#“moderated and modified” is code for:

[pose1dson]

Citizens of Panem, behold: Perseus Odair, the victor of the 67th Annual Hunger Games and Panem's youngest victor to date!

Perceus Odair caused quite a stir when his name was announced at the 67th Reaping Ceremony , as his brother Capitol darling , Finnick Odair was the victor of the 65th Games only two years earlier . He showed incredible swordsmanship skills , his sword being the key to his victory . He also caused quite a commotion , as he seemingly had a reputation for having a sharp tongue . We sat down with the boy to ask him about his victory .

INTERVIEWER. Perseus Odair , I believe we should start with congratulations for emerging as not only the victor , but the youngest victor that Panem has ever seen . This was a record previously held by your brother , Finnick . How does it feel to take this title from him ?

PERSEUS. I mean , I'm just thankful to be alive , really . I'm thankful that we're both alive .

INT. Oh , come on , Mr . Odair . You must be quite proud of yourself !

PERSEUS. Not really ?

INT. Why not ?

Perseus Odair was overcome by emotion , unable to answer the question .

INT. Let's move on to a different question , then . We all witnessed your brother filling the role of being your mentor for the games . How was that for you ?

PERSEUS. I wouldn't have made it without him . If there is one thing I'm thankful for , it's that my brother was with me every step of the way until I was sent into the arena .

We attempted to reach out to Finnick Odair for a statement , but was told that he was unavailable at this time . Citizens of Panem can catch Perseus on his Victory Tour through the districts .

The content of this interview was moderated and modified to comply with President Snow's policies .

credit to gamehaunt for the template

[kaminoinc]

[ Kamino // Tipoca City // Cloning Facility // Kamino Inc ]

Esteemed visitor, we have been expecting you. We welcome you to our advanced genetic engineering facility. We are currently working tirelessly on a considerate commission: that of the Grand Army of the Republic. A clone army, and I must say, one of the finest we’ve ever created.

Clones can think creatively; you will find that they are immensely superior to droids. We take great pride in our combat education and training programs. They are totally obedient, taking any order without question. We modified their genetic structure to make them less independent than the original host. The skill level and efficiency of our clones is far superior to that of any recruited body.

Magnificent, aren’t they? I trust you are going to enjoy your stay.

I am known as Sen Lo, and have been appointed as your guide for today. I am apprenticed to our most acclaimed scientist, Nala Se. Although I highly admire her skills and abilities, I do not always agree with her methods. But I will not bother you with the matter of ethics; at least, not for now.

Come, visitor. I am obliged to make you acquainted with our visitor's code before I can show you our finest accomplishments.

>>> Visitor's Code 

To advance with our research, we are mainly looking at subjects showing a high amount of individualism, better known as original characters [OCs].

If you are familiar with such an individual, we encourage you to share their information with our facility's Communication Department [ask box] or to tag our facility in any relatable content.

Adult content will be tagged with adequate tags; if you do not wish to encounter such content, make sure to use the appropriate filters in your personal settings.

This is a professional facility; we do not allow any behaviour known as clonesh*pping or clonec*st among our assets.

We ask you to be respectful of our facility’s contents. We regret it if you do not like a specific individual, but there will be many more clones that might meet your preferences.

Please refrain yourself from reusing our aesthetics; they were created specifically for this facility, in favour of your experience during your stay.

>>> Disclaimer

The purpose of this blog is to spread fandom positivity by sharing clone OCs to widen their visibility. The clones might share the same face, but somehow this community manages to keep creating the most unique and extraordinary clone OCs. They all deserve their place in the spotlight; they need to be seen. 

The mod will scour the depths of Tumblr to find as many clone OCs as possible to queue for reblogs, but you can help them by sharing a Tumblr-link to any relatable content through the ask box function. This can either be your own clone OC, or someone else's. If you share fic-only content, be aware this will take longer to be reblogged.

Please note that this is a side blog, moderated by a fervent clone enthusiast. Have patience with your mod, for they have a main blog (and a life) to keep up with as well. 

>>> Navigation

Kamino Inc // Hostess Sen Lo // Sen Lo’s Private Log // Correspondence

[pokemonveterinarian]

Hi guys. It's dragon dmonday I decided.

Here's a full party's worth of facts! This turned out much longer than expected!

Horsea line: The Horsea line, believe it or not, are classified are ray-fin fish! Their closest relative is Dragalge, to no one's surprise, however. Genetic research on the Horsea line shows that Horsea and Seadra have dormant gene characteristics of Dragon-types, as well as portions of DNA coding for the Poison typing; they, however, lack complete genes for the Poison typing, and are only expressed in Seadra, for some reason. At any rate, the Dragon genes activate when they're exposed to Dragon Scales, which also triggers their evolution into Kingdra! They're the first Pokemon where this type of gene expression was observed, but certainly won't be the last! Horsea feed on algar and whatever small crustaceans and plankton they can get in their snouts. Seadra and Kingdra, however, are far more aggressive with hunting. Seadra will paralyze prey by stabbing them with their poisonous spines, but both Seadra and Kingdra will disorient and trap prey with whirlpools! This entire line are VERY sensitive to water conditions, especially temperature and purity. If their water is polluted or too cold, they can very easily get sick. Kingdra need LOTS of water to thrive, and the entire line prefers calm waters. Branched corals is also REQUIRED for their habitats, especially for Horsea and Seadra, because they latch onto branches when sleeping and resting! Calcium is also very very important for Seadra in order to keep their spines healthy. It's important to keep in mind that all members of this line spit ink when threatened. Even though it's nontoxic, it can stain skin and fabric if it's not removed quickly (and believe me, it is ANNOYING to clean). Seadra spines can also paralyze you temporarily, posing a threat for swimmers. Their poison acts very quickly. ALSO, both Seadra and Kingdra can, as stated, generate whirlpools.

Gible line: Garchomp currently are thought to share a common ancestor with Sharpedo. Though Garchomp are terrestrial and limbed, they do, in fact, have similarly-arranged scales, modified fins, and, most importantly, a skeleton made of cartilage! Members of the Gible line also shed their teeth periodically, also like Sharpedo! This line is VERY carnivorous; Garchomp are apex predators that will hunt anything that encroaches on their territory, even fast birdmon! They also hoard Carbink, however, they don't eat them. They also LOVE Yache berries, though they're hard to find in their natural habitats. These Pokemon can be difficult to raise, because they're notorious for being unruly and disobedient. They prefer warm, dry climates. Gabite in particular love shiny objects like coins and other trinkets, giving them to a Gabite is a good way to get them to warm up to you. Gible are also very clumsy, and can't walk far without stumbling. They also like to hide in alcoves and wall indents. On the other hand, Garchomp prefer wide, open spaces where they can roam freely. To put it bluntly, this line is dangerous and NOT recommended for beginning trainers. Gible are the least threatening of the line, but even they bite without much rhyme or reason. Territorial Gabite visciously defend their treasure hoards from anyone that even comes moderately near them. Garchomp are rare in the wild, but they are also very aggressive and can fly at Mach speeds. Bringing Yache berries and/or a well-strengthened team is highly recommended when going through a Garchomp's territory.

Jangmo-o line: Kommo-o are wingless draconians like Drampa and Haxorus! Their bipedal stances and tough armor suggest a closer relationship with the latter, however. While Haxorus tend to dwell near rivers and other sources of flowing water, Kommo-o prefer dry, barren habitats. Their weaponized scales are a very interesting adaptation; scientists believe that they may have initially developed to protect these Pokemon from harsh environmental conditions, before expanding to fill OTHER roles! Things like sexual selection might've also played a role in their evolution, as mates have been observed to assess one another upon scale quality and sturdiness! All members of this line are omnivorous. They aren't picky eaters, either, because food is scarce where they dwell naturally. They hunt smaller mammals, birds, and reptiles for meat and salvage what few leaves and berries they can find for plant matter. Jangmo-o are social creatures that have a very hard time training on their own. Though they may try to appear content in solitude, they're far happier with company! Hakamo-o, on the other hand, frequently venture out alone to find sparring partners; they love to battle new opponents and get bored of fighting the same few. Kommo-o are mostly self-sufficient, however, they get upset if they are kept from fighting foes they believe are worthy. Because Jangmo-o live so far from humans, most people don't encounter them often. They are very protective of their groups, and will stand together if a member is threatened. Adventurous Hakamo-o may come across travelers on their search for opponents, and may try to initiate fights, but will walk away if their foes appear unwlling. Kommo-o do not bother those who back away when they approach, however they take someone remaining unmoving as a threat.

Axew line: Haxorus are one of a few known draconians that are entirely wingless during all stages of development, the other two being the aforementioned Kommo-o and Drampa. At first, people theorized they had lost the ability of flight over the course of evolution, but newer evidence seems to support the idea that Haxorus may in fact have diverged from the lineage before wings were developed. Thus, scientists have classified it in its own family. This new data also suggests that Haxorus are the most primitive of the draconians, a distinction that once belonged to the non-Dragon-type Charizard. All members of this line are omnivorous! They use their tusks to crack open hard nuts and berries, while Haxorus may also cut down trees so they (and other smaller Pokemon) can access the fruit. They also hunt smaller mammals, and are known to lick dirt to obtain minerals. Surprisingly, for a three-stage Dragon-type, the Axew line are rather easy to train! Axew are docile and not shy towards strangers. Haxorus are benevolent towards weaker creatures, which includes humans. The most likely to be unruly are Fraxure, but even then, they can be kept content if provided stones to sharpen their tusks with. Axew and Haxorus also enjoy whetting their tusks to keep them sharp! All members of this family are territorial, but only Fraxure will attack intruders. Axew and Haxorus both let intruders pass as long as they don't cause trouble. These guys VERY clearly mark the boundaries of their land with slashes on tree trunks, making it easy for trainers to avoid their territory. Though they're not aggressive, Haxorus CAN go on destructive rampages when angered, and trainers should always treat them with caution and respect.

Bagon line: Salamence are related to Charizard and Hydreigon. Bagon are famous for their burning desire to fly; scientists believe that this innate longing encourages them to seek out the cliffs and ledges that they'll need upon evolution, since Salamence lay their eggs deep within caverns where there's little room to fly. Pop culture spread that it's this desire that causes them to sprout wings upon evolution, but in reality, there's little evidence to support this. Salamence are also a popular figure in Kalosian folklore! Bagon don't eat much, they're often too busy launching themselves off of cliffs to try to fly. When they do eat, however, they settle for whatever they can find. Shelgon don't eat at all. Salamence take down large prey like Loudred and Donphan from the air. Bagon require high ledges to jump from more than anything else. They will search for these areas before even looking for food or water! Hardy Shelgon can survive in most habitats, but should be kept away from deeper water. Salamence, despite being territorial, are quite easy to keep happy in captivity! As long as they have easy access to an open sky to soar through, they're content spending their days aloft in the wind. Honestly, the biggest danger Bagon pose to humans results from their frequent dives from above. They don't pay attention to what's beneath them before they leap from cliffs and can severely injure unsuspecting travelers below. Salamence are, as mentioned, extremely territorial, and angered individuals will rampage about, spewing fire as they go. Inexperienced trainers should not, under any circumstances, try to confront an angered Salamence.

And finally... Tyrunt line: Tyrantrum are perhaps one of the most famous Pokemon to no longer exist in the wild today. This popularity has translated into an abundance of research on the species, making them one of the most well-studied fossil Pokemon that have been discovered thus far! Their stubby forelimbs were once thought to be vestigial, but further studies show they were actually used to hold on to struggling prey! Unfortunately, scientists are still unsure what caused their extinction. Tyrantrum are apex predators, hunting anything they please. Tyrunt, however, are entirely helpless on their own, and wait for their parents to bring back food. They'll throw massive tantrums if they dislike what they recieve, however. Tyrunt are so difficult to care for that it's ridiculous. They're extremely finicky and will throw fits if they dislike their food, become uncomfortable, or generally feel displeased. They should not be raised with smaller Pokemon because of their reckless "playing", as well. Trainers that give in to their demands often report that their Pokemon are "ungrateful" at best when appeased. Tyrantrum hate being bossed around and can be disobedient when upset, but they're NOWHERE near as difficult are their pre-evos. Since these guys have been extinct in the wild for ages, trainers will luckily only ever encounter them under the command of other trainers. Even a trained Tyrunt shouldn't be approached, they're notoriously disobedient and love to bite strangers. While wild Tyrantrum would be a very, very grave danger, they don't pose much of an issue when trained. It also might be reassuring to know that you, reading this, can run faster than a chasing Tyrantrum.

[furiarossa]

You got back into Danny Phantom too, huh? (Me, I've been reading fanfiction.) So, do you think being around ectoplasm affects the rest of the Fentons in any way?

He hey! We're not "back" into Danny Phantom, this is the first time we enjoy it, we didn't know about this show before!

But finally we discovered it, and, of course, its infinite worldbuilding opportunities! Y'know, we ourselves are a bit like the Fentons: we like to research about ghosts. To study and to create.

What do we think about the way ectoplasm affects the rest of the Fentons? Hmm... let's see...

Today we talk about:

ECTOCONTAMINATION

Ectocontamination is defined as the "fusion" between organic materials and ectoplasm. Generally, ectocontamination occurs due to prolonged contact, but there may be other causes, including forced ectocontamination.

Etiology

Ectocontamination in humans manifests itself in the form of a prolonged syndrome, which depending on the resistance of the subject's body can develop different symptoms.

Ectoplasm does not normally tend towards a natural connection with living tissues, being the solidification on the material plane of the body of spirits, and therefore being connected to them; however, there is some non-encoded ectoplasm (not part of a living spirit, long incapable of self-replicating and without information within it), usually leftovers from the meals of large spirits or simply material detached from the original creature through fault of mechanical damage: it is this non-codified ectoplasm that can "attach" to the bodies of living beings, accumulating in them and modifying their characteristics. In low-density tissues (such as adipose tissue), ectoplasm can accumulate in large quantities more easily, saturating the space between cells, while it is more difficult for it to accumulate in bones and cartilage. The brain (and in general the entire area inside the skull and filled with cerebrospinal fluid) is particularly sensitive to the accumulation of ectoplasm.

Ectocontamination is not contagious and only affects living beings that have been directly exposed to non-coded ectoplasm for a long time. Typically, it takes three to seven years to start showing symptoms of ectocontamination.

(So, yeah, this is the case for the Fenton family!)

Clinic

The exposure period necessary to develop ectocontamination varies from 3 to 7 years, provided that the amount of ectoplasm with which the body comes into contact exceeds an individual's natural tolerance threshold.

The tolerance threshold is different from person to person, and varies from a few micrograms per day up to almost half a kilo of ectoplasm. The most sensitive individuals develop the symptoms of ectocontamination just by regularly touching spirits with bare skin, absorbing the ectoplasm that these creatures sometimes lose naturally; however, this is an extremely rare occurrence: such sensitivity affects less than 0.3% of the population.

The syndrome normally begins with a maculopapular skin rash, accompanied by moderate fever, itching, general malaise, sometimes with headache, asthenia, loss of appetite. The main characteristic of the skin picture is the complete asynchrony of the lesions. In fact, several lesions are often found in various developmental stages, identifying the so-called "starry sky effect".

Although this is the most common onset of symptoms, they are not always present: sometimes contaminated people never develop a skin rash, itching or fever.

After the first phase of ectocontamination, the one in which effects similar to a skin disease are visible, the body seems to recover from the latter, but begins to show a series of symptoms that are often defined as "supernatural".

Signs and symptoms

An adult ectocontaminated individual, in whom ectoplasm has become established within the body, will exhibit a variety of symptoms unique to the individual, which may include:

Superior physical strength: the presence of ectoplasm between the fibers increases its performance, two to seven times compared to that of a normal human being. The density of the muscle, thanks to the infracellular presence of the ectoplasmic material, appears to be much higher than the occupied mass.

Obsession: due to the neo-coding (or para-coding) of the ectoplasm, which interacts directly with the nervous system of the host body, the ectocontaminated individual develops a typical characteristic of lemurs and other spirits, namely specific obsession or "purpose". The obsession becomes the first and most important thought of the individual, who focuses on it and tends to get bored easily when the topic is not being talked about. Humans with superior willpower can tone down this symptom, but the thought of obsession still remains with them always.

Resistance to Spirit Possession: Since the body of ectocontaminated individuals is already partially saturated with ectoplasm, it is much more difficult for a spirit to possess it.

Resistance to Mind Control: The brains of ectocontaminated people are modified by neo-coding and often work synergically with ectoplasm; Because of this, a normal psychic attack cannot hit him, because it targets a normal human brain, which has completely different neural connections.

Sensitivity to light: The retina of ectocontaminated individuals is particularly sensitive to sunlight. Often, these individuals wear sunglasses (or other protective devices) even when they are inside buildings. If their eyes are subjected to sunlight during the brightest hours of the day, ectocontaminated people tend to behave in a confused manner, like nocturnal animals awakened by a headlight. Although it is less common, it is possible to develop a skin sensitivity to light, which leads the person to cover themselves completely, from the neck to the shoes.

Depigmentation: The skin, mucous membranes and irises of an ectocontaminated individual may lose melanin, leaving the individual with a "ghostly" and washed-out appearance. This can unfortunately lead to a number of medical complications, such as reduced visual acuity.

So:

Maddie developed superior physical strength, resistance to mind control/spirit possession (we never see her overshadowed by a ghost!) and sensitivity to light (she often wears shaded goggles, even indoor).

Jack developed superior physical strength, an obsession (he's absolutely obsessed with ghosts, he doesn't really care about anything else), a slight resistence to spirit possession (we see him resisting Vlad's overshadowing, not completely, but enough to have the time to warn Maddie), and a partial sensitivity to light (in particular his skin, which must always be covered by the jumpsuit).

Jazz developed an obsession (for psychology, not extreme as the obsession that her dad has for ghosts, but a symptom none the less), and a light resistance to spirit possession. She was less exposed to ectoplasm than her parents. But it doesn't mean that she won't show other symptoms in the future!

And Danny, as we all know, is an half-ghost... that probably is an extra stage of the "normal" ectocontamination. But this is not the place to talk about it ;)

And that's what we think about the Fenton's ectocontamination! We hope it was enough, but... if you have any other question, maybe more specific... we would gladly, with joy, answer it!

And of course this applies to all of you! Help us build our lore with your questions!

All the ghost worldbuilding posts!

The "Ask us about ghost worldbuilding" post

Our ask is open!

[catenary-chad]

Feverishly writing out my wildly Americanized Stex reimagining concept. So much goes the way of “Immer pünktlich” in that it works so well in ways it was never intended to, and makes no sense outside of one regional audience (and people who have physically gone there by train)

I need to iron out some stuff but hopefully I’ll post the whole concept soon. It would be moderately sacrilegious, but also weirdly bring it in line with how the Railways Series was written (heavily rooted in how trains actually were at the time). While also providing some surprisingly elegant solutions to some long-term problems the show has, and implement a lot of stuff it’s tried to do over the years in really clunky half-baked ways.

“Starlight Express, Are you real, yes or no/I don’t want you to go” goes from “haha train god” to “passenger trains nearly vanished from the US altogether after WWII largely due to the government’s actions and those are genuine reflections of that”. The fundamental thing is you need to totally rewrite the Starlight Sequence to be about “you alone are an engine not a train” and emphasize that banding together as a group is the actual way to make systemic change (and also one of the main strengths of trains!).

Just saying, in the 80s (and even now) a steam engine as the high-maintenance celebrity who’s a neutral but obstructive figure with an entourage who follows them around is a fun and accurate depiction of mainline excursions (and the problems they cause can so fun and versatile to explore)

And New York City is right at the epicenter of where passenger rail was repeatedly set up to fail by the government, and how dated and worn out many electrified lines are is perhaps the most visible and vulnerable symbol of that.

A kid playing with a mismatched train set half consisting of their grandpa’s decades-old rails and wiring and wondering why the new engine they got for Christmas doesn’t work well is a very on the nose depiction of Amtrak in the 70s-early 80s. They think about what to ask for their birthday, toy cars? Planes? Tanks? And then a funny crowd of voices yells “TRAINS!”

“Coach sexism” becomes actually compelling in the context of how the position of US passenger rail and women in the workplace vaguely correlate post-WWII, the steam heat/head end power changeover around the 60s-80s is an underrated metaphor for orientation (and give Pearl even more depth as a glass slipper if you make her a then-new Amfleet car), and with an electric protag you can finally replace Hydra/Dustin with a nuclear flask and have it make a ton of sense. It feels like they wanted to make him nuclear coded so badly with how he’s shown as a green-hued, sinister-looking, but heroic alternative energy, but it’s total sci fi to apply it to a steam locomotive.

Oh yeah, it’s also a blank check to bring back Slick and/or barely-modified Trucker Caboose, along with a lot of other popular old things that suddenly fit again (Dinah’s Disco, OLC Belle, There’s Me)

[mika-mediastudies]

MDA20009 DIGITAL COMMUNITIES Week 6 Post

Has any fandoms you’re involved in been part of any protest or acts of social activism

"From Escapism to Activism: The Power of Protest in Animal Crossing"

So the fandom i be deep diving for this blog post will be about Animal Crossings

"When you see pictures of Animal Crossing, you might think of it as just another cute and carefree game in which people of all ages can relax, decorate, and spend time with friends and family. But what if I told you that, beneath its charming, innocent exterior, Animal Crossing has evolved into an unexpected forum for social activism? From virtual protests to displays of solidarity, fans have turned this cozy game into a one-of-a-kind platform for expressing powerful remarks and supporting worldwide causes. This lovely universe isn't just for playing; it also allows you to stand up."

In 2020, Animal Crossing: New Horizons was more than just a location to capture bugs and build trees; it was also a platform for real-world activism! Players from all around the world brought causes such as Black Lives Matter and Hong Kong's pro-democracy rallies to their virtual islands. From homemade protest posters to meetups with friends, Animal Crossing has become a surprisingly strong tool for making a message, demonstrating that even in a cozy game world, gamers can speak out for what they believe in.

Even before its release, Animal Crossing: New Horizons was largely regarded as a welcome respite from real-life concerns, particularly given 2020's harsh isolation measures (Hernandez 2020). However, when police violently interrupt protests across the country in response to the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, moderators are finding it increasingly difficult to justify keeping their communities completely cut off (Hernandez 2020).

Animal Crossing: New Horizons' online hosting capabilities let individuals of all ages to support ongoing rallies against police brutality and structural racism while staying at home during the pandemic. Typically, players construct an island paradise with buildings, artifacts, and interactions with other players and NPCs. Not only can students create their own worlds and residences, but they can also personalize the products and objects that their characters use. As Black Lives Matter rallies exploded around the world, fans began using these capabilities to construct digital protests, adding BLM iconography to placards and apparel, transforming the game into an unexpected social activism platform.

For parents who are hesitant to bring their children to physical rallies, Animal Crossing provides a safe and collaborative opportunity to support the Black community by organizing or attending virtual protests. Players using Nintendo Online can open their islands for these rallies; one such protest occurred on June 7, 2020. With a maximum of eight players per island, participants queued through a website to get a unique entry code when it was their turn. The host made personalized posters, cushions, memorial images, and a designated protest area where players were invited to contribute in-game cash (bells) to be changed into real-world charity donations.

On the other side, Protests in Hong Kong erupted, prompted by a contentious extradition bill that grew into a broader movement demanding greater democratic rights. Thousands of Hong Kong residents of all ages participated, often disguised to protect their identities. However, when Covid-19 spread, the demonstrations were halted by government-imposed lockdowns, which severely restricted pro-democracy demonstrators, culminating in over 8,000 arrests. To adapt, many activists turned to the virtual world of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, where they discovered a new forum to express their demands for freedom.

In Animal Crossing, players retreat to a deserted island where they can build homes, modify decorations, and engage with friends—ideal for global self-isolation. Hong Kong residents brought their protest art, utilizing the game to circumvent political censorship. Joshua Wong, a renowned activist and member of Hong Kong's Umbrella Movement, adds, "Animal Crossing is a place without political censorship, so it is a good place to continue our fight." His virtual island is adorned with protest symbols such as a black banner, images of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Hong Kong's Chief Executive Carrie Lam, and the city's famous cherry blossoms. Wong and others believe that the game's popularity has made it an unexpected weapon for advocacy.

The movement's creativity spilled over into the game, with participants creating protest art and famous designs on their islands and posting them online. Players like as Li, a young student, began contributing protest-themed art on local forums in the hopes of reaching out to individuals who were less politically engaged. Another protester, Fung, utilized the game's design capabilities to create clothes based on Hong Kong's unofficial protest mascots, a pig and a dog, and shared them with pals. Animal Crossing allows Hong Kong protestors to remind the world of their message despite lockdowns and limitations.

While some perceive these progressive shifts as a danger to their escapism, the Animal Crossing community has traditionally used the game as a political tool. Protests in Hong Kong have spread beyond international islands, prompting Chinese retailers to drop New Horizons. U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has utilized the game to make house calls to constituents. And now, the tropical paradise is hosting Black Lives Matter rallies. It's a logical progression that doesn't go against the game's ethos, because this is what it's always been about (Hernandez 2020).

Well that is all for me folks hope you have fun and thank you for taking the time to read all this. Goodbye for now.

Here are some links to YouTube to know more of these fan activism

References

Bernhard, M 2020, ‘On Lockdown, Hong Kong activists are protesting in Animal Crossing’, Wired, Conde Nast, viewed 9 November, 2024, <https://www.wired.com/story/animal-crossing-hong-kong-protests-coronavirus/>.

Hernandez, P 2020, ‘Animal Crossing’s escapist fantasy is getting a reality check’, Polygon, Polygon, viewed 8 November, 2024, <https://www.polygon.com/2020/6/2/21277972/animal-crossing-new-horizons-black-lives-matter-acnh-nintendo-switch-politics>.

Stavros, J 2020, ‘“animal crossing” users are wearing black lives matter shirts, making signs, and organizing virtual protests’, Business Insider, Business Insider, viewed 9 November, 2024, <https://www.businessinsider.com/animal-crossing-users-are-having-virtual-black-lives-matter-protests-2020-6>.

[vegley]

my siblings in christ i am losing it

ramblings + additional doodles under cut

OK YES SORRY where doing this man. where making it hapen.

in my au i am having it be that they are using a modified version of sburb that is specifically designed to host very large groups of people. cucurucho is the one in possession of most of the copies, though they were originally provided to them from an outside source (the federation; not yet sure what their role is in the rest of this story.)

this modded version of sburb also introduces the roles of moderators/admins who can serve as patrons and server players to many people at once, with help such as automatic implementation of necessary devices for entry so that the moderator themself doesn’t become overwhelmed with responsibility.

this unfortunately leaves most client players with little information and knowledge, and this is what happens in the first session in this game of sburb, that being that of the qsmp members, who happen to be trolls in this au. while they all enter, they manage to lose their session, destroying skaia, derse, and prospit, and leaving jack noir alive and in possession of the queen’s ring.

due to the size of the session, cucurucho explains that a scratch would not be a good option, and offers to execute a different plan to save the session. to do this, he begins spreading server copies of sburb to all of the trolls, and then reaches out to the kids (the eggs in this au) and provides them with client copies. each kid gets at least one server, being their qsmp guardians. with the new session/batch of sprites a new skaia is created and attempts to fully replace the old, destroyed one.

the game attempts to do the same for derse and prospit, and while it succeeds for prospit, it struggles a bit more with derse. since jack is a staple in a sburb session, and the queen is of course incredibly important, the new session attempts to recreate both. the issue here is that the trolls’ jack is still in possession of a ring, and the game doesn’t want to have more than two queen rings in circulation at once, but doesn’t want to destroy one that already exists. due to this confusion, the trolls’ jack glitches out but is unable to be completely removed due to the queen’s ring, and takes the form of the code.

….and that is all i have so far.

AND OK. before anyone yells at me or anything. i know this is cringe i know this doesn’t make much sense not even from a homestuck perspective ok i am just having fun combining two of my biggest interests….. that being said if anyone does have any ideas on how to elaborate on this or even just tweaks or corrections i could make please dm me i love discussing homestuck and making shit up. if you read this far thank you i am sorry again.

[forthedancingandthethriving]

Cookie, despite not needing to be, was silent as she sat atop the bookshelf in her spider form. She's listening intently to the meeting going on below.

Originally, she was going to go in and figure out what had happened with System, deal with it, and then head back, but she had heard that there was a meeting going on. So of course, to gather more information, she'd snuck in.

What she found odd, though, was that CPU wasn't at his usual spot beside Lag. He was towards the end of the table, closer to the bookshelf she was on. His cigar was in his mouth, and he was twirling the gun he had. It was a handgun, and while not visibly modified, Cookie knew how dangerous it was.

She had been on a receiving end of several bullets from it once.

"And continuing off of that; Lag, didn't you say that there was someone trying to get into the Guardian System?"

Umbra's question grabbed Cookie's attention. They knew she was trying to get it.

"There was. It alerted me about something else, too. Apparently, there's someone else with SMG code, but it's glitching so badly that the program can't make heads or tails of who it is."

Cookie held back a sigh. They knew of Bit, but at the same time didn't. That was.. moderately okay!

"Someone else with SMG code? But we haven't made any new Guardians yet. Not since SMG29 and SMG30."

The Admin wishes she could scowl in her spider form. They were still making new Guardians? Without Byte around? Ludicrous!

"Whatever the thing may be, we need to pinpoint it. There's a high chance Cookie is involved."

Cookie grumbles to herself and starts slowly making her way across the bookshelf top. She'd learned some things, but not as much as she-

"AAH!" she screamed in pain as a bullet struck one of her legs. The pain so immense and the sound of the firing so loud that it caused her to shift to her more humanoid for and fall to the ground.

"Look who couldn't resist crawling back here." CPU's snarl made her scramble up and run out of the meeting room, not wanting to linger a moment longer. She knew the other was close behind, judging by the fact she now felt several bullets inside of her.

She curses the fact that she forgot how good of a marksman CPU was.

Frantically, she opens a portal once she's halfway through the Adminspace. As she lunges through, she feels CPU grab one of her spider legs and yank it, ripping it clean off.

She screams in pain as she tumbles through the portal, it shortly closing behind her. She glances back, fearful, but she sees that CPU hadn't managed to follow through.

She glances at her back and she stares, mouth agape.

One of the legs had been ripped clean off by CPU, but another had been shot off, no doubt when CPU had shot at her. The Admin closes her eyes, focusing on trying to rematerialize the two legs.

The one that had been yanked off was able to come back. The one that had been shot off wasn't. Cookie curses, but she had had a feeling that it wouldn't be able to come back. CPU's bullets were deadly.

She can feel the blood dripping from her wounds.

Not wanting to risk the chance of them finding her, she gets up and breaks into a run back to the circus tent. She'll get Bit to patch her up and she'll think of a new plan. It'd be fine.

All of this was to get back Byte. In the end, it'd be all worth it.

[mentalisttraceur-software]

histdir

So I've started a stupid-simple shell/REPL history mechanism that's more friendly to Syncthing-style cloud sync than a history file (like basically every shell and REPL do now) or a SQLite database (which is probably appropriate, and it's what Atuin does while almost single-handedly dragging CLI history UX into the 21st century):

You have a history directory.

Every history entry gets its own file.

The file name of a history entry is a hash of that history entry.

The contents of a history entry file is the history entry itself.

So that's the simple core concept around which I'm building the rest. If you just want a searchable, syncable record of everything you ever executed, well there you go. This was the smallest MVP, and I implemented that last night - a little shell script to actually create the histdir entries (entry either passed as an argument or read on stdin if there's no entry argument), and some Elisp code in my Emacs to replace Eshell's built-in history file save and load. Naturally my loaded history stopped remembering order of commands reliably, as expected, which would've been a deal-breaker problem in the long term. But the fact that it instantly plugged into Syncthing with no issues was downright blissful.

(I hate to throw shade on Atuin... Atuin is the best project in the space, I recommend checking it out, and it significantly inspired the featureset and UX of my current setup. But it's important for understanding the design choices of histdir: Atuin has multiple issues related to syncing - histdir will never have any sync issues. And that's part of what made it so blissful. I added the folder to Syncthing - no separate account, no separate keys, nothing I must never lose. In most ways, Atuin's design choice of a SQLite database is just better. That's real, proper engineering. Serious software developers all know that this is exactly the kind of thing where a database is better than a bunch of files. But one benefit you get from this file-oriented granularity is that if you just design the naming scheme right, history entries never collide/conflict in the same file. So we get robust sync, even with concurrent use, on multiple devices - basically for free, or at least amortized with the setup effort for whatever solution you're using to sync your other files (none of which could handle updates from two different devices to a single SQLite database). Deleting a history entry in histdir is an "rm"/"unlink" - in Atuin it's a whole clever engineering puzzle.)

So onto preserving order. In principle, the modification time of these files is enough for ordering: the OS already records when they were last written to, so if you sort on that, you preserve history order. I was initially going to go with this, but: it's moderately inconvenient in some programming languages, it can only handle a 1-to-1 mapping (one last-modified timestamp) even though many uses of history might prefer an n-to-1 (an entry for every time the command was called), and it requires worrying about questions like "does {sync,copy,restore-from-backup,this-programmatic-manipulation-I-quickly-scripted} preserve the timestamp correctly?"

So tonight I did what any self-respecting drank-too-much-UNIX-philosophy-coolaid developer would do: more files. In particular:

Each call of a history entry gets its own file.

The file name of a call is a timestamp.

The contents of a call file is the hash of the history entry file.

The hash is mainly serving the purpose of being a deterministic, realistically-will-never-collide-with-another-history-entry (literally other causes of collision like hackers getting into your box and overwriting your memory are certain and inevitable by comparison) identifier - in a proper database, this would just be the primary key of a table, or some internal pointer.

The timestamp files allow a simple lexical sort, which is a default provided by most languages, most libraries, and built in by default in almost everything that lists/iterates a directory. That's what I do in my latest Elisp code in my Emacs: directory-files does a lexical sort by default - it's not pretty from an algorithmic efficiency standpoint, but it makes the simplest implementation super simple. Of course, you could get reasonably more efficient if you really wanted to.

I went with the hash as contents, rather than using hardlinks or symlinks, because of programmatic introspection simplicity and portability. I'm not entirely sure if the programmatic introspection benefits are actually worth anything in practice. The biggest portability case against symlinks/hardlinks/etc is Windows (technically can do symlinks, but it's a privileged operation unless you go fiddle with OS settings), Android (can't do hardlinks at all, and symlinks can't exist in shared storage), and if you ever want to have your histdir on something like a USB stick or whatever.

Depending on the size of the hash, given that the typical lengths of history entries might be rather short, it might be better for deduplication and storage to just drop the hash files entirely, and leave only the timestamp files. But it's not necessarily so clear-cut.

Sure, the average shell command is probably shorter by a wide margin than a good hash. The stuff I type into something like a Node or Python REPL will trend a little longer than the shell commands. But now what about, say, URLs? That's also history, it's not even that different conceptually from shell/REPL history, and I haven't yet ruled out it making sense for me to reuse histdir for that.

And moreover, conceptually they achieve different goals. The entry files are things that have been in your history (and that you've decided to keep). They're more of a toolbox or repertoire - when you do a fuzzy search on history to re-run a command, duplicates just get in the way. Meanwhile, call files are a "here's what I did", more of a log than a toolbox.

And obviously this whole histdir thing is very expandable - you could have other files containing metadata. Some metadata might be the kind of thing we'd want to associate with a command run (exit status, error output, relevant state like working directory or environment variables, and so on), but other stuff might make more sense for commands themselves (for example: this command is only useful/valid on [list of hosts], so don't use it in auto-complete and fuzzy search anywhere else).

So... I think it makes sense to have history entries and calls to those entries "normalized" into their own separate files like that. But it might be overkill in practice, and the value might not materialize in practice, so that's more in the TBD I guess.

So that's where I'm at now. A very expandable template, but for now I've just replicated basic shell/REPL history, in an a very high-overhead way. A big win is great history sync almost for free, without a lot of the technical downsides or complexity (and with a little effort to set up inotify/etc watches on a histdir, I can have newly sync'ed entries go directly into my running shells/REPLs... I mean, within Emacs at least, where that kind of across-the-board malleability is accessible with a reasonably low amount of effort). Another big win is that in principle, it should be really easy to build on existing stuff in almost any language to do anything I might want to do. And the biggest win is that I can now compose those other wins with every REPL I use, so long as I can either wrap that REPL a little bit (that's how I'll start, with Emacs' comint mode), or patch the common libraries like readline to do histdir, or just write some code to translate between a traditional history file and my histdir approach.

At every step of the way, I've optimized first and foremost for easiest-to-implement and most-accessible-to-work-with decision. So far I don't regret it, and I think it'll help a lot with iteratively trying different things, and with all sorts of integration and composition that I haven't even thought of yet. But I'll undoubtedly start seeing problems as my histdirs grow - it's just a question of how soon and how bad, and if it'll be tractable to fix without totally abandoning the approach. But it's also possible that we're just at the point where personal computers and phones are powerful enough, and OS and FS optimizations are advanced enough, that the overhead will never be perceptible to me for as long as I live - after all, its history for an interface with a live human.

So... happy so far. It seems promising. Tentatively speaking, I have a better daily-driver shell history UX than I've ever had, because I now have great reliable and fast history sync across my devices, without regressions to my shell history UX (and that's saying something, since I was already very happy with zsh's vi mode, and then I was even more happy with Eshell+Eat+Consult+Evil), but I've only just implemented it and given it basic testing. And I remain very optimistic that I could trivially layer this onto basically any other REPL with minimal effort thanks to Emacs' comint mode.

[sunaleisocial]

NASA Earth Scientist Elected to National Academy of Sciences - NASA

New Post has been published on https://sunalei.org/news/nasa-earth-scientist-elected-to-national-academy-of-sciences-nasa/

NASA Earth Scientist Elected to National Academy of Sciences - NASA

Earth scientist Compton J. Tucker has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences for his work creating innovative tools to track the planet’s changing vegetation from space. It’s research that has spanned nearly 50 years at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, where he is a visiting scientist after retiring in March. 

Tucker’s research began with identifying wavelengths of light that are absorbed or reflected as plants undergo photosynthesis, and has evolved into calculating the health and productivity of vegetation over time with satellites. 

“I’m honored and surprised,” Tucker said of his election. “There were opportunities at the Goddard Space Flight Center that have enabled this work that couldn’t be found elsewhere. There were people who built satellites, who understood satellite data, and had the computer code to process it. All the work I’ve done has been part of a team, with other people contributing in different ways. Working at NASA is a team effort of science and discovery that’s fun and intellectually rewarding.” 

Tucker earned his master’s and doctoral degrees from Colorado State University, where he worked on a National Science Foundation-funded project analyzing spectrometer data of grassland ecosystems. In 1975, he came to NASA Goddard as a postdoctoral fellow and used what he learned in his graduate work to modify the imager on National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) meteorological satellites and modify Landsat’s thematic mapper instrument. 

He became a civil servant at the agency in 1977, and continued work with radiometers to study vegetation – first with handheld devices, then with NOAA’s Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer satellite instruments.  He has also used data from Landsat satellites, Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer instruments, and commercial satellites. His scientific papers have been cited 100,000 times, and one of his recent studies mapped 10 billion individual trees across Africa’s drylands to inventory carbon storage at the tree level.

“The impact of Compton Tucker’s work over the last half-century at Goddard is incredible,” said Dalia Kirschbaum, director of the Earth Sciences Division at NASA Goddard. “Among his many achievements, he essentially developed the technique of using satellites to study photosynthesis from plants, which people have used to monitor droughts, forecast crop shortages, defeat the desert locust, and even predict disease outbreaks. This is a well-deserved honor.”

The National Academy of Sciences was proposed by Abraham Lincoln and established by Congress in 1863, charged with advising the United States on science and technology. Each year, up to 120 new members are elected “in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research,” according to the organization.

In addition his role as a visiting scientist at Goddard, Tucker is also an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland and a consulting scholar at the University of Pennsylvania’s University Museum. He was awarded the National Air and Space Collins Trophy for Current Achievement in 1993 and the Vega Medal by the Swedish Society of Anthropology and Geography in 2014. He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Geophysical Union, and won the Senior Executive Service Presidential Rank Award for Meritorious Service in 2017, among other honors. 

By Kate Ramsayer

NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

[anand-londhe]

Halogen Free Flame Retardant Market Outlook 2025: What Every Manufacturer Should Know 

Global Halogen Free Flame Retardant (HFFR) market demonstrates robust expansion, currently valued at USD 4.66 billion in 2023 with projections indicating growth to USD 8.36 billion by 2032 at a 6.7% CAGR. This surge aligns with tightening global fire safety regulations and a shift toward sustainable material solutions across industries ranging from construction to electric vehicle manufacturing.

Halogen free flame retardants eliminate toxic emissions during combustion while maintaining material integrity in polymers, textiles, and coatings. Their adoption accelerates as manufacturers comply with REACH and RoHS directives, particularly in electronics where smoke toxicity regulations grow stringent. Recent breakthroughs in phosphorus-nitrogen synergistic systems further enhance their thermal stability, broadening application potential.

Download FREE Sample Report: https://www.24chemicalresearch.com/download-sample/289123/global-halogen-free-flame-retardant-forecast-market-2025-2032-980

Market Overview & Regional Analysis

Asia-Pacific commands 42% of HFFR consumption, fuelled by China's booming electronics sector and India's infrastructure boom requiring fire-safe building materials. Japan's stringent JIS standards further drive quality-focused adoption. Meanwhile, Europe leads in regulatory innovation, with 78% of EU construction projects now specifying halogen-free solutions to meet updated EN 13501 fire safety classifications.

North America's growth trajectory reflects unique dynamics - while the U.S. focuses on EV battery component safety using magnesium hydroxide retardants, Canada's wood treatment sector adopts novel boron-based formulations. Latin America shows promising growth in Chile and Brazil where updated fire codes align with international standards, though cost sensitivity remains a moderating factor.

Key Market Drivers and Opportunities

The market thrives on three transformative trends: First, automotive lightweighting mandates incorporate HFFR composites that meet FMVSS 302 standards without heavy metal content. Second, 5G infrastructure deployment demands low-smoke materials for cable insulation. Third, biobased retardants from agricultural waste gain traction, with rice husk ash derivatives capturing niche markets in sustainable packaging.

Innovation hotspots include nano-coated retardants for aerospace applications and self-extinguishing polymers for EV battery casings. The wind energy sector presents untapped potential as turbine blade manufacturers seek halogen-free solutions that withstand lightning strikes without compromising structural integrity.

Challenges & Restraints

Despite momentum, the industry faces hurdles. High loading requirements (often 50-60% for mineral-based HFFRs) compromise mechanical properties in thin-wall applications. Recent supply chain disruptions exposed vulnerabilities in magnesium hydroxide sourcing, with 32% of global production concentrated in China. Additionally, slow standardization in emerging markets creates certification complexities for multinational suppliers.

Most critically, performance gaps persist in high-temperature engineering plastics like PEEK and PPS, where halogenated alternatives still dominate. Continuous R&D focuses on surface-modified nanoparticles and intumescent systems to bridge this gap while maintaining environmental compliance.

Market Segmentation by Type

Aluminum Hydroxide

Magnesium Hydroxide

Phosphorus-Based

Nitrogen-Based

Others

Market Segmentation by Application

Electrical & Electronics

Building & Construction

Automotive & Transportation

Wire & Cable

Others

Download FREE Sample Report: https://www.24chemicalresearch.com/download-sample/289123/global-halogen-free-flame-retardant-forecast-market-2025-2032-980

Competitive Landscape

The market features strategic repositioning as chemical giants diversify portfolios:

Albemarle Corporation expands LATHENE™ polymer modifiers for EV batteries

Clariant pioneers Exolit OP Terra series from renewable feedstocks

Huber Engineered Materials dominates smokesuppressant magnesium hydroxides

BASF integrates flame retardant solutions into UL-approved engineering plastics

LANXESS develops low-dusting blends for compounding applications

Recent months saw Italmatch acquire phosphorus chemistry assets, while startups like Safire Technology attract funding for graphene-enhanced retardants. Regional players in Asia compete on price-performance optimization, particularly in polyolefin applications.

Report Scope

This 360° analysis covers:

Demand forecasting by chemistry and end-use industry through 2032

Regulatory impact assessment across 18 key jurisdictions

Pricing trend analysis and raw material sourcing strategies

Patent landscape and technology development pipelines

Strategic profiles of 27 market leaders and innovators

The research methodology combines:

Plant-level production audits

Trade flow analysis

End-user surveys across value chain

Techno-economic modeling of alternative formulations

Get Full Report Here: https://www.24chemicalresearch.com/reports/289123/halogen-free-flame-retardant-market

About 24chemicalresearch

Founded in 2015, 24chemicalresearch has rapidly established itself as a leader in chemical market intelligence, serving clients including over 30 Fortune 500 companies. We provide data-driven insights through rigorous research methodologies, addressing key industry factors such as government policy, emerging technologies, and competitive landscapes.

Plant-level capacity tracking

Real-time price monitoring

Techno-economic feasibility studies

With a dedicated team of researchers possessing over a decade of experience, we focus on delivering actionable, timely, and high-quality reports to help clients achieve their strategic goals. Our mission is to be the most trusted resource for market insights in the chemical and materials industries.

Contact:International: +1(332) 2424 294 | Asia: +91 9169162030 Website: https://www.24chemicalresearch.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/24chemicalresearch

Other Related Reports: 

[medicotechllc32]

From Diagnosis to Payment: Internal Medicine and Mental Health Billing Made Simple

In today’s healthcare environment, internal medicine and mental health providers face growing demands—not only to deliver high-quality care but also to ensure accurate and timely billing. As payer rules evolve and administrative responsibilities increase, practices must simplify the jo

This guide explores how internal medicine and mental health billing can be streamlined through structured workflows, specialty-specific coding, and integrated revenue solutions. Whether you’re a solo provider or managing a group, optimizing your billing processes is key to a healthy bottom line.

Understanding the Complexity of Internal Medicine and Mental Health Billing

Billing in these two specialties comes with unique challenges that general billing workflows may not address effectively.

Internal Medicine Challenges

Covers a broad range of services including chronic disease management, diagnostic testing, and preventive care

Often involves multiple CPT, ICD-10 codes, and modifiers per visit

Requires coordination with other specialties

Mental Health Challenges

Includes psychotherapy, medication management, and evaluations

Time-based coding and documentation are essential

Payer requirements vary significantly for session length, telehealth, and visit frequency

The Billing Workflow: From Diagnosis to Reimbursement

A streamlined billing process includes several core steps. Each step must be optimized to ensure timely and accurate payment.

Patient Registration and Insurance Verification

Verify patient demographics and insurance details

Check eligibility for both medical and mental health billing services

Confirm benefits for preventive care, behavioral health, and telehealth

Tip: Use automated tools to verify coverage before the appointment

Documentation and Clinical Notes

Ensure clinical notes support the codes billed

Use SOAP format or templates that include required details

Document session time accurately for mental health visits

Tip: Encourage real-time documentation during the visit

Accurate Coding with CPT, ICD-10, and Modifiers

Internal Medicine Common Codes:

99213–99215: Office visits

99385–99387: Preventive exams

36415: Blood draw

99406–99407: Smoking cessation counseling

Mental Health Common Codes:

90791: Psychiatric evaluation

90832–90838: Psychotherapy (30–60 minutes)

90839: Crisis therapy

96127: Behavioral assessments

ICD-10 Codes Examples:

E11.9: Type 2 diabetes without complications

F32.1: Moderate major depressive disorder

Tip: Use specialty-specific coding tools to avoid errors

Charge Entry and Claim Submission

Code services accurately and ensure timely entry

Submit claims electronically for quicker processing

Monitor submission reports for rejections

Tip: Use a central dashboard to track claims and follow-ups

Payment Posting and Denial Management

Post payments as soon as remits are received

Identify denial patterns by payer or service type

Take immediate action on rejected claims

Tip: Use denial tracking systems to automate follow-ups and reduce rework

Patient Billing and Collections

Send clear, understandable bills

Offer online payments and flexible payment plans

Follow up respectfully with automated reminders

Tip: Use branded digital statements to improve collection rates

Why Internal Medicine and Mental Health Billing Require Specialized Knowledge

Generic billing services may miss critical nuances unique to these specialties.

Internal Medicine

Undercoding is common due to audit fears

Missing modifiers leads to lower reimbursement

Time-based counseling codes often go unused

Mental Health

Errors in session timing can lead to claim denials

Coverage for telehealth varies by payer and state

Many insurers require pre-authorization or documentation reviews

Solution: Partner with billing experts who specialize in your field and stay updated with changing payer rules

Tools and Solutions That Simplify Billing

Specialized services and integrated systems can significantly reduce billing complexity.

Specialty-Specific Billing Software

Includes built-in codes and templates

Applies payer-specific rules automatically

Reduces manual data entry

Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) Services

Outsource coding, billing, and follow-ups

Get consistent claim submission and denial resolution

Improve accuracy and shorten reimbursement cycles

Insurance Credentialing Support

Maintain active status with all relevant payers

Avoid delays caused by outdated contracts

Ensure faster onboarding for new providers

Patient Communication Tools

Send appointment reminders and billing alerts

Offer secure portals for payments and statements

Collect feedback to improve satisfaction

Benefits of a Streamlined Billing Workflow

Simplifying billing in internal medicine medical billing services leads to measurable improvements:

Higher Revenue: Accurate coding and fewer denials maximize reimbursement

Improved Cash Flow: Faster claim processing reduces payment delays

Better Compliance: Proper documentation reduces audit risks

Greater Patient Satisfaction: Transparent billing builds trust and reduces disputes

Reduced Admin Time: Automation and outsourcing free up staff for patient care

Case Study: A Practice Transformation

A five-provider clinic offering internal medicine and psychiatry struggled with:

Frequent denials on mental health codes

Low patient collections

Manual billing and outdated statements

Poor credentialing tracking

They implemented:

Eligibility verification and real-time coding checks

Mental health-specific documentation templates

Branded digital statements with online payment options

Full credentialing management

Results in 6 Months:

40% reduction in denials

30% increase in patient collections

20 fewer admin hours per week

$75,000 additional revenue per quarter

Conclusion: Simplifying a Complex Process

Medical billing for internal medicine and mental health doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By implementing specialized tools, working with expert billing services, and creating a streamlined workflow, practices can improve financial performance while focusing on what truly matters—delivering exceptional care.

Key Takeaways

Use accurate, specialty-specific coding and documentation

Automate insurance verification and claim submission

Track denials by payer and reason to prevent repeat issues

Simplify patient billing with digital tools

Stay current on credentialing requirements and payer policies

With the right systems in place, your billing process can shift from a constant challenge to a strategic advantage.

[lilythecaattt]

Admins, Moderators & Moderation - Corrupt Worlds Roblox AU

Edit: May 21

,

Work Attire (Moderators):

Moderators are required to wear the clothing in the image above. They can skip on the hat, but HAVE to at least wear the jacket and Tag.

They don’t have to write their name down, even though they are encouraged to. Either way, Robloxian’s can view their Users and see they are a Moderator, by using their Menu anyway.

Work Attire (Admins):

They’re allowed to wear basically anything they want. As long as it isn’t “too unprofessional”… Though, most Admins can get away with looking VERY unprofessional regardless.

Even more freedom with the “unprofessional-attire” thing is given to specially well-known Admins. *COUGH* Shedletsky *COUGH-

Moderators (Described poorly):

Job Description: New Moderators are required to stay at an HQ and review Reports sent in by Users. If the report says they did a bad, and they actually did a bad, you can file a report to police. And/or if it is very bad doings, you can ban their user remotely!…

NOTE: There are two kinds of Bans. 1) Being banned from Worldhopping, and 2) Being banned from the Worlds, aka Robloxia. #2 means they go to the badlandssss!! oh noes

MODERATORS CAN: Report “bad/criminal behavior” to police, basically working with them. Ban people by using their Menu’s, or get a ban-hammer permit…

MODS CANNOT: Change the Worldcode of a World, teleport someone directly into a Prison without trial or smth… Also they can’t teleport people into the void without reason.

Some Moderators stay at HQ and Monitor bad behavior or whatever… Some go and hunt Hackers/Criminals or Anomalies, because they’re dangerous.

Admins (Also described poorly because I’ll bore myself otherwise):

Job Description: Wowie you are one of few Robloxian’s deemed responsible enough to wield the power of Worldcode legally! You will be required to make a Vow to protect the innocent and keep the guilty from doing mortal harm to Robloxian(s) or Robloxia … With great power comes great responsibility, yada yada…

Able to modify an entire Worlds Code if: some kind of danger is present, and people will be very badly harmed if they don’t.

Otherwise, if an Admin acts in a sudden way and ruins YOUR Gameworld/Miniworld without reason? You can do this magical thing called ✨suing them,✨ which can even get them removed from being an Admin! 😨

Note: If you have any questions about moderators or admins in the Corrupt Worlds AU, feel free to ask!… I genuinely might forget this exists. xd

[pavingcontractorfontana]

Top 10 Things Homeowners Should Know About Fontana Paving

If you're a homeowner in Fontana, California, and considering upgrading your driveway, patio, or walkways, it’s essential to work with a trusted local expert. Fontana Paving has built a strong reputation for delivering durable, attractive, and cost-effective paving solutions tailored to the unique climate and terrain of the area. Whether you're installing a brand-new driveway or repairing existing pavement, choosing a skilled paving contractor Fontana like Fontana Paving is your first step toward a long-lasting investment.

Below are the top 10 things every homeowner should know about Fontana paving projects before getting started.

1. Climate Matters When Choosing Materials

Fontana experiences hot summers and mild winters, which directly impacts the types of paving materials that perform best. Asphalt and concrete respond differently to heat, moisture, and temperature fluctuations. Asphalt, for instance, is flexible and better suited for high-heat conditions, which can prevent cracking. Fontana Paving advises clients on the best materials based on your specific property location and how you plan to use the space.

2. Permits May Be Required

Before beginning any paving project, homeowners should be aware that the city of Fontana may require permits, especially for larger installations or when modifying existing structures. Fontana Paving handles all the paperwork and ensures your project complies with local building codes and regulations, removing the stress from your hands.

3. Proper Drainage Is Crucial

One of the most overlooked aspects of paving is drainage. Without a proper drainage system, water can pool on the surface, leading to erosion, cracking, and long-term damage. Fontana Paving incorporates intelligent slope designs and drainage features to help prevent water-related issues, ensuring your paved surfaces last longer and stay safer.

4. Regular Maintenance Prolongs Lifespan

Whether you choose asphalt, concrete, or pavers, regular maintenance is key to extending the life of your paved surfaces. This includes sealcoating, crack filling, and occasional resurfacing. Fontana Paving offers maintenance packages that help homeowners protect their investment and avoid costly repairs down the line.

5. Customization Adds Curb Appeal and Value

Paving doesn’t have to be plain or purely functional. Custom finishes, colors, textures, and patterns can dramatically improve your home's curb appeal and resale value. Fontana Paving offers a range of customization options, from stamped concrete to colored pavers, helping you achieve a polished, high-end look that matches your personal style.

6. Timing Your Project Makes a Difference

In Fontana, the best time for paving projects is typically spring through early fall when the weather is dry and temperatures are moderate. Scheduling your project with Fontana Paving during these optimal months ensures better curing and drying times, which translates into a more durable surface.

7. Professional Grading Prevents Future Problems

Grading is the process of leveling and preparing the ground before installing pavement. Poor grading can lead to uneven surfaces, drainage issues, and structural instability. Fontana Paving uses state-of-the-art equipment to ensure every project starts with a solid, well-prepared foundation—essential for longevity and performance.

8. Environmental Impact Should Be Considered

Today’s homeowners are more conscious of their environmental impact. Fontana Paving offers eco-friendly paving options such as permeable pavers and recycled asphalt that allow water to seep through and reduce runoff. These green solutions not only benefit the environment but can also help you meet city regulations and even qualify for local incentives.

9. Cost Varies Based on Multiple Factors

The cost of a paving project can vary widely depending on the size, materials, customization, and site conditions. Fontana Paving provides transparent estimates with no hidden fees. Our team walks you through the quote to explain every line item so you understand exactly what you're paying for and why.

10. Hiring Local Experts Ensures Quality and Accountability

When you choose a local company like Fontana Paving, you're getting more than just paving services. You're working with a team that understands Fontana's terrain, permitting process, and weather challenges. We are committed to delivering quality work and standing behind it with warranties and responsive customer service. Our local presence means we’re always just a call away if you need support or follow-up services.

Why Choose Fontana Paving?

Local Expertise: With deep knowledge of Fontana’s paving requirements and climate, we deliver results built to last.

Custom Designs: From driveways to patios, we offer tailored solutions that match your aesthetic goals.

Licensed & Insured: We meet all local and state requirements for paving contractors, giving you peace of mind.

Client Satisfaction: Our strong portfolio and positive customer feedback speak to our commitment to excellence.

When you work with Fontana Paving, you're not just hiring a contractor—you’re partnering with a team dedicated to enhancing your home’s beauty and functionality.

Final Thoughts

Homeowners in Fontana who want high-quality paving that lasts should take the time to learn about the process, understand their options, and work with experienced professionals. With Fontana Paving, you get local knowledge, exceptional craftsmanship, and a smooth, worry-free experience from start to finish.

Whether you're resurfacing an old driveway, installing a new patio, or considering decorative paving for your backyard, Fontana Paving is the trusted choice for homeowners who demand the best.

For more about local regulations and city services, visit the official City of Fontana website.

Contact Fontana Paving Today Ready to upgrade your property with professional paving? Get in touch with Fontana Paving to schedule a free consultation. Let us help you create beautiful, functional surfaces that stand the test of time.

Fontana Paving 17051 Sierra Lakes Pky Suite 200, Fontana, CA 92336 (909) 752-0848 https://fontanapaving.net/

[happytogether23]

Digital Citizenship, Algorithmic Bias & The Body Modification Crisis

🧠 How Social Media Shapes Our Perception of Beauty Does social media make us change how we look? Platforms like Instagram and TikTok prioritize visually appealing content, reinforcing unrealistic beauty standards. As a result, digital citizens feel increasing pressure to conform to "aesthetic templates"—leading to rising cosmetic surgeries, digital body modification, and self-esteem issues.

But who decides what beauty is? Algorithms.

This post explores how algorithmic bias shapes body modification trends, suppresses diverse beauty, and impacts digital citizens' autonomy over their identities.

Algorithmic Beauty Norms: Who Gets Seen & Who Doesn’t?

💡 Algorithms define beauty. Content with Eurocentric features, clear skin, and specific body shapes is promoted (Duffy & Meisner, 2022). Other appearances? Shadowbanned.

🔍 Case Study: TikTok’s Algorithmic Suppression of “Unattractive” Content

Internal reports from TikTok revealed moderators were told to suppress content from creators with “ugly facial looks” and “abnormal body shape” (Ghaffary, 2021). This discriminatory moderation policy shaped visibility for millions, showing how beauty standards are not just cultural—they’re coded into social media itself. 🔹 Aesthetic Labour: The Price of Visibility

Influencers engage in aesthetic labor by altering appearances to gain visibility (Marwick, 2013). More attractive = higher engagement = better algorithmic ranking (Becker, 2017). 💡 Result: Those who don’t fit these beauty norms are less visible, less marketable, and less likely to succeed in the creator economy.

The Rise of Cosmetic Surgery & Body Modification on Social Media

Why are influencers getting more surgery? The rise of digital beauty standards makes real-world features seem "flawed."

Filters & FaceTune: The “Instagram Face” Phenomenon

Studies show Snapchat Dysmorphia is driving cosmetic surgeries (Dorfman et al., 2018). Filters reinforce idealized facial features, making unfiltered faces appear "worse" by comparison. 2019 Plastic Surgery Statistics: 72% of surgeons reported clients wanting procedures to look like their filtered selfies (ASPS, 2019). 📌 Case Study: Brazil's Boom in Cosmetic Surgeries (2022)

Brazil became the world leader in cosmetic procedures, with 1.5 million surgeries per year, driven by influencer culture & algorithm-driven beauty norms (Adams, 2022). TikTok trends like #BBLTransformation & #GlowUpChallenge fueled unrealistic expectations. 💡 The problem?

It’s not just influencers modifying their bodies—it’s everyday users who feel forced to "catch up." Plastic surgery advertising on TikTok & Instagram normalizes body modification.

🚨 Algorithmic Discrimination & Marginalized Identities

🔹 Who gets suppressed?

Black creators reported lower visibility & engagement on TikTok compared to white influencers (Ghaffary, 2021). LGBTQ+ content is disproportionately shadowbanned, affecting queer influencers' ability to monetize their platforms (Duffy & Meisner, 2022). Tattooed & pierced influencers struggle for visibility, as platforms associate them with “non-mainstream” aesthetics. 📌 Case Study: Instagram’s 2021 "Racial Bias" Controversy

Black creators noticed their content was being removed while similar white-led posts remained. Instagram responded by pledging to fix racial bias in AI moderation (Frenkel, 2021). 💡 Bottom line: If beauty standards are coded into social media, marginalized identities will always struggle for visibility.

How Can We Disrupt Algorithmic Beauty Pressures?

Algorithmic Transparency

Platforms must disclose how they rank beauty content (Duffy & Meisner, 2022). 💡 Promote Inclusive Beauty Standards

TikTok & Instagram should support body-positive content, not suppress it. 💡 Educate Digital Citizens

We need better digital literacy programs to teach users how social media skews beauty standards. 💡 Support Marinalized Creators ✔️ Follow body-positive influencers. ✔️ Engage with creators outside of mainstream beauty standards. ✔️ Push platforms to audit their algorithms for bias.

💬 What Do You Think?

🔥 Is social media shaping how people view beauty? 🔥 Should platforms be responsible for algorithmic bias in beauty standards?

Comment below & reblog to continue the discussion!

📚 References

Adams, J. (2022). Bodies of Change: A Comparative Analysis of Media Representations of Body Modification Practices. Sociological Perspectives, 52(1), 103–129. https://doi.org/10.1525/sop.2009.52.1.103

American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). (2019). Plastic Surgery Statistics Report. https://www.plasticsurgery.org/documents/News/Statistics/2019/plastic-surgery-statistics-full-report-2019.pdf

Duffy, B. E., & Meisner, C. (2022). Platform Governance at the Margins: Social Media Creators’ Experiences with Algorithmic (in)visibility. Media, Culture & Society. https://doi.org/10.1177/01634437221111923

Frenkel, S. (2021). Instagram's Racial Bias Problem. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/21/technology/instagram-racial-bias.html

Ghaffary, S. (2021). How TikTok’s hate speech detection tool set off a debate about racial bias. Vox. https://www.vox.com/recode/2021/7/7/22566017/tiktok-black-creators-racial-bias

[healthcaremarketanalysis]

Epigenetics Industry worth $4.3 billion by 2028, with a CAGR of 18.3%

The report "Epigenetics Market by Product & Service (Enzymes (DNA-modifying Enzymes), Kits & Reagents (Antibodies), Instrument, Software), Method (DNA Methylation), Technique (NGS, PCR, Mass Spectrometry), Application (Oncology, Immunology) - Global Forecast to 2028 ", is projected to reach USD 4.3 billion by 2028 from USD 1.8 billion in 2023, at a CAGR of 18.3% during the forecast period of 2023 to 2028.

Browse 367 market data Tables and 45 Figures spread through 366 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Epigenetics Market by Product & Service (Enzymes (DNA-modifying Enzymes), Kits & Reagents (Antibodies), Instrument, Software), Method (DNA Methylation), Technique (NGS, PCR, Mass Spectrometry), Application (Oncology, Immunology) - Global Forecast to 2028 " View detailed Table of Content here - https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/epigenetics-technologies-market-896.html

The global epigenetics market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 18.3 % during the forecast period. The growth of the market is projected to be driven by factors such as as rising investment in R&D,  declining sequencing cost & time, favorable government initiatives & funding for epigenetics research, advancement in technology for epigenetic research and increasing demand for epigenetic-based therapeutics.

The kits & reagents segment segment is expected to have the dominant share of the epigenetics market in 2022.

Based on technology, the global epigenetics market is segmented into kits & reagents, enzymes, instruments and accessories, software, and service. The kits & reagents is further segmented into antibodies, chip-sequencing kits & reagents, whole-genome amplification kits & reagents and 5-HMC & 5-MC Analysis kits & reagents, histones and other kits & reagents. In 2022, the Antibodies segment held the largest share of the epigenetics market. The rising adoption of antibodies in detection, identification, and alteration/modification of proteins followed by their role in monitoring cell regulation & expression are the driving factor for the growth of the antibodies segment during the forecast period.

The DNA methylation segment accounted for the largest share of the method segment in the  epigenetics market in 2022.

Based on disease indication, the epigenetics market is segmented DNA methylation, histone modifications, and other methods (non-coding RNA and chromatin remodelling). The DNA methylation segment is anticipated to grow at significant CAGR during the forecast period owing to factor such as efficacy of the DNA methylation technique in oncology studies.

The Asia Pacific region is the fastest-growing region of the epigenetics market in 2022.

The Asia Pacific is accounted to be the fastest-growing segment of the market. The growth of the epigenetics markets in the region is driven by the expanding international presence of domestic players by adopting strategic agreements, partnerships, and collaborations and Improving healthcare infrastructure in developing Asia Pacific economies.

Key Players

The epigenetics market is moderately consolidated, with a small number of players competing for market shares.  Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (US), Merck KGaA (Germany), Illumina, Inc. (US), PacBio (US), Abcam plc (UK), Active Motif, Inc. (US), Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc. (US), Promega Corporation (US), Revvity (US), Qiagen (Germany), New England Biolabs (US), Zymo Research Corporation (US), Diagenode SA (US), F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd (Switzerland) and Epigentek Group Inc. (US) are some of the leading players in this market. Most companies in the market focus on organic and inorganic growth strategies, such as product launches, expansions, acquisitions, partnerships, and agreements, to increase their product offerings, cater to the unmet needs of customers, increase their profitability, and expand their presence in the global market.