#complete guide for cyber security

[reallytoosublime]

In today's interconnected world, where virtually every facet of our lives is intertwined with technology, the importance of cybersecurity cannot be overstated. As the digital landscape continues to expand, so do the opportunities for both beneficial innovation and malicious exploitation. The ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity represents a constant battle between those seeking to safeguard sensitive information, systems, and infrastructure and those looking to exploit vulnerabilities for personal gain or even geopolitical motives. This intricate dance of innovation and threat mitigation shapes the complex field of cybersecurity.

The rapid pace of technological advancement, commonly referred to as the Fourth Industrial Revolution, has ushered in an era of unparalleled connectivity and digitization. From smart homes and self-driving cars to cloud computing and the Internet of Things, our lives are intertwined with digital devices and online platforms. While this digital transformation has brought unprecedented convenience and efficiency, it has also exposed individuals, organizations, and nations to a plethora of cyber threats.

The threat landscape in cybersecurity is in a constant state of flux. Hackers and cybercriminals are continuously adapting and refining their tactics, techniques, and procedures to exploit vulnerabilities in software, hardware, and human behavior. Traditional threats like viruses, worms, and Trojans have evolved into sophisticated malware strains capable of evading detection and spreading across networks. Additionally, ransomware attacks have become more targeted and damaging, causing disruptions to critical infrastructure, healthcare institutions, and businesses.

Looking ahead, the cybersecurity landscape is poised for further evolution. Quantum computing, with its potential to break current encryption standards, presents both opportunities and challenges. As organizations embrace edge computing and 5G networks, new attack vectors may emerge, necessitating innovative security solutions tailored to these environments. The proliferation of smart devices and sensors in the IoT landscape introduces a vast attack surface that requires careful consideration of security-by-design principles.

The Ever-Evolving Landscape of Cybersecurity | LimitLess Tech

[youtubemarketing1234]

In today's interconnected world, where virtually every facet of our lives is intertwined with technology, the importance of cybersecurity cannot be overstated. As the digital landscape continues to expand, so do the opportunities for both beneficial innovation and malicious exploitation. The ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity represents a constant battle between those seeking to safeguard sensitive information, systems, and infrastructure and those looking to exploit vulnerabilities for personal gain or even geopolitical motives. This intricate dance of innovation and threat mitigation shapes the complex field of cybersecurity.

The rapid pace of technological advancement, commonly referred to as the Fourth Industrial Revolution, has ushered in an era of unparalleled connectivity and digitization. From smart homes and self-driving cars to cloud computing and the Internet of Things, our lives are intertwined with digital devices and online platforms. While this digital transformation has brought unprecedented convenience and efficiency, it has also exposed individuals, organizations, and nations to a plethora of cyber threats.

The threat landscape in cybersecurity is in a constant state of flux. Hackers and cybercriminals are continuously adapting and refining their tactics, techniques, and procedures to exploit vulnerabilities in software, hardware, and human behavior. Traditional threats like viruses, worms, and Trojans have evolved into sophisticated malware strains capable of evading detection and spreading across networks. Additionally, ransomware attacks have become more targeted and damaging, causing disruptions to critical infrastructure, healthcare institutions, and businesses.

Looking ahead, the cybersecurity landscape is poised for further evolution. Quantum computing, with its potential to break current encryption standards, presents both opportunities and challenges. As organizations embrace edge computing and 5G networks, new attack vectors may emerge, necessitating innovative security solutions tailored to these environments. The proliferation of smart devices and sensors in the IoT landscape introduces a vast attack surface that requires careful consideration of security-by-design principles.

The ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity reflects the perpetual struggle between innovation and exploitation. As technology continues to reshape our world, the importance of robust cybersecurity measures cannot be overstated. The collective efforts of individuals, organizations, governments, and international collaborations will be pivotal in safeguarding the digital frontiers and ensuring a secure and resilient digital future. Through ongoing adaptation, collaboration, and vigilance, society can navigate the complex terrain of cybersecurity and harness the benefits of the digital age while minimizing its inherent risks.

#cybersecurity#landscapeofcybersecurity#cyberdefense#informationsecurity#limitlesstech#artificialintelligence#ai#ethicalhacking#cybersecurityroadmap#cybersecurityawareness#cybersecurityfuture#cybersecuritytrends#machinelearning#cyberthreats#technology

The Ever-Evolving Landscape of Cybersecurity | LimitLess Tech

[eponastory]

Watching From the Tower Part 2 (Bucky x F! Reader No Y/N)

Your code name is Scout and your job was easy. You worked the cyber side of things for the New Avengers. You directed them where to go with your hacking skills, and you are the eyes in the sky. There was just one problem... you don't like leaving the tower. You are not a complete agoraphobe, but you are pretty close. Leaving makes you feel so unsafe and people touching you, that's even worse. So, when James Buchanan Barnes the former 'Winter Soldier' tries to get you out for one mission, things got a little hectic after that.

Part 2 Summary: You are getting sick while working comms when the mission takes a slightly scary turn.

Part 1 | Part 2 |

Word Count: ~4.4k words. (6.9k total words so far)

Rating: M (Later parts will be marked 18+ for smut, but for now, it's okay.)

Pairings: Bucky/F!Reader (Non-descriptive, No Y/N) Squint for GhostWalker and Boblena (Platonic)

TW: Angst, Depression, mentions of past SA, phobias, Anxiety, MDNI for sexual content in later parts (Will be labeled).

You weren't exactly feeling great by the time the team landed in Singapore. As a matter of fact, you had already started sneezing and every time Bob saw one coming, he'd tell you to say ‘cucumber’ because he thought it would help. Because he saw you getting progressively worse as you started hacking into one of the Chinese satellites over that region, he opted to help you out with the simplest tasks. You had found out that Bob was not as useless as he thought he was. 

“So… I press this button and the door pops open?” He's sitting in the chair next to you with an extra keyboard you showed him how to hook into the system. 

“Bob… make sure it's the right door.” Bucky's voice comes over the comms linked up to the sound system in the room. “Is it the right door?” 

“I like how encouraging you are, Barnes. So Leader of you.” Yelena's accent comes through, causing Bob to smile as he presses the key you pointed out. “Ah, very good. You have opened the correct door.” 

“Now if only there was a pot of gold and tequila behind it.” Ava's smooth voice comes in making you smile even though your throat is getting scratchy. 

“Cut the chatter.” Once Bucky says something they all shut up. “Walker, status?” 

“Ground clear, moving into position.” You could hear Walker grunting as he likely jumped over something to get into his position. 

“Once inside, let the bot fly so I can get you a readout.” Your eyes are on the screen that is showing footage from the cameras on each team member's person. “I can only do so much with your body cams and the security cameras.” 

“Scoutbot is ready.” Bucky lets you know as he holds the smallest bot you could rig up with Flir and night vision. “On your mark.” 

You look at Bob who is intensely watching the screen to make sure everyone's vitals are as they should be. It was now or never as you pulled the Xbox controller you rigged up to connect to the Scoutbot remotely and the VR headset for better guidance. You think that Bob is ready for this since he's gotten pretty good at gaming with you on slow days. 

“You want to do it, Bob?” You hold the controller out to him and he pulls his soft eyes away from the screen. “Don't worry, you don't have to do anything except control Scoutbot.” 

“Uh… sure. Yeah, it'll be like playing that game with the planes.” He takes the controller and headset before putting them on. “Okay, connect me! I'm going into the Matrix!” 

“Connection established.” You put in your codes and commands for the bot. “Okay, release Scoutbot. Bob is in control.” 

“Are you sure that's a good idea?” Of course Walker would object to letting Bob do this. 

You roll your eyes as you pull up the feed onto another screen and see that Bob is doing very well at guiding the bot around the corners in the long corridors. You have complete faith in Bob. Bob hasn't let you down yet and when you let out a cough, you see that Bucky has gone still. 

“Are you getting sick, Scout?” You can hear the concern in his voice. 

“I'm fine. Corridor is clear, proceed with the directive.” 

“Copy.” 

“Uh… I'm getting some interference.” You look up and see that there is a little static on the bot and that doesn't actually mean too much, at least not at first until. “Too much static to see what is going on.” 

“Bucky, we're getting interference on the bot as it gets closer to the center of the building.” You study the static. It's making the image grainy with white specks showing up every now and then. “Wait… I know what this is. Those are Alpha particles. It's radiation.” 

“I thought the machine was a laser?” Walker questions. 

“It is, but that doesn't mean that there are other things going on in the facility.” You don't have access to a spectrometer, but you do know that Bucky has a small Geiger counter on him. He's always prepared for these things. “Bucky, I'm not positive it's radiation, but maybe use that counter to see.” 

“On it.” You hear the sound of velcro as he reaches into one of his pockets for the small Geiger counter. It isn't long before you see it on his body cam and then the clicking as it measures for charged particles in the air. “Nothing so far, but I'll keep moving in.” 

“Great, so now we have potential radiation.” Ava is moving in after Bucky. “Our day just got so much better.” 

“Could be much worse. We could be in a place like Chernolbyl.” Yelena pipes up after you watch her take out a guard on her side of the building. “You ever been there?” 

“Yes.” Bucky doesn't hesitate to answer. 

“Of course you have.” Her lazy tone makes you smile. “Let me guess, you were there to assassinate a whistle blower in 1986 after the explosion.” 

“More or less.” The counter goes off with a squeal as he turns the corner of another hallway and then eases back. “Unsafe levels.” 

“Shit.” Bob says as the bot goes dark. “Something took out the bot, it just went off.” You look at the screen where your bot has been active only to receive a NO SIGNAL message. “Sorry.” 

“Guys, I think this mission is a botch.” You don't like that the radiation coming from the center of the building is at unsafe levels and possibly a lethal dose. “That radiation is definitely a problem and unless you are resistant, you aren't getting through.” 

“So, what do we do now?” John lets out a breath. 

“I can look into hijacking a satellite that can see the building in infrared. Radiation does sometimes release heat if there is something that is making it react.” You are able to hack into a Russian satellite that is in orbit over the area long enough to get your data. You see the Flir data and the location. It’s white hot in the middle of the building. So much concentrated heat that it has to be a mini nuclear reactor that is leaking radiation. “It’s like a mini reactor– sending the image now.” 

With a few keystrokes, you upload the image to Bucky’s phone and then you hear him grunt in disbelief. You know what he’s going to do next because there is no way to get any further without getting a lethal dose. It’s the one thing that they can’t fight because it’s subatomic particles that are slicing through you at every second. 

“What are the chances the target has been moved versus being dead?” He sounds a little disturbed. 

“High probability that everyone in the building is probably either dead or close to it. I suggest aborting the mission.” You say it with a heavy heart because you know how Bucky handles these missions. You know he’s going to be a storm when he comes back. You cough before looking at the photo again. “I’m sorry Bucky, but none of you would survive radiation this high.” 

“She’s right. I’m already feeling woozy and I’m not even that far into the building.” John is on the end closest to the output. “It’s really hot in here too.”

“Stifling really. This radiation is messing with my phasing.” Ava is in danger too. 

“Bucky, we have to leave.” Yelena stresses to him. 

You can hear Bucky’s thoughts from here. He knows the answer already, it’s just that stubbornness in him that he is fighting. 

“Bucky–” You start out then switch the comms to where you are speaking to him directly. Bob looks at you with the headset still on his head, but he gives you that soft look of understanding before he takes it off and sets it on the desk. He leaves you before he walks into the kitchen. “I know that you will consider this a failure, but it’s not. It’s a tactical miscalculation. We didn’t know this was going on and it could've happened at any point before you got there.” 

“I’m really starting to regret taking on this position.” He grumbles out before you see him turning around. “I’m not good at this.” 

“No time for self doubt, Boss.” He’s already going in the direction of ‘I’m not equipped for this’ when you know he’s got more experience than all of them combined. He just doesn’t believe he can lead this team even though he’s been doing it for six months without fail. But one failure makes him spiral out of control. “Look, there was no indication of this before the mission, so it’s an unforeseen variable that we didn't know about. This isn’t on you, but you all need to get out of there.” 

“Copy.” His tone is dark. He’s back in business mode when he gets over himself. You switch it back to full comms. “Everyone out. Rendezvous at the jet.” 

“Roger.” 

“On it.” 

“Does anyone else taste metal?” 

“That’s from the radiation.” Bucky probably knows because he’s been to radioactive places before, but that still doesn’t dismiss that his experience is what is going to save the team next. “Scout, we need potassium iodide, stat.” 

“Uh– There should be some in the med kit on the jet. I stocked it myself.” You see Bob walk back in with a Grape soda in one hand and your favorite smoothie in the other. Bless him, because your throat is sore and the cold will help. “Only take the recommended dose guys, otherwise you’ll increase your chances of hypothyroidism.” 

“What would be the recommended dose for a super soldier?” You hear John ask and you aren’t exactly sure.

You roll your eyes. “I don’t know, ask Bucky.” You aren’t a nurse even though you’ve patched them up a couple of times. “Thank you, Bob.” He smiles at you as you take the smoothie in hand. He’s such a sweetheart, taking care of everyone because they take care of him. 

“Barnes, how much do we take?” 

“The normal amount.” That made sense. You think. Potassium Iodide is a compound that can be broken down to straight elemental form within the body, but it doesn’t add or subtract anything. At least that is what you remember from high-school chemistry, which was a long time ago. “Just get back to the jet.” 

You listen to the chatter between the team as they make their way back to the place they landed the Jet. You just want them to come home safe and hopefully not full of radiation. You don’t think you can handle it if someone came home with radiation poisoning that is very much hard to cure. 

Leaning back in your chair, you sip on your fruit smoothie that you had prepared days ago and put in the freezer just for this occasion as you listen to the banter. They sound like siblings arguing over stupid things, but you love them. You don’t have a family as you were a child placed in the system at an early age before you were fostered over and over again. Family was a foreign term for years until you stuck it out with no real support system. When you finally found someone to hold on to, they vanished for five years. Five long years that ended up with you being put in a horrible situation. 

Five years of loneliness and then ‘it’ happened. 

When the Blip happened, your partner came back and you weren’t the same. They knew that, but they couldn’t deal with you not wanting to leave the house or do anything other than lay in bed. You started using your skills again out of boredom, to the point where you were working on exposing Val because someone anonymous had contacted you about it. Turns out that anonymous person was Congressman James Buchanan Barnes. 

That man that you were trying really hard not to get too close to. But it was hard. It was hard because he was very much your friend and he brought you into this because you were good. You were really good. 

“Scout, we’re on the jet.” His voice comes through and you let out a sigh. “Minimal radiation exposure detected.” 

“Okay, good. Can you just come home now?” You cough before you hear him hum softly. “We’ll regroup and learn from this okay?” 

“Sounds like mother hen is worried about us.” Yelena’s smile comes through her tone. “Don’t worry, we are fine. It was just a snag.” 

“Just get home so I can make sure everyone is fine with my own eyes.” You are worried. They have become the closest thing you have to family and you don’t want to lose them. The thought terrifies you. 

“We’re in the air. Go rest, we’ll see you in eight hours.” You hear the concern in Bucky’s voice before looking at Bob who is happily sipping on his grape soda. He still puts the straw in it like a little kid. He isn’t a kid, but some habits die hard. 

Eight hours later, you’re being woken up by a proximity alert. You had fallen asleep on the couch in the hub, but by now you were running a fever and you didn’t feel like getting up. How on earth did you get sick when you barely leave the tower? It runs through your head that maybe it’s from one of the people that come in and out all the time. Actually, you think back to the guy that dropped of the groceries three days ago that looked half dead and in need of a vacation. He was also sort of coughing. 

You groan when you know it was him because you accepted the delivery while everyone was at their respective places. Sure, Yelena, Bob, Ava, and John lived in the tower full time, but not Bucky and Alexei. Bucky had his own place because he said if he lived here, he would probably go crazy. He was the type of person that needed to have his social battery recharged in solitude. And it rang true because he always went home at night unless the mission was just too much and he’d find a quiet place to crash, usually on your couch that is in your workshop. 

But as it stands, you did not want to get off the couch you were on. You were shivering and partially delirious because you couldn’t get your fever to go away. Bob had thrown a blanket over you at one point, even bringing you a heating pad to keep you warm, but you were both on fire and freezing at the same time. It was awful. You were so tired and all you wanted to do was sleep. 

It isn’t until you feel a hand on your forehead that you realize you fell asleep again. You open your eyes to see Bucky. He’s not in his ‘work clothes��� but rather wearing his standard black t-shirt with a jacket that you desperately wanted to steal off of him and wrap yourself in. Yes, you were definitely sick because you were thinking these thoughts. 

“Hey.” You hear him as he rubs his thumb on your forehead. “We’re back.” 

“Mkay.” It’s a fog because you see his face, but you are so tired and feel so bad that you just want to sleep forever. You wouldn’t mind if he smothered you with a pillow because you feel like you are dying. 

“You’re sick.” The tenderness in his voice does something to you though and that look in his eyes. You want him to actually keep touching you because you are too sick to care at this point. He knows you have an issue with being touched. You have to initiate it or otherwise it’s uncomfortable and pushing the boundaries that you have set in place. You hate that you’re like this because when you see the look in Bob’s eyes when he wants to hug you after you have a tiny meltdown over something stupid or when Bucky wants to touch you to let you know he’s there. 

The fact that he’s not hurting you now is what is keeping you sane. 

Ava isn’t a touchy person either and that is why the two of you see eye to eye. Yelena sees you as a surrogate sister, but she respects those boundaries you have set up. Walker is terrified of you. He barely speaks to you, but he’ll leave your favorite candy on your work bench when he goes out to get food or something. It’s these little things that make you feel like you belong and that there is a healthy respect between all of you. 

But here Bucky is, looking down at you with those blue eyes of his and all you want to do is curl up. “I feel like shit.” You pull the blanket up to cover your face which forces his hand to vacate your forehead. “I just want to die.” 

“Not allowed.” The rough conviction in his voice says a lot to you. “Did you take anything?” 

“Uh– I gave her some Tylenol to make her fever go down a few hours ago.” You see Bob looking down at you from the back of the couch with his hoodie on. He smiles as Yelena comes to stand next to him. 

“Oh, you look like you have been dead.” She doesn’t hold back on her snarkiness even when you aren’t feeling good. “Like you died and then came back to life just in time for us to get home.” The soft smile on her face is enough to make you sigh. 

“Could all of you just stop yelling at me.” Your head hurts because everyone is talking to you now. “And maybe turn off the lights.” Turning over, you hide your face into the cushions as the bright lights start getting to you. “Stupid grocery guy.” You mumble. 

You hear Bucky sigh. “Okay, time to get you to your own bed.” Normally you would shirk away when someone lays a hand on you, but this gentle touch from Bucky to turn you onto your back is more like asking permission. It’s in his eyes when you turn your head to look at him. “Hey.” 

“Hey.” You blink slow like a cat. 

“Will you let me bring you to your room?” The fact that he’s asking makes you feel better about this and all you can do is nod. He peels the blanket off of you as Yelena drags Bob away to work on something else entirely. “Come on.” You don’t protest when he’s helping you sit up enough to put an arm around his shoulder so he can pick you up. 

You cough as he puts his arm under your knees and hoists you up into his arms. Anyone of the super soldiers on the team could do this, but you only let Bucky because you knew him better. You were his friend before you were theirs. Alexei would if you asked him to, but you never would because that was not the relationship you had with him. Still, when Bucky is carrying you out of the hub and to the elevator, you lay your head on his right shoulder because you can’t keep it upright. Your arms are around his neck as he carries you without getting tired, because he doesn’t get tired. 

He’s made out of sturdy stuff and nuclear energy. He goes on forever out of spite at what happened to him in the past and you admire that about him. Although, as seen earlier, he still has some things to deal with on an emotional level. You saw how he started going down this path of self-doubt the moment you told him to abort the mission. The moment you told him the team was in danger. He knows it was the right call, but at the same time, you could tell through his voice that old training was telling him to keep going. The circumstances were just out of their control and he knew that too. Now, he’s probably going to replay this in his head for hours before he actually falls asleep. 

“You’re quiet.” There is nothing but the sound of your voice and the elevator. “You’re thinking about what went wrong.” 

“Nothing went wrong.” He denies it. “Everything went wrong.” He sighs as he grips his hand tighter around your leg just before your knee. “What could’ve caused that much of a radiation leak?” 

You wrack your brain for something. “Cesium.” That’s the only thing you can think of for a radiation leak that big in a medical facility. “They use it in MRI machines. But it would take a lot of it to cause that much radiation.” You are surprised that you are lucid enough to recall that information. “I don’t know, but as soon as I feel better, I’ll be on the case.” You promise even though you feel like shit. 

The elevator stops on your floor and Bucky is carrying you out. Your workshop and apartment are only two doors away from the elevator, so it’s barely five seconds before Bucky is maneuvering himself to press the keypad on your door while you are still in his arms. As soon as the code is in, the one you programmed specifically for him, the door pops open and he’s pushing it with his foot. Once inside he gently kicks the door shut behind him. 

It’s lonely in this apartment, but you like it. You’ve made it your home with the warm colors and low lights that the AI brings up when you enter the room. It’s yours and Val will have to drag your cold body out of there before you ever leave. You are pretty sure the entire team will be turning Val over if she even thought about kicking you to the curb. Bucky would actually kill her. You know it, he knows it, and she knows it. So she lets him do his job and that means you get to do yours. Even if it means fixing Alexei’s phone every two weeks. 

“Did you get more books?” Bucky sees the stacks of books that you have acquired for reading even though it takes you no time to sit and read one. 

“I ordered a few for Bob because he pretty much read all the ones I recommended already.” When you learned that Bob liked to read, you were ready to start your own little book club with him and eventually Ava joined in on it too. “Some of them are for you too.” And Bucky was a reader too, he just didn’t tell anyone. “The small stack with your name on it are the ones I got for you.” You cough again as he passes by the stacks you had sorted out for everyone. 

“You didn’t have to do that, you know.” Yes you did. You have been sneaking books to him for six months, always leaving a copy of something you think he’d like on his desk. Then you’d find it on your workbench a week later with a note in his handwriting about what he liked or didn’t like about the book. 

“I do.” 

“Thank you.” He barely says your real name under his breath as he brings you to your room. 

You weren’t a very tidy person. You like your home looking like you lived in it, but it was clean. It was crowded with things that you kept around for comfort, but the only thing you didn’t have was pictures of a family you can’t remember. You remember the people that you lived with, the good and the bad, but you don’t remember your real family. 

He sits you down on your bed before he’s pulling the white comforter back and organizing the pile of pillows that you have on your bed. You need eight pillows. You do but he is moving most of them to the other side of the bed as you take off your shoes and make yourself comfortable. He finds your penguin Squishmallow buried underneath the pillows and throws it at you. It’s big enough for you to hold at night because sometimes you get nightmares about your time in foster care. 

“Come on, get in.” You aren’t a child. You’re a grown woman with a mind of your own, but this is him taking care of you because there is no one else. “I’ll get some more medicine and water for you.” 

“Okay.” You do as he says because you don’t have the energy to be disobedient. You slip in under the covers in just your hoodie and pajama pants that you had not changed out of since you were working comms. You were still on fire, but still freezing. There was no happy medium. 

When Bucky comes back to your room with a glass of water in his vibranium hand and two Motrin in the other, you sigh. Motrin. The standard go-to for anyone in the military since no one knows when. You curl up on your side with your penguin and watch as he holds the two little orange pills out to you. Your teeth are chattering at this point. You sit up and take the pills, throwing them in your mouth before swallowing. You reach for the water and gulp it down before handing it back to him. 

“Get some rest. I’ll call you in a few hours to check on you and if you don’t answer, I’m coming back here.” He is very serious because he does care. Probably more than he should, but you aren’t complaining. This is how he shows his affection. 

“Okay, Bucky.” You lay back down on the pillow before he’s pulling the covers over you and tucking you in tight. Sometimes you don’t mind that someone wants to take care of you. It rarely happens, but right now, it’s the look in Bucky’s eyes as he makes sure you are okay that has you feeling much better already. Maybe he’s always looked at you like this. You were too busy wrapped up in yourself and in others to really notice. 

“Good night, Sweetheart.” He says before flipping the lightswitch off and closing the door. You think he would probably make a good father someday, if not a good husband to some lucky woman. You definitely weren’t that lucky woman. You had too many problems to be that lucky woman. 

It doesn’t stop you from thinking about him as your body fights off whatever virus is inside you. 

[misscammiedawn]

Dissociative Identity Disorder in Mr. Robot

So I have been writing little essays about Mr. Robot recently.

Dom's Sexuality, Gay Marriage and Whiterose

Back to the Future and Brainwashing

Today I wish to talk about the DID representation in Mr. Robot.

Actually I want to talk about the DID representation in the Hulk comics but there are 40 years worth of storylines involving it and it would require me to write about clinical understandings from the 1980s when it was called MPD (admitedly Mr. Robot's stumbles at the finish line with some of these same outdated treatment models) and that would take a while. Suffice to say it will happen eventually*. I shall make a new tag "Media Myself and I" and post it under that when I have more time to do it justice. Maybe I'll do others. I am uncertain. I believe I want to focus on positive depictions where there are no murder alters. The goal is to get people to want to enjoy things, not to steer them away. I have a few shows and games in mind at the very least.

Regardless… Mr. Robot is an easier topic to cover and is my hyperfocus of the moment.

So Mr. Robot is a show about isolation in the modern world. It's a show about socioeconomic stress, late-stage capitalism and what it means to enact meaningful change on a broken world.

But above all it is about the healing journey of Elliot Alderson, a man with dissociative identity disorder.

I say that at the start because Elliot's condition is never named until the final episode. In many ways a realistic depiction of a real world disorder was an afterthought noted in the final hour of the journey as a means of justifying the split personality trope and hiding a final twist. In spite of that the roadmap for the show was always leading to this destination and along the way they managed to get some fairly good representation out of the mix.

Season 2 even involves the only time I have ever seen a piece of fiction depict "blending" on screen. Blending isn't a symptom listed in either DSM or ICD manuals. It is, however, something one would hear about if they had a conversation with someone who had DID. I have used that scene to depict what it feels like to my partners.

I'm getting ahead of myself.

I love Mr. Robot. It is currently my favorite show of all time. If you have never seen it then please give it a shot. This post will be spoiler heavy and I'd hate to rob anyone the opportunity to watch S4E7 and have a pure emotional reaction to it. The show is on Amazon Prime and the full box set is available for $35-50 depending on format and vendor.

Go with my blessing.

-

The first season of the show begins with Elliot Alderson (Rami Malek) living a double life. By day a cyber security expert and by night he spends his time at his computer hacking people's accounts and satisfying a "little itch in the back of his head" that guides him to uncover the murky facts about people. The first scene of the show has him take down a cafe owner who hosts an illegal and deeply unpleasant website. I have seen individuals walk away from the first episode thinking that the show is "Dexter but with computers" but it is more lulsec activism with a Fight Club aesthetic.

The show has 4 seasons and each season depicts a different stage of Elliot's healing journey and with it completely different rules and depictions of his condition. I'll break down each season for what they do right and what they do wrong.

Season 1: Discovery

Elliot's system in season one is undiscovered but he has overt symptoms, meaning he is unaware that he has any alters but he suffers from clean breaks in his consciousness and drastically altered behavior patterns both which are a detriment to the "hidden" nature of the condition.

Commonly most people do not discover their condition until their 30s. I was 37/38 when our therapist started guiding us towards accepting our condition.

DID manifests in childhood but it's a hidden illness that does its best to go undetected. The point of the condition is to remain hidden. The internet and the educational resources it offers are helping younger individuals to recognize their symptoms and advocate for themselves at an earlier age but the standard medical understanding is that most people are developed adults before they are diagnosed.

Published statistics for DID indicate the global population of those with the condition is about 1.5% (some organizations argue the number should be higher due to how difficult it is to receive an accurate diagnosis, but 1.5% is the most consistent figure) which is rare but not to the point of never encountering it. For comparison, according to a 2023 census 1.0% of people in the USA identify as transgender. There are no tested classifications for Covert vs Overt display of symptoms but it is widely agreed that an overwhelming majority of cases within the 1.5% are covert.

We learn that Elliot is desperately lonely, abuses morphine and has paranoid delusions about men in black stalking his every move. Whenever Elliot is on screen we can never be sure what is real and what isn't, so there are times when men wearing black suits are on screen and we cannot be sure if Elliot is paranoid or delusional.

The show takes place through his perspective after all and we are a character in the show.

See… the narrative device of the show involves Elliot speaking to "friend", us. The audience. "Hello, friend." is a common refrain spoken throughout the show. The narrative begins a short while after Elliot had a complete mental breakdown and smashed up a server room, he is seeing a court appointed therapist, is socially paralyzed to the point of which we see him linger outside a birthday party and retreat home to cry in loneliness.

The entire first season Mr. Robot is depicted as another character, akin to Tyler Durden, a wild revolutionary who wants to encrypt the data of the world's largest bank in order to seal the debt records and reset everything back to 0. He starts off appearing in scenes involving the men in black stalking Elliot to mingle him in with the paranoid delusions and eventually begins interacting with him in earnest. Though the reveal is treated as a twist 8 episodes into the show Elliot does accuse the audience of knowing the entire time and he refuses to speak to us for some time, even going as far as to keep secrets from us because he cannot trust us any longer.

It's at this point that I will note that media depictions of DID tend to lean heavily on the phrase "it's a visual medium" and depict ways that characters can see, interact with and communicate with alters/parts in a dramatic setting. Off the top of my head Hulk is about the only form of fiction I've seen where the temptation to do this doesn't take over and even then the old "other face in the mirror" trope shows up there.

So for what it's worth the paranoid thinking and hallucinations are not DID symptoms and typically a person with the condition cannot see or hear their alters. In fact a testing criteria included in the MID exam is to rule out schizophrenia by eliminating the possibility that the voices heard are external or that any hallucinations exist. In Mr. Robot they are likely caused by Elliot's morphine addiction, but he gets clean after season 1 and Mr. Robot is always there.

There are some plot elements which I want to talk about but they do spoil the final "twist" of the show. So I want to warn again that anyone in the process of watching should be warned we are getting into entire show spoiler territory.

The Elliot we see in the show is the result of the stress fueled breakdown that Mr. Alderson had 6 months prior to the show starting. The timeline is fuzzy in my head but there were two triggers which set him off and began his condition flaring up (and/or caused him to lean harder into his drug addiction which in turn fueled his condition). The one we know about is that he was locked in a server room and forced to work long into the night on an issue and the already upset and stressed Elliot snapped and had a black-out.

We come to learn that he has had these his whole life but this is the first time such an incident occurred that he couldn't self-justify what had happened. He smashed up a server room, something he felt himself not capable of.

But the second trigger is the more important one.

His sister, Darlene, moved to NYC and started visiting him.

The bigger and better twist of season 1 is that Elliot and Darlene are siblings. This is hidden from Elliot and the audience for the first 7 episodes and her presence is treated much like Marla Singer from Fight Club, of whom she likely contains some inspiration, where she keeps showing up in Elliot's apartment and acting overly familiar with him.

In the earliest episodes when we are learning about Elliot's lonely life he looks at a photograph of himself and his mother at Coney Island. Due to some hallucinations we know that Magda is an abusive mother and screamed at/hit Elliot a lot. We learn more about her in future episodes and she is a truly horrible parent. Likely more than was ever depicted in the show.

The photo is actually of the full Alderson family including Darlene and Edward but is not shown as such until the reveals that Darlene is Elliot's sister and Mr. Robot is modeled after Elliot's father. The photograph is a reference to Back to the Future.

But it also is a fairly good visual representation of self-filtering information, even when it is contradictory in nature. This is common not just in DID but in all forms of CPTSD.

Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is a condition that develops during prolonged exposure to trauma and makes radical changes to the nervous system. CPTSD is considered a root of DID and it is universal for those diagnosed with DID to have a CPTSD diagnosis also.

One of the ways CPTSD symptoms manifest is "Emotional Avoidance". The nervous system is activated when triggers related to the trauma exist within the person's life. In order to function their brains push away these reminders and naturally avoid interacting with them. This causes those with the condition to become withdrawn, to isolate and to have distorted and often contradicting patterns of thought. For instance Elliot needs connection and safety that he associates with family but his family were his primary abusers and so he edits his memories to focus on positive associations such as a family trip to Coney Island that has become an obsession to him in adulthood. We later learn that Elliot's obsession with movies was born from it being his primary way of connecting with his father... which is fairly relatable.

His positive memories of his parents are held in high regard even though we know that his father "pushed him out of a window" and his mother used to put out cigarette butts on Darlene, tried to force her to commit animal cruelty and is often depicted in hallucinations as beating and screaming at Elliot.

In a case where it is impossible to avoid the traumatic trigger, for instance the return of relative who is a living reminder of his abusive childhood, the individual may begin to dissociate. Dissociation being where a person, overwhelmed by what they are experiencing has a separation from their normal state leading to a disconnect from emotions, sense of self and reality.

Episode 8 in particular contains a visual depiction of it when Elliot is having a quiet meltdown over finding out he has a 2 day deadline and his boss at work has known about the server exploit he installed all along.

(the show often uses the camera in ways to emphasize emotional walls, dissociation and isolation like this. This sequence does so by having hard cuts, shaky cam and frantic pace melt into a gliding slow lull where the background noise filters out and we can share in Elliot's distance from his situation for a moment)

Elliot's form of blocking out is extreme but has half a foot in reality (and half a foot in the logic born from the "twist" ending) in that in order to continue interacting with Darlene he views her as a member of Fsociety and edits out their connection until it is revealed in episode 7.

A small brilliancy about Fsociety is that the entire group is formed around Elliot and Darlene's need for childhood safety. The hacking elements of the show undoubtedly born from 9 year old Elliot spending time at Mr. Robot computer repair with a smile. The anon-mask that the show uses comes from an in-universe movie that Darlene and Elliot watched every Halloween and their base of operations is Coney Island. A place that both siblings seem to associate with safety and happiness...

Which is extra messed up when you factor Season 2's revelation that Darlene was kidnapped while on a family trip to Coney Island.

Darlene's panic attacks, need to feel special and her abusive upbringing are not the topic for this essay, but I wanted to make mention that Magda was such a horrible mother that a 4/5 year old Darlene thinks of being kidnapped from a family trip to Coney Island as one of her most precious childhood memories.

The desire to reach into the past and change things to create an ideal future is a heavy theme of the show and I feel it's important to note that though the Alderson siblings reject Whiterose and her scheme, they are both living in an almost literal fun house distortion of the few unambiguously GOOD childhood memories that they each have and have wrapped them around themselves like a protective blanket.

The plot of season 1 gets a lot more uncomfortable when you realize how much of Fsociety is two traumatized kids recreating positive elements of their childhood and trying to live inside of those memories while lashing out at those who took their father away from them. The entire plan is centered around events from 1995. The show takes place in 2015.

Mr. Robot himself is, of course, the ultimate symbol of that take on events.

Edward Alderson was a monster. He's referred to as such overtly in Elliot's detox fever dream. Everyone asks him who his "monster" is while handing him the key that we learn was to his childhood bedroom. A key that he hid to prevent Edward from entering his room late at night.

Yet throughout the first 3 seasons of the show we are only shown him in context of the positive memories that he and Elliot shared. Elliot was 9 years old when Edward passed away from leukemia.

At a point, Elliot is picked up from school. He has a bruise on his cheek and the scene begins with Edward asking "If I had to guess, you didn't tell Principal Howard your side.", assuring him it's okay to share his side of the story. Because Edward is convincing him to tell his side I am going to assume Elliot got into a fight but it's not impossible to assume that the school pulled Edward in to discuss the signs of physical abuse on the child. Edward would never tell Elliot to tell his side of that story so I assume it was a fight.

It's unclear if Mr. Robot is the one who participated in those fights (we only have 2 confirmed instances of Elliot's alters showing up in childhood. The window incident and the day Edward died) but Edward picks him up and protects him from his mother's wrath and bonds with him during that drive, he reveals his diagnosis to Elliot before inviting him to work with him at the computer repair store. Likely this is what leads to Elliot's hacker skills being born.

A hauntingly similar event in my own life is why I am a photographer.

Given that the majority of Season 1 has Elliot in the dark about his condition we are only given context as to why he is the way he is and see the display of dissociative symptoms which manifest from CPTSD. Mr. Robot existing at all is actually not required for this to be a good depiction of adults who grew up in abusive environments and the way they maladaptively cope.

I also want to give a little praise to the "itch at the back of [Elliot's] head" that shows up when he feels the desire to hack someone or dig deeper and the way he pushes forward with his own will until he calms down enough to let a creeping hesitation overcome him and prevent him from acting.

Passive Influence is part of DID. It's a situation where a "fronting" (that is to say part that is in control at a time) performs an unthinking action or is emotionally swayed by the influence of another part/alter that is not presently conscious. These are one of the biggest ways that the condition flies under the radar for many. When they are close to discovering proof of their condition they will often feel an unconscious push away from it. The phenomenon is fairly easily brushed aside internally as "a gut feeling" or an "impulse" but it's observable under the right conditions.

An instance I can think of in my own life is when our survival part is trying to push people away and our emotional part desperately tries to reach out. I will often find my hand grabbing a person's wrist and clinging tightly to it without even noticing that I've done it.

In the show Elliot is compelled by Mr. Robot when he feels someone is a danger or has a weakness that can be exploited. Part of him knows he needs to do something about it and so he lets himself be guided.

The season ends with The 5/9 Hack succeeding, all the financial data being encrypted and Elliot sent to prison for (minor) hacking charges.

He knows who Mr. Robot is now and he fears him as his enemy.

Season 2 (and the book): Exploration

The first 8 episodes of Season 2 are a filter for those watching the show, many drop off. Personally I love it but I can see why it's not for everyone. Season 2 is much slower than the first and Elliot is in prison for those 8 episodes. He's also imagining that prison is his mother's house.

That daydreaming coping mechanism is largely there to add a fairly unearned sense of mystery to a character development season and make things a little more visually interesting. For the most part I don't really want to focus too much on it or the way Elliot treats "us"/"friend".

The fact is that for this season Mr. Robot and Elliot are in direct conflict but they are feeling out their landscape and trying to find common ground. They are pulling in different directions but they are reacting and responding to one another. The show uses a chess match as a visual symbol of this and in such they are keeping one another in a constant state of check. They are opposed to one another but they are communicating and working things out.

So let's start by looking at the book. The book is a recreation of the in-universe journal that Elliot keeps while he is in prison. We see him writing in it during the show and the entire thing is available, it even includes little ARG elements to let you decode the messages Mr. Robot is receiving from The Dark Army.

The book is detailed like this and it's possible to note when Elliot's handwriting turns into Mr. Robot's handwriting. There are even points where there is "blended" handwriting. It's easy to spot in the above image because Mr. Robot writes with a heavy hand and in all caps where Elliot is soft and uses lower case, in the top line of the second page "you NeeD atteNtioN aNd aRe Willing to pay a lotta MoNey to get it." you can see Elliot slipping from one headspace to another while becoming upset at society.

Even still if you look above the FUCK SOCIETY image you see Elliot's calmer handwriting as clear and flowing.

When we were in denial of our condition we poured through journal after journal and chatlog after chatlog hunting for evidence to prove or disprove the theory.

It was when I looked at our old gaming journals (we took notes in pen/pencil live during TTRPG sessions because memory issues are gonna memory issues) that we noticed similar. Cursive used in some phrases, individual letters separate on another, the letters g and y getting curled at times and not at other times.

Subtler than what is displayed above but no less real.

Season 2 introduces us to Ray the warden brilliantly played by Craig Robinson. He empathizes with Elliot because he speaks to his dead wife as a means of coping with grief and assumes that Elliot is the same.

He offers Elliot guidance by asking him to play chess "against himself" and this leads to Elliot and Mr. Robot playing endless games of stalemate against one another with deletion on the line for the loser. It's the same brain and neither side wants to lose (nor do they truly want to win, Elliot admits as much in Season 3 that he likes having Mr. Robot and misses him when he's not around) and as noted above with passive influence, the games are always guided to end in a stalemate because no matter how opposed they are as forces, they both want the same things.

So... how about the Sitcom episode?

Elliot breaks his promise to Ray and looks at the website that he is tasked with doing tech support on. It's--- not good.

Ray uses a combination of crooked cops and convicted Neo-Nazis to have Elliot beaten into submission so he won't report what he saw. Elliot cannot handle this and has a mental break and wakes up in a 90s 4 camera sitcom world.

Alf is there. Because old episodes of Alf are playing in the medical ward at the time Elliot is being treated for his wounds.

The entire time he is taking a beating Mr. Robot is protecting Elliot by fronting and forcing him into an inner-world fantasy.

Okay... so Inner-Worlds.

In the show we actually had one of these in Season 1 during the detox trip but I want to talk about it now and round back and talk more in Season 4.

Inner-Worlds are a thing within DID treatment. Emphasis on the word treatment. It's one of the more commonly misunderstood things within discussion on the condition because it's regularly reported as part of the experiences within those who are diagnosed with DID but it's important to know that the existence of the diagnosis indicates the existence of treatment.

During any adapted 3 or 4 phase trauma treatment program that includes parts work, whether this be Internal Family Systems model which is used for individuals who do not have DID or system mapping and stabilization for those who do, the patient must work on creating a "meeting" space to visualize (or sense out emotionally for those with aphantasia) and much of the work of developing safety and structure within comes from filling that space with comforts and generating communication between parts.

I'll talk more on the "conference table" in Season 4.

It is possible for those not going through therapy to create one outside of the context of a therapeutic alliance but the creation of one is an intentional act. Not something that comes free with your childhood trauma.

Elliot's trip to the inner-world keeps him from experiencing any of the beating that the body is receiving and at the end Mr. Robot earnestly says he only wanted to take the punches for Elliot, nothing more. Elliot falls against him, tearful and whimpers out "Thank you" before we are given the flashback of the day Edward picked up 9 year old Elliot from school after the fight and confesses his leukemia.

For the record, my heart swells every time I see Mr. Robot acting as a protector.

So, let's talk S2E9 and the "blending" incident.

Blending is what happens when two parts/alters are co-conscious and are present enough that they are sharing control of the body. It's an uncomfortable experience. Co-Consciousness means that more than one part/alter is actively perceiving the world at any given time.

It's more complicated than binary yes/no. Every one of these experiences exists on a spectrum and no two people with the condition experience it quite the same way but there are levels of presence that one has.

The following is me talking more from anecdotes and personal experience than textbooks. I like to be clear when I'm not being academic because I do not want to spread misinformation in my arbitrary analysis of TV shows that will get 20 notes on Tumblr Dot Com.

Front is to be driving the body, to have your inner monologue playing (if you have one, most people do, but it's not a given) and have your emotions interact with the nervous system if you are grounded enough to feel your experiences. As I said, it's a spectrum. Everyone gets dissociated at times and can just go into auto-pilot or a trance. That all still counts as being in front.

To be conscious but not front is to exist in an emotionally reactive state. If Fronting is driving then co-consciousness is to be in the passenger seat.

It's truly difficult to describe and my therapist doesn't even fully comprehend it despite her being the one who educates me on these topics. Presently as I type this I can only feel one of our system (5 parts) active and "with" me right now. She's not speaking but she's reacting. I can feel her apprehension to us typing this much about our personal life, little flits of paranoid thinking that we'll get anon-hate or that people from our former life will see this and judge us. It's a presence and exists on a gradient. She's "awake" right now but I do not consider her fully "co-con" because if I asked her to tell me what she thinks about this sentence I can feel an emotional reaction (apprehension) but not a direct answer akin to "I think you should edit out references to our journal and focus on talking about the show" (which is what I imagine she would say right now). That's the spectrum.

Closer to the front a part/alter is the more direct communication happens.

There's also "asleep" and "dormant" when they are unresponsive. Pretty self explanatory. Elliot's system has 5 parts(plus "friend") and until Season 4 we only really see Mr. Robot and the main character version of Elliot. Magda and Young Elliot show up in hallucinations in Season 1 and Young Elliot is co-con in Season 4. Magda never shows up outside of emotional flashbacks and the inner-world.

So after Elliot and Mr. Robot combine forces (though Mr. Robot is still working with the Dark Army and is trying to move in secret) they have moments where they rapidly switch and cannot keep straight who is fronting at any given time.

There's a scene where Elliot is in another room thinking to "friend" when he hears an argument in the next room and realizes Mr. Robot is in the argument. As he walks in, Mr. Robot is surprised to see that Elliot is aware when he is fronting and he trails off and they switch.

Mr. Robot says that something feels off about how they are acting and that they feel like they're overheating.

A later scene depicts Elliot phasing out mid-conversation on the subway and picturing himself in the next car observing Mr. Robot talking to Cisco while a passenger plays erratic music on a keyboard.

That is such a horrifyingly accurate depiction of something we live with that I was stunned to see it on screen. I've included it in some of my stories that go over living with these experiences but the idea is when we are stressed out, can't keep our head straight and are blended like this we tend to have snippets of music playing over and over in our head. We also get what I refer to as "static" and that seems to be relatable in support groups.

A++ for the show depicting something about the DID experience that simply does not get spoken about outside of the spaces of people dealing with it. It was the moment I knew they actually spoke to people who experience this stuff and did proper research that wasn't just media depictions and medical textbooks.

The final part of Season 2's wild ride I want to talk about is the "lucid dreaming" bit.

Mind awake. Body asleep. Mind awake. Body asleep.

This again goes into Overt DID which I cannot comment on as much as covert depictions but the idea is that Elliot trains himself to remain awake when Mr. Robot takes over. We have seen from the blending experience that he is starting to remain when Mr. Robot is active and so he tries to force himself to stay when Mr. Robot is active.

In therapy this would be achieved through trust, communication and awareness. It's said in communities that systems tend to become more overt as they go through treatment as they are able to identify lines, parts can advocate for themselves and there's better understanding of what "self" means for every alter.

In my experience there's also an element of trying to pretend to be consistent and whole. We were coming out transgender when our therapist guided us towards DID diagnosis and there was a lot of tearing ourselves apart because we needed to act in a certain way for our safety and inability to do so put us at risk of being targeted. In accepting our system we have stopped trying to be the same individual and that has lead to a more overt presentation. As I tell my therapist "we need to act out our gender expression anyway. Every action we take is a performance."

That is to say, Mr. Robot has never attempted to maintain the illusion that he is Elliot Alderson (albeit he never identifies himself. He's even surprised to learn that Elliot calls him that) and Elliot doesn't even know he is "The Mastermind".

In opting to remain hidden and conscious he gains a greater degree of control and agency in his situation.

These things get easier as you learn your condition, build system trust and allow yourself to experience that which you feel comfortable experiencing. With the example of the beating earlier, Mr. Robot shut Elliot out and took the beating for him and Elliot resisted but ultimately did not want to be present. In this episode he learns that if he wishes he could have pushed through and been there and experienced everything, albeit as a passenger rather than the driver.

Therapy also teaches how to "go into the back room" to maintain stability. A technique that lets you volunteer to not be involved in a situation. My system all use this whenever I (Dawn) perform erotic intimacy of any kind. They cannot handle the thought of associating with those acts and prior to treatment it would emotionally disregulate our nervous system if parts that couldn't handle the concept were to be present during those moments because parts of me would be trying to dissociate while I am trying to act. It would either trigger a switch, cause blending or make a part shut down and become unresponsive for a large period of time- one of our partners actually discovered our system this way. She saw us shut down during a scene and realized it wasn't just a "mood swing" as we had insisted.

Elliot learns how to intentionally open up and be present when Mr. Robot is active and because Plot happens he is shot and decides to use this skill to close himself off and create a stronger divide between parts.

Season 3: Rejection

If Season 2 was the pair working things out on a chess match where they keep one another in check then Season 3 is after Elliot has tossed the board and decided to shut Mr. Robot out completely.

The arc words are "battling in our own voids", in Season 1 Mr. Robot was always aware of what Elliot was doing but Elliot was unaware of Mr. Robot's actions and in Season 2 they were fairly co-conscious to the point of overheating. Season 3 the connection is shut down. Mr. Robot has no concept of what Elliot is doing and Elliot no concept of what Mr. Robot is doing.

This goes back to the Overt/Covert thing mentioned at the start. It's a rare thing even within a rare disorder to have that level of amnesia barriers between parts and so I can't really comment on accuracy. It's a frustrating season for me in that regard because Season 2 was doing so well at depicting something that I have lived through that going back to Fight Club tropes was fairly disappointing to me.

Season 3 is great by the way. It's a debate on if 3 or 4 is the best but it's close enough that there is a debate.

The real meat of the discussion, spare for the events of the final episode where they reconcile, is in how other people treat them and talk about their condition.

Angela Moss is Elliot's childhood best friend and also lost a parent to the disaster that claimed Edward Alderson's life. She discovered Elliot's condition during his breakdown in S1E8 and was brainwashed by the show villain Whiterose in S2E11 (I have a write-up of the psychological principals at play with the brainwashing here).

In Season 3 she acts as Elliot/Mr. Robot's handler and is responsible for helping Mr. Robot continue his hacktivist terrorism without Elliot finding out. She betrays Elliot and exploits his condition. She also tells people about it without his knowledge or consent, which is pretty fucking monstrous in my eyes.

Don't out a person. Just don't do it.

When Mr. Robot asks how she can tell who she's talking to she responds "Your eyes. You're never trying to look away." which is accurate enough that I messaged my girlfriend to be sappy and grateful towards her as the first time she noticed our condition she told me it was our eyes.

From a 2022 IM chat, shared with permission:

"it's ... well, it's [...] your eyes soften, kind of, when going to Cammie. Dawn has this piercing gaze, like she's looking right into my heart and soul. Camden is just very alert, noticing so many things but not the level of piercing. Cammie... her gaze is softer. More focused, but in a ... drinking everything in, rather than seeking it out sort of way"

and added today when I asked for permission to share the quote:

"(for the record, Craig draws his eyebrows down in a particular way that makes his gaze intense in a good way)"

The show works as hard as it can to never let the audience wonder who they are seeing on screen at any time. Most scenes where Rami Malek is depicting Mr. Robot it is a brief perspective view to remind us what the other characters are seeing before switching back to Christian Slater playing the character. There are a few scenes which involve Rami playing the character for a full sequence. One is the context for a flashback where we see a scene Slater performed through another character's eyes where they see Malek.

The others usually involve us being in Darlene's perspective to highlight her unease and uncertainty of what is happening with her brother.

The only scene where it is ever treated as a surprise is when Darlene plants a bug on Elliot's computer while staying overnight and is roughly interrogated by "Elliot", only to realize midway through the conversation "Jesus. It's you".

The camera cuts back to reveal it has been Mr. Robot the entire scene. They avoid that trick throughout the show so it has large impact when it actually happens.

I feel like that scene (as well as the scene where Elliot wears the real Mr. Robot jacket and gives birth to the 2 Stage plan to take down Evil Corp) are important for reminding that no matter how differently Malek and Slater play their roles, to an outside observer they are the same person and when he acts "out of character" it could easily just be an emotional outburst.

Incidentally you can see the physicality of the acting if you go back and watch it again.

The end of the season has Elliot, betrayed, alone and terrified for the safety of his sister; finally reach out to Mr. Robot and open a dialogue.

He even goes out of his way to have this discussion on the Ferris Wheel at Coney Island both as a Season 1 callback and as a sign of trust. Elliot admits in this conversation that he missed Mr. Robot while he shut him out and wants him to be part of his life and in the season finale Mr. Robot says that he wants the two of them to keep talking.

Elliot also finds out that the window incident wasn't his dad pushing him out of a window. They jumped. Elliot asks in a kind and soft way to Mr. Robot, representing both his protector and an element of the loving father he wished he had, "did you know?"

Mr. Robot, the one who jumped. The one who wanted to protect Elliot from Edward says nothing. But he finally feels an alliance form with Elliot.

The road to healing finally has opened.

Season 4: Integration and Fusion

So let's address the elephant in the room right away. The show uses the word "real" to describe the Elliot who existed before the show started and considers him to be the only legitimate alter. There is enough wiggle room within the show to think that is in-universe ignorance but the show does nothing to prevent the fumble at the finish line.

I want to say upfront and before I start dissecting this season that outdated models of DID believed that there was a crack formed in a person's sense of self and that healing involved restoring the identity prior to the crack.

This is 100% UNTRUE and it upsets me that people once believed it. DID is formed in childhood during a time of a person's life (between ages 4-9) where the child is taking in data from their surroundings and integrating it into their socialized survival mechanics to form a personality. The child is working out what traits it can exhibit to receive nurture, care and protection from other humans and will adapt to those processes. Attachment Theory goes into greater detail about how this relates to the formation of psychological disorders, especially personality disorders.

For a traumatized child they will find that their environments do not offer consistent and reliable safety and thus they are unable to adapt to a version of their reality where they are able to maintain stable safety. This may be horrifying forms of physical, emotional and sexual abuse placed upon a child and is often depicted as such but it can also be a confused child trying to get affection from a cold and distant parent or having a parent who abuses alcohol and becomes inconsistent in their ability to give affection and care. Child psychology is a heavy and depressing field, sadly.

The result is that the child never forms a permanent sense of identity. This is a large factor in the formation of Borderline Personality Disorder and is why DID and BPD are so often thrown together within medical treatment and diagnosis. It's at the point of which when my therapist gave me our diagnosis she presented a clinical list of "myths" regarding DID and "BPD is the same thing as DID" was 5 on the list of 6.

The point of this detour is to say that there is no original self. A person who has DID never managed to form a stable sense of identity in childhood and thus they find themselves acting as chameleons in their day-to-day life, adapting to what they feel they need to become in order to receive the things they need from their surroundings. It's why there is a stigma in the BPD community over the concept of being "manipulative". In reality people with that condition are unconsciously adapting to their environment as a survival mechanism. With DID the added layer of dissociation is there to help the self function even when they are forced to interact with materials that are incompatible with their ability to function.

Pre-show Elliot was living a fairly comfortable life but his emotional needs were not met and at the time he was alienated from his sister. He was miserable and lived in a society that he felt was crumbling. His daydreaming gave birth to "The Mastermind" to remove the threats from his reality and Mr. Robot who had been there all along went into Protective Sicko Mode and decided to expedite the process in a way only a protector's morality could.

We'll get into system roles a little later.

The point is that day-to-day life Elliot (Janina Fisher's book "Healing the Fragmented Self" refers to the part untouched by trauma as the "going about daily life" part) is not Real. He is not The Original. Those terms do not exist and are meaningless in this space.

True/Real/Orignal-Elliot is as much a construct as Mr. Robot. He's a version of Elliot who does not have to think about the trauma, he can just live a happy normal life. The kind that Elliot speaks often and derisively about in Season 1.

With that out of the way, I'm going to ignore the bad use of language and talk only about what is depicted on the screen and not said out loud. Because if you remove the misconception about real/original from the mixture, this is a perfect depiction of final fusion model healing.

Season 4 introduces us to the conference table in the inner world. A conference table is a therapeutic technique used in trauma therapy where you bring the alters/parts to a conference. The idea is that it needs to be a neutral ground where everyone is comfortable and able to share their thoughts and ideas. With practice it can be a space one can close their eyes and imagine, seeing their system and allowing communication to happen between parts.

Mine is based on the Minerals Gallery in the Natural History Museum in London. I refer to it as The Library. You didn't need to know that but I didn't want to discuss this section without mentioning it.

Elliot's is the conference room in Evil Corp where he and Tyrell spoke in the first episode.

Interestingly enough there are only 4 seats in this set. I'm not sure what the implication is here as in the scene depicted above Magda (Persecutor Alter) is scolding Young Elliot (Child Alter) for sitting in a chair that isn't his. They mention all 3 alters who are not present (Elliot, Mr. Robot and The Other One).

My thought is that this is the show going all in on the idea that Elliot ("Real") is not an alter and does not take a seat at the table. Which I have issues with.

I'll note as I did with the inner-world that this is a therapy technique and not something Elliot would just have in his mind. It's an accurate depiction of DID treatment but Elliot isn't being treated for DID. Krista is no way near close enough to be able to help Elliot. She's wonderful and deserves the world and more for how she handles things in this season but she's in the pre-stabilization phase of therapy where she knows more than Elliot is willing to accept and needs to wait for him to come around.

Speaking of Krista. Episode 7 is the greatest hour of television rivaled only by Ozymandias from Breaking Bad and the M*A*S*H finale. At present it has a 9.9 on IMDB.

The episode is structured as a bottle episode in way of a 5 act play depicting the stages of grief. This is the episode where Elliot peels back to dissociative layers and understands the truth. The truth of what his father did.

I won't type it.

I don't need to.

The next episode involves Elliot seeing Young Elliot and following him to a museum exhibit with a model of Manhattan. In Season 1 when Elliot had his psychotic break after realizing Darlene is his sister Darlene and Angela checked this location stating it was a place he used to go in times of crisis.

It turns out when he was young Elliot hid the key to his bedroom here to prevent Edward from getting in. All these years later adult Elliot (or "The Mastermind" if you prefer, which I do not) discovers it and has a heart-to-heart with his younger self, screaming into the emptiness that he's sorry for not protecting him. Sorry for letting him get hurt.

The scene is lit in the golden hues that symbolize safety in this show. The final season also takes place during Christmas in New York so it gets to show off that color palette more often which is great for symbolism and aesthetic.

Young Elliot shows that the act of hiding the key from their father was protecting him. It was fighting back. Sometimes surviving is the best you can do and you need to forgive yourself for not being able to do more.

God I love this show so much.

That episode ends with the scene I most want to just overtly show off to an audience.

I already loved the show. The final episode may have broken my heart a little with its talk of "Real" but this scene? This scene gets it.

Prior to the above video clip Mr. Robot cautiously approaches and says "Hey, kiddo". Something he always says. It's who he is. Regardless of anything else he, Mr. Robot, is designed from the father Elliot wishes he had and when he hears Mr. Robot-- no Edward's voice he tenses up in terror, allowing the above scene to take place with Mr. Robot so scared that he has failed as a protector by allowing Elliot to remember and that he cannot be there for him any longer because of who he is based off of.

Those with the condition commonly create alters who are based on the traits of those in the child's life at the time the symptoms developed. I... have experience.

The lines I want to focus on the most are:

Mr Robot: If I could go back in time and change everything that happened to you... just make it all go away...

Elliot: Then I wouldn't be me... *He turns to finally look at Mr. Robot* ...and I wouldn't have you.

The final arc of the show is where the "Mastermind" twist takes center stage and Elliot enters his inner-world and finds out that he created a peaceful reality for "Real" Elliot to exist in so that he is unharmed by the horrors of the world that is crumbling in reality. Mr. Robot, as a protector, wanted to expedite the whole hack and destruction of capitalism in order to rescue "Real" Elliot from the inner-world prison. In time he came to accept "Mastermind" as a part of the whole and not a rogue alter who was endangering the body and their "Host".

S4E13 lays it all down. An imagined version of Krista speaks directly to Elliot and explains the system and their functions. Mr. Robot a father and protector who could prevent Elliot from intolerable situations. Magda, a persecutor who blamed Elliot for the abuse. Young Elliot, who Elliot could push the traumatic situations on, a common thing that many do unconsciously in CPTSD situations, dissociating from the person the trauma happened to, disconnecting until they are just another version of self.

Elliot then says "I guess she doesn't know about you." referring to us, the audience.

Krista(*) looks into the camera and addresses us directly, calling us the voyeurs who pretend we're not a part of it even though we have been here for it all. She even claims we are on her side in getting "Mastermind" to accept he is a constructed personality who was there to lash out at the society that caused him so much pain.

"You loved him so much you wanted to keep him safe, no matter the cost."

The episode ends with "Mastermind" Elliot waking up in a hospital and reuniting with Darlene only to realize that she has known the entire time that the person we have been following throughout the show wasn't her "real" brother.

...and god damn it I hate this element of the show so much.

I'll accept that they had very little time to clean things up and needed to get a way to have Mastermind agree to the fusion. I'll even demonize Darlene and say she was being selfish and ignorant in saying something hurtful because she missed the version of her brother that existed before Fsociety.

But Our version of Elliot says that he loves her and she doesn't reply. Her disappointment and resignation causes Our Elliot to go back inside and agree to the fusion.

The show ends in a first person perspective of Darlene seeing her "real" brother wake up and that's it. I'm glad we never actually see "Real" Elliot, that feels fitting.

Here's the thing about that last minute fumble though.

Let's talk about Integration and Fusion. They are different things.

Integration is when dissociative barriers come down. The system is stabilized to the point of which the alters are capable of communicating openly, sharing thoughts, memories and experiences and every part has the ability to opt in or out as life goes on.

"Functional Multiplicity" is what happens when a system is in harmony, no memories are being withheld and the system is able to go about everyday life with minimal disruption or disregulation. It is a valid goal for trauma therapy and there's a decent amount of medical stigma around it being used as the goal and not a step towards the goal. Many clinicians prioritize the appearance of normalcy over the function of the individual(s).

Fusion is when you go the extra step and take this communication and sharing of memory and experience and as you tore down the dissociative barriers you tear away the division between parts.

A system is made up of parts that make up a whole person and Fusion is the process of all parts uniting to "become" that whole person. It is a valid and normal goal for treatment. It shouldn't be held up as the only legitimate method of healing but it shouldn't be demonized for being an option. I say this because I have seen some people in support communities get real upset when the topic comes up.

The final sequence of the show, prior to Elliot opening his eyes, involves the system at the inner-world conference table agreeing to go through with it and walking towards a cinema screen. Elliot says this will only work if we go too.

The family (and audience) sit down in the movie theatre and memories flood onto the screen and pour out until all experiences and emotions are shared in one pool and Elliot Alderson opens his eyes with all 5(+audience) alters fused into one.

It was almost perfect if only Darlene hadn't have rejected the "not real" brother.

The cinema screen projecting memories, all the thoughts and experiences being shared as the Alderson System accept their parts in the whole and agree to the process? It was a beautiful visualization of a healing journey.

There are imperfect moments here and there. There are great moments I skipped over such as S3E8 (I'm not up for talking about Self-Deletion today) but all in all it's the best depiction of DID for a main character we'll likely get on TV. It's a whole and complete narrative and I love it so much. It makes me feel seen.

[interstellarleap]

Masterlist of Free PDF Versions of Textbooks Used in Undergrad SNHU Courses in 2025 C-1 (Jan - Mar)

Literally NONE of the Accounting books are available on libgen, they all have isbns that start with the same numbers, so I think they're made for the school or something. The single Advertising course also didn't have a PDF available.

This list could also be helpful if you just want to learn stuff

NOTE: I only included textbooks that have access codes if it was stated that you won't need the access code ANYWAY

ATH (anthropology)

only one course has an available pdf ATH-205 - In The Beginning: An Introduction to Archaeology

BIO (Biology)

BIO-205 Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association Essentials of Human Anatomy & Physiology 13th Edition

NOTE: These are not the only textbook you need for this class, I couldn't get the other one

CHE (IDK what this is)

CHE-329

The Aging Networks: A Guide to Policy, Programs, and Services

Publication Manual Of The American Psychological Association

CHE-460

Health Communication: Strategies and Skills for a New Era

Publication Manual Of The American Psychological Association

CJ (Criminal Justice)

CJ-303

The Wisdom of Psychopaths: What Saints, Spies, and Serial Killers Can Teach Us About Success

Without Conscious: The Disturbing World of the Psychopaths Among Us

CJ-308

Cybercrime Investigations: a Comprehensive Resource for Everyone

CJ-315

Victimology and Victim Assistance: Advocacy, Intervention, and Restoration

CJ-331

Community and Problem-Oriented Policing: Effectively Addressing Crime and Disorder

CJ-350

Deception Counterdeception and Counterintelligence

NOTE: This is not the only textbook you need for this class, I couldn't find the other one

CJ-405Private Security Today

CJ-408

Strategic Security Management-A Risk Assessment Guide for Decision Makers, Second Edition

COM (Communications)

COM-230

Graphic Design Solutions

COM-325McGraw-Hill's Proofreading Handbook

NOTE: This is not the only book you need for this course, I couldn't find the other one

COM-329

Media Now: Understanding Media, Culture, and Technology

COM-330The Only Business Writing Book You’ll Ever Need

NOTE: This is not the only book you need for this course, I couldn't find the other one

CS (Computer Science)

CS-319Interaction Design

CYB (Cyber Security)

CYB-200Fundamentals of Information Systems Security

CYB-240

Internet and Web Application Security

NOTE: This is not the only resource you need for this course. The other one is a program thingy

CYB-260Legal and Privacy Issues in Information Security

CYB-310

Hands-On Ethical Hacking and Network Defense (MindTap Course List)

NOTE: This is not the only resource you need for this course. The other one is a program thingy

CYB-400

Auditing IT Infrastructures for Compliance

NOTE: This is not the only resource you need for this course. The other one is a program thingy

CYB-420CISSP Official Study Guide

DAT (IDK what this is, but I think it's computer stuff)

DAT-430

Dashboard book

ECO (Economics)

ECO-322

International Economics

ENG (English)

ENG-226 (I'm taking this class rn, highly recommend. The book is good for any writer)

The Bloomsbury Introduction to Creative Writing: Second Edition

ENG-328

Ordinary genius: a guide for the poet within

ENG-329 (I took this course last term. The book I couldn't find is really not necessary, and is in general a bad book. Very ablest. You will, however, need the book I did find, and I recommend it even for people not taking the class. Lots of good short stories.)

100 years of the best American short stories

ENG-341You can't make this stuff up : the complete guide to writing creative nonfiction--from memoir to literary journalism and everything in between

ENG-347

Save The Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need

NOTE: This i snot the only book you need for this course, I couldn't find the other one

ENG-350

Linguistics for Everyone: An Introduction

ENG-351Tell It Slant: Creating, Refining, and Publishing Creative Nonfiction

ENG-359 Crafting Novels & Short Stories: Everything You Need to Know to Write Great Fiction

ENV (Environmental Science)

ENV-101

Essential Environment 6th Edition The Science Behind the Stories

ENV-220

Fieldwork Ready: An introductory Guide to Field Research for Agriculture, Environment, and Soil Scientists

NOTE: You will also need lab stuff

ENV-250

A Pocket Style Manual 9th Edition

ENV-319

The Environmental Case: Translating Values Into Policy

Salzman and Thompson's Environmental Law and Policy

FAS (Fine Arts)

FAS-235Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic Classroom in a Book (2023 Release)

FAS-342 History of Modern Art

ALRIGHTY I'm tired, I will probably add ore later though! Good luck!

[starman-john-tracy]

"You're safe here with me" + "I won't let anything happen to you" with Casey? :) 💙

John had taken the space elevator down to the GDF headquarters no more than half an hour ago, at Colonel Casey's request. There'd been a cyber attack on base; an attempted takeover of the GDF's long range weapons systems, and though nothing has been fired - they needed to rule out the possibility that someone could. With the tech team scrambling for solutions, scouring the databanks for any way someone could have remotely accessed their codes and their LAN, the Colonel could only think of one man she both trusts, and who’s qualified to step in and salvage the situation.

And with an updated firewall to prevent remote access, that he personally provided the protocol for, the only thing John Tracy can do to help is show up in person.

Only, John's got the soft edge of an atmospheric headache throbbing in his sinuses and his eyeballs are always the slowest thing to respond to the change in pressure between Five and Earth, so, as he bypasses the office full of scurrying IT consultants and heads directly for the server room, ready to not-entirely-legally plug Eos’ palm sized mobile unit into the GDF’s databases to assess the damage, he completely misses the slim, shadowed figure in amongst the data processing banks.

Because the remote attack hadn’t actually been remote at all, and the gunshot wound to John's shoulder, now leaking a dangerous amount of blood all over his IR blues, seemed like a pretty big clue this was no employee.

They're currently holed up in Casey's office - after the head of the GDF had bodily dragged his skinny space ass out of there. She's trying to force him down behind her desk and out of the way, while the intruder pounds on the door: his threats mostly incoherent screams and stray gunshots. John might not be as hot-headed as Scott or his youngest brothers, but he's still a Tracy and, clearly, the last thing he wants to do is sit still while others might be in danger and so the damned fool, who’s clearly never been shot before, keeps trying to get up.

“Colonel, we’ve got to- argh!” The spaceman gasps and jerks like a livewire as Casey presses a wad of cloth - a runner snatched from the fancy corporate meeting table - hard against the dark, bubbling wound in his shoulder. John's feet kick out, heels scraping helplessly against the corporate grey carpeting, and the boy's back arches against the pain in a way that plummets Valerie Casey’s heart straight through her shoes. She forces the emotion away, grabs one of his cold, blue-clad hands, and guides it on top of the wound.

“Keep pressure on that.” She instructs, as the dark stain spreads rapidly into not only his IR blues, but the ugly purple runner too. His fingers fumble and fail to take over the task, and a soft whine makes its way out between his teeth. “Come on John, you know to keep pressure on.” He's having a hard time focusing on her. She thinks he might be in shock.

“But the gunman,” John gasps, his head thrashing to the side, eyes wide, “he’s after-”

“John.” She cups John's ashen, blood-splattered face between both palms, like she would when he was a small boy and he'd come to the woman who was his Auntie in all but DNA with a bruised cheek and a split lip because he didn’t want to tell his Father he was being bullied at school. "You're safe here with me." Her mouth is a hard white line as she unclips her service pistol from it's holster, "I won't let anything happen to you."

The wood around the door handle audible splinters under a particularly savage impact, and Jeff's boy flinches under her fingers.

Oh, absolutely not.

"Security is on their way and no one is getting into this room, John. And if they somehow do," She raises the gun with both hands, holding it steady and level with the door, "they are not getting through me.”

[mezzy-1]

VALORANT UNIVERSITY HEADCANONS

@eviethelesbian once again thank you for the Headcanon List. Also shoutout to @darthladyofillusions because I included ur OC :)

Harbor is a history professor dating Astra, the archeology professor.  Both of them met on a trip to a site in India

Both of them reached for the same the brush at one point and they laughed it off later

Both of them are excellent teachers in their own way.  Varun has a habit of going on tangents about stories and is super nerdy about his subject.  Efia’s classes are fun and her energy is infectious

Cypher has a family and does cyber security for the University.  Nobody knows his actual name.

Nobody knows him that well but when he comes out of his office he’ll say hello to anyone nearby.  He goes home quickly though and usually avoids working late.

Cypher’s office is full of pictures of his family, drawings from his daughter, screens, and the scent of imported Moroccan teas

He and his wife and kid see the students off when they graduate, and all of the students are amazed to realize that this guy has such a good family life.  (They thought he was a no-life kinda guy)

Liam ‘Brimstone’ Byrne is the university’s Dean and basically runs everything as much as possible for the good of the students.  Tariq and him are the brains and guiding hand of the university

He retired from the military after he was given an educator’s license and became a professor of tactics at a military academy.  He then took his skills elsewhere and turned the college into what it is now

Liam keeps the students at the forefront of any policy changes and takes an interest in professors that are considered brilliant but difficult to work with.  He’s an expert of recruitment and reining in the right people

Has snacks in his office for students but they can only get them if they complete a pull-up on an pull-up bar he has in his office.  One arm only.

Sabine worked at R&D at a pesticide company but is the only Organic Chem teacher that the Valorant U could get.  Somehow is a good professor despite hating students and no general teaching

She doesn’t really hate them but it isn’t a good idea to get on her bad side.  It’s rumored she poisons the students she hates.  

Stared daggers into the first person (Jamie), to make a Breaking Bad reference and since then nobody brings it up

Classes with her are pretty tense but if a student actually tries and gives their all, she’ll notice and be kinder to them.  Especially students who study chemistry.  Double for O-Chem.

Sabine’s style of teaching could use work, but when she tries to explain complex ideas she’s genuinely in her element.  She once explained how tetrodotoxin and nerve ion channels worked to Zyanya’s little sister 

Zyanya is a professor for sure, probably the best Spanish teacher ever.  Beyond terrifying to new students

She will not let students forget proper accents and grammar, and god help the people that do.  Somebody once forgot their homework and Zyanna was literally this close to killing them

Her Spanish is specifically Mexican, and that extends to the class through some of the words she teaches.  Especially bits in culture and authenticity

Zyanya’s idea of testing people is borderline an interrogation.  10 minutes of extensive and stern conversations and multiple pages of writing.  People say it feels like their souls have literally been drained

Students come out of the classes fluent or scarred for life

Ling is a professor of medicine and completed her PHD around the same time Viper completed hers.  They were amazed to see each other teaching

She does Tai Chi for relaxation but did at one point learn Kung Fu while living abroad in a monastery for a couple of years.  She once broke a board in front of her class just to prove it

Hosts meditation hours during finals week and her office hours are always super useful for all of the medical and nursing students.  Calming as hell to anxious people

Tala got a scholarship via cross country and another from basketball, and wants to major in physical therapy.  She also got a job doing late night shifts at the library as security.

Hazal is in a band called Nightmare.  Her and several other introverts got together and started one.  Only perform in the most obscure venue.  She can play bass REALLY WELL

Tala found out and now shows up to every performance the band has.  If it weren’t for the lights flashing red and blue, you could see Hazal blushing when she spots Tala in the crowd

That’s how she met Hazal.  Tala was approached by her because Hazal wanted to study late and the two became acquainted

Both of them love the late nights that they share and Hazal is always at one of Tala’s games.  Tala picks her out of the crowd every time, and at the end Hazal always kisses her 

Mateo is a veterinary student and is everyone’s friend.  Except Iselin because some of his patients got into her office once and trashed her latest project model

He keeps fish, dogs, lizards, cats, and nearly everything else.  At one point he was in charge of a project that kept some monkeys around at one point 

The animal counterparts are a chameleon (Dizzy), a Chinese High Banded Shark (Thrash), a bullfrog tadpole (Mosh), and an Axolotl named Wingman

He has a crochet version of his (radivore) crew, courtesy of Omen being bored one day

Mateo is a Gen Z kid, and his vocabulary beyond salvaging

Jamie is an English major, I mean, obviously

Everyone likes Jamie, he brings a certain energy to everything he does and it resonates well with people.  His writing has a level of power and rhythm that makes it both easy to listen and layered

He is a songwriter, and poet, and even has a collection of published short stories.  His mums are proud.  His scripts are also incredible and his goal is to get his own musical to Broadway 

When Jamie is in a play, it’s usually as the protagonist or the main antagonist.  It is wonderful to see him on stage, especially because he’s trained as a Shakespearean actor

Tayane is THE art student and the reason most of the faculty drinks.  And also the reason why most of the students drink too

Absolute ragers getting thrown anytime Tayane is involved.  This woman does not stop until the sun is up

Her graffiti portraits are inspired, colorful, and almost always on government property or university property.  Brim started commissioning her in order to stop her from painting everything

The commissioned murals are a lot better for her, and gave her legal access to make huge projects on some of the older buildings

One of the walls is a silhouette of a woman with big circular glasses, geometric pink and yellow patterns around her, and surrounded by flowers

Vincent Fabron is the art teacher and Viper HATES him.  He’s also that one teacher an unreasonable amount of people of have a crush on

He was a tattoo artist while taking art lessons in France, then moved into high class art.  His gallery pieces gained a lot of attention and he gained a lot of money from them.

Now he teaches art, and has done graphic design for many upscale companies.  His own business card has won awards from design and art societies though

Omen is a guy in a scarf and hoodie that is somehow in everyone’s classes.  He crochets in the back sometimes.

Texts notes at 4am to anyone who needs it and is incredibly nocturnal.  He doesn’t need sleep he needs friends

Students never remembered or learned his name, so they just started calling him Omen after the laptop brand he uses

Erik ‘Breach’ Torsten is a coach they brought in and actually manages a paralympic team.  May have criminal past according to some of the athletes he manages

He will scream at people in Swedish during games, practice, going over strategies, and if he sees them in public.  Friendly but so loud

His prosthetic arms were a courtesy of the university’s science program.  They were partially a gift and partially a test to see what they could do.  Erik made sure that he could flip people off with the arms

Iselin the professor of Industrial Design, and she is the most stern professor ever.  At times she works for a wilderness recreation company and does product design for them.  

She is very organized, and her lecture presentations are always available, she lists the pages to read, dates for every assignment are posted a month in advance

Iselin’s a professional and rarely eases up, but the few times she’s been out with the other faculty she’s been surprisingly fun.  Especially with Ling for some reason

Kirra is a Biology professor that has so many plants in her room.  Has a parakeet, dog, and fish tank at home too.  Does wildlife photography on the side.  

Kirra protested in college and was arrested once for sabotage.  So she is totally chill with people missing class for stuff, and gives extra credit for students involved in causes

Goes on wilderness expeditions with some students for a class and memorized several survival books worth of information and knows every plant, animal, and fungus she comes across

Klara is an engineering major and Tayane just comes to those classes because she can.  It usually results in the equipment being plastered in stickers and paint.

They met when Tayane decided to tag the garage that Klara was keeping her final project in.  Both of them sort of caught feelings as soon as they saw each other

Klara fell so damn hard, and realized this while Tayane was doing a kegstand.  Klara whispered ‘she’s perfect’ mindlessly and then realized Sunwoo was right next to her

Sunwoo finished what was in her cup, patted Klara on the back, and said ‘good luck’ before walking away and pretending she didn’t hear

Her final project has been her ‘Lockdown’ which is basically an EMP crossed with a massive DDOS hack.  It went off once and downed the college’s internet for a week.

She’s going to switch it to something a little less destructive at this point, and Tayane is helping her brainstorm.  Currently it’s a robot but she’s trying to figure out what to make it do

KAY/O is Tariq’s gamertag.  The man is a CS:GO fiend and has crazy flashes due to muscle memory

Liam and him are MARRIED.  I’m not budging on this one and you will find me dead in the ground before I let this go

Tariq’s good at a lot of random stuff and doesn’t help out too much at the college but is well-known as the ‘guy who Brim allows to help grill things’ because nobody else is allowed

Helps Liam plan out things for the students and assists in any sort of set up that he can do

Ryo is studying Japanese History and works as a mechanic at a chop shop.  It is shady as hell over there but Yoru will hook people up if needed.  They definitely steal parts though

He takes business classes and there’s a real chance he might double major.  His business acumen and aggressive nature would make him the ultimate CEO

Sasha is the professor that most students simp for, and he teaches Russian Language classes.  Throws things at students that don’t pay attention and rarely misses

He has an owl nesting outside of the window to his classroom, he named it Matrioshka after the nesting dolls.  It had owlets so it seemed fitting.

His babushka lives out of the country but gets a continuous stream of gifts from him

Sasha is that one professor that has a weird story for everything in his room.  The bow he has? killed a grizzly bear with it.  Glass eye on display?  It was a gift from a glassmaker that was caught with illegal firearms.  Weird rock?  It was at the sight of a historic battle and has a bootprint in it

Has SO MANY books from Russian writers he reads in his off time.  Also does archery at a cabin he has in the woods.

Nobody could handle Novikov at the cabin, the sheer hotness of him splitting firewood, bow hunting, and chopping trees would send people into a simp coma

At the end of the year, he writes each student a short note in Russian telling them something worthwhile.

Sunwoo is an amazing sprinter and also amazing at darts.  Loves adding photos to the corkboard she has in her dorm

She isn’t really sure what she wants to study at the moment or even if she wanted to go to college.  Gotta love families pressuring college on their kids right?

It isn’t as depressing though, she shows real talent and enjoyment in studying Business but surprisingly is leaning towards learning Journalism as well

She writes stuff for the school paper, a blog, and even has a (somewhat inspired by people around her) science fiction story.  She hasn’t thought of a name yet.

It’s about secret agents that fight against an alternate dimension that tries to steal a powerful crystal from them.  It’s quite popular with the people who she let read it and people are constantly asking for updates

Sunwoo is trying, and hopefully she’ll manage to find somewhere she can feel comfortable

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

Kayra is studying botany, and started a garden in one of the common areas.  At first it was small but cute, then after a few weeks the flowers and bushes spread outside of the garden and overtook the common area.

It's now her favorite place to get away from people because trellises were added in and nobody can see through the vines.  There’s a chance she keeps patio furniture in the garden too

Has been living in an apartment with Hazal.  Tala has been the only one in there and says its overrun with houseplants and hanging lamps.

(@darthladyofillusions I hope this is accurate to some extent)

[humbledragon669]

S1E2 – The Book Write Up P1

– 2 days before Armageddon and 1656

On my most recent rewatch of this episode, I felt like overall it was much more narrative in nature than the first one, so there might not be quite as much waffle in this write up. Then again, this episode includes both the jacket cleaning and the wall slam Aziracrow moments, so perhaps let’s not count our chickens…

Let’s dive straight in then. It find it interesting that Aziraphale doesn’t appear surprised to see Gabriel and Sandalphon (described in the script as “thuggish”) in his book shop at all. I do love this little scene though, it’s pure comedy which, considering where we left off at the end of the first episode, is a good way to remind the audience that this show isn’t meant to be all doom and gloom. It’s also nice to see the comparison of knowledge of human behaviours here; Gabriel completely clueless and Sandalphon feeding him information he believes to be appropriate - only Aziraphale has any hint of behaving naturally at all, though there is something to ponder on here. Is his obvious discomfort at the mention of pornography caused by genuine embarrassment or because he has learned the appropriate human behaviour during his time on earth? I think it’s the former. We’ll see this human etiquette dilemma echoed in the first episode of season 2, which has a more obvious reference to its connotations so I will address it properly there. Let’s just say that Aziraphale’s sensitivities here could be attributed to forbidden knowledge.

I also love the fact that Aziraphale does his best not to make his customers feel awkward in this scene. Almost as if he actually wants them there. Which would mean actually selling some books somewhere along the way… He must just be being polite because that is clearly nonsense. It makes me giggle that despite trying to maintain an air or professional distance, he calls the two angels by name in front of the whole shop, completely undermining any attempts he was making at pretending the two “men” in front of him are unknown to him. Silly angel. And just to round this mini section off, this is my favourite line of the scene, which could only be delivered by a being that has no idea of the social connotations of buying porn:

We human beings are extremely easily embarrassed. We must buy our pornography secretively.

For those who don’t know, Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management (the book Gabriel has picked up) is just about the furthest thing from porn you could possibly have – it’s a guide to running a household in Victorian Britain, written for married ladies of the time.

There’s a pretty delicious irony shown in the back room here – Gabriel marvelling at how easily humans are fooled whilst simultaneously being fooled by Aziraphale. The irony is further driven home by the fact that we, the “easily fooled” can tell Gabriel is being duped.

I would just like to take a moment to truly appreciate this beast that sits on a desk in the back office:

I work in IT (cyber security to be exact) and this thing gives me chills, of both the good and bad varieties. I do really love the way that there are so many little details hidden around the sets of this show, and this one goes to show how stuck in the dark ages Aziraphale is with “modern” life. I’d wager he only bought it because it was suggested to him in the first place. I’d be hugely surprised if he had used it more than once in its lifetime - probably turned it on, decided he didn’t like it and turned it off again.

There’s a lovely bit of character development here for Aziraphale, and it’s something we don’t get to see very much of with him – his ability to stay calm in difficult situations. He deals with the unexpected arrival of the two angels in a very skillful way; inventing a (believable) reason for why Sandalphon is able to smell evil in the shop, conversing with the two intruders in a polite but appropriate way, managing to lie to them without any hint of a fluster. I am guilty sometimes of thinking of the angel as a bit of a flake but scenes like this really help to remind me that actually he can be a total badass when he needs to be, after all Gabriel and Sandalphon both leave appearing to have no concerns about Aziraphale’s behaviour whatsoever.

From Aziraphale’s homely, cosy, cluttered book shop, we’re transported straight to Crowley’s sparse and cold-looking apartment where everything clearly has its place – another clever way of reminding us that these two characters are polar opposites in a lot of ways.

Interestingly the script describes Crowley’s apartment as being starkly white but I feel like the series realisation of it is much truer to his tastes. I also feel that seeing the demon in his own completely separate space is meant to serve as a reminder to the audience that he and Aziraphale are, supposedly, nothing more than good friends. As such it makes perfect sense that they should both have their own “home bases”, though I find it interesting that we never see Aziraphale at Crowley’s flat – in fact I don’t think there is evidence to suggest that he ever goes there at all (body swap incident aside). I’m pretty glad about that – Aziraphale is far too “soft” to be anywhere near comfortable in that apartment in my opinion. Coming back around to my own head canon (in which Crowley and Aziraphale are very much together at this point in the timeline), it does seem rather fitting that the flat is so sparsely furnished – I don’t really think Crowley spends that much time there (the script actually describes it as feeling “unlived in”), though it’s a good thing he wasn’t at the book shop for Gabriel’s visit in this particular instance. Regardless of whether or not Crowley really “lives” in this apartment, he’s clearly comfortable there as we see him prowling around without his glasses on.

The presence of the Mona Lisa sketch behind Crowley’s throne of a chair (why does he have such a grand chair anyway?) is explained in a deleted scene from the script – he bought it from Leonardo da Vinci himself during an evening of drinking (obviously).

I’m pretty sure that Crowley was about to call Aziraphale in this scene but for what purpose I have no idea – I don’t feel like there is anything more to be said about Armageddon at this point. I also don’t know why he decided better of it and stops himself. I’m not convinced there is anything in this as the interaction with the phone isn’t given in the stage directions of the script, I think it’s more likely part of the setting of the scene for the communication we’re about to see take place through the television.

I want to talk a little bit here about noises that are used in the soundtrack for when a miracle is performed as it’s something I believe will become important in season 2. Like REALLY important. But I’m getting ahead of myself. For now, let’s just note that at this point we’re introduced to the sound we will be hearing that signifies a demonic miracle taking place (which Crowley does to turn on the TV – either he’s being incredibly lazy or it’s a deliberate attempt to introduce us to this noise. I vote the latter). You can hear it in the clip below, immediately after the noise of Crowley clicking his fingers, underneath the talking from the TV:

I can’t quite place it as a sound, the closest I get to describing it is that it’s like the noise you get when you use a brush on a cymbal, or maybe sleigh bells that have been sped up. Either way, it’s distinctive. I’ll visit this concept again later, but for now we can just shelve the concept of the show giving a clear indication that a demonic miracle has just been performed for later reference.

I love the way television communique subtly strengthens the idea of communication over human broadcast mediums (like the radio in the Bentley) – this is mentioned in the book as being Crowley’s idea originally that has now turned sour for him. It’s worth noting the discussion prior to the arrival of Hastur and Ligur around the increasing of international tensions, which provides another device to lay the groundwork for the method of execution that Heaven has chosen for Armageddon. When I pick up on little things like this, I really am astounded by the amount of thought gone into this show.

Side note about Crowley’s chair:

I got a bit sidetracked on this, partly because I realised Ligur mentions it. I was actually able to find a couple of instances of the chair in various places online. It’s almost always described as a throne, and on one particular (Indonesian) website it’s described as a “King Chair”.

Can we just show some appreciation here for David’s top lip? With the most perfectly timed sneer, he conveys just how much contempt he has for his Hellish colleagues. Blink and you’d miss it:

If you missed the sneering, you can’t miss the undertones in the conversation he has with the two other demons – he has absolutely no appetite for Armageddon whatsoever, and next to no respect for what we are led to believe are his superiors. We do get a gem of a piece of information in this exchange though, which is that Hastur and Ligur are also fallen angels. Not only are they “fallen”, Hastur tells us that their collective falls were caused by an organised rebellion. We’ll learn a little more about the circumstances surrounding the fall of the rebellious angels later, and how Crowley came to be mixed up in the whole thing but for now this just makes me wonder how many other “fallen” there are currently waiting for Armageddon in Hell.

We’re treated to another lazy switch off of the TV here, with a repeat performance of the demonic miracle sound, so if you didn’t catch it the first time around, you really should have caught on by now.

We can’t leave this scene without mentioning Crowley’s take on his own fall:

I didn’t fall. I didn’t mean to fall. I just hung around the wrong people.

If that line doesn’t break your heart a little, you have no place here. The idea that Crowley’s fall was entirely unintentional and unwanted is something that we’ll come back to later, so for now we’ll just make a note of his true feelings about what is likely the single most defining event of his existence. It is interesting that Hastur does not appear to feel the same way about his own fall – 6000 years later he’s still standing by his actions and fully expects his accomplices to feel the same way. Seeing Crowley deliver this heartfelt sentiment to an empty room makes me wonder if Aziraphale has any idea how he feels about it. I highly doubt it but it’s a question I have nonetheless.

And so, we’re introduced to our delivery man. I really like this character because he feels incredibly relatable – he’s just a guy following instructions so that he can keep his job, put food on the table, go home to his loved ones. I feel like what happens to him throughout the series is so very unfair, and in this opening scene we hear that he is also being laden with the “blame” of calling the Four Horsemen when God refers to him as “the summoner”. Poor guy. Maybe that’s the point though, having the most relatable human character suffering the most because of events that are beyond his control. Maybe he’s meant to represent all of us. Deep…

Time for another appreciation take, and this time it goes to David Arnold’s amazing soundtrack. The sheer range of musical styles we hear across both seasons is incredible, and every incidental piece of music used does its job perfectly of helping to set the tone of the scene. The epic setting of the theme tune used in War’s introduction scene is nothing short of brilliant and I think it’s a real pity it can’t be found on the OST. Caveat: I was brought up on Queen, so any music (usually in a minor key, with plenty of broken scales and chords) that sounds even vaguely like rock with a prominent yet mournful guitar solo will have me weak at the knees any day. It’s why I currently sprint finish every run I do to the GO end titles theme (“The Theme That Got Left in the Car”). Honestly I sometimes think if my soul could make a noise, a wailing guitar is how it would sound.

We are now introduced to the namesake of the subtitle of the Good Omens universe – Agnes Nutter. The choice to use the surname “Nutter” for this character was not a random one. Alice Nutter was a woman executed for being a witch in Lancashire (where we find ourselves at this point in the story) in 1612. As much as I would like to believe that Agnes is perhaps a direct descendant of Alice, I have been unable to confirm the names of her descendants past sons and daughters, all of whom would have been too old to be our Agnes (and none of whom are named Agnes!). Anyway, Neil himself confirmed the link as a simple inspiration in a tweet all the way back in 2016, before season 1 was even filmed:

Nevertheless, this is another one of those instances where Neil and Terry have brilliantly woven together factual and fictional parts into a single story, which makes the whole so much believable, not to mention it gives you an appreciation for how much work must have gone into the writing of the book.

There are a couple of minor things of note in the following scene:

Agnes declares herself to be the last true witch in England. I’m not sure what purpose this serves, or what basis the claim is made on (perhaps another of her prophecies?), or if it’s even true.

You can actually hear the noise of the nails hidden in Agnes’s skirt as she walks if you listen. I only picked up on this after I knew they were there. It’s another example of clues being given for those who pay attention. I dare say Adultery Pulsifer should probably have picked up on it but he was obviously too busy being a pompous dickhead to notice.

Agnes’s book of prophecies has received a review from Ursula Shipton, comparing her to Nostradamus. Mother Shipton was an actual historical figure, known as a soothsayer and prophetess. She also died in 1561, almost 100 years before the publication of her Agnes’s book, which makes her review either meta-satire or proof of her own legitimacy. I’m going with the latter.

There is another reference to an apple here, this time of the Jobs variety. I understand its placement serves as a way to explain the Device family fortune in the pre-Armageddon timeline, but I do not think that the returning mention of an apple (regardless of its form) is a coincidence. In this instance, the suggestion is that future generations should partake of the aforementioned apple in order to flourish – not so dissimilar to another apple in another ancient location is it?

Well, I think that’s as good a place as any to finish this part. What was I saying about not being so much waffle? I am trying not to analyse every line, it’s just that in a script that’s this well written, every word and phrase seems to have been so carefully chosen so as to carry its own meaning. Or maybe I’m just being pretentious.

Comments, questions, discussions welcome as always!

[usafphantom2]

Modernization: Dilemmas for Adversaries

Jan. 16, 2025

Air Combat Command

ACC shield

Air Combat Command shield

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JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS,Va --

When Gen. Ken Wilsbach took command of Air Combat Command last February, he made it clear that ACC would prioritize creating dilemmas for adversaries.

“To create those dilemmas in ACC, we have to work on readiness, modernization, and Agile Combat Employment,” Wilsbach said.

These three focus areas, along with “taking care of Airmen and families,” are the four priorities established for ACC by Wilsbach and Chief Master Sgt. Dave Wolfe, ACC command chief.

In a rapidly evolving global security environment, modernization of the U.S. Air Force is more critical than ever. The complexity of modern warfare, advancements in adversarial capabilities, and the need to maintain global strategic dominance make evolving the force an imperative.

To ensure air dominance in the 21st century, Wilsbach has placed a robust and integrated cyber network at the forefront of ACC’s modernization efforts.

“The first modernization priority for me has to be the network,” Wilsbach said. “When we look forward to the way we will have to fight, it will be with a network-enabled force. We need to have a combined operating picture so we can have situational awareness and complete the kill chain.”

The "kill chain" refers to the sequence of steps required to detect, identify, track, target, engage, and assess threats. It demands coordination across multiple domains — air, space, cyber, and sea — to enable seamless information flow and operational agility. A robust cyber network is essential to achieving this capability.

Wilsbach also highlighted the importance of extending the kill chain to long-range engagements, a crucial capability for countering the highly defended targets of the modern battlefield.

“Throughout my career, most weapons were short-range, relying on aircraft sensors for targeting and guidance,” Wilsbach said. “While we still retain that capability, we now aim to engage targets beyond the horizon, where aircraft sensors cannot reach.”

This “over-the-horizon” kill chain not only extends the Air Force’s operational reach, but also enhances safety for personnel by enabling engagements from greater distances.

In addition to enhancing the Air Force’s cyber network and extending the kill chain, Wilsbach recognized the importance of modernizing an aging fleet of aircraft.

“In the next few years, we'll be delivering some new aircraft, while at the same time modernizing our current fleet with new software and new weapons,” he said. “That will be happening relatively soon with Collaborative Combat Aircraft, which is a way for us to increase the mass of what we can deliver as effects in the battle space, at a relatively inexpensive cost.”

Collaborative Combat Aircraft, or CCA, are unmanned systems being developed by ACC to operate alongside manned aircraft. These platforms enhance mission capabilities by providing support for reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and strike operations, facilitating more effective, adaptable, and cost-efficient air combat strategies.

By modernizing existing capabilities and introducing advanced systems like CCA, the Air Force aims to employ a strategy known as “stacking effects,” to create multiple dilemmas for adversaries.

“In the old days, when we would drop a bomb on a target, we'd guide the bomb on the target from our own aircraft sensors to destroy it,” Wilsbach said. “Modern 21st century targets are highly defended and require a strategy of stacking effects, which involves combining space and cyber capabilities, electronic warfare, decoys, and kinetic weapons to increase the likelihood of mission success.”

While modernization is a top priority for ACC, Chief Wolfe acknowledged the challenges ahead and emphasized the importance of maintaining current platforms at peak performance.

“Modernization is extremely complicated, and there are a lot of priorities out there,” Wolfe said. “Not everything is going to come on a timeline that we would like. We must preserve our current capabilities and keep them moving along until we can get across the bridge, to the capability that is just down the road.”

Wilsbach stressed the need for innovation at all levels to bridge the gap between current and future capabilities.

“Jump in, be innovative, make the most of whatever you have,” Wilsbach said. “What we want is to maximize whatever platform you have by making sure they're ready, they're flyable, and we're being innovative with procedures and processes so we can get the most out of every one of those platforms.”

Air Combat Command’s focus on modernization will make sure the Air Force is prepared to confront the challenges ahead and maintain its position as the world’s preeminent air power.

@acc.af.mil

[socialmediahackerweb]

How to Hire a Social Media Hacker Safely: A Complete Guide

In today’s tech-driven world, social media accounts are more than just a place for socializing—they are gateways to personal and business data. Whether you're locked out of your account, worried about digital privacy, or need to strengthen your security, hiring a hacker might seem like a quick fix. However, it's important to approach this cautiously. In this guide, we'll explain how to safely and legally hire a social media hacker, what to look for, and the risks involved.

1. Why Hire a Social Media Hacker?

There are a variety of reasons why you might consider hiring a hacker for your social media needs. Some of the most common include:

Account Recovery: Losing access to a social media account due to hacking or forgotten passwords can be frustrating. A professional hacker can bypass recovery protocols and get you back in.

Security Audits: Ethical hackers can identify weaknesses in your social media security, helping you prevent future cyber-attacks.

Data Retrieval: For business purposes, some companies hire hackers to retrieve important information or gain insights into competitors.

While the idea of hiring a hacker might seem risky, when done ethically and legally, it can be a helpful resource in regaining control over your online assets.

2. What is a Professional Social Media Hacker?

A professional social media hacker is an expert skilled in identifying and exploiting weaknesses in social media platforms to recover accounts, enhance security, or gather data. These hackers fall into two categories:

White-Hat Hackers: Ethical hackers who work within legal boundaries. They are typically hired for account recovery, security testing, and digital protection services.

Black-Hat Hackers: Individuals who use their skills for malicious purposes, such as unauthorized access or data theft.

It's essential to make sure you're hiring a white-hat hacker to ensure the legality of their actions. White-hat hackers use legitimate methods to help you regain access or fortify your account.

3. How to Hire a Social Media Hacker

Finding a reliable social media hacker takes more than just a quick Google search. Here’s how you can find a legitimate hacker without falling for scams:

Freelance Platforms: Websites like Upwork, Freelancer, and Fiverr host professionals offering hacking and cybersecurity services. Be sure to check reviews and ask for verifiable past work.

Cybersecurity Firms: Many reputable companies specialize in ethical hacking services. Hiring through these firms ensures that you’re working with professionals who will operate within legal boundaries.

Hacker Forums: There are many online forums where ethical hackers offer their services. However, proceed with caution, as these forums can also be a breeding ground for scams.

Once you find a hacker, ask for credentials or proof of their experience with the platform you need help with, such as Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

4. The Benefits of Hiring a Professional Social Media Hacker

When you hire a social media hacker, you're not just gaining access to your account; you're investing in your online security and peace of mind. Here are the key benefits:

Quick Account Recovery: Forget the long, frustrating customer support routes. A professional hacker can help you regain access faster.

Improved Security: By running security checks and vulnerability assessments, hackers can help you secure your social media accounts and prevent future breaches.

Competitive Advantage: In business, accessing legally obtained data from competitors can help improve your strategies.

Hiring a hacker can be a valuable tool for both personal and professional needs, but only when done ethically.

5. Legal Risks of Hiring a Social Media Hacker

While hiring a hacker can solve a number of problems, it’s essential to understand the risks involved:

Illegal Hacking: Hacking someone else's social media account without permission is illegal and can result in serious legal consequences. Always make sure that your actions, and the actions of the hacker you hire, are within the legal framework.

Scammers: Unfortunately, there are many untrustworthy individuals who claim to be hackers but are really out to scam people. Be careful when sharing personal information, and only work with vetted professionals.

Ethical Concerns: Even if a hacker offers to retrieve information from someone else’s account, remember that doing so without consent is unethical and illegal.

Before you hire, ensure that the hacker’s actions will be lawful and ethical to avoid any legal trouble.

6. How to Protect Yourself When Hiring a Hacker

To safely hire a social media hacker, here are some best practices to follow:

Do Your Research: Take the time to verify the hacker’s credentials. Look at their previous work, ask for references, and check for any feedback from past clients.

Use Secure Communication: Always communicate securely with the hacker to protect your personal information. Avoid sharing sensitive data over unencrypted platforms.

Create a Clear Agreement: Before any work begins, have a formal contract that outlines the services to be performed and the legal limitations. This protects both parties and ensures that the work stays within ethical boundaries.

7. Hiring a Social Media Hacker: What to Expect

When working with a professional hacker, clear communication and expectations are essential. Here’s what to expect:

Transparent Pricing: The cost of hiring a hacker can vary depending on the complexity of the task. Be wary of hackers who offer extremely low rates, as they might not be legitimate.

Clear Communication: A professional hacker should explain the process clearly and answer any questions you have along the way.

Results: Whether you’re looking for account recovery or a security audit, a professional hacker should deliver results within the agreed-upon timeframe.

Conclusion: The Right Way to Hire a Social Media Hacker

Hiring a social media hacker can be an effective way to recover lost accounts, strengthen security, or gain strategic insights. However, it’s essential to hire a reputable, ethical hacker who operates within legal boundaries. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can safely and legally hire a professional social media hacker to help with your digital needs.

For more information:

Hire a Hacker

Hire a Social Media Hacker

Professional Social Media Hacker

This article integrates the keywords "hire a hacker," "hire a social media hacker," and "professional social media hacker" naturally throughout the content, while keeping the information helpful and engaging for readers. It also includes hyperlinks to the desired website for further exploration, ensuring SEO indexability.

[albertpeter]

How to Select the Best Cryptocurrency Development Services Provider Near You?

Choosing the right cryptocurrency development services provider is crucial for the success of your blockchain project. Whether you're launching a new cryptocurrency, developing a decentralized application (dApp), or planning an Initial Coin Offering (ICO), finding a reliable and competent development team can make all the difference. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you navigate this important decision.

1. Define Your Project Requirements

Before you start looking for a cryptocurrency development services provider, it’s essential to clearly define your project requirements. Outline the scope of your project, including technical specifications, desired features, security considerations, and any regulatory compliance requirements. Understanding your project needs will help you evaluate potential providers more effectively.

2. Evaluate Technical Expertise

One of the most critical factors in selecting a cryptocurrency development services provider is their technical expertise. Look for a team that has a proven track record in blockchain development, particularly in the specific technologies and platforms you intend to use (e.g., Ethereum, Hyperledger, Stellar). Verify their experience through case studies, client testimonials, and their portfolio of completed projects.

3. Assess Security Measures

Security is paramount in the cryptocurrency and blockchain space due to the high value of digital assets and the prevalence of cyber threats. Ensure that the development services provider has robust security protocols in place, including adherence to best practices such as code audits, multi-layered encryption, secure smart contract development, and regular security updates.

4. Check Regulatory Compliance

Regulatory compliance is another critical consideration, especially if your project involves tokens or involves financial transactions. Ensure that the development team is well-versed in relevant regulatory frameworks (e.g., KYC/AML regulations) and can implement compliance measures effectively. A reputable provider should prioritize legal compliance to mitigate regulatory risks.

5. Evaluate Development Methodologies

Understand the development methodologies and processes employed by the cryptocurrency development services provider. Agile methodologies are often preferred in blockchain development for their flexibility and iterative approach. Ensure that the provider emphasizes transparency, regular communication, and milestone-based deliverables to keep your project on track.

6. Review Client Support and Maintenance

Post-launch support and maintenance are crucial for the long-term success of your blockchain project. Inquire about the provider’s support services, including troubleshooting, bug fixes, and updates. A reliable provider should offer ongoing maintenance to address evolving technological and security needs, ensuring the continued functionality and security of your platform.

7. Consider Industry Reputation and Reviews

Research the reputation of potential cryptocurrency development services providers within the industry. Seek reviews from past clients and industry experts to gauge their reliability, professionalism, and overall satisfaction with the services provided. Online platforms, forums, and social media can provide valuable insights into the provider’s reputation and client relationships.

8. Evaluate Cost and Budget

While cost shouldn’t be the sole determining factor, it’s important to consider your budget and compare pricing among different providers. Beware of overly low-cost offers that may compromise quality or lack transparency in pricing structure. Look for a provider that offers competitive pricing aligned with the scope and complexity of your project, with a clear breakdown of costs.

9. Assess Communication and Collaboration

Effective communication and collaboration are essential when working with a cryptocurrency development services provider. Evaluate their responsiveness, clarity in communication, and willingness to understand your project vision. A provider who values collaboration and offers proactive suggestions can contribute significantly to the success of your blockchain venture.

10. Seek Customization and Scalability

Every blockchain project is unique, requiring tailored solutions to meet specific objectives. Ensure that the development services provider offers customization options and scalability to accommodate future growth and evolving market demands. Whether you’re launching a startup or expanding an existing platform, scalability should be a key consideration in your provider selection.

Conclusion

Selecting the best cryptocurrency development services provider near you involves careful evaluation of technical expertise, security measures, regulatory compliance, support services, reputation, cost, and collaboration capabilities. By thoroughly assessing these factors and aligning them with your project requirements, you can make an informed decision that sets the foundation for a successful blockchain venture.

Choosing the right partner is not just about finding a development team but selecting a strategic ally committed to your project’s success from inception through implementation and beyond.

[pandhora]

Premise of Sonic Mars was recycled for Sonic Frontiers.

I discovered that the game's story: Sonic Mars had its premise idea recycled by someone at Sega.

(Photo Official of The Sonic Fronteirs)

• Sonic Mars = Sonic Frontiers: Sonic has to save his friends from being trapped in a virtual world.

Sonic Frontiers Story: Following the trails of the Chaos Emeralds, Sonic, Tails and Amy fly in the Tornado towards the Starfall Islands, an archipelago of islands forgotten by everyone. As they approach the islands, a wormhole suddenly appears in the sky, sucking Sonic in and separating him from his friends. Upon waking up, Sonic finds himself trapped in Cyber Space, a digital space that resembles places from his memories. He escapes and finds himself on Kronos Island, one of the Starfall Islands. Guided by a mysterious voice, Sonic must now gather the Chaos Emeralds.

When Sonic tries to save his friends, he gains Cyber Corruption. This corruption causes him great pain, but also gives him new powers that he uses to defeat the gigantic Titans that protect the emeralds. Sonic encounters a holographic girl named Sage who wants him to leave the islands. She was created by Dr. Eggman, who is also trapped in Cyberspace after tampering with the Ancients' technology. On Ares Island, Sonic encounters his friendly rival Knuckles, who was teleported here from Angel Island. The mysterious voice that guided Sonic through the islands is released from cyberspace on Rhea Island. This monster is a planet killer that the Ancients tried to stop long ago by sealing it away. Eggman reluctantly teams up with Sonic to stop him and save the world.

What was Sonic Mars?

(Image edited by me imagining what Sonic Mars would be like)

(Real photo from the Official Sonic Mars game)

The game's proposal was prepared on May 17, 1994 by then-lead designer Michael Kosaka with assistance from Chris Senn and Don Goddard. Opting to frame the game in the Saturday morning show that was still on the air at the time, the hope was to make the first fully 3D game about Sonic and his world. Presented to the management of Sega of America, they gave the green light for the Sega Technical Institute to move forward with the project. When shown what the American side of STI was coming up with for the next chapter of the Sonic the Hedgehog series, Yuji Naka, one of the character's creators, could only shake his head and say "good luck", not being very impressed with what was shown and knowing firsthand the difficulties involved in making a Sonic game.

Shortly after the proposal was accepted, Michael Kosaka left Sega due to problems between him and Dean Lester, the producer of Comix Zone. Without a lead designer, Chris Senn was thrust into the role, with Don Goddard reworking the Sonic Mars script. Eventually, the Saturday Morning premise was abandoned due to disinterest, and the game was completely reworked once it changed systems, becoming the more familiar Sonic X-treme.

The game was to be a tie-in to the TV series Sonic the Hedgehog (SatAM), but the idea was scrapped as the TV show was never released in Japan. The game had several playable characters that would have Sonic as the default for Player 1 , while Player 2 would choose from five other characters, such as Sally Acorn, Bunnie Rabbot, Tails, Knuckles, and Tiara. There would be several endings where Sonic would have to choose between Sally and Tiara. Some special stages were designed as minigames, like the one where Sonic plays air hockey with Robotnik.

In this game, Sonic would save his friends from a virtual world of Dr. Robotnik.

Summary by Michael Kosaka (1994):

While Sonic checks a security alarm in a remote corner of the Great Forest, his friends Sally Acorn, Bunnie Rabbot, Tails, Tiara and Knuckles discovers a strange message from one of Dr. O.mad scientist is trying to take control of Micro Mobius, a virtual world, and the message is a cry for help from your peaceful inhabitants. The hedgehog returns to Knothole and discovers that Eggman captured his friends and took them to the virtual world. Sonic sets out to save his friends and stop Eggman from reformatting Micro Mobius.

(The information where I found that the premise of Sonic Mars was reused in Sonic Frontiers was through the "Tv Tropes" website where you have all the curiosities about the franchise: Sonic The Hedgehog.)

(If you saw that Sonic Frontiers has references to Sonic SatAm, it's because the premise was reused and also because Ian Flynn wrote both Sonic Archie and IDW.😊)

[fake-ascension]

red and purple for the oc asks! (also just wanted to say i lovee rooks design, ur character designs are always so good)

AHHH ty for the compliments i have so much fun designs my little guys :]

🔴 Red- What is a trait your OC has that those around them don't see very often? Is it seen by a rare few or completely overlooked?

It's like completely glossed over that Rook did NOT grow up to be a bad person, but rather society TURNED them from a good person to a bad one. In every phase of their life society would continue to break them down more and more, complete dehumanization. They will never admit it now; but they had/still do have such a soft spot for kids because of everything they went through I'm still very iffy on the timeline and all the lore in PGR since i haven't played enough but the whole "Golden Age of Humanity" was literally so fucked up wasn't expecting there to be so many human rights violations jfdkslf Like people literally selling their kids for money/entertainment/etc ??? Damn... But with Rook specifically, they raised themselves on the streets and slums of humanity, they weren't even worth enough to be sold for money and was just left to rot and die in the streets. But they survived long enough to be able to take other orphans in, guiding and supporting them to eventually be able to take care of themselves: something Rook never had. Obviously tragedy was to come around eventually, and society just continued to break Rook down until they fucking Snapped. I hae a vague idea of them and the few kids they looked over get into a bad hostage-like situation, about to be sold off to god knows where. And one of the kids dies due to Rook's mistake and does Rook go on a murder spree. Like extreme violent screaming and stabbing, blood and gore everywhere and Rook tells the rest of the kids (who just watched that Whole Damn Thing) to get the hell out, to run and never look back. Even from there Rook tries to hold on and do some sort of GOOD with their pathetic existence. They go from Petty thief to violent murder, and when the Punishing Virus hits they end up committing A Lot of cyber-terrorism. They specifically targeted the rich and elite, because even if the world was ending and they STILL had the most security and luxury while the rest of the common folk were dying en masse. Rook made them all pay and tried to make room for as many common people to survive and have a play in these refugee cities. They were eventually caught, and taken in as one of the first test subjects for the first wave of constructs. And was further dehumanized by being a living weapon for the elite class, even after the remains of humanity fled into space Rook was still treated as a criminal and rabid dog they were trying so desperately to keep a muzzle on. Enough time had past that there were no living humans that were even alive back when they committed their crimes. Therefore their entire life story was just completely overlooked and people just saw them as a tool to be used for their own desires.

🟣 Purple- What is something that your OC could not live without? What keeps them grounded in the worst of times?

To continue on from the last point, the only thing they live for is just general survival. They have no hopes or ambitions, they have nothing to live for but will hold onto their existence out of Spite. They only thing they have even the slightest control over is their existence, THEY will choose whether to live or die. On a more lighter note, i assume that constructs dont NEED to eat but can choose to eat/drink for the sake of it. Rook will behave for the corrupt politicians that control them if theyre rewarded in 'luxury' treats/snacks. Rook developed a bit of a sweet tooth and gets some joy out of indulging in treats that they never could try as a kid. In particular they like coffee and sweet chocolates :3

[shindigpragrams]

The Complete Guide to Playbooks: What They Are and Why You Need One

When it comes to organizing tasks, streamlining strategies, or even planning a performance, having a clear guide can make all the difference. That’s where a playbook comes in. While the term might remind you of sports or theater, playbooks have become valuable tools in business, marketing, IT, and many other fields. In this article, we'll explore what a playbook is, how it's different from a play booklet, and why having one can help your team or project succeed.

What Is a Playbook?

A playbook is essentially a set of instructions, strategies, or guidelines designed to help a person or team carry out a series of tasks or respond to specific situations. It acts as a reference document that outlines best practices, processes, and steps to follow to achieve desired outcomes.

In sports, a coach uses a playbook to record tactics and game plans. In business, a marketing playbook might contain campaign strategies, audience targeting methods, and advertising guidelines. Similarly, an IT department might have a cyber security playbook detailing steps to take in the event of a data breach.

The main goal of a playbook is to keep everyone on the same page by providing a consistent, reliable process to follow.

Playbook vs. Play Booklet: What’s the Difference?

People sometimes confuse playbooks with play booklets, but they serve different purposes.

A playbook is typically a comprehensive, structured document used for strategy, operations, or planning across various industries. It can be digital or printed and often includes detailed processes, protocols, and templates.

A play booklet is usually a small printed program or brochure distributed to an audience before a theater performance, school play, or event. It typically contains the title of the play, cast names, a brief synopsis, acknowledgments, and sometimes advertisements.

Playbook = Instructional and strategic guide

Play booklet = Event program for performances

Why Are Playbooks Important?

Whether you’re managing a business, launching a marketing campaign, or running a project, having a playbook ensures that everyone knows what to do and how to do it. Here’s why playbooks matter:

1. Consistency: A well-written playbook ensures that tasks are completed consistently, no matter who’s doing them.

2. Efficiency: With clear processes and instructions, teams spend less time figuring out what to do and more time getting things done.

3. Faster On boarding: New team members can get up to speed quickly by referring to the playbook, reducing training time.

4. Improved Decision-Making: During unexpected situations or crises, having a playbook provides a clear course of action, making decision-making faster and easier.

5. Accountability: A playbook clearly outlines roles, responsibilities, and deadlines, making it easier to track progress and hold team members accountable.

Common Types of Playbooks

1. Business Playbook: Covers company operations, customer service processes, financial guidelines, and team management strategies.

2. Marketing Playbook: Outlines advertising plans, campaign goals, content creation guidelines, social media strategies, and SEO checklists.

3. Sales Playbook: Provides sales teams with scripts, lead generation techniques, objection handling tips, and customer follow-up protocols.

4. IT Playbook: Details procedures for troubleshooting, software deployment, network management, and cybersecurity responses.

5. Crisis Management Playbook: Lists step-by-step instructions for responding to emergencies, PR issues, or natural disasters to minimize risk and protect a company’s reputation.

How to Create a Playbook

Creating an effective playbook isn’t complicated, but it requires careful planning. Here’s a simple guide:

Step 1: Define Your Goals Decide what you want your playbook to accomplish. Is it to improve customer service? Manage marketing campaigns? Guide employees during an emergency? Clear objectives will shape your content.

Step 2: Identify Key Processes List out the processes, tasks, or scenarios you want to cover. Be specific and prioritize those that are repeated often or critical to operations.

Step 3: Document Step-by-Step Instructions Break down each process into clear, actionable steps. Use bullet points, numbered lists, or flowcharts to keep things organized and easy to follow.

Step 4: Include Roles and Responsibilities Assign who is responsible for each task or step. This reduces confusion and ensures accountability.

Step 5: Add Templates and Examples where possible, include templates, checklists, or real-life examples to help users understand and apply the information.

Where Are Play Booklets Still Popular?

Although digital programs are gaining popularity, play booklets remain an essential part of live performances in theaters, schools, and community events across the USA. Audiences appreciate having a printed program that introduces the cast, outlines the plot, and acknowledges sponsors.

Play booklets also serve as keepsakes for memorable performances and can include QR codes or website links for audience engagement.

In fact, many performance venues in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles still print elegant play booklets to enhance the audience experience.

A playbook is more than just a document—it’s a valuable resource that helps teams work smarter, stay organised, and perform consistently. Whether you’re managing a business, launching a marketing campaign, or dealing with IT challenges, a playbook ensures everyone knows what to do and how to do it.

And if you’re attending a live performance, don’t forget to grab a play booklet—it’s a charming, tangible piece of the event that connects the audience with the story and its creators.

[fintechinnovation]

Understanding PCI DSS Compliance and Audit: A Guide for Businesses

With cyber threats on the rise and data breaches making headlines, securing payment information is more critical than ever. This is where PCI DSS compliance plays a vital role.

What Is PCI DSS?

PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) is a set of security standards created by the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council (PCI SSC). It ensures that all businesses handling cardholder data maintain a secure environment to protect against fraud and breaches.

It applies to any organization — regardless of size — that stores, processes, or transmits cardholder data.

Key PCI DSS Requirements (12 Core Areas)

Install and maintain a firewall.

Avoid vendor-supplied default passwords.

Protect stored cardholder data.

Encrypt transmission of data over public networks.

Use updated antivirus software.

Develop secure systems and applications.

Restrict access to cardholder data (need-to-know basis).

Assign unique IDs to users with access.

Restrict physical access to data.

Track and monitor all access to network resources and data.

Regularly test security systems and processes.

Maintain a policy that addresses information security.

Why PCI Compliance Matters

Protects customer trust

Reduces the risk of data breaches

Avoids hefty fines and penalties

Ensures business continuity

Meets contractual obligations with banks and card networks

What Is a PCI DSS Audit?

A PCI DSS audit is a formal assessment of your organization’s adherence to the PCI standards. It is typically conducted by a Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) or through a Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) for smaller businesses.

Types of PCI Assessments

SAQ (Self-Assessment Questionnaire) – For businesses processing fewer transactions.

ROC (Report on Compliance) – A full audit conducted by a QSA, required for Level 1 merchants (handling over 6 million card transactions annually).

Steps to Achieve PCI DSS Compliance

Determine your merchant level.

Complete the appropriate SAQ or schedule an audit.

Conduct a gap analysis (find weaknesses in current setup).

Implement security controls and policies.

Submit compliance documents (SAQ, ROC, and Attestation of Compliance).

Repeat annually and perform regular vulnerability scans.

Common Challenges

Misconfigured systems

Lack of documentation

Outdated infrastructure

Inconsistent monitoring

Staff unawareness or poor security training

Conclusion

PCI DSS compliance is not just a checkbox — it’s a critical framework that protects both businesses and consumers. Whether you're a startup or an enterprise, maintaining PCI compliance through regular audits and proactive security practices is essential for building trust and staying secure in today’s digital payment landscape.

[coredgeblogs]

Implementing Continuous Testing with OWASP ZAP: A Guide for Automation Buffs!

 In the dynamic area of software development, security testing is not just helpful—it’s essential. Let’s be honest! We all aspire to have a smooth, error-free CI/CD pipeline, but it takes more than just a sprinkle of magic to ensure that level of quality. Out of so many tools available, when it comes to its automation framework, OWASP ZAP (Zed Attack Proxy), a beloved tool in the world of security testing, stands out for its sturdiness and flexibility. It’s designed to hunt down vulnerabilities and keep your apps safe.

This framework empowers teams to automate both: active and passive security scans for continuous security assessments by integrating seamlessly into CI/CD pipelines. In this blog, we will discover how to set up passive and active scans using ZAP’s Automation Framework and dig into tailoring alert risks with alert filters.

Why Continuous Testing?

Continuous testing is the superhero we want in today’s fast-paced tech world, and with each code push, we need to ensure that nothing breaks. It's a great way to ensure your applications run smoothly, compute readily, and don't crumble under security threats when continuous testing is integrated with automation systems.

What is OWASP ZAP?

For those of you, who are newbies to the game, OWASP ZAP is an open-source security tool that assists developers and testers in finding vulnerabilities in web applications. It offers a mighty automation framework that allows for detailed configuration of security scans via YAML files. This feature makes it extremely adjustable for diverse testing environments and requirements. The frameworks, which are unobtrusive, and do not modify requests and support passive and active scans, are more belligerent and interact with the application to detect vulnerabilities. Constantly scanning and preventing the bad guys from getting in brandishes as the watchdog of your system.

Building Automation Systems with OWASP ZAP

 The key to streamlining the security tests is by integrating ZAP into the automation systems. Whether you’re using GitLab CI, Jenkins, or any other CI/CD tool, ZAP can be configured to run flawlessly during your builds, delivering real-time feedback on potential issues. And the best part? You don't need to be a security specialist to use it.

 Steps to Implement Continuous Testing with OWASP ZAP:

Set Up ZAP in Headless Mode: In an automation environment, ZAP can run without a GUI (Graphical User Interface). This makes it perfect for integrating into pipelines where it can silently run checks and signal you to any risks.

Integrate with Your CI/CD Pipeline: Tools like Jenkins and GitLab can effortlessly activate ZAP scans after each build. After your build is complete, simply configure the tool to launch ZAP scans.

Customize Rules: ZAP allows you to customize the scan to match your requirements. Want to skip out on specific kinds of checks?  To fit your specific environment, you can twist the settings and ensure the scans are focused on your application’s weaknesses.

Report Generation: As soon as ZAP completes a scan, it automatically generates a report. This report will emphasize vulnerabilities, ranging from cross-site scripting (XSS) to SQL injections, allowing it to address them instantly.

Automate Vulnerability Fixes: Now magic takes place here. Based on ZAP’s recommendations, for specific issues, you can integrate fixes or even set up automatic patches with automation. This allows you to emphasize more on innovation and less on constant code-fixing.

Amusing aspect: ZAP as Your Cyber Bodyguard!

 Assume ZAP is your friendly cyber bodyguard—always on the watch, always prepared to confront any gatecrasher that dares step into your digital playground. It's like having that inordinately cautious buddy who checks every lock twice before leaving the house, except this one’s doing it at lightning speed without grievances!

 Compute Power + Automation = Security Nirvana!

Now, you’ve got ZAP doing the heavy lifting for your security checks while your systems are busy analyzing complex processes (thanks to compute power). It’s a beautiful masterpiece of efficiency! By automating these security scans, you’re principally elevating your compute power to emphasize bigger tasks while ZAP watches your back.

Conclusion: Why You Should Implement Continuous Testing with OWASP ZAP

 The integration of OWASP ZAP into your build automation systems certifies consistent, real-time security checks. You can automate security testing without slowing down your CI/CD pipeline by leveraging your computer resources, ensuring that every build is more secure than the last.With ZAP in your toolkit, security testing doesn't have to be a headache; it becomes a fun, automated, and trustworthy process that scales with your project. So, let’s embrace continuous testing with OWASP ZAP to remain ahead of the curve, and let your automated systems do the hard work!

Now go ahead and automate that testing—your future self will thank you!