#Block Island Wind Farm

[glowsticcc]

let me cook. picture me this.

we're about 12-14 months into hermitcraft season X and people's seasons are starting to wind down. finishing touches on megabuilds, games are being played and episodes are mostly spent with the hermits just screwing around for fun, (snails, gigacorp, cleos story for their base, etc. are all wrapping up)

however, one thing that has been prevalent throughout the entire season, so much more so than seasons' past, was the fact it seemed it was always raining. not just little in-game showers that lasted maybe 20 minutes no, i'm talking rain that would last hours, days even! and this has been very notable with multiple hermits addressing it in their videos and not being able to get around filming during the times when the sun was out, because it never lasted too long.

anyways, this doesn't matter that much, and many hermits learn to enjoy the rain! gem's trident shop ends up selling out quick as people realize riptide 3 tridents are much more efficient for elytra travel compared to rockets, and with the right shader packs many are able to make their videos more atmospheric and ✨aesthetic✨. so overall, the rain isn't a huge issue, just a minor inconvenience.

until the river starts flooding.

it's inconspicuous at first. very few hermits have builds that are right at sea-level so even fewer even notice any huge change. plus, the water only rose by one block so who cares. days pass by, then a couple weeks, no change, no worries. then it rises again. again, only by a block, but now the waves are starting to lap at the foundation of some houses, shorelines and property-lines becoming closer to being one and the same. now, while not too fussed, some hermits are starting to become slightly paranoid about the water.

the next water rise comes quickly, mere days after the last. still one block but now the hermits are taking quick notice. the race to high ground is swift, many building new bases on nearby mountains, other more dedicated hermits moving their entire bases up onto stilts to avoid their beautiful builds being drowned by the ever-expanding ocean deep. and the water keeps rising.

redstone farms are destroyed, the shopping district has become a capitalistic lost city of atlantis, grian and gem are unsurprisingly thriving in their new aquatic environment. the only safe dry areas are the nether and the end, because how would you flood the void.

we've reached the near end of the season, the sea expanding out for thousands of miles, as far as the eye can see, with the tops of mountains having become islands, sanctuaries from the deep unknown blue of the ocean. grian, gem, impulse, skizz, scar, joel and mumbo all sit on what used to be magic mountain, now just a few blocks above sea-level, looking out across the endless ocean skyline through the near eternal rainstorm.

"grian," mumbo begins. "yes?" grian sighs, tired and weather-beaten from the endless downpour.

"is the ocean big?"

[demonslayedher]

Tengen's Favorite: Fugu

A.k.a., the pufferfish, a flamboyant way to flirt with death by tetrodotoxin.

"Sempai, you didn't!" you might be shaking your screens as a way to shake sense into me. "Sempai, I thought you wouldn't risk your life for Kimetsu Kitchen!" So you say, but I'd like to remind you that I am a bad cook and I could probably find less flamboyant methods of culinary death. But also I am here to educate, and guess what? This isn't my first time eating fugu. It's time to knock the flamboyance down a notch by telling you that fugu is more commonly consumed than you might think, as well as give you the details about Uzui Tengen's favorite food in a safe way.

Because yes, you should mind safety.

Cutting out the liver and other toxic organs is a very precise, very crucial process, so let's allow Hinatsuru to concentrate and ask our local fish-fan and poison expert to tell us more.

"Thank you for asking! Did you know pufferfish don't make this neurotoxin themselves? They get it from eating things like mollusks and bacteria, so I'll bet in the future raising these fish in farms with controlled diets will be popular. The tetrodotoxin, or TTX, blocks the passage of sodium ions into a nerve cell, thereby not letting signals to contract reach the muscles. Although there is no antidote, it's a poison humans can metabolize rather quickly, provided they have artificial respiratory assistance. The paralysis and all the other symptoms sure won't be fun, though!"

Thanks, Shinobu! Taisho Secret: Shinobu's goldfish is named Fugu.

She's right about the farmed fugu, and I've heard it said that people who can taste a difference between farmed fugu and wild fugu tend to prefer it farmed anyway. What's also important to note is that there are many varieties of fugu, and "torafugu" (tiger puffer) is the safest variety, and what is typically consumed. Although some people say the livers are the best part, they are typically rich people who wind up eating their words later on. Don't listen to them, they are dead.

We'll pause here to acknowledge the history, because not everyone who has ingested wild fugu has doomed themselves to consciously watching themselves suffocate over the course of a few hours. There are records of use their use in Chinese medicine, and even though Toyotomi Hideyoshi (one of the three great unifiers of Japan) formally banned their consumption and the Tokugawa shogunate upheld this ban, people continued to consume them anyway, especially in areas where the Tokugawa shogun was not popular. (I'd like to imagine some Uzui ancestors ate fugu out of spite.)

One region not especially privy to the shogunate was the Choshu domain, in modern day Yamaguchi prefecture. This domain played a major role in overthrowing the shogunate and establishing the Meiji government, and the first prime minister, Itou Hirobumi, was from Yamaguchi. The story goes that in 1887, it was on visit down at the very western tip of Japan's main island that he stayed at an inn and wanted fish, and the lady of the establishment had no fish to serve him except the illegal pufferfish. She decided it was better to risk what might look like an attempted assassination of the top guy in the country than to serve him a subpar meal.

Well, bam, it was so good that pufferfish was legal the following year! By my calculations and presumed dates that KnY takes place, that means it was already legal before Tengen was born. Sorry, buddy, you don't get to be that edgy.

As for how to eat it, the most iconic way is to eat it raw, sliced so thin that you can still see elaborate patterns on the dishes through the translucent flesh. This is called "tessa." It's often arranged in elegant patterns evocative of chrysanthemums, or on festive occasions, like a phoenix. It's most often a winter dish, but you can get it all year round. It has a very, very light, rather unflamboyant flavor, and is therefore typically eaten with a special variety of onions grown to accompany it, and other condiments like ponzu, citrus, and momiji-oroshi (grated daikon with chili pepper).

The main draw is the texture of the fish. As someone who enjoys sashimi, I did find the texture of tessa very, very nice when I recently got a chance to try it. The same meal also served the skin, and the flesh cooked into a rice porridge dish.

I wonder if Hinatsuru is almost done?

Not yet. Then let's talk about incidents and safety!

Basically, if you're not in Japan: DON'T DO IT. Heck, if you're in the European Union, it's illegal in the first place. There are very, ve-r-r-r-y slim opportunities of eating it in the United States after it is sourced from Japan, and although frozen tessa can travel, really, why bother eating in New York City? If you have that budget to spend, just fly to Japan. Anywhere else... just don't do it. The restaurant fatalities in recent years have primarily been in countries that don't have as stringent of a training and certification process as Japan. Japan also has a small handful of cases each year, but they don't usually end in fatalities because the accidental poisonings may not always be a large dose, and the victims received medical attention that got them through the crucial hours of paralysis. Also, those cases have typically been due to overconfident fishermen, not mistakes made by industry professionals.

But if you're in Japan----oh! It looks like Hinatsuru is done.

All of those examples? Things I have eaten in real life, often under the mistaken impression that "fugu" referred to two different kinds of fish (as happens sometimes), as there was no way I'd have eaten fugu without signing a waiver first, right???

No. Not at all. It is totally realistic to find yourself in a situation where you are served fugu without realizing what it is (though I imagine most tourists don't find themselves in these situations unless they have a guide who planned things without asking about dietary preferences). To demystify this fish a bit, there is so much fugu consumed without incident that you can get to a point where the possibility of poison doesn't even cross your mind. They sell it at a regular grocery story just down the street from where I live in a place that is not famous for fugu or anything like that. (Also, no one brings it up as much, but raw eel is toxic too! You never see it available for sale unless it's been precooked or specially marinated. Again, industry standards.)

Granted, I was still nervous about eating tessa, and the danger is still part of the thrill of fugu, though the industry stresses its merits as a tasty and (otherwise) healthy fish. I get the feeling that if Tengen lived in the Reiwa era, he'd find pufferfish disappointingly lower risk now than suits his thrill. Nonetheless, although I'll eat it if it's served to me, it is not something I go out of my way to eat.

But I will state it again: ONLY eat pufferfish that has been prepared by a professional in Japan. Otherwise, DO NOT.

[blarefordaglare]

Day 4 - Obedience

Day 4 - Obedience 

So I kinda wanted to make this not super angsty because I love twilight- so here’s some fluff with only a tiny tiny tiny bit of angst

____

Twilight wasn’t the one who liked to say “No”. Aside from his constant refusal to do any… reckless things, he mainly was the guy who would agree to anything -and everything- his brothers would say. 

This night was unbearably cold, colder than the rest at least. Ice slowly curled around the cook’s pot, despite fire being right under it. In this weather, it was clear that a person without proper gear wouldn’t survive until morning.

Fire rods were passed out, along with clothing, blankets, and whatever enchanted material the group could find. It wasn’t enough for everyone, but it was better than nothing. Despite this, Twilight could still see twitching in the snow. 

The faint peek of the Skyloftian Crest gave it away, “Sky?” The rancher called out, “Shouldn’t you be asleep by now? You’re always out like a light.” 

The Skyloftian looked up at Twilight, his long eyelashes were covered with faint shards of snow, along with the faint tint of blue on his cheeks, “You know-“ the boy shivered, “Skyloft, being above the clouds, was always- sunny. Never snow.” Twilight gave a nod. Wind wasn’t handling the snow well earlier today, being on an island and all, but Sky was a whole another story. You’d assume that the high altitude would make it colder, but it seems the goddesses work in not-so-logical ways. 

“Here,” Twilight ripped off his pelt, feeling the biting chill stab his back and shoulders, “You ain’t gonna be cold no more, alright?” The shivering boy nodded and gratefully took the fabric. 

“You sure you’re gonna stay warm?” 

“Yes.” 

Not even a few hours into the night and Twilight really felt like a liar. He gave off anything and everything that could keep him warm, because everyone needed it more than him. The last thing he would want would be for his brothers to freeze to death.

The snow slowly piled on his cheek, and when he couldn’t feel his face anymore, he decided to move over to the fire. It was all going fine until he heard shuffling from behind him.

“Twi, please, you’re blocking the warmth for us.” The captain tiredly slurred, “Can you please step away from the fire?” 

As much as the farm boy would love to go, no thank you, I’m comfortable here. The need to provide and never take was too strong, “Right, sorry.” Twilight shivered, “Here, you can take my bedroll, it will keep you guys warmer.” 

Warriors gratefully took the blanket and promptly knocked out two minutes later. The rancher on the other hand scooted under a tree, hoping it would block him from the cold wind as he slept.

[thechembow]

Hey Sharon, I noticed a lack of rain these past three weeks we have been dry besides a few spits of rain. This is our usual hurricane / tropical storm time of year and I noticed no such thing has occurred. Beautiful fall weather, not saying there has been abundance of DOR weather, about 80 percent is perfect weather but with no rain. My plants are dying if I don’t water them, I follow a girl in Pennsylvania and the farmland she usually walks is also all dried up from the drought and she fears no color this fall since most leaves are dropping off from the drought. My question though is off shore. Wind farms. That is the only thing which has changed since I started to gift. Over the last year, there has been a wind farm being developed in the sound offshore of Montauk and block island and Rhode Island. Could those farms have harmful effects on weather? I never noticed the impact living in southern California and seeing the wind farms near Palm Springs but it still comes to mind… thanks! Have a good week forward!

Hello! The reduction in hurricanes is because of orgonite gifting by gifters in the northeast like yourself! When the cell towers are neutralized they can no longer be used to create unnatural destructive weather. You're seeing the restoration of the natural climate, so it makes sense that there will be a little dry period in late summer, like in the northwest (although in this restoration process, they have been getting more rain than usual!). We're all supposed to experience periods of rain and periods of sun, without the great variation we now see between the two coasts, and without destructive storms. The fact that you're experiencing high OR means your atmosphere is healthy, and your late summer weather is more similar to the west coast, showing a balancing of environmental conditions, which happens gradually over time with worldwide orgonite gifting.

In the past few years, I've been learning to grow plants for food, and I've seen that they really need constant care, no matter what the weather is. Nature seldom will yield the abundance on its own without us cultivating it and poring over our plants. So don't be discouraged because irrigation will always be necessary to some degree, even with a restored climate. This is a good time to learn rain collection, so where there are a few weeks without, we still have water for our plants. I also should add that the media for the past two decades has used the word "drought" to mean any period without rain, when it really means an unnaturally prolonged period (three weeks in summer with a few drizzles would not be considered a drought before this mind control agenda was in place), so please don't be discouraged by their hyperbole. You can see for yourself the abundance of rain in and around New York very recently and they want to psyche you out and use others who have been convinced of their false reality to psyche you out as well. You're doing the right thing as a gifter and nature is sorting itself out.

Don't worry about the wind farms, since they are not DOR emitters and don't affect the weather. Just keep on busting the cell towers. You've made a huge difference! Please also share our website with anyone who is concerned about the weather and climate. I hope you enjoy the process of gifting and experience all the different weather changes as just part of the process. The weather is a worldwide system, so taking down the weather control grid piece by piece will be necessary, and the changes will happen little by little.

Thanks for your question, for gifting, and for following and supporting our work!

[deathenfield]

I feel like something has been lost with Minecraft over the years and I do not know if it's the nostalgia talking. I don't mean any gameplay features or anything, there was a vibe about that I felt was lost by the time they started adding more and more content to the game.

Before villagers and endermen and hunger bars, back when Minecraft was still in beta, there was this loneliness out there you couldn't articulate, but expressed itself in many ways. You were alone, this meant the entire world was in your hands to create. You were alone, and outside of zombies and pigs there was no sapient being other than you, building only for yourself. You were alone, and while you're building your fort, the music chimes in - not exciting or motivating, but calm, almost sad - as if emphasizing and recognizing your solitude. You were alone, but you swear there's something peeking at you from the edge of the fog, making you unsure if you were really alone. You were alone, you were home, but at the same time it feels like whatever was your home is lost and you have to start anew.

It was calming, saddening, scary at times. I've seen people say that old Minecraft has a liminal aspect to it. The old chunky lighting, the dark winding gray tunnels that generated odd noises at rare moments, the low render distance fog that envelops everything in a blue haze. But it was also the old terrain generation that created weird spikes and cliffs and grottos and floating islands amidst of the smooth landscape. The random quirks that made you question if something other than you was in the game. The vibe was almost fantastical even though on it's surface everything was so simple. Is it any wonder that people saw fantasy elements in that game, or urban legends like Herobrine?

But now there's hunger and experience points, villagers and pillagers, endermen and piglins, ancient temples underground and underwater, bastions and mansions and end cities. There's traders and llamas, polar bears and axolotls, telescopes and archeology. Overpowered enchantments and farms for everything. A billion different blocks and building techniques. Final bosses and hidden lore. 50 different types of biomes and terrain generation that tries more and more to emulate reality. The calm, Ghibli-esque serenity of old Minecraft has faded and has been replaced with endless content.

I'll admit this is an "old man yelling at clouds" moment for me, I recognize that the liminal, fantastic elements of old Minecraft mainly come from nostalgia. However, it's so difficult to get into the current version of Minecraft for me. There's too much to do, too much set out for you, yet somehow none of it feels exciting. What was once a homestead turned into an endless sprawling landscape of two billion features that don't really seem to enhance anything about the game. It's like coming back to your childhood house and seeing it turned into mansion. It's bigger and better in every way but the core of what made it feel like home was destroyed in the process.

I might just be talking out my ass, but Minecraft just doesn't feel the same anymore, it hasn't for a long time. There's a community of people who play Beta 1.7.3 and yeah, they get what I mean. That's when the vibe was the strongest. That's when it felt most like Minecraft to me.

[theminecraftbee]

2ND-5 LOG 0010

Back when I uh - in some hives, they uh, have sayings about beauty, and about function, and I used to listen to those. Things that are functional should be beautiful; things that are beautiful are often in their most functional form. Of course, that'd work better if we could use hexagons, not blocks, but, uh, we've got blocks, so some shapes are...

Uh.

So this is to say that today, I tried to build a windmill.

I've been doing a lot of things lately and it, uh, it paid off! I can now, uh, safely start building machines. Currently I'm crushing tuff; it's the only way I've found to get zinc. To uh. Get zinc... really... really slowly, but uh. It does provide zinc! It does that.

It's not the only thing - I got bad about logging big things. I got magic pots? Uh. Hm. That's phrased - they are magic pots though. I can grow plants I can't even grow with bonemeal in them. They're, uh, handy. For... spore blossoms. And also crops. I don't, uh, have to worry about crops anymore, although the villagers - I don't really want to stop their jobs? They're doing alright. But I get bread from vaults and carrots from a pot now though so I guess I just...

Apples. Uh, I still, from them - apples, I haven't figured out how to... Although, with the saw...

I'll think about it.

And magic torches. I got - they're expensive torches, but when I build them, I can prevent mobs from appearing in whole large areas, light or not! But, uh - I think I broke my mob farm? I have better mob farm tools now anyway, but... Maybe I'll put in real torches, in the new platform I built for making machines on.

I was never - I like machines. I tried to design a squid farm earlier. It didn't work. I also made it out of pumpkins, so it's ugly, so it like, super didn't work. And, uh. Building. I don't... I like exploring. I like what I'm doing. But sometimes I feel like I'm... even for someone borrowing the body I'm using, I'm clumsy. I've always been clumsy. It's always felt like my hands are too big for my eyes, like my arms are too big for my body. I've never been able to... let alone well enough to build.

Things that are beautiful work better. That's a saying in the swarm. Things that are functional are beautiful. That's a saying, too.

I tried to build a windmill today, and it's really ugly.

I, uh...

I try to be nice to myself? I do. I built the temple. The temple is almost done now! I have a totem to each god, now. I don't know if it'll do anything, but, uh... The temple looks nice. It's practically the only thing on the island that does, but...

I try to be nice. Some things, uh, will always be ugly.

I think windmills are one of those things that are supposed to work best when they're beautiful, though, or maybe be beautiful because they work well? Symmetry, and sails, and the wind powering the world. It's windy up here. The windmill was expensive to put together, but it's windy, and I thought...

My windmill is very ugly, though. It's made out of grey wool and it makes me think of a hurricane, except those are almost beautiful too, and this is ugly.

It uh...

Ugly as, uh - ugly as a bear, really, but. It works. It works fine. It works so fine I think later I will try to use it to build a cobblestone generator, and use that to also store sand and gravel. I don't have to worry about those anymore! And, uh, after that, maybe build a copper farm, and after that, I may try to make a steam engine that will power a tree farm, and not have to worry about cutting logs myself again, either, and...

It's funny how much I work to not have to do things myself. But I've always been clumsy. It's easy to tell, looking at the windmill.

Whatever. It doesn't have to be pretty. It works.

[ATTACHED: 2ND-5, wearing the create armor, standing in front of their first contraption. the largest item in the background is an awkward shape made of grey wool, which must be the windmill. A crushing wheel device can also be seen.]

[vintervittrannerd]

Training Challenge #4: Make a Friend

@thescorpioracesfestival, this is a collaboration with @the-man-who-loved-a-mare

Freya felt quite bad for leaving so much of the vet work to grandpa. October was usually quite a busy month for them, with all the damage the capaill uisce was doing, both the racehorses and the wild ones that came up from the sea. This year was no exception. What was an exception this year was Freya herself. Since she had written her name on the board in the butchers shop, the other riders had decided they didn’t want her to tend to their horses. As if she would deliberately hurt the horses just to sabotage for the other riders. Freya was more than a little offended by the fact that people could ever believe such a thing. The older islanders wasn’t too rude about it, they might be pigheaded and refused her near their capaill uisce, but at least they let grandpa tend to them. The tourist that were racing were far worse, and Freya was quite certain that they would have refused grandpas help as well if they had just been clever enough to realize Freya was his granddaughter. Luckily for their income, most of them didn’t make the connection between old Dr. Connor the vet, and the name Freya Thorne written on a blackboard.

So, Freya was left doing all the work grandpa didn’t have time. And today that meant visiting a part of Thisby she’d rarely been to. She’d accompanied grandpa to many of his customers, but not all of them, and never to the Willis farm. But there had been a lame sheep, and grandpa hadn’t had time to go, so here she was, pulling up to a small farm in their rusty old pickup truck and jumping down in the mud.

There were no sight of the boy who had contacted her, nor of any sheep, so Freya poked her head into the windswept barn in hopes they’d be inside, hiding from the October weather. They weren’t. The barn was empty of any living thing, and a part of her brain registered that it smelled rather more like it did in Corax stable, than it did in a sheep barn. But it wasn’t until she walked around the corner and saw a black uisce mare and a boy, holding a struggling sheep, that she connected the name Willis with the name she had seen on the butcher’s board, Jaxom Willis – Saoirse. This was another rider in the races.

Jaxom Willis had brown hair and a scar running across his face. He looked vaguely familiar, Freya had probably seen him in Skarmouth sometime, but she’d never spoken to him before.

When she got closer, he put the ewe down, which promptly tried to escape from the nearby capall uisce but was stopped by the rope tying it to a stake in the ground, and walked to meet her. The black mare followed him, looking like she’d very much have them both for dinner, but before she could do more than moan, Jaxom turned to her with a stern “no” and shooed her away. The offended look the mare gave him reminded Freya very much of Green, the barn cat, when Freya stopped her from hunting birds, and she had to hold back a chuckle.

Jaxom tuned back to her, shook her hand in greeting and started leading her back to the sheep as he talked,

“I’m Jaxom. That,” he nodded at the uisce mare, “is Saoirse. She’s lovely but, uh. Don’t touch her. Sorry we have to do this here, usually I’d have us in the barn to get out of the wind, but my ewe won’t go in there, even if Saoirse’s shut in the paddock. Smells too much like her I suppose. I have us on this side of the pasture since the fence blocks the majority of the wind, but neither one of them are too happy about it.”

Freya could see that. The ewe was almost frantic with fear of the predator looming on the other side of the fence, and the mare still looked deeply offended that she hadn’t been allowed to eat Freya. They stopped by the ewe and Jaxom continued speaking,

“I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name. We usually work with Dr. Connor, but I know he’s too busy with the Races this year to deal with this.”

“Freya. Thorne. She’s a beauty” She smiled at Jaxom and gestured to the mare, who currently had her ear pinned back, glaring at both Freya and the sheep. It was evident in Jaxoms voice when he spoke of her that he loved the capall uisce, and besides, she was gorgeous with those blue eyes, “and this is fine, our sheep wouldn’t go into Corax stable either. Uhm, Corax is my capall. He’s the reason I’m not down at the beach helping. Apparently, no one wants another competitor near their horses.” She couldn’t help rolling her eyes as she said the last bit, as she was still quite annoyed by it.

Freya kneeled beside the frightened ewe stroking her neck and talking softly to calm her down. The ewe stopped trying to escape and her eyes weren’t quite as frantic as before, but she was still tense, and very aware of the capall, but Freya supposed there was no avoiding that.

Apparently, Jaxom didn’t train down at the beach when the other riders where there either, and so he hadn’t heard she was racing this year. He didn’t seem bothered by the fact that another rider was tending to his sheep’s though, and that, in combination with his obvious love for the uisce mare, made Freya decide that she liked him.

The ewe, as it turned out, had stepped on a small piece of a nail, that had embedded itself in her hoof. Luckily, it hadn’t gone deep in, enough for it to be painful for the sheep to step on, but not enough that it had caused any severe damage. Freya managed to get the nail out, and clean the wound. She put on a bandage to keep any dirt out and told Jaxom to keep an eye on it, but hopefully it should be healed up enough that the bandage shouldn’t be necessary in just a few days.

While she’d been examining and treating the ewes’ hoof, she and Jaxom had discussed the races and Jaxom had told her that he was competing to be able to keep Saoirse, since his family didn’t want him to have a capall. Freya had been overwhelmed by a feeling of sudden gratitude towards her grandparents, who not only had allowed her to tend to an injured uisce mare, but also to keep baby Corax and who had helped and supported her every step of the way in raising a capall uisce in their barn. She couldn’t imagine what she would do if they hadn’t let her keep Corax, if she had had to fight every step of the way not to lose him. She really hoped Jaxom and Saorise would make it through the races, and that his parents would be convinced.

When the sheep was done, Freya left the small farm with a smile on her face and the feeling that, maybe, she had gained a new friend.

Masterlist

[bikepackinguk]

Day Fifty-eight

Wakey wakey, noodles and tea!

Woke early near to Turnberry Lighthouse and used it to have a gentle start to the day, having a good brekkie to get myself set. It promises to be a tough day ahead.

Out and on to the road, it's a trundle down past the white houses if Turnberry, before joining the A77.

This is a pretty busy major road tracking the coast all the way down to Stranraer, so there's not much option except to slug it out with the traffic.

This leg down the coast has the imposing view of Aisla Craig looming constantly out to sea, a striking island that will remain in sight for near the entire day.

Heading on down the road I take a stop at Girvan for a brief respite from the traffic, and enjoy a nice stretch of riding along the coastline before we rejoin the road.

Many of the towns along the route do offer short stretches of pavement along the main road which I happily take advantage of, but alas they never last for long and inevitably the gauntlet must be run again.

Past the paved section around Girvan, it's into the climbs again with a tough leg around Kennedy's Pass; up around the cliffsides over the water. Thankfully most of the flow of traffic is heading the opposite way, which compensates a little for the rising headwind as I grind up and over the ascent.

The road descends back down through Lendalfoot, and I have a brief rest a little further on at the memorial to the Cruiser Varyag at Carleton Bay.

Back to pushing round the road and eventually I get into Ballantrae where I take a longer stop to refuel. The coast ahead becomes some stiff hills and thankfully there are some country lanes I can take to get the worst of the climbs done out of the heavy traffic.

Ascending up out from Ballantrae, it's some nice scenery but the single track roads soon turn into muddy farm lanes which, coupled with the steep gradients and rising wind, make for some heavy going.

After pushing through the muddy trails, it's back to the main road again, with the wind now reaching aome punishing strengths and making for really tough going, particularly with the various freight traffic rushing past.

As the road reaches Loch Ryan, it becomes lined with trees, which not only serve to block any views but manage to channel the winds along it. There's not much to do except keep my head down and push onward.

Eventually the road gets to the ferry terminals at Cairnryan, which does alleviate some of the traffic, and finally affords a nice gaze over the loch.

It's not too much further onwards before a proper cycle path appears to the side of the road, which I gratefully jump onto and can follow along the dinal leg of this awful road into the town of Stranraer.

That was a lot of work! I have a good break here after all the pushing through the wind, but there's still a few hours left in the day so I think a bit more riding can be squeezed in.

Rising past the pretty harbour here and the nice Agnew Park, I follow the A718 up the other side of Loch Ryan and the horrible headwind now becomes a strong tailwind that makes for a great help flying along the flat coastline road with a good view back over the water of where I've come past.

Up the hill past Kirkcolm, it's out to the west side of the peninsula and down a nice 2 mile downhill with the wind pushing me on to zoom down to see Corsewall Lighthouse with Northern Ireland visible through the mists on the horizon.

The 2 mile downhill with a tailwind now becomes a 2 mile uphill with the wind whistling in my face as it's the only way back, but c'est la vie!

Back up to the roads, the evening is getting on and I want to bed down soonish, but with the land ahead being dominated by farmland it's going to be tricky to find a good spot to setup that offers much shelter from this awful wind. As I'd seen some promising patches of woodland earlier on, I decide to backtrack and head on back towards Stranraer, fighting against the gusting winds once more to roll past the shore and head into a nice little copse of trees near to the golf course.

And here I lie! Today's been a lot of hard work but I'm happy overall with the progress. Whilst it's been dry today, the forecast isn't so promising for tomorrow, so we'll see what happens.

TTFN!

[happyk44]

[Text ID: 1. Personal feelings, opinions, and experiences (adjectives):

able

afraid

alone

amazed

amazing

amusing

angry

annoyed

anxious

ashamed

awful

bad

beautiful

better

bored

boring

bossy

brave

brilliant

busy

calm

careful

challenging

charming

cheerful

clear

clever

confident

confused

confusing

cool

crazy

cruel

curious

cute

delighted

depressed

different

difficult

disappointed

disappointing

easy

embarrassed

embarrassing

excellent

excited

exciting

famous

fantastic

favourite

fine

fit

fond

free

frightened

friendly

funny

generous

gentle

glad

good

great

guilt

happy

hard

healthy

heavy

high

hungry

important

intelligent

interested

interesting

jealous

keen

kind

lazy

lovely

lucky

mad

married

miserable

modern

negative

nervous

nice

noisy

normal

old

old-fashioned

ordinary

original

patient

personal

pleasant

poor

positive

pretty

quick

quiet

ready

real

realistic

reasonable

relaxed

reliable

rich

right

rude

sad

satisfied

serious

slim

slow

small

smart

sorry

soft

special

strange

strong

stupid

sure

surprised

sweet

tall

terrible

tired

ture

typical

unable

unhappy

unusual

useful

well

wonderful

worried

wrong

young

2. Places: Buildings:

apartment block/apartment building

ban

centre bookshop

bookstore

building

cafe

cafeteria

castle

cinema

clinic

club

college

cottage

department store

disco

elevator

entrance

exist

factory

flat

gallery

garage

grocery store

guest-house

hospital

hotel

house

library

lift

musuem

office

palace

police station

post office

prison

railway station

ruin

school

shop

sports

stadium

supermarket

swimming pool

theatre

tourist infomration centre

tower

university

3. Places: Countryside:

area

bay

beach

campsite

canal

cliff

desert

earth

farm

field

forest

harbour

hill

island

lake

land

mountain

ocean

path

port

railway

rainforest

region

river

rock

sand

scenery

sea

seaside

sky

stream

valley

village

waterfall

wood

4. Places: Towns & City:

apartment building

airport

booking office

bridge

bus station

bus stop

car park

cash machine

cashpoint

city centre

corner

crossing

crossroads

fountain

market

motorway

monument

park

pavement

petrol station

playground

road

roundabout

route

shopping centre

signpost

square

station

street

subway

town

tunnel

turning

underground

zoo

5. Weather:

blow

breeze

centigrade

cloud

cloudy

cold

coold

degrees

dry

forecast

fog

foggy

freezing

frozen

gale

get wet

heat

hot

humid

ice

icy

lightning

mild

rain

shower

snow

snowfall

storm

sun

sunny

sunshine

temperature

thunder(storm)

warm

weather

wet

wind

windy

/end ID]

Another Topics List

Word lists may be helpful for some people to overcome writer's block.

PERSONAL FEELINGS, OPINIONS, AND EXPERIENCES (Adjectives)

PLACES: Buildings

PLACES: Countryside

PLACES: Towns & City

WEATHER

Source: Cambridge English: Preliminary and Preliminary for Schools Vocabulary List (2012)

More: Word Lists ⚜ Topics Lists

[asr24news]

Harnessing the Power of Wind Energy

ABC News’ Ginger Zee reports on the power of wind in building a renewable energy future, traveling to Block Island, RI to visit America’s oldest offshore wind farm. As the world seeks sustainable energy solutions, wind power stands out as a key player. This post explores the latest innovations in harnessing wind energy, from advancements in turbine technology to the development of offshore wind…

[tsmom1219]

Why US offshore wind power is struggling – the good, the bad and the opportunity

The first U.S. offshore wind farm was built in 2016 off Rhode Island’s Block Island. AP Photo/Michael Dwyer by Christopher Niezrecki, UMass Lowell America’s first large-scale offshore wind farms began sending power to the Northeast in early 2024, but a wave of wind farm project cancellations and rising costs have left many people with doubts about the industry’s future in the U.S. Several big…

[worldtrends12]

A closer look: can right whales and offshore wind safely coexist?

Patrick Flanary: Offshore wind developments and critically endangered right whales are sharing the same waters off our coast, which has raised the question: how safely can they coexist? CAI’s Eve Zuckoff has spent the last few months talking to scientists and cutting through misinformation. Today, she brings us some answers. Hi Eve.

Eve Zuckoff: Hi there, Patrick!

FOR MORE DETAILEDS

Patrick Flanary: Vineyard Wind is building 62 turbines south of Martha’s Vineyard – each stands as tall as the Eiffel Tower. There are more projects to come. What are the concerns about what this means for right whales?

Eve Zuckoff: Well, Patrick, there are four main categories of concern for right whales, and they’re important to define because there are just about 360 of these animals left in the world.

The first concern points to the fact that wherever offshore wind farms are being built and maintained, there will be more boats in the water, which increases the chances of a ship strike, or collision between a boat and whale. There’s also a risk that more right whales could get entangled in marine debris that’s coming from the wind farms. The third concern has to do with how wind farms could possibly affect the copepods – these little crustaceans right whales like to eat – by changing ocean circulation.

And finally, exposure to noise is a concern. The concerns have a bit less to do with what happens once wind farms are built because right whales are incredibly used to a loud ocean; they spend a lot of time in shipping lanes. But during construction there are worries that loud pile driving that’s done to anchor wind turbines to the ocean floor could result in hearing impairment, mask right whales’ vocal communication, stress them out, and affect behavior.

That said, more and more research is addressing those concerns. I talked to a professor from the University of Rhode Island who said whales will often swim away from loud sounds, but the worst case scenario is that a loud sound could create temporary hearing loss.

Patrick Flanary: And to be clear: none of these concerns have meant death for right whales.

Eve Zuckoff: Correct. NOAA has said, “There are no known links between large whale deaths and ongoing offshore wind activities.”

That's true even as the bigger projects like South Fork Wind and Block Island Wind have finished construction, and Vineyard Wind is a year and change into building.READ MORE...

[avion122]

Unlocking Rhode Island: Exclusive Private Tour Transportation Options

Rhode Island, despite its small size, is rich in history, culture, and natural beauty. From charming coastal towns to historic landmarks to scenic landscapes, there's a lot to explore in the Ocean State. To truly unlock the treasures of Rhode Island and delve into its hidden gems, exclusive private tour transportation options provide unparalleled convenience, flexibility, and personalized experiences. Here, we delve into some of the top exclusive Rhode Island Private Tour Transportations, helping you uncover the state's wonders in style and comfort.

Private Yacht Charters: Coastal Luxury

For an exclusive and luxurious way to explore Rhode Island's picturesque coastline, private yacht charters offer the ultimate transportation experience. Imagine cruising along the sparkling waters of Narragansett Bay, passing by historic lighthouses, secluded beaches, and charming waterfront towns. With a private yacht charter, you can customize your itinerary to include stops at your favorite destinations, whether it's enjoying a gourmet picnic on a private island, snorkeling in pristine waters, or simply relaxing on deck with a glass of champagne. Many yacht charter companies in Rhode Island offer fully crewed yachts with amenities such as gourmet catering, water sports equipment, and onboard entertainment, ensuring a memorable and exclusive exploration of the state's coastal treasures.

Helicopter Tours: Aerial Perspectives

For a truly unique and exhilarating way to see Rhode Island from a different perspective, consider booking a helicopter tour for your private exploration. With a helicopter tour, you can soar above the state's iconic landmarks, scenic landscapes, and historic sites, enjoying breathtaking views that are only possible from the air. Whether you're flying over Newport's historic mansions, the rugged coastline of Block Island, or the tranquil waters of the Sakonnet River, a helicopter tour provides an unforgettable experience that will leave you with memories to last a lifetime. Many helicopter tour companies in Rhode Island offer customizable tour packages, allowing you to tailor your flight route and duration to your preferences, ensuring a personalized and exclusive aerial adventure.

Vintage Car Tours: Classic Charm

For a journey back in time and a taste of classic charm, consider embarking on a vintage car tour of Rhode Island's scenic countryside and historic landmarks. Imagine cruising along winding country roads in a beautifully restored vintage car, passing by rolling hills, picturesque farms, and quaint New England villages. With a vintage car tour, you can explore the state's hidden gems at a leisurely pace, stopping to take photos, enjoy a picnic lunch, or visit local attractions along the way. Many vintage car tour companies in Rhode Island offer a fleet of meticulously maintained classic cars from the 1920s to the 1960s, allowing you to choose the perfect vehicle to complement your style and preferences, ensuring an exclusive and memorable journey through Rhode Island's past and present.

Luxury Motorcoach Tours: Group Exploration

For larger groups or families looking to explore Rhode Island's top attractions together in comfort and style, luxury motorcoach tours offer the perfect transportation solution. With spacious interiors, panoramic windows, and onboard amenities such as Wi-Fi, entertainment systems, and plush seating, luxury motorcoaches provide a comfortable and convenient way to travel from one destination to another. Whether you're visiting historic sites, touring scenic landmarks, or enjoying outdoor activities, a luxury motorcoach allows your group to travel together, share experiences, and create memories along the way. Many tour operators in Rhode Island offer customizable tour packages tailored to your group's size, interests, and preferences, ensuring an exclusive and enjoyable exploration of the state's treasures.

Conclusion

Rhode Island is a destination brimming with hidden gems waiting to be discovered, and exclusive private tour transportation options provide the key to unlocking its treasures in style and comfort. Whether you choose to explore the state's picturesque coastline by private yacht, soar above its iconic landmarks by helicopter, journey through its historic sites in a vintage car, or embark on a group exploration in a luxury motorcoach, the possibilities for exclusive and personalized experiences are endless. By opting for an exclusive private tour transportation option, you can create memories that will last a lifetime and uncover the true essence of Rhode Island's beauty, history, and culture. So, as you plan your visit to the Ocean State, get ready to unlock Rhode Island and embark on an unforgettable journey of discovery and exploration.

[creterentcarsgr]

The Complete Guide to Driving in Crete: Essential Car Rental Info

With its mountainous landscape, seaside cliffs, and winding rural roads, Crete can be a challenging place for visitors to navigate by car. But the freedom of having your own wheels makes it infinitely easier to experience all that Greece's largest, most diverse island has to offer. Follow this essential car rental guide to ensure smooth, stress-free driving around Crete.

Choosing Your Rental Car Carefully

When booking your Crete rental car, think seriously about your itinerary. Do you plan on sticking mostly to cities and paved highways? Or venturing deep into remote mountain and canyon terrain? While tiny economy cars can squeeze down narrow alleyways in villages, a larger crossover SUV may be the smart choice for rural backroads that are unpaved and rutted.

Similarly, if you’ll be driving longer distances across the island daily, opt for a larger model with more comfortable legroom and trunk capacity. Automatic transmissions are rare and pricey in Crete – so know how to drive stick shift if booking a manual rental car.

Getting Used to Driving Conditions

Whether traversing tight cobblestone village lanes, dusty farm tracks, or steep, looping canyon byways, Crete’s roads demand your full attention. Practice defensive driving here – staying focused, driving cautiously, and yielding carefully. Upkeep on rural roads can be spotty, so expect uneven surfaces and loose gravel.

Mountain roads feature tight switchbacks and shoulder-less cliffs. Coastal routes hug precarious seaside precipices. At the same time, highways see fast-moving traffic, while inner-city streets in Heraklion and Chania often involve congestion. So remain flexible and patient when getting around.

Navigating Like a Local

With a good Crete road map or GPS navigation app, driving the island is very manageable. Road signage is decent, but still not always obvious when exiting highways or entering small towns. Don’t simply rely on wayfinding apps, as mobile coverage still has blackout zones across rural Crete.

Learn to navigate like the locals do – using landmarks over street names. See that domed church on the hillside? Use it as your guide. The twisting gorges and seasides also mean out-of-sight detours are commonplace. So have backup directions on hand, and allow plenty of time to get lost now and then!

Parking Tips & Etiquette

Finding parking in Crete's bustling cities can be tricky. Narrow one-way lanes dotted with mopeds limit street parking options. Head straight for public car parks instead to avoid tickets. Display your timed ticket visibly on your dashboard as proof of payment.

In small villages, avoid blocking narrow alleyways or curbside storefront deliveries with ill-positioned parking. Pulling onto sidewalks and road shoulders is common practice, but do so considerately without hindering pedestrians or traffic flow.

Driving Defensively With Unwritten Rules

While Crete drivers are largely courteous, rural areas come with unwritten driving etiquette to understand:

Expect tailgating at slower speeds. Don't take it personally, just pull over when safe so faster cars can pass comfortably.

Flashing high beams means "I’m coming through!” not hostility towards you necessarily. Slow down and let them go by.

Honk horns to show presence when backing up or approaching blind corners - not anger or impatience.

Finally – don't stress! Driving in Crete is best enjoyed by embracing the Dionysian spirit of controlled chaos. Armed with these tips for renting and driving around the island, navigate Crete's roads smoothly while reveling in its wild beauty.

[goodguydotmp3]

Rambling thoughts about capitalism

Okay so i love playing cozy games even if the concepts are usually out of this world. I'm talking run of the mill "[insert family member] died/is dying you have to come back to their home/farm to pick up the mantle and oh yeah you have to get pretty much all of your raw materials and produce yourself"

Now obviously in the real world that's ridiculous I can't just pick up a pick ax and a helmet and go mine my own iron these days (nor should I!) But it has got me thinking recently about appreciating the basics

Especially as I've been (re)playing my time at portia to wind my mind down recently. I won't go into specifics bc its not my point but you basically come to this town with almost nothing and you have to claw your way into being the best. Pretty standard.

One of the things that stuck me recently as the cyclical nature of some of this stuff. I have to pay a couple hundred to go into the cheapest mine to find relics of the old word and ore that I can turn into usable bars and then into machines and products and things. I then sell them or accept commissions to be able to keep affording the mine and keep building more contraptions.

And yet? Early on in the game the mayor talks about having no money to fund certain projects. Hello?? I am a people pleaser who likes Tasks sir, literally put me on a project and I will work for free access to more materials so i can work more.

And obviously this is not how real life works but some of these reoccurring themes I feel like could work. Like in one of the games there was a general store that had produce but I definitely made a surplus of food in that game so why did we need to rely on mainland crops when I absolutely could have made produce for the entire Island.

This is...long but essentially my point is why do we not live in smaller more self sustaining societies with horizontal leadership? There's not some angel in the sky that delivers our internet or tea or wine or soap etc. It's people. People who do the work,who make the thing,who transport the thing, who get it to the consumer, who consumes, who goes to work etc etc etc

Why do so many people do work that is not directly sustaining their society like im sorry but I don't need to know what jlo is doing but I will inevitably need a plumber. How do we have jobs that are that far removed from reality when people can't afford (EVIL WORD) or don't have access to basic necessities.

Like, even in the video game world you have to build on what you already have (some taking it to the extreme) so how did we get to the point where we live in a precarious tower of blocks with a toddler running full speed at us