#and no duplicate questions are allowed unfortunately

[clowndensation]

before you're allowed to post about jonah magnus on the internet you should have to take an essay question quiz that asks:

what is his primary motivation in life? why? how is this expressed in his modern day interactions?

why does jonah create an archivist rather than assuming the role himself?

how does he feel about peter lukas?

if you make a joke about weed, homophobia, capitalism, or divorce you automatically fail and your post is immediately deleted.

[windyboi101]

Cyn Headcanons

Cyn won the poll I hosted! I also got WAY more notes than I expected so I am only during 30. Sorry, but its the only way to keep me from writing duplicates, low quality HCs, etc. Please like and reblog if you enjoy, as it lets me know I am writing content people enjoy, and it helps to spread my posts around! The more viewers, the more feedback I get, which is the most valuable resource to me.

So, without further ado,

30 Cyn Headcanons (Some serious, some silly)

Serious Headcanons 1. Prior to her disposal, Cyn worked as a toy assembler/demonstrator. This is why she would overexplain her actions, since toys can't exactly speak. This would later go on to influence the Solver's outlook on humanity and how it should be treated.

2. Cyn's cause of fatal error was not a workplace accident, but execution (murder) from a higher up at the company she was employed at. Reason? Up to you, whichever makes it most tragic :)

3. The Cyn we see in the show was only partially controlled by the Solver for some sections. When she was first brought home, barely noticeable influence, like 10% controlled. By the start of episode 5, about 70% of her was controlled by the Solver, but the excitement about Movie Night was genuine!

4. Solver-Cyn left Tessa for last on the night of the Gala Massacre. She had warned Tessa to not come, which shows that she didn't want to have to kill her.

5. While J was the first to fall under control of Cyn's Solver abilities, J was the last to be 'modified'.

6. While the Solver is fully in control of Cyn by the time the events of the show start playing out, Cyn is still within the consciousness of the bodies the Solver takes over. This includes being witness to Uzi's first transformation and Doll's mind.

7. Cyn was certainly younger than the other drones, and due to this she was never switched out of 'Parental Guidance Mode' that censors swearing (Like Uzi being unable to see Nori's crude writings). This is why Cyn couldn't fully swear when she lost grip of N's core.

8. The Cyn part of Solver has abandonment issues. This is why she was willing to clone the main cast of Disassembly Drones rather than see them as just tools. It is also why Cyn was willing to leave them alone if they obeyed her orders, despite her plan that consisted of consuming all matter possible. If she could keep them as friends, she would.

9. While still herself, Cyn had OCD and was very meticulous about her tasks. For the short time she was 'employed' at the Elliot Manor, she was particularly good at stacking and arranging of objects. Unfortunately, this would become arrangements of triangular hexagons and other mysterious symbols shortly before she was deemed too damaged to work.

10. Cyn did not create a solution for the Murder Drones to not burn in the sun because she sees it as a way to keep them restrained. The less time they can be out doing whatever they want, the less likely they are to figure out any sort of deception or way to usurp her.

11. If Cyn did not have to take a more direct approach for her plan to succeed by the end of Episode 7, she would have a fear of Sentinels while not in her 'blackhole' form after the events that transpired in Episode 6.

12. Cyn's 'birthday' was April 14th, 3052.

13. Cyn seems to have an infinite supply of bows. Nobody knows where she gets them from or how she keeps making them.

14. Post-Finale, Cyn would constantly be trying to hijack pieces of technology to gain more power. Fortunately, none of these attempts would get far due to Uzi's capable technological skills.

15. What would keep Cyn docile would be allowing her to hijack weak and limited pieces of technology, like an old game cartridge or a singular floppy disk. However, this ruins any sort of data stored on the item in question but would definitely create the closest example to those early 2000 creepypastas like 'Sonic.exe' and other 'my video game was hAuNtEd' types of scenarios.

Silly Headcanons

16. Cyn genuinely enjoys tea. Unfortunately, she does not know how to drink it properly.

17. If Cyn got an animal plushie of herself like Uzi, N, and V did, it would be an Octopus.

18. Cyn wasn't one to be impatient or throw temper tantrums like in Episode 5, that was all the Absolute Solver.

19. Cyn could have been knocked out for a few hours if you threw a big enough weighted blanket over her.

20. Cyn would host 'oil tasting parties' as a crude way of replicating the activities of her former owners.

21. Cyn's 'startup message' is not "Hello World." It is instead "Violence is the question and the answer is yes."

22. If you gagged Cyn's mouth in any way, she would use sign language to be able to communicate her actions in excessive detail, just like she does when she speaks. ("Light sip" or "Shuffle. Shuffle. Shuffle.")

23. If you gave Cyn a YouTube channel, she would market it like those "Spiderman Elsagate" videos completely unironically, but then have the content be very in-depth analyses of complex equations and theories.

24. Cyn does NOT know what sex is. She thinks humans reproduced by being delivered a child via Stork.

25. Cyn's knowledge of emojis (her last reaction in Episode 8) comes solely from what she could hijack from V's mind when she still had control, since V was texting Lizzy at some point in time.

26. Cyn sees William Afton as a role model.

27. Cyn's choice of play in GTA would be using mods to make everything fly around at high speeds and explode at random.

28. If you slapped Cyn across the face, her head would spin around on her neck until the momentum fully stopped.

29. Cyn is the kind of drone to taste-test a footprint and be able to know where somebody went.

30. A McDonald's sprite would be enough to kill Cyn.

[timeclipsed]

Tomorrow!Chronos is significantly different from himself in a majority of his timelines for several reasons; in most aspects, he's practically unrecognizable from mainline Chronos.

— He's incredibly spoiled, it's a trait that gets more prominent the longer he lives under ProwerTech observation. Tails uses his riches to fulfill every wish and whim his children have, and coupled with the way Chronos desperately craves attention and affection, he leans into it all the way. It does him no favors due to his emotional instability. — No longer suffers from NIDS. Where the regular Tails is wary of making the brothers more afraid of and adverse to him than they are, this timeline's Tails forced him into treatment and very quickly figured out both the cause and solution. — Depending on the verse, there may be someone he obsesses over (i.e. Scourge in Leather And Lark or Clutch in Wicked Virtues) to the point of becoming a mini-me. Even in the main timeline, he takes more after Sonic due to his unwavering hatred towards duplicates. Here, however, he's a mini-me of Tails. His beliefs have contorted enough to where he sees his father as his own person rather than another version of Tails, viewing both Tails and himself as fundamentally different and separate people from their variants. — Less jaded, gloomy and inherently hateful towards others than his mainline self, but far more self-centered, crybabyish and impatient as an unfortunate tradeoff. Largely keeps his sense of humor. — Typically he focuses more on caring for Kit's hygiene and fur than his own, but the boys would both have extensive furcare routines here. Whereas mainline Chronos' fur looks unkempt and dull, this one's coat is lustering and soft. — Speaks French more often, has French nicknames for his little siblings and father. He views it as a way of maintaining the family's image. — Slowest, but by far the strongest corruptive hold anyone has ever gotten on him in an existing timeline. Chronos abandons his goal of reuniting with Sonic for the longest time due to Tails' influence over him. — Whereas he'd normally have his ears pierced, they're instead notched in this timeline in order to match his father's. — Interns at ProwerTech, probably. He's usually toddling after Tails while they're both at work. Typically this is the most physical exertion he gets, as he's not allowed to leave the property unsupervised and drones take care of a majority of the housework for the kids. — Bizarre situationship (followed by huge question marks) going on with Orpheus, aka the Silver of this timeline. Acting as one of Tails' generals, and being one of the youngest amongst the ranks, Orpheus tends to be the only one allowed to be around Tails' children without being watched like a hawk. Normally Chronos isn't subtle about his crush on Silver, budding in childhood and stemming all into his teenage years, but this iteration falls all over him, swooning and fawning, and often pretends to get himself into particularly precarious positions to have Orpheus "save him". — Goes from distrusting and disliking any iterations of Sonic to outright acting like he's better than them in every way. — Always protective of his siblings, but here he tends to dote on Blossom more in juxtaposition to their mainline dynamic due to her being younger and possessing a severe illness. He empathizes with her deeply.

[yesloulou]

hello! i absolutely love your gifs and recently started making my own. your tutorials have been AMAZING especially the one ab creating super smooth gifs!! i was wondering two things if you wouldn't mind going into more detail. how do you go ab using topaz? I downloaded it (video ai) and when I try to use the frame interpolation, the video comes out looking super weird and staticky. My other question is unrelated, but was wondering if u could talk a little more ab neutralizing colors in gifs which you mentioned in one of ur tutorials? Thank you so much for all the beautiful gifs and amazing tutorials!! <3

hi anon. thank you for the kind words!! this actually just reminded me to update my lil gif speed management tutorial bc im doing something different now (avoid converting into smart object at the end which always made my gifs less sharp). i think it makes a pretty big difference &lt;3

Re: smooth gifs by neutralizing colors (from this tutorial)

basically the concept is that since gifs only allow at most 256 color entries, the more neutral in color a gif is, the more detailed those colors can be represented. here are two gifs whose only difference is the color on the big screen behind daniel. the first gif has more saturated greens and blues, and from the color table we can see PS utilized a lot of the 256 color slots to express greens and blues. the second gif is more neutralized, as a result we're seeing more skin colors in the color table, ie more efforts are made to express the main subject of this gif (daniel <3).

at this size, it may look like the first gif looks better bc of vibrancy. but the problem will expose at full size. taking a closer look we'll see the skin tones in the 1st gif are not as well expressed as the 2nd gif. the 2nd gif is a lot smoother, less pixelated, and less splotchy, especially around the highlight areas.

this comparison in gif:

obviously, nobody will look at a gif this closely. but in my opinion this is what makes the difference between 'smooth' and 'butter smooth'. vibrancy and smoothness are both important to a gif, but unfortunately they are a trade-off. it comes down to the gif maker's personal preference. to me personally, the first gif is eye-catching bc of its bright colors, i totally see why some ppl might prefer it. but there is a smoothness and real-ness in the second gif that the first gif just doesn't have. as a result, the more neutral coloring would be what i prefer for this particular gif

in application, this can go both ways:

1. if i feel a gif has too many colors and is pixelated bc of it, i will try to neutralize some of them for smoothness. example: here the very blue background that we're all familiar with was neutralized to an almost baby blue. the bright yellows on sharl and max's race suits were warmed up and desaturated to a peachy yellow color. this will be particularly useful if your gif is too big and you have to use even less than 256 colors.

2. if a gif feels too dull, i will either try to make some of its existing colors more saturated (using Hue/Saturation Adjustment), or add some hues to the whites or blacks (using Selective Color), so that it will have more vibrancy. example (left): the blue on the red bull can is almost the only cool color in this gif, so i made it more saturated for contrast; example (right): the gif had virtually no cool tone so i made the whites (see prints on sharl's shoulder) more cyan than reality. (ps this is why i think sports gifs are challenging. in tv shows or movies the colors in every scene would've been designed and arranged, but in sports we won't have that)

3. colors/vibrancy may be the only thing i want. pixelation can be a style in itself

4. i might not care about colorfulness at all and just want the gif to be as smooth as possible

Re: interpolation

speed coming out weird after interpolation is almost always bc your original video contains dup frames, esp if the footage was screen recorded. topaz does provide a "Replace Duplicate Frames" option with interpolation but imo it's not reliable at all. in my experience automated frame dedup requires more configurations than the one topaz lets you customize (sensitivity). which is probably why their dedup doesn't work as well as their other features. making sure your original video is free of dup or missing frames should solve your problem <3

ohh also interpolation works best in doubling or quadrupling! ie 25fps -> 50fps, 30fps -> 120fps etc etc

hope this is helpful!

[ask-codeearasure]

The Outer Realms -- Chapter 7

<- [Previous Chapter]

[Next Chapter]->

—-----

Chapter Seven:

Troubleshooting

—----

“The best antidote I know for worry is work. The best cure for weariness is the challenge of helping someone who is even more tired. One of the great ironies of life is this: He or she who serves almost always benefits more than he or she who is served.”

― Gordon B. Hinckley (Standing for Something: 10 Neglected Virtues That Will Heal Our Hearts and Homes)

—-

Occultatum glared at this… mockery that dared exist before him. Izanagi was the one person he’d rather see dead than anywhere near his library. The room they were in was not only the main foyer of his home, but the very library where he took care of for his queen. The archive of his world, of his universe, and even now the multiverse considering he collected as many books as he could from every AU he visited – but never once did he ever consider the scrolls of Izanagi’s universe.

Dire situations required him to put his utter disgust of the demon before him to allow for this one exception. The scrolls Izanagi had were numerous and long, immensely content heavy as well, but all in Japanese. Occult was lucky his magic allowed him to be able to scan, duplicate, and even perfectly translate whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. However, the information was meaningless and worthless to himself in particular.

Lists of demons and rituals were all they were, along with small bits and blurbs of history of that wretched religion Izanagi followed.

Blood Moon.

Sacrificing humans and monsters alike for the demons as a form of respect and payment to bring them to the realm of the living. For a priest, he was a cruel one.

Occult used his magic to search through the scrolls via a key-word. Positivity, Healing, Cure, etc.

But what he found wasn’t exactly pleasant.

“Marbas, Buer, and Ashlesh…?”

All three were out of the question considering that they were not only dangerous to summon, but required too many people to sacrifice. But the first two could barely heal anything, and the last one…

The last one entirely stripped a person of their entire ability to feel any other emotions – only positive emotions, but mostly joy. Ashlesh was a demon of joy, having the ability to feed off of primordial joys, obsessions, and delirium. The cost of gaining the demon’s favor was unknown, but the toll was expected to be high. Occultatum could only guess that even the writers of these scrolls did not want to attempt to get to know the demon or its demands.

“None of this is going to work.” Occult growled, closing the magic screen that he had been using to read the scrolls and search through them.

Izanagi looked as though he expected the answer, but wanted to deny it.

Occult stared at him for a moment before forcing his pride down and simply asked, “Do you have anything that isn’t… that?” he lightly gestured to the scrolls, “Surely your AU has something, anything that can buy us some time, at least.”

Izanagi fidgeted with his sleeves and frowned, his mind seemed to be elsewhere, thinking deeply. “Maybe… I’ll try…”

Occult watched him leave through a blood red portal. He couldn’t fathom why Izanagi was always so solemn around him, but he had to admit, it was better than being attacked.

Then there was a knock at the front door. The skeleton took a deep breath, counted to twelve, then exhaled, using his magic to open the grand doors of the library. He recognized the magic signatures instantly, Doctor Toriel and Nurse Alphys. He could surely check in on Cy and… that Dream.

It was outrageous to think that the happiness of the entire multiverse relied on the existence of one person. It was a faulty plan, if anybody had thought of it in the first place, because what if that one special individual died? Oh, yes. Everyone else would die in quick succession. Occultatum couldn’t help but think whatever created the original Nightmare and Dream had wanted for their series of their unfortunate events to happen as they did in the first place. From what he could gather of the original Dreamtale, the mother of the twins, Nim, was a vindictive woman. But she was also murdered by an equally monstrous man. Whether or not one or both of them were to blame probably didn’t matter at this point, nor was this something easily reversible as far as the Royal Archiver was concerned.

If anything, he hoped that there would be a possibility to recreate a device or maybe a spell that would permanently recreate the guardian’s aura. That way, the kid could get some rest. 500+ years old or not, Dream was still a kid as far as he was concerned.

“You okay?” asked Toriel when she walked up to him. Her doctor’s cloak was a bit wrinkled, she probably hadn’t been sleeping much, she had almost an entire underground’s worth of patients to look after, and had been putting up with Izanagi, so it was to be expected.

Occult nodded, “Yeah, I’m fine.” he lied.

She gave him a narrow glare but didn’t push it. She knew he and Izanagi were on the thinnest ice in the multiverse, and thus could barely be in each other’s vicinity without getting into a violent confrontation. “How’s the patient?”

That question…

“He’s alright, he tried to convince me to let him go, but I had to almost argue with him to get him to stay, but he’s fine. He ate a full meal and everything.” Occult stated.

“How’s Izanagi?” asked Alphys, getting her clipboard ready.

“Alive.”

The two women stayed silent.

“He’s run off to his AU to find anything actually useful.” Occult said through gritted teeth.

Toriel sighed, “Well, that’s certainly better than the first answer.”

Alphys nodded.

Occult wished it was over and done with so that way he could just toss that bastard right into the–

“We’re going to check on the patient,” Toriel said simply, “And if I hear you and Izanagi argue, even slightly, I swear I’ll have your head!”

Occult nodded, “Yes ma’am.” He wasn't taking the threat as seriously as he should.

The doctor gave a small growl from the back of her throat as she watched Occultatum set up the scrolls in a small case that he teleported to the table, locking it with magic he hoped would be too complex for the priest.

Alphys tapped Toriel on the shoulder and nodded towards the room Dream was in. They could focus on the Archiver later. For right now, they had far more important matters at hand. Toriel huffed and followed Alphys to the room. The moment she saw Dream up and about, looking at all the trinkets, she knew she was going to have to consider staying in the library.

“Nope, nope, nope.” Toriel bleated, using her magic to levitate Dream back over to the bed, “You need rest, not to go moving about without at least someone here to help. To think he left you here alone–”

She took a deep breath and sighed. Yep… it was gonna be one of those days. By the way the guardian looked at her, she was going to have to keep an eye on him.

“I was fine–” Dream said, attempting to set himself upright as Toriel and Alphys walked over, only to realize they weren’t really listening to him.

Alphys checked his forehead, “Just above average temp. About 100 degrees.” 

Toriel tutted, her eyes glowed bright red, “Soul Wavelength is thirty beats per second.” her eyes stopped glowing as she took notes.

Soul Wavelength? Dream never heard of such a thing. He shook his head. “What are you talking about?”

Toriel brushed off the question with a simple, “We’re just doing a basic check up, dear.”

“Have you been feeling any aches and pains?” Alphys asked.

“Well, yes–”

They noted it down.

“Where?” Toriel asked, checking his left hand, looking at his joints in particular, her paw pads gently pressing on them to check dexterity.

“My joints.” Dream stated.

That was also noted.

“His joints are functioning, but they’re very gray. HP seems to be fluctuating, and we are going to see if we can figure out a way to extract the energy from the apples themselves or up the venom extraction from the arrows…” Toriel stated.

“Now for the harder questions,” Alphys said as she noted down Toriel’s words.

Toriel nodded, “Have you ever been diagnosed with a mental health disorder before?”

Dream shook his head, “No–”

 “Have you ever received any mental health treatments before?”

“No.”

 “What is your family's mental health history?”

“I’m not… sure what you’re asking me. I’m sorry.”

Toriel gawked at him for a full five seconds before looking over at Alphys as if wondering if she too heard the same question. “You’ve never seeked therapy before?” “No.” Dream loosely crossed his arms, his hands rubbing his upper arms nervously. “I haven’t really thought about it.”

Toriel frowned, a wave a pity radiating off of her, “Oh, my child, no wonder you were so reckless. Well, we’re going to have to start now. Have you ever felt depressed or even suicidal?”

Dream was taken aback by the question and concerned by the slight waves of negativity. Depressed or suicidal? He knew what those things looked like and did, so much of the tasks he completed across the multiverse included aiding the unfortunate with those problems. But he didn’t think- well- maybe. Maybe, but he only had so much free time before Nightmare struck again, or if someone got too attached to him on the basis of his aura. He didn’t get the time or space to evaluate himself, not when his existence was responsible for everyone else’s positivity. Dream’s face visibly scrunched as he struggled to put the situation in order for himself. In practice, he didn’t even know how therapy worked aside from talking. But why were Toriel and Alphys running him down for these answers? The most important issues at hand had to do with his body, his soul- not his mind! No… okay, maybe he understood, just a little bit. Suicide and depression were negative things, and whatever he was shot with weeks ago sent him into a spiral. So this was just as much about his mind as it was his soul and body. “I don’t want to- to die, but I suppose there is some… guilt.”

Toriel simply nodded, as she wrote down something, “Don’t worry dear, we’ll help you any way we can. I’ll see to it that you have a cellphone to contact me at any time you need to talk.” When she finished writing, she asked, “How has your mental health impacted you before and after the incident?”

Dream tried to think about his time before that bullet. It was such a blur. It was almost repetitive in a way, like a simple clock, correct only twice a day, but a mess in between those times before and after. But it was far more complicated than that. He didn’t have a routine, but to think about himself wasn’t just a personal choice, but it was genuinely difficult. Did the bullet break his mind or impact his soul that harshly?

“Dream…” Toriel said softly, snapping the guardian out of his thoughts. Her soft scarlet eyes looked into his eyelights, “Breathe. Take your time, there is no need to rush.”

Dream nodded simply. Stars, he felt useless. He shook his head and mumbled, “I… honestly don’t know. Everything is just… blurry. I remember I had a routine, it was simple and almost daily. I’d jump to help anyone and everyone in the multiverse with their positivity, but my aura is addicting. So I have to make sure I only stay for short amounts of time  – well, had to, since it’s gone now. But when I got shot with… whatever it was, my aura disappeared, and I just tried to keep up my job.” he shrugged, “...and I ended up spiraling. I’ve seen people spiral before, and I know how they feel when that happens, but I’ve never experienced it personally until then… I don’t want to ever do that again.”

The guardian bit the tip of his tongue, swallowing back the disgust he had for those memories and the way he acted. The amount of supplemental misery that bullet forced on him was worse than the loneliness and sadness he was used to managing for himself, even if it ended in a few tears here and there. But there wasn’t anything he could do about that, not unless Nightmare’s problematic activity ceased, and he knew better than to believe that would happen while he remained alive.

Toriel gave him a gentle smile, there was a small wave of sadness and understanding, “Nightmare’s venom is like that, it is understandable as to why it hit you so hard.”

Dream gave her a perplexed look. “Venom?”

“Our Dream and Nightmare don’t simply have magic that is based off of Positivity and Negativity, they have venom laced within their spells and weapons. They cannot control it, rather it’s just there. The same way a lot of Sans have the Karma Venom, one that depletes an opponent’s HP depending on the amount of people they killed. Nightmare’s doesn’t simply give people misery, it enhances it. I like to call it a Depression Instigator. It will unlock closed doors that the mind hides off. Your loneliness or things you deny you have, they come spilling out, almost violently. I’ve seen the effects before, but since you survive off of positivity…” she pursed her lips.

Alphys finished for her, “In a nutshell, you are self-destructing because of it. We’ve seen our Dream be in our asylum so depressed he just can’t get out of bed for weeks. It’s not a pretty sight, but it's the way the venom works. Nightmare DeVille is the most depressed person I know, but his venom can knock a person lower than he’s ever been in his life.”

“So I’m doing this to myself?” Dream asked.

“No, dear.” Toriel said, almost offended, “It’s very hard to explain, but you are not doing it to yourself. It’s like… Think of yourself as a vase. You’ve been placed at the edge for a long time, but the venom knocked you down and you’ve shattered. You’re not broken completely. You just need a bit of repair. The minds of everyone are different. You’ll be better before you know it, you just need help.”

Dream wasn’t sure if he trusted her answer. Help? Any kind of help he gets will always be under threat of what Nightmare finds out sooner or later. Say Nightmare found out Toriel and Alphys were giving him a hand in terms of survival- their lives would be on the line. But it would be nice, at least, to not need to be by himself anymore. At least in concept.

Toriel put a paw to Dream’s cheek to get him to look at her, “Dream, what’s the matter? You’re making that pout that our Dream does when he has something bothering him.”

“It’s the exact same one, too.” Alphys gave a small smile but there were waves of worry coming from her.

“My brother, Nightmare… He’d find out sooner or later about you all… I’m a walking target for him. If he finds out about you, you will become another target.”

Shockingly, the two women laughed. But not at him, no. Their laughter and waves of positivity weren’t directed at him, it was the answer they found so absurd.

“Oh, deary,” Toriel said smiling, “Occultatum wouldn’t ever let that happen. His magic easily hides us and our universes!”

“Huh?” Dream tilted his head.

“His magic is spacial and temporal.” Alphys smirked, “It locks out people he deems as a threat, and he’s locked out everyone he doesn’t know. It is only because of our Dream that you’re allowed in here. He vouched for you and Occult allowed you in. Think of it as an invincible door and only Occult has the key. He keeps the door locked and only opens it for certain people, and their specific magic and Soul Wavelengths. When anyone he doesn’t know tries to gain entry, they’re blasted away by their own soul and magic. Izanagi had to be let in since he was the one that got ahold of our Dream, which forced Occultatum’s hand. But even then, if he wanted, he could easily lock him out.”

“How sure are you?” Dream asked.

The two women exchanged looks.

“Try leaving.” Toriel said.

Dream froze.

“Go on.” Toriel said, “We won’t stop you.”

Dream was taken aback by their confidence, but quickly nodded and slid off the bed, held out a hand, and tried to expand his awareness to other sources of positivity outside of Outerswap. Just when his senses breached what he thought was the boundary of the universe, it was like he hit a solid wall, forcing his attempt back. 

The guardian’s golden eyes widened, then blinked in shocked silence. The dulled yellow magic around him died down, and he turned back to the bed to take his seat again. “I-... I didn’t think you were lying, jus- just to clarify, but that is… impressive.”

For a moment, Dream’s small ounce of disbelief made his eyelights sparkle, then shift into the shape of excited stars.

“Occultatum’s magic is beyond impressive,” Toriel nodded, “He’s cast this spell on our universe as well. And don’t worry, we know you’re learning a lot about our side of the multiverse. We were already told of how… different things are on your side.”

“He has a lot of books from many different AUs,” Alphys smiled, “I sometimes come here to read. I’m more than certain that he’d be willing to let you read a few books on Spacial Magic to gain a few new spells of your own.”

Dream got a little bit worried. When was the last time he read a book? Maybe he was going to need a dictionary to go alongside whatever book he gets… Maybe he could sneak out of the room and find the library, then go book hunting later on so no one sees. Could he even use the spells they were talking about? He was from the inner circle, could those from the inner circle use spells from the outer circle and vice versa? How would that even work? That would be so cool if he could but he doubted it…

At least he’d have some entertainment other than a rerun of a Napstaton’s show in Underswap. Wait, speaking of Underswap, didn’t Occult say something about the camera?

—----

A toddler of a skeleton was tinkering with a device that only he knew the use of. He hummed a song to himself and stuck out his baby blue tongue out as he worked, scrunching up his face as his visor showed him thousands upon thousands of analyses and calculations. He was about to fall off of his chair, but a giant floating robot the shape of a rabbit’s head caught him with a clamp.

“Thank you, Millie!” babbled the toddler.

“Careful, Cyber.” said the robot.

“I will!” Cyber said, smiling, getting back to work, climbing onto the chair and going back to his tinkering.

After screwing on a final bolt, he used his magic to summon a bright blue screen that showed his machine, incorporating the tiny camera found on the stranger’s outfit – and its analysis of the signal. He then pressed on the screen and had it follow the signal’s trail, to find the universe it was going to.

“Found it!” Cy smiled, “Yay! We get pancakes for breakfast for the next three days!”

“You must remember to brush your teeth thoroughly after eating.” said Millie.

“I know.” Cy giggled before yawning immensely.

“Nap time.” Millie stated.

“But I need to tell Taty–”

“I can tell him for you, Cyber.” Millie said. It opened a hatch on it’s head showing a comfortable baby bed with a pillow and a nice thick blanket.

Cy yawned again and was about to protest, but the bed looked so comfortable! The robot floated over to him.

“I shall give him the data.” Millie said, “Rest now, Cyber, when you wake there will be games to play, and paper to draw on.”

Cy climbed in, curled up under the blanket as the hatch closed, not with metal, but glass and a soothing lullaby played. The sounds of the outside world was unable to penetrate the glass. Nothing could ever break through his mother’s and brother’s machines. People as brilliant as them were never outsmarted. They worked for a queen, after all. They were too smart for the multiverse.

He stretched and slowly fell asleep as he watched from the glass as Millie floated out the bedroom door to go to the library.

Millie floated and floated, not even swaying. If anyone didn’t know any better they’d asume the world was moving and the robot was stationary. But it truly was the robot moving, it just didn’t look like it with how perfectly it was made. It located Occultatum with ease, slipping through the bookshelves.

“Occultatum, Cyber has located where the signal is headed towards.” Millie stated.

“Show me.” Occult watched the robot pull up a screen that had the data. It took him a moment to see what it all meant. Unlike the toddler, Occult had to take a few moments in order to fully comprehend such data. So the signal was deep inside the Inner Circle… The realms inside the Inner Circle were so clumped together, so it would take a moment to get some relative idea as to which AU the coordinates were pointing to. He texted the coordinates to a good friend of his and hoped that the people there wouldn’t cause too much trouble.

Dream did say they were friends. But what kind of friends… well, would be determined by that of Occult’s own.

[whirlwindsworld]

So here is the promised explanation of the Theo in Storage.

Tim put a duplicate of Theo into storage because despite his interest being a longitudinal case study and thus didn’t account for a control, he knew he needed a baseline. And a backup. And insurance.

Theo was all three in a convenient package.

Typically longitudinal case studies were all about studying one subject over a long period of time. Its not a typical experiment with independent control variables and the like. But typical longitudinal case studies also didn’t have access the compound’s time travel technology.

In storage, they would be resistant to timeline changes. And any time Tim wanted to ask a question, he could. This would allow him to properly assess the other Theo. Compare and contrast, if you would.

Plus it didn’t hurt to see how the control would react to Mantis and the duplicate of Jessica Baker, who had given itself the appellation Jess.

It was irritating when they broke the illusion for her, causing an unfortunate incident that Tim had to explain. He had initially planned for each interview to end him correcting the duplication. But Jess and Mantis changed that. 4CCOL4DE had made a very persuasive argument, and so Tim made sure Mantis and Jess became aware of that Theo’s fate, as an… Incentive to reconsider messing with his experiments in the future.

Tim personally found it a bit distasteful, but it was easier when the Theo would be gone from sight, and on her way to Yellow.

Of course, Theo wasn’t the only Saddler in the compound’s storage…

[pinkprincess717-blog1]

I’m Here - Ch. 4 Preview

(Amicia x Lucas) A Plague Tale

Note: Hey guys! Just an update, I haven’t given up on my Lumicia fanfic! I’m working on it!😉 I hope you enjoy this preview for the upcoming chapter! 🥺🩷

Preview:

“It’s beautiful here…” Lucas mused, voice lightly reverberating throughout the church. Lightly, he fingered an abandoned manuscript which had been left open halfway on a pew. He skimmed through the text as he flicked through the pages.

In a moment of blissful silence, Lucas acknowledged the overwhelming enveloping sensation of complete tranquillity within the atmosphere, contradictory to the chaos they’d once endured. He didn’t quite know how to describe it… No, he did not share Amicia’s religious views, but he was certain there was no logical explanation, no book in a library that could provide answers to his burning questions. Instead, Lucas was surrounded with the presence of many angels, who protectively embraced their large feathered wings around the duo, shielding them from any further harm from the harshness of the world. They had been through enough already. The idea seemed so intangible and yet…. so real to Lucas.

Lucas instinctively glanced up from the manuscript, the agile yet delicate clicking of Amicia’s leather boots echoed, gliding effortlessly as she danced across the church like a fairy. She appeared to be looting all the substances she could find, a habit the duo had both come to learn during the time of the plague in order to survive. Lucas admired the chandeliers dangling from the ceiling, which held multiple dimly lit candles. Arched alcoves shaped the building on both sides of the church. At each alcove, there were torches lit with fire that crackled and created a warmth and a cosy atmosphere.

The church appeared to be in its most pure and authentic state, untouched by the rats. Finally, it seemed the pair had found a safe place for rest and to worship although temporary. There was no sign or trace of a massacre or evidence of the existence of the plague within the vicinity, and no hordes of rats invading the centre of it. There was no great lingering stench of blood, guts or rotting corpses or piercingly high squeaks from the thousands of rats as they’d unfortunately had to endure.

Lucas could have allowed himself to slip into a state of denial… to pretend the existence of the plague had all been but a nightmare or a dark fantasy. But the stricken grief that plagued Amicia’s face, the scars and the deep frown lines which had recently appeared on her features aged her… a girl so young. The rawness reminded Lucas all too well of their reality. He couldn’t imagine he looked so fresh faced himself, he had practically bled open wounds. However, nothing, nothing compared to the void absence of a little boy by Amicia’s side and familiar tiny delicate palms gripping onto her own as they adventures together. Instantly, the heartstrings holding Lucas’s heart severed. For a moment, he imagined Hugo’s small form besides Amicia, but the image withered away as soon as it came.

Although the church was void of other visitors, evident signs surrounded the building of how they’d recently passed by. Duplicated copies of manuscripts and books were scattered and abandoned among pews, presumably from old churches from before the plague. Amongst the manuscripts were useful alchemical properties which would no doubt come in use for the pair.

“Lucas?” Amicia called.

Lucas cocked his head and gulped at what he saw, although his vision was a little blurry from the distance: Amicia looked like an angel, positioned gracefully on the platform of the altar at the end of the room. Her entire body seemed to glow with the bright sun peaking through the stained glass windows which were decorated with colourful drawings. Behind Amicia on the wall was a large stone statue of Mother Mary whose head was bowed and hands together in prayer.

“Lucas, are you coming?” Amicia called again, pulling Lucas out of his trance. He wildly shook his head as though attempting to rouse himself from a dream.

“Y-yes. Coming! Sorry!” Lucas stuttered, cheeks burning. Clumsily, he stumbled down the aisle, nearly tripping over his own feet to reach her. The distance seemed to grow longer and longer with each step…

[seoconsultantaustraliaa]

85% of Australian e-commerce content found to be plagiarised

Optidan Published a Report Recently

OptiDan, an Australia-based specialist in AI-driven SEO strategies & Solutions, has recently published a report offering fresh insights into the Australian e-commerce sector. It reveals a striking statistic about content across more than 780 online retailers: 85% of it is plagiarised. This raises severe questions about authenticity and quality in the e-commerce world, with possibly grave implications for both consumers and retailers.

 Coming from the founders of OptiDan, this report illuminates an issue that has largely fallen under the radar: content duplication. The report indicates that suppliers often supply identical product descriptions to several retailers, resulting in a sea of online stores harbouring the same content. This lack of uniqueness unfortunately leads to many sites being pushed down in search engine rankings, due to algorithms detecting the duplication. This results in retailers having to spend more on visibility through paid advertising to compensate.

Key Findings in Analysis

Key findings from OptiDan's research include a worrying lack of originality, with 86% of product pages not even meeting basic word count standards. Moreover, even among those that do feature sufficient word counts, Plagiarism is distressingly widespread. Notably, OptiDan's study presented clear evidence of the detrimental impacts of poor product content on consumer trust and return rates.

 Founder and former retailer JP Tucker notes, "Online retailers anticipate high product ranking by Google and expect sales without investing in necessary, quality content — an essential for both criteria." Research from 2016 by Shotfarm corroborates these findings, suggesting that 40% of customers return online purchases due to poor product content.

 Tucker's industry report reveals that Google usually accepts up to 10% of plagiarism to allow for the use of common terms. Nonetheless, OptiDan's study discovered that over 85% of audited product pages were above this limit. Further, over half of the product pages evidenced plagiarism levels of over 75%.

 "Whilst I knew the problem was there, the high levels produced in the Industry report surprised me," said Tucker, expressing the depth of the issue. He's also noted the manufactured absence of the product title in the product description, a crucial aspect of SEO, in 85% of their audited pages. "Just because it reads well, doesn't mean it indexes well."

 OptiDan has committed itself to transforming content performance for the online retail sector, aiming to make each brand's content work for them, instead of against them. Tucker guarantees the effectiveness of OptiDan's revolutionary approach: "We specialise in transforming E-commerce SEO content within the first month, paving the way for ongoing optimisation and reindexing performance."

 OptiDan has even put a money-back guarantee on its Full Content Optimisation Service for Shopify & Shopify Plus partners. This offer is expected to extend to non-Shopify customers soon. For now, all retailers can utilise a free website audit of their content through OptiDan.

Optidan – Top AI SEO Agency

Optidan is a Trusted AI SEO services Provider Company from Sydney, Australia. Our Services like - Bulk Content Creation SEO, Plagiarism Detection SEO, AI-based SEO, Machine Learning AI, Robotic SEO Automation, and Semantic SEO

We’re not just a service provider; we’re a partner, a collaborator, and a fellow traveller on this exciting digital journey. Together, let’s explore the limitless possibilities and redefine digital success.

Intrigued to learn more? Let’s connect! Schedule a demo call with us and discover how OptiDan can transform your digital performance.

Reference link – Here Click

[nettakrim]

Cooking show concept:

its a well known fact that too many cooks spoil the broth, so we can make a 2x2 grid relating "quality of broth" with "presence of cook" and it would look something like this:

. | No Cook A | Cook A

No Cook B | Bad | Good

. Cook B | Good | Bad

with no cooks, the broth is never made, so its bad, with just cook A or just cook B we get a good broth, but with two cooks the broth is spoiled, everyone knows this

now anyone whose familiar with logic gates probably noticed that this is an XOR gate!..

which begs the question, how do we convert a good broth into the presence of a cook in a later XOR gate, since this would allow us to chain logic gates

the obvious solution: Gordon Ramsay.

Gordon Ramsay tastes the broth, and if the broth is good, the cook moves onto the next round, if the broth is spoiled, no cooks move on (ofc regardless of the lack of a good broth, no cooks move on when there *are* no cooks)

unfortunately, just XOR gates arent enough for turing completeness, which is of course the goal here, so what else can we construct?

well first of all, you can make a NOT gate by just having a cook in the XOR kitchen already, so now we just need to find either an AND, OR, NAND, or NOR and we can construct everything we need using De Morgan's laws

thankfully, this is already a solved problem, Regular Cooking Shows!

if no cooks enter the kitchen, noone leaves, if theres any amount of cooks, theres always exactly one winner! this is an OR gate! We can of course reuse Gordon Ramsay for this

(note that an "implicit OR" by just letting all cooks through would "overload" later XOR gates, spoiling the broths)

now the obvious issue with this is that the kitchens cannot reused, since cooks are left behind or exit permanently, but this is fine as long as logic is purely sequential

sequential logic *is* a lot easier to deal with though, and it actually helps solve another issue - the fact that a NOT gate cook could finish cooking their broth before another cook comes in to spoil it... the solution...... Gordon Ramsay!

we give him a list of kitchens to judge one by one, and thats the order the logic gates are evaluated in, since its sequential this naturally leads to the idea of defining our logic in the same order its evaluated in, something like:

0. OR -> 2

1. XOR -> 2

2. OR -> 3

3. NOT -> out

where NOT is built as an XOR kitchen with a cook already there

so following this notation here, we would build an OR and XOR kitchen connecting to a 2nd OR kitchen, then connect the exit of that kitchen to a NOT kitchen, then the exit of that is our output, then to run the cooking show we tell Gordon Ramsay to judge the OR kitchen, then the XOR kitchen, then the 2nd OR, then the NOT!

the eagle eyed reader, however, may have noticed that this is pretty impractical...- since we cant have one kitchen output to more than one other!.. this would mean we need to duplicate all our inputs and logic at every split, which would be a pain!!!

so we want something where when a cook completes one challenge, a separate cook is allowed into a later challenge...

luckily, the solution is another cooking competition! consider this:

the kitchen is split in two with a divider, with holes for passing of ingredients, each half of the kitchen has an incomplete set of ingredients, and in the other half there is a pre-existing cook

if no cook enters the empty half, the other cook wont be able to beat the challenge, so wont be allowed through when Gordon Ramsay judges them - if the cook does enter, then both cooks win, and their respective doors open

this challenge also doubles as an AND gate if you only let one of the cooks out and have both cooks as inputs instead of having one there already!

interestingly, both the AND and OR kitchens generalise nicely to more than 2 inputs, for OR you just add more contestants, for AND you add more dividing walls

XOR generalises as only true if theres exactly one cook, but there isnt really a set way XOR is supposed to generalise

this does help simplify our notation, as we dont need to confirm that there are only 2 inputs to each kitchen

so now with all of that established, i present a full adder:

0. A -> 3 (input)

1. B -> 4 (input)

2. C_in -> 5 (input)

3. SPLIT -> 6,10

4. SPLIT -> 6,10

5. SPLIT -> 8,9

6. XOR -> 7

7. SPLIT -> 8,9

8. XOR -> S (output)

9. AND -> 11

10. AND -> 11

11. OR -> C_out (output)

like earlier NOT is built as an XOR kitchen with a pre-existing cook, SPLIT is likewise an AND kitchen with a pre-existing cook for each additional output

this means we can count the total number of cooks we need, there arent actually any NOT kitchens, but we do have 4 SPLITs, with 2 outputs each, so thats 4 cooks, and then theres at most 3 additional cooks for each of our inputs, so let's say 7 contestants

we can also count the number of rounds (perhaps call them episodes) pretty easily, since its just the number of gates (there is no parralisation) in this case its 9

these two stats would be what you would want to optimise for

given how common SPLIT is, we could simplify our notation for humans at the cost of needing a compilation step by combining the splits into the outputs of gates, like this:

0. A -> 3,6 (input)

1. B -> 3,6 (input)

2. C -> 4,5 (input)

3. XOR -> 4,5

4. XOR -> S (output)

5. AND -> 7

6. AND -> 7

7. OR -> C (output)

but be aware that for this to be a valid cooking show you need to run it through some program first to uncompress the SPLITs

its also worth noting that an AND gate going into a SPLIT is often useless, unless you need to output to more kitchens than the AND gate has inputs, you can just use the inputs to the AND gate as your SPLIT outputs, this reduces how many cooks are needed, and could be included in the compilation (along with shortcuts for NAND, NOR ofc)

none of the cooks in the cooking show need to know the layout of the circuit for it to work, and neither does Gordon Ramsay

~The Producers~ just need to give him the list of what kitchens to judge in what order - the layout and challenge type of the kitchens and the doors control the flow!

so uuh... if you ever have a lot of kitchens and a lot of cooks and a Gordon Ramsay, now you know what to do?

[superkilometerfilter]

What Are the Signs of Car Being Hacked?

The automotive industry has never been as developed and powerful as it is today. It is the development of technology and the introduction of innovations in the car that made our journey more comfortable and enjoyable. Auto manufacturers are constantly trying to introduce new features in their cars and show their advantage in the competitive field. However, technology is evolving for other people as well. In particular, for those who want to hack your car and manipulate it. Their goals and methods are often unpredictable; thus, protecting machines from hackers is becoming more difficult every day. This article analyzes the signs of a car being hacked and how you can protect your vehicle from hackers.

How Does Car Hacking Work?

Car hacking refers to unauthorized access to a vehicle’s control systems or networks. Modern vehicles have intricate systems that manage keyless entry, driver assistance, and various other features. Hackers typically target these systems by identifying even the smallest vulnerabilities. This allows them to gain control of the vehicle and manipulate its functions. This may lead to actions such as data breaches and can pose safety and security risks. Smart technology in vehicles has greatly improved connectivity, but it also presents potential vulnerabilities for cyberattacks. Enhancing cybersecurity measures is crucial for strengthening vehicle functionality and promoting driver safety. Focusing on these things can really help you make driving better and safer.

How Hackers Can Attack Cars

Car hacking is a relatively new phenomenon. That is why car owners have not yet fully learned the techniques used by hackers, making them vulnerable to hacking. Here are the most common forms used in the car hacking process.

Remote Software Hacking

Hackers are known for writing code that allows them to break into systems without permission. This approach is not limited to computers, and the same goal can be achieved in cars as well. Through remote software hacking, one can gain control over your GPS, transmission, steering wheel, and even brakes. Such activities surely raise serious safety questions and require meticulous attention. If you’re wondering whether such an incident occurred, the answer is YES. It happened in 2015 in the famous Jeep Cherokee case. Cybersecurity researchers Charlie Miller and Chris Valasek confidently identified signs of car being hacked in the vehicle’s system, which was primarily due to its internet connectivity, which enabled easy remote access. This incident demonstrated severe security risks and made the manufacturers update security measures in more than a million cars.

Key Fob Hacking

Key fob hacking is one of the most common car hacking methods. By utilizing different devices, people can receive a signal from a key fob and expand or transfer it. Redirecting these signals enables others to access your car without having physical keys. If you think that modern vehicles are protected from such risks, unfortunately, that is not correct. Luxury cars and brand new expensive models that have a keyless entry system are the major targets for key fob hacking.

Data Theft

Hackers can illegally mine your data through your automobile. It all starts with downloading an infected app or file to your car’s infotainment system. If the car is connected to your phone via Bluetooth, hackers can access your data. That’s why you should always be careful before making any changes to your car’s computer system.

7 Ways Your Car Can Be Hacked: What Are the Signs of Car Being Hacked

These are the top 10 ways that hackers use against your auto:

Remote Key Fob Signal Cloning: Duplicate signals can enable unauthorized individuals to gain access to your vehicle without detection.

Keyless Entry System: The sign might indicate that your car unlocks without any action from your key fob or that the range seems unnaturally extended.

Malware Infiltration: In this case, the radio may turn on and off unexpectedly, or the GPS may direct you to incorrect locations.

Wi-Fi Hacking: Your vehicle’s Wi-Fi network may connect to unrecognized devices.

Bluetooth Vulnerabilities: When using Bluetooth, your car may connect with various uncommon devices or tools.

Mobile App Access: Be cautious of unexpected remote functions, such as starting or stopping actions without your input, and monitor for any signs of compromised account details.

OBD-II Port Tampering: Occurrence of unexpected error codes or diagnostic data indicating potential manipulations.

Top 10 Cars Under the Risk of Car Hacking

Here is the list of top car models that can be under the car hacking risks based on their technological features and connectivity options:

Tesla Models (Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y)

Jeep Cherokee

BMW Models

Ford Explorer and F-150

Chevrolet Volt

Toyota Prius

Nissan Leaf

Audi A3 and A4

Mercedes-Benz C-Class and E-Class

Range Rover

Can Your Car Be Hacked?

Yes, your car may be a victim of a hacking attack. Hackers can manipulate your car by using a computer and tapping the signal. You may not notice signs of car being hacked at first, but you will gradually find something suspicious. Modern automobiles sometimes have advanced software that optimizes driving experiences, but these technologies may have flaws that hackers might target. Dashboard warnings, unusual actions in automobile functions, and unpredictable touchscreen replies are all indicators of hacking. To prevent hacking, car owners should update software regularly, use safe passwords for linked apps, and take security measures such as turning off Wi-Fi or Bluetooth when not in use.

What Are the Signs of Car Being Hacked?

It is critical to understand how to recognize warning indications of potential hacking throughout the auto maintenance procedure. Identifying car hacking signs quickly could be difficult. However, there are early warning signs such as braking issues, unexpected accelerations, or an unruly steering wheel. The car may also display warning alerts on its dashboard. Let’s discuss what these indicators are and how to determine faults in vehicles on time.

1. Unexplained Unlocking and Locking

Unexpected locking and unlocking of your vehicle can be one of the first indicators that it has been hacked. If the doors of your car lock or unlock by themselves without any action from you or your key fob, this is a warning sign to take seriously. There are two possible explanations. Hackers might use devices to intercept and replicate key fob transmissions. Alternatively, malicious programming could disrupt conventional locking procedures.

2. Changes in Car’s Performance

Unexplained changes in a vehicle’s performance can be signs of car being hacked. If the automobile suddenly shows unusual behavior, such as unpredictable acceleration, irregular braking, or rapid drops in fuel economy, it could mean that its systems have been tampered with. Hackers can gain access to the car’s ECUs and manipulate settings, causing the vehicle to behave unpredictably. For example, changing engine reactions or the rapid activation of specific functions without driver input could indicate unauthorized access. Such deviations not only degrade driving enjoyment but also jeopardize safety.

3. Deceiving Dashboard Warning Lights

Unusual dashboard warning lights might be an early clue of car hacking as they typically indicate interference with the vehicle’s electronic systems. Modern cars rely on complex software to control their engines, brakes, and safety measures, and hackers who gain access to such technologies can change or deactivate their functioning. When these mechanisms are modified, unusual warning lights can light up without any underlying technical fault, or they may fail to appear when there is a serious problem. For instance, a hacker may turn on the airbag warning light or modify the check engine light to deceive the driver.

4. Incorrect Mileage and Location

Unexplained changes in a car’s location or mileage can indicate potential hacking. Modern vehicles are equipped with GPS systems and digital odometers, which cybercriminals can target. If your car’s navigational information appears manipulated or indicates routes that you never traveled, it could indicate unauthorized access and tampering. Similarly, unusual changes in mileage—such as rapid rises or inconsistencies that do not match real usage—may suggest that hackers modified the vehicle’s data. Reasons can be various, including fraud or circumventing mileage restrictions. Such interference not only invades the owner’s privacy but may also trigger issues with safety, maintenance tracking, and the vehicle’s resale value.

5. Unrecognized Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connections

Unauthorized Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connections might be modest yet significant signs of possible vehicle hacking. When illegal devices connect to a car’s system via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, it could be an attempt to access vehicle data or control features. Unauthorized connections can enable hackers to obtain conversations, change car settings, or even operate vital components remotely. Detecting and resolving strange connections is essential for protecting the automobile from any breaches that could jeopardize driver safety and the general integrity of your vehicle’s systems.

How to Protect Your Car from Hackers

Hacking machines is a significant challenge in the modern day. While manufacturers have the most resources to deal with this issue, you can take steps to secure your vehicle from hackers.

Avoid saving your home address on your GPS: Although having your home in the GPS can be comfortable, it can give car thieves and hackers a clear path to find the vehicle.

Restrict wireless or remote systems: Modern cars come with a variety of remote control options. These features create an exclusive setting and make our journey more comfortable. However, because these remote functions are managed online, hackers can easily target them.

Don’t leave passwords in a car: Hacking doesn’t always happen remotely. They can try to get into your vehicle physically. In this case, if they find passwords inside, you will be unsecured against hackers. So, never leave passwords inside.

Always visit trustworthy shops and service centers: Hacking your vehicle and gaining control over it takes a few minutes. Anyone who is physically close to the vehicle and knows hacking can benefit from it and break into your car. As a result, only use shops and services you trust.

Do NOT download suspicious apps: Unauthorized apps and programs are keys to hacking. Hackers can easily get access to sensitive data through such apps and viruses. Be cautious and always check the app’s source before downloading.

These are the common steps that will help you improve the security of your vehicle and protect it from hackers. When it comes to safety, always be careful about suspicious activities or warning signs.

Mileage Blocker: The Best Remote Device for Car Testing

The mileage blocker is the safest and most effective remote device for vehicle testing. It doesn’t store data in ECUs, so it does not leave any trace. No scanner tools or testers can detect the real mileage. The SKF mileage blocker doesn’t need special technical knowledge, and it includes easy installation instructions for everyone. This device is legal in many countries, but local guidelines and laws must always be checked. For any information, please contact customer service.

Takeaway

It has become extremely challenging to protect a vehicle from hackers and detect signs of car being hacked. Modern vehicles, with advanced connectivity and technology, are increasingly vulnerable to cyberattacks. Key warning signs include unexpected unlocking, changes in performance, dashboard alerts, altered mileage, and unauthorized Bluetooth connections. To protect against hacking, car owners should update software, avoid suspicious apps, limit wireless access, and use trusted service centers.

[visual-sculptors]

Enhancing Your Photoshop Skills: Techniques for Managing Layers and Graphics Types

Image editing using adobe photoshop : Frequently Asked Questions Explained

1.How do you find duplicates in adobe Photoshop?  

To find duplicates in Adobe Photoshop, you can use the "Layers" panel. Look for layers with similar names or content. You can also visually compare layers by toggling their visibility. For a more automated approach, consider using scripts or plugins designed for duplicate detection. Unfortunately, Photoshop does not have a built-in feature specifically for finding duplicates.

2. How do I delete a selection in adobe Photoshop?

To delete a selection in Adobe Photoshop, first make your selection using a tool like the Marquee or Lasso. Then, press the "Delete" key on your keyboard. This will remove the selected area, leaving a transparent background if the layer is unlocked. If you want to keep the selection but remove the content, simply create a new layer and delete the selection there.

3. How to rotate an image in adobe Photoshop?

To rotate an image in Adobe Photoshop, select the image layer. Then, go to the menu and choose "Image" > "Image Rotation" for preset angles (90°, 180°, 270°) or use "Free Transform" by pressing Ctrl+T (Cmd+T on Mac). Drag the corner handles to rotate manually. Press Enter to apply the rotation. Save your changes afterward.

4. What is a vector in adobe Photoshop?

In Adobe Photoshop, a vector is a type of graphic that uses paths defined by mathematical equations, allowing for scalable images without loss of quality. Unlike raster images (made of pixels), vectors can be resized freely and maintain sharpness. Photoshop primarily deals with raster graphics, but it supports vector shapes and text through its vector tools.

5. What is px in adobe photo size?

In Adobe, "px" stands for pixels, a unit of measurement used to define the dimensions of an image. For example, a photo size of 1920x1080 px means the image is 1920 pixels wide and 1080 pixels tall. Pixels determine the resolution and clarity of digital images, with more pixels generally resulting in better detail.

Visit: VS Website See: VS Portfolio

[wrathfuldissonance]

{ tagging @seatedsacrifice since this was written with our verse in mind u w u }

"What's happening?!" "The creations have gone mad!" "Don't go that way!"

Around the Warriors of Light, pandaemonium reigned. But in the midst of the panicking memories of ancients, a figure smaller than the rest - only coming to their shoulders - erected a barrier behind the fleeing ones with one hand, raising the other and pulling it sideways as if grasping strings. The creations running amok abruptly dispersed into aether. It was hard to notice, but their mask was black with red accents, a chain around their hips further setting them apart from the other echoes.

"Little ones, it's far too dangerous for you here--" The small ancient began, before a cry of pain sounded from deeper in the Akademia. "... Fine, if you can keep up, we have to evacuate the researchers!"

The dungeon proceeded as normal, the small ancient visibly herding stragglers towards the cleared path. Phantomology was strange, though, the ancient sealing the way behind them as each area was cleared. It at least kept them from being ambushed from behind...

"Iris, don't--" Quezacoatl was summoned regardless.

Instead of an empty dungeon, the warriors found themself in the presence of the Diminutive Amaurotine. The quartet eyed each other before Grim finally sighed and approached.

"Pardon, but... Who are you?"

The ancient paused, tilting their head inquisitively, before bowing politely. "I... Apologize for the unfortunate circumstances of your visit, young ones. I am Enyo, Master Lahabrea's assistant. In his absence, I am the acting authority of Phantomology. I am afraid that for the moment, the Akademia must be placed in lockdown until all creations can be returned to their proper containments. I really must insist that any further questions happen outside the building, after I have sealed it."

None of the group quite believed that - the mask belied their true status - but they allowed themselves to be herded out of a transformed Akademia - now it appeared a burnt out wreck, instead of merely drowned. Once everyone was out, Enyo reached out, plucking unseen strings until abruptly a barrier shimmered into existence, displaying a glyph that was half Lahabrea’s, half unknown. It had a sense of ancient power thrumming through it, something that had merely been reawakened rather than forged anew.

“Thank you for waiting,��� They turned to the group, a sense of smile on the unseen face. “How may I assist?”

“You’re Azem, ain’t’cha?” Dove asked bluntly, crossing their arms and glaring upwards while their tail lashed.

The ancient paused, voice hoarse when they managed to speak again. “Yes.”

Dove’s hands clenched into fists, but before they could work themself into a frenzy of irritation, Grim spoke again.

“Why are you here of all places?”

The shade of Azem laughed bitterly. “I did not lie to you, little ones. The rest of the Convocation labors to- to bring about the birth of Zodiark, to buy us time. I labor to find a way that renders such desperate measures unnecessary - or failing that, obsolete, that we might resurrect those willing to give their lives that we might witness a future for our star.” They turned their head, unfailingly looking towards the place that the ceremony would take place. To them, it was mere hours before the ceremony would take place. Their next words were soft, more to themself than the warriors before them. “I cannot be there for him. My duty is here.”

“You can’t be there for who?” Dove took half a step forward, eyes narrowed. Why would Emet-Selch leave an echo of me here?

“You would know him as Elidibus. He is to be the heart.” Quiet agony laced the words. “But you are not here to hear my woes. Please, how can I assist you?”

Dove stood stock still, blinking in shock. It put Elidibus’ aide in the early days in a much different light than they’d assumed, after learning of his duplicity with the original Warriors of Darkness.

“We were asked to see to it that the creations escaping here were stopped. It uh. Seems you’ve done that for us.” Grim took up the slack once again.

A weighty pause, before the Echo of Azem nodded graciously to them. “Very well. I will see to it the barrier does not slip again. Go in peace, and be safe, little ones.”

[cobbparkwaylocksmith]

How to Prevent Lock Bumping and Other Lock Picking Techniques

How to Prevent Lock Bumping and Other Lock Picking Techniques https://www.cobbparkwaylocksmith.com/how-to-prevent-lock-bumping-and-other-lock-picking-techniques-8/ How to Prevent Lock Bumping and Other Lock Picking Techniques Lock bumping and other lock picking techniques are becoming increasingly popular, especially with criminals. Lock bumping is a technique that involves inserting a specially cut key into the lock and then tapping it with a hammer or other tool to disengage the pins and open the lock. Unfortunately, this technique is relatively easy to do and requires minimal skill. To prevent being a victim of lock bumping and other lock picking techniques, there are some steps you can take. 1. Use High-Security Locks High-security locks such as Medeco or Mul-T-Lock offer increased protection against lock bumping and other lock picking techniques. These locks have specially designed pins and cams that are harder to manipulate, making the task of lock picking much more difficult. Additionally, some of these locks come with an additional security layer that is unlocked through a key card or code. 2. Install Reinforced Doors and Hardware Installing reinforced doors and hardware is another effective way to prevent lock bumping. Reinforced doors are designed to be more secure and can make it extremely difficult to kick in or pry open. Similarly, installing high-security handles, deadbolts, and other hardware can prevent criminals from being able to manipulate the lock using force or leverage. 3. Use Smart Locks and Surveillance Systems Smart locks are becoming increasingly popular in residential and commercial settings. Smart locks allow users to remotely lock and unlock their doors with their smartphones, as well as create codes for guests and track who has accessed their property. Additionally, smart locks are almost impossible to pick or bump. Additionally, surveillance systems such as security cameras can also help deter potential criminals from attempting to pick or bump locks. 4. Change Locks Regularly Finally, it is advisable to change locks regularly, especially if the locks are over 5 years old. This will ensure that the locks are more secure and will make it much harder for criminals to obtain or duplicate the keys. Additionally, if you’ve recently moved into a new home or office, it is advisable to change the locks to prevent any unauthorized person from having access to the property. By following these steps, you can ensure that your property is secure and protected from lock bumping and other lock picking techniques. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact a local locksmith for advice and assistance. The post How to Prevent Lock Bumping and Other Lock Picking Techniques appeared first on Cobbparkway Locksmith . via Cobbparkway Locksmith https://www.cobbparkwaylocksmith.com/

[islamic-methodologies-made-easy]

Muslims have been inflicted for a very long time by two kinds of religious figures that try all the time to occupy their minds. Occupying lands doesn’t matter anymore, your mind is the target. The weapons of war have changed centuries ago, but unfortunately, simple people don’t realized this. The first kind of those alleged religious figures neither teaches people about their religion, nor allows them to acquire true knowledge from the proper sources which they are very keen on sabotaging through their owned TV channels, or by flooding the stores with their books. The second kind–which is more dangerous in my opinion–is more smart and smooth, it utilizes part of the previous method besides monopolizing the teaching positions in the religious institutions. They seek avidly to brainwash their students and convert them to a flock of sheep that acknowledge anything they say without any questioning. Although they claim they are serving religion, both kinds aim at mobilizing people in crowds at their doors in order to use them for reasons which they never declare. Allah knows best, but sometimes I get the feeling that their aim is to drive people away from truly learning their religion and practicing it properly. Unfortunately most people follow those sheikhs like zombies. People who try to read, learn, and criticize or object to anything stated by those sheikhs are immediately cast away like lepers. There is a great difference between true scholars and false Sheikhs. The way to distinguish between them is easier than you think, those who try to occupy your mind with their opinions, and create from you a duplicated copy of themselves are false Sheikhs; while those who try to liberate your mind and urge you to learn, think, and criticize according to logical disciplines are the ones from whom you should seek council and knowledge.

[graysparrowao3]

Well I posted this to introduce Larry Pickle to the world but apparently I had the entire fic just sitting in my drafts? lol. I'm so bad at Tumblr. Copy and paste that shit into a reblog! Behold! ✨

What if Lorroakan was Named Larry Pickle

Word count: 1791

Tags: Humor, Comedy, 4th wall break, Names not respected

Summary: Lorroakan is named Larry Pickle. Rolan has a shit time. Miklaur makes his debut but no one cares.

And so, here they were. The three of them, ready to leave the Grove and embark upon the next stage of their journey. Cal’s eyes once again reading over the words on the parchment, his brow creasing, eyes narrowing as he found the name signed at the end. He handed Rolan back the letter from the archmage in Baldur’s Gate.

“I still think it’s not very ‘wizardy’.” Cal said, clearly disappointed. “Larry Pickles.”

“A name hardly matters,” Rolan scoffed, basking in the recent victory over the goblins, “what matters is that he is a great spellcaster with infinite resources at his fingertips – ones that I might soon also get my hands on.”

“Elminster might not’ve been taken as seriously were he named Egbert Cucumber.” Astarion shrewdly noted.

“Gale could be Gary Gherkin.” Shadowheart thought aloud.

“Were I to have a say in the matter,” Gale added, “might I suggest Graham Pistachio.”

“Don’t give me one.” Rolan commanded.

“Ronald Turnip.” Lia shouted before he had finished speaking.

He sighed,

“What could Larry’s name have been instead?” Cal mused, “What’s wizardy sounding? Gandalf? Merlin? Lorroakan?”

“You’re being ridiculous.” Rolan chastised.

“Those sound made up.” Lia added.

They all stood for a moment to take in how right he was, nodding solemnly in agreement.

“Wait… is it ‘Pickle’ or Pickles’?” Cal asked.

“Ah!” Gale exclaimed, “Allow me to share the great tale behind the pluralization of the preserved fruit-based moniker. Cast your minds, if you will, to the academy of the learned magician. A young man seeks to impress upon his peers, and indeed those who may have caught the eye of his affection, the, uh, potential of his… potential. Thus, he did set to develop the most shameful of spells that would bring a blush to the cheek of even a dead goblin, I wager. Well, as you can imagine, Larry’s Multiply Pickle was more than popular with the fellows of the academy. As I recall, his two-for-one offer was a deal that went down as the most memorable of the youthful shenanigans ever concocted by a bored learner with time on their hands. Rather makes my own folly somewhat drab in comparison. Alas, one too many prickly duplications too late were the unfortunate side-effects revealed, public humiliation not least among them. A fair few verbal lashings later from the fellows of the academe, Larry found himself somewhat of a folk hero as far as rebellious apprentices go, and the results of his infamous spell cast unfortunately upon his own memorable epithet.”

He paused dramatically.

“…and I thought Rolan was bad.” Lia eventually said.

“Did anyone actually bother to read all that?” Astarion said with a yawn.

“Read?” Wyll questioned, “Surely you mean ‘listen to’?”

“It was a lot of words to avoid saying ‘penis’.” Shadowheart mused.

Cal furrowed his brow,        

“I’m still not sure which one right.” He said, scratching his head.

“Classic Pickles.” Gale chuckled.

~~~ Some time later. Ramazith’s Tower, Baldur’s Gate. ~~~

“Oh, Miklaur.” Larry Pickle threw the back of one hand across his forehand, “will I ever be rid of these cruel whispers?”

His long-suffering assistant moved only his eyes, as Larry was clearly no longer concentrating on where the animated armor was aiming.

“You should have heard the chortles.” Larry pined as he walked dramatically around the chamber. Then turned to his assistant, still frozen in place for fear of being impaled. “The hushed mockery behind my back at the wizarding conventions, like daggers to my heart. I am, afterall, known for my kind-heartedness and generosity. Will you not tell me, Miklaur? Why they mock me so?”

“Uh.” Miklaur blinked a couple of times, hoping that Larry would lower the armor’s weapon. He did not.

“I’m sure they’re all jealous, sir.” Miklaur said.

“How you humour me,” Larry sighed, “of course they’re jealous, but they needn’t be so ruthless in their bullying – after all, what’s in a name?”

“I wouldn’t worry about it.” Miklaur said, worrying a great deal more about the arrowhead threatening to enter his skull.

“Honestly, you’d think my compassion and arcane skill would more than make up for whatever perceived imperfection they have conjured.” Larry twirled around as though admiring himself in an unseen mirror.

“It is a little…” Miklaur muttered, before realizing he was speaking aloud.

“What was that?” Larry’s eyes snapped over, “You’ll have to speak up.”

“Well,” Miklaur shrugged, “you know.”

Larry raised an eyebrow.

“What do I know, Miklaur?” he asked.

“They may think it sounds a little...silly.” Miklaur murmured.

“Silly?” Larry’s voice raised an octave.

“Or, you know…”

“What is it they think it sounds like, Miklaur?” Larry asked, stepping closer. “What do they think my illustrious, eminent Pickle sounds like?”

“The, er, …nether regions.” Miklaur shuffled uncomfortably.

“Hmm?” Larry pressed him further.

Miklaur bowed his head low and mumbled,

“… a penis.”

Gathering his inner strength, Miklaur added,

“It’s funny because you’re a dick.”

Larry moved as though to strike the halfling, then stopped his arm midair,

“I fucking hate you, Miklaur.” He announced with a flourish.

Miklaur nodded his head ever-so-slightly.

“I know, sir.” He said.

“I’d throw you out this tower but then I’d have to do… whatever it is you do when I’m not threatening your life.”

“I know, sir.” Miklaur said.

“Well, I think you’ve taken up quite enough of my time today. Go and greet this new apprentice of mine.”

“His name is Rolan.” Miklaur said.

“His name is blah blah blah.” Larry mocked as he smacked Miklaur with the back of his hand, “There’s only one name of a wizard that shall be spoken of within these walls.” He stepped out onto the balcony for a dramatic monologue that no one other than himself would hear. He proclaimed across the sky above Baldur’s Gate,

“And now begins the greatest epoch of Pickle, when a true admirer of my wonderous talent arrives, one who recognizes this incredible pedigree. Finally, someone respects the power of authority of the great, the incomparable… Archmage Larry Pickles!”

~~~ Some time later. Sorcerous Sundries. ~~~

“I hate that pickled moron.” Rolan muttered.

“Do you now…” Miklaur replied, looking down at his notes. “Well Lord Pickle of the Tower said ‘Tell Ronald to stop reading in his spare time. If he has time to read, he has time to… I have no idea how that place runs, make something up and add it here.’”

“My name is Rolan.” Said Rolan.

“Then he said ‘Oh, and tell Rudolf to stop giving discounts to those Godsforsaken adventurers, there’s a world-ending cataclysm going “My name is Rolan.” Said Rolan.

“And then he said ‘And don’t forget to tell Ronnie that he’s a minor NPC and that there’s no way in all the Hells that anyone is going to lust after or emotionally connect with such a small role when there are so many incredible companions and such a vast plethora of story to engage with.”

Rolan paused, considering this new information.

“…My fucking name is Rolan.” He finally muttered.

“You know, my name is Miklaur.” Said Miklaur.

“There’s no way to say this delicately, so I shan’t bother,” Rolan said, “I’m not sure that anyone cares.”

“I know.” Miklaur sighed.

~~~ Some time later. Ramazith’s Tower. ~~~

Pained cries echoed through the tower as the two wizards clashed, lives and futures hanging in the balance. Lightning crackled through the air as Larry’s body slammed into the ground with such force the wooden floorboards splintered under him as bones shattered through broken skin.

“My name,” Rolan proclaimed loudly, standing over his defeated master, heavy breaths falling from dry lips, hands aglow with his final spell, “is-”

“Rolan!” Lia and Cal shouted as the door burst open, “Are you okay?”

“For fuck’s sake!” Rolan shouted, “You two troglodytes just stole my Gods damned moment!”

“What do you mean, Rolan?” Cal asked.

“I’ve been building up to announcing my name for 1,310 words, and you barged in and stole my glory.”

“The fuck are you talking about?” Lia snapped.

“Oh, never mind,” Rolan sighed, “it’s not as though anyone is going to remember a minor NPC like me anyway.”

“What’s an NPC?” Cal asked, “I feel I’m the only one who has no idea what’s going on here sometimes.”

“More wizard mumbo-jumbo.” Lia rolled her eyes.

“I beg of you,” Larry wheezed, as his broken body struggled with every breath, “end this torturous existence.”

 “Ah!” Gale interjected, “An NPC, well now we really are pushing the bounds of the nonsense we’re unwillingly involved in. Any more of this and I’m afraid we may all become painfully self-aware of the ridiculous reality we find ourselves in, and I dread to think what would become of us should we test the very nature of our existence.”

“Fucking kill me.” Larry coughed through blood.

“I fear ol’ Pickles got inside your head,” offered Wyll, “are you not the Master of Ramazith’s Tower?”

“I suppose once I kill the bastard,” Rolan considered, “I’ll have it all – the resources, the tower, my family. I’ll be the Archmage of the tower and the most powerful spellcaster in all of Baldur’s Gate.”

“Goody for you,” Astarion rolled his eyes, “you’ll still not be a companion, darling.”

“Perhaps,” Rolan responded, “but one can still wonder… ‘what if…’”

“The humiliation is a greater pain than the near-fatal injuries.” Larry gasped as he writhed on the bloodied ground.

“Enough!” Rolan proclaimed, “You will toy with me no longer! Your life is in my hands, Larry Pickle, you will treat me with some Gods damned respect!”

Rolan stepped over to his former master, holding his quarterstaff tightly, and pushing the end painfully into Larry’s broken chest.

“Say it.” Rolan commanded, jabbing the arcane weapon between shattered ribs.

“Your name is –” Larry spluttered.

The group leaned in to hear the words they had been waiting for. Rolan pushed again.

“Your name is –”

Rolan used the staff to move Larry’s head and force eye contact, ready for the long over-due moment. Ready to hear the word he had long waited to hear.

“…psych.” Larry said with his final breath and then he fucking died.

“Wow. That guy was a dick.” Said Cal, nudging the corpse with his foot.

“I fear your grand finale was somewhat anticlimactic.” Gale consoled the tiefling wizard.

“I didn’t need him to say it.” Rolan announced, quite sincerely. “They’ll speak of Rolan the Archmage for the next age – but who would remember such a pathetic, despicable excuse for a spellcaster… as Larry Pickles?”

What if Lorroakan was Named Larry Pickle

In this thread on Twitter/X user effelants noted that Lorroakan ought to be named Larry, and user aceforspinaltap clarified he looks like his name is Larry Pickle. I threatened to write a fanfic about it, and let it not be said that I'm not a person of my word.

This is a very silly parody skit based entirely on that joke. The 'graphic depiction of violence' is minimally described and towards Lorroakan - I mean, Larry - but tagged it to be on the safe side. There is no sexual content, but there are two instances of the word 'penis'. You're welcome.

✨ What if Lorroakan was Named Larry Pickle ✨

This delightful accompanying image provided by effelants.