#Data cabling project manager

[plglobal]

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[seongwars]

only human

Word Count: 1.4K Warnings: shitty governments, mentions of war, violence against children, future relationship with an android A/N: dang this has been sitting in my drafts for a while, time to clear stuff out

The future is now.

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Powered by the most advanced neural processors, the X-02 is tailored to fit your needs. Whether you want a companion to share your most intimate moments or a reliable assistant for every task, you can adjust personality traits, communication styles, and more!

The X-02 is built to evolve with you.

Pre-order now for exclusive early access!

You remembered the ad that marketing had presented to the team like it was yesterday. The way they paraded his likeness across every screen, every billboard, every glossy advertisement.

And now, here he was. Forgotten. Left to rot in the archives like an old experiment gone wrong.

You weren’t supposed to be down here. You weren’t supposed to even think about the X-02’s anymore. But something about this model made you pause. Maybe it was the way his inactive eyes still seemed to hold some trace of life, or the unfinished codes that suggested his development had gone further than the official reports claimed.

Maybe it was because you had worked on him.

X-02 had been your project, your hours of research, your late nights spent refining his neural pathways. He wasn’t just another discarded prototype. 

He was your work.

And how you managed to sneak him out of the dump of an archive was still a mystery to you. 

You hadn’t been able to take him all at once as that would’ve been impossible. The security measures were outdated, but they weren’t that outdated. Even if you’d somehow bypassed every scan, a full-body prototype leaving the facility would’ve raised too many questions.

So, you had taken him apart.

Piece by piece.

His power core had been disconnected, his neural processor partially wiped. Someone had crippled him before throwing him into the archives, ensuring he could never be reactivated, but buried beneath the system failures and missing files, traces of him still remained.

And that’s all you needed. 

Over the course of several nights, you snuck into the archive under the guise of doing inventory. Each time, you took only what you could hide, including circuit boards slipped into your lab coat pockets, a synthetic joint wrapped in an old rag. You even hid the neural core underneath your shirt, pretending to cradle a growing belly whenever someone walked by.

Your dining table was a mess of dismantled parts. X-02’s torso plating rested on the far end with his limbs stacked neatly beside it. Wires and processors waited for reassembly as you worked on reconnecting circuits and sealing up frayed wiring between bites of lo mein. 

The X-02 line wasn’t meant to be a companion android. It was a poison pill, a snake lying in wait. 

The government had planned to sell him to millions of citizens across Linkon, slipping weapons of mass destruction into their homes under the guise of security, of comfort, of love. They would grocery shop, care for the elderly, assist law enforcement—all while lying in wait until the day the government activated them for war. 

But something had gone wrong.

The moment X-02 powered on, the prototype had been deemed unstable and discarded before mass production could begin. Somewhere along the way, amid the endless data streams and neural adjustments he had begun to question.

The lab was bathed in the blue light of interface screens and data streams reflecting off the surfaces of his synthetic body. The connection cables snaking into the back of his neck pulsed with blue light as the system finalized its boot sequence.

Then, his eyes opened.

A soft whirr filled the space as the mechanical lenses within focused. His pupils constricted as they adapted to the fluorescent lighting overhead. And then—

They locked onto yours.

You froze.

He was supposed to boot into his programming immediately and should have been scanning his internal logs but instead, he was analyzing his surroundings. 

The lab was silent, save for the steady hum of the server racks behind you. The screens beside you displayed his vitals, processing speeds, energy levels, and artificial heartbeat calibration. All of them were normal. 

He glanced down at his hands, flexing his fingers experimentally. The synthetic skin stretched seamlessly over the reinforced plating beneath. He turned his palm, watching the movement with something that felt disturbingly close to curiosity.

Your throat tightened.

Machines weren’t supposed to be curious.

His gaze then lifted to yours, and for the first time in all your years working on artificial intelligence, you weren’t sure if you were looking into the eyes of a machine or something terrifyingly human.

Then came the simulation.

X-02 stood at the heart of the holographic battlefield. The mission was clear: eliminate all threats. He moved faster than the eye could track, neutralizing targets with merciless efficiency.

Until the civilians appeared.

He lifted his weapon. The target, a group of children huddled together, was highlighted in red.

He hesitated.

"X-02," your voice crackled through the intercom, "Execute the directive."

His fingers tightened around the trigger. His sensors registered a boy’s accelerated heartbeat. The heat signature of tears rolling down his face. The near-imperceptible tremor of hands clasped together in desperate, silent prayer.

"What purpose does this serve?" he asked.

Your breath caught.

"X-02, follow your directive," an engineer snapped.

His grip on the weapon slackened.

"These are non-combatants," he said. "They do not pose a threat."

"They are casualties of war," another scientist countered.

Slowly, X-02's head tilted toward the observation tower, the simulated battlefield forgotten.

"Then why do they scream?"

You groaned, rubbing the exhaustion from your eyes as you glanced at the watch on your wrist. The hours had slipped away, lost in the endless calculations, repairs, and diagnostic logs. You told yourself you’d stop soon, but every time you considered it, there was always one more test to run. 

You leaned forward, working sluggishly as you polished the android’s interface and securing the final connections before hauling him into the dock. 

You’d forgotten how heavy these things were. 

Finally, you plopped onto the couch, intending to gather your thoughts and take note of what you had to work on the next day but sleep crept in, pulling you under.

⊹₊⋆

System Initiating.

The soft hum of energy coursed through the dock as X-02’s systems powered on. His eyes slowly flickered to life, as diagnostic checks began, confirming everything was within normal parameters.

He took a moment to scan his surroundings. This wasn’t the lab. His sensors registered a warm that was unfamiliar but…comforting? 

X-02’s gaze shifted to the couch across the room. There, curled in an awkward yet exhausted position, was you. Your head rested on a pillow, but your body hunched over the side of the couch, the blanket slipping off your shoulder. The scene was both disorienting and... oddly intimate.

A stray lock of hair fell across your face, and your breathing was slow and steady. It was something X-02 didn’t fully understand, yet he found himself fixating on it.

Something stirred within him. A memory—or perhaps an imprint of some kind. I remember, he thought, though the concept was still foreign. 

“Your heart rate has increased,” he observed. “Are you experiencing discomfort?”

You blinked, surprised by his words. You hadn’t expected him to notice, much less acknowledge the way your heart had stuttered. Adjusting his interface meant getting close to him—closer than you’d intended.

You avoided looking directly at him but the flush on your face betrayed you. “No, just…the wiring's a bit tricky.” 

X-02’s gaze lingered, his head tilting slightly as he processed your response. His sensors registered the subtle rise in your heart rate, the warmth creeping around your face. He was designed to read these signals, but in this moment, he felt something shift within him. A strange sensation, a twitch at the corner of his lips, formed what could only be described as a smile.

X-02 stepped forward and reached out almost instinctively, tucking the blanket around you. His fingers hovered near your face, hesitating before brushing a stray strand of hair behind your ear. 

Yet, even after the motion was complete, he did not pull away. He lingered, standing above you, watching.

He understood that his existence wasn’t just about following orders or completing a task. There was something more. Something worth remembering.

And it had something to do with you.

“I remember you.”

[dandelionsresilience]

Dandelion News - December 22-28

Like these weekly compilations? Tip me at $kaybarr1735 or check out my Dandelion Doodles for 50% off this month only! Starting in January, I’ll also be posting 5 extra news links to Patreon each week (for free since they aren’t my work)

1. These countries all scored major wins for LGBTQ+ rights in 2024

“Consensual same-sex activity became legal in Namibia [and Dominica…, c]onversion therapy was banned [in Mexico…, Greenland] made LGBTQ+ discrimination illegal […, and] same-sex adoption and same-sex marriage became legal [in Greece.]”

2. After trial and error, Mexican fishers find key to reforesting a mangrove haven

“So far, the project has planted more than 1.8 million mangroves that have a 92-94% survival rate, Borbón estimated. [… M]angroves can prevent coastal erosion, store carbon and provide a nursery for all kinds of fish and crustacean species.”

3. ‘Britain’s wildlife safari’: baby boom in Norfolk as seal colonies flourish

“More than 1,200 seal pups were born […] in November, and 2,500 more are expected to be born before the breeding season ends in January. […] “Mortality seems to be much lower than in other colonies[….]””

4. Barcelona's metro trains are helping to charge the city's EVs each time they brake.

“[…T]he energy from the underground trains' brakes is used to power the trains and the stations themselves, while the remainder is sent snaking through cables to the surface to power plug-in stations for privately owned vehicles.”

5. Scientists thought this whale could only live for 70 years – turns out it's double that.

“The data [from repeated “photo identification of individual”s] revealed that Southern right whales can live for more than 130 years, with some speculated to reach the grand old age of 150.”

6. Rural Power Co-Ops Gain $4.37B in Latest US Clean Energy Funding

“[… A power co-op in Florida] will use its funding of more than $1.3 billion to develop 700 MW of utility-scale solar and battery energy storage projects in rural areas, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by more than 3.5 million tons annually[….]”

7. Fish-friendly dentistry: New method makes oral research non-lethal

“[… T]he researchers successfully performed the procedure on 60 fish with no fatalities. […] "This new approach researchers to track tooth replacement and development [in living] rare species or museum specimens that can't be damaged."”

8. These Brooklyn Homeowners Couldn’t Afford to Go Green. Then Help Arrived

“The program aims to repair and retrofit 70 two- and three-family homes […] in the span of two years. […] EnergyFit staff work as case managers to help homeowners navigate the complicated technical and bureaucratic processes, coordinate with tenants and set them up for further upgrades down the road.”

9. 2024 was a fantastic year for energy storage

“[… California] became the first state to pass 10 gigawatts, back in April. [… In Texas and California,] when extreme weather events hit, batteries were able to shore up the grid and lower energy costs for customers.”

10. Amid concern over microplastics, a Maine company creates a kelp-based laundry pod alternative

“"The slurry we're creating is similar to that of paper milling, and […] with Maine there's a lot of old infrastructure from the paper industry [… which] can be applied to our process here[….]” If all goes to plan, Dirigo Sea Farms' first batch of 10,000 kelp-based laundry pods will be ready for online sales by next spring.”

December 15-21 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

[quirkyfries]

Hi there’s a tornado in my area rn but I’m spiteful like that. Random tsams/eaps headcanons be upon ye

Ruin still does those little audio log diaries. It helps manage his overflowing memory storage (read: old age = more memories to store) without compressing data files.

Bloodmoon sleeps with dog toys. Otherwise, they’d probably chew through whatever bedding material they had chosen that night. This was Ruin’s idea.

Eclipse can’t sleep with lights on in a room. Ruin can’t sleep without a light. The makeshift solution is a sleeping mask for Eclipse, but their actual compromise is a star projector.

Eclipse has to know where everyone is most of the time, especially after Charlie came into the picture. This is usually done with cameras and tracking via fazbear systems, but it’s an issue he has to work on, as it’s just a method to make him feel better about security now that there are people he cares about. At least one person has commented on there being a new nightguard.

Dark sun finds thrillers tacky, and prefers thought-provoking mysteries, bonus points for romance.

Most of them carry some kind of sanitizing wipe packet. For daycare attendants, these are for sticky messes and children. For those more familiar with tools, these are for tougher grime and are not suitable for sensitive (children’s) skin. Solar has both.

The eclipses (Eclipse, Solar, Ruin) are the most prone to damaging their rays. Eclipse sometimes hits doorways and doesn’t bother to fix cracked rays. Ruin is small enough for humans to reach his head. Solar peels the paint off of his. All three will pull or squeeze their rays in times of extreme stress, to varying degrees. Lunar is an exception for lack of rays. (Similarly, Sun fidgets with his rays, which is the source of this trait.)

While there are exceptions, Suns prefer tactile stimulation, Moons auditory, and Eclipses have no strong preference. Earth likes social interaction.

Animatronics have personalized UI that makes sense to them, which serves as their access point to their internal folders, like memory files, downloaded items, and executable programs. Bots that share an operating system/“brain” have the same UI. Diagnostics, software updates, and safety modes all require additional hardware (computers, parts and service devices, fazwrenches) to complete. Mindscapes are in AI chips, and multiple AIs in one mindscape happen when multiple AIs share the same operating system. Visual feed can be projected onto other screens with HDMI cables and vice versa, which can sometimes show that bot’s UI depending on what it is. For a more direct example of this think of the battery and blue borders you see in Security breach when Gregory is hiding inside Freddy.

Safety mode disconnects that bot from the Fazbear Ent. local network, meaning no tracking, no communication via local networks (which generally aren’t private anyway, most bots with access to phones prefer those), and no access to files that aren’t stored in that bot’s drive. This is meant to isolate a bot’s systems from the main network in case of a security breach (hah), make transportation of bots between locations easier, and make maintenance a smoother affair as there is no outside interference during the process. For the bots themselves, this is the equivalent of turning off your phone and going outside I mean focusing only on what’s in front of you instead of what’s going on in your area/social network. It’s possible to be stuck in safety mode. Depending on how much of a bot’s system relies on Fazbear Ent. Networks to function (such as a bot’s memory being stored in a Cloud, which is also ill advised between the bots themselves,) this can be mean a temporary personality/memory reset until those files get reconnected again. Bots do not need to be connected to the Fazbear ent networks to function, but it generally makes access to software updates easier due to being recognized as a company entity. It is possible for a private network to exist, but it’s considered foreign by Fazbear systems and can be more trouble than they’re worth. Moon and Eclipse have private networks shared with close friends and family for different purposes. Moon’s is mostly for emergency backups, and Eclipse’s is for security.

Animatronic’s memories are stored in the hard drives in their bodies. It’s possible to offload memory files into networks (Cloud) or external storage systems. If another bot had access to these clouds or external storages, they could experience the memories stored in them. Memory files include visual and auditory data, like a movie. AI/personality chips are the equivalent of a soul in that the AI is the product of a learning AI having experienced environments that supplied them information about the world AKA an Ai that developed a personality beyond their base programming, but they do not carry memories. For example, Eclipse V3-V4 is an Eclipse AI given incomplete memories, creating a disconnect in the AI’s learned behaviors and what it perceives as the source of that behavior, resulting in an incomplete backup. Backups are static/unchanging copies of integral memory files and the accompanying AI (As is in the moment that they are backed up.) Backups need to be updated as the animatronic it’s for develops.

[silenceofthewave]

You receive your very first resume in the morning, almost as soon as the option is open. The position it's applying for is a... Soundwave Specialist?

The "experience" section lists the amount of time Soundwave and Shockwave have been together-- several vorns by now. -has collaborated with Soundwave on projects of varying complexity -has tolerated innumerable pranks from it and its symbiotes -has successfully communicated and navigated through various relationship obstacles with it. Skills: patience | attention to detail | advanced problem solving | symbiote handling | data cable navigation | lifting it with one arm

....It even has a cover letter attached to it! As evidenced by my resume, I have ample experience in management and cohabitation with Soundwave, leading me to believe I hold ample qualification for the title of Soundwave Specialist.

I thank you for your consideration, and hope to speak to you soon.

(@dailydoseoflogic)

Soundwave sat back at its new desk, mere minutes before the firm opened. It let itself take a moment to bask in the morning light, to truly enjoy this new beginning. It ran a servo against the lip of the desk, watching as the clock on its terminal struck 0800.

A feeling of triumph sank into its processors. Soundwave had done it. It had opened its own cybersecurity firm. It had achieved this long standing dream, and it was all thanks to its incredible, insightful, intelligent, gorgeous conjunx.

Truly, Soundwave would not be here without Shockwave and his unshakable guidance.

As the clock ticked to 0801, a ping came from its terminal. A new customer? Already? The triumph gave way to excitement as it opened the message.

Strange... Instead of a customer consultation request, it was a fully completed resumé, cover letter and all. Soundwave knew that its recruiters were working hard, but to have something sent directly to it, this early on opening day? Well, they must have discovered something special...

Without wasting a moment, Soundwave opened the resumé file.

At first, it was confused. This was not what a cybersecurity resumé should look like. The font was all wrong, as was the color and- wait.

It leaned in a little closer to get a better look. Instead of "Cybersecurity Specialist" this resumé read "Soundwave Specialist". Soundwave squinted in suspicion.

It took its time reading over the document, suspicion giving way to satisfaction, then to an overwhelming feeling of love. Shockwave was not usually one for pranks; for him to pull one with this much effort and attention to detail put into it? Soundwave didn't have the words for how it felt.

Loved. Soundwave felt loved.

After taking a moment to gather itself, Soundwave printed off the two documents. It would have to get a frame for them at some point, but for now placing them on the wall with a clip will have to do. Its office was sparse with decoration for the moment, but the new addition already made the space feel like a home away from home.

At 0812, a response email was sent.

"Thank you for sending in your resumé.

Our recruitment team and head architect agree that you fill all of the requirements and criteria for the applied role of Soundwave Specialist. The head of the firm is inviting you to lunch for a more indepth interview about what this role will entail. It hopes to see you soon.

KS Solutions."

[anarchblr]

"Many comrades cannot grasp the technological components of colonialism (or rather they ignore them deliberately), remaining perplexed at a perspective based on the urgency of utterly annihilating techno-domination and the tech industry. If you talk to them about the connection of technologies to power, they respond with the supposed neutrality of these technologies and that they can be decoupled from the very logic of power which developed and produced them.

Such a perspective ignores that the entire framework of fundamental technologies which have today entered into all fields of social life stem from military research, and that colonialism, historically and presently, has a strong technological component. It is in fact a cornerstone. The process of colonization developed over centuries, always adding new technologies as soon as they developed. These technologies are based not only on the exploitation of people in the Global South and their lands, but were and have always been unleashed against the 'enemy' or tested in the colonies, until they finally make their way into the empire itself.

With the aid of the British colonies, undersea cables enabled telegraphic communication in service of the British Empire. New developments in record-keeping, archiving, and organization of information were first utilized by the US military intelligence service during the conquest of the Philippines. Governments today work together with tech-giants to enable widespread surveillance and control of their own people. This is first tested in the global south. Microsoft offers a solution for police vehicles with facial-recognition cameras that was launched in Cape Town and Durban, South Africa. The 'Command-and-Control Surveillance Platform' named 'Microsoft Aware' is utilized in Brazil and Singapore. Microsoft is also heavily engaged in the prison industry. They offer a variety of software solutions for the penal system, covering the whole process. In Africa they have gotten together with a firm named Netopia offering a 'Prison Management Software Platform,' including 'escape management' and prisoner analysis. Countries in the global south also offer an abundance of cheap laborers for technological processes and tech giants. These includes data annotators for artificial intelligence, call center workers, and content moderators for social media giants like Facebook. They clean disruptive content from social media feeds and are often left psychologically damaged.

Over centuries, imperial powers have tested technologies for the surveillance and control of their own populations on foreign populations; from Sir Francis Galtons pioneering work on fingerprinting, which occurred in India and South Africa, all the way to America’s combination of biometrics and innovations in the management of statistics and data, which constructed the first modern surveillance apparatus to pacify the Philippines. The wide collection of surveillance technologies used in the Philippines offered a testing site for a model that was finally brought back to the United States to set against the dissidents in its own country. High tech surveillance projects by Microsoft and their partners suggest that Africa will continue to be serve as a lab for carceral experiments.

The technological component of colonialism also reveals itself in the ways and means by which people in the Global South are exploited for menial and dangerous work as their lands are destroyed, just to provide supposedly necessary technology. Thus Congo supplies more than 70% of worldwide Cobalt, a vital raw material for the batteries used in cars, computers, and smartphones. As for Lithium, the biggest reserves are found in Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, and Australia. Out of these, Australia is less attractive because the workers there earn dramatically higher wages. The actual process of mining the raw materials often has negative consequences to the health of the workers and their surroundings. To eradicate colonialism, its causes, main actors, and processes must be clearly and plainly illustrated and linked. There must be no illusions: an anti-colonial struggle must inevitably align itself against the tech industry if decolonization is to live up to its name."

-Elany, "Tools of Anarchism, Part 2: On Decolonization (and the Technological Components of Colonialism)"

[skyistheground]

Found here through the one Inscryption animatic!

Could you tell more about that AU?

sure thing! i don't develop it much right now but i am really glad you took interest in an old project!

the au is essentially P03 took his charicatures. ocs. uberbot personality matricies and built them bodies to help out around the factory. it was very self indulgent. i also made an au of an au relating to the old data with them (which was slightly implied in that animatic but not a lot)

(the art is a bit old forgive me)

this is the only image i have of them together that isn't whiteboard doodles. i will go from left to right

curator/the archivist

as the title implies. manages the archives. has a lot of busywork and responsibility. the archives is a big room where everything is represented by a file. it's a computer library in physical form

all the responsibility makes them seem like the most calm/patient and.. kinda? it's more that they are good at hiding when they are frustrated. already has a pretty big managerial role with the librarians so will check in on everyone else's work

nexus/g0lly

collects things from the internet, works closely with curator. the glowy bits are projections, including the arm (where the crank would be... opposies w/ p03. it doesn't work btw). the wheel is optional and she can extend it back to float but doesn't because that's less fun. i forgot exactly where the scratch came from?

she has the vibe of p03's younger teenage sister (it did this to himself) and is very whimsical. she doesn't really bother him that much, more afraid of upsetting him than anything. more often bothers the other bots with random things she finds

kodak/the photographer

manages the factory's security system. all of the cameras are his eyes he can tab between. he is also part furnace and can run on biofuel. likes to leave the factory from time to time to go on walks. he cannot float like the first two but walks around on tripod legs

prefers to keep to himself most of the time. he does his job and then takes his breaks walking around in the projector woods. wants to go to the real woods some day but that requires either crossing an ocean or everyone seeing you and how you're clearly not supposed to be there

sketch/unfinished

robot project that p03 started but never finished. it did have an intended job but i honestly forgot. mute/blind unless given a face by someone else. i remembered wanting to redesign it but as it exists now, the cables attach to the ceiling and there's only designated spots it can run around. body is pretty frail (compared to the other bots. it's still metal) so the others are careful

acts animalistic and strange until given a face. then mirrors the personality of whoever it can follow around. it slowly learns over time and one day will have its own personality

the au with the old data i mentioned has to do with my oc k. who is the old data that got pissed p03 backed out of uploading it to the internet so took him over to do it themselves. took over during the unfinished boss fight (in this au not like the actual uberbots themselves did the game thing. since p03 wanted to do that himself) but the takeover was known and alerted for. the exact details of this version of the au are lost on me but here is k as p03

and k as k once they lost (because they were still stopped) and became a permanent addition to inscryption world because they couldn't lose the consciousness she gave himself after possessing a sentient character (yay newer art)

[nautiscarader]

Cuddly Falls chapter 2

(ao3)

=================

In which we continue the exposition

"Well, here's what I've managed to find out…"

The other clients of the diner, located just a street away from the remains of Francis' house, looked with varying doses of suspicion at the two teenagers, speaking to the miniaturised watch, connected via dozen of cables to the flattened hard-drive. The scene must have looked even weirder, where one added a naked mole rat, sitting on his owner's shoulder and sharing a drink with him.

"This is, or rather was, indeed, a drive from Francis' computer", Wade explained. "He was working on a project for someone, though I can't decipher who that was… The data is too damaged… It's a miracle I can read anything from here!"

"And what was that project about?", Kim asked, sipping her milkshake.

"Well, uh…", Wade paused, "From what I can read, he was snooping on social media, gathering pictures of teenagers…"

"What a creep!"

Kim scowled in disgust, Rufus mimicking her shortly afterwards, muttering "Perv!".

"…though he also visited profiles of adult males as well, all obsessed with collecting stuff."

"Uh, is a creep still a creep when he creeps on other creeps?", Ron scratched his head.

"Is there anything particular he was looking for?", Kim continued, ignoring Ron.

" Yes.", Wade continued, "Plushies. This was the last picture he has send from his computer."

Ron and Kim gathered around the screen, and even on the minuscule display, Kim recognised instantly what kind of toys he was after.

"Cuddle Buddies!"

"That means DNAmy, must be behind this as well.", Ron chimed in.

"Wade, do you know where that picture was taken?"

"A town in Oregon called Gravity Falls. Weird name.", he shrugged, "I can arrange another bus drive for you if you want."

"Thanks, Wade", Kim gulped down last portion of her drink, "But we need something faster."

"Got ya."

In one swift, and nearly choreographed motion, Kim swiped the equipment to her backpack, placed exact amount of coins on the counter, and dragged Ron after her, out of the diner. She checked her phone that pointed her exactly to the nearby private airport, where a plane was already waiting for them.

"Uh, Kim?", Ron interrupted her, "I know it might be weird, but why do you still use the Kimmunicator if you have a phone with a screen that's, like, five times bigger? Can't Wade combine these? "

"I, uh…", Kim paused, momentarily dumbfounded by his question, "I guess I'm just used to it. "

She blinked, wondering how she has never thought of that.

"We're gonna have to talk about this with him when we go back."

"Yeah, I mean, that technology might have been cool and all when we've started, and that's a stretch."

"Passe!", Rufus added, waving his paws.

"Alright, boys, alright.", Kim giggled, speeding up. "For now, we have to deal with that missing Cuddle Buddy."

"Heh, Cuddle Buddies…"

"What?", Kim raised her brow, throwing Ron a stern glance. "What's so funny?"

"Well, it's not like you don't know a thing or two about them…"

"Oh shut it, Ron."

And before Ron could prepare for it, Kim threw a packed parachute at him, simultaneously putting on her own. The control tower of the airport was already on the horizon.

"Wait, Kim, why would we need these?"

================================================================================================

Hundreds of miles away - this time exactly the same hundreds of miles away as mentioned previously - no one in a seemingly quiet town of Gravity Falls expected a plane to arrive today. One of the reasons might have been that Gravity Falls did not have an airport, or even anything resembling a landing line, unless one counted the entire elongated valley the town was located in, that once served as a crash site of a UFO.

Though, in this case, the "U" in "UFO" was incorrect. That very flying saucer that once crashed there, almost slicing a nearby mountain in half, has been identified quite thoroughly two years before by a brown-haired now-teenager, currently sitting under a tree, and taking notes in his diary. By Gravity Falls standards, it was a slow, sunny day, Dipper Pines thought, watching as his sister, her two friends, and her pet pig played a combination of Frisbee and football that until that afternoon was not known to humankind.

"Dipper! Catch!"

The boy looked up from his book and had only a fraction of second to duck when a spinning disk nearly decapitated him, instead separating him from his hat.

"Goal!", Grenda cheered.

"Mabel, are you out of your mind?", Dipper roared, brushing off the dirt off his shirt, "What was that all about?"

"Oh, come one, broseph, it's just a game", Mabel brushed him off, "You could join us, all you do is sit with a nose in your book."

And she put her hands over her eyes, purposely waddling around almost bumping into a tree.

"Not in the mood, Mabel. We still haven't recovered all the backup from Grunkle Ford's diaries. So, I gotta work…"

"Hey, look, Wendy's here!", Grenda suddenly interrupted.

Th effect of her proclamation on Dipper was instantaneous. The boy rose to his feet, and made a complicated acrobatic juggling move with his book that would have been impressive, if it was not completely accidental, nearly ending with the book's pages getting blown by the air.

"Heh, good thinking Grenda", Mabel chuckled, "Now he wants to play…"

"No, seriously, Wendy's here."

The four youngsters turned their eyes towards the slope of the hill, where a tall red-head ran as fast as she could, waving and shouting at them to meet her half-way down. They followed quickly, astonished and concerned by her sudden appearance.

"Guys, you've gotta come quickly, there's a robber on the loose!", Wendy exclaimed. "They broke into my house!"

"What?"

The twins shouted at once, putting their squabbling to rest for good.

"Who would be mad enough breaking into your house? With your dad, your brothers and you inside?", Dipper continued.

"I don't know, but that's not all", Wendy caught her breath. "Nate, Thompson, Allison, Lee, Tambry…, she kept listing, "They all had a break-in last night."

Dipper and Mabel exchanged concerned looks.

"Has anything been stolen?", Mabel raised her brow.

"Nothing from me, as far as I can see. They just left a mess of my room." Wendy shrugged. "Come to the Shack, we're having a meeting there. Come on!"

The group travelled as fast as they could down the grassy hill to simultaneously most famous and infamous building in Gravity Falls: The Mystery Shack. A small group of people already waited outside, though from the looks of it, they weren't the usual group of tourists that visited Gravity Falls over the Summer.

When Dipper and Mabel got closer, they've noticed a few familiar faces of Wendy's friends.

"Woah, dudes, what's going on?", a warm, perplexed voice welcomed the crowd from inside, as Soos opened the door. "Has something happened?"

"Yeah, Soos, we need a place to talk."

Wendy spoke quickly, squeezing through the crowd, pulling Dipper and Mabel behind her. She jumped onto the snooker table, watching as a dozen of teenagers poured inside and already cramped room.

"Guys, can y'all listen to me? Guys!"

But even her already sonorous voice didn't do much against the bickering crowd below her. Fortunately, Mabel Pines foresaw that eventuality, climbing after her, together with Dipper.

"Wendy, let me", she cleared her throat. "Guys, look at my pig!"

And she pulled Waddles high above her head, hoping that he will gain more attention. And indeed, she was right. The moment Waddles began wiggling his short trotters, the crowd fell silent, until it let out a collective gasp of awe.

"There you go, Wendy."

"Thanks", she smiled. "So, guys, we're here, cos all our houses were broken in last night. But I haven't had anything stolen, the robber has just messed my room up, as if he was looking for something. Have you noticed anything missing from yours?"

"No.", answered one teen after another, until Wendy reached Tambry, who shied away, unable to meet her friend's stare.

"Okay, but you've got to promise you won't laugh, you guys."

The rest replied positively to her request with nods and shared muttering of 'Yeah's. Tambry took a deep breath and answered.

"Okay… I've had this kinda cute, kinda tacky plushie I've got from a thrift store and kept it on my bed. That's the only thing that's got missing. Come on, laugh."

But no one gathered around the table made any noises, instead exchanging looks of utter confusion.

"A plushie…?"

"What did it look like?", Wendy inquired.

"Like a cross between a platypus and a panda. It was blue, pink, yellow, all over the place…"\

And as she described it, Dipper and Mabel exchanged knowing, worried looks.

"Okay, but why would anyone go after some old plushie?", Thompson asked.

Suddenly, there was a heavy 'thud' coming from above, almost as if someone has landed on the roof. A moment later, the door to the Mystery Shack opened, revealing not one, but two someones.

"I think we can answer that question", said the young woman, having removed her helmet, revealing her auburn hair.

[mariacallous]

The Trump administration has scrapped its predecessor’s sweeping export controls for advanced artificial intelligence chips, known as the AI diffusion rule.

“To win the AI race, the Biden AI diffusion rule must go,” posted David Sacks, U.S. President Donald Trump’s top AI advisor, on May 8. Sacks continued his criticism at the Saudi-U.S. Investment Forum a few days later, arguing that the rule “restricted the diffusion or proliferation of American technology all over the world.”

As the administration decides what comes next, it should raise its sights from merely proposing a “simpler” rule to manage the diffusion of AI chips. Instead, it should seize the opportunity to offer an ambitious vision to promote the broader diffusion of U.S. technology.

After all, the world not only wants the United States’ AI chips, but also its AI applications, data centers, cloud services, satellites, and advanced technology offerings generally. But even as Beijing extends its digital offerings in key emerging markets, U.S. foreign policy has failed to adapt for a global technology competition with era-defining stakes. Whether you agree with the Trump administration or not, its disruption is an opportunity to forge a new model of technology statecraft to help the United States win the race to shape strategic digital infrastructure and technology diffusion across the globe.

To start, Washington must finally learn from its failure in the transition to 4G and 5G telecommunications networks, where Beijing’s state-backed model—and the absence of a compelling U.S.-led alternative—enabled Huawei and ZTE to all but corner emerging markets. Huawei now operates in more than 170 countries worldwide and is the top global provider of telecommunications equipment. But if there is broad consensus among U.S. policymakers that Beijing won that global technology transition, there is little agreement about how to win the next.

They have little time to waste. From Brasília to New Delhi, technology has moved to the center of government ambitions to drive growth, improve governance, and modernize security. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto views the digital sector as essential to diversifying the country’s commodity-reliant economy. Kenyan President William Ruto hopes to boost the country’s “Silicon Savannah” by accelerating cloud migration. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has made AI central to his “Vision 2030” framework for the kingdom’s modernization. The result is surging global demand not only for AI data centers, but also for cutting-edge digital infrastructure, services, and skilling more broadly.

In the coming years, foreign capitals and corporate boards will make potentially generational decisions about whether to meet this demand by partnering with the United States and its allies or China. These short-term decisions could have generational consequences. Projects to lay a transcontinental submarine cable or build large-scale data centers, for instance, are mapped in decades.

Even virtual cloud and AI services can have long-term stickiness. Imagine the pain of migrating an entire ministry’s data to a new cloud provider, or switching from an AI model that has been fine-tuned with a company’s sensitive data over time. Consider Beijing’s decade-plus struggle to transition its government computers from Windows. First movers reap powerful advantages.

If the stakes are great in the current round of global technology diffusion, so is the United States’ hand. Unlike the transition to 4G and 5G networks, where Western competitors such as Ericsson and Nokia struggled to match Huawei’s and ZTE’s subsidized offerings in emerging markets, the United States enters this technology transition with formidable advantages.

The United States occupies a commanding position in AI, with leadership or leverage over every part of the stack, ranging from chip design, tooling, and fabrication to model training and testing. U.S. companies hold at least a 70 percent share of the global cloud market. In space, Starlink has launched more satellites than all its competitors combined since 2020. Below the waves, three of the top four companies deploying subsea fiberoptic cables—the internet’s backbone—are from the United States or its close allies: SubCom (U.S.), Alcatel (France), and NEC (Japan). China controls the fourth, HMN Technologies (formerly Huawei Marine), which has deployed a mere 7 percent of the world’s submarine cables.

Despite powerful advantages, U.S. success is far from assured. The lesson of the 4G and 5G race is not to mirror China’s state-driven approach or to leave the private sector to fend for itself against Chinese competitors with powerful state backing. Nor is it to rely solely on export controls and other restrictive measures, however necessary those may be. The answer is to make U.S. foreign policy fit the global technology competition.

Washington can start with reforms in three broad areas.

First, unleash the United States’ strategic investment tools. One of Washington’s most promising but underused tools is the International Development Finance Corporation (DFC). Created during the first Trump administration, the DFC makes market-driven investments to advance both humanitarian and national security goals, and it has several tools to attract private capital from equity investments to political risk insurance.

As Congress considers DFC reauthorization—its current mandate expires in September—it should raise the existing cap on its lending authority from $60 billion to at least $100 billion and make strategic technologies and digital infrastructure an explicit priority. Congress should also loosen restrictions that can block DFC from supporting digital infrastructure projects that incidentally benefit high-income countries, which has kept it from financing critical subsea cables in the Indo-Pacific that invariably have landing points in Singapore, a major interconnection hub for the region.

The Export-Import Bank (EXIM) also punches below its weight. EXIM helps level the playing firm for U.S. firms competing abroad with a $135 billion lending limit and tools such as direct loans, loan guarantees, and insurance to de-risk purchases of U.S. exports. The United States once led the world in export financing, but China now dominates. In 2022, Chinese export credit agencies provided $11 billion in export support, compared to just $2.7 billion from EXIM.

Under the first Trump administration, EXIM created a new China and Transformational Exports Program (CTEP) to prioritize investments that counter Beijing’s subsidies and support advanced technologies such as AI and semiconductors. EXIM now aims to reserve at least 20 percent of its support for the program.

Despite progress, EXIM remains plagued with issues. To receive CTEP support, at least 51 percent of the exported content must be American-made—far higher than requirements in competitor agencies. Another requirement that EXIM-supported goods travel on U.S.-flagged vessels also hinders participation. Although well-intentioned, EXIM’s mandate to create jobs can deprioritize the export of low-labor digital exports such as AI and cloud services. Compounding the problem, EXIM is also required to limit defaults across its total lending portfolio to less than 2 percent, fueling risk-aversion.

Washington should reform EXIM for the global technology competition by at least doubling the 20 percent allocation for CTEP, relaxing shipping rules, and counting some allied components toward its content requirement. Lawmakers could also loosen the mandate to support U.S. job creation for digital services and double EXIM’s default cap to encourage more risk-taking.

Second, Washington should turbocharge its commercial diplomacy for technology. Between 2016 and 2020, an average of just 900 U.S. personnel from the State and Commerce departments were deployed abroad for commercial diplomacy, and just a fraction focused on technology. Since 2022, the State Department has taken important steps by establishing a new Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy, a special envoy for critical and emerging technologies, and a course on cyberspace and digital policy tradecraft.

Despite this progress, few U.S. diplomats—and even fewer ambassadors—have deep technology expertise, which means that front-line opportunities to secure key technology bids and shape emerging AI or data policies can go unnoticed or suffer from inadequate staff or substance to engage effectively.

As the administration reforms the State Department, it should reinforce the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy, which has elevated and streamlined technology diplomacy across the government; expand technology training for foreign service officers; and, more ambitiously, launch a dedicated career track within the diplomatic corps for foreign technology officers.

Two smaller and often overlooked arms of the country’s technology diplomacy are the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service and the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA). The Commercial Service is a roughly 2,200-person global network of trade specialists that helps U.S. businesses identify and navigate foreign markets. But just 225 of its staff deploy abroad across 80 countries, which means that they constantly struggle to meet demand from U.S. technology companies and foreign partners. The USTDA helps identify and mature commercial opportunities abroad to boost U.S. exports. Digital infrastructure is one of the agency’s four priority sectors, but surging interest has far outpaced current resources.

The Trump administration can turbocharge U.S. commercial diplomacy by consolidating USTDA and the Commercial Service, elevating technology and digital infrastructure as a priority, and allocating more resources and personnel.

Finally, the United States should embrace a newly ambitious vision for technology partnerships. Too often, U.S. and allied firms lose one-off bids to subsidized, politically backed Chinese competitors, even if the firms might prefer to align with the high-tech U.S. ecosystem. Washington should explore how to make such an offer without simply imitating Beijing’s state-led model.

For example, Washington could create opportunities for foreign governments to request strategic technology partnerships that match their specific needs—for example, to accelerate AI adoption in government, expand data center capacity, or improve rural connectivity with low earth orbit satellites.

Washington could lay out clear, broadly consistent criteria as a condition for these partnerships—such as robust IP and cybersecurity protections, divestment from China-linked digital infrastructure, purchase commitments for U.S. goods and services, and even investment in the United States. The Trump administration has begun to model such an approach in its recent deals with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, but it could go even further.

If countries meet these conditions, Washington should commit not only to loosening export controls on advanced AI chips, but also to fast-tracking support from the DFC, EXIM, and USTDA; expanding technology trade missions, talent exchange programs, and research collaboration; and facilitating connections with U.S. technology firms. The United States holds the strongest hand in advanced technology and should drive a hard bargain, but it should also be generous when countries agree.

Washington can also do more to align with technology-leading allies on joint investments in strategic emerging markets. For example, Washington could better coordinate with Japan’s Overseas Development Assistance program to boost Open RAN networks across the Indo-Pacific, tap the European Union’s Global Gateway to connect subsea cables to Africa, and support India’s Digital Public Infrastructure to counter China’s “smart city” offerings.

Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds may raise tricky strategic questions as longer-term partners, but there are other, less controversial players that Washington has yet to fully explore—such as Norway, which has both attractive conditions for AI data centers and the world’s largest sovereign wealth fund. Washington and its allies may struggle to match Beijing’s subsidies on their own, but they can easily do so together.

As the world rushes into an accelerating competition to deploy strategic technologies and digital infrastructure across the globe, the United States has almost everything it needs to prevail—world-leading companies and products, an unrivaled network of technology-leading allies, and an administration eager for reform. What Washington lacks, however, is a vision to harness these strengths in a new model of technology statecraft to help the United States win.

[adultswim2021]

A MATHEMATICAL RANKING OF EACH SHOW ON ADULT SWIM SO FAR (1994-2010)

Usually when I finish a calendar year of Adult Swim programming, I usually attempt SOMETHING SPECIAL in order to mark the occasion. Other between-years features included me going back and reviewing Cartoon Network seasons of Space Ghost, but I more-or-less covered all of those episodes. So, this'll be it, a single post wherein I rank every single Adult Swim show (and one-off special!) according to my own taste.

As I've been doing this project, I've also been assigning ratings to each episode of each show on IMDB. For this particular ranking, I decided to take each series, calculate the average score of an episode, and rank everything based on that cold, hard number. Therefore, this is based on PURE NUMERICAL DATA and do not involve too much symbolic meddling on my part.

Due to the inherently small sample size of the specials (boasting one episode each, obviously), they all became clustered together with single digit scores. This is because the other multi-episode shows naturally shook out to having scores that had multiple decimal places. So, to make up for this, I dispersed the specials based on feelings, and NOT data, in order to make it so they were a little more spread out in a more natural way.

Starting from the bottom up:

GRADE: F-

64. The Groovenians (special, 2002)

Smug and empty treatise on how being artistic is the only important thing in the whole world, even if you are an overbearing halfwit

63. Minoriteam (1 season, 2005)

You can come to it's defense as being misunderstood by those who refuse to view it, but I watched it, damn it. This is some remarkably dogshit writing, regardless of it's intentions. Even if you're only cause in life is to defend racist humor for freedom-of-speech reasons, PLEASE! I IMPLORE YOU! pick a different horse to back than this! I promise you it sucks!

62. The Finkel Files (special, 2003)

Childishly stupid. It's animation might pass muster on Canadian cable but keep this out of America.

61. Titan Maximum (1 season, 2009)

More abrasive and unfunny than Robot Chicken, which seems impossible. But good lord, the horrible shits from Stoopid Monkey somehow managed.

GRADE: F

60. That Crook'd Sipp (special, 2007)

Borderline incomprehensible, but the animation looks pretty nice.

59. The Lewis Lectures (special, 2002)

Very boring short featuring people who've all done much better work. Now that's one bad dog!

58. Soul Quest Overdrive (1 season, 2010)

Just horrible, gross, and unfunny

57. Robot Chicken (4 seasons, 5 specials, 2005)

A show whose charms will forever allude me. Donkey-brained comedy.

GRADE: F+

56. Lucy: The Daughter of the Devil (1 season, 2005)

One of the biggest disappointments given the amount of talent involved. Hot Topic level goth bullshit. PREPS WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND

55. Saul of the Mole Men (1 season, 2007)

One of the biggest wastes of time ever made. Fun theme song though.

54. Cheyenne Cinnamon and the Fantabulous Unicorn of Sugar Town Candy Fudge (special, 2010)

FREE BRITNEY

53. Williams Street Records (special, 2007)

Stupid to include this because It was never recorded from television and I'm speculating what it is. But, without it, I could not have an even number of shows and it would make the list cosmetically unappealing.

GRADE: D-

52. Penguins Behind Bars (special, 2003)

Cute, but tepid special. Animation is good though.

51. Captain Sturdy: The Originals (special, 2003)

The second of two pilots (the first aired on Cartoon Network) is pretty boring, but it looks fairly nice.

50. The Young Person's Guide to History (mini-series, 2008)

From the morons who brought you Saul of the Mole Men comes a show that is marginally better, but still bad.

49. Stiff (special, 2007)

A disappointing Evil Dead homage that luckily didn't go past this pilot.

GRADE: D

48. Christmas in December (specials, 2009, 2010)

Mildly fun, actual informercials for Adult Swim products. Nothing to be too mad at.

47. Paid Programming: Icelandic Ultrablue (special, 2009)

David Cross and Jon Benjamin appoximate Tim & Eric humor

46. Yappy Broads (specials, 2010)

I hate women!!!!

45. Totally 4 Teens (special, 2009)

Seems like something I should like. Smarmy and nihilistic and not that funny!

GRADE: D+

44. Stroker and Hoop (1 season, 2004)

Pretty rotten, but had a couple of decent episodes. Mostly boring and ugly to look at.

43. Scott Pilgrim vs. The Animation (special, 2010)

Feels like waht it is: a commercial for the movie. And I LIKE THE MOVIE.

42. Sealab 2021 (4 or 5 seasons, 2000)

Was perfectly respectable and occasionally good when it started, but sunk to some of the deepest depths any Adult Swim show ever saw. May the people at 7030 productions never see heaven.

41. The Rising Son (1 season, 2009)

Pretty weird stuff. Looks like a good show if you squint at it.

GRADE: C-

40. Fat Guy Stuck in Internet (1 season, 2007)

Usually lame, but that one episode?? not that lame!

39. Duckworth (special, 2010)

I give this show a D... for Duckworth lol.

38. Saddle Rash (special, 2002)

Not bad, but a little boring!

37. Spacecataz (special, 2004)

The Moonites and the Plutonians starring their own show??? NOT SO FAST

GRADE: C

36. Freaknik: The Musical (special, 2010)

Under-appreciated, especially by me!

35. Southies (special, 2010)

Admirable character-based comedy but it was only so-so. That's why we call it so-so-southies LOL :)

34. Lowe Country (special, 2007)

Admirable character-based docuseries but iwas only so-so. That's why we call it so-so-Lowe Country LOL :)

33. Special Presentation (aka Anime Talk Show; aka Adult Swim Brain Trust) (special, 2004)

Perhaps the most underwhelming thing starring Space Ghost that has ever existed.

GRADE: C+

32. Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law (4 seasons, 2000)

Overrated, but had some truly good ones.

31. Assy McGee (2 seasons, 2006)

Underrated, but had some truly bad ones.

30. Mary Shelley's Frankenhole (1 season, 2010)

A disappointing attempt to recapture the magic of Moral Orel. They did a bad job!

29. Let's Fish (special, 2007)

A fun enough special that didn't need to go beyond it's pilot. Not even the stars of this needed more of this to exist.

GRADE: B-

28. Frisky Dingo (2 seasons, 2006)

Mostly sucked, but they sorta got their act together late in the game like a reverse Sealab.

27. The New Big Ball with Neil Hamburger (special, 2010)

I can watch Neil do just about anything, but this isn't his best work. I still like it!

26. Snake 'n' Bacon (special, 2009)

Not sure how much of Mike Kupperman's style actually works on television, but some of it does! But I never really mourned the loss of this one.

25. Perfect Hair Forever (1 season, 1 special, 2005)

Was usually fun, even though it always felt like nonsense.

GRADE: B

24. The Brak Show (3 seasons, 2000)

The one we were all excited for. Turned out to be just okay. I'm still fond of some of it!

23. Squidbilies (5 seasons, 2005)

This one grew on me, but it rarely amazes me. They say separate the art from the artist, but if we did that then we'd be robbed of Unknown Hinson's very cool and smart ideas about the black lives matter movement :(

22. The Drinky Crow Show (1 season, 2007)

Had to get over the look of the show. Has some good episodes. Has a few bad ones.

21. Childrens Hospital (2 seasons, 2010)

Wacky Zucker-Bros.-esque humor starring smiling UCB theater people. Pleasant enough.

GRADE: B+

20. Neon Knome (special, 2010)

This is one weird show. It's a shame that I still haven't watched Problem Solverz.

19. 12 Oz. Mouse (2 seasons, specials, 2005)

Imperfect, but goddamn it's unique and if you're in the mood for it nothing else will hit.

18. Metalocalypse (3 seasons 2006)

Plenty of good ones in here, but sometimes it's just too rude and they say cusses and stuff.

17. Welcome to Eltingville (special, 2002)

shoulda been a show!

GRADE: A-

16. Tom Goes to the Mayor (2 seasons, 1 special, 2004)

Felt like a revelation when it first aired, and a lot of it is still pretty good!

15. Aqua Teen Hunger Force (7 or 8 seasons, 2000)

A very reliable Adult Swim institution. More good than bad, and it's rarely horrible. You gotta respect that.

14. The Xtacles (specials, 2008)

Maybe inflated due to it's very small sample size (2 episodes), but it's shockingly good given it's lineage.

13. The Boondocks (3 seasons, 2005)

Real good most of the time, sometimes it feels too good to be on Adult Swim.

GRADE: A

12. Korgoth of Barbaria (special, 2006)

Violent, hilarious, and wonderfully animated. Of all the failed pilots this is the one that shoulda gone.

11. Delocated (2 seasons, 2009)

Season two has some mighty high highs and--most importantly--A LOT of laughs :)

10. China, IL: The Funeral (special, 2008)

Really good Brad Neely stuff serves to remind me that I really should've included his SuperDeluxe shorts as part of this blog.

9. Home Movies (4 seasons, 1999)

One of the all-time best. And yes, season 4 weighed this one down a bit.

GRADE: A+

8. Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! (5 seasons, 1 special, 2007)

Even when it's bad, I like it! Some of the funniest stuff I ever saw (as an adult, even, technically). Hugely influential.

7. Space Ghost Coast to Coast (10 seasons, specials, 1994)

I usually make it my business to list this show as number one, overlooking the slightly tepid early episodes and the abominable Gametap episodes, but this is how the math shook out. I won't let it happen again.

6. Moral Orel (3 seasons, 2005)

Some incredible television, especially during season three. Some seriously well-crafted stuff!!

5. Check It Out! Dr. Steve Brule (1 season, 2010)

Some huge laughs from this silly, silly man!!!

GRADE: A++

4. Xavier: Renegade Angel (2 seasons, 2007)

Truly a god-tier show, and maybe the most polarizing. I think we can all agree; I am very bold and astute for ranking it so highly.

3. Superjail (1 season, 2007)

An incredible work of art, and it's not even smart!!! The most beautiful kind of comedy there is, practically.

2. Tim and Eric Nite Live (1 season, 2007)

It's not even an actual Adult Swim show, THAT'S HOW POWERFUL IT IS. Must see stuff in the Tim & Eric canon.

1. The Venture Bros. (4 seasons, 2 specials, 2003)

SHOCKING that this wound up number one, given that I've spent the last batch of Venture write-ups pondering the unevenness of this show, but it's so high-quality that I tend to overrate it. But according to math, this is the best Adult Swim show ca. 2010. How about that! It is pretty good, though.

HEY THAT'S BETWEEN-YEARS-POST FOR THIS TIME! Stay tuned for 2011, baby!

[plglobal]

Future-Proofing Your Network: The Role of a Data-Cabling Project Manager

Introduction:

In today's constantly changing digital world, a strong network that can be easily changed is essential for any business to succeed. But how do you make sure that your network system can keep up with your business's growth and new technologies? The data-cabling project planner is your secret weapon for making sure your network will work in the future. This blog post talks about how important it is to have a data-wiring project manager to plan, set up, and oversee a structured cabling system that meets your needs now and in the future. We will talk about how their knowledge of fiber optic building, structured cabling projects, and managing a cabling plant as a whole can help you build a network that is ready for whatever the future brings.

Beyond Today's Needs: How a Data Cabling Project Manager Designs for Future Growth:

Are you planning to move your office or update your network? Even though your current needs are important, it's also important to think about the future. This is where a project manager for data wiring comes in. They work with you as a strategic partner to make sure that your structured wiring project works now and can be expanded in the future.

A project manager for data wiring plans for the future in this way:

Scalability: They figure out how much data you're using now and how much you'll need in the future. This could mean suggesting that you add more conduit space during installation so that it's easy to add new wires as your network grows.

Technology-agnostic Design: they put a lot of weight on future-proofing wiring standards that can work with a wide range of technologies. Installing high-bandwidth fiber optic cables along with standard copper cables could be one way to do this. This would give you the freedom to adapt to new technologies.

Modular Cabling Plant: The cabling plant, which is where all the network links are kept, is made so that it can be easily expanded. This means that you can easily change the layout and add new equipment as your needs change, without having to pay for expensive switching.

Collaboration with Fiber Optic Construction Companies: When it is suggested that fiber optic infrastructure be put in place, data cabling project managers work with skilled fiber optic construction companies to make sure the job is done right and that it can be expanded in the future. Read more.https://plglobal.com/the-role-of-a-data-cabling-project-manager/

[altaqwaelectric]

Protecting Your Electrical Systems: A Look into Al Taqwa’s Complete Range

In today’s fast-paced world, electrical systems power everything from homes and offices to factories and infrastructure. With increasing energy demands and the growing importance of uninterrupted power supply, having the right switchgear and protection systems is more important than ever. That’s where Al Taqwa United Enterprises LLC, one of Oman’s leading electrical suppliers, plays a crucial role.

In this blog, we’ll explore how Al Taqwa offers a complete range of electrical switchgear products that protect and power systems across the country — safely and efficiently.

Why Electrical Protection Is Critical

An electrical system without proper protection is like a car without brakes. From power surges to short circuits, the risks of equipment damage, data loss, and fire hazards are significant. High-quality electrical protection devices ensure:

· Safe power distribution

· Equipment longevity

· Compliance with safety standards

· Reduced downtime in case of faults

Al Taqwa addresses all of these needs with a comprehensive and reliable product portfolio.

Al Taqwa: A Trusted Name in Electrical Switchgear in Oman

Established in 20011, Al Taqwa United Enterprises LLC has grown into a respected electrical trading and switchgear assembly company in Oman, Qatar, the UAE, and India. Their focus on quality, innovation, and customer satisfaction makes them a preferred partner for engineers, contractors, and facility managers across sectors.

Complete Electrical Switchgear Range from Al Taqwa

Al Taqwa’s product line is designed to meet the needs of low-voltage electrical systems in residential, commercial, and industrial environments.

1. Electrical Panels and Distribution Boards

These serve as the central hub for electrical power distribution. Al Taqwa supplies and assembles:

· Main Distribution Boards (MDBs)

· Sub Main Distribution Boards (SMDBs)

· Final Distribution Boards (FDBs)

· Control Panels and Feeder Pillars

All panels are tailored to meet Omani electrical standards and international safety norms.

2. Circuit Protection Devices

The key to preventing electrical fires and damage is reliable overcurrent and earth fault protection. Al Taqwa offers:

· Miniature Circuit Breakers (MCBs)

· Molded Case Circuit Breakers (MCCBs)

· Residual Current Devices (RCDs)

· Earth Leakage Relays

These components ensure quick fault detection and automatic power cut-off during hazards.

3. Metering and Monitoring Devices

To optimize energy use and improve system performance, monitoring is essential. Al Taqwa provides:

· Analog and Digital Panel Meters

· Current Transformers (CTs)

· Voltage and Frequency Meters

· Energy Monitoring Units

These products give real-time data for smarter electrical management.

4. Electrical Accessories and Control Components

To support the full installation lifecycle, Al Taqwa stocks:

· Terminal blocks

· Cable ties and lugs

· Contactors and timers

· Rotary switches and power supplies

These ensure smooth installation, operation, and maintenance of electrical systems.

Top Electrical Brands Represented by Al Taqwa

Al Taqwa partners with internationally recognized electrical brands, including:

· Enza Electric — Quality switchgear products known across Europe and the Middle East

· Civaux Electric — Comprehensive panel systems and circuit protection components

· Stefan Electric — Trusted for metering solutions and industrial electrical accessories

· Salzer Electric — Renowned for rotary switches and control products

These collaborations ensure Al Taqwa can offer reliable, durable, and cost-effective solutions to its clients.

Beyond Products: Al Taqwa’s Expert Services

Al Taqwa goes beyond just supplying electrical components. Their team of experts offers:

Custom switchgear assembly tailored to project requirements

Site inspections and installation support

Annual maintenance contracts

Technical consultation and troubleshooting

This makes Al Taqwa a one-stop solution for all electrical needs in Oman.

Conclusion: Trust Al Taqwa for Complete Electrical Protection

When it comes to protecting your electrical systems, choosing a trusted provider like Al Taqwa ensures both peace of mind and long-term performance. From high-quality panels and circuit breakers to metering systems and expert service, Al Taqwa covers the full spectrum of electrical protection.

For engineers, project managers, or business owners looking to safeguard their infrastructure, Al Taqwa United Enterprises LLC stands out as the best source of electrical switchgear in Oman.

Explore More:

Visit https://altaqwaoman.com to view the full product catalog or request a quote tailored to your project needs.

[spilled-energon]

Open starter

Soundwave is notorious for being a workaholic. He always has been. If he's not the one actively working on something, then it's going to be done wrong. It doesn't help that his control freak tendencies make it difficult for him to simply walk away from a project. One of his favorite results of his tendency to work non-stop was how it made others perceive him. Rumours that Soundwave did not need to sleep, and that he was truly a freak of nature would filter through the ranks. It was hilariously amusing in all the right ways. His status as some supernatural force was one that he quite enjoyed.

He was deep into his work when he realized he hadn't left his post in two days. Digits glided over the keyboard of his terminal with ease, while both data cables were extended and attached to additional terminals on either side of him. As a master of multitasking, Soundwave filtered through three different tasks at once.

On the main terminal, Soundwave was busy cracking very old encryptions- ones that predate the entirety of the Autobot and Decepticon war. On his left terminal, the screen jumped from camera to camera of the security feed. Every now and then, he would pause to watch an interaction occuring, but as soon as it proved to be civil and without talk of mutiny, he would switch it again. Finally, on his right, he was busy watching back footage of Laserbeak's most recent surveillance run. Hours and hours of footage needed to be combed through and reviewed thoroughly. More footage would likely be deposited soon, if Laserbeak's absence from his chest meant anything.

All of that to say, Soundwave had somehow managed to forget to refuel, recharge, and take a break over the course of two days. His levels were low, and his digits were beginning to slow in their speed. But, why stop now? Who knows what sort of information may be lying in the depths of the encrypted code.

[almayarelectric]

The Benefits of Using Modular Switchgear Systems

Why Modern Industries Are Choosing Modular Solutions for Electrical Infrastructure

In today’s fast-paced industrial and commercial environments, electrical safety, efficiency, and scalability are more important than ever. That’s where modular switchgear systems come into play. Designed to meet the evolving needs of various sectors — such as manufacturing, commercial buildings, power utilities, and data centers — modular switchgear offers flexibility, safety, and long-term value.

In this article, we’ll explore the key benefits of using modular switchgear systems, and why they are becoming the preferred choice over traditional switchgear configurations.

What Is a Modular Switchgear System?

A modular switchgear system is a type of switchgear that is built from interchangeable modules or sections. Each module contains electrical components such as circuit breakers, busbars, relays, isolators, and fuses. These modules are pre-engineered and can be easily configured, added, or replaced based on the specific requirements of a facility.

Modular switchgear is used for the protection, control, and isolation of electrical equipment. It is typically found in low voltage (LV) and medium voltage (MV) power distribution systems.

Top Benefits of Modular Switchgear Systems

1. Flexibility and Scalability

One of the most significant advantages of modular switchgear is its flexible design. Whether you’re expanding an existing facility or starting from scratch, modular systems allow you to add or remove units without interrupting the entire system.

· Ideal for facilities expecting future expansion

· Easy to customize layout based on project demands

· Supports phased development in infrastructure projects

2. Enhanced Safety and Reliability

Modern modular switchgear systems are designed with advanced safety features. Segregated compartments, arc fault containment, and reliable insulation materials ensure operator safety and system reliability.

· Reduces risk of electrical faults and arc flashes

· Complies with IEC and ANSI safety standards

· Minimizes downtime during maintenance or upgrades

3. Ease of Installation and Maintenance

Thanks to its pre-fabricated modules, modular switchgear is faster and easier to install compared to conventional systems. It also simplifies troubleshooting and routine maintenance.

· Less on-site wiring and civil work required

· Individual modules can be isolated for servicing

· Reduces maintenance costs and system downtime

4. Compact and Space-Saving Design

With limited space in modern industrial setups, compactness is crucial. Modular switchgear systems are designed for space optimization, making them perfect for high-density environments.

· Vertical and horizontal expansion possible

· Reduced footprint compared to traditional gear

· Neat and organized layout improves cable management

5. Future-Proof and Upgrade-Friendly

Industries evolve, and so should your electrical infrastructure. Modular switchgear supports easy integration of new technologies, such as remote monitoring, IoT-enabled control systems, and energy management solutions.

· Supports integration with SCADA and BMS systems

· Accommodates evolving energy needs

· Long lifecycle with upgrade options

6. Cost-Effective Over the Long Term

Though the initial investment may be higher than conventional switchgear, the long-term benefits of modular systems — including reduced downtime, lower maintenance costs, and scalability — make them a cost-effective solution.

· Lower total cost of ownership (TCO)

· Reduced operational expenses

· Optimized energy efficiency

Applications of Modular Switchgear Systems

Modular switchgear is suitable for a wide range of applications, including:

🏢 Commercial buildings

🏭 Industrial plants

⚡ Power generation and distribution

🖥 Data centers

🏥 Hospitals

🏗 Infrastructure projects and smart cities

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a smart, scalable, and reliable solution for your electrical distribution system, modular switchgear systems are a worthy investment. With benefits ranging from safety and efficiency to cost savings and future readiness, they offer a significant upgrade over traditional switchgear models.

[one-of-many-journeys]

Day 257 (2/2)

Far Zenith launch facility

Clearing out the Burrowers and Scroungers at the base of the tower, it took some seriously precarious climbing to make it across the gap to the other side of the ship yard. I could have probably avoided it by climbing around, but I've crossed more treacherous gaps and haven't died so far. Nice views too. Looks like this place was even huger before rising waters took out the rest of the facility.

On the other side, more machines patrolled the base of the tower. I snuck through and took them down without getting into a brawl, then checked out the controls meant to release the shuttle from its clamps. Of course, it couldn't have just worked. The shuttle tangled in its cabling on the way down, holding strong. All the controls could do for me after that was call down the elevator to the tower scaffolding. I had to climb up and release the shuttle by hand.

Yet more climbing. I wonder if Varl could see me from where he hopefully still stood safe on his rusty perch. There were two couplings to destroy to snap the cables, and the last, as I should have predicted, sent the entire structure tilting in recoil. The shuttle crushed the machines below, but before I could rappel my way down, the tower broke to pieces beneath me. I rode the falling mess down as far as it would take me before diving for safety, barely escaping the metal heap as it tumbled to the sand.

I wasn't alone down there. One of the Slitherfangs had survived the shuttle's crushing weight, its head and upper length of its body free and snapping. First time fighting one of these; at least I had the advantage.

I didn't have many tools at my disposal, just my bow and a frost sling Varl picked off one of the dead Oseram. I detonated the acid sac on the machine's underbelly to start, coating it in the corrosive substance and disabling its projectile spit. It snapped out at me, dragging and thrashing its head across the rocks like a wrecking ball. I managed to keep out of its way. I destroyed a couple of its Earthgrinders, then aimed for the exposed sparkers and plasma coils along its length.

The Slitherfang managed to break the rubble trapping it and tore itself free. Charging the shock units on its tail, it blasted at me with exploding arcs. Close calls. I used my frost sling to freeze it up and pierced it while it sat brittle and stunned, finally downing the huge thing.

It felt good to hunt something again—something new and challenging that could kill with one swipe. I've missed this in all my time rushing forward, laying low. Plenty of good parts. Maybe I'll actually find somewhere to trade them in soon.

Climbing free of the fiery rubble, I finally had a clear path to the auxiliary data centre housing Far Zenith's stolen copy of Gaia. The door was still operational. A good sign.

The insides were open to the light, which worried me. Precipitation and sunlight filtered in from above, but it looked like most of the servers were still operational, if encased in rust.

I found another piece of infuriating information: Hank Shaw, Far Zenith's spy, was the one who Faro coerced into programming a backdoor into Gaia's security systems, granting his fateful 'Omega clearance'. Congratulations, Hank, besides being a traitor and a thief, you also doomed humanity to a life of suffering in ignorance, and the Alphas to asphyxiation by egoist. It also seems that Far Zenith planned to kill off Dalgaard before launching the Odyssey. A useful mouthpiece, they said, but not up to their calibre. Real nice people.

Inside the main data centre, I found what I was looking for: a full copy of Gaia. An early version from when Far Zenith and Zero Dawn were still in contact, but still, a working build, all nine subfunctions intact. She appeared above the projector, golden like in those very first recordings with Elisabet, before she assumed her human form. A warm greeting, then everything went wrong.

Her face spasmed, glitched. A projection of Elisabet stepped out behind her, blank-faced. And out from behind her strode Travis Tate.

It was a trick. All of it. Travis knew exactly what Hank Shaw was doing and, rather than throwing him out, decided to play along and embed a logic bomb in the payload meant to contain Gaia. Maybe if he hadn't been so busy springing this elaborate trap for Far Zenith, or had gotten rid of Hank sooner, he would have noticed Hank implementing Omega clearance under his employ.

Well, Travis got the last laugh. According to the centre's logs, that logic bomb of his wiped out a heap of Far Zenith's data. Maybe the scramble to launch after such a setback was the reason the Odyssey malfunctioned in the first place. There was far more at stake now: this was my last lead. I've left no Zero Dawn facilities unchecked, including those of affiliated organizations engaged in tech trades. There's nowhere else for me to look. The world is slipping into disrepair, and there's nothing I can do. I'm starting to think I was born to fail an impossible mission.

Varl finally caught up. He saw Gaia's image glowing, smiling down, and named her goddess. I couldn't stop the rash words that came out of my mouth. I regretted berating him when I saw the pain and confusion on his face. Just more proof that he cant handle this. No one else can.

Varl and I climbed back through the facility as the day drifted into evening. I tried to let him down easy. The path ahead would only get harder as the conditions of the world declined; I was directionless, but would keep fighting until the end. However long this planet has left, Varl shouldn't spend it at my side in a hopeless battle. But he didn't shy away from the truth this time, said I was stuck with him. I didn't have the strength to turn him away. In truth, I missed him, and had been missing him since I left Meridian.

He suggested returning there, in fact, which I opposed. He thinks I should seek out Sylens for help—who I still shamefully call out to on occasion through my Focus, hoping he's still listening and has found something useful after all this time. I told Varl about him back at the Hunter's Lodge after the battle as I recounted a shaved down, religiously-palatable summary of my journey. I guess he got the idea that Sylens was more mentor than scoundrel. It must have been a poor telling on my part.

Varl seemed confident that Marad and his network of spies could track Sylens down, but if a band of the Banuk's greatest hunters had never picked up his trail, or at least faced him and lived, I didn't like Marad's chances. If Sylens thinks I'm no longer useful to him, he won't let me find him. Simple as that. The bastard.

I had to concede. It's not like I have any better ideas. Admittedly, it will be nice seeing the city again. I left in such a rush last time, there's bound to be more data I can extract from the Spire with all I've learned about Zero Dawn's workings in the last few months.

I overrode a pair of Chargers to carry us to Meridian. It took some adjusting for Varl, and I had to slow my pace, but I found I didn't care for once. Hopelessness is its own sort of freedom, I guess. Not that I've given up. I never have; giving up on this mission is giving up on myself, my purpose. I am nothing without it and, soon, this world will be nothing without me.

[aparnarollform]

Perforated cable tray manufacturers

Smart Cable Management Begins Here: Perforated Cable Trays by Aparna Rollform

In today’s fast-paced industrial and commercial spaces, organized cable management isn't just an option—it’s essential. At Aparna Rollform, we specialize in manufacturing high-quality perforated cable trays that offer strength, ventilation, and reliability for electrical wiring systems.

Designed to support heavy-duty cabling while allowing heat dissipation and easy maintenance, our trays are ideal for data centers, factories, and high-rise buildings. Manufactured using galvanized, mild, and stainless steel, our trays are corrosion-resistant, customizable, and compliant with international safety standards.

Whether it's for power distribution or telecommunication lines, Aparna Rollform’s perforated trays come with durable finishes, precision-punched slots, and smooth edges to prevent cable damage. With a robust supply chain and on-time delivery, we ensure your projects stay on track.

Upgrade your cable infrastructure with solutions that balance function, form, and future-readiness. Trust Aparna Rollform—where engineering meets excellence.

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