#iOS Conference

[mylove-thresher]

STOPPPPPPPP STOP REMEMBERING STOPPP THIS NEVER HAPPENED NOTHING IS REAL NOTHING NOTHING AT ALL STOPPPPPPP GHHHHHHHGGAGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHHH NOOOOOOO STOP SNRRRFFF SNIFF OUHHH SNSPPS NOOOOOO STOP STOP ITT STOPR RIGHT NOW DO NOT REMEMBER SNY OF THIS STOPPPPP AGGHGGGG SNIFDSAMSSMEOEJHEHSSASSGHHG

[tmarshconnors]

Imagining a world without Apple Inc

Imagining a world without Apple would be a significant departure from our current reality. Apple Inc. is a multinational technology company that has had a significant impact on the technology industry and consumer electronics over the past few decades. Here are some potential implications of a world without Apple:

Technology Landscape: Apple has played a pivotal role in shaping the technology landscape with its innovative products such as the iPhone, Mac computers, and iPads. Without Apple, the development of these devices might have been influenced differently or delayed, potentially altering the trajectory of technological advancements.

Competition: Apple's presence has driven competition and innovation within the technology sector. The absence of Apple could lead to different market dynamics, potentially affecting the competitive landscape and product offerings from other companies.

Design and User Experience: Apple is known for its emphasis on sleek design and intuitive user interfaces. Their design philosophy has influenced various industries beyond technology. A world without Apple might have resulted in a different design and user experience landscape, potentially affecting how we interact with various products and services.

Developer Ecosystem: Apple's App Store has been a major platform for developers to distribute their applications. Without Apple, the app ecosystem might have evolved differently, leading to different platforms dominating the market and potentially affecting the availability and diversity of apps.

Economic Impact: Apple is one of the world's most valuable companies and has a significant economic impact through its supply chain, manufacturing, and retail operations. A world without Apple would have economic repercussions, including job losses and changes in investment patterns.

It's important to note that these are speculative outcomes, and the absence of Apple would have resulted in a different set of technological advancements and industry dynamics. Other companies would likely have filled the void left by Apple, albeit with their own unique contributions.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

An Epic antitrust loss for Google

A jury just found Google guilty on all counts of antitrust violations stemming from its dispute with Epic, maker of Fortnite, which brought a variety of claims related to how Google runs its app marketplace. This is huge:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/11/technology/epic-games-google-antitrust-ruling.html

The mobile app store world is a duopoly run by Google and Apple. Both use a variety of tactics to prevent their customers from installing third party app stores, which funnels all app makers into their own app stores. Those app stores cream an eye-popping 30% off every purchase made in an app.

This is a shocking amount to charge for payment processing. The payments sector is incredibly monopolized and notorious for its price-gouging – and its standard (wildly inflated) rate is 2-5%:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/08/04/owning-the-libs/#swiper-no-swiping

Now, in theory, Epic doesn't have to sell in Google Play, the official Android app store. Unlike Apple's iOS, Android permit both sideloading (installing an app directly without using an app store) and configuring your device to use a different app store. In practice, Google uses a variety of anticompetitive tricks to prevent these app stores from springing up and to dissuade Android users from sideloading. Proving that Google's actions – like paying Activision $360m as part of "Project Hug" (no, really!) – were intended to prevent new app storesfrom springing up was a big lift for Epic. But they managed it, in large part thanks to Google's own internal communications, wherein executives admitted that this was exactly why Project Hug existed. This is part of a pattern with Big Tech antitrust: many of the charges are theoretically very hard to make stick, but because the companies put their evil plans in writing (think of the fraudulent crypto exchange FTX, whose top execs all conferred in a groupchat called "Wirefraud"), Big Tech keeps losing in court:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/03/big-tech-cant-stop-telling-on-itself/

Now, I do like to dunk on Big Tech for this kind of thing, because it's objectively funny and because the companies make so many unforced errors. But in an important sense, this kind of written record is impossible to avoid. Any large institution can only make and enact policy through administrative systems, and those systems leave behind a paper-trail: memos, meeting minutes, etc. Yes, we all know that quote from The Wire: "Is you taking notes on a fucking criminal conspiracy?" But inevitably, any ambitious conspiracy can only exist if someone is taking notes.

What's more, any large conspiracy involving lots of parties will inevitably produce leaks. Think of this as the corollary to the idea that the moon landing can't be a hoax, because there's no way 400,000 co-conspirators could keep the secret. Big Tech's conspiracies required hundreds or even thousands of collaborators to keep their mouths shut, and eventually someone blabs:

https://www.science.org/content/article/fake-moon-landing-you-d-need-400000-conspirators

This is part of a wave of antitrust cases being brought against the tech giants. As Matt Stoller writes, the guilty-on-all-counts jury verdict will leak into current and future actions. Remember, Google spent much of this year in court fighting the DoJ, who argued that the company bribed Apple not to make a competing search engine, paying tens of billions every year to keep a competitor from emerging. Now that a jury has convinced Google of doing that to prevent alternative app stores from emerging, claims that it used these pay-for-delay tactics in other sectros get a lot more credible:

https://www.thebignewsletter.com/p/boom-google-loses-antitrust-case

On that note: what about Apple? Epic brought a very similar case against Apple and lost. Both Apple and Epic are appealing that case to the Supreme Court, and now that Google has been convicted in a similar case, it might prompt the Supremes to weigh in and resolve the seeming inconsistencies in the interpretation of federal law.

This is a key moment in the long project to wrest antitrust away from the pro-monopoly side, who spent decades "training" judges to produce verdicts that run counter to the plain language of America's antitrust law:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/08/13/post-bork-era/#manne-down

There's 40 years' worth of bad precedent to overturn. The good news is that we've got the law on our side. Literally, the wording of the laws and the records of the Congressional debate leading to their passage, all militate towards the (incredibly obvious) conclusion that the purpose of anti-monopoly law is to fight monopoly, not defend it:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/14/aiming-at-dollars/#not-men

It's amazing to realize that we got into this monopoly quagmire because judges just literally refused to enforce the law. That's what makes one part of the jury verdict against Google so exciting: the jury found that Google's insistence that Play Store sellers use its payment processor was an act of illegal tying. Today, "tying" is an obscure legal theory, but few doctrines would be more useful in disenshittifying the internet. A company is guilty of illegal tying when it forces you to use unrelated products or services as a condition of using the product you actually want. The abandonment of tying led to a host of horribles, from printer companies forcing you to buy ink at $10,000/gallon to Livenation forcing venues to sell tickets through its Ticketmaster subsidiary.

The next phase of this comes when the judge decides on the penalty. Epic doesn't want cash damages – it wants the judge to order Google to fulfill its promise of "an open, competitive Android ecosystem for all users and industry participants." They've asked the judge to order Google to facilitate third-party app stores, and to separate app stores from payment processors. As Stoller puts it, they want to "crush Google’s control over Android":

https://www.epicgames.com/site/en-US/news/epic-v-google-trial-verdict-a-win-for-all-developers

Google has sworn to appeal, surprising no one. The Times's expert says that they will have a tough time winning, given how clear the verdict was. Whatever this means for Google and Android, it means a lot for a future free from monopolies.

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/2023/12/12/im-feeling-lucky/#hugger-mugger

[krissiefox]

Here's a collection of sites where you can get sound effects and ambience for your projects!

https://freesound.org/ Freesound is a great resource for royalty free and copyright free sounds. Each sound comes with a creative commons license, some of which require credit, so make sure to check those!

https://www.sounds-resource.com/ Sounds resource is an archive of sounds from various video games and PC games, so while they can't be used for anything commercial, you may be able to use them for things like videos or fan games.

https://www.humblebundle.com/software Humble bundle regularly hosts fundraiser bundles of software and game design assets, including sound effects and ambience. You can also put money from your purchase forward the bundles charity. Sadly, humble bundle also puts out bundles of AI books, though, so it's up to you if you think the good outweighs the bad here.

Unreal Marketplace If your project is an Unreal Engine 4/5 game, check out what the Unreal marketplace has to offer! They offer both free and paid sound effect packs for your games. Some you can download as wav files without Unreal Engine installed, as well!

https://pixabay.com/sound-effects/ Another nice resource of free and royalty free sound effects! Attribution is not required, but appreciated!

https://www.youtube.com/ Youtube can be a great place to find copyright free/royalty free sounds too! To get the sounds form the videos, you can use a tool such as mediahuman's youtube-to-mp3 converter.

https://www.gamedevmarket.net/category/audio/sound-fx A paid store where you can find all sorts of sounds and ambience for your video game projects! Humble bundle seems to do bundles with them pretty often so you may want to look into that to save some money here, too.

https://sonniss.com/gameaudiogdc An archive of free and copyright free sound effect packs from the Game Developers Conference! A new pack seems to be added every year, too. :)

https://getsoundly.com/ Soundly is a program more than website, but I have tried it myself and you can get free sound effects from it, and you can get additional sounds if you pay for the pro version as well.

https://www.boomlibrary.com/ While this sound effect site is primarily a paid one, you can get a free monthly bundle of sound effects if you subscribe to their mailing list!

https://blipsounds.com/community-library/ Another great library of free sounds from the Blip Studios community!

https://www.zapsplat.com/ They require you to make an account before downloading anything, but this is another site with lots of free sound effects for your projects!

Itch Io Itch Io is another great resource for both free and paid sound effects!

[allgoodnamesrgoneee]

✨ New Patreon Upload! ✨

Hey everyone! I’ve just uploaded my first William Saliba fic on my Patreon, and you definitely don’t want to miss it!

Head over now to check it out and show some love! 🙌

📖 Link in bio! ✨ Let me know your thoughts after reading! 💬

Don't forget my fics now available for ONLY $3 ($4.50 on iOS) each on my Patreon shop if you're looking for something specific; don't miss your chance to catch up on all the exclusive content!

For the Record

Masterlist

𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒚 — You’ve spent months keeping your relationship with William Saliba a secret. You’re a rising Black sports journalist, and he’s one of the biggest names in football—a pairing the world wouldn’t hesitate to tear apart. Now that everything’s out in the open, the question is: can you have both your career and the man who makes your heart feel like home?

𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 — William Saliba x Black!Reader (sports journalist!reader)

𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕 — 17.7k

Warnings! FLUFF!! emotional tension, slow burn with payoff, secret relationship, mutual pining, comfort, NSFW! SMUT (18+), unprotected vaginal sex, oral sex (f receiving), fingering, cowgirl, multiple orgasms, overstimulation, soft dom!William, sub!reader, praise kink, emotionally charged intimacy

Preview

**********

You wake up tangled in a mess of sheets, warmth, and sin.

That’s the only way to describe it. Sin.

It's not even seven in the morning, and already your body is reminding you what went down last night. Your thighs are sore, your back carries a dull, pleasant ache, and there’s a love bite high on your inner thigh that stings just enough to make you wince a little.

That'll make yoga tomorrow interesting.

The room smells like bergamot and skin and something heavier—sweat, maybe. Or desire that still lingers in the air like an aftershock.

It's quiet except for the hum of the city in the distance, softened by thick curtains drawn half-shut. Morning light filters through in warm stripes, dancing across the hardwood floor and catching on your skin in soft gold. You blink against it, lashes fluttering against a pillow that doesn’t smell like yours. The sheets don’t either. They smell like him.

You shift slightly, just enough to feel the solid weight behind you. An arm is slung around your waist, loose but possessive. His chest is warm against your back, steady breaths brushing the nape of your neck. You can hear the faint rustle of the comforter as he stirs, but he doesn’t wake—not fully. He pulls you in tighter, like you’re his anchor to sleep, his grip reflexive and familiar.

You don’t move. Not yet.

There’s a part of you that doesn’t want to break this moment.

For once, you’ve forgotten about the twelve unread emails, the press conference at noon, the editor breathing down your neck, and the interview notes scattered on your kitchen table. For once, you don’t feel like a journalist, like a woman constantly trying to prove she deserves to be in every room she walks into. You feel… human. Soft. Safe.

You feel his fingers brush against your stomach in a lazy half-dreaming caress, and a smile tugs at your lips before you even realize it. One of those stupid, full, cheeks-aching smiles you try to hide but never manage to around him.

“You awake?” you whisper, voice still hoarse with sleep. Your throat feels dry, but you can’t bring yourself to care.

A low grunt rumbles against your back. “Non,” comes the groggy reply, muffled by the pillow. His lips press lazily to your shoulder. “Sleeping.”

“That wasn’t an answer.”

“It was a ‘come back to sleep with me,’” he murmurs, lips grazing your skin again. His accent is thicker in the mornings, wrapped in gravel and honey.

You roll your eyes, but there’s no heat behind it. "You know I’ve got work, right?”

He lets out a dramatic sigh like you just told him the world’s ending. Then, without warning, he flips you onto your back with zero effort, his arm slipping under your waist as he settles half on top of you. You yelp, more out of surprise than anything else, but your body immediately molds to his, the way it always does. His weight is solid, grounding. Familiar.

“William,” you warn, voice breathy now, mostly because his lips are trailing slow, sleepy kisses up the side of your neck. “Seriously.”

"You’re warm,” he mumbles, like it’s an argument he’s already won.

“I’m also late.”

“Je m'en fous.” His hand moves down your side, fingers splayed wide. “You can email them. Say there was traffic.”

You snort. “Traffic where, sir? In your apartment?”

He lifts his head to look at you, one brow raised. “Exactly. Bedroom traffic. You got caught in a collision.”

You blink at him. “You mean you ran me off the road last night?"

His grin is smug. “I don’t hear you complaining.”

You try to glare at him, but it’s hard when his palm is cupping your thigh, thumb lazily brushing over that now very sensitive love bite.

“This is harassment,” you mumble, squirming as you try to wriggle away. But he just chuckles, dips his head to kiss your collarbone, then your sternum. The kisses aren’t rushed. If anything, they’re slow on purpose. He knows exactly what he’s doing.

“You say that like you didn’t try to climb me like a tree last night.”

You shove at his shoulder, laughing despite yourself. “I did not.”

“Bébé,” he says, pulling back just enough to give you a look. “You told me, and I quote, ‘You’re six foot three for a reason; now put it to use.’”

Your hand flies to your face, heat flooding your cheeks. “Shut up.”

William grins, clearly pleased with himself. He kisses your forehead this time, surprisingly sweet. “You were cute. Bossy. A little mean.”

“You love it.”

“I do,” he says, no hesitation. “And you love me being clingy in the morning.”

You pause for a beat, heart stuttering a little. He doesn’t seem to notice the shift in the air—maybe because he’s too busy burying his face into the curve of your neck again, or maybe because he does it without thinking. Like saying he loves you isn’t even a question anymore.

You bite your lip. “I do, but I really do have to go.”

With a sigh that sounds like the end of the world, he finally rolls off of you, flopping onto his back like he just gave up his life’s mission. “Fine. Go be an adult.”

You wrap the sheet around your body like a toga as you slip out of bed, glancing over your shoulder with a soft smile. “I’ll come back later.”

“T'as intérêt.”

//// A little amuse-bouche of the smut ////

You clutch at the sheets, your legs falling open as he ducks his head. His lips close around your nipple and you cry out, arching your back off the bed. His tongue slides over your skin, sucking you into his mouth, his hand cupping and squeezing you in a way that sends bolts of pleasure through your whole body.

"Fuck," you whisper, feeling his stubble against your skin as he kisses lower. His hands are on your hips now, squeezing, kneading, urging you to lift your hips up toward him.

When you feel his breath against your panty-covered mound, you stop breathing.

He doesn't tease now. No. His hands part your thighs, and he yanks your panties off in one quick tug.

And then his mouth is on you, hot and slick and messy, his lips pressing soft, loving kisses on the soft skin of your inner thighs, close to where you're aching for him, wet, leaking but not enough—

"Will," you gasp, trying to buck up into his mouth to get him where you need him. "Please."

His hands grip your hips and pin you down, keeping you still as his tongue slides up between your folds. You're gasping, your hips fighting his grip, trying to get him closer, but he holds tight, his tongue dragging up your center, back down again, light and teasing. You're dripping now, your folds slick with your arousal.

"Will, baby," you whine. "Pleeease—"

And then he's there. Right there.

You arch off the bed the moment his lips wrap around your aching, swollen clit. His tongue flicks once, twice, and you lose it, eyes rolling to the back of your head as you cry out for more. No words coming out, just moans and cries, your fingers sliding through his hair to grip his head and pull him closer.

"Taste so fucking good, baby," he growls, pulling back to press open-mouthed kisses on your inner thighs. "Can't get enough—"

He spears his tongue inside you then, licking up through your folds, and you let out a scream, your hips jerking off the bed again. But he's not letting go, holding you in place with strong arms as he fucks into you with his tongue.

He pulls away for a second and your breath catches at the look on his face. He's staring at your wet, swollen pussy with a look of ravenous need, his breath coming hard, his fingers gripping your hips almost brutally, as if he’s losing control.

You feel his fingers on your pussy, and before you can register what he's doing, he’s pushing them inside you, so fucking easy with how soaking wet you are. His mouth finds your clit again, lips closing around it as he pulls it into his mouth, sucking, and his fingers are fucking into you, in and out, a slow curl in his knuckles. You can feel your climax approaching.

His hands grip your thighs tighter. "T'aime ça?" He murmurs against your clit, looking up at you. The sight of him there, his mouth against your wet pussy, his eyes heavy-lidded with lust—your vision starts to blur at the edges.

"Yes, yes, fuck," you whimper.

He groans deep in his throat and picks up the pace of his fingers, fucking into you faster and harder while his tongue dances around your clit in tight circles. You can't breathe. You're clutching at the sheets like they're going to keep you from flying off the bed, your legs tensing and relaxing against the mattress. Your stomach starts to clench, and your thighs start to shake.

"Will—" you gasp. "I—" You don't get to say anything more. You just shatter. Shatter apart on a scream of his name, your vision going dark at the edges, your body tightening and convulsing on his fingers. You're shaking so hard, your teeth chatter as you come and come and come.

His mouth slows, tongue sliding through your wetness as he keeps you riding your orgasm as long as possible.

When he pulls away, you're still shaking, legs still tensed, still twitching. His fingers slide out of you slowly with a wet squelch, and you feel him crawling up the bed beside you, turning your head to rest on his chest.

Your lips press a kiss to his skin as he slides an arm underneath you, holding you close.

"Okay?" He murmurs softly, rubbing circles on your back.

You nod. Your face feels hot, like you're burning up, and you can’t find the words to describe how you're feeling. It's like he's broken you apart and put you back together again. Everything feels different. Lighter.

Will just hums, kisses the top of your head, and keeps rubbing your back.

It takes a second before you realize he’s still hard. Rock-hard and straining against his pants.

"Baby," he laughs, reading your expression. "You're still shaking. Let's take a second to recover, yeah?" he teases. "I'm not going anywhere."

You flush, biting your lip. "Sorry—"

"Don’t apologize, it's okay," he says, stroking your hair back. "Take your time, chérie. You need it."

You nod and relax into his chest.

But a second later, you're squirming, feeling him against your thigh and the burn of lust reignites between your legs

"Will," your voice is husky.

"Yes?" His tone is indulgent.

You shift your hips again. "I want it."

**********

-Bianca🌻

[pkg4mumtown]

Special Weapons and Tactics (Ch. 4)

Pairing: Aaron Hotchner x Original Male Character (OMC)

Rating: Mature

Summary: León and Hotch are called away on separate cases after their coffee date.

Content Warnings: strong language, first person POV, canon-typical violence, mostly fluff, descriptions of murder, casefic

A/N: (March 8, 2025: The fic has been officially transitioned to Hotch/OMC. The fic sort of got away from me and I realized I've been putting more detail than I should be for a reader insert as I've been writing future chapters. I apologize ahead of time for anyone who enjoyed it as a reader insert, but I wanted to rectify this in the hopes that future chapters wouldn't feel so forced/odd/specific as I write them.) Welcome back!! Thank you for all the love you’ve all given! This fic is the first CM fic I started and I love it with all my heart. This chapter and the next chapter are pretty case focused, so I’ve changed the rating because of the descriptions.

Spotify Playlist songs for Chapter 4: Working for the Weekend

Also available on AO3 - I do use a workskin on AO3 for text messaging, so I uploaded screenshots of the texts here. I know this isn’t what iOS looked like in 2010 but I didn’t feel like learning a new workskin lol.

tags: @l-a-u-r-aaa

July 2010

I took off toward the DC office to get briefed on the case and sighed at the interrupted date Hotch and I both had to leave. I was glad he had a good time, though, and I couldn't wait to see him again. I scrubbed a hand roughly over my face, needing to get thoughts of him out of my head.

Now was not the time.

“The victim is Theodore Jackson, forty-three years old. Baltimore PD found him Friday morning in Mt. Vernon Place stripped naked, beaten, and with mutilated genitals. ME is working on the autopsy now and they’re already started a full blood work up.”

“Jeez. Mutilated genitals?”

“He was castrated,” my chief simplified.

I looked at the horrific images that he pulled up. Our unit was stretched thin, leaving usually one or two agents to work with local PD on violent crimes cases.

“Family?”

“No one local except for a partner, Tyler Clarke. Said he went missing Thursday night when they were out at a club,” my chief stood from where he’d been sitting on the edge of our conference table.

“Any other victims? Gang ties? MS-13 has a high concentration around there.”

“We just got the case. No one has looked into previous victims yet,” he gave me a dejected shrug. “Everyone has their hands full with other cases."

“I’ll get Fielding on it,” I nodded, making a note to call our analyst. Being short-staffed was an understatement.

“They want you there today. I sent you all the info.”

“I’ll get going,” I pushed myself away from the table. “Thanks, Chief.”

“I’ll take you off rotation,” he called after me.

“Thanks.”

How ridiculous would a SWAT mobilization be when I was forty miles away?

-

I started the drive after making sure I had everything I needed, then left DC as quickly as I could. About halfway through the drive my phone rang, and I answered it without looking at the caller ID.

“Navarro,” I answered the phone.

“So, you’re meeting up with my boss on the weekends now?”

“Hi, Derek, Happy Saturday,” my firehead softened at the voice on the other line and I cooed in my best teasing tone.

“Don’t try and sweet talk me now, boy,” I heard his grin over the phone. “What gives?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I exhaled, feigning ignorance.

“Your name is on his cup, genius,” He laughed, and I heard the sound of a plane engine coming closer over the phone.

“Ah, well, plenty of Leon’s in the world,” I shrugged even though he couldn’t see me.

“Brother, there is a whole ass accent on there. They might not realize who the name belongs to yet, but I do. The bets are being placed as we speak,” he said in a sing-songy voice, a smile evident in his tone.

“Let me know how that goes. Have fun in Indiana, babe,” I blew the phone speaker a kiss and hung up.

“Little shit,” Morgan grumbled playfully to the phone after I hung up.

“Who was that?” Hotch asked curiously from his seat as Morgan stepped on the plane.

“Don’t play with me, Hotch,” he sighed and threw himself into a seat.

Hotch took a slow sip of his coffee to hide his growing smile.

“And how was your morning?” Rossi greeted Hotch, eyeballing the exchange between him and Derek.

“It was great.”

“Great, huh? Have anything to do with that name?” Rossi nodded to the coffee cup. Hotch immediately spun the name away from him. “I saw it in the elevator. You’re not slick, Aaron. Who’s León?” he drug out the name dramatically, adding a little flair to add to the drama.

Hotch feigned ignorance by opening a case file and flipping through it.

“Were you on a date?” Emily asked curiously, making JJ lean in to hear better.

Hotch opened his mouth to speak and was interrupted by Reid, “According to a study published in the Journal of Divorce & Remarriage, divorced men tend to re-enter the dating scene faster than women. They found that 31.5% of men were dating again within a year compared to only 19.4% of women. Considering how long-ago Hotch’s divorce was, it’s not unlikely.”

Hotch stared at Reid with a blank expression.

“Sorry.”

“The case? Please?” Hotch looked at the rest of his team.

-

I arrived at the Baltimore Police Department’s Central Station in an hour and immediately got to work.

“Captain O’Malley,” an older, weathered looking woman introduced herself as I walked to the front doors.

I shook her hand, “SSA Navarro.”

“Sorry to call you guys in on a weekend,” she peered around me as if she was waiting for someone. “I thought they’d send more of you?”

“We’re pretty inundated. Let’s hope we don’t need more than me,” I shifted, my bag threatening to fall off my shoulder during the exchange. “Where can I get set up?”

“We cleared out an office for you. Let me know if you need anything. I can take you to the crime scene when you’re set up.”

“That’d be great.”

Upon visiting the scene and looking over the surveillance footage, we determined that the unsub did his homework scoping out cameras and being careful to not get his face seen. He seemed fit enough to carry the act out alone in what we did see of him and managed to lure Theodore outside where the visuals ended. This meant that the murder was meticulously planned, and further we noticed the castration didn’t have any hesitation marks. It led me to believe that the unsub had definitely done this before. In conclusion, it was a big “NO" to gang activity.

Great.

“Fielding,” our analyst answered.

“Hola, mi reina. Justo la voz que quería escuchar,” Hello, my queen. Just the voice I wanted to hear, I greeted, hearing the smile in her laugh.

“No idea what you said but, oh, do I love the way it sounds, Leo,” she cooed.

I laughed and got us back on track, “I need you to run a search for me. Murdered males, middle aged, castrated or mutilated in some way.”

“That might be a big search, honey.”

“I know, uh—narrow down anyone who went missing from bars or clubs.”

“Alright, I’ll let you know what I come up with,” she confirmed and hung up.

A knock sounded on the office door, “Hey,” Captain O’Malley rushed in. “The M.E. finally called, they found traces of ketamine in Theodore’s system. They also found saliva on his neck and face but no hits.”

“The unsub drugged his drink? Maybe that’s how he got him outside?”

“It was hard to tell from the video,” O’Malley hummed.

I got Fielding back on the phone, “Hey, also cross reference any victims who had ketamine in their systems.”

“You got it,” she answered and hung up again.

We interviewed Theodore’s partner and other bars in the area, as well as reviewed hours upon hours of surveillance footage from surrounding bars to see if we could spot the unsub hunting anywhere else. According to Tyler, he and Theodore were dancing, Theodore left to grab them a couple more drinks, and never came back which checked out with the footage. Their car was still in the lot when Tyler checked outside.

The bartender that Thursday night that Theodore went missing took some persuading to talk. He had initially waved me off, claiming he had already given a report to the police but I managed to strike a rapport with him, stressing how important it is that murders in our community are taken just as seriously as anyone else. With some reluctance since he didn't want to be involved, he finally sighed and mentioned seeing Theodore and Tyler that night. He said they were regulars and that Theodore was a bit of a flirt with other men, too. He had seen Theodore talking to another man that night, someone who wasn’t Tyler but with how busy it was with their happy hour special and being understaffed, the bartender didn’t have time to get a good look at the guy—just that he was younger and pretty fit. He also mumbled about it not being his business, but mentioned that they were there one moment and gone the next.

It was equally helpful and unhelpful, though we could safely assume this was carried out by one person. Captain O’Malley increased patrols around the clubs in the area in case the unsub decided to strike again tonight.

I checked into a hotel near the station to try and get some sleep and come back to the case with fresh eyes. After taking a quick shower, my phone broke the silence.

“Hey,” I answered Fielding’s call.

“Hey, so I had a lot of hits but focused specifically on genital mutilations and narrowed the list a lot. Ten other victims fit the victimology,” she answered. “I’m sending them to you now. Six of them were in Missouri and four in Oregon, all in the same areas within each state, all fitting the age, too. And get this...”

I hummed in response, leaning over the desk in my room to pull up the info.

“They were all abducted from gay clubs, and all had partners around ten or more years younger than them.”

“Shit.”

“That’s an understatement,” she sighed.

“Thanks, get some rest,” I ordered and hung up.

After getting dressed, I sifted through the information she sent over in bed. Surveillance footage showed similar abductions to the case here with the victim willingly following the unsub. Just like those, the unsub was cognizant of keeping his face hidden. My phone vibrated next to me, breaking me out of my trance and making me realize it was 2:00 AM. I set the laptop on the nightstand and grabbed my phone.

Damn profilers.

“Get some rest. You’re no use to them off your game.” -Hotch

Damn profilers.

“At this point it might not even matter.” -León

“Are you OK?” -Hotch

“Might have a serial on my hands.” -León

“Are you sure that’s all that’s bothering you?” -Hotch BAU

Before I could respond, my phone buzzed. Hotch was calling me.

“Talk to me,” he murmured.

“I just—” I sighed. “—there’s a bunch of gay men being murdered and this guy is pretty good at staying under the radar. I’m frustrated that people aren’t being more helpful.”

“Yea, that kind of frustration can get under your skin. But—” he paused, sighing, “Staying up this late isn't going to help.”

Despite his words not being all that helpful, I was already feeling a little better just hearing his voice.

“Yea, well, we can’t all be top-notch profilers.”

Hotch laughed over the line, “I’m sure you’re not half bad.”

“Careful,” I teased. “You talk me up too much and I might get a big head.”

“It can get bigger?” he teased back.

“Ouch,” I laughed, sighing as my frustration subsided with our laughter lightening the load a little. “Thank you for checking on me.”

“Of course. Call me if you need any help,” he stressed.

“I don’t want to be a—”

“You’re not. Get some rest,” he interrupted me.

“We’re in the same time zone, you go to bed, too, Hotchner.”

“Yes, sir,” he replied with a hint of sarcasm.

Once the call ended, I tossed my phone onto the nightstand and flopped onto the stiff hotel bed, rubbing a hand over my face. I was mentally exhausted but my mind refused to slow down despite that.

Ten victims. Three states. Same pattern.

I closed my eyes, willing my brain to rest. I even tried a technique I learned years ago overseas, relaxing my toes, ankles, feet, legs, fingers, arms...nope. Groaning and feeling the frustration bubbling up again, I turned onto my side, staring at the glowing red numbers of the hotel clock:

2:47 AM.

With a frustrated sigh, I pushed myself up, knowing damn well I wasn’t getting any real sleep.

Sorry, Aaron.

The case file was still pulled up on my laptop, the screen dim in the dark room. I laid back against the pillows, cracking my neck as I scrolled through the victims again.

Male, mid-40s, younger partner, abducted from a gay club, castrated ante-mortem.

The unsub wasn’t picking victims at random—he had a specific type.

I tapped my fingers against the plastic of the laptop just next to the trackpad, my jaw clenched and tight.

What’s the connection?

He wasn’t just going after older men. He was going after older men with significantly younger partners. But why? Was it about control? Power? Or something personal?

I pulled up the Missouri cases, clicking on one of the earlier victims. Daniel Watts, 44. Murdered in 2008. Same exact M.O.

His partner? Cameron Ellis, 27.

I moved to the Oregon cases. James Holloway, 46. Murdered in 2009. Partner? Jordan Lewis, 28.

My stomach churned uncomfortably at the images and testimonies given by the distraught partners. Every age gap was nearly identical: Forty-something victim. Partner ten to fifteen years younger. Over and over again.

My fingers hovered over the trackpad as something settled uncomfortably in my gut. He’s not just killing them because they’re older men. He’s killing them because they remind him of someone and the mutilation played a key part.

I exhaled sharply, leaning back until my head hit the wall, replaying the rudimentary profile in my head.

Was the unsub in a relationship like this before? Was he the younger one or the older one? Based on the interviews, likely the younger one. Did something happen to make him snap?

The longer I stared at the screen, the heavier my eyelids became. I scrubbed a hand down my face and checked the time again.

4:57 AM.

I should at least try to sleep.

Shoving the laptop aside, I slid down back into bed, my body finally feeling the weight of exhaustion. My eyes shut, but my brain kept working, crime scene photos and autopsy reports flashing behind my lids.

Hotch was right—I was no use to the case if I let it consume me. The thought barely settled before my phone rang, its sharp buzz slicing through the darkness.

I groggily reached for it, barely checking the caller ID before answering.

“Yeah?” My voice was hoarse.

Captain O’Malley’s voice came through, groggy but tight, “My boys found another body.”

Damn.

I was already sitting up and throwing the covers back before she even finished the sentence.

“Where?”

“Monarch. Club goers found him behind the bar. We’ve got a perimeter set up, but…” she hesitated, exhaling. “This one’s fresh.”

My stomach tightened as I pulled on random clothes from my bag. “How fresh?”

“Less than three hours.”

My pulse spiked, the unsub was still in the city which meant we could expect more murders still.

“Send me the address. I’m on my way.”

I hung up and grabbed my badge and gun, my exhaustion forgotten for the time being.

-

Chapter 5

[mariacallous]

In recent years, commercial spyware has been deployed by more actors against a wider range of victims, but the prevailing narrative has still been that the malware is used in targeted attacks against an extremely small number of people. At the same time, though, it has been difficult to check devices for infection, leading individuals to navigate an ad hoc array of academic institutions and NGOs that have been on the front lines of developing forensic techniques to detect mobile spyware. On Tuesday, the mobile device security firm iVerify is publishing findings from a spyware detection feature it launched in May. Of 2,500 device scans that the company's customers elected to submit for inspection, seven revealed infections by the notorious NSO Group malware known as Pegasus.

The company’s Mobile Threat Hunting feature uses a combination of malware signature-based detection, heuristics, and machine learning to look for anomalies in iOS and Android device activity or telltale signs of spyware infection. For paying iVerify customers, the tool regularly checks devices for potential compromise. But the company also offers a free version of the feature for anyone who downloads the iVerify Basics app for $1. These users can walk through steps to generate and send a special diagnostic utility file to iVerify and receive analysis within hours. Free users can use the tool once a month. iVerify's infrastructure is built to be privacy-preserving, but to run the Mobile Threat Hunting feature, users must enter an email address so the company has a way to contact them if a scan turns up spyware—as it did in the seven recent Pegasus discoveries.

“The really fascinating thing is that the people who were targeted were not just journalists and activists, but business leaders, people running commercial enterprises, people in government positions,” says Rocky Cole, chief operating officer of iVerify and a former US National Security Agency analyst. “It looks a lot more like the targeting profile of your average piece of malware or your average APT group than it does the narrative that’s been out there that mercenary spyware is being abused to target activists. It is doing that, absolutely, but this cross section of society was surprising to find.”

Seven out of 2,500 scans may sound like a small group, especially in the somewhat self-selecting customer base of iVerify users, whether paying or free, who want to be monitoring their mobile device security at all, much less checking specifically for spyware. But the fact that the tool has already found a handful of infections at all speaks to how widely the use of spyware has proliferated around the world. Having an easy tool for diagnosing spyware compromises may well expand the picture of just how often such malware is being used.

“NSO Group sells its products exclusively to vetted US & Israel-allied intelligence and law enforcement agencies,” NSO Group spokesperson Gil Lainer told WIRED in a statement. "Our customers use these technologies daily.”

iVerify vice president of research Matthias Frielingsdorf will present the group's Pegasus findings at the Objective by the Sea security conference in Maui, Hawaii on Friday. He says that it took significant investment to develop the detection tool because mobile operating systems like Android, and particularly iOS, are more locked down than traditional desktop operating systems and don't allow monitoring software to have kernel access at the heart of the system. Cole says that the crucial insight was to use telemetry taken from as close to the kernel as possible to tune machine learning models for detection. Some spyware, like Pegasus, also has characteristic traits that make it easier to flag. In the seven detections, Mobile Threat Hunting caught Pegasus using diagnostic data, shutdown logs, and crash logs. But the challenge, Cole says, is in refining mobile monitoring tools to reduce false positives.

Developing the detection capability has already been invaluable, though. Cole says that it helped iVerify identify signs of compromise on the smartphone of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a lawyer and Sikh political activist who was the target of an alleged, foiled assassination attempt by an Indian government employee in New York City. The Mobile Threat Hunting feature also flagged suspected nation state activity on the mobile devices of two Harris-Walz campaign officials—a senior member of the campaign and an IT department member—during the presidential race.

“The age of assuming that iPhones and Android phones are safe out of the box is over,” Cole says. “The sorts of capabilities to know if your phone has spyware on it were not widespread. There were technical barriers and it was leaving a lot of people behind. Now you have the ability to know if your phone is infected with commercial spyware. And the rate is much higher than the prevailing narrative.”

[shuilongyinleo]

Shui Long Yin VR Metaverse: Technologies and Digital Assets, and the melon about it being released in Summer 2025

What is the metaverse?

The Shui Long Yin metaverse is a parallel world closely resembling the real world, built through the use of digital modelling and technologies such as VR and AR, and designed to exist permanently.

This virtual realm integrates cutting-edge advancements, including blockchain, augmented reality, 5G, big data, artificial intelligence, and 3D engines.

When you acquire a ticket to this world, you gain a digital asset, allowing you to become an immersive citizen within the Shui Long Yin Metaverse.

Every item within Shui Long Yin can be experienced through Augmented Reality using VR devices, providing a seamless blend of the physical and digital realms. These digital assets are permanent, and in some cases, overseas users may trade or transfer their tickets to enter the Shui Long Yin world.

What is VR and AR?

Virtual Reality (VR) is a technology that enables users to interact within a computer-simulated environment.

Augmented Reality (AR), on the other hand, combines elements of VR by merging the real world with computer-generated simulations. A well-known example of AR is the popular game Pokémon Go, where virtual objects are integrated into real-world surroundings.

Tang LiCi's universe

The Shui Long Yin film crew has digitally modeled the core art assets, 50 000 square meters.

What technologies does China Mobile & Migu bring to the table?

China Mobile served as the lead organizer for the 2023 World VR Industry Conference. Its subsidiary, Migu, has also been dedicated to advancing projects in this area.

Shui Long Yin is their first priority this summer 2025.

5G+AI: VR world in Metaverse

AIGC AR 3D: Using AI technology in graphics computer, with the best trained AI system in China.

Video ringtones as a globally pioneering service introduced by China Mobile.

Shui Long Yin from Screen to Metaverse to Real Life: Epic Battles and Intricate Plotlines

The United States and China are world pioneers in the development of TV drama integration VR Metaverse. Notably, Shui Long Yin is the sixth TV drama map worldwide to be merged into the Metaverse.

How can we enjoy these technologies?

-- First we need 5G -- According to a report by the Global Mobile Suppliers Association (GSA), by June 2022:

》There are 70 countries around the world had active 5G networks, you can fully experience all the technology featured in Shui Long Yin.

Example: South Korea, China, and the United States have been at the forefront. Follow after are Japan, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Australia, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Viet Nam...

》No worries—even in countries without 5G, you can still watch the drama and enjoy AIGC and 3D technology through the streaming platforms Migu Video and Mango.

•Mango available on IOS and Android, Harmony OS

•Migu (Mobile HD) soon availabe on IOS and Android, Harmony OS

-- Second, we need VR devices --

In country where VR is already commonplace, such as the United States, owning a VR device is considered entirely normal. Users can select devices that best suit their preferred forms of home entertainment.

European countries have also become fairly familiar with VR technology.

However, it is still relatively new to many parts of Asia. When choosing a VR device, it’s important to select one that is most compatible with your intended activities, whether that’s gaming, watching movies, or working.

It's no surprise to us that the drama Shui Long Yin will be released in the summer 2025, but it will also be coinciding with offline tourism to Long Yin Town in Chengdu, online VR Metaverse travel, and 3D experiences on the new streaming platforms Migu and Mango. Stay tuned!

Tv drama: SHUI LONG YIN Shui Long Yin & Leo All music and image are copyrighted and belong to the respective owners, included the official film crew SHUILONGYIN.

[the-monkey-ruler]

Fantasy Tower of Gods (2023) 幻塔封神录

Date: 2023 Platform: Android/IOS Developer: Guangzhou Leniu Software Technology Co., Ltd. Publisher: Wuhan Palm Entertainment Information Technology Co., Ltd. Genre: Card Game / Strategy Theme: Tower Defense Type: Cameo

Summary:

"Fantasy of Conferred Gods" is based on the famous Chinese fantasy myth novel "The Investiture of the Gods". At the end of the Shang Dynasty, King Zhou of Shang was the emperor at that time. He was arrogant and indulged himself in pleasure, favored villains and punished virtuous ministers, and built palaces, making life miserable for the people. The Zhou Dynasty gradually became stronger, and it controlled two-thirds of the world. King Wen of Xibo, Ji Chang, was courteous to the wise and humble, and was supported by the people. He only needed the right time to lead the army to attack King Zhou. The story revolves around Jiang Ziya assisting the Zhou Dynasty (King Wen and King Wu) in their crusade against King Zhou of Shang. The story starts with the murder of Bo Yikao by King Zhou of Shang and Su Daji, and gradually introduces a large number of folk legends and myths, including vivid and distinctive characters such as Jiang Ziya, Shen Gongbao, Nezha, and Yang Jian, and then extends to the story of the immortals of the Chan and Jie sects fighting wits and courage, breaking through formations and beheading generals to become gods. The game retains important events and geographical markers in the world of Fengshen, such as the Yuxu Palace founded by Yuanshi Tianzun, the Biyou Palace, the Wanxian Formation, the Zhuxian Formation, etc. founded by Tianjiaozhu, etc. Through the players' in-depth experience and the development of the story, the ultimate essence promoted in the game is: justice will eventually defeat evil, even if the process is tortuous, no matter how powerful the evil forces are, they will eventually become a thing of the past.

Source: https://a.4399.cn/mobile/270179.html

Link: https://a.4399.cn/mobile/270179.html

[ausetkmt]

In recent years, commercial spyware has been deployed by more actors against a wider range of victims, but the prevailing narrative has still been that the malware is used in targeted attacks against an extremely small number of people. At the same time, though, it has been difficult to check devices for infection, leading individuals to navigate an ad hoc array of academic institutions and NGOs that have been on the front lines of developing forensic techniques to detect mobile spyware. On Tuesday, the mobile device security firm iVerify is publishing findings from a spyware detection feature it launched in May. Of 2,500 device scans that the company's customers elected to submit for inspection, seven revealed infections by the notorious NSO Group malware known as Pegasus.

The company’s Mobile Threat Hunting feature uses a combination of malware signature-based detection, heuristics, and machine learning to look for anomalies in iOS and Android device activity or telltale signs of spyware infection. For paying iVerify customers, the tool regularly checks devices for potential compromise. But the company also offers a free version of the feature for anyone who downloads the iVerify Basics app for $1. These users can walk through steps to generate and send a special diagnostic utility file to iVerify and receive analysis within hours. Free users can use the tool once a month. iVerify's infrastructure is built to be privacy-preserving, but to run the Mobile Threat Hunting feature, users must enter an email address so the company has a way to contact them if a scan turns up spyware—as it did in the seven recent Pegasus discoveries.

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“The really fascinating thing is that the people who were targeted were not just journalists and activists, but business leaders, people running commercial enterprises, people in government positions,” says Rocky Cole, chief operating officer of iVerify and a former US National Security Agency analyst. “It looks a lot more like the targeting profile of your average piece of malware or your average APT group than it does the narrative that’s been out there that mercenary spyware is being abused to target activists. It is doing that, absolutely, but this cross section of society was surprising to find.”

Seven out of 2,500 scans may sound like a small group, especially in the somewhat self-selecting customer base of iVerify users, whether paying or free, who want to be monitoring their mobile device security at all, much less checking specifically for spyware. But the fact that the tool has already found a handful of infections at all speaks to how widely the use of spyware has proliferated around the world. Having an easy tool for diagnosing spyware compromises may well expand the picture of just how often such malware is being used.

“NSO Group sells its products exclusively to vetted US & Israel-allied intelligence and law enforcement agencies,” NSO Group spokesperson Gil Lainer told WIRED in a statement. "Our customers use these technologies daily.”

iVerify vice president of research Matthias Frielingsdorf will present the group's Pegasus findings at the Objective by the Sea security conference in Maui, Hawaii on Friday. He says that it took significant investment to develop the detection tool because mobile operating systems like Android, and particularly iOS, are more locked down than traditional desktop operating systems and don't allow monitoring software to have kernel access at the heart of the system. Cole says that the crucial insight was to use telemetry taken from as close to the kernel as possible to tune machine learning models for detection. Some spyware, like Pegasus, also has characteristic traits that make it easier to flag. In the seven detections, Mobile Threat Hunting caught Pegasus using diagnostic data, shutdown logs, and crash logs. But the challenge, Cole says, is in refining mobile monitoring tools to reduce false positives.

Developing the detection capability has already been invaluable, though. Cole says that it helped iVerify identify signs of compromise on the smartphone of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a lawyer and Sikh political activist who was the target of an alleged, foiled assassination attempt by an Indian government employee in New York City. The Mobile Threat Hunting feature also flagged suspected nation state activity on the mobile devices of two Harris-Walz campaign officials—a senior member of the campaign and an IT department member—during the presidential race.

“The age of assuming that iPhones and Android phones are safe out of the box is over,” Cole says. “The sorts of capabilities to know if your phone has spyware on it were not widespread. There were technical barriers and it was leaving a lot of people behind. Now you have the ability to know if your phone is infected with commercial spyware. And the rate is much higher than the prevailing narrative.”

[equipaportugal]

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[gigizsn]

why i associate them with those lyrics

this post is connected to this post

note: these are all solely based off my headcanons.

i'm sorry these are all going to be sad

livia cardew

i associate livia with "tell your baby that i'm your baby." mainly because livia had two brothers, one older and one younger. her parents always favored her brothers over her. and when the eldest died, her parents' love and protectiveness for the youngest one grew. livia was often forgotten and overlooked by her parents. she watched her parents dote on her little brother and shower him with affection, which they never did to her.

vipsania sickle

i associate vip with "high achiever, don't you see? baby nothing comes for free. they say i'm a control freak driven by the greed to suceed." because her family has very high expectations. as her family's expectations grew, her greed grew. her family's expectations is the reason why she's extremely competitive. she wants to fulfill those expectations and she wants to make her parents proud. but, everything she does is never enough. vip tries her best to be number 1, but coriolanus exists. her parents often tell her to be more like coriolanus, but he's always better than her in everything academic-related, despite her being one of the top students in the academy. which is why vip puts so much pressure on herself.

felix ravinstill

i associate felix with "daddy stuck around, but he was never present." because of this one line he says in the movie: "well, maybe he would've if he wasn't so busy running the country.", it made me think that pres. ravinstill was an absent father. pres. ravinstill never bothered to show up to felix's special events. there was this one day where all parents had to come to school for a parent-teacher conference, and only his mother showed up. felix also barely sees his father at home, his father only shows up for breakfast. he has lunch and dinner mostly in his office.

persephone price

i associate pippa with "if they knew sweet little you, they'd end up loving you too." because of coriolanus knowing that she was a cannibal back in the dark days. coriolanus distances himself from pippa, always. despite being in the same friend group, pippa and coriolanus were never that close. he also doesn't know her as well as his other friends do. her friends see pippa as a sweet and caring girl, but coriolanus only sees her as a cannibal. the girl who ate the crane family's dead maid. if coriolanus put the whole cannibal thing aside, he and pippa would've been good friends due to her kind nature. but he never did.

hilarius heavensbee

i associate hilarius with "i wanted to be the one that you could understand." because he just wants his parents to understand him. hilarius has two older siblings, one moved out and one's in university. his parents often compared him to them, and he just wants his parents to understand that he's different to his siblings. his two older siblings were close to his parents, but hilarius was never really that close with them. hilarius not only wants his parents to understand that he's different than his siblings, but he also wants a connection with his parents. he wants his parents to understand him like they understand his siblings.

clemensia dovecote

i associate clemmie with "i used to think i was smart, but you've made me look so naive." because of her previous relationship. clemmie used to date urban canville. it was a toxic relationship, but clemmie thought she had found the 'one'. despite her friends' (especially felix) complaints about how urban wasn't a good guy, she just brushed it off and continued to date urban for a year. one day, she found io's bracelet in urban's room. when she asked about it, urban just brushed it off, saying how io was only helping him with a science project and she had left her bracelet here. as the days grew, clemmie noticed that urban and io had been getting closer. her friends had been trying to tell her that urban and io were having a secret affair and that urban was cheating on her, but clemmie just brushed it off, telling them that they were overthinking and urban would do no such thing. until one day, she walked in on urban and io making out.

festus creed

i associate festus with "for the rest of your life, i'll be there. i'll be stuck in your head like the roots of your hair." because of a tragic accident that killed his younger brother when festus was twelve. festus and his younger brother, flavius, were exploring a cave. it had been festus's idea and flavius happily agreed to it. whilst they were in the cave, it started to rain. festus knew it was time to get out, and told flavius. but flavius, being a curious six year old, said no and that he wanted to stay inside the cave. the cave slowly started to flood and festus urged for flavius to get out. as they were trying to get out, it had flooded the whole cave, and they had to swim their way out. flavius didn't know how to swim, so festus had to hold him while swiming. the water pressure got worse, and festus lost flavius on the way to the exit. flavius had drowned inside that cave. festus made it out alone and survived. festus' parents didn't blame him for flavius' death, but festus thinks it was his fault and still has thoughts and nightmares about it.

arachne crane

i associate arachne with "i know who you pretend i am." because of her striking resemblance with her deceased mother. her mother died during the war, and arachne's father never remarried. arachne's four older brothers had all moved out and it was only arachne and her father left in the house since she was sixteen. her father always told arachne stories about her mother and how arachne resembled her mother so much in both looks and personality. arachne notices how her father sometimes calls her by the wrong name. "marilla," it was her mother's name. it's as if he pretends that arachne is marilla (not in a romantic way). arachne took care of him like marilla did. arachne realizes this as she matures. she knows her father pretends arachne is her mother.

[kachoobu]

Una sola così: dimenticare. Siamo oltre alla metà del campionato per il Milan non è mai iniziato ed è finito da quando sta gente è arrivata nel 2022. A giugno ci sarà un cambiamento radicale a partire dalla squadra perché non avendo i soldi con la qualificazione Champions dovranno vedere un paio di loro (preparate a dite addio ai vari Theo, Reijnders, Maignan e qualcun altro che ha ambizioni) e poi l'allenatore che verrà sostituito da uno che sarà l'ennesimo capro espiatorio. Saranno anni duri di metà classifica e magari qualche pazzamento in Europa come Conference o massimo Europa League in casi rari, in poche parole una squadra da metà classifica. Questi non se ne andranno mai, sono delle merde fino al midollo

Però non avrebbe senso non perchè gliene freghi qualcosa del milan come può fregare a noi ma perchè perderebbero troppi soldi, cardinale ha già debiti con elliott che gli bastano per una vita io devo credere che almeno per motivi economici qualcosa cambierà perchè puoi vendere un giocatore oggi e uno domani ma prima o poi finiranno anche quelli. Io mi auguro che presto possa entrare una proprietà seria che possa liberarci da elliott e cardinale ovviamente ma fino ad allora qualcosa dovrà cambiare anche per mano di questi idioti

[ccfever]

How to participate in WNBA all-star voting:

-> Desktop and mobile web browsers (e.g., Safari on iPhone, Chrome in Android)

To vote online from a desktop or mobile device, fans should visit the official WNBA All-Star Voting page at vote.wnba.com. Fans may vote for a minimum of one player and maximum of 10, including the selection of up to four guards and six frontcourt players regardless of conference, and can submit up to one full ballot per day (defined as once every 24 hours).

-> WNBA App

To vote through the WNBA App using iOS or Android devices, fans can download and open the WNBA App and view the WNBA All-Star Voting story or tile on the Homepage that will link directly to the All-Star voting page. In addition, fans can visit the WNBA All-Star Voting ballot page via the “More” menu in the bottom menu bar navigation of the App. The WNBA App can be downloaded for free from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

Voting period starts at June 13th 2PM ET!

Will be posting tutorials for those who need it once voting period starts. Let’s get this one W cc fc 😭

[queencoldart]

Who are the dragon gods? What's their lore? I notice they seem to be the ones from DnD.

They share names with DnD dragon gods and they take after them appearance-wise. They are not the same gods, however. They may share a few similarities here and there, but they are basically OCs.

Before I go into the details about the Gods, I need to clarify how dragons see them. To dragons, the Gods are higher beings but they do not possess the omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence or morality that Judeo‑Christian‑Islamic peoples associate with the term "God". They are more fallible and more vulnerable. They are mortal, too. If anything, they're much more like eldritch beings than divine beings. The relationship dragons have with them is very metaphorical and transactional in nature. Many dragons do not believe in their existence, or they believe they were powerful dragons who lived once and were deified for the impact they had on dragon history. Assigning patron god status to creatures and objects is still done by dragons today. Dragons who beseech the Gods definitely do not expect these deities to manifest themselves before them or actually aid them in any real way. It's more akin to an insect drawing a circle in the sand for a human to see. A human may notice the circle and become interested.

Living gods:

Io is the great creator of all dragonkind.

Bahamut is the God of enlightened justice and the good of dragonkind. He is also the God of self-cultivation.

Tiamat is the Goddess of vengeance, spite and the general evil of dragonkind.

Astilabor was originally the goddess of acquisitiveness and wealth, but is now associated with greed growth (greed-induced bigness), bad omens and vice due to the catastrophic effects of greed growth.

Task is the God of healthy greed.

Garyx is the God of fire, destruction, and renewal. He is closely associated with lava, fertility and the indiscriminate nature of the universe.

Hlal is the Goddess of humor, inventiveness, and pleasure. She is the messenger of Io and can be a bit of a trickster.

Kereska is the Goddess of dragon magic. Since it has become forbidden knowledge that all dragons possess ability to practice magic, she is associated with the the blood stone scepter instead.

Kuyutha is a demigod who served Bahamut.

Lendys is the God of harsh justice. Despite the moral implications of this title, Lendys is completely neutral. He is pure rage and will smite anyone for causing a disturbance.

Chronepsis is the God of death.

Falazure is the God of pestilence, undeath and decay.

Tamara is the forgotten Goddess of mercy and healing.

Zorquan is the God of dragonkind. To be specific, he represents the non-gem dragons who dominate the lands and skies of the western half of the world.

Sardior is the God of gem dragons.

Leviathan is the God of sea dragons.

Deceased gods:

Lernaea was the God who created hydras. It is said that when Tiamat killed him, hydras lost their ability to reason with other creatures.

Azharul was the first deity killed by Tiamat. He was a master of magic.

Kalzareinad was a demigod of magic who practiced the arts in exceedingly self-serving ways.

Odassa was the dragon God of protection of hatchlings, and of the wrath against those who harm them.

Honorable mention: the creatures who were posthumously conferred patron god status.

[monstrousgourmandizingcats]

Episodes 4 and 5 of Italian YJ with @stracciatellino, main thoughts:

Vaffanculo Count: four! The third and fourth instances are Javi and Nat, both to Travis in 1x04. Jackie mutters something that sounds kind of similar to "vaffanculo" to the Walkman she's trying to fix in 1x05, but I don't think it actually was that word. She does call the Walkman a sexual insult in English ("cocksucker"), though, so I'll give her some grace and call that V-bomb number five.

This isn't Italian-specific, but I've been wanting to say it for a while. I think the "foreground one member of the ensemble cast's background early in each episode" thing they did in season 1 is honestly kind of hokey, but that could just be because as an established 2010s-and-onwards American TV trope it's associated strongly with Orange Is the New Black, a show I eventually came to really dislike. Purely in terms of narrative economy and communicating what needs to be communicated about the characters, it works well.

Shauna ha belle gambe. Lottie anche. This is me saying it, not a character, although I'm sure there are characters who have thought it.

«Kevyn, Travis, e i ruoli di genere» sono un argomento interessante. Kevyn il cop simbolicamente f->m, Travis ovviamente m->f simbolicamente e (forse?) nella realtà.

Jackie is a frocia <3

Laura Lee to Travis: BRAVO FLEX

Kevyn tries to make the haiku thing work in Italian and it's even dumber than in English, a language in which I already think that the format does not work well if you insist on interpreting "morae" as "syllables."

"Il regolamento edilizio." New Jersey politicians and their zoning...

@stracciatellino: "Jackie ha i riflessi di un cervo davanti ai fari di un auto"

Stronza this, stronze that, "questa stronzata del ritorno alla natura."

"Qualcuna si farà male"!

The untranslated songs (i.e. when characters sing diegetically) are really jarring, but I can't think of any better way to do it.

Jackie's (or Jeckie's, since the VAs struggle with the "a" sound in her name) little cramps tantrum: "IO TANTO FREDDO"

"All'occulto mai scherzare!" says Laura Lee, who, later in the seance, continues her descent (? or ascent) into Catholic-codedness by slurring "vade retro, Satana! È Gesù che te lo ordina!"

Lots of adorable translation choices in the seance in general. "Sono tipici delle sedute spiritiche" for "the symbol thing is totally seance-y," "O.J. è colpevole?", "si, ma fa schifo in francese," "stregheria :D," and much, much more.

Tai's press conference is strong stuff. Between that and the scene with that potential donor, Adult Tai's VA is a new standout to me.

Callie Sadecki, pioneering theorist of collective security in every language. <3