#Fight for Freedom data base

[titleknown]

While I really hate the narrative of "tech bros" because of how it conflates shitty CEOs with non-shitty base-level programmers, and how it conflates Dunning-Kruger-y early adopters with people who Know Their Shit about computers...

...On the AI art issue, I will say, there is probably a legit a culture clash between people who primarily specialize in programming and people who primarily specialize in art.

Because, like, while in the experience of modern working illustrators a free commons has ended up representing a Hobbseyan experience of "a war of all against all" that's a constant threat to making a living, in software from what I can tell it's kinda been the reverse.

IE, freedom of access to shared code/information has kinda been seen as A Vital Thing wrt people's abilities to do their job at a core level. So, naturally, there's going to be some very different reactions to the morality of scraped data online.

And, it's probably the same reason that a lot of the creative commons movement came from the free software movement.

And while I agree a lot with the core principles of these movements, it's also probably unfortunately why they so often come off as tone-deaf and haven't really made that proper breakthrough wrt fighting against copyright bloat.

It also really doesn't help that, in terms of treatment by capital, for most of our lives programmers have been Mother's Special Little Boy whereas artists (especially online independent artists post '08 crash) have been treated as The Ratboy We Keep In The Basement And Throw Scraps To.

So, it make sense the latter would have resentment wrt the former...

[zoobus]

A federal appeals court panel on Friday unanimously upheld a law that could lead to a ban on TikTok in a few short months, handing a resounding defeat to the popular social media platform as it fights for its survival in the U.S.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit denied TikTok’s petition to overturn the law — which requires TikTok to break ties with its China-based parent company ByteDance or be banned by mid-January — and rebuffed the company’s challenge of the statute, which it argued had ran afoul of the First Amendment.

“The First Amendment exists to protect free speech in the United States,” said the court’s opinion, which was written by Judge Douglas Ginsburg. “Here the Government acted solely to protect that freedom from a foreign adversary nation and to limit that adversary’s ability to gather data on people in the United States.”

[blackpilljesus]

Why I'm no longer a feminist

For context I've been heavily involved in liberal & radical feminist spaces, skirted around marxfems but they're all similar behaviour wise while claiming to be better than others which is what all the below points are based on. All of these apply irrespective of the type of feminism.

Feminism failed - Around 2020/2021 when I was still a feminist, I read an article about how feminism failed and realised it was right. It highlighted how it's been decades of feminism yet it took a pandemic to set women back (women turning to sex work to survive, women quitting their jobs to take care of kids) and it got me thinking. All this pandering to moids, all this work, yet women are always one political disaster away from losing it all. Now tbf it isn't exactly a fair battle with decades of established feminism going up against millenias of oppression but the below points certainly do not help feminism move womens freedom/rights forward.

So much infighting - Nobody is ever a true feminist. Despite everything feminists would say about maIe violence & how it affects womens lives; they'd lash out, smear, or block women that actually hated maIes. I'll never forget being blocked by a big feminist page for saying how women would be better off living without maIes in our lives using their poll data collected on what women would do if maIes didn't exist for 24 hours. They claimed I was being hateful to maIes like come tf on everyone else gets to hate their oppressor but women. Also I've noticed feminists are generally nicer to maIes despite all the abuse but harsher to women they disagree with. Complaining about maIes is just a hobby to them, when a woman more serious comes along they attack that woman more than they attack abusive maIes. Similarly they defend maIes more fiercely than they defend women & girls. Says a lot about their character. I'll expand more on these phenomenons on lower points. Having civil disagreements among feminists is rare (which is what happens when there's no direction) as disagreements will end up in explosive fights full of abuse, smearing, doxxing, etc. It's especially worse as a lot of the time these fights are over moids.

No clear goal or direction - It can't even be agreed among feminists who the movement is for, who is benefitting & being harmed by the system, and the goal. I get that there's usually factions within big ideologies but there's almost no cohesion among feminists which makes it difficult to even discuss let alone advocate so instead of moving forward, feminists go around in circles. Feminism doesn't seem to actually be going anywhere.

Not helpful to marginalised women (in the west) - Despite claims of adopting Intersectionality, marginalised women are often left out of serious mainstream conversations by feminists i.e. black women left out of blm as voices & efforts are focused on marginalised maIes.

Lot of copium - Rather than addressing problems, many feminists want to pretend the problem doesn't exist with a sister circle of women that'll do the same.

Realised how toxic & complicit women are - Even several feminists can be toxic maIe lovers willing to drag any woman & her name through mud for maIes sake. So much enabling behaviour is peddalled in the name of "sisterhood" but let it be a woman that doesn't want anything to do with maIes and feminists have no problem excluding & hating on her. Feminists speak about how women are just too kind & empathetic for their own good which is very misleading. Women are manipulative & also calculative with their actions, they aren't the innocent victims feminists preach them to be (not saying they have to be innocent but it's disingenuous & reckless pretending otherwise). Women (including feminists) will be gentle with maIes but harsher with women; especially women that merely disagree with them. Another issue I have with feminists is that (especially with radfems) they push "men bad women good" agenda when women are also bad. Just because they're oppressed doesn't mean they cant be bad. Whenever women have power (esp over other women) they can be evil. Besides the fact that women still love moids despite everything they do & their "bountless empathy goodwill nature" mostly extends to maIes says a lot about their so-called "goodness".

Realised most of this is just a pass-time until women find & lock in their nigels - Even fierce radical feminists of the 80s that went all out eventually settled down with a moid & kids reflecting on their radfem days as a hobby. I'm not looking to do the same. Many feminists, even the most staunch ones eventually end up bragging about finding a good man that's not like the rest, he's different they're sure of it (said every woman ever). The thing that gets me is that they cant even shut up about their nigel in a space supposedly for women, they want to affirm their ego by flaunting their special nigel to other women then months down the line it's "actually he was a manipulative POS" sure sis.

Saw how common maIe panderering is - each type of feminist accuses the other of pandering to maIes when they all do it, just in different ways and yes this includes radfems which was my last straw. Also many feminists prop up maIe voices even for the most simplest thing, they'll stand behind maIes being treated like crap by other ones for defending women but they wouldn't do that to women. I've realised that for most feminists it isn't about helping women advance irrespective of maIes but reforming maIes for their personal desires which takes me to the next point.

Despite all the complaining, statistics, news, theory, analysis; most feminists want to be with a moid & reproduce at some point completely overlooking everything they preach - I've realised how performative most feminists are. Separatism & the notion of not dating or reproducing with maIes gets so much hate bc these women only want to complain & get dopamine off playing victim. They want to have their cake and eat it and I want to part in that. Gets draining being in these spaces if you actually want nothing to do with moids & their evil. You get attacked for hating or wanting nothing to do with maIes instead of wanting to reform them. It's at a point where I'm agitated seeing the same headlines, discourse, theory, etc repetitively. It's like a pest, it irritates me because nothing will change. Moids will continue to abuse women with no consequences & women (including feminists) will continue to love them. I just dont care anymore. I've noticed the maIe panderers & reformers obsess over the repetitive theory, headlines, stats, etc because they want to change maIes to make it easier to settle down with them. Those of us who see that moids are past the point of redemption & want them gone aren't spending our days dolling out the same stats & theories. Look at many serious separatist/4b et al pages, many of them don't talk about maIes much (second half of this anons ask was questioning why I don't prominently speak about men & misogyny) and this is because we see the pattern, have drawn our conclusions, and now want to move forward. Saw the below photo in my gallery & it sums up this point tho it applies to all feminist communities. Drives you crazy when you're not invested in maIes or forming relationships with them. SN; bear discourse is also an example of this.

Realised that this goes beyond witty one-liners & comebacks - I feel like many feminists have created a culture of who can have the hottest take & it's become a thing of snapping back at maIes sorta like the below video explains rather than caring about women.

At some point when you actually don't care for maIes, you don't feel much & the discourse means nothing. I dont care if their behaviour is social or biological, I dont care if they can be reformed, I don't care if I or my actions dont make sense to moids, I just view them all as threats & want to be safe from their evil. No amount of throwing stats & headlines at moids will get them to change. Even if you "win" debates it doesn't bring material value for women but of course this pads many feminists egos as they've got an interest in changing maIes.

Saviour complex - many feminists have saviour complexes which causes arrogance fuelling many of the problems above. People are more aware than they let on and this includes about misogyny but a lot of feminists care more about looking like heros to feel good about themselves rather than actually helping women & girls. P.S todays set of feminists aren't the first set (or even first 3) of women to have the 'theory' of patriarchy that they do.

Feminism has generally done good work over the years for women but with what I want I dont see feminism achieving it. The light switch flipped for me when I saw that these issues from feminists weren't because of a minority but a majority. This isn't even personal I've seen feminists treat other women like crap for maIe validation. Look at what happened when the depp v heard trial was going on & how several feminists initially sided with depp to prove they can hold "female abusers" accountable & claim moids are victims with the expectation maIes can do the same. Feminists even went against andrea dworkin herself when she was raped. I've realised most women do not want liberation as this will likely come without their happily-ever-after life with maIes so they settle for reformation; however this cant be done without other women also taking hits which is why they'll pull the "we're all in it together bs".

[random-cockroach]

Okay, but decepticon Prowl didn't plan and prepare and properly defect from the decpticons, he was thrown out.

The ask that mentioned him being a bad shot got me thinking.

We rarely see Prowl as a bad shot, so either one of two things are going on

1.) Prowl is just not emtionally invested in this fight and is running too many numbers for something else but he has to be here against his will

2.) Prowl is intentionally shooting certain deceptions because "they threaten the future of the decepticons" (they threaten and beat up Prowl)

So after enough "bad shots" the grunts of the decepticon base Prowl was stationed on (as barricade) beat him up, and throw him out. Prowl is annoyed by this because obviously he is important but he can't reveal himself without ruining his cover. So he goes planet hitch-hiking to get back to Megatron and obviously get reinstated and protection.

While planet hopping, "Barricade" meets Jazz who is currently under the name of Meiser since he is infiltrating and taking a look at some decepticon territory. Barricade does not know that Meiser has been following him since he got thrown out. Barricade also does not know that Meiser has his suspicions about who he is. Afterall, there aren't a lof of praxians left in the deception forces, and this one has some dumb gold paint on his cheveron that has already started to flake and show red in these harsh outdoor conditions.

Barricade does think that Meiser is either an autobot spy (since he is not accounted for in any of Prowl's databases and battlefield simulations), or has a major glitch in his logic circuits that got him kicked out and now desperate for any social interaction (which must be the reason why he is hanging around Barricade, since no one ever actually willingly hung out around him before, and especially nobody hangs out with Prowl).

Things keep happening that try to kill "Barricade". But luckly clumsy Meiser is right there to "accidentally" shoot the problem right in the processor. Barricade does not remember Meiser having a gun on him. Or a knife. Or that feral of a smile. But anyways he has places to be and a mech to see.

Prowl intends on turning in Meiser-the-spy or just ordering the death of Meiser-the-idiot once he gets back to Megatron. Especially since through this adventure, Prowl has learned that Meiser will listen to a long thought out and perfect plan, then immidiately go do his own thing, so he can't be used as some disposable pawn in one of Prowls plans.

Evnetually Prowl gets back to Megatron. It is unfortunate that this regrouping happens on an open battle-field, but Prowl predicts that the decepticons will have to make a hastly retreat in 27.8 joors and does not want to miss his ride home. He expects to be welcomed by Megatron, updated on all battle field data, and then sent to the safety of the back of the lines to go sip a cube and win this battle.

Except Megatron has noticed that decepticons tend to have more friendly fire where ever he sends Prowl. And Prowl has already given him predictions and battle maps and troop movement plans for the next 100 vorn. And honestly? Megatron has wanted to punch Prowl for a while now.

So he does just that. One moment Prowl is clearing his vocalizer to get his attention while he is OBVIOSLY busy beating up an autobot. And the next moment Prowl is 12 feets away with a large fist-sized crater in his chest. Serves that nerd right.

Prowl goes offline. Not from the injury. But from the glitch that spawned when Megatron didn't welcome him back and start a much needed debreif.

Anyways, Prowl wakes up in the autobot medbay.

HELP, oh you all really don't like Prowl and want him punched ahagsgga

In my mind it's hard to turn events to that. You see, I think Megatron would treat Prowl like autobots treat Ratchet. Megatron is ruthless in the way he treats his warriors, they fight for "freedom" so someone's life is worth it. Prowl always gives 99% successful plan with minimal risks. And these plans work because Megatron accepts them. Decepticons can say nothing but they hate "Prowl" behind all these plans, because they can see that they are turning in even more bugs than they were before. Before it looked at least like a live or die battle. Now it is a straight order of dying in their cases. But hey, ahah, who is this "Prowl"? There is only Barricade and a possibility of his hidden identity leaking, it's just Megatron can't keep his optics on him 24/7 so making him second identity is a good way of preventing him from instant death. I actually want to think of the ways Starscream could switch his attention to Prowl and not like him because he can't be bribed. "With such tactician even I can be a leader" and Prowl just "-_-".

Prowl is left without voice, tracking, comms, everything is done to not let Megatron find him, but he will search for him even if everyone tells him he is dead. Prowl just need to fix everything and not let others find any info on him and somehow leave to send a signal. So I bet there are much more layers to all of that. For Megatron to want to punch him he needs to be like Starscream or be a Sentinel Prime.

Pffht, imagine you see a very beaten up Decepticon, clearly beaten up by his own people. Everything that allows to track you is ripped off. What does it mean? They wanted to get rid of him while making it look like he died of accident in the end, they got all they needed from him and left him to suffer. Means he had something valuable within him and clearly will be more anticipating in the interrogation with autobots. Revenge takes a place, wouldn't it? So even if Jazz is in a good condition and finds him, he clearly will bring him to Autobot base right away. Prowl will not search the way on his own, he will be thrown out where it is impossible to get out by his own, Junkion, so his priority also will be to get saved even if go with autobots with the possibility of revealing his identity and he will make everything to not let it happen

[globalnewscollective]

AI and Donald Trump Are Watching You—And It Could Cost You Everything

Imagine this: You post your thoughts online. Or you express support for human rights. Or you attend a peaceful protest. Months later, you find yourself denied a visa, placed on a watchlist, or even under investigation—all because an algorithm flagged you as a ‘threat.’ This isn’t a dystopian novel. It’s happening right now in the U.S.

How AI Is Being Weaponized Against Protesters and Online Speech The Trump administration has rolled out AI-driven surveillance to monitor and target individuals based on their political beliefs and activities. According to reports, these systems analyze massive amounts of online data, including social media posts, protest attendance, and affiliations.

The goal? To identify and suppress dissent before it even happens.

Here’s what this means:

Attending a Protest Could Put You on a Government Watchlist – AI systems are being trained to scan for ‘suspicious behavior’ based on location data and social media activity.

Your Social Media History Can Be Used Against You – The government is using algorithms to flag people who express opinions that don’t align with Trump’s agenda.

Expressing Your Opinion Online Can Have Consequences – It’s not just about attending protests anymore. Simply posting criticism of the government, sharing articles, or even liking the ‘wrong’ post could get you flagged.

Dissenters Could Face Harsh Consequences – In some cases, simply supporting the wrong cause online could lead to visa denials, surveillance, or worse.

AI and Student Visa Bans: A Dangerous Precedent Recently, AI was used to screen visa applicants for supposed ‘Hamas support,’ leading to students being denied entry to the U.S. without due process. This is alarming for several reasons:

False Positives Will Ruin Lives – AI systems are not perfect. Innocent people will be flagged, denied entry, or even deported based on misinterpretations of their online activity.

This Can Be Expanded to Anyone – Today, it’s foreign students. Tomorrow, it could be U.S. citizens denied jobs, housing, or government services for expressing their political views.

It Sets a Dangerous Global Example – If the U.S. normalizes AI-driven political suppression, other governments will follow.

Marco Rubio’s ‘Catch and Revoke’ Plan: A New Threat Senator Marco Rubio has proposed the ‘Catch and Revoke’ plan, which would allow the U.S. government to scan immigrants’ social media with AI and strip them of their visas if deemed a ‘threat.’ This raises serious concerns about surveillance overreach and algorithm-driven repression, where immigrants could be punished for harmless or misinterpreted online activity. This policy could lead to:

Mass Deportations Based on AI Errors – Algorithms are prone to bias and mistakes, and immigrants may have no recourse to challenge these decisions.

Fear-Driven Self-Censorship – Many may feel forced to silence themselves online to avoid government scrutiny.

A Precedent for Broader Use – What starts with immigrants could easily be expanded to citizens, targeting dissenters and activists.

What’s at Stake?

The ability to speak freely, protest, and express opinions without fear of government retaliation is a fundamental right. If AI surveillance continues unchecked, America will become a place where thought crimes are punished, and digital footprints determine who is free and who is not.

The Bigger Picture

Technology that was meant to make life easier is now being turned against us. Today, it’s AI scanning protest footage. Tomorrow, it could be predictive policing, social credit systems, or AI-driven arrest warrants.

What Can You Do?

Be Mindful of Digital Footprints – Understand that what you post and where you go could be tracked.

Support Digital Rights Organizations – Groups like the ACLU and EFF are fighting against mass surveillance.

Demand Transparency – Governments must be held accountable for how they use AI and surveillance.

Freedom dies when people stop fighting for it. We must push back before AI turns democracy into an illusion.

Source:

https://www.fastcompany.com/91295390/how-the-trump-administration-plans-to-use-algorithms-to-target-protesters

[f1ghtsoftly]

AllThe Women’s News You Missed This Week

4/28/25-5/5/25

The future of the Women’s Health Initiative remains uncertain. Gaga has a record-breaking concert in Brazil. Activists and survivors question the legacy of the late Pope Francis. Jill Soboule dies in a mysterious house fire. Thousands of Islamists organized in Bangladesh against women’s rights. Indigenous women mark 5/5 as a day of remembrance for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women around the US. 

Want this in your inbox instead? Subscribe here

Top Stories For The Week: 

Kamala Harris hits out at Trump in first major speech since losing election 

Indigenous people raise awareness about their missing and murdered 

How many more women and girls have to be attacked before we class misogyny as terrorism?

Emel Mathlouthi: From revolution to global stages, this Tunisian icon is creating feminist anthems that inspire change  

A CASE OF CONSCIENCE: THE CHRISTIAN FEMINISTS FIGHTING BRAZIL'S ANTI-ABORTION LAWS

Midwifery Is as Old as Birth Itself. Why Are We Still Fighting for It?

Financing the fight: Why redistribution, not charity, matters for feminism  

A Deeper Look: 

Inside the Gen Z housewife wars: can you ever be a feminist and house proud?

Why ‘Girl’s Girl’ Culture Still Centers Around Male Approval 

The Avenging Woman: The Politics and Aesthetics of Female Rage in Rape-Revenge Cinema 

Financing the fight: Why redistribution, not charity, matters for feminism  

Book Review: Sophie Gilbert, “Girl On Girl: How Pop Culture Turned A Generation Of Women Against Themselves” 

Tooling Up Against Misogyny in Schools Is More Important Than Ever  

Updates on the Trump Administration: 

The Women’s Health Initiative has shaped women’s health for over 30 years, but its future is uncertain 

Key reports addressing violence against Indigenous women are gone from federal sites 

Women’s Rights: 

'Unacceptable' to question Supreme Court gender ruling, says minister 

Bring a mahram or die: The Taliban threat to expectant mothers

UNAMA: Taliban systemically erasing women’s public life and freedom of movement

Towards an Inclusive Gender Just Code in India: Women’s Rights are Non-Negotiable 

Women in the News: 

What to know about Karen Read's second murder trial 

Kamala Harris hits out at Trump in first major speech since losing election 

Lydia Mugambe: UN judge who forced woman to work as slave jailed for more than six years

Michigan's governor gambles on Trump - and her chances at a presidential run 

Reproductive Rights: 

Olivia Rodrigo Wins Planned Parenthood Award for Repro Rights Activism

Midwifery Is as Old as Birth Itself. Why Are We Still Fighting for It?

A CASE OF CONSCIENCE: THE CHRISTIAN FEMINISTS FIGHTING BRAZIL'S ANTI-ABORTION LAWS

From Montana to Florida—How Past Pro-Abortion Ballot Measures Are Helping Fuel a Movement 

Josh Hawley Calls on FDA to Restrict Abortion Pill Based on Bogus ‘Study’ from Right-Wing Org

Women resist: 

Profiles in Courage: Michelle King Refused to Hand Over Your Data to DOGE. Then She Lost Her Job. 

Why the Khachaturyan Sisters' Case Fired Up Russian Feminists

Ugandan women unveil 2026–2030 manifesto, demand action on rights 

Ketanji Brown Jackson sharply condemns Trump’s attacks on judges 

Profiles in Courage: Danielle Sassoon, a Prosecutor of Principle, Quits After Rejecting Trump-Appointed AG’s Order to Shield Eric Adams

Mexico’s president says she rejected Trump’s plan to send US troops across the border

Diary of a Feminist: Dr. Amal Al-Malki’s Journey from Academia to Activism 

Abuse victims question if Pope Francis did enough to stop predators 

Men Retaliate: 

Thousands of Islamists rally in Bangladesh against proposed changes to women’s rights

Women Getting Justice? 

Iranian Father Who Killed Daughter Released After Three Months  

Excavation at former mother-and-baby institution to begin this year 

Women’s Legacy and History: 

‘Unwavering friendship’: The true story of nine women who escaped a Nazi death march 

‘I Kissed A Girl’ Singer Jill Sobule’s Body Found After Mysterious House Fire 

‘She changed the face of London’: statue to be unveiled of suffragist gardener 

Uplifting News: 

First Jewish woman minister in German cabinet since Holocaust 

90-year-old Who Has Saved Over 10,000 Animals at Sanctuary Has No Plans to Retire 

‘I do what I like’: British woman, 115, claims world’s oldest living person title 

Uncategorized: 

How the IMF can help increase women’s labour force participation in Egypt 

Violence Against Women: 

South African woman guilty of kidnapping and trafficking daughter aged 6 

Woman killed in France was lovely person, says husband 

Rape 'accepted way of life' say ex-forces women

Syria’s stolen daughters: The HTS campaign to enslave Alawite women 

Gender Trolling: Digital Manosphere and Misogyny in China 

Women on Vinted are being sexually exploited and no one is stopping it

An Israeli woman taken hostage by Hamas on October 7 has alleged she was drugged and raped by a well-known personal trainer after returning to Israel.  

Sexually harassed while job hunting in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan  

Young woman's strip search at festival akin to 'sexual assault', court told

Arts and Culture: 

Two million people attend free Lady Gaga concert in Brazil 

How Katy Perry became the Hot and Cold popstar 

Book of the Week: Ani O’Brien on Ali Mau 

Flick’s Rough and Tough Feminism Fits Pittsburgh 

Far East Film Festival: Yihui Shao’s Feminist Drama ‘Her Story’ Wins Top Prize 

‘Wolf Siren’ by Beth O’Brien: Feminist retelling of a classic children’s tale 

Iris Knobloch, Cannes Film Festival president: 'For most of my career, I was the only woman at the table'

These Mormon wives are TV’s Most Unlikely Feminists 

Emel Mathlouthi: From revolution to global stages, this Tunisian icon is creating feminist anthems that inspire change  

As always, this is global and domestic news from a US perspective, covering feminist issues and women in the news more generally. As of right now, I do not cover Women’s Sports. Published each Tuesday.

[hikkikoaubrey]

Please read, don't scroll pass this.

Hello, in this post I mainly wanted to talk about KOSA, as well as the "banning TikTok" bill that has also been a big problem lately. Now I know this is mainly an American issue but in the long run if these bills get passed it could lead to other places, and even then, it will ultimately effect America for the worse.

These bills aim to censor people and suppressing their freedom of speech. Literally going against first amendment of the US constitution (which is about freedom of speech)

Here are some links that will probably explain things better than I ever could, please look into them, and of course do your own research on this. (also KOSA and the TikTok bill are not the same thing) If nothing is done this could end up changing the internet for the worse.

(20) ˋˏ🍉 jessie/jes. ⁴ ⁵⁵ 🏎️ˎˊ on X: "A 🧵of resources for you to learn and start taking action against KOSA (a trojan horse for internet censorship): https://t.co/UfSIzz5nrD" / X (twitter.com)

https://x.com/T_H_E_B_I_T_E/status/1767935486926979327?s=20

https://x.com/SoftSuperstar/status/1768404026293420072?s=20

(20) Isa Baguette 🥖🍉 on X: "America is LITERALLY becoming a facist state before our eyes and some people STILL seem to think democrats, or republicans, will fix it. There NEEDS to be a MAJOR change to the way our government works and functions, because this is NOT it." / X (twitter.com)

https://x.com/_bilaire/status/1768067681687654471?s=20

(20) MaceAhWindu 🇵🇸 on X: "The fact that they won’t try and pass an actual American data privacy bill that protects user data and instead tries to ban the apps that aren’t based in America is proof that this banning TikTok thing has never actually been about protecting citizens." / X (twitter.com)

(20) courtney 🇵🇸 on X: "we’re watching blatant censorship bc these old farts are scared & y’all are not concerned enough for my liking 😭" / X (twitter.com)

(20) Mothball on X: "Btw the TikTok ban bill passed this morning, but only in the house, We will have a chance to fight against it in the Senate. I will make a thread on it in the near future. The TikTok Ban is a different bill from KOSA." / X (twitter.com)

Might add more to this post tommarow, and will make a post about project 2025 sometime soon

[usafphantom2]

How the SR 71 program died

Someone once wrote that her enemies will not be natural.

They embodied the worst human emotions: envy and greed, a burning anger toward something that they wanted, but they knew in their small hearts that they would never obtain.

It angered them knowing that there were men that were so much better than they were.

They weren’t good enough, so they made the good ones pay. They didn’t care if they ruined careers or stalled promotions because bringing them down was what brought them up.

The Pilots and RSOs (reconnaissance systems officers) flew in an airplane without any armament at 85-90,000 feet above the Earth. Theirs was the fight for justice and freedom from 1964 to 1990 of a War that never ended. We are still fighting a Cold War against communists. They put their life on the line for the freedom of the United States.

These SR-71 Warriors were going to battle as they dressed slowly and precisely in their pressure suits. These brave men knew they may never come home again to their family. ( 12 Blackbirds were lost to accidents) Their families shared in the glory, and in the tension that surrounded them, I noticed that some of my fellow Habubrats have anxiety disorders. That is understandable.

SR-71 was not designed for airshows or any glory it was designed by the Skunk Works to stealthily find out what our enemies were planning.

THE SR-71 PREVENTED WAR.

Satellites could never replace the SR-71. Satellites don’t orbit east to west. Satellites can’t collect 100,000 miles of data per hour and it is easy to predict the path of a satellite. There was new money for projects in the Air Force if they went with satellites.

The Air Force Chief put Lockheed out of the SR 71 business. The Chief said that Lockheed trying to keep the SR 71 alive was going to hurt their chances of winning the F-22 contract! Contractors like Lockheed only have one customer the Department of Defense.

The SR 71 funding was in trouble because first off the Air Force did not use the data collected by the SR. The users were the Navy, Army, DIA, and a little bit (ELINT) for NSA.

U-2 funding was in the General Defense Intelligence Program DIP controlled by the DIA. The Air Staff could not get at that money or they would have.

The SR money was in Program One called Strategic Forces. The reason once this very large amount of money was being spent on satellites they no longer wanted to fund the SR-71 The SR went from a national collection platform to a Tactical intelligence asset.

The SR 71 would be flying today like the U-2 if the Air Force had not gotten the funding data. ( The U2 is supposed to be retiring again. I’ll believe it when I never see a U2 in the air again.)

Linda Sheffield

My source is the soon-to-be-published book “SR-71 to Skunk Works “written by Colonel Richard “Butch” Sheffield

This is a picture of the SR 71 retirement ceremony at Beale Air Force Base, California.

@Habubrats71 via X

[silentmagi]

Making Our Own Solution: few random thought things for this au

1.headcanon/full blown idea that the episode names are different for this version of the series, as it goes

Ep 1: the pilot (double meaning this time around)

Ep 2: false heartbeat (in reference to finding slightly dronified tessa)

Ep 3: the mask of the gala (they use a second gala to mask their plans in the night)

Ep 4: Drone fever (tessa finds out that human sicknesses have odd side effects when you are part drone)

Ep 5: Overgrown Home (v, n, and tessa return to the old manor, memories are unlocked, and tessa does her best to comfort both of them, especially V as the memories re-unlock her old personality like an old wound that can now properly heal, uzi also helps the two weirdly hot robots and finds V some glasses since jcjennson decided to not fix her main visor still)

Ep 6: Brutal start (after dealing with their feelings and regrouping with new and old knowledge to help their plans, they plan to use an old weapons warehouse as a base of operations, though they find more inhumane drone and human kind experiments in the shape of the, this worlds sentinels, their heads are long abandoned tech monitors, straggling to a body of either a drone or a human…or sometimes both in the place of the usual head, they still can boot loop, though they find strange allies as well here)

Ep 7: Planned Obsolescence (after gaining this new ally and rallying and regrouping forces to use the place as a home base of sorts after some rewiring that let the sentinels be sanely aware again,it took tessa a couple tries to get right, they go over plans as they see tessa’s parents with…tessa? no…somethings not right, the eyes….too drone like, the skin too plastic, the eyes even look familiar, seems like they also have a old friend to save yet)

Ep 8: Eternal Beginnings (This is it, this will be the full on fight against the corporation that is jcjennson and of course, tessa’s parents on the board, but when the tide of battle looks like it is gonna be in favor of the corporation…a certain old drone and a new very annoyed and eldritch add-on work as a powerful duo in a singular body to bring the fight in favor of true freedom)

2.headcanon that cynessa in this universe was meant as a actual replacement for their daughter, using cyn as of course a base, and literally making her into the shape of a “replica perfect daughter”. As for the absolute solver? It was forcibly re-tasked with a monumental task coded in place of its old task, assist cyn in becoming this perfect replacement, now the absolute solver of course collects and analyzes data to figure out its true absolute end, but this new task? It is a Sisyphian task as whenever it thinks it has figured out the two parents, its not enough, its never enough, is this how tessa felt it wonders, the solver, still unchained but was originally intrigued by this new task, no sets its sights on becoming the absolute savior of humanity and drone kind

Making Our Own Solution

I love the idea that the episode names/chapter titles are going to be different.

Ep 1: that is a perfectly good title.

Ep 2: Oh that is a bit of brilliant foreshadowing. I love that we're bringing Tessa in early here.

Ep 3: Galas are just not going to be a good thing for this fandom. Yes, At the Gala, all their dreams will come true, at the gala (stop me!)

Ep 4: Oh, I could see that being a wild bit of weirdness. Considering that sicknesses don't even treat multiple humans the same way, I could see being cyborg could add to it.

Ep 5: I can see that there is a lot of memories, and hidden things in the mansion itself. Clearing through the overgrowth can be good, but also it could reveal deeper damage. Uzi gives V the glasses in a small moment of tender comfort, after V losing her shit about things.

Ep 6: I'm not so sure that Earth would have the sentinels, but having something like that would make sense, especially as they tighten their totalitarian regime.

Ep 7: Considering that both her parents and Tessa should not be able to be there and alive, there's something going on. They will have to go into what's going on there as well when they're preparing for their plans.

Ep 8: The climax, an ultimate showdown of ultimate destiny. I love that the old faces are making their showing.

Cyn is the base that they force to rebuild their good daughter and make sure that she's their perfect daughter by controlling her. Solver is trying to help Cyn stay alive and not have both of them destroyed. The Elliots have a kill-switch for a device in Cynessa to wipe them both if they are attacked by her.

Solver and Cyn act as one to rid the world of the Elliots, and doesn't care if they are erased, they cannot let the evil remain. She just hopes that the others will forgive her.

[yuri-for-businesswomen]

hate it so much when people think everything illegal is automatically bad and that if you are a ~good citizen~ you dont need privacy and autonomy. „if you have nothing to hide, why does it bother you when every action you take is transparent?“

for example, in germany there is a debate around cash because organised crime is laundering a lot of their money here. its easy since we are a very cash based country. and i had a discussion with my friends friend who was like, no we should abolish cash because of that. and i said well i dont want the government or anyone being able to retrace every payment i make. thats one step further towards the surveillance state! do i use cash often? no. but i want to have the freedom to. this is such a conservative law and order way to argue, like if youre not a criminal why shouldnt every payment you make be traceable? assuming the state only persecutes people who deserve it. and she said well you could set up a crypto account with this and that but thats still traceable. also if cash was to be abolished dont you think organised crime would be the first to find an alternative? they have the means and power. meanwhile the little woman is now a completely transparent citizen because the state managed to scare you into thinking cash is criminal. thanks! do people not realise that every right and freedom taken from us to „fight criminality“ is a right and freedom taken from us all? cash does not produce data, every noncash payment is traceable data about you. we already live in times where our data is stolen and sold. we should at least have the option to opt out when we want.

[in1-nutshell]

Okay I just had an idea for The Old Predacon archivist buddy for transformers prime how would ratchet and Optimus and possibly Megatron and starscream or maybe Orion would react to The old archivist Predacon buddy I can just see old Predacon buddy geeking out with Orion and Buddy would be like a mentor to Orion and Buddy would most likely try and make sure the humans stay out of trouble but how would The decepticons react to Predacon buddy go absolutely berserk like They just snap due to Predacon buddy's patience being completely gone because Predacon buddy doesn't really become angry or agitated because they have a lot of patience but at some point they are going to snap and is possibly going to show why they were terrifying in the gladiatorial arenas (also I probably think PreKing would be the adopted kid of old Predacon buddy lol but if you want you can add preKing if you want to) =]

Someone's going to do the impossible... making Buddy snap.

We will get Predaking and Buddy's interactions another time.

Hope you enjoy!

Bot Buddy the Old Predacon archivist snapping

SFW, Platonic, mention of injury, hurt and comfort, Cybertronain reader

TFP

When Buddy was back on Cybertron they had finally managed to score their dream job.

Being an archivist in Iacon.

Not that they really needed the job.

They managed to buy their own freedom from all the fights they fought, and they were still loaded from the other jobs they did on the side.

But they got bored, and they loved spending time in the halls of Iacon, not like anyone would be able to get them out anyways.

Buddy curled up beside one of the shelves intently reading a data pad.

One of the security guards turned the corner seeing the giant bot and just turning the other way.

They weren’t getting paid enough to deal with that.

Buddy managed to become acquainted with one of the clerks in the halls.

A small mech.

Orion Pax.

Orion walking into the halls after getting back from talking with Megatronus.

“Pax! My friend, there you are.”--Buddy

Orion spots Buddy happily walking over to him giving a slight shoulder hug.

Orion reciprocates the hug from his friend.

“I am fine Buddy.”--Orion

“Anything interesting happen?”--Buddy

“Not particularly.”--Orion

“I found the data pad you were looking for.”--Buddy

Buddy passes the data pad to Pax.

“Really? Where did you find it?”--Orion

“On the top shelf.”--Buddy

“…”--Orion

Orion was also starting to think he attracted dangerous looking bots.

Buddy loved spending time with the mech.

He was insightful for his age; it was nice to see it in the younger generations.

Buddy would share bits of their wisdom with him from time to time.

“Word of advice Pax, never get a Predacon angry. Especially in the air, you’ll be asking to get sliced by that point.”--Buddy

“What?”--Orion

“Trust me on that one Pax. It’s not pretty.”--Buddy

“…We were just talking about the rude client that stepped on your tail.”--Orion

When the time came for Orion and Megatronus, Buddy had a bad feeling about the whole meeting.

They never trusted the Senate.

Buddy would have been freed a long time ago if it weren’t for the Senate’s ruling over the arenas, this just further proved it.

Ratchet and Buddy waiting outside.

“What do you think will happen after this?”--Ratchet

“… I do not know Ratchet… Never have trusted the Senate. They are an unpredictable and diabolical bunch, there’s no telling what their agenda is.”--Buddy

Buddy turns to Ratchet.

“No matter what, keep an optic out for Pax for me will you?”--Buddy

“What? Where is this coming from?”--Ratchet

Buddy looking at their servos.

“Someone needs to try and look after Megatronus. Gladiator to gladiator.”--Buddy

“Buddy you’re too old to try and fight him now.”--Ratchet

“I’m not going to fight him Ratchet, just keeping an optic out for him. Hopefully this won’t last too long my friend.”--Buddy

Time skip after Buddy joins the Autobots.

Buddy enjoyed the little reunion with Optimus and Ratchet when they came to the base.

Granted they could have given them a fair warning…

Autobots minding their own business in the base.

Ratchet trying to reach the tool on the high shelf.

Buddy reaching over and handing it to him.

“Thank you.”--Ratchet

“You’re welcome.”--Buddy

“…”--Ratchet

Ratchet suddenly looking behind him meeting the chassis of Buddy.

“BUDDY!?”--Ratchet

Suddenly everyone realizes the giant Predacon on base.

Everyone’s weapons are pointed to Buddy as they calmly continue their conversation with Ratchet.

“Hello Ratchet! It’s been some time, no?”--Buddy

“How—What—HOW DID YOU EVEN GET IN HERE?!”--Ratchet

“I have my ways. Now, where’s Optimus?”--Buddy

Cue Optimus coming in with a data pad in his servo.

Buddy whipping their helm towards the sounds of the pedes and smiling widely.

“Prime!”--Buddy

Optimus having to do a double take.

“Buddy?”--Optimus

Buddy walks over to the Prime giving him a frame crushing hug, while Ratchet is trying to calm everyone down.

“Its been too long my friend.”--Buddy

“I thought that the war—”--Optimus

“Its going to take a lot more than a couple fireworks to keep me grounded Prime.”--Buddy

“Is there a reason why you’re here?”--Optimus

“Yes. I’m helping your side now.”--Buddy

“Why?”--Ratchet

“I will admit I was a fool for thinking there was still room to negotiate things with Megatron, the Predacon incident was the final straw. There is no turning back for him.”--Buddy

“Yeah… sorry about that?”--Bulkhead

“None taken my friend.”--Buddy

“Friend?”--Wheeljack

“Any friend of Pax—I mean Prime and Ratchet is my friend.”--Buddy

“Hey!”--Miko

Buddy looking down seeing a human girl with pink highlights.

“Hello? And who might you be?”--Buddy

“I’m Miko! That’s Jack and the little one’s Raf.”--Miko

“I’m not that little!”--Raf

Buddy watching the three humans have a little squabble.

Buddy is already making an oath to protect these teeny humans with their life.

Buddy loves the kids to death.

But they are going to be the death of them.

Stress is not good for the elderly.

Everyone constantly tries to see where Buddy’s limits are.

So far none of them had reached it.

But someone did.

Starscream did.

He did the impossible.

He made the old Predacon finally snap.

All he had to do was some light kidnapping and harm.

The Second in Command thought it was a great idea to kidnap the kids.

After tracking down their signal, Buddy was the first to find them while Starscream was still in the air.

Then Starscream transformed, letting the children drop out of his cockpit.

Buddy yelled as they dove down to catch them all on their backside.

While inspecting them, they noticed that Miko was holding her leg in pain.

“Is everyone okay?! Miko? Miko, what’s wrong?”--Buddy

Miko holding her leg with tears rolling down her face, biting her lip. Jack and Raf trying to steady her on Buddy’s back.

Buddy taking a better look at Miko’s leg, no leg should have been bent like that.

“What’s wrong Predacon? Your age finally caught up with you? Humans are so fragile aren’t they.”--Starscream

“What. Did. You. Do.”--Buddy

Starscream had the audacity to come over and laugh, admitting to having snapped the leg before tossing her in.

Snap!

Buddy carefully slipped the humans into one of their subspaces and headed into the nearest groundbridge.

Carefully passing them to Ratchet before sprinting back into the open groundbridge.

Optimus suddenly worried for his friend went behind his back in his jet pack. He hadn’t seen Buddy run that fast in a very long time.

The Prime had heard of Buddy’s fighting skills many times, even having the privilege to train a bit with them.

But it was a completely different experience seeing it with his own optics in the air.

Buddy bursting through the groundbridge grabbing their sword with a murderous look on their faceplate.

“STARSCREAM!”--Buddy

Buddy begins to fight Starscream avoiding all missiles and switching between their two modes to fight him.

“Where was this when you were a part of the Decepticons?! Where—”--Starscream

SLAM!

Buddy roundhouse kicking Starscream in the chassis.

“DON’T!”--Buddy

PUNCH!

“TOUCH!”--Buddy

KICK!

“MY!”--Buddy

SLAM!

“KIDS!”--Buddy

If Soundwave had not groundbridged him out of there The Second in Command would have been another number on Buddy’s scored board.

Good news for Starscream.

Bad news for the Decepticons…

Lazerbeak had caught the entire thing on video.

Decepticons looking at the main screen at Starscream’s beat down.

“Oh. My…”--Knockout

“They could have done that!? Here!?”--Breakdown

“…Do you think that the Autobots are still open for new recruits?”--Steve

Meanwhile with the Autobots.

After Buddy calmed down, they went back to the base with Optimus behind them.

The two didn’t talk much going back.

In a way, Starscream deserved that.

No one was going to hurt the kids without suffering any consequences.

Jack and Raf suffered from minor scrapes and bruises.

Miko had her femur snapped in half.

Lucky for her, it was a clean break.

Buddy did not leave the kids side for a long time.

They got too anxious whenever one of them was gone for too long.

To keep some peace, Buddy was allowed to protect them in the base while their guardians still did their jobs.

Especially when Miko decided to try and sneak out on another mission.

Bulkhead was lucky enough to catch Miko and bring her back to base.

“Miko you’re still healing. You still need a couple more days of rest, then you’ll be up and at it no time!”--Bulkhead

“I guess…” --Miko

The two walk into the base hearing a bunch of crashing and metal scrapping.

“Buddy you need to calm down!”--Ratchet

“Where is she!? Where is she?! I swear I just turned my back for one second! What if she’s hurt Ratchet!?”--Buddy

“She’s right there.”--Ratchet

Buddy turning around to see Miko on Bulkhead’s servo.

“Oh, thank the Primes…”--Buddy

Buddy transforms into their dragon form, gently picks up Miko from her shirt, curls up around her while ‘trapping her with their giant claws.

Raf and Jack join in the cuddle pile.

“You kids are not making it easy for an old timer like me.”--Buddy

“Oh please, Ratchet’s the oldest one here.”--Miko

“No, he’s not.”--Buddy

“No, I’m not”--Ratchet

“I’m the oldest one here Miko.”--Buddy

“Wait so you’re older than Ratchet? By how much?”--Raf

“… To put it into perspective, Ratchet is still a kid in my optics.”--Buddy

“How old are you!?”--Miko

“That’s a question for another time Miko. Get some rest.”--Buddy

[tanadrin]

I'm realizing that a lot of the motivation fueling antipathy towards China that I grew up experiencing can honestly be boiled down to 'foreigners scary and bad!!'. But also... isn't it true that they *are* actually doing some pretty uniquely terrible stuff? In a many ways the US is no better, but aren't there still massive restrictions on freedom of information and expression? And isn't it still an authoritarian one party system? I'm not even thinking about the ban specifically, just how people seem to have just sort of abandoned talking about that. I remember when Overwatch capitulating to a Chinese censorship demand was a massive scandal. Maybe they can't hurt us any worse with our data than domestic entities can, but it just strikes me as *weird* that we constantly worry and fight back against authoritarianism here and then just shrug at the country where it's way more blatantly in full swing.

Am I completely off-base here? Have I been fed too much misinformation to discern what's actually happening?

I think the Chinese system of government is objectively bad. I care about free speech and civil rights and the rule of law, and on that basis and many others I do not think anything I say should be construed as a defense of the Chinese system of governance, or its domestic and foreign policy. I don't even have a strong opinion on the TikTok ban! It may be good and it may be bad, and it doesn't seem like a huge legal travesty, though it doesn't make a ton of sense to me. "This policy strikes me as incoehrent and badly defended" is not, to be clear, equivalent to "I am personally outraged by this turn of events."

I don't love firms from the U.S. and Europe bending over backward to accommodate the censorious nature of the Chinese government. But there are very few tools the U.S. and Europe can wield that would practically be able to pressure China into being less censorious, and at best they could probably only manage to cause there to be even fewer commercial and cultural ties between China and the rest of the world, and that doesn't strike me as great, either. China is a large, powerful sovereign state. The CSQ can't engineer Chinese domestic policy--only the Chinese people can determine what system of government they have and what its policies are.

[thisgirlwhomustnotbenamed]

𝙎𝙪𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙤𝙣, 𝙓𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙈𝘾. PLEASE READ

Xavier, also known as Shen Xinghui has always been represented by a star. The "Xing" literally translates into "star". Which is the ONLY star that shines brightly in our solar system? SUN.

In testing data department, MC's Original name was "li yue", "yue" translates into moon. Hence MC and Xavier have been represented by the Sun and Moon.

In his recent teaser, following lines were said

"𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙤𝙣 𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙨, 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙙"

In the literary sense, the sentence means "the break of the dawn". When Sun aka Xavier and Moon aka MC will come together, the break of dawn will occur and the darkness of the world will finally come to end.

Did you guys see how Xavier was surrounded by different phases of moon during the battle scene and in his picture? It MAY have been indicating each phase of MC with Xavier in her every life.

𝑺𝑼𝑵 𝑨𝑵𝑫 𝑴𝑶𝑶𝑵 𝑨𝑺 𝑳𝑶𝑽𝑬𝑹𝑺:

In many ancient mythologies, Sun and Moon were indiciated as lovers, lovers with an impossible love. The sun always loved the moon and sacrificed his light, his existence to let the moon shine. Even tho, Sun and Moon were so far away with each other, they never stopped loving each other. The only time when SUN and MOON would meet would be during eclipses and have their short sweet moment but even their short sweet moment was seen as something catastrophic so they continued to love each other from a distant. Even when at night, when Sun can't be seen, it continued to give its light to the moon so that moon could be seen. Without SUN, the moon can't glow.

Does this remind you of two people? Xavier and MC.

If it wasn't for Xavier, who knows what might have happened to MC 14 years prior. She might have never escaped the research base and would have stayed trapped there. Xavier has always been protecting MC from the shadows and would have continued to do so had he not been lured into the trap to meet MC.

In chapter 8, when Xavier killed one of his former comrades, he said no one can touch MC not even him until the "right time" comes. What is the right and only time for SUN and MOON to meet? ECLIPSE. When it comes to MC and Xavier

He wanted to protect the MC for the shadows just like the sun and let her live her own life but their enemies had another plan. In the "world underneath" it has been said that MC needs Xavier's power, MAYBE to fully awaken her own abilities. Maybe MC will lead to earth's doom so they can move onto philos and live an eternal life. Just like the moon, our MC just wanted to be seen and loved by the moon and Just like the sun, Xavier sacrificed his freedom, his right to the throne, his peace his everything for his true love, MC. If this isn't greatest love of all time, then what is?

"𝙒𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚"

Xavier's and MC'S love is an impossible one, but Xavier like the sun will never give up on his love and fight till the end of time for his love, MC the moon with resilience and strength, something the SUN SYMBOLISES. Xavier's and MC's fate has been intertwined, they were always partners. In his myth, Mc Was supposed to be Xavier's knight and protect him with her life but then when she ascended the throne, Xavier was supposed to be MC's knight. In the present era, Both Xavier and MC are hunting partners, their fate always intertwined to each other. Even tho MC has no memories of her past lives, she fell again and again for Xavier, she found her guiding star always by her side whether she could see or not. Will they finally get their happy end this time around? Will moon and sun be able to rule over DEEPSPACE

OR

will Sun's energy finally fade away and if Sun's energy really faded away, can moon ever glow again?

[aynavaano]

Say my name

Part one of the Crosshair x you Series

Wordcount: 2.5 k

Rating: Explicit

Summary:

You work alongside Rex‘s team on their base on Teth to help them locate Tantiss, when Clone Force 99 arrives you can‘t take your eyes off their sharpshooter Crosshair. And when Rex asks you to question Crosshair about Tantiss and you two are left alone things get spicy.

Notes:

This started as a quickfire one shot taking place in Episode 6/7 of the BB season 3 I had to write after watching. It‘s doesn’t deviate from canon besides you are there. Fingering, blowjob, unprotected sex, season 3 made me fall for Crosshair, send help

—————————————-

The ancient stone walls of the monastery on Teth echo with the whispers of rebellion, a haven for those who dare to defy the grip of the Empire. In the heart of this bastion Rex has gather his allies and made a temporary commando central where you operate from. You got to know Howzer during the uprising on your home planet Ryloth and after he deserted you decided to join him and his brother in their fight for freedom. For the last weeks, you had stood by Captain Rex's side, aiding him in his quest to dismantle the Empire's grip on the galaxy and trying to locate Tantiss, an imperial base of which you knew little more than the name and that clones were held captive there. In the dimly lit commando room, you hunch over a datapad, the glow of the screen casting eerie shadows across your face. Your fingers fly across the keypad, deciphering the encrypted data from a device confiscated from an imperial assassin clone. The tension in the room is palpable as you wrestle with the complex encryption, each passing moment hopefully bringing you closer to unlocking the coordinates within.

Captain Rex's footsteps echo in the silence as he enters the room, his presence gentle yet commanding attention. "Any progress?" he asks, his voice betraying a hint of anxiety.

You look up from your work, exhaustion etched into your features. "I don’t know if we’re going to get anything out of it, Rex. But I haven’t given up hope yet" you reply, your voice tinged with determination.

Rex nods, his expression understanding. "Alright, I'll let you work. Just wanted to give you a heads up—Clone Force 99 will be here soon. One of their own was on the target list of that assassin. I figured you might want to talk to them. Two of them escaped Tantiss, maybe they have some bits of information that will help" he informs you, his words carrying a weighty significance.

Moments later, the distinct sound of a shuttle's engines fills the air, signaling the arrival of the legendary Bad Batch. As the door slides open, you can’t help but feel a surge of excitement mingled with trepidation. These were no ordinary clones; they were living legends, heroes of the republic turned renegades.

"Hey, Rex!" greets Hunter, the leader of the Bad Batch, with a nod of acknowledgment. Wrecker, the tallest, follows behind him, their presence exuding an aura of strength and camaraderie. And then there was Crosshair, his piercing gaze scanning the room with an intensity that sends shivers down your spine. Beside him stands Omega with her hound, the young girl who had captured the hearts of the Bad Batch with her unwavering courage. You try to maintain your composure as you greet them, but the sight of Crosshair makes you tingle. He nods in acknowledgment, his gaze lingering on you for a moment longer than necessary.

As the group settled in, you find yourself stealing glances at Crosshair, unable to tear your gaze away from the enigmatic sharpshooter. There is something magnetic about him, a silent allure that draws you in despite your best efforts to resist. Over a simple meal of spicy stew, the conversation flows freely, filled with tales of daring escapades and narrow escapes. You listen intently, hanging on every word as the Bad Batch regaled you with stories of their adventures. But amidst the laughter and camaraderie, there is an underlying tension, a sense of unease that hangs heavy in the air.

After the meal, Captain Rex suggest that you have a conversation with Crosshair to glean any additional information about the Empire's base on Tantiss while he takes the rest of the batch to the captured assassin. You feel a flush of heat rise to your cheeks at the suggestion, but you nod in agreement, your pulse quickening with anticipation.

You lead Crosshair to a secluded chamber in the upper floor, you usually come here if you need a quiet moment to think and you find solace in its simplicity and the view over the jungle surrounding the fortress. You sit cross-legged on the floor amidst a sea of scattered pillows and you motion for him to join you. His presence is a potent mix of strength and arrogance, a contradiction that both intrigues and unnerves you. "So, what do you know about Tantiss?" you ask, intimated by his presence, your voice barely above a whisper. Crosshair's gaze meets yours, his expression unreadable. "More than I care to remember," he replies, „but nothing that will help you I’m afraid“ ,his voice tinged with bitterness. "The experiments they conducted there...they were beyond anything I could have imagined."

As he continues to speak and tell you all he knew, you can’t help but notice the tremor in his right hand, a subtle reminder of the horrors he had endured. Without thinking, you reach out to touch his hand, offering a silent gesture of comfort. But you quickly draw your hand back and apologize, you clearly overstepped his boundaries.

The tension between you is palpable and for a moment, neither of you speak, lost in the tangled web of emotions that envelope you. And then, without warning, Crosshair leans in, his lips capturing yours in a searing kiss. It is a collision of passion and longing, a desperate plea for solace amidst the chaos of war. As the kiss deepens, you feel a wave of desire washing over you, igniting a firestorm of longing within. In that moment, all thoughts of duty and honor fade away, leaving only the two of you, bound together by a shared desire for redemption and salvation.

Crosshair's lips collide with yours again, igniting a wildfire of desire as he draws you closer, closing the space between you completely. His kisses hungrily trail down your neck, each one sending sparks of ecstasy coursing through your veins. As his hands explore your body, you feel a surge of anticipation building within you. Before he removes your shirt, his eyes seek yours, silently asking for permission. You respond with a nod, your lip caught between your teeth in anticipation.

Your top vanishes under his touch, revealing your bare skin to his hungry gaze. Crosshair's lips find your breasts, kissing and biting gently, sending waves of pleasure rippling through you. You reach for his armor, but he gently pushes you back, a silent command for you to yield to his control. He bends down to kiss you, his hand slipping into your trousers, finding you already wet and ready for him. Surprised by your lack of panties, he slides into your folds, eliciting a moan of pleasure from your lips and with a hunger in his eyes, he pulls down your trousers, his gaze fixated hungrily on your exposed body. Seated against the wall, your back pressed against the cool surface, Crosshair hovers over you, his lips trailing kisses along your neck. His fingers find your clit, rubbing it in slow, deliberate circles as he slowly slides two fingers into you. You moan with pleasure as he explores your depths, his touch sending waves of ecstasy coursing through your body. "Tell me what you want me to say," you whisper, your voice dripping with desire. "Say my name," he commands, sliding another finger into you. And as you moan his name, your climax already looms dangerously close, the tension building with every passing moment. "Come for me, baby," he murmurs, his grip tightening as he drives you over the edge. With his permission, you tip over into ecstasy, crying out his name as pleasure washes over you. Crosshair watches you with a smirk of satisfaction, enjoying the sight of you unraveling before him. "Such a good girl," he says, slowly pulling his fingers out of your wetness and licking them clean, savoring your taste.

As your orgasm subsides, you gently push him onto his back, whispering, "Please let me take care of you." and you begin to remove his armor, piece by piece, the sound of clanking metal echoing through the room. With each piece of armor that falls, his resistance weakens a little more, and as he finally gives in, his desire for you grows stronger with every passing moment. You want to give this man all the love and attention he deserves. Your arousal grows stronger with every piece you remove until he is down to his blacks and you can see the bulge that has already formed, his cock already so hard for you. When you finally remove the last piece of fabric you shiver. His cock already glancing with precum is so hard and so big, you already feel your pussy tingling again still sensitive from your first orgasm. You take a moment to admire him, his lean toned body is covered with scars but he is so beautiful and you feel proud that he lets you take care of him. With a tender touch, you trail kisses down his body, your fingertips tracing the scars that mark his skin, touching him with softness where he only experienced pain. With each caress, you feel him relax under your touch, his tension melting away in the warmth of your embrace. Leaning in close, you brush your lips teasingly against the tip of his cock, eliciting a sharp intake of breath from Crosshair. With a satisfied grin, you swirl your tongue around the head, savoring the salty taste of his pre-cum. His fingers thread through your hair, urging you onward as you take him deeper into your mouth, your lips stretching to accommodate his impressive girth. You moan around him, the vibrations sending ripples of pleasure coursing through his body. With each bob of your head, you take him further into your mouth, your tongue dancing along his length in a sensual dance of passion. His grip on your hair tightens, his hips rocking rhythmically against your movements as he seeks release. Your tongue swirling around him as you tease him to the brink of ecstasy. You feel him growing harder beneath your touch, his desire for release building with every passing moment. A low growl escapes his lips, a primal sound of desire that sends a shiver down your spine. But you want to prolong his pleasure, to savor every moment of this intimate connection and with a sultry smile, you straddle him, rubbing your wet pussy against his cock, feeling him throb with anticipation. "Tell me what you want," you whisper, your voice husky with desire. "Fuck me," he groans, his voice thick with need. "Fuck me like there's no tomorrow." and with a slow, deliberate motion, you slide onto his cock, feeling him fill you completely. You moan his name as you begin to move, the pleasure building with every thrust. The sensation of being stretched around him is exquisite, every inch of him pushing you closer to the edge of ecstasy. You rock your hips against his, setting a rhythm that drives you both wild with desire. Crosshair's hands grip your hips tightly, guiding your movements as you ride him like there’s no tomorrow. Each thrust sends shockwaves of pleasure coursing through your body, igniting a fire deep within your core. You lean forward, capturing his lips in a passionate kiss as you grind against him, the heat between you building with every thrust. His tongue dances with yours, exploring every inch of your mouth as if he's trying to memorize the taste of you. With a loud groan, he finds release, his warm cum filling you as you cry out his name in ecstasy. This was all you needed to tip you over the edge again and your orgasm washes over you once again. You sink down onto him and nestle your head into his neck, whispering his name softly. "Crosshair," you murmur, your voice filled with tenderness, content that you could give him some moments of ease.

As you both slowly come down from your climax, your fingertips trace over Crosshair's body “Whenever you need some ease, you know where to find m..” you whisper but before you can finish your sentence, a loud boom echoes through the room, shattering the tranquility. An explosion rocks the forecourt, and in an instant, Crosshair springs to his feet, pulling you close to him protectively. "Stay behind me," he commands, urgency lacing his tone as you both hastily dress. His movements are swift and efficient, his hands deftly securing his armor with practiced precision. You reach out to help him, but he's already finished, his skilled hands working with lightning speed. The comm in his helmet crackles to life, and you hear Hunter's voice, frantic with worry, asking about your safety. "Where are you, Cross? Are you safe? Is... the girl still with you?" Hunter's voice crackles over the comm, and in the background, you can hear Rex calling out your name to Hunter. Crosshair's response is swift and assured. "Yes, she's here. We're okay," he assures Hunter, his voice steady despite the chaos unfolding around you. "Our location has been compromised. We need to get out. Meet us in the back room she can lead you there. Rex has another way out." "Understood," Crosshair answers over the comm, and then the line goes silent. He turns to you, his eyes a mixture of determination and concern. "Listen, you have to follow my command now," he demands, his voice firm. "Stay close to me, no arguments. I won’t let anything happen to you. I'll get you out safe if you show me the way" he adds, a hint of affection in his tone. You nod in agreement as he reaches for the door, his hand trembling slightly. With a deep breath, he pushes it open, ready to face whatever lies beyond.

You and Crosshair navigate through the chaos of the main hall, debris and panicked voices filling the air. Crosshair keeps a protective arm around you, his protective presence a comforting anchor amidst the turmoil. Together, you manage to slip into the back room, your heart pounding with every step. Crosshair's keen eyes scan the surroundings, ensuring your safety before allowing himself a moment's respite. "You did good," he murmurs, his voice low but filled with gratitude. His brothers, along with Rex and a few others, are already gathered in the room, their expressions a mix of tension and relief at your arrival. Rex wastes no time, swiftly pushing aside a stack of crates to reveal another exit, a contingency plan for situations exactly like this. As you begin to move toward the newly revealed exit, Crosshair remains steadfast at your side, his protective instincts kicking into overdrive. Wrecker, unable to resist the opportunity for a bit of levity amidst the chaos, can't help but interject with a teasing remark. "You seemed to have a good talk, CROSSHAIR, heh?" Wrecker jests to his brother, a mischievous tone in his voice. You blush but Crosshair's response is swift and sharp, his tone laced with a hint of annoyance. "Jealous?" he snarls, his words clipped as he protectively guides you towards the emergency shuttle stationed further down the stairs and as you make your way down you feel his warm cum oozing from your still sensitive pussy leaving a sticky trail in your trousers.

[probablyasocialecologist]

Regardless of what companies and investors may say, artificial intelligence is not actually intelligent in the way most humans would understand it. To generate words and images, AI tools are trained on large databases of training data that is often scraped off the open web in unimaginably large quantities, no matter who owns it or what biases come along with it. When a user then prompts ChatGPT or DALL-E to spit out some text or visuals, the tools aren’t thinking about the best way to represent those prompts because they don’t have that ability. They’re comparing the terms they’re presented with the patterns they formed from all the data that was ingested to train their models, then trying to assemble elements from that data to reflect what the user is looking for. In short, you can think of it like a more advanced form of autocorrect on your phone’s keyboard, predicting what you might want to say next based on what you’ve already written and typed out in the past. If it’s not clear, that means these systems don’t create; they plagiarize. Unlike a human artist, they can’t develop a new artistic style or literary genre. They can only take what already exists and put elements of it together in a way that responds to the prompts they’re given. There’s good reason to be concerned about what that will mean for the art we consume, and the richness of the human experience.

[...]

AI tools will not eliminate human artists, regardless of what corporate executives might hope. But it will allow companies to churn out passable slop to serve up to audiences at a lower cost. In that way, it allows a further deskilling of art and devaluing of artists because instead of needing a human at the center of the creative process, companies can try to get computers to churn out something good enough, then bring in a human with no creative control and a lower fee to fix it up. As actor Keanu Reeves put it to Wired earlier this year, “there’s a corporatocracy behind [AI] that’s looking to control those things. … The people who are paying you for your art would rather not pay you. They’re actively seeking a way around you, because artists are tricky.” To some degree, this is already happening. Actors and writers in Hollywood are on strike together for the first time in decades. That’s happening not just because of AI, but how the movie studios and steaming companies took advantage of the shift to digital technologies to completely remake the business model so workers would be paid less and have less creative input. Companies have already been using AI tools to assess scripts, and that’s one example of how further consolidation paired with new technologies are leading companies to prioritize “content” over art. The actors and writers worry that if they don’t fight now, those trends will continue — and that won’t just be bad for them, but for the rest of us too.

[kryptonbabe]

Green Lantern of Sector 914: Mucoromycotin 82 or Mucor

Some references of how Mucor's body could be, the moss-like cells are apparent all over their body and are the actual font of their life. Source 1, 2.

Name: Mucoromycotin 82 / M82 / Mucor

Base Of Operations: Kuora (planet), Multitude system, Sector 914

Mucor is a scrap bio-mech, mostly composed of leftover metal and found parts in a functioning robotic body, they are not a purely mechanical being, their core and main electrical font of processing and movement is biologic. These biological cells have a moss / mold like appearance and spread over the mechanical parts and give them movement, they are the conscious and thinking part of Mucor's species, the µ.

As a bio-mech Mucor works most hours of the day, they started to use their 5 hour break to read whatever they could find in the abandoned data library found during a work excavation. Reading the pre-war logs, historical registers and the political and philosophical works of diseased thinkers and scientists of the past, Mucor started to feel anguished and rebellious about the life they and their people lived, being explored by the upper classes who enjoyed a fixed life with unlimited growth (only the working class and the outcasts lead a mobile life in their system). Mucor was chosen by a power ring during a rebellion against the upper class force units in which they were the leader of a losing group of workers.

After becoming the Green Lantern of sector 914 Mucor was able to help the people of their planet, however there's a lot of work to be done since their solar system is colonized by the µ and given the variety of forms and cultures the µ can take it's a complex work that keeps Mucor busy and mostly absent of the wider Green Lantern conflicts, some say Mucor and the Guardians do not have a good relationship since Mucor believes their rule to be authoritarian and somehow similar to that of the ruling classes of their own system. However no one can deny the feats of courage Mucor of Kuora (their planet) achieved fighting for the freedom of their people and working as a Lantern in their solar system.

Mucor uses the ring to change their appearance, complementing their mechanical body with their ring constructs to transform into practical forms that help them solve problems. They're very attuned to the structural issues of his system and aware of the importance of education, most of their feats are oriented in that direction. They have a serious problem with authority and that makes them a big fan of Hal Jordan, although they never met (Mucor has a Hal Jordan poster on their private quarter at Oa) Kilowog admires their determination, but desaproves of their humor instability.

About the µ (biology and society)

The µ or Mu collective is a group of unicellular individuals that more or less share a hive mind. Their evolution is similar to that of the Fungi on Earth, however due to the specific circumstances of their planets and the amount of time the µ have been in the universe, they have evolved in a different direction. Despite being capable of life (and reproduction) in unicellular form, in group, the Mu are capable of building long tubes of communication to share nutrients and information through electrical impulses that can form complex structures of thought and conscience. Their "hive mind" is proximity based, the more distant they are the less mentally connected they are, if they're severed they become a separate entity.

Their mold / lichen / moss like appearances. Despite their color they're not capable of photosynthesis

The µ cells spread in colossal webs that took over their entire planet of origin (Kuora), in addition to that their resilient single cell life made it very easy for them to spread over their solar system (the Multitude solar system). They separate in groups that can spread from over hundreds of kilometers to a few meters; these groups developed different cultures and social relations with time. Early in their space exploration the Mu collective spread in search of energy - scarce on their planet of origin - these searches took thousands of years to come to fruition in a stable manner (social conflicts abound in their history).

Multitude solar system - each planet has a population of Mu, they vary in their access to energy and economical stability and internal conflicts

During that conflicted time, the Mu collective while still remaining single celled life forms, developed different ways of presenting themselves, different colors and forms: some remaining fixed in their place on the ground, vegetation and other substrates, while others having a more mobile life, becoming part of a bigger system capable of independent locomotion, this can be: a) parasitic (they can attach to other organisms and take over their neural system partially or completely - which is considered outdated and morally reprehensible nowadays) or b) mechanical (they create and then attach to mechanical structures also capable of locomotion and specialized designs; some of the robots developed by the Mu are capable of impressive transformations, changing their form to adapt do different environments in different planets / biomes).

Mechanical Mu usually have specialized bodies - the Mu cells take over the mechanic hosts and controls them from the inside or the outside through highly evolved bioelectrical adaptations. Source 1.

There's a social / economic logic to their forms, mechanical Mu are usually explored to work for the fixed Mu, a privileged class who having no need to work and fend for themselves, can afford to live a fixed life dedicated to the arts and intellectual creations in their simulators in quantum computers, some of them live an hedonistic life in those settings too. Mechanical Mu are considered the working class while the parasitic Mu are pariahs who could not afford to build / buy a mechanical body and, in need to search for their nutrients, depend on other biological bodies to roam around and make a precarious living, they can look like zombie-like creatures, but they try to avoid the process of decay by using metal parts and other methods to keep the host body functional. This class is mostly despised by the others for the appearance and the criminal associations.

I wrote this inspired by @incorrect-green-lantern-quotes game, I love robots and weird life-forms and I think sometimes the GL stories could take their alien concepts a bit further... If you have any idea for a GL original character please share!