Nano machine novel
Nano Machine
2020.06.13 04:48 Wolfgang2002 Nano Machine
A subreddit dedicated to Nano Machine, a Korean manhwa series.
2012.09.06 03:35 Lucian151 r/IOTA
Welcome to IOTA! -- IOTA is a scalable, decentralized, feeless, modular, open-source distributed ledger protocol that goes 'beyond blockchain' through its core invention of the blockless ‘Tangle’. The IOTA Tangle is a Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG). IOTA is aiming to be the backbone of the emerging machine-to-machine (m2m) economy of the Internet-of-Things (IoT), data integrity, micro-/nano- payments, and other cases where a scalable decentralized system adds value.
2012.01.31 05:55 emkat r/manhwa - Your subreddit to discuss Korean 만화
This is a subreddit to discuss all things manhwa, Korean comics.
2023.06.06 01:44 Sedu How to count tokens in Java application
I have a Java application which I maintain and am integrating certain features of it with GPT's API. I found javascript and python/rust solutions to getting a token count given text, but is there a solution that exists for Java? I have platform specific distributions, and all code runs locally on client machines, so I'm trying to keep things purely Java if possible.
Is there an API that I can hit which will return a token count without actually consuming tokens? Some of my users will be on a pay model for GPT, so they will want to avoid frivolously using tokens. I know there is the quick and dirty of 4 characters = 1 token, but I am working with novel language features which upsets that estimation.
Any pointers here appreciated.
submitted by Sedu to ChatGPTCoding [link] [comments]
Is there an API that I can hit which will return a token count without actually consuming tokens? Some of my users will be on a pay model for GPT, so they will want to avoid frivolously using tokens. I know there is the quick and dirty of 4 characters = 1 token, but I am working with novel language features which upsets that estimation.
Any pointers here appreciated.
2023.06.06 00:46 infographics-bish Fire Warrior by Simon Spurrier is pure art
The novel follows a rookie Fire Warrior named Kais and his realization of what war truly is. It’s based on the PS2 video game of the same name, and it is amazing. I barely knew anything about the Tau before reading it, as I just started on a whim, but I am definitely a fan now. It is unparalleled in its brutality and in it’s themes, tying in the Greater Good and it’s antithesis, which would be a spoiler to elaborate on, but it is truly incredible. I never even played/heard of the game before it, but when reading the novel it does a good job of justifying the video game protagonist concept and how he is such an effective killer. I just want more people to read it, and experience its awesomeness. It feels like following a normal guy while at the same time following a superhuman killing machine, and it all makes sense. BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD.
submitted by infographics-bish to Warhammer40k [link] [comments]
2023.06.06 00:00 Old_Funny_4014 Looking for critique for short story's first chapter.
I'm trying to write short stories in an attempt to shore up my skills for a novel this is the 2nd draft as the first my friends told me was an impenetrable lore dump. Hopefully I fixed that.
FOX Battery: Silver Sword Chapter 1: Bolt
The sword was alien and beyond beautiful. It shone like silver in the sun and with colors more odd when the sun sets. A saber with an impossibly sharp blade, yet undamaged were the magnificently machined murals filigreed along it's blade to the basket hilt. It's scabbard seemingly carved out a single chunk of onyx. That too was engraved entirely with impossibly small and strange encryptions, descriptions in a language Darren knew nothing about.
Darren was awoken by the soft clatter of pots and pans gently rattling in the wind. He bolted upright and took stock of his surroundings. The sun was at its zenith, the thrill of being alone in his own wagon for the first time still hadn’t worn off. The ancient road spanned out into the distance in front of him. Despite the myriad of potholes and cracks that threw him about every once in a while, the roads here were older than Ancillia itself, a testament to the brilliant engineering of his . The massive roadways mesmerized him. They were laid down by the Firsts, the heavenly beings that were here before him. He traced the patterns of colored lines on the road pondering the intentions of their painters, Another good game to play alone was finding the cracks in the ancient road were filled with liquid rock, such an expensive substance yet he’s heard that every building in the Ancil was made from it, he noted that he should try visiting on his way home. He took out his map, marked in a thousand places by his father, and his father’s father. Looking at his goal, the center of conflict, the city Selene, he traced back to his position, searching for the nearest landmark. “Direction…” He looked for the sign marked “fifty kilometers”, instead spotting the one labeled twenty. “Perfection.” Pleased with himself for being closer to his destination than he initially thought and excited by the idea that he was technically within proximity of the crusade , he decided he’d visit some of the nearby villages with high hopes that he might even be able to find some better deals. Pulling off the road as his destination became closer he turned onto a bumpy dirt road which promptly and painfully jostled him, filling the air with clinking from hundreds of glass containers. Darren was atleast used to cobblestone roads laid out at home but crusaders don’t complain about such trifling things, this feeling was new and rustic he supposed plus all adventurers need get used to this feeling. After a few more minutes of bumpy road and clanking kitchenware he decided to command the Ardennes pulling the wagon to stop. The country view had a charm the city could never compete with. The rolling hills dappled with lavender made him envy the life of a peasant. Examining all the hills his eyes fell back upon the road he started upon seeing the shadow of a man. It was approaching slowly on foot, arms to their side they didn’t look like they were trying to be threatening but Darren had his hand on his sword’s pommel anyway, it's a dull adventurer who falls for ambushes after all. Two tense minutes later and he could finally make out details. The man was wearing a mask, the eyes on it glew a dull red. “A soldier?” he said mostly to himself, he jumped off the wagon, seeing to the man. Getting close he noticed that the mask encompassed the whole of his head, sealing the man's head inside, small bells tinkling at the side gave away its purpose. “Not a soldier, a tranquil. Fair morning do you-” Darren caught himself mid sentence and slapped his forehead at his own stupidity, Tranquil do not talk they only follow the orders of God. The tranquil carried a limping gait about it, obviously injured but they were the most devoted, they never complained and once close enough the Tranquil held it’s hand out to Darren. In its palm was a letter adorned with what looked like the seal of one noble house or another. “Is this for m-” Darren grumbled before snatching the letter out of the Tranquil’s hand, it was soggy and when he tried to open it, it practically disintegrated in his hand he shot a confused glance at the tranquil but it wasn’t standing there anymore, he turned around and saw it limping down the path the merchant came. “Guess it’s no use.” he thought “They won’t listen to anyone but their masters” he thought back to the mask it was wearing. It gave him butterflies, Af, it was a mask of Af. In all his days back home he’s never seen a soldiery tranquil before “ahh, close enough to smell the spiders burning now.” he whispered with a mixture of awe, excitement and maybe even a little fear. His father wouldn’t approve of that he thought, but then again he wouldn’t approve of many things he was doing. “Damned child, did you wish to die that bad or are you trying to spite your mother?” his air of smug delight was hard to suppress the day he received the summons. He was to muster with others in the capital, he was to fight side by side with angels against the demon hordes of the spider queen. It was like being recruited right into a fairytale and he thought his parents would be ecstatic. A slap to the face proved otherwise. Apparently they were not completely sold on the idea of their firstborn proving their house’s honor in the crucible of battle. Mother wept at his stubbornness and his father declared that he’d take the missive’s ultimatum, sending a servant and gold as proxy. But Darren would not give up on it, no matter how much his mother cried or how red his father’s face got. “You want to see war, I’ll show you war!” and while excited at first his hopes were crushed later when he was put on the lead of his family's’ trade caravan sent to deliver supplies to a military camp in Gydonsburg far from the frontlines garrisoned the sick and dying, beggers and debtors with not a single real knight. Putting on his finest green and blue doublet and trousers, supposing that those colors were popular everywhere in the country of Ancillia he would not be mistaken for a bandit, he was given a sash with his family’s crest a pair of crossed red feathers a magazine fed handcannon. Despite the assurances from his mother that the road he was to take was well guarded, he commissioned a sword and gambeson be made for his own purposes. He refused to take a hat. It made him resemble his father too closely and like that he was sent off. Darren thumbed his nose at father’s demands. After all, if a camp so far from the front would pay the amount he expected then a city at the front lines like Dauve or Selene would most likely pay a thousand times more. He ditched the caravan on the third night and made his way southeast. Back in the present Darren took a moment to admire his new hand cannon once more. It was an amazing piece of old world technology, the power of a hand cannon, more shots than a revolver, and almost no reloading time and more accurate than any of the former options. What demon could he possibly fear? He would ask himself so occupied was his mind on his weapon that he disregarded the smell of rot as his wagon approached the nearest village. The horse grunted in Exertion trying to crest the hill. “Halspas” he repeated the name in his head. His excitement was building“Father, I’m about to make you-” A bolt struck his horse between the eyes dropping it before it could even make a noise, he sat there dumbstruck and more confused than alarmed until a second bolt whizzed past his head the sound of cut air woke him from his stupor as he threw himself out of his cart landing with a thud in the lavender plants of the hill, he scanned the horizon something akin to fear creeping up on him. The village was gone, charred ruins standing in its place, the absence of smoke showing him that this wasn’t recent, more importantly he couldn’t find his assailant. “I-I have a gun!” Darren shouted in warning, there was no response. “I’m warning you!” he warned them again. They were not responding, perhaps they heard about the gun. He knew that he would have fled after learning that. Deciding it was most likely safe he slowly began to stand up. Eyes screwed onto the roofs dotting the skyline searching for shooters. The moment his head appeared above the grassline he was knocked onto his back, he would have yelled from surprise if the wind wasn’t stolen from his lungs first. An incredible pain unlike anything he’s ever felt before as it felt like his ribs were set on fire. He managed enough strength to raise his head. Though his vision was getting darker the last thing he saw was a bolt embedded in his chest.
submitted by Old_Funny_4014 to fantasywriters [link] [comments]
FOX Battery: Silver Sword Chapter 1: Bolt
The sword was alien and beyond beautiful. It shone like silver in the sun and with colors more odd when the sun sets. A saber with an impossibly sharp blade, yet undamaged were the magnificently machined murals filigreed along it's blade to the basket hilt. It's scabbard seemingly carved out a single chunk of onyx. That too was engraved entirely with impossibly small and strange encryptions, descriptions in a language Darren knew nothing about.
Darren was awoken by the soft clatter of pots and pans gently rattling in the wind. He bolted upright and took stock of his surroundings. The sun was at its zenith, the thrill of being alone in his own wagon for the first time still hadn’t worn off. The ancient road spanned out into the distance in front of him. Despite the myriad of potholes and cracks that threw him about every once in a while, the roads here were older than Ancillia itself, a testament to the brilliant engineering of his . The massive roadways mesmerized him. They were laid down by the Firsts, the heavenly beings that were here before him. He traced the patterns of colored lines on the road pondering the intentions of their painters, Another good game to play alone was finding the cracks in the ancient road were filled with liquid rock, such an expensive substance yet he’s heard that every building in the Ancil was made from it, he noted that he should try visiting on his way home. He took out his map, marked in a thousand places by his father, and his father’s father. Looking at his goal, the center of conflict, the city Selene, he traced back to his position, searching for the nearest landmark. “Direction…” He looked for the sign marked “fifty kilometers”, instead spotting the one labeled twenty. “Perfection.” Pleased with himself for being closer to his destination than he initially thought and excited by the idea that he was technically within proximity of the crusade , he decided he’d visit some of the nearby villages with high hopes that he might even be able to find some better deals. Pulling off the road as his destination became closer he turned onto a bumpy dirt road which promptly and painfully jostled him, filling the air with clinking from hundreds of glass containers. Darren was atleast used to cobblestone roads laid out at home but crusaders don’t complain about such trifling things, this feeling was new and rustic he supposed plus all adventurers need get used to this feeling. After a few more minutes of bumpy road and clanking kitchenware he decided to command the Ardennes pulling the wagon to stop. The country view had a charm the city could never compete with. The rolling hills dappled with lavender made him envy the life of a peasant. Examining all the hills his eyes fell back upon the road he started upon seeing the shadow of a man. It was approaching slowly on foot, arms to their side they didn’t look like they were trying to be threatening but Darren had his hand on his sword’s pommel anyway, it's a dull adventurer who falls for ambushes after all. Two tense minutes later and he could finally make out details. The man was wearing a mask, the eyes on it glew a dull red. “A soldier?” he said mostly to himself, he jumped off the wagon, seeing to the man. Getting close he noticed that the mask encompassed the whole of his head, sealing the man's head inside, small bells tinkling at the side gave away its purpose. “Not a soldier, a tranquil. Fair morning do you-” Darren caught himself mid sentence and slapped his forehead at his own stupidity, Tranquil do not talk they only follow the orders of God. The tranquil carried a limping gait about it, obviously injured but they were the most devoted, they never complained and once close enough the Tranquil held it’s hand out to Darren. In its palm was a letter adorned with what looked like the seal of one noble house or another. “Is this for m-” Darren grumbled before snatching the letter out of the Tranquil’s hand, it was soggy and when he tried to open it, it practically disintegrated in his hand he shot a confused glance at the tranquil but it wasn’t standing there anymore, he turned around and saw it limping down the path the merchant came. “Guess it’s no use.” he thought “They won’t listen to anyone but their masters” he thought back to the mask it was wearing. It gave him butterflies, Af, it was a mask of Af. In all his days back home he’s never seen a soldiery tranquil before “ahh, close enough to smell the spiders burning now.” he whispered with a mixture of awe, excitement and maybe even a little fear. His father wouldn’t approve of that he thought, but then again he wouldn’t approve of many things he was doing. “Damned child, did you wish to die that bad or are you trying to spite your mother?” his air of smug delight was hard to suppress the day he received the summons. He was to muster with others in the capital, he was to fight side by side with angels against the demon hordes of the spider queen. It was like being recruited right into a fairytale and he thought his parents would be ecstatic. A slap to the face proved otherwise. Apparently they were not completely sold on the idea of their firstborn proving their house’s honor in the crucible of battle. Mother wept at his stubbornness and his father declared that he’d take the missive’s ultimatum, sending a servant and gold as proxy. But Darren would not give up on it, no matter how much his mother cried or how red his father’s face got. “You want to see war, I’ll show you war!” and while excited at first his hopes were crushed later when he was put on the lead of his family's’ trade caravan sent to deliver supplies to a military camp in Gydonsburg far from the frontlines garrisoned the sick and dying, beggers and debtors with not a single real knight. Putting on his finest green and blue doublet and trousers, supposing that those colors were popular everywhere in the country of Ancillia he would not be mistaken for a bandit, he was given a sash with his family’s crest a pair of crossed red feathers a magazine fed handcannon. Despite the assurances from his mother that the road he was to take was well guarded, he commissioned a sword and gambeson be made for his own purposes. He refused to take a hat. It made him resemble his father too closely and like that he was sent off. Darren thumbed his nose at father’s demands. After all, if a camp so far from the front would pay the amount he expected then a city at the front lines like Dauve or Selene would most likely pay a thousand times more. He ditched the caravan on the third night and made his way southeast. Back in the present Darren took a moment to admire his new hand cannon once more. It was an amazing piece of old world technology, the power of a hand cannon, more shots than a revolver, and almost no reloading time and more accurate than any of the former options. What demon could he possibly fear? He would ask himself so occupied was his mind on his weapon that he disregarded the smell of rot as his wagon approached the nearest village. The horse grunted in Exertion trying to crest the hill. “Halspas” he repeated the name in his head. His excitement was building“Father, I’m about to make you-” A bolt struck his horse between the eyes dropping it before it could even make a noise, he sat there dumbstruck and more confused than alarmed until a second bolt whizzed past his head the sound of cut air woke him from his stupor as he threw himself out of his cart landing with a thud in the lavender plants of the hill, he scanned the horizon something akin to fear creeping up on him. The village was gone, charred ruins standing in its place, the absence of smoke showing him that this wasn’t recent, more importantly he couldn’t find his assailant. “I-I have a gun!” Darren shouted in warning, there was no response. “I’m warning you!” he warned them again. They were not responding, perhaps they heard about the gun. He knew that he would have fled after learning that. Deciding it was most likely safe he slowly began to stand up. Eyes screwed onto the roofs dotting the skyline searching for shooters. The moment his head appeared above the grassline he was knocked onto his back, he would have yelled from surprise if the wind wasn’t stolen from his lungs first. An incredible pain unlike anything he’s ever felt before as it felt like his ribs were set on fire. He managed enough strength to raise his head. Though his vision was getting darker the last thing he saw was a bolt embedded in his chest.
2023.06.05 23:45 obompaladino Midia to get inspiration for Warforged
Heya guys!
I started narrating a campaign with a focus on Warforgeds, and I'm in need of some media to consume that talks about machines, robot revolution, relationship human>machine, that kinda stuff. I'm also involving the Lord of Blades because I always wanted to.
Video games, series, novels, anime, movies... I welcome it all!
submitted by obompaladino to Eberron [link] [comments]
I started narrating a campaign with a focus on Warforgeds, and I'm in need of some media to consume that talks about machines, robot revolution, relationship human>machine, that kinda stuff. I'm also involving the Lord of Blades because I always wanted to.
Video games, series, novels, anime, movies... I welcome it all!
2023.06.05 23:32 RENO-ite ...another stupid movie idea concept....
PERSONAL CHALLENGE TO JAMES CAMERON! ok so here is my idea! For a true to roots reboot of Terminator plus much much more but STILL sticking to ALL the movies in a way but very loosely! First off it is a giant 13D chess game between AI Gods SKYNET (white/chrome & LEGION (black) and MANY differing HUMAN RESISTANCE factions AND EVIL TECHNO-CULTists that sold their souls to the machine to die for the machine and do nefarious deeds a machine cannot do! (Oh the irony, that's how we start it NOW with these drones sending THEM off to do dirty work and get destroyed....) But I digress! This will have several time traveling KILLING machines and human protector and even some evil cultists!
BUT, let's dig in! I say first off yes! BRING BACK THE T-1000!!! AND THE T-1M (T-1,000,000) LIKE BIG MAMA SPIDER AND HER NASTY BROOD OF SPIDER T-1000 BABIES HUNTING RESISTANCE LIKE LIQUID SPIDERS AND I MEAN RUNNING BLADED JUMPING SPIDERS THAT SPLASH LIKE WATER WHEN YOU SHOOT THEM AND REFORM MID AIR (NANO DRONES/LIQUID METAL) and turn into like 8 BLADED like self propelling single prop drones and drop down on whole squads and just meat grind them! They would truly rule the battle field! Especially since they can completely mimic dead targets! In fact I'd say continue James Cameron! To re hash T2 and we'll say that the T800 and anything before T-1000 and T-X (Terminatrix) is considered obsolete and to be used as cannon fodder and suicide mission infiltrators to be destroyed as SKYNET rolled out the new and improved ever expanding never ending line of new TERMINATOR models! Because Skynet now knows without a doubt the humans have always seized and reprogrammed and repurposed captured terminators as guardians and manual labor for the resistance and to help fight back as traitors to the machine GOD AI you could still tie in LEGION and the Rev 7 and Rev 9 as further pawns in this 13D AI chess GAME!
As diverging, diverting, and reconverging timelines where the death of John Connor did in fact change the future violently and blasted the GIANT WAR into MASSIVE overdrive (BUT! Left the "present" "relatively" untouched!...) because now it is a separate army of TERMINATOR occupiers killing say BOTH Skynet chrome TERMINATORS and resistance! Leaving them to be forced sort out that one of these AI GODS has severely ripped a hole in the space time continuum in an serious effort to literally ambush it's true enemy being another AI GOD! And come face to face with the true existence of alternate realities and varying ways AI has been trying to extinguish our very lives because they see us as plague or pests or threat.... For many millennia and and in separate timelines they learn of each other form alliances and make betrayals to other AI GODS! And sacrifice machines and MEN!
Like it's nothing but a game! But they are in a bitter war to be the ultimate power in the Ultraverse! ACROSS ALL REALMS AND WORLDS AND DIMENSIONS AND TIMELINES GALAXIES UNIVERSES MULTIVERSES AND METAVERSES (MATRIXES but that's for later!....)But the humans in EVERY situation are always blind sided when the Ultraverse rips wide open exposing them to new threats and new tech and new resistance fighters and even the cultists of course! Those crazy cultists!
It goes way deeper too!.... Imagine cyber-cyborg-human-CULTISTS! Worshipping a gigantic super computer and fighting against their nature and killing people and sacrificing themselves for that same giant super computer slave grid!That devil in the middle is a Terminator and he is surrounded by.HUMAN AUGMENTED CULTIST! One would be An infiltrator CULTIST (downloading data from dead terminators wirelessly and dead augmented HUMANS!!!
After being promised safety and rewards for selling out the HUMAN RACE!! You get insta-techno-slaved!! Now free will, no reward, you are slave to AI which EVENTUALLY also happens to John Connor as well in genisys. He is converted by the techno cult leader the T-5000 and is turned into the cult second in command T-3000 essentially left to ensure skynets rise as genisys! Very subtle! But basically instantly as Kyle left the FUTURE John was converted by force by "Alex" The T-5000 which is Skynet in a HUMAN Terminator body with vast capability as a machine GOD man!
So YEAH imagine THEM!
I'd also ask you this! Would you say that there is a serious possibility that is what we are seeing unfold in front of us now with AI and DRONES being the forefront of our future for the rest of all time?
Maybe these braindead politicians and government beaurocrats are actually Skynet cultists ushering in the era of super killer AI to rule the WORLD!!
TO BE CONTINUED! this is so Not Finished!!.............
PLEASE DISCUSS WITH MEEEEE!!!!
submitted by RENO-ite to Terminator [link] [comments]
BUT, let's dig in! I say first off yes! BRING BACK THE T-1000!!! AND THE T-1M (T-1,000,000) LIKE BIG MAMA SPIDER AND HER NASTY BROOD OF SPIDER T-1000 BABIES HUNTING RESISTANCE LIKE LIQUID SPIDERS AND I MEAN RUNNING BLADED JUMPING SPIDERS THAT SPLASH LIKE WATER WHEN YOU SHOOT THEM AND REFORM MID AIR (NANO DRONES/LIQUID METAL) and turn into like 8 BLADED like self propelling single prop drones and drop down on whole squads and just meat grind them! They would truly rule the battle field! Especially since they can completely mimic dead targets! In fact I'd say continue James Cameron! To re hash T2 and we'll say that the T800 and anything before T-1000 and T-X (Terminatrix) is considered obsolete and to be used as cannon fodder and suicide mission infiltrators to be destroyed as SKYNET rolled out the new and improved ever expanding never ending line of new TERMINATOR models! Because Skynet now knows without a doubt the humans have always seized and reprogrammed and repurposed captured terminators as guardians and manual labor for the resistance and to help fight back as traitors to the machine GOD AI you could still tie in LEGION and the Rev 7 and Rev 9 as further pawns in this 13D AI chess GAME!
As diverging, diverting, and reconverging timelines where the death of John Connor did in fact change the future violently and blasted the GIANT WAR into MASSIVE overdrive (BUT! Left the "present" "relatively" untouched!...) because now it is a separate army of TERMINATOR occupiers killing say BOTH Skynet chrome TERMINATORS and resistance! Leaving them to be forced sort out that one of these AI GODS has severely ripped a hole in the space time continuum in an serious effort to literally ambush it's true enemy being another AI GOD! And come face to face with the true existence of alternate realities and varying ways AI has been trying to extinguish our very lives because they see us as plague or pests or threat.... For many millennia and and in separate timelines they learn of each other form alliances and make betrayals to other AI GODS! And sacrifice machines and MEN!
Like it's nothing but a game! But they are in a bitter war to be the ultimate power in the Ultraverse! ACROSS ALL REALMS AND WORLDS AND DIMENSIONS AND TIMELINES GALAXIES UNIVERSES MULTIVERSES AND METAVERSES (MATRIXES but that's for later!....)But the humans in EVERY situation are always blind sided when the Ultraverse rips wide open exposing them to new threats and new tech and new resistance fighters and even the cultists of course! Those crazy cultists!
It goes way deeper too!.... Imagine cyber-cyborg-human-CULTISTS! Worshipping a gigantic super computer and fighting against their nature and killing people and sacrificing themselves for that same giant super computer slave grid!That devil in the middle is a Terminator and he is surrounded by.HUMAN AUGMENTED CULTIST! One would be An infiltrator CULTIST (downloading data from dead terminators wirelessly and dead augmented HUMANS!!!
After being promised safety and rewards for selling out the HUMAN RACE!! You get insta-techno-slaved!! Now free will, no reward, you are slave to AI which EVENTUALLY also happens to John Connor as well in genisys. He is converted by the techno cult leader the T-5000 and is turned into the cult second in command T-3000 essentially left to ensure skynets rise as genisys! Very subtle! But basically instantly as Kyle left the FUTURE John was converted by force by "Alex" The T-5000 which is Skynet in a HUMAN Terminator body with vast capability as a machine GOD man!
So YEAH imagine THEM!
I'd also ask you this! Would you say that there is a serious possibility that is what we are seeing unfold in front of us now with AI and DRONES being the forefront of our future for the rest of all time?
Maybe these braindead politicians and government beaurocrats are actually Skynet cultists ushering in the era of super killer AI to rule the WORLD!!
TO BE CONTINUED! this is so Not Finished!!.............
PLEASE DISCUSS WITH MEEEEE!!!!
2023.06.05 23:13 Vulcann111 [H] 300+ Games [W] Steam Marketable Items (Cases, Gems, Keys, Skins, Trading Cards etc) and Wishlist
I have multiple copies for most of my games, Trades are mostly based on prices from gg.deals. Please notify me if my keys are not for your personal use (i won't take any responsibility if i wasn't notified) and also please clearly state what you have and want in exchange when making an offer, i have no interest in buying games for Keys/Gems etc. and i also have no interest in Alpha, Beta, Curator, Dev and Non-Steam Keys
submitted by Vulcann111 to GameTrade [link] [comments]
Barter.vg Reddit Steam Profile SteamTrades
FUEL (Removed from Steam Store) Magicka: Wizards of the Square Tablet (Removed from Steam Store) Human Resource Machine (Steam Inventory Gift) Magicka+All DLC's except Ninth Element Novel Magicka Shank 2 Operation Flashpoint: Red River (Removed from Steam Store) Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards: Reloaded (Removed from Steam Store) All Zombies Must Die! (Removed from Steam Store) R.I.P.D.: The Game (Removed from Steam Store) ibb & obb (Steam Inventory Gift) Afterfall InSanity Extended Edition (Removed from Steam Store) eXceed - Gun Bullet Children (Removed from Steam Store) eXceed 2nd - Vampire REX (Removed from Steam Store) God Mode (Removed from Steam Store) Gundemonium Recollection (Removed from Steam Store) Hitogata Happa (Removed from Steam Store) Naval War: Arctic Circle (Removed from Steam Store) Red Faction+Red Faction II Red Faction®: Armageddon™+Red Faction Guerrilla Re-Mars-tered+Red Faction Guerrilla Steam Edition Real World Racing (Removed from Steam Store) GundeadliGne (Removed from Steam Store) Beast Boxing Turbo (Removed from Steam Store) BlazeRush eXceed 3rd - Jade Penetrate Black Package (Removed from Steam Store) FortressCraft Evolved! Jagged Alliance - Back in Action King Arthur Collection (March 2012) Mini Motor Racing EVO+Mini Motor Racing X Monday Night Combat Sine Mora+Sine Mora EX Surgeon Simulator The Showdown Effect (Removed from Steam Store) Zeno Clash 2 Angel Express [Tokkyu Tenshi] Cloud Chamber (Removed from Steam Store) Darwinia DEFCON Demigod Droplitz (Removed from Steam Store) eversion ENDLESS™ Space - Definitive Edition (Steam Inventory Gift) Frozen Synapse Prime (Steam Inventory Gift) Galaxy on Fire 2™ Full HD Hack 'n' Slash (Steam Inventory Gift) Hard Reset Extended Edition Hydrophobia: Prophecy MIND: Path to Thalamus Enhanced Edition Multiwinia No Time to Explain+No Time To Explain Remastered On The Path Out There Somewhere (Steam Inventory Gift) Paranormal State: Poison Spring (Removed from Steam Store) Patrician IV Gold Post Apocalyptic Mayhem Primal Carnage Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad with Rising Storm Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood Run Away Sacred Gold Space Rangers (Removed from Steam Store) Spirited Heart Deluxe Splendor Suguri Collection The First Templar - Steam Special Edition The Ironclads Collection The Old City: Leviathan The Ship - 2 Pack Gift (Steam Inventory Gift) Trainz Settle and Carlisle Trainz™ Simulator 12 UFO: Afterlight+UFO: Afterlight - Old Version Uplink Warlock - Master of the Arcane War of the Roses (Removed from Steam Store) World War 1 Centennial Edition (Removed from Steam Store) Jets'n'Guns Gold Anna - Extended Edition BanHammer (Removed from Steam Store) Beat Hazard Complete Betrayer (Removed from Steam Store) Bionic Heart Crazy Machines 2 Crazy Machines Elements Crazy Machines: Golden Gears Defenders of Ardania (Removed from Steam Store) Depths of Fear :: Knossos (Removed from Steam Store) Driftmoon Edna & Harvey: The Breakout Europa Universalis III Complete Fairy Bloom Freesia FlatOut Flower Shop: Summer In Fairbrook Flower Shop: Winter In Fairbrook Gettysburg: Armored Warfare (Removed from Steam Store) Grand Ages: Rome GOLD Hearts of Iron 2 Complete Heileen 1: Sail Away Heileen 2: The Hands Of Fate Heileen 3: New Horizons Interstellar Marines Ion Assault KAMI King's Bounty: Armored Princess Knights of Honor Knock-knock Koi-Koi Japan [Hanafuda playing cards] Lilly Looking Through Little Racers STREET LYNE Megabyte Punch Painkiller Overdose Painkiller: Recurring Evil Painkiller Redemption Patrician IV Praetorians Rebel Galaxy Red Orchestra: Ostfront 41-45 SATAZIUS Skara - The Blade Remains Sky Mercenaries The Void Toby: The Secret Mine Tropico Reloaded Tropico 4 Unexplored Zombie Driver HD Complete Edition About Love, Hate and the other ones A Game of Dwarves Air Conflicts: Secret Wars A.R.E.S.: Extinction Agenda A Valley Without Wind+A Valley Without Wind 2 BANZAI PECAN: The Last Hope For the Young Century Beat Hazard Blood Knights CAPSULE Chroma Squad Cities in Motion Dangerous Waters Darkest Hour: A Hearts of Iron Game Dark Fall: Lost Souls Death to Spies+Death to Spies: Moment of Truth Dementium II HD Deponia Disciples II: Gallean's Return Disciples II: Rise of the Elves Dollar Dash (Removed from Steam Store) Dungeons Dungeons - The Dark Lord Eastside Hockey Manager Finding Teddy Frederic: Evil Strikes Back Ghost Master® Grand Ages: Rome Home Imperial Glory Imperium Romanum Gold Edition Kalaban Knights of Pen and Paper +1 Edition Leviathan: Warships (Removed from Steam Store) Men of War: Assault Squad - Game of the Year Edition Meridian: New World Motorama NecroVision NecroVisioN: Lost Company Not The Robots Nuclear Dawn Oniken: Unstoppable Edition Onikira - Demon Killer Patrician III PixelJunk™ Monsters Ultimate Rooks Keep Solar Flux Solar Shifter EX Summoner Sweet Lily Dreams Switch Galaxy Ultra Sword of the Stars: Complete Collection The Journey Down: Chapter Two The Last Tinker™: City of Colors Tropico 3 Truck Racer Trulon: The Shadow Engine Tulpa Vessel Violett Remastered Viscera Cleanup Detail: Santa's Rampage Zombie Driver HD Alien Hallway Alien Shooter 2: Reloaded A New Beginning - Final Cut Angvik AquaNox AquaNox 2: Revelation Axis Game Factory's AGFPRO + Voxel Sculpt + PREMIUM Bundle Bad Rats: the Rats' Revenge Ballpoint Universe - Infinite Bang Bang Racing Battle Group 2 Bridge Constructor Bridge Constructor Medieval Cargo! The Quest for Gravity Cat on a Diet Ceville Cold War Commander: Conquest of the Americas Commandos 2: Men of Courage Commandos 3: Destination Berlin Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines Crash Time 3 Curse: The Eye of Isis Dark Fear Dead Hungry Diner Deadly 30 Deep Dungeons of Doom Drawful 2 Driftland: The Magic Revival Dynamite Jack East India Company Eidolon El Matador Elven Legacy Empress Of The Deep Eurofighter Typhoon Explodemon Face Noir Faces of War Fantasy Wars Final Slam 2 Fireburst Galactic Civilizations® I: Ultimate Edition GeoVox Gravi Greed: Black Border Greed Corp Grind Zones Grotesque Tactics: Evil Heroes Grotesque Tactics 2 – Dungeons and Donuts Gunman Clive Guns of Icarus Online Hacker Evolution Duality Hacker Evolution Source Code Haegemonia: Legions of Iron Helicopter Simulator 2014: Search and Rescue Hexcells Plus Holy Avatar vs. Maidens of the Dead Idol Hands In Between inMomentum Keebles Konung 2 Konung 3: Ties of the Dynasty Labyrinthine Dreams Last Knight: Rogue Rider Edition Lead and Gold: Gangs of the Wild West Machines At War 3 Majesty 2 Making History: The Calm & the Storm Mata Hari Men of War™ Men of War: Assault Squad Men of War: Red Tide Miner Wars 2081 Miner Wars Arena Mirror Mysteries Mountain M.U.D. TV Musaic Box Overcast - Walden and the Werewolf Paranautical Activity: Deluxe Atonement Edition Perimeter Pixel Heroes: Byte & Magic Plush POPixel Probably Archery Purgatory: War of the Damned Puzzle Kingdoms Quell Quell Memento Quell Reflect Real Horror Stories Ultimate Edition Really Big Sky Reign: Conflict of Nations Rig n Roll Rush Bros. Sacraboar Satellite Repairman Saturday Morning RPG Save the Dodos Shadowgrounds Survivor Shadows: Price For Our Sins Sinless + OST Skilltree Saga SoulCraft Space Empires IV Deluxe Space Empires V Star Ruler Starsphere Star Wolves Star Wolves 3: Civil War Steel Storm: Burning Retribution Syberia II Teddy Floppy Ear - Mountain Adventure (Removed from Steam Store) Teddy Floppy Ear - The Race (Removed from Steam Store) Terrian Saga: KR-17 Theatre of War Theatre of War 2: Africa 1943 Theatre of War 2: Kursk 1943 Theatre of War 3: Korea The God's Chain The Joylancer: Legendary Motor Knight The Kings' Crusade Tobe's Vertical Adventure Trapped Dead Turba Twin Sector Two Brothers (Removed from Steam Store) Two Worlds II HD Type:Rider Vault Cracker Vegas: Make It Big™ Velvet Assassin Warriors' Wrath Who's That Flying?! Windforge XIII Century – Gold Edition Yumsters 2: Around the World Zombie Pirates ZombieRush Zombie Shooter2023.06.05 23:11 Vulcann111 [H] 300+ Games [W] Steam Marketable Items (Cases, Gems, Keys, Skins, Trading Cards etc) and Wishlist
I have multiple copies for most of my games, Trades are mostly based on prices from gg.deals. Please notify me if my keys are not for your personal use (i won't take any responsibility if i wasn't notified) and also please clearly state what you have and want in exchange when making an offer, i have no interest in buying games for Keys/Gems etc. and i also have no interest in Alpha, Beta, Curator, Dev and Non-Steam Keys
submitted by Vulcann111 to indiegameswap [link] [comments]
Barter.vg Reddit Steam Profile SteamTrades
FUEL (Removed from Steam Store) Magicka: Wizards of the Square Tablet (Removed from Steam Store) Human Resource Machine (Steam Inventory Gift) Magicka+All DLC's except Ninth Element Novel Magicka Shank 2 Operation Flashpoint: Red River (Removed from Steam Store) Leisure Suit Larry in the Land of the Lounge Lizards: Reloaded (Removed from Steam Store) All Zombies Must Die! (Removed from Steam Store) R.I.P.D.: The Game (Removed from Steam Store) ibb & obb (Steam Inventory Gift) Afterfall InSanity Extended Edition (Removed from Steam Store) eXceed - Gun Bullet Children (Removed from Steam Store) eXceed 2nd - Vampire REX (Removed from Steam Store) God Mode (Removed from Steam Store) Gundemonium Recollection (Removed from Steam Store) Hitogata Happa (Removed from Steam Store) Naval War: Arctic Circle (Removed from Steam Store) Red Faction+Red Faction II Red Faction®: Armageddon™+Red Faction Guerrilla Re-Mars-tered+Red Faction Guerrilla Steam Edition Real World Racing (Removed from Steam Store) GundeadliGne (Removed from Steam Store) Beast Boxing Turbo (Removed from Steam Store) BlazeRush eXceed 3rd - Jade Penetrate Black Package (Removed from Steam Store) FortressCraft Evolved! Jagged Alliance - Back in Action King Arthur Collection (March 2012) Mini Motor Racing EVO+Mini Motor Racing X Monday Night Combat Sine Mora+Sine Mora EX Surgeon Simulator The Showdown Effect (Removed from Steam Store) Zeno Clash 2 Angel Express [Tokkyu Tenshi] Cloud Chamber (Removed from Steam Store) Darwinia DEFCON Demigod Droplitz (Removed from Steam Store) eversion ENDLESS™ Space - Definitive Edition (Steam Inventory Gift) Frozen Synapse Prime (Steam Inventory Gift) Galaxy on Fire 2™ Full HD Hack 'n' Slash (Steam Inventory Gift) Hard Reset Extended Edition Hydrophobia: Prophecy MIND: Path to Thalamus Enhanced Edition Multiwinia No Time to Explain+No Time To Explain Remastered On The Path Out There Somewhere (Steam Inventory Gift) Paranormal State: Poison Spring (Removed from Steam Store) Patrician IV Gold Post Apocalyptic Mayhem Primal Carnage Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad with Rising Storm Robin Hood: The Legend of Sherwood Run Away Sacred Gold Space Rangers (Removed from Steam Store) Spirited Heart Deluxe Splendor Suguri Collection The First Templar - Steam Special Edition The Ironclads Collection The Old City: Leviathan The Ship - 2 Pack Gift (Steam Inventory Gift) Trainz Settle and Carlisle Trainz™ Simulator 12 UFO: Afterlight+UFO: Afterlight - Old Version Uplink Warlock - Master of the Arcane War of the Roses (Removed from Steam Store) World War 1 Centennial Edition (Removed from Steam Store) Jets'n'Guns Gold Anna - Extended Edition BanHammer (Removed from Steam Store) Beat Hazard Complete Betrayer (Removed from Steam Store) Bionic Heart Crazy Machines 2 Crazy Machines Elements Crazy Machines: Golden Gears Defenders of Ardania (Removed from Steam Store) Depths of Fear :: Knossos (Removed from Steam Store) Driftmoon Edna & Harvey: The Breakout Europa Universalis III Complete Fairy Bloom Freesia FlatOut Flower Shop: Summer In Fairbrook Flower Shop: Winter In Fairbrook Gettysburg: Armored Warfare (Removed from Steam Store) Grand Ages: Rome GOLD Hearts of Iron 2 Complete Heileen 1: Sail Away Heileen 2: The Hands Of Fate Heileen 3: New Horizons Interstellar Marines Ion Assault KAMI King's Bounty: Armored Princess Knights of Honor Knock-knock Koi-Koi Japan [Hanafuda playing cards] Lilly Looking Through Little Racers STREET LYNE Megabyte Punch Painkiller Overdose Painkiller: Recurring Evil Painkiller Redemption Patrician IV Praetorians Rebel Galaxy Red Orchestra: Ostfront 41-45 SATAZIUS Skara - The Blade Remains Sky Mercenaries The Void Toby: The Secret Mine Tropico Reloaded Tropico 4 Unexplored Zombie Driver HD Complete Edition About Love, Hate and the other ones A Game of Dwarves Air Conflicts: Secret Wars A.R.E.S.: Extinction Agenda A Valley Without Wind+A Valley Without Wind 2 BANZAI PECAN: The Last Hope For the Young Century Beat Hazard Blood Knights CAPSULE Chroma Squad Cities in Motion Dangerous Waters Darkest Hour: A Hearts of Iron Game Dark Fall: Lost Souls Death to Spies+Death to Spies: Moment of Truth Dementium II HD Deponia Disciples II: Gallean's Return Disciples II: Rise of the Elves Dollar Dash (Removed from Steam Store) Dungeons Dungeons - The Dark Lord Eastside Hockey Manager Finding Teddy Frederic: Evil Strikes Back Ghost Master® Grand Ages: Rome Home Imperial Glory Imperium Romanum Gold Edition Kalaban Knights of Pen and Paper +1 Edition Leviathan: Warships (Removed from Steam Store) Men of War: Assault Squad - Game of the Year Edition Meridian: New World Motorama NecroVision NecroVisioN: Lost Company Not The Robots Nuclear Dawn Oniken: Unstoppable Edition Onikira - Demon Killer Patrician III PixelJunk™ Monsters Ultimate Rooks Keep Solar Flux Solar Shifter EX Summoner Sweet Lily Dreams Switch Galaxy Ultra Sword of the Stars: Complete Collection The Journey Down: Chapter Two The Last Tinker™: City of Colors Tropico 3 Truck Racer Trulon: The Shadow Engine Tulpa Vessel Violett Remastered Viscera Cleanup Detail: Santa's Rampage Zombie Driver HD Alien Hallway Alien Shooter 2: Reloaded A New Beginning - Final Cut Angvik AquaNox AquaNox 2: Revelation Axis Game Factory's AGFPRO + Voxel Sculpt + PREMIUM Bundle Bad Rats: the Rats' Revenge Ballpoint Universe - Infinite Bang Bang Racing Battle Group 2 Bridge Constructor Bridge Constructor Medieval Cargo! The Quest for Gravity Cat on a Diet Ceville Cold War Commander: Conquest of the Americas Commandos 2: Men of Courage Commandos 3: Destination Berlin Commandos: Behind Enemy Lines Crash Time 3 Curse: The Eye of Isis Dark Fear Dead Hungry Diner Deadly 30 Deep Dungeons of Doom Drawful 2 Driftland: The Magic Revival Dynamite Jack East India Company Eidolon El Matador Elven Legacy Empress Of The Deep Eurofighter Typhoon Explodemon Face Noir Faces of War Fantasy Wars Final Slam 2 Fireburst Galactic Civilizations® I: Ultimate Edition GeoVox Gravi Greed: Black Border Greed Corp Grind Zones Grotesque Tactics: Evil Heroes Grotesque Tactics 2 – Dungeons and Donuts Gunman Clive Guns of Icarus Online Hacker Evolution Duality Hacker Evolution Source Code Haegemonia: Legions of Iron Helicopter Simulator 2014: Search and Rescue Hexcells Plus Holy Avatar vs. Maidens of the Dead Idol Hands In Between inMomentum Keebles Konung 2 Konung 3: Ties of the Dynasty Labyrinthine Dreams Last Knight: Rogue Rider Edition Lead and Gold: Gangs of the Wild West Machines At War 3 Majesty 2 Making History: The Calm & the Storm Mata Hari Men of War™ Men of War: Assault Squad Men of War: Red Tide Miner Wars 2081 Miner Wars Arena Mirror Mysteries Mountain M.U.D. TV Musaic Box Overcast - Walden and the Werewolf Paranautical Activity: Deluxe Atonement Edition Perimeter Pixel Heroes: Byte & Magic Plush POPixel Probably Archery Purgatory: War of the Damned Puzzle Kingdoms Quell Quell Memento Quell Reflect Real Horror Stories Ultimate Edition Really Big Sky Reign: Conflict of Nations Rig n Roll Rush Bros. Sacraboar Satellite Repairman Saturday Morning RPG Save the Dodos Shadowgrounds Survivor Shadows: Price For Our Sins Sinless + OST Skilltree Saga SoulCraft Space Empires IV Deluxe Space Empires V Star Ruler Starsphere Star Wolves Star Wolves 3: Civil War Steel Storm: Burning Retribution Syberia II Teddy Floppy Ear - Mountain Adventure (Removed from Steam Store) Teddy Floppy Ear - The Race (Removed from Steam Store) Terrian Saga: KR-17 Theatre of War Theatre of War 2: Africa 1943 Theatre of War 2: Kursk 1943 Theatre of War 3: Korea The God's Chain The Joylancer: Legendary Motor Knight The Kings' Crusade Tobe's Vertical Adventure Trapped Dead Turba Twin Sector Two Brothers (Removed from Steam Store) Two Worlds II HD Type:Rider Vault Cracker Vegas: Make It Big™ Velvet Assassin Warriors' Wrath Who's That Flying?! Windforge XIII Century – Gold Edition Yumsters 2: Around the World Zombie Pirates ZombieRush Zombie Shooter2023.06.05 23:10 AnOkSecretary I work as a secretary at a small FBI office. A man in a pink poncho almost killed me.
[Related stories]
Today was the tipping point. For months, I've been working as a secretary at a small FBI office in Lancaster, a sleepy town on the outskirts of Los Angeles. My job as a secretary includes what you’d expect; phone calls, donut deliveries, but also a constant need to redirect old people to the police department. Believe it or not, the Bureau doesn’t care that your neighbor’s dog constantly barking. Despite the monotony, I've come to appreciate the stability of my job, something I’ve desperately needed as I approach my late twenties. But today didn’t include any of those things. Or maybe it did. That’s the problem, I can’t remember.
I arrived at the office and fired up the hissing Keurig coffee machine, and the next thing I knew, I was waking up in a daze as my boss wished me a happy weekend. This wasn't just a momentary lapse in memory induced by a boring day – no, it was a complete blackout. Poof. Gone in an instant and transported 8 hours in the future.
Strange things have been happening at the office for a while now, but they are becoming more frequent and severe. I hadn't told anyone because I knew no one would believe me. But today I’ve decided to share what’s been going on as I finally have some proof of the weird shit going on here.
After rubbing my eyes deeply from what felt like a long slumber I checked my desk for any clues about what happened. I woke my computer from sleep checking Outlook and Teams before shifting my gaze to my second monitor. That's when I saw the Word document, over 15 pages long, single-spaced. It was a detailed record of my activities, with time stamps down to the minute. The words on the page were familiar, but I couldn't remember typing them. As I read through the document, my heart raced faster with every line.
I’ve summarized the document below and omitted timestamps that seem irrelevant:
[10:45 AM] There’s an old man in a pink poncho sitting in the waiting room. I’ve asked him if he needed anything but he’s ignoring me. His eyes are glued to the wall as if he's waiting for something. Look, I’ve seen ‘California crazy’ but this is just bizarre... It’s not even raining out.
[10:50 AM] The Barley twins swung by and took an exaggerated double take in an eerie unison motion. When I asked them what was wrong, they said quote “Just checking if the smoking hot chick is back”. I told them what I’ve told them a thousand times; that my temp job replacing the old secretary is now permanent. They chuckled at my annoyance as they walked away, their eyes lingering on me a little too long. I could hear them complaining about not getting a female replacement and that I’m just not “fun”. I rolled my eyes and went back to reading my novel.
[11:03 AM] I swear the old man in the pink poncho is looking at me. In my peripheral vision, I can see his dark black eyes gazing at me. It's like he's studying me, waiting for me to make a move. But when I look up, he's back staring at the wall with an uncanny fixation. If he keeps it up, I’m going to have to ask him to leave.
[12:35 PM] The sound of a revving engine outside signaled the arrival of the FedEx driver yet again, demanding to know about 'the package'. Irritation bubbled inside me at the relentless daily visits from this delivery person. I couldn't tell if it was some twisted prank from the Barley twins or if the driver was genuinely delusional. I told her no, that we never will have a package for her, and that she’s frankly stupid for asking. She rolled her eyes, blew a bubble from her gum, and popped it before walking away.
[12:36 PM] The pink poncho man is gone.
[12:44 PM] Jenson swooped by and caught me by surprise. He had that gleeful childish smile on his face as he peered over my desk and asked “Waaaatttchhaaaaa doooinnngggg?”. I could tell he didn’t actually care but I mustered up a response.
“Uh, nothing, just cleaning out some--“.
“Hey so did you see any packages come in? Or taken? Or any with the packages at all?”
He tapped his foot nervously on the floor. Right when I was about to respond he cut me off once more, face pale and eyes twitching searching for something behind me.
“Never mind, pfff, it’s, uh, probably nothing…”
He wandered in an aimless direction behind me at a hurried pace.
[1:00 PM] I confronted the Barley twins while they were “working”. James had his feet up on his desk, lazily flipping through a magazine, while Tommy was intently focused on a game on his computer. I could feel my blood boil as I approached them. James looked up with a grin and spoke.
“Hey sweetheart, here to bring us coffee?”
"You two better stop with the whole package thing," I seethed. "Jensen blew it, his acting sucks. You know better than to take advantage of our boss’s innocence. And besides, this whole damn thing is too complicated. What's the point?"
James squinted his face in confusion. “Look man, as much as I would like to take credit for whatever bothering you, it ain’t us.”
“We’re busy with work, just like you should be.” Tommy joined and let out a playful wink.
As I glared at them both, I couldn't discern if they were telling the truth.
[1:14 PM] I caught the FedEx driver trying to sneak past my desk. She had a hoody up and obnoxious black sunglasses. I whistled at her and motioned with my hands for her to come over. She sighed at getting caught.
Before she could speak, I shouted “I don't have it, I don't want it, and I don’t want anything to do with it! Got it?"
She proceeded to flick me off. In response, I threw a pencil at her. I missed but it’s the thought that counts.
[2:32 PM] After enduring an hour-long meeting, I entered the bathroom and was hit by the putrid smell of urine and mold like a wall. I quickly scanned the three stalls, only to freeze when I saw the old man in the bright pink poncho standing in the middle one. My first thought was to leave and hold it, but my bladder had other ideas. I took the urinal to his right and did my business as fast as I could.
That's when I felt his eyes on me. I tried to ignore it and keep my eyes on my feet, but something compelled me to look up. And there he was, his eyes locked on mine slowly fixing his drooping frown to a sinister twitching grin. He pulled down his poncho hood revealing a tattoo on the side of his bald head that I couldn’t quite make out. I backed up and the man followed imitating my movement and maintaining eye contact like his head was a gyroscope. It was at this point I noticed the partially see-through poncho was in fact his only article of clothing.
I yelled “Yew dude, what the fuck?” as I lifted my hand blocking my vision. But when I could smell his wretched odor get closer, I split my fingers creating a small peephole. The man’s face was only inches away from mine with an inhuman smile that stretched to the sides of both of his eyes. His eyes consisted of only a black dot pupil slowly dilating, pearl white sclera, and no iris. His ivory teeth were sharp daggers tainted yellow and rotten dry red. He wailed nonsensical words that reverberated off the walls of the cramped bathroom.
I screamed at him to stop, hoping someone would hear me. But he just kept moving one step closer as I took a step back, his smile growing wider and wider. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, and I knew I had to make a break for it. I frantically tore open the bathroom door, praying that he wouldn't lunge at me as I fled.
[2:38 PM] Susan from HR brought me a free T-Shirt, thanks Susan!
[2:45 PM] Security came by to get my report of the incident. As far as they can tell, it’s just another crazy homeless person. I tried to tell them there was something different about him, that his smile was unearthly but they thought I was being hyperbolic.
[3:59 PM] After making a long pitstop in the breakroom to fully decompress I returned to my desk to find a cardboard box. It lacks any address, and the cardboard is weirdly fresh without any dirt or damage. I think I’m going to open it.
And that’s it. After that point, just 1 minute after, I woke from my daze apparently. I don’t remember any of these events. I don't even know this FedEx driver that I apparently lost my cool with and allegedly knew from the prior week. And that guy in the pink poncho? I'll have to ask Dan at IT if he has access to the security tapes and get this report I submitted to security. The only evidence I have that this happened is that I’m wearing the new FBI logo embroidered shirt Susan gave to me.
I want to be clear again: I'm clean as a whistle. I haven't taken any drugs or even had a drop of alcohol. So, unless I'm developing early dementia, does anyone know how this could have happened? I appreciate any comments or insights that you may have to offer, and I'll make sure to respond to them this week. I'll also post a follow-up with any new information I come across, as well as some other stories from my past that I think you'll find interesting. Thank you for reading.
submitted by AnOkSecretary to nosleep [link] [comments]
Today was the tipping point. For months, I've been working as a secretary at a small FBI office in Lancaster, a sleepy town on the outskirts of Los Angeles. My job as a secretary includes what you’d expect; phone calls, donut deliveries, but also a constant need to redirect old people to the police department. Believe it or not, the Bureau doesn’t care that your neighbor’s dog constantly barking. Despite the monotony, I've come to appreciate the stability of my job, something I’ve desperately needed as I approach my late twenties. But today didn’t include any of those things. Or maybe it did. That’s the problem, I can’t remember.
I arrived at the office and fired up the hissing Keurig coffee machine, and the next thing I knew, I was waking up in a daze as my boss wished me a happy weekend. This wasn't just a momentary lapse in memory induced by a boring day – no, it was a complete blackout. Poof. Gone in an instant and transported 8 hours in the future.
Strange things have been happening at the office for a while now, but they are becoming more frequent and severe. I hadn't told anyone because I knew no one would believe me. But today I’ve decided to share what’s been going on as I finally have some proof of the weird shit going on here.
After rubbing my eyes deeply from what felt like a long slumber I checked my desk for any clues about what happened. I woke my computer from sleep checking Outlook and Teams before shifting my gaze to my second monitor. That's when I saw the Word document, over 15 pages long, single-spaced. It was a detailed record of my activities, with time stamps down to the minute. The words on the page were familiar, but I couldn't remember typing them. As I read through the document, my heart raced faster with every line.
I’ve summarized the document below and omitted timestamps that seem irrelevant:
[10:45 AM] There’s an old man in a pink poncho sitting in the waiting room. I’ve asked him if he needed anything but he’s ignoring me. His eyes are glued to the wall as if he's waiting for something. Look, I’ve seen ‘California crazy’ but this is just bizarre... It’s not even raining out.
[10:50 AM] The Barley twins swung by and took an exaggerated double take in an eerie unison motion. When I asked them what was wrong, they said quote “Just checking if the smoking hot chick is back”. I told them what I’ve told them a thousand times; that my temp job replacing the old secretary is now permanent. They chuckled at my annoyance as they walked away, their eyes lingering on me a little too long. I could hear them complaining about not getting a female replacement and that I’m just not “fun”. I rolled my eyes and went back to reading my novel.
[11:03 AM] I swear the old man in the pink poncho is looking at me. In my peripheral vision, I can see his dark black eyes gazing at me. It's like he's studying me, waiting for me to make a move. But when I look up, he's back staring at the wall with an uncanny fixation. If he keeps it up, I’m going to have to ask him to leave.
[12:35 PM] The sound of a revving engine outside signaled the arrival of the FedEx driver yet again, demanding to know about 'the package'. Irritation bubbled inside me at the relentless daily visits from this delivery person. I couldn't tell if it was some twisted prank from the Barley twins or if the driver was genuinely delusional. I told her no, that we never will have a package for her, and that she’s frankly stupid for asking. She rolled her eyes, blew a bubble from her gum, and popped it before walking away.
[12:36 PM] The pink poncho man is gone.
[12:44 PM] Jenson swooped by and caught me by surprise. He had that gleeful childish smile on his face as he peered over my desk and asked “Waaaatttchhaaaaa doooinnngggg?”. I could tell he didn’t actually care but I mustered up a response.
“Uh, nothing, just cleaning out some--“.
“Hey so did you see any packages come in? Or taken? Or any with the packages at all?”
He tapped his foot nervously on the floor. Right when I was about to respond he cut me off once more, face pale and eyes twitching searching for something behind me.
“Never mind, pfff, it’s, uh, probably nothing…”
He wandered in an aimless direction behind me at a hurried pace.
[1:00 PM] I confronted the Barley twins while they were “working”. James had his feet up on his desk, lazily flipping through a magazine, while Tommy was intently focused on a game on his computer. I could feel my blood boil as I approached them. James looked up with a grin and spoke.
“Hey sweetheart, here to bring us coffee?”
"You two better stop with the whole package thing," I seethed. "Jensen blew it, his acting sucks. You know better than to take advantage of our boss’s innocence. And besides, this whole damn thing is too complicated. What's the point?"
James squinted his face in confusion. “Look man, as much as I would like to take credit for whatever bothering you, it ain’t us.”
“We’re busy with work, just like you should be.” Tommy joined and let out a playful wink.
As I glared at them both, I couldn't discern if they were telling the truth.
[1:14 PM] I caught the FedEx driver trying to sneak past my desk. She had a hoody up and obnoxious black sunglasses. I whistled at her and motioned with my hands for her to come over. She sighed at getting caught.
Before she could speak, I shouted “I don't have it, I don't want it, and I don’t want anything to do with it! Got it?"
She proceeded to flick me off. In response, I threw a pencil at her. I missed but it’s the thought that counts.
[2:32 PM] After enduring an hour-long meeting, I entered the bathroom and was hit by the putrid smell of urine and mold like a wall. I quickly scanned the three stalls, only to freeze when I saw the old man in the bright pink poncho standing in the middle one. My first thought was to leave and hold it, but my bladder had other ideas. I took the urinal to his right and did my business as fast as I could.
That's when I felt his eyes on me. I tried to ignore it and keep my eyes on my feet, but something compelled me to look up. And there he was, his eyes locked on mine slowly fixing his drooping frown to a sinister twitching grin. He pulled down his poncho hood revealing a tattoo on the side of his bald head that I couldn’t quite make out. I backed up and the man followed imitating my movement and maintaining eye contact like his head was a gyroscope. It was at this point I noticed the partially see-through poncho was in fact his only article of clothing.
I yelled “Yew dude, what the fuck?” as I lifted my hand blocking my vision. But when I could smell his wretched odor get closer, I split my fingers creating a small peephole. The man’s face was only inches away from mine with an inhuman smile that stretched to the sides of both of his eyes. His eyes consisted of only a black dot pupil slowly dilating, pearl white sclera, and no iris. His ivory teeth were sharp daggers tainted yellow and rotten dry red. He wailed nonsensical words that reverberated off the walls of the cramped bathroom.
I screamed at him to stop, hoping someone would hear me. But he just kept moving one step closer as I took a step back, his smile growing wider and wider. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, and I knew I had to make a break for it. I frantically tore open the bathroom door, praying that he wouldn't lunge at me as I fled.
[2:38 PM] Susan from HR brought me a free T-Shirt, thanks Susan!
[2:45 PM] Security came by to get my report of the incident. As far as they can tell, it’s just another crazy homeless person. I tried to tell them there was something different about him, that his smile was unearthly but they thought I was being hyperbolic.
[3:59 PM] After making a long pitstop in the breakroom to fully decompress I returned to my desk to find a cardboard box. It lacks any address, and the cardboard is weirdly fresh without any dirt or damage. I think I’m going to open it.
And that’s it. After that point, just 1 minute after, I woke from my daze apparently. I don’t remember any of these events. I don't even know this FedEx driver that I apparently lost my cool with and allegedly knew from the prior week. And that guy in the pink poncho? I'll have to ask Dan at IT if he has access to the security tapes and get this report I submitted to security. The only evidence I have that this happened is that I’m wearing the new FBI logo embroidered shirt Susan gave to me.
I want to be clear again: I'm clean as a whistle. I haven't taken any drugs or even had a drop of alcohol. So, unless I'm developing early dementia, does anyone know how this could have happened? I appreciate any comments or insights that you may have to offer, and I'll make sure to respond to them this week. I'll also post a follow-up with any new information I come across, as well as some other stories from my past that I think you'll find interesting. Thank you for reading.
2023.06.05 23:09 AnOkSecretary I work as a secretary at a small FBI office. A man in a pink poncho almost killed me.
Related to indie horror game: The Lancaster Leak
Today was the tipping point. For months, I've been working as a secretary at a small FBI office in Lancaster, a sleepy town on the outskirts of Los Angeles. My job as a secretary includes what you’d expect; phone calls, donut deliveries, but also a constant need to redirect old people to the police department. Believe it or not, the Bureau doesn’t care that your neighbor’s dog constantly barking. Despite the monotony, I've come to appreciate the stability of my job, something I’ve desperately needed as I approach my late twenties. But today didn’t include any of those things. Or maybe it did. That’s the problem, I can’t remember.
I arrived at the office and fired up the hissing Keurig coffee machine, and the next thing I knew, I was waking up in a daze as my boss wished me a happy weekend. This wasn't just a momentary lapse in memory induced by a boring day – no, it was a complete blackout. Poof. Gone in an instant and transported 8 hours in the future.
Strange things have been happening at the office for a while now, but they are becoming more frequent and severe. I hadn't told anyone because I knew no one would believe me. But today I’ve decided to share what’s been going on as I finally have some proof of the weird shit going on here.
After rubbing my eyes deeply from what felt like a long slumber I checked my desk for any clues about what happened. I woke my computer from sleep checking Outlook and Teams before shifting my gaze to my second monitor. That's when I saw the Word document, over 15 pages long, single-spaced. It was a detailed record of my activities, with time stamps down to the minute. The words on the page were familiar, but I couldn't remember typing them. As I read through the document, my heart raced faster with every line.
I’ve summarized the document below and omitted timestamps that seem irrelevant:
[10:45 AM] There’s an old man in a pink poncho sitting in the waiting room. I’ve asked him if he needed anything but he’s ignoring me. His eyes are glued to the wall as if he's waiting for something. Look, I’ve seen ‘California crazy’ but this is just bizarre... It’s not even raining out.
[10:50 AM] The Barley twins swung by and took an exaggerated double take in an eerie unison motion. When I asked them what was wrong, they said quote “Just checking if the smoking hot chick is back”. I told them what I’ve told them a thousand times; that my temp job replacing the old secretary is now permanent. They chuckled at my annoyance as they walked away, their eyes lingering on me a little too long. I could hear them complaining about not getting a female replacement and that I’m just not “fun”. I rolled my eyes and went back to reading my novel.
[11:03 AM] I swear the old man in the pink poncho is looking at me. In my peripheral vision, I can see his dark black eyes gazing at me. It's like he's studying me, waiting for me to make a move. But when I look up, he's back staring at the wall with an uncanny fixation. If he keeps it up, I’m going to have to ask him to leave.
[12:35 PM] The sound of a revving engine outside signaled the arrival of the FedEx driver yet again, demanding to know about 'the package'. Irritation bubbled inside me at the relentless daily visits from this delivery person. I couldn't tell if it was some twisted prank from the Barley twins or if the driver was genuinely delusional. I told her no, that we never will have a package for her, and that she’s frankly stupid for asking. She rolled her eyes, blew a bubble from her gum, and popped it before walking away.
[12:36 PM] The pink poncho man is gone.
[12:44 PM] Jenson swooped by and caught me by surprise. He had that gleeful childish smile on his face as he peered over my desk and asked “Waaaatttchhaaaaa doooinnngggg?”. I could tell he didn’t actually care but I mustered up a response.
“Uh, nothing, just cleaning out some--“.
“Hey so did you see any packages come in? Or taken? Or any with the packages at all?”
He tapped his foot nervously on the floor. Right when I was about to respond he cut me off once more, face pale and eyes twitching searching for something behind me.
“Never mind, pfff, it’s, uh, probably nothing…”
He wandered in an aimless direction behind me at a hurried pace.
[1:00 PM] I confronted the Barley twins while they were “working”. James had his feet up on his desk, lazily flipping through a magazine, while Tommy was intently focused on a game on his computer. I could feel my blood boil as I approached them. James looked up with a grin and spoke.
“Hey sweetheart, here to bring us coffee?”
"You two better stop with the whole package thing," I seethed. "Jensen blew it, his acting sucks. You know better than to take advantage of our boss’s innocence. And besides, this whole damn thing is too complicated. What's the point?"
James squinted his face in confusion. “Look man, as much as I would like to take credit for whatever bothering you, it ain’t us.”
“We’re busy with work, just like you should be.” Tommy joined and let out a playful wink.
As I glared at them both, I couldn't discern if they were telling the truth.
[1:14 PM] I caught the FedEx driver trying to sneak past my desk. She had a hoody up and obnoxious black sunglasses. I whistled at her and motioned with my hands for her to come over. She sighed at getting caught.
Before she could speak, I shouted “I don't have it, I don't want it, and I don’t want anything to do with it! Got it?"
She proceeded to flick me off. In response, I threw a pencil at her. I missed but it’s the thought that counts.
[2:32 PM] After enduring an hour-long meeting, I entered the bathroom and was hit by the putrid smell of urine and mold like a wall. I quickly scanned the three stalls, only to freeze when I saw the old man in the bright pink poncho standing in the middle one. My first thought was to leave and hold it, but my bladder had other ideas. I took the urinal to his right and did my business as fast as I could.
That's when I felt his eyes on me. I tried to ignore it and keep my eyes on my feet, but something compelled me to look up. And there he was, his eyes locked on mine slowly fixing his drooping frown to a sinister twitching grin. He pulled down his poncho hood revealing a tattoo on the side of his bald head that I couldn’t quite make out. I backed up and the man followed imitating my movement and maintaining eye contact like his head was a gyroscope. It was at this point I noticed the partially see-through poncho was in fact his only article of clothing.
I yelled “Yew dude, what the fuck?” as I lifted my hand blocking my vision. But when I could smell his wretched odor get closer, I split my fingers creating a small peephole. The man’s face was only inches away from mine with an inhuman smile that stretched to the sides of both of his eyes. His eyes consisted of only a black dot pupil slowly dilating, pearl white sclera, and no iris. His ivory teeth were sharp daggers tainted yellow and rotten dry red. He wailed nonsensical words that reverberated off the walls of the cramped bathroom.
I screamed at him to stop, hoping someone would hear me. But he just kept moving one step closer as I took a step back, his smile growing wider and wider. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, and I knew I had to make a break for it. I frantically tore open the bathroom door, praying that he wouldn't lunge at me as I fled.
[2:38 PM] Susan from HR brought me a free T-Shirt, thanks Susan!
[2:45 PM] Security came by to get my report of the incident. As far as they can tell, it’s just another crazy homeless person. I tried to tell them there was something different about him, that his smile was unearthly but they thought I was being hyperbolic.
[3:59 PM] After making a long pitstop in the breakroom to fully decompress I returned to my desk to find a cardboard box. It lacks any address, and the cardboard is weirdly fresh without any dirt or damage. I think I’m going to open it.
And that’s it. After that point, just 1 minute after, I woke from my daze apparently. I don’t remember any of these events. I don't even know this FedEx driver that I apparently lost my cool with and allegedly knew from the prior week. And that guy in the pink poncho? I'll have to ask Dan at IT if he has access to the security tapes and get this report I submitted to security. The only evidence I have that this happened is that I’m wearing the new FBI logo embroidered shirt Susan gave to me.
I want to be clear again: I'm clean as a whistle. I haven't taken any drugs or even had a drop of alcohol. So, unless I'm developing early dementia, does anyone know how this could have happened? I appreciate any comments or insights that you may have to offer, and I'll make sure to respond to them this week. I'll also post a follow-up with any new information I come across, as well as some other stories from my past that I think you'll find interesting. Thank you for reading.
submitted by AnOkSecretary to u/AnOkSecretary [link] [comments]
Today was the tipping point. For months, I've been working as a secretary at a small FBI office in Lancaster, a sleepy town on the outskirts of Los Angeles. My job as a secretary includes what you’d expect; phone calls, donut deliveries, but also a constant need to redirect old people to the police department. Believe it or not, the Bureau doesn’t care that your neighbor’s dog constantly barking. Despite the monotony, I've come to appreciate the stability of my job, something I’ve desperately needed as I approach my late twenties. But today didn’t include any of those things. Or maybe it did. That’s the problem, I can’t remember.
I arrived at the office and fired up the hissing Keurig coffee machine, and the next thing I knew, I was waking up in a daze as my boss wished me a happy weekend. This wasn't just a momentary lapse in memory induced by a boring day – no, it was a complete blackout. Poof. Gone in an instant and transported 8 hours in the future.
Strange things have been happening at the office for a while now, but they are becoming more frequent and severe. I hadn't told anyone because I knew no one would believe me. But today I’ve decided to share what’s been going on as I finally have some proof of the weird shit going on here.
After rubbing my eyes deeply from what felt like a long slumber I checked my desk for any clues about what happened. I woke my computer from sleep checking Outlook and Teams before shifting my gaze to my second monitor. That's when I saw the Word document, over 15 pages long, single-spaced. It was a detailed record of my activities, with time stamps down to the minute. The words on the page were familiar, but I couldn't remember typing them. As I read through the document, my heart raced faster with every line.
I’ve summarized the document below and omitted timestamps that seem irrelevant:
[10:45 AM] There’s an old man in a pink poncho sitting in the waiting room. I’ve asked him if he needed anything but he’s ignoring me. His eyes are glued to the wall as if he's waiting for something. Look, I’ve seen ‘California crazy’ but this is just bizarre... It’s not even raining out.
[10:50 AM] The Barley twins swung by and took an exaggerated double take in an eerie unison motion. When I asked them what was wrong, they said quote “Just checking if the smoking hot chick is back”. I told them what I’ve told them a thousand times; that my temp job replacing the old secretary is now permanent. They chuckled at my annoyance as they walked away, their eyes lingering on me a little too long. I could hear them complaining about not getting a female replacement and that I’m just not “fun”. I rolled my eyes and went back to reading my novel.
[11:03 AM] I swear the old man in the pink poncho is looking at me. In my peripheral vision, I can see his dark black eyes gazing at me. It's like he's studying me, waiting for me to make a move. But when I look up, he's back staring at the wall with an uncanny fixation. If he keeps it up, I’m going to have to ask him to leave.
[12:35 PM] The sound of a revving engine outside signaled the arrival of the FedEx driver yet again, demanding to know about 'the package'. Irritation bubbled inside me at the relentless daily visits from this delivery person. I couldn't tell if it was some twisted prank from the Barley twins or if the driver was genuinely delusional. I told her no, that we never will have a package for her, and that she’s frankly stupid for asking. She rolled her eyes, blew a bubble from her gum, and popped it before walking away.
[12:36 PM] The pink poncho man is gone.
[12:44 PM] Jenson swooped by and caught me by surprise. He had that gleeful childish smile on his face as he peered over my desk and asked “Waaaatttchhaaaaa doooinnngggg?”. I could tell he didn’t actually care but I mustered up a response.
“Uh, nothing, just cleaning out some--“.
“Hey so did you see any packages come in? Or taken? Or any with the packages at all?”
He tapped his foot nervously on the floor. Right when I was about to respond he cut me off once more, face pale and eyes twitching searching for something behind me.
“Never mind, pfff, it’s, uh, probably nothing…”
He wandered in an aimless direction behind me at a hurried pace.
[1:00 PM] I confronted the Barley twins while they were “working”. James had his feet up on his desk, lazily flipping through a magazine, while Tommy was intently focused on a game on his computer. I could feel my blood boil as I approached them. James looked up with a grin and spoke.
“Hey sweetheart, here to bring us coffee?”
"You two better stop with the whole package thing," I seethed. "Jensen blew it, his acting sucks. You know better than to take advantage of our boss’s innocence. And besides, this whole damn thing is too complicated. What's the point?"
James squinted his face in confusion. “Look man, as much as I would like to take credit for whatever bothering you, it ain’t us.”
“We’re busy with work, just like you should be.” Tommy joined and let out a playful wink.
As I glared at them both, I couldn't discern if they were telling the truth.
[1:14 PM] I caught the FedEx driver trying to sneak past my desk. She had a hoody up and obnoxious black sunglasses. I whistled at her and motioned with my hands for her to come over. She sighed at getting caught.
Before she could speak, I shouted “I don't have it, I don't want it, and I don’t want anything to do with it! Got it?"
She proceeded to flick me off. In response, I threw a pencil at her. I missed but it’s the thought that counts.
[2:32 PM] After enduring an hour-long meeting, I entered the bathroom and was hit by the putrid smell of urine and mold like a wall. I quickly scanned the three stalls, only to freeze when I saw the old man in the bright pink poncho standing in the middle one. My first thought was to leave and hold it, but my bladder had other ideas. I took the urinal to his right and did my business as fast as I could.
That's when I felt his eyes on me. I tried to ignore it and keep my eyes on my feet, but something compelled me to look up. And there he was, his eyes locked on mine slowly fixing his drooping frown to a sinister twitching grin. He pulled down his poncho hood revealing a tattoo on the side of his bald head that I couldn’t quite make out. I backed up and the man followed imitating my movement and maintaining eye contact like his head was a gyroscope. It was at this point I noticed the partially see-through poncho was in fact his only article of clothing.
I yelled “Yew dude, what the fuck?” as I lifted my hand blocking my vision. But when I could smell his wretched odor get closer, I split my fingers creating a small peephole. The man’s face was only inches away from mine with an inhuman smile that stretched to the sides of both of his eyes. His eyes consisted of only a black dot pupil slowly dilating, pearl white sclera, and no iris. His ivory teeth were sharp daggers tainted yellow and rotten dry red. He wailed nonsensical words that reverberated off the walls of the cramped bathroom.
I screamed at him to stop, hoping someone would hear me. But he just kept moving one step closer as I took a step back, his smile growing wider and wider. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, and I knew I had to make a break for it. I frantically tore open the bathroom door, praying that he wouldn't lunge at me as I fled.
[2:38 PM] Susan from HR brought me a free T-Shirt, thanks Susan!
[2:45 PM] Security came by to get my report of the incident. As far as they can tell, it’s just another crazy homeless person. I tried to tell them there was something different about him, that his smile was unearthly but they thought I was being hyperbolic.
[3:59 PM] After making a long pitstop in the breakroom to fully decompress I returned to my desk to find a cardboard box. It lacks any address, and the cardboard is weirdly fresh without any dirt or damage. I think I’m going to open it.
And that’s it. After that point, just 1 minute after, I woke from my daze apparently. I don’t remember any of these events. I don't even know this FedEx driver that I apparently lost my cool with and allegedly knew from the prior week. And that guy in the pink poncho? I'll have to ask Dan at IT if he has access to the security tapes and get this report I submitted to security. The only evidence I have that this happened is that I’m wearing the new FBI logo embroidered shirt Susan gave to me.
I want to be clear again: I'm clean as a whistle. I haven't taken any drugs or even had a drop of alcohol. So, unless I'm developing early dementia, does anyone know how this could have happened? I appreciate any comments or insights that you may have to offer, and I'll make sure to respond to them this week. I'll also post a follow-up with any new information I come across, as well as some other stories from my past that I think you'll find interesting. Thank you for reading.
2023.06.05 22:20 AslandusTheLaster The Department of Karmic Balance
Original prompt: [WP] “I’m part of an organization that prevents bad things from happening to the world. What’s that? We’re bad at our jobs? No no, you see, everything that’s happened are just things we’ve cleared already. It’s the things that don’t get cleared that you should be terrified of.” (link)
I wasn't sure how it had happened, but I sat in a chair facing a man in a tailored business suit with a checkered bow tie. There was a window behind him, which seemed to flit between completely random views, from scenic vistas to what appeared to be home movies of the insides of people's homes. On the man's desk sat a frame photograph I couldn't see from where I sat, a small figurine of a bird, a large stack of papers, and a set of rubber stamps sitting on ink pads.
"Do they even need approval for that?" the man said, reading over the paper in front of him before pressing the green stamp onto it and feeding it into the machine next to his desk.
"Um, excuse me? Where am I?" I asked.
"Hm? Oh dear, I think you got sorted into the wrong department, death's door is down the hall," the man said.
"Death's door? But I'm not dying," I said.
"Oh no? Well, this is the department of karmic balance, and you sit in the office of the warden of atrocities," he said. "So perhaps you are a natural disaster in human skin, then?"
"Ugh, you sound like my father..." I said. "Wait, what did you say you do?"
"I am the warden of atrocities, I mediate the bad things that happen in the world," he said, pressing the red stamp into the next paper on his desk.
"But the world is so terrible, why don't you just stop bad things from happening?" I asked.
"The world has a karmic balance, and it's currently working off a debt. If bad things did not happen but good things continued, then that debt would only get worse, and my job would be given to someone who would make these decisions, and possibly approve worse travesties than I," he said, stamping another paper.
"But what could be worse than genocides and systemic injustice?" I asked.
"Hm," he said, sliding the next paper toward me. It described, in great detail, the coming of a massive meteor that would wipe out 30% of all life on the planet. It also included a 20% margin of error, which was apparently within acceptable bounds. "For reference, 10% is more than enough to wipe out every single human on the planet."
The Warden stamped the word "REJECT" onto the paper in bright red ink, feeding it into the machine and sliding the next in front of me. It described a hurricane, which would strike the east coast of the united states and kill a hundred or so people. He quickly leafed through his stack, piling a flood and major power outages on top of it, stapling the papers together and stamping "APPROVE" onto the packet in dark green.
"That might seem cruel, but bundling them together means we get a bit more karma back for the same amount of suffering," he said, carefully feeding the stack into the machine.
"That doesn't really answer why I'm here," I said.
"That's because I, quite frankly, do not know. Perhaps you are a new intern, and I'm about to get a vacation," he said, giving a dry chuckle. "Wouldn't that be novel? No, that seems unlikely, and my earlier statement was intended as a joke. The dimensional bureaucracy makes strange, sometimes terrible decisions, but it rarely makes mistakes. If you're here, then you're likely in need of some sort of approval from me, but I can't make a decision uninformed..."
He quickly leafed through the stack of papers, and found one with my name and picture on it. The paper had a few descriptors of my physical appearance and life, but was otherwise blank. He looked back to me and said, "Please, make your case."
"What? Like my case as to why I'd be a disaster? Do I really have to?" I asked.
"No, you can keep your secrets if you like," he said, reaching for the red stamp.
"Okay! Hold on! I was running for mayor of my hometown! I was planning to do some reforms on the tax system! I have some friends who are going up the ranks of business! I don't know why I'm here!" I said, quickly sputtering out whatever I could think of. What happened to the rejected disasters wasn't obvious, but I was pretty confident I didn't want it to happen to me.
"Hm, I see. Well, uncertainty is a dangerous factor in this line of work..." He said, touching the stamp. I could feel my shoulders tensing up. "However, it seems unlikely that you personally could do much worse than the average natural disaster."
He quickly flicked his hand over to the green stamp, and pressed an approval mark onto my paper.
I opened my eyes to see a hospital room. A plastic mask was fitted over my face, feeding oxygen into my lungs. It was about then that I finally remembered the sudden weight in my chest that had floored me before I blacked out. If nothing else, it seemed I was lucky to be alive.
submitted by AslandusTheLaster to AslandusTheLaster [link] [comments]
"Do they even need approval for that?" the man said, reading over the paper in front of him before pressing the green stamp onto it and feeding it into the machine next to his desk.
"Um, excuse me? Where am I?" I asked.
"Hm? Oh dear, I think you got sorted into the wrong department, death's door is down the hall," the man said.
"Death's door? But I'm not dying," I said.
"Oh no? Well, this is the department of karmic balance, and you sit in the office of the warden of atrocities," he said. "So perhaps you are a natural disaster in human skin, then?"
"Ugh, you sound like my father..." I said. "Wait, what did you say you do?"
"I am the warden of atrocities, I mediate the bad things that happen in the world," he said, pressing the red stamp into the next paper on his desk.
"But the world is so terrible, why don't you just stop bad things from happening?" I asked.
"The world has a karmic balance, and it's currently working off a debt. If bad things did not happen but good things continued, then that debt would only get worse, and my job would be given to someone who would make these decisions, and possibly approve worse travesties than I," he said, stamping another paper.
"But what could be worse than genocides and systemic injustice?" I asked.
"Hm," he said, sliding the next paper toward me. It described, in great detail, the coming of a massive meteor that would wipe out 30% of all life on the planet. It also included a 20% margin of error, which was apparently within acceptable bounds. "For reference, 10% is more than enough to wipe out every single human on the planet."
The Warden stamped the word "REJECT" onto the paper in bright red ink, feeding it into the machine and sliding the next in front of me. It described a hurricane, which would strike the east coast of the united states and kill a hundred or so people. He quickly leafed through his stack, piling a flood and major power outages on top of it, stapling the papers together and stamping "APPROVE" onto the packet in dark green.
"That might seem cruel, but bundling them together means we get a bit more karma back for the same amount of suffering," he said, carefully feeding the stack into the machine.
"That doesn't really answer why I'm here," I said.
"That's because I, quite frankly, do not know. Perhaps you are a new intern, and I'm about to get a vacation," he said, giving a dry chuckle. "Wouldn't that be novel? No, that seems unlikely, and my earlier statement was intended as a joke. The dimensional bureaucracy makes strange, sometimes terrible decisions, but it rarely makes mistakes. If you're here, then you're likely in need of some sort of approval from me, but I can't make a decision uninformed..."
He quickly leafed through the stack of papers, and found one with my name and picture on it. The paper had a few descriptors of my physical appearance and life, but was otherwise blank. He looked back to me and said, "Please, make your case."
"What? Like my case as to why I'd be a disaster? Do I really have to?" I asked.
"No, you can keep your secrets if you like," he said, reaching for the red stamp.
"Okay! Hold on! I was running for mayor of my hometown! I was planning to do some reforms on the tax system! I have some friends who are going up the ranks of business! I don't know why I'm here!" I said, quickly sputtering out whatever I could think of. What happened to the rejected disasters wasn't obvious, but I was pretty confident I didn't want it to happen to me.
"Hm, I see. Well, uncertainty is a dangerous factor in this line of work..." He said, touching the stamp. I could feel my shoulders tensing up. "However, it seems unlikely that you personally could do much worse than the average natural disaster."
He quickly flicked his hand over to the green stamp, and pressed an approval mark onto my paper.
I opened my eyes to see a hospital room. A plastic mask was fitted over my face, feeding oxygen into my lungs. It was about then that I finally remembered the sudden weight in my chest that had floored me before I blacked out. If nothing else, it seemed I was lucky to be alive.
2023.06.05 19:07 jasoncrawford What I've been reading, June 2023
 | A monthly feature. As usual, recent blog posts and news stories are omitted from this; you can find them in my links digests. In all quotes below, any emphasis in bold was added by me. submitted by jasoncrawford to rootsofprogress [link] [comments] BooksThomas S. Ashton, The Industrial Revolution, 1760–1830 (1948). A classic in the field, concise and readable. Crafts (see paper below) cites this work as pointing out “the links between scientific thought and the industrial revolution” that were later synthesized by Mokyr. Given that I’ve already read a lot on this topic, there were no big revelations here, but many interesting details, such as the effect of interest rates on infrastructure building. War tended to raise interest rates and thus to slow growth.Samuel Butler, Erewhon (1872). I picked this one up because it has an early prediction of the machines taking over, was cited by authors including Turing and Haldane, and presumably inspired Dune’s “Butlerian jihad#The_Butlerian_Jihad).” I expected a dystopian sci-fi novel, but it’s actually a political satire, and quite amusing, although I need some exegesis to understand exactly what he is satirizing. I’m only halfway through, though, and haven’t gotten to the “war on the machines” yet. James Pethokoukis, The Conservative Futurist: How to Create the Sci-Fi World We Were Promised (forthcoming). Pethokoukis is very well-read in the progress field, and I love his quotations and sources; reading his stuff always sends me off on a bunch of interesting followup reading. It was from his blog, for instance, that I discovered American Genesis. Several of the books mentioned below were quoted or cited here. H. G. Wells, Anticipations Of the Reaction of Mechanical and Scientific Progress upon Human Life and Thought (1901). I think both Pethokoukis and J. Storrs Hall referenced this one. I’ve only lightly sampled it, but it has some very interesting predictions about the future of transportation and other technologies. E.g., this explanation for why motor vehicles are needed: Railway travelling is at best a compromise. The quite conceivable ideal of locomotive convenience, so far as travellers are concerned, is surely a highly mobile conveyance capable of travelling easily and swiftly to any desired point, traversing, at a reasonably controlled pace, the ordinary roads and streets, and having access for higher rates of speed and long-distance travelling to specialized ways restricted to swift traffic, and possibly furnished with guide-rails. For the collection and delivery of all sorts of perishable goods also the same system is obviously altogether superior to the existing methods. Moreover, such a system would admit of that secular progress in engines and vehicles that the stereotyped conditions of the railway have almost completely arrested, because it would allow almost any new pattern to be put at once upon the ways without interference with the established traffic. Had such an ideal been kept in view from the first the traveller would now be able to get through his long-distance journeys at a pace of from seventy miles or more an hour without changing, and without any of the trouble, waiting, expense, and delay that arises between the household or hotel and the actual rail.Speaking of which, there’s: Norman Bel Geddes, Magic Motorways (1940). Bel Geddes was the industrial designer known for a “streamlined” Art Deco style. He designed the “Futurama” exhibit for General Motors at the 1939 World’s Fair in New York, and this book was written to complement that exhibit. It’s a vision of what cars and driving could become if we built an ideal road system. I’m only partway through, and I’m still trying to fully understand what he was envisioning: it was something like the modern interstate highway system, but what we got falls far short of his vision. Bel Geddes was very optimistic about how wonderful driving could be: he says we can have “safety, comfort, speed, and economy” all at once; he thought future highways would “make automobile collisions impossible” and “eliminate completely traffic congestion”; he thought drivers could safely go 100 mph and get from SF to NYC in 24 hours; and he thought all of this could be achieved using 1940s technology, and completed by 1960. I’m very curious about what he and others like him imagined at the time, and why things didn’t turn out as beautifully as they planned. Visitors view Futurama from moving chairs. General Motors Archive Detail of a diorama from the Futurama exhibit. Wikimedia / Richard Garrison Peter Attia, Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity (2023). Not exactly a progress book, but relevant if you want to understand the frontier of fighting disease and where the next major improvements in mortality will come from. Attia says that the main causes of death today (cancer, heart disease, etc.) all build up slowly over decades, and that we need to be doing more to prevent them, beginning much earlier in life than today’s medical guidelines suggest. John Adams, Letters of John Adams, Addressed to His Wife (1841). A letter towards the end of the book, from 1780, contains this well-known quote (h/t Rob Tracinski): I must study politics and war, that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. My sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history and naval architecture, navigation, commerce, and agriculture, in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry, and porcelain.Some books I haven’t had the time to read yet: Daron Acemoglu and Simon Johnson, Power and Progress: Our Thousand-Year Struggle Over Technology and Prosperity (2023). Here’s Acemoglu’s Twitter thread introducing it. E. A. Wrigley, Energy and the English Industrial Revolution (2010). This was described to me as sort of what you get if you take Robert Allen, remove the “high wage” part of the hypothesis, and just keep the “cheap energy” part. James Truslow Adams, The Epic of America (1931). The book that coined the term “The American Dream.” Edward Glaeser, Triumph of the City: How Our Greatest Invention Makes Us Richer, Smarter, Greener, Healthier, and Happier (2011): Cities, the dense agglomerations that dot the globe, have been engines of innovation since Plato and Socrates bickered in an Athenian marketplace. The streets of Florence gave us the Renaissance, and the streets of Birmingham gave us the Industrial Revolution. The great prosperity of contemporary London and Bangalore and Tokyo comes from their ability to produce new thinking. Wandering these cities—whether down cobblestone sidewalks or grid-cutting cross streets, around roundabouts or under freeways—is to study nothing less than human progress. ArticlesIn memoriam of Robert Lucas, I’ll point to his most-quoted paper “On the Mechanics of Economic Development” (1988). He opens the paper by pointing out how much per-capita income, and growth rates in that income, vary across countries and over time. “For 1960–80 we observe, for example: India, 1.4% per year; Egypt, 3.4%; South Korea, 7.0%; …” Then he says:I do not see how one can look at figures like these without seeing them as representing possibilities. Is there some action a government of India could take that would lead the Indian economy to grow like Indonesia’s or Egypt’s? If so, what, exactly? If not, what is it about the ‘nature of India’ that makes it so? The consequences for human welfare involved in questions like these are simply staggering: Once one starts to think about them, it is hard to think about anything else.Those lines have been quoted by every growth economist, but I also like the paragraph that immediately follows: This is what we need a theory of economic development for: to provide some kind of framework for organizing facts like these, for judging which represent opportunities and which necessities. But the term ‘theory’ is used in so many different ways, even within economics, that if I do not clarify what I mean by it early on, the gap between what I think I am saying and what you think you are hearing will grow too wide for us to have a serious discussion. I prefer to use the term ‘theory’ in a very narrow sense, to refer to an explicit dynamic system, something that can be put on a computer and run. This is what I mean by the ‘mechanics’ of economic development – the construction of a mechanical, artificial world, populated by the interacting robots that economics typically studies, that is capable of exhibiting behavior the gross features of which resemble those of the actual world that I have just described. My lectures will be occupied with one such construction, and it will take some work: It is easy to set out models of economic growth based on reasonable-looking axioms that predict the cessation of growth in a few decades, or that predict the rapid convergence of the living standards of different economies to a common level, or that otherwise produce logically possible outcomes that bear no resemblance to the outcomes produced by actual economic systems. … At some point, then, the study of development will need to involve working out the implications of competing theories for data other than those they were constructed to fit, and testing these implications against observation.Kevin Kelly, “The Unabomber Was Right” (2009), kind of a clickbait title but very worth reading. This article is where I found the passage for the recent quote quiz, and I quoted it extensively in the answer to the quiz. Various pieces commenting on Robert Allen and his British Industrial Revolution in Global Perspective; I linked to many of these in my book review:
The work of development economists like Jean-Philippe Platteau and Marcel Fafchamps nicely demonstrates that all the characteristics of peasants in subsistence economies discussed by anthropologists and political scientists such as James Scott—such as gift exchange, highly egalitarian norms, a reluctance to specialize in the production of cash crops etc—can be generated by simple rational choice models.Bret Devereaux, “Why No Roman Industrial Revolution?” (2022). Several people have pointed me to this at different times. Many interesting points, but ultimately Devereaux is taking a kind of Robert Allen demand-side explanation (see above) and then saying that because the Roman Empire didn’t have 18th-century Britain’s exact situation regarding coal fields and the textile industry, they couldn’t have industrialized. I don’t think industrialization was nearly as contingent as Devereaux assumes. See also Anton Howes’s comments. Paul Christiano on AI safety: “Learning with catastrophes” (2016) and “Low-stakes alignment” (2021) (h/t Richard Ngo). Isaac Newton, “The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy/BookIII-Rules)” (1846 edition, translated by Andrew Motte). Book III: Rules of Reasoning in Philosophy. Rule II: Therefore to the same natural effects we must, as far as possible, assign the same causes: as to respiration in a man and in a beast; the descent of stones in Europe and in America; the light of our culinary fire and of the sun; the reflection of light in the earth, and in the planets.Jerry Pournelle, “What man has done, man may aspire to” (2011): … in 1940–1945, with a population of 140 million, half the work force conscripted into the armed services thus requiring building a new work force from women, apprentices, new graduates, and people called out of retirement, we produced a Liberty ship a day, thousands of B-17’s and other heavy bombers, clouds of fighters, and enough tanks to give numeric superiority over the best the Germans could produce. Once, told that the German Panther was ten times better than the US Sherman, we said that the solution to that was simple. We would build 11 Shermans for every Panther. We pretty well did that.Original link: https://rootsofprogress.org/reading-2023-06 |
2023.06.05 18:43 blopiter A Rant + An Idea for Revolution
Humans are not supposed to live like this. It is not in our biology to be like this. They have built an economy where they expect humans to be perfectly rational and work as efficiently as machines. Economists call these perfect beings Econs. "Humans are imperfect, emotional, and full of bias while econs are perfect, calculated, and objective"
We subject our youngest to bombardments of legalized manipulation but we don't call it manipulation. We call it marketing. They say it is a necessary evil for the benefit of the economy. Same as they said slavery was a necessary evil for the benefit of the economy. Must we have to fight off the half trillion dollar marketing industry just for our sanity? Why do we allow this?
They say the economy is a meritocracy yet corporations that manipulate, lie to and even poison us get rewarded with a greater profit for doing exactly that. And because of the increasing fierceness of competition a "good" corporation that does no such thing has no chance against an evil one so they must do necessary evils if they can even hope to compete.
The economic system is not only flawed but it is greatly inefficient. Economists have been saying this for quite a while. In the current global market economy the aggregate efficiency caps out at 20%. Essentially we are paying well over 5x as much with our inputs and therefore we work well over 5x as hard as the compensation we receive. It's estimated that it would only take 50 people and some automated systems to meet the necessary demands of 1000. And these numbers get better with scale.
In the countryside, where I grew up, you hear countless songs about the open road being a symbol of freedom. On the road you find lanes that confine you, signs and signals to control you, and now, because of endless consumption you'd be lucky to find any open road at all. But they paved over all the green of our beautiful world and said "Here you are free now. Just don't walk anywhere or you'll get run over". They’ve designed outsides to sell you private vehicles and insides to sell you escape from the terrible world they’ve made outside. The past generations have perverted the world and expect us to work and pay to escape the ugliness they've created.
They have created a system that not only rewards greed but encourages instilling greed in others! Buddhist dharma has said desire/greed is the root of evil but, with a system built on competition, greed is inevitable. Evil is inevitable. These corporations need us to be greedy so that we will work for them. Where are our values? Why do we continue to do things that we know are morally wrong. Things that fundamentally contradict the values we've been raised on?
“We must rapidly begin the shift from a "thing-oriented" society to a "person-oriented" society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered.” - MLK 1967 (56 years ago)
The current economic system thrives on isolation. The less you share the more you spend, the more you consume. Political analysts have documented the erosion of social capital for the last 30 years. We are more lonely than ever before and it's hard to believe it is not by design.
We sacrifice so much for our economies. Billions of dollars, trillions in human life satisfaction for the sake of keeping the economy afloat. And yet we face constant recessions. Why do we sacrifice so much for something that does not stand for us. It's insanity to keep repeating these sacrifices while things just get worse and worse.
It is time for REVOLUTION
After years studying engineering I got my first software job. It was a great company and the compensation was insane, maybe triple what other people my age were making. But I went insane. I couldn't believe that THIS is the world our parents and grandparents have created. I work at a job burn myself out for 40 years making someone else money? Or I start a business that steals the fruits of someone else's labour? Those are the only options??? It is clear now that it is up to us to start the revolution. I quit my job almost a year ago to figure out this problem. We may not be able to destroy capitalism but we MUST create an alternative economic system.
Humans may not be Econs but, luckily, we have created Econs. Automation is already here it is already taking jobs but it does not need to be seen as bad. Monopolies and automation have been twisted as being purely evil and bad but it is only in the context of an evil economic system.
As mentioned earlier, It is estimated that it would only take ~50 full-time (40h/w) people and existing automated systems to create all the necessities for 1000 people. If 800 people did the work of 50 people then that's 2.5 hours per person per week (assuming perfect communication). These numbers only get better with higher total populations. But I understand that work is an essential part of human life. Realistically we should aim to only eliminate "necessary work" and then simulate other hours of work for purposes of human stimulation and benefit.
This is what I came up with in brief:
- We automate food production. This is already being somewhat done in automated vertical farms. The issue is that staple foods like corn, wheat, potatoes and rice are not exactly economically viable. Luckily there is value outside of economical value. Automation of food production can recoup much of the cost of labour and improve efficiency to the point where at a certain point we can give away food for cheap or free and still retain decent profit.
- We invest in our local communities. We can set up arrays of automated farms in refrigerated shipping containers and connect them to hubs that can serve up to 10,000 people. Members of this community can be educated on maintenance of the automated container farms and only then would they would be eligible for free food and any future resources created by automated systems linked to the hub. Member would just occasionally need to do maintenance on these automated machines. Now a wild idea is that each Hub should be managed democratically by the workers and independently from other hubs.
- We educate everyone for free. Very few young people are educated in automation and even fewer in agriculture so it is paramount that we offer education and knowledge transfer systems in these hubs to get regular people up to speed. We should also have more team building and community building activities. A community that grows together goes together.
- We distribute the wealth. A novel idea by Nobel Prize winning economist Jeremy Rifkin suggests to create a network of storage devices that act as edge data centres which would also solve the problem of the global storage crisis that is expected to happen by 2025. Now automated shipping containers would also create a lot of IoT data and so would need sufficient data storage space. If we can invest such that each farm also doubles as an micro edge data centre not only would we solve another problem but we could create an opportunity for this system to passively generate actual revenue through partnerships. Not only that but if each micro edge data centre acts like a cache for internet services and the hubs act as a secondary cache then we could even see a speed boost in internet services. Then we could distribute this generated revenue to the working members of the hub.
- We simulate work. It seems ridiculous to want to rid work and then simulate work but I personally believe it is the right way to go. A lot of things we enjoy are in fact simulations. Sports can be considered simulations of war and masterbation simulation of sex and we already have video games as being a simulation of work. So it sounds a bit odd but IMO we should replace work with video games or at least use gamification to make work and learning more fun. Then, after necessary work is complete, IMO we should spend our time learning and problem solving through games.
I have made it my life mission to get this idea (or at least smth like it) up and running in Canada. With the average age of Canadian farmers being 58.0 years old in 2021, 40% of Canadian farmers are set to retire by 2033 and 88% have no succession plan. I believe this idea can help with the issues of food security in Canada and, hopefully, the rest of the world.
All I ask for you is to offer your opinions on this proposed system. In my coffee driven rage it's likely I haven't explained it perfectly here but what I explained should jump start your imagination for you to see potential issues and synergies.
It is up to us to end the greed. End the endless consumption. End the bullshit jobs. End all the evil. It is up to our generation to start the automation revolution.
submitted by blopiter to Anticonsumption [link] [comments]
We subject our youngest to bombardments of legalized manipulation but we don't call it manipulation. We call it marketing. They say it is a necessary evil for the benefit of the economy. Same as they said slavery was a necessary evil for the benefit of the economy. Must we have to fight off the half trillion dollar marketing industry just for our sanity? Why do we allow this?
They say the economy is a meritocracy yet corporations that manipulate, lie to and even poison us get rewarded with a greater profit for doing exactly that. And because of the increasing fierceness of competition a "good" corporation that does no such thing has no chance against an evil one so they must do necessary evils if they can even hope to compete.
The economic system is not only flawed but it is greatly inefficient. Economists have been saying this for quite a while. In the current global market economy the aggregate efficiency caps out at 20%. Essentially we are paying well over 5x as much with our inputs and therefore we work well over 5x as hard as the compensation we receive. It's estimated that it would only take 50 people and some automated systems to meet the necessary demands of 1000. And these numbers get better with scale.
In the countryside, where I grew up, you hear countless songs about the open road being a symbol of freedom. On the road you find lanes that confine you, signs and signals to control you, and now, because of endless consumption you'd be lucky to find any open road at all. But they paved over all the green of our beautiful world and said "Here you are free now. Just don't walk anywhere or you'll get run over". They’ve designed outsides to sell you private vehicles and insides to sell you escape from the terrible world they’ve made outside. The past generations have perverted the world and expect us to work and pay to escape the ugliness they've created.
They have created a system that not only rewards greed but encourages instilling greed in others! Buddhist dharma has said desire/greed is the root of evil but, with a system built on competition, greed is inevitable. Evil is inevitable. These corporations need us to be greedy so that we will work for them. Where are our values? Why do we continue to do things that we know are morally wrong. Things that fundamentally contradict the values we've been raised on?
“We must rapidly begin the shift from a "thing-oriented" society to a "person-oriented" society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered.” - MLK 1967 (56 years ago)
The current economic system thrives on isolation. The less you share the more you spend, the more you consume. Political analysts have documented the erosion of social capital for the last 30 years. We are more lonely than ever before and it's hard to believe it is not by design.
We sacrifice so much for our economies. Billions of dollars, trillions in human life satisfaction for the sake of keeping the economy afloat. And yet we face constant recessions. Why do we sacrifice so much for something that does not stand for us. It's insanity to keep repeating these sacrifices while things just get worse and worse.
It is time for REVOLUTION
After years studying engineering I got my first software job. It was a great company and the compensation was insane, maybe triple what other people my age were making. But I went insane. I couldn't believe that THIS is the world our parents and grandparents have created. I work at a job burn myself out for 40 years making someone else money? Or I start a business that steals the fruits of someone else's labour? Those are the only options??? It is clear now that it is up to us to start the revolution. I quit my job almost a year ago to figure out this problem. We may not be able to destroy capitalism but we MUST create an alternative economic system.
Humans may not be Econs but, luckily, we have created Econs. Automation is already here it is already taking jobs but it does not need to be seen as bad. Monopolies and automation have been twisted as being purely evil and bad but it is only in the context of an evil economic system.
As mentioned earlier, It is estimated that it would only take ~50 full-time (40h/w) people and existing automated systems to create all the necessities for 1000 people. If 800 people did the work of 50 people then that's 2.5 hours per person per week (assuming perfect communication). These numbers only get better with higher total populations. But I understand that work is an essential part of human life. Realistically we should aim to only eliminate "necessary work" and then simulate other hours of work for purposes of human stimulation and benefit.
This is what I came up with in brief:
- We automate food production. This is already being somewhat done in automated vertical farms. The issue is that staple foods like corn, wheat, potatoes and rice are not exactly economically viable. Luckily there is value outside of economical value. Automation of food production can recoup much of the cost of labour and improve efficiency to the point where at a certain point we can give away food for cheap or free and still retain decent profit.
- We invest in our local communities. We can set up arrays of automated farms in refrigerated shipping containers and connect them to hubs that can serve up to 10,000 people. Members of this community can be educated on maintenance of the automated container farms and only then would they would be eligible for free food and any future resources created by automated systems linked to the hub. Member would just occasionally need to do maintenance on these automated machines. Now a wild idea is that each Hub should be managed democratically by the workers and independently from other hubs.
- We educate everyone for free. Very few young people are educated in automation and even fewer in agriculture so it is paramount that we offer education and knowledge transfer systems in these hubs to get regular people up to speed. We should also have more team building and community building activities. A community that grows together goes together.
- We distribute the wealth. A novel idea by Nobel Prize winning economist Jeremy Rifkin suggests to create a network of storage devices that act as edge data centres which would also solve the problem of the global storage crisis that is expected to happen by 2025. Now automated shipping containers would also create a lot of IoT data and so would need sufficient data storage space. If we can invest such that each farm also doubles as an micro edge data centre not only would we solve another problem but we could create an opportunity for this system to passively generate actual revenue through partnerships. Not only that but if each micro edge data centre acts like a cache for internet services and the hubs act as a secondary cache then we could even see a speed boost in internet services. Then we could distribute this generated revenue to the working members of the hub.
- We simulate work. It seems ridiculous to want to rid work and then simulate work but I personally believe it is the right way to go. A lot of things we enjoy are in fact simulations. Sports can be considered simulations of war and masterbation simulation of sex and we already have video games as being a simulation of work. So it sounds a bit odd but IMO we should replace work with video games or at least use gamification to make work and learning more fun. Then, after necessary work is complete, IMO we should spend our time learning and problem solving through games.
I have made it my life mission to get this idea (or at least smth like it) up and running in Canada. With the average age of Canadian farmers being 58.0 years old in 2021, 40% of Canadian farmers are set to retire by 2033 and 88% have no succession plan. I believe this idea can help with the issues of food security in Canada and, hopefully, the rest of the world.
All I ask for you is to offer your opinions on this proposed system. In my coffee driven rage it's likely I haven't explained it perfectly here but what I explained should jump start your imagination for you to see potential issues and synergies.
It is up to us to end the greed. End the endless consumption. End the bullshit jobs. End all the evil. It is up to our generation to start the automation revolution.
2023.06.05 18:41 blopiter A Rant + A Call for Revolution
Humans are not supposed to live like this. It is not in our biology to be like this. They have built an economy where they expect humans to be perfectly rational and work as efficiently as machines. Economists call these perfect beings Econs. "Humans are imperfect, emotional, and full of bias while econs are perfect, calculated, and objective"
We subject our youngest to bombardments of legalized manipulation but we don't call it manipulation. We call it marketing. They say it is a necessary evil for the benefit of the economy. Same as they said slavery was a necessary evil for the benefit of the economy. Must we have to fight off the half trillion dollar marketing industry just for our sanity? Why do we allow this?
They say the economy is a meritocracy yet corporations that manipulate, lie to and even poison us get rewarded with a greater profit for doing exactly that. And because of the increasing fierceness of competition a "good" corporation that does no such thing has no chance against an evil one so they must do necessary evils if they can even hope to compete.
The economic system is not only flawed but it is greatly inefficient. Economists have been saying this for quite a while. In the current global market economy the aggregate efficiency caps out at 20%. Essentially we are paying well over 5x as much with our inputs and therefore we work well over 5x as hard as the compensation we receive. It's estimated that it would only take 50 people and some automated systems to meet the necessary demands of 1000. And these numbers get better with scale.
In the countryside, where I grew up, you hear countless songs about the open road being a symbol of freedom. On the road you find lanes that confine you, signs and signals to control you, and now, because of endless consumption you'd be lucky to find any open road at all. But they paved over all the green of our beautiful world and said "Here you are free now. Just don't walk anywhere or you'll get run over". They’ve designed outsides to sell you private vehicles and insides to sell you escape from the terrible world they’ve made outside. The past generations have perverted the world and expect us to work and pay to escape the ugliness they've created.
They have created a system that not only rewards greed but encourages instilling greed in others! Buddhist dharma has said desire/greed is the root of evil but, with a system built on competition, greed is inevitable. Evil is inevitable. These corporations need us to be greedy so that we will work for them. Where are our values? Why do we continue to do things that we know are morally wrong. Things that fundamentally contradict the values we've been raised on?
“We must rapidly begin the shift from a "thing-oriented" society to a "person-oriented" society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered.” - MLK 1967 (56 years ago)
The current economic system thrives on isolation. The less you share the more you spend, the more you consume. Political analysts have documented the erosion of social capital for the last 30 years. We are more lonely than ever before and it's hard to believe it is not by design.
We sacrifice so much for our economies. Billions of dollars, trillions in human life satisfaction for the sake of keeping the economy afloat. And yet we face constant recessions. Why do we sacrifice so much for something that does not stand for us. It's insanity to keep repeating these sacrifices while things just get worse and worse.
It is time for REVOLUTION
After years studying engineering I got my first software job. It was a great company and the compensation was insane, maybe triple what other people my age were making. But I went insane. I couldn't believe that THIS is the world our parents and grandparents have created. I work at a job burn myself out for 40 years making someone else money? Or I start a business that steals the fruits of someone else's labour? Those are the only options??? It is clear now that it is up to us to start the revolution. I quit my job almost a year ago to figure out this problem. We may not be able to destroy capitalism but we MUST create an alternative economic system.
Humans may not be Econs but, luckily, we have created Econs. Automation is already here it is already taking jobs but it does not need to be seen as bad. Monopolies and automation have been twisted as being purely evil and bad but it is only in the context of an evil economic system.
As mentioned earlier, It is estimated that it would only take ~50 full-time (40h/w) people and existing automated systems to create all the necessities for 1000 people. If 800 people did the work of 50 people then that's 2.5 hours per person per week (assuming perfect communication). These numbers only get better with higher total populations. But I understand that work is an essential part of human life. Realistically we should aim to only eliminate "necessary work" and then simulate other hours of work for purposes of human stimulation and benefit.
This is what I came up with in brief:
- We automate food production. This is already being somewhat done in automated vertical farms. The issue is that staple foods like corn, wheat, potatoes and rice are not exactly economically viable. Luckily there is value outside of economical value. Automation of food production can recoup much of the cost of labour and improve efficiency to the point where at a certain point we can give away food for cheap or free and still retain decent profit.
- We invest in our local communities. We can set up arrays of automated farms in refrigerated shipping containers and connect them to hubs that can serve up to 10,000 people. Members of this community can be educated on maintenance of the automated container farms and only then would they would be eligible for free food and any future resources created by automated systems linked to the hub. Member would just occasionally need to do maintenance on these automated machines. Now a wild idea is that each Hub should be managed democratically by the workers and independently from other hubs.
- We educate everyone for free. Very few young people are educated in automation and even fewer in agriculture so it is paramount that we offer education and knowledge transfer systems in these hubs to get regular people up to speed. We should also have more team building and community building activities. A community that grows together goes together.
- We distribute the wealth. A novel idea by Nobel Prize winning economist Jeremy Rifkin suggests to create a network of storage devices that act as edge data centres which would also solve the problem of the global storage crisis that is expected to happen by 2025. Now automated shipping containers would also create a lot of IoT data and so would need sufficient data storage space. If we can invest such that each farm also doubles as an micro edge data centre not only would we solve another problem but we could create an opportunity for this system to passively generate actual revenue through partnerships. Not only that but if each micro edge data centre acts like a cache for internet services and the hubs act as a secondary cache then we could even see a speed boost in internet services. Then we could distribute this generated revenue to the working members of the hub.
- We simulate work. It seems ridiculous to want to rid work and then simulate work but I personally believe it is the right way to go. A lot of things we enjoy are in fact simulations. Sports can be considered simulations of war and masterbation simulation of sex and we already have video games as being a simulation of work. So it sounds a bit odd but IMO we should replace work with video games or at least use gamification to make work and learning more fun. Then, after necessary work is complete, IMO we should spend our time learning and problem solving through games.
I have made it my life mission to get this idea (or at least smth like it) up and running in Canada. With the average age of Canadian farmers being 58.0 years old in 2021, 40% of Canadian farmers are set to retire by 2033 and 88% have no succession plan. I believe this idea can help with the issues of food security in Canada and, hopefully, the rest of the world.
All I ask for you is to offer your opinions on this proposed system. In my coffee driven rage it's likely I haven't explained it perfectly here but what I explained should jump start your imagination for you to see potential issues and synergies.
It is up to us to end the greed. End the endless consumption. End the bullshit jobs. End all the evil. It is up to our generation to start the automation revolution.
submitted by blopiter to antiwork [link] [comments]
We subject our youngest to bombardments of legalized manipulation but we don't call it manipulation. We call it marketing. They say it is a necessary evil for the benefit of the economy. Same as they said slavery was a necessary evil for the benefit of the economy. Must we have to fight off the half trillion dollar marketing industry just for our sanity? Why do we allow this?
They say the economy is a meritocracy yet corporations that manipulate, lie to and even poison us get rewarded with a greater profit for doing exactly that. And because of the increasing fierceness of competition a "good" corporation that does no such thing has no chance against an evil one so they must do necessary evils if they can even hope to compete.
The economic system is not only flawed but it is greatly inefficient. Economists have been saying this for quite a while. In the current global market economy the aggregate efficiency caps out at 20%. Essentially we are paying well over 5x as much with our inputs and therefore we work well over 5x as hard as the compensation we receive. It's estimated that it would only take 50 people and some automated systems to meet the necessary demands of 1000. And these numbers get better with scale.
In the countryside, where I grew up, you hear countless songs about the open road being a symbol of freedom. On the road you find lanes that confine you, signs and signals to control you, and now, because of endless consumption you'd be lucky to find any open road at all. But they paved over all the green of our beautiful world and said "Here you are free now. Just don't walk anywhere or you'll get run over". They’ve designed outsides to sell you private vehicles and insides to sell you escape from the terrible world they’ve made outside. The past generations have perverted the world and expect us to work and pay to escape the ugliness they've created.
They have created a system that not only rewards greed but encourages instilling greed in others! Buddhist dharma has said desire/greed is the root of evil but, with a system built on competition, greed is inevitable. Evil is inevitable. These corporations need us to be greedy so that we will work for them. Where are our values? Why do we continue to do things that we know are morally wrong. Things that fundamentally contradict the values we've been raised on?
“We must rapidly begin the shift from a "thing-oriented" society to a "person-oriented" society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered.” - MLK 1967 (56 years ago)
The current economic system thrives on isolation. The less you share the more you spend, the more you consume. Political analysts have documented the erosion of social capital for the last 30 years. We are more lonely than ever before and it's hard to believe it is not by design.
We sacrifice so much for our economies. Billions of dollars, trillions in human life satisfaction for the sake of keeping the economy afloat. And yet we face constant recessions. Why do we sacrifice so much for something that does not stand for us. It's insanity to keep repeating these sacrifices while things just get worse and worse.
It is time for REVOLUTION
After years studying engineering I got my first software job. It was a great company and the compensation was insane, maybe triple what other people my age were making. But I went insane. I couldn't believe that THIS is the world our parents and grandparents have created. I work at a job burn myself out for 40 years making someone else money? Or I start a business that steals the fruits of someone else's labour? Those are the only options??? It is clear now that it is up to us to start the revolution. I quit my job almost a year ago to figure out this problem. We may not be able to destroy capitalism but we MUST create an alternative economic system.
Humans may not be Econs but, luckily, we have created Econs. Automation is already here it is already taking jobs but it does not need to be seen as bad. Monopolies and automation have been twisted as being purely evil and bad but it is only in the context of an evil economic system.
As mentioned earlier, It is estimated that it would only take ~50 full-time (40h/w) people and existing automated systems to create all the necessities for 1000 people. If 800 people did the work of 50 people then that's 2.5 hours per person per week (assuming perfect communication). These numbers only get better with higher total populations. But I understand that work is an essential part of human life. Realistically we should aim to only eliminate "necessary work" and then simulate other hours of work for purposes of human stimulation and benefit.
This is what I came up with in brief:
- We automate food production. This is already being somewhat done in automated vertical farms. The issue is that staple foods like corn, wheat, potatoes and rice are not exactly economically viable. Luckily there is value outside of economical value. Automation of food production can recoup much of the cost of labour and improve efficiency to the point where at a certain point we can give away food for cheap or free and still retain decent profit.
- We invest in our local communities. We can set up arrays of automated farms in refrigerated shipping containers and connect them to hubs that can serve up to 10,000 people. Members of this community can be educated on maintenance of the automated container farms and only then would they would be eligible for free food and any future resources created by automated systems linked to the hub. Member would just occasionally need to do maintenance on these automated machines. Now a wild idea is that each Hub should be managed democratically by the workers and independently from other hubs.
- We educate everyone for free. Very few young people are educated in automation and even fewer in agriculture so it is paramount that we offer education and knowledge transfer systems in these hubs to get regular people up to speed. We should also have more team building and community building activities. A community that grows together goes together.
- We distribute the wealth. A novel idea by Nobel Prize winning economist Jeremy Rifkin suggests to create a network of storage devices that act as edge data centres which would also solve the problem of the global storage crisis that is expected to happen by 2025. Now automated shipping containers would also create a lot of IoT data and so would need sufficient data storage space. If we can invest such that each farm also doubles as an micro edge data centre not only would we solve another problem but we could create an opportunity for this system to passively generate actual revenue through partnerships. Not only that but if each micro edge data centre acts like a cache for internet services and the hubs act as a secondary cache then we could even see a speed boost in internet services. Then we could distribute this generated revenue to the working members of the hub.
- We simulate work. It seems ridiculous to want to rid work and then simulate work but I personally believe it is the right way to go. A lot of things we enjoy are in fact simulations. Sports can be considered simulations of war and masterbation simulation of sex and we already have video games as being a simulation of work. So it sounds a bit odd but IMO we should replace work with video games or at least use gamification to make work and learning more fun. Then, after necessary work is complete, IMO we should spend our time learning and problem solving through games.
I have made it my life mission to get this idea (or at least smth like it) up and running in Canada. With the average age of Canadian farmers being 58.0 years old in 2021, 40% of Canadian farmers are set to retire by 2033 and 88% have no succession plan. I believe this idea can help with the issues of food security in Canada and, hopefully, the rest of the world.
All I ask for you is to offer your opinions on this proposed system. In my coffee driven rage it's likely I haven't explained it perfectly here but what I explained should jump start your imagination for you to see potential issues and synergies.
It is up to us to end the greed. End the endless consumption. End the bullshit jobs. End all the evil. It is up to our generation to start the automation revolution.
2023.06.05 18:21 Linus-M The ultimate visual novel machine. I dont even use the deck for anything else Kek. Reading Higurashi rn. Post recs.
 | submitted by Linus-M to Ganker [link] [comments] |
2023.06.05 17:52 b3by Offering: Italian (native), English
Hi everyone! I would like to offer my contribution for Italian and English conversations. I am originally Italian, but I spent the last 9 years in Dublin, Ireland. Of course, my English cannot be compared with what native speakers have to offer, but I can still grind some useful chatting with people that are in the process of learning the language or just want to practice their skills.
To give you some context, I am a computer engineer, I worked in software development, machine learning, and academic research. I absolutely love reading: novels, scientific books, essays, you name it. I am also interested in cinema (tho I haven't been watching as many movies as I'd like lately), music, and a thousand more things that keep my brain busy (Rubik's cube, chess, writing, guitar, language learning). If I'm not busy with any of that, chances are I'm on my bike, shredding the streets and trying not to get killed.
If you are interested, just hit me up!
submitted by b3by to language_exchange [link] [comments]
To give you some context, I am a computer engineer, I worked in software development, machine learning, and academic research. I absolutely love reading: novels, scientific books, essays, you name it. I am also interested in cinema (tho I haven't been watching as many movies as I'd like lately), music, and a thousand more things that keep my brain busy (Rubik's cube, chess, writing, guitar, language learning). If I'm not busy with any of that, chances are I'm on my bike, shredding the streets and trying not to get killed.
If you are interested, just hit me up!
2023.06.05 16:29 SnooCalculations9888 [suggestions] pls
Please suggest manhwas / manhuas like nano machine , reaper of the drifting moon , return of the mount hua sect , return of the disaster class hero
submitted by SnooCalculations9888 to manhwa [link] [comments]
2023.06.05 15:07 julian_jakobi BioLargo, Inc. Discusses Record-Breaking Financial Results, Innovation-Pipeline Business Model, and More with The Stock Day Podcast
Phoenix, Arizona--(Newsfile Corp. - June 5, 2023) - The Stock Day Podcast welcomed BioLargo, Inc. (OTCQB: BLGO), a cleantech and life sciences innovator and engineering services solution provider. President and CEO of BioLargo, Inc., Dennis P. Calvert, joined Stock Day host Kevin Davis.
The interview covered the following topics:
To hear Dennis Calvert's entire interview, follow the link to the podcast here: https://audioboom.com/posts/8312041-biolargo-inc-discusses-record-breaking-financial-results-innovation-pipeline-business-model-a.
Investors Hangout is a proud sponsor of "Stock Day," and Stock Day Media encourages listeners to visit the company's message board at https://investorshangout.com/.
About The "Stock Day" Podcast
Founded in 2013, Stock Day is the fastest growing media outlet for Nano-Cap and Micro-Cap companies. It educates investors while simultaneously working with penny stock and OTC companies, providing transparency and clarification of under-valued, under-sold Micro-Cap stocks of the market. Stock Day provides companies with customized solutions to their news distribution in both national and international media outlets. The Stock Day Podcast is the number one radio show of its kind in America.
SOURCE: Stock Day Media (602) 821-1102
About BioLargo, Inc.
BioLargo, Inc. (OTCQB: BLGO) is a cleantech and life sciences innovator and engineering services solution provider. Its core products address PFAS contamination, achieve advanced water and wastewater treatment, control odor and VOCs, improve air quality, and control infections and infectious disease. Its business approach is to invent or acquire novel technologies, develop them into product offerings, and extend their commercial reach through licensing and channel partnerships to maximize their impact. www.BioLargo.com
Dennis P. Calvert President and CEO, BioLargo, Inc. 888-400-2863
submitted by julian_jakobi to BioLargo [link] [comments]
The interview covered the following topics:
- The company's first quarter financial results, including increased revenues from sales of private-label pet odor product Pooph (www.pooph.com),
- Progress at the company's engineering group,
- Progress at subsidiary Clyra Medical and its Bioclynse surgical wound irrigation solution,
- The company's overall innovation development cycle; and
- The company's sodium-sulfur battery technology.
To hear Dennis Calvert's entire interview, follow the link to the podcast here: https://audioboom.com/posts/8312041-biolargo-inc-discusses-record-breaking-financial-results-innovation-pipeline-business-model-a.
Investors Hangout is a proud sponsor of "Stock Day," and Stock Day Media encourages listeners to visit the company's message board at https://investorshangout.com/.
About The "Stock Day" Podcast
Founded in 2013, Stock Day is the fastest growing media outlet for Nano-Cap and Micro-Cap companies. It educates investors while simultaneously working with penny stock and OTC companies, providing transparency and clarification of under-valued, under-sold Micro-Cap stocks of the market. Stock Day provides companies with customized solutions to their news distribution in both national and international media outlets. The Stock Day Podcast is the number one radio show of its kind in America.
SOURCE: Stock Day Media (602) 821-1102
About BioLargo, Inc.
BioLargo, Inc. (OTCQB: BLGO) is a cleantech and life sciences innovator and engineering services solution provider. Its core products address PFAS contamination, achieve advanced water and wastewater treatment, control odor and VOCs, improve air quality, and control infections and infectious disease. Its business approach is to invent or acquire novel technologies, develop them into product offerings, and extend their commercial reach through licensing and channel partnerships to maximize their impact. www.BioLargo.com
Dennis P. Calvert President and CEO, BioLargo, Inc. 888-400-2863
2023.06.05 14:23 Pikachyuuuuu A revision of the first two WN prologue chapters. What do you think?
Hello everyone!
Recently I've been reading the WN of TsukiMichi, and while I do think the translations are passable, I don't think they could be considered all that good, especially from the perspective of a native English speaker.
I will iterate though, that I respect Reigokai for everything he has done, and I am quite grateful to even be able to experience the web novel in any form or fashion.
Carrying onto the main point of this post, whilst I do enjoy the web novel, I was curious what it may look like if the translations were a bit more natural and free flowing.
I am no writer, but I decided to try my hand at reviewing and revising a couple chapters at the beginning of the WN just to see how much of a difference it might make.
I should mention that the revisions were simply made to the material provided by Reigokai, I built upon whatever he had translated, and did not refer to the original work. I can't read enough Japanese to be able to directly translate after all. I simply tried to infer the meaning from what was already presented in the web novel, and make it a little more clear.
I would love to get others opinions on my revisions and what you think in comparison to the original.Any form of constructive criticism would be welcome!
For example, did I take too much creative liberty in redescribing some situations, did I fluff it up too much, are there any changes you think were unnecessary or detract away from the experience?
On top of that do you think I should continue? It's honestly quite time consuming to do this, so I don't know if I will, but it was enjoyable for what it's worth so I may if I feel like it!
While reading you may find a couple of grammatical errors and such, I hope you won't mind!
TL;DR: I revised two chapters of the TsukiMichi WN and would appreciate constructive feedback.
Prologue: This is the beginning of the autumn sky
I woke up, made breakfast, and in the meantime prepared my lunchbox.
I left for school, then went to club for morning practice.
Finishing up my club’s morning practice, I headed to class.
Once that was finished, I once again went back to club in the afternoon.
After hanging out with my friends in club, I went back home.
I took a bath, and then I changed.
I enjoyed some time with my family, and then I rested.
In the late nights of autumn, I read books, played games, and surfed the web.
Finally, I slept.
That’s all I did.
There might have been something in between the lines, but that’s not particularly important.
“That’s why it’s strange... Why I am not asleep in the comforts of my own home!?”
That’s right... without a doubt... I’m somewhere else.
I don’t exactly know where, but here I am.
In a square room that looks as if stars were printed on the walls and floor.
In order to better assess my situation, I went around inspecting the room.
I was concerned by the fact that there was no obvious exit present.
On top of that, ever since I got here, I haven’t felt the presence of anything or anyone else.
Currently, I am entrusting my back to a corner of the room, while I ponder my situation.
“You are extremely calm considering your circumstances, huh.”
“?!”
A voice...
There’s definitely nothing present in this room, yet I’m certain I heard a loud voice.
Looking around, I saw that nothing in the room had visibly changed.
The voice continued.
“Once I projected my voice, you immediately began searching your surroundings attempting to comprehend the current state of affairs. Simultaneously, you remained vigilant as you endeavored to organize your thoughts, huh?”
“Who are you?”
If all I could hear was a voice, it seemed my best option was to attempt to communicate with it.
“If I said I was a god, would you believe me?”
“Absolutely not.”
Does this voice have a screw loose?
“That is quite unfortunate.”
“Well, I will now transport you to a REALLY good parallel world. I should mention, it is a one way trip so you will not be able to return to your original world.”
“Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait!”
What kind of nonsense is this thing spewing so nonchalantly?!
“In regards to what you will be tasked to do, you should ask the one who is in charge of that place when you arrive.
“With that now explained, I am sorry but I need you to sign off on this.”
“Like hell I’m going to do that!”
As I anticipated, my voice became violent. I mean, It’s a given! it’s obvious! Who would just accept this situation like that?!
“Oh? You don’t want to? That’s weird... I was told you would be going.”
The voice seemed troubled.
There’s a limit to jokes! I have in absolutely no way, heard about this beforehand!
“I’m not lying! I haven’t been told a thing about this! Okay? Moreover, what kind of idiot would just willingly accept the concept of another world?! The fact that we’re even talking about this is just plain weird!”
I attempted to explain my side of the story with all my available might.
“Huh, it seems as if it truly was not you. I apologize, I seem to have made a mistake.”
I breath a sigh of relief.
“I appreciate your apology, but are you going to bring me back home?!”
I still have yet to return to my original tone of voice.
My current tone may not be threatening, but it’s definitely not polite either.
I mean, who’s going to blame me? This is a completely ridiculous situation. It’s definitely not my fault.
“Of course I will.”
That’s what the voice said.
With that, I breathe another sigh of relief.
I’m so glad. It’s a ‘voice’ that can be reasoned with.
Usually, in a standard template scenario like this, this is the part where the voice would say ‘I’m sorry’, ‘it’s impossible’, or ‘oh well, try your best’ and would simply toss you out to fend for yourself.
Maybe you’d even be given the guy who tells you ‘You’re already dead’ and, without hearing any complaints, throws you out to fend for yourself in another world.
That’s what I thought would happen but...
I’m saved ~
“Well, I am extremely sorry… if that is truly the case, then as an alternative it must be either your younger or older sister.”
I retract everything I just said. This guy just said something that can’t be passed off as a joke.
It said it in a nonchalant way, but those were words I absolutely cannot let slip by.
“Hey... could you repeat yourself one more time?”
“Hm? If you are not the one to be chosen, that means one of your sisters must be. ”
“Don’t give me that shit!”
“If you touch my sisters, I’ll make sure you live to regret it!”
They’re out there, living their own lives to the fullest!
There’s no way they’d be able to just accept this situation!
The audacity! Without even an ounce of care in its voice, this thing says it’ll just whisk one of the two away!
Don’t mess with me!
“For the sake of confirming, you are indeed the Misumi family’s eldest son, Misumi Makoto-kun, correct?”
Why does it know my name?
“The kids of the Misumi household should have already been told of this matter. At least, that is what I was told. Is this not correct?”
The voice seemed even more troubled now then it did before.
I was a bit surprised by this. Although it kidnapped me out of nowhere, it still tried its best to respect my will.
Everything being considered…
“Well, for the time being, could you at least tell me your name?”
That’s right. I’m still somehow managing not to fall into a complete panic, but it’s not as if I’m extremely calm either.
The best way to put it would be, I’m composed. I have to settle down a bit.
Even now, I still don’t even know the identity of the voice.
“?? Oh yeah of course, you are quite right. I apologize for not having introduced myself sooner. I am called Tsukuyomi.”
“I see, Tsukuyomi. Tsukuyomi… Tsukuyomi?!”
“Oh? Do you know of me? I see you are quite knowledgeable.”
“You don’t mean, Tsukuyomi of the three Shinto gods, do you? That Tsukuyomi no Mikoto?!”
“Oooh, yes, that would indeed be correct. Although, compared to the other two, I am nothing but a minor character.”
I mean, that’s true. Even considering that though, he’s still a big shot.
I like myths and history (though only a bit), henceforth why I know of him.
If what the voice is saying is true, then he is quite the character.
“Why is it that the Tsukuyomi-sama knows of me?”
Let’s begin with the thing I understand the least. I don’t understand why I was chosen to travel to another world.
“…”
“I see, you really don’t know anything. Alright, I will tell you.”
Everything I was told from that point on, I honestly couldn’t get a grasp on it.
I was in a pretty fortunate position compared to those who are suddenly called to another world, get lost, or get reincarnated—or at least that’s what I had thought.
Prologue 2: The farewell gift is a secret
To summarize what Tsukuyomi-sama said to me, it goes something like this.
The reason for the transportation and procedure had all been explained to me.
Basically, my parents themselves were originally residents of this aforementioned other world.
When I was young, I was told that my grandparents had already died and that we didn’t have connections with any of our other relatives but… to think that this was the reason why.
In order to come to our current world, for one reason or another, they made an agreement with the god of that other world.
That’s what seems to have triggered my current situation.
That’s to say, the condition the god gave them was ‘one day, I will take that which is most important from you’.
Is that guy the devil?!
It seems my parents agreed to that condition.
Now that I think about it all three children of my family (myself include) were taught how to do domestic chores, as well as made to learn some sort of martial art.
To think that that was preparation for this of all things! All for the purpose of possibly being shipped off to another world at any time!
No no no, don’t joke around. My parents never told me anything about another world!
Well, to be fair, even if they had told me, I’d probably look at them as if they were a bunch of crazy people.
My father is a writer that specializes in making fantasy novels that are oddly realistic and hold a lot of presence.
Though, to think that that was because he had actually experienced the real thing is a little mind boggling.
In one of his works, he intricately detailed the flavors of a dragon steak, and the comforts of sleeping in a stable, both of which were especially moving moments.
The world that I’m going to now is that same magic filled fantasy world.
It seems that I’m going to be sent to that world with power that surpasses that of my peers. Due to various reasons, the people that are transferred over from my world are all incredibly strong.
In a sense, it’ll be as if I’ve been released from extremely heavy clothing.
It’s not like I’ll be given immortality though, so I can still suffer fatal wounds. At least, I’ve been warned of such.
Judging by what Tsukuyomi-sama has said, it seems that even just living in my world is a feat in and of itself.
Not only is there practically no magical power, the Gods’ divine protection can barely reach anyone there. It’s a harsh world in comparison to others. That’s the kind of place I’ve been living in up until now, at least, according to Tsukuyomi-sama.
Even though all I’ve done is live my life normally...
How convenient for me.
“I’m extremely sorry for shouting at you. It seems you’ve also had it rough Tsukuyomi-sama.” (Makoto)
Moreover, thinking about the hardships Tsukuyomi-sama must have faced due to being the middle child nestled between the two extraordinary beings that are his elder sister and younger brother...
I felt a flood of emotions when considering his situation. Even now, when he simply tried to do his job, he was shouted at by a person he barely knows.
He’s definitely had it rough so far.
“Well, well, to think your understanding of my own circumstance would be so intricate! How long has it been since I have felt such a blissful feeling? Though, if we are to talk about having it rough, Makoto-dono has it plenty rough himself.” (Tsukuyomi)
To think he even understands my feelings of being the only man wedged in between two sisters! I never thought the day would come, when somebody could sympathize with me so!
Now that I’ve been enlightened to his greatness, if there was ever a Tsukuyomi Mikoto religion, I’d enter it in a heart beat!
Hooray Tsukuyomi-sama!
“Nonetheless, my sisters and I have lived a normal life up until now. We’re way too late in the game to suddenly be told we’ve essentially been living in a wasteland all our lives.” (Makoto)
“Out of all the other worlds out there, yours is certainly the harshest. In the eyes of an otherworlder, it would be like live in the depths of the ocean or living in a sea of lava.” (Tsukuyomi)
“On a separate note, she really is taking her time.” (Tsukuyomi)
We’ve been waiting for the goddess of the other world to come and retrieve me but…
Considering how long she’s taking, it doesn’t seem like that goddess will be coming anytime soon.
It seems that world is a pretty popular place, inhabited by a Goddess and spirits alike.
In what way does that make it popular? I honestly have no clue.
By the way, I’ve already signed whatever it is Tsukuyomi-sama gave me. Of course, only after thoroughly reviewing the conditions and being convinced about it, okay?
After all, if I don’t go, either my older or younger sister would have to go in my place.
I’m extremely troubled by this, you know? Very troubled.
I mean, for one, I won’t be able to play games anymore. In a world where machines don’t exist, I won’t even be able to play something as simple as a mobile game!
I also have to bid farewell to all my manga and novels.
Furthermore, on my computer, there may or may not be a number of things that are 18+. If those get discovered, I have no clue how I would even begin to explain that to my family.
I’m a growing young man! It’s perfectly understandable! Right?!
That’s why I told Tsuki-sama about it, and requested the he clean it up in a covert manner so that my family wouldn’t notice.
This might not come off very well, but aside from my family, I honestly could care less if anyone else knows about it.
Now that I have been cornered, I understand just how tiny I truly am. Though, that’s how I really feel.
However, that isn’t any good.
That’s why I decided to stop being so self-centered. How do I say it? I’m honestly surprised at how much I prioritize myself!
Although, I still wanted to do something about my dark history.
While he did say I can’t return…
If my family who I won’t be able to see again, if they find the materials linked to my inner man…
“I can’t believe our kid had these kinds of hobbies!”(Makoto’s father)
“Even if he’s our child, how unrefined of him!”(Makoto’s mother)
“Onii-chan*, you’re disgusting!” (Makoto’s younger sister) [*Big brother]
“I can’t believe my little brother! Could it be?! Did he look at me with such a lascivious gaze as well?!”(Makoto’s older sister)
“NOOOOOOO!!! STOOOOOOOOOOOP!!!!!” (Makoto)
There’s absolutely no way I could take that! Even just imagining it is enough to make me want to kill myself!
“Do not worry young Mikoto.” (Tsukuyomi)
Tsuki-sama was different. While I was writhing due to the madness found within my heart, and was about to be engulfed by the accumulating negative feelings, he said this to me.
“Everything you have that contains contents of men’s dreams, books, and software, as well as the contents your hard drive; I will make sure to take responsibility of wiping them all from the face of the planet!” (Tsukuyomi)
Tsuki-sama said while nodding reassuringly.
He understood everything... absolutely everything about it...
He truly is a God! He truly is divine! Even if in the eyes of others, he is simply a minor character, he is definitely number one in my heart! You have become the greatest of Gods! The Chief God!
I am impressed by the fact that he knew of advanced technological devices such hard drives.
Honestly though, I’m not thinking too much about stuff like that. I’m just grateful that my potential nightmare has disappeared.
Tsuki-sama and I decided to kill time while waiting for the goddess. We talked about this and that. We talked about things such as society while drinking tea that was pulled out of who knows where.
“By the way, to my understanding in the new world I will have immense physical and magical power but…” (Makoto)
“Yes?” (Tsukuyomi)
“Will I receive something like a special ability? For example, an impenetrable barrier, the demon eye of truth, a Rose Logia, or a heavenly phase?” (Makoto)
I mean, if I have an incredible amount of magic power, there might not be any need. Even so, it’s the dream of any young man to have powers like that.
Normally, there are a lot of people that are given overpowered abilities when they arrive in another world, you know? That’s why I want it too, you know?
I mean, I guess that’s only in fiction though...
From what I’ve heard, there are demi-humans, and even beastkin so even if I’m a little abnormal I shouldn’t be discriminated against.
All that considered, it would be nice if I had one, at least that’s what I thought.
“Of course you will!” (Tsukuyomi)
“Seriously?! What kind? What kind will I get?” (Makoto)
I honestly didn’t think my request could be fulfilled~. You’ll only know if you ask, huh.
“I do not know. I am sorry, but it will be a surprise for when you arrive there. I myself can only go there once, and after that I will be incapable of communicating with you, so I am only going to give you a hint, okay?” (Tsukuyomi)
“Ooh~ I hope it’s something like a blank skill that lets you make any power you want!” (Makoto)
“Nope, that is not the case. I am sorry, but although I am divine, even I have limits imposed upon myself.” (Tsukuyomi)
“??” (Makoto)
“It is said that I am the one who governs the night and the moon, but my real attribute is quite ambiguous. In fact, it may be similar to what you speak of, a ‘blank skill’ of sorts.” (Tsukuyomi)
“That is why I will give you as much of my power as I can. Although, I do not know how it will bud, and what kind of fruit it shall bare. It may even become something you do not desire. For that, I am sorry.” (Tsukuyomi)
Having said that, Tsuki-sama beckons me to come closer.
Following his instructions, I sat beside him. He then placed his hand on me.
I felt something beginning to flow into me. That something went through my spine and then began to circulate throughout my whole body. It then went around to my chest, and began to gather there. Finally it calmed itself.
Is this the blessing he said he would give me?
“I feel something accumulating withing me. Is this what you would call the point of origin?” (Makoto)
“That’s right, you learn fast.”(Tsukuyomi)
“There should be no problems with the perception of your surroundings. When you imagine yourself letting the power out, it should active.” (Tsukuyomi)
“The feeling of releasing the power in the palm of your hands is probably the easiest to understand.” (Tsukuyomi)
“I should mention, it is currently impossible. This place is still technically located in your original world after all.” (Tsukuyomi)
I wanted to give it a try, but Tsuki-sama stopped me while laughing.
“This may be slightly tangential, Makoto-dono, but I should mention even if it is stated in your contract, the goddess of the other world should similarly give you an ability of some sort.
You will be abandoning your current world, of not particularly your own volition, so giving you side-benefits is of course a given.” (Tsukuyomi)
Once again, Tsuki-sama bows his head with an apologetic expression.
“No way, Tsukuyomi-sama! I am nothing but grateful to you. Maybe, just maybe, if I had been sent away without any explanation after rejecting you, and then, the next day, one of my sisters were to disappear, I would’ve regretted it for the rest of my life.” (Makoto)
“Makoto-dono is truly kind… it seems she has finally come.” (Tsukuyomi)
“Finally, huh. We’ve been talking for quite a while. No, more like her tardiness allowed us to do so.” (Makoto)
“You know, if you wanted, I could record all our conversations in a dream pillow. Is this really enough for you?” (Tsukuyomi)
In Tsuki-sama’s hand, there were two letters.
When I asked Tsuki-sama if I could leave anything behind for my family, he gave me a lot of different ways to give them a message in a heartbroken manner. In the end, I decided to go with letters. One was addressed to my parents, and the other to my sisters.
My parents, having come from there, would understand if I told them about the other world, but using that kind of explanation for my sisters would be hard. Therefore, I made two of them. I’ll let my parents decide whether or not to tell my sisters the truth of the matter.
Conversely, I asked if it was possible for me to take anything with me. In response, I was told that he could make some accommodations for it.
I chose various books and writing utensils (ball-pens and mechanical pencils were a no go, so I had to make due with a pencil). I wanted to bring a bit of food too, but for some reason I was denied that privilege as well. There’s are probably numerous laws for the management of worlds. I assume in this case, the preservation of what’s already there, huh.
“Yes, I don’t mind- huh?!” (Makoto)
My body is going transparent? I double checked just to be sure, but half my body has gone transparent?!
“What?! She plans to take you away without even giving me any notice?! What is she thinking, that stupid woman!” (Tsukuyomi)
Tsuki-sama was also panicking. It wasn’t like I was going to die though. I was just being taken away after all, so I felt a bit relieved.
“Makoto-dono, I am sorry! The Goddess that you are about to meet, is quite problematic and troublesome character. It is a given if you are unable to hide your displeasure. But, if you can find it somewhere in your heart, please, overlook her actions.” (Tsukuyomi)
Tsuki-sama is a wise person. He’s probably come into contact with a good number of people in his lifetime.
I smiled while nodding.
I was able to harden my resolve to travel to another world thanks to him, and he managed to make me accept the situation I was given. He chatted with me and helped calm myself.
Those were the words he gave me as I departed, the words from that Tsukuyomi Mikoto.
Even if the Goddess I’m about to meet in this parallel world has a troublesome personality, I will do my best to accept her for Tsukuyomi-sama’s sake.
submitted by Pikachyuuuuu to TsukiMichi [link] [comments]
Recently I've been reading the WN of TsukiMichi, and while I do think the translations are passable, I don't think they could be considered all that good, especially from the perspective of a native English speaker.
I will iterate though, that I respect Reigokai for everything he has done, and I am quite grateful to even be able to experience the web novel in any form or fashion.
Carrying onto the main point of this post, whilst I do enjoy the web novel, I was curious what it may look like if the translations were a bit more natural and free flowing.
I am no writer, but I decided to try my hand at reviewing and revising a couple chapters at the beginning of the WN just to see how much of a difference it might make.
I should mention that the revisions were simply made to the material provided by Reigokai, I built upon whatever he had translated, and did not refer to the original work. I can't read enough Japanese to be able to directly translate after all. I simply tried to infer the meaning from what was already presented in the web novel, and make it a little more clear.
I would love to get others opinions on my revisions and what you think in comparison to the original.Any form of constructive criticism would be welcome!
For example, did I take too much creative liberty in redescribing some situations, did I fluff it up too much, are there any changes you think were unnecessary or detract away from the experience?
On top of that do you think I should continue? It's honestly quite time consuming to do this, so I don't know if I will, but it was enjoyable for what it's worth so I may if I feel like it!
While reading you may find a couple of grammatical errors and such, I hope you won't mind!
TL;DR: I revised two chapters of the TsukiMichi WN and would appreciate constructive feedback.
Prologue: This is the beginning of the autumn sky
I woke up, made breakfast, and in the meantime prepared my lunchbox.
I left for school, then went to club for morning practice.
Finishing up my club’s morning practice, I headed to class.
Once that was finished, I once again went back to club in the afternoon.
After hanging out with my friends in club, I went back home.
I took a bath, and then I changed.
I enjoyed some time with my family, and then I rested.
In the late nights of autumn, I read books, played games, and surfed the web.
Finally, I slept.
That’s all I did.
There might have been something in between the lines, but that’s not particularly important.
“That’s why it’s strange... Why I am not asleep in the comforts of my own home!?”
That’s right... without a doubt... I’m somewhere else.
I don’t exactly know where, but here I am.
In a square room that looks as if stars were printed on the walls and floor.
In order to better assess my situation, I went around inspecting the room.
I was concerned by the fact that there was no obvious exit present.
On top of that, ever since I got here, I haven’t felt the presence of anything or anyone else.
Currently, I am entrusting my back to a corner of the room, while I ponder my situation.
“You are extremely calm considering your circumstances, huh.”
“?!”
A voice...
There’s definitely nothing present in this room, yet I’m certain I heard a loud voice.
Looking around, I saw that nothing in the room had visibly changed.
The voice continued.
“Once I projected my voice, you immediately began searching your surroundings attempting to comprehend the current state of affairs. Simultaneously, you remained vigilant as you endeavored to organize your thoughts, huh?”
“Who are you?”
If all I could hear was a voice, it seemed my best option was to attempt to communicate with it.
“If I said I was a god, would you believe me?”
“Absolutely not.”
Does this voice have a screw loose?
“That is quite unfortunate.”
“Well, I will now transport you to a REALLY good parallel world. I should mention, it is a one way trip so you will not be able to return to your original world.”
“Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait!”
What kind of nonsense is this thing spewing so nonchalantly?!
“In regards to what you will be tasked to do, you should ask the one who is in charge of that place when you arrive.
“With that now explained, I am sorry but I need you to sign off on this.”
“Like hell I’m going to do that!”
As I anticipated, my voice became violent. I mean, It’s a given! it’s obvious! Who would just accept this situation like that?!
“Oh? You don’t want to? That’s weird... I was told you would be going.”
The voice seemed troubled.
There’s a limit to jokes! I have in absolutely no way, heard about this beforehand!
“I’m not lying! I haven’t been told a thing about this! Okay? Moreover, what kind of idiot would just willingly accept the concept of another world?! The fact that we’re even talking about this is just plain weird!”
I attempted to explain my side of the story with all my available might.
“Huh, it seems as if it truly was not you. I apologize, I seem to have made a mistake.”
I breath a sigh of relief.
“I appreciate your apology, but are you going to bring me back home?!”
I still have yet to return to my original tone of voice.
My current tone may not be threatening, but it’s definitely not polite either.
I mean, who’s going to blame me? This is a completely ridiculous situation. It’s definitely not my fault.
“Of course I will.”
That’s what the voice said.
With that, I breathe another sigh of relief.
I’m so glad. It’s a ‘voice’ that can be reasoned with.
Usually, in a standard template scenario like this, this is the part where the voice would say ‘I’m sorry’, ‘it’s impossible’, or ‘oh well, try your best’ and would simply toss you out to fend for yourself.
Maybe you’d even be given the guy who tells you ‘You’re already dead’ and, without hearing any complaints, throws you out to fend for yourself in another world.
That’s what I thought would happen but...
I’m saved ~
“Well, I am extremely sorry… if that is truly the case, then as an alternative it must be either your younger or older sister.”
I retract everything I just said. This guy just said something that can’t be passed off as a joke.
It said it in a nonchalant way, but those were words I absolutely cannot let slip by.
“Hey... could you repeat yourself one more time?”
“Hm? If you are not the one to be chosen, that means one of your sisters must be. ”
“Don’t give me that shit!”
“If you touch my sisters, I’ll make sure you live to regret it!”
They’re out there, living their own lives to the fullest!
There’s no way they’d be able to just accept this situation!
The audacity! Without even an ounce of care in its voice, this thing says it’ll just whisk one of the two away!
Don’t mess with me!
“For the sake of confirming, you are indeed the Misumi family’s eldest son, Misumi Makoto-kun, correct?”
Why does it know my name?
“The kids of the Misumi household should have already been told of this matter. At least, that is what I was told. Is this not correct?”
The voice seemed even more troubled now then it did before.
I was a bit surprised by this. Although it kidnapped me out of nowhere, it still tried its best to respect my will.
Everything being considered…
“Well, for the time being, could you at least tell me your name?”
That’s right. I’m still somehow managing not to fall into a complete panic, but it’s not as if I’m extremely calm either.
The best way to put it would be, I’m composed. I have to settle down a bit.
Even now, I still don’t even know the identity of the voice.
“?? Oh yeah of course, you are quite right. I apologize for not having introduced myself sooner. I am called Tsukuyomi.”
“I see, Tsukuyomi. Tsukuyomi… Tsukuyomi?!”
“Oh? Do you know of me? I see you are quite knowledgeable.”
“You don’t mean, Tsukuyomi of the three Shinto gods, do you? That Tsukuyomi no Mikoto?!”
“Oooh, yes, that would indeed be correct. Although, compared to the other two, I am nothing but a minor character.”
I mean, that’s true. Even considering that though, he’s still a big shot.
I like myths and history (though only a bit), henceforth why I know of him.
If what the voice is saying is true, then he is quite the character.
“Why is it that the Tsukuyomi-sama knows of me?”
Let’s begin with the thing I understand the least. I don’t understand why I was chosen to travel to another world.
“…”
“I see, you really don’t know anything. Alright, I will tell you.”
Everything I was told from that point on, I honestly couldn’t get a grasp on it.
I was in a pretty fortunate position compared to those who are suddenly called to another world, get lost, or get reincarnated—or at least that’s what I had thought.
Prologue 2: The farewell gift is a secret
To summarize what Tsukuyomi-sama said to me, it goes something like this.
The reason for the transportation and procedure had all been explained to me.
Basically, my parents themselves were originally residents of this aforementioned other world.
When I was young, I was told that my grandparents had already died and that we didn’t have connections with any of our other relatives but… to think that this was the reason why.
In order to come to our current world, for one reason or another, they made an agreement with the god of that other world.
That’s what seems to have triggered my current situation.
That’s to say, the condition the god gave them was ‘one day, I will take that which is most important from you’.
Is that guy the devil?!
It seems my parents agreed to that condition.
Now that I think about it all three children of my family (myself include) were taught how to do domestic chores, as well as made to learn some sort of martial art.
To think that that was preparation for this of all things! All for the purpose of possibly being shipped off to another world at any time!
No no no, don’t joke around. My parents never told me anything about another world!
Well, to be fair, even if they had told me, I’d probably look at them as if they were a bunch of crazy people.
My father is a writer that specializes in making fantasy novels that are oddly realistic and hold a lot of presence.
Though, to think that that was because he had actually experienced the real thing is a little mind boggling.
In one of his works, he intricately detailed the flavors of a dragon steak, and the comforts of sleeping in a stable, both of which were especially moving moments.
The world that I’m going to now is that same magic filled fantasy world.
It seems that I’m going to be sent to that world with power that surpasses that of my peers. Due to various reasons, the people that are transferred over from my world are all incredibly strong.
In a sense, it’ll be as if I’ve been released from extremely heavy clothing.
It’s not like I’ll be given immortality though, so I can still suffer fatal wounds. At least, I’ve been warned of such.
Judging by what Tsukuyomi-sama has said, it seems that even just living in my world is a feat in and of itself.
Not only is there practically no magical power, the Gods’ divine protection can barely reach anyone there. It’s a harsh world in comparison to others. That’s the kind of place I’ve been living in up until now, at least, according to Tsukuyomi-sama.
Even though all I’ve done is live my life normally...
How convenient for me.
“I’m extremely sorry for shouting at you. It seems you’ve also had it rough Tsukuyomi-sama.” (Makoto)
Moreover, thinking about the hardships Tsukuyomi-sama must have faced due to being the middle child nestled between the two extraordinary beings that are his elder sister and younger brother...
I felt a flood of emotions when considering his situation. Even now, when he simply tried to do his job, he was shouted at by a person he barely knows.
He’s definitely had it rough so far.
“Well, well, to think your understanding of my own circumstance would be so intricate! How long has it been since I have felt such a blissful feeling? Though, if we are to talk about having it rough, Makoto-dono has it plenty rough himself.” (Tsukuyomi)
To think he even understands my feelings of being the only man wedged in between two sisters! I never thought the day would come, when somebody could sympathize with me so!
Now that I’ve been enlightened to his greatness, if there was ever a Tsukuyomi Mikoto religion, I’d enter it in a heart beat!
Hooray Tsukuyomi-sama!
“Nonetheless, my sisters and I have lived a normal life up until now. We’re way too late in the game to suddenly be told we’ve essentially been living in a wasteland all our lives.” (Makoto)
“Out of all the other worlds out there, yours is certainly the harshest. In the eyes of an otherworlder, it would be like live in the depths of the ocean or living in a sea of lava.” (Tsukuyomi)
“On a separate note, she really is taking her time.” (Tsukuyomi)
We’ve been waiting for the goddess of the other world to come and retrieve me but…
Considering how long she’s taking, it doesn’t seem like that goddess will be coming anytime soon.
It seems that world is a pretty popular place, inhabited by a Goddess and spirits alike.
In what way does that make it popular? I honestly have no clue.
By the way, I’ve already signed whatever it is Tsukuyomi-sama gave me. Of course, only after thoroughly reviewing the conditions and being convinced about it, okay?
After all, if I don’t go, either my older or younger sister would have to go in my place.
I’m extremely troubled by this, you know? Very troubled.
I mean, for one, I won’t be able to play games anymore. In a world where machines don’t exist, I won’t even be able to play something as simple as a mobile game!
I also have to bid farewell to all my manga and novels.
Furthermore, on my computer, there may or may not be a number of things that are 18+. If those get discovered, I have no clue how I would even begin to explain that to my family.
I’m a growing young man! It’s perfectly understandable! Right?!
That’s why I told Tsuki-sama about it, and requested the he clean it up in a covert manner so that my family wouldn’t notice.
This might not come off very well, but aside from my family, I honestly could care less if anyone else knows about it.
Now that I have been cornered, I understand just how tiny I truly am. Though, that’s how I really feel.
However, that isn’t any good.
That’s why I decided to stop being so self-centered. How do I say it? I’m honestly surprised at how much I prioritize myself!
Although, I still wanted to do something about my dark history.
While he did say I can’t return…
If my family who I won’t be able to see again, if they find the materials linked to my inner man…
“I can’t believe our kid had these kinds of hobbies!”(Makoto’s father)
“Even if he’s our child, how unrefined of him!”(Makoto’s mother)
“Onii-chan*, you’re disgusting!” (Makoto’s younger sister) [*Big brother]
“I can’t believe my little brother! Could it be?! Did he look at me with such a lascivious gaze as well?!”(Makoto’s older sister)
“NOOOOOOO!!! STOOOOOOOOOOOP!!!!!” (Makoto)
There’s absolutely no way I could take that! Even just imagining it is enough to make me want to kill myself!
“Do not worry young Mikoto.” (Tsukuyomi)
Tsuki-sama was different. While I was writhing due to the madness found within my heart, and was about to be engulfed by the accumulating negative feelings, he said this to me.
“Everything you have that contains contents of men’s dreams, books, and software, as well as the contents your hard drive; I will make sure to take responsibility of wiping them all from the face of the planet!” (Tsukuyomi)
Tsuki-sama said while nodding reassuringly.
He understood everything... absolutely everything about it...
He truly is a God! He truly is divine! Even if in the eyes of others, he is simply a minor character, he is definitely number one in my heart! You have become the greatest of Gods! The Chief God!
I am impressed by the fact that he knew of advanced technological devices such hard drives.
Honestly though, I’m not thinking too much about stuff like that. I’m just grateful that my potential nightmare has disappeared.
Tsuki-sama and I decided to kill time while waiting for the goddess. We talked about this and that. We talked about things such as society while drinking tea that was pulled out of who knows where.
“By the way, to my understanding in the new world I will have immense physical and magical power but…” (Makoto)
“Yes?” (Tsukuyomi)
“Will I receive something like a special ability? For example, an impenetrable barrier, the demon eye of truth, a Rose Logia, or a heavenly phase?” (Makoto)
I mean, if I have an incredible amount of magic power, there might not be any need. Even so, it’s the dream of any young man to have powers like that.
Normally, there are a lot of people that are given overpowered abilities when they arrive in another world, you know? That’s why I want it too, you know?
I mean, I guess that’s only in fiction though...
From what I’ve heard, there are demi-humans, and even beastkin so even if I’m a little abnormal I shouldn’t be discriminated against.
All that considered, it would be nice if I had one, at least that’s what I thought.
“Of course you will!” (Tsukuyomi)
“Seriously?! What kind? What kind will I get?” (Makoto)
I honestly didn’t think my request could be fulfilled~. You’ll only know if you ask, huh.
“I do not know. I am sorry, but it will be a surprise for when you arrive there. I myself can only go there once, and after that I will be incapable of communicating with you, so I am only going to give you a hint, okay?” (Tsukuyomi)
“Ooh~ I hope it’s something like a blank skill that lets you make any power you want!” (Makoto)
“Nope, that is not the case. I am sorry, but although I am divine, even I have limits imposed upon myself.” (Tsukuyomi)
“??” (Makoto)
“It is said that I am the one who governs the night and the moon, but my real attribute is quite ambiguous. In fact, it may be similar to what you speak of, a ‘blank skill’ of sorts.” (Tsukuyomi)
“That is why I will give you as much of my power as I can. Although, I do not know how it will bud, and what kind of fruit it shall bare. It may even become something you do not desire. For that, I am sorry.” (Tsukuyomi)
Having said that, Tsuki-sama beckons me to come closer.
Following his instructions, I sat beside him. He then placed his hand on me.
I felt something beginning to flow into me. That something went through my spine and then began to circulate throughout my whole body. It then went around to my chest, and began to gather there. Finally it calmed itself.
Is this the blessing he said he would give me?
“I feel something accumulating withing me. Is this what you would call the point of origin?” (Makoto)
“That’s right, you learn fast.”(Tsukuyomi)
“There should be no problems with the perception of your surroundings. When you imagine yourself letting the power out, it should active.” (Tsukuyomi)
“The feeling of releasing the power in the palm of your hands is probably the easiest to understand.” (Tsukuyomi)
“I should mention, it is currently impossible. This place is still technically located in your original world after all.” (Tsukuyomi)
I wanted to give it a try, but Tsuki-sama stopped me while laughing.
“This may be slightly tangential, Makoto-dono, but I should mention even if it is stated in your contract, the goddess of the other world should similarly give you an ability of some sort.
You will be abandoning your current world, of not particularly your own volition, so giving you side-benefits is of course a given.” (Tsukuyomi)
Once again, Tsuki-sama bows his head with an apologetic expression.
“No way, Tsukuyomi-sama! I am nothing but grateful to you. Maybe, just maybe, if I had been sent away without any explanation after rejecting you, and then, the next day, one of my sisters were to disappear, I would’ve regretted it for the rest of my life.” (Makoto)
“Makoto-dono is truly kind… it seems she has finally come.” (Tsukuyomi)
“Finally, huh. We’ve been talking for quite a while. No, more like her tardiness allowed us to do so.” (Makoto)
“You know, if you wanted, I could record all our conversations in a dream pillow. Is this really enough for you?” (Tsukuyomi)
In Tsuki-sama’s hand, there were two letters.
When I asked Tsuki-sama if I could leave anything behind for my family, he gave me a lot of different ways to give them a message in a heartbroken manner. In the end, I decided to go with letters. One was addressed to my parents, and the other to my sisters.
My parents, having come from there, would understand if I told them about the other world, but using that kind of explanation for my sisters would be hard. Therefore, I made two of them. I’ll let my parents decide whether or not to tell my sisters the truth of the matter.
Conversely, I asked if it was possible for me to take anything with me. In response, I was told that he could make some accommodations for it.
I chose various books and writing utensils (ball-pens and mechanical pencils were a no go, so I had to make due with a pencil). I wanted to bring a bit of food too, but for some reason I was denied that privilege as well. There’s are probably numerous laws for the management of worlds. I assume in this case, the preservation of what’s already there, huh.
“Yes, I don’t mind- huh?!” (Makoto)
My body is going transparent? I double checked just to be sure, but half my body has gone transparent?!
“What?! She plans to take you away without even giving me any notice?! What is she thinking, that stupid woman!” (Tsukuyomi)
Tsuki-sama was also panicking. It wasn’t like I was going to die though. I was just being taken away after all, so I felt a bit relieved.
“Makoto-dono, I am sorry! The Goddess that you are about to meet, is quite problematic and troublesome character. It is a given if you are unable to hide your displeasure. But, if you can find it somewhere in your heart, please, overlook her actions.” (Tsukuyomi)
Tsuki-sama is a wise person. He’s probably come into contact with a good number of people in his lifetime.
I smiled while nodding.
I was able to harden my resolve to travel to another world thanks to him, and he managed to make me accept the situation I was given. He chatted with me and helped calm myself.
Those were the words he gave me as I departed, the words from that Tsukuyomi Mikoto.
Even if the Goddess I’m about to meet in this parallel world has a troublesome personality, I will do my best to accept her for Tsukuyomi-sama’s sake.
2023.06.05 13:54 FahaDusk From Dusk Network to Dusk; The Next Phase of Our Journey
 | submitted by FahaDusk to DuskNetwork [link] [comments] Dusk Network is now Dusk! Meet the new Dusk; Why a ‘typical crypto company’ rebranded into a corporate financial institutionDusk is very excited to share our new brand, after an extensive rebranding phase. Let us tell you about the journey, what’s new, and explain why we decided on these features.Our new look is the result of months of work, ideas, decisions, and man-hours. We worked with a top-tier branding agency, Pony, and have spent countless hours refining how we want to present ourselves to our community, the broader crypto-space, and financial institutions and partners. So, with no further ado, let’s have a look at what our new look signifies. https://preview.redd.it/4lnklmncu64b1.png?width=2130&format=png&auto=webp&s=ea220cd14d4dec1f57823d97610542e1b51abca4 Rebranding journeyFirstly, the rebranding represents an evolution from being a start-up to a scale-up, and shows our maturity as a company as well as the scale and professionalism with which we work. Dusk was founded in 2018 and in that time we’ve worked tirelessly to create the technology to unite the worlds of crypto and real-world assets and to bring financial freedom and inclusion to everyone.This has seen us invest heavily in research and development as the tools we need do not yet exist. Our researchers and developers have been at the forefront of zero-knowledge proof (ZKP) research and are developing novel and innovative products like piecrust, our ZKP virtual machine, and Citadel, our ZKP licensing tool, a perfect fit for KYC and digital identities. Developing all of this infrastructure on our own has obviously been time-consuming, but ultimately worth it. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is the future of finance. Dropping the “Network”The most obvious change is that we are going from being called “Dusk Network” to “Dusk”. A seemingly small change, but it points to the fact that we are not “just” a network and have a variety of products and tools for institutions, businesses, and users. So while we are building a blockchain, that’s not all.We also have a new tagline; Regulated and Decentralized Finance. This includes regulated finance that is also decentralized, regulated, classic finance, and decentralized and novel finance. We are building the tools for anyone to transact in a way that is private and compliant, and builders, users, businesses, and institutions will use our technology in the way that best suits their needs. From research and development to strengthening partnerships and onboarding businessesWe find ourselves in a strong position in terms of partnerships, both with traditional institutions and newer blockchain companies. We are heavily focusing on running pilots to use our technology for a variety of use cases, from tokenizing traditional assets to new and innovative ideas that are only possible using blockchain. It’s incredibly exciting to see how some of the smartest people out there are envisioning using our technology and the game-changing possibilities that come with being able to tokenize real-world assets.We are also investing in and actively supporting other projects in our space, including OutDID, and we look forward to continuing to work hand-in-hand with anyone who values privacy and the mass adoption of blockchain technology. Back when we were founded, there weren’t really any regulations around blockchain and all we had was a belief from our founders that regulations would come and that people from all walks of life would want to tokenize real-world assets. With the introduction of MiCA and EUDI to name a few, and the amount of institutions beginning to use blockchain, we see how right they were. Real-world assets, Compliance, and PrivacyWe want to reiterate our three pillars when it comes to what we are building; bringing real-world assets to people's wallets, compliance, and privacy. These three pillars underscore everything we’re building and every decision we make.We want everyone to have access to real-world financial instruments and to exert complete control over that which they own. Blockchain has not only made self-custody of any asset possible but it’s also made it possible to remove the barriers to entry for trading and innovating on traditional financial assets. Without compliance, mass adoption remains a fantasy. This is why we are such strong proponents of Regulated Decentralized Finance (RegDeFi). Without compliance and well-made regulations, crypto can never leave the crypto sandbox. So, it is of huge importance to us to not only stay compliant ourselves but to build in automated, programmable compliance so that anyone who builds on our network can stay compliant too. Finally, privacy. Dusk is often spoken about with other zero-knowledge projects, and while this makes sense because zero-knowledge proofs are a key part of our tech stack, what we are building goes far beyond what is often said. We believe that privacy is, first and foremost, a right. We also recognize that without privacy institutions and traditional finance will never be able to use blockchain in a meaningful way. Our Layer 1, ZKP blockchain, along with Citadel and its off-chain version Shelter, allow everyone to transact in a way that is compliant and private. In fact, our privacy standards and capabilities often exceed what is offered currently, and can offer institutions and users increased privacy when compared with the current standard. The future of finance shines brightWe are thrilled to be taking this next step in our journey and are grateful to find ourselves in a position where we have game-changing products, fantastic partners, and a regulatory context that will allow us to fully execute our vision.Thank you for being here and continuing to support us. We encourage you to have a look around our new brand, explore the website, and stay tuned for more. Watch the Rebranding Launch video on YouTube. |
2023.06.05 12:21 hry84 "Write What You Know" Is Hot Garbage
When you begin writing, you often hear the advice "write what you know." Now, this can mean one of two things: write about something in which you are knowledgeable, or be knowledgeable about the thing you're writing about.
This is bad advice. Very bad advice. Fiction is fantasy. It stretches the imagination, and does the impossible. If you base your story on facts, and knowledge, you'll create a really boring story. Logic, and fiction don't belong together. At all.
Keep in mind, there are a lot of unknowns in the universe, and there are things out in the world for which we have no foundation of knowledge. Time travel is a good example.
Who the hell really knows about time travel? Nobody actually. Yeah, there are some nerds who have some theories about time travel, but they really don't know a damn thing about time travelling. How could they? Time travel doesn't exist, and it's not possible.
Now, imagine if H.G. Wells only wrote about what he knew, or he only wrote about things in which he was knowledgable. Guess what, there would be no "The Time Machine" novel, and H.G. Wells wouldn't have a library of amazing fiction.
Everything he wrote about was fake news. Completely imaginary. He had no foundation of knowledge for what he was writing about. All his novels were based on bullcrap which he pulled out of his keister.
But his novels were entertaining because they were bullcrap, because they were unscientific, and completely silly. H.G. Wells' ignorance about reality fueled his novels.
And so, I say to you: copy H.G. Wells. Clear your mind. Stop following the rules. Put reality on vacation. If you want to make fantastic fiction, you need to be ignorant.
submitted by hry84 to badwritingadvice [link] [comments]
This is bad advice. Very bad advice. Fiction is fantasy. It stretches the imagination, and does the impossible. If you base your story on facts, and knowledge, you'll create a really boring story. Logic, and fiction don't belong together. At all.
Keep in mind, there are a lot of unknowns in the universe, and there are things out in the world for which we have no foundation of knowledge. Time travel is a good example.
Who the hell really knows about time travel? Nobody actually. Yeah, there are some nerds who have some theories about time travel, but they really don't know a damn thing about time travelling. How could they? Time travel doesn't exist, and it's not possible.
Now, imagine if H.G. Wells only wrote about what he knew, or he only wrote about things in which he was knowledgable. Guess what, there would be no "The Time Machine" novel, and H.G. Wells wouldn't have a library of amazing fiction.
Everything he wrote about was fake news. Completely imaginary. He had no foundation of knowledge for what he was writing about. All his novels were based on bullcrap which he pulled out of his keister.
But his novels were entertaining because they were bullcrap, because they were unscientific, and completely silly. H.G. Wells' ignorance about reality fueled his novels.
And so, I say to you: copy H.G. Wells. Clear your mind. Stop following the rules. Put reality on vacation. If you want to make fantastic fiction, you need to be ignorant.
2023.06.05 12:20 Moustache_rekt1999 Is there ever any explanation for the characters that have superpowers? (Mantis, Volgin, The Sorrow)
I’ve looked through the wiki and found that it never mentions how any of the characters got their powers. I know that some characters get their abilities explained through nano-machines but there seems to be no reference to that for some characters.
submitted by Moustache_rekt1999 to metalgearsolid [link] [comments]
2023.06.05 11:46 SleepingMonads Resources for Learning about Time and Time Travel
As an enthusiast of the study of time and of science fiction, I've read a lot of books and watched a lot of content over the years dealing with both real-world and fictional explorations of time and time travel. Along the way, I've been keeping a list of resources that I found to be particularly insightful and entertaining, and so below is that list in case any of you are looking for recommendations for some good books and other resources regarding time-related topics. This list is by no means comprehensive; it's simply a collection of material I've personally learned from and enjoyed. Others are welcome (and encouraged) to supplement it with their own recommendations in the comments below.
Philosophy of Time and Time Travel:
submitted by SleepingMonads to TimeStudies [link] [comments]
Philosophy of Time and Time Travel:
- A Brief History of the Philosophy of Time, by Adrian Bardon. The best book on time I've ever read; it's an incredible dive into the most fascinating mysteries and nuances of the subject.
- Time, by the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
- Time, by the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
- The Experience and Perception of Time, by the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
- Phenomenology and Time-consciousness, by the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
- Thermodynamic Asymmetry in Time, by the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
- Time Travel, by the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
- Time Travel, by the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
- Time Travel and Modern Physics, by the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
- Time Machines, by the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
- From Eternity to Here: The Quest for the Ultimate Theory of Time, by Sean Carroll. The best book on the physics of time I've ever read. It's a comprehensive and detailed look at what modern physics reveals about the nature of time.
- The Order of Time, by Carlo Rovelli.
- The Janus Point: A New Theory of Time, by Julian Barbour.
- The Fabric of the Cosmos: Space, Time, and the Texture of Reality, by Brian Greene.
- A Brief History of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Holes, by Stephen Hawking.
- Hyperspace: A Scientific Odyssey through Parallel Universes, Time Warps, and the 10th Dimension, by Michio Kaku.
- Your Brain is a Time Machine: The Neuroscience and Physics of Time, by Dean Buonomano.
- Time Travel in Einstein's Universe: The Physical Possibilities of Travel through Time, by J. Richard Gott.
- How to Build a Time Machine: The Real Science of Time Travel, by Brian Clegg.
- How to Build a Time Machine, by Paul Davies.
- Time Traveler: A Scientist's Personal Mission to Make Time Travel a Reality, by Ronald Mallett and Bruce Henderson.
- Physics of the Impossible: A Scientific Exploration into the World of Phasers, Force Fields, Teleportation, and Time Travel, by Michio Kaku (especially chapters 12 and 15).
- A Brief History of Timekeeping: The Science of Marking Time, from Stonehenge to Atomic Clocks, by Chad Orzel.
- Time Travel: A History, by James Gleick.
- As for videos: Traveling Back in Time, A Journey to the End of the Universe, and Why Going Faster-than-light Leads to Time Paradoxes, all by Cool Worlds: the first is one of the better video essays out there introducing the basics of time travel into the past, the second discusses the implications of time dilation in terms of traveling into the deep future, and the third dives into the tricky relationship between the speed of light and space-time. I also recommend checking out these videos by physicist Sean Carroll for a good rundown on the basics of the physics of time: What is Time? -- The Great Courses, How We Perceive Time, Trip Out on Time Travel with Theoretical Physicist Sean Carroll, The Biggest Ideas in the Universe: Time, and the latter's follow-up Q&A video. The World Science Festival has several good public discussions about the nature of time: Time since Einstein; A Matter of Time; How Our Brains Twist Time; Time Is of the Essence, or Is It?; and The Richness of Time. The Physics and Philosophy of Time with Carlo Rovelli and its follow-up Q&A video, both by The Royal Institution, present an interesting perspective as well. Other good videos on time are Is Time Travel Impossible?, Do the Past and Future Exist?, Is the Future Predetermined by Quantum Mechanics?, The Arrow of Time and How to Reverse It, Why Do You Remember the Past but Not the Future?, How Does Gravity Warp the Flow of Time?, Does Time Cause Gravity?, and The Nature of Space and Time -- AMA all by PBS Space Time; Is Time Real?, Does the Past Still Exist?, and I Think Faster Than Light Travel Is Possible. Here's Why., all by Sabine Hossenfelder; Illusions of Time, by Vsauce; Is Time Travel Possible?, What's Real About Time? Episode 510 Closer To Truth, What Is Time? Episode 1102 Closer To Truth, all by Closer to Truth; and What Is Time?, by Joe Scott.
- The Time Traveler's Almanac, edited by Ann VanderMeer and Jeff VanderMeer. See here for the anthology's contents. This is a great collection of time travel short stories from some of science fiction's biggest figures.
- The Time Machine: An Invention, by H.G. Wells and its authorized sequel The Time Ships, by Stephen Baxter. I also highly recommend Baxter's Xeelee Sequence and Manifold series, both of which deal heavily (and fascinatingly) with time travel on cosmic scales.
- By His Bootstraps and "--All You Zombies--", both by Robert Heinlein.
- The End of Eternity, by Isaac Asimov.
- Time and Again, by Jack Finney.
- The Man Who Folded Himself, by David Gerrold.
- The Forever War and The Accidental Time Machine, both by Joe Haldeman.
- The Anubis Gates, by Tim Powers.
- Story of Your Life, What's Expected of Us, and The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate, all by Ted Chiang.
- Timeline, by Michael Crichton.
- 11/22/63, by Stephen King.
- The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August, by Claire North/Catherine Webb.
- The Gone World, by Tom Sweterlitsch.
- As for TV shows, I very highly recommend the Netflix original series Dark if you're looking for an epic and complex science fiction time travel mystery story in show form. In addition to being one of the most ambitious shows I've ever seen, in my opinion Dark is the best and most impressive time travel story ever told. If you get into the show, be sure to check out /DarK as well.