect of Israel's war on Gaza has been the use of artificial intelligence technology, he said.

According to Loewenstein, AI has been one of the key targeting tools used by the Israeli military in its deadly campaign of airstrikes, leading to mass killings of Palestinians-now over 28,500-and damage on an unprecedented scale.

The current war on Gaza is "inarguably one of the most consequential and bloody," he said.

He described Israel's use of AI against Palestinians as "automated murder," stressing that this model "will be studied and copied by other nation-states" and Tel Aviv will sell them these technologies as tried and tested weapons.

In the last 50 years, Israel has exported hi-tech surveillance tools to at least 130 countries around the world.

To maintain its illegal occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and blockade of the Gaza Strip, Israel has developed a range of tools and technologies that have made it the world's leading exporter of spyware and digital forensics tools.

But analysts say the intelligence failure during the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks casts doubts over Tel Avis's technological capabilities.

Israel's reliance on technology "is an illusion of safety, while imprisoning 2.3 million people under endless occupation," said Loewenstein, who is Jewish and holds Australian and German nationalities.

He described Israel's response in Gaza as "apocalyptic," stressing that the killings of Palestinian civilians, including children and women, is "on a scale of indiscriminate slaughter."

- 'BLOOD MONEY'

Loewenstein, who is also a journalist, said Israel has honed its weapons and technology expertise over decades as an occupying power, acting with increasing impunity in the Palestinian territories.

This led a small country like Israel to become one of the top 10 arms dealers in the world, he said, adding that Israeli arms sales in 2021 were "the highest on record, surging 55% over the previous two years to $11.3 billion."

In his book, Loewenstein explores thoroughly Israel's ties with autocracies and regimes engaged in mass displacement campaigns, and governments slinking their way into phones.

The Israeli NSO Group sold its well-known Pegasus software to numerous governments, a spyware tool for phones that gives access to the entire content, including conversations, text messages, emails and photos even when the device is switched off.

Israeli drones were first tested over Gaza, the besieged enclave that Loewenstein referred to as "the perfect laboratory for Israeli ingenuity in domination."

Surveillance technology developed in Israel has also been sold to the US in the form of watch towers now used on the border with Mexico.

The EU's border agency Frontex is known to have used Israeli drone technology to monitor refugees.

Loewenstein explains in his book that the EU has partnered with leading Israeli defense companies to use its drones, "and of course years of experience in Palestine is a key selling point."

"So again, one sees how there are so many examples of nations that are wanting to copy what Israel is doing in their own area in their own country on their own border," he said.

These technologies and "are sold by Israel as battle-tested," he said.

In other words, he contends that Palestinians essentially have become "guinea pigs," and despite some nations and the UN publicly criticizing the Israeli occupation, in reality "they're desperate for this technology for themselves for their own countries."

"And that's how in fact, the Palestine laboratory has been so successful for Israel for so long," he said.

In his exhaustive probe into Israel's dealings with arms sales around the world, he noted that the country has monetized the occupation of Palestine, by selling weapons, spyware tools and technologies to repressive regimes such as Rwanda during the genocide in 1994 and to Myanmar during its genocide against the Muslim Rohingya people in 2017.

"This to me is blood money. I mean, there's no other way to see that and again, as someone Jewish, who has spent many, many years reporting on this conflict, both within Israel and Palestine but also elsewhere, it's deeply shameful that Israel is making huge amounts of money from the misery of others," he said.

"This is not a legacy that I can be proud of."

- 'NO NATION ACTUALLY HOLDING ISRAEL TO ACCOUNT'

Profiting from misery is to some extent the nature of what capitalism has always been about, but Israel does this with a great deal of impunity, "because Israel does what it wants," said Loewenstein.

"There is no accountability, there is no transparency, there is no nation actually holding Israel to account," he added.

Israel's regime is shielded from any political backlash for years to come because nations are reliant on Israeli weapons and spyware, said the author.

Israel may not be the only player employing surveillance technology that leads to human rights violations, but it still plays a dominant role, which is why Loewenstein insists that it deserves singular attention.

Israel's foreign policy has always been "amoral and opportunistic," he said, calling on all nations to take a stand and hold Israel accountable, and acknowledge that the world is buying what Israel is selling.

#free palestine #animal rights #govegan #animalrights #free gaza #gaza strip #gaza genocide #palestine #veganism #animals

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carionto · 1 year ago

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Hyperbrake Racing

Everything in Human ships has a manual override. They love automating all processes and reduce any workload to nothing, but also have this compulsive need to be able to take direct control if so desired.

They also have emergency off switches for everything. Yes, including life support. Don't ask, you'll just get a variant of:

"But What If!?"

Obviously, this applies to things you should never under any circumstances shut down preemptively, such as a Hyperspace Jump.

The earliest space-faring civilizations quickly discovered that if a Hyperdrive has a power interruption even for a nano-second your atoms will get dispersed across a few light months. This is why all Hyperdrives have an internal chargeable uninterruptible power supply unit.

Humanity, however, did not allow "Not having any reason whatsoever" to stop them from figuring out a way. Utilizing their ridiculous quantum computer speed and the ability of their fusion reactors to charge a Hyperdrive mid-jump, and with an injection of a disgusting few million lines of hack code that manipulate all related pieces of hardware in just the most nauseating sequences, they created the Hyperbrake.

Also, not a metaphor - braking literally causes Humans to feel nauseous, sometimes throw up, rarely even pass out. Not a single volunteer crew member aboard joint vessels from any of the other Coalition species has dared to "test" what happens to them.

As with nearly all things Humans come across or invent, they will find a use for it should one not occur normally.

_____________________

Near Neptune

Daniel, Samantha, and Nicholas Schreier were three siblings ages 17, 19, and 20, respectively. Today they had "borrowed" their dad's General FordStar mark 980-MZ HaulerHound, a civilian grade transport typically used by small business owners. Dad, however, was an enthusiast, and had modified the "Hound Dog", as he calls it, with a military grade reactor and computer core. He's always been that guy who knows a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy who can get the thing legally enough.

There is a nearby research station that the kids often visit due to their mom working there, but today she was not. Instead, what they are doing, is racing against each other to set the best record. Well, technically the opposite of racing - coming to a halt.

Using the Hyperbrake, they are competing to see who can stop the closest to the stations outer point-defense range without entering it or you automatically lose. After Samantha's turn, they were suddenly contacted by the station. It was Yakovskii, one of mom's colleagues and a frequent guest at dad's barbecues, so they were on sorta good terms. Not by the tone voice coming through the comms rights now though:

"What in the Hell are you thinking!? At first I thought you were just messing around and accidentally did that, but TWICE now!?! I checked the trajectory, if you had stopped a half-second later, you would've ended up mere meters from Neptune's upper atmosphere! Did you account for the possible sudden gravitational pull? Can you maneuver that lumbering ship fast enough to not get pulled down? Not to mention Hyperbraking severely impairs your cognitive abilities for a moment? A moment that you need to be clearheaded for or risk DEATH!?!"

The three siblings could only hang their heads in shame and mutter out some weak apologies. After a moment of silence and reflection, Yakovskii speaks in a warmer tone:

*sigh* "Look, I understand it's a fancy new toy and you want to see what you can do. I get it, I really do. Me and my brother used to play vertical hockey the first time we got our hands on a surplus gravity field generator. But we first figured out how to make sure we didn't break our bones in case it failed. Seriously, never forget to consider your own safety first before you try out new things in a peaceful environment. You're not being chased by pirates or trying to avoid the law or whatever.

Take your time, pick a starting position that's further away and keeps Neptune and any of its moons to the side of the station, then aim for an area of space that only has the outer range of the defenses and empty space ahead from your point of view. And please set the regular Hyperjump destination within Sol, don't just pick a random place. The Hyperbrake sometimes loops in on itself and never executes the brake and can only be reset once out of Hyperspace. You don't want to get stuck in a pointless jump for hours do you?"

After this admonishment, the siblings apologized more energetically and took his advice to heart. They spent the next hour competing until all three were down to single meter differences and kinda got bored, so they docked at the station and hung out with the off-duty staff, played some poker, but then dad barged in and dragged them all home. They were not invited to the barbecue gatherings for two weeks, but only because mom told him to. Personally he was excited about all the data his kids had unknowingly given him with all their jumping and braking, a real stress test for his beautiful Hound Dog.

#humans are space orcs #humans are space australians #humans are space oddities #humans are deathworlders #humanity fuck yeah #carionto

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satoshi-mochida · 4 months ago

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Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince coming to PC on September 11 - Gematsu

Square Enix will release Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince for PC via Steam on September 11, the company announced.

Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince first launched for Switch on December 1, 2023.

The PC version will include all the downloadable content from the Switch version, but will not include the network mode “Online Battles.”

Here is an overview of the PC version, via its Steam page:

About

Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince comes to Steam! Compose your very own team of monsters from across the Dragon Quest series and engage in thrilling battles against your foes. Recruit monsters from the wild world around you and combine them to synthesize new creatures as you see fit. With over 500 monsters to choose from and a revamped synthesis system to explore, you can mix and match to you heart’s content to create your favorite cute critters and dastardly supervillains, as well as brand-new additions to the monstrous roll call. Your quest to become the greatest monster wrangler of all time starts here!

Story

Psaro is cursed and is unable to harm anything with monster blood. Now, he must become a Monster Wrangler to create an army for battle. The hunt for high-ranked monsters takes Psaro through the ever-changing seasons of Nadiria and its unique environments, with rivers of bubbling lava, mysterious ancient ruins, and soaring towers of cake. Along the way, Psaro meets the kind-hearted elf, Rose, who joins his adventure to seek out ever-stronger monsters. The key to Psaro’s success lies with synthesis: the ability to combine two monsters and create a stronger offspring. Each new creation brings Psaro one step closer to his goal of becoming the Master of Monsterkind.

(The network mode Online Battles from the console version, where players battle one another in real time, is not included.)

Key Features

A Wondrous World Awaits – As time passes in Nadiria, so too do the seasons change, with different weather conditions tempting new monsters out of hiding and revealing paths to undiscovered areas. The Circles of Nadiria are sure to provide a fresh experience every time you visit.

Over 500 Unique Monsters – With such varied environments to explore, you can expect them to be inhabited by a plethora of monsters. While many can be recruited in battle, occasionally a defeated monster will ask to join your team of its own accord. Befriend as many monsters as you can, then combine them to synthesize new creatures and build a unique party to your exact liking.

Enjoy All the Downloadable Content from the Console Version – The Steam version includes the downloadable content packs from the console version: the Mole Hole, Coach Joe’s Dungeon Gym, and Treasure Trunks. Make the most of their unique features to enhance your adventure.

Test Your Might in Quickfire Contests – Register your team for the network mode Quickfire Contests to participate in automated battles against the party data of 30 other players. Once a day you can earn stat-boosting items as a prize, and the monsters from any team you defeat will be added to your roster (up to rank B monsters only).

Watch a new trailer below.

PC Announce Trailer

youtube

#Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince #Dragon Quest Monsters 3 #Dragon Quest Monsters #Dragon Quest #Square Enix #RPG #Gematsu #I need to play the full version eventually; my favorite DM monster(Prism Peacock) is in it.#Youtube

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lightwithinthedarknessu · 2 years ago

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Kingdom Hearts Missing Link Beta News Roundup

Kingdom Hearts Missing Link’s beta test has begun in Japan! Square Enix has announced that no videos or images of gameplay should be released by testers. However they are free to share their thoughts! This article will be updated as new impressions and thoughts roll in.

The official KHDR_PR Twitter account has begun to release images of the game and missions for players. First up is a graphic detailing how players can use the touchscreen for movement and how the GPS system works.

There are two gameplay modes: Pad mode and GPS mode

Your character can move alongside you as you walk.

You can also move characters with the virtual track-pad.

*edit* Movement AP can be obtained in walk mode.

In Pad Mode you gain AP in battles

Battles can be automated in "hands-free mode"

AP is required for battles, obtaining treasure boxes, etc.

The team has also shared initial missions for beta testers to complete during the testing period. Much like KHUX, currency in the games is stated to be jewels. New mission content for testers will be released daily until the beta closes. For today, players are challenged to make to lvl 20 for free jewels.

Mission Translations

1/13 7:00~ Grab your smartphone and get started traveling!

1/14 7:00 ~ Area Boss Quest Released

1/17 7:00 ~ Raid Boss Quest Release

Impressions

Lucky beta testers who were selected via lottery are beginning to share their initial thoughts on the gameplay as well. Many of these impressions are posted on Twitter. Please do check out the #KHML tag and thank them for sharing! You can follow updates as they come live here.

Graphics and gameplay are smooth and crisp, comparable to graphics on the Nintendo Switch.

For beta, there is currently no controller support. Character customization is extremely detailed. Facial features, clothing, and accessories are available to choose from, including make-up. Your character does different poses as you’re customizing them.

Story quests are seen to exist but are locked within the beta.

You can collect materials to upgrade your keyblade.

Changing your keyblade also changes your fighting style. Two keyblades are available, one ranged (shooting magic-like abilities) and one more up close for attacking.

Heartless spawns are impacted by the weather.

If you walk up to building you can jump/get onto it.

UI can be moved and changed to be more transparent and moves based on how you’re playing (horizontal or vertical)

On the pause menu you can leave the battle and return to the main map.

There are places to heal your character as you move around.

You can still move around normally in the game without GPS

Tutorial was in vertical mode but gameplay switched to horizontal.

Many of the GPS features are similar to Dragon Quest Walk.

If you walk up to a building you can jump/get onto it. UI can be moved and changed to be more transparent and moves based on how you’re playing (horizontal or vertical)

On the pause menu you can leave the battle and return to the main map.

There are two keyblades to use and you can switch between them. First is Fortune Gear and second is Light Order. The names will probably change with official translations.

New Avatar pieces can be bought with jewels much like KHUX.

New Dearly beloved is beautiful

MP can be used up quickly in auto battle if you aren’t careful.

Raid battles are back! There seems to be an option for a friend feature in the future. No news yet on if you can take on a boss with friends like in KHUX.

It’s very important to finish the tutorial

There is a cooldown time for skills and abilities unlock as you level your keyblade. The appearance also changes as you level it up.

There two types of areas mentioned that you can explore. The town and the field. In town apparently, you can talk to one person for missions.

Gatcha system is back and 3* seems to be the highest rarity to get right now for the chess-like pieces, as seen in the trailer.

Treasure chests in the shop are a great use for jewels and net you various rewards. Helpful in leveling up. The shop seems very similar to KHUX.

There is an opening movie, but it is a short story scene instead of CG. This was confirmed by Aitaikimochi. There is a beautiful new stained glass in the opening. Implied there is a Dive to the heart like in KHUX. Skuld may be in the stained glass, but this is unconfirmed.

GPS is needed for certain features such as gaining activity tokens. In GPS mode you gain access to an Activity gauge. By filling it up through motion and fitness steps you can earn Activity coins for prizes.

Dodge roll and a charge attack can be completed with the touchscreen/a flick of of your finger.

AP is a bit difficult to obtain in the beta. Hopefully this will change in the final version.

Battery consumption is lower depending on the model, the mode you’re playing (GPS or trackpad mode) and how you use your phone while in GPS mode, (setting to power save mode, locking the screen etc.)

Certain chests require tickets to open them. If you run out you can purchase them in the shop. Normal chests include materials to upgrade your pieces. Some treasure chests are easier to open than others. “Gorgeous” treasure chests include 3* pieces.

The field and town BGM are new and sounds calm/gentle with a lighthearted tone.

#kingdomhearts #kingdom hearts #kingdom hearts missing link #KHML #KH #kingdomheartsnews #khnews #kingdom hearts news #KHUX #KHX #longpost #missing link

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post-itpenny · 5 days ago

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Swimming Chapter Five: Beckoning

In which Ryley has the first of many strange dreams.

Previous Chapter

I'm so excited to have finally made it to this chapter. Things are about to start getting a little weird. As always I'm open to feedback. Likes and reblogs are always appreciated. Enjoy!

At first, Ryley had no intention of going. The signal was being broadcasted from far deeper than he felt comfortable swimming-

Though he would soon have a seamoth.

But there was no point going when all it would lead to was disappointment. The broadcast was days old after all-

But what if Keen really was still alive?

Regardless of anything it was too dark to drive that far, so Ryley decided to sleep on it.

But the next morning there was a new message on the radio awaiting him:

“This is Avery Quinn of trading ship Sunbeam. Aurora, do you read? Over…”

Ryley frantically clutched the sides of the radio. He wanted to shout, to cry out. He was here! He heard them and he was here!

But of course, he could not send back a response. Not even an automated distress call.

The transmission ended with the Sunbeam explaining they would be well over a week before they could get anywhere near the planet, and they didn’t exactly sound like they were in a rush. The thought of waiting so long made Ryley’s heart sink. But he had to remind himself that he had already lasted several days on his own. He was perpetually thirsty and frightened. But he was alive, he could do this, and he could last a little longer. He wasn’t raised to be a quitter.

He climbed onto the roof of his lifepod, his gaze switching between the Mobile Vehicle Bay and the direction in which Keen’s signal had been admitted. He sat there for a time, mulling his options over. It could be potentially risky to travel out to Keen’s location. But, in his message, Keen had stated he had coordinates for dry land. The thought of benign above water was enticing. If he had to survive until the Sunbeam arrived, it could be beneficial to have a, hopefully, safer place to stay. There may also be the promise of food or fresh water. With the decision made Ryley went straight to work.

It wasn’t too difficult to build a seamoth, but it was time-consuming. It was well into the early evening by the time Ryley was standing on the mobile vehicle bay and ready for assembly.

No matter how many times he had seen such little drones at work it never ceased to fascinate him. The way they could fabricate complex structures with ease. A marvel of technology he both understood and was equally baffled by.

The seamoth hit the water with a great splash, then sank a fraction. Waiting patiently for him.

Despite the impending sunset, Ryley was eager to take her for a test drive. The controls weren’t difficult to master, and, in no time, he was driving around the Safe Shallows with ease. Then, out into the Kelp Forest before building his courage to drive out into the Red Sea Grass.

The ease of travel provided by his seamoth was astounding, it was so easy to maneuver around predators and find even more scannable debris from the Aurora, not to mention new pockets of food and resources. Suddenly, his anxiety of having to survive for so long until the sunbeam came was dissipating. He could do this, he had always been good at fixing things, working with what he had, and getting the job done. He could do this.

The night crept upon him, and he turned on the seamoth’s lights. He was thankful for the PDA saving his pod’s coordinates. But he noted it would be wise to build a compass. He would also need to be more conscious of carrying water and maybe a med kit whenever he went exploring like this.

He noted he was nearly a quarter of the way to Keen’s signal location. But elected to return to the pod instead, despite a sudden nagging feeling that he should go.

Ryley shook his head, brushing off the thought. It was night, he needed to rest and have something to eat. He would go out tomorrow and that was that.

But…

But, that night, as he lay curled up on the floor of his lifepod, Ryley dreamed for the first time since the crash.

In the dream Ryley was back on the Aurora, sprinting to his lifepod and launching from the ship. But it felt off-wrong somehow, and he realized he was observing himself rather than going through the actions. A strange out-of-body experience as he examined his features, the look of fear and anguish on his face as he looked up at the dying Aurora through the hatch window.

It was a bizarre feeling as if he had never seen his own face before. As if he did not understand that he was human.

The dream suddenly shifted and he was back inside his own body. Only now it was the lifepod that was different. He was strapped down in his chair, looking up in horror at the open hatch. Emergency lights and sounds rang and flashed under the roar of air rushing past as the pod fell out of the sky. There was something smeared on the ceiling. But he couldn’t focus on what. The air was getting sucked out through the open hatch and he couldn’t breathe. He needed to breathe-

-His restraints were rattling, they were going to come undone.

Ryley woke up in a cold sweat, gasping for air. The early rays of dawn peaked through the pod hatch which was shut tight.

He lay there for a time, staring up at the little hatch as the sky grew brighter. His mouth was achingly dry and his body still shaking from the dream. He couldn’t help but wonder- what actually happened? What tore that gash alongside the Aurora? He remembered how the wound on her side reminded him of a beast clawing at her- was it possible that was what really had occurred?

But surely not. He didn’t doubt there may possibly be some truly gigantic creatures swimming around. But there was no way something that big could have existed.

So what happened?

Ryley fished a spare bottle of water out of his storage and climbed onto the roof of his lifepod, staring out at the Aurora once more and pondering the situation. Keen’s signal was coming from somewhere deep- at least a hundred meters deeper than the seamoth could potentially handle. Ryley had enough titanium to throw together a basic tank, but he assumed the pressure of being that deep would affect his oxygen supply.

But could it really hurt to try?

__________________________________

The drive to Keen’s signal was relatively easy thanks to the seamoth. As he zipped through the water Ryley took in his surroundings, appreciating the gradual change of the landscape.

It seemed that several biomes could somehow live right next to each other with little to no overlap- as if there was an invisible dividing line between them. Small fish seemed to not really mind this, but the larger creatures clearly respected the divisions of territory. Marine science was not a subject Ryley knew much of, but surely this wasn’t normal.

He traveled further, the water growing deeper and the sea floor more and more sparse.

Then, there was nothing.

Ryley slowed to a stop and switched on the seamoth’s lights. There was nothing but stone and sand, a barren landscape that felt eerie- dead. The openness of it made him feel exposed, and he half-expected one of those monsters from the Aurora to come swimming out of the gloomy distance.

But, there was nothing.

Ryley nervously cleared his throat and checked the PDA signal. He wasn’t far off now, a minute later and he was hovering over a chunk of the Aurora that had crashed next to a deep gorge. The signal from Keen’s lifepod emitted from somewhere down below.

Ryley checked and rechecked. The lifepod was about 100 meters deeper than the seamoth could handle, and he couldn’t risk losing her. To be stranded this far out might very well be a death sentence for him. Could he make the swim down to Keen’s pod with the sea glide?

Tenitavely, Ryley exited his vehicle and swam around the wreck site. Looking over his shoulder every couple seconds in case a predator tried to sneak up on him.

But nothing came for him. There was no other sign of life except the handful of small fish wondering almost mournfully about. Like they were lost and unsure where to go.

Making his final decision, Ryley returned to the seamoth to recoup his oxygen and push as close as he dared towards Keen’s signal. Then he steeled his nerves and was out of the seamoth before his courage could give out.

The PDA notified Ryley that he was too deep, and his oxygen efficiency had been greatly reduced. Still, he pushed on, deeper into the gorge, into the dark. Until, at last, the light of his sea glide caught a glint of metal. He had found Lifepod 19.

Ryley quickly observed the area. He wasn’t surprised at all that the hull of the pod had been ripped open. But there was Keen’s PDA alone in the sand. It was still active, its little blue light glowing faintly in the dim water. Ryley snatched it up along with a second one he found inside the lifepod and whatever else he found useful before planting his feet firmly on the ground and pushing upwards, relying on his sea glide to do most of the work. But just as he began his ascension, something caught the corner of his eye.

Ryley turned. Slowing to a stop as he looked down in the gorge. There, tucked away in a small alcove, was another lifepod.

Ryley hesitated, unsure of what to do. There were lights around it. Signal flares perhaps? Was Keen in there?

He checked his gauge and realized he only had fifteen seconds of air left in his little O2 tank. With little choice, Ryley rushed back to his seamoth for air before deciding what to do.

He checked the list of radio transmissions on his PDA with the respective coordinates.

It was Lifepod 9. Which had sent an automated distress call because its passenger was unresponsive.

Ryley grimaced, weighing out his options. He had gotten what he had come for and doubted he was going to like whatever awaited him in Lifepod 9. But, on the other hand, what if Keen was there?

He checked over Keen’s PDA. There was a rushed message explaining that he had to suddenly evacuate the pod and that he would rendezvous with any other survivors on a nearby island the captain had located before the crash.

Ryley stared at the coordinates. The second PDA had the final transmission between Keen and the Aurora’s captain. Their conversation was brief, cut off by the crash. Gone was Keen’s confident and authoritative tone that could be heard in the other two transmissions. Instead, Ryley heard his uncertainty, his worry clinging to the finality of his captain’s orders. The insistence that Keen was now responsible for their safety.

Being just another maintenance guy, Ryley never saw the Captain unless he was doing some kind of inspection or addressing the entire crew. Up until that moment, Ryley had little opinion or care of the man. But the Aurora’s captain had gone down with her, and he had chosen to use his final moments to not only land the ship in as much in one piece as possible but had the wherewithal to identify a rendezvous point for any survivors. To place his confidence in Officer Keen.

None of this addressed what to do about Lifepod 9.

In his message, Keen sounded like he was swimming for the island, or at least planned on trying to. So Ryley doubted he was in 9. But what about the lifepod’s original passenger?

Letting out a groan. Ryley took a quick swig of water before adjusting his seamoth so it was as close to the new lifepod as possible, before diving back down once more.

Lifepod 9 sat at an angle on the bottom of the sea floor and was surrounded by strange stick-like glowing plants which were so bright that Ryley almost didn’t notice the lifepod’s lights were on. In his excitement, he rushed up to the small structure and began frantically banging on the windows and pulling at its top hatch.

The hatch was jammed for some reason, and no one responded to Ryley’s attempts to get inside. Confirming Ryley’s suspicion that whoever was in Lifepod 9 was most likely already dead. This close up, Ryley could see all the bumps and dings that came with tumbling down a gorge. There was a high chance the hull’s integrity had been compromised. Essentially making Lifepod 9 nothing but an underwater tomb.

Ryley backed away, intending to give up and leave when he noticed a strange rushing sound. He turned on his sea glide’s light and discovered a strange wall of bubbles just behind the pod.

A quick trip to the seamoth for more oxygen and he was back again, trying to understand just what exactly he was looking at.

He found his answer under the pod. It wasn’t rocks supporting it, but a strange, rectangular-shaped platform of sorts. Ryley scanned it and the PDA quickly corrected him. Not a platform- a vent.

It took one more round to the seamoth for air and back again before he could find the right angle to see the vent itself. Lifepod 9 had awkwardly landed in a way that the wall of the gorge supported it over most of the outlet portion. Not so much resting on the vent itself, but hovering over it, forcing the rush of water to be dispersed both under and behind the pod as opposed to a column like its intake counterpart.

Ryley also noticed something else. What few fish were in the gorge seemed to avoid the vent, except a few peepers that intentionally allowed themselves to be pulled in. Occasionally a peeper would be spat out through the outlet side. Only these had some odd trail behind them. Small glowing orange flecks of some sort. Ryley noticed the flecks released from the outlet by themselves as well. Left floating around the underbelly of the pod.

He touched one experimentally, it was like a small prick of static electricity, and almost immediately dissolved into his glove.

Ryley panicked and swam as bad as he could back to the seamoth where he rippled off his glove and did a self-scan.

The scanner picked up some minor bacteria, but that was all. Nothing to be truly alarmed of considering he could have easily picked up a plethora of alien diseases from that orange fleck. Ryley supposed he was lucky, it could always have been much worse.

Ryley pulled up the coordinates for Keen’s island and prepared to set off. He was hungry and tired, the only thing he had left in him was a spare med kit and half a bottle of water. But he felt the need to push forward. Maybe he could stay the night in this land.

The temptation of standing on dry land was enough to encourage him. But as he turned his sea moth around he was caught off guard by a sudden tug.

At first, he panicked, assuming something had grabbed a hold of the seamoth. But as Ryley spun the little vehicle around he found nothing. However, the tugging sensation lingered, and he realized it was not a physical feeling, but what he could only describe as a ‘pull’ on his thoughts-

“Warning. Maximum depth reached.“

He blinked, suddenly aware that he was ten meters lower than the seamoth could handle. Suspended in the entrance to the gorge. He slammed its thrusters in reverse. Ascending to a safer depth before stopping to catch his breath.

Perhaps the constant change of pressure was messing with him. He knew the seamoth kept him safe for the most part. But the several trips in and out of the gorge without any protection couldn’t have been good for his body.

He shook his head and turned the seamoth around. Leaving behind the Sparse Reef as he decided to call it, and returning to the surface, albeit at a slower than usual pace just out of precaution.

He passed strange predatory-looking creatures with triangular heads and armored bodies. He passed rocks held aloft by large pink blobs. Floaters were what he called their tiny counterparts in the Safe Shallows. A quick scan of these and the PDA was able to explain how these floaters were incredibly old, allowed to continue growing due to a constant supply of nutrients they could pull from the rocks they were attached to.

Ryley recalled pulling a smaller floater off a rock once, examining a disturbing set of tiny teeth that it used to eat into the rock. He looked back up at the floater that was easily as big as he was and shivered. Quickly typing ��Ancient Floater’ into the PDA and moving on.

He travelled onwards, eventually becoming aware of a large mass coming into view. It was an island, but it wasn’t the result of a mountain that had risen from the sea floor. Ancient floaters easily three times the size of the seamoth clung to the island’s underbelly. Stones the size of Ryley’s head fell away as the creatures slowly but steadily ate away at the rock. It was equal parts incredible and terrifying, and he would have stayed and investigated except for the allure of land above.

The island was a tropical paradise of many plants and sand- dry sand and stone. Ryley leaped from his seamoth, legs unsteady and giving out as he tumbled into the sand. Laughing in joy as he soaked in the warmth.

He felt so water-logged, so used to the steady bounce of water. Knowing the island itself floated left him still feeling uncomfortable and adrift. But there was grass farther up the hillside and trees! So many, beautiful trees! Were it not for the knowledge that he needed the lifepod’s radio for direction from the Sunbeam, Ryley would have been very content to never leave this island again.

He stayed there for a time, lying in the sand and enjoying the gentle crash of waves on the shore. The distant calls of sea birds. It was the most at peace he had been since the crash, and he was saddened to realize he would have to get up sometime. So, Ryley stayed until at least his hair was dry before climbing to his feet and moving on to explore the island.

The terrain was at a near-constant incline. But there were many, many trees and other plants. Strange mushrooms and flowers. He found lantern-shaped fruit that, to his immense joy, the scanner identified as edible. But the only fauna seemed to be odd, crab-like creatures that would try to stab him with their needle-like legs if he got too close. After a few attempts, he managed to scan one and pulled out his PDA only to realize the location signal for the island was still being tracked.

Perhaps it would only be marked as being reached if Ryley stood in the center of the island? He decided to follow the signal. Meandering down paths and down into what he assumed was some kind of sea cave. He couldn’t help but wonder why the signal was so specific to the island center. Perhaps Keen did make it to the island. Or perhaps this was the signal point formed by the Aurora and nothing else. Ryley grimaced at a new thought. His mind wandered back to Lifepod 9 and its imprisoned occupant. The signal for the island was days old. What if Ryley was about to walk in on those alien crabs feasting on Keen’s dead body?

He paused, afraid to move forward and the possibility of what awaited him at the island center.

But, the more he thought about it, had he not already survived several days on his own? Outswam the monster at the Aurora, not to mention the ship crash itself? He was exhausted and so thirsty all the time anymore. He only had to make it a few more days and he would be saved. He owed it to whoever this Officer Keen was, to whoever was trapped in Lifepod 9, to Ozzy and all the others that didn’t make it to the rendezvous point, to fulfill this one last task as a crew member of the Aurora.

Ryley squared his shoulders and continued forward.

When he finally reached the signal location Ryley found himself standing in a sea cave of sorts, a hole cutting through the island, exposing Ryley to the clear sky above, a hole cutting through the ground, opening to the ocean below.

He collapsed against the rock wall, unable to support himself.

He wasn’t prepared to actually find someone waiting for him. Or to realize he had met Officer Keen before.

Ryley’s mouth hung open in silent shock. The Second Officer of the Aurora stared back in equal surprise. The same surprised face Ryley had last seen when Keen pulled him from the maintenance tunnel of the Aurora and made him run to the remaining lifepods- 5 and 19.

#subnautica #creative writing #subnautica fanfic #subnautica au #ryley robinson #Second Officer Keen #Post-It Penny

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teqful · 2 days ago

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How-To IT

Topic: Core areas of IT

1. Hardware

• Computers (Desktops, Laptops, Workstations)

• Servers and Data Centers

• Networking Devices (Routers, Switches, Modems)

• Storage Devices (HDDs, SSDs, NAS)

• Peripheral Devices (Printers, Scanners, Monitors)

2. Software

• Operating Systems (Windows, Linux, macOS)

• Application Software (Office Suites, ERP, CRM)

• Development Software (IDEs, Code Libraries, APIs)

• Middleware (Integration Tools)

• Security Software (Antivirus, Firewalls, SIEM)

3. Networking and Telecommunications

• LAN/WAN Infrastructure

• Wireless Networking (Wi-Fi, 5G)

• VPNs (Virtual Private Networks)

• Communication Systems (VoIP, Email Servers)

• Internet Services

4. Data Management

• Databases (SQL, NoSQL)

• Data Warehousing

• Big Data Technologies (Hadoop, Spark)

• Backup and Recovery Systems

• Data Integration Tools

5. Cybersecurity

• Network Security

• Endpoint Protection

• Identity and Access Management (IAM)

• Threat Detection and Incident Response

• Encryption and Data Privacy

6. Software Development

• Front-End Development (UI/UX Design)

• Back-End Development

• DevOps and CI/CD Pipelines

• Mobile App Development

• Cloud-Native Development

7. Cloud Computing

• Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

• Platform as a Service (PaaS)

• Software as a Service (SaaS)

• Serverless Computing

• Cloud Storage and Management

8. IT Support and Services

• Help Desk Support

• IT Service Management (ITSM)

• System Administration

• Hardware and Software Troubleshooting

• End-User Training

9. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

• AI Algorithms and Frameworks

• Natural Language Processing (NLP)

• Computer Vision

• Robotics

• Predictive Analytics

10. Business Intelligence and Analytics

• Reporting Tools (Tableau, Power BI)

• Data Visualization

• Business Analytics Platforms

• Predictive Modeling

11. Internet of Things (IoT)

• IoT Devices and Sensors

• IoT Platforms

• Edge Computing

• Smart Systems (Homes, Cities, Vehicles)

12. Enterprise Systems

• Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

• Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

• Human Resource Management Systems (HRMS)

• Supply Chain Management Systems

13. IT Governance and Compliance

• ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library)

• COBIT (Control Objectives for Information Technologies)

• ISO/IEC Standards

• Regulatory Compliance (GDPR, HIPAA, SOX)

14. Emerging Technologies

• Blockchain

• Quantum Computing

• Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR)

• 3D Printing

• Digital Twins

15. IT Project Management

• Agile, Scrum, and Kanban

• Waterfall Methodology

• Resource Allocation

• Risk Management

16. IT Infrastructure

• Data Centers

• Virtualization (VMware, Hyper-V)

• Disaster Recovery Planning

• Load Balancing

17. IT Education and Certifications

• Vendor Certifications (Microsoft, Cisco, AWS)

• Training and Development Programs

• Online Learning Platforms

18. IT Operations and Monitoring

• Performance Monitoring (APM, Network Monitoring)

• IT Asset Management

• Event and Incident Management

19. Software Testing

• Manual Testing: Human testers evaluate software by executing test cases without using automation tools.

• Automated Testing: Use of testing tools (e.g., Selenium, JUnit) to run automated scripts and check software behavior.

• Functional Testing: Validating that the software performs its intended functions.

• Non-Functional Testing: Assessing non-functional aspects such as performance, usability, and security.

• Unit Testing: Testing individual components or units of code for correctness.

• Integration Testing: Ensuring that different modules or systems work together as expected.

• System Testing: Verifying the complete software system’s behavior against requirements.

• Acceptance Testing: Conducting tests to confirm that the software meets business requirements (including UAT - User Acceptance Testing).

• Regression Testing: Ensuring that new changes or features do not negatively affect existing functionalities.

• Performance Testing: Testing software performance under various conditions (load, stress, scalability).

• Security Testing: Identifying vulnerabilities and assessing the software’s ability to protect data.

• Compatibility Testing: Ensuring the software works on different operating systems, browsers, or devices.

• Continuous Testing: Integrating testing into the development lifecycle to provide quick feedback and minimize bugs.

• Test Automation Frameworks: Tools and structures used to automate testing processes (e.g., TestNG, Appium).

19. VoIP (Voice over IP)

VoIP Protocols & Standards

• SIP (Session Initiation Protocol)

• H.323

• RTP (Real-Time Transport Protocol)

• MGCP (Media Gateway Control Protocol)

VoIP Hardware

• IP Phones (Desk Phones, Mobile Clients)

• VoIP Gateways

• Analog Telephone Adapters (ATAs)

• VoIP Servers

• Network Switches/ Routers for VoIP

VoIP Software

• Softphones (e.g., Zoiper, X-Lite)

• PBX (Private Branch Exchange) Systems

• VoIP Management Software

• Call Center Solutions (e.g., Asterisk, 3CX)

VoIP Network Infrastructure

• Quality of Service (QoS) Configuration

• VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) for VoIP

• VoIP Traffic Shaping & Bandwidth Management

• Firewall and Security Configurations for VoIP

• Network Monitoring & Optimization Tools

VoIP Security

• Encryption (SRTP, TLS)

• Authentication and Authorization

• Firewall & Intrusion Detection Systems

• VoIP Fraud DetectionVoIP Providers

• Hosted VoIP Services (e.g., RingCentral, Vonage)

• SIP Trunking Providers

• PBX Hosting & Managed Services

VoIP Quality and Testing

• Call Quality Monitoring

• Latency, Jitter, and Packet Loss Testing

• VoIP Performance Metrics and Reporting Tools

• User Acceptance Testing (UAT) for VoIP Systems

Integration with Other Systems

• CRM Integration (e.g., Salesforce with VoIP)

• Unified Communications (UC) Solutions

• Contact Center Integration

• Email, Chat, and Video Communication Integration

#information technology #technology #tech #it #Teqful

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rengineer · 17 days ago

Text

God shed Tears for me because I can't.

Raining.

The steady rhythm of drops pattering against the roof followed him as he moved, his clothes soaked from the weather. The cold seeped into his skin, but he remained unbothered,

his thoughts elsewhere. Somewhere. Nowhere.

He'd walked past a scout who looked at him.

His mind.

Detached.

Each step was deliberate, steady, yet entirely automated.

Climb up. Turn left. The first junction.

The door opened.

The switch clicked.

A dim light flickered to life, casting long shadows in the room.

It wasn't much, but it was enough to see.

He removed his helmet, placing it carefully on one of the shelves, and headed for the worktable.

Ka-chik.

The sound of a drawer sliding open broke the quiet. His hand moved with practiced precision, retrieving a small box of old resistors from the neatly organized components.

The box hit the surface of the wooden workbench with a dull thud, the sound merging with the ambient hum of the rain.

Another drawer.

This time, a multimeter.

He placed it beside the box, its sleek black casing gleaming faintly in the dim light.

A soft creak and a muted snap.

The multimeter's needle caught his eye. It was slightly off.

A screwdriver had been grabbed from the tools nearby, its cold metal familiar in his hands. With careful, practiced movements, he adjusted the screw under the meter, coaxing the needle back into place.

I cried to God, I cried, He heard;

Huge fingers surrounded the first resistor, carefully plucking it from the box. Three reds and one gold. Black and red were placed on either end of the resistor.

2.2 k.

He placed it off to the side.

The next resistor: yellow, orange, white, and orange.

43 G.

But the needle barely moved, stuck stubbornly near the zero mark.

He adjusted the multimeter's dial, testing for a range.

This one's Dead.

He removed it from his table.

In day of grief I sought the Lord;

The resistor dropped into the trashcan with a thud.

The next one. Brown, black, red, gold.

The leads were clipped, and the multimeter came to life.

1 k.

Along with the first.

Another resistor, this one with faded stripes: blue, gray, black, silver.

The colors were harder to read, smudged from time or mishandling.

He connected the leads and adjusted the dial, watching the needle.

0.6.

All night with hands stretch'd out I wept;

Low, but functional.

Another one added it to the pile.

green, blue, red, gold.

5.6 k.

Red, gray, gray, gray.

2.8 G

orange, white, black, brown.

39.

Nothing.

Not even the faintest twitch of the needle. He turned the dial again, but it was no use.

Another dead one.

My soul no comfort would accept.

Water dripped steadily from his face, tracing a cold path from the bridge of his nose down to his chin. His goggles, smeared and streaked with raindrops, blurred the world into indistinct shapes and shadows.

It had started raining long before.

When he had walked back to the base, toolbox in one hand and the other hanging free. When it was all over. When there was nothing left for him to feel. When his mind had gone quiet.

He doesn't know what to feel. So God cries for him.

Prompt: Isolation.

#( headcanon. ) good news boys! i drafted up a blueprint of the other team's asses and it looks like all our boots are gonna fit up there!#tf2 headcanon #tf2 fanfic #tf2 engineer #redsmissmas2k24

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arbitrarygreay · 10 months ago

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Audacity for Debian-based Linux

So, some time around 2020/2021, Audacity for Linux from the repositories of Debian-based distros (including Ubuntu, Mint, etc.) no longer had access to high quality stretch (change tempo, change pitch, shifting slider). This appears to be due to a combination of Debian no longer updating Audacity at all past 2.4.2 (as Audacity's new owners from 3.0.0 on have had...issues, to put it lightly), but also the fact that 2.4.2 specifically was requiring a version of the SBSMS library past what Debian had. It's still the case that the apt version of Audacity on Linux Mint still lacks the high quality stretch functions.

The workaround for this is to compile from source. HOWEVER. Be apprised that if you specifically go for version 2.4.2, there is still a bug around SBSMS, which causes Audacity to crash when attempting high quality stretching. Apparently, if you go for versions afterwards (3.0+, new Audacity owners), or the version before (2.3.3), you will not run into this issue.

I am stubborn, so I have verified that I can now open Audacity 2.4.2 and do a high quality pitch change without crashing. Here are the solution options. Know that both are still compiling from source.

Option 1: Do it manually command by command on the terminal

You will, however, notice that the important download link for the patch is broken. You must get it from here.

Note that you should preface all of the commands listed in that post with "sudo", or they will likely throw an error. (Or do whatever you need to for terminal to continuously recognize root access.) In addition, note that the "pre-installation test" section is not optional. Audacity will not run if the "Portable Settings" folder is not created, and furthermore, the "Portable Settings" folder and all containing files need to have write permissions enabled to the relevant non-root group/owner.

Whether you installed manually or used the script, you will need to go to "/usr/local/share/audacity/audacity-minsrc-2.4.2/build/bin/Release" to launch Audacity. In the file explorer window, you can click the button to the left of the magnifying glass to switch to text input where you can copy and paste the above path. Or, from /home, go up one level, and then navigate through manually.

Change the launcher's icon and add it to the start menu/desktop, per your specific distro and desktop environment.

Option 2: Modify and run a bash script

I found a helpful Youtube video stepping through the process, before they link to a bash script automating the whole thing. However, the script does not include the 2.4.2 patch. There are also a few modifications that need to be done to the script.

Modifications to make (right click the .sh file, open with, pick some text editor):

Line 35: change the dl_directory to match your own system. (Specifically, you probably need to replace "piuser" with your own account name.)

This change also needs be done on lines 115, 116, and 120 (or replace the hard coded parts with "${DL_DIRECTORY}").

Line 77 (optional): add "patch" as a dependent package to check. Like Python, it's mostly likely already installed, so you could leave this commented out.

Lines 139-142: Not a modification, but a note that I didn't end up using this (left it commented out), so I did have to download the 2.4.2 source code from fosshub manually and put it in the location specified by dl_directory. I also put the patch there. If you do want to try to automate the download, you'll not only have to add another line to also download the patch file, but both the source code for 2.4.2 and the patch have hyphens in their urls, so you need to either add backslashes to escape them, or enclose the entire url in quotation marks. But I also can't guarantee that either of those things will work, since I ended up doing the downloads manually.

Line 150: Per the manual installation above, the patch needs to be applied before the build. Add this code block at line 150 (after the script checks to see if the "Build" folder exists):

#SBSMS patch required for 2.4.2 if [ -f "${DL_DIRECTORY}/changepitch.patch" ]; then sudo cp "${DL_DIRECTORY}/changepitch.patch" "${DIRECTORY}/${VERSION}" fi sudo patch -p 1 < changepitch.patch

That's it for changing the script. Save it, close out of the text editor. (If you decided not to try letting the script do the downloads, then make sure you download the source code and the patch and put them in the dl_directory location at this point.)

Enable the script to be executable. (Right click the .sh file, Properties. On the Permissions tab, check that "Allow executing file as a program" is checked.)

Double click the .sh file. I suggest doing the "Run In Terminal" option so you can see the progress. (And if it's really short, probably something went wrong. The build section takes 20 minutes.)

This script does not include installing the offline manual for Audacity. That is covered in the guide posted in Option 1. Sorry, you'll have to do some terminal typing after all.

Change the launcher's icon and add it to the start menu/desktop, per your specific distro and desktop environment.

#linux #linux mint #ubuntu #debian #audacity #category: other #vibrating at the mashups now once again at my fingertips

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dragonscozyteatimemrex · 2 months ago

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WARNING THIS COMIC INCLUDES BLOOD GORE AND DEATH AND BURNS

Chimera I was tossing and turning in her cave one night when she began to switch her tail back and forth radically Restless prefer bristled she scratched in her sleep is if fighting in unseen enemy then with in her dream the young mewthree woke up in the dream space as always with her siblings but this time they new something was wrong then there was a loud KaBoom then a mysterious automated voice beeped project terminated terminating test subjects now that he in 3 2 1 then from there youngest sister the Consciousness was too young to perceive or even be aware but what they caught from it was pain lots of pain and heat it was getting too hot and then a horrible feeling and then nothing at all then a sharp zapping sensation hit the other sister you tried to kick against the tube but it was useless connection severed again there's a lot of commotion outside the walls tons of the voices that they had heard we're running screaming and leaving there was a lot of booms and bangs from something else too and snarls one by one she watched it is the connection she had held for severed does being she had been connected to were gone there was a boom and one of the males had reached out only to watch the Personnel leave then had managed to get out only for something much larger to Crunch it beneath its jaws and then to kill the other two desperately she tried to reach out to one of the sisters with her consciousness she began to reach toward her only to feel that sisters test to get hot too hot to burn and then the connection with that one was severed too what was going on and she began to realize whatever had happened to the others was going to happen to her too she had to do something there were three of them left the eldest the one that they said had failed began to beat against his own glass tube with his tail and scratch at it with his claws he'd made it out it was only her and her twin brother now if you want to find out what happens next wait for the next part of the comic...

#mewtwo #pokemon #mew #mewthree

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gproduction · 2 months ago

Text

AV Installation Secrets Revealed: Expert Insights and Advice

Whether you're setting up a home theater, upgrading a conference room, or creating an immersive stage experience, AV installations are essential in transforming ordinary spaces into dynamic, impactful environments. In today's tech-driven world, AV Installation Services have become a staple for events, corporate gatherings, and personal spaces alike. However, creating a seamless audio-visual experience involves more than just wiring up speakers and mounting screens. Here, we’ll share expert insights into AV installation secrets that elevate quality, enhance ambiance, and guarantee a hassle-free experience.

1. Planning the Right Setup for Your Space

A successful AV installation starts with a clear understanding of your specific needs and goals. No two spaces are alike, so the initial planning phase should involve evaluating the room layout, dimensions, and acoustics. This is where a professional AV Installation Service can make all the difference by creating a custom setup that maximizes audio and visual quality. Experts can help design an installation plan that works within your budget while enhancing every aspect of the viewing and listening experience.

2. Investing in High-Quality Equipment

The equipment you select is the foundation of any AV installation. From high-resolution projectors and screens to powerful, crisp sound systems, investing in quality components ensures a longer lifespan and better performance. Professional AV Installation Services have access to the latest in AV technology, helping you choose the right gear for your setup. High-definition displays, multi-channel audio systems, and smart control systems are all important elements that bring your vision to life.

3. Understanding Acoustic Treatments and Speaker Placement

Optimal sound distribution is crucial for an immersive experience. AV installation experts know that sound quality is influenced by room acoustics, materials, and furniture. They employ techniques like acoustic panels, bass traps, and strategic speaker placement to eliminate echo and balance sound. With the help of an AV Installation Service, you can avoid common issues like uneven sound and muffled audio, ensuring clear, high-quality sound throughout the room.

4. Hiding the Cables and Wiring

One of the biggest challenges in AV installation is concealing the maze of cables and wires. A messy installation can detract from the space's aesthetics and even cause safety hazards. An expert AV Installation Service will know how to manage and conceal wires effectively, either by routing them through walls, floors, or custom cabinetry. They’ll also label everything clearly, making it easier to troubleshoot or upgrade your system later on.

5. Automating the AV Experience

A well-designed AV system should also offer ease of use. Automated systems allow you to control lighting, sound, and visuals at the touch of a button, creating a seamless experience. Leading AV Installation Services can integrate smart controls like voice activation, mobile app interfaces, and remote controls, allowing you to customize the atmosphere with minimal effort. Imagine dimming the lights, adjusting the sound, or switching screens from your phone, adding that wow factor to any event or space.

6. Testing and Calibration for Optimal Performance

Once the setup is complete, professional AV installers will conduct thorough testing and calibration. This step ensures that all components work together harmoniously, providing an optimized performance for both audio and video. AV Installation Services use specialized equipment to test sound quality, brightness, and display alignment, making any necessary adjustments for the perfect final setup.

7. Ongoing Support and Maintenance

AV systems are complex and, over time, may require software updates, recalibration, or even repairs. The right AV Installation Service provides ongoing support, ensuring that your system remains in top condition. Regular maintenance not only extends the equipment’s lifespan but also keeps your AV experience flawless, even as your needs evolve or technology advances.

8. Expert Advice for DIY AV Enthusiasts

For those looking to try AV installation on their own, there are a few essential tips to keep in mind. First, start small, with easy-to-manage components like a soundbar and projector. Researching the best products and ensuring compatibility among devices is key. Also, remember to position speakers at ear level and place screens to minimize glare. However, for larger spaces and complex requirements, it’s always best to consult a professional AV Installation Service for expert guidance and support.

Conclusion: Why G Productions is Your Top Choice for AV Installation Services

Mastering AV installation is a craft that requires expertise, high-quality equipment, and a deep understanding of spatial dynamics. G Productions has set the benchmark as India’s best event management company, providing premium AV Installation Services tailored to the unique demands of each project. Whether for a corporate event, wedding, or personal entertainment setup, G Productions ensures that every AV installation is performed with precision and dedication. Choose G Productions, and experience a world-class audiovisual setup that transforms any environment into an immersive experience, reinforcing our commitment to excellence in event management company across India.

#av installation #AV

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firstbitsolutions · 3 months ago

Text

Which is better full stack development or testing?

Full Stack Development vs Software Testing: Which Career Path is Right for You?

In today’s rapidly evolving IT industry, choosing the right career path can be challenging. Two popular options are Full Stack Development and Software Testing. Both of these fields offer unique opportunities and cater to different skill sets, making it essential to assess which one aligns better with your interests, goals, and long-term career aspirations.

At FirstBit Solutions, we take pride in offering a premium quality of teaching, with expert-led courses designed to provide real-world skills. Our goal is to help you know, no matter which path you choose. Whether you’re interested in development or testing, our 100% unlimited placement call guarantee ensures ample job opportunities. In this answer, we’ll explore both career paths to help you make an informed decision.

Understanding Full Stack Development

What is Full Stack Development?

Full Stack Development involves working on both the front-end (client-side) and back-end (server-side) of web applications. Full stack developers handle everything from designing the user interface (UI) to managing databases and server logic. They are versatile professionals who can oversee a project from start to finish.

Key Skills Required for Full Stack Development

To become a full stack developer, you need a diverse set of skills, including:

Front-End Technologies: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript are the fundamental building blocks of web development. Additionally, proficiency in front-end frameworks like React, Angular, or Vue.js is crucial for creating dynamic and responsive web interfaces.

Back-End Technologies: Understanding back-end programming languages like Node.js, Python, Ruby, Java, or PHP is essential for server-side development. Additionally, knowledge of frameworks like Express.js, Django, or Spring can help streamline development processes.

Databases: Full stack developers must know how to work with both SQL (e.g., MySQL, PostgreSQL) and NoSQL (e.g., MongoDB) databases.

Version Control and Collaboration: Proficiency in tools like Git, GitHub, and agile methodologies is important for working in a collaborative environment.

Job Opportunities in Full Stack Development

Full stack developers are in high demand due to their versatility. Companies often prefer professionals who can handle both front-end and back-end tasks, making them valuable assets in any development team. Full stack developers can work in:

Web Development

Mobile App Development

Enterprise Solutions

Startup Ecosystems

The flexibility to work on multiple layers of development opens doors to various career opportunities. Moreover, the continuous rise of startups and digital transformation initiatives has further fueled the demand for full stack developers.

Benefits of Choosing Full Stack Development

High Demand: The need for full stack developers is constantly increasing across industries, making it a lucrative career choice.

Versatility: You can switch between front-end and back-end tasks, giving you a holistic understanding of how applications work.

Creativity: If you enjoy creating visually appealing interfaces while also solving complex back-end problems, full stack development allows you to engage both creative and logical thinking.

Salary: Full stack developers typically enjoy competitive salaries due to their wide skill set and ability to handle various tasks.

Understanding Software Testing

What is Software Testing?

Software Testing is the process of evaluating and verifying that a software product or application is free of defects, meets specified requirements, and functions as expected. Testers ensure the quality and reliability of software by conducting both manual and automated tests.

Key Skills Required for Software Testing

To succeed in software testing, you need to develop the following skills:

Manual Testing: Knowledge of testing techniques, understanding different testing types (unit, integration, system, UAT, etc.), and the ability to write test cases are fundamental for manual testing.

Automated Testing: Proficiency in tools like Selenium, JUnit, TestNG, or Cucumber is essential for automating repetitive test scenarios and improving efficiency.

Attention to Detail: Testers must have a keen eye for identifying potential issues, bugs, and vulnerabilities in software systems.

Scripting Knowledge: Basic programming skills in languages like Java, Python, or JavaScript are necessary to write and maintain test scripts for automated testing.

Job Opportunities in Software Testing

As the demand for high-quality software increases, so does the need for skilled software testers. Companies are investing heavily in testing to ensure that their products perform optimally in the competitive market. Software testers can work in:

Manual Testing

Automated Testing

Quality Assurance (QA) Engineering

Test Automation Development

With the rise of Agile and DevOps methodologies, the role of testers has become even more critical. Continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) pipelines rely on automated testing to deliver reliable software faster.

Benefits of Choosing Software Testing

Job Security: With software quality being paramount, skilled testers are in high demand, and the need for testing professionals will only continue to grow.

Quality Assurance: If you have a knack for perfection and enjoy ensuring that software works flawlessly, testing could be a satisfying career.

Automated Testing Growth: The shift toward automation opens up new opportunities for testers to specialize in test automation tools and frameworks, which are essential for faster releases.

Flexibility: Testing provides opportunities to work across different domains and industries, as almost every software product requires thorough testing.

Full Stack Development vs Software Testing: A Comparative Analysis

Let’s break down the major factors that could influence your decision:

Factors

Full Stack Development

Software Testing

Skills

Proficiency in front-end and back-end technologies, databases

Manual and automated testing, attention to detail, scripting

Creativity

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Job Roles

Web Developer, Full Stack Engineer, Mobile App Developer

QA Engineer, Test Automation Engineer, Software Tester

Career Growth

Opportunities to transition into senior roles like CTO or Solution Architect

Growth towards roles in automation and quality management

Salary

Competitive with wide-ranging opportunities

Competitive, with automation testers in higher demand

Demand

High demand due to increasing digitalization and web-based applications

Consistently high, especially in Agile/DevOps environments

Learning Curve

Steep – requires mastering multiple languages and technologies

Moderate – requires a focus on testing tools, techniques, and automation

Why Choose FirstBit Solutions for Full Stack Development or Software Testing?

At FirstBit Solutions, we provide comprehensive training in both full stack development and software testing. Our experienced faculty ensures that you gain hands-on experience and practical knowledge in the field of your choice. Our 100% unlimited placement call guarantee ensures that you have ample opportunities to land your dream job, no matter which course you pursue. Here’s why FirstBit is your ideal training partner:

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#education #programming #tech #technology #training #python #full stack developer #software testing #itservices #java #.net #.net developers #datascience

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circumlocutive · 6 months ago

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Undergrad research blast from the past. Here I am in 2020 assembling a micro fluidic flow cell with a gold electrode block. I think I took this video for myself so I knew what to clip to what. This was when I worked with electrochemical sensors, transducing signals via impedance spectroscopy.

A lot of electrochemical techniques rely on measuring voltages or currents, but in this lab we looked at impedance- which is a fancy combination of regular resistance (like the same one from ohms law) and the imaginary portion of the resistance that arises from the alternating current we supply.

I would functionalize different groups on the gold working electrode by exposing the surface to a solution of thiolated biomarker capture groups. Thiols love to form self-assembled mono layers over gold, so anything tagged with thiol ends up sticking. [Aside: Apparently after I left the group they moved away from gold thiol interactions because they weren't strong enough to modify the electrode surface in a stable and predictable way, especially if we were flowing the solution over the surface (which we wanted to do for various automation reasons)]. The capture groups we used were various modified cyclodextrins- little sugar cups with hydrophobic pockets inside and a hydrophilic exterior. Cyclodextrins are the basis of febreeze- a cyclodextrin spray that captures odor molecules in that hydrophobic pocket so they can't interact with receptors in your nose. We focused on capturing hydrophobic things in our little pocket because many different hydrophobic biomarkers are relevant to many different diseases, but a lot of sensors struggle to interact with them in the aqueous environment of bodily fluids.

My work was two fold:

1) setting up an automated system for greater reproducibility and less human labor. I had to figure out how to get my computer, the potentiostat (which controls the alternating current put in, and reads the working electrode response), the microfluidic pump, and the actuator that switched between samples to all talk to each other so I could set up my solutions, automatically flow the thiol solution for an appropriate time and flow rate to modify the surface, then automatically flow a bio fluid sample (or rather in the beginning, pure samples of specific isolated biomarkers, tho their tendency to aggregate in aqueous solution may have changed the way they would interact with the sensor from how they would in a native environment, stabilized in blood or urine) over the electrode and cue the potentiostat for multiple measurements, and then flow cleaning solutions to clean out the tubings and renew the electrode. This involved transistor level logic (pain) and working with the potentiostat company to interact with their proprietary software language (pain) and so much dicking around with the physical components.

2) coming up with new cyclodextrin variants to test, and optimizing the parameters for surface functionalization. What concentrations and times and flow rates to use? How do different groups around the edge of the cyclodextrin affect the ability to capture distinct classes of neurotransmitters? I wasn't working with specific sensors, I was trying to get cross reactivity for the purpose of constructing nonspecific sensor arrays (less akin to antibody/antigen binding of ELISAs and more like the nonspecific combinatorial assaying you do with receptors in your tongue or nose to identify "taste profiles" or "smell profiles"), so I wanted diverse responses to diverse assortments of molecules.

Idk where I'm going with this. Mostly reminiscing. I don't miss the math or programming or the physical experience of being at the bench (I find chemistry more "fun") but I liked the ultimate goal more. I think cross reactive sensor arrays and principle component analysis could really change how we do biosample testing, and could potentially be useful for defining biochemical subtypes of subjectively defined mental illnesses.... I think that could (maybe, possibly, if things all work and are sufficiently capturing relevant variance in biochemistry from blood or piss or sweat or what have you) be a more useful way to diagnose mental illness and correlate to possible responses to medications than phenotypic analysis/interviews/questionnaires/trial and error pill prescribing.

#blog #stem #electrochemistry #sensors #biochemistry #research

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rohan277 · 8 months ago

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qcs01 · 6 months ago

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Ansible Collections: Extending Ansible’s Capabilities

Ansible is a powerful automation tool used for configuration management, application deployment, and task automation. One of the key features that enhances its flexibility and extensibility is the concept of Ansible Collections. In this blog post, we'll explore what Ansible Collections are, how to create and use them, and look at some popular collections and their use cases.

Introduction to Ansible Collections

Ansible Collections are a way to package and distribute Ansible content. This content can include playbooks, roles, modules, plugins, and more. Collections allow users to organize their Ansible content and share it more easily, making it simpler to maintain and reuse.

Key Features of Ansible Collections:

Modularity: Collections break down Ansible content into modular components that can be independently developed, tested, and maintained.

Distribution: Collections can be distributed via Ansible Galaxy or private repositories, enabling easy sharing within teams or the wider Ansible community.

Versioning: Collections support versioning, allowing users to specify and depend on specific versions of a collection. How to Create and Use Collections in Your Projects

Creating and using Ansible Collections involves a few key steps. Here’s a guide to get you started:

1. Setting Up Your Collection

To create a new collection, you can use the ansible-galaxy command-line tool:

ansible-galaxy collection init my_namespace.my_collection

This command sets up a basic directory structure for your collection:

my_namespace/

└── my_collection/

├── docs/

├── plugins/

│ ├── modules/

│ ├── inventory/

│ └── ...

├── roles/

├── playbooks/

├── README.md

└── galaxy.yml

2. Adding Content to Your Collection

Populate your collection with the necessary content. For example, you can add roles, modules, and plugins under the respective directories. Update the galaxy.yml file with metadata about your collection.

3. Building and Publishing Your Collection

Once your collection is ready, you can build it using the following command:

ansible-galaxy collection build

This command creates a tarball of your collection, which you can then publish to Ansible Galaxy or a private repository:

ansible-galaxy collection publish my_namespace-my_collection-1.0.0.tar.gz

4. Using Collections in Your Projects

To use a collection in your Ansible project, specify it in your requirements.yml file:

collections:

- name: my_namespace.my_collection

version: 1.0.0

Then, install the collection using:

ansible-galaxy collection install -r requirements.yml

You can now use the content from the collection in your playbooks:--- - name: Example Playbook hosts: localhost tasks: - name: Use a module from the collection my_namespace.my_collection.my_module: param: value

Popular Collections and Their Use Cases

Here are some popular Ansible Collections and how they can be used:

1. community.general

Description: A collection of modules, plugins, and roles that are not tied to any specific provider or technology.

Use Cases: General-purpose tasks like file manipulation, network configuration, and user management.

2. amazon.aws

Description: Provides modules and plugins for managing AWS resources.

Use Cases: Automating AWS infrastructure, such as EC2 instances, S3 buckets, and RDS databases.

3. ansible.posix

Description: A collection of modules for managing POSIX systems.

Use Cases: Tasks specific to Unix-like systems, such as managing users, groups, and file systems.

4. cisco.ios

Description: Contains modules and plugins for automating Cisco IOS devices.

Use Cases: Network automation for Cisco routers and switches, including configuration management and backup.

5. kubernetes.core

Description: Provides modules for managing Kubernetes resources.

Use Cases: Deploying and managing Kubernetes applications, services, and configurations.

Conclusion

Ansible Collections significantly enhance the modularity, distribution, and reusability of Ansible content. By understanding how to create and use collections, you can streamline your automation workflows and share your work with others more effectively. Explore popular collections to leverage existing solutions and extend Ansible’s capabilities in your projects.

For more details click www.qcsdclabs.com

#redhatcourses #information technology #linux #containerorchestration #container #kubernetes #containersecurity #docker #dockerswarm #aws

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eris-anansi · 7 months ago

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Dreamwood 1999

Episode 4: When They Hatch

Dreamwood is plagued by pigeon overpopulation and the police department is tasked with decreasing their numbers. What begins as a clever attempt at population control involving fake pigeon eggs takes a disastrous turn.

CW: Implied murder, graphic depictions of murder, depictions of violence, character death, body horror

Associated Song: underscores - trustfall!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monday, September 13th, 1999.

Dreamwood was no big city, but it shared some common problems with big cities. Among them being pigeons. Winged rats, as the townsfolk called them. The flying vermin had plagued Dreamwood for years, and the people were starting to look to the town’s leadership to do something about their feathered adversaries. Responsibility inevitability fell to the Dreamwood Police Department.

Chief Bowers sat in his office on the phone with a rather important man. “Yes, Mayor Rogers. I’m well aware of the gravity of this situation.”

“You say that, but I still feel the need to remind you,” the voice on the other line began, “I am receiving urgent letters every day about birds invading homes. Just yesterday Farmer Dale reported having his kitchen raided by a gang of the damn things! It’s a war zone out there!”

“I don’t know what you want me to do, Mr. Mayor.”

“Make them disappear! Whatever it takes!”

The voice of a secretary in the Mayor’s background could be faintly heard informing him of another pigeon-related report, before Rogers hung up suddenly. Chief Bowers sat quietly in his chair for several seconds processing the situation. “Pigeons,” he mumbled to himself as he set the phone down.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the forensics lab, Jeffrey Woods was examining the body of the shapeshifter Randy had shot. He was perplexed at the fact that its DNA tested to be almost perfectly identical to Thomas Wheeler’s– but moreover he was fascinated. He wondered if it had died in the form of the Zodiac Killer, would the real killer’s identity have been revealed through the DNA test? It was ideas like these, cases like these– those which dwelled in the land of the esoteric and the macabre– that fueled Jeffrey’s passion for his profession. He lived for exactly what this was. in the background, an old television atop a desk played Dracula’s Daughter, an old black and white horror film from the 1930s. A reclusive yet undeniably talented investigator, Jeffrey’s life seemed to revolve around the darkness.

When he heard the beep of a notification from his desktop, he switched gears and made a beeline for his computer chair. He sat down and checked the source of the automated noise- a message he had received in a private chat room conversation between himself and an anonymous salesman. A salesman whom he believed had something that Chief Bowers would find incredibly valuable given the current situation. The salesman had confirmed that he in fact still had more of his product in stock- enough for Jeffrey’s elaborate scheme. Pleased with the results, Jeffrey smiled and typed his response.

There was a knock at the door, then a low creak as it opened. Parker Caldwell entered the room. He took a look at the television screen then the metal slab on which the shapeshifter’s body laid. He took a breath before asking his question.

“Who is he, Jeff?”

Jeffrey nearly jumped in his seat. He spun around in the office chair and met Parker’s gaze. “Jesus christ– good morning to you, too, Parker… I honestly can’t give you a definite answer. His DNA is interacting with our database in a very strange way.”

Parker paused for a second. “...What does that mean?”

“As far as we know his name is Thomas Wheeler and he’s a detective working for the Dreamwood Police Department. His parents are David and Margaret Wheeler, he’s thirty-six years old, and he was born and raised in Dreamwood, Massachusetts. He has no criminal record. Do you see the problem here?”

“Yeah. I see the problem. The Thomas we know is outside cracking jokes with Officer Harrison and Officer Darcy. This is… frustrating. All of our leads seem to stop at a dead end.”

“That tends to happen when we try to apply logic to the illogical,” Jeffrey observed. “Some things are beyond our limited human comprehension, and meant to stay that way.”

Parker blinked. “What are you saying, Jeffrey?” It always got on his nerves when Jeffrey got like this.

“I’m saying that we’ve exited the realm where cases are solved with clues and evidence. The nature of the thing on that table is completely detached from our world.”

Parker glanced once more at the TV screen playing the old vampire movie. He chuckled a bit, slowly wrapping his head around what Jeffrey was saying. “What, you mean like vampires and ghosts?”

“Something like that. I mean, how else would you explain what you and the other guys encountered on that hill? What about in the woods? Or in the interrogation room? Dreamwood does have a history.”

Parker scoffed, choosing to brush him off and get back to work. “Come back to me when you’ve found me some solid, tangible evidence, yeah? This is a serious case, Jeff.”

With that, he walked out of the room.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thursday, September 16th, 1999.

It was business as usual at the Dreamwood police station. Secretaries typed away at their computers and officers answered phone calls. Parker, Thomas and Officer Darcy stood on a platform overlooking the offices, watching their coworkers go about their duties as they themselves engaged in casual small talk.

Two officers carried boxes into the Dreamwood police station, passing by desks and officers. Parker Caldwell watched them pass by, and gently nudged the shoulder of Thomas who stood beside him.

“What do you figure is in those boxes?”

“Heck if I know, but I’m certainly gon’ make it my business,” Thomas said with a smirk.

The officers carried the boxes up to Chief Bowers’ office, setting them on the chief’s desk. “Your delivery, sir.”

“Ah, there it is! It was supposed to arrive today.” He observed that the boxes were marked ‘FRAGILE’ in red ink. He raised an eyebrow at the two officers, “You handled the boxes with care, yeah?”

The officers nodded. “The contents should be fine.”

“And what might the contents be?” Thomas’ voice appeared behind the officers. A smug and curious Wheeler made his entrance with Parker and Darcy in tow.

“A little idea of Jeffrey’s– imposter eggs we can plant in pigeon nests across town to trick the pigeons into reproducing less. Jeff thinks this could be the key to slowing the growth of our pigeon population,” Bowers explained.

Thomas chuckled. “I’ll give Jeffy Woods one thing: he is a diabolical genius. This might just work.”

Darcy frowned. “Tricking pigeons? That feels a little cruel.”

“Part of our job description is literally shooting things,” Thomas reminded him. “This is a lot less cruel than just shooting the birds, don’cha think?”

“Where did you get the eggs from?” Parker inquired.

“Jeff ordered them off of some website on the internet. Personally I don’t really understand computers but I hear you’re able to shop on them now,” Bowers said.

Thomas nodded. “This technology thing seems to be the future.”

The other two officers started to open the boxes, unveiling several dozen artificial eggs in each box. One officer lightly tapped the eggs and hummed. “Huh. It’s hollow.”

“That’s weird,” Bowers commented, but he didn’t think much after that. He simply shrugged it off. “The pigeons oughtn’t notice.”

Thomas sucked his teeth and said, “Hopefully we aren’t underestimating these birds…”

“In a few weeks time we should have our answer,” Parker said.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monday, September 27th, 1999.

Over the weekend, the police department launched a campaign against Dreamwood’s pigeon population. Fake eggs were planted in nests all across the small city and kept under careful surveillance. Even a few pigeons were tagged with cameras.

The whole affair felt like a waste of time to Parker; a hindrance to his greatest concern, which was getting back on the Jackson case. But alas, no leads had turned up since the shapeshifter. Damn that Randy, he would find himself thinking. That Skinner bastard. Because of Randy, he thought, he and Thomas had been put on pigeon-camera duty. Yes, it was all Randy’s fault. Parker should be out there being a goddamn American hero right now.

“I swear I already done seen that same leaf get blown by twice now,” Thomas observed, taking a long drag from his cigarette. He leaned back against his chair staring at the monitor with an expression that only began to convey the heavy boredom that Parker felt right now.

“I still can’t believe they’ve got us doing this,” Parker sighed.

“Hey, don’t take it personal– if it makes you feel any better I bet Randy and Keith are in our same spot right now.”

“That doesn’t make me feel better, no.”

On the monitor the two men watched a pigeon circle a nest of eggs tucked away in a tree not far from Devil’s Lake, two out of the three were fakes planted by the DWPD. The bird appeared to be none the wiser. It had been a couple of hours now, and the pigeon hadn’t seemed to notice. Parker and Thomas carried on with their conversation.

“I swear Randy has it out for me,” Parker continued. “He glares at me whenever I enter a room.”

“Well he is a Skinner,” Thomas hummed. “Last I heard your family and his family have quite the history.” He purposefully understated said history.

“The Skinners have been trying to steal this town up from under the noses of people like my father and my grandfather for generations. They’d run Dreamwood into the ground if they ever did.”

“And I don’t doubt that,” Thomas chuckled lightly. He tapped his cigarette into a nearby ashtray.

“That’s part of the reason why Jackson wanted me to run for mayor. Follow in his footsteps. The whole reason why I ran away in the first place.”

“I remember, brother. I remember. And look at you now– fulfilled his dying wish of returning home, and now you’re leading the effort to solve his murder. Fate is certainly a cruel mistress. You think Randy thinks he has a shot at the mayoral campaign this season? He is a fairly popular detective.”

Parker snorted. “The idea is laughable. He would be crazy to go along with it.”

“I got a feelin’ we have yet to see just how crazy that man really is. But I got a question I been meanin’ to ask you, Parks.”

“Yeah?”

“Back in the interrogation room with that demon lady, she implied that you were hidin’ somethin’ from the rest of us. She said, ‘Tell him what you stole’.”

Parker felt a small chill run down his spine. He was afraid of being put in this position�� one in which he would have lie to his best friend.

“Now, I figured that she was just tryna screw with our heads so I tried not to think much about it,” Thomas said. “But lately I can’t take my mind off it. It was almost like she knew you.”

“I never met her before in my life,” Parker said.

“Well do you know anything about her whole thing with your apparent theft?” Thomas asked again more directly.

“Thomas, look.” Parker pointed to the monitor. The pigeon had landed in the nest and seemed to be inspecting the eggs. It prodded at one of the fake eggs with its peak with an uncharacteristic roughness.

“Ah, hell,” Thomas cursed. “They’re figuring us out.”

Abruptly, the pigeon pulled its head back and cocked it in apparent confusion.

“What’s it doing now?” Parker mumbled.

Thomas shrugged audibly. “Heck if I know. Do I look like a birdologist?”

The two men soon realized that the egg had cracked.

Wait- it cracked?

“Parker, what the fuck.”

“Thomas– is it supposed to do that?”

“I was gon’ ask you that! But we really should be askin’ Jeff, he was the one who ordered ‘em.”

“Wait, maybe we just lost track of the eggs. Maybe that one isn’t one of ours- maybe it’s real.”

The pigeon continued to watch the egg intently, as if waiting for something to happen. The crack spread until both the bird and the two detectives were able to peer inside of the egg which seemed to contain nothing but a black void.

“Officer Sterling said the eggs were hollow…” Parker recalled aloud. He had a bad feeling all of a sudden as he continued to observe the live footage, the feeling was similar to that of watching the series of events leading up to a highway accident. From the hole in the egg emerged a thin ribbon of smoke, quite like the smoke from Thomas’ cigarette. The only difference is that it was completely black. It rose into the air and seemed to frighten the pigeon. The sentiment was shared among Parker and Thomas.

“That’s definitely not one of its eggs,” Parker confirmed.

Upon contact with the smoke, the pigeon promptly fell on its side and violently convulsed. Red foam bubbled at the edges of the bird’s mouth and spilled from its open beak. Parker and Thomas watched the brutal display in horror, unsure what to make of it. The pigeon continued to twitch for dear life as its body appeared to shrink-- no, flatten-- no, deflate like a balloon. It was as if the air was sucked out of the bird’s tiny body, leaving nothing but a hollow husk of a thing.

Thomas’ jaw was at the floor at this point. He repeated, “Parker… what the fuck.”

Parker’s eyes were glued to the monitor. He might not’ve even heard Thomas at that moment. His bad feeling was indeed validated, but nothing in the world could have prepared him for this.

Then, somehow, it managed to get worse. The pigeon… inflated again. It seemed to be recovering from its previous condition, but it was soon clear that its proportions were all wrong– it looked like an amateur artist’s interpretation of a pigeon given high definition life and color. It was horribly uncanny. It scurried on its wings as if they were front legs, and darted down the tree out of the camera’s sight.

Parker and Thomas both looked at eachother.

“Remind me, Thomas, how many eggs did we plant out there?” Parker asked.

“At… at least twenty of ‘em,” Thomas answered. The gravity of Parker’s question was sinking in fast.

“We need to alert Bowers. Quickly.” Parker got up out of his chair and rushed to the office. Thomas followed quickly.

Chief Bowers had just gotten off the phone with Mayor Rogers again and appeared to be in a great mood. He wore a rare but not unusual smile that Parker had learned indicated good news- otherwise the chief was most often a stoic and serious man much like himself.

“Great timing, Caldwell! Mayor Rogers just informed me that the pigeon population has started to drop in the last week and is expected to continue. Our efforts seem to be having the desired effect!”

“Yeah, about that–” Thomas started,

“One of the eggs hatched.” Parker blurted before Thomas could finish.

Chief Bowers blinked slowly, processing what Parker told him. “One of our eggs hatched?”

“Yes! One of ours!”

“Caldwell, how is that possible?”

“We’ve got footage, chief. Parks ain’t lyin’.”

Once they got through showing Chief Bowers the footage, his face had turned noticeably pale. He now understood why Parker and Thomas were acting so urgent. The images of the pigeon deflating and emerging a shapeless monstrosity danced fresh across his psyche.

“We’re still holding some of these eggs in the forensic lab,” he realized aloud.

Without a second thought, Parker bolted out of the office and made a beeline for the lab. Thomas ran after him and so did Bowers.

Jeffrey and Officer Darcy were standing over a table with the eggs still in their box when Parker came charging in. He stopped in the doorway to catch his breath, then looked at Jeff. “Woods, you’ve got some explaining to do.” Thomas and Bowers weren’t far behind.

Jeff paused and looked at Parker. “Huh? Explaining?”

Darcy blinked like a confused dog. “Is something going on?” He was holding one of the eggs in his hand.

“Did you know the eggs would hatch? Did you know they’re hatching??”

“Hatching??” Jeffrey’s voice bent in disbelief.

“So you’re right where we are,” Parker sighed. “Where did you get those eggs?”

“A website for pest control services,” Jeff explained. “I spoke to the seller one-on-one through a chatroom or something. Are they really hatching?” He sounded more interested than concerned.

“Yes, damnit!” Thomas said. “Can you contact the seller now? Maybe he can tell us how to fix it.”

Jeffrey turned on his computer and typed the website’s URL into the address bar. He clicked on the link, only to turn up a screen that said ‘Page Not Found’. It seemed the website did not exist. He blinked. “That’s weird– I could’ve sworn that was the address…”

“Jeff- what did we order in those boxes?” Chief Bowers asked, trying his best to keep his composure.

“I don’t know! I thought they were regular fake eggs!” Jeffrey was growing frantic as well.

Darcy glanced between his colleagues. “Guys– I don’t understand, why is everybody yelling?”

“Darcy- put the egg down,” Parker spoke calmly.

Darcy didn’t ask any questions. He put the egg down gently- just before it started to crack. He gasped, “Did- did I break it?”

“Darcy!” Parker shouted in a panic. “Get away from it!” Parker, Thomas, and Bowers clamored for Darcy to get the hell away from the egg.

But it was too late. He had already inhaled the black ribbon of smoke that escaped the hollow shell. He recoiled, his face going pale and his eyes widening. His body let forth a violent retch as he leaned over the table, before he rushed to the nearest bathroom at the end of the room and slammed the door. From the other side, Parker, Thomas, Jeff, and Bowers could hear violent heaving.

Then, the sounds came to an abrupt end. The silence somehow felt worse.

Jeff, who was closest to the door, slowly got up from his chair and backed towards the detectives and the chief. Parker watched the door carefully, and Chief Bowers had begun mumbling a silent prayer.

Then the door creaked open.

Parker, prepared for the worst, reached for the gun on his hip. Thomas did the same. Bowers was the last to react.

“D..Darcy?...” Thomas called out weakly. He wasn’t sure if Darcy was still Darcy anymore, and he sensed that he and Parker were on the same page. Parker’s gun was already aimed at the door, something Thomas still couldn’t bring himself to do.

Officer Darcy emerged from the bathroom and collapsed on his knees in the doorway, breathing heavily. He coughed. “Jesus christ– what was in that egg?? It smelled awful-”

Parker slowly lowered his weapon and rushed to Darcy’s side. Thomas let out a sigh of relief, “Oh, thank god.” Parker inspected Darcy for any signs of adverse effects– and found none. He seemed perfectly fine aside from puking his guts. “I guess it only affects birds,” Parker thought aloud.

“What only affects birds??” Darcy asked.

Parker was hesitant about showing Darcy the footage after what had just happened. He disregarded the question and turned his attention back to Thomas and Chief Bowers. “We need to track down those other eggs.”

Bowers nodded affirmatively. “Right. Before more start hatching.”

That was when Keith made his entrance. “Chief– we’ve got a situation.”

The chief turned to Keith and said, “If you tell me one of the eggs hatched…”

“How did you know?”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Parties were dispatched to the two locations were hatching eggs were reported. Parker and Thomas led a party- including Officer Darcy and three other officers- to investigate an area closer to town where another egg had hatched. The nest was located in a tree near a road leading out of town, and Officer Sterling was currently climbing the tree to reach the nest. When he reached the branch where the nest was situated, he shined his flashlight down on the nest.

“Parker, Tommy– this isn’t good!” He shouted back down to the squad.

“What is it, Sterling?” Parker called back.

“There used to be four eggs- one of ‘em was ours. But now there’s only two. One of them is the one we planted, and the other one ain’t. But it don’t look like a regular pigeon egg either, it’s more the size of a goose egg- it’s way bigger.”

“Those things have already started laying eggs…” Thomas murmured.

There was a surprised shout from the tree. Parker and Thomas saw black smoke rising from the tree branch, but they could not see the nest nor Officer Sterling. Soon, they heard Sterling begin to cough violently.

“Oh, fuck…” Parker whispered to himself.

Up in the distance, Sterling violently heaved- much like Darcy– only Darcy had sounded mild in comparison. From what they could hear, Sterling was fighting for his life. What they heard was confirmed when a heap of blood rained down from the tree– Sterling’s vomit.

Parker, Thomas, and the other officers quickly backed away from the tree. A guttural shriek rang out and carried across the forest. It was at that point Parker reached for his gun and aimed at the tree, prepared to shoot the first thing he saw rear its head from within the leaves. He was certain of one thing- that shriek wasn’t human.

“Sterling?” Parker called out.

The leaves rustled. Something traveled quickly across the treetops, and was soon out of earshot.

Once they felt safe enough to investigate the nest, they found that Officer Sterling– and the egg– were both gone.

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“That’s all of them?”

“The ones that didn’t hatch, yeah.”

Randall and Keith’s squad had managed to recover a sizable number of the eggs, and brought them somewhere isolated at the outskirts of town. Parker and Thomas’ group joined up with them along the way. They stood in front of a crude pile of eggs, Randy holding a container of gasoline in one hand and a box of matches in the other. He fully intended to set fire to it all.

“And what about the ones that did?” Randy asked, his eyes narrowing.

“There are more that didn’t. We’ll cross that other bridge when we get there,” the officer responded.

“I like that answer. That’s a good answer. You’ve got good answers.”

Randy turned his attention back to the pile of eggs. He began to pour gasoline over them. “I’m gonna send you abominations back to hell,” he grumbled as he shook the container over the egg pile.

“You do realize that we’ll have to hunt down the hatched pigeons after this, right?” Parker pointed out. “They’re going to lay more eggs, and they seem to reproduce faster than the real pigeons do.”

“Nobody said you can’t be out there doin’ that right now, ‘stead of tellin’ me what to do,” Randy replied. He pulled a matches stick out of the box. “Swear to Jesus I’m gonna kick Jeff’s ass when I get back to the station. None of this would have even happened if it wasn’t for that freak.”

While Randy wasn’t paying attention, a squirrel scurried to his feet and began scratching harmlessly at his leg. “What the-” he looked down, and saw an oddly shaped animal prodding at his pants. Upon further inspection, he found that it wasn’t a rodent at all. Parker identified it before Randy did- it was a pigeon. And not one of the native pigeons, either.

Randy stumbled back, while at the same time Parker fired his pistol at the pigeon. The impact of the bullet spun the malshapen bird around and it dropped sideways, it chuffed out a cloud of smoke and flattened like a balloon losing air. More pigeons emerged from the forest, some with uneven wingspans- some wings larger than the others, some wings bloated and outsizing the rest of their bodies. They were cheap, gruesome imitations of birds. Parker and the rest of the DWPD wasted no time mowing them down.

“Good God!” Randy exclaimed.

Parker wasn’t finished, though. He nudged Thomas and alerted the others to approaching rustling in the nearby leaves. Something was headed towards them- something bigger than a pigeon.

The air fell silent. The men waited as the rustling drew closer.

And closer.

And closer still.

Until they caught the glimpse of something that their brains struggled to make sense of.

What emerged from the trees was a mass of flesh more than seven feet tall, constructed in ways that barely made sense. Parker couldn’t tell if he was looking at the creature’s front or its back. Its elbows were folded inwards. It dragged itself across the ground like a slug. Strands of hair hung freely from a large pulsing bulb which appeared to be its head, though no distinguishable facial features were visible. Still, Parker had a feeling he knew what he stood facing- or rather who. The creature’s half-torn clothes- the remnants of a police officer’s uniform- gave away its identity.

“...Officer Sterling?” Parker’s eyes widened in horror at the realization.

At this point Officer Darcy was holding back tears. “Oh… oh God…”

The creature froze at the mention of its name, as though some part of him still clung onto his old identity. It was quickly overridden, though, as it let out a gurgling growl at the armed men and began to charge. It dragged itself towards them to the best of its ability, its arms unfolding and reaching forth with sharpened, elongated nails. The men opened fire on the monstrosity wearing Sterling’s skin, but bullets did little to deter the abomination.

Randy lit his match stick and hurled it into the pile of a dozen or so eggs. Thanks to the gasoline, the fire ignited quickly and soon spread to Officer Sterling. Both he and the unhatched eggs went up in a storm of flames.

A shocked Darcy gazed at the spectacle, the dancing flames reflecting in his eyes. He didn’t hear Parker, Thomas, and Randy shouting at him that it was time to run. Thomas had to tug on Darcy in order to get his feet moving, he was barely even aware that he was moving until the fire almost wasn’t in sight anymore.

Then he saw something else.

Beyond the fire, from within the dense forest, Darcy saw two pairs of green eyes staring back at the detectives. They were attached to a figure shrouded in a long trenchcoat and a wide brimmed hat. Darcy was sure the eyes would linger in his memory for years to come. He felt them clawing at his very consciousness.

More importantly, he swore he had seen those eyes somewhere before. Somewhere recent.

“Darcy! Snap out of it!”

He snapped back to reality and was now focused on Parker- the voice that had pulled him out of his stupor.

The men retreated into the woods as the fire roared on in the distance. Sterling’s agonized screams carried for miles in the frigid autumn air.

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Back at the police station, Parker, Thomas, Randy, Keith, and Officer Darcy sat in silence. They had been doing so since the hour after they escaped the forest.

They were stuck in a daze as they sat around processing the events of the day. It was hard to believe that it had all began with something as simple as pest control.

A voice spoke up suddenly. It was Officer Darcy’s.

“That… could have been me.”

Darcy had thought back to the time he inhaled the smoke. He thought he was going to die in that room, but through some miracle he turned out fine. After he saw what had become of Sterling, who suffered a similar fate, it had caused his life to flash before his eyes.

“...Why wasn’t it me?” He mumbled seemingly in a trance.

“Life works in mysterious ways, Henry,” Thomas exhaled. He had gone through three glasses of bourbon already, and the bottle was still close by.

“We were just lucky those things seemed to be in some kinda early stage of development,” Randy said. “I don’ think they had fully learned how to mimic nature yet. But they coulda learned if we let ‘em live a bit longer. I know they could.”

“Then let’s hope we destroyed them all,” Keith audibly thought. “I would hate to think what could happen if one of those things learned how to perfectly mimic a pigeon– much less a human being.”

Henry Darcy looked back at his friends, and with the most sincere expression he’s ever had, he said, “There is something truly, deeply wrong with this town. I’ve felt it before, but I know it now. There was something else watching us back there...”

Parker nodded slowly. “Yeah, I saw it, too.”

“The green eyes?” Thomas questioned.

“The eyes, yeah,” Parker confirmed. Judging by the look in his eyes, he was deeply troubled.

“I couldn’t look away from them at first,” Darcy admitted. “I felt like a deer in headlights. It was a strange feeling, something I’d never felt before. Something… primal. It was like-”

“Standing face to face with your natural predator?” Parker guessed.

“Yes- yes, exactly,” Darcy nodded.

Parker hummed. “Up until today, I didn’t think it was something possible for humans to feel. I thought it was only exclusive to animals.” His gaze turned to a nearby window and he gazed out into the cloudy distance of Dreamwood, Massachusetts. He wondered if he’d be able to see the sun in Manhattan.

“I thought we were at the top of the food chain.”

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Author’s Note

The storyline of this episode is heavily based on the r/nosleep story “The Pigeons Around Here Aren’t Real” by Manen Lyset.

If you enjoyed this episode especially, you will surely love their work!

#creepypasta #horror stories #dreamwood 1999 #dreamwood mythos #creepypasta au #horror story #horror writing #horror

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