#Interconnected Networks

[epicstoriestime]

The Art of Online Communication

In what ways do you communicate online? Threads of Connection: A creative expression of the multifaceted ways we communicate in the digital age, where every message builds bridges across the expanse. Online communication feels like composing a symphony in the digital world, with each platform acting as an instrument, each message a note in a larger melody. For me, writing takes center stage.…

[safesoundelectric]

A Bright Spark of Hope for the Open Web

Safe & Sound Electric is excited about ActivityPub's potential for a more open internet! We're committed to building a brighter digital future. Join us! #ActivityPub #OpenWeb

Hey there, Safe and Sound Electric checking in! We’re keeping our fingers crossed for ActivityPub. Sure, there might be some hiccups along the way, but the whole idea of a decentralized, user-controlled internet? Now that’s something we can really get behind. You know how they say, “Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst”? Well, we’re definitely feeling that. We know building a truly open…

[serpentface]

Do psychotropic drugs and/or ritual play a role in any of the blightseed cultures? A pretty broad question, lol

Yeah that’s a very broad question, the answer is about as much as it tends to play roles in real history. Alcohol is pretty ubiquitous (outside of cultures that abstain from intoxicants) and used for a variety of purposes, opioids are commonly used in some parts for pain relief or recreational purposes, stimulants (usually in mild, natural forms) are used to provide extra energy, and hallucinogens are most commonly used as part of a larger religious framework (rather than for recreational purposes). Any more elaborate answer kinda has to be case by case in a certain culture or part of the setting.

I'll just take this as an opportunity to talk about the one established sect that pretty much REVOLVES around psychoactive use. This is the Scholarly Order of the Root, which is a sort of mystery religion + elite community of scholars who currently occupy the Ur-Tree and its forest in the far southern Lowlands (southeast of Imperial Wardin, on the same land mass).

The Ur-Tree is the obligatory Huge Fucking Fantasy Tree (and its surrounding forest). It’s a mass of vegetation about a mile tall and almost as old as Plant Life Itself, its upper branches are primeval plants, which become more modern the nearer they get to the ground (and each 'level' holds tiny ecosystems, some containing descendants of LONG-extinct arthropods/other small animals). Its lowest branches and the surrounding forest are contemporary plant life, and all is connected and protected by an incomparably MASSIVE fungal mycelium network (which is itself a living god).

A lot of the Scholars' more secretive practices revolve around experimentation with substance use with the goal of expanding the Mind and transcending the body to fully connect to the Dreamlands, and they have a supply chain of traders and mercenaries called Rootrunners who traffic substances into the Lowlands. Most of their psychoactive use is in a very intentional capacity and not just like, for fun, but a LOT of them are just straight up addicted to cocaine (in the form of alchemically refined bruljenum, which is used for practical purposes of its stimulant effect during long hours of work).

All known psychoactives are desirable for experimentation (particularly hallucinogens), with each having properties that either allow expansion of the Mind, transcendence of the body, or outright divine communion. Their effects are logged in great detail and interpreted to form the basis of the Scholars' understanding of the natural world and reality itself.

The most important substance is Ur-Root, which is root matter from subterranean levels of the Ur-Tree that have both their own intrinsic psychoactive substances and a very, very high concentration of living god mycelium. The tree root contains DMT and the mycelium has its own wholly unique effects (being an actual living god). They alchemically refine it into a purer, more potent form, and use it to expand beyond the body and directly commune with the Giants, a group of entities they have identified as the only true gods.

An Ur-Root trip starts off with minor visual distortion, which turns into shifting fractals that slowly obscure the vision. Eventually the senses are entirely taken over by a 'tunnel' of rapidly shifting fractals and geometries. In a complete trip, the experiencer gets a sense that they have been pushed through a membrane and entered another realm, finding themselves in a distinct experiential Space.

At this point they may encounter entities which communicate to them in a language impossible to describe but wholly understood. These beings are understood to be the Giants, or at least aspects of the Giants that mortals are capable of comprehending (they often take familiar tutelary forms of the Mantis or the Snake, or appear resembling the same type of sophont that the experiencer is, all composed of ever-shifting geometries). The experiencer often feels a sense of unconditional and endless love from these beings, though the Giants may be more hostile and may appear in the form of the Trickster (usually a cultural figure regarded as malicious, be it an animal or otherwise) in a bad trip.

(^Up until this point, this has mostly just been a DMT 'breakthrough' experience ft. 'machine elves' and the like).

They are then removed from this space and returned to something that feels like the real world, but is nearly unrecognizable. They have a sense of rapidly moving through time, and will usually see 'the spires' towards the beginning, which just so happen to look like this:

(source + some context via Implication- the spires are exactly what this art is depicting)

The experiencer continues to move across an unfathomable amount of time, occasionally 'seeing' other such flashes of unfamiliar landscapes and creatures, and yet also being devoid of all their senses, the 'seeing' is pure, unfiltered experience. There is a sense of interconnectedness with all life, and that one has become the forest (or even Life) itself. The sense of time is wildly distorted, the trip lasts only about 5 minutes but feels like an eternity and is understood as literal hundreds of millions of years.

The experiencer has usually lost any remaining sense of Self and individual consciousness during this phase (in which case this time distortion is usually a neutral or even peaceful experience), but some retain a fraction of their identity, and find themselves trapped and conscious while experiencing what feels like eternity (which can be LIFE-CHANGINGLY distressing, even after the fact).

(^This latter part of the trip is the effects of the Ur-Tree fungus).

The trip ends with a sense of rushing through the ground and back up into one's body, at which point they will abruptly return to their senses and consciousness. The details are then immediately retrieved via interview and recorded in immense detail. The whole experience is understood as having been full comprehension of the Dreamlands, communion with the Giants, and then a tour through the act of creation.

This is done as part of the initiatory practice into the inner mystery-religion of the scholars, and as needed for study by high scholar-priests. It is not taken lightly, both as it is absolute communion with the gods and reality, and in that it can be a very, very difficult experience. People who have gone through this often walk away with a permanently shifted perspective, often in a positive and/or comforting way- a sense of interconnectedness with all life, a peace with the concept of death, seeing less of a point in individual ego and the concept of Self, and comfort in the sense of divine love they (may have) experienced. This heavily influences the philosophy of the Scholars and has had effects by proxy in the religious worldviews of the region.

Details of this experience are closely guarded, and initiates are given absolutely no prior knowledge and expectations for their trip. This is seen as a necessity- their naivety will allow for a true, unfiltered experience, and can be used to gauge whether they should or should not be accepted. Those that have a distinctly bad trip upon initiation may be assumed to have been 'rejected' by the giants and thus denied full priesthood, though this largely depends on How they interpret their distressing trip- those who identify this as a test and harsh lesson in a journey to enlightenment may be accepted (as this is how fully initiated scholar-priests interpret and handle their bad trips).

This inner priesthood is only a small fraction of the Scholarly Order, and its greater function is as a hub of education and repository of knowledge, and Scholar-trained doctors can provide some of the best medical care available in the setting ('best medical care in this setting' only means so much but it's pretty solid, relatively speaking). Only a chosen few Scholars ever get to commune with the Ur-Root, and most of the divine secrets revealed in the process are kept hidden (though they indirectly influence the politics and worldview of the entire order).

[spotforme]

sorry but you can't convince me that the High Visionsry cult isn't in a sci-fi city on the junkyard Ganymedeian moon in the bacement of the restaurant brothel Rimmer tried going into

like they have the "girls girls girls" sign! what more proof do you need!

i know they said they live in Browston or someyhing but who said cults can't go abour re-naming places to alienate prople huh

[weatheryear]

World Wide Web

The internet was created to give the US military a communication system that could survive a nuclear war. The idea was to have an interconnected network of computers without hardline routing. Instead it was handled by variable heuristics. This means that even if half of the nodes were destroyed, the system could find a way to route along different paths and still, eventually, reach it's destination.

It was a brilliant form of asynchronous communication.

Academia had created it, and quickly found great use in networked communication and remote data processing.

And now we use it to view porn. So, what happened?

The World Wide Web. Before the WWW, you had to know the IP address of your friend's computer, be given permission, and then log into his bulletin board service.

The World Wide Web was a system of protocols that created a public internet front. ANY person could find it through HyperText Transfer Protocol, use a public log-in, and access the web site. The HTTP was designed to be crawled by search engines, allowing them to effectively index the entirety of the public-facing internet.

One of the first real search engines was call WebCrawler, because it - crawled - the HTTP of the WWW.

They would load page, then open and index every - single - hyperlink contained in the document, storing and indexing meta tags.

We also ended up with MetaCrawler, that would index multiple other search engines, allowing it to provide a far more comprehensive system of results.

Nowadays, most search engines are meta crawlers, and because of the prominence of Google in searching, Google results are over weighted, meaning that there is almost no way to escape the dogmatism of Google's biased search algorithms.

And the reason we use it for porn is that this was the first viable online business plan.

[squirrelno2]

(feeling a little bad about not having updated anything even though i have Very Good Reasons of real life existing, so have a snippet of Sometimes a Family Is from The Vault!) I have not yet finished the part of this series where Echo and Fives actually reunite, and in fact a large part of me wants to completely revamp what already exists because I'm insane like that, but we're all here for angsty fluff about clones being dads anyway right? I present to you: Fives agonising over what to name the kids who are totally not his kids.

"You know you'll have to name them sometime," Echo said, leaning against Fives as they watched the two youngest kids work together to painstakingly sort shapes into holes. He squinted at the toy they were using. "Is this dexterity training?"

"Dogma said something about pattern recognition," Fives said. "Or - something. He panic reads parenting help articles and I can't keep track anymore. What am I supposed to name them? It feels wrong just giving them a name. They haven't had a chance to find out who they are yet. What if I give them the wrong one?"

"Right," Echo said. "What a tragedy, having someone else name you. Didn't you start Echo?"

"I think that was Cutup," Fives said. "The Kaminoans' little echo." He sounded nostalgic. Echo, having been the victim of that particular barb, was much less so.

"My point is either they grow into it or they get to pick a new one later," Echo said. "But you can't call them the blue one and the brown one forever."

"Who's calling them that?" Fives looked like he was ready to pick a fight about it. Echo tried not to laugh.

"Ven," he said. "You better act fast."

"I don't know where to start," Fives said. "Mine was easy."

"Fives, we picked our names because we had to," Echo said. "I know it's daunting, but - if you don't pick a name for them, it says you didn't care enough to give them better than what we got. I know that's not true. But they're, what, two? Three? They won't know anything more than their namelessness for a long, long time."

His brother swallowed, eyes fixed on the two children as the Pantoran bit solemnly into the edge of a plastic star. It was big enough not to fit in the kid's mouth, and they seemed content to gnaw at it with their purple gums.

"Dogma's got to be able to track down a baby name list or eight," Fives said finally. "We should look for Pantoran names, right? You're supposed to connect kids to where they're from."

That sounded like something Fives and Dogma would know better than Echo. The only kid he'd had to worry about until finding Fives out here was Omega, and she was a clone like any other. Kamino was where they'd come from, but not somewhere they ever really wanted to go. Then again, maybe that proved it: it must be nice for kids like the Jedi younglings in front of him to grow up knowing there was somewhere holding a place for them.

[cnu-newurbanism]

The Neighborhood, The District, and The Corridor - Charter Principle 12

[ur-stepdad]

hm maybe if i write about my childhood i'll be able to process it

*shocking realization*

*finally connects 2 dots that have always been suspicious*

*funny realization*

*fond memory*

*recontexualizes things from an adult perspective*

*REALITY BREAKING realization*

[dollpiles]

my tumblr experience is kinda weird since most of the people i follow are mutuals and friends with each other and then there's me, who knows a few of them but is largely doing my own thing and just watching the shit they do as spectator

[gravitasmalfunction]

Graeber, David (2018). Bullshit jobs. Simon & Schuster, New York

WEEKS, K. (2011). The Problem with Work: Feminism, Marxism, Antiwork Politics, and Postwork Imaginaries. Duke University Press. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv1131fj6

You're given two job offers. You can only accept one, and you can't get a second job or a have side hustle.

The first offer is your dream job, your passion project doing what you love, the career you've always wanted more than anything else, the job you would sell your soul to be able to have. However, you will never make enough to support yourself, and you'll be completely reliant on government assistance.

The second offer is to sit in an empty room naked Monday through Friday, eight hours a day. The only details you're given are that you are allowed to bring entertainment, and you get a break for lunch. The job pays one million dollars (or whatever the equivalent would be where you live) per month.

[devils-yui]

Reposting this from a friend bc I think it is VERY important to know of this, and for immigrants, and other possible victims of the ICE Raids happening right now

Here’s to also a very huge edit, from the list of very helpful people who have been reblogging and providing more info.

I’m not as well informed but I will be relaying the information and tagging each person who added onto this post:

@onthedriftinthetardis -

The phone number in the first photo is ONLY for Orange County, California!

Look up your local ACLU affiliate here

@6feetunderwater -

It always makes me nervous to see a reporting phone number passed around without any links to verify it, so the number in the first pic can be found on the site for the Orange County Rapid Response Network, which is "an interconnected system of non-profit and grassroots organizations, civil rights attorneys, law school clinics, and individuals working together to respond to dehumanizing immigration enforcement activities and policies in Orange County"

@geekerypeekery -

The second warrant is not fake, but is an administrative rather than judicial warrant, and has no constitutional authority to bypass Fourth Amendment protections - in other words, it does not entitle the bearer to enter and search your home. It simply authorizes agents of the issuing department to contact you. Always ask to see the warrant before opening your door!

In addition to the ACLU links, try contacting the National Immigration Law Center https://www.nilc.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Warrants-Subpoenas-Facts.pdf

@american-anger -

The phone number listed here is specific to Orange County in California, but you can look up other California counties here:

CALIFORNIA RAPID RESPONSE NETWORKS

@beaniebaneenie -

Unpleasant reminder: within 100 miles of the border (which is home to 200 million people and virtually all major cities in the US), ICE does not need a warrant to enter your home, your car, to search anything, or even to arrest you.

You are not automatically safe just because they don't have a real warrant.

The best and safest thing you can do is learn to have escape routes- quick ways to get out of the house or area you're in if you find out ICE or CBP are around. Those of us who do have documentation? Time for us to step the fuck up.

Film any interaction. Every interaction. If you're able, step into the conversation and be a Karen/Kyle- weaponize your privilege for Good. If you get asked about people? Use positive but vague statements so you a) cannot be caught in a lie, and b) do not give any information away.

"I don't know them that well, but I don't tend to socialize much. They seem great to me."

"I can't remember the last time I saw them."

"Maybe they speak another language, I can't remember details. But I picked up Duolingo during the pandemic and tons of other people did too."

"I'm not sure."

"I'm sorry, I can't help you."

Even if you're somewhere the 100-mile Exception doesn't apply and a warrant is in fact needed? I don't expect ICE and CBP to play by the rules for long, if at all. I fully expect this to get ugly, and fast.

Cheeto has already declared an emergency of national security at the border, and is mobilizing the military to have jurisdiction over a huge swath of the country. It's essentially tantamount to martial law. And it's only been four days.

Gear up for a long, hard fight. This is gonna be a marathon, not a sprint.

— I am leaving all of this as an edit because on the off chance someone does find the posts that have these people specifically reblogging, I don’t want it to be too late. So I’m comprising it all here

Here are a few other people’s reblogs I thought were important:

Thank you @onthedriftinthetardis @6feetunderwater @geekerypeekery @american-anger @beaniebaneenie @bunnychiffon @dubiouslynamed @trisockatops @witchy-disaster for contributing and helping me make this a more well-informed post. Thank you so much

[niggadiffusion]

[raffaellopalandri]

The Quiet Revolution of Being: Uniqueness, Interconnection, and the Gentle Dissolution of Specialness

In the endless pursuit of self-improvement and societal validation, a pervasive narrative often takes hold: the imperative to be special. Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com From childhood trophies to social media metrics, we are bombarded with the message that standing out, being exceptional, and achieving distinction are the hallmarks of a successful and meaningful life. This quest for…

[ourwitching]

While device interconnectivity is increasingly approaching true “plug and play” functionality, ther...

[poojalate]

Mastering Seamless Integration: Unleashing the Potential of Cloud API Integration

In the era of cloud computing, the integration of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) has become the cornerstone of innovation and efficiency. Cloud API integration empowers businesses to seamlessly connect and communicate between different applications and services, fostering a cohesive and agile digital ecosystem. This article explores the transformative impact of cloud API integration and how it has become a linchpin for modern businesses.

1. The Power of Connectivity through Cloud API Integration:

Cloud API integration is at the heart of creating interconnected and collaborative digital landscapes. By enabling different applications and systems to communicate with each other, APIs break down silos and facilitate the flow of data, processes, and functionalities. This results in a more streamlined and efficient business environment, where information can be shared in real-time, driving productivity and innovation.

2. Enhancing Efficiency and Productivity:

The seamless integration of cloud APIs enhances efficiency by automating workflows and eliminating manual data transfers. By connecting disparate systems and applications, businesses can reduce redundancy, minimize errors, and accelerate processes. This newfound efficiency translates into increased productivity, allowing organizations to focus on strategic initiatives rather than grappling with time-consuming manual tasks.

3. Real-Time Data Synchronization:

Cloud API integration enables real-time data synchronization across different platforms. Whether it's customer information, sales data, or inventory updates, APIs ensure that information is consistently up-to-date across all integrated systems. This real-time synchronization not only improves accuracy but also provides a unified and current view of critical data, empowering businesses to make informed decisions swiftly.

4. Flexibility and Scalability:

One of the key advantages of cloud API integration is its flexibility and scalability. APIs allow businesses to adapt and scale their integrations based on evolving needs. As organizations grow or introduce new applications, cloud APIs provide the agility to connect and extend functionality seamlessly. This flexibility ensures that businesses can stay responsive in a dynamic and ever-changing digital landscape.

5. Security Measures in Cloud API Integration:

Security is a paramount concern in the realm of cloud API integration. Reputable cloud service providers implement robust security measures to protect data transmitted through APIs. Encryption protocols, authentication mechanisms, and access controls are crucial components of secure API integrations. Businesses can confidently leverage the benefits of cloud API integration while ensuring the confidentiality and integrity of their sensitive data.

6. Public Cloud Providers: Enablers of Seamless Integration:

Public cloud providers play a pivotal role in the success of cloud API integration. Leading providers offer a vast array of APIs that cater to different functionalities, services, and infrastructure components. Leveraging APIs provided by public cloud providers allows businesses to integrate seamlessly with popular cloud platforms, harnessing the full spectrum of capabilities offered by these providers.

Conclusion:

Cloud API integration is the linchpin for businesses seeking to unlock the full potential of their digital ecosystems. The seamless connectivity, efficiency gains, real-time synchronization, and scalability provided by cloud API integration position organizations for sustained success in a competitive landscape. As businesses continue their journey of digital transformation, embracing cloud API integration is not just a strategic choice—it's a fundamental step towards building a connected and agile future.

[arayapendragon]

dr. jacobo grinberg, the scientist who went missing for researching shifting 🗝️

the man, the myth, the legend. being a keen enthusiast of the human brain from a young age, dr. jacobo grinberg was a mexican neurophysiologist and psychologist who delved into the depths of human consciousness, meditation, mexican shamanism and aimed to establish links between science and spirituality. 

grinberg's theories and research can be tied to reality shifting, seeing as he explored the fusion of quantum physics and occultism. being not only heavily established in the field of psychology but also a prolific writer, he wrote about 50 books on such topics. he was a firm believer of the idea that human consciousness possesses hidden and powerful abilities like telepathy, psychic power and astral projection. 

the unfortunate loss of his mother to a brain tumour when he was only twelve not only fuelled his interest in the human brain but also pushed him to study it on a deeper level, making it his life’s aim. 

he went on to earn a phd in psychophysiology, established his own laboratory and even founded the instituto para el estudio de la conciencia - the national institute for the study of consciousness. 

despite sharing groundbreaking and revolutionary ideas, his proposals were rejected by the scientific community due to the inclusion of shamanism and metaphysical aspects. on december 8th, 1994, he went missing just before his 48th birthday. grinberg vanished without a trace, leaving people thoroughly perplexed about his whereabouts. some believe he was silenced, while others believe he discovered something so powerful and revolutionary that changed the entire course of reality, or well, his reality. 

grinberg's work was heavily influenced by karl pribram and david bohm's contributions to the holographic theory of consciousness, which suggests that reality functions the same way as a hologram does. meaning, reality exists as a vast, interconnected macrocosm. it even suggests that all realities exist among this holographic structure. 

lastly, it also proposes that the brain does not perceive reality, rather actively creates it through tuning into different frequencies of existence. 

this not only proves the multiverse theory (infinite realities exist), but also the consciousness theory (we don’t observe reality, but instead create it). 

grinberg’s most notable contribution was the syntergic theory, which states that, “there exists a “syntergic” field, a universal, non-local field of consciousness that interacts with the human brain." - david franco.

this theory also stated that 

the syntergic field is a fundamental and foundational layer of reality that contains all possible experiences and states of consciousness.

the brain doesn’t generate consciousness, it instead acts as a receiver and its neural networks collapse the syntergic field into a coherent and structured reality. 

reality is created, not observed. 

we can access different variations of reality (which is the very essence of shifting realities)

the syntergic theory is even in congruence with the universal consciousness theory (all minds are interconnected as a part of a whole, entire consciousness that encompasses all living beings in the universe). 

grinberg concluded that 

all minds are connected through the syntergic field 

this field can be accessed and manipulated by metaphysical and spiritual practices, altered states of consciousness and deep meditation. 

in conclusion, the syntergic theory proposes that our consciousness is not a mere byproduct of the brain, but rather a fundamental force of the universe. 

grinberg was far ahead of his time, and even 31 years after his disappearance, the true nature of reality remains a mystery. regardless, the syntergic theory helps provide insight and a new perspective on how we access and influence reality. 

summary of grinberg’s findings:

the brain constructs reality 

other realities exist and can be experienced

other states of consciousness exist and can be experienced 

consciousness is not limited 

all minds are connected through the syntergic field 

shamanic, spiritual, metaphysical and meditative practices can alter and influence our perception of reality. 

some of grinberg's works that can be associated with shifting:

el cerebro consciente

la creación de la experiencia

teoría sintérgica