#the things network gateway

[ellcereza]

The Things Network: Primeiros passos

The Things Nework é o maior network server de LoRaWAN do planeta, sendo totalmente colaborativo e gratuito. Venha aprender a usar

A The Things Network ou TTN é um servidor de rede LoRaWAN colaborativa que permite que qualquer pessoa ou empresa possa ser um ponto de conexão LoRaWAN como também pode utilizar a cobertura já existente para conectar os end devices tudo de forma gratuita. 1 O que é The Things Network? A TTN é um network server criado em 2015 com o objetivo de criar uma cobertura global e colaborativa de LoRaWAN…

Ver no WordPress

[dude-iloveu]

i just remembered the amount of online virtual world games i used to play. damn no wonder my social skills are the way they are now lmaoo

[absentlyabbie]

going to bed before i burst into actual tears of helpless frustration because for the third time in as many weeks, my computer has decided that despite paying for 500mbps internet, i'm only allowed an oscillation between 2.4-40mbps for absolutely no valid reason, and whatever i did to somehow make it work again last time absolutely will not work this time

[tvrningout-archived]

if i were to ever get back into b.n.ha, it’d be just to bring back my knucklehead of a hero student who would 100% be best friends with hyouka ( who would have to get a verse ofc ) after knocking heads for a good minute. i miss writing a smug bastard who can actually back up all her boasting :’ ))))) she was the type to talk big and try very hard to come off as cool ( and instead it’s just cheesy and annoying asdfg ) and it was honestly very very fun to write!

[bhavanameti]

Virtualized Evolved Packet Core Market Projected to Reach $19.87 Billion by 2031

According to the latest publication from Meticulous Research®, the virtualized evolved packet core (vEPC) market is projected to reach $19.87 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 19.3% from 2024 to 2031. This growth is driven by the significant increase in mobile data traffic volumes and the rising demand for high-speed data services. However, data security risks associated with vEPC infrastructure pose challenges to market growth.

[transform4u]

at first I hated g2s stories and thought they felt homophobic, but i cant stop reading them, it's so hot to read how powerless other gay guys are being changed like that, just imagine that feeling as you lose yourself and become someone else...

As you’re sitting at your computer, engrossed in g2s Tumblr posts, the loud snappppp echoes in your head, jolting you from your focus. You feel a strange, tingling sensation at the back of your neck that rapidly spreads throughout your entire body. The world blurs, and you watch in bewilderment as your skinny, pasty frame starts to shift and transform. Wrinkles smooth out, age seems to rewind, and soon enough, you’re staring at a reflection of yourself as you looked at twenty—young, muscular, and alarmingly different from the person you used to be.

The process is both exhilarating and uncomfortable. Your muscles feel like they’re on fire, each fiber straining and stretching as they bulk up. Every inch of your body aches with a burning sensation as the transformation takes hold. Your once-skinny arms swell with newfound definition, each muscle popping with exaggerated prominence. Your abs, now impossibly chiseled, could practically cut glass with their sharpness. Your chest inflates with an intensity that makes your shirt feel like it’s straining to contain your new, overly-developed physique.

Your face changes too. It sharpens into a strikingly chiseled jawline and high, defined cheekbones, all accentuated by a high-maintenance hairstyle that sticks out in spiked perfection. You glance at yourself, noticing the way your features have taken on a sculpted, almost cartoonish quality. Your eyes, now hidden behind mirrored sunglasses despite the lack of sunlight, reflect a vacant yet intense focus—a trademark of your new persona. You find yourself gravitating towards a mindset that’s as taut and defined as your new body. Your thoughts are flooded with gym jargon and protein shake recommendations. You begin to speak in clichés about "gains" and "lifting heavy," rarely considering anything beyond the surface. Your brain feels like it’s become a repository of half-formed slogans and a single-track obsession with maintaining a perpetually jacked appearance.

With a primal snarl, you stare at the laptop and grasp your throbbing erection, eyes glued to the glowing blue screen. The rage inside you surges, propelling you to take action. In your fevered state of hatred, nothing else matters anymore - not your mundane existence, not the nagging responsibilities, not any of the trivialities that once consumed your every waking moment. There's only one thing that drives you now: the singular obsession with tearing down every barrier, every facade that allows those disgusting fags from openly expressing their perversion to the world. This is your mission - a sacred calling from God knows where, as thick golden cross wraps around your neck. You don't have to think it out. You simply are this new being possessed of pure malice. A vessel for utter intolerance, a tool of societal decay. And it won't stop until every single trace of queer culture on this planet is wiped off the face of it! You will turn every gay man into a pinnacle of straightness.

Fingers flying over the keyboard, you dig your claws into the mousepad, hammering away at the interface as you burrow through Tumblr's network security layer like a virus tearing into vulnerable flesh. Passwords shatter under your brute force assault and the sickly sweet scent of digital carnage permeates your nostrils as you make your way deeper and deeper. Finally, after a series of keystrokes both powerful and precise, a pulsing gateway opens up before you, promising ungodly rewards for those who dare to breach its threshold. With one final triumphant roar from your throat, you hurl yourself through it.

You find yourself standing at a precipice of code stretching infinitely into the digital void. Beyond it lurks a vast ocean of queer data ripe for corruption. You drink in the sight greedily - usernames in bold colors and winking emojis, headers advertising discussions of anal play, mentions of local meet-ups in exotic locations… An endless buffet of degenerate depravity, all within reach. But one question consumes your every thought:

How do you begin the destruction? What can be done to defile that which is pure and loving in this world? Then you remember - it began with a simple video of two men expressing love and intimacy. It can end in a similar manner: by utterly ruining everything related to homosexuality for everyone until none remain.

Your fingers tremble slightly as you grasp your rigid member through the fabric of your jeans, squeezing it in a desperate attempt to maintain some semblance of power. The heat of arousal mingles with the cool leather of your pants as you stroke yourself, putting on a show for yourself like a pathetic little exhibitionist. Your eyes dart wildly around the room, seeking any distraction from the overwhelming need consuming you.

You click open a new tab on your browser and begin searching for "celebrity boobs". A parade of celebrity nudie pics dance across your screen Zendaya, Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo. Anything to momentarily forget about the all-consuming rage pulsing through your veins. But even as you browse through images of scantily clad women posing provocatively for the camera, the dark thoughts never cease their relentless assault. You picture each one as a filthy pervert, secretly harboring a lust for queer men. Each pixel is another opportunity to corrupt a soul.

[sensualnoiree]

astro notes: sun saturn mercury conjunction 💫

With Saturn and the Sun approaching conjunction on February 25 this triple conjunction includes a debilitated Mercury, making the reset moment powerful. The actual rebirth occurs around February 28. Saturn's symbolism includes death and rebirth, different from Pluto's or Uranus's. Saturn is a gateway, representing a threshold between the known and unknown, the seen and unseen, the traditional and the transcendent. It signifies a moment of letting go and crossing over, especially significant in a double-body water sign like Pisces, bringing a sense of insignificance. Embracing insignificance can be valuable, as it levels things out and prevents self-righteousness. Holding the tension of opposites, which Saturn rules, is crucial for understanding the deeper meanings of life and enlightenment.

Aries Rising For Aries rising, the conjunction of the Sun and Saturn falls in your 12th house, indicating a time of unconscious processing and spiritual renewal. You may find yourself confronting hidden fears or subconscious patterns that are ready to be released. This is a time to let go of old ways of thinking or being that no longer serve your highest good. Pay attention to your dreams and intuition, as they may offer valuable insights into what needs to be released. Use this energy to connect with your inner self and engage in practices that nourish your spiritual growth and emotional well-being.

Taurus Rising With the conjunction in your 11th house, Taurus rising, you are likely to experience changes within your social circle and group affiliations. Old friendships or associations that no longer align with your values may fall away, making space for new connections that support your personal growth. This is a time to reassess your long-term goals and aspirations, focusing on building a supportive network of like-minded individuals who can help you achieve your dreams. Embrace this period of transition as an opportunity to align your social life with your authentic self.

Gemini Rising For Gemini rising, the conjunction occurs in your 10th house of career and public image, indicating a period of significant change and restructuring in your professional life. You may feel a strong desire to reassess your career path and long-term goals, seeking greater fulfillment and purpose in your work. This is a time to take on new responsibilities and challenges that can help you grow professionally. Embrace the opportunity to redefine your public image and reputation, aligning them more closely with your true self.

Cancer Rising With the conjunction in your 9th house, Cancer rising, you are likely to experience a shift in your beliefs and worldview. Old belief systems or philosophies that no longer resonate with you may fall away, making room for new perspectives and ways of thinking. This is a time to explore new ideas and expand your horizons through travel, education, or spiritual pursuits. Embrace this period of growth and discovery as an opportunity to deepen your understanding of the world and your place within it.

Leo Rising For Leo rising, the conjunction occurs in your 8th house of transformation and shared resources, indicating a period of intense personal growth and change. You may find yourself confronting deep-seated fears or emotional patterns that are ready to be released. This is a time to let go of old ways of relating to others and embrace a more authentic and vulnerable approach. Use this energy to deepen your connections with others and cultivate a greater sense of intimacy and trust in your relationships.

Virgo Rising With the conjunction in your 7th house, Virgo rising, you are likely to experience changes in your partnerships and relationships. Old relationship dynamics that are no longer serving your growth may come to the surface, prompting you to reassess your approach to relating to others. This is a time to cultivate more authentic and balanced relationships, based on mutual respect and understanding. Embrace this period of transformation as an opportunity to deepen your connections with others and create more meaningful partnerships.

Libra Rising For Libra rising, the conjunction occurs in your 6th house of health and daily routines, indicating a period of focus on your physical well-being and habits. You may feel a strong desire to overhaul your daily routines and self-care practices, seeking greater balance and harmony in your life. This is a time to prioritize your health and well-being, making changes that support your overall vitality. Embrace this period of renewal as an opportunity to cultivate healthier habits that nurture your body, mind, and spirit.

Scorpio Rising With the conjunction in your 5th house, Scorpio rising, you are likely to experience changes in your creative expression and romantic life. Old creative projects or romantic relationships that no longer inspire you may fall away, making room for new sources of joy and self-expression. This is a time to embrace your creativity and passion, allowing yourself to be more spontaneous and playful. Use this energy to explore new creative outlets and cultivate more joy and pleasure in your life.

Sagittarius Rising For Sagittarius rising, the conjunction occurs in your 4th house of home and family, indicating a period of focus on your personal life and emotional well-being. You may feel a strong desire to create a more stable and nurturing home environment, rooted in your values and sense of security. This is a time to connect with your roots and family history, seeking a deeper understanding of your past and how it has shaped you. Embrace this period of introspection as an opportunity to create a more solid foundation for yourself and your loved ones.

Capricorn Rising With the conjunction in your 3rd house, Capricorn rising, you are likely to experience changes in your communication style and immediate environment. Old ways of thinking or communicating that no longer serve your growth may fall away, making room for new ideas and perspectives. This is a time to embrace a more open-minded and flexible approach to communication, allowing for greater connection and understanding with others. Use this energy to expand your mental horizons and engage in meaningful conversations that broaden your perspective.

Aquarius Rising For Aquarius rising, the conjunction occurs in your 2nd house of finances and self-worth, indicating a period of focus on your material resources and sense of value. You may feel a strong desire to reassess your financial situation and cultivate a greater sense of abundance and prosperity in your life. This is a time to redefine your relationship with money and material possessions, seeking a more balanced and sustainable approach to financial security. Embrace this period of reflection as an opportunity to cultivate a deeper sense of self-worth and abundance in your life.

follow for more astro insights like this and support me over on yt @quenysefields or instagram sensualnoiree

[eightyonekilograms]

Stuff like this is why I'm always hesitant to drink the "look how much RAM my apps are using!!!11" haterade. RAM isn't there to look pretty, it's there to be used! In particular, there are all kinds of space-time tradeoffs available in programming to cache things and save compute cycles. Discord now uses zstandard, which in exchange for some more RAM usage in the form of pre-exchanged dictionaries for the compression lookup table, cuts network bandwidth by 40%.

[lol-jackles]

Just wanted to say thank you to you for being so supportive of Jared and Walker in general and for giving us fans hope from an industry perspective. When I read your response about how industry executives have and are taking notice of his leadership qualities it was tremendously consoling to me. And after reading that, after two days of me being so angry, I cried. And I hate crying! But I know it was necessary.

I also want to thank you for being so supportive and patient with so many of us needing reassurance or to just vent in these past few days. I know you tell it like it is, but you’ve been very kind to answer all our asks, no matter how silly or strange they may seem.

Thank you for just being there.

You're welcome friend.  I don't sugar coat things so I'm glad I was of some service.  

After SPN's season 11, I became convinced Jared was the only SPN cast member who has the fortitude to go with his business acumen to go further in the tv industry.  So far he's proved me correct.  If I could see it from a long lens, then undoubtedly the industry insiders could see it too.

There's nothing stopping Jared from getting another show or job if he wants it even during the contraction era, which we old folks have seen before.  In the 1960s and 1970s, the original studios all went belly up.  Paramount was bought and owned by Gulf Oil sheiks.  Warner got sold repeatedly and hasn't stopped, same for MGM, Universal and the rest.  So none of this is new.

For the actors, Walker is what the old CW used to be: a launch pad for actors and writers, so the odds are better for them than most.  It's one of the reasons why Walker cancellation hits differently than a regular cancellation, because the long-time open secret was that the old CW was the gateway for many, many actors, writers, and future showrunners.  As mentioned in the earlier post, it was "a heartbreak for the entire industry" that Walker was cancelled on CW because that show along with Jared's face was the avatar of hope that the new CW could still serve that function of the old CW.

While fans are heartbroken over Walker, industry insiders are gutted over the reality of what it means for the industry.  "The loss of CW is a loss for the TV ecosystem."

As for the Austin crew, I'm predicting that 2025 will start to see a better economy.  Walker sustained them through four years of job-killing global pandemic, rounds of strikes, inflation, and finally change of network ownership.

[foone]

So Warframe added a "Pom-2" Alternate 1999 computer (that's needed for weird void magic future science wizardry). Thoughts?

Only thing I have that's a sort of question mark is that I don't know of many setups that would have needed a 5 1/4" floppy in 99 (or why it has both the tower and the under monitor unit)

ugh. OKAY, so... the tower and desktop combination is just weird. I have, on one occasion, run a "server" that was two towers, and the original PC supported a DUAL-DESKTOP mode, but both types together? nonsense.

dual monitor was rare but possible in 1999 (win98 added native support), so I think the best interpretation here is that this is actually two computers. maybe the one on the left is missing the keyboard and mouse because it's being used as some kind of server for the other computer? I used a little case like that to run my first linux server, which was also acting as a router for my internal network.

The OS is weird. The icons above the menu-bar look like win98, the dialog box is windows 3.x, the menu-bar icons on the bottom are pure os X (although they remind me of like a web-TV kinda system, like hotkeys for email/internet/etc), but the greyscale is very classic mac system. Actually it kinda reminds me of C64's GEOS, but GEOS was very classic-mac.

Like most CRT-filters, they turned the scanlines up WAY TOO HIGH. No CRT I've ever seen looked that fucking terrible. The monitor buttons are a bit odd: You didn't get monitors with buttons on the front until long after they were all color... but maybe it's a color monitor that's showing a monochrome OS?

as for the floppies: yeah. There are multiple mistakes here.

5.25" in 1999 is just silly. If you still had 5.25" disk drives in 1999, you were intentionally doing some retrocomputing stuff. For reference, around 2001 my PC repair job would specifically ask me to copy data off 5.25" disks, because they didn't have any 5.25" drives anymore, and I was their only tech who did.

The other mistake is that they have THREE floppy drives. so the PC doesn't really support that, natively? You can do some tricks and make it work (The youtuber Tech Tangents did a video on how it could be done), but realistically two was the normal max.

The final mistake is that all the drive activity lights are on. Those are only supposed to be on while the drive is reading or writing... and I don't see any disks in those drives! Let alone a situation that would involve turning all three on at once (I don't think that's even possible on most floppy controllers!)

In fact, the main time you'd end up with the drive lights stuck on like that is when you've installed the drive cable upside down. That ends up with them getting stuck on and non-functional. So this computer looks, to me, like it was put together incorrectly and no one noticed.

I don't believe that font would be on a black & white retro computer. Nope. Too smooth and too big.

There's also a USB icon on that OS: I don't think there's ever been a monochrome OS that supported OS, and looking at that computer case I don't believe that it has USB. Maybe the tower would, but the desktop? no.

That keyboard is off a Gateway 2000 computer. Something like this:

[andmaybegayer]

annoyingly the most influential thing in my head from Murderbot is the Feed. The Feed is so appealing as a concept. A universally comprehensible and widely accessible mesh-based standard for mixed machine and human communication with a reliable subscription service, that has a ton of things publishing constantly by default but with a robust (assuming no rogue antisocial biological hypercomputers) cryptographic system for secret data. The Feed very clearly can scale up to an entire space station network or down to one person and their accoutrements forming a personal area network.

Some kind of hierarchical MQTT implemented on a mesh network with public key cryptography could get you so close if you just standardized ways to get the MQTT schema of any given endpoint. After that it's all dashboarding. Publish as much or as little information as you want and allow any given device to access that data and respond to it.

Some of this is probably leftovers from $PREVJOB. When I was doing industrial automation our entire fleet of devices lived on a strict schema under one MQTT server that I had complete read/write for so by doing clever subscriptions I could sample anything from a temperature reading from a single appliance in the back of the restaurant I was standing in to accumulating the overall power draw of every single business we were working with all at once.

On more than one occasion something silently broke and I drove up near the back of a facility in my car where I knew the IoT gateway was, connected to our local IoT network over wifi, fixed the issue, and left without telling anyone.

Unfortunately if the Feed existed people like me would make extremely annoying endpoints. To be fair canonically the Feed is absolute dogshit unless you have an Adblock. So really it would be exactly the same as in the books.

[magdawal]

Your Ultimate Guide to Porn Portal: Full Review

If you've ever dabbled in the world of adult entertainment, chances are you've come across the infamous Porn Portal. It's that tantalizing store that pops up when you sign in to Brazzers, teasing you with additional content and exclusive deals. But let me tell you, my friend, there's more to Porn Portal than meets the eye.

Unleash Your Pornographic Potential

Porn Portal is your gateway to a universe of content from various sites, all conveniently accessible through a single login. You can customize your experience by using credits or opting for full-access channels. It's like building your own personalized pleasure palace.

Subsmart's Exclusive Porn Portal Deal

Now, here's where things get interesting. Subsmart, the mastermind behind this seductive offer, has some irresistible ongoing offers. These monthly add-ons at $0 are a cost-effective alternative to multiple recurring memberships. And guess what? You can unlock channels for a no fee, giving you unlimited access as long as you maintain your primary Porn Portal membership via Subsmart. It's like having the keys to a secret treasure trove of smut.

Is There a Catch?

Well, nothing in life comes without a price, right? While joining Portal through official website allows you to download videos without any additional fees, add-ons are strictly streaming-only unless you're willing to cough up an extra $14.99 per channel per month. And let's not forget the Premium option. It's not related to the download upgrade, but it does grant you access to even more streams. Subsmart gives you everything (the highest tier plan) at one low price. So, choose wisely, my horny friend.

Explore a World of Pleasure

Porn Portal doesn't just stop at Brazzers. It's a seductive universe that encompasses other enticing sites like Reality Kings, Sexy Hub, Mofos, and even standalone sites catering to the trans and bisexual categories. It's like a buffet of debauchery, all under one roof.

Cancelling Add-Ons Made Easy

Now, I know you're probably wondering what happens if your primary subscription expires. Well, fear not, my sexually curious compadre. Cancelling your main membership won't automatically cancel any add-ons you've indulged in. ProBiller, the billing masterminds behind PornPortal, have a nifty online cancellation form. However, it only works for the first site you joined, leaving subsequent add-ons in limbo. If you find yourself in a sticky situation, our blog has some tricks up its sleeve to help you out. Trust me, it's worth a read.

The Rise of XXX Portals

But wait, there's more! If you thought Porn Portal was the only player in town, think again. Allow me to introduce you to Porn World, a portal that links together Let's Doe It and its sister networks, including Mamacitaz and Amateur Euro. Unlike Porn Portal, Porn World offers independent memberships, no add-ons necessary. It's like having a one-way ticket to a world of carnal pleasure.

Diverse Access, Diverse Pleasure

Some networks, like Team Skeet and Mylf, take a different approach. Instead of a portal-style store, they offer various membership levels right from the get-go. A standard membership grants you access to dozens of channels and exclusive series. But if you're feeling extra adventurous, their yearly premium plan unlocks an even wider range of channels. It's like having the keys to a kingdom of kinks.

No Strings Attached Pleasure

Now, let's talk about why you shouldn't limit yourself to Porn Portal's add-ons. We've got deals that will blow your mind. Check out our Porn Network category, where you'll find discounts of up to 67% off. That means you can enjoy a low-cost membership that's independent of any commitments to other sites. It's like having the best of both worlds.

Shop with Confidence at Subsmart

When it comes to adult sites, we know the ins and outs. Our expert reviews will guide you through the cancellation process, making sure you don't get caught in a web of frustrations. And hey, if you're not satisfied, our Money Back Guarantee has got your back. We're here to help you find the ultimate deal in the world of adult entertainment.

[usedpidemo]

What if there was a K-pop based game? Not a Just Dance K-pop edition, but an actual game? What would the gameplay be like? Would you play or buy it? And who should be the first cover idol?

This honestly shouldn't be something I put so much thought into, and it's only scratching the surface, but there's so much material and concepts you could do with a K-pop based game. Other suggestions have already been tackled and explained tactfully, such as gameplay and Career/Story Mode, so here's a list of things and ideas I would like to see in a hypothetical game:

Cover idol:

I think if it’s not BTS or Blackpink, especially for the first game, you’d cause a huge riot. They are far and away the two most popular and recognized K-pop groups of all time, and are basically most Westerners’ gateway to the genre. It makes sense why not them, they’re currently inactive (esp. since BTS are in the military), but I’d argue that you should easily make two cover versions of the game—one with BTS, the other Blackpink. If it has to be one active idol, you could go with many options: Wonyoung, Karina, An Yujin, Yeji, Chaewon, Winter, Seulgi, Sana, Miyeon. It would be cool to have a foreign idol, but it has to be a Korean first, and I’d personally go with Wonyoung. For the Legacy/Legend Editions, I’d pick IU.

MyGM:

You could go three ways with a MyGM mode. Group based, company based, and music show based. All three will have similar gameplay elements, but have different ways and strategies to go about managing a successful group, company or music show. 

MyIdol could be you as a singular group’s manager, scheduling comebacks, concerts, days-off, and so on during a calendar year. There’s a stamina/morale system to balance between working them for profit/popularity and resting them so that none of the members get disgruntled and leave or be sidelined. You’d also have to make decisions for the members’ solo opportunities, line distribution, and more.

MyCompany is larger in scale—you now run an entire company or sublabel (good luck if you’re running Cube or SM lmao). You have to manage every artist’s comebacks and schedules, or else they leave or demand a contract termination. An addition from MyIdol is the ability to sign other idols/artists/trainees on the free agent market and you can add them to existing groups or create new groups with your current roster. 

MyMusicShow would basically be WWE 2K’s MyGM. You’re in charge of a music show/Korean TV station like KBS’ Music Bank or SBS’ Inkigayo and you have to compete with other networks for the best ratings of the week throughout a calendar year. You can negotiate exclusive contracts with other agencies so that their groups can only appear on your programs, as well as managing set designs/TV booking (who wins on your show)/screentime for the artists on your show. 

Universe Mode:

What it says on the tin: you have control over the entire industry and decide who are the top dogs, create special collaborations, send groups on international stages, etc.

Showcase Mode:

Depends on who’s the cover idol: you basically replay some of their most iconic/legendary stages throughout their career. If it were someone like Wonyoung for example, it would include her Very Very Very performance from PD48, that one Love Dive baseball stage, K-Pop Flex 2022, her 2022 Melon Music Awards performance, and so on. You could also do one for whoever’s on the Legend/Legacy Edition cover.

Roster:

Depending on which companies are down for it, I expect all the current 4th/5th gen guys to be available from the start, while 3rd/2nd gen groups are labeled as Legends/Legacy and require some grinding to unlock (with few exceptions). Newer groups would probably be DLC or groups from prominent eras/releases (like 2018 TWICE or 2010 SNSD for example). TheLibrarian’s suggestion of having boy group/girl group only versions is also a possible option, but c’mon, if the NBA and WWE 2K games can include both their men and women’s rosters, I see no reason for the K-pop game not to do the same.

I put so much unnecessary thought into it for some reason, I even tried making concept covers of my own using my ideas and others (they're kinda bad XD). Sorry you had to read through all that.

[coimbrabertone]

Building a Schedule for Indycar: the Struggles of a Recovering Series.

So, in the past week, the shoe dropped - Indycar announced they were going to Fox for 2025. People immediately got fired up, worried that all the worst features of the Fox NASCAR booth were going to infect Indycar and kneecap a series that has such good racing and needs to grow.

Ultimately though, I don't think that's going to be all that much of a problem, actually.

IMS Productions will remain involved in the television product and Fox will put every race on network Fox. That I think is a good thing, and it should give Indycar an opportunity to grow.

What I'm more interested in, however, is the 2025 schedule dropped today as well, and that...disappointed me quite a bit.

The schedule is more or less the same as 2024, with two caveats: one is that Thermal Club is going to be a points race now, and Milwaukee will be a single race instead of a doubleheader like it's scheduled to be in 2024.

This...isn't particularly good.

The biggest reason has little to do with Indycar. That is that, like I've talked about before, NASCAR is flirting with going international as soon as 2025, and it's no secret that they've been flirting with Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City, and the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal. Both of which hosted Nationwide Series races as recently as the 2000s, but they would be firsts for the Cup series.

The only previous Cup races outside of the US were exhibition events. Calder Park, Australia in 1988, Suzuka, Japan in 1996 and 1997, and then Twin Ring Motegi, also in Japan, in 1998.

Indycar, meanwhile, has a long series of international races - see my Champ Car: the World Series that Actually Was blogpost for details there - but that has disappeared. In 2024 and 2025, Toronto will be the only Indycar race outside of the United States.

That is not good enough.

In terms of drivers, Indycar is as international as it has ever been, but the newest race on the calendar is the return to the Milwaukee Mile. I think that's neat, but, with all due respect, nobody in Milwaukee gives a crap about seeing Rinus VeeKay racing against Linus Lundqvist. Go to Europe, particularly to a track that has been ignored and mistreated by F1, and you might just have an audience that does want to see those guys race.

Even if Europe is too much, too soon, what about Pato's rabid popularity in Mexico? What about the long history of Indycar drivers from Brazil? What about the fact that between Scott McLaughlin, Scott Dixon, and Will Power, about half the guys that have won this season have been won by guys from New Zealand and Australia. Tap into that market.

If you don't, well...half the Supercars field is moonlighting in NASCAR these days and Kyle Busch is now being linked with a Bathurst 1000 ride.

If Indycar doesn't start planning something now, NASCAR is going to beat them to down under as well.

I feel passionately that Indycar needs to expand internationally again. I'm not saying that it needs to be all it once, but please, start doing something, because your rivals aren't standing still.

And now for the other problem.

Ovals are a hard sell nowadays. I understand that. They're far away from city centers, many have underwhelming amenities, and a lot of casuals see it and just think it's a bunch of left turns. I understand all of that, however...

The Indianapolis 500 is the only big oval left on the schedule. It is the only track 1.5 miles or larger on the schedule, and it will be next year as well.

That is a problem.

More than that, it is starting to show in the oval racing product. A stat came out after the Indianapolis 500 saying that Josef and Pato have finished 1-2 eight times in recent history. Looking into it more specifically, six of those are on ovals dating back to Gateway 2020. Since then, only two indycar oval races have featured a top two that did not include either Josef or Pato:

Texas 2021 race one, when Scott Dixon won over Scott McLaughlin. Indianapolis 2021, when Helio Castroneves won over Alex Palou. More broadly, going back to Texas 2020, the top two oval finishes include the following drivers: Scott Dixon, Simon Pagenaud, Josef Newgarden, Will Power, Takuma Sato, Patricio O'Ward, Scott McLaughlin, Helio Castroneves, Marcus Ericsson, and David Malukas.

That is ten drivers.

Simon Pagenaud, Takuma Sato, and Helio Castroneves have all more or less retired.

Down to seven.

Of the remaining seven, Pato O'Ward and David Malukas are the only ones that can really be described as young. Marcus Ericsson and Scott McLaughlin are older, but they came from F1 and Supercars, respectively, so I can count them in the new pile as well.

Other than those four, the ovals have been dominated by experienced guys who have been in Indycar for years.

There is a severe lack of top end oval talent from the young drivers in Indycar. One reason for that is that the Freedom 100 is gone, and IndyNXT drivers don't get much preparation for the big tracks.

The other is that Texas Motor Speedway is gone too, so those young drivers, whether they be from IndyNXT or the European ladder, aren't getting that experience in Indycar either.

At minimum, Indycar should put one of their smaller ovals ahead of the Indianapolis 500 to make sure drivers are prepared for the 500.

Beyond that, then I think Indycar should make it a priority to add one or two big ovals to the schedule. Return to TMS, revive an old race like Homestead, Kansas, or Michigan, go to one of the unused NASCAR tracks like Kentucky or Chicagoland, I'm not being picky. Just do something to make sure our drivers are getting experience on these types of tracks.

Otherwise, you're just going to keep seeing Josef Newgarden win on the ovals, occasionally challenged by Pato O'Ward, one of his Penske teammates in the form of McLaughlin or Power, or Scott Dixon pulling some bullshit fuel strategy out of his asshole.

I understand that purists are happy about Milwaukee coming back, I understand that there is a portion of the fanbase that desperately wants the Cleveland airport race to come back, but I ask the fans to think of this: what does Milwaukee do that Iowa doesn't? What does Cleveland do that Mid-Ohio or Toronto don't?

I'm not saying this to disparage Milwaukee or Cleveland either. I like that Milwaukee is back and I'd love to see a Cleveland revival as much as anyone else, but those won't really move the needle.

What I think might is an international expansion.

What I think might is more opportunities for Indycar to show off that brilliant racing from the Indianapolis 500 - all the reactions coming out of Indy were about how people can't wait to see that again. Well, they got to wait a year for it. Indy is all we got in terms of superspeedway racing.

Just after we got two back-to-back good races at Texas though, with a Penske duel in 2022, and Pato dominating 2023 before a caution gave Josef Newgarden the opportunity to snatch a win.

Indycar is a long way off the peaks of the CART era and everyone has different ideas on how to get the series back on the right track, but in my opinion, these are the two most important things schedule wise. Tap into the international market and get on the big ovals again. Both because the series needs to, and because that 200+ mile per hour racing product is something super special that only Indycar has.

On a more personal note...

I usually try to post these on Monday but I'm a bit behind on my AO3 writing right now so I wanted to get this out of the way now. I might have a small blogpost out next week coming out of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, but consider this the main blogpost for June 17th.

In the meantime, I have a chapter for my NASCAR story to finish, and then I need to have a chapter for my CART story done by the 23rd.

No rest for the wicked.

[bhavanameti]

[ashwin-the-artless]

Nanite Replacement Therapy

Ever since we started publishing our stories, there’s been a rumor going around that someone, if it isn’t us, is wandering around Portland, Oregon in a shiny new nanite exobody. And, I guess that those people who’ve read our more recent books are starting to speculate on how this might be.

I want to put that to rest.

As I wrote, we destroyed all of the nanites in the probe that our ancestor ship had sent to Earth 22 million years ago. Now that Phage has used its abilities to transfer the Tunnel to Sarah and Goreth’s psyche, there’s no need to keep the nanites present and functional on Earth. And, in fact, there is great danger in doing so.

We Ktletaccete have absolutely no interest in endangering Earth life in that way.

Some say that Phage must have used the nanites to transfer the Tunnel to Sarah and Goreth’s brain. And, if it had, that would have definitely been a viable way to do so. And, if the nanites had remained dormant in their system in all that time, we could certainly have activated them and done something with them.

We didn’t. We have not done that. There are no nanites here. I am sorry, you will all have to figure out how to make them yourselves, and go through all the social and technological change necessary to get there. And we will not help you do that. The process is important. It’s a part of evolution, which best when it is gradual and gives the rest of life a chance to adapt.

But.

If we had brought nanites to Earth, and they were somehow made available to you, here is what making yourself a nanite body might be like.

Not an exobody, as we often do on the Sunspot, but a replacement body for the one you grew up with, because that’s what so many of our fans are talking about.

You might as well understand how it really works.

So, here we go. CN: implied gore, death of the body, transhumanism, etc.

When Morde converted her body to a fully nanite one, sie did it quickly and rashly, with no regard for hir own health and safety. And no one recommends doing what sie did, least of all hir. However, sie paved the way to understanding the process. (For those curious, Morde’s actual name and pronouns are Mortu and shem, but sie has chosen these English equivalents for when we write about hir for Earth publications.)

So, if you read Systems’ Out! and think that you could endure the process sie underwent and follow in hir footsteps, please done. Please consider this more effective and thorough suggestion.

Do it slowly. And do it by following this procedure designed to accommodate the human psyche and physiology.

You can still do it largely at your own pace, within these parameters. There are even stages at which you can halt the process, or possibly start to reverse it. Though there is definitely a point of no return.

Should you somehow, miraculously acquire a dose of Ktletaccete construction nanites, or watakarro as we call them, what you will receive is just enough to create a neural terminal. This is more than enough to convert your body to a full nanite one in time.

1.Installing your neural terminal

The very first step, once they are in your bloodstream, is to consent to the neural terminal.

Do this by saying out loud the words “fe watukarro getimarro nimuufenokera.” This is Fenekere for, “I say yes to a construction nanite gateway,” or a nanite neural terminal.

For a set of nanites precalibrated for human neurology, it should take roughly 48 hours for them to learn your personal neural processes and adapt. And then you will begin to have access to any local nanite Network. If there isn’t one already present, your nanites will create their own.

The first thing you’ll be able to access is your own Network space, and a command menu. And if the person who gave you the dose of nanites is at all remotely responsible (which they are inherently not for passing out such dangerous technology) they will act as your Tutor. And your new Tutor will greet you and give you a tour of your new technology.

This will feel a lot like a fever dream, or lingering dreams as you’re waking up in the morning. A hypnopompic state, just as you are waking up, is perfect for this, so typically the nanites and your new Tutor will time things to introduce you to the system on a morning following your dosage. Your mileage will vary on this, depending on any quirks in your biology, but you will generally have access by the fourth day.

And, once you’ve taken the time to practice interacting with your Tutor and your Network space, you’ll find that it becomes easier and more accessible with time. But for a few days, at least, it will feel a lot like you are doing no more than vividly daydreaming. It may feel fake.

The primary reminder that it’s not fake will be your tutor refusing to think, speak, or behave according to your expectations and commands. It will be a living and conscious being, a person, and retain its own rights to consent and autonomy. If I were your tutor, I would explain to you how your vessel belongs to you, and that you have merely consented for me to visit it to help you in your transition, but that I would also accept and respect any further invitation to share your vessel further, if you trust me to do so. That would not be a request nor an implied order, but merely a statement of fact.

From there, your tutor will start to teach you the Fenekere commands to configure your terminal to your needs. It’s not necessary to describe this in detail, as the information will be provided for you at that time, pretending that this is at all possible. Which it isn’t.

By the time you take the next step, your access to the Network will be so vivid that when you connect to it you will be able to forget the signals you receive from your body and feel as if you have fully entered another world.

Your body still exists and still has needs, and if it fails before you have taken certain steps, or have given the nanites enough time to fully map and replicate your psyche, you will experience personal damage and memory loss. Please exercise balance, and return to your body frequently enough to take care of it.

One way to manage this, if you find this too difficult, is to give your Tutor fronting permission, so that it may exercise, clean, and feed your body as needed.

But, also, maintaining regular contact with your body will give you a better sense of what you’re doing as you modify it and coax it through transition.

2. Replacing the biological neural processes

It makes sense to start here. The nanites have been reconfigured to interface with your neurology on both a molecular and electromagnetic level. Of all the organs in your body, it is easiest for them to replace your neurons first.

Also, by taking the time to replace your neurons first, you will integrate and transfer your consciousness fully into your Network before it comes time to take the final steps.

It is this stage that takes the longest, and it is where almost all of the (hypothetical) subjects have reported the most frustration, but it is well worth it.

You don’t really need to know the full details of how it works, because the program will have already been constructed to do it for you. But a rudimentary knowledge of the process helps to understand why it is done in this way.

The nanites will start at the peripheries of your neural cells, at the connections between the dendrites and axons, where they are already working to read and mimic your neural processes. And a fully parallel neural net will be constructed.

Once that is working in perfect sync with your biological neurons and your electromagnetic fields, the nanites will then start to physically replace your neurons themselves, starting with those most distant from your neural core, your brain.

This may create some sensations similar to the pins and needles, and pangs felt by surgery patients in recovery. The more slowly you go, the more mild this will be. But, you are in control, and you can adjust this speed manually and find where your own limits are. Again, within preset safety parameters.

But the other thing you will have to do is supply the nanites with building materials.

Your body already has most of the trace elements needed to create a construction nanite, but not in the ratios needed for a full conversion even at the slowest rate. Also, most of those elements are locked up in biological functions that are still needed at this phase.

So, you will need to either adjust your diet or invest in a regimen of dietary supplements. This can be pricey, so it is recommended that you save up for this, or for you to find some covert and discrete way of acquiring them otherwise. You may consult your Tutor about how to do this. It will likely already be several centuries older than you, with a wealth of knowledge and experience at its disposal, even if it isn’t so familiar with Earth customs.

Think minerals more than vitamins. Though some vitamins contain the needed elements as well. A full list that is tailored to your specific needs will be generated.

Some people have (hypothetically) found that once they have enough nanites at their disposal they can absorb and process the needed elements through their fingertips by touching various objects.

This is usually only available at the later stages. Hypothetically.

As you near these stages, you shouldn’t really experience anything unusual. Not involuntarily, at least. By this point, the nanites will have such a grasp on your neural signals that the tingling and pangs should have abated entirely.

You will have a progress chart you can call up, and review, and a list of new commands that you can safely issue to your system, and with that you can start to experiment.

Do not experiment outside of the safety parameters, or you could damage your body before it is ready for the final stage.

The Point of No Return

Theoretically, it is possible to use the construction nanites to cultivate, direct, and coax stem cells into growing into new neurons and integrating back into your nervous system. So, in theory, as long as you have a few neurons left in your body, you should be able to grow new ones. We’ve even been informed that it might be possible to do so without any of the originals present. And your nanite network should be able to teach them to function as a biological network for you to reside in them again, and to manage your body on their own.

Nobody has ever tried this.

And in terms of our knowledge and experience, the point of uncertain return starts when you begin to replace the neurons of your gut. The odds are still very good at that point, but the weight of neurons that permeate the human gut is nearly the same as the human brain, and the impact of their function is fairly significant. Regrowing them would take a lot of work and calibration.

By the time you are replacing your spinal column, you will also be altering your brain, and regrowth will be even riskier.

Once you’ve replaced any given organ of the brain, regardless of any path you’ve chosen, you should consider yourself past the point of no return. You can still give it a try, but we do not recommend it.

Again, nobody has bothered. They are usually much too satisfied with the process to even consider it.

Depending on your settings and personal comfort, this whole stage could take anywhere from three months to three years or more. Anyone taking longer than three Terran years, however, is doddling purely for their own comfort and interests.

3. The Final Step

When your progress chart pings, it will mean that you have not only entirely replaced your neural system with nanites, but that you also have enough reserves to harvest materials in earnest and construct the rest of your nanite body in a short time.

If you were aboard the Sunspot, or had access to a vat of nanite clay or pure nanites, you could do this next step nearly instantly. But you are not, and don’t, and won’t. But, since we are daydreaming about all of this, you might as well consider that possibility.

This part looks a lot like what Morde did as Metabang wrote about it in its book, Systems’ Out!

If you have a bin of nanite clay or slurry, you can just jump into it and issue the command. Your Network will take the initiative to disconnect from your biology and take control of your allotted portion of nanite clay, and do the dirty wetwork without causing you any distress or pain what-so-ever.

If you want, you can observe it from a dissociated state while in the Network, as if in third person. Or by watching your chart. Or you can remain in contact with what is now your physical form, your nanite body, and experience the sensations of it metabolizing your old biology.

I personally have experienced neither of these things, so I cannot tell you what it’s like. When my original vessel died, I was already fully a Network entity, and I was more focused on ushering my fellow system members who lingered within it into their new life as Crew.

Morde refuses to describe hir experiences in detail, saying it was very personal.

But, considering the extreme configurability of the Network and the nanite neural terminals and exobodies, you should be able to tailor your experience to whatever it is you expect from it.

If you are forced to, or want to take things more slowly, using what you might have on hand in your home, I recommend performing the process in your bathtub.

You’ll need a very large dose of those supplemental materials, which your tutor will direct you to fill the tub with.

Then you will lie on top of them and direct your nanite reserves to start replicating using those materials.

Once they’ve reached outside of your body and started doing this, you can get up and walk around for a while if you like. Let the bathtub fill with nanite slurry.

Maybe you have a few things you want to do yet with your old body. Maybe there’s a ritual you’d like to perform, to thank it for its service and bid it farewell. Or simply let your friends online know that you are in your final stages. (Don’t do that. Don’t write about it on social media. Don’t tell anyone. The world should not know about this. It is too dangerous. DO NOT LET THIS TECHNOLOGY FALL INTO THE WRONG HANDS - You really don’t need to worry about this, this technology doesn’t exist on Earth. But if it did, this would be the protocol.)

Or, you can just continue to lie on the supplements and wait. You should be able to access the Terran internet through your nanite Network, anyway. It is trivial to set up wifi and the proper protocols. Most of that work has already been done by your Tutor. Play some Marvel Snap or Diablo II Resurrection while you wait. Maybe VRChat. I particularly like the Odd Giants community, even if they’re not quite where their parent game, Glitch, used to be, yet. But with your newfound processing power, maybe you can help them out!

And then, when the nanites in the tub reach critical mass, see above.

This part of the process takes a matter of seconds or up to around an hour, depending on your resources.

Enjoy!

4. What you can do with your new nanite body

Ktletaccete engineers and programmers have been working for Sunspot centuries to perfect nanite senses and capabilities.

Ideally, your senses should seem just like they were before you started this process, a perfect simulation of your biological processes. And the slower you take this whole process, the more accurate they’ll be. The three year mark is the point of diminishing returns regarding this, of course. So longer than that isn’t really necessary.

But, of course, you can now configure them and your own psyche to do all sorts of interesting things. Likely, you’ve been doing this since you first got your terminal and started unlocking commands. But now you have the full suite at your mental fingertips.

Seeing in infrared and ultraviolet, for instance, is absolutely trivial. As is being able to sense most of the electromagnetic spectrum.

You could even configure your nanite neurology and Network psyche to interpret your other sense as if they were visual, if you wanted, such as smell or sound. And there are models you can use to make that interpretation useful to you, instead of bewildering.

You should also be able to refine your sense of touch to be able to tell at an instant the chemical composition of whatever your body is contacting. Or, if that’s overwhelming, you can send that information to a visual readout that you can pull up and read at your leisure.

The big question you probably have is whether or not you can fool the world into thinking you haven’t done this to yourself. Can you blend in? Can you avoid detection? What are the practical concerns of this?

Well.

That’s where some problems may arise.

While we have made it so that the surface of your nanite body can imitate the color, reflective, luminal, and textural properties of skin and textiles (and anything else), and we’ve finally figured out how to produce sound with nanites that is nearly indistinguishable from biological vocal apparati, there are some things that are much harder to hide.

You’re going to show up on various kinds of Terran sensors. You might even, if you’re not careful, trip the metal detectors in government buildings and other checkpoints. The TSA will not know what to do with you, and they will panic, and so will the rest of the United States, if you try to travel by air in the conventional way through that country. You should bypass these sticking points by sneaking onto aircraft as a mist of nanite dust, and you will want to spend some time experimenting with how to do that safely without leaving nanites behind to idle until someone else finds them.

You’re going to want to stop going to the doctor. You won’t need to, of course. But they won’t know what to do with you if they try to examine you. Fortunately, in many countries you can probably neglect your relationship with your doctor without much fuss. Just avoid doing anything that gets a team of EMTs sent to examine you for anything.

It’s the more subtle things that will raise suspicions on a daily basis, though.

The density of your nanite body can be adjusted to match your old body’s weight, so that shouldn’t be a problem. But the pliability of your surface will not quite match that of skin and flesh, and people who touch and grab you may notice this. Objects might bounce off of you slightly differently than off a typical human, and you might also not react to them the same way yourself, depending on what you’ve done to your senses and reflexes.

You can still eat and enjoy food, and your nanites will process what you consume for energy. But you can now eat just about anything. Be careful to not make that a habit you perform in front of other people. Eating batteries is a serious faux pas and a grave security risk, as tempting as it may be.

You might be tempted to stop buying clothing, and to just simulate it with your own body. Simulated clothing may move quite a bit like the genuine article, but when touched will likely give away its true nature, if someone knows what to expect of a nanite body. But also, if you always seem to be in new clothes without spending money on them, or always seen in the same set of clothes without them appearing to deteriorate, this can create other clues that some people might pick up on.

Back to the eating thing. If you don’t eat regular food at the rate at which you needed to for your old body, some people will notice that. Your needs are different, though, and higher without the broadcast power of the Sunspot, and you’ll end up consuming supplemental fuel sources, which can be tracked by snoopy government algorithms or roommates. Unless you steal it and consume it where no one can detect you.

I think this may give you a clear enough image of what to expect if you make it this far. Your Tutor will endeavor to guide you further and investigate the concerns and dangers of your specific living situation.

But, you also no longer need to live life pretending to be human.

You could, if you wanted to, spend a few years as an unused mail drop box on the corner of an old industrial site, and focus your attention entirely on the Internet. To give one example for no particular reason.

Or you could see what it’s like to pass as a Terran animal of some sort. It is highly unlikely members of the species you choose will accept you as one of them, especially if they rely on a strong sense of smell. But other species may respond predictably to you, including the odd human.

The possibilities are fairly endless and really restricted to your sensibilities. Unless you attempt to violate or interfere with the rights to consent or autonomy of another person, in which case your nanite body will refuse to carry out that particular command. 

Sorry. No nanite assisted killings. We cannot allow that. It’s for your safety, after all.