#parse migration | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

kit-williams · 16 days ago

Note

So as the resident astartes guru I'm hoping you can help me. They're pants crapingly terrifying really intimidating in a way that most people don't seem to be able parse. On the other hand they've been kicking around for the last century and they haven't taken over the world. Which if they wanted to they could probbably manage with like less than ten of those guys. I guess what I'm trying to say is they're a fact of life. Though if the whole being from the 30-41k Anno Domine rumor I saw on the internet is true? I'm worried about the far future of our species if we need that kinda firepower.

Sorry went on a bit of a squirrel hunt there. I inherited a cabin and a decent parcel in the back country, bordering on park land about 5 years back. I actually helped my uncle with some of the construction when I was in high-school. It's way off grid but I've got a safe well, a working septic tank, and enough solar cells on the roof to live prety comfortably unbothered by humans or space marines unless I make a trek into town in my pickup. Just a woman, her hunting guns, and her pack of four big dogs. (Two newfie cacusian shepard crosses, the black and tan hound my uncle brough home right before he passed, and a 100% mut whos great grandaddy was rumored to be a wolf or a traveling salesman.)

Well my unbotherd days I suspect are going to be coming to an end right quick. I was marking the inner parameter of my property with the dogs to deter predators. I don't disturb water sources or game trails but well... me, my dogs, and a gallon or so of Iced tea to, ah, scentmark territory close to the house to keep wolves and bears from wandering too close. There I am, free balling in a maxi dress and hiking boots, geting ready to squat when the dogs start barking and growling. And some uneartkly howling meets them. I look over to see bout a hundred yards off a space marine, I can only assume was a Space Wolf seeing as how he had a pack of about 3 Space Marines sized wolves. Swear to Christ and little baby Jesus he was doing the same thing I was. I my called dog stay which they did ready to defend and he certainly had control of his pack cause they stayed with him and settled down a bit. Don't know if it was a mistake or not but i just nodded politely squated at my tree and went on down my route with my dogs. He did the same and that was that.

Of course now I'm scouring the internet in the local diner, over thinking, and praying I didn't offend the space viking. Any advice on how to be good neighbors when you're not looking to bond or atract an astartes?

(Side note: thanks for the heads up in the other post about space wolves liking stills. I noticed driving into town that there was steam rising from about where my grandpa and uncles had their still. I was debating checking it out but after reading through your advice, I'll leave it to him. Specially since I never learned to use it. Dandelion wine on the otherhand? That's a specialty of mine.)

Offgrid Anon

SO you might actually be part of a small amount of people who don't feel a warm fuzzy feeling when interacting with Astartes and actually do feel dread and actually notice things about them. You've probably told people about your worries and nearly everyone has looked at you confused... took a hard look at them before its like they get reset before you pointed out something. I'm also not fully affected I don't feel the dread but I can see things that other people dont.

Yeah given where you live I honestly would be surprised how often you probably wont see them around, probably on some trail cams if you set them up. You might catch a chaos warband or two migrating around your property and/or some loyalist warbands. Not all of them like being around people ~Just as long as there's no reports of human killers in your area you should be fine by yourself.~

Uhhhh you should be fine you could always leave out rations packs or some minor supplies at like an edge of your property maybe even liking a lean too to allow them to sit.

#reply #answer #space marine husbandry sentience #tales from the barn #warhammer 40k

15 notes · View notes

rei-ismyname · 1 month ago

Text

Uncanny X-Men #13 Review

TLDR I liked it!

This is an interesting issue, certainly more ambitious than anything in the run so far. It has direct continuity with at least three issues in this run, yet it introduces mostly disparate plot elements at the reader out of nowhere through three mostly separate concurrent narratives. Sadurang, the oddly misogynist dragon from issue #1 shows up, we follow a new young black mutant in the 1920s from segregated Chicago to Jim Crow Louisiana, and the Outliers channel Scooby Doo. A lot happens, which is good, but the mystery is thick and it's mostly setup. Understandably, as it's Dark Artery part 1/4 - so I'm parsing questions instead of answers.

Loving the makeover, dude. Ice suits you

Gambit can't sleep in part because Rogue steals all the blankets. They're both cold. Sadurang the God Snake showing up might have something to do with that - it's not explicit, but Gambit suggested he fuck off to Antarctica when they first met and it seems he did just that. Gambit has been using the Eye of Agamotto he stole to blast children and teleport around, but Sadurang doesn't seem to mind right now. Or does he? Feels like he's kinda hitting on Remy a little bit tbh.

Logan and Sadurang should have a sniff off

He's got questions - very personal and specific questions. 'Where's the bird, thief? You harbouring giant Latverian birds here? I'm asking questions I know the answer to but srsly, spill the tea bestie.' Mind your own business, buddy.

Gambit has no idea what he's talking about, and probably doesn't know about near-immortals fucking either. After Storm and Logan banged, DOOM sent a giant bird to talk to her. Sadurang doesn't really care, it seems he was just making conversation as befits la noblesse oblige. No idea where Gambit kept got those cards from seeing as he's only wearing underpants, but the dragon isn't here to fight. Gambit hops on his back and they fly away. It's refreshing to revisit a plot point that's actually been set-up instead of just springing out of nowhere - I was wondering if we'd truly have to wait a year for his promised return. It seems not, the perceptive icy weirdo has a proposal.

This is Miss Henrietta Benjamin, or Henry. She's a schoolteacher from Chicago who's a mutant and she's leaving for Louisiana to fulfill a duty - and putting her mother, also a mutant - to rest is part of it. Markers of segregation and systems of black solidarity are everywhere, though it's difficult to tell whether the marks she's making are mutant-related or a system of pictorial communication for black folks. Underground railroad code-style. I was only aware of this stuff through the Hobo Code and Skyrim, though pictographic code is much older than that. I assume it's the latter, but the 'Midnight Bark/M' is used in a few pages which confuses the subject. Could be both.

I did quite a bit of research for this (which is why it's later than usual), as the US history we do learn in Australia is about as accurate as our own black history - not very. We pretend to be post-colonial when we're anything but. I want to say it's the 1920s, though I'm going to miss a lot of context. I feel like I should say that upfront - plus I don't want to speak over or for black voices. Henry is seemingly heading to set up the Outliers plot, which promises to be important to mutant history.

I think if you're going to explore (three) hundred year old mutant lore (as has been done before,) striving for authenticity by telling it through black POV has a lot of merit. Uncanny is occasionally a Southern Gothic book, and I'm interested to learn why a young black woman would head south when when black folks were migrating north en masse (The Great Migration) in response to much harsher laws and extralegal discriminatory practices. X-Men has a reputation for diversity, but honestly it's pretty damn white if you look at the numbers, the leadership, and definitely the creators. Uncanny is more diverse than usual, though the 2D black villain that is the Podcaster makes no attempt at exploring the dissonance of her behaviour and motivations intersectionally.

It's a positive thing to have minorities in fiction that aren't solely defined by that, though Warden Corrina Ellis in particular is a visible black woman operating a monument to mutant oppression that she built. Before that she hosted a popular anti-mutant podcast and got a prominent government contract off the back of that. The tactics she's using to systematically break the will of an outgroup - torture, dehumanisation, brainwashing, indefinite imprisonment, even chattel slavery (she was going to sell Beast and did sell Calico) and legal indentured servitude - it beggars belief that she wouldn't have complicated feelings or delusions about what she's doing. Her blackness is kinda relevant and the absence of any depth so far certainly makes me ... vigilant. Wary.

There's a lot of potential for exploring black history and the mutant metaphor but there's also a great many potential pitfalls, something Marvel in general doesn't have the greatest track record with. Much has been made of the 1963 run being inspired by the Civil Rights movement, but I don't buy it because it's not on the page at all. 6 white people with wealth who collaborate with the establishment and use force to keep other mutants in line - I don't see it. Marvel is historically super white and clumsy at best with matters of race. It's not a coincidence that Kitty Pryde has dropped the N bomb 3 times over the years. This history doesn't mean that the mutant metaphor and segregation can't be done well together, or at least inoffensively, but it's all in the execution.

Henry's train ride is uneventful but for a black conductor making the 'Midnight M' signal several times, which she ignores. She can't take the risk that he works for The Service, a nebulous group of mutant hunters. I've been iffy on the M as a modern invention, but it being a known quantity a hundred years ago (exclusively amongst black folks so far) suggests it's a contemporary appropriation or revitalisation. It ties the signal to a significant and specific time in history, which I'm honestly not sure how I feel about. Henry refers to the (Dark) Artery in Louisiana as her duty - interring her deceased mother with 'their kind.'

I didn't have space for pics of most of the Outliers adventure - Ransom is woken up by Deathdream's hand over his mouth and he wigs out. Deathdream gathered all the Outliers, but no adults, to go to the Dark Artery right now. He doesn't really explain that, just says spooky shit and speculates that this is what called them here. We find out it's a graveyard, so I assume Deathdream is communicating with the dead, or they him. Calico especially is scared and Ransom assures her she can sit this out if she wants. She has a crisis of identity, so the others assure her she's a mutant. With that, she's committed. Acceptance and validation from the outgroup/community you're connected to is important, especially for young people. Given her upbringing, I think it's realistic that she keeps backsliding and retreating to her mother's awful mantras. Her initial acceptance happened way too easily after Gambit's 3 panel pep talk, so I enjoy that it's an ongoing process for the most sheltered and socially privileged of the group.

Marcus St Junior and Alice watch them go and clearly know something about the 'door' or Dark Artery. That they're black people who own/run Haven, Henry's destination, suggests a historical link of some kind. Maybe. Probably. Alice seems concerned while Marcus leaves it in the hands of 'our Father' - most likely God, but it often pays to note exact wording. Henry came here for her parent, so a family connection is possible. Either seems reasonable, though if Alice has a reason to be concerned maybe they should be accompanied by the adults whose care they're in? Simone has a Raid on Graymalkin - four issues to tell this story, so we shall see.

Meanwhile, one of the aforementioned adults has been dropped in The Savage Land by Sadurang. Gambit is still without britches, so it's a good thing Marcus doesn't know. Haven has a couple of rules - everyone pitches in, the kids go to school (maybe it's the holidays,) and wear fucking pants. It's come up more than you'd think.

Sadurang is unimpressed with Gambit's efforts to take down a Tyrannosaurus Rex (or an Allosaur maybe, idk) and steps in. It doesn't do much so Gambit blows it up in an act of ecological crime. I have it on good authority that the Savage Land is a protected ecosystem. Lucky Ka-Zar or the RSPCD aren't around - Sauron would certainly object too.

The big cold snake says he admires Remy because they're alike. Feels like a backhanded compliment, or at least a manipulative way to build rapport. He calls him 'admirable' for not wanting to kill the dinosaur - admirable like he used to be. As if to demonstrate, he asks Remy if he objects to eating the dead dino, which he obviously doesn't.

Apparently the Eye of Agamotto (the left one at least) makes you crave flesh. Animals at first, then people, those closest to you. Sadurang will generously take the Eye back, sparing Remy this fate but it's a one time deal. Choose now! Limited time offer. This feels like a scam, lol. He politely asked if he could eat a dead dinosaur, which is probably what dragons do anyway - eat stuff. Agamotto has shown up here and there and we saw no evidence of cannibalism. Doctor Strange has worn one of his other eyes for decades (there are 3,) as have previous Sorcerers Supreme. This Eye certainly does different tricks even for the untrained Gambit. Portals aren't new though randomly blasting people is. This curse or whatever would also be new. It doesn't mean he's lying, necessarily, but it feels like he is. Sadurang was going to come and get it in a year anyway, so it's blatantly not a one time deal. We don't know what Gambit chooses, but I suspect he'll give it up and really need it later or something. We shall see.

Henry arrives in New Orleans and looks to continue on to Haven ASAP. A local porter gives her the lowdown on what's safe and allowed for black folks, but they're interrupted by Jacob Miller from The Service. He's either been following her or had eyes on the train because he questions her about the M, calling it a 'hex sign.' Dude probably was with The Service too. They duel with courtesy and innuendo but Henry's a sharp customer.

Miller offers to carry her bag, not taking no for an answer, then rips it open. She has bricks and a journal in there, neither of which interest him. He doesn't approve of her being educated/able to write - as a black woman it could be either or both - but he arrogantly doesn't read it. As he bids her goodbye with false politeness he instructs his partner/subordinate to follow her. He sucks.

'If she isn't a moonflyer she knows one, I'll wager' - suggesting that The Service are mutant hunters, proto-Purifiers perhaps - while introducing a new old mutant slur (alongside 'Johnny Devils' and 'abbhorences.') Henry notices a mark meaning 'beware' on the train station sign. Her eye glows red, Cyclops style, as she affirms that The Man is watching while vowing that they're almost there and her mother can rest soon. Her thoughts are stylised as journal entries,with the framing of her writing this letter about past events.

The issue ends on the Outliers reaching their destination - a circular room with coffins laid out neatly. A graveyard underneath a swamp, as Calico says. Ransom picks up a book from the centre of the room that's not a match for Henry's diary, and there's torches burning. Deathdream confidently states that they've been doing so for 300 years, but offers no explanation for how he knows that. 300 years is a long time - whatever this is would have been established for 200 years before Miss Henrietta Benjamin made her journey. The French founded New Orleans in 1820, so we're talking early or even pre white history in the region. There's a Latin carving inscription on the wall that Jitter translates as 'bring us your own to rest forever.' Everyone except Deathdream is spooked, and he repeatedly tells them to not be afraid. They literally walk past interred bodies standing up with their arms crossed. It's objectively scary.

The cliffhanger is that this place is guarded by the Man-Thing. Deathdream is characteristically calm while the others are not. Hopefully they can overcome that, or not get touched by The Man-Thing, because nobody wants to burn. Most people, anyway. I am not a Man-Thing expert, though I do know that he guards The Nexus of All Realities in Florida, and has only been doing so since ~the sixties. This doesn't look like the Nexus of All Realities or Florida, but that's a mystery for next issue.

Uncanny X-Men #13 is all questions and set-up, but it passes a vibe check for a Southern Gothic mystery from history. It's a little railroady in that all characters spend the time travelling to a place and just arrive there, but there wouldn't be room for much more without cutting the Gambit plot. It didn't seem to have much to do with the A and B plots in different time periods - which is fine - it just distracts from the definitely connected journeys of Henry and The Outliers. It's a little jarring to cut from Southern Gothic to dinosaurs in the Savage Land, but it's part 1 of 4, so they may well be connected. Right now I'd prefer the other plots be more fleshed out, but I suppose it's a good thing to leave us wanting more.

It's certainly ambitious in its scope and I'm invested in the mystery that's being built here. I'm happy to say it feels like Simone is hitting her stride, leaning into the setup without replaying Rogue angst beats or having to worry about Xavier's dense gravity pulling the characters into his orbit. The issues I do have are caused by infrastructure - the book has a lot of characters and Jubilee and Kurt especially feel like NPCs. Marcus and Alice just watching the kids head into a swamp underscores their position as passive characters, but that's okay right now. Aside from doing a bottle episode, there's no way around that, so playing the cards as they lay and centering The Outliers is a strong move.

Dark Artery part 1 feels like a strong start for four parter, and for the first time I'm delighted to say that this issue is worth reading. A good issue even, with more of the elements I like and less of the undeveloped fluff. Henry is a mystery with some pretty big hints and The Outliers' Scooby Doo-ing Southern Gothic feels organic with me asking 'what's next?' I've been harah on this book, which I don't apologise for, but fair is fair. #13 is solid.

18 notes · View notes

imsodishy · 7 months ago

Text

WIP Word Game

Rules: you will be given a word. share one sentence/excerpt from your wip(s) that start with each letter of that word.

@robthegoodfellow tagged me (sooooo long ago, I'm sorry Rob but I started doing it and instead ended up actually working on the wip and then finished and posted Take a Step That is New, so actually, thank you Rob! and now it's wip wednesday anyway)

My word was SLEEP (I've been switching off between episodes of Four's Company so these are all from those)

S - “Sledgehammer,” Robin says, like it means something. Billy stares gormlessly at her while he tries to parse her point. She looks pointedly down around his knees, then back at his face even more pointedly. Billy’s got nothing. “You’re still holding the sledgehammer,” she says slowly.

Oh, so he is.

L - Looking around for a street sign, or a sign from on high that she’s crazy and should just give up, she instead spots a neon diner sign and decides maybe the map will be easier to read if she’s not hunched over the steering wheel, and with a hot coffee in her hand.

E - Eddie returns, triumphant, with the balled up green flyer held aloft at the same moment Billy re-emerges from the laundry room with a full hamper on his hip. Eddie doesn’t bother trying to hide the flyer as they stare each other down.

E -Evidently, sometime in the night, Heather somehow migrated sort of onto his back. With her face pressed between his shoulder blades she feels like a lizard on a hot stone, which would probably be nicer if it wasn't late August and muggy enough to make their hair frizz.

P - Panic, deep and familiar, thrums in his guts. It’s the Max isn’t doing what she’s supposed to be panic, that for about six years meant nothing but a shitstorm for him.

no pressure tags your word is MEAT @rigginsstreet @izzyspussy @shieldofiron @ghostlynimbus @magniloquent-raven @robthegoodfellow (that's right it's been so long that I'm hitting you back 😛) 💜

#dishy writes #tag game #billy hargrove #heather holloway #chrissy cunningham #(those are the pov characters)

13 notes · View notes

pleasureprince · 22 days ago

Text

@dvilsdesire said: 🎲— a kiss along the hips / kiss roulette

There are preferred passageways into, out of, and through the Hells. Graz’zt knows more of them than perhaps any other being, the Lord of Lies included. It has always been his nature to accumulate such knowledge, and he has had more time and opportunity than most to map and memorize Baator’s secrets. This is to say that there are more secure, more direct, ways to get where he is going; the House of Hope is seldom his first choice.

It does, however, have one very specific use case. While he would never travel into Mephistar using Raphael’s Chamber of Egress, it makes for an excellent quick step out of Cania. Should he be followed, the question becomes through which mirror he next stepped. The answer takes time to parse, and today, it is none. The master of the house is not home. As much as it amuses him to pass through the House of Hope undetected, it amuses him more to take a little something along the way.

He has enjoyed the incubus once before, the first time through a stroke of serendipity. A sliver of illusion magic goes quite a long way; it’s Luz’s face he wears into the boudoir, selling smiles and lies about wine sales and artifact dealings. Raphael is a man of taste, after all, and the Gentleman has something for everyone.

“I came to discuss something with the Archivist,” he tells Haarlep when asked. The lie is easy and natural; he did speak briefly to the tiefling before seeking out the incubus. “And to thank you for making the connection, of course. Though I’m afraid I don’t have very much time to spare before my next appointment.”

Haarlep does not lack for urgency; Luz allows himself to be descended upon. Some other day, he intends to make good use of that bathing pool, but for now, one of Raphael’s tacky chaise longues will suffice. They migrate toward it in a dance of hard, biting kisses and stripped clothing: Haarlep removes Luz’s jacket, loosens his shirt, tugs greedily at his trousers.

“I was so excited to add you to my repertoire.” Haarlep’s voice is a saccharine whine, accompanied by a pout. “You feel everything when I play with it, pet. Wouldn’t you like to enjoy all the ways I could use you?” He laughs, low and smug, as he reaches down to stroke Luz through the soft fabric of his pants. “I think you would.”

Were he Raphael, he would avoid undesired questions by distracting the incubus’s mouth. Haarlep on their knees is a pretty notion, but Luz is not known as the Gentleman for nothing. The opposite option is just as, if not more, effective. “I’m here in the flesh, greedy thing. Use me now.” He presses Haarlep’s knees further apart, settling between firm thighs.

“Trust that I will.” Luz chooses to ignore the sneering quality with which this is said. “But first, tell me what magic trick it was. Satisfy my curiosity, at least.” They cup the side of his face, thumb brushing his lips. He nips them and enjoys the noise that follows, low and melodic.

It is not strictly in his nature to deny a satisfaction, but this is an exchange. One for another. The incubus is greedy to expect both. “Is that what you would like me to do?” He presses a kiss to the crease where Haarlep’s abdomen joins their hip, hand trailing from thigh to groin. His mouth trails lower still, kissing a line just above the lewd scrap of leather containing their erection. Luz grazes his hand against it, thumb teasing the head of their cock through the cloth. “My mouth at your disposal, and you would have it answer dull questions?”

Haarlep’s hand twists viciously in Luz’s hair, a low purr vibrating his chest. “You want to taste me so badly?”

“Yes, you wicked creature, yes.”

It is as easy as distracting a cat.

#dvilsdesire.#ic / interactions.#nsfw.#everyone clap and say “good for you haarlep” in unison.

3 notes · View notes

spacetimewithstuartgary · 2 months ago

Text

Combination of cosmic processes shapes the size and location of sub-Neptunes

Newly developed tool helps parse data and detect planets smaller than Neptune around young stars, providing insight into their formation

A combination of cosmic processes shapes the formation of one of the most common types of planets outside of our solar system, according to a new study led by researchers at Penn State. The research team used data from NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) to study young sub-Neptunes — planets bigger than Earth but smaller than Neptune — that orbit close to their stars. The work provides insights into how these planets might migrate inward or lose their atmosphere during their early stages.

A paper describing the research appeared today March 17 in the Astronomical Journal. The findings offer clues about the properties of sub-Neptunes and help address long-standing questions about their origins, the team said.

“The majority of the 5,500 or so exoplanets discovered to date have a very close orbit to their stars, closer than Mercury to our sun, which we call ‘close-in’ planets,” said Rachel Fernandes, President’s Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics at Penn State and leader of the research team. “Many of these are gaseous sub-Neptunes, a type of planet absent from our own solar system. While our gas giants, like Jupiter and Saturn, formed farther from the sun, it’s unclear how so many close-in sub-Neptunes managed to survive near their stars, where they are bombarded by intense stellar radiation.” To better understand how sub-Neptunes form and evolve, the researchers turned to planets around young stars, which only recently became observable thanks to TESS.

“Comparing the frequency of exoplanets of certain sizes around stars of different ages can tell us a lot about the processes that shape planet formation,” Fernandes said. “If planets commonly form at specific sizes and locations, we should see a similar frequency of those sizes across different ages. If we don’t, it suggests that certain processes are changing these planets over time.”

Observing planets around young stars, however, has traditionally been difficult. Young stars emit bursts of intense radiation, rotate quickly and are highly active, creating high levels of “noise” that make it challenging to observe planets around them.

“Young stars in their first billion years of life throw tantrums, emitting a ton of radiation,” Fernandes explained. “These stellar tantrums cause a lot of noise in the data, so we spent the last six years developing a computational tool called Pterodactyls to see through that noise and actually detect young planets in TESS data.”

The research team used Pterodactyls to evaluate TESS data and identify planets with orbital periods of 12 days or less — for reference, much less than Mercury’s 88-day orbit —with the goal of examining the planet sizes, as well as how the planets were shaped by the radiation from their host stars. Because the team’s survey window was 27 days, this allowed them to see two full orbits from potential planets. They focused on planets between a radius of 1.8 and 10 times the size of Earth, allowing the team to see if the frequency of sub-Neptunes is similar or different in young systems versus older systems previously observed with TESS and NASA’s retired Kepler Space Telescope.

The researchers found that the frequency of close-in sub-Neptunes changes over time, with fewer sub-Neptunes around stars between 10 and 100 million years of age compared to those between 100 million and 1 billion years of age. However, the frequency of close-in sub-Neptunes is much less in older, more stable systems.

“We believe a variety of processes are shaping the patterns we see in close-in stars of this size,” Fernandes said. “It’s possible that many sub-Neptunes originally formed further away from their stars and slowly migrated inward over time, so we see more of them at this orbital period in the intermediate age. In later years, it’s possible that planets are more commonly shrinking when radiation from the star essentially blows away its atmosphere, a process called atmospheric mass loss that could explain the lower frequency of sub-Neptunes. But it’s likely a combination of cosmic processes shaping these patterns over time rather than one dominant force.”

The researchers said they would like to expand their observation window with TESS to observe planets with longer orbital periods. Future missions like the European Space Agency’s PLATO may also allow the research team to observe planets of smaller sizes, similar to that of Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars. Expanding their analysis to smaller and more distant planets could help the researchers refine their tool and provide additional information about how and where planets form.

Additionally, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope could permit the characterization of the density and composition of individual planets, which Fernandes said could give additional hints to where they formed.

“Combining studies of individual planets with the population studies like we conducted here would give us a much better picture of planet formation around young stars,” Fernandes said. “The more solar systems and planets we discover, the more we realize that our solar system isn’t really the template; it’s an exception. Future missions might enable us to find smaller planets around young stars and give us a better picture of how planetary systems form and evolve with time, helping us better understand how our solar system, as we know it today, came to be.”

IMAGE: Using a newly developed tool to sift through data from the NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, a team led by a Penn State astronomer has identified young sub-Neptune planets close to their stars and found that a variety of cosmic process may have shaped their size and location. In this hypothetical planetary system depicted over time, the planets b through f are depicted at three distinct stages: 10–100 Myr (top panel), 100 Myr–1 Gyr (middle panel), and >1 Gyr (bottom panel). This progression highlights key processes shaping the system, such as atmospheric mass loss and compositional evolution driven by stellar radiation and planetary interactions. Credit Abigail Minnich (abbyminnich.wixsite.com/film)

#science #space #astronomy #physics #news #astrophysics

2 notes · View notes

subism · 1 year ago

Text

Tumblr, AI, and The Impossible Year

I'm very disappointed by the news that Tumblr's content is going to be used to train AI. with a default Opt-In and questionable means of opting out. As an artist, this is something I cannot abide. From January 1, 2012 to January 1, 2014 I shot and posted a Polaroid photograph a day to this site, and when the pandemic hit in 2020 I resumed in April of that year and carried through (although less strictly) until May of 2021.

This was all posted to theimpossibleyear.tumblr.com / theimpossibleyear.com. It was a personal blog, and a deeply personal project. I showed what I was doing every day for multiple years.

There are literally hundreds of people featured throughout this project. Friends, family, colleagues, some of whom I had fallings out with, and some whom have since passed away.

These folks did not consent to have their likenesses used to train facial recognition algorithms or AI image generators. According to US copyright law, I am the owner to the photographs, and I can sublicense them however I want. I'm not keen on Tumblr doing the same. And while social media sites like Tumblr always had the rights to do things like this in their privacy policies, tools like Dall-E and Midjourney didn't exist at the time, and I never conceived of such a thing. My personal views on AI aside, I don't think allowing the likenesses of these folks to be bought and sold in such a way without their consent is ethical. Hypothetically I could reach out to every single one of them (or at least those still living) and ask for their consent, but aside from the tedium and awkwardness of having to repeatedly have that conversation, including with some folks I no longer associate with, I simply don't want to.

Additionally, I don't believe most folks really understand machine learning algorithms, large language models, and AI image generators, and I think honestly, it would be extremely hard to get informed consent for such a matter, and I sincerely believe most people would say 'No' if they understood it.

I believe artists should be compensated for their work, and I believe when that work is used for profit that the subjects of such work either need to have consented to that first. And, through that lens, the entitled beliefs of the people behind corporations like Open-AI and Midjourney, that they should be able to train off this work for free absolutely disgusts me. And I am disheartened to see Tumblr go the same route.

I do believe there are positive sides to AI, I do believe it is somewhat inevitable, but I do not believe the ends justify these means.

While I believe strongly in the public domain and creative commons, and I think US copyright law is deeply broken, I also know how hard it is to make a living as an artist. I will not I cannot sit by and just allow my own work, my own memories, my friends, family, and loved ones to be used as a tool to enrich billionaires at the expense of small creators.

I used to think that when I died I wanted all of my creative works to be willed into the public domain for the good of everyone. Now I'm not so sure. As such, I will be removing my content from Tumblr in the coming weeks. As I write this I'm importing the content of theimpossibleyear.tumblr.com to a self hosted server and theimpossibleyear.com is redirecting there. Once I am sure it's been successfully migrated I'll remove all of the content from Tumblr for good.

I know relocated content can still be scraped by AI bots against my will. But I'm considering ways of disabling crawlers, making it password protected and/or parsing all of the images through Nightshade or some other tool. At the very least I’ll have made my terms clear. I'm still figuring out what to do with this blog. It will eventually go away, but I have yet to decide what will happen with the content. Either way, this sucks. I am so tired.

#ai #midjourney #tumblr #polaroid #open-ai #ai art #theft #matt mullenweg #automattic #subism #the impossible year

8 notes · View notes

guzsdaily · 1 year ago

Text

Using Rust for scripting

Day 109 - Feb 22nd, 12.024

I got bored from just reading the book.

And I need some way to migrate the old links and daily journal notes to the new Daily Blogs notes, so why not use Rust to do the job? I finally can at least code in it, even if it is mostly just the basic procedural code without the Rust-only or Rust-magic stuff. It's not being difficult for now, but let see how these next weeks unfold. For now I will do these little "scripts" using Rust to get the hang of it, and because said "scripts" are for converting the markdown files of my Obsidian vault where I write the posts, I can also get hang of how to use it for markdown and AST parsing and manipulation.

Today's artists & creative things Playlist: Japanese indie rock songs I think you should listen at least once - by hasoyi archives

#daily blog #rust #codeblr

6 notes · View notes

transienturl · 11 months ago

Text

submitted to the support form:

Heya! Here's a low-level redpop feature request from the XKit Rewritten team:

The TimelineV2 migration replaces the `data-timeline` property with a new `data-timeline-id` property. XKit uses these to identify timeline elements to know how to process them, so it's helpful if they're unambiguous (which I believe redpop should ideally ensure anyway, for *mumble mumble scroll restoration cache collision* reasons), and fairly easy to parse.

The big change I'd really like is for Tumblr Patio ids (yes, the ones currently behind a feature flag) to

all start with "patio-", and

have the column UUID at the end rather than in the middle

Or something similar. This allows easy targeting of, say, "a patio tab searching for 'tumblr tuesdays' sorted by latest" via e.g. [data-timeline-id^="patio-search-tumblr tuesdays-recent-"] rather than needing a big regex.

Another small change, but one I think makes sense, is:

Always inserting an empty string instead of "undefined" when a value is undefined.

Right now, a search for the word "undefined" yields the same timeline id as not searching for anything, which is a bit odd. If that has side effects on the feature this code is actually for, I could imagine a user running into them someday.

Additionally, though more-contrived: searching the blog "april-undefined" for "xkit" and searching the blog "april" for "undefined-xkit" yield identical timeline ids of "peepr-posts-april-undefined-undefined-undefined-undefined-xkit-undefined-undefined"; any timeline id with two "user-generated" segments that can contain hyphens are a little bit ambiguous. It's probably impossible to invent this kind of scenario with the "undefined" strings removed, since blog names can't begin or end with a hyphen, have multiple hyphens, or include a number long enough to mistake for an entire post id, but maybe it's technically doable or will be in the future.

(One could make this kind of collision very certainly impossible through various means, like surrounding blog names in ids in square brackets or running encodeURIComponent on every segment and changing the separator from a hyphen to something that gets escaped by that function, but I wouldn't worry too much about this.)

#tumblr meta

3 notes · View notes

chattercap · 2 years ago

Text

October 2023 Development Log!

Hello everyone! Happy October~ Time for a monthly progress update!

I'll start off with the big stuff: I started migrating game engines, from Unity to Godot. You can read the rationale behind my decision here.

GAME ENGINE MIGRATION HELL…OR NOT?

Overall, the migration is going fairly smoothly! Godot has pretty robust C# support at the moment, so I was able to migrate/translate a fair amount of my basic C# codebase from Unity to Godot without issues. Visual novels are pretty lightweight games, so apart from some issues with mobile builds, I think it will go well, and I will continue working with Godot for the time being.

After I spent a few days experimenting with the systems, I programmed in my story parsing logic and finished a basic game loop. Currently, the text handling is complete, with all of the functions that I initially coded in (branching paths, nested choices, conditionals, etc.) Auto and fast forward are also functional, and I also worked in the saving/loading. In addition, I added a few additional functions: sections (the ability to parse the same text file into different scenes), checkpoints (the ability to easily navigate back to a specific line), and "unsticky choices" (the ability to make choices "disappear" if you've seen them once).

I also programmed in a NVL mode. For anyone that's not familiar with VN lingo, the standard format of sprites on top with the text box below is called "ADV" mode, whereas "NVL" mode features text overlaying the entire screen (usually with some kind of darkened background for visibility - like above). NVL mode is less common in VNs nowadays, but it's useful for long monologues or narration (whereas ADV is best for dialogues). I also coded in the ability to swap freely between NVL and ADV mode.

In addition, I implemented customizable text. Basically this is text that can be adapted based on user input. For anyone who has played games with customizable protagonists, this is useful for adding things such as pronouns.

I also worked on a few simple "polish/quality of life functions" (that existed in my Unity build, but required new code and a bit of fenegling to work in Godot):

-A typewriting effect so that text fades in instead of being shown all at once.

-Text boxes that dynamically size based on the text inside.

-Making buttons scale as you hover over them.

I also designed some new basic GUI. While I'm not sure I'll actually use this GUI unaltered in any game, this is a good "base framework" with all the necessary elements.

The updated save screen now has 100 save slots (I'll see how large the save files get and adjust accordingly), and it saves a screenshot of the current game screen in addition to the current line. (I was pretty proud of myself for this one!)

Lastly, I started working on a rollback function. If you're familiar with Ren'py games, you know that when you scroll up on the mousewheel, it basically "reverses" the game so that you can easily go back and reread text or play different choices. I didn't implement this when I first made my framework in Unity because it is a bit complex; there are a lot of variables and edge cases that you need to take into account, and it basically requires me to "double" the amount of code, as I need to account for both a story running forwards and a story running in reverse.

Since I'm basically rebuilding my framework from the ground up, I thought it would be a good opportunity to try to implement a rollback, as I can code it in pieces as the codebase is being built. Currently, rollback is functional!

EVERYTHING THAT'S NOT CODING HELL

My focus this month was The Deepwater Witch! The sprites for the leads are fully rendered, with two variations for each, and now they just need to be animated. Around a third of the CGs have been storyboarded, and I also took reference photos for the backgrounds. The script is up to 26,281 words.

I also worked a bit on character designs for Hanasu, the Karamu sequel.

PLANS FOR THIS MONTH

For coding, I will start implementing basic visuals - sprites, CGs, and backgrounds - before moving on to audio, visual effects, and other advanced visuals (animated panels, etc.)

For everything else, since Once Upon a Time VN Jam has officially started, I will continue focusing on The Deepwater Witch until the first draft of the script is complete, and all of the CGs and BGs have been storyboarded. After that, I will start working on my other projects with less immediate deadlines.

Thank you to everyone who's keeping up with my development shenanigans! If you want to hear from me more often, I post most of my major announcements here and on Twitter. I also post almost daily on my Patreon with sketches, writing snippets, sneak peeks, high resolution art, and weekly devlogs.

#general #general-dev

5 notes · View notes

notmuchtoconceal · 2 years ago

Text

youtube

since i got a phone again, been gettin back in the habit of listenin to hypno and meditatin while out on long walks, with or wothout a beach. having felt myself at long last plunge into a creative nadir (ranting at you is so effortless for me, i can and sometimes will, do it in my sleep) where i had felt so blocked by rage, guilt, fear, remorse, and a fixation on how boring other people feel around me (if they wanted to amuse me, they could always trick me into talking about myself until a friendlier topic comes up, but they never do) and tonight i was listening to this, a video and set of situations itself worth talking about, but honestly, i don't even know how to breach this shit with people who aren't occultists or comparative mythologers. Who the fuck is Asmoday? Did he build Solomon's temple or did Belial? Why are these lyrics all about Shiva and Shakti? How much are Hinduism, Zoroastrianism and Islam all touching? Are these really just the forms Hellenic gods took after Crissendom? How much do the Hellenic gods already relate to the world's oldest organized religion? If Hinduism is so old, theoretically emerging out of an earlier stage of human consciousness, what can parsing the symbol system of its tangled mythology teach us about our still developing primeval selves?

there are real answers, for you can trace the worship of these entities through migrating people groups, see how the worship developed or was compromised by new resources or foreign customs; what remained, was removed, or syncretized. see how the sprawl of retcons obscured the original atlas to leave us a treasure trove of literary devices, encouraging us to worship ourselves through them. Shiva the Destroyer is the original wielder of the trident, is half-woman and wears a tiger skin. you might care to see him winking at you from behind a panoply of familiar faces, though you may wonder if being eldest truly makes him most real.

still out on a walk, finish up this thought when i get home. sometimes i like having the luxury of sitting down to compose a complete thought.

#Youtube

2 notes · View notes

sophiasmithg · 4 days ago

Text

The Best 9 Python Frameworks for App Development in 2025

Python is the most popular and high-level, general-purpose programming language that supports multiple programming models, including structured, object-oriented, and functional programming. App developers often prefer using Python frameworks for App Development.

Developers often use Pyjnius, a Python library that allows access to Java classes. It can either launch a new Java Virtual Machine (JVM) within the process or connect to an existing JVM, such as the one already running on Android.

According to recent research from Statista, more than 48% of developers use Python frameworks for mobile app development.

What is a Python Framework?

Python frameworks are collections of pre-built modules and packages that help developers handle common tasks efficiently.

They simplify application development by providing ready-made solutions, so developers don’t have to start from scratch.

These frameworks also take care of details like thread management, sockets, and protocols, saving time and effort.

9 Best Python Frameworks for App Development in 2025

Explore here a list of Top 10 Python App Frameworks to Use in 2025:

1-Django

Django is a leading Python framework designed for building dynamic mobile and web applications with ease. It leverages a robust Object-Relational Mapping (ORM) system and follows the Model-View-Controller (MVC) pattern, ensuring clean, reusable, and easily maintainable code.

Whether you’re creating simple apps or scaling complex projects, Django’s powerful features make development faster and more efficient.

It has built-in tools like URL routing/parsing, authentication system, form validation, template engine, and caching to ensure a swift development process.

Django follows the DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself) concept and focuses on rapid app development with a neat design.

This framework is the first choice of developers for any Python project due to its versatility, customization, scalability, deployment speed, simplicity, and compatibility with the latest Python versions.

According to a Stack Overflow survey, Django and Flask are the most popular Python software development frameworks.

Some examples popular examples of apps built with the Django framework are Instagram and Spotify.

Key Features of Django Framework:

Enables execution of automated migrations

Robust security

Enhanced web server support

Comprehensive documentation

Vast add-ins with SEO optimization

2-Flask

Flask stands out as a top-rated, open-source Python microframework known for its simplicity and efficiency. The Flask framework comes packed with features like a built-in development server, an intuitive debugger, seamless HTTP request handling, file storage capabilities, and robust client-side session support.

It has a modular and adaptable design and added compatibility with Google App Engine.

Besides Django, Flask is another popular Python framework with the Werkzeug WSGI toolkit and Jinja2 template.

Flask operates under the BSD license, ensuring simplicity and freedom for developers.

Inspired by the popular Sinatra Ruby framework, Flask combines minimalism with powerful capabilities, making it a go-to choice for building scalable and efficient web applications.

Key Features of Flask Framework:

Jinja2 templating and WSGI compliance

Unicode-based with secure cookie support

HTTP request handling capability

RESTful request dispatch handling

Built-in server development and integrated unit-testing support

Plugs into any ORM framework

3-Web2Py

Web2Py is an open-source, full-stack, and scalable Python application framework compatible with most operating systems, both mobile-based and web-based.

It is a platform-independent framework that simplifies development through an IDE that has a code editor, debugger, and single-click deployment.

Web2Py deals with data efficiently and enables swift development with MVC design but lacks configuration files on the project level.

It has a critical feature, a ticketing system that auto-generates tickets in the event of issues and enables tracking of issues and status.

Key Features of Web2py Framework:

No configuration and installation needed

Enables use of NoSQL and relational databases

Follows MVC design with consistent API for streamlining web development

Supports internationalization and role-based access control

Enable backward compatibility

Addresses security vulnerabilities and critical dangers

4-TurboGears

TurboGears is an open-source, full-stack, data-driven popular Python web app framework based on the ObjectDispatch paradigm.

It is meant to make it possible to write both small and concise applications in Minimal mode or complex applications in Full Stack mode.

TurboGears is useful for building both simple and complex apps with its features implemented as function decorators with multi-database support.

It offers high scalability and modularity with MochiKit JavaScript library integration and ToscaWidgets for seamless coordination of server deployment and front end.

Key aspects of TurboGears Framework:

MVC-style architecture

Provides command-line tools

Extensive documentation

Validation support with Form Encode

It uses pylons as a web server

Provides PasteScript templates

5-Falcon

Falcon is a reliable and secure back-end micro Python application framework used for developing highly-performing microservices, APIs, and large-scale application backends.

It is extensible and optimized with an effective code base that promotes building cleaner designs with HTTP and REST architecture.

Falcon provides effective and accurate responses for HTTP threats, vulnerabilities, and errors, unlike other Python back-end frameworks. Large firms like RackSpace, OpenStack, and LinkedIn use Falcon.

Falcon can handle most requests with similar hardware to its contemporaries and has total code coverage.

Key Features of Falcon Framework:

Intuitive routing with URL templates

Unit testing with WSGI mocks and helpers

Native HTTP error responses

Optimized and extensible code base

Upfront exception handling support

DRY request processing

Cython support for enhanced speed

6-CherryPy

CherryPy is an object-oriented, open-source, Python micro framework for rapid development with a robust configuration system. It doesn’t require an Apache server and enables the use of technologies for Cetera templating and accessing data.

CherryPy is one of the oldest Python app development frameworks mainly for web development. Applications designed with CherryPy are self-contained and operate on multi-threaded web servers. It has built-in tools for sessions, coding, and caching.

Popular examples of CherryPy apps include Hulu and Juju.

Key features of CherryPy Framework:

Runs on Android

Flexible built-in plugin system

Support for testing, profiling, and coverage

WSGI compliant

Runs on multiple HTTP servers simultaneously

Powerful configuration system

7-Tornado

It is an open-source asynchronous networking Python framework that provides URL handling, HTML support, python database application framework support, and other crucial features of every application.

Tornado is as popular as Django and Flask because of its high-performing tools and features except that it is a threaded framework instead of being WSGI-based.

It simplifies web server coding, handles thousands of open connections with concurrent users, and strongly emphasizes non-blocking I/O activities for solving C10k difficulties.

Key features of Tornado Framework:

Web templating techniques

Extensive localization and translation support

Real-time, in-the-moment services

Allows third-party authorization, authorization methods, and user authentication

Template engine built-in

HTTP client that is not blocking

8- AIOHTTP Python Frameworks for App Development

AIOHTTP is a popular asynchronous client-side Python web development framework based on the Asyncio library. It depends on Python 3.5+ features like Async and Awaits.

AIOHTTP offers support for client and server WebSockets without the need for Callback Hell and includes request objects and routers for redirecting queries to functions.

Key Highlights of AIOHTTP Python Framework:

Provides pluggable routing

Supports HTTP servers

Supports both client and WebSockets without the callback hell.

Middleware support for web servers

Effective view building

Also, there are two main cross-platform Python mobile app frameworks

9- Kivy Python Frameworks for App Development

Kivy is a popular open-source Python framework for mobile app development that offers rapid application development of cross-platform GUI apps.

With a graphics engine designed over OpenGL, Kivy can manage GPU-bound workloads when needed.

Kivy comes with a project toolkit that allows developers to port apps to Android and has a similar one for iOS. However, porting Python apps to iOS currently is possible with Python 2.7.

Features of Kivy Framework:

Enables custom style in rendering widgets to give a native-like feel

Enhanced consistency across different platforms with a swift and straightforward approach

Well-documented, comprehensive APIs and offers multi-touch functionalities

Source of Content: Python Frameworks for App Development

#topPythonframeworks #Pythonframeworksforappdevelopment #bestPythonframeworks #Pythondevelopmentframeworks #Pythonwebframeworks #top9Pythonframeworksfordevelopers #Pythonframeworksforbuildingwebapps #Pythonframeworksformobileandwebdevelopment #fullstackPythonframeworks #microframeworksinPython #Pythonappdevelopmenttools

0 notes

digitalmore · 24 days ago

Text

#IFTTT #Digital More

0 notes

sabreean · 1 month ago

Text

This has been a weekend of outstanding birdsong and sigh, and there have been quite a few firsts. Last Thursday on my walk to work, for only the second time in the weeks I've been listening, I heard a black-capped chickadee among the house sparrows and Northern Cardinals and American robins and crows. Then to my great surprise, I heard a merlin! It was one of those "I can't be hearing what I think I am" moments but you can't mistake a raptor and sure enough, my bird app (called "Merlin" if you can believe it) told me yep, you really did hear a merlin. It's a small falcon that's rare in urban spaces. It preys on small birds and bog knows there are plenty of those in Uptown so that’s probably why it's here. Then wonder of wonders - I heard it again on my walk home this evening! Along with the chickadee again and another first, a song sparrow. I also heard an American goldfinch on the walk home, again for only the second time since I started listening, and caught a glimpse of it flying into my neighbor's tree. A bright yellow male, ready to find a mate. I also heard a house finch which I hear occasionally with the sparrows, but not regularly. The next morning I went through the alleys to work instead of walking along the street to cut down on car noise and I had another first - a pine siskin. It’s a small finch that likes to hang out with goldfinches. I’ll certainly remember it if I hear one again, it does a bizarre little ziiiiiiiiiiip sound at the back end of its very manic call.

I had two more firsts late Saturday morning, while walking my dog Slater: a golden-crowned kinglet and a white-throated sparrow. They, like yesterday’s pine siskin, like hanging out in the coniferous trees that abound in Uptown yards. Especially back yards so I'm not surprised that I heard all three while walking own alleys, not streets. Wait, the white-throated sparrow was on the street, but still you get the idea. It was very breezy today and the car traffic was heavy so the app didn't hear as many birds as usual, methinks. But then neither did I.

I went back and listened to recordings of some of the birds I've heard because I want to learn to hear them without the app. I can pick out house sparrows, cardinals, robins, chickadees without the app now (I never needed the app for crows or Canada geese, that would just be damned embarrassing) and boy will I remember the golden-crowned kinglet, that was very distinctive. Anyhoo, the first day I was listening the app identified tundra swans for what I thought the app heard inaccurately, that they were Canada geese because the geese are everywhere. We live 15-20 minutes' walk away from the Chain of lakes: Bde Unma (Lake Harriet), Bde Maka Ska and Wita Tome (Lake of the Isles) and the geese fly over our house and neighborhood a fair bit. I even think I heard a mallard once but it only vocalized that single time and it was before I was using the Merlin app, so I'm not counting coup on that one. But I just listened to recordings of tundra swans and the app was right; it was tundra swans, *very* different from the geese. I have a book on Minnesota phenology and the two birds migrate back to the Twin Cities about the same time, starting a couple of weeks ago. I don't think I'll ever be able to tell a house sparrow from a house finch, my ear just can't parse out the very small differences, but the goldfinch trills more so I think I can learn that one with more listens. Same for song sparrow, I can tell it's different from the house sparrow in several ways, but I need to hear it a few more times. That's how I knew I'd heard something new yesterday. I don't watch my phone as I'm walking but when I hear a new-to-me bird I snatch it up to see what the sound hit was. The white-throated sparrow sounds like a human whistling while they walk along. If I hadn’t had the app I would have thought it was a person.

And then today, walking around Wita Tomne in the early afternoon, I did hear tundra swans again! Along with two more firsts - a downy woodpecker and a red-winged blackbird. We saw many mating pairs of mallards but they were quiet; heard and saw many Canada geese that were also probably mating pairs nest-siting, because it’s that time of year, but the males and females are so much alike that I can't tell them apart. I also saw a duck that seemed smaller than the mallards, with white stripes down a black head. It’s not in any of the lists of Minnesota duck species and a web search for ducks with white stripes on their heads did not identify if, especially disappointing because I was using Duck Duck Go. It also heard common grackles which I saw yesterday walking to the optometrist, but it didn’t vocalize so I dismissed it as a small crow because I didn’t know grackles lived this far north. But today proved it and the phenology book backed it up, it was a grackle.

#spring #Uptown_Minneapolis

0 notes

evabrielle · 3 months ago

Text

Optimizing Sales with Lead Tracking CRM: Boost Efficiency and Conversions

Are you tired of losing potential customers in the chaos of your sales process? 😫 Imagine a world where every lead is nurtured, every interaction is tracked, and your sales team operates like a well-oiled machine. Welcome to the game-changing world of Lead Tracking CRM.

In today's competitive business landscape, efficiency is the name of the game. A robust lead-tracking CRM system isn't just a fancy tool—it's your secret weapon for skyrocketing sales and crushing quotas. By centralizing your lead information, automating tedious tasks, and providing invaluable insights, this powerful solution can transform your sales operations from good to extraordinary. OPAL CRM in the USA provides the best services like lead tracking CRM, which boosts sales and tracks easily with the CRM solutions.

Ready to unlock the full potential of your sales team and boost your bottom line? 🚀 In this blog post, we'll dive deep into the world of Lead Tracking CRM, exploring how it can streamline your lead management, enhance team productivity, and ultimately maximize your conversion rates. From understanding the basics to leveraging automation for peak efficiency, we'll cover everything you need to know to optimize your sales process and leave your competition in the dust.

Understanding Lead Tracking CRM

Definition and key features

Lead Tracking CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is a powerful software solution constructed to help businesses manage and track potential customers throughout the sales procedure. Key features include:

Contact Management

Lead Scoring

Pipeline Visualization

Task Automation

Reporting and Analytics

Feature

Description

Contact Management

Centralized database for saving and organizing customer information

Lead Scoring

Automated system for ranking leads based on their likelihood to convert

Pipeline Visualization

Visual representation of the sales process and lead progression

Task Automation

Automated workflows for routine tasks and follow-ups

Reporting and Analytics

Comprehensive insights into sales performance and lead behavior

Benefits of sales optimization

Lead Tracking CRM offers numerous advantages for optimizing sales processes:

Improved lead qualification

Enhanced team collaboration

Increased sales efficiency

Better customer insights

Data-driven decision making

Integration with existing sales processes

Implementing a lead-tracking CRM requires seamless integration with current sales workflows. This involves:

Mapping existing processes to CRM features

Training sales teams on new tools

Customizing the CRM to fit specific business requirements

Establishing data migration and synchronization protocols

By effectively integrating lead-tracking CRM, businesses can create a more streamlined and efficient sales ecosystem. This integration forms the foundation for improved lead management, which we'll explore in the next section.

Streamlining Lead Management

Centralizing lead data

Centralizing lead data is crucial for streamlining lead management and improving overall sales efficiency. By consolidating all lead information in one central repository, sales teams can easily access and update data, ensuring everyone works with the most current and accurate information.

Benefits of centralized lead data:

Single source of truth

Improved data accuracy

Enhanced collaboration

Faster decision-making

Better reporting and analytics

Automating lead capture and assignment

Automating lead capture and assignment processes can significantly decrease manual work and minimize the risk of leads falling through the cracks. This automation permits sales teams to focus on high-value activities rather than administrative tasks.

Automation Feature

Benefits

Web form integration

Instant lead capture from website

Email parsing

Automatic creation of leads from inbound emails

Social media integration

Capture leads from social platforms

Lead routing rules

Assign leads based on predefined criteria

Prioritizing leads effectively

Effective lead prioritization ensures that sales teams focus their efforts on the most promising opportunities. By implementing a scoring system based on various criteria, organizations can identify high-potential leads and allocate resources accordingly.

Nurturing leads through the sales funnel

Lead nurturing is essential for guiding prospects through the sales funnel and maintaining engagement throughout the buyer's journey. A well-designed nurturing strategy can significantly impact conversion rates and customer retention.

Significant elements of a successful lead nurturing strategy:

Personalized content

Multi-channel communication

Timely follow-ups

Progressive profiling

Lead scoring updates

By implementing these lead management strategies, organizations can optimize their sales processes and enhance overall efficiency. Next, we'll explore how lead tracking CRM enhances sales team productivity.

Enhancing Sales Team Productivity

A. Reducing manual data entry

Lead tracking CRM systems significantly reduce the burden of manual data entry, freeing up valuable time for sales professionals. By automating data capture and input processes, these systems allow sales teams to focus on high-value activities that drive conversions.

Automatic lead capture from various sources

Integration with email and calendar systems

Data synchronization across platforms

Manual Data Entry

Automated CRM

Time-consuming

Time-saving

Error-prone

Accurate

Repetitive tasks

Focus on sales

B. Providing real-time insights and analytics

Real-time data and analytics empower sales teams to make informed decisions quickly. CRM systems offer comprehensive dashboards and reports that provide instant visibility into sales performance, lead status, and pipeline health.

C. Facilitating collaboration among team members

Effective collaboration is crucial for sales success. Lead tracking CRM systems enhance team communication and coordination through:

Shared calendars and task lists

Centralized customer information

Real-time updates on lead interactions

D. Mobile access for on-the-go sales professionals

Modern CRM solutions offer mobile accessibility, enabling sales teams to stay productive while on the move. This feature allows sales professionals to:

Access customer data from anywhere

Update lead information in real-time

Schedule appointments and follow-ups on the go

By leveraging these productivity-enhancing features, sales teams can significantly improve their efficiency and effectiveness. With reduced manual tasks and improved access to critical information, sales professionals can dedicate more time to building relationships and closing deals. Next, we'll explore how lead-tracking CRM systems can help improve customer relationships, further boosting sales performance.

Optimizing Sales Strategies

Analyzing sales performance metrics

To optimize your sales strategies effectively, it's crucial to analyze key performance metrics. Here's a breakdown of essential metrics and their impact:

Metric

Description

Impact on Strategy

Conversion Rate

Percentage of leads that become customers

Helps identify effective tactics

Average Deal Size

Average value of closed deals

Informs pricing and upselling strategies

Sales Cycle Length

Time from first contact to closing

Highlights areas for process improvement

Customer Acquisition Cost

Total cost to acquire a new customer

Guides budget allocation and ROI assessment

Identifying bottlenecks in the sales process

Once you've analyzed your metrics, it's time to pinpoint bottlenecks. Common issues include:

Long response times to leads

Inefficient qualification processes

Inadequate follow-up procedures

Lack of personalized communication

Forecasting future sales trends

Utilize your CRM data to predict future trends:

Analyze historical data patterns

Consider seasonal fluctuations

Factor in market conditions and industry trends

Use predictive analytics tools for more accurate forecasts

Adapting strategies based on data-driven insights

With a clear understanding of your performance, bottlenecks, and future trends, you can now adapt your strategies:

Refine lead scoring models to focus on high-potential prospects

Implement targeted training to address specific team weaknesses

Adjust resource allocation based on forecasted demand

Develop personalized outreach campaigns using customer insights

You'll be well-positioned to improve efficiency and boost conversions by continuously optimizing your sales strategies using CRM data. Next, we'll explore maximizing conversion rates using these optimized strategies.

Conclusion:

Lead tracking CRM is a powerful tool that can revolutionize your sales process, boosting efficiency and driving conversions. By streamlining lead management, enhancing sales team productivity, and improving customer relationships, businesses can optimize their sales strategies and maximize conversion rates. The power of automation further amplifies these benefits, permitting sales teams to concentrate on high-value activities and nurturing leads effectively.

Ready to streamline your lead management and boost conversions? OPAL CRM in the USA provides top-tier lead-tracking solutions designed to enhance efficiency and maximize sales. Don't let valuable leads slip through the cracks—empower your team with the best CRM technology today!

👉 Get Started Now! Contact us to learn how OPAL CRM can revolutionize your sales process.

#lead tracking crm

0 notes