#sidecar pattern

[autisticshadowthehedgehog]

A Cluster of Burning Stars - Chapter Nineteen

in which there's an unfortunate fall

{ao3} {tumblr}

Chapter TWs: Implied Period-Typical Homophobia, General "Living Experiment" Dehumanization

--

Once in the air, Metal Knuckles, Tails Doll flailing from a strap on his side, wasted no time in chasing after them. As Angel Island disappeared into the sky, the remnants of morning light shining over the invisible shield that Tails had constructed, the metallic fake Knuckles grew closer. Sonic, sitting in his own sidecar for the first time– and not too fond of being in a place where he couldn’t see Amy very well– nearly turned himself all the way around, staring at the bits of fire coming out of the metal echidna’s feet. 

“He got air shoes?” he asked. 

“Jet-propelled interior system.” Tails answered, his hands flying around the panelboard of buttons in front of him. “Unfortunately for us, it means he can last quite a while. I’m turning on the turrets, but that fucker can dodge pretty well.” 

“What exactly is the plan, then?” Knuckles asked, growling at his duplicate.

“We’ve got about twenty minutes before we hit our destination, so our goal is to knock them into the sea before then. If not, well– the B-Team’ll be there.” 

Knuckles smirked. “Oh, I’m sure he’d hate from them to get their hands on– start firing, start firing, start firing-!”

Metal Knuckles had gotten extremely close to the airplane, and raked a sharp, clawed hand through the air, aiming for the elevator. Tails jerked the plane to the side, knocking Sonic into the wall of the sidecar, which he reached out to grip tight. “Yo! Watch the tilt!”

“Sonic!” came Amy’s annoyed voice from the other side of the plane. “Put on your stupid seatbelt!” 

Sonic glanced down at the belt. He didn’t like being tied down, even when he knew it was a good idea, so he just called back, “Sorry, Amy, can’t hear you!” 

“Sonic!” 

Sonic heard a click and a whoosh from just below them, and then a repetitive blasting as laser shots broke out from both sides of the plane, rushing back towards the robot. Metal Sonic spun in the air as the shots barely raced past them. As soon as the lasers stalled for a moment, Metal Knuckles rushed to the right, appearing a little behind Sonic. The hedgehog stuck his tongue out at him, then was surprised to see those black eyes narrow at the motion, the green irises thinning into slits. 

As Metal spun to avoid another round of lasers, Sonic’s gaze then drifted to the little doll, still strapped to their enemy’s side. Despite its own expression being sewn on, he somehow felt as if the thing was watching him. As its antenna began rapidly blinking, and the pattern didn’t seem translatable, Sonic reached back, poking Knuckles’s arm. 

“Hey, Knux? Can that doll do anything?” 

“Yeah. It’s kinda fucked up.” 

“I think it’s doing something now.” 

“Shit.” 

Both boys watched carefully as the lasers stalled once again, and Tails Doll’s flashing increased in speed. Then, suddenly, both Metal Knuckles and Tails Doll disappeared into the sky. 

“Taaaails!” Knuckles called, grasping the Master Emerald to his chest and ducking over it. “They have a cloaking program!” 

“Huh. That explains how we didn’t see them, I guess–”

“Not the time!” 

Sonic hissed as something– and he could take a good guess what– slammed against the tail of the plane, temporarily spinning them in the wrong direction. Tails quickly course-corrected, but they all could very quickly tell what their new problem was going to be. 

“Aw, fuckshit…” Tails groaned. He flipped a switch, and then said, “Plane’s on autopilot now, so I’m gonna focus on trying to hit these bitches. You lot start swinging if you feel the air move around you!”

“I’m not letting go of this fucking emerald!” Knuckles declared.

At the same time, Amy shouted, “Surely we have a better plan than that?” 

Before Tails could answer, one of the wings was punched up. The plane did a spin, with Sonic barely managing to grab onto the edges of the sidecar to keep himself from instantly plummeting into the ocean below.

Oh. Holy shit. 

As the plane righted itself, and Tails let out another string of curses and firing of laser shots, Sonic’s muzzle paled, and despite himself, he turned to stare down at the churning sea. He felt trapped already, dragged down, pushed under the water and unable to breathe. 

Yeah. Maybe he should figure out how to work that seatbelt. 

His hands scrambled for the strap of leather, but before he could even get a grip, the invisible Metal Knuckles must have gotten a hold on the rudder, as the plane suddenly spun once again, this time side-to-side instead of up-and-down. His body collided hard with the side of the plane, a sting of pain shooting up and around his head and a loud ringing bursting across his ears. And before he could right himself, the plane flipped, and he found himself falling. 

He heard Amy scream for him, but it sounded really distant. Even before he reached a significant distance, the plane had started to look very blurry as the wind picked up around him, and he tumbled out of the sky. 

---

“Alright, team. The robots deploy in t-minus sixty seconds.” Shadow said, cracking his knuckles and smiling. “You know our directive– right, Sonic?” 

Sonic nodded. “They told me before I came in. Test-run of the new bots and regular chaos energy leveling.”

“Good. You two are the draw, I get the edges.” 

Amy bounced on her feet, overjoyed to stick her hand into the middle of the group. “Team fist bump!” 

Sonic tapped his foot, rolling his eyes but smiling. “What’s our time?” 

“Our best run was two minutes, thirty-seven.” Shadow recounted. 

“We can beat that easy.” he smirked, before putting his fist against Amy’s. “On three?” 

“Always three.” Shadow laughed, before mirroring their action. 

“One… two… three!” 

A buzzer sounded above them, and the hedgehogs immediately started racing to the center of the room. Shadow teleported to a top corner, dropping into a crouch and wiggling slightly with excitement, as Amy whipped out her hammer and stood back-to-back with Sonic. He tapped his foot, barely able to keep a smile off his face as he wiggled his shoulders and started to bounce himself up-and-down. 

Team missions were so much more fun than solo. 

Things were finally looking up, despite the fact that the morning hadn’t gone so well. Just as Sonic had awoken, he’d found that Shadow and Amy had already left. He even climbed up the ladder, checking each bunk individually in case they were just too asleep to hear him ask for them. It wasn’t unusual for them to be out without him, of course, but they hadn’t had early-morning tests in a while, so he just huffed and slid back down to the ground, arms crossed, until Maria came to take him to breakfast. Then, after that, she had checkups to do, so he was just alone in his room, trying to find literally anything to keep himself occupied. None of his books held his interest, somehow his homework was even more boring, playing board games with himself got boring, and he knew if he tried to do a few laps around the ship, he’d get yelled at for wandering around without a chaperone, and he didn’t want to deal with that today. 

He had been laying on Shadow’s bunk, hands running over his plaid blanket. Apparently it had been Maria’s when she was a kid, but she’d passed it on to Shadow when he got his first room. His and Amy’s blankets were newer– hers was a faded red with an off-white floral pattern, and his had a white base with a series of colorful stripes. Despite them all being wool, for some reason they all felt a little bit different to him. He wasn’t sure what it was, but Shadow said he could feel it, too. 

His ear had flicked up at a distant sound, and he’d looked to the door. Several people seemed to be walking down the hall, and as their footsteps slowed the closer they got, he could ascertain that they were coming to fetch him. So he slid off the bunk, tapping his foot excitedly and swinging his arms as he waited for them to open the door. When they finally did, they barely got out that he had a test to do with the others before he had zipped into the center of the group, already bouncing on his feet and cheering, “Let’s go, let’s go, let’s goooo!” He got a surprised laugh out of them for that, which he considered a win. He thought that might mean the day was looking up; Dr Jaworski even held his hand on the way down to the lab, and nobody complained when he started rambling about the Little House book that Maria had read to them last weekend. He’d liked it better than Mrs Dalloway from the week before. Despite the intense trials of the Ingalls’ life on the farm, that book had felt happier to him. Shadow had disagreed with him on that, just like they’d disagreed on Light in August. But that argument was one they still couldn’t manage to settle, because the Professor had said Amy wasn’t old enough to read it and Maria had decided to take the route of “learning from each other’s interpretations,” whatever that meant. 

Okay, well. Maybe debating with Shadow over something as meaningless as a fictional book they both decided to pick up was a bit fun. Even if Shadow was totally wrong. 

When they made their way to the observation room, Sonic happily shrugged and went through the connecting door, waving at Amy as he saw her spinning in a circle, swinging out her hammer as she did. At first, he thought they might already be in a battle simulation, but no, she was just spinning for shits and giggles. Shadow had been leaning against the wall, arms crossed and eyes closed as he thought about something or another. Sonic had found himself just watching him for a little bit, wondering what was in that inexplicable mind of his, before Amy spotted him, flung her hammer into the wall, and tackle-hugged him to the ground. “Sonic, Sonic, Sonic!” She hadn’t let go for a while, even though Sonic gently pushed her off, but eventually they’d had to get to the experiment.

Time caught back up to Sonic as a panel in the upper leftside of the room swung open, training droids pouring out of it. In a small pattern, they slammed onto the floor, and immediately wheeling for the hedgehogs in the center. Sonic could hear another panel swing open above Shadow, who hid under it for a second before attacking the last bot to come out with a kick to the back of its head, slamming it down on another one of the same model. Sonic, though, didn’t have much time to watch the show, as he swiftly found himself tackling his own droid and kicking it into the wall. He heard Amy cheer as she began to swing her hammer around, so he moved in the opposite direction, pounding against metal heads as he went. Ducking under one of the flying drones, Sonic bounced off the wall to jump atop and stomp on its head, before racing down, sliding, and kicking down a rising droid. 

Shadow leapt down beside him, smiling slightly as he swung a punch at a nearing bot. “Nice move.” 

He smirked. “Check this one out!” With that, he spun on his heel, slammed a bot in the face with his fist, and then jumped over it, landed on his hands, and flipped himself back into the air, landing feet-first atop a bot’s head, crushing it underfoot. 

Shadow laughed, miming a few claps before turning and dropkicking another robot. Sonic found himself giggling, even as he turned back to the fight, a swelling feeling of pride rising in his chest. 

He heard a scream from Amy, and looked up to see her in the clutches of one of the flying bots. His eyes darted to Shadow– with his teleportation, he was far better at getting rid of the mid-air enemies. But though Shadow’s ear twitched, he was in the center of three attackers, so Sonic sighed, turned, and once again ran for the wall. He made a leap, angling himself so that he could immediately launch himself up towards the mid-air struggle. As soon as his hands gripped onto the lower limbs of the airbot, he swung himself up so that he was practically upside-down, his legs kicking into the cold metal enough for it to let go of his friend. As he rolled again, he made sure to direct it towards the wall before dropping off, just in time for Amy to leap up and slam it to bits with her hammer. 

Once he hit the ground, he did a quick assessment, ducked as Shadow jumped over him, and then raced into the far corner to knock out the last of the robots on that side of the room. One got a punch to the face, and the other two were kicked directly into the wall.

With a final crash from where Amy had ended up, there was a soft beeping noise above them, and the lights changed slightly. Sonic smiled at first, standing up and brushing off his hands. He opened his mouth to make a joke, then found himself just staring at the pile that had been the last robot he’d kicked. One leg was still twitching slightly. For a moment, it was all he could look at, as the room got just a little bit colder.

Then Amy’s arms were around him, and she was cheering, “We did it! And you saved me!” 

Sonic briefly looked away from the bot, a little dazed. “Wha…?” 

She laughed brightly and pressed harder against his back, hugging him tight. He tensed against the slight pain over the fading burn scar, which Shadow seemed to notice. He walked over, and followed Sonic’s gaze back to the broken robot. 

“Do you think it…?” Sonic asked. 

Shadow paused, before saying, “It runs on a computer system. It doesn’t feel pain. I’m certain.” 

Sonic nodded, though he still stared at the machine until they heard the click of the observatory door unlocking. Shadow slid his hand against Sonic’s, sending another rush through his body, before gently guiding him and the clingy Amy back to the other room. She stumbled a little, still refusing to let go of Sonic, but he knew better than to push her away, so he just squeezed Shadow’s hand whenever he needed him to slow down. 

When they made it into the observation room, the scientists were all talking amongst themselves, barely glancing at the hedgehogs as they entered. Eventually, though, Dr Norton made his way over, holding a clipboard and staring at it as he talked. 

“Shadow, excellent work as always.” he said. “You may want to make sure you don’t focus too hard on one opponent, though, in case others try to sneak up on you.” 

Shadow crossed his arms and nodded, taking in the suggestion. 

“Sonic,” he said, surprising the blue hedgehog; he’d assumed Amy was next, “You were supposed to stick with Rose. Make sure you follow orders more directly.” 

Sonic blinked. “Amy was fine on her own.” 

“Clearly not, considering the airborne droid got its hands on her.” 

“Sonic saved me!” Amy cheered, still hugging against him. 

“She could’ve gotten out of that by herself.” Sonic shrugged. “Just would’ve taken a while.” he glanced back at her, and said, “Next time, try to use the boots to flip your center of gravity. It’ll throw off the attacker enough to give you an advantage.” 

Though she still didn’t release him, Amy did nod. Across from them, Norton shook his head. “That’s not the point, Sonic. When ordered to stick with her, you stick with her.” 

He bristled enough that Amy let out a humph. “Sonic, don’t stick your quills out! You’re poking me.” 

“Okay, what if Shadow was pinned down and about to die?” Sonic said. “Should I stick with Amy then?” 

“I wouldn’t be in that situation.” Shadow said. 

“Don’t be so full of yourself for one minute, Shads, I’m making a point.” 

Norton looked to the other scientists for help, and eventually Dr Taylor made his way over, waving Norton off. “Sonic. The question is not of who needs assistance. The problem is that you need to follow your orders.” 

“That doesn’t answer my question. If Shadow was dying and Amy wasn’t, should I still stick with Amy then?” 

“That wasn’t happening.” 

“But it could!” Sonic tried again to shake Amy off, which made her huff again. “We all know Amy’s the best at combat. It’s more likely Shadow would need help than her.” 

Shadow glared daggers at him. “I wouldn’t need help.” 

“We’re not arguing specifics, Sonic. It’s the principle.” 

“Funny, cause I don’t think it is.” 

Taylor raised an eyebrow, and Shadow began to tense as well. “Stop questioning orders.” 

“I’m not questioning, I know what’s going on.” Sonic hissed. “You really think I’m dumb as rocks, don’t you?” 

“Sonic, don’t be rude.” Shadow said quickly. 

“Why not? They would let you die if it meant I stuck with my orders.” 

“That’s not what they said.” 

“It’s exactly what they said!” 

“Sonic.” Taylor said sternly, as the other scientists quieted. “Control yourself.” 

Someone hit a buzzer on the wall, and Shadow reached out and grabbed Amy’s arm, tugging on her to tell her to let go of Sonic. She hesitantly did so, muttering something about how his quills were all pointy now, but seemed surprised as Shadow then quickly pushed her behind him. 

“I’m in control.” Sonic hissed. “I’m just not blind.” Shadow tugged on his hand, too, trying to calm him down, but Sonic yanked his arm back. “Don’t touch me.” 

Dr Taylor looked over his shoulder, calling to the others, “I think Project Sonic needs time to calm down. Can someone get–”

“No! No time-out!” Sonic stomped his foot. “Answer my question!” 

Shadow let go of Amy, which Sonic had to guess was solely so that she wouldn’t be able to tell how quickly he was breathing. “Sonic. Stop it.” 

“I did help Amy when she was in trouble!” Sonic insisted. “You just didn’t like that I stepped away from her for five seconds.” 

Amy glanced around at the tense room, before admitting, “I don’t like when you leave me alone, either.”

“Because you were supposed to stay in the center with Rose.” Taylor said, ignoring her. “Instead, you decided to show off.” 

“I was doing what I was supposed to do. I was breaking bots!” 

“Sonic, how are you supposed to be a good soldier if you don’t listen to your superiors?” 

“Since when was I a soldier?” he stomped his foot again, throwing up his hands. “I thought we were medicine. Why are we even doing this? Team-building exercise? Motor-control testing? I think there’s other ways we could do that!” 

“Sonic, stop it.” Shadow hissed. 

Sonic spun on him. “You’re on their side?” 

“There’s no sides!” Shadow said quickly, before reaching out and grabbing Amy’s hand again. “They were just giving you notes. It’s not personal.” 

“You don’t get it!” 

“There’s nothing to get!” 

The hallway door slid open behind them. As soon as the sound hit his ears, Sonic instantly turned on his feet, shouting, “I don’t need a time out!” He fell silent, though, when the Professor entered the room.

“What’s going on?” Gerald Robotnik asked, looking up from the tense hedgehogs to the group of scientists. 

Dr Norton tapped his clipboard. “Test went well, but Sonic is upset at his evaluation.” 

“It’s not the evaluation and you know it!” Sonic shouted, turning to kick the wall. “God!” 

Gerald sighed and knelt down, getting inbetween Sonic and the rest of his array. “Sonic. You shouldn’t be shouting at your superiors.” 

“Well, they shouldn’t be trying to force me into…” he began to stumble over his words, trying to figure out what he was trying to say. “Into the… like… I know that… and…” 

Gerald glanced back at the doctors, and Taylor explained, “He left his post with Rose during the battle, resulting in her being incapacitated by a flying droid.” 

“She was fine, and she would’ve been fine even if I didn’t turn back to help her!” 

“Sonic, Sonic, Sonic.” the Professor sighed again. “We know that Amy is capable. But we need to make sure you can follow direction. Wildcards are not helpful in battle. When unexpected problems arise from within, it can throw off the entire operation.” 

Sonic bristled again. “You know what I’m mad about, don’t you?” 

“When you’re in the field, Sonic, you may not understand as much of what’s happening as a supervisor may. So when they tell you to do something, you do it.” 

“I’m not stupid, Professor.” 

“I know you’re not, Sonic–”

“You think I don’t notice who I’m being paired with more often? You think I don’t hear what you guys are saying to us?” 

He caught a brief glimpse of Shadow’s confused face from behind the Professor, before the man said, “Sonic. Do you need to calm down?” 

“I don’t need a fu– a friggin time-out!” 

“That’s not what I meant. Perhaps you should just cool off in your room for a time before accepting your evaluation.” 

Sonic could feel himself shaking. He wished he could make himself stop. “You’re not going to listen to me, are you? None of you are.” 

“Sonic. Go to your room.” he said sternly. “Then maybe we can discuss apologizing to the people you disrespected. They only want what’s best for the project, after all. Maybe you can think things over and try to understand.” 

His voice was very, very firm. Sonic bit back several more insults, trying to ignore the fire in his chest as he glanced over the Professor’s shoulder. He saw the scientists, all looking at him with mixed expressions of frustration and empathy, depending on the person. Amy looked a little bit scared as she hid behind Shadow, who was staring at the ground as if it were the most interesting thing in the world. He finally looked back to the Professor. He knew he was just trying to keep the peace. It didn’t change the fact he wasn’t going to help him.

Sonic took a deep breath, shot one more glare at the room, and then started running, bursting out of the room and racing down the halls. 

---

This time, Maria was the one to find him in the closet. 

He hadn’t hid from the world in a storage room or supply closet since Shadow had brought him to the window. He’d liked being able to talk to Shadow. And it had extended to talking to Amy, to Maria, sometimes even to the Professor, on those nights where they were late in the lab and Sonic was bored, sitting on a table and kicking his legs and rambling about something or another while the older man nodded along. But nobody was listening today, and he knew it, so when he got back to his room, he grabbed a blanket and immediately stomped into the closet, slamming the door shut and locking it before hiding in a corner.

Since only Amy wore clothes, and only the old ones from when Maria was young, they didn’t have much in their closet. It was mostly empty, actually, with just a rack of shoes, a couple of pillows from when they sometimes tried “camping out” and a pile of books they hadn’t read in a while. Sonic couldn’t even bring himself to look through the novels for something to read, instead he just curled up with the blanket and worked hard to hold back tears. Nobody got it, despite everybody knowing what the problem was. And that was frustrating. He couldn’t understand how they couldn’t understand. And yet at the same time, he knew exactly what they were feeling. And why this was his problem. 

He wasn’t sure how long he’d been in there, but it had been a long while before he heard the room’s door open from a few feet away. Someone walked in, stayed silent for a moment as they clearly observed the area, looking for him, before the doorknob jiggled slightly. When the door didn’t open, he heard Maria’s soft voice. “Sonic. I know you’re in there. Can you open the door?” 

He considered saying No. Maria would actually listen to No. And he really didn’t want to be around anyone else right now. But for some reason, he stood up, wiping his nose on his arm, and unlocked the door, before zipping back to his corner and clutching the blanket to his chest.

Maria opened the door slowly, and closed it behind her just as slowly. Once it was just the two of them in the small, enclosed area, she slid down to sit beside him, her back landing against one of the piled pillows. She was silent for a while, just looking at him.

“I don’t wanna talk.” Sonic finally said. “I think I’ve said enough.” 

“Shadow said there was a bit of an argument.” she said softly. “Are you regretting it?” 

“Maybe.” 

She took a deep breath. “Are you regretting what you said, or the fact you said it?”

“I don’t know what that means,” he huffed, sticking his face into the blanket. 

Maria tilted her head back, looking up at the dark ceiling. “One time, I was in the hospital, and they always ask me the same questions when I come in. ‘How are you feeling,’ ‘on a scale of one-to-ten,’ ‘Can you see this picture from afar,’ ‘what does this ink blot look like’? Every time. So one time, I was having a really bad day, and when they asked how I was feeling, I told them I felt like I wanted to punch some people in the face.” 

He looked up at her, smiling a little. “Really?” 

She nodded. “It felt good to say it for a second. But then the doctors just looked upset, and I felt worse than if I’d stayed quiet. I felt bad for being angry, because I know it’s their job and they were just trying to help, but I also felt bad for saying it, because no matter how frustrated I am, I shouldn’t have made it everyone else’s problem.” 

Sonic turned back to the blanket, before staring at the door across from him. “I don’t know if I feel bad for saying or thinking it. Sometimes I think I shouldn’t have said anything. And sometimes I feel like if I keep quiet, things will get worse.” 

“Do you want me to say anything?” 

“It’s not your problem. It’s me.” 

“You mean, ‘it’s mine’?”

Sonic shook his head. “The problem is me. It always is.” he sighed. “What’d Shadow tell you?” 

“That they told you to follow orders, and you said that Amy could take care of herself.” 

“She can.” he huffed. “But they just kept saying, ‘stay with her.’” 

“I know sometimes we don’t understand what the adults want from us,” she said, hugging her own knees, “But Grandfather says that they know what’s best.” 

“It’s not that. It was never that.” 

“Shadow thought there might be more, but he didn’t know what it was. And Amy just seemed even more confused.” When Sonic didn’t say anything more, she pressed, “You know you can tell me anything. And I won’t tell anyone if you don’t want me to.” 

“I know.” 

“Then what’s going on?”

He couldn’t say it. Not out loud. “I… I’m not dumb.”

“Of course you’re not.”

“Everyone thinks I am. Just because I don’t do well on those stupid tests.” 

Maria sighed. “I’m bad at sitting still and focusing, too, sometimes. You remember a lot of things from your studies and the books you read for fun. You like learning about stuff, you’re just… different than most of us.” 

“They think I’m dumb,” he said, once again staring at the door, “And so they think I don’t know what they want me to do.” 

“Are they overexplaining stuff? That can be annoying sometimes, but–”

“I know what they want from me and Amy.”

Maria fell dead silent. 

For a second, Sonic understood what she meant, about feeling bad for saying something out loud. Then he sighed, knowing that it was worse to keep it inside, knowing that it would just eat away at him, knowing that nobody was going to say it to his face, but that didn’t make it less real. Like it didn’t make him feel like… like it didn’t make him feel wrong for many, many reasons.

“I mean,” Sonic scoffed, “I think they’re just happy that they finally found a use for me.” 

“Sonic, that’s not what it’s about!” 

“They’re probably just upset she doesn’t like Shadow.” he groaned. “He’s the better one.” 

“Okay, first off, that’s not true.” Maria swiveled to face him. “Nobody is better than anyone else.” 

“That doesn’t matter. What matters is it’s not happening.” 

Carefully, Maria said, “Sonic. They don’t expect you to get married or anything. We’re still too young for that kinda stuff. They just know she likes you and you like her–”

“I don’t like Amy like that.”

“Yeah, but you might later. And they wanna see where that goes.”

“They don’t wanna ‘see where it goes,’” he scoffed. “They want more experiments. And it’s not gonna happen.” 

“Sonic, you’re thirteen, and she’s ten. They don’t want you to– not for a long, long while. You’ve got plenty of time to–”

“I don’t like being here, Maria.” she stiffened, and he quickly corrected, “I mean, I like being here. With you and Shadow and Amy and the Professor and the botanists and Dr Jezek and even Abe, and… I like a lot of people here. Even Dr Taylor when he’s not being so stern. I like the windows and the racetrack and the bunk bed and the greenhouse and… I don’t like the tests. I don’t like that they ask me questions but don’t listen to the answers. I tell them that I hate the water test and they put me in anyway. I tell them that I’m going to be bad at chaos control and they make me do it anyway, then act like it’s my fault when they don’t get what they want.”

“I can talk to Grandfather. Maybe he can make it stop.”

He wouldn’t, and Sonic knew it. He was a scientist, too, no matter how much he cared about them inbetween tests. The tests still needed to be done. 

“I remember what it was like before I met you.” he said. “When I was alone. I don’t want them to do this to anyone else. Whether they make them in a tube or not.” He curled up some more, the blanket pressing against his chest. “And I don’t like Amy like that. I love her. She’s my friend. But I don’t want her to keep calling me her knight and trying to kiss me because I just want to be friends. She doesn’t listen to me, and everyone just encourages her. Saying I’ll get it when I’m older.”

“Maybe you will.” she said. “Or maybe you won’t. But you’re right, they should listen to you.” 

Sonic shook his head. “It’s because something’s wrong with me.”

“There’s nothing wrong with you! You’re allowed to not be in love with someone, Sonic. You’re allowed to just want to be friends. I’m sure Amy would understand–”

“I don’t like Amy like that.”

She stopped, puzzling over the new emphasis in the sentence. He immediately regretted saying it out loud, but there was no taking it back, so instead he pretended to stare at the door, while watching her carefully out of the corner of his eye. He could see her thinking it over in her head. Amy was the only girl hedgehog on the ARK. Human-Mobian relationships were unusual but not unheard of, but Maria was the only other girl their age on the ARK, and the way he was speaking, it didn’t sound like a confession about her. Besides, she was basically his sister, and she knew it. So he could see her puzzling over the doctors and scientists, wondering if he had some kind of precocious crush– it would be cause for teasing, maybe, but not worth the way his voice shook as he said it. 

He could feel her stiffening as she looked down at him, and more specifically, at the plaid blanket he was holding. He stared into space again. 

“Oh, Sonic.” she whispered.

“Sonic!” he felt hands tighten around him, heard the spin and whoosh of the air currents. His body jolted as he stopped descending towards the waves, and he heard Tails’s voice. “Hold on!”

He just curled up more, hugging the blanket to himself, and he let his voice break as he said, “Something’s wrong with me.” 

“We’re almost to land, hold on– they’re following us.”

Maria’s arms wrapped around him, and she scooped him up, immediately pulling him into her lap and curling up around him protectively. “No. No, nothing is wrong with you.”

A swipe through the air beside them. A shout from above. They swung to the right, and he could look down to see land below. 

He burst into tears, grabbing onto the fabric of her shirt. “I’m sorry!”

“There’s nothing to be sorry for.” 

They were on the ground, and Tails was over him, holding up an arm to block an invisible strike. He was looking up, trying to figure out what was happening. His mind was somewhere far away. But he was needed here.

“Something’s wrong with me! I don’t know what’s wrong with me and I can’t–”

He was needed here. Tails needed him. 

“There’s nothing wrong with you. You’re exactly what you’re meant to be, Sonic.”

You’re exactly what you’re meant to be. 

-

You’re exactly what you’re meant to be.

-

Sonic kicked his feet against the sand, sending the particles flying into the air. As soon as they landed on an otherwise-invisible shape, he rammed his head against the robot’s legs. It fell backwards, but immediately dropped down, swiping at Sonic’s face. The sharp strike sent him flying a few feet away, with Tails’s surprised shout echoing in his ears. 

Then, with a zap of electricity, Metal Knuckles appeared in front of him, hands outstretched, and then fell to the ground. 

Behind him, a girl flipped a small box in her hands, rolling her eyes. “I thought you killed these things.” 

Sonic breathed deep, staring at the twitching robot, as Tails said, “We thought we did, too. Sorry for the rough welcome.”

“Meh. We’ve been knocking out the robots in the pyramids all day. We’ll probably still have a few to get through before we get you to the shuttle. This the new guy?” 

“One of ‘em. The other’s in the Brontide, which is on autopilot. It should land in the usual spot in a few minutes. I grabbed the emerald from her, though, to distract Metal Knuckles.” 

Sonic shook his head to clear it, before looking back up at the girl. His eyes trailed on the little box, and she sighed.

“Nicole, turn taser-mode off.” She dropped the little computer into her vest pocket, and then turned to him. “Nice to meet you. I’m Sally. You guys going to space?”

---

{ao3} {tumblr}

[thunderstomm]

HWLR: Race Suit Design Concepts !

I did something similar to this around the start of the year when s1 released, but over time, and with the second season releasing, I found myself liking those designs less, and the direction of making them all look very uniform. So I went back to the drawing board, and designed these! I love the idea of everyone getting their own race suits, and the reflection of progression from “protégés” to “professionals” it could represent.

If I was to give an “in-universe” explanation for the change, I would have them be a parting gift of sorts from the Ultimate Garage to each of the six campers! Each of the designs were done by the campers or include concepts, designs of features which they suggested. For the most part, they’re very personalised to each camper’s style and skills! (As for Cruise’s- it is her canon suit given a small redesign, so there’s no explanation beyond her add perhaps adding a few flourishes before the final race.)

If you’re interested, I’ve left some of my design notes for each character under the cut. Thanks for reading! (:

Notes for each character ! List order is the left-to-right of the artwork.

Brights

The only suit to have short sleeves, as to accommodate for her prosthetic arm. Has slight flares before the sleeve, as to give it a more distinctive appearance. The loop-heart shape featured is a nod to the orange loop shape on her original overalls, while evolving the concept by changing the shape. I’ve also seen Brights described as the “heart” of the group (she’s friendly with everyone, and is generally a very bubbly person) so I thought it was a fun visual nod to that aspect of her character!

Axle

Axle’s suit is intentionally designed to heavily resemble the race suit which his father, pro racer Striker Spoiler, wears. The shade of red used for the base suit is darker, and the white is replaced with a grey, as to distinguish it. The black details included are also to add more individuality to the look. The overall idea behind his suit is for him to both honour the legacy of the Spoiler family, while making it his own.

Mac

Visually, the patterns on Mac’s suit were somewhat inspired by the race suits from Team Hot Wheels- another Hot Wheels series which I think did a really good job with its outfit design for the core cast. (This wouldn’t be an in-universe explanation, after all, the shows take place in completely different continuities!) The yellow base of the suit is taken from the Baja Jump Truck variant which he drives most across the series run. His hat remains unchanged- cannot mess with a staple!

Coop

Coop’s suit is designed to match the Super Twin Mill- the upgraded Twin Mill model which he’s rumoured to drive come next season of the show. The colours and patterns on the suit are either inspired or lifted from such, such as the white base colour, orange stripe down the centre, and the blue patterns resembling the shape of the windshield. The stripes on the arm are meant to resemble the checkered strips on his original jacket, while removing the pattern for a more streamlined look.

Spark

Spark’s suit is designed to be simple and practical! Her suit is the only one to feature a belt of sorts, as to allow her to carry around tools for emergency upgrades! While Spark’s associated colour is yellow, much like her original outfit, the racing suit features more orange, to create visual familiarity. She also keeps her goggles as part of the design, with the colour of such matching the elements on her suit.

Sidecar

Sidecar’s the only one of the six campers to already wear a race suit, and I wanted to both keep nods to it, while making it a little more individual! While Sidecar’s new racing suit shares a few matching details with Axle’s suit (the show has them match so I will always try to do the same, even if it’s more subtle), including the checkered pattern and grey pockets, the placement of the details are in different areas. The colours of his suit are taken from the Mad Manga, as well as featuring his leaderboard grey.

Cruise

For the most part, Cruise’s suit matches her original one, with a few minor changes. The black base colour is shifted to a dark purple, as to reflect her colour on the leaderboard. The suit also features pockets, and a name-patch on the sleeve. While the lime stripe and sleeve are still asymmetrical, I added the green to the ends of both sleeves. The stripe also features black details, as another nod to her Father’s outfit.

[omnipol]

With the meaning of colonization transformed to refer to shifting migration patterns (wrought by nothing other than the colonial structure of the global economy), changing gender norms and a homogenizing liberal culture, the far right can present themselves as champions of popular sovereignty and the self-determination of peoples. They can also stage an imaginary struggle against the ravages of transnational capital. To decolonize, for these thinkers, is to split off one kind of capitalism from another, a procedure well established within far-right thought. A globalist, rootless, parasitic, financial capitalism (imagined now as colonial) is separated from a racial, national, industrial capitalism (imagined as self-determining, or even decolonial). It goes without saying that such a separation is illusory: global systems of capital accumulation, with their entwined processes of immaterial speculation and earthly extraction, cannot be decoupled in this way. But separating the inseparable does not seem to pose a problem for reactionary thought. Indeed, it may be crucial to it. For once an imaginary antinomy has been constructed, one can disavow the hated side of it, and in this way seem to gain mastery over one’s own riven interior.

Miri Davidson, Sea and Earth https://newleftreview.org/sidecar/posts/sea-and-earth

[livgracefmp]

W E D D I N G

T R A D I T I O N S

1 9 2 0 s

In the 1920s, weddings began to reflect the changing social and cultural landscape of the time, with a blend of traditional customs and modern influences. Here are some key wedding traditions from the 1920s:

Wedding Attire: Women's fashion in the 1920s underwent a significant transformation, with the emergence of the flapper style. Wedding dresses became less formal and more daring, often featuring dropped waistlines, shorter hemlines, and intricate beadwork. Headpieces, such as cloche hats or headbands adorned with feathers or pearls, were popular accessories.

Simple Weddings: In contrast to the elaborate weddings of previous eras, 1920s weddings often embraced simplicity and practicality. Many couples opted for smaller, more intimate ceremonies held in homes or local venues, rather than grand church weddings.

Art Deco Influence: The Art Deco movement, characterized by its geometric shapes, bold colors, and lavish ornamentation, influenced wedding décor and design during the 1920s. Art Deco motifs, such as chevrons, sunbursts, and geometric patterns, were incorporated into invitations, decorations, and wedding attire.

Jazz Age Music and Dancing: The 1920s were known as the Jazz Age, and weddings often featured lively music and dancing. Jazz bands or orchestras provided entertainment, and couples and guests danced popular dances of the time, such as the Charleston or the foxtrot.

Prohibition-Era Cocktails: The 1920s saw the prohibition of alcohol in the United States, but that didn't stop couples from serving alcoholic beverages at their weddings. Speakeasies and secret bars became popular venues for celebrations, and cocktails like the Sidecar, the Bee's Knees, and the Gin Rickey were enjoyed by wedding guests.

Travel Honeymoons: As travel became more accessible in the 1920s, couples began to embrace the idea of the honeymoon as a romantic getaway. Popular honeymoon destinations included tropical locales like Florida or California, as well as European cities like Paris or Venice.

These are just a few examples of the wedding traditions that were popular during the 1920s, reflecting the spirit of the era and the changing attitudes towards marriage and celebration.

[coredgeblogs]

Pods in Kubernetes Explained: The Smallest Deployable Unit Demystified

As the foundation of Kubernetes architecture, Pods play a critical role in running containerized applications efficiently and reliably. If you're working with Kubernetes for container orchestration, understanding what a Pod is—and how it functions—is essential for mastering deployment, scaling, and management of modern microservices.

In this article, we’ll break down what a Kubernetes Pod is, how it works, why it's a fundamental concept, and how to use it effectively in real-world scenarios.

What Is a Pod in Kubernetes?

A Pod is the smallest deployable unit in Kubernetes. It encapsulates one or more containers, along with shared resources such as storage volumes, IP addresses, and configuration information.

Unlike traditional virtual machines or even standalone containers, Pods are designed to run tightly coupled container processes that must share resources and coordinate their execution closely.

Key Characteristics of Kubernetes Pods:

Each Pod has a unique IP address within the cluster.

Containers in a Pod share the same network namespace and storage volumes.

Pods are ephemeral—they can be created, destroyed, and rescheduled dynamically by Kubernetes.

Why Use Pods Instead of Individual Containers?

You might ask: why not just deploy containers directly?

Here’s why Kubernetes Pods are a better abstraction:

Grouping Logic: When multiple containers need to work together—such as a main app and a logging sidecar—they should be deployed together within a Pod.

Shared Lifecycle: Containers in a Pod start, stop, and restart together.

Simplified Networking: All containers in a Pod communicate via localhost, avoiding inter-container networking overhead.

This makes Pods ideal for implementing design patterns like sidecar containers, ambassador containers, and adapter containers.

Pod Architecture: What’s Inside a Pod?

A Pod includes:

One or More Containers: Typically Docker or containerd-based.

Storage Volumes: Shared data that persists across container restarts.

Network: Shared IP and port space, allowing containers to talk over localhost.

Metadata: Labels, annotations, and resource definitions.

Here’s an example YAML for a single-container Pod:

yaml

CopyEdit

apiVersion: v1

kind: Pod

metadata:

  name: myapp-pod

spec:

  containers:

  - name: myapp-container

    image: myapp:latest

    ports:

    - containerPort: 80

Pod Lifecycle Explained

Understanding the Pod lifecycle is essential for effective Kubernetes deployment and troubleshooting.

Pod phases include:

Pending: The Pod is accepted but not yet running.

Running: All containers are running as expected.

Succeeded: All containers have terminated successfully.

Failed: At least one container has terminated with an error.

Unknown: The Pod state can't be determined due to communication issues.

Kubernetes also uses Probes (readiness and liveness) to monitor and manage Pod health, allowing for automated restarts and intelligent traffic routing.

Single vs Multi-Container Pods

While most Pods run a single container, Kubernetes supports multi-container Pods, which are useful when containers need to:

Share local storage.

Communicate via localhost.

Operate in a tightly coupled manner (e.g., a log shipper running alongside an app).

Example use cases:

Sidecar pattern for logging or proxying.

Init containers for pre-start logic.

Adapter containers for API translation.

Multi-container Pods should be used sparingly and only when there’s a strong operational or architectural reason.

How Pods Fit into the Kubernetes Ecosystem

Pods are not deployed directly in most production environments. Instead, they're managed by higher-level Kubernetes objects like:

Deployments: For scalable, self-healing stateless apps.

StatefulSets: For stateful workloads like databases.

DaemonSets: For deploying a Pod to every node (e.g., logging agents).

Jobs and CronJobs: For batch or scheduled tasks.

These controllers manage Pod scheduling, replication, and failure recovery, simplifying operations and enabling Kubernetes auto-scaling and rolling updates.

Best Practices for Using Pods in Kubernetes

Use Labels Wisely: For organizing and selecting Pods via Services or Controllers.

Avoid Direct Pod Management: Always use Deployments or other controllers for production workloads.

Keep Pods Stateless: Use persistent storage or cloud-native databases when state is required.

Monitor Pod Health: Set up liveness and readiness probes.

Limit Resource Usage: Define resource requests and limits to avoid node overcommitment.

Final Thoughts

Kubernetes Pods are more than just containers—they are the fundamental building blocks of Kubernetes cluster deployments. Whether you're running a small microservice or scaling to thousands of containers, understanding how Pods work is essential for architecting reliable, scalable, and efficient applications in a Kubernetes-native environment.

By mastering Pods, you’re well on your way to leveraging the full power of Kubernetes container orchestration.

[qcs01]

Istio Service Mesh Essentials: Simplifying Microservices Management

In today's cloud-native world, microservices architecture has become a standard for building scalable and resilient applications. However, managing the interactions between these microservices introduces challenges such as traffic control, security, and observability. This is where Istio Service Mesh shines.

Istio is a powerful, open-source service mesh platform that addresses these challenges, providing seamless traffic management, enhanced security, and robust observability for microservices. This blog post will dive into the essentials of Istio Service Mesh and explore how it simplifies microservices management, complete with hands-on insights.

What is a Service Mesh?

A service mesh is a dedicated infrastructure layer that facilitates secure, fast, and reliable communication between microservices. It decouples service-to-service communication concerns like routing, load balancing, and security from the application code, enabling developers to focus on business logic.

Istio is one of the most popular service meshes, offering a rich set of features to empower developers and operations teams.

Key Features of Istio Service Mesh

1. Traffic Management

Istio enables dynamic traffic routing and load balancing between services, ensuring optimal performance and reliability. Key traffic management features include:

Intelligent Routing: Use fine-grained traffic control policies for canary deployments, blue-green deployments, and A/B testing.

Load Balancing: Automatically distribute requests across multiple service instances.

Retries and Timeouts: Improve resilience by defining retry policies and request timeouts.

2. Enhanced Security

Security is a cornerstone of Istio, providing built-in features like:

Mutual TLS (mTLS): Encrypt service-to-service communication.

Authentication and Authorization: Define access policies using identity-based and attribute-based rules.

Secure Gateways: Secure ingress and egress traffic with gateways.

3. Observability

Monitoring microservices can be daunting, but Istio offers powerful observability tools:

Telemetry and Metrics: Gain insights into service performance with Prometheus and Grafana integrations.

Distributed Tracing: Trace requests across multiple services using tools like Jaeger or Zipkin.

Service Visualization: Use tools like Kiali to visualize service interactions.

Hands-On with Istio: Setting Up Your Service Mesh

Here’s a quick overview of setting up and using Istio in a Kubernetes environment:

Step 1: Install Istio

Download the Istio CLI (istioctl) and install Istio in your Kubernetes cluster.

Deploy the Istio control plane components, including Pilot, Mixer, and Envoy proxies.

Step 2: Enable Your Services for Istio

Inject Istio's Envoy sidecar proxy into your service pods.

Configure Istio Gateway and VirtualService resources for external traffic management.

Step 3: Define Traffic Rules

Create routing rules for advanced traffic management scenarios.

Test mTLS to secure inter-service communication.

Step 4: Monitor with Observability Tools

Use built-in telemetry to monitor service health.

Visualize the mesh topology with Kiali for better debugging and analysis.

Why Istio Matters for Your Microservices

Istio abstracts complex network-level tasks, enabling your teams to:

Save Time: Automate communication patterns without touching the application code.

Enhance Security: Protect your services with minimal effort.

Improve Performance: Leverage intelligent routing and load balancing.

Gain Insights: Monitor and debug your microservices with ease.

Conclusion

Mastering Istio Service Mesh Essentials opens up new possibilities for managing microservices effectively. By implementing Istio, organizations can ensure their applications are secure, resilient, and performant.

Ready to dive deeper? Explore Istio hands-on labs to experience its features in action. Simplify your microservices management journey with Istio Service Mesh!

Explore More with HawkStack

Interested in modern microservices solutions? HawkStack Technologies offers expert DevOps tools and support, including Istio and other cloud-native services. Reach out today to transform your microservices infrastructure! For more details - www.hawkstack.com 

[ericvanderburg]

Exploring the Sidecar Pattern in Cloud-Native Architecture

http://securitytc.com/TDd55K

[web-age-solutions]

6 Key Design Patterns You Will Learn in Elastic Kubernetes Services Training

Elastic Kubernetes Services (EKS) is a powerful tool for managing containerized applications at scale, and mastering it requires a solid understanding of various design patterns. 

These patterns help solve common problems and ensure that applications are robust, scalable, and maintainable. 

In Elastic Kubernetes Services training, you will encounter several key design patterns that are essential for using EKS efficiently and effectively. 

Here are six key design patterns you will learn.

1. Microservices Pattern

The microservices pattern is fundamental to modern application architecture and a core EKS training concept. 

This pattern involves breaking down an application into smaller, loosely coupled services that can be developed, deployed, and scaled independently. 

EKS provides an ideal platform for running microservices due to its ability to manage containerized applications efficiently. You will learn how to design, deploy, and manage microservices on EKS, ensuring your applications are modular and scalable.

2. Sidecar Pattern

The sidecar pattern involves deploying a helper container (sidecar) alongside the main application container within the same pod.

This pattern is commonly used for logging, monitoring, and networking functions that support the primary application.

In EKS training, you will learn how to implement the sidecar pattern to enhance your application's capabilities without modifying the primary container. This approach simplifies maintenance and upgrades of auxiliary services.

3. Ambassador Pattern

The ambassador pattern offloads common tasks such as API gateway functions, authentication, and rate limiting from the main application container to a proxy container (ambassador). 

This pattern helps in separating concerns and allows the main application to focus on its core functionality. 

During EKS training, you will explore how to configure and deploy ambassador containers to handle external communication, improve security, and manage traffic efficiently.

4. Adapter Pattern

The adapter pattern (or adapter proxy) is used to make two incompatible interfaces compatible. 

In the context of Kubernetes, this often involves adapting legacy systems or third-party services to work seamlessly with your containerized applications. 

EKS training will cover how to use the adapter pattern to integrate different systems and services, ensuring that your applications can communicate and function correctly within the Kubernetes environment.

5. Circuit Breaker Pattern

The circuit breaker pattern is crucial for building resilient applications that can handle failures gracefully.

This pattern involves monitoring the health of services and temporarily halting requests to a failing service to prevent cascading failures.

EKS training will teach you how to implement the circuit breaker pattern using tools like Istio and Envoy, which provide advanced traffic management and resilience features. This ensures that your applications remain robust and can recover from failures quickly.

6. Blue-Green Deployment Pattern

The blue-green deployment pattern minimizes downtime and reduces risk during deployments. 

It involves running two identical production environments (blue and green), with only one receiving live traffic simultaneously. 

You can deploy updates to the inactive environment and switch traffic to it once testing is complete. In EKS training, you will learn how to set up and manage blue-green deployments, allowing seamless updates and rollbacks.

Conclusion

Elastic Kubernetes Services training equips you with the knowledge and skills to implement essential design patterns that enhance the scalability, resilience, and maintainability of your applications.

By mastering these six key design patterns—microservices, sidecar, ambassador, adapter, circuit breaker, and blue-green deployment—you will be well-prepared to build robust and efficient applications on EKS.

These patterns not only address common challenges but also enable you to leverage the full potential of Kubernetes in your organization.

[glasscraftswholesale1]

Glass Bubbler

Glass Bubbler: A Complete Guide to Enjoying Smooth Smoking Sessions

Glass Bubbler: A Complete Guide to Enjoying Smooth Smoking Sessions

If you're a smoking enthusiast looking for a unique and enjoyable way to indulge in your favorite herbs or concentrates, a glass bubbler can be an excellent choice. Combining the convenience of a handheld pipe with the water filtration system of a bong, glass bubblers offer a smooth and flavorful smoking experience. In this comprehensive guide, we'll delve into the world of glass bubblers, exploring their benefits, usage, maintenance, and much more.

The Benefits of Using Glass Bubblers

Glass bubblers come with several advantages that make them a popular choice among smoking enthusiasts. Firstly, the water filtration system in a glass bubbler helps cool down the smoke, providing a smoother hit compared to traditional dry pipes. This feature reduces the harshness and irritation often associated with smoking. Additionally, glass bubblers are portable and compact, making them ideal for on-the-go smoking sessions. Their size allows for discreet usage while maintaining the functionality of larger smoking devices.

Understanding the Anatomy of a Glass Bubbler

To fully appreciate and utilize a glass bubbler, it's essential to understand its various components. A typical glass bubbler consists of a bowl, a downstem, a water chamber, and a mouthpiece. The bowl is where the herbs or concentrates are placed and ignited. The downstem extends from the bowl into the water chamber, allowing the smoke to pass through the water for filtration. Finally, the mouthpiece is where the user inhales the filtered smoke.

Choosing the Right Glass Bubbler for You

When selecting a glass bubbler, there are a few factors to consider. Firstly, assess the size and portability that align with your preferences. Smaller bubblers are ideal for travel, while larger ones offer more room for water filtration. Secondly, examine the design and aesthetics of the bubbler. Glass bubblers come in a variety of shapes, colors, and patterns, allowing you to find one that suits your personal style. Lastly, consider the thickness and quality of the glass. Investing in a high-quality, sturdy glass bubbler ensures durability and longevity.

How to Properly Use a Glass Bubbler

Using a glass bubbler is relatively straightforward. Start by filling the water chamber with enough water to cover the downstem. Avoid overfilling to prevent water from reaching the mouthpiece. Grind your herbs or concentrates and pack them into the bowl. Hold the bubbler with one hand, covering the carb hole (if present) with your thumb. Place your lips around the mouthpiece and ignite the herbs while inhaling gently. Release the carb hole or lift your thumb to clear the chamber, and enjoy the smooth and flavorful smoke.

Cleaning and Maintaining Your Glass Bubbler

To ensure optimal performance and longevity of your glass bubbler, regular cleaning is crucial. Begin by disassembling the different components. Soak the bowl, downstem, and mouthpiece in a cleaning solution specifically designed for glassware. Use a pipe cleaner or cotton swabs to remove any residue or build-up. Rinse all the parts thoroughly with warm water, ensuring no cleaning solution remains. Allow them to dry completely before reassembling the bubbler. Regular cleaning will prevent clogs and maintain the purity of your smoking experience.

Exploring Different Types of Glass Bubblers

Glass bubblers come in a wide range of styles and designs, catering to individual preferences and smoking habits. Some popular types include Sherlock bubblers, hammer bubblers, sidecar bubblers, and recycler bubblers. Each type offers unique features and aesthetics, allowing users to choose one that suits their smoking style and personality. Exploring different types of glass bubblers can be an exciting journey, as you discover the variations and options available in the market.

Tips for Enhancing Your Glass Bubbler Experience

To elevate your glass bubbler experience, consider implementing the following tips:

1.       Experiment with different strains of herbs or concentrates to explore diverse flavors and effects.

2.       Control the intensity of your hits by adjusting the size of the bowl pack.

3.       Utilize ice cubes or pre-chilled water in the water chamber for an even smoother and cooler hit.

4.       Clean your glass bubbler regularly to maintain optimal performance and flavor.

5.       Consider investing in additional accessories such as ash catchers or percolators to enhance the filtration and diffusion of smoke.

The Advantages of Investing in a High-Quality Glass Bubbler

Although you can find glass bubblers at various price points, investing in a high-quality piece offers several advantages. A well-crafted glass bubbler ensures durability, reducing the risk of breakage during usage or cleaning. Furthermore, higher-quality glass provides better heat resistance, allowing for a consistent and enjoyable smoking experience. By investing in a reputable brand or a skilled glass artist's work, you can have peace of mind knowing you have a reliable and visually appealing piece.

Popular Brands and Designs of Glass Bubblers

In the world of glass bubblers, numerous brands and artists have made a name for themselves by creating exceptional products. Some popular brands known for their quality craftsmanship and innovative designs include Empire Glassworks, Grav Labs, and Sesh Supply. These brands offer a wide selection of bubblers, each with its own unique flair and functionality. Exploring their collections can help you find a glass bubbler that aligns with your preferences and satisfies your smoking needs.

Exploring Glass Bubbler Accessories

To further enhance your glass bubbler experience, consider exploring various accessories available in the market. Ash catchers, for example, help keep your bubbler clean by trapping ash and preventing it from entering the water chamber. Percolators are additional filtration attachments that provide an extra level of diffusion, resulting in smoother hits. Other accessories like bowl screens, splash guards, and travel cases can also enhance your overall smoking experience by adding convenience and protection.

Addressing Common Misconceptions About Glass Bubblers

Like any smoking device, glass bubblers often face misconceptions and misunderstandings. One common misconception is that glass bubblers are fragile and prone to breakage. While glass bubblers require proper handling and care, high-quality pieces are designed to be sturdy and durable. Another misconception is that glass bubblers are complex to use. In reality, glass bubblers offer a user-friendly experience, and with a little practice, even beginners can enjoy them without any issues.

The Rise in Popularity of Glass Bubblers

Glass bubblers have experienced a significant rise in popularity among smoking enthusiasts. This surge can be attributed to their compact size, portability, and efficient water filtration system. Additionally, the artistry and craftsmanship displayed in many glass bubbler designs have captivated users, turning them into collectible pieces. The growing acceptance and legalization of cannabis in various regions have also contributed to the increasing demand for glass bubblers as a preferred method of consumption.

Comparing Glass Bubblers with Other Smoking Devices

Glass bubblers offer a unique smoking experience that distinguishes them from other smoking devices. Compared to traditional pipes, glass bubblers provide superior filtration, resulting in smoother hits. While bongs offer similar water filtration, glass bubblers are more compact and portable. Additionally, glass bubblers are easier to use and maintain compared to complex vaporizers. When compared to joints or blunts, glass bubblers deliver a more controlled and efficient smoking experience, reducing waste and maximizing the flavors of your chosen herbs or concentrates.

Conclusion

Glass bubblers provide a delightful and efficient way to enjoy smoking sessions. Their portable and compact design, combined with the water filtration system, offers a smooth and flavorful experience for smoking enthusiasts. By understanding their anatomy, choosing the right one, and maintaining it properly, you can ensure a consistent and enjoyable smoking experience. Embrace the growing popularity of glass bubblers and explore the variety of designs, brands, and accessories available. Elevate your smoking sessions to new heights with a glass bubbler that perfectly suits your style and preferences.

[winniecouture]

Planning a Great Gatsby Wedding in Chicago, IL.

It is also impossible not notice an allusion to the eternal charm of the 1920s, particularly in its pulsating urban area – Chicago. The Illinois gem provides an ideal setting for a “Great Gatsby”-style wedding replete with the ambiance of that decade. Selecting the Venue A perfect setting for such a Gatsby-themed event will be a place like that. A trip down memory lane, for instance, visiting landmarks such as the Palmer House Hilton, one of a kind hotel with crystal ballrooms adorned with intricate details, which depict rich history, luxury, and opulence, that one imagines would be the scene in Fashioning the Era Dressing up the bridal party in the iconic style of the Jazz Age. Go with flapper-style dresses adorned with tassels, feathers and sparkly beads for an injection of twenties glamour. Dapper tuxedos with classic bow ties and suspender also add spice to grooms and groomsmen making them look like debonairs of the world. Finish up by adding art deco-inspired jewellery and head pieces for a touch of vintage feel to this look. Luxurious Decor and Details Add exquisite embellishments to the décor reflecting this opulence of the olden days, such as jazz. Lavish flowery pieces, glittered candlesticks and gilt plate settings accentuate elegancy. The usage of gold, black and ivory as a color palette and an art deco pattern and design makes it more genuine. Jazzy Entertainment Lively entertainment evocative of the 1920’s completes no Gatsby-inspired celebration at all. Hire a swing band or a jazzy orchestrate to sing songs that embodies the zeal of the period. Create an atmosphere where other guests will be encouraged to join the dance floor for their part of the Jazz Age. Impress your visitors with an old-fashioned speakeasy cocktail bar offering the likes of mint julep and sidecar in the spirit of prohibition. Having a Gatsby’s inspired wedding dress in downtown Chicago will bring back the glamor and romance of the 20’s era, creating memories that will last forever for you and your guests. You can make this timeless era come alive by embracing the glitter in this era and having a lavish yet classic party.

[yanashin-blog]

I'm so glad to hear the announcement that Istio project is now a graduated Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) project.

The maturity of the community is remarkable, as seen at Istio Day, which is held concurrently with KubeCon, and I thought it was very reasonable to graduate at this time, given the maturity and popularity of Istio's features. Congratulations and best wishes for the future.

Service mesh adoption has been steadily rising over the past few years as cloud native adoption has matured across industries. -- Chris Aniszczyk, CTO of CNCF

And just because it graduate does not mean that its activities will stop. The project work continues uninterrupted.

Istio 1.18: Ambient Mesh

Istio 1.19: New sidecar container feature in Alpha in Kubernetes 1.28

With the rise of microservices architectures as the de facto pattern for authoring modern applications, connecting, observing, and securing the complex landscape of containers and services has become a challenge for engineers. Google is proud of our role in the creation and development of Istio as a comprehensive solution to this hard problem. Istio’s graduation, as well as its leading position as the world’s most adopted service mesh technology, reinforces our belief that it should be easy for everyone to benefit from secure, robust service-based applications. -- Cameron Etezadi, Director of Engineering, Google Cloud

VMware is delighted to celebrate Istio’s graduation within CNCF. Service mesh is a key part of cloud native architecture, and Istio provides a uniform and efficient way to better secure, connect, and monitor modern app services – making it the choice for enterprises. VMware has been an advocate for Istio and shares in the vision for a robust cloud native ecosystem for application networking. VMware looks forward to its continued collaboration with the Istio project and community to deliver more secure connectivity solutions for enterprises. -- Niran Evenchen, Senior Product Line Manager, VMware Tanzu

[wormtoxin]

A sidecar for a horselike, officially designated as a Hobby-Horse™ “Ride-Along Mk. VI” is often abbreviated as “Ravi”, for short.

It permits the passenger to ride autonomously within approximately 100 meters of the primary horselike. It has its own propulsion, controls, and seat. The passenger rides what appears to be a bicycle seat affixed to a hobby horse. But outside of 100m, the psychic tether which connects Ravi to the alpha horselike is severed, and the sidecar ceases to function.

Ravi is very reliable, being composed only of a synchro-gear, a sturdy rod, and a seat for the rider. Similarly, Ravi is fuel-efficient, only leeching the psychoelectric power generated by the alpha horselike. Most importantly, Ravi is significantly cheaper than a fully-fledged horselike.

Unfortunately, the knight of The Falling Star is broke.

She rounds the final turn of the valley, Squire seated on her haunch, clutching her round the stomach. Being touched makes her skin crawl, but she doesn’t say anything.

“Ma’am- or Sir- what are we doin here?”

“We are here to gamble, my Squire.”

It makes a noise of simple discontent, but doesn’t protest any further. She hitches the horse to the same posts as velvet-lined coaches and convertibles. Horselikes outfitted with palanquins and hot rod flames scoff at her trodden old steed, which she politely ignores.

An adept-valet welcomes them both inside, leading her past an oasis where beautiful women in bathing suits enjoy cocktails under UV-parasols. Her squire averts its eyes, blushing ferociously.

The interior provides its eyes little relief. Hostess-nuns in outfits fancifully themed after rabbits, and croupier-monks lounging at low couches, smoking hookah. The air is thick with hymns and the clanging of the slots. Guests in gowns and dinner-suits drink champagne at card tables; Elegant pilgrims on retreat to the Abbey-Casino for reflective prayer.

Once inside the foyer of the building, a sharply dressed and cloaked croupier-monk welcomes them both inside. His tonsure and mustache are both supremely trim.

The knight of The Falling Star approaches the poker table, chips in hand, like a hunter rounding on a flock of ducks. She smiles politely, tips her hat, and is promptly dealt in for the next hand.

“Oh, that’s good, isn’t it?” her squire whispers, loud enough for the table to hear.

The knight shoots it a look, and with a prompt “Eep!” it sits down next to her, hands folded in its lap.

Across the table, a dark-eyed woman dressed in belladonna purple eyes her sharply. Either her poker face is really bad, or she always looks this smug.

Next to her is an older man, robed in sumptuous yellow, gold-patterned like Klimpt. By his hat and the brass-coated trigger of his sword, he’s a fellow knight of the realm. His crest, emblazoned across his heart, is The Crown of Thorns. He doesn’t look up at the newcomers- just studies his cards.

She takes the example of her senior knight, and studies her own hand. The fool, the magician, the priestess, the empress, and the emperor. Low cards alone, but together they form a perfect Campbell’s Flush.

The knight of The Falling Star’s poker face is immaculate, but her Squire’s eyes shine in delight.

“Fold,” the yellow knight mutters.

“Stand,” the purple woman charms, throwing in her chips.

The woman in purple beats her handily (chariot/strength/hermit/wheel/justice- another, higher flush. Do the monks even try to shuffle the cards?).

“The Abbey can keep the pot,” the belladonna purple woman says, and shoves the meager pile of chips towards the salt-and-pepper croupier monk. The star knight’s eyelid twitches in irritation as the monk collects the chips without hesitation.

“I’ll take a secret instead”, the witch-in-purple hums. Her dark eyes gleam.

“Fine. Have it your way, witch,” the knight of The Falling Star scowls.

The belladonna woman gestures at the squire with her lace-purple fan.

“What is its birth defect?”

The star knight gawps, half-surprise and half-disgust, but the squire answers politely.

“Fetal alcohol syndrome,” it says plainly, without affect. The star knight scowls at her own squire.

“You don’t have to answer her,” she barks, but the yellow-clad knight of thorns answers in a baritone deep enough to rattle the chips.

“It does, in fact. It’s an extension of yourself.”

Her scowl only deepens. Where’s your squire, if you’re so schooled in the ways of our holy order?

“An addled mind is a valuable thing,” the witch croons, acrylics clacking against her beaded talismans rhythmically.

Not valuable enough for the Angels, apparently. “Not yet”, the angel had qualified, and the memory only irritates her more.

“Shut up,” the Knight growls, “Deal already.”

Her next hand is middling, and within seconds, the whole table knows it. She can’t read the woman, but the yellow knight is bluffing.

“Stand.” She throws in her chips.

Beaten again. The woman discards the pot this time as well. She leans in, conspiratorially.

“Where’d you pick up that curse?” she purrs from behind her fan, “it’s quite potent.”

The Knight racks her brain. “What curse?”

“The evil eye,” the witch supplies with cruel delight.

“Oh.” The Knight remembers the glare, like a white-hot stake. “An Inquisition officer. Nasty piece of work, that one.” This woman is putting her in a foul mood, dredging up unpleasantries.

“Aw, intra-sect squabble? Shouldn’t your Faith protect you from such trifles as curses?” the witch teases.

“Her faith’s weak,” the yellow knight resonates, eyes still fixed on the table.

The Knight grits her teeth. Detestable paganism, the worst kind of magic. She tosses a handful of chips to her squire.

“Sir, what I meant to do with these?”

“Bet ‘em. Eat ‘em. Whatever you want. Just don’t bet anything but chips,” she warns sternly. “Now scram, you’re throwing off my game.”

It wanders further into the den of debauchery, and the monk deals another hand.

The knight eyes her remaining chips. Exactly enough. If she wins the next hand, her gains will triple, and she’ll be good for a few more rounds.

She can’t afford to lose. She’d have to borrow from her own squire, and her pride can’t take another hit.

“Stand,” she says resolutely. Her hand isn’t the best, all told, but that’s not what matters in poker. She may not have faith, but when it comes to matters financial, she’s got conviction.

“Stand,” the knight of thorns says, but doesn’t toss in any chips. He’s looking intently at the knight of The Falling Star. His gaze rattles her.

“I ain’t bettin’ money. If I win this hand, I want your squire.”

“You’re senile,” she scoffs, a cold sweat starting to break out around her collar.

“I ain’t. You’re broke, you’re faithless, and you’re poorly disciplined. It’s clear you’re not a fittin’ teacher for the kid.”

“Fuck you,” she spits.

“Now now boys,” the witch chuckles, “it’s the cards you’re aiming for, not each other. Stand.” She doesn’t contribute any chips either.

“If I win, you become my knight.”

The knight’s jaw opens, but quickly shuts again. A knight of the holy order of the round table, serving a witch. It’d make her laugh, if it weren’t so possible. The chick is serious. Both of them have her fixed with a hard expression. The croupier looks to her too.

“Fine. But if I win, I don’t want your damn cash.”

“No takebacks,” the monk says, indicating the meager scattering of chips in the center of the table.

“I don’t care. If I win, I take whatever I damn well please off the both of you.”

The croupier raises an eyebrow.

“It’s only fair. You’re both taking whatever you want off me already.”

“Deal,” the knight of The Crown of Thorns assents without hesitation.

“Deal.” The witch’s smile curls.

The Witch-In-Purple plays her hand. The devil/the moon/judgement/two of wands/two of cups. A pair.

The Crown of Thorns lays out his hand, resolute gaze fixed on The Falling Star. The sun/three of pentacles/four of pentacles/six of pentacles/seven of pentacles. A broken flush. Four of a kind.

The Falling Star breaths her last, and reveals her hand. Eight of swords/nine of swords/ten of swords/page of swords/knight of swords. A Swords Flush.

The witch scowls, and the knight lowers his head in profound disappointment.

“Suck it, losers! Eat my dust,” the knight howls, taking off her hat-helmet to wave it a few times. Her voice is drowned by the din of the slots.

“You,” she points to the belladonna Witch-In-Purple, “I want your Ravi. The one in the lot.” The witch pretends to act scandalized, but the knight interrupts her before she can object.

“Bullshit, I know it’s yours. The trim is tacky, and the seat is purple,” The Falling Star corrects. The witch shuts her mouth. She pulls the key from her sleeve and tosses it, irritated.

“And me, Sir?” the Knight of Thorns says.

“Erm… What do you got?” She’d forgotten about him, in all honesty.

“I’d offer my sword, but you’ve a fitting one already. I’d offer my sigil, but…” he clutches the yellow cloak affectionately.

“It’s ugly, forget it,” The Falling Star mutters, not eager to part the old veteran from his sentimentals.

“How about this?” he proffers a trinket in his worn brown hand. An old charm, blown glass. An inscription is set in its center on a slip of very old paper. It is in a language she doesn’t recognize. It’s no bigger than a thumb.

“Paltry charmwork,” the belladonna woman gripes into her fan, “I could work you something ten times its strength.”

“No chance,” the knight of The Falling Star waves a hand, “You’d set a worm or a curse-serpent inside it. I know your type.” The witch-in-purple scowls, disappointed.

“I’ll take it,” she says, and retrieves it from the knight. “You ain’t fooling me?” she squints.

“I’ve carried it for many long years of my service. I know not its significance, but it has served me well. My duty has been eventful, but I have no regrets.”

“Sure fine, whatever,” she says quickly, eyeing the charm. It hangs from a little silver hook, and the glass itself is beautiful, artfully colored.

“I’m out,” the knight nods to the croupier-monk, who collects the remainder of her chips.

“Leaving after you win?” the witch-in-purple is affronted.

“Very poor form,” the solemn knight in yellow agrees.

“Don’t care,” the knight calls over her shoulder. The key to the Ravi jangles in her pocket, and she turns the little charm over in her hand. She heads off to find her Squire. It isn’t hard- its long banner sails overhead above the roulette table, moved by the wind of the abbey’s many ceiling fans.

When she approaches, its been cornered by a surly hostess-nun in her sultry rabbit-garb.

“I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to leave on behalf of the Abbey,” the nun says sternly. The knight approaches, and the nun makes the connection between the two immediately.

“The little scamp has won fifteen games in a row,” the nun explains by way of apology, “We have to suspect cheating. It’s scripture-procedure.”

“Fifteen games?” the knight asks, raising her hat to get a better look. Poor thing looks like it’s about to cry, but its lap is stuffed full of coin. Gold twinkles greedily in the knight’s eye.

“We’re keeping it,” she says instantly, “It won those games fair and square.”

“Fine,” the nun says, “just get out.”

Outside, the knight instructs her squire how to position itself in the stirrups and how to hold the Ravi so that it doesn’t buck and leave it behind. She mounts her own horselike, about to ride off, when the salt-and-pepper croupier from the poker table catches her.

“Sir,” he winks, “A gift. On the House.” He flashes a card at her- The Three of Swords.

“Kind of grim for a prize,” she mutters.

“Apologies, but,” he bows, “the cards themselves decide.”

“Great,” she moans. “C’mon squire, let’s go.”

She tucks the card in her inner breast pocket, and nods to the croupier. She slips the Witch-In-Purple’s key into the ignition at the withers, and turns it. The synchro-gear of the Ravi roars to life, and a burst of steam pitches out of each nostril.

The Squire startles, leans forward, and immediately races forward at speed, colliding with an elegant coach, completely shattering its windshield and denting its filigreed panels.

“S… sir??” The squire of The Falling Star looks up at its knight, eyes welling up with tears. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…”

The monk’s eyebrows leap up into his tonsure, and he starts to reach for his walkie-talkie. The loud noise draws a few onlookers from the oasis, and more from the Abbey-Casino.

“Run,” she knight says. She turns her horselike, and immediately sets off at a gallop.

“Sir????” The squire scrambles to its feet. It starts to walk after her, says “Oh!”, and mounts the Ravi. He turns to the croupier, who is angry and astonished.

“Sorry!” it cheers, throwing a small wad of cash towards the monk. With that, the squire soars off after its knight, banner flying, leaving a cloud of dust in its wake.

When they finally settle, tucked in a ditch to avoid the roving eyes of Angels overhead, she hands her squire the glass charm.

“Here,” she says, “it’s yours. My thanks for winning all that cash.”

“Oh…. Sir, it’s beautiful…” The squire smiles, and immediately tucks the hook into a piercing, creating a dangling charm-earring.

She sips hair-of-the-dog in a backwater saloon in a town so small it’s nameless. She passes a ranch hand, a desperate squire with no master, carrying a banner with no meaning. It’s got that stupid bowlcut all the squires seem to have. Reminds her too much of herself.

She lets the gasoline moonshine burn off some more of her stubble. The wide brim of her helmet shades her eyes. Maybe, if she’s very quiet and still in the dark, her hangover won’t find her. It only senses motion, like a dinosaur.

“Howdy ma’am.” A squeaky voice. Cloying, senseless. The pit behind her eyes starts to throb immediately, a dog called to heel. Ah well, worth a shot.

She looks up. It’s here, nearly eye level since she’s slouching in her own chair. Its backpack is huge, stuffed full of provisions. Its banner is nearly 6 feet long, coffin-sized. It’s drawing the eyes of other early-morning drinkers.

“Spit it out,” she chuffs.

“Ma’am— Sir,” it corrects quickly. “You’re a knight, ain’t you?” A drawl. Poorly educated. Speaking colloquially to its superior. She ought to behead it. But if she moves, she’ll vomit.

“So?”

“Who do you serve?” It says ‘serve’ reverently, like it’s something special. She’s definitely gonna hurl.

“Noone,” she says. A few other patrons’ ears perk up. She regrets it immediately.

She knocks back the last of her drink, and spots fill her vision. She blinks them away.

“Ain’t your momma teach you not to talk to strangers?” she reprimands. It doesn’t have the instinct to flinch yet, a pup who’s gone unnoticed by the kennel master, runt of the litter.

“You’re a knight,” it says, as though the two thoughts are connected.

“If I was a smart knight, I’d beat you senseless and sell you to the highest bidder.” It had a pretty face and soft curls, like a girl. Squires don’t get the privilege of being assigned a sex until they’re knighted. That usually doesn’t stop people, though.

She stands, and a few other patrons stand up too. She pulls her duster aside to put a hand in her pocket, and the hilt of her sword pokes out. Well-worn handle, gleaming trigger. It’s worth enough that anyone would gut her for a chance to steal it. Noone tries.

She leaves the saloon, and a ray of sunlight passes through both eyes like a lightning bolt, skewering her brain. She vomits immediately.

A clean hand offers a hankerchief, and she accepts it without thinking, blots away the bile steaming off her teeth. She looks up to see it again, eyes wide and curious. She spits.

“Are you stupid?” she croaks.

“A little,” it answers bashfully. Fair enough.

“Whose banner is that?” she points with her chin.

“Yours, Sir, I hope.” It scuffs a toe in the sand, waiting expectantly.

She hauls herself up off her knees, patting sand from her trousers. She really looks at it.

Denim that might’ve once been a royal blue, now dusted with sand and ash into a bluish-gray. A stitched emblem of The Falling Star, a many-pointed radiant thing with a long tail of white-gold fire.

The emblem of once-blessed sinners, damned things of the earth. The emblem of gravity, downward spirals, all things breathless and heaving towards their ends. A pointless emblem. A banner that declares its master’s approaching end.

“You stitch that yourself?” she says.

“Yessir,” it says. Poorly educated, but well-brought up. Always says Please and Thank Yous.

“Looks like shit.” She’s not the type to take in strays. There’s always a kitten hanging around, mewling for milk, showing off its ribcage. She’s no momma cat. Doesn’t waste breath on cooing, doesn’t waste cash on withering things. She’s got plenty of betting debts, but none associated with losing dogs. Doesn’t like to be disappointed when dying things die.

“Don’t let it trail in the sand like that,” she says. While she unties the bridle and hitches a boot in a stirrup, the squire quickly turns, chasing it like a tail, scooping it up into its arms and patting the sand off.

“So you’ll take me?” it says, and her heart twinges. It’s the first hopeful note to touch her ears in decades.

“I won’t kill you if you try to follow me,” she says, “That’s all. I ain’t letting you ride with me, and I won’t stop just cause you get blisters.”

It squeals a profusion of gratitude, backpack clattering with god knows what, and she immediately kicks herself for being soft.

[gauravchowmean]

SideCar Containers - Linux Namespaces

SideCar Containers – Linux Namespaces

In this post, we will see how does Kubernetes application uses a side-car container to its advantage to implementing new features. More information about what is sidecar container and how it can be used can be found here https://www.learnsteps.com/sidecar-pattern-vs-ambassador-pattern/ For getting into the depth of this topic we will go into the depth of the container world and will figure out…

[codeonedigest]

Sidecar Design Pattern Tutorial with Examples for Software Developers & ...

Full Video Link https://youtu.be/dX-fEq7jFyQ

 Hello friends, new #video on #sidecardesignpattern #tutorial with #examples is published on #codeonedigest #youtube channel. Learn #microservice #sidecar #designpattern #programming #coding with codeonedigest.

@java #java #aws #awscloud @awscloud @AWSCloudIndia #Cloud #CloudComputing @YouTube #youtube #azure #msazure   #sidecarpattern #sidecarpatterninmicroservices #sidecarpatternspringboot #sidecarpatternincircuitbreaker #sidecarpatternexample #sidecarresiliencepattern #sidecardesignpattern #sidecardesignpatternmicroservice #sidecardesign #sidecardesignpatternexample #sidecarpatternexample #sidecarpattern #sidecarpatternexample #sidecarpatternorvinepattern #sidecarpatternimplementation #sidecarpatterns #sidecarpatternvsfaçade #sidecarpatternfaçade #sidecarpatternrefactoring #sidecarpatternjava #sidecarpatternsoftwaredevelopment #sidecarpatternmonolith #sidecarpatterndatamigration #sidecarpatternmicroservice #sidecardesignpattern #sidecardesignpatternmicroservices #microservice #microservicearchitecture #microservicedesignpatterns #microservicedesignpatterns #microservicedesignpatternsspringboot #microservicedesignpatternssaga #microservicedesignpatternsinterviewquestions #microservicedesignpatternsinjava #microservicedesignpatternscircuitbreaker #microservicedesignpatternsorchestration #decompositionpatternsmicroservices #decompositionpatterns #monolithicdecompositionpatterns #integrationpatterns #integrationpatternsinmicroservices #integrationpatternsinjava #integrationpatternsbestpractices #databasepatterns #databasepatternsmicroservices #microservicesobservabilitypatterns #observabilitypatterns #crosscuttingconcernsinmicroservices #crosscuttingconcernspatterns #servicediscoverypattern #healthcheckpattern #sagapattern #circuitbreakerpattern #cqrspattern #commandquerypattern #proxypattern #apigatewaypattern #branchpattern #eventsourcingpattern #logaggregatorpattern

[ericvanderburg]

Exploring the Sidecar Pattern in Cloud-Native Architecture

http://securitytc.com/TDd50H

[why-its-kai]

ok so i took a few pics comparing original tfa prowl to samurai prowl without the armor for funsies and to compare the differences in the design. like this is just for their main bodies minus the armor since i got frustrated trying to reattach after cleaning it lol. i will get pics of him in it another time tho (and all my other transformers as well i promise!)

anyways here’s my list of notable differences between the two:

motorcycle windscreen is smooth, translucent grey on original and patterned translucent blue on samurai (matches sidecar windscreen). also translucent red and blue motorcycle siren lights on original, while blue only on samurai (also matches windscreen color)

different mold with light piping on samurai head, looks slightly smaller than original (probably to easier fit the samurai helmet). i noticed on both that prowl’s visor is actually asymmetrical and shaped like that kind of raised eyebrow expression he does in the cartoon! very hard to notice at that size but a cool detail nonetheless

different build on the upper legs on samurai prowl. has an additional joint which makes him more flexible ! also the colored plastic piece on that outside of the leg is a different color, gold on original and black on samurai.

completely different design for his back kibble. samurai prowl’s has a hinge to move it out of the way for the backpack piece with armor. there’s a little pattern underneath the kibble on the joint that looks like an internal mechanism that moves it!! he also has a little gold circle molded made to look like the point where the piece swivels/external part of the mechanism. no idea if i’m describing that well but it’s such a cool little detail ?? love those tiny details they added into the redesigned pieces to emphasize/show how it’s supposed to move!!

the throwing stars. so i forgot samurai prowl’s throwing stars are like. fake. was pulling at them so hard that my fingers hurt bc i knew how they attached/came off on the original? became terrified i was going to break him from the amount of force i was applying. i ended up consulting tfwiki after noticing the stars are not mentioned in the instruction sheet and yea they can be pried off but have been designed not to detach. they’re missing the flip-out mechanism from the original as well. weirdest part to me was the more detailed color on them compared to the original?? appears to be made with grey & black plastic with gold paint detailing while the originals were solid gold color (minus the black bottom/connector piece). like it doesn’t even match the other side where it’s only black plastic and gold paint detail?? why did they make all those extra changes to the throwing stars that made them both extra detailed & unusable instead of leaving the original, functional throwing stars??????? baffling design choice.

fewer painted accents on samurai prowl. most noticeably missing the original’s beige hands, gold wheel accents, grey waist piece (not very visible in my photos), and silver circle (?) on his back. however samurai prowl has more detailed/precision hubcap paint job instead of solid gold on the original.

the slots molded on to the forearms on samurai prowl, the wheel/shield/sword thingy from the sidecar attaches there. tfwiki noted changes in final production design of samurai prowl that shows the sidecar wheel was originally meant to split in two and attach on to both arms, closer matching the cartoon design. the photo on his instruction sheet actually is of the earlier design, which was very confusing to me when i got him lol. doesn’t seem to be built in a way that can be modified to the original design like i was able to do the voyager cybertronian megatron (i’ll definitely show him & the modification i made in detail another time) which is unfortunate.