#Data cabling (TV points

[bitzelectrical]

Bitz Electrical

Bitz electrical is a Melbourne-based Electrical and data communications company working in the residential and commercial sectors. We specialise in the maintenance, repair and installation of all things data and electrical. This includes but is not limited to; powerpoints, pendant lighting, downlights, dimmers, switches, outdoor and garden lighting, ceiling fans, security alarm systems, AV, CCTV, smoke alarms, TV points, phone points, data points and fibre optics, switchboard works, new builds, renovations and office fitouts. We pride ourselves on the high quality of our workmanship, punctuality, honest quoting and cleanliness.

Phone Number: 0452 395 663

Business Email: info@bitzelectrical.com.au

Website: https://www.bitzelectrical.com.au/

Facebook URL:https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083389294905

Instagram URL: https://www.instagram.com/bitzelectrical_pty_ltd/

Working Hours:

Mon - Thu - 07:00 AM - 05:00 PM Fri - Sat - 08:00 AM - 0:5:00 PM Sun - Closed

Address: Cheverton Rd, Lower Plenty VIC 3093, Australia

[brf-rumortrackinganon]

You think Roop won’t even begin? What about all the articles on all the potential merch it will sell? **snickers** I’ve never seen a brand launch without any product!

Roop, and Meghan, has potential.

Meghan has always had the potential to be a success. She's focused, dedicated, and ambitious enough to be successful. I mean, the lady went from an unknown D-List cable TV actress to the fiancee of a British prince in 12 months. That takes serious focus and dedication. Especially considering that they spent much of those 12 months apart from each other (again, according to their own PR).

(It's 12 months if you take Sussex PR at their word - they met in July 2016 and Meghan was leaking/hinting they were engaged in July 2017).

Meghan's problem is that she's obsessed with immediate gratification. Part of it is how she was spoiled by her father growing up. By all accounts from Sam and the Toms, Tom Sr gave Meghan everything she wanted when she wanted it, which led to an expectation in her adulthood that "what Meghan wants, Meghan gets" -- and for the most part, that expectation was validated. She married a producer, she got a cable network show. She posted on social media, and the likes, shares, reposts, and mentions start growng immediately. She wanted luxury travel, she got it comped by Soho House. She wanted Harry to prove how much he loved her, he blew up protocol and wrote a love letter on KP stationery. So on.

Meghan doesn't understand that real success takes time. It's the core root of her problem with the UK and the BRF. She expected everything immediately and was immediately offended when everyone told her (and showed her) that it doesn't work like that. It never has. It never will. So she did the only thing she knew how to do: throw a tantrum nasty enough that the BRF/UK will give in and do what she wants...because it's worked in the past. It worked with Tom Sr. It worked with Trevor. It worked with Harry. It worked (partially) with the press. Rinse and repeat for six years and here we are with Roop.

I've gotten way off-tangent here. Anyway, the point is that Meghan expects instant immediate gratification on everything and anything she does that she can't fathom the idea, or the responsibility, of follow-through.

But she can follow through when it's her own ass on the line. She followed through with marrying Harry, despite how vicious the cyberbullying and media harassment was (per her own PR). She followed through with Megxit, despite a pandemic that drastically and rapidly altered the world as we knew it. She followed through with the Oprah interview on Prince Philip's deathbed. She followed through on "Kate the Racist Royal" narrative despite zero evidence. She followed through on earning Prince/Princess titles for her irrelevant children. She followed through on merchandizing the Sussex brand, despite the Sandringham Agreement.

If she applied that same dedication and that same focus to Roop, it can be successful. Will it, though?

I'm skeptical. Meghan's (and Harry's) own track record shows that the only follow-through they have is in doing photoshoots that lets them take credit for everyone else's work.

So if Roop ends up being more like Invictus Games or Clevr - where Meghan gets paid to be in their social media posts and shake hands with fans at the farmer's markets - the fighting chances are much, much better once they have a product. (And the lackluster reception for Meghan's vanity video should make it clear now that they need real product, not just Meghan's existence.) Because the actual team can fudge the data and stroke her ego to keep her unaware of what's really happening.

But if Roop ends up being more like Pearl or British Vogue - where she's closely involved in the day-to-day management/oversight - there's absolutely no chance. Even with the most gamechanging product in the world, Roop is going to fizzle faster than Blake Lively's attempt did. Because Meghan wants immediate gratification and when she doesn't see those results after one hour of product launch, she's going to take it out on people. In fact we're already seeing this, when she threw Mandana under the bus in the Page Six story.

Unfortunately, I think Roop is going to be a situation more of the latter, since we're already seeing that. And, as everyone has pointed out, it does Meghan absolutely no good to have launched the brand without any tangible product. Even if all she had was a newsletter (like Goop/Gwyneth Paltrow did) or a premiere date for her Martha Stewart show.

So TL;DR - Roop has the potential to be a success but it depends on Meghan and

[feraliminal]

Posting unpolished crap and running away until I get accustomed enough to people being around that I can actually interact with them! If I wait until I’m happy with something, I may never post again, and there’s a new episode coming so I want to do fandom again dammit.

This was vaguely inspired by a prompt I spotted here - if anyone can manage being both alive and (half) dead, it’s Titan TV. I don’t know if I’ll put it on the Serious Fic Site, but maybe tomorrow. Content warnings for mechanical body horror and existential weirdness, but not a lot worse than canon.

—

COMING YOUR WAY, Titan TV’s emergency relay had began. Then, line by line at the bottom of Titan Camera’s HUD and getting worse by the letter, BIG MUTANT - YOU CLEAN UP - IT’S BEEN FU

The last few characters of the relay were missing, replaced with a short burst of data. Titan Camera didn’t bother opening it, whatever it was, it wouldn’t change their assessment of the situation or their plan of action. The TV titan’s erratic teleportation pattern, avoiding inhabited areas, had already indicated that there was some kind of horrific enemy that wasn’t showing up on the map. ‘Clean up’ was all that needed to be said.

Of course there was a massive bloody crater at the scene, it would have been more concerning if there wasn’t. There was nothing moving in there that was visible through the smoke. Maybe it was over already. ‘Been fucked up’, that’s what the last relay must have been, Titan Camera decided, wondering whether Titan TV would cloak their map presence from the Alliance as well as the toilets. It wouldn’t have been ‘been fun’, because that would have meant all that was left of them could be… a wobbly little subscreen making its unsteady way out of the smoke, one jet firing at a wonky angle.

“Don’t open,” was the first thing that the little screen transmitted. It hovered there expectantly, until Titan Camera figured out what it wanted and put their arm out for it to perch on.

“What do you mean, ‘don’t open’?”

“Data,” it answered. The cameramen’s titan didn’t usually hear close-range comms as audio, perceiving them somewhere between text and intention, but the subscreen’s transmissions definitely had an audio component that resembled something creaky and far away.

“Really? You almost died and you’re worried about a… bum dial?” Doggedly avoiding acknowledging the rapidly increasing bizarreness, Titan Camera seemed dismissive. But that was a prayer for normality, they’d both take the piss out of each other for freaking out, and get on with war again. The disembodied head was communicating, and that presumably meant Titan TV’s body and other three heads were nearby and functional, even if they weren’t showing up on the map.

“About… messy,” the screen said. Hanging on with magnetic claws, it shook like a bird flinging off raindrops, getting rid of a few droplets of oily fluid. The effort seemed out of proportion to the result.

Something was wrong. This must have been what a human felt like holding a baby or a small animal, something alive and moving and conscious, but with a consciousness that might only be partially reachable. Titan Camera wanted to comfort it, not entirely sure now what it was in relation to the TVmen’s titan, and stroked its side gently under the pretence of wiping off some more fluid. The little screen was overheated and agitated, directionless energy fluttering under its shell.

Even after the smoke began clearing, it wasn’t really possible to see what the culprit had looked like. What was left of it was thick cables and partially organic tentacles tied in oily knots, and glistening chunks of carapace stuck out at angles that didn’t make sense for a moving creature. The segmented armour and multiple sets of appendages suggested something like a squashed centipede or annelid worm, and the only indicator of its allegiance was the vaguely bowl-shaped form of some carapace pieces. Likely it had been modular, and at some point, it hadn’t able to keep itself together.

The rest of Titan TV was in the centre of the mass, nearly completely dark except for a pale, pilot light glow of their core. They were so entangled with the monster that it was difficult to tell where one began and the other ended. Without thinking, Titan Camera scanned the wreckage, and immediately flicked back to standard vision, wishing they hadn’t. Teleportation mishap, most likely.

“That’s a mess?” The camera titan tilted their head toward the crater. It felt wrong to be going through the motions of pushing for more info. But it was a good idea to try and communicate, if only to help whatever of Titan TV that was crammed into their subscreen, or strung along a faint connection with their body, maintain continuity of consciousness. It would likely take days until they could reclaim the rest of themself.

A slender, hot cable from the screen’s underside nosed its way inchworm-like up Titan Camera’s arm and into the confused mass of wiring where their body had forcibly integrated skibidi tech. It was searching for something to latch on to.

“Are you sure?” the cameramen’s titan commented. There wasn’t really a sufficient shorthand in the Alliance’s human-inherited language systems to describe the wellbeing risk and social taboo of plugging into toilet equipment. “It’s… unsanitary.”

The little screen managed to transmit a whisper of emotion, indignant desperation. What it was trying to do - communicate? recharge? - must be a more urgent concern than the risks of navigating the connection between Titan Camera and whatever profane piece of toilet engineering they’d shoved up their arm hole.

“Be careful.” Titan Camera couldn’t have guessed what Titan TV’s reduced self was experiencing or how much interoception it was capable of. The cable seemed to be searching with intent, and the slight dimming of the screen could be interpreted as concentration. Its connection attempt felt like a trickle of compressed heat needing space to expand. This wasn’t a request for battery power, but processing power. Not optimised for running alone or maintaining a connection to a body on standby, the poor thing couldn’t cool itself sufficiently.

This was unprecedented, as far as the cameramen’s titan knew, but if it was possible to share sensations and imagery, why not space? Trusting that both of their subconscious systems would just know how to do this, Titan Camera imagined following the heat sensation back to its point of origin and drawing it in.

The little screen shuddered, and Titan Camera stroked its side again, trying to reassure it with, “It’s okay, go slowly.”

“I know what I’m doing,” it shot back, attention swinging back into the conversation as if it had been pulled away from intense concentration. But the transmission came through with almost normal clarity, and the screen leaned into Titan Camera’s hand. With a gasp of static, something in it let go, and the camera titan felt a rush of the same desperation that had been building up in the too-small shell.

At last, Titan TV’s presence seemed to uncoil, but it was fainter, subdued, a ghost of what they were. “I’ve seen worse,” they transmitted.

“I knew you were in there.” Titan Camera couldn’t feel relieved, nothing seemed hopeful about this situation. People hooked up all the time, in a whole variety of ways, but this wasn’t typical, this was by a narrow cable through a corrupted connection point, and a process closer to parasitism than either of them would be happy to admit.

The screen made a little twitch, an intention movement that needed an absent body to carry out. “Me to a certain extent, anyway.”

Titan Camera felt that intention movement as a shrug, perceiving a ghost body that seemed to be partially merged with their own, and noted, “Feels weird.” They didn’t want to run diagnostics to investigate it any more than that, in case that would demystify the sensation of Titan TV being present and whole. But the little semi-urgent alert that their backup cognitive processor was displaying anomalous activity suggested that the offer of space had been accepted.

“I bet.” As the little screen spoke, it rocked slightly on its perch, pulling at the connection point. The ghost image was becoming more solid at the edges. “That was almost too easy. I suspect I’d have dissolved into you if I’d got distracted.”

“Dissolved into…” Focusing on their concerns about letting their friend connect through a damaged socket, Titan Camera hadn’t considered that risk at all, and externalised it through rationalisation. “We weren’t sure what I’d need to do, what kind of things I’d need to adapt to, so we made sure I’d be able to tolerate upgrades well, I didn’t think that would extend to…”

Titan TV interrupted. “I’d probably have blown up if it hadn’t extended to doing this. But we need to haul lack of arse to sort out a retrieval operation.” Correctly guessing that it wasn’t enough reassurance, they added, “If I had to die a second time today, that wouldn’t have been a bad way to go. I’m not entirely sure I can die normally though.”

Titan Camera didn’t like where this was going, but morbid fascination compelled them to ask. “What do you mean?”

“I can’t remember that clearly, but I think I told you not to touch my sloppy delayed transmission.” In immaterial space, Titan TV shook their head, and this time, the subscreen didn’t move. “Anyway, you know when a human is calling a friend, and another one with poor social skills butts in and yells ‘I love you too, man’ or some such nonsense? That.”

Familiar with the trope but unable to imagine how that could possibly play out while two monsters were tearing each other apart in folded space, Titan Camera turned towards where the TV titan’s presence felt like it had split off to and replied “Sure. What’s it got to do with dying though?” They had no idea what it meant that they now were standing next to a ghost, but if it was an illusion being mutually created, it could indicate that disconnecting would be difficult.

“I think it was her. She was eager to fight you next.” The presence of Titan TV receded for a moment, shifting back into the screen before swirling back, colder. Maybe the improving fluidity of their nonphysical body wasn’t a sign of integration after all but the opposite, their own increasing control over the connection. “But I might have copied, not transferred my consciousness. Less risk of data loss. That could have been me, this me, waking up, and that would be embarrassing.”  As an afterthought, they transmitted, “And classified.”

“Makes sense.” It didn’t make sense. Nothing made sense. Titan Camera had a dizzying moment of realising everything was completely absurd. Life. Death (or lack thereof). Tiny little organic creatures merging with their waste receptacles. Waste receptacles ending up as vestigial bits of armour on… a skibidi bobbit worm. The TVmen’s titan (or a copy thereof) being more concerned about a clumsy interaction than accidental self-replication. “Well, just in case… hi, I think you’re managing your first few minutes pretty well.”

[mariacallous]

The Federal Communications Commission has voted—once again—to assert its power to oversee and regulate the activities of the broadband industry in the United States. In a 3-2 vote, the agency reinstated net neutrality rules that had been abandoned during the height of the Trump administration’s deregulatory blitz.

“Broadband is now an essential service,” FCC chair Jessica Rosenworcel said Thursday in prepared remarks. “Essential services—the ones we count on in every aspect of modern life—have some basic oversight.”

The rules approved by the agency on Thursday will reclassify broadband services in the United States once more as “common carriers” under Title II of the Telecommunications Act, subjecting broadband to the same public-utilities-style scrutiny as telephone networks and cable TV.

That distinction means that the agency can prevent internet service providers from blocking or throttling legal content, or letting online services pay ISPs to prioritize their content with faster delivery speeds. But it’s difficult, particularly in an election year, to say whether net neutrality is here to stay or whether the FCC’s vote is just another inflection point in a regulatory forever-war.

“Net neutrality rules protect internet openness by prohibiting broadband providers from playing favorites with internet traffic,” Rosenworcel says. “We need broadband to reach 100 percent of us—and we need it fast, open, and fair.”

This reclassification was first attempted by the Obama administration following a lawsuit by Verizon in 2011; the ruling pointed to reclassification as a necessary hurdle in efforts to bring broadband under scope of the FCC’s oversight. The outcome of that case prompted the introduction of the Open Internet Order of 2015, which not only reclassified the industry in line with the court’s suggestion but imposed a slate of new rules with “net neutrality” serving as the FCC’s guiding philosophy.

Two years later, those rules were overturned by the Trump-appointed FCC chair at the time, Ajit Pai, a former Verizon lawyer. Back in the private sector now, Pai derided the FCC’s efforts this week as a “complete waste of time;” something, he said, “nobody actually cares about.”

The rules put forth under Rosenworcel are somewhat different than those previously introduced. Past FCC orders pursing net neutrality have been repeatedly challenged in court, giving the agency today a fair idea of which policies will be defensible in the onslaught of lawsuits definitely to come.

Though banning the creation of “pay-to-play internet fast lanes” remains a priority, the reasons for reclassifying broadband are not limited to warding off the industry’s well-documented predatory practices. The new order also gives the FCC the ability to more closely examine industry behavior; how, for instance, companies respond (or fail to) in the event of widespread network outages.

“Net neutrality” was not originally devised as a set of rules but rather as a principle by which regulators seek to strike a balance between the profit-motivated interests of megalithic broadband companies and the rights and welfare of consumers. It is often summed up simply as the practice of ensuring that “all internet, regardless of its source, must be treated the same.”

While the Trump FCC asserted that it had no authority to regulate ISPs, it paradoxically claimed—in a failed effort—the power to crack down on states working to create regulation for themselves. Still, in 2018 California successfully banned broadband companies from engaging in a host of anti-consumer activities, from digital redlining and data discrimination to zero-rating schemes, which enable ISPs to funnel consumers toward particular websites or services by exempting them from arbitrary data caps.

Net neutrality advocates typically credit laws like California’s with preventing “virtually lawless” service providers from going haywire over the past half-decade. Industry associations offer a counter-history: Net neutrality protections must have been pointless all along, since the sky didn’t fall once they disappeared.

State-level protections, however, haven’t prevented cable and satellite TV companies from pushing a menu of anti-consumer policies nationally. The industry has threatened to hike monthly subscription prices if ever prevented from charging early-termination fees to customers locked into yearlong contracts. It has opposed rules proposed by the Federal Trade Commission designed to “make it at least as easy to cancel a subscription as it was to start it.”

Rosenworcel and other net neutrality proponents point to the growing reliance on broadband as successive generations of Americans increasingly eschew forms of communication that traditionally fell under the FCC’s blanket. Broadband is undeniably a telecommunications service today—even more so now than when the FCC first sought to adopt net neutrality as its guiding principle.

“Today's action brings back moderate rules that have already passed court muster and are essential building blocks for a consumer-friendly and citizen-friendly internet,” says Michael Copps, a former FCC commissioner. “Our communications technologies are evolving so swiftly, affecting so many important aspects of our individual lives, that they must be available to all of us on a nondiscriminatory basis.”

Consumer reliance on digital platforms and tools for communication is only increasing: Teenagers today notoriously loathe—some say fear!—talking on the phone, while the landscape of communications dynamics shifted violently for US workers in the post-pandemic era. Nevertheless, Americans today have little agency on their own to combat predatory-pricing schemes and lopsided usage restrictions. Consumer advocates note that Americans cannot simply vote with their wallets while locked into receiving services from a de facto monopoly.

While having evolved far past its original conceit, net neutrality is at heart a policy of "non-discrimination," as Tim Wu explained in the 2002 white paper coining the phrase.

“The point of the neutrality principle is not to interfere with the administration of the internet-protocol side of a broadband carrier’s network,” wrote Wu, then an associate professor at the University of Virginia Law School. “It is, rather, to prevent discrimination in that administration.”

[yasperapologist]

yasper is dying a slow death because the wifi in his building is isn't working. he can't even get a good hotspot running because the cable company is throttling his bandwith for using more data than 99.5% of all customers. aniq tells him he should file a complaint with the fcc.

yasper is playing minesweeper at lightning speed while his internet is down. each time he accidentally hits a mine, he screams in distress. aniq can now tell yasper's minesweeper screams from his normal screams. yasper kind of misses the way aniq would run in all concerned the first few times before he wised up. the red timer in the corner of the screen counts the seconds. in his haste to beat his last record, yasper mis-clicks on a mine. he quickly hits control + z; it's not cheating if he meant to click on the square to the left.

yasper is so bored that he actually files a complaint with the fcc. the guy on the phone keeps asking him pointed questions about his internet contract. yasper's getting to that, but he has to set the scene first! it was a lazy summer afternoon, with the kind of perfect weather that was made for sitting inside and watching youtube. olivia rodrigo's new album had just come out and it was time to crank that shit up to 1080p on the tv...

yasper is sitting on a park bench with aniq, eating a turkey sandwich and surveying a flock of pigeons. aniq inexplicably loves pigeons but yasper finds them deeply sinister. as a peace offering, he tosses a crumb from his sandwich onto the ground. the pigeons swarm the crumb, cooing and fluttering. yasper grimaces, feeling menaced. pigeons are so awful, he says to aniq, you have terrible taste. yasper realizes that this was technically a self-burn, but aniq just gives him a lovestruck smile.

yasper is pulling into the mcdonalds drive through and getting hassled by chelsea about almost hitting the curb. with an accusatory point, she asks, how come you're only a good driver when aniq is in the car? yasper is trying and failing to come up with an explanation that doesn't involve the phrase precious cargo. instead, he rolls down his window and orders two mcflurries and a large fries.

[ecopowerandcomms]

Electrician Joondalup

At EcoPower and Communications, we are a team of fully licensed electricians (EC12085 and SA59141) who offer a wide range of electrical, security and communications solutions to Clarkson & the surrounding areas. Company owner, Jason, has years of experience in the industry; providing installations, repairs, and maintenance services for residential, commercial, and industrial properties. Our security solutions include CCTV cameras and security lighting. We also offer communications solutions such as phone, data cabling, Intercoms, TV points and antenna signal testing and installation and can also assist with Theatre works which include TV mounting, HDMI and optical solutions along with speaker wire and installation. For WA Seniors Card holders, government rebates are also available for work done on security lighting, CCTV, RCD Safety Switches and smoke alarms. We ensure every single customer receives a high-quality job and brilliant customer service, just see our 5-star reviews!

Electrician Joondalup

Click Here

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Mike Hixenbaugh at NBC News:

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The audience of about 1,500 people waved small American flags and chanted “USA! USA! USA!” as television cameras began filming last Friday inside a Regent University ballroom. Many in the crowd wore red “Make America Great Again” hats. Some carried Bibles. They had paid $60 each to attend a live taping of “FlashPoint,” a national TV program that’s won loyal viewers with a unique blend of pro-Trump political commentary and prophetic messages about God’s divine plans for America.

Over the next three hours, the audience heard the same overarching message that “FlashPoint” broadcasts three times a week on the Victory Channel television network and various streaming platforms: The world has entered its final years. Jesus will soon return. But Christians are not meant to wait idly while evil runs rampant; they are called to occupy positions of power and influence in society. And in the short term, that means putting Donald Trump back in the White House. “I watch to get the truth,” said one “FlashPoint” attendee, who described a “supernatural” rush of clarity the first time she found the show while flipping channels two years ago. “This is the only news show where you hear what Jesus thinks,” said another attendee, a mother of three school-aged children who’d driven four hours from central North Carolina for the taping.

Launched in 2020 and hosted by pastor Gene Bailey, “FlashPoint” at times looks and sounds like other right-wing cable programs. But unlike Fox News hosts, the rotating panel of conservative pastors and commentators on “FlashPoint” pepper their political analysis with messages that they say come directly from God. Viewers hear regularly from Lance Wallnau, a self-described prophet known for popularizing the Seven Mountains Mandate, a philosophy increasingly embraced on the right that says Christians are called to claim positions of power atop seven key “mountains” of society, including government, education, business and media. “FlashPoint,” which presents itself as an alternative to mainstream news, embodies that strategy. In a January broadcast, pastor Hank Kunneman, another “FlashPoint” mainstay, said the Lord told him that 2024 would be a year of “divine reckoning” and “vengeance against the wicked.” In the months since, the show has portrayed the presidential election as a spiritual clash while depicting Trump as a flawed leader — like a modern King David — who’s been anointed by God to save the nation.

The show draws a monthly cable TV audience of roughly 11,000 households, according to Comscore data, while clips of the program reach hundreds of thousands more viewers online. With a rabid following, it has “become incredibly popular and even gravitational” on the Christian right, said Matthew Taylor, a senior scholar at the nonprofit Institute for Islamic, Christian, and Jewish Studies in Maryland. Trump is one of several prominent Republicans who have appeared as guests on “FlashPoint,” including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Charlie Kirk of Turning Point USA. The program fits into a growing evangelical movement that calls on followers to “think of themselves as soldiers in a cosmic conflict,” said Bradley Onishi, a former megachurch pastor and author of “Preparing for War,” which documents the history and rise of Christian nationalism in America. To “FlashPoint” loyalists, political debates are no longer just about who wins the next election, Onishi said; they are about the fate of eternity.

“When you explain it that way to folks,” he said, “you’re able to prime them, not only for action, but I think for extreme measures.” Trump has embraced elements of this framing, warning in speeches that the left wants “to tear down crosses” and promising that his return to office would restore Christian power. He also has promised to eliminate the Johnson Amendment, a rarely enforced federal law that prohibits nonprofit foundations and religious organizations — including the one that operates the Victory Channel — from endorsing political candidates. White evangelical Protestants remain among Trump’s most loyal voting blocs, with more than 80% planning or leaning toward voting for him in November, a recent Pew Research survey found. Hoping to push that number even higher, “FlashPoint” has called on pastors to start preaching a pro-Trump message on Sunday mornings. 

Bailey, the “FlashPoint” host, did not respond to messages requesting an interview.  Rick Green, a regular “FlashPoint” panelist, is the founder of Patriot Academy, a Texas nonprofit that teaches courses about what it calls the nation’s explicit Christian origins — an idea disputed by historians. He told NBC News that he believes many critics of the show’s mixing of religion and politics are ignorant “about the founding principles of America.” Others, Green said, harbor “hatred and intolerance of differing views.” “You get more truth from ‘FlashPoint’ than any news program in the nation,” Green said. 

To rally the show’s most loyal fans, known as the FlashPoint Army, the Fort Worth, Texas-based Victory Channel, a Christian network run by the nonprofit Kenneth Copeland Ministries, has hosted tapings across the nation as part of its Rescue America Tour. The live programs, even more than the regular broadcasts, take on the feel of a Christian revival service.

NBC News reports on the Christian Nationalist propaganda program FlashPoint that airs on The Victory Channel, which is run by Kenneth Copeland Ministries and hosted by Gene Bailey.

A typical episode of FlashPoint features prophecy and news from a Christian Nationalist pro-Trump perspective.

See Also:

Raw Story: Trump presented as God's anointed leader by popular right-wing Christian TV program FlashPoint

[gobusto]

a fun fact about me is that our house didn't have a PC until i was about 14 -- and even then, it was shared by the whole family, and didn't have internet access for a while. my dad eventually signed up for AOL around 2001, at which point we were able to surf the web™ via a 56k dial-up connection.

however, we did have internet access prior to that… via our TV:

source: https://web.archive.org/web/20190407175637/https://www.digitalspy.com/tech/cable/a3171/ntl-cr2-interactive/

this gave us a (single, shared) email address, and access to an extremely limited number of websites, such as leisuredistrict or everyoneswelcome.

(as an aside: you could unlock "full" web access by paying an extra £5 per month, which we eventually did… but not before discovering that if someone emailed us a clickable link, we could access that site without going through the "proper" menu option!)

anyway, to compose emails, enter your leisuredistrict password, or write an everyoneswelcome post, you had to use the remote control:

source: https://web.archive.org/web/20190407173228/https://www.digitalspy.com/tech/cable/a3231/ntlhome-digital-interactive-tv/

as you can imagine this was slow and awkward. however, as the image above indicates, you could buy a special keyboard to make things easier. since my dad used to play chess via email (using a physical chess set next to the television), he ended up getting one:

source: https://www.reddit.com/r/nostalgia/comments/hm5pfa/these_ntl_keyboards_i_think_im_on_an_ntl/

as you might have noticed, it has a somewhat strange layout, and doesn't have a wire coming out of the back. that's because this keyboard is actually just a really big remote control; you put 4 AA batteries in the back, and it communicates with the set top box via infrared signals, just like the standard remote control would.

of course, our set top box eventually outlived its usefulness, and all of this stuff went into a storage cupboard, whereupon it was promptly forgotten about… until a few months ago, when i rediscovered the keyboard whilst my dad was clearing out some old things. as you might expect, i saved it from being sent to silicon heaven (where all the calculators go) because i am a goblin who hoards old technology.

i put it to one side for a while, but a few days ago i decided to see if it was still working. it turns out that regular webcams can pick up infrared light, so i put some batteries in it and -- success! -- several white-ish lights were visible in my laptop's webcam app whenever i pressed a key.

as such, i think it would be cool to somehow get this thing working as an actual PC keyboard. i might need to write a custom program to do this, though it seems that it might Just Work.

of course, i'd need some kind of infrared receiver device to do that, and those can be surprisingly tricky to find:

there are plenty of "infrared extender" cables online, but their USB connector is only used to draw power; they don't actually show up as a "device" on your PC.

you can apparently get infrared-receiver-to-headphone jack cables, which you're supposed to plug into a special socket on certain set top boxes… though in theory you could plug them into the microphone input port of a PC and "manually" decode the data signal via software trickery. (disclaimer: i am not an expert on Hardware, so this might be A Bad Idea, but i think that the 5V output by the microphone port would be enough to power the IR receiver…?)

the thing i actually want (an IR-to-USB device) might as well not exist because it is no longer 2005 and no-one on the planet except me gives even half a shit about connecting an IR device to a PC. well, that's not entirely true -- but the things i did find cost £30-£50, which is way above what i'd want to spend on something like this.

eventually, though, i discovered that the magic phrase to search for is "Media Center IR receiver" (or, more simply, "MCE receiver"), whereupon i found someone selling an Acer MCEIR-210 on ebay for just over £10. its due to arrive here within the next few days, so hopefully i can make this somewhat-unusual device function again.

[mirqmarq428]

So. I have

Unicron, a large and spacious desktop with an ancient motherboard and aging i/o that works

Primus, a tight server-adjacent beast of an air purifier the computer shop gave me for free cause it doesn't work

My sata power adapter finally came in the mail. It's not doing anything. I believe it's possible to get Primus working, i really do. But probably not by me.

Now here's the other part of the problem:

Unicron is currently hosting all my files and i want it to also drive the 4k tv. It's running Linux of course. The graphics card is from before AMD bought ATI, the only way I can get video from it is a DVI-to-VGA adapter plugged DIRECTLY into a VGA cable going DIRECTLY into a 1080p monitor. Adapting to hdmi doesn't work, even tho the active adapter itself definitely does. The only graphics cards in town that go in old school PCI slots are worse than mine, and the pci-to-pcie adapters I'm seeing online look sketchy af. (are they? If you've used them please tell me if they work). I spent $200 on an rx6600 and at this point I'm almost ready to build a whole pc around it, just to have something with room to grow. Also transcoding maybe.

Now, I have several usb-C to hdmi adapters which require windows drivers. Unicron does not have usb-C ports. Unicron barely has USB 3 ports. I have exactly one (1) USB A to C high speed data adapter of the proper sexuality - which came with and is currently in use for the nvme enclosure I'm using for my cache drive. Because, to loop back around, Unicron doesn't have anywhere else to put an nvme ssd and i got sooo tired of using my sata ssds for this stuff also they might be too slow idk it doesn't matter.

Point is, I have these options:

do nothing and return nil

Put the extra ram + storage in Unicron and install Windows on it to make the USB display drivers work, then slap a linux vm on top and do everything in that. This is a lot of overhead especially for an older system, and introduceth lots of annoyances thruout the stack ex. networking

Unicron overhaul! Keep the case but upgrade everything else. Mostly straightforward but expensive but money is not a concern. We could even also do the windows thing too on top of it, wouldn't that be horrible.

Pick all the good bits off of Unicron and Primus and give them both to the repair shop, then just buy a new computer. Same as previous option but could be simpler depending on case compatibility.

Either way they're closed on sundays so i gotta wait to do stuff.

Hmm, maybe part of this post should have been a poll...

[gacmediadaily]

Great American Family‘s biggest time of the year is here. The network, run by former Hallmark CEO Bill Abbott, is leaning in to the holiday season big time, after seeing a year of massive growth.

According to the year-over-year data, GAF is up 150% in total viewers in 2023 compared to 2022, and the success can be credited to multiple factors, Abbott tells Variety.

“One of the biggest parts of our growth has been our talent, and the fact that we have such recognizable stars in our stable of talent — and that they are relentless in promoting Great American Family,” he says. “That, in and of itself, has created the awareness necessary to grow like we have.”

Candace Cameron Bure, Trevor Donovan, Jen Lilley, Danica McKellar and Jessica Lowndes all have exclusive deals with GAF, while their Christmas movie lineup also includes Matthew Morrison, Chad Michael Murray, Lori Loughlin, Jill Wagner and James Tupper.

“The list goes on and on and ultimately, the big one was Candace Cameron Bure. Having her profile, the popularity she has and the impact of social media — all those things are huge,” says Abbott.

Of course, that also came with criticism aimed at the network, after Bure’s stated that the network wouldn’t be featuring same-sex couples but instead focus on “traditional marriage.”

Below, Abbott speaks exclusively to Variety about the cable channel’s recent growth, this year’s holiday lineup, the backlash around Bure’s recent comments and the changes he plans to make down the line.

Let’s start at the top. You guys launched Great American Christmas a week ahead of the originally planned release. Why?

A couple of reasons: One is viewer feedback was that they can’t get enough Christmas content. Secondly, with what’s going on world, it’s so dark and so discouraging and depressing that we felt that people could use the early positivity of the Christmas season. The third reason is our library has expanded so much in the past two years that now we have the ability to really go 24/7 without running into content that is repeated over and over and over. It’s taken a while to get to this point. We’ve worked really hard to do that.

The network has seen immense growth. To what do you credit that success?

First and foremost, it was awareness and growing the brand. It doesn’t happen overnight. And so it’s taken a long time to just make people aware that we’re even in business. It’s also about being really consistent with our schedule, really focusing on the day-to-day. We’re an advertiser-supported model, so we have to generate our revenue that way. That means that we keep our content premiering on linear and then move into streaming, where a lot of channels have gone the other way — focusing on streaming. We have a commitment to the linear model; linear still has a long runway and we’re pleased with the results and the appetite. Then I think it’s the family-friendly content. There was not a lot of it out there. The family-friendly piece of it is essential to our success.

Another one of the biggest parts of our growth has been our talent, and the fact that we have such recognizable stars in our stable of talent — and that they are relentless in promoting Great American Family. That, in and of itself, has created the awareness necessary to grow like we have.

Jill Wagner and Paul Greene star in Great American Family’s “Bringing Christmas Home”

One of your biggest challenges was just getting viewership on a new linear network, which isn’t easy in today’s landscape. Would you still consider that your biggest challenge?

I think that the awareness of finding us is a challenge. I don’t know if it’s the biggest, because the streaming model, as we all know, is so challenging in and of itself — creating enough original content to keep subscribers satisfied, and feeling good about paying your monthly fee. Those are all big questions that the biggest companies in the business are struggling with. So over the long term, certainly I think that’s the biggest challenge. I think we’ve made a lot of progress on the linear side. The brand still has a long way to go, and a long runway to grow, but I think at the end of the day, streaming is still everyone’s holy grail and the biggest challenge the industry faces.

This year’s Great American Christmas lineup includes some talent who are on other networks, and others who are exclusive to GAF. From a business standpoint, is it important for you to have exclusive contracts?

It is, because of their fervent passion for what we’re doing and their desire to promote what we’re doing consistently. Especially for us, I think if you’ve been in the space long enough, you don’t need the credibility, quite frankly, that these people bring to the party. Danica McKellar is not going to be part of a movie that’s not high quality. She demands a certain standard, a certain budget level, a certain costar level and a certain overall presence that immediately states that this channel is committing to quality content, and not just trying to acquire a bunch of stuff and put it on the air. It really does make a big difference.

Let’s talk about Candace Cameron Bure’s role as Chief Content Officer. What does that consist of?

We are absolutely blown away by Candace’s taste, judgment and ability. Her overall knowledge is way beyond what our expectations were, and we always knew that she would contribute to what we were doing in many ways, but never at the level that she does. She works harder than any human being on the planet. She’s watching content, she’s reading scripts, she’s weighing in on cast, and she has contacts, quite frankly, that some of us don’t. Given her length of time in the business and her experience, she’s been just absolutely spectacular. She’s been better arguably for us organizationally, behind the camera, than she is even in front of the camera, to give you an idea of how good she is. She’s really special, and not many people can be in front of the screen and function in that role and do it in a very honest, genuine way that is really just well-intentioned and for the team.

With PureFlix, [our streaming partner,] she’s just a natural for the faith-based space. She’s our secret weapon. I’d put her executive ability up against anybody, including mine.

In terms of holidays, you told me last year you were starting with Christmas and going from there. Faith is obviously a main theme in all Great American Media brands — does that still mean only Christian holidays?

You want to grow your audience as much as possible. Right now, at the point of our evolution, consistency is really important, churning out as much quality content as you can. I don’t want to make the linear business sound like it’s formulaic, because it’s far from formulaic, and it’s got a bad reputation for being formulaic. Really, it’s not, but at the same time, there is a consistent thread that at the start, it’s important to tie together, and as we get bigger, certainly we’ll consider a lot of things. Right now, it’s getting the core audience, and driving home the messaging that we think is going to be the most successful.

Lori Loughlin, Bill Abbott and Candace Cameron BureGetty Images

You’ve mentioned in most of our conversations through the years that diversity and inclusivity are important to you. On your holiday slate, only one of 20 movies has Black leads. What kind of changes you are working on?

We have a long way to go in that regard, and we have made a lot of progress. We’ve got a series with the working title “County Rescue” with Percy Bell and Stacey Patino. For us, it’s a bit of a departure. Because the business is changing so much and the linear challenges are so great, we think about the business very differently than we once did. “County Rescue” is a hard drama that deals with some serious issues, and these two individuals just really shine throughout the entire series.

But certainly, it’s a challenge that we are addressing head-on, and will be better next Christmas. We’re going to look very different in 2024 than we did this year, and we’ll look even more different in 2025. I think it’s important to note that behind the camera, from just the point of view of development and production and how we are thinking about the entire picture of inclusivity, I think we’ve done well there. There’s a strong family of talent on the PureFlix side. But we’ve recognized that we have a ways to go, certainly, in that area.

Going back to Candace. She recently stated that the network will not feature LGBTQ+ storylines, and will instead focus on “traditional marriage.” Do you agree with that?

I wouldn’t say whether it’s a matter of agreeing or not. Candace is chief content officer and has a point of view, and she is leading the way in the areas I mentioned before in such a skilled way that we definitely rely on her judgment and what she thinks is going to resonate best. Certainly, we support her in every way that I can. I think that when it comes down to all of our own personal feelings on this topic and how we see the world, we try and separate that as much as possible from the business point of view. Candace is great and leading the way in the business part of it. So we support her in that.

OK, but is she a spokesperson for the company? She does have very specific views, which is a personal choice, but when she voices those publicly as the CCO, should she be viewed as a mouthpiece for Great American Family?

We’re proud to have her here, and she works so well with the team alongside me, and we have a really talented and dedicated team that’s committed to high-quality faith and family content. In terms of her personal views, it’s like the disclaimer you see at the end of a movie or a series that says, “The views reflected here are not necessarily those of the company.” Candace has such a high profile that when she speaks, she’ll speak on a lot of topics, and she has a wonderful podcast that is fantastic. But when she speaks on that, she’s not speaking on behalf of Great American Media.

Because of her title, it’s easy to assume that when she is speaking, it’s on behalf of the network. There was no statement released after that interview, so things get murky with people wondering — if these are her views, that’s one thing, but if these are the network’s views, that’s another.

And that’s tricky. We had a lot of conversations about that when she struck a deal with us. We talked a lot about title, we talked a lot about where she fits organizationally. We talked a lot about our other ventures and her other businesses, and we should have talked about this topic, but we didn’t. Candace speaks for her own brand when she is talking to the world at large. For me, all I do — all I live, breathe and sleep — is Great American Media. So when I talk about something, it’s very different, because I’m representing the company and only the company. When Candace talks about something, obviously she has a lot of other audiences and platforms.

Candace Cameron Bure and Gabriel Hogan will star in this year’s “A Christmas Hero.”Great American Family

OK, so I’m going to ask you, as the voice of the company: When it comes to featuring same-sex couples in films, is that something you guys want to do or plan to do?

I think that’s a very good and fair question. I don’t think when we set out to do any type of movie we cast it first. The first thing we think about is a great storyline or great characters or an emotional journey. We’re not seeking to do anything or not do anything, and we take every day as it comes. This business is so challenged across the entire industry right now — with the streaming model and with the linear decline and all the other pieces — that we’re just looking to celebrate great stories. We don’t have an agenda either way. It’s not in the faith-and-family playbook to have agendas that are either pro or anti. We want to entertain and inspire and be uplifting and consistently provide an experience that is high quality — that is our most important objective.

OK. You’ve talked a lot about growing the audience, but by not including that community, a large part of the country is alienated. Is that something you guys have thought about?

Certainly, it will be something to think about. I think right now, we’re just so focused on profitability, being successful, doing the right thing for our shareholders, making sure we’re integrating PureFlix within our family. We have so many things on our agenda that we need to stay focused on the core part of the business right now and then down the road, as our world grows and changes and becomes different, then we’ll see.

Is there a specific audience you are targeting?

We want to attract as many people who are underserved, and feel like faith and family is important to them. It’s about telling great stories that inspire, and that people can watch together with their families and will watch together as part of their faith communities or join a book club or do anything that really is considered to be in that faith-and-family genre. So, there’s no demo. I wish it were that easy!

Over the last year, there was a lot of backlash surrounding Great American Family, with some talent criticizing Candace’s comments. What do you think are the biggest misconceptions or misinformation out there?

Well, I think it’s twofold. One is that family-friendly content is milk toast and is not entertaining, and that it is very formulaic. We can put that in the box over here, and I think other places continue to prove that and do it well. I think also that we are for all people. We are for just a sense of love and peace in the world, and we are deeply committed to inspiring and uplifting. Life is hard enough. We don’t need more divisive conversations, or to create more barriers.

We just want all people to embrace the experience of Great American Media and feel entertained by the content that they see, the talent that they see on screen and the amount of commitment that we have toward raising the bar in this space, and making it high quality.

[freifraufischer]

GIGA Pro Gym's Team - Does anyone know how to do what they say they want to do?

Presented here are the bios from their website (as of the end of June 2023). I am going to flag what I want you to look for... who here has the technical background to run a multimedia platform. Or are they a marketing person who might have worked in media. I'm going to emphasis these are direct quotes. I'm changing nothing.

I also want to point out that Fox's "early career includes Summer Olympic TV broadcast coverage" is that she was a group VP for Time Warner Cable in the early 2000s. And "start up launches for pro-cycling and senior tennis" still doesn't name what these enterprises are, we've been unable to identify what they might be among non-defunct entities.

*** *** ***

Aimee Boorman: Cofounder and Chief Events Officer

Decorated and globally respected head coach, including 12 years coaching the sport’s all-time greatest, Simone Biles. Collaborative leader with deep technical expertise. Head coach of USA’s Rio Olympic and World Championship gold medal teams. Dutch National team coach at 2020 Tokyo Olympics as well as 2021 World and European Championships; 3X USAG Coach of the Year and 2016 USOPC Coach of the Year. USAG Master of Sport; FIG & USAG judge.

Maura Fox: Cofounder and Chief Executive Officer

Entrepreneur and executive leader with 20+ years in sports, media, technology and entertainment. Long career delivering innovation for cable TV, data tech, and OTT platforms, and successfully launching new products, services, and start ups. Early career includes Summer Olympic TV broadcast coverage, start up launches for pro-cycling and senior tennis, and regional sports net launch of national network brand. Later, led cable TV’s 1st ever IPTV trial and industry leading launches of VOD, SVOD, DVR, and remote DVR services; more recently, led tech transition of linear TV sports channel to all-digital network, product strategy for start up of first-of-its-kind TV data-analytics using census-based data lake-house, and product strategy for $2B IT end user firm.

LaPrise Williams: Cofounder and Chief Sports Engagement Officer

Engagement specialist, business owner, St Vincent and the Grenadines Gymnastics Association (SVGGA) technical director, and women’s sports trailblazer on international stage; Head Coach Baylor University Acrobatics and Tumbling 2011-2014, Co-owner/head coach HUGS gymnastics, Owner/director Dolphin Gymnastics; Coach of USA world gymnastics team member, Ashley Miles; Coach of USA national team members, USA Master of Sport; Texas State Board Member (former), FIG/PAGU committee member 2019, FIG Brevet judge; SVGGA Olympic Committee Board of Trustee member; Coaching consultant Dutch National and Developmental Teams 2020.

Laurie DeFrancesco: Advisor Board Member

GIGA rules chair, 25+ year head coach and gym owner, NCAA and NAWGJ judging official, and co-founder, CT Gymnastics Hall of Fame

Chellsie Memmel: Advisor Board Member

USAG high-performance and technical leader; former World Champion, 2008 Olympian, and internationally rated BREVET judging official

KJ Kindler: Advisor Board Member

OU Women’s Gymnastics Head Coach, 6x NCAA Team Championship titles – including 2023, 3x NCAA Coach of the Year, and Chair of WCGA Rules Committee

Jessica O’Beirne: Advisor Board Member

Creator/ producer of GymCastic podcast; writer, social influencer, and multimedia journalist, on air talent and expert analyst for sport of gymnastics

Lauren LoFrisco

Promotional marketing and sales expert with brand leadership in media and entertainment industries, and prominent management and consulting roles at HBO, TWC, Road Runner, and Comcast

Nicole Perrelle

Trusted advisor for digital execution, innovation strategy, and process optimization, with management and leadership roles including Gartner, Deloitte, and Amazon

Trish Scanlon

Branded entertainment and creative services executive with deep expertise in cable, TV, and lifestyle brands, including networks such as HGTV, Travel, In Demand, and Food Network

Jen Smith

Entrepreneur and strategic advisor, specializing in start up ventures and investor relations; deep experience delivering customer experience optimization, growth, and stakeholder value

Ben Wiles

Legal Counsel, Corporate Matters; deep legal experience and expertise in venture capital, private equity, and emerging growth matters

[pan-fried-autism]

The North Experiment

I wrote a short story again!

Characters: Swap!Grementine Mewton, Swap!M0u5e, mentions of Swap!Nikolai (@bowlerhatwearer)

Summary: A certain grumpy scientist is heading over to the northern regions for a weekend, excited to have an extended visit with her friend. Of course, one must record their experiments.

vvrrrrmmmm..

A grey VW Beetle pulled off to a small gravel lot on the side of a road. The car slowed and stopped, before being parked, leaving two rectangular trails in the light snow covering the lot.

A small trail was supposedly by said lot, but the amount of snow, small as it was, made it hard to see. Luckily for any unfortunates trying to find it, it was marked somewhat clearly by a sign pointing off, saying “Cabins ->”.

Nowadays, hardly anyone ever stayed in the cabins anymore. Anyone with common sense, that is.

In the Beetle sat two occupants.

The driver was a short brown cat with pink splotches. She wore a pair of goggles almost masking her eyes, a black t-shirt with a red broken heart, thick blue pants, and hot pink winter boots with white hearts on the toes. Over that, she wore a lavender winter jacket with fur on the hood, along with a pair of knit mittens. Given the coldness of the area, most would dress a little more warmly, but it wasn’t necessary for her. The fluffiness of her fur helped some.

In the passenger seat was a mouselike robot, with permanently wide Jade green eyes, and a large speaker where a mouth would be. He was bundled up tightly in a puffy dark purple, orange snow pants, little red boots, yellow kittens, and mint green hat with a puffball on it. On the floor of her seat was a scarf.

The cat looked out the window, narrowing her eyes at the sign.

Hmm. Well, at least I kind of have an idea of the whereabouts of this place, she thought to herself.

She took off one of her mittens, and reached for the little cup holder between the front seats, where a tape recorder was. She brought it up to her mouth, and hit the record button, finally speaking—

“The North Experiment, Day 228, entry 1.

“Dr. Grementine Mewton, speaking again. I have known Mr. Akdow for 228 days now. So far, communication and data collection has proven to be a slight challenge, given that I’ve only been able to travel at least once a week or so to speak with him. This, however, will change a little today! I’ve rented a cabin for me and my assistant, M0u5e, for the weekend. I’m not sure why or how these cabins have stayed open, but it’s good enough for me.”

It was not a very fancy cabin— one bedroom, one bathroom, connected kitchen and living room, no WiFi access, a small fireplace, and a TV with a VHS player but no cable. This was alright with Grem, though. She brought some VHS tapes anyway, and it was almost guaranteed that there was an outlet for M0u5e to charge at night.

“Anyway, this weekend, I hope to collect more data than ever before from Mr. Akdow. He’s already taught me so much about his world, and I WANT— no, NEED to know more about him!… and his world too. Going into the northern areas to find him was a great idea, honestly. Even if I hadn’t been collecting data, he’s proven to be… well, a very good friend to me. And I hope to spend a bit more time with him.

“Hell, maybe I’ll even introduce him to M0u5e here!”

Saying this, she put the recorder to the robots face. “Say hi, Mousey!”

“Hello, I am M0u5e.” The robot replied, with a voice sounding more like a recording than someone talking.

Grem brought the recorder back to herself. “I’m worried about how the coldness of the cave will effect it, though, even with its added layers. In fact, the heats been off the whole car ride because I don’t want it to overheat, either. I debated bringing him here in the first place, but there wasn’t anybody I knew or trusted well enough to watch over him for the weekend. LORD knows how they could fuck her up!

“… it’s good to get out of the house for a while, though. Everything’s been kinda hard, with the Wrath, and my job, and Dickhead McNiceguy trying to win me back, or whatever he calls stalking. And it’s like… I want to get to know my coworkers a bit better. I don’t know why it’s so… difficult, to just talk to people sometimes.

“… that’s besides the point. I’m gonna head up to the cabin now. Grementine Mewton, out.”

With that, she released the button, and put the device in her jacket pocket.

She unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the car, taking the keys with her as well. She walked over to the other side of the car and opened the passenger door, where M0u5e was unbuckled and ready to go, scarf in hand.

The two went to the trunk, and Grem opened it, revealing the four suitcases— one contained Grems clothes and tail prosthetic (she didn’t need it that much in the cabin, but she didn’t want it stolen either), another contained some research related items, such as a notepad and pencil, yet another contained a change of clothes for M0u5e and some essentials, and the last one had some non-perishable food items, along with some water bottles.

Taking her clothes and equipment, Grem waited for M0u5e to get the other cases before closing and locking the trunk. She started walking up to the trail, M0u5e following closely behind.

Just as they were about to step foot on the trail, M0u5e suddenly spoke up. “Dr. Mewton?”

The cats head whipped around towards him.

“Will it be safe in this area?”

She shrugged a bit. “Eh, probably. The only other person here is Nikolai, and he’s cool with me, hehe, so we’re in good hands.”

M0u5e said nothing, ears bobbing up and down slightly.

The two continued on the trail, eventually dissapearing in the mix of snow and trees.

……………………………..

5 minutes pass.

Another car has pulled up into the lot. A rapid blue Chevy Camaro. It parks next to the Beetle. The driver door opens, and out steps a tall, lanky brown hare.

His nose and ears twitched in the cold.

He casually walked around his own car, examining the other car and taking mental notes.

Silvery grey. Dent by the front bumper. Small crack on the left rear view window. Row of claws marks on the hood.

He was right. She was here.

He couldn’t help but smirk to himself.

Claire-bear. He thought. I thought you were a smart kitty.

You KNOW you’re not supposed to corner yourself in a game of tag, right?

[tgr-telecom-arena]

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[jerickreforba25]

The 700 Club Asia: An Uncertain Future (Last Part)

Jerick Combate Reforba

The shift in viewing habits of Filipinos, with 90% of the audience consuming The 700 Club Asia through online platforms like the CBN Asia Media Center and YouTube, and only 10% still relying on traditional television, reflects a broader global trend in media consumption. This rise in digital-only programming and the corresponding decline in traditional broadcast TV viewership points to a pivotal moment for the future of religious programming in the Philippines, and particularly for The 700 Club Asia.

Here’s an extended explanation of the factors behind this shift and the implications for both the show and its audience:

The Rise of Digital-Only Programming

1. Changing Viewing Habits

The overwhelming preference for digital platforms over television among The 700 Club Asia viewers is a clear indication that audiences—especially in the Philippines—are adapting to the convenience and flexibility that digital media offers.

In the past, traditional TV was the dominant medium through which viewers could access their favorite shows, including religious programs like The 700 Club Asia. However, with the advent of smartphones, faster internet connections, and social media, viewers now have the ability to watch content whenever and wherever they want. This shift is particularly notable among younger generations, who are more comfortable navigating online platforms and are less likely to sit in front of a TV for scheduled programming.

Furthermore, digital platforms like YouTube and Facebook offer The 700 Club Asia a way to reach audiences globally without the limitations of geography or time zones. This is especially significant for Filipinos living abroad, such as overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), who can now access the program on-demand, regardless of where they are in the world.

2. Affordability and Accessibility

In a country like the Philippines, where internet access continues to grow, many viewers prefer digital platforms because they are often more affordable and accessible. Mobile internet data plans are widely available and allow viewers to stream content at a lower cost compared to traditional cable or satellite TV subscriptions.

This affordability makes digital platforms an attractive option for a large portion of the population, particularly those who may not have access to expensive cable packages but still want to engage with meaningful content like The 700 Club Asia. Platforms such as YouTube and the CBN Asia Media Center offer free access to episodes and clips, making it easy for viewers to consume the content without the financial burden of a TV subscription.

3. On-Demand and Flexibility

One of the primary advantages of digital platforms over traditional TV is the ability to watch content on-demand. Unlike television, which requires viewers to tune in at specific times, digital platforms allow viewers to watch shows like The 700 Club Asia whenever they want. This flexibility is crucial in today’s fast-paced world, where viewers are balancing work, family, and other responsibilities.

For example, many Filipinos, especially those working irregular hours or living in different time zones, appreciate the ability to watch episodes at their convenience. Whether it’s during a break at work, on a commute, or late at night, digital platforms make it easier for viewers to fit The 700 Club Asia into their schedules.

4. Global Reach and Engagement

Going digital has allowed The 700 Club Asia to expand its reach far beyond the Philippines. With platforms like YouTube and Facebook, the show is now accessible to millions of viewers worldwide, including the massive Filipino diaspora. This global accessibility is a significant advantage, as it allows CBN Asia to continue its mission of spreading the Good News across different cultures and regions.

Additionally, digital platforms offer interactive features that allow viewers to engage with the show in real-time. For example, viewers can comment on episodes, share them with friends, or even participate in live streams where they can ask questions or request prayers. This level of engagement creates a sense of community and personal connection that is difficult to achieve with traditional TV broadcasts.

The Fall of Traditional Broadcast Television

1. Decline in Traditional TV Viewership

The shift away from traditional TV is not unique to the Philippines or The 700 Club Asia; it’s part of a broader global trend. As digital platforms continue to grow in popularity, traditional TV networks have seen a steady decline in viewership. Many viewers are moving away from the rigid structure of scheduled programming, opting instead for the flexibility and variety that digital platforms provide.

In the case of The 700 Club Asia, only 10% of viewers still watch the show on traditional TV. This low percentage underscores how digital consumption has become the preferred method for accessing the program. As more people embrace digital media, it becomes increasingly difficult for TV networks to retain viewership, particularly for niche programs like religious content, which may not attract the same level of attention as mainstream entertainment.

2. High Production Costs of Traditional TV

Maintaining a presence on traditional TV involves significant costs, from production to broadcasting and marketing. These expenses can be particularly challenging for niche programs that rely on donations rather than advertising revenue.

CBN Asia has had to consider whether the high production and broadcasting costs of airing The 700 Club Asia on TV are justified by the shrinking number of viewers who tune in through this medium. As ratings decline and production costs rise, the financial burden of remaining on traditional TV becomes increasingly unsustainable.

This is one of the reasons why the show’s production team is considering a shift toward digital-only programming. By focusing on online platforms, they can reduce overhead costs while continuing to reach a large and growing audience.

3. Corporate Restructuring and Strategic Shifts

As networks like GMA and other broadcasters continue to undergo corporate restructuring and reorganization, many are prioritizing content that delivers higher ratings and greater advertising revenue. In this competitive environment, niche programs like The 700 Club Asia may struggle to maintain their place in a network’s lineup.

Television networks are increasingly focused on programming that appeals to a broad audience, particularly entertainment and news, which attract larger viewer bases and more lucrative advertising deals. Religious programs, while important to their dedicated viewers, often don’t generate the same level of revenue or ratings as other types of content. As a result, they may be removed from the lineup to make way for more commercially viable shows.

The Future of The 700 Club Asia

1. Fully Digital Programming

Given the clear rise in digital consumption, it seems likely that The 700 Club Asia will eventually transition to a fully digital format. This move would allow CBN Asia to focus its resources on producing high-quality content that resonates with its online audience while reducing the costs associated with traditional TV broadcasting.

Digital-only programming would also give The 700 Club Asia the opportunity to experiment with new content formats and strategies, such as interactive live streams, behind-the-scenes footage, and more frequent updates. This approach would allow the show to continue its mission of transforming lives through the power of media while staying relevant in a rapidly changing media landscape.

2. Potential Hybrid Approach

Another possibility is that The 700 Club Asia may adopt a hybrid approach, where it continues to air on select TV networks while expanding its digital presence. This could help maintain a connection with the small but loyal group of viewers who still watch the show on traditional television, while also catering to the growing digital audience.

In this scenario, The 700 Club Asia could reduce the number of TV episodes produced and focus on airing special events, telethons, or live broadcasts on traditional networks, while keeping the majority of its content online.

3. Increased Global Reach

As the show embraces digital platforms, it has the potential to significantly expand its global reach. Platforms like YouTube are accessible in nearly every country, allowing The 700 Club Asia to reach viewers who may not have access to Filipino TV networks. This expansion would enable the program to spread its message of faith and hope to an even wider audience, transcending geographical barriers.

Conclusion

The shift in media consumption habits, with 90% of Filipinos now watching The 700 Club Asia online, represents a fundamental change in the way audiences engage with content. The rise of digital-only programming reflects the growing demand for on-demand, flexible, and interactive viewing experiences. Meanwhile, the decline in traditional broadcast TV viewership signals a shift away from scheduled programming, especially for niche religious content.

While this transition may signal the end of The 700 Club Asia on traditional TV in the near future, it also opens up new possibilities for reaching and engaging with audiences through digital platforms. By focusing on digital programming, The 700 Club Asia can continue to fulfill its mission of spreading the Good News, even as the landscape of media consumption evolves.

Prayers for CBN Asia, The 700 Club Asia, and the Viewers

Heavenly Father,

We come before You today with hearts full of gratitude, lifting up to You CBN Asia, its flagship program The 700 Club Asia, and all the viewers throughout the Philippines and around the world. Lord, You are the Almighty God, and we praise You for the mighty works You have done through CBN Asia and this program. From the beginning, You have guided them in their mission to proclaim Your Good News and bring the light of Jesus Christ into homes, hearts, and lives. Today, we stand in awe of the countless testimonies of transformed lives, miraculous healings, answered prayers, and Your boundless love and provision.

Lord, we pray that You continue to pour out Your anointing upon CBN Asia and The 700 Club Asia. We thank You for the vision You gave its founders and all who have faithfully served this ministry. We ask for Your wisdom and guidance as they move forward into new seasons and embrace new challenges, particularly in this time of transition towards a more digital platform. May Your hand be upon the leadership, the staff, the production team, the counselors, and every person involved in the mission to reach out and minister to people.

Father, You know the uncertain future of the program in traditional television, but we believe that nothing is uncertain in Your eyes. You are sovereign over every plan, every transition, and every outcome. We pray that Your will be done, Lord. If it is Your plan for The 700 Club Asia to remain on television, we pray for supernatural provision to cover every cost and every need. If it is Your will for them to focus on digital platforms, we ask for favor and open doors in every corner of the digital world. May they continue to reach the multitudes, not just in the Philippines, but across nations, through the power of the internet and social media.

Lord, we lift up every viewer of The 700 Club Asia—those who have been blessed by the show, those who have found hope, those who have been healed, and those who have encountered You through its message. We pray for each person, whether they watch the show on television or through digital media. Strengthen their faith, Lord. Continue to touch their hearts and lives with Your love, mercy, and grace. We ask that You use this program to lead more people to salvation in Christ, that they may experience the power of Your love and be transformed.

For all the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and the global audience who have watched the show, we pray for Your protection, provision, and peace to be upon them. Let The 700 Club Asia be a source of encouragement for those who are far from home, a reminder of Your presence and faithfulness wherever they may be. May their hearts be filled with hope as they hear the testimonies of Your miracles and as they witness Your power at work in the lives of others.

We pray, Lord, that You expand the reach of The 700 Club Asia. Let it not only reach the multitudes through digital platforms but also through every possible avenue where Your Word can be heard. We ask that You open doors to new opportunities, new partnerships, and new channels, both in the Philippines and internationally. Let this program continue to be a beacon of light, a source of inspiration, and a platform that glorifies You.

Father, we also lift up those who may have turned away from the program or who have yet to encounter it. We pray that in Your perfect timing, You will draw them near. Soften their hearts and open their eyes to the truth of Your Word. May they come to know You and experience Your grace, peace, and redemption.

We also ask, Lord, that You continue to bless the financial supporters, sponsors, and partners of CBN Asia. Thank You for the generosity of those who have sown into this ministry. We pray for a hundredfold blessing upon their lives, that You will meet all their needs according to Your riches in glory. Let them experience the fullness of Your joy, knowing that their partnership with The 700 Club Asia is helping to change lives and spread the Gospel.

Finally, Lord, we pray for every broken heart, every burdened soul, every person seeking healing, peace, and freedom. May they encounter You through The 700 Club Asia. Let Your presence be felt in their lives as they watch the testimonies of others. May they see Your faithfulness and goodness, and may they come to trust in You with all their heart, mind, and soul.

We commit The 700 Club Asia, CBN Asia, and all its viewers into Your loving hands. We trust You for the future and for all that lies ahead. In everything, may Your name be glorified, and may Your Kingdom come and Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

In the mighty and precious name of Jesus, we pray,

Amen.

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. (Numbers 6:24-26 ESV)

© 2024 Jerick Combate Reforba. All rights reserved.

[artinstallersmelbourne]

The Ultimate Guide to TV Mounting in Morrington Services: Elevate Home’s Design

TV mounting in Morrington should be done with the help of professional experts as this ensures a better viewing experience along with enhancing the interior design of the house. The TV due to being a key component of the room in which it is installed makes it also the focal point and has a significant impact on the look of the house interior. Professionals not only install the TVs but can also do outlet installation like data points, antenna outlets and power points.   

TV mounting in South Melbourne when done by professionals makes the interior aesthetics of the house better as they can do proper cable hiding and organisation. Professionals ensure that the wiring is done behind the wall so that the house looks tidy and also place the soundbar in the best location. Many people want the royal look of the soundbar floating below the TV and without any wires or cables in sight which can be done by professionals.

Professional Digital Signage and Art Gallery Installations Make a Better Impression

Digital signage Installations play a crucial role in creating impactful visual displays whether be it a retail store, office, or public venue. Professionals in this field have the expertise to install digital displays in strategic locations. They can also handle the technical aspects, such as wiring and mounting, which ensures the signage is not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing.

Art Gallery installations require precision and an eye for detail which ensures displaying each in the best look. The importance of proper placement, lighting, and alignment, in creating a cohesive and visually appealing gallery is very important. Whether it's a single artwork or an entire collection, professional art gallery installations ensure that each piece is securely mounted and offer many options like Avanti, Locator Minirail, Locator Extra, and Locator Classic. Each of the mentioned solutions for art has its own unique features Locator Classic offers a shadow line profile.

TV is found in most homes but this equipment can also be a source of beautiful interior design with proper installation. Send a mail to the leading installers of TV, art, mirror, etc and get a price quote along with clarifications for various issues.

Source: https://allabouthangingmelbourne.blogspot.com/2024/09/the-ultimate-guide-to-tv-mounting-in.html

[citeifoucault]

"Our media system today-the one that you and I make our livings from-is a descendant of the phone system only insofar as we use it for essentially the same purposes, plus many, many more. But the key point to remember is that it is totally different from the old phone system. The old phone system-and its technological cousin, the cable TV system- tanked. It crashed and burned decades ago, and we started virtually from scratch."   "Why? It worked, didn't it?"   "First of all, we needed to enable interactions between more than one entity. What do I mean by entity? Well, think about the ractives. Think about First Class to Geneva. You're on this train- so are a couple of dozen other people. Some of those people are being racted, so in that case the entities happen to be human beings. But others-like the waiters and porters-are just software robots. Furthermore, the train is full of props: jewelry, money, guns, bottles of wine. Each one of those is also a separate piece of software-a separate entity. In the lingo, we call them objects. The train itself is another object, and so is the countryside through which it travels.   "The countryside is a good example. It happens to be a digital map of France. Where did this map come from? Did the makers of First Class to Geneva send out their own team of surveyors to make a new map of France? No, of course they didn't. They used existing data-a digital map of the world that is available to any maker of ractives who needs it, for a price of course. That digital map is a separate object. It resides in the memory of a computer somewhere. Where exactly? I don't know. Neither does the ractive itself. It doesn't matter. The data might be in California, it might be in Paris, it might be down at the corner-or it might be distributed among all of those places and many more. It doesn't matter. Because our media system no longer works like the old system- dedicated wires passing through a central switchboard. It works like that." Carl pointed to the traffic on the street again.

Stephenson, 1997.