#field data app

[aplpaca]

So I'm taking an online class thingy on GIS and the urge to use the Advanced Scientific Mapping Software make a fuckin mosaic or some shit using is so high. It's the opposite of what the stuff is supposed to be used for. Like fuck it here's fuckin Starry Night over fresno california. Put it on Field Maps.

[softwaresolutionhr]

Real-time collaboration between on-site crews and remote experts becomes smoother with mobile apps. As data is logged, remote teams can offer immediate recommendations, reducing guesswork and improving accuracy. Ultimately, mobile apps reduce non-productive time (NPT), optimize resource use, and ensure better compliance with environmental and safety standards.

[jcmarchi]

Using Pages CMS for Static Site Content Management

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/using-pages-cms-for-static-site-content-management/

Using Pages CMS for Static Site Content Management

Friends, I’ve been on the hunt for a decent content management system for static sites for… well, about as long as we’ve all been calling them “static sites,” honestly.

I know, I know: there are a ton of content management system options available, and while I’ve tested several, none have really been the one, y’know? Weird pricing models, difficult customization, some even end up becoming a whole ‘nother thing to manage.

Also, I really enjoy building with site generators such as Astro or Eleventy, but pitching Markdown as the means of managing content is less-than-ideal for many “non-techie” folks.

A few expectations for content management systems might include:

Easy to use: The most important feature, why you might opt to use a content management system in the first place.

Minimal Requirements: Look, I’m just trying to update some HTML, I don’t want to think too much about database tables.

Collaboration: CMS tools work best when multiple contributors work together, contributors who probably don’t know Markdown or what GitHub is.

Customizable: No website is the same, so we’ll need to be able to make custom fields for different types of content.

Not a terribly long list of demands, I’d say; fairly reasonable, even. That’s why I was happy to discover Pages CMS.

According to its own home page, Pages CMS is the “The No-Hassle CMS for Static Site Generators,” and I’ll to attest to that. Pages CMS has largely been developed by a single developer, Ronan Berder, but is open source, and accepting pull requests over on GitHub.

Taking a lot of the “good parts” found in other CMS tools, and a single configuration file, Pages CMS combines things into a sleek user interface.

Pages CMS includes lots of options for customization, you can upload media, make editable files, and create entire collections of content. Also, content can have all sorts of different fields, check the docs for the full list of supported types, as well as completely custom fields.

There isn’t really a “back end” to worry about, as content is stored as flat files inside your git repository. Pages CMS provides folks the ability to manage the content within the repo, without needing to actually know how to use Git, and I think that’s neat.

User Authentication works two ways: contributors can log in using GitHub accounts, or contributors can be invited by email, where they’ll receive a password-less, “magic-link,” login URL. This is nice, as GitHub accounts are less common outside of the dev world, shocking, I know.

Oh, and Pages CMS has a very cheap barrier for entry, as it’s free to use.

Pages CMS and Astro content collections

I’ve created a repository on GitHub with Astro and Pages CMS using Astro’s default blog starter, and made it available publicly, so feel free to clone and follow along.

I’ve been a fan of Astro for a while, and Pages CMS works well alongside Astro’s content collection feature. Content collections make globs of data easily available throughout Astro, so you can hydrate content inside Astro pages. These globs of data can be from different sources, such as third-party APIs, but commonly as directories of Markdown files. Guess what Pages CMS is really good at? Managing directories of Markdown files!

Content collections are set up by a collections configuration file. Check out the src/content.config.ts file in the project, here we are defining a content collection named blog:

import glob from 'astro/loaders'; import defineCollection, z from 'astro:content'; const blog = defineCollection( // Load Markdown in the `src/content/blog/` directory. loader: glob( base: './src/content/blog', pattern: '**/*.md' ), // Type-check frontmatter using a schema schema: z.object( title: z.string(), description: z.string(), // Transform string to Date object pubDate: z.coerce.date(), updatedDate: z.coerce.date().optional(), heroImage: z.string().optional(), ), ); export const collections = blog ;

The blog content collection checks the /src/content/blog directory for files matching the **/*.md file type, the Markdown file format. The schema property is optional, however, Astro provides helpful type-checking functionality with Zod, ensuring data saved by Pages CMS works as expected in your Astro site.

Pages CMS Configuration

Alright, now that Astro knows where to look for blog content, let’s take a look at the Pages CMS configuration file, .pages.config.yml:

content: - name: blog label: Blog path: src/content/blog filename: 'year-month-day-fields.title.md' type: collection view: fields: [heroImage, title, pubDate] fields: - name: title label: Title type: string - name: description label: Description type: text - name: pubDate label: Publication Date type: date options: format: MM/dd/yyyy - name: updatedDate label: Last Updated Date type: date options: format: MM/dd/yyyy - name: heroImage label: Hero Image type: image - name: body label: Body type: rich-text - name: site-settings label: Site Settings path: src/config/site.json type: file fields: - name: title label: Website title type: string - name: description label: Website description type: string description: Will be used for any page with no description. - name: url label: Website URL type: string pattern: ^(https?://)?(www.)?[a-zA-Z0-9.-]+.[a-zA-Z]2,(/[^s]*)?$ - name: cover label: Preview image type: image description: Image used in the social preview on social networks (e.g. Facebook, Twitter...) media: input: public/media output: /media

There is a lot going on in there, but inside the content section, let’s zoom in on the blog object.

- name: blog label: Blog path: src/content/blog filename: 'year-month-day-fields.title.md' type: collection view: fields: [heroImage, title, pubDate] fields: - name: title label: Title type: string - name: description label: Description type: text - name: pubDate label: Publication Date type: date options: format: MM/dd/yyyy - name: updatedDate label: Last Updated Date type: date options: format: MM/dd/yyyy - name: heroImage label: Hero Image type: image - name: body label: Body type: rich-text

We can point Pages CMS to the directory we want to save Markdown files using the path property, matching it up to the /src/content/blog/ location Astro looks for content.

path: src/content/blog

For the filename we can provide a pattern template to use when Pages CMS saves the file to the content collection directory. In this case, it’s using the file date’s year, month, and day, as well as the blog item’s title, by using fields.title to reference the title field. The filename can be customized in many different ways, to fit your scenario.

filename: 'year-month-day-fields.title.md'

The type property tells Pages CMS that this is a collection of files, rather than a single editable file (we’ll get to that in a moment).

type: collection

In our Astro content collection configuration, we define our blog collection with the expectation that the files will contain a few bits of meta data such as: title, description, pubDate, and a few more properties.

We can mirror those requirements in our Pages CMS blog collection as fields. Each field can be customized for the type of data you’re looking to collect. Here, I’ve matched these fields up with the default Markdown frontmatter found in the Astro blog starter.

fields: - name: title label: Title type: string - name: description label: Description type: text - name: pubDate label: Publication Date type: date options: format: MM/dd/yyyy - name: updatedDate label: Last Updated Date type: date options: format: MM/dd/yyyy - name: heroImage label: Hero Image type: image - name: body label: Body type: rich-text

Now, every time we create a new blog item in Pages CMS, we’ll be able to fill out each of these fields, matching the expected schema for Astro.

Aside from collections of content, Pages CMS also lets you manage editable files, which is useful for a variety of things: site wide variables, feature flags, or even editable navigations.

Take a look at the site-settings object, here we are setting the type as file, and the path includes the filename site.json.

- name: site-settings label: Site Settings path: src/config/site.json type: file fields: - name: title label: Website title type: string - name: description label: Website description type: string description: Will be used for any page with no description. - name: url label: Website URL type: string pattern: ^(https?://)?(www.)?[a-zA-Z0-9.-]+.[a-zA-Z]2,(/[^s]*)?$ - name: cover label: Preview image type: image description: Image used in the social preview on social networks (e.g. Facebook, Twitter...)

The fields I’ve included are common site-wide settings, such as the site’s title, description, url, and cover image.

Speaking of images, we can tell Pages CMS where to store media such as images and video.

media: input: public/media output: /media

The input property explains where to store the files, in the /public/media directory within our project.

The output property is a helpful little feature that conveniently replaces the file path, specifically for tools that might require specific configuration. For example, Astro uses Vite under the hood, and Vite already knows about the public directory and complains if it’s included within file paths. Instead, we can set the output property so Pages CMS will only point image path locations starting at the inner /media directory instead.

To see what I mean, check out the test post in the src/content/blog/ folder:

--- title: 'Test Post' description: 'Here is a sample of some basic Markdown syntax that can be used when writing Markdown content in Astro.' pubDate: 05/03/2025 heroImage: '/media/blog-placeholder-1.jpg' ---

The heroImage now property properly points to /media/... instead of /public/media/....

As far as configurations are concerned, Pages CMS can be as simple or as complex as necessary. You can add as many collections or editable files as needed, as well as customize the fields for each type of content. This gives you a lot of flexibility to create sites!

Connecting to Pages CMS

Now that we have our Astro site set up, and a .pages.config.yml file, we can connect our site to the Pages CMS online app. As the developer who controls the repository, browse to https://app.pagescms.org/ and sign in using your GitHub account.

You should be presented with some questions about permissions, you may need to choose between giving access to all repositories or specific ones. Personally, I chose to only give access to a single repository, which in this case is my astro-pages-cms-template repo.

After providing access to the repo, head on back to the Pages CMS application, where you’ll see your project listed under the “Open a Project” headline.

Clicking the open link will take you into the website’s dashboard, where we’ll be able to make updates to our site.

Creating content

Taking a look at our site’s dashboard, we’ll see a navigation on the left side, with some familiar things.

Blog is the collection we set up inside the .pages.config.yml file, this will be where we we can add new entries to the blog.

Site Settings is the editable file we are using to make changes to site-wide variables.

Media is where our images and other content will live.

Settings is a spot where we’ll be able to edit our .pages.config.yml file directly.

Collaborators allows us to invite other folks to contribute content to the site.

We can create a new blog post by clicking the Add Entry button in the top right

Here we can fill out all the fields for our blog content, then hit the Save button.

After saving, Pages CMS will create the Markdown file, store the file in the proper directory, and automatically commit the changes to our repository. This is how Pages CMS helps us manage our content without needing to use git directly.

Automatically deploying

The only thing left to do is set up automated deployments through the service provider of your choice. Astro has integrations with providers like Netlify, Cloudflare Pages, and Vercel, but can be hosted anywhere you can run node applications.

Astro is typically very fast to build (thanks to Vite), so while site updates won’t be instant, they will still be fairly quick to deploy. If your site is set up to use Astro’s server-side rendering capabilities, rather than a completely static site, the changes might be much faster to deploy.

Wrapping up

Using a template as reference, we checked out how Astro content collections work alongside Pages CMS. We also learned how to connect our project repository to the Pages CMS app, and how to make content updates through the dashboard. Finally, if you are able, don’t forget to set up an automated deployment, so content publishes quickly.

[hms-software-timecontrol]

The TimeControl Timesheet system includes the free TimeControl Mobile App. When connected to TimeControl Industrial the TimeControl Mobile App delivers field data collection for project progress along with labor and non-labor entries.

[datamyte2022]

Top 10 Field Data Collection Apps for 2024

Efficient field data collection is crucial for businesses in today’s fast-paced environment. As of 2024, ensuring accuracy, security, and streamlined workflows in data collection processes has become more important than ever. With advancements in technology, a wide range of field data collection apps are available to simplify and enhance these processes.

This article explores the top 10 field data collection apps for 2024. From automated form creation to cloud-based solutions, these tools offer features designed to collect reliable data quickly and efficiently. We’ll examine each app's unique functionalities, advantages, and potential drawbacks to help you determine the best fit for your organization. Let’s dive in!

What Are Field Data Collection Apps?

Field data collection apps are specialized software solutions designed to gather, store, and manage data systematically. These apps allow users to collect information through surveys, forms, polls, and other methods, facilitating organized and efficient data collection for businesses, researchers, and organizations.

Many of these apps include features such as customizable forms, offline functionality, real-time syncing, and integration with other platforms. They are widely used across industries like healthcare, education, agriculture, and market research to improve data accuracy, optimize workflows, and enable data-driven decision-making.

The 10 Best Field Data Collection Apps for 2024

With the increasing demand for secure, reliable, and efficient data collection, field data collection apps have become indispensable tools. Below are the top 10 apps, highlighting their features, user-friendliness, pricing, and more:

1. Fulcrum

Fulcrum is a cloud-based app designed for seamless data gathering and reporting across industries such as construction, environmental science, and inspections. It offers customizable forms, offline data capture, and advanced analytics, making it a popular choice for field teams.

2. Teamscope

Ideal for sectors like research, healthcare, and education, Teamscope provides a secure and user-friendly platform for collecting sensitive data in remote or challenging environments. Features include offline functionality, data encryption, and real-time insights.

3. KoboToolbox

KoboToolbox is an open-source platform that excels in survey creation, data collection, and analysis. Widely used by NGOs and researchers, it offers flexibility and powerful tools for managing and sharing data.

4. Magpi

Magpi simplifies mobile data capture with an intuitive drag-and-drop interface. Industries such as healthcare and environmental monitoring rely on its efficient form-building capabilities and actionable insights.

5. JotForm

JotForm is a versatile online form builder catering to various needs, from surveys to order forms. With extensive integrations and a user-friendly design, it’s suitable for businesses, educators, and individuals.

6. FastField

FastField focuses on simplifying field data collection with offline capabilities, automation features, and real-time reporting. It’s commonly used in industries like construction and inspections.

7. Survey123 for ArcGIS

Survey123 combines user-friendly survey creation with ArcGIS’s mapping capabilities, making it ideal for collecting and analyzing spatial data.

8. Forms on Fire

Forms on Fire empowers organizations with mobile forms and intuitive web interfaces. Its offline capabilities and industry-specific features make it a reliable choice for construction, research, and more.

9. GoSpotCheck

Now part of FORM MarketX, GoSpotCheck specializes in mobile forms and real-time reporting for industries like retail and merchandising. It streamlines workflows and improves data accuracy.

10. iFormBuilder

iFormBuilder supports mobile data collection with offline functionality and automation features. It’s a go-to tool for field research, inspections, and construction.

These apps offer a variety of features tailored to specific industries and needs. By leveraging the right field data collection tool, you can enhance efficiency, ensure data accuracy, and make informed decisions based on reliable insights.

[wickedhawtwexler]

yo what are data scientists job like? considering applying for some myself.

soooo at my last job, i was in charge of a few machine learning models. basically i wrote the code, made sure they ran correctly, sent the output to people who needed it, presented results, answered questions from the business team, and made tweaks.

what this would look like:

i attend a meeting with one of the business-y teams, i sit there quietly until they eventually have a request i can help with ("we want to know what customers are likely to churn")

i either make a brand new model or use an existing model to get this information

the business team uses the data i send them to decide who to send emails, gift cards, catalogs, etc. they come back with the results and evaluate how the campaign worked

i give a presentation about my findings to the business team, and eventually to the VP of my department

on a day-to-day basis i would spend some time writing code, trying to find data, putting together a spreadsheet or powerpoint, and attending a meeting or two.

dealing with all the boring bureaucracy of the business teams can be super annoying, and it can also be frustrating dealing with people who aren't data science savvy because they don't get how long some things take. but overall i liked my last job! i wasn't doing anything super complicated technology wise (i was on a small team that had only formed like two years before i joined, so their data science "tech stack" was pretty basic) so it was pretty easy and normally didn't require 8 hours a day

[adamgroef1234]

How to Create a Field Data Management App for Oil and Gas Operations?

An  App Development tailored for oil and gas operations facilitates data management, securing real-time access to vital information crucial for decision-making. It improves operational efficiency by consolidating data, encouraging swift analytics, predictive maintenance, and monitoring.

[algoworks]

📊 Streamline Your Salesforce Journey! 🚀 

Introducing @Algoworks Field History Tracker native app – the ultimate weapon for Salesforce Admins. 🛠️ 

Say goodbye to data tracking headaches as this app offers a unified interface for managing field data on any object. 

Stay compliant, stay secure! 🔒💼

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Your Meta AI prompts are in a live, public feed

I'm in the home stretch of my 20+ city book tour for my new novel PICKS AND SHOVELS. Catch me in PDX TOMORROW (June 20) at BARNES AND NOBLE with BUNNIE HUANG and at the TUALATIN public library on SUNDAY (June 22). After that, it's LONDON (July 1) with TRASHFUTURE'S RILEY QUINN and then a big finish in MANCHESTER on July 2.

Back in 2006, AOL tried something incredibly bold and even more incredibly stupid: they dumped a data-set of 20,000,000 "anonymized" search queries from 650,000 users (yes, AOL had a search engine – there used to be lots of search engines!):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AOL_search_log_release

The AOL dump was a catastrophe. In an eyeblink, many of the users in the dataset were de-anonymized. The dump revealed personal, intimate and compromising facts about the lives of AOL search users. The AOL dump is notable for many reasons, not least because it jumpstarted the academic and technical discourse about the limits of "de-identifying" datasets by stripping out personally identifying information prior to releasing them for use by business partners, researchers, or the general public.

It turns out that de-identification is fucking hard. Just a couple of datapoints associated with an "anonymous" identifier can be sufficent to de-anonymize the user in question:

https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.1508081113

But firms stubbornly refuse to learn this lesson. They would love it if they could "safely" sell the data they suck up from our everyday activities, so they declare that they can safely do so, and sell giant data-sets, and then bam, the next thing you know, a federal judge's porn-browsing habits are published for all the world to see:

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/aug/01/data-browsing-habits-brokers

Indeed, it appears that there may be no way to truly de-identify a data-set:

https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/understanding-the-maths-is-crucial-for-protecting-privacy

Which is a serious bummer, given the potential insights to be gleaned from, say, population-scale health records:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/23/health/data-privacy-protection.html

It's clear that de-identification is not fit for purpose when it comes to these data-sets:

https://www.cs.princeton.edu/~arvindn/publications/precautionary.pdf

But that doesn't mean there's no safe way to data-mine large data-sets. "Trusted research environments" (TREs) can allow researchers to run queries against multiple sensitive databases without ever seeing a copy of the data, and good procedural vetting as to the research questions processed by TREs can protect the privacy of the people in the data:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/10/01/the-palantir-will-see-you-now/#public-private-partnership

But companies are perennially willing to trade your privacy for a glitzy new product launch. Amazingly, the people who run these companies and design their products seem to have no clue as to how their users use those products. Take Strava, a fitness app that dumped maps of where its users went for runs and revealed a bunch of secret military bases:

https://gizmodo.com/fitness-apps-anonymized-data-dump-accidentally-reveals-1822506098

Or Venmo, which, by default, let anyone see what payments you've sent and received (researchers have a field day just filtering the Venmo firehose for emojis associated with drug buys like "pills" and "little trees"):

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/09/technology/personaltech/venmo-privacy-oversharing.html

Then there was the time that Etsy decided that it would publish a feed of everything you bought, never once considering that maybe the users buying gigantic handmade dildos shaped like lovecraftian tentacles might not want to advertise their purchase history:

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2011/03/etsy-users-irked-after-buyers-purchases-exposed-to-the-world/

But the most persistent, egregious and consequential sinner here is Facebook (naturally). In 2007, Facebook opted its 20,000,000 users into a new system called "Beacon" that published a public feed of every page you looked at on sites that partnered with Facebook:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facebook_Beacon

Facebook didn't just publish this – they also lied about it. Then they admitted it and promised to stop, but that was also a lie. They ended up paying $9.5m to settle a lawsuit brought by some of their users, and created a "Digital Trust Foundation" which they funded with another $6.5m. Mark Zuckerberg published a solemn apology and promised that he'd learned his lesson.

Apparently, Zuck is a slow learner.

Depending on which "submit" button you click, Meta's AI chatbot publishes a feed of all the prompts you feed it:

https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/12/the-meta-ai-app-is-a-privacy-disaster/

Users are clearly hitting this button without understanding that this means that their intimate, compromising queries are being published in a public feed. Techcrunch's Amanda Silberling trawled the feed and found:

"An audio recording of a man in a Southern accent asking, 'Hey, Meta, why do some farts stink more than other farts?'"

"people ask[ing] for help with tax evasion"

"[whether family members would be arrested for their proximity to white-collar crimes"

"how to write a character reference letter for an employee facing legal troubles, with that person’s first and last name included."

While the security researcher Rachel Tobac found "people’s home addresses and sensitive court details, among other private information":

https://twitter.com/racheltobac/status/1933006223109959820

There's no warning about the privacy settings for your AI prompts, and if you use Meta's AI to log in to Meta services like Instagram, it publishes your Instagram search queries as well, including "big booty women."

As Silberling writes, the only saving grace here is that almost no one is using Meta's AI app. The company has only racked up a paltry 6.5m downloads, across its ~3 billion users, after spending tens of billions of dollars developing the app and its underlying technology.

The AI bubble is overdue for a pop:

https://www.wheresyoured.at/measures/

When it does, it will leave behind some kind of residue – cheaper, spin-out, standalone models that will perform many useful functions:

https://locusmag.com/2023/12/commentary-cory-doctorow-what-kind-of-bubble-is-ai/

Those standalone models were released as toys by the companies pumping tens of billions into the unsustainable "foundation models," who bet that – despite the worst unit economics of any technology in living memory – these tools would someday become economically viable, capturing a winner-take-all market with trillions of upside. That bet remains a longshot, but the littler "toy" models are beating everyone's expectations by wide margins, with no end in sight:

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00259-0

I can easily believe that one enduring use-case for chatbots is as a kind of enhanced diary-cum-therapist. Journalling is a well-regarded therapeutic tactic:

https://www.charliehealth.com/post/cbt-journaling

And the invention of chatbots was instantly followed by ardent fans who found that the benefits of writing out their thoughts were magnified by even primitive responses:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ELIZA_effect

Which shouldn't surprise us. After all, divination tools, from the I Ching to tarot to Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt's Oblique Strategies deck have been with us for thousands of years: even random responses can make us better thinkers:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oblique_Strategies

I make daily, extensive use of my own weird form of random divination:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/07/31/divination/

The use of chatbots as therapists is not without its risks. Chatbots can – and do – lead vulnerable people into extensive, dangerous, delusional, life-destroying ratholes:

https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/ai-spiritual-delusions-destroying-human-relationships-1235330175/

But that's a (disturbing and tragic) minority. A journal that responds to your thoughts with bland, probing prompts would doubtless help many people with their own private reflections. The keyword here, though, is private. Zuckerberg's insatiable, all-annihilating drive to expose our private activities as an attention-harvesting spectacle is poisoning the well, and he's far from alone. The entire AI chatbot sector is so surveillance-crazed that anyone who uses an AI chatbot as a therapist needs their head examined:

https://pluralistic.net/2025/04/01/doctor-robo-blabbermouth/#fool-me-once-etc-etc

AI bosses are the latest and worst offenders in a long and bloody lineage of privacy-hating tech bros. No one should ever, ever, ever trust them with any private or sensitive information. Take Sam Altman, a man whose products routinely barf up the most ghastly privacy invasions imaginable, a completely foreseeable consequence of his totally indiscriminate scraping for training data.

Altman has proposed that conversations with chatbots should be protected with a new kind of "privilege" akin to attorney-client privilege and related forms, such as doctor-patient and confessor-penitent privilege:

https://venturebeat.com/ai/sam-altman-calls-for-ai-privilege-as-openai-clarifies-court-order-to-retain-temporary-and-deleted-chatgpt-sessions/

I'm all for adding new privacy protections for the things we key or speak into information-retrieval services of all types. But Altman is (deliberately) omitting a key aspect of all forms of privilege: they immediately vanish the instant a third party is brought into the conversation. The things you tell your lawyer are priviiliged, unless you discuss them with anyone else, in which case, the privilege disappears.

And of course, all of Altman's products harvest all of our information. Altman is the untrusted third party in every conversation everyone has with one of his chatbots. He is the eternal Carol, forever eavesdropping on Alice and Bob:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_and_Bob

Altman isn't proposing that chatbots acquire a privilege, in other words – he's proposing that he should acquire this privilege. That he (and he alone) should be able to mine your queries for new training data and other surveillance bounties.

This is like when Zuckerberg directed his lawyers to destroy NYU's "Ad Observer" project, which scraped Facebook to track the spread of paid political misinformation. Zuckerberg denied that this was being done to evade accountability, insisting (with a miraculously straight face) that it was in service to protecting Facebook users' (nonexistent) privacy:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/08/05/comprehensive-sex-ed/#quis-custodiet-ipsos-zuck

We get it, Sam and Zuck – you love privacy.

We just wish you'd share.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2025/06/19/privacy-invasion-by-design#bringing-home-the-beacon

[luv4arinn]

Bayverse!Donnie headcanons bc his my bbg

Okay, lol, I really needed to let all of this out and just vomit all the ideas I’ve been hoarding about this man. I love him. I’ve adored him ever since the 2012 series, and that made me realize—I definitely have a thing for nerds. And glasses. Dear god.

I hope you guys like this!! Do you think I should do the same for the other brothers? Or maybe for the other characters? (I wouldn’t mind taking the risk and making headcanons like this for Rocksteady, hehe.)

Alright, bye!!

warnings: sfw & nsfw ( but not so explicit?) :p

- He’s a genius with confidence… until he isn’t.

Donnie is incredibly self-assured when it comes to his intellect and skills. He knows his worth and never doubts his ability to solve problems. Jumping out of a plane without a parachute? Easy. Hacking government security systems? A piece of cake. But confessing his feelings to you? That’s a whole different challenge.

This is where his anxious side kicks in. His brain, used to solving any equation, completely short-circuits when it comes to emotions. What if he misinterprets your signals? What if he ruins the friendship? What if you like someone else? Sure, he can design an exoskeleton in less than 24 hours, but love is a field where variables don’t always make sense.

If you think you can hide something from him, think again. Donnie notices everything. From the slight shift in your expression when you’re tired to the pattern of songs you repeat when you’re feeling down. (And no, he absolutely did not hack your Spotify, ahem—)

- That’s why, when you start falling for him, he already knows. In fact, he probably figured it out before you did.

He won’t tell you right away. Inside his head, there’s a storm of chaotic thoughts, organizing themselves into an ultra-detailed data table with every relevant piece of information. Give him a few days, and once his mind has fully processed everything, he’ll come back to you as a renewed Donnie—determined, confident, and ready to make you his.

- Donnie doesn’t just plan things; he breaks them down into a thousand strategies of action. His trash bin is living proof of the number of ideas he discards and reworks over and over.

Gifts? He’s not the type to grab something generic at the last minute. His gifts are so deeply personalized that they’ll make you feel like he knows you better than you know yourself.

Example: If you ever casually mentioned that you’d love to learn to play an instrument, he’ll build one for you—customized with enhancements. If you said you love the stars, he’ll create an interactive star map with the exact alignment of the sky on the day you were born.

Your birthdays, anniversaries, and any special dates are planned years in advance. It doesn’t matter if you’re not officially together yet—he already has ideas saved for when you are.

- Romance in his brain is an equation far too complex.

Donnie isn’t clumsy because he lacks intelligence; it’s because his brain moves too fast. His emotions and logic are in constant conflict, creating an ongoing battle between Confident Donnie and Nervous Donnie.

You’ll see him go from saying something with complete confidence to, “Uh, well… what I meant to say is… no, wait, forget it—” and then getting frustrated with himself because that definitely wasn’t what he had in mind.

But when he manages to organize his thoughts, he’s one of the most direct people you’ll ever meet. Once he crosses the mental line of “I’m doing this,” there’s no turning back.

- Gifts

He doesn’t believe in generic presents. Everything he gives you has a specific purpose. A bracelet that’s actually a disguised tracker (“For safety. Just for safety.”), or a stuffed animal that can record voice messages.

One day, you wake up and find a new app on your phone with your name on it. You open it, and it’s a virtual assistant designed specifically for you, complete with personalized reminders for the little things Donnie knows you always forget.

- Once he has you, you are his priority.

Once Donnie accepts his feelings and takes the step to be with you, he becomes the most devoted boyfriend.

He’s not excessively clingy or jealous like Raph, but his love is obvious in the time and effort he invests in you.

No matter how many projects he’s juggling, if you truly need his attention, he’ll give it to you without hesitation.

- Donnie needs physical contact, but his intellectual pride won’t let him admit it outright. Instead, he prefers to justify it with overly precise scientific explanations.

“Well, you see… my body temperature tends to drop faster than that of the average human, so it’s biologically beneficial for me to share contact with an external heat source.”

Translation: “Hug me. Now.”

If you confront him with something like, “Why don’t you just say you want cuddles?” he’ll turn bright red and start stammering, scrambling for excuses.

Don’t listen. Just climb onto him.

- Donnie can plan everything, but he cannot predict your spontaneous displays of affection.

If you surprise him with a kiss, his brain completely shuts down for 3-5 seconds before he can process it.

Unexpected gestures—hugging him from behind while he’s working, cupping his face in your hands, or kissing his cheek out of nowhere—leave him frozen, recalculating.

Sometimes, his first reflex is to adjust his glasses, only to realize that they have nothing to do with the fact that his vision just blurred from sheer shock.

NSFW

- He’s patient… but only to a point. Donnie will never pressure you. He’ll wait as long as you need, always making sure you feel safe and comfortable.

However… he’s already undressed you with his eyes a million times.

His mind is a machine of ideas and theories, and when it comes to you, he has imagined everything. Everything.

He tells himself he can be rational and controlled… but if you take too long, his thoughts will become a little more persistent.

- He’s not innocent. Don’t even think it for a second.

He may seem shy or awkward about relationships, but when it comes to this, his mind is a laboratory of hypotheses he’s dying to test.

He has analyzed you with surgical precision. He knows exactly how you blush, how you react to certain touches, which words make you tremble.

Do not underestimate him. He has read, he has researched, he has learned.

But nothing compares to the real thing. With you.

When he finally has you in his hands, his brain short-circuits.

No matter how many times he imagined this moment, nothing could have prepared him for the feeling of your skin beneath his fingers.

His jaw clenches, he exhales sharply, and his pupils dilate as if he’s just been electrocuted.

His entire expression changes—from his usual nervousness to something darker, more intense, starving.

- He becomes obsessive about memorizing every single reaction of yours.

He’s analytical. He will learn what you love and make sure to do it better every single time.

Eye contact and sounds. His drug.

Look at him. Don’t look away. Don’t ignore him.

If you dare to hold his gaze while he’s above you, he will completely lose himself in you.

Your voice, your moans, your gasps—they ruin him.

He needs you vocal. He needs to know he’s doing a good job.

If you get shy and try to cover your mouth, he will ask (or demand) that you don’t.

Kinky? Oh, absolutely.

Donnie lives to experiment. It’s in his nature.

Positions? All of them. But his favorites are the ones where you are on top of him.

He loves being dominated.

After spending his entire life controlling every aspect of his world, it’s a relief for his mind to surrender completely to you.

“Set the pace, beautiful. I’m in your hands.”

Toys? Oh, yes.

You can be sure he has researched every single thing about them.

But he won’t settle for the ones that already exist. No.

He will build his own. Upgraded. With precisely calibrated speeds and optimized materials.

“This one has five vibration levels, but if we increase the frequency by 15%, we could—”

May God help you if you walk into his lab at the wrong time.

May God help his brothers if they ever find out.

Dedicated and obsessed with you.

Donnie doesn’t do anything halfway. If he gives himself to you, it’s completely.

No matter how much time passes, he will always give his all to make you feel incredible.

He’s not a casual lover.

He is yours. And you are his.

“You are my greatest discovery.”

[nasa]

Navigating Deep Space by Starlight

On August 6, 1967, astrophysicist Jocelyn Bell Burnell noticed a blip in her radio telescope data. And then another. Eventually, Bell Burnell figured out that these blips, or pulses, were not from people or machines.

The blips were constant. There was something in space that was pulsing in a regular pattern, and Bell Burnell figured out that it was a pulsar: a rapidly spinning neutron star emitting beams of light. Neutron stars are superdense objects created when a massive star dies. Not only are they dense, but neutron stars can also spin really fast! Every star we observe spins, and due to a property called angular momentum, as a collapsing star gets smaller and denser, it spins faster. It’s like how ice skaters spin faster as they bring their arms closer to their bodies and make the space that they take up smaller.

The pulses of light coming from these whirling stars are like the beacons spinning at the tops of lighthouses that help sailors safely approach the shore. As the pulsar spins, beams of radio waves (and other types of light) are swept out into the universe with each turn. The light appears and disappears from our view each time the star rotates.

After decades of studying pulsars, astronomers wondered—could they serve as cosmic beacons to help future space explorers navigate the universe? To see if it could work, scientists needed to do some testing!

First, it was important to gather more data. NASA’s NICER, or Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer, is a telescope that was installed aboard the International Space Station in 2017. Its goal is to find out things about neutron stars like their sizes and densities, using an array of 56 special X-ray concentrators and sensitive detectors to capture and measure pulsars’ light.

But how can we use these X-ray pulses as navigational tools? Enter SEXTANT, or Station Explorer for X-ray Timing and Navigation Technology. If NICER was your phone, SEXTANT would be like an app on it.  

During the first few years of NICER’s observations, SEXTANT created an on-board navigation system using NICER’s pulsar data. It worked by measuring the consistent timing between each pulsar’s pulses to map a set of cosmic beacons.

When calculating position or location, extremely accurate timekeeping is essential. We usually rely on atomic clocks, which use the predictable fluctuations of atoms to tick away the seconds. These atomic clocks can be located on the ground or in space, like the ones on GPS satellites. However, our GPS system only works on or close to Earth, and onboard atomic clocks can be expensive and heavy. Using pulsar observations instead could give us free and reliable “clocks” for navigation. During its experiment, SEXTANT was able to successfully determine the space station’s orbital position!

We can calculate distances using the time taken for a signal to travel between two objects to determine a spacecraft’s approximate location relative to those objects. However, we would need to observe more pulsars to pinpoint a more exact location of a spacecraft. As SEXTANT gathered signals from multiple pulsars, it could more accurately derive its position in space.

So, imagine you are an astronaut on a lengthy journey to the outer solar system. You could use the technology developed by SEXTANT to help plot your course. Since pulsars are reliable and consistent in their spins, you wouldn’t need Wi-Fi or cell service to figure out where you were in relation to your destination. The pulsar-based navigation data could even help you figure out your ETA!

None of these missions or experiments would be possible without Jocelyn Bell Burnell’s keen eye for an odd spot in her radio data decades ago, which set the stage for the idea to use spinning neutron stars as a celestial GPS. Her contribution to the field of astrophysics laid the groundwork for research benefitting the people of the future, who yearn to sail amongst the stars.  

Keep up with the latest NICER news by following NASA Universe on X and Facebook and check out the mission’s website. For more on space navigation, follow @NASASCaN on X or visit NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation website.  

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space!

[archaeren]

Hello!! I hope you're having a good day ^^ I came across your post about writing non-linearly on Notion and I'm excited to try it out because the advice resonated with me! Though, I'm really new to using the app and, if possible, need help with how to do this part: 'where every scene is a separate table entry and the scene is written in the page inside that entry.' ;v;

Hello! Thank you so much for messaging!!! Since that post about writing non-linearly (linked for context) blew up roughly ten thousand times as much as anything I've ever posted, I've been kind of meaning to make a followup post explaining more about how I use Notion for writing non-linearly, but, you know, ADHD, so I haven't done it yet. XD In the meantime, I'll post a couple screenshots of my current long fic with some explanations! I'd make this post shorter, but I'm unable to not be Chatty. XD (just ask my poor readers how long my author notes are...) (There is a phone app as well which syncs with the desktop/browser versions, but I work predominantly in the desktop app so that's what I'm gonna be showing)

(the table keeps going off the right side of the image but it's a bunch of unimportant stuff tbh) So this is more complicated than what you'll probably start with because I'm Normal and add a bunch of details that you might not need depending on what you're doing. For example, my fic switches POVs so I have a column for tracking that, and my fic follows a canon timeline so I have a column for dates so I can keep track of them, and I also made columns for things like if a scene had spoilers or certain content readers may want to avoid, which they can access in my spoiler and content guide for the fic. (As I said, I'm Normal.) I also do some complicated stuff using Status and estimated wordcount stuff to get an idea of how long I predict the content to be, but again, not necessary. Anyway, you don't need any of that. For the purposes of this explanation, we're just gonna look at the columns I have called Name, Order, and Status. (And one called Part, but we'll get into that later) Columns in Notion have different types, such as Text, Numbers, Select, Date, etc, so make sure to use the type that works best for the purpose of each column! For example, here I'm using Select for Character POVs, Number for Order and WC (wordcount), and Text for the In-Game Date. Okay let's get into it! Name is a column that comes in a Notion table by default, and you can't get rid of it (which drives me up the wall for some purposes but works totally fine for what we're doing here). As you can see on the scene I've labeled 'roll call', if you hover over a Name entry, a little button called 'Open' appears, which you click on to open the document that's inside the table. That's all default, you don't have to set anything up for it. Here's a screenshot of what it looks like when I click the one titled 'I will be anything for you' (I've scrolled down in the screenshot so you can see the text, but all the data fields also appear at the top of the page)

(This view is called 'side peek' meaning the document opens on one side and you can still see the table under it on the left, which is what mine defaults to. But you can set it to 'center peek' or 'full page' as well.) All my scenes have their own entry like this! Note that I've said scenes, not chapters. I decide the chapters later by combining the scenes in whatever combination feels right, which means I can often decide in advance where my chapter endings will be. This helps me consciously give most of my endings more impact than I was usually able to do when I tried to write linearly. So hopefully that gives you an idea of what I mean by writing inside the table and treating the table as a living outline. The 'Status' column is also pretty straightforward, and might require a little setup for whatever your needs are. This is another default column type Notion has which is similar to a Select but has a few more specialized features. This is how mine is set up:

(I don't actually use 'Done', idk why I left it there. Probably I should replace it with 'Posted' and use that instead of the checkmark on the far left? whatever, don't let anyone tell you I'm organized. XDD)

Pretty straightforward, it just lets me see easily what's complete and what still needs work. (You'll notice there's no status for editing, because like I mentioned in my other post, I don't ever sit down to consciously edit, I just let it happen as I reread) Obviously tailor this to your own needs! The Order column is sneakily important, because this is what makes it easy for me to keep the scenes organized. I set the Sort on the table to use the Order to keep the scene ordered chronologically. When I make the initial list of scenes I know the fic will have, I give all of them a whole number to put them in order of events. Then as I write and come up with new scene ideas, the new scenes get a number with a decimal point to put them in the spot they fit in the timeline. (you can't see it here, but some of them have a decimal three or four digits deep, lol). Technically you can drag them to the correct spot manually, but if you ever create another View in your table (you can see I have eight Views in this one, they're right under the title) it won't keep your sorting in the new View and you'll hate yourself when it jumbles all your scenes. XD (And if you get more comfortable with Notion, you probably will at some point desire to make more Views) The Part column isn't necessary, but I found that as the fic grew longer, I was naturally separating the scenes into different points along the timeline by changes in status quo, etc. (ex. "this is before they go overseas" "this is after they speak for the first time", stuff like that) in my mind. To make it easier to decide where to place new scenes in the timeline, I formalized this into Parts, which initially I named with short summaries of the current status quo, and later changed to actual titles because I decided it would be cool to actually use them in the fic itself. Since it's not in the screenshots above, here's what the dropdown for it looks like:

(I've blocked some of the titles out for spoiler reasons)

Basically I only mention the Parts thing because I found it was a useful organizational tool for me and I was naturally doing it in my head anyway. Anyway, I could keep talking about this for a really long time because I love Notion (don't get me started on how I use toggle blocks for hiding content I've edited out without deleting it) but that should be enough to get started and I should really, you know, not make this another insanely long post. XDD And if anybody is curious about how the final results look, the fic can be found here.

[crystaldragon1997]

🤌✨RANT✨🤌 Personal rant

(Edit: Links to forums and updates added in reblogs and a page break for convenience)

iNaturalist (Parent company to the app Seek) just announced a collab/sell out to Google GenAI with no concerns about user data, data collection, and privacy. They issued a non apology explanation that was kinda just wishy washy and saying it's better this way. Information brought up when finding matches for your observations are going to be AI generated and so will some examples images... 

I use iNat regularly to assist my natural practices. It was like an on the go field guide to what is essentially what I consider a sacred part of my practice. And it's all getting sold to train GenAI...

I feel genuinely betrayed because we all know Google's GenAI(the lil blurb at the top of Google searches) isn't always accurate and sometimes egregiously and dangerously false. And now an app that for so long has been crowd funded, citizen science based and peer reviewed is going to instead rely on AI.... 

Waiting a little bit to delete my account hoping they take it all back but I guess I will be going to some nature centers, parks, and libraries now in hopes of collecting field guides ..

Not to mention the environmental impact Google and GenAI have on a global scale is completely opposite to what iNat has stood for and gained its following for over the years. It absolutely is breaking my heart.... Over 1.5 million dollars....

Maybe I will cool down and think this is all silly. Maybe they will walk it back. I know there are genuinely great conversations happening on the iNat forums .. but the trust feels broken.

https://www.inaturalist.org/blog/113184-inaturalist-receives-grant-to-improve-species-suggestions

[m3zz0cr33p1e777]

─ 𝓜.𝗂𝗌𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗋𝖺𝖼𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗂𝗓𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗕𝗟𝗨𝗘 𝗟𝗢𝗖𝗞 men ... ‧₊˚ ⋅

⊹　 ︶︶　 ୨୧　 ︶︶　 ⊹

✦ ─ I had no idea for a post so I decided to make this shit , I have a very bad humour please forgive me.

✦ ─ Characters : Rin Itoshi , Isagi Yoichi , Bachira Meguru , Chigiri Hyoma , Sae Itoshi , Ness Alexis , michael Kaiser .

─────────────────

RIN ITOSHI .

He's one of the kindest people in Blue Lock. His best friend is Shidou. He absolutely adores noise — it's his favorite thing in the world. He's the biggest extrovert ever. He hates horror games, they scare him so much. He doesn’t care about being the best, he just wants to be there for the other players. He cries when he sees people crying in K-drama . His lockscreen is Jungkook from Bts . Keeps a diary titled “My Feelings Matter 🐰💌”. His texts are full of emojis like “:3” and “🐾🌸”. Wrote a poem called “I Miss My Brother” in lowercase on his Notes app.

ISAGI YOICHI .

He has one of the worst past in the whole Manga . He is in love with Kaiser . His mom has left him and his dad , his dad became abusive toward him . believes he’s part of a divine algorithm . talks about “the variables of victory” like he’s reciting sacred texts . Once solved a tactical dilemma in a dream and woke up crying . Sometimes stands in the shower for 45 minutes whispering “I am the flow. I am the formula.” Sees life in passing patterns and positioning data . When someone asked if he wanted dinner, he said “I’ve already consumed their weakness.” .

BACHIRA MEGURU .

Zero jokes. all serious. has never said “teehee” in his life. Watches slow motion replays of football moves with the intensity of a surgeon. When someone calls him weird, he just whispers “discipline looks like insanity to the undedicated.”. When someone calls him weird, he just whispers “discipline looks like insanity to the undedicated.”. Once said “the ball is my compass. the field is my battlefield.” and no one even questioned it .

CHIGIRI HYOMA .

THE MANLYEST MAN IN THE WHOLE DAMN BLUE LOCK . His biceps have biceps. Wears tank tops in winter. “cold builds mental endurance.”. Uses phrases like “iron sharpens iron” and “grit is sexy” unironically. Got mad once because someone called his hair “pretty”. replied with “I didn’t grow this hair for you to admire. I grew it so my enemies could watch me fly.”. Drinks raw eggs in the morning. says it “builds character” .

SAE ITOSHI .

His notes app is 99% poems about Rin and 1% tactical feedback. Gave Rin a mixtape titled “you were born, and the world finally made sense”. Cries in the bathtub listening to classical music. said “Rin is the only goal I ever wanted to reach” and then ghosted the media for three weeks.

NESS ALEXIS .

Once called Kaiser “a loyal fan” during an interview and immediately forgot about it. If you ask him what Kaiser means to him he’ll go “who?”. Unbothered. Moisturized. Ascending. Uses Kaiser to carry his matcha frappuccino and absolutely doesn’t say thank you. Probably refers to him as “sparkle boy” or “the one who breathes weird when I walk past”. Doesn’t know Kaiser’s full name.

MICHAEL KAISER .

Once confident, now pathetic. Made Ness his religion. prays to a shrine he built with Ness’s used water bottle and a photo. Updates his bio daily with “ness noticed me 💖” or “ignored again 😔 day 12”. Sobbed in the locker room because Ness didn’t like his new cleats. Will run into oncoming traffic if Ness says “good job”. Ends every sentence with “I hope he saw that.”. Once carved “NESS 💙” into a football with a key

[beatingtheouijaboardallegations]

forever tired of our voices being turned into commodity.

forever tired of thorough medaocrity in the AAC business. how that is rewarded. How it fails us as users. how not robust and only robust by small small amount communication systems always chosen by speech therapists and funded by insurance.

forever tired of profit over people.

forever tired of how companies collect data on every word we’ve ever said and sell to people.

forever tired of paying to communicate. of how uninsured disabled people just don’t get a voice many of the time. or have to rely on how AAC is brought into classrooms — which usually is managed to do in every possible wrong way.

forever tired of the branding and rebranding of how we communicate. Of this being amazing revealation over and over that nonspeakers are “in there” and should be able to say things. of how every single time this revelation comes with pre condition of leaving the rest behind, who can’t spell or type their way out of the cage of ableist oppression. or are not given chance & resources to. Of the branding being seen as revolution so many times and of these companies & practitioners making money off this “revolution.” of immersion weeks and CRP trainings that are thousands of dollars and wildly overpriced letterboards, and of that one nightmare Facebook group g-d damm it. How this all is put in language of communication freedom. 26 letters is infinite possibilities they say - but only for the richest of families and disabled people. The rest of us will have to live with fewer possibilities.

forever tired of engineer dads of AAC users who think they can revolutionize whole field of AAC with new terrible designed apps that you can’t say anything with them. of minimally useful AI features that invade every AAC app to cash in on the new moment and not as tool that if used ethically could actually help us, but as way of fixing our grammar our language our cultural syntax we built up to sound “proper” to sound normal. for a machine, a large language model to model a small language for us, turn our inhuman voices human enough.

forever tired of how that brand and marketing is never for us, never for the people who actually use it to communicate. it is always for everyone around us, our parents and teachers paras and SLPs and BCBAs and practitioners and doctors and everyone except the person who ends up stuck stuck with a bad organized bad implemented bad taught profit motivated way to talk. of it being called behavior problems low ability incompetence noncompliance when we don’t use these systems.

you all need to do better. We need to democritize our communication, put it in our own hands. (My friend & communication partner who was in Occupy Wall Street suggested phrase “Occupy AAC” and think that is perfect.) And not talking about badly made non-robust open source apps either. Yes a robust system needs money and recources to make it well. One person or community alone cannot turn a robotic voice into a human one. But our human voice should not be in hands of companies at all.

(this is about the Tobii Dynavox subscription thing. But also exploitive and capitalism practices and just lazy practices in AAC world overall. Both in high tech “ mainstream “ AAC and methods that are like ones I use in sense that are both super stigmatized and also super branded and marketed, Like RPM and S2C and spellers method. )

[possesseddesiress]

Bass Drop: Body Swap

CONTENT WARNING: This story includes themes of transformation and body control with a suggestive approach. If this type of narrative is not to your liking or you do not meet the recommended age, we suggest you do not continue.

All images used (if any) belong to their respective owners. I claim no authorship over them and they are only used for illustrative purposes.

If you decide to go ahead, welcome to Possessed Desires, where mind and body are never completely under your control.

Bass Drop: Body Swap (English Version) + Extended version

I hated my brother. He was five years older than me, and we were definitely polar opposites in every way. If you ever saw us on the street, I don't think you'd ever think we had any blood ties; and in personality, it was the same.

He was the typical athlete: big, strong, muscular and handsome, he had the girls at his feet and everything went well for him.

And on the other side was me. Thin, small, with geeky tastes and incredibly clumsy. He always used to tease me about my looks, making derogatory comments about how I looked like spaghetti or that without an ounce of muscle I was a girl. I was fed up, but what could I do? No doubt years and years of him teasing me had somehow made me get used to it all. Until the day the glass finally fell over.

— Please, Chris, I want to go to the concert, you know how much I love electronic music!

— I already told you no, shorty - my brother mumbled as he saw what clothes he would wear tomorrow for EDC.

One of the most important music concerts, and the one I wanted to go to with all my might. It was clear that I was a fan of the music, although I was also curious about the whole atmosphere there. The guys used to wear clothes so tight that they left nothing to the imagination, suspenders, bows, harnesses. It looked like a gay pride parade if you saw it up close, and I want to see it.

— You and your friends have an extra ticket! Let me go! Chris, please! - I begged him while he just ignored me.

— And that ticket we're going to sell, pff. How do you think we're going to pay for part of the other tickets? Reselling is good business.

— Then I'll pay you, sell it to me

I said, almost on the verge of despair. My brother stopped what he was doing, only to let out a mocking laugh in my face.

– You're not going, silly - he denied still laughing - not even mom and dad are going to let you go in the first place.

– Yes they will, just give me the ticket!

– No - he said sharply - I'm not going to sell it to you even if you give me extra money, this is only for real men, not wimps like you - he boasted. Widening his chest with mockery.

I could only press my lips together in anger before leaving his room to lock myself in mine. I felt so much annoyance, anger and rage at that moment, but what could I do? He was older and even worse. He would go to the concert.

Defeated, I sat on the bed. For a while I was crestfallen until I felt my cell phone buzz, I picked it up to see the loading screen, as if it had just updated. Once it was back to normal, I couldn't help but notice that there was a new app called "Possess".

I opened it right away, noticing the slightly odd interface and the app's instructions, "Possess whoever you want. Select the data."

There was a section to enter my data and the other person's data. I felt ridiculous, I even thought it was a virus, although curiosity called me to give it a try. I filled in both fields and clicked on the button that said "Own", it stayed loading.

And nothing happened in a minute, I clicked the button again to get the same result over and over again.

Annoyed, I threw my phone across the room, to close my eyes, tired and annoyed at not being able to go to the concert of my dreams.

The next morning, I felt very different. Heavy... yet strangely invigorated, I opened my eyes, confused as I looked around, I was no longer in my room but my brother's room. It smelled of sweat, there were sports posters, cars and so on on the walls, a typical sportsman's room. I stood up confused.

– Chris?... - I mumbled. Noticing my new baritone. I looked down, only to find my brother's big muscles that now seemed to be mine – Oh fuck!

I couldn't help but scream. I began to explore my new body, caressing my pecs and abs, my huge biceps. God, he was huge!

I smiled in satisfaction at my new body, I even felt the outline of my new member, my unhappy brother certainly got the best genes.

I was still lost in that exploration of myself, with my new smell, I think I could spend hours smelling myself... but then I remembered the concert, now I could go and there would be nothing to stop me!

Without waiting a second longer, I started getting dressed up for the festival, I would have liked to wear some revealing and tight fitting clothes on my older brother's body... but there was nothing in his closet that would stick to that fantasy, so I just put on some jogger pants, and a sweatshirt tied at the waist, I looked kind of silly.... But hey.

My brother's body was hot, who cared if he looked ridiculous, you better see the size of these pecs!

I also put on some sunglasses and painted my new body with neon paint. Once I was ready, I took my brother's car to go straight to the festival. I thought it would be hard to learn how to drive, but the moment I touched the steering wheel, it was like an automatic knowing it.

I felt a strange thrill akin to excitement as they scanned my ticket and let me in, the music booming loudly. There were thousands and thousands of people in outlandish costumes, dancing or just chatting.

My heart was pounding. For some reason, I felt small and misfit, even being in such a huge body; it wasn't long before several people started noticing me, and smiling at me.

They were looking at me. They were... Flirting? For some reason, that seemed to be an adrenaline rush to boost my confidence. I stuck out my chest in a self-centered way, moving through the crowd, smiling at the occasional guy who kept overlooking my body. Gosh... it felt so good to be this muscular.

The rest of the evening and day I did nothing but dance, listen to the music and admire my new attributes from time to time. Caressing my pecs, or feeling my arms.

Or my scent, it took all my willpower not to start sniffing and licking my armpits right there. Although, what if I did? Others would surely be attracted to all the acting of this body, after all, I now had the physique of a god.

I also loved to notice how other guys tried to flirt with me, carelessly squeezing my biceps or directly staying inches away from my lips with theirs, one even almost sniffed my armpit under the pretext that it was a joke!

The music was vibrating loudly, every now and then I would raise my arms to make them flex, seemingly dancing. Everything felt great, the attention, the music, the smell!

Believe it or not, so many guys dancing for hours on end really put a stink in the air. But fuck... It didn't bother me, I loved it. I could feel my brother's relief stiffen every time the smell hit my nose. Maybe my brother's body could be straight with him in control, but with me controlling him...

At first I tried to restrain myself and show "respect" to his body, it had already been crossing a boundary to have stolen the festival experience from him and become him. Although that feeling lasted for at least about 10 minutes before I remembered all the hell he was making me live through on a daily basis - 《 Fuck it, what does it matter if I do something that affects him? It's my turn to enjoy 》

I could feel the stares of several guys. Some muscular, others slim or with defined bodies, but they all shared one thing: They were ogling this body.

I smiled egocentrically, raised my arms to flex them, swelling my big, strong biceps. It was like making them drool.

Although in that process, I could smell something... heck. I forgot to put on deodorant. My brother had a very strong, musky, potent scent that immediately made me gasp when I smelled it. I lifted my armpit, and unable to contain myself any longer, I began to sniff and lick it, enjoying the stench of my new body.

This seemed to disgust some of the guys, but others were even more interested by this act. In a matter of mere seconds, I had at least seven guys of all complexions surrounding me, taking a bit of advantage of the darkness in the area to move their hands all over my muscles.

One was on my relief, another took my pecs, another my buttocks, even my arms and abdomen, it was as if no inch of my body was left unattended.

But, hey... This body belongs to a god. And it deserves to be worshipped. So if they want to play, let them play. I don't give a fuck if someone records and they notice my "brother" behaving like this. It's my body now. And if I want him to be addicted to flexing his arms and smelling his own scent, so be it.

I closed my eyes, lost in all that adrenaline until I heard a familiar voice.

–Chris?!?

Shit. I opened my eyes quickly to meet the gaze of Mauricio, one of my brother's best friends, I was about to get nervous. But I preferred to put on an indifferent and cold face.

– Sup, bro? - I lifted my armpits a little more so that my new admirers would continue in despair. Which caused commotion in the guy.

Mauricio was certainly cute, a little dark, strong and huge... and apparently his suit left nothing to the imagination, he didn't even look like one of those typical "straight" suits that were simply a sport shirt. He was wearing a denim suit, tight and flashy. He looked so good...

– What the fuck, dude? You didn't answer your cell phone for hours! And what are you doing!

He clearly looked upset, but I just smiled arrogantly at him.

– Well, I had other plans. Sorry I didn't call, I guess. Don't be so dramatic - I let out a deep laugh.

– Are you on drugs? What's wrong with you? Hey! What with Samantha!?

Ah, so that's the name of the new girl my brother has a crush on, interesting to know now.

– Nah, bro. I'm completely lucid, and I don't know. I think I like men more now - I smiled –And from what I see, maybe you do too.

I lowered my gaze, pointing to the relief forming on his face. The sportsman immediately covered himself up; I was loving the whole performance, although it seemed that my new admirers got bored because little by little they ended up dispersing until there were none left.

I took advantage of that to shorten the distance, immediately approaching to cling to his contour.

– Bro! What the fuck is wrong with you?!?

– I don't know, dude. Maybe I realized that you are very hot - I murmured to finally kiss him with intensity, it was inconclusive until he ended up kissing me again. I felt how he grabbed me by the waist to stick me to him.

– Chris... - he murmured panting. I moved closer to him to lift his armpit and start sniffing it, it smelled even better than my brother's...

– What? - I said still nonchalantly.

All that adrenaline was taking me through the roof, I could feel the outline of my brother's armpit against his underwear and leave it a little damp. I didn't care if it ruined his friendship with Mauricio, if his other friends or his social circle found out. Fuck, if his college found out about all this, even better.

God, it's so cool to be my big brother!

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I hope you enjoyed this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you liked it, don't forget to follow it and share it so more people can discover it.

I'm always open to suggestions and ideas, so if you have any fantasy or scenario in mind, let me know in the comments or in messages.

This will be my new account, I hope you like the stories that are coming soon. See you in the next story... Who knows what body you will occupy this time?

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