#and also the way the fish looks is inaccurate and is based on how dead blobfish look like on the surface

[verdantmeadows]

The world if there were fat Inklings/Octolings and fat Inkling/Octoling options and just fat characters in Splatoon in general from main/important characters to background characters with none of their fatness being based in fatphobia.

(Marigold I love you, you are great, however I want even more diverse body types in Splatoon)

[killjoy-loveit]

Solar World- Part Two

A/N: I would like to clarify that everything written in this story is complete fiction and isn’t to be taken as a true portrayal of reality. Also, this is a story I had started writing but completely forgot about and thought I could convert it to fanfic so that I might actually finish it, lol :) This series has an unknown finish date, as I’m still trying to set up the layout of the series. I’m going to try doing something different, I’ll be including links to the other parts in the notes by a reblog (to access the links I think you might need to click on the reblog itself)

Summary: Sunni and her team have learned Valis Havens did not hold the last of humanity as they thought.

Word Count: 2,170

Genre: Post-Apocalyptic AU

Introduction | Part One | Part Two

    Sunlight twists through the branches of trees towering above- at maybe a hundred feet, if I had to guess. The plant life in the area surrounding the hatch seems healthy upon a brief glance, the vibrant foliage leading me to this assumption. It’s so much more beautiful than I imagined, or than anything we have in Valis Haven to give us an idea of what the surface looked like. Nothing could properly give it justice in a mere reproduction, not when it looks like this. I’m even a little short of breath just taking everything in, not because the air is bad but rather my excitement is making it difficult for me to take a deep breath.

      It appears as if the hatch opened up in the middle of a forest, one that wasn’t present three hundred and fifty years ago. As my team climb out of the clean room through the hatch one by one, I have a tough time trying to focus on the questions they’re asking. But it’s apparent I’m not the only one enamored with the environment around us. A breeze rustles the leaves resulting in everyone jumping slightly. Reminding us that while this is an exciting experience, we must be cautious and not let our guard down.

     “Sunni, it’s… It’s beautiful.” Jae murmured beside me.

     His words break me free from the trance I’d been in, and I nod in response. “Yes, it most definitely is beautiful... We can’t just stand around here though, we need to look for a place to set up camp.”

     “Sure thing, Sunni. Just lead the way.” Gil replies giddily, his feet bouncing with energy.

     I step off the platform that leads to the hatch after sliding it closed. Twigs snap under my feet as I move forward, determining which direction we should go. Based off the fact that a forest wasn’t present before, I’m going to assume that the maps I studied are inaccurate and useless now. Our camp should be near a water source, and if we can find animal tracks they could lead us to the closest body of water.

      “Look for animal tracks, shout if you find anything.” I say calmly, wandering farther from the group.

     At this we split up, some going in pairs or solo, like myself. I walked to the left of the hatch, going past a few trees to look for tracks. As I searched the ground something in the dirt seemed odd, I crouched to get a better look at it. It was a track, that much I was aware of, but it was unlike any animal I’ve studied. Instead, as I moved leaves to the side to analyze it, the track appeared human. But that can’t be, nobody could have survived those disasters. Could they? I mean, is it possible that somehow people managed to survive and their descendants have been roaming the surface while we’ve been stuck underground?

     Shooting to my feet from my crouched position, I move to yell out for the team but a movement in the corner of my eye makes me freeze. It was fleeting, almost imperceptible, but it was enough to bring me pause. Breath frozen in my lungs, I turn my head to where I saw the movement. I scan the trees carefully, and to my disappointment or relief I’m not sure, nothing’s there. Shaking my head to rid myself of intrusive thoughts screaming that I’m not alone, rather, we’re not alone.

      These thoughts are proved correct though as a body presses into me from behind, an arm wrapping around my waist to restrain me and a hand moving to cover my mouth. Even knowing it won’t be of much use I try to scream, and as expected the sound is muffled by my assailant’s hand. Twisting and yanking my body in a futile attempt to free myself only results in being held tighter, the arm constricting painfully around my waist. Hot tears start to build in my eyes, threatening to burn their way down my cheeks. I’ve only just made it to the surface and now I’m probably going to be killed by someone we had no clue existed.

     Words were spoken into my ear by a low voice in a language I didn’t recognize and the hand was removed from my mouth. A minute passed in silence as the person waited, I assumed it was a male at this point based off the voice. Maybe he was waiting for me to respond. I chew at my lip trying to determine if it’d matter if I told him that I didn’t understand him if he couldn’t understand me either. Screw it, it’s worth a shot.

     “I’m sorry, I don’t understand.” I whisper softly.

     A huff of breath hits my neck, sending chills down my spine. “Do you understand me now?” My eyes go wide at his words and I nod frantically. “Good. Where did you come from? Why are you here? What are your plans?”

     “U-Um, well, I’m from Valis Havens. I’ve been sent up here with a small team to solve a problem. The plan is to find the problem and a solution.”

      “What is Valis Havens?”

     “It’s an underground facility that houses what we thought was the last of humanity.”

     “You said you have a team? All of you are unknown threats on our land, I have to take you to the Superior.”

     “Superior? Will-will we be killed?” I stutter out, heart pounding.

     “Only if you’re deemed a threat.”

     Surely that shouldn’t have comforted me, but for some peculiar reason it did. While, yes, there were those on my team that could pose significant threat for the people that lived here, none of them would do anything unless I gave the go ahead. I wasn’t about to give permission to go to war with people we had no clue existed until now.

      “Call your people here.” He demanded.

     “Are you sure?” I question. “If I call them here with you holding me hostage, they won’t listen first, they’ll attack. I promise I won’t try to escape, it’s no use when I know nothing about the terrain.”

     “Fine.”

      With that single word the arms holding me in place released me. Before calling out to my team, I figured I deserved to see the face of the man that had been holding me as leverage. What I saw was not what I was expecting. Although, I’m not really sure what I was expecting, just that this was not it. The man standing before me is handsome, with a sharp jawline, high cheekbones, and rounded lips. His tanned skin shone in the sunlight, and his dark almond shaped eyes held a dimmed fire within them.

      “Call them, now.” He ordered, eyes narrowing.

     I pause a second longer to regain my composure. “Guys! I need you to come over here.”

     In the following minute countless shouts ring out into the air, confirming they’re moving my way, joined by sounds of leaves crunching underfoot. Gil and Nia appear first, followed shortly by Bo and Bren, next comes Jae and Vera, then finally Ves shows up. As each group finds me, they pause in place upon seeing the man standing beside me. Bo’s mouth keeps opening and closing, giving him the appearance of a dumbfounded fish. Ves is the only one to speak up amidst the dead silence surrounding my team.

     “There were survivors. Interesting.” She murmurs, a calculating look taking form on her face.

     “Yes, and apparently we’re on their territory.” I sigh lightly, glancing at the man beside me. “Now we have to go with him to meet his Superior.”

     “Sunni…” Vera draws my name out, her tone showing that she’s uncomfortable with the situation.

     I grit my teeth. “We don’t have another option, either we go with him or we start a war. I would prefer not to go to war.”

     With these words, any protests that my team had been forming died on their lips. It was evident in their eyes, how they widened in realization and fear, that initiating a war was to be avoided at all costs. None of us had ever lived through anything similar to that, the only wars we knew of were in history books. Each war in those books was devastating, with body counts higher than our population, it was difficult to imagine being okay with such loss.

      “We must move out now, so that we aren’t out when the sun sets.” The man beside me spoke up.

     A quick head count and we were on our way, following the mysterious guy through the forest. He never really spoke, except for telling us to avoid certain plants. One plant in question being a deep purple, almost black color, with large heart shaped leaves harboring small spikes that contained a deadly poison. If I’m being honest, I truly wanted to take a sample of one and examine it, potentially run a few tests. Maybe if I could figure out it’s genetic makeup, an antidote could be made for the poison, if one already hasn’t been developed that is.

     Though it wasn’t just the plant life I was curious of. I mean, how could anybody possibly survive the massive solar flares and tsunamis that happened three hundred and fifty years ago? There’s the potential that maybe if they had a bunker people could survive for a few years before facing the surface again. Except I don’t understand how the radiation wouldn’t have killed them upon surfacing, it certainly should have been deadly at that point. Everything I’ve been taught goes to say that nobody should have been able to survive. Thus, it’s mystifying to find out that people somehow managed to make it through the calamity.

     Surely the Earth would have been a mixture of scorched grounds and raised sea levels, which makes it even harder for my brain to comprehend. Quite honestly I would love to learn of their history, what they’ve been taught and how they’ve progressed. Has their society regressed in terms of development? Or has it gone beyond any expectations we may have down in Valis Havens? While I have one member of the society leading us, he is remaining quiet and elusive regarding sharing any information. I do know one thing, they must speak multiple languages, seeing as how he didn’t speak English to me at first. Scratch that, make it two things, because I am certain that the language he spoke first is new or a derivative at the least.

      Granted, I am not well versed in linguistics, I only ever managed to learn two other languages fluently. Though I do know basics of a few others, most of which were spread out regionally. Ves and Nia are the best with languages in the team, both speaking upwards of five different languages, not including English. One of them could potentially identify the origins of the language he spoke, if it was a derivative that is. It wouldn’t be surprising if Ves was the one who could identify it, seeing as she is a bit of a wild card.

      See, there’s no telling what Ves knows. She’s the type that values secrecy and never shows the world anything but a face of stone. If I’m honest, Ves scares me just a little bit. Not because I feel that she would ever go against the team or harm us, but mainly for the sole fact that you can never guess where her thoughts are. And since she rarely talks, everyone goes quiet when she does.

      Everyone else on the team is a bit easier, well, a lot easier, to read in comparison to Ves. Gil’s emotions are always plain as day on his face, he’s probably most like Ves’ polar opposite in that regard. Most of the others tend to have control over their expressions and body language, though there are times when they have an extreme reaction to something and that control slips.

      Sometimes I get so lost in thought that I lose track of my surroundings, this was one of those times. I slammed right into the back of the guy- I really should learn his name- that was leading us as a result. Yeah, I’m quite aware that I should’ve been paying attention so that incidents, such as this, wouldn’t occur. Well, it’s too late to remedy the situation. He turns slowly to face me, a blank look on his face. All I manage to do is smile sheepishly and whisper a quick apology.

     He shakes head lightly, a small smile appearing briefly. “We have arrived. Stay quiet and try not to attract too much attention. There’s no telling how the others will react, so it’s important to get you to the Superior as quickly as possible.”

     I stop him as he turns back to lead us further. “Wait, what’s your name?”

     “Minho.” And with that he turned on his heel and continued forth.

     At least now I know his name.

[rudjedet]

Can you repost or post a link to your Smite shitpost :D?

Here’s my Extended Director’s Cut Special Edition With Additions of the original reply (disclaimer: it’s not as shitposty elaborate as Lottie’s because Lottie is queen, and I’m probably not saying anything she hasn’t already said either). 

Anubis

First impressions

Oh, they call him the God of the Dead. GOOD START. Not. Also his parentage as described in the lore is only one possible possibility because if you weren’t aware yet, Egyptian mythological traditions are “It’s complicated” at their best. 

Shit abilities

While I guess the term “Sorrow” for an ability is pretty fitting, stealing physical and magical protection? Stealing doesn’t seem very like Anubis, the guy who protects necropoleis which doesn’t equal god of the dead. Did he like turn into Setne Khamwas when no one was looking?

Plague of Locusts is just… sigh. Why is it always the locusts. Plague of Jackals would’ve even been better. Not good, just a hair better. Good grief, step away from the Biblical imagery people. It’s been done and not always to great success looking at you Exodus: Gods and Kings with your 17 inaccuracies in the first 5 minutes.

Death Gaze… Well, let me put it this way. I’ve yet to come across a text where Anubis glares someone to death. Or actually causes someone’s death. Also, did I mention he’s not a god of the dead?

And as a not-death god, not to mention the fact that MUMMIES AREN’T UNDEAD because hello, that’s not what Egyptians wanted at all, Grasping Hands is terrible. 

Decent abilities/abilities I can live with

Well, he was the god of embalming among other things, so Mummify makes sense.

Skins

That gravehound skin is horrible and ill-befitting of Anubis because mummification kinda strives for the opposite effect of said skin. And don’t get me started on the demonic pact one because I want to barf. 

Bastet

First Impressions

Goddess of cats. Okay, I guess, if you want to be really blunt and one-dimensional about it. And - an assassin, somehow? I guess that plays into the whole cat-like adjectives most assassins in shit fantasy novels are described with but errr.

Shit abilities

Pounce, Declaw? Cat Call?? Seriously? That’s all this game’s got? “Oh a cat goddess let’s just make her a neko with big tits to appeal to furries and completely ignore ALL of Actual Bastet’s inherent symbolism and give her lazy cat-related attacks instead”? 

Decent abilities

No. They’re all shit. 

I’d also like to use the space freed up by Bastet’s lack of decent abilities to talk about the lore description. Sensual embodiment of her female form, patron goddess of women exploring their sensuality? Okay dudes. You’re not succeeding in trying to hide your furry cat fetish and neither are you making me want to cut you some slack. 

Skins

See above points. They’re all terribly fetishised and can we just talk about the Extremely Lazy Laziness that is a cat goddess in a fucking cat suit. Nothing “covert” about those boobs or that gun. 

Terrible spelling mistake for “Satndard”, too. Some one-handed typing going on at that point I imagine. 

Isis

First impressions

Goddess of Magic? More like Goddess of Trick Your All-Mighty Father Into Revealing His Super Powerful Secret Name To You Because You Made A Snake Out Of His Own Spit And Basically Almost Killed Him With It. Or Goddess of Shapeshift Into A Pretty Girl To Trick Your Murderous Brother Into Admitting It Should Be Your Post-Humously Conceived Son On The Throne of Egypt. Or Goddess of Feeding That Same Murderous Brother Your Own Son’s Dick Juice After He Tried To Rape Your Son. 

Basically, title should be Goddess of I Fucking Own All You Guys.

Shit abilities

Wing Gust and Spirit Ball are lazy. Oh look she’s sometimes depicted with wings/as a kite so let’s give her a wing attack. And Spirit Ball because magician amirite??

Dispel Magic I’m on the fence about. I mean, makes sense I guess? But I guess I want to see more than Isis just dispelling magic. I want her to own her adversary with her tricks and intelligence and general gung-ho attitude. Bitch gets more done than half the gods together. 

Decent abilities

Funerary Rites and Circle of Protection are okay, sort of fitting. She protected some people and she also was a funerary goddess so you can get away with those. Still also rather lazy though. Needs more “cut off your sons hands” or something. 

Skins 

O…kay. Judging by these horrific skins, her magic is boob-based. What is with the pose of Desert Omen? Y’all. It was hot in the desert, but their fashion wasn’t this naked. Goddesses loved their chic, Old Kingdom style, skin-covering dresses.

Bonus: Terribly Shit Lore

“Unable to locate a final piece” is the shittiest euphemism for “hubby’s dick was eaten by a fish and she made him a new one out of gold” I’ve ever seen. 

“Long has she prayed”? Oh for the love of… She didn’t just pray, because she’s a fucking goddess for one thing, and also she is like the most accomplished magician of all the gods? But no praying sounds totally fair for Magician McTits.

Osiris

First impressions

Looks too beefcake for a “Broken God of the Afterlife”. I mean. Seth is the beefcake of that family. Also a warrior somehow. I don’t know man, I feel like if Osiris was a warrior the whole fratricide thing would’ve gone over a lot differently. Definitely needs more penis-eating fish.

Shit abilities

His passive ability burns away parts of his own body which is kind of… stupid, because cutting him up is what Seth did to him, even in this shitty lore version, and anyway I doubt any self-respecting Egyptian would want to mutilate his body in exactly that manner. Also, he needs to lose only 8 body parts? 

All the rest is shit too. They’re all warrior attacks and Osiris is like this really chill dude who rules the Afterlife so why?

Decent abilities

Haha nope.

Skins

Too. Much. Beefcake. I think this is actually Seth doing a really poor impersonation of Osiris. That would explain the general oafishness and stupidity of this Osiris because Seth is dumb. 

Thoth

First impressions

Oh man, Thoth is nasty. Feels very “You stole my book, so now you’re going to face the consequences”. So I guess kudos for referencing a piece of Demotic literature but “Arbiter of the Damned” is so inaccurate a title it physically hurts. 

Shit Abilities

Hieroglyphic Assault and Glyph of Pain: two more for the growing Tome of Lazy Ability Names For Egyptian Gods.

Evade and Punish makes no sense even beyond the Egyptian inspiration. First you evade and then you punish? But you just evaded, so you need to get closer to your enemy first. And in the description it says “dashes in the direction he is currently travelling”. How is this even evading? Much confuse.

And I swear, these people need to get it into their heads that Egyptian gods weren’t one-dimensional incarnations of concepts, good grief. 

Decent abili-you know what I’m not even going here anymore

Skins

Angry Bird of Doom. Doesn’t even look like a proper ibis. Vizier skin looks like an unholy union between Sobek, Thoth and Jurassic Park and I don’t even want to know. 

[rayanrooke]

Ranking the 10 Best Handheld GPS

Handheld GPS units are extremely handy for remote navigation, but they can also be useful for a number of other reasons. Many units allow you to track mileage, set waypoints, and locate geocaches in your area.

The birth the term ‘geocaching’ is largely attributed to Matt Stum, who first used it on the “GPS Stash Hunt” mailing list in May of 2000 (1). Geocaching is essentially a real-world, outdoor treasure hunting game that requires the use of a handheld GPS-enabled device (2).

Our list of the Top 10 Handheld GPS units includes selections that give users access to preloaded topographic maps, detailed road networks, rural and urban land use distinctions, and much more!

1. Garmin GPSMAP 64st

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

This Garmin GPS is perfect for users looking for a unit that provides accurate climbing or hiking information, as well as details on nearby trails, rivers, lakes, and other points of interest.

The GPSMAP 64st features a 2.6-inch sunlight-readable color screen and a high-sensitivity GPS and GLONASS (3) receiver that offers superior reception. It also boasts a 3-axis electronic compass with barometric altimeter and comes with a yearlong subscription to BirdsEye Satellite Imagery.

2. Magellan eXplorist 310 Summit Series

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

The Magellan eXplorist 310 is designed for all types of outdoor recreation activities and offers detailed topographic maps for nine U.S. regions that include accurate digital terrain information and contour lines.

The Summit Series GPS unit offers high-resolution display on a brilliant, 2.2-inch sunlight-readable color screen. The unit also features information on water features, urban and rural land use, paperless geocaching download, and 18 hours of battery life.

3. Garmin eTrex 30x

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

This Garmin unit is great for anyone who likes to have a variety of maps at their disposal for navigation. The unit’s 3.7GB of internal memory and microSD card slot allow you to store many map formats, including TOPO 24K, HuntView, BlueChart g2, City Navigator NT, and more.

The eTrex 30x also features an upgraded 2.2-inch, 65K color sunlight-readable display and a preloaded, worldwide base map with shaded relief. It also boasts wireless sharing of waypoints, tracks, routes, and geocaches with other compatible devices at the touch of a button.

4. Garmin Inreach Explorer+

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

As its name suggests, the Inreach Explorer+ is a great unit for distance travelers, mountaineers, and explorers. The ability to track and share your location with family and friends is a great feature of this GPS unit.

Garmin also outfit the Explorer+ with 2-way text messaging available from anywhere through 100% global iridium satellite coverage (this feature requires satellite subscription). It features an interactive SOS feature that triggers and sends a signal to the 24/7 search and rescue monitoring center in the event of an emergency.

5. Garmin 750t

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

Garmin redesigned the antenna on their 750 TOPO model for improved satellite reception and enhanced the unit’s rugged design to make it perfect for avid hikers, bikers, hunters, climbers, kayakers, and more.

The Oregon 750t features multilink wireless connectivity via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and ANT+ (4). It also boasts Active Weather support with animated radar overlays, a built-in 3-axis compass with barometric altimeter, and a 1-year BirdsEye Satellite Imagery subscription.

6. Delorme InReach Explorer

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

Delorme’s version of the Inreach explorer is designed for the adventurer who likes to plan ahead and share their travels with friends and family, no matter how remote they might get! With two-way communication included, this GPS unit allows you to do just that!

This unit allows for advanced planning of routes, including waypoints, and it gives you the ability to share your location so that friends and family can track your progress. Additionally, this GPS offers a digital compass, barometric altimeter, and accelerometer.

7. Garmin Montana 610

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

Another stellar GPS from Garmin, this unit is designed for geocaching experts that can’t let colder temperatures slow them down. With over 250,000 preloaded geocaches and a glove-friendly touchscreen display, you’ll be able to hunt for caches year-round.

The unit also features a track manager that gives you the ability to easily organize and navigate through waypoints, routes and track log. It also boasts a high-sensitivity, WAAS-enabled (5) GPS receiver that provides accurate positioning in deep canyons and heavy cover.

8. Garmin eTrex Touch 35

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

Designed with the multi-sport outdoor recreationist in mind, the eTrex Touch 35 allows you to create activity profiles to keep your favorite navigation profiles organized for hiking, climbing, fishing, hunting, geocaching, and more!

This Garmin GPS features a 2.6-inch color, capacitive touchscreen display and a tilt-compensated electronic compass that gives accurate headings even when standing still. It also boasts built-in mapping with shaded relief, a barometric altimeter, smart notifications and ANT+ connectivity.

9. Garmin Oregon 650t

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

Unique among GPS units, the Oregon 650t is perfect for outdoor recreation enthusiasts that need navigation help and also want to capture the beauty of the places they navigate to. This unit has a built-in 8MP digital camera.

Garmin included a large, 3-inch sunlight-readable touchscreen display with multi-touch capability and three sensors that provide information for the unit’s 3-axis compass, accelerometer, and barometric altimeter. The unit’s dual-orientation also allows you to switch between landscape and portrait views.

10. Bad Elf 2200 GPS Pro

Click here for the lowest price on Amazon

The 2200 GPS Pro is perfect if you’re looking for a GPS unit that can connect with a variety of your devices. Using Bluetooth technology, this unit can connect with up to 5 devices at a time, including iPhones, iPads, iPad minis, and iPod touches.

The 2200 GPS unit from Bad Elf features a large LCD screen with backlight to ensure easy night operation. It also offers a standalone GPS data logger that can store more than 100 hours of tracking data. This unit boasts extra-long battery life and 10Hz reporting rate, as well as a rugged and splash-proof design that meets IPX4 standards (6).

–

Buyer’s Guide

Choosing the right handheld GPS for you means thinking about how you’re going to use it, what your favorite outdoor activities are, and what features are essential to your needs. With that said, there are factors that separate good GPS units from great ones.

In this buyer’s guide, we will focus on three important characteristics: location accuracy, connectivity, and battery life.

Location Accuracy

A GPS that doesn’t provide accurate headings and location information is ultimately an ineffective GPS. The location accuracy of any GPS unit can vary depending on a number of factors, including satellite geometry, signal blockage, atmospheric conditions, and the design of the actual unit.

Many GPS units won’t update location information and headings unless it’s in motion. In other words, standing and simply turning in circles with your GPS can sometimes lead to inaccurate information. For reference, GPS-enabled smartphones are typically accurate to within 16 feet (7).

Unfortunately, there are no GPS units that can guarantee an exactly perfect location every time. There are simply too many variables out of the unit and user’s control. In general, however, the most accurate handheld GPS units are those that also incorporate differential GPS programs, such as WAAS or GLONASS.

Connectivity

The ability to communicate from a remote location is an important feature for many users. Whether it’s simply to check in with friends and family while hiking the Pacific Crest Trail or sending an emergency message in a time of desperation, a connection to the outside world is a very nice aspect of most GPS units.

Just like in the early days of text messaging, most units equipped with two-way communication will limit you to around 160 characters. Two-way communication is typically provided through access to global satellites (much like satellite phones), but some require a subscription to satellite coverage.

There are a variety of GPS units that claim to offer one-way communication. The main problem with this, however, is that there’s no way to tell if a message has been received. When selecting a GPS unit, consider the importance of sharing your location and communicating with a search and rescue monitoring center should anything go wrong.

Battery Life

Let’s face it: a GPS unit with a dead battery is simply taking up space in your pack. It’s good for nothing if you can’t turn it on. That’s why a best practice for handheld GPS units is to only power them on when you absolutely need to use their functions. Don’t leave them on in your pack throughout the day!

The battery life of GPS units can vary from less than 10 hours to more than 100 hours. Some are compatible with solar panels for the purpose of recharging and some can function on both rechargeable batteries and disposable alkaline batteries.

In general, you want to choose a handheld GPS that has at least 10 hours of battery life so that you can use it for most of the daylight hours without needing to change batteries or recharge.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Navy built the first real satellite navigation system, which it called TRANSIT, in 1959 (8). GPS units have become much more advanced since then, but it’s as important as ever for consumers to have as much information as possible before making a selection. So let’s look at a few of the most common questions about handheld GPS.

What is the difference between a ‘route’, a ‘track’, and a ‘waypoint’?

A ‘route’ is used for navigation and consists of a series of straight-line waypoints that you will navigate in a sequential order specified by the user.

A ‘track’ is a record of where you’ve been and more accurately reflect the twisting and turning shape of most trails.

A ‘waypoint’ is a location that can be stored in a GPS receiver in the form of coordinates, allowing you to easily select navigation to that point. Each waypoint is assigned a unique name or number.

How does my GPS know where I am?

GPS units receive signals from GPS satellites. These satellites transmit several signals to provide orbital information for the satellites in the system. Most GPS receivers store several days of data, which speeds up location acquisition.

What are the main causes of poor GPS reception? 

Some causes of poor GPS reception include environmental interference and the number of visible satellites relative to your position. The features/design of individual GPS units also has an impact on GPS reception.

What if my GPS can’t lock onto any satellite signals?

Some receivers have difficulty finding signals indoors. If your unit can’t lock onto a signal, take it outside and set in under an open sky, ideally stationary, for about 30 minutes. Once your unit acquires a signal, don’t turn it off immediately, as it needs time to download satellite almanac data.

How important is buying a GPS with an electronic compass?

The primary function of an electronic compass is to show the direction you should travel. Most new models with tri-axial compasses will provide accurate headings even when you don’t hold them level.

How can I find geocaches in my area?

Geocaching is a fun, treasure-hunt-style activity for groups or individuals. It’s also a great way to learn how to use your handheld GPS. To get started you can visit the Official Geocaching website (9) and enter your zip code. Prepare to be surprised by how many caches are nearby.

Are there ‘best practices’ for geocaching?

The number one rule when you find a geocache is that you can’t remove an item from the cache unless you replace it with another item of equal or greater value. You should also be sure to sign the logbook and make sure you hide the cache just like you found it once you’re done. Also, be sure to log the cache in your GPS once you return home.

Will my new GPS prevent me from ever getting lost?

No. You can still get lost with a GPS, although the idea of them is to significantly decrease the odds. Some ways you can still get lost with your GPS include forgetting spare batteries, failing to bring a map and compass as a backup, and overestimating the effectiveness of a GPS unit in a dense forest or deep canyon.

Summary

Magellan Navigation Incorporated is largely credited with being the creator of the world’s first commercial handheld GPS receiver, which debuted in 1989 (10). Since then, GPS units have rapidly improved in accuracy, battery life, connectivity, and more. We wish you the best of luck in finding your own handheld GPS!

Via https://bestsurvival.org/best-gps/

source http://bestsurvivalus.weebly.com/blog/ranking-the-10-best-handheld-gps

[wionews]

US warship collisions raise cyberattack fears

A spate of incidents involving US warships in Asia, including a deadly collision this week off Singapore, has forced the navy to consider whether cyberattackers might be to blame.

While some experts believe that being able to engineer such a collision would be unlikely, given the security systems of the US Navy and the logistics of having two ships converge, others say putting the recent incidents down to human error and coincidence is an equally unsatisfactory explanation.

The USS John S. McCain collided with a tanker early Monday as the warship was on its way for a routine stop in the city-state, tearing a huge hole in the hull and leaving 10 sailors missing and five injured.

The Navy announced Tuesday that remains of some of the sailors were found by divers in flooded compartments on the ship.

The Chief of US Naval Operations Admiral John Richardson said on Monday he could not rule out some kind of outside interference or a cyberattack being behind the latest collision, but said he did not want to prejudge the inquiry. His broader remarks suggested a focus on "how we do business on the bridge".

"We're looking at every possibility," Richardson said, when asked about the possibility of a cyberattack, adding "as we did with Fitzgerald as well."

Just two months earlier in June, the USS Fitzgerald and a Philippine-flagged cargo ship smashed into each other off Japan, leaving seven sailors dead and leading to several officers being disciplined.

There were also two more, lesser-known incidents this year -- in January USS Antietam ran aground near its base in Japan and in May, USS Lake Champlain collided with a South Korean fishing vessel. Neither caused any injury.

Admiral Scott Swift, commander of the US Pacific Fleet, has refused to rule out sabotage in Monday's incident, saying all possibilities are being examined.

"We are not taking any consideration off the table," he told reporters in Singapore Tuesday, when asked about the possibility of a cyberattack in the latest incident.

 High tensions

Analysts are divided on the issue, with some believing US Navy crews may simply be overstretched as they try to tackle myriad threats in the region, and pointing to the difficulties of sailing through waterways crowded with merchant shipping.

But others believe something more sinister may be going on. 

Itar Glick, head of Israeli-based international cybersecurity firm Votiro, said the spate of incidents suggested that US Navy ships' GPS systems could have been tampered with by hackers, causing them to miscalculate their positions.

"I think that hackers could try to do this, and if they are state sponsored they might have the right resources to facilitate this kind of attack," he told AFP.

Glick, who says he used to work on cybersecurity for Israeli intelligence, said that China and North Korea would be the most likely culprits.

Tensions are running high between North Korea and Washington as Pyongyang makes strides in its weapons programme, conducting two successful intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test launches in July.

Pyongyang has also been blamed for recent cyberattacks, including the 2014 hack of Sony Pictures and the theft of millions of dollars from the Bangladesh central bank.

The US has repeatedly accused China of carrying out cyberattacks on American companies, particularly to steal intellectual property. Beijing however says it is also the victim of such attacks.

 'Spoofing'

Glick pointed to a recent incident in June of apparent large-scale GPS interference in the Black Sea to illustrate that such disruptions are possible.

The interference -- known as "spoofing", which disrupts GPS signals so ships' instruments show inaccurate locations -- caused some 20 vessels to have their signals disrupted, according to reports.

Jeffery Stutzman, chief of intelligence operations for US-based cybersecurity firm Wapack Labs, told AFP he thought the possibility of a cyberattack being behind the latest incident was "entirely possible".

"I would be very doubtful that it was human error, four times in a row," he said, referring to the four recent incidents.

Still, other observers believe such a scenario to be unlikely.

Zachary Fryer-Biggs, from defence consultancy Jane's by IHS Markit, said that even if something went wrong with the GPS system of a ship, other safety mechanisms should stop it from crashing, such as having people on watch.

"The collision only occurs if several other safety mechanisms fail," he said.

Daniel Paul Goetz, from US-headquartered cybersecurity firm Lantium, added that causing a collision would be complicated, as it would involve knowing the exact location, speed and bearing of both ships involved.

Goetz, who says his background is in US military intelligence, also pointed to the level of technology used to protect the navy from such threats.

"The US military uses a GPS system that is highly secured, highly encrypted -- the chances that somebody could take over US military ship is very close to zero," he said.

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[kuroeruk]

Should’ve done that earlier !

What the fuck is uuuuuuuuup !

Hi, and welcome ! The name's Chloé. I'm a self-educated young artist from France, and my goal is to work in the comic books industry. I'm working on multiple projects at the same time ; I'm a non-stop worker, and I've been doing this since I was twelve. As I write this, I'm seveteen, and I've never been working this hard to get the job done. I have a dream, and I'll do anything to accomplish it.

I'm a simple woman. I see art, I press like. More seriously, I'm real into comics. I'd say that my favourite comic books heroes and superheroes would be Spawn, Batman, Wolverine aaaand Deadpool, cuz who doesn't like breaking the fourth wall ? Now don't ask me "Marvel or DC ?" cuz I'll either troll: "Dark Horse.", punch you in the face for thinking that you just HAVE to pick one or the other, OR tell the truth, which is: "I don't give a damn, I'm only interested in the characters, and not who publishes them."

My work takes inspiration from a lot of different stuff and artists ; I love web comics and follow a large diversity of artists, such as Domics, Jazza ( who is a local of Newgrounds ), TheOdd1sOut, j.n.w ( the person behind Helvetica ), Egoraptor, Owlturd, and many, many more.

I also really appreciate art from our lord and savior Bob Ross, Zdzislaw Beksinski, Todd McFarlane and H.R. Giger. They are my main source of inspiration ( as artists ) when it comes to my projects.

Now you may wonder "But Chloé, you said you were working on multiple porjects, but what are they ?"

Good question, my dear Steve. Let me explain it all for you, project by project:

Corvo:

It's the project that I cherish the most. Like, THE MOST. It's about the Five, which are the heads of a mafia empire based in Italy. It's all about how the "main" character, Jessica Callini, wants to take her revenge on another family in the area, and basically crush every single opponent she has. Seems simple, and it pretty much is ; a battle between families in a Godfather-esk environment ? Yup, kind of. I just add my personal touch by working real fuckin' hard on the characters and the way they interact with eachother. And I do my research. For about everything you could find in the goddamn comics ( I'm a maniac ). I'm aiming real high on this one project, and I promise it'll be awesome !

Poncho's Adventures:

Kay so this one is wayyyy less serious. Really, everything's in the title. The main character, Poncho ( who is a huge-ass-green-oversexualized-mexican-mutated-fish-wrestler-wearing-a-tiny-sombrero-who-looks-perpetually-angry ) gets into some crazy adventures and sorts his way out of dumb/sad/frustrating/sexy/dangerous situations with his buddy, a small kid who has no fuckin' clue what to do. Just as everyone when seeing Poncho, I'd say. I love him.

Pastel Gore:

Let's face it, I'm a sadistic bitch. I love horror, and I love trying out new ways of making people feel extremely uncomfortable with my art. I tried twisted drawings, monsters, scenes of cratures feasting on hald-dead people... Now, with Pastel Gore, you'll experience something new than just "meh it's ok, I can take it". Here, I take cute characters, with adorable designs ( without going for the round and chubby new Cartoon Network stuff ) and pretty normal backstories... Then DOOM UPON THEM ALL. I won't get into the details, but it won't be pretty.

Wait, you've read this far ? GG WP mate, have my applause. *clap clap clap* ( nah really, thanks for the attention )

New End:

We know that I'm a sadistic bitch for a fact, but did you know that I sometimes am real salty as well ? No, you did not, obviously, this is the first time you see my face around here. Anyways, since I can be as salty as a LoL player, I decided to create a place on which I could express my frustration over some games n all. You know How It Should Have Ended ? If not, go check it out, it's guuuud. If yes, then you may imagine New End as a totally subjective and inaccurate version of HISHE. I don't care if it makes sense that this character, that I love, dies. I'll redraw the end with him alive. Obviously, nobody should take New End for a logical, rational version of the story. It's just me screwing around.

Lucidity:

Something else that only a few people know: I dream almost every night ! And add to that the fact that I very often experience lucid dreams ! And since they are fucked, real fun, or jsut purely epic, I thought I might as well share them with you guys. And feel free to give me analyses about them ! I love reading that kind of stuff, and it might help me with my personal problems by making me see things from a new point of view. Who knows ?

So here you go, this was my "short" presentation. Thank you for reading through all of this and I hope to see you around in the near future ! Have a good day, and don't forget: Fuck shit uuuuuuup