#where is your data protection department | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

mouseratz · 3 months

Text

hey guys I know there's a lot of anti-trans shit but this one's from Georgia. they're calling it "the woman's rights bill".

I think there might actually be more, but this one caught my attention first. Basically it changes everything relating to gender in many bills to regard to biological sex specifically, and while that's worrying, it doesn't stop there. (it includes obviously making it very difficult to change your license or any kind of ID.)

(14) Laws, rules, and regulations that distinguish between the sexes are subject to intermediate constitutional scrutiny. Intermediate constitutional scrutiny forbids unfair discrimination against similarly situated male and female individuals but allows the law to distinguish between the sexes where such distinctions are substantially related to important governmental objections: and (15) Notwithstanding any provision of state law to the contrary, distinctions between the sexes with respect to athletics, living facilities, locker rooms, domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers, restrooms, and other areas where biology, safety, or privacy are implicated that result in separate accommodations are substantially related to the important governmental objections of protecting the health, safety, and privacy of individuals in such circumstances.

basically, you could get in trouble for "sex discrimination" by not being in your biologically sorted bathroom, locker room, etc. this seems very easy to weaponize.

individuals in such circumstances. (c) Any local school system, or public school thereof, and any state agency, department, or political subdivision that collects vital statistics for the purpose of complying with antidiscrimination laws or for the purpose of gathering accurate public health, crime, economic, or other data shall identify each individual who is part of the collected data set as either male or female at birth."

pretty much any governmental place, specifically including public schools, can record your sex, that's information they're entitled to.

Title 17 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to criminal procedure, is amended by revising subsection (a) of Code Section 17-4-20.2, relating to Bias Crime Report, requirements, use of reports, and publication, as follows: "(a) Whenever a law enforcement officer investigates an incident of a crime in which it appears that the defendant intentionally selected any victim or group of victims or any property as the object of the offense because of such victim's or group of victims' actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender, mental disability, or physical disability, whether or not an arrest is made, the officer shall prepare and submit to the law enforcement officer's supervisor or other designated person a written report of the incident entitled 'Bias Crime Report.' Forms for such reports shall be designed and provided by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The report shall include: (1) Names of the parties; (2) Relationship of the parties; (3) Sex and gender of the parties; (4) Race of the parties; (5) Religion of the parties;

SECTION 5. Said title is further amended by revising subsection (b) of Code Section 17-10-17, relating 107 to sentencing of defendants guilty of crimes involving bias or prejudice and identification of 108 increased sentenced, as follows: "(b) Subject to the notice requirement provided in Code Section 17-10-18 and in enhancement of the penalty imposed, if the trier of fact determines beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant intentionally selected any victim or group of victims or any property as the object of the offense because of such victim's or group of victims' actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender, mental disability, or physical disability, the judge imposing sentence shall:

also, very worryingly, sexual orientation & gender are no longer included as reasons for a biased/prejudice crime investigation (aka a hate crime). yup. sexual orientation has been omitted here, not just sex/gender. how are you "lgb without the t" types feeling? it's not a hate crime anymore if you attack someone because they're gay, either, if this goes through.

I don't have a succinct call to action here, I just figure it's good to know. apparently they just.....all decided at once to try to push transphobic bills through.

15 notes · View notes

ask-carmenpondiego · 19 days

Text

Chapter 18: The Devil in the Details

M paced around his room which was fairly sparse of furniture. He already burnt through a solid pack of cigarettes since returning from his test run of the chronoskimmer and was well into his second pack. He pulled out his phone and patched through to the main computer, 079 pulling its face up on the screen. “Oh wonderful. You managed to spread my reach to your tiny slip of a mobile device. Could you make it any more cramped in here?” M growled, “I will stuff your stuck up assface into an ipod shuffle or worse if you keep it up. I need to go over the schematics on where I went.” The ai sighed as if it had something pressing that it was being pulled away from. It didnt. 079 pulled up the data code from the testing, giving a strong impression of if it had a body, it would be checking a watch and tapping its foot. M poured over the info and triple checked the details. “Everything is fucking correct for this world’s info. What the fuck happened that lead to that?!” 079 swirled its hair into a turban and had images of fortune telling items around its face “You know, I would tell you but I’ll give a little trivia factoid instead: I actually cannot see into the future. I’m a computer, not a psychic. I don’t even have a clue on what you even saw.” Red letters spelling CANCELLED were stamped across the turbaned ai face before returning to normal, wiping away the letters with a digital rag. “Yer no fuckin help.” M tossed the phone onto his bed and opened his window, leaning on the sill. “Perhaps what you saw was not what you saw?” 079 called out, muffled since the screen was face down against the comforter. M’s tentacle reached over and set it upright. “Elaborate.” M looked over his shoulder at his phone. “What you saw in one perspective was perhaps not the full story and you may have missed some key points. Ultimately, time will only tell. Its unadvisable to return to a time that you already visited, much less a time where current you and other you occupy the same time space. Time paradoxes still exist, you know.” M hissed at it through gritted teeth, “Yes I know time paradoxes still fucking exist! But HOW do I fucking change the event if I don’t know what fucking causes it?!” The phone was silent for a moment, “I’m sorry, was that rhetorical? I can’t quite understand the fragile folly of organic semi-intelligent beings. You could just let it happen rather than attempt to fix it and possibly bring about the resulting event faster.” M hung his head and flicked the cigarette butt out the window, “How the hell do you figure that?”

“I don’t. Again, I’m just a computer. I don’t give one iota of interest in what you do. Anything you do is your own fault in itself. In your words: I don’t give a shit.”

M ran his dark hands through his orange hair, “I’m going to have to tell Red.. can I even tell Red?” He points to the phone accusingly, “You just had to tell me that any fucking action I take could make it fucking happen faster! Now I can’t even fucking warn anyone!” In a very bored flat tone, 079 replied, “Oh no. I warned you against possible consequences for your actions that may or may not happen. What ever shall I do?”

“Report this to the TVA director, this is exactly what they have been looking for.” A small time desk jockey was reading a print-out of the timeline, noticing a new unauthorized time jump. He handed the print-out to a passing official who nodded and took the file containing the report. A short trip down the hall the official knocked on the director’s door, and entered upon permission. The director reviewed the file and started dialing the phone next to them. On the other end, a gentleman in a dark grey suit answered, thick files littered his desk from the MIB, ACME, SCP Foundation, United Nations Global Occult Coalition (UNGOC), G.R.U. Division Psychotronics (GRU-P), Earth Protection Force (EPF), Department of External Security (DXS), Federal Bureau of Control (FBC), Federal Bureau of Intervention(FBI), Federal Investigation Bureau(FIB), Foundation for Law and Government(FLAG), International Affairs Agency(IAA), the Wander Society and various other Interpol including Canterlot Royal Guard and Equestria’s global protection unit, all involving Carmen Pondiego and her VILE team.

The gentleman added the Time Variance Authority (TVA) file to his stack. “I see and this new variance is the confirmed beginning to our little thief problem? Understood. …..No, no. We already have eyes and ears on the entire group…… Oh yes, we have our contingency plan all set and planted, we just need to knock that first domino to put a bit of pressure on the situation…. Yes, just keep an eye on that variance timeline and let me know of any further splits or deviance… No, no, Thank YOU, Director. May prosperity raine upon you. Good bye.” A second gentleman with an umbrella hanging on his arm by the hook, seemingly a lower rank, stood in front of him. “Sir? If it has been confirmed for the beginning of the situation, then shouldn’t we eliminate the entirety as soon as possible? I mean, look how many unnaturals she has under her power. The reports say she gains more within a year or so and so does her reach.” The man at the desk tidies up and stacks the files and sets them aside. “No. There is a small chance this is the one who will lose it all and becomes a regular citizen again. We need to see if this time skip triggers anything. We have the safeguards in place. They just need to have the nerve to do what is demanded of them if the time comes. For now, we wait and gather more evidence against this Carmen Pondiego and her VILE team.”

A small red jet circles and lands on a dusty dirt patch outside a fortress ruin on an island on a lake by the southside mountains of Siberia. The fortress, once called Por-Bazhyn, sat undisturbed for many a year, though it currently looked like it was all filled in with dirt. The jet opens to let out its passengers, a few agents and Carmen. They headed to the main entrance and stopped just shy of the opening. Carmen looks at the blueprints and looks at a smaller opening about three yards to the side, “This is where we would typically enter but there had been damage to the interior entranceway further in where it just gives us a dead end. We’ll need to divert to the servants entrance over there.”

Once inside, they descend multiple flights to underground caverns and tunnels. Using their map, the group makes their way through twists and mazes, finally getting to a small open room with a deep drop in the center, the other side of the room was a chest, the walls were rough chiseled and some carvings have been broken away by time. The drop was just large enough that even an olympic jumper could not simply jump across. There used to be a rope bridge but has since rotted away.

Carmen nodded to Kiros who sank his claws into the wall and tested the weight of the grip. He then scaled across the chasm, making slight hand and footholds with his claws and hooked a line at the halfway mark and continued to cross the rest of the way, securing the line with a large pillar. Carmen and Lekir hook up their harnesses and attached the safety line before following exactly where Kiros had set his claws. Slowly making their way across, the girls didnt dare look down, Ninoga, staying on the entrance side of the room, was able to look down and see sharp staligmites growing up from the bottom of the chasm. “Nothing like an old fashioned temple heist with deadly drop offs for hobbies, huh?” Carmen chuckled, breathing hard as she hasn’t rock climbed in quite a while. Lekir shook her head, “You and I have different views on hobbies, I swear..” Ninoga tilted his head, “I thought we were getting things for a cure for Waldo?”

“We are, I was just saying this harkens back to when I was doing this for fun.” Carmen clarified, reaching the ledge. Lekir followed close behind as Carmen opened her pack to grab the extra rope and harness sets. She walked to the chiseled out shelf that holds the chest and checks for traps before picking up the chest which was surprisingly light. She frowned as she placed it near the harness set she was going to wrap it in and looked at the lock. The remains of the lock were already breaking away in her gloved hand in a pile of rusty dust. Kiros peers over, “Whats wrong?” Carmen shakes her head, “Its lighter than I expected..” Lekir comes over, shining her flashlight over for extra light since the room was very dimly lit by their larger lights they brought. “Well, we know we aren’t looking for coins and jewels, maybe it only holds a jar or something?” Carmen wipes the dust off her glove with her pants and proceeds to open the chest. With a yelp from both girls, the chest snapped back with a large set of teeth and a tentacle like tongue. They managed to scramble back out of chomping range just in time to see a red electric bolt shoot the chest from the side, blasting it into the wall with a crunch. Ninoga had sent the blast and called over “You guys ok?! I didn’t hit you, did I?” Carmen was catching her breath as Lekir waved over, “We’re good! Thanks!” Kiros was picking the broken pieces of wood apart, finding some meaty bits. “Should we save some for M as a snack?” He chuckled. “He’s gonna be sour he missed out on this.” He searches a bit more before finding a small scroll. “Here, I found something in the deep center.” Carmen reached for it, inspecting the type of parchment. “This is hide… its a rabbit hide!” She laughed, “Its the rabbit in the chest! So this is already the next clue.. This is awesome. Let’s get this back to HQ so we can figure out the next stop.” The girls carefully made their way back across the wall, having the two dragon types as watchers in case one of them fell, they could hoist them back up easily. They both made it without incident, with Kiros packing away some of the meat before scaling the wall, taking up the equipment he had set for the safety line.

After packing up the climbing equipment, the team made their way out of the tunnels and chambers and back towards the jet. They were met by a small group of militarized officials standing between them and their escape ride. The officials carried old looking bladed weapons as well as rods and had armored horses. The horses suddenly charged at the Agents, making the four scatter. One of the officials threw what looked like a bolas towards Kiros to which Lekir slid in and deflected with an ice spear she created, sending the bolas right back at the official, making him fall off the horse. The horse was startled and started to run with the official’s leg still stuck in a stirrup. Ninoga sent two officials flying with a good tail swipe while the last had gotten off of his horse to fight Carmen with close hand to hand combat. That didnt last long since Kiros picked him up from behind, tossing him to the wall as Lekir sent a smear of ice to hold him there like glue. Carmen was only a little cut up but she confirmed with a smile, they still have the loot.

They all piled back into the jet and set off to HQ, a fifth official that held back out of sight had made a call, “They have escaped. We could not detain them. I am sorry but we have failed to secure the scroll…. Sir? Please we will not fail again.. please no!” The official started begging before dark green vivianite crystals rapidly grew and speared through his body at all angles, severing organs and leaving nothing but shreds of flesh and bones between the multitudes of shards.

When they returned, Carmen was holding her torn red coat and had some cuts on her arms and side. Wally rushed up to her and held her close, making her wince, “Oh my Light! I’m glad you’re ok! I heard over the coms you needed a med kit! Do you need a hospital?!” Carmen pried him off, chuckling, “Nothing I’m not used to. This is why we train. I just got a few scrapes from some bladed guards. I just need some antibacterial gel and gauze. Its nothing! I don’t think these will even scar up.” Lekir laughs, “She’s the squishy out of all of us technically!” She slaps Carmen’s plush ass as if to demonstrate her plushness. The mare blushes and sighs about needing to sew her fabric coat yet again.

Asta nudged Wally’s arm a bit and he perked up as he remembered. “Oh! While you were gone, I went ahead and got you something. They didn’t have your bright red but maybe you will like this darker scarlet shade.” He handed her a box to which she took to the dinner table. Opening it, she grinned and chuckled as she lifted a brand new leather coat, a sleeker, lighter weighted design and had custom pockets on the inner lining and in the sleeves. She tried it on, wincing slightly as she moved, but overall had it on and it had fit perfectly. It even had a split back where her tail was able to freely peek out. She popped the collar and laid it bad down with ease and stuck her hands in every pocket she could find. “This is beautiful!! Thank you so much!!” She wrapped her arms around Wally and kissed him deeply. “Asta helped me with the sizing. She had to raid your closet for the right size. Now sadly they didn’t have a hat to match, so its just the coat for now.” He confessed, but she chuckled and put her hat onto his head. “Hats can be another time. Those can be a tough find anyway. But this is wonderful, thank you…oh! We also have good news! The chest had the next clue in it so we can go right to the duck that will lead us to the eggs! We’re almost there! We almost have you cured!”

Wally’s smile fell a split second as a worried look flashed. “I’m sure we will before it gets too bad.” M hung back and watched everything like a hawk, looking for any sign of the cause of such hatred he had seen on future Carmen’s face. It bothered him more than he expected, he wanted to say he didn’t care much about any of this just like 079 clearly stated as its own opinion. What M did find was that he was more attached to the whole team but moreso Carmen. As they joked, one thing was right, the majority of the team could handle a bullet or two and heal the next day. But Carmen was full mortal flesh and blood, no special powers, she couldn’t even use regular unicorn magic. Yet she dove into dangerous situations all the time with no regard for her own safety, as if she were one of them regardless of all the planning she does to keep everyone safe during their missions. And that bothered him even more since his test run.

He watched as she patched herself up all carefree, he puffed on his cigarette as he broods. It gnawed at his thoughts, he severely wanted both to go back to the future to figure it out but knew 079 had a very glaring and valid point. He thought about slipping off to the mech lab to tinker a bit more on the pod, seeing if he can alter something so its just not a time machine. He needed a distraction and his previous conversation of traveling to other universes may prove to be just the right project to give him that distraction.

A distraction did come to him, just in the form he didn’t expect. Carmen’s waterbottle was clear glass, yet the liquid had the absolute faintest blue glow, easily missed by casual glances. Perhaps 079 was right with his perception. He just needed more proof. He slinked off towards Carmen’s office as she laughed and had happy conversations with the others. She opened the scroll and showed the others. “Lets see what this thing says.” She laid it out on the table next to the coat box and tilted her head. Everyone gathered around for a view. “Is it supposed to be mostly blank?” The hide was indeed mostly blank, the bottom had a mountain ridge and a river and sporadic spots on the upper part that were either ink or tiny holes burnt through with a few sketch lines dashed in going a single direction. Otherwise it was very blank.

“Perhaps its a type of morse code?” Kiros rubbed his chin, Asta shook her head, “No, that was invented in the Amareicas in the 1830’s. And its not cuneiform.. the holes almost look like star alignments yet I dont recognize the placements but the other dots aren’t stars.” Carmen looked up and saw that M wasn’t there. She excused herself and went to search for him, finding him in her office, searching drawers and shelves.

“M, what’s going on? You’ve barely been around and more moody than usual since working on the chronoskimmer.” She inquired, setting her bottle on her desk as he was searching underneath for hidden compartments. He peeked up with a glare and his eyes darted to the water bottle and back to her, “Nice, acting stupid and oblivious right to my fuckin face.” Carmen furrowed her brow and lowered her ears, “Excuse me? But I have absolutely no idea what the hell you are going on about and I deserve an explanation for your behavior!” He stands and leans on the desk between them and whips the bottle across the room, smashing it against the wall. “THAT is what is going on. You have been way too easy going when it comes to your own safety, your cycles have been more intense, your pain tolerance is way too fucking high for a normal fucking pony, and your water always has a familiar blue glow to it. You’ve been fucking microdosing that fucking zydrate this whole fucking time! Now tell me where the rest of it is so I can fucking destroy it, you fucking junkhead!” She snarled at him and slapped his face to which he snapped his hand out and gripped her hair, slamming her head to the desk, “Don’t you FUCKING act all offended. Now I don’t give a fuck what withdrawal you suffer. Tonight you get clean for good and you never get high again. If you don’t listen to me out of fuckin fear, then at least do the fuckin curtesy of telling my brother that your so called happiness is a fucking lie. Fuck knows he deserves to hear the fuckin truth.” He growled as she struggled against his grip on her head as he held her down. “I will NOT let you go down a drug bender and do something you fucking regret!” She blinks and stops struggling for a moment, “What did you say?” She asked. His voice had a hint of unusual worry that she had caught. “I said I will not let you..”

“Yeah I heard that but you sound like you know something I dont..” He lets her up and avoids looking at her both out of fury and confrontation. “I’m not telling you. You are not supposed to know.”

She rubbed her head and walked around the desk, gripping his arm to turn him towards her, “Fuck that, you don’t get to assault me, accuse me of being a brainless addict AND withhold important information from me! Now tell me what you know!” He growls and grips both her arms, squeezing one of the deep cuts by accident, making her yelp. “I FUCKING CAN’T.”

“Why the hell not?!”

“Because I don’t know what fucking causes it!”

“It can’t be that bad. We’ve dealt with pretty bad shit.”

He shakes her a bit, “I saw you fucking die, okay?! It’s that fucking bad!”

The color drains from her face and she steps back from his grip. “When.. how?”

He sighs and puts one hand on his hip, the other running through his hair stressfully. “Three years, shot in Times Square.”

She let the information sink in, both hands on her hips, looking at the floor. She sighs and nods after a few silent moments, “Okay. Luckily the future is not set in stone. Let’s ban Times Square from our destinations. I’ll secure those guns my sister gave as a gift into the vault, far back so its hard to get them. And I really wish you didn’t smash my water. That was the last of the zydrate I had and boy, I could sure use some after that bomb you just dropped.” She looked at him, all coldly somber and turned to walk out of her office and back to the rest of the team. “We need your help to crack the riddle on that hide we brought back. Clean up your mess and join us when you’re done. I’m going to ice this bump on my head now and pour myself a stiff drink.”

9 notes · View notes

thoughtportal · 7 months

Text

When a call to the police for help turns deadly

In at least 178 cases over three years, law enforcement killed the individuals they were called to assist

By Jon Gerberg and

Alice Li

June 22, 2022

SAN ANTONIO — Brendan Daniels tried to find help for his brother.

Damian Daniels was alone in his San Antonio home in the throes of a mental health crisis. The 30-year-old Black combat veteran had grown increasingly depressed after the recent deaths of his sister, father and uncle in quick succession. The stress and isolation of the pandemic had been wearing on him, too. But when he began sending paranoid, delusional text messages to his brother 800 miles away in Colorado, Brendan felt that it was time for someone to intervene.

UNACCOUNTABLE

An examination of policing in America amid the push for reform.

Explore more stories in this series.

Listen to Broken Doors:

The Post’s latest podcast investigates no-knock search warrants.

Brendan was wary of calling the police. It was August 2020, three months since the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis ignited nationwide outrage over the issue of police violence against Black people. He decided to call the Red Cross, a safer option he thought, but the Red Cross then called 911 to initiate a welfare check.

Bexar County sheriff’s deputies visited Damian Daniels three times over the next 48 hours. The first two visits ended without incident. However, the third encounter escalated after deputies lunged at Daniels, who was standing in his doorway wearing a holstered, legally owned firearm.

The tussle ended when one of the officers, John Rodriguez, fired two shots into Daniels’s chest, killing him. Nearly two years later, his family is still searching for answers.

“This should have never happened,” Annette Watkins, Daniels’s mother, told The Washington Post. “We shouldn’t be living in a society where you call for help and be killed.”

A new investigation by The Post reveals at least 178 cases from 2019 to 2021 in which calls for help resulted in law enforcement officers shooting and killing the very people they were called on to assist. We used The Post’s nationwide database of fatal police shootings along with public reporting to identify cases in which the callers were concerned primarily for the individuals’ well-being and no imminent harm to others was reported.

Many of the calls alerted authorities to people in mental health crises, requested wellness checks or reported suicide threats. The calls came from the distressed individuals themselves or were made by worried family members, friends or neighbors. Police responses to calls for help are often routine, but, in the cases The Post identified, they turned deadly. Experts say that more needs to be done to protect those in crisis.

“If your family member is in pain, you should be able to pick up that phone and dial 911 and get help that is effective and safe,” said Christy Lopez, a policing expert at Georgetown Law School.

“We need to reject this idea that you can have a safe response or a law enforcement response,” she said. “We need to create a world in which you have a safe law enforcement response.”

Unaccountable: More on policing in America

The Washington Post’s investigation into policing in America has been ongoing since 2015, when The Post began logging every fatal shooting by an on-duty police officer in the United States.

The hidden cost of police misconduct: The Post collected data on nearly 40,000 payments at 25 of the nation’s largest police and sheriff’s departments within the past decade to uncover thousands of police officers whose alleged repeated misconduct cost taxpayers $1.5 billion.

Video: No-knock raids, considered one of the most dangerous and intrusive policing tactics, have been at the center of a debate in recent years over police use of force. At least 22 people have been killed by police nationwide carrying out no-knock warrants since 2015, according to a Post investigation.

Podcast: Hosted by Jenn Abelson and Nicole Dungca, “Broken Doors” is a six-part investigative podcast about how no-knock warrants are deployed in the American justice system — and what happens when accountability is flawed at every level.

Curbing crime: A crime-reduction strategy abandoned by Louisville police after thefatal shooting of Breonna Taylor has since spread to other major U.S. cities, gaining favor with police chiefs for its potential to reduce violent crime despite its ties to the case that sparked widespread calls for police reform.

Community oversight: Police nationwide have frequently defied efforts to impose civilian oversight and, in turn, undermined the ability of communities to hold law enforcement accountable, according to a Post investigation

#article #police violence #mental health #mental heath support

10 notes · View notes

icebluecyanide · 21 days

Text

Alex Rider S03E02 Reaction

These were my first reactions to season three, completely unspoiled for the rest of the series, but of course, with significant knowledge from the books. With some thoughts and predictions thrown in too.

Anyway time to infiltrate some labs!

Liveblog

So many Yassen flashbacks bless

The letter to the prime minister! Love how it’s updated to be a USB stick or something. And a cool new Scorpia logo 👀

Are you… really going to just plug it into your laptop? Okay then lmao

‘We will deal only with the Department’ ahsdlfhs that is literally the vaguest name ever for a government department lmao at least add ‘MI6’ or something

17 years ago?? How old is Alex by now??

Some fascinating choices in how they changed the demands compared to the books 👀

‘Post it on tiktok’ ahsdlhs my brain can’t handle the idea that tiktok exists in the same world as Alex Rider

‘Maybe when she’s finished with Consanto’ lmao why is she telling him the name. Oh okay that’s why haha

Very suspicious of the new MI6 person lol. Like either it’s someone who is new enough to challenge the home secretary in a meeting or maybe they’re working for Scorpia. The timing is very convenient 👀

Lmao Mrs Jones is one day from retirement. RIP Mrs Jones

Tom just take the camera job 😭

“But we get to spend quality time together!” lmao Kyra

Why did Scorpia not do more to hide the background of the video ahsdlfhs

I guess the data scientist is probably not Scorpia but why is she not wearing the full protective gear lol. Why are she and Crawley in the field??

RIP new data scientist and RIP Mrs Jones’s retirement plans 😔

It is kind of interesting to me how Blunt is getting portrayed as super heartless for not reacting more to the death and coming off looking much worse than the rest in MI6/the Department while Scorpia is arguably the book where Blunt comes out looking best. But the show is quite focused on Blunt as the bad guy while everyone else gets humanised more

The way we keep getting these scenes of Kyra and Tom just watching Alex go off and do stuff lol

He’s not using the gloves!!!

Nile 👀 What a brutal throat blow gosh

Alex did you not hear about the detonation or….

Alex held his breath this time!!! He’s learning!!!

“An answer in the next sixty seconds is optimal” I love Nile so much gosh

Ohhh nice cliffhanger, I love Kyra and Tom not knowing if he’s alive or dead!

Overall

Very excited by that last scene! I love Nile so much already, he’s very cool and I love him offering Alex a one-time chance to get info, and how it ends with Tom and Kyra having no idea what happened with Alex. Nice to see some stuff with the Department too and the letter to the prime minister (that apparently didn’t reach the prime minister’s office lmao)

Thoughts/predictions

Not entirely sure what the point was with the new data scientist story except to make Smithers and Mrs Jones upset and look more emotional than Blunt. Like yes, it’s very sad but also I do question how good they are at their jobs if they react to every death like this. In general the show seems to be isolating Blunt from the rest of the department people a lot more than the books, but I like how he still comes across as better than the Home Secretary (who should be fired just for plugging in that USB stick into her laptop, frankly).

Nile is very cool and I love him. Do miss his more casual and cheerful attitude from the book though, but I’m super excited to see where this goes and where he takes Alex. He’s getting answers!! Love Nile casually playing the bomb and setting the timer and just asking the scientist guy questions about the cardboard cover.

It’s kind of ironic how they are not telling Tom’s brother about what is going on when in the books Tom immediately tells Jerry that Alex is MI6 despite Alex talking to him about the importance of not telling anyone haha. But I like how he did catch on. I assume maybe Tom will end up being his photographer, but Alex being assumed dead or missing is probably not helping.

It’s really interesting how the demands have changed and how it’s more UK focused, which makes sense since in the books the context was very much the Iraq war and Tony Blair/Alistair Campbell and the special relationship between the USA and the UK. But here I assume the reason Scorpia picked the UK is personal, because the Department dealt the blow that nearly finished them off 17 years ago.

Questions

What’s up with the stuff in the box?? Were those toys? Children’s clothes? What is the Clean Room? What is Invisible Sword in this universe??

Is our dear friend Max still alive? I assume he may come back to meet Alex later given his comment about them meeting again in ep 1

Where is Yassen? 😢 I crave more than just flashbacks!

#alex rider tv #alex rider s3 #alex rider spoilers #alex rider tv spoilers #cyan watches alex rider s3 #need more yassen gimme yassen pls

3 notes · View notes

showfallmediacameracrew · 4 months

Text

[ Data accessed, searching logged transmissions… ]

[ Searching… ]

[ Logged Data Found. Identified as: Pre-Recorded Transmission. ]

[ Transmission Dated at Around Three Months Prior. ]

[ Pre-Recorded Transmission Received. ]

[ Equipment identified: standard Tripod, turned on automatically upon receiving notice of interesting input. ]

[ Video opens on the empty front room of the Hot Topic, the door to the back open, with muffled sounds of tearing and wrapping, softly shifting fabric, whispers too quiet to transcribe heard through the door. The only visual caught is the occasional movement of a tail appearing in the gloom past the doorway.]

[ After a half an hour of this, equipment owner Jasprix walks through the door carrying a closed medical kit, setting it down at the end of the couch and pushing it to hide it behind the arm of it. He freezes in his crouch, eyes catching sight of the tripod’s blinking red light, and sneers. He snarls as he straightens up, arms crossed, then huffs and returns to the back room where the quiet whispers, belonging to him, begin once more for another half a minute. ]

[ He comes back, this time with Marvin Bird in his arms, and puts him on the couch. He’s wearing different pajamas now, and a halloween scarf wrapped around his neck. ]

J: “Take that off, and I’m tying your arms to your sides, I swear to fuck.”

M: “It’s itchy, Jas. Feels like shit.”

J: “Yeah, scarfs will do that after you try to rip shit out of your neck, because some fuckheads decided to give you a panic attack or something. Why’d you do that to yourself instead of resting?”

[ Jasprix sits on the couch beside him, pulling him close gently, careful of his body and hidden injuries. Marvin sighs and rests his head against Jasprix’s chest. He fiddles with his hands as he talks. ]

M: “Scared and angry, I guess. I wanted, needed, to get them out. Had this overwhelming urge and I wasn’t really thinking straight so… yeah.”

J: “Those fucks online weren’t helping shit though, not a great distraction. Your friends knew you were alive because of me, you didn’t need to reassure them. Those other fuckers made you hurt yourself, and I can only do so much with bandages.”

[ Jasprix kisses him on the head, sighing as he sends a glare again to the tripod, then freezes at the sound of squeaking identified as wheels that comes from the hallway, growing louder. Marvin freezes and looks from the doorway to Jasprix, his eyes wide. ]

[ The wheel sounds pause outside the field of view of the tripod, but Jasprix just glowers more at whatever it is, relaxing even though he’s clearly displeased. Marvin, however, visibly relaxes and smiles. ]

[ Voice identified as Department Head DP. ]

DP: “Hello, both of you. Sorry to intrude.”

J: “Devon, what do you want.”

[ ‘Devon’ does not come into view of the camera, only his voice making himself known. He sounds bone deep tired and monotone. ]

D: “I got a wheelchair from props, for you. Figured it’d help, considering.”

M: “Thank you, that’ll be really helpful! I, uh, still haven’t gotten back my sea legs.”

D: “You’ll want your land legs more.”

[ Wheels squeak, and the aforementioned wheelchair rolls into view of the camera, stopping just shy of Jasprix’s legs on the couch. He looks unimpressed and annoyed, and is holding Marvin more protectively since ‘Devon’ arrived. ]

J: “It wasn’t meant literally, asshole.”

D: “I know, I was joking.”

[ Marvin snorts and rolls his eyes. ]

M: “Oh, c’mon, Devon isn’t insulting my honor. It was a good joke.”

D: “Thanks. I’m all about entertaining people.”

J: “The dry sarcasm sells it. Thanks for the transportation, I guess.”

D: “It's the absolute least I could possibly do here. I’d do more, but that could end badly for everyone and get you in trouble.”

J: “That why you're hiding from the camera, or you just not wanna get close?”

D: “I hold no illusions to how protective you currently are, and have no intention of being recorded for any purposes, the possibility of being mauled included. I can only offer my honest hope that you will be well soon Marvin, and heal as much as you are able.”

M: “I’ll do my best. I may not have regenerative properties but I do have a pretty fantastic nurse.”

[ Marvin snickers and pats Jasprix’s knee, while Jasprix rolls his eyes but smiles slightly at him. He looks back at Devon past the visual feed and his expression softens. ]

M: “Thank you again, you, uh, you’ve done a lot. This wheelchair will be a lifesaver. Especially since they want me working again soon. Just… Thank you. You’re a really good friend.”

D: “... You're welcome. Stay off the internet, it clearly isn't any good for you at the moment. I need to return to the set and Daphne now. I will see you around soon I suppose, since Jasprix also will need to return to work as well. Goodbye.”

M: “Bye, uh, tell Daphne I said hi! Please!”

[ Footsteps start up and fade away, leaving them both back in silence, now with a wheelchair that Jasprix lightly pushes away from himself with a foot. ]

J: “He’s been acting fucking weirdly nice to me for some reason, I think he needs to stay off the internet himself.”

M: “Maybe he’s just warming up to you?”

J: “After fucking years of me messing with him? Sure, we can go with that if you want.”

M: “Everything changes with time, maybe this is another, uh, example.”

[ He snorts and pulls out his phone, looking at it for a moment before tossing it over to thump somewhere under the tripod. ]

J: “Maybe, but I’ll tell you something. I’m real fucking tired of us being recorded every time I take care of you. This is stupid, I left being an actor, and he’s kinda got the right idea not coming into view. Gimme a few minutes and we can try out that wheelchair.”

[ He stands up after disentangling himself from Marvin, and disappears into his room, coming back a few seconds later with a sword that shines when the metal hits the light. He smiles at Marvin, holding it comfortably like some sort of knight, and gets closer to the tripod. Marvin watches in anticipation. His eyes glitter as he stares into the tripod’s lens. ]

[ Jasprix holds it point down as he keeps eye contact with the tripod, then jerks it down as the phone disconnects from the Tripod’s service as a loud cracking and fizzling is heard below. The camera is disconnected as Jasprix holds it in his hand, his sword hand cutting the tripod apart as it's pieces fall to the ground. ]

[ He looks back to Marvin, camera in hand. ]

J: “Wanna break this?”

M: “Oh, absolutely.”

[ Jasprix snickered, and tossed it onto the couch beside him, giving the visual feed an interesting view of spinning around. The camera ends up on a view of Marvin’s face. He sneers into the camera as he talks. ]

M: “A note from the director. Mind your own fuckin’ business.”

[ Jasprix whoops and laughs. And without any further delay, Marvin spikes the camera onto the floor. The last thing it captures is the glint of a sword and a satisfied grin on Marvin’s face. ]

[ Transmission ended violently. Recording Archived until appropriate equipment has been reconnected. ]

[ Thank you for using Showfall Media Video-To-Text. Uploading in progress… ]

#showfall ask blog #showfall camera operator #showfall media ask blog #ask blog #encoreverse blog #showfall media #showfall jasprix #showfall dp devon #transcript

5 notes · View notes

wolfliving · 3 months

Text

The business of platforming casual and warrantless police requests

Surveillance doorbell maker Amazon Ring on Wednesday announced it is discontinuing an option that allowed law enforcement agencies to request video footage without a warrant.

The internet-connected security vendor is sunsetting the Request for Assistance (RFA) tool – a feature of its Neighbors app that enables authorities to ask Ring customers for their video recordings.And now no more, at least in the US where the Neighbors app operates.

"Public safety agencies like fire and police departments can still use the Neighbors app to share helpful safety tips, updates, and community events," the vendor explained. "They will no longer be able to use the RFA tool to request and receive video in the app."

After its acquisition of Ring in 2018, Amazon began partnering with local law enforcement to provide users of its Neighbors app with real-time crime and safety information – including video from customers' cameras.

"Over the past few years we have learned that, when neighbors, the Ring team and law enforcement all work together, we can create safer communities," declared Jamie Siminoff, chief inventor and founder of Ring, at the time. "Neighbors is meant to facilitate real-time communication between these groups, while maintaining neighbor privacy first and foremost."

In 2021, an Oxford County Court judge in the UK found otherwise – that Ring did not maintain neighbor privacy. Judge Melissa Clarke ruled that an Amazon Ring doorbell violated the UK's 2018 Data Protection Act by capturing audio beyond the range of its video capability. But in general, Ring is lawful in the UK and residents simply have to abide by the Information Commissioner's Office guidelines for CCTV camera placement.

In the US, where there's no federal privacy law and only a fig leaf of narrowly focused privacy regulations, Ring doorbells remain commonplace and haven't so far presented much legal risk. While some scholars argue that Ring violates US privacy rights, Congress has yet to address the core issues – that privately captured surveillance isn't subject to the same limitations as surveillance conducted by authorities, and people may not have the privacy they expect amid ubiquitous video cameras....

2 notes · View notes

linisiane · 8 months

Text

“The Matrix” by Upton Sinclair and HP Lovecraft

or “How Robin Swift Learned He Wanted to Work at Amazon by Working at Amazon”

It was in the midst of an aimless June that I accepted the job at the Fulfillment Center (a kinder term for Bezos’s infamous Amazon warehouses), and somehow found confidence in my chosen major, Data Engineering, in the middle of a harrowing matrix of pallets racks and blasphemous turnover rates.

Let me first emphasize that I, with a clear mind and undisturbed faculties, would never have chosen an Amazon ‘Fulfillment Center’ as the place of my self-actualization. However, my mother—worried about financing my spending and, more importantly, my lack of work experience—had been the one to urge me to apply, as she had quit her own Amazon warehouse job only a few months prior.

The exhaustion on her face after a hard day in the freezer did not speak to a job appealing to kids my age, whom I knew to work the front at trendy cafés or as busboys in the back, but who was I to turn up my nose at a job my own mother had worked? Especially when I was struggling to find a better one to occupy my time.

Thus, my coming of age was to be set against the backdrop of towering pallets and “unsafe conditions,” as the great US Department of Labor put it.

…

“Thud, thud, thud,” echoed the sound of my steel-toed boots, like ominous sonar pulses broadcasting my location for Big Brothers unseen, as I reported for my first day.

They were steel-toed, my ‘Learning Ambassador’ Tyderius (“But You Can Call Me Tee”) had explained that day, because we legally were not allowed on the 'Order Picking Floor' without them.

He said that as easily as he did the various other protocols he claimed ensured our safety, such as my colleagues and I being armored to the gills in protective goggles, hi-vis vests, and IDs. Most of them, including Tee, were years older than me—many of them with children my age, and, therefore, with nothing to say to me, the kid who hadn’t yet found his place in the grand scheme of things. Well, most of them excepting Tee.

He was both disarming/charming and stuck with the unenviable task of training 30 newcomers on the usage of Order Pickers (OPs), which were the Amazon equivalents of warehouse forklifts in all ways except for how you strapped onto the ‘fork’ as you drove.

“Well, young man,” Tee had said, with a reassuring smile, when I’d questioned him on the speed limit of these OPs, “You mustn’t take too much stock in what people around here say. They’ll tell you that speed is all that matters, but we’ll go easy on your first month. Your safety, of course, is our biggest priority.”

That first week it was a chaos of hours-long shifts in the bowels of the warehouse pallet-matrix, never sure of where you were except in relation to the other boots, sonar pulses giving each other away, with only our mandated three 20-minute respites in between. On my second, I didn’t need to be a poet to describe how I had hesitated at the sight from my Order Picker at its zenith, placing inventory on the highest of pallets.

From above, it was like looking down the maw of a great beast – shelves and shelves of sky-high pallet racks like teeth in a cavernous gullet, with only your harness to cling to keep from falling in.

Thenceforth, it was like frenzy had been unleashed upon our 30-man herd.

It was quickly becoming apparent that the reason T was training 30 people at once was because the pressure for high Pick Rates, our inventory rate per shift, had eaten through those who had come before us and were now eating at us. We were no longer in the bowels but the intestines—the claustrophobic linings of the matrix digesting us faster and faster in its Kafkaesque acid nightmare of Pick Rates and accuracy measures, especially as our weakest links began thinning the safety of the herd.

Surprisingly, though, despite my general youth and aimlessness, I was not one of the culled.

It was during that zenith of my second week that I had the epiphany that saved me:

The matrix was not chaos, but—in fact!—order and organization at a magnitude far beyond what a single human could ever conceive.

It was self-evident by its very structure, which I saw as I looked across the tops of hundreds of rows of shelves containing hundreds of pallets packed with thousands of boxes of inventory. The only thing keeping me from getting swallowed was the harness I was clinging to. The machine at my back: my Order Picker.

The screen between me and my machine told me everything—from where I needed to go to how fast I needed to do it—and saved me from trying to conceive of the scale of the impossible.

Thus, the only way to survive was to plug in, physically strapping yourself into your Order Picker and mentally strapping yourself to its screen, becoming one with your personal shuttle of order and efficiency as a cog in the greater machine.

...

In the end, the Fulfillment Center, for me, was only for the summer. Just as it was for my mother’s own Amazon freezer stint. Even then, I didn’t stay beyond Tee’s one month of leeway. My eyes had been opened.

My future would be as one with the machines in Data Engineering.

By enabling the data gathering that scientists need to speak with machines, you become the interface between man-made horrors and man himself, the way I had been and will continue to be at the matrix.

Long after leaving Amazon and my Order Picker behind.

4 notes · View notes

autisticsupervillain · 5 months

Text

Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to Stats Equalized!

The show where we equalize strength, speed, and durability to decide who would win a battle of hax, skill, and versatility.

This Month's Fighters....

Delsin Rowe vs James Heller!

Conditions:

Good Karma Delsin

James does not have his powers from the DLC

Scenario:

Delsin shows up in Manhattan to stop the second Blacklight outbreak, mistaking Heller for another Mercer's infected minions.

Analysis: Delsin

Seven years after Cole sacrificed himself to stop the Beast, the few Conduits that remain in the US have been labeled as Bio-Terrorists by the government, seen as inherently dangerous due to their incredible powers. As such, the Government created the Department of Unified Protection, a group of government sanctioned Conduits tasked with hunting down and imprisoning "Bio-Terrorists".

With full government authorization to do whatever is necessary to contain a threat, the DUP has no problem inpounding and torturing innocent civilians, to the point of brutalizing an entire Native American tribe and leaving them to slowly die of their wounds.

Unfortunately for the DUP, this act of brutality just pissed off one of the most powerful Conduits in history, Delsin Rowe.

Delsin Rowe was the mischievous outcast of the Akomish Tribe, a lovable delinquent with a knack for graffiti and a gift for parkour. This all changed when a Conduit escapee came barreling through his village and Delsin's own Conduit powers awoke to copy the escapee's. When the DUP brutalize his village looking for the escapee, Delsin gets the idea to use his new powers to heal them. If he can copy the powers of the DUP leader, Brooke Augustine, he can remove the concrete shards stuck inside his fellow tribe members.

On his way to avenge his family and save his home, Delsin copies a whole host of superpowers from other Conduits. From the first escapee, Hank Daughtry, he copies the power of Smoke. From the vigilante killer Fetch Walker, he gains the power of Neon, and from the closted shutbin Eugene Sims, he gains the power of Video, each with a huge variety of powers.

With Smoke, he can blast fire out of his hands, superheat the chain around his wrist for combat, turn into smoke to dash through objects and vents, fire smoke grenades, levitate with firey thrusters, create smoke restraints, and even sufficate you. He even shows the ability to manipulate this power on the molecular level, able to transmute people into smoke for him to absorb and turn his smoke into organic matter to heal people's wounds. He can even go as far as to turn himself into a giant bomb, drop from the sky like a nuke, and explode on contact with enough power to sink a concrete island. After which, he just regenerates from the smoke like nothing happened.

With Neon, Delsin can turn into Neon light to dash at lightspeed, run up walls, toss gravity grenades that leave people helplessly hovering in the air while frozen in time, turn his chain into a lightsaber, speed up his reaction speed so that everything moves like a blur to him, shoot neon lasers out of his hands, and reduce human beings to neon particles through Mass Energy Conversion, making his targets explode into Neon energy.

Video, which might more accurately be referred to as Data, allows him absorb and manipulate the pixels and data from any technology with a screen. With it, he can summon angels and demons made of pure data, shoot homing swords from his hand like missles to down attack helicopters, fly on wings, and even turn invisible.

And, of course, there's Concrete from Augustine herself. With it, he can shoot massive disks of stone out of his hand, cover himself in armor and charge through all your defenses, and even generate concrete shards inside of your body, completely nullifying a Conduits powers and potentially damaging vital internal organs.

The problem with all of these remarkable abilities is he has to pick and choose. He can only use on element at a time and to switch, he has to absorb an element from the environment, just as he does whenever he runs low on his energy and needs to recharge. Hell, he can only take Concrete from the dead bodies of other Concrete Conduits, so he wouldn't be able to use it in a fight at all in most circumstances. And, every time he copies a power from a Conduit, all of his powers get completely sealed off until he restores them with Ray Field Energy.

Overall, Delsin is one of the most powerful and versatile Conduits the inFAMOUS universe has ever seen, rightly dubbed the "second coming of Cole" by his adoring public audience.

Analysis: Heller

It had only been fourteen months after the first Blacklight Virus outbreak had ravaged Manhattan. Fourteen months since New York City begain putting itself back together and its people began to truly live again when the second outbreak struck. Alex Mercer, once the begrudging savior of New York, had completely abandoned his humanity. He'd seen the selfishness of humans and grown disgusted with it, prompting him to unleash a second strain of Blacklight on New York. Deadlier, faster, stronger. This new strain would burn humanity down so that Alex could rebuild something from the ashes.

This attack would leave Sgt. James Heller without a family. He would come home from his tour overseas to find his wife and daughter dead. Stricken with grief, Heller would request reassignment to the front lines of the Manhattan quarantine, hoping to go down swinging to join his family in the afterlife. What he'd get instead was a once in a lifetime shot at revenge against the man responsible. Heller would go at Mercer with nothing but a knife, successfully slitting Mercer's throat.

Unfortunately, this is Alex Mercer we're talking about, so he just regenerated. Impressed with Heller's unrelenting determination, Mercer would transform Heller into one of his "Evolved", allowing James full access to all the powers granted by the Blacklight Virus, while still allowing him to keep his higher brain functions and humanity.

Mercer would attempt to manipulate Heller into helping to bring about his new world order, but Heller would eventually see through his tricks. This would backfire in the worst possible way for Mercer, as James Heller had nothing to lose and wanted nothing more than cold blooded revenge.

James Heller has all the powers you could expect from the Blacklight Virus. He can regenerate and shapeshift down the cellular level, allowing him to regrow from nothing but a puddle and shapeshift himself into any weapon he could possibly need. He can turn his arms into blades and claws to slice apart tanks, create spiked shields that can reflect rockets, grow armour to become completely bullet proof, and turn his arms into whips to pull helicopters right out of the sky. He can even alter his body's density to allow him to glide through the air.

And, like any good bioweapon, Heller can assimilate anyone he touches, copying their genetics and memories perfectly, allowing him to shapeshift into them and even copy their powers perfectly. Using this trick, Heller would devour his way through the ranks of Mercer's Evolved lieutenants, copying all of their powers. He can summon Hunters, giant bio-organic monsters that can crush tanks with their punches, to assist him battle, unleash the Blacklight Virus as a gas, and unleash massive Devastator attacks when he has enough biomass stored within him. Such as the tendril barrage Devastator, which shoots tendrils out of his body everywhere, absorbing everything within a mile radius of him.

Despite having a loud, bombastic temper that would put Kratos to shame and not being good with technology, Heller is a very intelligent and strategic fighter. He has all the combined experiences of every marine and Blackwatch soldier he's absorbed on top of everyone Mercer has and he's smart enough to see through Mercer's bullshit when he tries to string him along. He's frequently able to play the military, Blackwatch, and Mercer's Evolved against each other when he needs to and is skilled enough to take on groups of Evolved at once, many of whom have his same powers.

But despite his monsterous powers and quick temper, Heller would not lose his humanity. He would spare his former commanding officer after learning he too has a daughter and would go out of his way to protect the pastor at a local church. Heller would not succumb to the inhumanity that Mercer had. Not when he had a daughter counting on him. When he learned his little girl was still alive, he found the drive he needed to overcome Mercer once and for all.

The nightmare was over. The infection was gone. And Alex Mercer was dead. Only one question remains for James Heller and his daughter. What now?

Throwdown Theme:

youtube

Throwdown Breakdown:

This fight is very similar, yet simultaneously very different to Cole vs Alex.

On the one hand, Delsin could resist the Blacklight's assimilation and infection abilities much as Cole could. He should be immune to the disease much as Cole was, because being immune to disease is a trait applicable to all Conduits. That's why the Beast believed only Conduits would survive the plague. Furthermore, Delsin is not transmuted into Neon energy be Fetch's attacks, despite her clearly trying to kill him in their fight, meaning his molecular structure is likely endurant enough to, if not resist, than at least slow down the assimilation process.

I argue this because both powers, while fairly different, share a fundamental simularity. Transmuting one type of matter into another. Heller absorbs and changes DNA down to the cellular level, but Fetch's neon powers would be effecting Delsin's molecular structure at a much more fundamental level, as would be required to transmute a target into neon particles. If Delsin can resist getting transmuted down to the atomic level, he should be able to handle getting transmuted down to the cellular.

The problem arises when you realize Delsin has no feats of resisting mind control. Meaning if Heller infects him with Blacklight, he could win by simply taking contol of his brain. But, that leads back to the above issue. Heller would need to infect him first and Delsin's conduit physiology likely won't let him.

However, Delsin has no counter to James's shapeshifting and disguises. Without Cole's radar sense, Delsin cannot identify Heller when he transforms into another person, giving James a viable ambush option.

However, Delsin's regeneration is superior to Cole's, as he can come back from being reduced to smoke. Without the option of assimilation, Heller will struggle to put Delsin down and will have no option but to eat away at his reserves. Sure, you can argue that Delsin may have to absorb elements from his surroundings to maintain that level of regeneration, but even in that case, Hellet would still have to eat away at his energy reserves overtime to outmatch his regeneration.

So, how does Heller fair against each of Delsin's power sets?

Concrete should be manageable. Concrete might be able to nullify a Conduit's powers, but Heller could just shapeshift to expel the shards from his body and stop that. Beyond that, Concrete doesn't offer much other thsn making Delsin tankier, and Heller can match that.

Smoke's slippery, but manageable. It'll be hard to get his hands on Delsin when he can turn into smoke and the collateral damage from their fight would give Delsin plenty of ammo to work with, but Heller can match its gliding and the smoke grenades likely won't effect him much, as he can change his vision to see through them and armor would keep the smoke from choking him.

Video and neon are where this gets tough. Heller has no answer to anti-gravity, invisibility, or time stop, any one of which could give Delsin the opening he needs to end the fight. Doubly so since these powers would allow Delsin to transmute Heller into Neon particles or data, bypassing his regeneration all together. Given my basis for Delsin resisting assimilation, Heller wouldn't be able to survive this. Atoms are a more fundamental level of matter and Heller's never tanked anything on that level, including Alex's assimilation powers.

If you don't believe that Delsin can resist assimilation, however, than this becomes a figjt where both can one shot each other with feasibly any attack and neither can counter the stealth options the other would use to get that opportunity. In which case, I favor Delsin's range and wide area of effect attacks getting the fatal blow on Heller first. Heller's a smart, relentless, and deadly bioweapon who outpaces Delsin massively in skill, experience, and hand to hand combat, but Delsin is like nothing he's ever seen before. Any attempt to tank, block, and regenerate from a seemingly innocuous neon bolt or digital shot would reduce Heller to particles before he could reliably get close enough to absorb Delsin. And he's left helpless by an anti-gravity grenade or time stop... welp, goodbye angry virus boy.

This Throwdown's Winner is...

Delsin Rowe!

#fictional throwdown fridays #stats equalized #infamous #prototype 2009 #james heller #delsin rowe #Youtube

2 notes · View notes

naukricyber · 6 months

Text

SOC Success Stories: Lessons from Cybersecurity Frontlines

Introduction to SOC (Security Operations Center)

Welcome to the thrilling world of cybersecurity! In an era where digital threats loom large, organizations are arming themselves with powerful tools and strategies to safeguard their sensitive information. One such weapon in their arsenal is the Security Operations Center (SOC), a formidable force that stands as a beacon of protection against cyber attacks. But what exactly is SOC? Well, SOC stands for Security Operations Center - a centralized unit within an organization tasked with monitoring, detecting, and responding to security incidents. Think of it as the nerve center, where skilled analysts work tirelessly round the clock to keep your data safe from malicious actors. In this blog post, we will explore the importance of having a SOC in today's digitized landscape. We'll dive into real-life success stories that highlight how these teams have thwarted sophisticated attacks and saved countless organizations from potential devastation. So buckle up and get ready for some edge-of-your-seat tales from the cybersecurity frontlines!

Importance of a SOC for Organizations

In today's digital world, the importance of cybersecurity cannot be overstated. With cyber threats becoming increasingly sophisticated and widespread, organizations need to have robust measures in place to protect their sensitive data and systems. This is where a Security Operations Center (SOC) comes into play. A SOC is a dedicated team within an organization that focuses on monitoring, detecting, analyzing, and responding to security incidents. It serves as the central nervous system for an organization's cybersecurity efforts. The primary role of a SOC is to keep a constant watch over the network infrastructure, applications, and endpoints to identify any potential security breaches or suspicious activities. By having a SOC in place, organizations can proactively defend against cyber attacks rather than being caught off guard and reactive when an incident occurs. A well-functioning SOC helps minimize downtime by swiftly identifying and mitigating threats before they can cause significant damage. Moreover, a SOC plays a crucial role in ensuring compliance with industry regulations such as GDPR or PCI DSS requirements. By monitoring network traffic and conducting regular vulnerability assessments, the SOC helps organizations meet regulatory standards while maintaining data integrity and confidentiality. Another key aspect of the importance of a SOC lies in its ability to provide valuable insights through threat intelligence analysis. By continuously collecting information about emerging threats from various sources like dark web monitoring or threat feeds from vendors, the SOC can stay one step ahead of potential attackers. Additionally, having an internal team responsible for managing cybersecurity allows for better coordination between different departments within an organization. The communication channels established within the SOC enable faster response times during incidents and facilitate collaboration among IT teams across different locations or business units.

Real-life Examples of SOC Success Stories

1. Foiling a Sophisticated Phishing Attack One success story involves a Security Operations Center (SOC) team that successfully prevented a sophisticated phishing attack on a large financial institution. The SOC analysts detected anomalous network traffic and quickly identified the malicious email campaign targeting employees. By promptly alerting the organization's IT department, they were able to take immediate action to block the malicious links and prevent potential data breaches. 2. Unraveling an Insider Threat In another instance, a manufacturing company faced an insider threat from one of its disgruntled employees who intended to sabotage critical systems. Through continuous monitoring and analysis of user behavior within the network, the SOC team noticed unusual activity associated with this employee's account. They swiftly intervened, disabling the account before any damage could occur. 3. Swift Response to Ransomware Attack A healthcare provider was hit by a ransomware attack that encrypted vital patient records across their network infrastructure. Thanks to their well-prepared SOC team, they were able to respond swiftly and effectively mitigate the impact of the attack. The SOC analysts isolated affected systems, restored data from secure backups, and implemented additional security measures to prevent future incidents. These real-life examples highlight how Security Operations Centers play a crucial role in safeguarding organizations against various cyber threats by employing proactive monitoring techniques, advanced analytics tools, and skilled personnel capable of rapid response when incidents occur.

Collaboration and Communication within the SOC

Collaboration and communication are the lifeblood of a successful Security Operations Center (SOC). In an environment where threats can evolve rapidly, SOC teams must work together seamlessly to detect, respond to, and mitigate cyber incidents. Within the SOC, analysts from different specialties come together to form a cohesive team. This diversity of skills and perspectives allows them to tackle complex security challenges from various angles. Whether it's network monitoring, threat intelligence analysis, or incident response, each member plays a vital role in safeguarding the organization's assets. Effective collaboration within the SOC involves constant information sharing. Analysts must communicate findings, share insights, and update their colleagues on ongoing investigations. This real-time exchange of knowledge helps identify patterns and trends that might otherwise go unnoticed. Furthermore, collaboration extends beyond just internal teamwork within the SOC. It also entails close cooperation with other departments such as IT support or legal teams. By fostering strong relationships with these stakeholders across the organization, SOC analysts can gain valuable context about potential risks and vulnerabilities specific to different business units. Communication channels within the SOC should be streamlined yet flexible. Regular meetings or huddles provide opportunities for analysts to discuss emerging threats or brainstorm solutions collectively. Additionally, technology tools like chat platforms enable instant messaging for quick updates during critical incidents. Collaboration and communication lie at the heart of every successful SOC operation. By working closely together and sharing information effectively both internally and externally with other departments in an agile manner; organizations can enhance their overall cybersecurity posture while staying ahead of ever-evolving threats.

Conclusion

In today's ever-evolving digital landscape, organizations face constant threats to their cybersecurity. To protect themselves from these risks, many organizations have implemented Security Operations Centers (SOCs). These centralized hubs of expertise and technology play a vital role in defending against cyber attacks and ensuring the overall security posture of an organization. Throughout this article, we have explored the importance of SOC for organizations and shared real-life success stories that highlight the effectiveness of these centers. From preventing major data breaches to detecting advanced persistent threats, SOCs have proven time and again their value in safeguarding sensitive information. One key factor contributing to the success of SOCs is collaboration and communication within the team. The seamless exchange of information between analysts, incident responders, threat intelligence experts, and other stakeholders enables faster response times and more effective incident handling. This teamwork ensures that all relevant insights are considered when making critical decisions during a security incident. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to building a successful SOC, these success stories provide valuable insights into what works best in different scenarios. Organizations can learn from these examples by adopting similar strategies such as leveraging automation tools, investing in continuous training for SOC analysts, conducting regular threat-hunting exercises, and fostering strong partnerships with external entities like law enforcement agencies or industry peers.

#soc #SOC analysts

2 notes · View notes

sullustangin · 1 year

Text

Forged Alliances, Part 4: On the Run

I started this over the spring/summer when Forged Alliances itself started (and the 8th anniversary of Theron Shan and Lana Beniko being in game). Forged Alliances ended in early September 2014 with Lana, Theron, and Jakarro and D4 leaving the player. Early in December, Shadow of Revan launched, with Rishi and Yavin. So we’ll just consider this finishing up with a few questions.

To start, upon departing Rakata Prime, the player character is with Jakarro and D4. Everyone has been put to flight due to the arrival of Revan’s fleet, so Lana and Theron are flying on Jakarro’s seemingly unnamed ship.

Upon arriving back at Vaiken/Carrick, the player goes to the ops room to find it’s been either rifled through or partially blown up (the latter is more obvious on the Pub side). There is the implication that Revanites have infiltrated the respective space docks and want to wipe out the work that Lana and Theron have done. This is backed up by A7′s statement that he is ‘terrified!’

In contrast T3′s statement is business as usual -- no signs of terror here. In part, that’s partially why I spun this in my fic as Theron blowing up the op center to protect the data and the op (and the playable character) from the Revanites. That said, the Revanites infiltrating the docks remains the most likely intended explanation by devs.

Either way, the droids convey to the player to get to Manaan -- a neutral planet where Pub/Imperial jurisdiction is a sticky matter. Conveniently, we’ve just been there as part of Forged Alliances... but this does work as neutral ground, not unlike Nar Shaddaa way later in Onslaught when there’s talk of being a loyalist/saboteur.

Lana and Theron are profoundly relieved to see the player after Revan’s aerial assault on the Rakata Prime temple. The player arrives with Jakarro, who’s been part of your crew since, well, Lana and Theron ran off with his ship.

Now, if you’re an Imp romancing Theron, you can flirt with him right off the jump and get him all bashful here. One of the key differences between the Pub and the Imperial romance is that Theron is on much surer footing with the Republic operative; he comes off as the consummate spy who isn’t rattled easily. With the Imperial, here on Manaan, he protests, a LOT when it’s teasingly suggested that SIS is keeping an eye on the Imperial player. For the Imp player, romancing Theron is like trying to pet a scalded cat; he escapes quickly, and that’s the last the Imperial player sees of him. He never does respond positive in a romantic way to the Imperial in Forged Alliances.

Meanwhile, Pub side or Imperial side, Lana is very affectionate; Imps get a hug from her and promises of pining, while Pubs also get yearning, though no hug. Overall, Lana is a very agreeable Sith who isn’t opposed to a workplace romance.

Theron might get a little frazzled with the Imperial, but he’s been cool and professional with the Republic player to this point...And then there’s this one moment:

“No contact? No even a little bit?”

“If we had more time. (SIGNIFICANT PAUSE) But we don’t.”

Theron takes the time to think about “contact” with the Republic operative before he declines and leaves -- and that is the first big sign that he’s interested in the player, the first lapse of professionalism, with hand gestures and everything. The Imperial player gets the steady relationship development with Lana all throughout....and the Pub player gets “...there’s a desk over there, now that I think about it.”

As noted elsewhere everywhere in fandom, Theron’s got issues. But that’s why we love him.

So that’s my Forged Alliances series, all done (finally).

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

#swtor #forged alliances #theron shan #lana beniko #theron shan x smuggler #theron thursday #oc: eva corolastor

11 notes · View notes

beardedmrbean · 1 year

Text

Don Williams and his husband, Jose Ortega, were told by the pastor of a religious Queen Creek school where Williams' daughter is a student that gay couples are not welcome on campus, the couple said.

"He made it clear to us that people bring their kids to him to stay away from people like us," Ortega said.

The confrontation at Heart Cry Christian Academy shows how, as publicly funded education vouchers blur the lines between public and private education, anti-discrimination provisions that protect families enrolled in district and charter schools may not apply.

A spokesperson for the Arizona Department of Education, which issues the vouchers that can be used at private schools, said a scenario like the one Williams and Ortega experienced is a matter for the courts and that the agency won't step in. But experts said there are limited legal avenues when it comes to religious schools and discrimination.

It’s unclear whether Williams' daughter uses a voucher to pay tuition at Heart Cry, although Heart Cry advertises on its website that it will accept public money from Arizona's voucher program.

Even if the school accepts vouchers, nondiscrimination law doesn't apply to students enrolled in parochial schools, according to Scottsdale-based education lawyers Lori Kirsch-Goodwin and Hope Kirsch.

State law regarding the voucher program makes clear that a private school "shall not be required to alter its creed, practices, admissions policy or curriculum in order to accept students whose parents pay tuition or fees" using a voucher. Data from the Education Department, which oversees the voucher program, shows that most schools that receive voucher funds are religiously affiliated.

When a parent takes Empowerment Scholarship Account funds, as Arizona's school vouchers are called, the money is deposited into an account that can be drawn upon "for a wide variety of educational expenses," according to the Arizona Department of Education. The funds, for instance, can be used for private school tuition at a private school, tutoring, therapy or educational materials.

"Once you take the ESA money, you're losing a lot of your protections," including federal protections under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Kirsch said. "You don't get the protections that you do get in public schools."

Doug Nick, a spokesperson for the Arizona Department of Education, said Willams and Ortega should not come to the state education agency for help.

"The appropriate venue for the parent to pursue a complaint is through the courts," Nick said. "This is a dispute over the law, and ADE isn’t in a position to adjudicate issues of that kind."

Officials at Heart Cry declined to speak with The Arizona Republic. The school's website states that it does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin or ethnicity. Sexual orientation, gender and gender identity are not mentioned. Internal Revenue Service rules require tax-exempt private schools to post and follow nondiscrimination statements related to race.

'They have made us feel completely uncomfortable and unsafe'

Don Williams shares custody of his 10-year-old daughter with his ex-wife, who declined to speak with The Republic. Williams' ex-wife, who has legal control over educational decisions related to their daughter, pulled their daughter out of a public charter school and enrolled her at Heart Cry after winter break, Williams said.

The voucher program exploded in the second half of last year. Former Gov. Doug Ducey signed a universal school voucher expansion last summer, creating the largest school voucher program in the country.

There are now more than 46,000 students who use Arizona school vouchers, according to the Arizona Department of Education. Gov. Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, and the Republican-majority Legislature are at odds over the future of Arizona's universal voucher program.

As of Sept. 30, the most common voucher award amount was between $7,000 and $7,999. Heart Cry's elementary and middle school tuition is $8,000, according to the school's website.

Schools graded:Arizona releases new school letter grades, first since pandemic

The school's mission, according to its website, is "to equip children with knowledge, wisdom, and biblical principles," and its education philosophy includes a curriculum that presents "a biblical worldview across all subject areas."

Williams said he and Ortega went to Heart Cry in late January to introduce themselves and learn more about the school since they weren't involved in the enrollment process. That's when they learned that "homosexuality is not welcomed and not allowed" in the school, Williams said.

Pastor Billy VanCamp took them to a conference room "away from all the children" and started questioning the relationship between Williams and Ortega, Ortega said. The pastor told Ortega he wasn't allowed on campus because he is a gay man without any blood relation to Williams' daughter, he said.

"I said, 'I'm still her stepdad, and as long as she is in my life and as long as she is attending the school, I'm going to be a part of it,'" Ortega said. "And he said, 'Well, you are not welcome here.' So, I was like, 'Are you threatening me?' And he said, 'Try me.' Clearly, he is threatening me, and, at that point, I felt very unsafe."

Williams said that a Heart Cry staff member told him his daughter wouldn't have been allowed to enroll at Heart Cry if they had known she had a gay father.

"Supposedly, as her father, I can pick her up and drop her off. I, supposedly, can come to any school event, but they have made it known that I am not welcomed at all," he said.

Williams and Ortega moved to Arizona from California in September, after Williams' ex-wife relocated over the summer. Williams and Ortega wanted to be closer to Williams' daughter.

"As her father, I don't even feel comfortable dropping her off alone. But I'm going to have to because we don't know anybody here," Williams said. "They have made us feel completely uncomfortable and unsafe even going there."

Williams said he is concerned about the education his daughter is getting at Heart Cry.

"One of my fears is the fact that she's in that school and they're brainwashing her, and they're telling her that it's not OK for me to be me," he said.

Nondiscrimination law and religious schools

Families don't have the same nondiscrimination protections at religious schools that are assured at public schools, and conflicts over equitable treatment are likely to become more common in Arizona as the voucher program continues to grow.

"In a traditional school district or charter school setting, all anti-discrimination provisions are applicable, and no parent could be barred from participating in their child's education," said Charles W. Herf, who teaches a course on education and the law at Arizona State University's Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law.

Experts said there is a potential legal avenue Arizona families could explore if they face gender-based discrimination at a private school, like the situation Williams and Ortega said they encountered at Heart Cry. But it's unlikely to apply to religious schools. Even at secular private schools, there would be hurdles to overcome.

A federal law from 1972 called Title IX prohibits schools that receive federal financial assistance from discriminating on the basis of sex in all programs and activities.

Those nondiscrimination protections extend to parents and guardians, as well as students, school employees and applicants, according to the U.S. Department of Education. The department has taken the position that Title IX protects everyone who interacts with a school from sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination.

But private K-12 schools generally do not receive federal financial assistance, according to a statement a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Education sent to The Republic. Furthermore, even if a private school accepts federal financial assistance, religious schools are exempt.

"Title IX does not apply to an educational institution that is controlled by a religious organization to the extent that application of Title IX would be inconsistent with the religious tenets of the organization," according to the U.S. Department of Education website.

Phoenix-based employment attorney Krista Robinson said Williams may have a potential discrimination claim under Title IX, but it would be an "uphill battle." Robinson represents a former teacher of a Christian school in Chandler who was fired after expressing support for a student who identified as pansexual.

"Sometimes, filing a lawsuit is just enough to make change happen, even if it's a losing argument," Robinson said.

#nunyas news #i have a feeling the ex wife knew what they were doing

8 notes · View notes

inlocusmads · 2 years

Text

Jane's Theory of Everything

It is Jane's first day as the newest addition to the diagnostics team and she's already missing in action.

Featuring: Jane Fletcher, Ethan Ramsey and Yasmin from IT (OC) from Open Heart, Choices.

Word Count: 1.8k | No Warnings/General | References: Book 2, Ch 1

A/N: This is Jane in her pure element. I had to write this.

"You're not officially part of the A-Team until you get your own desk. So here you go." Baz beamed.

Jane turned her head around to see an old mahogany desk. On top was some kind of fibreglass. She was already given a desktop - something definitely outdated. The IT Department hadn't run their routine checks yet. And she was given a pencil-and-pen case; a tall white mug with stationary already filled in for her.

"It's great. Thank you very much."

"And you get your own chair. It's great, isn't it?"

"Very great."

"Well, if you need anything, you can--"

She seated herself on the chair, peering intently at the computer.

"The software needs updating. It is still using a very old system. I can see that because when I open up Word to type in, the fonts and the layout is something from the 2010s. Has nobody updated the system yet? And I don't think there's any firewall protection either, so our data can be compromised. I read that in a blog two years ago. I wasn't very good with computers, so I had to change things. It is a great blog. Called At-Home Computing For Stupidheads. Despite the aggressive name, it is very helpful."

"Yasmin from IT can help." he suggested.

"It's no problem. I like retro layouts. It reminds me of the time I read this book called Windows 101. It was in my med school library. And it had the most exquisite font system and layout. I assumed the writer, James M. Free, and his editing team would’ve prepared the manuscript on Word, because there are some typefaces unique to Word."

"Right."

"It's interesting." Jane had a smile on her face. "How things work."

"How things -- work?"

"I can use my new ID card anywhere, right?" she piped up.

"Yes. You wouldn't need a written-up anything. You can just walk in and demand a candy bar from the nurses if you want to." Baz scratched his stubble. "But I don't recommend you do it. Those -- nurses-- they're a different breed of human. I doubt they're actually human. No human can possess all of that-- sass."

"Great, then."

"Is everyone here?" Dr Ramsey asked. He took a headcount. There was Baz Mirani, manning the computer, June Hirata going through the case files of the day and himself, Ethan Ramsey.

"Where's Dr Fletcher?"

"The new one?" June sniped.

"She might be busy with her new intern. You have to go easy on her." Baz suggested, but neither one of his colleagues were having it.

"It is eight AM. Where is she? Making lousy chit-chat with her band of Mordor friends?" Ethan snarled.

"She is here." Baz informed them, even though none of them cared to listen. "I don't know where she went. She came, went through her new desk and left abruptly. I thought she was doing rounds. She might be. Or maybe she's showing her intern the ropes."

"The Intern Meeting was an hour ago. She should be here." June snapped. "Punctuality is an integral virtue for a doctor. If she can't do that, then.. it is a little concerning. Just a little."

"I'll have a look around. Go over the cases for me, please."

Ethan sighed, marching down the long hallways, looking particularly displeased.

Jane Fletcher was something else. He'd hoped she'd learn something from what happened the previous year, but maybe he was wrong. She was often late, often zoned out and it was like she wasn't even there. And it was the oddest thing too, because Jane had the experience. Far better than anyone else. Having studied engineering and medicine, she was clearly the only one fit for the so-called "rookie" position on the diagnostics team.

Now Ethan was reconsidering his decision. It took a lot of convincing to have June and Harper aboard the decision. The Mrs. Martinez case didn't exactly paint a glowing picture of Jane.

"Jane is one of the bests we have, but she has such outlandish thoughts and aspirations. I think you should go with Dr Varma or even, Aurora, to be on the team." Harper had confessed. "She's great, no doubt, but her strengths are elsewhere and we're looking for someone who can delegate and take orders."

Harper was never wrong about those tactical details.

"Excuse me." He asked the front desk nurse. "Have you seen Dr Jane Fletcher? Is she not here?"

"Didn't you page her, Doctor?"

"My messages aren't reaching her. Something's probably faulty with my pager as well."

The nurse nodded, before looking up the details on the computer.

"Weird. Her pager's not active. She could've manually turned it off. Have you tried phoning her?"

"No. Her phone's busy too. She must've left it in her locker." Ethan deduced. "Have you looked around, perhaps? Seen her? She's late. And June will consider having my head if she doesn't show up. I've spoken a great deal with her about the new addition to the team."

"Oh. Dr Hirata is a handful, I know. Don't worry. That's what I'm here for."

"Plus. How hard is it really? To follow instructions? Christ. It's the first day. First. And -- everything has gone wrong."

Ethan waited, while the receptionist tried to get a hold of Jane. Five minutes soon became ten. Then twelve.

"Got her. She's on the fifth floor." the nurse held up her phone. "Chris the Computer Guy notified me."

"Fifth? But that's the --"

"And that's how the pager works."

"Really? Wow. I've always thought they were just sort of small Blackberry phones."

Yasmin from IT chuckled at the joke.

"Radio transmissions. They remind me of the electromagnetic spectrum. And the electromagnetic spectrum reminds me of X-Rays. It is interesting how everything is connected to everything and we all use electromagnetism. It is interesting too, because you have these waves which are perpendicular to each other. An electric and a magnetic wave. And we do all sorts of things with it. I had this unit in my pre-med about it, but they never really expanded on it."

"Now, is that all?" Yasmin asked. "Do you have any other questions?"

"How does a firewall work? I've been hearing so much about it. I'm often told to think about it like it is some Giant Filter that scans your data 24/7. Software firewalls are basically computer programs which scan each and individual data packet. The word scan is so ambiguous. What does it scan? Does it read every individual text file? Does it look at the extension of each file to make sure it isn't corrupted?"

"That is--"

"You know what the Great Filter reminds me of? The Fermi Paradox. Suggesting that there's some force field that protects us from contacting alien life forms. But that can't be right, can it? Electromagnetic waves can travel across vacuums. Otherwise we can't get pictures from space. So if there existed a Great Filter, does it mean that there's another medium that exists in space? Something like dark matter for instance? That prohibits light, the simplest electromagnetic wave, from getting into it?"

"I'm not --"

"If we can see through bones and muscles, get to the heart of our body's ecosystem, why can't we do the same up in space? What is limiting us? And how can we prove something like the Fermi Paradox is real, when it itself is a paradox? Or is that the true intention? Like you've got the River Avon. Avon means "river". Then you have the Sahara Desert. Sahara means "desert". Is it like that? Does Fermi actually mean 'paradox'?"

There was a knock at the door.

"Dr Fletcher. You were supposed to be downstairs half an hour ago." Ethan huffed.

Jane turned around. "Sorry."

"Dr Fletcher came here to learn about the pager."

"The what?"

Yasmin continued. "It appears she wanted to learn about things."

"Learn about the pager -- of all things? Learn what?"

"Just how it worked.." Yasmin cowered. "I'll be -- erm-- at my desk now."

Ethan eyed her curiously. Jane's eyes fell to the ceiling. He stole a glance at the table, occupied by a put-apart pager, with all the parts lying around separately.

"Very well. Come on, now. And take your pager."

Jane had half expected Ethan to yell at her. To blast her for being so reckless, so late. To poke and prod her for disappearing off. To compare her with her young classmates, tell her she was no good, ec cetera. Ec cetera. But to her surprise, he didn't even scold. Nor was he actually cross.

As they walked to the end of the hallway to the elevators, Ethan glanced at an anxious Jane, now twisting her sleeves and holding onto her pager, which unfortunately didn't work anymore, even after Yasmin tried to put the parts together.

"Learning things?" he asked her, as the elevator doors closed.

"Yes."

"But you're a doctor."

"That doesn't mean I know everything and anything. That I know the Ultimate Truth. Even though the answer is forty two."

"Why forty two?" Ethan asked, curiously.

"No. The actual answer is one point six one eight, a close approximation of the Golden Ratio. It's everywhere, but again, not the most consistent thing in the universe. It might be ever-present in the Mona Lisa and in the skies of Starry Starry Night but upon close examination, Da Vinci's The Last Supper and Van Gogh's The Potato Eaters don't have the Fibonacci spiral."

"What is the most consistent thing in the universe?"

Jane thought for a brief moment.

The elevator doors opened.

"I think it is three."

"Just.. three?"

Ethan and Jane now walked down the corridor, en route to the diagnostics lab.

"Three. The Pythagorean Theorem uses three variables. Triangles are easier to use as tiling patterns. When they come together, they form a hexagon. It has six sides, which is twice of three and it is used everywhere, from under aeroplane wings to the bee hives and even in our own eyes."

Ethan nodded, listening carefully.

"But even three sometimes is far too simple to describe the universe. There are lots of famous numbers. Pi is one such example. Extremely simple. It is the ratio of the circumference of the circle to its diameter. And it works for any circle, because circles are the most consistent thing in the universe. Ovals, ellipses and other twisty things fall under the same Circular Family."

"And you don't think it is the Answer?'

"No. I think the answer is three-one-four-four-two-one-six-one-eight. Pi. 42. The Golden Ratio. And it has eight exponents upon estimation. Three times the tenth power of eight. Which becomes the speed of light. The fastest thing known to mankind. And I believe swiftness is pretty neat and the key to everything."

Ethan wasn't sure if he was supposed to be amused or infuriated.

They finally arrived.

"We have to get you a new pager." Ethan sighed.

"That's okay." Jane nodded, placing the remains of her worn-out gadget on her desk. "I think it looks nice as a decorative thing."

"So -- this is the new -- resident?" June quipped.

"Hi. It's nice to meet you." Jane extended a hand. "My name is Jane Fletcher and I am more than happy to work with you. Unfortunately, you have a very compromised computer system. Yasmin will be here to make some changes in fifteen minutes' time. And our pagers can easily be copied and traced, so I suggest we use even more faster means of communication, like say, photon transmitters for example. I think they're quite neat. I read it from a book that quantum communication systems are the thing of the future now and the key can never be copied at all, because we're using the spin states of the atoms to--"

The two of her colleagues stared at her. And it wasn't the good kind of staring. Jane wasn't sure if it was because of her ridiculous height or her heterochromia. She blamed them regardless. It was hard making friends with an odd physique, anyway.

Meanwhile Ethan stood off to the side, his expression unreadable.

"Uh.. um. What I meant -- I hope to do some of my best work here."

"And you will." Ethan said. "Now. Let's get to work, team?"

A/N: The answer is clearly 42.

This was super fun to write, because it had everything I love in it: pure, unadulterated geek-ery.

Quick Background: Jane's pre-med was actually chemical engineering. She got into medicine after someone's recommendation, and also because it seemed like a fun thing to do.

Tag List:

Perma: @ofmischiefandmedicine @quixoticdreamer16 Open Heart: @cariantha

Please let me know if you'd like to be tagged/removed for/from my works from here-on! I lost all of my tag lists after my "Reboot", so I unfortunately have no idea who was on it and who wasn't. If you'd like to read more pure garbage like this, leave a comment!

#open heart #jane fletcher & ethan ramsey #w: inlocusmads #jane & ethan

15 notes · View notes

merge-conflict · 1 year

Note

question for the manipulative & mean V cos im curious: what would they consider the worst thing they've ever done?

Oh this is a fun question. First a little background:

I imagine that a very important part of working in CounterIntel is having the right sort of assets, and in this case I’m talking people. Data brokers, spies, people you can lean on for info. The most important part of getting anywhere in this department is having good sources, as well as being willing to trade or share those assets with others when it suits you. Officially, any agent should be able to use another agent’s assets with the proper channels and so on, but unofficially it operates a lot like a black market. Having access to a good asset can make or break an assignment. But you have to also work on your relationships with your assets, know the right combo over carrot or stick that will get you where you want. You might burn a low level asset, but one with great cover and access to sensitive info– especially one with a lot of previous investment– no one would just throw that away. There are two schools of thought: either you wring as much out of your assets as you can, and then hang them out to dry, or you work long and hard to build your rep as a reliable handler and you grow your assets slowly.

Valentine is predisposed to become very attached to people, and has a very strong sense of personal loyalty (to specific people, rather than ideology). For several years she built up her network of assets and treated them well, and gained no small amount of trust. Her first asset is a woman she found on her own, codenamed [X]. [X] ends up being an extremely good asset, which Valentine puts a lot of effort into protecting and growing. Years of this goes by– an she proves to be an excellent source into Biotechnica, but there comes a point where [X] comes under some heat. [X] wants to get pulled out before she gets killed. Valentine needs her intel so she calls her up and calms her down, assures her that she’ll be protected, etc. etc., but when she gets the intel it turns out to be bigger than she expected, and getting [X] out safely will be expensive… and if she goes so far over her budget she’ll lose her chance at likely promotion and have a very uncomfortable investigation into her recent financials. Basically, all of the progress she had spent years making could crumble under her, and her coworkers would be right behind her ready to kick her down to the bottom and waste all that time and effort.

This was a big turning point where she realized she could just get rid of this woman, whose continued existence was a difficulty for her. And she did. She flagged her to be garbage collected once she got her info, and about a day later [X] was dead and gone. After the whole thing was done Valentine was more disturbed about how little it bothered her than the fact she killed a woman who had trusted her to talk her down off the ledge.

It disturbed Abernathy too, actually, although she kept a lot of her reservation completely under wraps. Not that it happened (these things happen in the biz), but that V did it. V who had promised her loyalty to her, and never wavered, just like she took pride in [X] and always looked out for her, right up until she didn’t.

#i haven't actually thought of a name so X is just a placeholder #also i'm sorry this got so long but i love talking about this kind of thing #i'm always curious about other people's headcanons of how arasaka works too #personally i just like to stuff in all the weird culture and hostile workplaces i see when consulting #as a form of catharsis #plus writing a likeable character who fawns to her superiors charms her peers and bullies anyone who isn't useful or interesting #i am actually worried i made her Too likeable but oh well #as the main pov of her story of course all her actions are Reasonable!

4 notes · View notes

daydreamersana · 1 year

Text

How EMM Solutions Efficiently Manage Your Mobile Devices

Enterprise Mobility Management is rapidly gaining traction with global organisations that are adopting mobility policies and strategies. Mobile devices and technology have become ubiquitous in the workplace, as businesses are moving towards a flexible work environment.

The remote workforce is growing in numbers and the need to formalize the approach of enterprise mobile device management is the need of the hour. One of the main reasons that are driving the demand for effective EMM solutions is the increasing BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) amongst employees.

BYOD allows employees to bring their own devices and work from those devices. While this may sound advantageous to the employees, wherein they get the freedom and flexibility to work comfortably on a known device, it also raises some concerns for the company.

Any device that an employee owns and brings into the organisation is not under the company’s direct control and hence can be exposed to external risks. When devices are outside the control of the company’s IT department, then it reduces security and may cause compliance issues, which leads to difficulties in managing these devices in the company.

This is where robust enterprise mobile device management can help an organisation navigate such challenges efficiently. Let’s take a look at how enterprise mobility management strategies can help companies be productive.

Evolution of Mobile Management

Mobile device management (MDM), not so long ago, was aimed mainly at just the device. Through MDM, companies enforced their policies and control guidelines to streamline resources on the devices.

Even though MDM fulfilled quite a bit of mobile management requirements, many companies weren’t completely satisfied with it. The range of policies, compliance features, and security aspects was viewed to be insufficient for a corporate environment.

Companies were looking to set up a system that will provide comprehensive control over the devices connected to a network and manage the content and applications that are used by the employees. This will ensure they get to protect their sensitive data and prevent any unwanted external interference.

Moreover, moving on from a device-centered policy allows the organisation to safeguard the devices from unauthorised access. These needs prompted businesses to seek out solutions like MCM (Mobile Content Management) and MAM (Mobile Application Management). Although they filled in the gaps that MDM left, they weren’t comprehensive enough to bring in a uniform management system.

Therefore, companies were in need of a solution that merged all features of MDM, MCM, and MAM, and delivered strong analytical outputs on their data. This need was satisfied with enterprise mobility management, which not only had all these features but also acted as a tool to shape up the enterprise mobility strategies of businesses.

What Are the Main Features of EMM Solutions?

Enterprise Mobility Management has all the features that are present in MDM, MAM, and MCM combined, along with enhanced security and compliance. All these coming under one platform is highly beneficial for businesses, for they then only have to deal with a single management interface.

Additionally, enterprise mobility management platforms provide mobility management tools that allow business owners to manage their entire workplace. Since there is a host of the mobile platform in the market today with their own distinct applications, it is imperative that businesses be able to handle a solution that is agnostic of the various platforms. This helps companies to enhance their productivity, while also enabling them to develop applications of different verticals that are industry-specific.

The best enterprise mobility management solutions that a company can employ will provide all the features required for efficient mobile deployment, as well as provide expansive control over the device, content, and applications.

1. Device Control – An efficient enterprise mobility management solution will provide companies control over which devices should connect to the company’s secure network depending upon their security protocols. Moreover, it will have complete compatibility with different mobile platforms and operating systems.

2. Application Management – EMM solutions help companies compartmentalize their applications, allowing employees to download and use only company-approved programs. This also allows businesses to manage and control the applications on their mobile devices, enabling them to edit or delete any app that may violate company policies.

3. Administration Management & User Management – An efficient enterprise mobility management solution can smoothen the user’s sign-in process by facilitating a single sign-in through their personal device to access the different apps and data. Each user ID is verified and connected to the corporate directories that are either in the cloud or set on-premises to limit data leakage. Moreover, this system will save user activity to create reports and audit logs. Additionally, enterprise mobile device management systems have a single interface for management, making it easier to track the reporting and analytics, monitor the implementation of company policy, and perform maintenance procedures.

4. Monitoring & Controlling Mobile Ecosystems – Businesses can, with the help of enterprise mobile device management, control every aspect of the mobile ecosystems that are in use for work. They can monitor every mobile device and decide on the connectivity permissions for both devices and applications. This comprehensive control allows businesses to prevent any risk that may pop up.

Most organisations have set up internal policies to prevent potential security risks, therefore mobile devices within the workspace have limited access to the company’s connected network. With a robust enterprise mobility management system in tow, the company’s IT department can securely automate small tasks like VPN or Wi-Fi configuration, saving time and effort. Moreover, with a single platform of operation, businesses have better visibility over their mobile devices.

Strong Security for BYOD Programs

As mentioned at the beginning of this article, BYOD can be an integral part of business, but it can pose a threat to the internal security of the company, which can result in huge financial losses. Utilizing the best enterprise mobility management solutions in the market, an organisation can configure a central device to collate all the BYOD resources, thus bridging them all together under one control.

Another advantage here is that EMM solutions offer enhanced features like secure communication channels with VPNs, containment and categorization of personal and work apps, and the ability to delete any sensitive information from a compromised mobile device remotely. All these functions save time and money in the long run, thus benefiting the productivity of the company immensely.

Smooth Workflow

EMM provides a central dashboard from which you can install any custom apps from the enterprise app store of the company. From this dashboard, the admin can grant access to users for approval and control them and the OS they use.

Additionally, the dashboard can be linked externally to important documents, enabling the creation of a seamless workflow, and labelling everyone’s tasks and responsibilities. This allows the company to optimise the data and decide whether the employees should be allowed to access sensitive information or not.

Enterprise Resource Planning Systems

An ERP system allows businesses to manage their data in an easy way. They are able to synchronize critical information and bridge it between the various departments and modules. With Enterprise mobility management, this process is improved by allowing employees to have similar functionality without forcing them to follow a legacy system.

When EMM solutions are integrated with an ERP platform, it will help enhance the productivity of the organisation. One such case of integration is when a custom enterprise application is synchronized to the data delivered from the ERP software. This enables those in control to gain real-time details about the data levels, and take appropriate actions.

In this modern age, where an organisation personnel owns two or more mobile devices, it can get cumbersome for the company to keep tabs on the vast number of devices brought in.

Getting the best enterprise mobility management solutions in the market will provide all that’s needed for your mobile management requirements. It will help control costs, deliver smooth workflow, and allow robust security for your data, enabling you to gain an edge over your competitors as well.

Email Us

For More Information Click here

2 notes · View notes