from Andy Hawthorne

MegaCity 1 was looking grim on Sunday morning. It always did, but on this particular Sunday, it was grim in the “it is going to piss down all day” sort of grim. 

Cornelius Coffin stood at the window of his residential unit, watching the rain bounce off everything. And coating it with a damp glow. 

He—

“Hello, Andy. I’m from the future. Weird, I know. But get used to it. I need a word with you.”

“Er, hello? Cornelius?”

“Yes, Andy. It is me. I’m from the year 2035 by I’m using my new Neural Time Loop upgrade in my implant. Cost me a wedge of credits. But it works.”

“Indeed, although you know you are a character in a short story, right?”

“Hahahahaha! You people really were dummies back in… 2025? Pfft! Short stories! I’m as real as the Deck you are typing on.”

“It is 2025. And this is a short story. Featuring your good self—“

“Mate, don’t piss about. You’ve had your laugh. I’ve got an appointment with a Zaponian Medical Inspector in a bit. They think there is something unhealthy about me because I mooned a traffic camera and they noticed a rash on my arse cheek.”

(Readers, I’m trying to break it to him as gently as I can, ok?)

“Yep, I wrote that. That story. Where you birdied one speed trap and mooned it on the way back home.”

“You wrote it?”

“I did.”

“Well, do me a favour, then. Write a futuristic take on a situation where the Zaponians stop nicking my cheese sandwiches. Oh and they all bugger off back to Zapoia. Or whatever planet they are from.”

“While that would be quite a story, my readers probably like your exploits. It would be a shame for you not to have the Behavioural Bollards and Law Bots to fall out with.”

“Oh, well, thank you very much! Never mind me here, in my crap residential unit, where it is pissing down all the time and we can’t get a decent cup of tea anywhere. But, that’s alright. I’ll suffer, as long as your so-called readers are alright!”

(I think he killed the link, readers.)

Cornelius sat down in is armchair, the only furniture he had in the unit aside from a foldout bed. He called up his wetware keyboard and writing app and started writing. 

“It was the year 2025 and a writer called Andy wrote about a renegade net runner hero called Cornelius….”

“Exaggeration violation: case 1/CC filed.”

A drone appeared outside his window, gleaming in the rain. Its neon lights flashed. 

“What the fuck?”

“Language violation. Case 1010/1 filed.” Squawked the drone. 

“You Zaps are using spy drones on us now?”

“Not a spy drone. Your neural link triggered an ambiguity warning. I am a protocol drone.”

Cornelius sighed. And typed:

“Andy, the git. Had me being monitored by bloody drones so I couldn’t even tell my story with a bit of artistic flair…”

 
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from Vater, Tod und Therapie

In einer einzigen Sekunde erschüttert der Schock mein ganzes Ich. Meine Seele. Meinen Körper. Der Schock dringt in jede Faser und jede Zelle meines Körpers ein und steckt darin fest. Wie kann ich davon erlöst werden? Die Last ist zerstörend.

Der Schock verändert meinen Körper. Er lässt meine Haare ausfallen und ergrauen. Er hinterlässt ein dunkles Grauen, das mir den Appetit nimmt. Eine Hilflosigkeit. Eine Machtlosigkeit. Hilflose Wut.

Da ist nichts mehr. Sie ist weg. Ab heute für immer. Das Ende ist unfassbar. Schwarz und tief. Und leer. So unwiderruflich endgültig. Alles Leben, alles Mühen, alle Selbstfürsorge, alle Liebe abgewürgt. Gewaltsam beendet und für nichtig erklärt. Alle Beziehungen laufen ins Leere. Hängen über dem Abgrund, abgerissen. Verloren, verzweifelt. Verlassen.

Sie hat uns verlassen. Absichtlich. Ohne uns zu fragen, ob auch wir die Beziehung beenden wollen. Sie hat ihre Kinder im Stich gelassen. Hat sie verdammt zu Trauma und Schmerz. Zu einem unausfüllbaren, immer weh tuenden tiefen, bodenlosen Loch, das nie weggehen wird. Da, wo sie war, ist Leere. Die unaushaltbare Leere, die sie fühlte, hat sie in ihrem ungeheilten Schmerz ihren Liebsten wiederum weitergegeben, in einer noch grauenvolleren, noch unfassbareren Art. Der Schmerz, den sie fühlte, hat sie jetzt uns zugefügt. Uns, die wir leben. Uns, den Lebendigen, die bleiben und nicht aufgeben. Die kämpfen um Heilung und Liebe. Um Lebendigkeit.

Und Stück für Stück wird der Schock mit den Tränen aus dem Körper herausgeschwemmt. Ganz langsam. Und nicht vorhersehbar. Immer wieder.

Ganz unerwartet wird heute ein Teil herausgelassen. Die Erinnerung an sie wird an einem unvorhergesehenen Ort getriggert. Und der Körper erfährt ein Stück Erleichterung. Ich kann trauern. Für einige Stunden kommt der Schmerz an die Oberfläche. Tränen. Weinen. Sehnsucht.

Bis irgendwann sich der Körper und die Seele wieder leicht anfühlt und der Schmerz sich zu einer tragbaren Intensität entwickelt hat.

Der Schmerz wird immer zu mir gehören. Er ist jetzt Teil von mir. Es ist etwas dazugekommen, ungewollt, womit ich leben muss. Es muss integriert werden.

Ich bin ich. Der Schmerz gehört nicht ihr. Er wird nicht von ihr bestimmt. Nicht sie verarbeitet den Schmerz, sie, die sich geweigert hat, ihren eigenen Schmerz zu verarbeiten. Der Schmerz gehört mir. Und ich verarbeite ihn in meinem ureigenen Ich. Ich mache ihn mir zu eigen und lasse mich heilen. Auch diesen zweiten Schmerz über diesen zweiten Verlust.

Genau wie den ersten.

#Tod

 
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from Kroeber

#002241 – 18 de Julho de 2025

Às vezes esqueço-me que sou livre. Vivo por hábito, receio, modos de pensar que já não me explicam nem comunicam bem com o mundo, expressões que deixam muito por dizer às pessoas em volta, medos e sensibilidades desajustadas, casca demais para tão tenro coração.

 
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from Enjoy the detours!

Wow, the release was already 3 months ago. 😲 On 06/07/2025, I made the first public release of my Pelletyze app. In the first week of July, I had some intense coding sessions, getting everything to a point where I was confident enough to release it to the world. I'm really happy with how everything turned out.

Section of Pelletyze.com landing page, which says “Track, Analyze, and Optimize!” in the headline.

So, what is Pelletyze?

For me, it is an attempt to collect data on my wood pellet consumption and display it in nice charts. I can keep track of the consumption and see when we used more and less. For example, we did insulation on our house, and this clearly shows in the charts. The pellet consumption was noticeably less than before, which is impressive to see. Nothing special, but it makes me happy.

A Bit on the History

We have a wood pellet stove in the basement. With this one, we heat our water and operate the floor heating. So usually I fill the silo with 15 kg bags every 3-8 weeks, depending on the weather. For this, I wanted to keep track of all the bags we used over time. So I created a database in Notion and maintain it. But at some point, I've found this solution boring and wanted to have more. To have some pretty charts and other functions, like a price checker of my favorite pellet dealer. Therefore, I've started creating this app with a stack I've known plus some new tools I haven't used before. The app is built with Next.js, Supabase, and Tailwind CSS (I started with vanilla-extract and ported the app later to Tailwind CSS.)

Section of the Pelletyze.com landing page, which shows the dashboard charts and data.

Can/Will this generate money? 💸

One thought was, maybe this app will make some money at some point in time. But I think the use is too niche to gain a bigger audience. I had the thought of charging some money with this app if there is a bigger user base, but for now it serves only me, and it makes no sense to add a price here. IF this is getting bigger and people start actually using it, then potentially yes. But it is my first bigger project that I released, and I have some more projects in mind I want to create; perhaps the others are more capable of generating money. 🤷 For now, this serves only me as a tool and a learning platform. And the app needs to grow first.

What do I have in mind for the future?

I have plenty of ideas, and I surely will continue to work on the app. For example, I want to add a logbook and a table for purchases I made to store the bills. Another nice feature I have in mind is to gather weather data and add it to the charts so one can compare when it was colder or warmer. Furthermore, the price scraper is a nice tool I've created to get the current price from my favorite pellet dealer. This can be extended to more providers and a price alarm, for example.

Maybe, after implementing more features, I can gain a small user base. This would be really nice when people actually use this app and I can get feedback. But for this project, it is ok if this will never be the case. I'm fine with it. 😎


30 of #100DaysToOffload
#log
Thoughts?

 
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from andrew mitchell

For a while, Emma and I have been strictly cabin-baggage travellers, skipping the check-in desk and keeping our bags with us at all times. Of course, that meant packing light. We even managed our last trip to Japan with just two small bags in the overhead bins. With a bit of effort, we could have launched one of those incredibly smug YouTube channels teaching people how to optimise their luggage, as if it’s hard. But all of that changed once disability entered the picture.

Disabled passengers have it rough when it comes to travel. The things they need to simply live a normal life have to be prioritised, while the “nice-to-haves”, like holiday clothes and accessories people rush out to buy, fall by the wayside. There’s no night-before packing here. Disabled travellers have to get their shit together weeks in advance. Right now, we’re already battling a headache trying to source stoma supplies, thanks to the ridiculously convoluted way they have to be ordered.

Thankfully, some help does exist. Airlines offer Special Assistance Services for disabled passengers, which can include priority boarding and permission to bring an extra bag of essential medical supplies. If you remember “CushionGate” from earlier this year, you’ll know Emma requires her very specific (and very spenny) Valley Cushion for post-operative sitting. That had to be pre-approved by Ryanair for our trip. just as it has to be approved for every gig or show we attend.

As an Ostomate, Emma needs ready access to stoma bags, scissors, dry wipes, adhesive remover spray and cleaning products. There's even been a huge chew on getting her supplies in time. Instead of sending out her monthly supplies a whole week early, as that would require ANOTHER PRESCRIPTION, they actually suggested we call 101 to request some additional supplies. Lads, there's 200,000 people with a stoma! It really shouldn't be this hard.

On top of that, her surgery recovery requires an entire kit of medical supplies: dressings, sterile water, silver-infused gauze, sterile gloves, surgical tape, antibacterial hand sanitizer, incontinence pads, and spare clothes in case of leaks.

Then there’s the super-specialist travel insurance. That means submitting every last detail of Emma’s treatments, dates, medications, and surgical notes. We need prescription documents for her medication; Oral Morphine, Gabapentin, anti-sickness meds, anti-diarrhoeals, plus an itemised doctor’s letter for each one. Add to that a stamped letter explaining her hidden disability and a paper trail for every single thing we carry.

And that’s before we even mention the admin ball-ache of medical cannabis oil. For this, we needed another signed travel letter from her clinic, another prescription, and written approval from the Italian Consulate, despite cannabis already being decriminalised there. I’m nervous about leaving it behind, because medical cannabis has been a complete game-changer for Emma’s pain, healing, anxiety and sleep. If you know someone going through a cancer journey, I urge you to look into it. Drop me a line, I'll extol the virtues of it all day long.

All of this is before we even start the “normal” holiday packing. Just with far less space. It’s a lot. It’s draining. It’s stressful. Have we thought of everything? Do we have enough supplies? Do we have all the emergency numbers?

This is all for a three day trip that is giving heavy summiting Everest vibes. To quote Jack Donaghy: “I need a vacation, from this vacation.”

Still, if we make it through with everything intact, and aren't grilled by airport staff, we’ll be sharing some snaps of spitzes, town squares and delicious food. Because after the last sixteen months, Emma more than deserves for this little trip to be absolutely lush.

 
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from Rippple's Blog

Stay entertained thanks to our Weekly Tracker giving you next week's Anticipated Movies & Shows, Most Watched & Returning Favorites, and Shows Changes & Popular Trailers.

Anticipated Movies

Anticipated Shows

Returing Favorites

Most Watched Movies this Week

Most Watched Shows this Week


Hi, I'm Kevin 👋. I make apps and I love watching movies and TV shows. If you like what I'm doing, you can buy one of my apps, download and subscribe to Rippple for Trakt or just buy me a ko-fi ☕️.


 
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from Shad0w's Goon Stories

Chapter 10

Nadia’s Turn

#nsfw #claire

The familiar comfort of compulsive masturbation guided the fully naked Nadia down the hallway. She needed to show Claire how grateful she was. The friendship, the attention, praise, the new computer, the new lifestyle, the new way to have good orgasms — Claire did this for her. Nadia saw a better life with porn addiction and Claire did it all. Tonight showed her something she had been suppressing for so long. She was starting to have deep romantic feelings for Claire. After Nadia christened her goon shrine with her first orgasm, it's all she could think about. She just wanted Claire.

Nadia's bare feet padded softly against the plush carpet, each step bringing her closer to the sound of warm water cascading and Claire’s murmured sighs from the bathroom. The steam billowed around the doorway, framing Claire in a hazy silhouette as she leaned back against the cool tiles, letting the water wash away the day.

Nadia barely registered anything except Claire's nakedness – bare skin glistening with droplets that clung to curves. She was bathed in soft, steam-warped light. It was a tableau of raw, unadulterated desire for Nadia, pulling her forward with an irresistible force stronger than any she’d felt before.

“Hey,” Nadia breathed out, the word catching in her throat as Claire's head tilted up, surprised to see her standing there so suddenly.

Claire smiled, a slow, lazy curve of her lips that sent a shiver down Nadia's spine. “Done so soon? I thought you were going to go all in,” she said, her voice husky with warmth.

“I had to be near you,” Nadia said barely above the rush of the shower. “When I came, I just wanted you. Everything about my life is better because of you.” Nadia still had her hand between her legs touching herself. “So now, I’m here because all I can think about is you.”

The air hung heavy, thick with the mingling aromas of Claire's shampoo and Nadia's own musk of sweat and arousal. Nadia has literally opened her heart like a flower for Claire. Naked. Vulnerable. Sexually liberated.

The space felt electric between them, charged by unspoken desires simmering just beneath the surface. It was all Nadia could do to keep herself from reaching out, touching her, feeling that heat bloom again under their fingertips. And yet, she couldn’t pull away either. She stood rooted in place, mesmerized by the way Claire’s chest rose and fell with each breath, by the play of light and shadow on the smooth expanse of her back. Nadia still had her hand between her legs pleasuring herself. The haze of porn still in the back of her mind.

Claire's breath catches, her smile a little shaky as she reaches out with soapy hands, gently brushing the droplets from Nadia's shoulders before she can step closer. “Nadia... what is it?”

The words are soft, but they barely make a dent in the heat building up inside her. Claire sees the way Nadia looks at her – that raw hunger in her eyes, and damn, she knows exactly what’s brewing there. It's been simmering between them for months, a delicious pressure building beneath layers of shared orgasms and whispered confessions about how good it feels to be free.

“Come here,” Claire says, her voice raspy. “Let me get out of this water.” She steps away from the shower head, letting the warmth cascade over her back, feeling exposed in a way that isn't entirely unpleasant.

Nadia takes another step forward and Claire can almost feel her heat even through the steam. When she’s finally free of the curtain's grasp, Claire meets Nadia there, leaning into her with an urgency that surprises even her. “Tell me,” she whispers, her mouth brushing against Nadia's earlobe. “Don't hold back.” Her hands travel down Nadia’s arms, finding the familiar curve of her hip bone beneath the soft warmth of her skin. A thrill shoots through Claire, and it has nothing to do with the water still clinging to her body.

“Claire, I have deep feelings for you. I didn’t know how to tell you until now. It’s just something about the porn and gooning and everything you have shared and done to me. I knew early on that you were slowly corrupting me. I went along with it because I liked it. I knew the risks and what it meant if I kept going. But you inspired me. I was drowning in loneliness and you were thriving in isolation. I had to learn your ways. You actually gave me attention. You listened to me and I had someone to talk to.” Nadia was slowly rubbing her clit for comfort. “Now here you are giving me a whole new desk and computer for porn… that means something to me. To me, it feels like you are doing something beyond just corrupting me. You wanted to connect with someone too. You wanted to say thanks in your own way the best way you knew how.” Then, slowly, hesitantly at first, Nadia moved forward. A hand went out, fingertips trailing down Claire's warm skin as she brushed past a wet curl clinging to her neck. Claire let out a soft sigh, arching into Nadia’s touch as if yearning for it.

Nadia didn’t need another invitation. Her other hand snaked up, tangling in the damp strands of Claire's hair, pulling her head back until their lips met. It was a tentative press at first, exploring, testing. But then something shifted. Nadia deepened the kiss, hungry and yearning, drawing out a moan from Claire that echoed through the steam-filled room.

Claire’s arms circled Nadia's waist, tugging her closer until there was hardly any space between them at all. Nadia leaned against the cool tiles behind her, finding comfort in the solidity of it as Claire pressed into her with an eagerness that mirrored her own. She felt a spark ignite beneath her breastbone, spreading hot and insistent through her limbs. It wasn’t just pleasure anymore; it was something deeper, wilder, urgent. This wasn’t simply about porn and nakedness, this was… wanting.

The kiss broke, leaving them breathless, eyes locked. Nadia reached up, tilting Claire's chin with a feather-light touch. Claire blinked slowly, her gaze roaming down to Nadia's swollen lips, lingering on the damp sheen of skin before meeting hers again. There was an unspoken question in those dark eyes, a plea for permission that sent another shiver through Nadia.

“Can I?” she whispered, her voice husky with need.

And Claire simply nodded, her answer echoing the yearning already thrumming between them. With a soft groan, Nadia pushed Claire back against the cool tile, pulling her down until their bodies were flush. Their chests rose and fell in unison as Nadia's hands slid down Claire’s damp curves, exploring the hollows of her waist and the taut line of muscle along her hip. Claire’s fingers found purchase in Nadia's hair, tugging lightly as she arched into Nadia’s touch. A thrill shot through Claire, and it had nothing to do with the water still clinging to her body.

It was slow, tentative at first—their bodies learning the angles and textures of one another in the warm haze of the steamy bathroom. But soon enough, it became more insistent. Claire's hands wandered lower, pressing against Nadia’s swelling hip as she drew her closer, molding them together with a sigh that seemed to ripple through every inch of Nadia’s being.

Their lips met again, this time hungrily, tongues tangling in a desperate pursuit of something deeper than just taste. It was a meeting of heat and need. Nadia felt Claire's body press against her own, firm thighs fitting snugly against hers. The feeling of them being one complete unit sent shivers through Nadia—a feeling she craved with every fiber of her being.

They moved together in slow, languid strokes, savoring the feel of each other’s skin, the warmth of breath mingling with the scent of damp hair and soap. Nadia's hand traced down Claire’s back, fingertips ghosting over the swell of her hip bone before settling on the curve of her ass, a gentle squeeze that brought a soft sound from Claire’s throat.

As their kiss deepened, Nadia pushed forward, seeking something deeper still. She wanted to taste Claire, to feel the warmth of her skin pressed against hers, and she wasn’t afraid to show it. She slid her hand further down, tracing the delicate curve of Claire's hip bone before finding the smooth swell of her thigh.

Claire gasped, arching up instinctively into Nadia's touch as a ripple of heat passed through them both. Her hands dug deeper into Nadia’s hair, pulling her closer until their chests were pressed together, slick skin clinging to slick skin in the humid air. Nadia felt Claire’s breath hitch against her lips, heard the ragged whisper of her name escaping those parted lips.

Then, slowly, tentatively at first, Nadia began to explore Claire's wet pussy, pushing gently at the entrance before sliding in deeper, fingers spreading apart in a slow, deliberate rhythm that sent shivers up Claire’s spine. Nadia had never been with another woman, but after watching hours and hours of porn, the movements were almost second nature to her. She was living out porn in real time in the moment.

A soft whimper escaped Claire’s lips as she clung to Nadia, hands gripping her shoulders with surprising strength. Her breath came quick and shallow, hitching against Nadia’s neck in a rhythmic pattern that matched the rise and fall of her own body.

It was a meeting point of two souls, naked and exposed under the steam-filled gaze of each other's desire. It was more than just sex; it was a recognition, a merging of their shared longing into something profound and undeniable. And as Nadia finally found herself surrendering to that feeling, sinking deeper into Claire’s warmth with an urgency born from long-held need.

“Lets go watch porn together,” Nadia said softly.

 
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from Gnostic Paradise

Before you, a symbolic representation presents a key and a keyhole.

It is a drawing of a key and a keyhole.

Now, ladies and gentlemen, what do keys do?

Do keys unlock things?

Do keys unlock things that allow people to enter inaccessible places or open storage that contains valuables?

These symbols, the key and the keyhole, hold a profound spiritual significance beyond their physical functions.

Like the most exclusive of places, the Kingdom of Heaven remains inaccessible unless you possess the key to unlock it.

Without the key, you can never enter the kingdom.

Therefore, the key is masculine, and the keyhole is feminine.

It is in this context that the key and the keyhole take on a 100 percent sexual symbolism.

You have heard from Ghostbusters: keymaster and gatekeeper.

Because the key is masculine, it is the phallus. The phallus is a man's penis, or pen. The erected phallus is the key; therefore, the man is the keymaster.

Because the keyhole is feminine, the keyhole is the uterus. Through the hole of the uterus is the vagina of the woman. Likewise, the vagina is the keyhole. The keyhole appears like the woman's yoni; therefore, the woman is the gatekeeper.

One must insert the key into the keyhole to unlock things or inaccessible places.

Similarly, it is the union of man and woman, like the insertion of the key into the keyhole, that unlocks the Kingdom of Heaven. Together, they unlock more mysteries than they could alone.

The behavior of the coitus between man and woman must work similarly to that of the key and keyhole. The coitus reservatus accomplishes the key and the keyhole.

Therefore, to unlock the Kingdom of Heaven, man needs a woman to go to heaven, and likewise, a woman needs a man to go to heaven.

In Spanish, the key is el clave, and the keyhole is la cerradura. Note that I neither use llave nor the feminine la for the key because I understand that the key is masculine and that llave almost sounds like Jave or Javhe.

Jave reminds us of Yahweh, or Jove in Latin, the chief of the Black Lodge. Yahweh is the Satan who has deceived humanity for ages. He is responsible for the failure of humanity's evolution and the alleged culprit behind Jesus Christ's crucifixion, as noted in Samael Aun Weor's book, “Revolution of Beelzebub,” in a chapter titled “The Millennium.”

The key in Latin is clavis. Because of this, the key in Spanish will be el clave from now on.

Therefore, the key and the keyhole are requirements for entering heaven. Man is the keymaster, and the woman is the gatekeeper. Homosexuals and infrasexuals will never unlock the mysteries of the heavens, for they remain locked in the Abyss.

With the right key and keyhole, a perfect match occurs—the ideal game that unlocks the mysteries. Through this perfect match, love and wisdom enter the Perfect Marriage.

Therefore, the relationship between man and woman must be perfect, just as your heavenly Father and mother's relationship must be perfect.

With the right key and keyhole, you will unlock the mysteries of the heavens.

Reference:

https://www.wordhippo.com/what-is/the/latin-word-for-a62f2225bf70bfaccbc7f1ef2a397836717377de.html

 
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from An Open Letter

I’m a little bit in my head today. E felt bad after freaky time because she didn’t understand how to push my buttons the same way I could for her. We talked about it, but a little seed was planted in my head that seems to have a bit of root to it. I realized I felt like I hear judgment whenever I open up or talk about my weirder side of stuff. It sucks because whenever she has weird stuff, I consciously make sure she doesn’t feel judged or weird for it, and I am excited to help her indulge in it. But for me, whenever I talk about stuff, it feels like she has to think about if she is even ok with the thought of it, and it feels like it’s a concession she has to make, rather than something she’s excited to explore with me. And that feeling sucks. I’d like to feel comfortable being myself, and not like I have to repress parts of me because I’m afraid of seeing her judgment. In a perfect world, I’d love it if she were excited to try things out with me. It’s a bit conflicted in my mind because she both says that she wishes she knew how to push my buttons more, but when I tell her, I’m met with the human equivalent of :/ it feels like. I don’t know what to do about this either, because what can I do? Do I just have to tell her to blindly feign interest? If she’s not enthusiastically consenting to it, then what can I do?

 
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from Irrational Verse

Despite this town's closeness to Poland and Germany in space and time,

the red of its soil reminds me neither of spilt blood nor of labor's rust, but

rather of fresh slivers of carrots that mom would grate for gajar halwa on just such a rainy day.


#poem #poetry #writing #PoetryCommunity #Czechia #rain #nostalgia #travel

 
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from theidiot

Wading into a bit of philosophy with this one.

The Wolf is tired. The Wolf is frustrated. The Wolf is burned out. Not of this. Not of art. Not of music. And NEVER of LOVE!

But the Wolf is pressed to speak in 3rd person because it is such a challenge to find intellectually stimulating exchanges in Dust Meridian. The recent workshop exposed something he knew a long time ago and had a rhythm of life to confront it: He would leave and travel the world for 2-4 months a year.

Since the illness-that-shall-not-be-named, that shifted. And since my client and volunteer work dried up, the world has gotten even smaller as he no longer has remote interactions.

When I stumbled on this comment from who-knows-where (thanks mind-sucking-social-media), it resonated. So, for your consideration.

And I will note, that while I chose write.as for its lack of social, I am of late missing the opportunity to have readers comment and shower me with love OR, more likely eviscerate me with trollish commentary.

I digress. The quote on Intellectual Loneliness:

Intellectual loneliness isn't about wanting 'deep talks? It's about realising how few people can tolerate complexity. It's noticing how quickly people rush to have an answer not to understand, but to feel right.

It's watching people form entire worldviews off headlines, vibes, and whatever reels told them last. It's the silence that follows when you say something that doesn't fit neatly into someone's script.

It's not arrogance.

It's exhaustion, from always having to code-switch between what you actually think and what's safe to say around people who shut down at nuance. And no one warns you: Once your brain learns to stretch, small talk doesn't just bore you, it alienates you. You're not looking for smart people. You're looking for people who are still thinking.

#confession #100daystooffset #writing


 
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from Réveil

In May 2008, a short, 20 second low-resolution video surfaced on YouTube showing what appeared to be a disc-shaped object flying beside what is speculated to be a jet.

One of the earliest mentions of the “Flyby” footage seems to come from the UFO Chronicles website, where it appeared under the title “Flying Saucer UFO filmed from jet window.” The uploader, a user named Danny Lampkin, added only a short note: “not too sure about this one… you decide.”

Although, the actual earliest YouTube upload I could locate (though there may be older ones) comes from a user named frossani, who captioned it: “It’s a Blue Panorama flight from Rome to Paris on April 29, 2006.”

Interestingly, the version uploaded by frossani appears to be slightly higher in quality, suggesting that it may have been the original source for Danny Lampkin’s later post about two months afterward.

Watch the video:

At first glance, it looks like something from the early YouTube hoax era. The quality is awful, the reflections are odd, and the footage feels almost too dramatic to be real. Yet the deeper people have looked into it, the harder it has been to dismiss.

Below is a breakdown of what makes this case so persistent after more than fifteen years.

Original videos:

Uploaded March 5, 2008: frossani channel Uploaded May 14, 2008: Danny Lampkin channel

What’s in the Clip

The Flyby video runs just under twenty seconds. It is extremely low resolution, typical for uploads in 2008, and filled with heavy compression artifacts. There are visible reflections across the frame, which has led many to believe this is not the original footage but a recording of a screen playing the original. That would explain the odd glare and crushed image quality, although that remains a theory rather than confirmed fact.

The wing visible in the shot looks very similar to that of an NASA F/A-18 Hornet. The sweep angle and shape of the slats are nearly identical, and the wingtips appear to have empty missile rails, which is a signature feature of the Hornet. The camera’s placement, slightly above and behind the pilot matches the angle seen in official cockpit recordings from NASA and U.S. Navy F/A-18 Hornets. These aircraft often served as chase planes, equipped with fixed cameras mounted inside the canopy to document flight tests.

These visual clues place the setting squarely within the type of environment where such footage could plausibly have been taken. It looks more like a cockpit camera view from a fast-moving military jet than anything from a passenger aircraft.

Audio Clues

The clip features a steady ambient roar that sounds consistent with what you might hear from an aircraft, along with what seems to be faint background voices, possibly a woman speaking. The audio doesn’t cut or restart at the video splice points, which suggests it’s continuous background noise rather than an added overlay. Some viewers believe it could be genuine cockpit audio captured by an onboard microphone, while others suspect it was added afterward to make the footage feel more authentic.

Reddit user /u/VCAmaster conducted a detailed analysis of the audio and attempted to isolate the voices, though it’s still impossible to clearly make out what’s being said (if anything).

They put a great deal of effort into this, check out that post here.

Either way, the mix of low-frequency rumble and muffled airflow sounds surprisingly close to the recordings made inside F/A-18 cockpits. Even if it isn’t original, it fits the environment well enough that it adds to the illusion.

Timeline and Provenance

The earliest known appearance of the Flyby footage was in April 2008, when it was posted on the Italian website segnidalcielo.it (website no longer live) although here is an early archive of the page.

Which describes the video being filmed by a filmed by a passenger on a Rome-Paris flight:

During the Rome-Paris flight, a passenger films a huge flying saucer through his window. It all happened on the Blue Panorama airline. Let's watch the video together and judge for yourselves.

It states the video was filmed on April 29, 2006

The video was filmed on April 29, 2006 from aboard a Boeing 737-400 aircraft (pictured below) and specifically by a passenger on the window side of the central section.

The video embedded on that site links to the same YouTube upload from Frossani’s channel, so it’s likely that Frossani was still the original source of the video, and simply shared the video he’d uploaded there on this personal website.

However, a Reddit user claimed to have spoken directly with the original uploader, Frossani, and shared their exchange in a comment. According to that message, Frossani said he wasn’t the video’s creator — he copied it from a Zip drive belonging to a university friend whose father worked in Aviano, northern Italy, home to a major NATO air base. More on this below.

The Craft’s Design

The object itself has the classic “flying saucer” look: a domed top, flat underside, and a slightly tilted flight path. It resembles the well-known McMinnville photographs from 1950 and the craft described by Lt. Robert Jacobs in the 1960s “Vandenberg missile incident.”

McMinnville UFO:

Those similarities could be coincidence, or deliberate design choices if the clip was created as a hoax. Even Bob Lazar’s old claim that saucers “fly belly-first” has been used by some to argue the motion looks authentic, though that connection is mostly anecdotal.

Flying saucer photo taken by police officer Mark Coltrane on patrol in Colfax, Wisconsin on April 19, 1978:

The Alleged Comms Log

A few years after the video first appeared, an alleged military communication log began circulating online, with the original source being the /x/ board on 4chan. It described a fighter jet encounter with an unidentified object that appeared only a few meters from the cockpit during a radar intercept. The language in the log used authentic-sounding NATO brevity codes and AWACS terminology, which added to its plausibility.

The event described sounds eerily similar to what is seen in the Flyby footage, but no one has been able to prove the document’s authenticity or connect it to the video. It might have been written by someone familiar with pilot procedures, or it could be a genuine transcript from a classified report. For now, it remains an unverified curiosity.

Alleged Comms Log (leaked on 4chan):

The “Behavioral Data” Appendix

Another page from that same supposed leak was labeled “Appendix F, Section 4B – DoD 1992–2017 High-Value Witness Interviews.” It claimed that over 1,200 UAP incidents had been analyzed by the Department of Defense, distinguishing between UAP (aerial) and UASP (aerial and submerged) cases.

This document mentioned “mechanical life” and “organic species deploying autonomous drones,” which naturally caused a stir when it began circulating online. No government confirmation or credible source has ever verified it. Some have speculated that the Flyby incident could have been one of the “high-value witness” events referenced in that document, but this is only speculation.

Why the Flyby Footage Could Be Real

The Aircraft Match

NASA Research F/A-18 Hornet (chase aircraft):

The wing seen in the Flyby clip looks almost exactly like that of an F/A-18 Hornet. The sweep of the leading edge, the shape of the slat, and even what appear to be empty missile rails on the wing tips.

Those rails are a giveaway since very few aircraft have them exposed in that way.

Screenshot from flyby video showing jetwing:

That alone narrows the possibilities. The perspective in the footage isn’t what you’d get from a passenger window or from the ground.

It looks like the view of someone sitting in a domed fighter jet cockpit, which makes the F/A-18 theory a strong fit.

Example of F/A-18 cockpit:

Fixed Cockpit Camera Setup

NASA’s chase F/A-18A fleet and some Navy training Hornets were fitted with fixed Sony camcorders mounted behind the pilot.

These cameras were used to record test flights and often captured the wing and the sky beyond it.

NASA’s chase F/A-18A fleet with fixed camera:

The Flyby video shows nearly the same angle and distance. The camera is steady, positioned slightly behind and above the pilot, and focused directly out over the wing. If you compare it to actual NASA chase-plane footage from the same time period, the framing and perspective are almost identical.

F/A-18A cockpit with fixed camera:

That’s not an angle most people would think to fake in 2008 unless they were familiar with how these cockpit setups actually looked.

It either happens to match by pure luck, or it was filmed from that kind of camera.

Reflections That Fit a Real Cockpit

Possible respirator reflection (MBU-23/P):

The reflections moving across the canopy glass look like what you’d expect inside a jet cockpit. You can see quick flashes that may be from the pilot’s helmet visor or the curved surface of an oxygen mask, possibly even a Gentex MBU-23/P respirator as seen below.

Details like that are tough to fake convincingly. Even if they’re not technically hard to reproduce, they’re unusually specific things to include for a simple hoax, especially in older footage. The subtle movement and layered reflections look natural, as if light is really bouncing off glass rather than being added in post. That kind of realism is difficult to achieve digitally.

The Sound Environment

The sound in the Flyby clip fits the part. There’s a low, steady rumble and muffled air pressure that match what’s heard in real cockpit recordings from F/A-18s. A few brief metallic hums can also be heard under the noise, similar to what onboard camcorders sometimes picked up from vibration inside the fuselage.

It doesn’t sound like a passenger plane, and it doesn’t sound like generic noise added later. Whether or not it’s the original track, it fits the acoustic profile of a real fighter jet recording.

Lighting Behavior

Near the end of the clip, when the object banks upward, it gradually darkens. That falloff looks consistent with natural sunlight fading across a curved surface. People who’ve enhanced the video frame by frame have pointed out that it darkens smoothly rather than abruptly, which isn’t how CGI from that era usually looked.

Even with the compression, the way the lighting changes across the object feels authentic. It reacts to the environment in a way that suggests a physical object was actually there.

Alternate Origin Theory: The Blue Panorama Flight

Another theory suggests the footage wasn’t filmed from a military jet at all, but from a commercial airliner. Some researchers have pointed the older upload of the same video that included a caption claiming it was shot aboard a Blue Panorama Airlines flight from Rome to Paris on April 29, 2006.

This upload predates the “Danny Lampkin” version and is the current earliest known source. The aircraft visible in the clip does resemble the wing and engine layout of a Boeing 737-300, specifically the Blue Panorama aircraft I-BPAG, which has led some to conclude the footage was taken from that plane. Side-by-side comparisons of the wing shape can be seen here and here, with the higher-resolution version of the video available on YouTube.

A detailed 3D recreation attempting to debunk the video can also be found here.

However, a Reddit user who says they spoke directly with the original uploader, Frossani, shared their exchange in this comment. According to that message, Frossani clarified that he wasn’t the creator of the video. He said he copied it from a Zip drive belonging to a university friend whose father worked in Aviano, northern Italy—home to a major NATO air base.

Dear xxxxx,

It was quite a surprise to discover all this hype and interest about a video I had almost forgotten. I am the owner of the YouTube Channel, but not the author of the footage. I had an interest in visual effects as a hobbyist and I used to collect some inspiring videos and fantasize on what techniques would allow to recreate them. The footage of your interest was copied from a Zip Drive belonging to a university friend of mine who knew about my hobby. We are not in touch any longer and I don't have further information about the origin of the video (I am not a UFO passionate, to me it was simply a probably-fake downloaded from the internet or some early-2000s CD-ROM). The only detail that could be useful for your research is that my friend's father's work was based in Aviano, in northern Italy. By the way, when I put the video on YouTube I didn't edit it in any way; the only intervention was on the description, in which I reported the details of a Blue Panorama flight from Rome tor Paris which had brought me to France some time before (it was then dismissed a few years later, to my great deception). I am sorry I'm probably not giving you relevant information for your research. In the last days I received different requests like yours; I decided to reply only to you because of your politeness and respectful attitude. (Also asks to not share name / contact info).

Best regards.

Most importantly, he explained that the only change he made before uploading was adding a note about a Blue Panorama flight he personally took around that time. That small edit seems to be the sole reason the “Boeing 737-300” detail became tied to the video later on. If his account is accurate, the flight reference wasn’t part of the original footage’s metadata or context—it was simply something he added, unintentionally creating a false trail.

Frossani described himself as a visual-effects hobbyist who collected and studied interesting clips. He said he believed the video was probably fake or came from an early-internet CD-ROM collection, though others familiar with his work claim his VFX skills at the time were too basic to have produced something that realistic.

I can’t personally verify which theory is correct—the F/A-18 explanation or the Blue Panorama one. Both have their own reasoning and contradictions, so I’m including them here simply to show the range of possibilities surrounding the Flyby footage.

If Frossani’s statement is true, the Blue Panorama connection might not indicate a real flight at all, but rather a coincidental personal reference that became misinterpreted—adding yet another layer of confusion to one of the most debated UFO clips online.

From there, the discussion returns to the technical and visual details that keep the Flyby footage so compelling.

Technical Plausibility

Everything in the clip behaves the way real video would. The exposure doesn’t flicker, the frame rate is steady, and the motion blur looks optical, not digital. There’s no telltale CGI clipping or artificial jitter.

That doesn’t mean it’s genuine, but it does mean it’s technically possible this was filmed exactly as it appears: a cockpit camera capturing something strange passing close by. For 2008, it would have taken a lot of effort to fake that level of realism using consumer software.

Why the Flyby Footage Could Be Fake

Although convincing at first, there are several reasons why the Flyby clip might be an early digital hoax rather than a real recording.

Intentional quality loss. The degraded look could have been deliberate. Re-filming a computer screen hides compositing seams, masks rough edges, and buries rendering artifacts under pixelation. Many early CGI UFO videos used that exact trick to look more “authentic.”

Lack of realistic movement. The object glides smoothly across the frame without any visible parallax or turbulence. If it were actually close to a jet moving at hundreds of knots, there should be some relative motion or shaking in its path. Instead, it looks locked to the camera, which often happens when a CGI element is tracked onto a scene.

Lighting inconsistencies. In some frames, the lighting on the disc appears too even. It doesn’t reflect the contrast or direction of the light hitting the clouds. That might be compression, or it could mean the object was digitally inserted.

Missing aerodynamic effects. If something was really flying that close to an F/A-18, there would likely be heat shimmer, vapor trails, or air disturbance between them. None appear.

Cinematic framing. The object enters the frame at the perfect distance, stays centered, then exits just as the clip ends. There’s no extra footage before or after. That kind of precision feels planned, more like a short CGI test designed to shock viewers.

No verifiable source. Every known copy traces back to low-resolution reuploads. The supposed Aviano connection remains just a rumor. With no metadata, pilot identification, or secondary footage, the case lacks the basic documentation you’d expect from an authentic military recording.

Taken together, these points suggest the Flyby video could have been intentionally crafted to look like cockpit footage, using the limitations of early YouTube video to hide flaws. It might have been one of the more sophisticated UFO hoaxes of its time.

Where It Stands

The Flyby video occupies a strange middle ground between old UFO lore and modern UAP discussion.

What’s known: it was uploaded in 2008, appears to show a cockpit perspective, and contains reflections that fit a real aircraft environment. What’s unknown: who filmed it, when it was shot, and whether it ever existed in an original higher-quality format.

Until a verifiable source file appears or new metadata is uncovered, the Flyby footage will remain what it has always been: one of the most intriguing and persistent mysteries from the early YouTube UFO era.

Sources and Further Reading

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Follow me on X for more updates.

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Check out some my other posts:

Best UFO Photos of All Time

Was Flight MH370 Teleported?

Why is Skinny Bob Still Blinking At Us?

Did a 2024 Forgotten Languages Post Foreshadow The Nordic Drone Crisis?

 
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from Roscoe's Story

In Summary: * This has been a very good Saturday in the Roscoe-verse. I woke much earlier today than I usually do on Saturdays. Worries about a situation that is outside my control kept me from returning to bed. So I applied myself to normal chores around this joint. And focused on my prayers throughout the day. Really focused on them. By midday those worries that woke me had mostly left me, though the particular situation remains unchanged. And this evening, I'm happy to say I'll be able to retire with peace of mind.

Prayers, etc.: * My daily prayers.

Health Metrics: * bw= 219.25 lbs. * bp= 134/82 (65)

Exercise: * kegel pelvic floor exercise, half squats, calf raises, wall push-ups

Diet: * 07:05 – 1 pb&j sandwich * 11:00 – BIG buffet lunch * 16:00 – 1 fresh apple

Activities, Chores, etc.: * 04:40 – bank accounts activity monitored * 04:50 – pray, read, follow news reports from various sources, and nap * 10:30 to 12:30 – brunch with the wife at favorite restaurant * 12:50 – tuned into the radio call of a Big 10 college football game at halftime, Michigan Wolverines are ahead 10 vs Wisconsin Badgers 07 * 14:30 – After Michigan won their game, I'm switching over to another college football game, Texas Longhorns vs Florida Gators, opening kickoff coming up shortly * 15:30 – pray, read, follow news reports from various sources, and nap * 18:10 – listening to relaxing music, quietly reading.

Chess: * 08:45 – moved in all pending CC games

 
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from Réveil

In December 2024, a strange post appeared on ForgottenLanguages.org titled “New Jersey kinetic strike test: Threat Analysis of sUAV-driven attacks.”

If you’ve ever visited that site, you know it’s one of the internet’s deeper mysteries. Some people think it’s an elaborate art project or coded experiment. Others believe it hides fragments of real research buried in invented languages and cryptic phrasing. The truth probably lies somewhere in between.

The post described what it said was a joint Homeland Security and U.S. Navy drill off the American coast, involving 62 drones launched from two vessels. They were said to have split into reconnaissance and strike groups, targeting water infrastructure and a naval base.

Around the same time, New Jersey saw a wave of drone reports that led to temporary FAA restrictions over 22 infrastructure sites (NBC News). Federal officials later suggested many sightings were misidentified aircraft, but the investigation stayed open. The overlap between that story and the Forgotten Languages post was hard to ignore for anyone familiar with the site.

Whether it was fiction, a leak, or something else, less than a year later similar scenes began unfolding across Denmark and Europe.

The Start of the Drone Crisis in Denmark

On September 22, 2025, Copenhagen Airport was shut for nearly four hours after air traffic controllers reported large drones over the runways (BBC). That same evening, Oslo Airport in Norway also closed due to drone activity (AP News).

In the days that followed, sightings spread to Aalborg, Esbjerg, Sønderborg, and Skrydstrup Air Base, home to Denmark’s F-16 and F-35 squadrons (Financial Times). Witnesses described coordinated formations, lights that switched off when approached, and objects that moved erratically across radar.

Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called the incidents “a serious attack on Danish critical infrastructure” (The Guardian). Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen called them “systematic and coordinated.” Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard compared the situation to how terrorism reshaped global security after 9/11.

By the end of the week, Denmark had banned all civilian drone flights nationwide (Reuters). NATO announced extra surveillance patrols over the Baltic, and France, Sweden, and Germany sent radar units and anti-drone specialists to assist (Politico). Still, not one drone was intercepted or recovered.

Then Germany’s Munich Airport was forced to close twice within 24 hours on October 3 and 4 after similar sightings (DW News). Police pilots confirmed seeing an object but could not find where it landed.

The Forgotten Languages Parallel

The similarities between the 2024 Forgotten Languages post and the European incidents are difficult to overlook.

Both describe, or in Denmark’s case are rumored to involve, drones launched from vessels operating in swarms and targeting critical infrastructure while being described as “impossible to intercept.” In both situations, officials have said there is “no evidence of foreign involvement,” though Russia has been a consistent point of speculation, with no proof to back that claim.

It could be coincidence. Or perhaps whoever wrote that post had prior knowledge of testing that was later mirrored on a larger scale. Either way, it blurs the line between fiction and classified experimentation.

The Overlooked June Agreement between Denmark and The U.S

Three months before the first Danish sightings, on June 11–12, 2025, Denmark’s parliament approved a defense deal granting the United States full access to three key Danish air bases: Karup, Skrydstrup, and Aalborg (EU News).

The agreement allows U.S. forces to store equipment, conduct operations, and station personnel in Denmark. It also gives them autonomous legal jurisdiction, meaning they operate under U.S. military law rather than Danish.

At the time, it was presented as routine NATO cooperation. But the timing now stands out. The same bases later became central to the drone sightings. If this were purely foreign interference, that overlap would be a huge coincidence. A more likely scenario is that these flights were part of controlled testing carried out under the framework of that new agreement.

A Possible Explanation

The Forgotten Languages post might have outlined the prototype for a modern hybrid defense simulation: a controlled stress test for coordinated aerial incursions. The activity over Denmark, Norway, and Germany could be the continuation of that test, scaled up across NATO airspace.

Since September, European militaries have gathered real-world data on radar blind spots, response times, and communication protocols. Every incident may be feeding information into an ongoing exercise.

In early October, Denmark’s defense minister even changed the language used publicly, saying the government would now refer to these as “aerial observations” instead of “drone activities” (DR). That small shift hinted that not everything being seen fits the profile of a conventional drone.

Why Denmark?

Denmark’s location between the Baltic and the North Sea makes it ideal for this kind of testing. It’s small, politically stable, and heavily integrated into NATO’s command structure.

The new U.S. base agreement provides a level of legal freedom that would allow advanced systems to be operated or tested without breaching Danish sovereignty. From a research standpoint, it’s a perfect controlled environment for observing how modern defense systems respond to persistent low-visibility threats.

The Official Silence

Government statements have remained uniform: no debris recovered, no confirmed operator, and no evidence of foreign involvement (Reuters).

That exact phrasing appeared in the Forgotten Languages post nearly a year earlier. It suggests that both the post and the real-world incidents might follow the same playbook: conduct the exercise, deny any outside connection, and keep the details contained.

The Timeline

  1. Nov–Dec 2024, New Jersey and the Northeast U.S. A wave of drone sightings near power facilities and restricted zones leads to FAA restrictions. Federal briefings later cite misidentifications, but the investigation stays open.

  2. Late Nov 2024, United Kingdom Drones spotted over USAF-linked RAF bases including Lakenheath, Mildenhall, Feltwell, and Fairford. Both the U.S. and U.K. confirm the sightings and open a criminal probe (BBC).

  3. Dec 2024, Germany Unauthorized drones reported over Ramstein Air Base and nearby industrial areas (Reuters).

  4. June 11–12, 2025, Denmark Parliament approves the U.S. base agreement granting American forces access and legal control over Karup, Skrydstrup, and Aalborg (EU News).

  5. Sept 22–29, 2025, Denmark and Norway Drone incursions close Copenhagen and Oslo airports and continue nightly over multiple bases (BBC, AP News). Denmark bans civilian drone flights and NATO increases surveillance in the region (Politico).

  6. Oct 3–4, 2025, Germany Munich Airport closes twice in 24 hours after suspected drone activity (DW News).

Across two years, the pattern moves west to east through NATO territory. Each phase becomes more sophisticated, but the public statements never change.

Forgotten Languages Leak or Larp?

Forgotten Languages has been puzzling people online for more than a decade. Entire Reddit threads are devoted to trying to decode it. Some see it as a complex art project exploring language and symbolism. Others think it’s a front for classified research written in disguised form.

Some even suspect it is both — an experiment in how people respond to half-hidden truths when they appear in the open. Whatever the purpose, the site has a strange history of publishing material that seems to echo real events months or years later.

The “New Jersey kinetic strike test” fits that pattern closely. It could be art, or it could be a leak written to appear artistic. Either way, it feels like an attempt to publish fragments of something real without naming it directly.

If that’s true, then the European drone wave isn’t random at all. It’s the continuation of a sequence that began in 2024.

Bringing It All Together

When you line up the events, a picture starts to form. The Forgotten Languages post about a “kinetic strike test” off New Jersey might not have been larp at all, but a leak in plain sight, of a classified NATO-aligned exercise. That same template seems to have moved step by step across allied territory in the year that followed.

It begins in the U.S, shifts to the U.K. and Germany, and then reaches Scandinavia just after Denmark granted the U.S. military access to its key airbases. Each phase escalates the scope, from minor sightings to full airport shutdowns, while every official statement stays nearly identical: “no evidence of foreign involvement.” Russia remains the theory most people reach for, but no proof has ever been shown.

That repeated language mirrors the tone of the Forgotten Languages text. If the site serves as a quiet leak for emerging defense methods, its purpose may be to release information in a way that looks like pure fiction while still recording them publicly.

Viewed through that lens, the drone incidents stop looking like a mystery and start to resemble a long-term systems test. The objective might not be confrontation, but measurement: to see how nations respond, how fast they detect, and how they manage uncertainty under pressure.

From the coast of New Jersey to the skies over Denmark, the same sequence plays out: launch, observe, deny, record. If that’s the case, the 2024 Forgotten Languages post wasn’t predicting anything. It was describing the start of an experiment that never really ended.

——————————————

Follow me on X for more updates.

&

Check out some my other posts:

Best UFO Photos of All Time

Was Flight MH370 Teleported?

Why is Skinny Bob Still Blinking At Us?

The “Flyby” UFO Footage: And Why It Refuses to Fade Away

 
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from Carcosa Bound

I’ve been thinking a lot on interaction, since recently entering a new job and having to evaluate and grade masses of new information quickly.

A processing heuristic that seems to work across scales, that I’ve found useful so far, is:

  • What value does it create?
  • Does it add friction? If so, where and for what purpose?
  • Where is the obstruction?

Most things seem to have these dimensions.

If it’s mostly value-adding stuff (especially short term – the first 90 days are all about stacking wins) – make it happen.

If it adds friction, it gets acknowledged.

If obstruction – noted, and avoided.

In a way, these almost offer responses to the positions outlined in Albert O. Hirshman’s short and elegantly scripted 1970 book, Exit, Voice and Loyalty.

Add value to “Trust” interactions. Add friction – noise, mess, deferral – to “Voice” interactions. Obstruct those operating in the “Exit” mode – whether they’re trying to break up your tribe, clan, constituency, whatever – or leave themselves.

Caveats and considerations

Does the friction add value? Sometimes. Measure twice, cut once.

Can obstruction add value? Being told you cannot do something often incites a creative frustration, the rage filled declaration of “over, under, round or through”: a hardening of the heart and mind and will.

Can the relentless creation of value create friction, or obstruction? Fundamentally, it certainly can devalue and debase itself – for instance, too much value, that is too accessible, leads to the cheapening of it.

Or – alternatively, value creates the opposite of friction: vacuum. All limit withdraws, allowing the flame to burn ever brighter – without adding more fuel. Then it goes out.

But this is the transformation game; its nature is to be a tricky, mercurial business.
And, played right, we can play anywhere.

#tech #theory

 
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