#Charge capture software

[maxrvu0]

Want a Version Tailored for a Specific Specialty or Platform?

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[03349656115]

appleiphone

[nasa]

Hubble Space Telescope: Exploring the Cosmos and Making Life Better on Earth

In the 35 years since its launch aboard space shuttle Discovery, the Hubble Space Telescope has provided stunning views of galaxies millions of light years away. But the leaps in technology needed for its look into space has also provided benefits on the ground. Here are some of the technologies developed for Hubble that have improved life on Earth.

Image Sensors Find Cancer

Charge-coupled device (CCD) sensors have been used in digital photography for decades, but Hubble’s Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph required a far more sensitive CCD. This development resulted in improved image sensors for mammogram machines, helping doctors find and treat breast cancer.

Laser Vision Gives Insights

In preparation for a repair mission to fix Hubble’s misshapen mirror, Goddard Space Flight Center required a way to accurately measure replacement parts. This resulted in a tool to detect mirror defects, which has since been used to develop a commercial 3D imaging system and a package detection device now used by all major shipping companies.

Optimized Hospital Scheduling

A computer scientist who helped design software for scheduling Hubble’s observations adapted it to assist with scheduling medical procedures. This software helps hospitals optimize constantly changing schedules for medical imaging and keep the high pace of emergency rooms going.

Optical Filters Match Wavelengths and Paint Swatches

For Hubble’s main cameras to capture high-quality images of stars and galaxies, each of its filters had to block all but a specific range of wavelengths of light. The filters needed to capture the best data possible but also fit on one optical element. A company contracted to construct these filters used its experience on this project to create filters used in paint-matching devices for hardware stores, with multiple wavelengths evaluated by a single lens.

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space!

[glowettee]

digital notes guide part 2/5: taking effective lecture notes (but make them cute!) 🎀

1st post

posted by: glowettee

hey study butterflies! ♡ mindyyyyy hereeeee

welcome back to our digital notes series! today i'm going more into the actual note-taking process during lectures/classes. this is important, since you can swap out notebooks for a digital notebook which becomes a lot more seamless.

♡ pre-lecture prep

because being prepared changes everything:

night before setup:

review previous notes (refresh your memory!)

pre-read lecture slides

create note template

set up quick-access tools

prepare questions

charge all devices

quick-access toolbar:

highlighting shortcuts

screenshot tool ready

recording software open

reference materials linked

custom stickers folder

favorite templates

♡ the actual note-taking method

this changed my whole study game:

(SUPER IMPORTANT) the butterfly method (my signature system):

main points in center

supporting details on left wing

examples on right wing

questions in antennae section

vocabulary in body section

connections in trail section

active engagement tricks:

use different colors for different types of information

create mini mind maps as you go

add little drawings for visual memory

insert voice memos for complex topics

flag confusing points with cute markers

leave space for post-lecture additions

♡ making it aesthetic but effective

because why not have both?:

visual organization:

use boxes for definitions

clouds for main concepts

stars for important points

hearts for memorable examples

arrows for connections

flowers for chapter markers

color coding system:

pink for main concepts

lavender for examples

mint for definitions

peach for formulas

baby blue for dates

gold for important warnings

♡ dealing with fast-paced lectures

because professors/teachers love to speed-talk:

shorthand system:

create cute abbreviations

use symbols for common words

develop personal code system

quick bullet points

voice record if allowed

flag for later review

quick capture methods:

screenshot important slides

quick sketch diagrams

voice memo key points

type keywords only

mark confusion points

flag for detailed review

♡ post-lecture enhancement

because the real magic happens after:

immediate review:

fill in gaps while fresh

add pretty headings

organize messy sections

insert relevant images

complete examples

link related concepts

enhancement techniques:

create summary boxes

add practice questions

insert related resources

make concept connections

highlight key points

add memory triggers

effective notes aren't just about capturing everything - they're about creating a resource you'll actually want to review! think of it like creating your own aesthetic textbook that speaks your language.

pro tip: don't try to make everything perfect during the lecture. focus on capturing information first, make it pretty later! i usually spend 15 minutes after each lecture prettifying my notes.

xoxo, mindy 🎀

[emptyjunior]

I'm rewatching Starstruck in the break, can I say I DESPERATELY would have loved to have seen this intergalactic chase across the stars from the Other Side😭

Like okay, campaign where you're a crew of kooky spacers on the run, classic, fun, oh the adventures we had.., can you Imagine what this story would have been like from the pursuers side? From Lucienne and UFTP?

You're Lucienne and you just got SCREWED on the corporate ladder and are already dealing with some rich trust fund kid DYING yet also leaving you in Charge of an insane company.

And during that you find out oh my god the world might be destroyed?? And there's a Princeps who has a super special computer that will decide the fate of the universe? So you stash them away to keep them safe and go back to covering up the murder you might be to blame for, because universe destroying computer is like priority TWO right now.

And then you find out?? Your ex lover friend has become a pirate???! And has STOLEN the princeps??! AND THE WORLD ENDING COMPUTER??! And quit??! And posted Nudes to the world??! And they look amazing?

So okay okay new priority is FIND THEM right NOW so you send all the resources in the world to go snatch them up which should be easy enough because you've seen them run, they're literally a weak and flailing office worker in a pencil skirt.

Welp! Next report comes in and they exploded a building with sex putty??? And decimated a fleet of the best fighters you can hire? And had time to go to a dogshow in between???

Fine, okay, it's fine because you KNOW they'll slip up again and they do! They show up,,., in a live stream? Partying with the ceo of space uber?? In a casino? That they just OPENED? WHILE THEY'RE ON THE RUN?!

So you go to that planet and go to contact the sheriff and his Head is on a Fucking Spike because your Friend absolutely wasted him? And kicked every police officer out of town so the whole town could go super super hard for space burning man?

And have escaped Again.

So now you're in some kind of room with like 20 screens and probably two blackberries in each hand, going full manhunt. Face recognition software, algorithms, zooming in on photos and yelling Enhance.

And you find them! And they👏 are👏 at👏 Disneyland👏! What! The! Fuck!

You send your best guys again! (And also??! These 'best guys' maybe have a space slug in their skull that's going to end the world! Can't even focus on that rn!). And then when they get back, happy and proud they show you the Princeps that they've captured and it's god damned thin air! Because it was a hologram and this dumb sonuva bitch is zonked out of his mind from a fish psychic. Great, of course. Of Course.

You're being hounded by your company, you still don't know where your 'dead fiance' is, you're running out of time. How are you ever going to find them- You check your phone they are doing a hunger games at Las Vegas. And a rival company has made them influencers. And they're famous.

Of course.

But you do pull it off in the end! You get them! You imprison them! And their one fatal flaw? They decided to reunite one of their crew members with their birth mother while being wanted criminals.

So that's the chase you got them (they escape again of course they escape, and the birth mother turns out to be a Hell of a business woman and maybe just did a masterful corporate maneuver on you.)

And it's so important to know that this entire time you've been chasing a Big Hot Dog.

[red-dyed-sarumane]

Hiiragi Magnetite First Full Album "Kyusekai Legacy" (Old World's Legacy) and 1st One Man Live "Kyuusekai Legacy LIVE" Announcement

Hiiragi Magnetite first full album "Kyusekai Legacy" is set for release Wednesday June 25th, 2025!

Full blog post translation under cut

With hits such as "Marshall Maximizer" (47 million views on Youtube) and Tetoris (57 million views on Youtube) that capture vocaloid fans not just in Japan but all over the world, vocaloid producer Hiiragi Magnetite is set to release their first full album "Kyusekai Legacy."

As for this album, starting with their first post song from September 2020 when they debuted with "Aru Sekai Shoushitsu" up until "Kugutsu Ashura" series of songs will encompass the first half before "Kannagi", after which the latter half will be popular songs like "Marshall Maximizer" and "Kanon", as well as including 3 new songs written for the album.

This CD album of 13 songs will be released on June 25th via TRIPOD Records' official BOOTH store. (At the same time, it's set for streaming release across various platforms)

In addition, the four songs "Marshall Maximizer," "Kugutsu Ashura," "Kanon," and "Laboratory" have been made into new versions for this album.

The album artwork is done by Sena Yuta, who's done multiple illustrations for Hiiragi Magnetite's MVs, as well as graphic design by BALCOLONY. with IPs in various entertainment fields such as manga, anime, and games.

Product Outline: Artist: Hiiragi Magnetite Title: Kyusekai Legacy (Old World's Legacy) Release Date: June 25th, 2025 Release Form: CD Cost: ￥3,500 (Tax Included) Product Number: TRLB-0003 Label: TRIPOD Records

Track List 1. Aru Sekai Shoushitsu (A Certain World's Disappearance) 2. Kyuuyaku Hankagai (Testament) 3. Shuuen Touhikou (Blade) 4. Oumen Mokushiroku (Apocalypse) 5. Fuuin Tougenkyou (Seal of Shangri-la) (New Song) 6. Kugutsu Ashura (Puppet Ashura) (Re-arrangement) 7. Kannagi (Diviner) 8. Unplanned Apoptosis 9. Endless Escape (New Song) 10. Marshall Maximizer (Re-arrangement) 11. Kanon (Re-arrangement) 12. Kanon (Re-arrangement) 13. "?" (New Song, Title Undetermined) *Included songs, titles, and line-up may be subject to change.

Illustration：Sena Yuta Design: BALCOLONY.

℗©Hiiragi Magnetite / ©2025 TRIBALCON. Inc.

Hiiragi Magnetite's Profile Started vocaloid producer activities with "Aru Sekai Shoushitsu" in September 2020. Beyond working with vocal synthesizer software, they've made songs for various artists as well. They also perform as a DJ, appearing in many events in Japan such as NicoNico ChouKaigi's ChouVocaNico and NIGHT HIKE. Notable works include "Tetoris," "Marshall Maximizer," and "Shuuen Touhikou (Blade)."

X：https://twitter.com/hiiragi_magne YouTube：https://www.youtube.com/c/hiiragimagne niconico：https://www.nicovideo.jp/user/99293918/mylist/69456475

In celebration of Hiiragi Magnetite's first album "Kyusekai Legacy" release, their first one man live will also be held!

Live Information: Title: Kyusekai Legacy LIVE Date: July 6th, 2025 (Sunday) Open 5pm/ 6pm start Location: UNIT (Daikanyama) https://www.unit-tokyo.com/ Performance: Hiiragi Magnetite Artwork: Sena Yuta (Illustration), BALCOLONY. (Graphic Design) Price: Presale Ticket ￥5,500 *The drink charge will be a separate ￥600 fee at the entrance Zaiko Url: https://tribalcon.zaiko.io/item/371455 Organizer: Hiiragi Magnetite/TRIBALCON. Planning, Creation, Management: TRIBALCON.

Precautions: - Those under 20 can enter. -Those under middle school age can enter with a guardian, -The 600 yen drink charge at the entrance is a cash payment. -To ensure smooth entry, please prepare the ticket screen and drink charge in advance. -You will be asked to present your ID when purchasing alcohol. -In accordance with the law, those under 20 are prohibited from drinking or smoking. -Those under 20 cannot purchase alcohol. -Anyone found to be purchasing alcohol or tabaco for those under age will be reported to the police and escorted out. -Tickets are limited to one per person. -The event will not allow reentry if you leave. -Be aware in advance refunds will not be granted for reason other than the event being canceled.

[444namesplus]

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[anxiouslyeccentric]

@three-dee-ess i figure im a lil late to the party but it'd be worng to not contribute my humble pile

From left to right top to bottom:

The blue 3DS XL belonged to my older brother, who let me use it to play my copy of Pokémon Y until our parents eventually bought me my own 2DS, the one all the way to the far right with its circle pad lovingly rubbed off XD. The XL 3DS for a few years was unplayable since my big brother had dropped it off of a desk while it was plugged in, damaging the charge port until i eventually found a place that could fix it, a place id eventually end up working at myself XD.

The orange new 2ds right below it was also my big brother's, this the replacement he'd bought and used after his first 3ds had its charge port damaged. From a few years stuffed in and out of tight pants pockers, the shell of the console became bent, and it had difficulty reading games until i ended up fixing the issue myself a few months after he decided to part with it.

The Special edition Pikachu 3DS was a Mercari find years ago when i was at my first job making bookoo money with no bills to pay, and decided 200 was a great price for Pikachu and him cheeks. Love this system, even though if you put it in sleep mode and carry it around for more than a few hours, it has an error and makes you turn off the system, so not a Walking-around-as-a-tourist 3DS unfortunately, but other than that and a minor chip in the shell, works perfect!

The blue base model is actually a modded japanese base model with a capture card installed! Ive yet to have time to properly use it in any kind of streaming capacity, but it's still with the box and has everything from the modder! I paid a pretty penny for it a few years back, but im not sure it would pull the same value today. Who knows!

The orange and white new 2ds with the target exclusive pikachu hard shell was a christmas gift from back in highschool. I spent many an off hour in my debate class's script room hunting shinys and playing pokemon Amie in my copy of Alpha sapphire for hours on end. Great times! It's lovingly adorned with stickers, and remains my most decorated 3ds.

And lastly, but certainly not least, my new 3ds with a healthy collection of kisekai plates. This was actually a 20th Anniversary pokemon red and blue edition that had its original box, inserts AND plates included with it! Paid about the same for the 3ds with the capture card, but this one had absolutely increased in price since my purchasing. The other plates id come across separately, all during my time with my first job. Generally i prefer having the 151 pokemon colored spites plates that are on it now, or the Blue Gingam Check plates, and i even purchased the matching theme for the system before the E-shop closed, so they match! This system is my current "main one" and has every pokemon virtual console software downloaded onto it pre eshop closure, and i just recently finally modded it for pretendo and Netpass, both of which work wonderfully!

Im really hoping pretendo can get the Pokémon chat Player Search System up and running eventually for Pokémon X, Y, omega ruby and alpha sapphire, since a bulk of my time with the 3ds was spent battling and wonder trading to my heart's content. I can only hope.

Currently im playing a lot of Tomodachii life, a game i picked up from my job last christmas as a gift to myself, and fantasy life! Both heavy hitters I'd recommend to anyone with a 3DS! But yea, buy a 3ds for a reasonable price, and mod that sucker! Use Net pass and play all the games you want! All emulation is ethical ethical emulation.

[the-last-patch]

cw: blood, injury

[ File recieved: “PXV-OPOSSUM_EXTRACTION.ec2”, filesize 42.2GB.

COMP/CON system message: the following file format is DIRECT EXPERIENTIAL CAPTURE. Origin subjectivity: Fenrisúlfr-class non-human person CNS274-L3HK, “Hachiko.”

Subjectivity sync NOT AVAILABLE. Generating narrative transcript. Warning: some experiential data may be omitted or condensed in textual format. For alternate safe methods of accessing direct experiential data, contact GMS Client Support for supplemental software licensure. ]

Apprehension tugged at Hachiko’s mind from a dozen different directions while her quarterlight ejection drive spooled. 

Physically, she could feel sound coursing through her hull, its frequency soaring into the ultrasonic range with the continuous flow of energy being added to the drive’s charge. One syllable, sung in rising pitch until the individual oscillations were packed together so tightly that they merged into a sustained mosquito whine. 

Near her, she could feel the presence of her three siblings as a comfortable network of Legionspace traffic, radar returns, and sensor data. An hour ago, as a single unit, they had pivoted in the darkness of space as they entered the system, pointing their drives toward their destination. Soon, following a span of time calculated down to the nanosecond, they would fire their drives and their velocity relative to Upsilon-XVII would change from .25c to the precise speed they needed to enter geosynchronous orbit. 

Then what? In realtime, Luna Wing’s final transit duration, from receiving the transmission to arriving at the scene, would be twelve hours and sixteen minutes.

In all likelihood, he was frozen by now. 

Hachiko knew it, but couldn’t afford to feel it. Instead, she accessed the transmissions from his Omnihook for the thousandth time, trying to prepare herself for what she would find. 

Footage appeared to her. Opossum—Sokaris, heavily wounded, slumped forward. Neural interface jacks and hardsuit plugs broken along his shoulders. Blood, hydraulic fluid, and saline solution smeared together. Medical prognoses extrapolated from a tiny display and what could be seen of his broken body. She couldn’t tell if he still had life support, but what was left of his hardsuit would at least provide insulation. There was an unidentified stimulant entering his bloodstream, and she had no idea whether that had become an asset or a danger in the hours which followed. 

Gloved hand, a woman’s voice, the chassis named Kaprosuchus. Luna 1, Grey, had analyzed the frame, examined the geometry of the armor, and believed a firing solution existed. Hachi had attempted to analyze the woman, and still struggled to connect the voice recording to the vicious mass of teeth and claws on-camera. 

Summoning her avatar, Hachiko narrowed her eyes. Until she arrived onsite, Hachiko couldn't know for certain whether this person, Gatorskin, had murdered Sokaris or saved his life. Whoever she was, she wasn’t predictable. 

< L1 Grey: Fifteen seconds. Standby for NLS deceleration eject on my mark. >

< L2 Garmr: Got it. >

< L3 Hachiko: Okay. >

< L4 Ma’ii: Understood. >

Dismissing the transmission files, Hachiko retrieved another. An image of Opossum standing in the light with a wall of ice behind him, grinning.

It occurred to her that she barely knew him--but he was one of the few humans to have spoken to her as a person, not a war machine. He was another person made, exploited, and discarded by Smith-Shimano. He was a friend. She had decided that this was more than enough. 

So had her siblings. 

< L1 Grey: Bolt. >

In the moment she fired her ejection drive, Hachiko wore her fighter as her body. She felt the mosquito whine die as an overwhelming, almost unreal burst of acceleration shifted her into another frame of reference.��

__

From black nothingness, a planet snapped into existence, its sunward face gleaming beneath Hachiko’s fuselage. Far away, through passive sensors, Hachiko could make out a thin spindle of metal and exotic materials stretching from the planet’s surface up to the same altitude they occupied in geosynchronous orbit. Along its length, ship-sized platforms rose and descended, loaded with cargo. At its apex was a city-sized space station surrounded by bright sparks of high-energy radiation—the drive signatures of freighters and escort craft, coming and going. 

When Hachiko turned her infrared sensors to the station, she felt covers automatically snap shut to protect the higher-sensitivity instruments. The infrared energy pouring from the station was so intense that it drowned her entire display in harsh white light. Her COMP/CON spoke up.

[ Fox_3: Warning: artificial radiant heat hazard detected. For your safety, I have added navigational aids to define unsafe proximity. ]

< L3 Hachiko: Thanks, Fox. Designate the station and surrounding vessels as potential hostile contacts of unknown capability. Keep an eye on them. >

[ Fox_3: Yes, ma’am. ]

Hachiko magnified her view of the station and filtered out the overwhelming infrared light. A vast array of high-powered heat projectors studded the side of the station facing the planet, separated by a forest of glowing red radiator fronds. The projectors’ overlapping cones of infrared energy were focused on a continent-sized area in the northern hemisphere of the world. Gray clouds blanketed the landscape there, swirling out through the planet’s atmosphere. 

< L4 Ma’ii: Well, there’s our terraforming station. What do we know about it? >

< L3 Hachiko: He called it Helios. Nerve center for the Kalvis Group’s operations here. Center of a project to artificially raise ambient ecological temperatures and make the climate more tolerable for humans. Able to maintain a sizable sector of the world above 0°C by itself. >

< L2 Garmr: Damn. That’s some serious manna. Kid picked a hell of a fight. >

< L3 Hachiko: His company accepted a contract. That wasn’t his choice. >

< L2 Garmr: Could’ve bailed out. Humans get to pick where they work, remember? >

< L3 Hachiko: It wasn’t like that. This wasn’t just an employer; you didn’t talk to him. Actually, no, you did! To complain about his taste in music. >

< L2 Garmr: His taste? You’re the one who’s been on this Old Cradle kick since you— >

< L1 Grey: Let’s keep it focused, please. I’m tagging armaments on the station. Railgun batteries, point-defense cannons, laser emplacements, flyswatter pods. Looks like general market tech, but they can throw a lot of it at once. Garmr, I want you to start taking a look at those escort vessels. Ma’ii, throw them off our scent if you can. There’s no way they didn’t detect the radiation burst when we decelerated. It’s only a matter of time before they spot us, and I want to know the instant we get pinged. Hachiko, pull up those coordinates and start surveying the ground. The sooner we get out of orbit, the better. Let us know when you find him; we’ll follow your lead. >

< L2 Garmr: On it. >

< L4 Ma’ii: Affirmative. Prepping ECMs. >

< L3 Hachiko: Already on it. >

The equatorial landmasses and seas below were crusted with ice, giving off a piercing white glare of reflected sunlight. Applying brightness filters to better survey the landscape, Hachiko began searching.

Sector by sector, carefully angling her active radar to avoid generating detectable noise, Hachiko began scanning the vicinity of the coordinates Gator had transmitted. If the footage of the battle was anything to go by, certain factors should have been present. Exposed coldcores, synthetic materials used in mech construction, and polymer masses extruded by Sokaris’s Kobold, among other things. All materials with particular reflective properties, very different from the surrounding snow, ice, and rock. If she was right, the site of the battle should be glaringly obvious. It was simply a matter of finding the right spot…

< L4 Ma’ii: We’ve got pings. Switch to active ECM. >

< L1 Grey: Hachi? >

< L3 Hachiko: I think I’ve got something. Need a moment to verify. >

< L2 Garmr: You better make it quick. There’s an OTC controller on broadcast, addressing some very pointed questions to nobody in particular. >

< L3 Hachiko: I have it. Confirm sensor acquisition, transmitting geoloc data. On me. >

___

Descending to the ground, Hachiko deployed her landing gear and opened the doors to her ordnance bay. She felt the subaltern drop free from her hull, switched to it mid-drop, and landed on her feet. 

Walking across open ground set her on edge. She felt slow, so slow that she might as well have been stationary. Dizzyingly close to the long, flat expanse of snow. Exposed, terrifyingly, to the open sky. Her subaltern held its laser pistol at low ready and flicked the power on, as though it would help if this turned out to be an ambush. If it was, Garmr, Ma’ii, and Grey would make UNS pay for it, but she doubted she’d be able to take off before they got to her.

As she crept between ruined chassis, craters, and building-sized heaps of hardened polymer, the true brutality of mech combat suddenly became apparent to her. Enormous gashes had been cut into the snow and earth beneath, the telltale signs of melee combat. She walked past the wreck of a Blackbeard, matte black with yellow accents, with a nanocarbon sword plunged in the snow beside it which was nearly three times as long as her subaltern was tall. There was still steam rising from its melted reactor. 

Frozen in the act of swatting a Gilgamesh’s combat knife away, a Tokugawa frame knelt over its opponent. Three enormous talons had ripped its back open, destroying it as it grappled with the Gilgamesh. Its plasma torches had connected with the Gilgamesh’s cockpit before losing power, dealing a killing blow; the cockpit hatch had melted and collapsed inward, crushing the pilot. The Tokugawa’s superstructure had been rebuilt by hand, apparently several times over, resulting in a strange visual jumble of spare parts, salvaged armor plating, and patch jobs. 

Must be Hotshot, then, thought Hachiko. She didn’t have the nerve to check the cockpit. She was all but certain what she’d find. 

Blades, claws, and plasma torches. This wasn’t the sort of combat she knew. In space or in the air, “the enemy” meant only a set of distant radar contacts. The killing was usually instantaneous; a railgun strike could kill a human pilot well before their nervous system ever registered the impact. This, on the other hand, was more like fighting in Legionspace. Tearing directly at the enemy, cruel and personal.

She imagined her casket being ripped free from her fuselage, caught between the teeth of Gator’s mech as Sokaris’s Kobold had been. A wave of horror washed over her, as did an intuitive, visceral understanding of what humans used combat stims for. To endure this, to survive it. It was their version of personality partitioning. They couldn’t simply cordon off their terror, their kindness, or any of the things which made them suboptimal combatants, they literally had to alter their own brain chemistry to do so. 

But Hachiko didn’t. To her, shedding it all was second nature. With a rapidity that surprised her, she hurled the thought away. 

There was a mass of slag shaped into a static fortification, standing almost two stories high, with a pair of Patchwork mechs lying inside. A Lancaster and a Viceroy, both destroyed when one side of the fortification was breached.  

Enormous clawed footprints, filled partially with snow, led around the fortress’s side. Tracking them around the structure’s western flank, pistol at the ready, Hachiko found herself standing over him. 

His Kobold was dusted with snow, sprawled on the ground with its weapons flung aside. Its armor plating was melted and deformed, and a series of punctures along its chest went straight through to his hardsuit. Welded to one shoulder was a fresh, undamaged plate of matte black armor. On the plate was a decal: a long set of crocodilian jaws with rows of serrated teeth, with an icon of a wide eye between them. 

Beneath the Kobold’s breached hatch, she could see a section of Sokaris’s face. Dried blood crusted his chin, flowing down from a ragged wound in his right cheek which had torn a section of skin away. His skin was pale, lips turning blue with the cold. 

Hachiko suddenly understood something about the human who called herself Gatorskin. She had done this to him, and in the aftermath, had been presented with the same set of visual data. 

“He’s kind of cute like this,” she’d said. 

In Legionspace, Hachiko realized that she had summoned her avatar without realizing it. She felt her own face contorted into a snarl of rage and disgust, her fangs clenching so tightly that it felt like they might shatter. She partitioned the emotions away, but allowed a section of herself to experience them. It wasn’t the right time to let them free. 

The subaltern’s lidar built a realtime three-dimensional image of Sokaris’s face, and managed to detect a subtle few millimeters of motion as he drew in a slow, ragged breath. 

In the same motion, Hachiko fired her thrusters and sprinted awkwardly toward him, the subaltern’s feet catching in the snow. 

< L3 Hachiko: I’ve got him! He’s alive! >

< L2 Garmr: I’ll be damned. >

< L4 Ma’ii: audio transcription - Ma’ii laughs. Well, then. That’s a relief. >

< L1 Grey: Outstanding. Let’s get him taken care of. >

< L3 Hachiko: Working on it now. He’s hurt bad; we’re going to be here for a while. >

Hachiko did not partition her joy away. She allowed herself to experience it while she vectored her maneuvering thrusters to touch down beside her subaltern, which had already begun dragging the Kobold across the ice to her ordnance bay.

As she hoisted his frame into the bay with her subaltern, hoping that any broken bones would be held rigid by his hardsuit’s medical systems, she took the main drives offline and brought up anti-icing systems at full power, circulating heated reactor coolant through the hull. As the bay doors closed, she felt the temperature inside beginning to rise. 

Bringing up a row of lights, she set about retrieving correctives from emergency compartments and applying them. Spraying biofoam into the suit punctures, connecting his frame’s medical systems to the fighter’s computers, dispensing medical whitewash. Strangely, the Kobold’s firmware didn’t reject the connection; its IFF didn’t regard her as hostile. 

Slowly, Sokaris began to stabilize. His breathing and heart rate became steady, and his internal temperature began to rise. 

Hachiko looked down and detected motion. 

“P.XV? Sokaris, can you hear me?” She said. “It’s alright, you’re safe.”

(@luna-wing-cns274 hey Argo!)

[Allied Hardware Detected]

[Patching In…]

[Success]

[…Thank you, L3]

[Now Playing - “Opossum”]

[Audio Only]

{L3} P.XV? Sokaris, can you hear me? It’s alright, you’re safe.

<A sudden, shrill noise can be heard, akin to the sound of metal being dragged across more metal. It stops as suddenly as it had started, and “Opossum” begins to speak, or attempts to. The beginning of a word can be heard, but quickly devolves into a hollow vocalization. It’s as if he is attempting to speak, but his body forbids him to do so.>

<Silence creeps across the room, “Opossum” ceased his attempts at speaking and seemed to take a moment to think. Just as swiftly as the silence fell, it is once again interrupted by the shrill noise. It then pauses, and resumes, however it is not random. There is a certain rhythm to the scraping. Some are prolonged, and others staccato. “Opossum” then attempts to speak again>

{“Opossum”} D..it..

<His voice is hoarse and dry, each sound barely audible. Every letter a battle, and each word a war.>

{“Opossum”} D..ah..

<As he trails off, he begins to cough. The sound generated is guttural and unpleasant. It was clear that the pain generated, was most likely just as bad as it sounded, if not worse.>

<The rhythmic scratching and tapping continues, the pattern much more distinct than before. It is clearly a code of some sort, proven through “Opossum’s” Omnihook.>

[Rhythm Recognized]

[Developing Lyrics]

[Success]

[Now Playing - “Opossum, Instrumental Ver.”]

<The rhythmic tapping continues as it did previously, but as it does a robotic voice speaks, translating the “song” into words>

{“Opossum”} ..-. .-. .. . -. -.. ..--..

[System] Friend?

[digitaldetoxworld]

Top 10 Emerging Tech Trends to Watch in 2025

 Technology is evolving at an unprecedented tempo, shaping industries, economies, and day by day lifestyles. As we method 2025, several contemporary technology are set to redefine how we engage with the sector. From synthetic intelligence to quantum computing, here are the important thing emerging tech developments to look at in 2025.

Top 10 Emerging Tech Trends In 2025

1. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Evolution

AI remains a dominant force in technological advancement. By 2025, we will see AI turning into greater sophisticated and deeply incorporated into corporations and personal programs. Key tendencies include:

Generative AI: AI fashions like ChatGPT and DALL·E will strengthen similarly, generating more human-like textual content, images, and even films.

AI-Powered Automation: Companies will more and more depend upon AI-pushed automation for customer support, content material advent, and even software development.

Explainable AI (XAI): Transparency in AI decision-making becomes a priority, ensuring AI is greater trustworthy and comprehensible.

AI in Healthcare: From diagnosing sicknesses to robot surgeries, AI will revolutionize healthcare, reducing errors and improving affected person results.

2. Quantum Computing Breakthroughs

Quantum computing is transitioning from theoretical studies to real-global packages. In 2025, we will expect:

More powerful quantum processors: Companies like Google, IBM, and startups like IonQ are making full-size strides in quantum hardware.

Quantum AI: Combining quantum computing with AI will enhance machine studying fashions, making them exponentially quicker.

Commercial Quantum Applications: Industries like logistics, prescribed drugs, and cryptography will begin leveraging quantum computing for fixing complex troubles that traditional computer systems can not manage successfully.

3. The Rise of Web3 and Decentralization

The evolution of the net continues with Web3, emphasizing decentralization, blockchain, and user possession. Key factors consist of:

Decentralized Finance (DeFi): More economic services will shift to decentralized platforms, putting off intermediaries.

Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) Beyond Art: NFTs will find utility in actual estate, gaming, and highbrow belongings.

Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs): These blockchain-powered organizations will revolutionize governance systems, making choice-making more obvious and democratic.

Metaverse Integration: Web3 will further integrate with the metaverse, allowing secure and decentralized digital environments.

4. Extended Reality (XR) and the Metaverse

Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR) will retain to improve, making the metaverse extra immersive. Key tendencies consist of:

Lighter, More Affordable AR/VR Devices: Companies like Apple, Meta, and Microsoft are working on more accessible and cushty wearable generation.

Enterprise Use Cases: Businesses will use AR/VR for far flung paintings, education, and collaboration, lowering the want for physical office spaces.

Metaverse Economy Growth: Digital belongings, digital real estate, and immersive studies will gain traction, driven via blockchain technology.

AI-Generated Virtual Worlds: AI will play a role in developing dynamic, interactive, and ever-evolving virtual landscapes.

5. Sustainable and Green Technology

With growing concerns over weather alternate, generation will play a vital function in sustainability. Some key innovations include:

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS): New techniques will emerge to seize and keep carbon emissions efficaciously.

Smart Grids and Renewable Energy Integration: AI-powered clever grids will optimize power distribution and consumption.

Electric Vehicle (EV) Advancements: Battery generation upgrades will cause longer-lasting, faster-charging EVs.

Biodegradable Electronics: The upward thrust of green digital additives will assist lessen e-waste.

6. Biotechnology and Personalized Medicine

Healthcare is present process a metamorphosis with biotech improvements. By 2025, we expect:

Gene Editing and CRISPR Advances: Breakthroughs in gene modifying will enable treatments for genetic disorders.

Personalized Medicine: AI and big statistics will tailor remedies based on man or woman genetic profiles.

Lab-Grown Organs and Tissues: Scientists will make in addition progress in 3D-published organs and tissue engineering.

Wearable Health Monitors: More superior wearables will music fitness metrics in actual-time, presenting early warnings for illnesses.

7. Edge Computing and 5G Expansion

The developing call for for real-time statistics processing will push aspect computing to the vanguard. In 2025, we will see:

Faster 5G Networks: Global 5G insurance will increase, enabling excessive-velocity, low-latency verbal exchange.

Edge AI Processing: AI algorithms will system information in the direction of the source, reducing the want for centralized cloud computing.

Industrial IoT (IIoT) Growth: Factories, deliver chains, and logistics will advantage from real-time facts analytics and automation.

Eight. Cybersecurity and Privacy Enhancements

With the upward thrust of AI, quantum computing, and Web3, cybersecurity will become even more essential. Expect:

AI-Driven Cybersecurity: AI will come across and prevent cyber threats extra effectively than traditional methods.

Zero Trust Security Models: Organizations will undertake stricter get right of entry to controls, assuming no entity is inherently sincere.

Quantum-Resistant Cryptography: As quantum computer systems turn out to be greater effective, encryption techniques will evolve to counter potential threats.

Biometric Authentication: More structures will rely on facial reputation, retina scans, and behavioral biometrics.

9. Robotics and Automation

Automation will hold to disrupt numerous industries. By 2025, key trends encompass:

Humanoid Robots: Companies like Tesla and Boston Dynamics are growing robots for commercial and family use.

AI-Powered Supply Chains: Robotics will streamline logistics and warehouse operations.

Autonomous Vehicles: Self-using automobiles, trucks, and drones will become greater not unusual in transportation and shipping offerings.

10. Space Exploration and Commercialization

Space era is advancing swiftly, with governments and private groups pushing the boundaries. Trends in 2025 include:

Lunar and Mars Missions: NASA, SpaceX, and other groups will development of their missions to establish lunar bases.

Space Tourism: Companies like Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic will make industrial area travel more reachable.

Asteroid Mining: Early-level research and experiments in asteroid mining will start, aiming to extract rare materials from area.

[dv230]

Blog Post #2 Week 3 due 2/6/2025

How does  Cyberfeminism relate to the relationship between gender and technology? How does the political economy play a role in the engagement of cyberfeminism ?    Cyberfeminism  focuses on challenging gender roles and stereotypes through the use of technology and social media. It relates to the relationship between gender and technology by enabling individuals to challenge the patriarchy in society through social media. As stated by Jessie Daniel in “Rethinking Cyberfeminism(s): Race, Gender, and Embodiment,” it is “neither a single theory nor a feminist movement with a clearly articulated political agenda.” Rather it is the combination of various theories, debates, and practices in relation to gender and digital technology. Along with these advancements in technology comes the involvement of the political economy and their role in cyberfeminism. As mentioned by Jessie Daniels, in the United States research shows that “most of the apparent 'digital divide' in computer ownership and Internet access has been the effect of class (or socioeconomic status) more than of gender and race (Norris 2001).” It is important to evaluate the role of the political economy in cyberfeminism as we only have such technologies due to the exploitation of labor in other countries. The very people making this technology possible may not have access to it themselves. While, as Daniels states, it provides a “mechanism for resisting such gendered and racialized practices, at the same time that they reinforce established hierarchies of gender and race.”

2. How is facial recognition software being shaped by political worldviews? How can the use of these programs be detrimental to minorities ?

Facial recognition software is being shaped by political worldviews as it is used in certain instances by police to capture criminals. This can be detrimental to minorities as one big major problem with facial recognition is its inability to differentiate between minorities. According to “Another Arrest, and Jail Time, Due to a Bad Facial Recognition Match” by Kashmir Hill in 2019, a “national study of over 100 facial recognition algorithms found that they did not work as well on Black and Asian faces.” This has led to innocent people being falsely accused and imprisoned for crimes they did not commit, particularly minorities. As Kashmir Hill also mentioned, Nijeer Parks spent “10 days in jail and paid around $5,000 to defend himself” due to being falsely imprisoned by identification through facial recognition. Not everyone has the money to defend themselves against a charge like this. By allowing facial recognition to be used, it could lead to more false imprisonments and innocent people being placed in jail.

How does the use of technology in healthcare insurance and government relate to the exploitation of the lower class ? 

Many insurance companies now rely on algorithms when evaluating insurance claims and policies. This means some people will be flagged for fraud due to the algorithm, but who are the groups most affected by this decision? According to “Automating Inequality” by Virginia Eubanks, “Marginalized groups face higher levels of data collection when they access public benefits, walk through highly policed neighborhoods, enter the health-care system, or cross national borders.” This process of intense surveillance enables insurance companies to exploit the lower class as they do not have the resources or time to fight the claims. For example, social services using EBT cards as a tracking device is just one form of surveillance burdened upon the lower class. This also extends towards healthcare policies as marginalized groups are most likely to be flagged for insurance fraud. The use of technology only furthers  exploitation of the lower class as Eubanks states “We manage the individual poor in order to escape our shared responsibility for eradicating poverty.”

4. What are the dialectical contradictions between technology and race? How do social media platforms play a role in enabling these contradictions in society ? 

Social media platforms enable dialectical contradictions between technology and race as algorithms suggest certain videos and post to your feed or timeline. For a country such as the United States that values free speech this causes a contradiction as free speech may be hidden by the algorithm. Over the past week protests took place over President Donald Trump's immigration policies all over california. Many groups marched out in support of their friends and families yet in order for me to find any videos relating to the protest I had to search for them on my own. Coming from a latino household I was very intrigued by the fact that the algorithm in any of my social media accounts was not suggesting these videos. This is a dialectical contradiction as social media such as X is for free speech but perhaps they may actually be suppressing these ideas. 

References 

Eubanks, V. (2018). Automating Inequality: how high-tech tools profile, police, and punish the poor. St. Martin’s Press.

Daniels, J. (2009). “Rethinking Cyberfeminism(s): Race, Gender, and Embodiment”

Hill, K. (2020). “Another Arrest, and Jail Time, Due to a Bad Facial Recognition Match”

[maxrvu0]

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That's where charge capture software steps in to streamline documentation, reduce errors, and optimize billing processes. At the forefront of this digital revolution is maxRVU, a modern, intuitive mobile charge capture solution designed to meet the needs of today’s busy healthcare professionals.

Visit Us: https://reviewsconsumerreports.net/news/revolutionizing-healthcare--best-online-doctor-consultation-with-hipaa-compliant-text-messaging-by-maxrvu

[mitigatedchaos]

General Post for Monday, April 8, 2024

(~1,600 words, 8 mins)

1 - Robot Jobpocalypse Notes: A brief theory that long-term redistribution to manage job losses from automation should consider focusing on inherently more scarce factors of production (land and materials), rather than more dynamic ones (labor and capital).

2 - Niche Smartphone Notes: If the pace of the smartphone industry were slower, niche smartphones might be more feasible.

3 - Coalitional Politics Notes: Many coalition-internal communications take place in public. Possible implications for loyalty vs. truthfulness.

4 - Lab Leak Notes: Separating the "strong" from "weak" lab leak hypothesis for Covid-19.

5 - Property Notes: Not all labor is equally effortful or valuable, so should claims on property be weighted? Entropy implies the gradual degradation of land and products to a "natural condition," which we might expect to either invalidate or weaken a property claim.

-☆☆☆-

1: Robot Jobpocalypse Notes

I've said this before, but I just want to reiterate:

Everyone already knows about the problem where automation can take over a job faster than the economy finds new jobs for those currently employed in that category. (Obviously we could talk about abstract skill capital that they've invested in the job that has now been made less valuable.)

But over the long term, the thing to think about is a bidding up of the prices of land, materials, and energy. For the first two, we can think of this in terms of rents (e.g. "land rents"), as the supply of land is highly inelastic. In theory, the gains from trade should make everyone better off, but that's only if you can bid high enough to get enough resources to survive. If people could always go back to subsistence farming if they had to, the trade would (almost) always make them better off than subsistence farming.

But without land, they can't. It's not just a matter of not selling, as land is taxed, and higher-value uses will bid up the price of the land, and thus the assessed tax.

We want a redistribution that's dynamic and which will respond to changes in market conditions, which won't dampen investment in capital and production, and which is less subject to political capture. Thus the thing to focus on is rent for land and materials, the inherently scarce factors of production, rather than labor (highly responsive to effort) or capital (material configurations).

2: Niche Smartphone Notes

[ @jadagul ]

They're currently putting out a 4.7" rugged phone, which is actually tempting. But if I wanted a keyboard phone from them, the most recent option is the Titan Slim, which came out in 2021 and runs Android 11. (My current phone is on Android 14.)

[...]

They can make some niche phones, but they just can't cover all the niches. There are too many! And because they're a niche producer, they also have lower quality across a variety of metrics: they can't put as many resources into their software stuff because they can't amortize it across nearly as many phones. In order to get the full advantages of a modern industrial toolchain, you need to standardize some stuff so you can spread development work across a ton of devices.

It's interesting to note that the extremely rapid rate of software development, including finding and patching security flaws, is such an obstacle.

In an Elfworld scenario, where some users are buying a phone for 15-25 year use, firms might be able to amortize the costs by updating the model less frequently, and charging more for the base model. They would likely also maintain smaller teams, who would work on the phones for longer.

Smartphones probably won't become such a stable technology for decades, however, and even if they did, we should expect fashion cycles.

3: Coalitional Politics Notes

We've all seen politicians, political operatives, and political party enthusiasts lie a lot. Why don't they lie to (or bullshit (as in speak as though 'indifferent to truth')) outsiders all the time?

There are a number of reasons. One may be that an insider who constantly lies to outsiders all the time could also lie to fellow insiders, and insiders cannot reliably tell whether someone is a general liar or merely a partisan liar.

Since people range in their level of partisanship, this suggests a curve where, from the perspective of someone who is moderately partisan, a speaker can trade some integrity for some partisan loyalty, and vice versa. Someone who has no loyalty and no integrity is of little value. At some point, partisan loyalty will be at odds with the truth due to the inherent contradiction in interests of the coalition members or else just simple imperfection, so someone cannot be both perfectly loyal and perfectly truthful.

For political coalitions, a lot of what is essentially coalition-internal communication takes place in public.

4: Lab Leak Notes

The debate over the potential lab leak origin of Covid-19 has not been settled yet, despite the article on ACX. People are arguing over the individual studies cited in responses to themotte's tracingwoodgrains.

However, we should differentiate between the "strong" lab leak hypothesis and the "weak" lab leak hypothesis.

Strong Hypothesis: Covid-19 was a bioweapon deliberately designed by the government of China and leaked on purpose for some strategic goal.

Weak Hypothesis: Covid-19 was a coronavirus being studied at the lab in Wuhan which studies coronaviruses. This virus may have been the subject of gain-of-function research not intended to create a bioweapon. Subsequently, as the result of an unintentional accident, the virus leaked from the lab, resulting in a global pandemic.

The criticism of the lab leak hypothesis from the more censorious 2020 libs was that, "The lab leak hypothesis is a racist conspiracy theory." The strong hypothesis is a conspiracy theory, but there is no requirement that it is racist - it is sufficient that the government of China openly identify as Communist. The weak hypothesis is neither of these things.

5: Property Notes

There is an Anarcho-Capitalist theory that ownership of unclaimed land is gained by "mixing your labor with it." Many people would ask why this creates a morally-valid indefinite ownership claim.

Alternatively, we could consider a functional decomposition of the operation.

"Mixing your labor" with the land means using [ attention ] to direct [ energy ] to configure [ matter ] according to your intentions. That might mean, for instance, cutting down trees on a lot in order to construct a fence, and then plowing the lot in order to plant a farm for later harvest. However...

Some people may have the intention for the lot, "It should be a wildlife preserve," which looks an awful lot like doing nothing, or perhaps just posting some signs.

Not all labor is of equal intensity. Should someone who uses less labor, or transforms the lot less, have a proportionally lower % claim on the lot? What does a % claim look like as compared to a full claim?

The configuration on the lot will degrade actively with time if it is not maintained. In our example, the wooden fence may break down and rot. Does this degrade the claim on the lot itself?

The metadata about the lot will also be lost, until it may not be feasible to resolve disputing claims of ownership with reasonable certainty.

Back in January, I wrote:

(Side note: The configuration of material inputs, like ore deposits, in the environment, relates to the amount of energy and attention required to recover them. Recycling is mostly about reducing the long-term recovery costs, keeping materials “near the surface.”)

Let's consider an example.

Joe mines a bunch of iron ore beneath a plot of land. The energy and attention required for most desired human uses is reduced.

Joe refines the iron into steel. The energy and attention required for most desired human uses is again reduced. (Did you know 93% of structural steel is recycled?)

Joe shapes the steel into a grill. This reduces the value of the material for other industrial uses, but increases the value for those who want a grill specifically. The steel is now configured as capital equipment.

Joe opens a hamburger shop, and uses the grill to grill hamburgers which he sells to customers.

After deciding to close the hamburger shop, Joe decides to explode the grill for a gender reveal party, scattering pieces all over the lot. The steel has been scattered throughout the environment, increasing the cost in energy and attention to gather it again if someone wants to do something else with it.

The value of the iron is subjective. That's conventional economics. However, there are typical uses that we can say will be common in most near-term human preference environments.

What makes this interesting is that within that common frame, in steps #1 and #2, Joe is pushing the iron up a value gradient. This value addition could then be lost to entropy through abandonment. For instance, in step #1, a landslide could occur, covering the iron back up and requiring it to be mined again. In step #2, the steel could be left out in the rain to rust, requiring it to be refined again.

Preventing this loss to entropy requires active attention and energy. (For instance, securing a nearby hillside to prevent the landslide scenario, or building and maintaining a barn to keep out the rain in the weathering scenario.)

Suppose that Joe abandons the land for 100 years. The steel rusts, and a landslide covers it up. A new prospector, Harold, comes across the land, finds no markings, excavates the rusted iron, refines it to make tools and sells those tools.

Shortly thereafter, Joe returns. Given that the land and materials returned to the natural condition, wouldn't it be strange to invalidate Harold's claim in this scenario?

Supporting a governing system, which could track ownership of the parcel of land and extracted materials, would require ongoing energy and attention on Joe's part. However, the system of deeds and records could be used as an alternative to Joe physically hanging out on the plot of land at all times, which he would have to do anyway to prevent the reversion of the plot of land to the natural condition.

This movement of materials along value and energy gradients is something to consider for a deeper analysis, perhaps oriented towards the development of new ideological principles.

[janedoewrites]

I want to publish a book someday, but I'm not sure where to start. What was your experience like publishing The Heart of the World? How did you format it for printing? Did you have to hire someone? How did you find a cover artist? Was it expensive?

I bought the hardcover as soon as I could. I love the story, and I loved the story in its fanfic form, too.

I hope one day to be as good of a writer as you.

(P.s. Have you considered selling signed copies?)

The Heart of the World by me (@janedoewrites)

Thank you, anon! Glad you like the book and the original fic! I always love to hear from people who've a) read it b) enjoyed it. Always nice to know it's not just me.

And I'm sure you'll get there if you're not there already. I didn't start out nearly as good as I am today, it just takes time and practice.

As for the publishing stuff most of this is discussed here.

Publishing, Was it Expensive, How You Do?

Self-publishing was very simple, stupid simple really. Hardest part is writing and editing and then, if you're trying to make decent money/a living, marketing which is the hardest of all.

Now for your questions.

There are word document templates you can use that have the specifications required for print books (both hard and soft). This is what I used for the print versions. For the electronic version I used software to render it as an e-pub and make sure the chapter titles and sections were all correct. This software is freely available and is easy to use/has tutorials.

I had friends help edit the book through various drafts and didn't have to hire anyone for editing. However, hiring a professional is absolutely something you could do, but I have no experience in how much that would cost.

I was lucky for cover artists in that @sunnyfish0-0, who is amazing and a great artist, volunteered because they were a fan of the fic series and were very excited about the story. They also wanted a chance to add something like this to their portfolio. They were very kind in that, so long as they retained copyright of the image (this is very normal/should be the case, as you as the author are then granted use of the image but don't own it) and were able to use it in their portfolio, I was not charged. I'm still so happy about it, because it turned out absolutely fantastic and really captured the vibe of the story.

If it hadn't been for that, I probably would have drawn the cover myself (and it wouldn't have been nearly as good and would likely have been quite different). To create the cover, there are specifications of the exact dimensions the cover requires based on the number of pages in the book/the paper being used/the size of the page. For Amazon, what I went through for hard printing, these dimensions and templates were provided to me.

There are also tools that can help you generate covers from stock images for free as well.

If you want to hire an artist, there are artists all around on tumblr who will do so for commission. See if they're accepting commissions, see what their pricing is, look at their style and see if it matches what you're looking for, then talk to them about the project. I've seen artists saying that sometimes they get manuscripts, sometimes they don't and are just told "vibes of the story/main trends/themes and things that are important to portray". Prices will vary based on the experience of the artist, the complication of the scene you're asking for, the size of the cover, cost of materials/software, and really depends on who you're looking for and what you're doing.

Might also be worth reaching out to friends and such/people excited in the project and see who is willing to help out with what and for what if any price.

So, for me, it was extremely inexpensive, the only thing publishing cost me was my free time (which I was spending writing anyway). Because I chose a route where printing is on demand, printing and shipping is slow but does get there eventually and it means I don't pay out of pocket to have 50 books I may or may not sell on hand. I also don't have to ship them myself which helps a lot.

Now, all this changes if you're getting published by a publishing company, in which they will likely handle the cover art and editing for you, but that's not something I have familiarity with.

Signed Copies

Alas, one of the downsides of not having print copies on hand is I don't have print copies on hand. I can get authors copies for the price of printing and then there comes the problem of shipping.

Shipping, especially for readers who span across the globe, is expensive even for something as relatively light as a small paperback/hardcover book.

And since it's not something I really want to offer to some versus others, and don't want to cut off at a few lucky people who get a signed copy, it's pretty much a "if you know who I am in the real world and can meet me in person with a book". I also don't want to offer signed copies only for exorbitant prices of "make up printing and shipping plz".

Maybe that will change someday, but for now, I sign only in spirit.

If it's any consolation, my handwriting's garbage.

[rahuldigitalhub]

online gadget review

The iPhone 16 series, launched in September 2024, brings notable upgrades across its standard and Pro models. Here's a summary of its key features:

Standard Models (iPhone 16 & iPhone 16 Plus):

Processor: Powered by the A18 chip, offering improved AI and graphics capabilities.

Cameras: A 48MP main camera supports 2x optical zoom via sensor cropping, and the 12MP ultrawide camera now enables macro photography.

Display: Bright and efficient OLED panels.

Battery: Promises better performance, though Apple has not disclosed the exact capacity.

Charging: Enhanced wireless MagSafe charging (up to 25W) and wired charging (up to 45W).

Pro Models (iPhone 16 Pro & Pro Max):

Processor: Equipped with the A18 Pro chip, which features faster CPU, GPU, and neural processing capabilities.

Cameras: A triple-camera system with a 48MP Fusion main camera, an enhanced ultrawide lens, and a 5x telephoto camera on both Pro models. New features include 4K120fps video recording and spatial video for immersive content on Apple Vision Pro.

Audio and Video: Advanced editing tools like Audio Mix, spatial audio capture, and wind noise reduction for professional-grade content creation.

Design: Improved thermal performance with a graphite layer in Pro models for demanding tasks like gaming.

Software & AI:

Both standard and Pro models benefit from iOS 18, introducing features like customizable home screens, advanced AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT-powered Siri), and privacy improvements. Apple Intelligence tools also support text summarization, email proofreading, and generative image creation.

Pricing:

[redskyhospitality]

Precium and the Evolution of Revenue Management: Why Rate Shopping & Automated Pricing Recommendations Are the Future of Hospitality

In today’s fast-paced world, the hospitality industry is experiencing a seismic shift. The days of managing hotel pricing with guesswork and gut feelings are long gone. Enter Precium, a sophisticated Automated Pricing Recommendation tool designed to help hoteliers maximize revenue, increase profitability, and stay ahead of the competition in an increasingly complex market.

At the heart of Precium is a suite of Revenue Management Solutions that combine real-time data with powerful market insights. Whether you’re managing a boutique hotel, a mid-tier chain, or a luxury brand, Precium tools will revolutionize the way you approach pricing, revenue, and profitability.

But how exactly does Precium and its integrated rate shopping feature work? And why should you, as a hotelier, care about automated pricing recommendations? Let’s dive in.👇

The Shift from Traditional to Automated Revenue Management: A Need for Innovation

For decades, hotels have used traditional pricing strategies, relying on historical data, a few key demand drivers, and a bit of intuition to set room rates. However, this method often left substantial revenue potential untapped. Manual pricing, while reliable in its heyday, simply cannot keep up with the complexity of modern markets.

Today, technology is the beating heart of hospitality. With travellers booking rooms across various platforms, changing their preferences by the minute, and comparing rates at the click of a button, hoteliers need more agile solutions. This is where automated pricing comes into play, allowing for real-time adaptability.

The latest trends in Revenue Management Software now embrace automation, AI, and data science to deliver more accurate pricing strategies. These tools capture and analyse large volumes of data to recommend room rates that maximize revenue without alienating price-sensitive guests. Precium is at the forefront of this trend, using a combination of AI-driven insights and advanced algorithms to keep you one step ahead of your competitors.

👉Rate Shopping: The Secret Weapon for Staying Competitive

Before we talk about Precium Automated Pricing Recommendation, let’s explore rate shopping. It sounds like something your bargain-hunting aunt might do on Black Friday, but in the world of hotels, rate shopping is far more advanced.

In essence, rate shopping tools allow hotels to monitor the room prices of their competitors across a variety of booking channels. Want to know what the boutique hotel down the street is charging for a Deluxe Room? Curious about how your rates stack up against those of a 5-star competitor? Rate shopping tools can provide you with that real-time intel. This allows you to make strategic decisions on the fly, ensuring your prices are always competitive.

However, gathering that data manually would take hours, even days — time you simply don’t have. That’s why Precium automated rate shopping feature is a game-changer. It constantly monitors competitor pricing and feeds that information back into the system. In combination with Precium Automated Pricing Recommendation engine, it helps you adjust your rates with speed and precision, ensuring you never leave money on the table or lose out to undercutting competitors.

👉What is Automated Pricing Recommendation?

Picture this: It’s peak season, and your hotel is nearly at full capacity. Should you raise your rates? By how much? And how will this affect your booking pace? Or maybe it’s low season, and you need to fill as many rooms as possible without slashing your rates too dramatically.

This is where Precium Automated Pricing Recommendation tool comes in. Precium doesn’t just crunch numbers; it provides actionable insights. Powered by artificial intelligence, Precium analyses historical data, booking patterns, market trends, competitor pricing, and a host of other factors to suggest optimal room rates.

Think of it as a highly skilled revenue manager who never sleeps. It takes the guesswork out of pricing, allowing you to focus on what you do best — delivering top-notch guest experiences.

Why do you need this? Because setting the right price at the right time is the most critical driver of your hotel’s revenue. According to recent studies, hotels that use automated revenue management systems like Precium see up to a 10–15% increase in RevPAR (Revenue Per Available Room) compared to those relying solely on manual methods. It’s not magic; it’s math.

👉Revenue Management: Why It’s More Crucial Than Ever

It’s not just about the room rate anymore. Today’s revenue management strategies encompass all hotel revenue streams, including F&B, spa services, and ancillary offerings. The more sophisticated your approach, the better equipped you are to maximize your hotel’s total revenue potential.

With Precium, hoteliers have a comprehensive Revenue Management Solution. Whether you’re looking to forecast demand, adjust your pricing, or optimize your inventory, Precium does it all. By gathering data from multiple sources, Precium gives you a 360-degree view of your business, enabling you to implement revenue strategies that work in real time.

👉Latest Trends in Revenue Management Software: Where Precium Leads

As we look ahead, Revenue Management Software is evolving in three key ways:

🟢 AI and Machine Learning Integration: AI is becoming more integrated into Revenue Management Solutions, making systems smarter, faster, and more adaptable. Precium is already utilizing AI to deliver more accurate pricing recommendations based on live data and predictive analytics.

🟢Personalization: Guests expect personalized experiences, and the same goes for pricing. Precium can segment guests by demographics, booking behaviours, and preferences, allowing you to tailor pricing strategies for each market segment.

🟢Cloud-Based Solutions: The flexibility and scalability of cloud-based systems are unmatched. Precium offers cloud-based revenue management, enabling hoteliers to access their data from anywhere and scale their operations effortlessly.

These trends are not just innovations — they’re necessities in a competitive industry. Hotels that fail to adopt these technologies risk being left behind.

👉The ROI of Revenue Management: Why Investing in Precium Pays Off

Let’s be honest: Revenue Management Software is an investment, but it’s one that yields impressive returns. In fact, according to a recent study, hotels that implement automated revenue management systems see an average ROI of 7–12 months. After that, it’s pure profit.

With Precium Automated Pricing Recommendation, you don’t just set competitive prices — you set the right prices. It’s about understanding demand in real-time, responding to changes faster than your competitors, and ensuring every guest pays the optimal price.

👉Why You Need Precium Now

In an era where technology is revolutionizing every aspect of business, can you afford not to upgrade your revenue management system? Precium doesn’t just keep you competitive — it gives you a distinct advantage.

With rate shopping, automated pricing recommendations, and a team of experienced revenue managers behind it, Precium is the solution you need to boost your hotel’s profitability and stay ahead of the game.

Stop leaving money on the table. Let Precium help you unlock the full potential of your hotel’s revenue today.

✍Written by Mohnish Singh