#automation testing approach

[webmethodology]

Master the art of Automation Testing Implementation through our comprehensive guide. Get step-by-step strategies and best practices to achieve efficient and effective automation results.

[apas-95]

what would you consider to be a “good ending” for a cyberpunk story?

To a certain degree, most cyberpunk settings are malformed - they take the subjective experience of the imperial core citizen, that of an absence of production and an increased focus on rent-seeking, and objectify it; it is no longer the case, as in reality, that all the products and advanced technology in the imperial core are produced elsewhere, by workers oppressed under the heel of corporations with broader mandates than national governments - rather, there is a 'post-industrial' landscape where heavy-industrial technologies are somehow produced by factories without workers or automation technicians. How many cyberpunk characters work in a factory? How many corporate drones do anything other than officework?

With this understanding, we can see that the issue is not the direction of the story within its setting. A perfectly reasonable and materialist approach to issues faced by the characters can, nonetheless, generate a story with ultimately reactionary implications, in the context of a story setting fundamentally based on the erasure from existence of the global south. As a far-field example, Lancer is, in effect, a cyberpunk setting, one which attempts to answer the question of 'what would good guys do here?' - and ultimately, fails miserably. The setting of Lancer is hellish. It is a horrific interstellar corpo-state empire, where the citizens of the core worlds live post-scarcity lives from the self-directed exploitation of the periphery, who are engaged in constant wars and brutal dictatorships because they're less educated and progressive than the core, which sends Solidarity and Mutual Aid Direct Action squads from the Department of Truth and Reconciliation to execute insurgent leaders. As a critique of social democracy, it is unparalleled - however, its authors are social democrats, and it is unironic.

I've never been one myself for western cyberpunk. Japanese cyberpunk, riddled as it is with just as much reactionary sentiment as its yankee counterpart, is at least marginally more interesting in the questions it poses. Both genres emerged out of the postwar period, but in very different contexts. Western cyberpunk was driven, principally, by the apparent fading dominance of western national industry. The 'Japanese economic miracle' induced by the US military dictatorship was less an act of charity, and more a nation-scale experiment in neoliberalism. Just as Harvard economists worked hand in hand with the US state to carry out 'economic shock therapy' in Latin America, similar testing was done on the effect neoliberal policy could have on a developed, imperialist nation. After the catastrophic (though profitable) results of fascism in Germany, itself partially conducted by western economic experts as a cure for the interwar depression, it was evident that a new type of economic paradigm was required if the US was going to maintain its dominance - fascism was unstable, it would not do.

In this context, two separate voices emerged. The first, more well-known, being that of the USA. Jubilant success morphed into horror as Japanese industrial might began to outstrip that of the United States, especially in advanced technologies. The corporate face of the west turned increasingly Japanese, and western companies, far from standing to defend their homeland, immediately partnered up and jumped ship. The USAmerican spirit was that of Victor Frankenstein. Their creation had overpowered them (- at least seemingly, more on that later).

The other voice was that of Japan. Japan had exited its period of blatant military dictatorship and foreign occupation, and had experienced a miraculous economic development. It was on top of the world. So what was the discomfort bubbling beneath the surface? The Japanese experience was something of a dark mirror to that of the US. While it was obviously standing to gain from the current status, it was now equally as clear to the Japanese state as it was to the USA's that the corporations enriching it had no loyalty to their own nation, much less any other. The US had, learning from history, made sure to clip Japan's wings - it had no military, either. The sharp divide in interests between multinational capital and state forces was equally as obvious as the fact that Japan was not an independent nation. US military presence in Japan could not be undone by profit ultimately derived from US intervention in the global south. Hard power was what Japan lacked. If the US was The Modern Prometheus, then Japan was the monster, despised and trapped by its creator.

Back to the US perspective - the fear and restlessness of western cyberpunk became immediately redundant when the US aborted the Japanese economic miracle. It was its own experiment, which it maintained control of, and it ended it at its will, before adopting the successful neoliberal policies for itself and its allies. The cultural moment that generated it was over. The US was no longer under any threat of being overtaken by Japan, and its cyberpunk rolled along, blown by the wind. For Japan, the process was more protracted. Bringing a nation to heel, when its state apparatus is not, let's say, entirely amiable to the idea, is a long process - when done without gunfire. Tanks and transporter-launchers were the backstop, and a position as a junior partner in the end of history was the promise.

To cut to the point - Japanese cyberpunk is very different in its themes than western cyberpunk. It avoids many of the pitfalls of western cyberpunk that make progressive stories impossible, through a focus on hard power and material interests. That's not to say Japanese cyberpunk engenders communism, its 'materialism' is much more correctly identified as realpolitik - it sees the nation as the building block of history. Even still, a nationalist view is better than the fuctionally postmodern ideal around which western cyberpunk is built.

In answer to your question, I think Motoko Kusanagi should start an international proletarian revolution.

[bambisnc]

     killing me softly [ft. p.hn]

-> recap : but when you call hanni a little later, you’re met with an automated response. the number you have dialed is currently busy. please try again.

GENRE : angst uwu CW/TW : THERES A LOT OF MISUNDERSTANDINGS JUSTICE FOR MY BBG MOKA + swearing + uneditted + hints of reader being possessive/jealous + surprise iroha/moka/nwjns members appearance! <3 WC : 0.7k XOXO : um so u guys best be praying for me and bsf to work things out or else no happy endinf 🤷🤷 + [series m.list]

over the days following the new girl incident as your friend group refers to it, you’ve found yours and hanni’s relationship having … become a little strange. 

maybe it’s just that you don’t reach out to her as often; texting her only when absolutely necessary and spending recess holed up in your own classroom instead of near the school roof where the two of you used to meet earlier.

obviously you do realize how your actions can somewhat be compared to a stereotypical toxic manhwa boyfriend. 

but does that mean you’ll try to be better?

no.

it isn’t too much to expect her to be the one to approach you, right?

granted it’s not like she’s stopped trying to hang out completely (it’s more you who’s been rejecting her ideas..) but the little time you spent with her at school is now being taken up by her. moka.

the last you remember having visited her class, she greeted you with a signature, disarming hanni smile. 

“y/n! i’ve been meaning to go to your section – um, moka actually needed a lab coat for chemistry; you know how strict professor bae is… so could you-”

“yeah sure,” you had replied back with all the ease in the world, “drop by whenever. i’ll need it by 7th period though so..”

moka had held out 2 thumbs up towards you then, “of course! i’ll make sure to give it back to you by then!”

…

she, in fact, did not give it back to you by then.

“you’re so lucky i had my old one in my locker…” minji reprimands you, “what were you thinking when you just gave yours away?? yeah sure professor bae may be strict; but he’d never have said a thing to a new student.

you, on the other hand, very well would end up DEAD if he caught you without one. Again.”

really, how could you even defend your decision? the one time you remembered to bring your own lab coat, you decided to let someone borrow it, who, coincidentally ended up never getting it back to you.

more importantly, this only farther distanced you and hanni. 

she still texts you of course, but you have noticed how less frequent the ping! of the notification sound you set for her has become.

-

then one lunch break, she shows up. right outside your classroom. 

you go out to meet her, of course, but you make sure to drag minji out with you .. for emotional support.

but the second she sees kang haerin she’s quick to slip away shouting out a “best of luck btw! <3”

oh she’s so in for it later.

“y/n! how was your biology test today?” 

you respond to hanni as neutrally as you possibly can because at that moment you can only think about how neither of them have yet returned your lab coat.

“… hey.” she takes one of your hands into her own, “is everything okay? um. do you want to tag along with me to the cafeteria?”

you huff out a laugh, “have you just met me hanni?” because she knows how much you don’t like the cafeteria. 

she’s silent for a little. 

“yeah. 

it feels like i have just met you y/n...”

you pull away your hand from hers and stand with your back pressed against the wall.

a fresh sound of pleasant chatters brings you back to reality. 

minji’s here! praise all the gods. 

as she and the others she’s brought with her, haerin, danielle and hyein, entangle both of you into conversation, you find yourself sliding down until you’re sat down on the cold floor.

you close your eyes letting the harsh sunlight wash over your skin. 

.. something knocks against your arm, then. and there’s a sudden rush of cool air.

opening your eyes shows you none other than hanni, sitting next to you, fanning you with her (chemistry) notebook. 

when your eyes meet hers, both of you burst into peals of laughter. 

-

you walk hanni back to her class when the bell signaling the end of your time together (recess) rings. 

moka and … iroha? greet her at right at the door. 

“hanniii,” iroha says, throwing an arm around your best friend’s shoulder, “i can’t believe you left your ~girlfriend~ moka here all alone… she’s been pining after you for ages now~”

you quietly slip out before you can hear her response.

𐙚 . regulars : none yet! ⋆

[@bambisnc] 2k24

[so-i-did-this-thing]

Hello! I've seen you say several times on here that you style yourself after an English country gentleman of, I think, the 1920s and 30s. I'm really interested in this time period and in social and cultural changes English people living between the first and second world war would have gone through (I blame Evelyn Waugh's Vile Bodies and the movie adaptation Bright Young Things, there's just this air of racing towards catastrophe and laughing about it that I find really compelling). I don't know if this is still in your wheelhouse but if it is could you recommend me some other fiction from or about this time period that deals with similar themes of the decline of the aristocracy and its effect on people coming into adulthood during that time? If not that's totally fine, it might be kind of a stretch to approach somebody interested in fashion. Thanks.

Heya, Anon! I'll leave this up for folks to comment on, as my knowledge is mostly surface level or specific to the media I consume.

My interest in this fashion style came a lot from the book series, All Creatures Great and Small. One of the prevelant themes in the first few books is the transition from traditional farming to automation / better medical practices. The farmers constantly struggle with understanding new testing methodology, seeing tractors and factory milking become competitors, etc. While the books are largely vignettes, you feel this presence in the background. But, it is still largely background.

So, yes. Anyone who has media they'd like to recommend that center moreso the cultural changes around the impact of the aristocracy are welcome to chime in!

[hornymotionalcookie]

Been awhile since I posted a server exclusive

And I just want to contribute appropriately tag related stuff because I'm tired.

Anywho, here goes.

Tw: mention of trafficking and imprisonment and apparently some later Sarah whump, no detail tho.

Seent this pic on Pinterest and had a thought of murder hubbies turned dark vigilantes against those grossly misusing their power, inflicting great harm for their own personal gain. One retires perhaps with his mistress or maybe with one or two of his victims as part of a severance package that includes this home far off the grid with suped up security with amenities like this one-way, bullet proof, 10-inch thick glass. They can enjoy the view while being untouchable. Outside is camoflauged, doesn't look like a multi-million dollar, impenetrable fortress. But that isolation doesn't prove to be as useful in the end.

One night while one of the live-in prisoners is cleaning in the kitchen, they come to get the former judge because someone is outside, looking in. He doesn't believe it and waves them off, telling them to lay off the party favors and finish cleaning. But they insist and fed up and angry goes to see and prove her wrong. Insteas, he too sees a figure in all black about 20-feet away just standing, looking in their direction but likely not seeing anything.

"They're just lost, not the first time someone's strayed this far. The security will take care of them soon enough." He insists though anyone who's made it that close to the house should have been long dispatched by the automated weapons buried under the perimeter, hidden in false trees or perched on the rooftop.

At the sound of his voice, the distant figure approaches, their gait strong, assured and swift. The closer it gets, the clearer he sees the bulky, muscular frame outfitted in black, tactical clothing, the exposed skin pale and the eyes blocked by goggles. He stops just on the other side of the sink, head tilted as if listening as his eyes shift across the wall.

The woman has shruken back into a corner far from the wall the would be intruder approached, the retiree scared into silence at the bold movement. No one should have ever been allowed to get this close. Where are his security, where is the explosive fire of the 50cal cannons?

Panicking he snaps at her whimpering, not taking his eyes off the man, "Quit your blubbering. He cannot see us, he cannot get in." Emboldened by his own lies, he speaks louder, "They have no idea who they're fucking with! He doesn't know where we are." The wandering, goggle covered eyes stop, focused directly on him at this. Before he can tell his feet to hold ground, to not show fear, the man takes a step back from the sink as he chokes on a sharp gasp.

The judge shuffles side to side, testing and watching as the mystery man shifts to follow his every move. "He cannot see us, he-he cannot hear us..." He repeats again with false bravado, voice trembling. The head stops again, a sinister smile curving his lips in a knowing smirk as he nods. Retired Richard (dick) stumbles back again in a fearful panic, chest heaving. "You cannot see me!" He shouts at the figure beyond the glass. There's a clattering on the roof and he shouts, "FINALLY!" believing his defense system is about to kick in and annihilate the threat.

But his triumph is short lived as the power cuts out instead, a high pitched shriek sounding from his lips or the woman's, he cannot tell. He's whipping his head side to side, calculating his closet exit or weapon, forgetting all the routes his very expensive security team laid out for him, believing he'd never need to run or think. That's what he paid them for. But now he was left clueless, defenseless and alone as the woman who'd cowered with him had run sometime during his panic. Paralyzed from fear and for lack of anything else to do, he turned his eyes back to the menacing figure, still smiling in his direction. His head turned upwards towards the roof, mouth moving but his words go unheard. Judge has no strength in his tremblimg legs to move to the wall and activate the perimeter speakers. He watches as the man's gaze turns back to him, smile falling before he raises his left hand, that shines in the light from the moon, reflecting off its metal appearance with black and gold coloring, looking every bit as powerful, and dangerous. His heart falls to his stomach.

In the time it take that hand to ball into a fist and draw back, he feels a surge of relief remembering the thickness of the walls. There's no way anyone, not even the Winter fucking Soldier, could through that to get to him. And then as fast as it came, that relief vanishes as that hand lands against the wall, impact splintering the glass. And faster than his panicked blinking can catch, Barnes has drawn back and slammed the glass again, and again, digging a crater into the structure, sending cracks spiraling through the thick glass. The vibrations of the relenting hammering echoes in his head.

Something snaps in him, hysterical laughter bubbling out of him before his cowardly sense of self-preservation kicks in. He's not going to wait to die here on this floor and surely not alone. He plans to find one of those bimbos and use her as a shield or a bargaining chip as he makes his way out to his security that he plans to put a bullet in for this gross incompetence. He ambles away on unsteady legs, bracing along the wall in the darkness of the kitchen, letting the sounds of the flurried punches motivate him on.

He calls out in angry tones, demanding one of them show, "Where the fuck are you? Come here at once! Who do you think you are to leave me like that?! You're fucking nothing without me!" He trips over a lamp cord, coming to his knees, anger ratcheted up in spite of his fear, "Bitch where are you?!" He's stumbled down to his office, rushing in towards the safe, tripping over chair and table legs in his haste to arm himself. He isn't far off from the kitchen being breached when he realizes he no longer hears the crashing of that fist into the wall.

Sweat makes his fingers fumble on the keys, punching in the wrong password twice before he gets it right. He wrenches the door open, reaching in for his desert eagle only to have the heavy door slammed onto his retracting hand. The sound of his crunching wrist competes with his fearful, pained wail. His eyes are shut tight against the pain as the door is released and he falls to the floor clutching his wrongly bent hand.

A clicking tongue draws his attention towards the figure. He panics in the darkness that surrounds him as Barnes' stalking figure towers above him. "I can give you anything you want. Money, power, girls, boys..." Barnes draws up his leg, bringing it down on the former judge's right knee twice, snapping it at an awkward angle, haulting his slow backwards scrambling at the last part. The intense hurt floods him with heat, heart stopping a fraction of a second before it pounds in his chest again, nearly causing him to black out in pain and the loss and immediate surge of oxygen.

Hot tears and snot stream down his face as he continues to desperately barter, "I may not be in house anymore, but I can still call in favors. Just tell me what it is you want!" He throws out more empty promises in a hope to stall, to find any thread that can tempt his would be killer.

"Lights," Barnes calls out, the darkened office flooding with them, blinding the partially broken figure on the floor. Laughing, deep and humorless, sounds from Barnes and he opens his eyes, freezing as they adjust to the sudden brightness, his fear multiplying to learn his blinded assumptions were wrong. Barnes is not the one lurking over him, not the one who furiously snapped his bones and laughed at his pleas. It was Wilson.

There had been talk of him disappearing with the shield in light of the way the Flagsmashers had been handled. Anyone who'd had contact with them had gone missing, supposedly relocated camps had actually been erased, no trace of the survivors or their bodies. Someone had even dared going after Wilson's family, only managing to injure his sister because she'd spoken with Karli, nevermind she'd been threatened.

"I never had anything to do with what happened to your sister, I swear!"

Sam's stare turned colder though it remained visibly unchanged. Sarah had survived the attack, traffic cams catching her car being funneled into an area where she'd been T-boned from the passenger side. While she healed, Sam had convinced her to let him get her and the boys to a safe haven. Aj & Cass could've been with her and been hurt or worse, but the hurt she felt leaving behind her home... that face Sam would never forget, the anger and hardness his nephews felt, the dark fury that had awoken in Sam.

"If I thought you had any say in what happened to my family, you wouldn't have lived long enough to feel embarrassed about soaking in your own piss."

Panicked at the violent truth of the words, but recognizing he could be useful only ratcheted up his begging and bartering attempts. "Names! I can get you names! You think I'm the only one guilty of shit like this, this fucked lifestyle and severance package? There are more, so many more and so much worse than me! I-i-i can get them for you, I kept extensive records -- locations of trafficking hubs, safehouses, offshore accounts..."

"Oh, you'll give us names, records, everything you have that guaranteed you a hideaway of this magnitude. And afterwards, a swift death is all you'll be able to trade for in the end. This fortress will be your tomb."

[odysseyeurobeat]

A New Approach To Performances - Feb 2, 2025

(AKA, "What do you MEAN I can't use one MIDI controller for two programs at once???")

Many of you may know that I perform live! At conventions, at clubs and bars, and wherever else the world needs a dose of eurobeat, I've been performing my work on stage for many, many years now! Fewer of you may know that I've tried different approaches to my shows over the years— for a little while, I'd just play the songs end to end; then I learned how to DJ, and now most of my sets revolve around DJing.

Lately, I've been revisiting that, and trying to figure out new and more compelling ways to perform. For the last year on and off, I've been attending choreography classes. These have not resulted in me properly learning routines, but they HAVE boosted my confidence tremendously. As well, in the last few months I've dreamed up possible performance methods and workflows that are less DJ-centric so I can focus on singing, crowd interactions, the occasional novelty (maybe some keytar sections or playing a drum pad?), and some fun video effects.

Today I began putting that into action by trying out my various MIDI controllers, trying new configurations in Ableton Live and Bitwig Studio, and... failing. A lot.

It turns out, some of my ambitions of mapping multiple functions in two applications to one MIDI knob were a bit more ambitious than I thought they would be. Getting programs on the same computer to talk to each other is surprisingly more difficult than I thought it'd be. Getting Resolume Avenue and Bitwig to communicate worked, Avenue and Ableton surprisingly less so. And even then, getting one or the other to handle MIDI clock information in basic integer values has proven frustrating.

Instead of still trying to mix between two "decks" like DJs do, I may do it one of a few ways: * Pre-mix the set in Bitwig or Ableton, find "pause points" for water/audience interaction. I'd basically be performing to an automated experience, which would be easier to predict and work around, but with little to no flexibility. * Load in songs as clips instead of full-length audio, which would buy me back my cue points from the DJ years; but I'd still have to mix between songs, which increases potential failure points. * Find more innovative ways to use Traktor (my current DJ software of choice) and video/lighting programming, or pre-mix a few songs together and THEN load those into Traktor. Current performance method wouldn't change dramatically, but the overall visual appeal would improve. * Make shorter versions of my songs I play through from start to end, like a traditional concert. (Doesn't seem right, given the nature of eurobeat; but it's not far from what a few eurobeat stars do already!) * Keep pushing towards building a whole one-laptop visual audio extravaganza, restraints be darned.

...I want to see what I can do with some MIDI automation and video for now, with maybe one play-in "novelty" and automated vocal effects with some optional ones I can dial in any time. It'll be a bit weird to surrender some of my control over which songs play when, but I want to start building a more compelling, less DJ-specific live set where I'm a bit more of a performer. I think I'm onto something with this, though time and figuring out the tech will tell.

I'll be chipping away at it in the month(s) ahead. Who knows? If I get it ready in time, it may not be long before it gets a test drive at a real show! 😉

[vidukon]

Submissions open 25 & 26 March | How to submit a vid

Submissions for VidUKon 2025 will open early next week \o/ If you've registered for this year's con, you should receive an email either on Tuesday or Wednesday (25 or 26 March) containing details about how to log in to the new platform. 

Before we get into how to submit a vid, just a quick note on which browsers to use to ensure you get the best out of your con experience. Our platform is new and we haven’t been able to thoroughly test it on a wide range of browsers, so we would recommend Firefox as your go-to.

Browsers that should also work: Chrome, Brave, Edge, Vivaldi

Browsers that may struggle (but may also be fine, try it out!): Safari, Opera, others not named here

Browsers that will struggle and that we don't recommend: Firefox mobile on Android

If stuff looks broken, before you let us know, please check if you have the latest browser version installed. Speaking from our own bug testing experience over the past few days, updating the browser will fix quite a lot of things!

Below are instructions on how to submit a vid (or three!) to VidUKon 2025. 

Eligibility

You must be registered for VidUKon in order to submit a vid. If you haven’t yet registered, you can do so at vidukon.org. Once you’ve registered, you will be emailed a temporary password to log in to your vidukon.org Dashboard, which is how you will submit your vid. This process is not automated, so don’t be alarmed if it takes some time to receive the email, though we will do it as quickly as possible.

There are three submission-based vidshows: Vidder’s Choice, Premieres, and the Themed Premieres show. You can submit up to one vid to each of these shows. As implied, submissions to the Premieres and Themed Premieres shows must be new vids that have never been posted publicly or shown at a con or similar event. Conversely, Vidder’s Choice vids cannot be premieres. Additionally, Vidder’s Choice submissions must be no longer than four minutes and thirty seconds in length.

Technical specifications

Please follow these if possible, as it makes it easier for us to set up the virtual vidshows. However, we do not want these specs to be a barrier to submission for anyone – if you’re having trouble, please contact us.

File format: MP4

Video codec: H264

Max video bitrate: 7-8 Mbps

Max resolution: 1080p 

Audio codec: AAC

Max audio bitrate: 256 kbps

If you don't know how to follow these guidelines: If your vid is roughly under 350 MB and definitely not 4K, go ahead and upload it. If it’s not 4K but well over 350 MB in size and you don’t know how to reduce the file size, please contact us.

Please do not upload 4K vids. Things would likely break, one of them being your vid upload! Even if things don't break, we don't support 4K on the platform, so your vid will be converted to 1080p and will likely end up with bleached colors, since that tends to happen with automated conversions from 4K to 1080p.

How to submit your vid

Once you get your password, you can log in to vidukon.org and change your password. Please note that for now, the name you enter in the vid submission form must match your username. If you chose a different username when you registered than the name you vid under, you can change it by clicking on “Profile”. We plan to change this in the future but don’t have the capacity to do so this year.

To submit, click on “Dashboard”. Your dashboard will display what vidshows you can upload to and also lets you manage existing submissions. Click on “Submit”. This takes you to the page to enter the vid details. If the source(s), both visual and audio, are not yet in our new database (which at this point is very likely), then you won’t be able to add them on this page, but you can do so later. 

In the description field, please enter a brief description of your vid. This doesn’t have to be comprehensive; for example a common approach is to choose a lyric from the vidsong that is particularly evocative of the vid, but it is also fine to write something like, “A Dylan G. character study” or “All the f/f ships in Xena”. Be as creative or straightforward as you like, but please keep this brief as every vid description has to fit in our printed conbook!

Please tick any of the mandatory content notes that apply to your vid. For custom content notes, you may provide additional detail about any of the mandatory notes as well as add any non-mandatory notes, e.g. warnings for spiders or snakes.

At this point you can hit submit even if you didn’t enter any sources or audio due to them not being in the database. From here, you can click “Enter Sources” (add new visual sources that aren’t yet in the database), “Enter Audio” (add new songs or other audio not yet in the database), and finally upload the vid file. For the sources, you can click “search metadata” to get search results from IMDB and similar, this will help you find the year of release, full title, etc. Adding sources and audio in these pages automatically adds them to your vid.

Finally, don’t forget to upload your vid! You can add new uploads, and edit all other details of the vid, up until the submission deadline.

The vid upload takes a moment. Let it do its thing and don't close the tab or browser. If it takes longer than ten minutes, it's probably failed and you can contact us about it. You won't irreparably damage anything by closing the tab while the spinner is going, but we may have to remove all the vid data and make you resubmit. We don't know yet how the site will behave with multiple people uploading at the same time, so please be patient with the site, especially if you're uploading close to the deadline.

[usafphantom2]

B-2 Gets Big Upgrade with New Open Mission Systems Capability

July 18, 2024 | By John A. Tirpak

The B-2 Spirit stealth bomber has been upgraded with a new open missions systems (OMS) software capability and other improvements to keep it relevant and credible until it’s succeeded by the B-21 Raider, Northrop Grumman announced. The changes accelerate the rate at which new weapons can be added to the B-2; allow it to accept constant software updates, and adapt it to changing conditions.

“The B-2 program recently achieved a major milestone by providing the bomber with its first fieldable, agile integrated functional capability called Spirit Realm 1 (SR 1),” the company said in a release. It announced the upgrade going operational on July 17, the 35th anniversary of the B-2’s first flight.

SR 1 was developed inside the Spirit Realm software factory codeveloped by the Air Force and Northrop to facilitate software improvements for the B-2. “Open mission systems” means that the aircraft has a non-proprietary software architecture that simplifies software refresh and enhances interoperability with other systems.

“SR 1 provides mission-critical capability upgrades to the communications and weapons systems via an open mission systems architecture, directly enhancing combat capability and allowing the fleet to initiate a new phase of agile software releases,” Northrop said in its release.

The system is intended to deliver problem-free software on the first go—but should they arise, correct software issues much earlier in the process.

The SR 1 was “fully developed inside the B-2 Spirit Realm software factory that was established through a partnership with Air Force Global Strike Command and the B-2 Systems Program Office,” Northrop said.

The Spirit Realm software factory came into being less than two years ago, with four goals: to reduce flight test risk and testing time through high-fidelity ground testing; to capture more data test points through targeted upgrades; to improve the B-2’s functional capabilities through more frequent, automated testing; and to facilitate more capability upgrades to the jet.

The Air Force said B-2 software updates which used to take two years can now be implemented in less than three months.

In addition to B61 or B83 nuclear weapons, the B-2 can carry a large number of precision-guided conventional munitions. However, the Air Force is preparing to introduce a slate of new weapons that will require near-constant target updates and the ability to integrate with USAF’s evolving long-range kill chain. A quicker process for integrating these new weapons with the B-2’s onboard communications, navigation, and sensor systems was needed.

The upgrade also includes improved displays, flight hardware and other enhancements to the B-2’s survivability, Northrop said.

“We are rapidly fielding capabilities with zero software defects through the software factory development ecosystem and further enhancing the B-2 fleet’s mission effectiveness,” said Jerry McBrearty, Northrop’s acting B-2 program manager.

The upgrade makes the B-2 the first legacy nuclear weapons platform “to utilize the Department of Defense’s DevSecOps [development, security, and operations] processes and digital toolsets,” it added.

The software factory approach accelerates adding new and future weapons to the stealth bomber, and thus improve deterrence, said Air Force Col. Frank Marino, senior materiel leader for the B-2.

The B-2 was not designed using digital methods—the way its younger stablemate, the B-21 Raider was—but the SR 1 leverages digital technology “to design, manage, build and test B-2 software more efficiently than ever before,” the company said.

The digital tools can also link with those developed for other legacy systems to accomplish “more rapid testing and fielding and help identify and fix potential risks earlier in the software development process.”

Following two crashes in recent years, the stealthy B-2 fleet comprises 19 aircraft, which are the only penetrating aircraft in the Air Force’s bomber fleet until the first B-21s are declared to have achieved initial operational capability at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D. A timeline for IOC has not been disclosed.

The B-2 is a stealthy, long-range, penetrating nuclear and conventional strike bomber. It is based on a flying wing design combining LO with high aerodynamic efficiency. The aircraft’s blended fuselage/wing holds two weapons bays capable of carrying nearly 60,000 lb in various combinations.

Spirit entered combat during Allied Force on March 24, 1999, striking Serbian targets. Production was completed in three blocks, and all aircraft were upgraded to Block 30 standard with AESA radar. Production was limited to 21 aircraft due to cost, and a single B-2 was subsequently lost in a crash at Andersen, Feb. 23, 2008.

Modernization is focused on safeguarding the B-2A’s penetrating strike capability in high-end threat environments and integrating advanced weapons.

The B-2 achieved a major milestone in 2022 with the integration of a Radar Aided Targeting System (RATS), enabling delivery of the modernized B61-12 precision-guided thermonuclear freefall weapon. RATS uses the aircraft’s radar to guide the weapon in GPS-denied conditions, while additional Flex Strike upgrades feed GPS data to weapons prerelease to thwart jamming. A B-2A successfully dropped an inert B61-12 using RATS on June 14, 2022, and successfully employed the longer-range JASSM-ER cruise missile in a test launch last December.

Ongoing upgrades include replacing the primary cockpit displays, the Adaptable Communications Suite (ACS) to provide Link 16-based jam-resistant in-flight retasking, advanced IFF, crash-survivable data recorders, and weapons integration. USAF is also working to enhance the fleet’s maintainability with LO signature improvements to coatings, materials, and radar-absorptive structures such as the radome and engine inlets/exhausts.

Two B-2s were damaged in separate landing accidents at Whiteman on Sept. 14, 2021, and Dec. 10, 2022, the latter prompting an indefinite fleetwide stand-down until May 18, 2023. USAF plans to retire the fleet once the B-21 Raider enters service in sufficient numbers around 2032.

Contractors: Northrop Grumman; Boeing; Vought.

First Flight: July 17, 1989.

Delivered: December 1993-December 1997.

IOC: April 1997, Whiteman AFB, Mo.

Production: 21.

Inventory: 20.

Operator: AFGSC, AFMC, ANG (associate).

Aircraft Location: Edwards AFB, Calif.; Whiteman AFB, Mo.

Active Variant: •B-2A. Production aircraft upgraded to Block 30 standards.

Dimensions: Span 172 ft, length 69 ft, height 17 ft.

Weight: Max T-O 336,500 lb.

Power Plant: Four GE Aviation F118-GE-100 turbofans, each 17,300 lb thrust.

Performance: Speed high subsonic, range 6,900 miles (further with air refueling).

Ceiling: 50,000 ft.

Armament: Nuclear: 16 B61-7, B61-12, B83, or eight B61-11 bombs (on rotary launchers). Conventional: 80 Mk 62 (500-lb) sea mines, 80 Mk 82 (500-lb) bombs, 80 GBU-38 JDAMs, or 34 CBU-87/89 munitions (on rack assemblies); or 16 GBU-31 JDAMs, 16 Mk 84 (2,000-lb) bombs, 16 AGM-154 JSOWs, 16 AGM-158 JASSMs, or eight GBU-28 LGBs.

Accommodation: Two pilots on ACES II zero/zero ejection seats.

[educationmore]

Python for Beginners: Launch Your Tech Career with Coding Skills

Are you ready to launch your tech career but don’t know where to start? Learning Python is one of the best ways to break into the world of technology—even if you have zero coding experience.

In this guide, we’ll explore how Python for beginners can be your gateway to a rewarding career in software development, data science, automation, and more.

Why Python Is the Perfect Language for Beginners

Python has become the go-to programming language for beginners and professionals alike—and for good reason:

Simple syntax: Python reads like plain English, making it easy to learn.

High demand: Industries spanning the spectrum are actively seeking Python developers to fuel their technological advancements.

Versatile applications: Python's versatility shines as it powers everything from crafting websites to driving artificial intelligence and dissecting data.

Whether you want to become a software developer, data analyst, or AI engineer, Python lays the foundation.

What Can You Do With Python?

Python is not just a beginner language—it’s a career-building tool. Here are just a few career paths where Python is essential:

Web Development: Frameworks like Django and Flask make it easy to build powerful web applications. You can even enroll in a Python Course in Kochi to gain hands-on experience with real-world web projects.

Data Science & Analytics: For professionals tackling data analysis and visualization, the Python ecosystem, featuring powerhouses like Pandas, NumPy, and Matplotlib, sets the benchmark.

Machine Learning & AI: Spearheading advancements in artificial intelligence development, Python boasts powerful tools such as TensorFlow and scikit-learn.

Automation & Scripting: Simple yet effective Python scripts offer a pathway to amplified efficiency by automating routine workflows.

Cybersecurity & Networking: The application of Python is expanding into crucial domains such as ethical hacking, penetration testing, and the automation of network processes.

How to Get Started with Python

Starting your Python journey doesn't require a computer science degree. Success hinges on a focused commitment combined with a thoughtfully structured educational approach.

Step 1: Install Python

Download and install Python from python.org. It's free and available for all platforms.

Step 2: Choose an IDE

Use beginner-friendly tools like Thonny, PyCharm, or VS Code to write your code.

Step 3: Learn the Basics

Focus on:

Variables and data types

Conditional statements

Loops

Functions

Lists and dictionaries

If you prefer guided learning, a reputable Python Institute in Kochi can offer structured programs and mentorship to help you grasp core concepts efficiently.

Step 4: Build Projects

Learning by doing is key. Start small:

Build a calculator

Automate file organization

Create a to-do list app

As your skills grow, you can tackle more complex projects like data dashboards or web apps.

How Python Skills Can Boost Your Career

Adding Python to your resume instantly opens up new opportunities. Here's how it helps:

Higher employability: Python is one of the top 3 most in-demand programming languages.

Better salaries: Python developers earn competitive salaries across the globe.

Remote job opportunities: Many Python-related jobs are available remotely, offering flexibility.

Even if you're not aiming to be a full-time developer, Python skills can enhance careers in marketing, finance, research, and product management.

If you're serious about starting a career in tech, learning Python is the smartest first step you can take. It’s beginner-friendly, powerful, and widely used across industries.

Whether you're a student, job switcher, or just curious about programming, Python for beginners can unlock countless career opportunities. Invest time in learning today—and start building the future you want in tech.

Globally recognized as a premier educational hub, DataMites Institute delivers in-depth training programs across the pivotal fields of data science, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. They provide expert-led courses designed for both beginners and professionals aiming to boost their careers.

Python Modules Explained - Different Types and Functions - Python Tutorial

[blackjackkent]

Programming object lesson of the day:

A couple days ago, one of the side project apps I run (rpthreadtracker.com) went down for no immediately obvious reason. The issue seems to have ended up being that the backend was running on .NET Core 2.2, which the host was no longer supporting, and I had to do a semi-emergency upgrade of all the code to .NET Core 6, a pretty major update that required a lot of syntactic changes and other fixes.

This is, of course, an obvious lesson in keeping an eye on when your code is using a library out of date enough not to be well supported anymore. (I have some thoughts on whether .NET Core 2.2 is old enough to have been dumped like this, but nevertheless I knew it was going out of LTS and could have been more prepared.) But that's all another post.

What really struck me was how valuable it turned out to be that I had already written an integration test suite for this application.

Historically, at basically every job I've worked for and also on most of my side projects, automated testing tends to be the thing most likely to fall by the wayside. When you have 376428648 things you want to do with an application and only a limited number of hours in the day, getting those 376428648 things to work feels very much like the top priority. You test them manually to make sure they work, and think, yeah, I'll get some tests written at some point, if I have time, but this is fine for now.

And to be honest, most of the time it usually is fine! But a robust test suite is one of those things that you don't need... until you suddenly REALLY FUCKING NEED IT.

RPTT is my baby, my longest running side project, the one with the most users, and the one I've put the most work into. So in a fit of side project passion and wanting to Do All The Right Things For Once, I actively wrote a massive amount of tests for it a few years ago. The backend has a full unit test suite that is approaching 100% coverage (which is a dumb metric you shouldn't actually stress about, but again, a post for another day). I also used Postman, an excellently full-featured API client, to write a battery of integration tests which would hit all of the API endpoints in a defined order, storing variables and verifying values as it went to take a mock user all the way through their usage life cycle.

And goddamn was that useful to have now, years later, as I had to fix a metric fuckton of subtle breakage points while porting the app to the updated framework. With one click, I could send the test suite through every endpoint in the backend and get quick feedback on everywhere that it wasn't behaving exactly the way it behaved before the update. And when I was ready to deploy the updated version, I could do so with solid confidence that from the front end's perspective, nothing would be different and everything would slot correctly into place.

I don't say this at all to shame anyone for not prioritizing writing tests - I usually don't, especially on my side projects, and this was a fortuitous outlier. But it was a really good reminder of why tests are a valuable tool in the first place and why they do deserve to be prioritized when it's possible to do so.

[strikersunindie]

@panthaeons "“You’ve daughter an audience with me for some time. Now you have it. Your name — is of no consequence. Your skill, however..” WILSON FISK / KINGPIN for BEAST"

Beast gestured to the servant that he should leave, intimidating the poor civilian that likely was not a fighter in the least. Perhaps they knew about Beast's reputation as well, which meant it might be necessary to deal with that depending on how this meeting went.

"You know about my skill. So you also know my rates," he added as he approached the desk with the massive man behind it. The windows almost seemed small in comparison to him, despite being floor to ceiling.

Yet just a simple glance at the floor and ceiling showed openings where minions or automated turrets could appear. Even if Beast preferred close quarter combat, he had methods to deal with mid range targets if Kingpin wanted to test him.

"I heard about that bounty of yours. Negotiated price? What kind of target are they to earn that?" Beast had never seen a bounty where it didn't have the price on there, only heard of such things when he was training. The target must have vexed Wilson so much, he was offering nearly anything. In his old age, Beast had realized that he was tired of fucking strange holes that couldn't handle more than one night. Wilson however, with his grand muscles and sure to be fat ass looked capable. Perhaps there was a chance.

"Start us off with an offer, Fisk. Businessman that you are," he stated, wondering what kind of reward was on the table. Would it be money or something else?

[creature-studios]

I am the silhouette at 5' 6" IQ: est. 180-220

Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci (15 April 1452 – 2 May 1519) was an Italian polymath of the High Renaissance who was active as a painter, draughtsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect. While his fame initially rested on his achievements as a painter, he also became known for his notebooks, in which he made drawings and notes on a variety of subjects, including anatomy, astronomy, botany, cartography, painting, and paleontology. Leonardo is widely regarded to have been a genius who epitomized the Renaissance humanist ideal, and his collective works comprise a contribution to later generations of artists matched only by that of his younger contemporary Michelangelo. Born out of wedlock to a successful notary and a lower-class woman in, or near, Vinci, he was educated in Florence by the Italian painter and sculptor Andrea del Verrocchio. He began his career in the city, but then spent much time in the service of Ludovico Sforza in Milan. Later, he worked in Florence and Milan again, as well as briefly in Rome, all while attracting a large following of imitators and students. Upon the invitation of Francis I, he spent his last three years in France, where he died in 1519. Since his death, there has not been a time where his achievements, diverse interests, personal life, and empirical thinking have failed to incite interest and admiration, making him a frequent namesake and subject in culture. Leonardo is identified as one of the greatest painters in the history of art and is often credited as the founder of the High Renaissance. Despite having many lost works and fewer than 25 attributed major works—including numerous unfinished works—he created some of the most influential paintings in Western art. His magnum opus, the Mona Lisa, is his best-known work and often regarded as the world's most famous painting. The Last Supper is the most reproduced religious painting of all time, and his Vitruvian Man drawing is also regarded as a cultural icon. In 2017, Salvator Mundi, attributed in whole or part to Leonardo, was sold at auction for US$450.3 million, setting a new record for the most expensive painting ever sold at public auction. Revered for his technological ingenuity, he conceptualized flying machines, a type of armored fighting vehicle, concentrated solar power, a ratio machine that could be used in an adding machine, and the double hull. Relatively few of his designs were constructed or were even feasible during his lifetime, as the modern scientific approaches to metallurgy and engineering were only in their infancy during the Renaissance. Some of his smaller inventions, however, entered the world of manufacturing unheralded, such as an automated bobbin winder and a machine for testing the tensile strength of wire. He made substantial discoveries in anatomy, civil engineering, hydrodynamics, geology, optics, and tribology, but he did not publish his findings and they had little to no direct influence on subsequent science. - from Wikipedia

[dr-futbol-blog]

Letters from Pegasus, Pt. 2

While McKay returns to his lab to work on the plan, Sheppard finds himself something to occupy himself with. We find them in the control platform with Zelenka, looking at the long-range sensor read-out of the wraith ships and Zelenka's projection on their probable route toward Atlantis. Sheppard actually tells Weir: "Teyla and I were just deciding which planet to go to." That is, Sheppard and Teyla had been discussing what to do while a member of their team is otherwise occupied, and since they could not ask McKay to give them information, they had roped in Zelenka. Weir had joined them some time after. Their plan was to do a recon mission

I'll draw your attention to the fact that Sheppard once more has his hand between himself and Weir. He also does not turn his body toward her as he speaks to her, only his head. Most of the conversation he keeps his eyes fixed on the screen like that is where his focus is, and that's where his focus should be, too. Zelenka, Teyla, Weir and Sheppard are all acting like normal people, co-workers discussing work. Especially Sheppard and Zelenka's interaction lets us contrast his behaviour with a scientist with his scientist.

And I know that I'm belabouring the point, but see how he gestures with his hand like he is subconsciously establishing a perimetre there between himself and Weir.

There is something off about Sheppard's tone in this scene. Like he's putting up some kind of a pretense either for Weir or for all of them. What ever he is actually feeling at this time, he is concealing it underneath this charming, boyish persona. Like he's purposefully trying to keep his demeanor light--and this might just be a response to the wraith approaching, as he is standing in front of the screen that displays their approach while he acts this way. The fact that Teyla's voice shakes as though she is suppressing fear when she points to the planet where the wraith will be attacking next just highlights the false nature of Sheppard's upbeat attitude.

We are once again reminded of the fact that Sheppard is quite sharp:

Weir: How do you expect to reach them in a Puddle Jumper? Sheppard: We fly to a Stargate en route that Zelenka thinks they're gonna drop out of hyperspace and we watch ‘em pass by. Weir: That's good. Sheppard: Well, I have my moments.

He says that he has his moments in order to downplay his intelligence in current company. It's one thing for McKay to know he could have passed the Mensa test but there is really no tactical advantage in letting people know just how smart you are. Weir tells them to come back before McKay is done and Sheppard has no problem with this because he probably hadn't even planned to stay gone longer than McKay is occupied:

Sheppard: Stealth mode. They won't even know we're there. Weir: OK. Go. Get what intel you can and get back--before Rodney sends his message. I need the both of you here. Sheppard: Won't even stop at the duty free!

Sheppard has a physical reaction to Weir mentioning Rodney by name. As soon as she says the name, he looks to his right and shifts his footing. He doesn't appear to look at anything in particular, doesn't necessarily have even time to think about anything in particular, but it is interesting that his body has an automated response just to the mention of McKay.

Weir issues Sheppard an order not to take on the wraith on his own and this, once more, seems like her overstepping her post. This is very much a military matter and it should be up to Sheppard's discretion what should be done about it. Still, she issues a direct order and he even acknowledges that the order was received which is relevant for later. However, he also lies to Weir and while we have seen him lie many times before, here we are asked to pay attention to it through his facial expression.

Weir tells her not to take on wraith ships "on yourself". Sheppard confirms that he will not take on an alien armada single-handed. While he looks to his side at Teyla. He says "single-handed", then looks at Teyla, and only then confirms the order. Because, while he may not be planning on doing anything drastic at this particular moment, he is keeping his options open. And if it just so happened that they were called to do something, doing it with Teyla is not doing it single-handed. It's a loop-hole. It is acknowledging the letter of the law but not the law itself.

Weir is not military and clearly does not know how to issue direct orders. And here, we see Sheppard retain his option for seeing things a little different if need be, to keep the option of making his own calls. Also note that you have to be able to read Sheppard's expression to understand what actually happens in the scene. It's a visual cue that is a key to interpreting the dialogue.

It is somewhat odd that Ford does not seem to be a part of their plan and is not going on the mission with them. Ordinarily, they would all go but currently McKay is otherwise occupied. And yes, obviously Ford needs to stay back to be able to record everyone's messages but he has not been assigned the task yet so he has no motivation for staying behind. The only explanation for him not accompanying them is that Sheppard leaves him behind to make sure McKay is safe while he is away. This imminent threat looming over them, he is not taking any chances. There is also a really big marine standing guard during the meeting of the senior staff later on which we've never seen happen before so clearly Sheppard has been taking precautions. And this guy seems to be keeping an eye on McKay in particular. Not that everyone wouldn't know just how important he is to the expedition.

It's also curious that this scene in the meeting room cuts directly to Sheppard and Teyla in the jumper discussing the topic of what he might do if his dear friend was in danger from the wraith:

Teyla: If someone close to your family--a dear friend--was in danger of being taken by the Wraith, would you have not done the same? Sheppard: Not if it jeopardised the mission.

The thing is, we see over the seasons that what ever moral code Sheppard has, what ever ethical principles he operates on, he is willing to break each and every one of them for McKay. We see him not only be prepared but actually do some pretty darn dark things to keep McKay safe. He actually is willing to doom the entire human race including his closest friends (and himself, naturally) for this man, and he would do it without a second thought. He wouldn't even feel bad about it. This is why Col. Sumner and Gen. O'Neill told Weir that he's a liability. This is the little different that Sheppard is willing to see through. McKay is the exception to every rule he has.

So, Sheppard and Teyla gate to a planet where she has some acquaintances. She makes the introductions, and we are reminded of the passage of time and that the characters have changed from when we first met them:

Orin: Look at you! You're so different! Teyla: Much has changed since my last visit.

Orin looks at Sheppard curiously as Teyla introduces them, clearly thinking that the two of them are an item. They are of the opposite sex and out there alone together, that is all that it takes for someone to come to this conclusion.

Relevant to this episode is the fact that Orin has a family, one that Teyla wishes to save. The concept of family comes up several times in the episode, especially the concept of the found family, the family that is created out of the people of one's choosing. Although there is not much interaction between Sheppard and McKay in this episode, as stated, we learn that they have very similar feelings when it comes to this concept.

You can tell that family is a particularly difficult topic for Sheppard in how he turns his head away the moment Teyla mentions the word family, as to escape the very thought of it. I would also bet good money on this man resembling Sheppard's father at least to some extent as Sheppard and Orin do share features as they are stood here facing each other. This man seems kind, he seems like a good man. The resemblance must be... superficial.

Sheppard seems initially reluctant to jeopardize their mission to save these villagers, causing friction between himself and Teyla. Teyla tells him "It is the very least we can do" with a pointed look, reminding him of the fact that it was their actions that unleashed the wraith upon these worlds but in spite of Sheppard feeling the full weight of the guilt for having caused this, he tells them that he cannot make the promise to save this man and his family.

Back on Atlantis, they are having another meeting discussing what all they should be sending with the information package back to Earth. Since Sheppard is not present for this meeting, we are able to see how different the interaction is when he is absent. Weir compliments McKay who actually responds in a modest way just like Sheppard did earlier regarding his intelligence, having his moments. McKay hears Weir calling what he has done 'incredible,' so he's telling her that it's actually the algorithm that has done most of the work, it's perfectly credible for him to have fit the data they have deciphered into the data burst.

McKay: I've included a ton of data that we've been able to decipher from the Ancient database. Weir: Really? That is incredible! McKay: Well, the algorithm I've devised is extraordinarily efficient, yes. Beckett: Oh, please!

But that's not what the people around the table hear, and Beckett especially seems to roll his eyes at McKay's perceived arrogance (surely taking pride in one's work is not arrogant; arrogant would be him making promises he couldn't deliver). We have never seen him do this when Sheppard has been present probably because he wouldn't dare. They all just seem to take it for granted that Sheppard is always going to side with McKay and vice versa. That Sheppard would jump to his rescue. This time, it is Weir that acknowledges the work that he's done for them:

Weir: It must be, in order to fit all that data into one point three seconds. McKay: Point three seconds, actually. Weir: We have a whole extra second to fill?! McKay: A whole extra one, yes. Weir: Is it enough to include personal messages? McKay: Uh, sure--I mean, several hours of video. Much more if it was strictly audio.

The other notable thing is McKay's reaction to the possibility of sending messages back to Earth. If the concept of family seemed uncomfortable to Sheppard, the concept of sending personal messages to Earth seems to be the same to McKay. He can't even get any words out at first. It had not even occurred to him that it a) could be done and that b) anyone would want to do it. The thought also seems to make him uncomfortable.

Like Teyla, he also has changed a lot during his time on Atlantis and this, much more so than the possibility of sending information and mission reports back to Earth, forces him to think back on his life--his non-life--back on Earth. Some people seem to have left behind something worth remembering but he does not think that he has anything back there worth sending messages to. Ford, on the other hand, is instantly excited and has a specific person in mind:

Ford: I could tell my grandma what I've been up to all this time. Weir: Well, if your grandmother had security clearance, yes, you could! But for now you can tell her that you're well--and that you miss her. McKay: This is all very charming, but, um, I have work to do -- shouldn't I, uh…?

McKay seems extremely discomfited by this possibility. But note Weir's reference to the security clearance. They emphasize this multiple times in the episode--the messages cannot contain classified information unless the receiver has the proper security clearance. And although Ford, assigned by Weir to take care of filming the messages assures them that no one will see the messages besides the recipient, it's clear that they are going to undergo a security check. Beckett even comments on this later:

Ford: Well, don't worry. The only people who'll see it is gonna be your family. Beckett: Aye--and you and the US military!

That is, it is explicitly confirmed that members of the military are going to review the tapes before they are sent to anyone--if they are sent to anyone. McKay's message to his sister, for one, seems never to have reached her, although I will argue here that sending a message to his sister was but an afterthought, anyway. McKay actually started recording the message for a whole other purpose.

In the earlier meeting, McKay mentioned that he had done the coding for the Air Force, and he nodded toward Sheppard as he said this. It reminds us about the fact that McKay is on the USAF payroll (and answers to the Chiefs of Staff, as per his own witness). The reason why we need to remember and were hence reminded about this state of affairs is that McKay has been doing civilian contracting for the military, and specifically for the Air Force, for a very long time and he knows how it works. He knows the ins and outs of their politics and, if we assume that he is something other than straight, he is also familiar with all of the issues faced by gay and bisexual men in the military at this time.

Because members of the military are bound by a code of conduct, it falls on the civilian to make an exaggerated performance of heterosexuality so that if and when anyone is seen with them, they will be assumed to share in this (cf. Moebius in SG-§ for an example of him doing this). If he performs over-the-top straightness then anyone seen with him will be interpreted as straight because that kind a person, naturally presumed to be homophobic, would not hang around with the 'queers'.

To her credit, Weir seems to notice that McKay is being weird about the whole sending messages thing:

Weir: Rodney? McKay: Hm? Weir: You don't wanna send a message to anyone? McKay: You know what? Maybe with all my spare time I'll just record a message myself… you? Weir: Yes. McKay: Good, good.

So, McKay was not originally going to record a message. He clearly refers to spare time sarcastically, as he has had precious little of it lately. He also had no one in mind to send a message to; no one back on Earth that was significant enough for him to say anything to. In this, he and Sheppard seem to be alike. They were both lonely, although for different reasons. Sheppard had isolated himself to the Antarctic so as not to get attached to anyone he might get killed. McKay had been banished to Siberia for being unlikable--or at the very least he felt that way. He had been meeting new people with an abrasive attitude to take the sting out of the eventual rejection. If you're not really trying to connect with anyone it won't hurt so much when they don't want to get to know you. So yes, both men were alone and lonely (and cold, seems like) on Earth. And then, here, they had found a home and a family. In the expedition at large, in all the people in this small community, but most of all in each other. Everything McKay cared about is on Atlantis, so why does he decide to start recording a message with "several valuable insights" to "humanity in general"?

Even though he remembers his sister toward the end of his recording session and does record a heartfelt message to her reflecting what family means to him now that he has finally found one, that wasn't the motivation. When he started recording the message, he was recording it to SGC personnel, to the USAF, to which ever official would be going through the tapes, to Samantha Carter whom he was certain would be the one decoding the message (and not because he has any special attachment to her but because she's an USAF officer that he happens to know; and a woman at that). He starts recording the message for (although not to) Sheppard.

This is pretty much confirmed by the fact that Ford asks Zelenka: "You didn't say anything that would require security clearance, did you?" reminding us of the fact that unless the recipient has the proper security clearance, they could not say anything classified on the message. McKay's entire message was full of things that would never pass a security check, off the bat he starts with describing their fight against the wraith "deep within the Pegasus galaxy". He knew there was no goddamn way anyone besides military personnel would be watching his video. It's entirely possible they never sent his message to his sister because it didn't pass the check as he had only remembered he had a sister half-way through recording all manner of crap designed never to pass the security check.

At the earlier meeting, he had reminded Sheppard of his position in the USAF. He knows perfectly well what kind of a situation they are in with regards to military regulations, and why Sheppard might be reluctant to want to contact Earth on official business. If he has to act the part of Valentino to make it just a little bit easier for him, he can do that. He had been doing that long before he ever met Sheppard. But it isn't just for the eyes of military security but also for Weir, because of Weir, that he records the message. She basically cornered him here and let him know how strange it is that he would not want to send a message like the rest of them. That it was suspicious. That a normal person would want to "tell her that you're well--and that you miss her," like she told Ford. So it seems like he is forced to keep up appearances on several fronts, here.

And this is the context in which we must decipher his recorded message.

Continued in Pt. 3

[productsiddha]

From Data to Decisions: Leveraging Product Analytics and AI Services for Faster B2B Innovation

In today’s competitive B2B landscape, innovation isn’t just about having a great product idea. It’s about bringing that idea to life faster, smarter, and with precision. That means making every decision based on real data, not guesswork. At Product Siddha, we help businesses unlock faster B2B innovation by combining the power of product analytics and AI services into one seamless strategy.

Why B2B Innovation Fails Without Data-Driven Insight

Most B2B companies struggle to innovate at scale because they lack visibility into what users actually do. Product teams launch features based on assumptions. Marketing teams operate without a feedback loop. Sales teams miss opportunities due to fragmented data. This disconnect creates wasted effort and missed growth.

Product analytics is the solution to this problem. When integrated with AI services, you don’t just track user behavior — you predict it. This lets you make smarter decisions that directly improve your product roadmap, customer experience, and business outcomes.

The Power of Product Analytics in B2B Growth

Product analytics turns user behavior into actionable insight. Instead of relying on vanity metrics, Product Siddha helps you understand how real people interact with your product at every stage. We implement tools that give you a complete view of the user journey — from first touchpoint to long-term retention.

With powerful product analytics, you can:

Identify high-impact features based on real usage

Spot friction points and user drop-offs quickly

Personalize product experiences for higher engagement

Improve onboarding, reduce churn, and boost ROI

This is not just reporting. It’s clarity. It’s control. And it’s the foundation of faster B2B innovation.

Accelerate Outcomes with AI Services That Work for You

While product analytics shows you what’s happening, AI services help you act on that data instantly. Product Siddha designs and builds low-code AI-powered systems that reduce manual work, automate decisions, and create intelligent workflows across teams.

With our AI services, B2B companies can:

Automatically segment users and personalize messaging

Trigger automated campaigns based on user behavior

Streamline product feedback loops

Deliver faster support with AI chatbots and smart routing

Together, AI and analytics make your product smarter and your business more efficient. No more delayed decisions. No more data silos. Just continuous improvement powered by automation.

Our Approach: Build, Learn, Optimize

At Product Siddha, we believe innovation should be fast, measurable, and scalable. That’s why we use a 4-step framework to integrate product analytics and AI services into your workflow.

Build Real, Fast

We help you launch an MVP with just enough features to test real-world usage and start gathering data.

Learn What Matters

We set up product analytics to capture user behavior and feedback, turning that information into practical insight.

Stack Smart Tools

Our AI services integrate with your MarTech and product stack, automating repetitive tasks and surfacing real-time insights.

Optimize with Focus

Based on what you learn, we help you refine your product, personalize your messaging, and scale growth efficiently.

Why Choose Product Siddha for B2B Innovation?

We specialize in helping fast-moving B2B brands like yours eliminate complexity and move with clarity. At Product Siddha, we don’t just give you data or automation tools — we build intelligent systems that let you move from data to decisions in real time.

Our team combines deep expertise in product analytics, AI automation, and B2B marketing operations. Whether you’re building your first product or scaling an existing one, we help you:

Reduce time-to-market

Eliminate development waste

Align product and growth goals

Launch with confidence

Visit Product Siddha to explore our full range of services.

Let’s Turn Insight into Innovation

If you’re ready to use product analytics and AI services to unlock faster B2B innovation, we’re here to help. Product Siddha builds smart, scalable systems that help your teams learn faster, move faster, and grow faster.

Call us today at 98993 22826 to discover how we can turn your product data into your biggest competitive advantage.