#Bulk and Full Line Vending Machines

[basementcoffee]

underdog / chapter 1 ghost x f!reader / cyberpunk au / masterlist

cw: extremely dubious consent, power imbalance, alcohol, reader is in over her head, antagonistic ghost, everyone has ulterior motives, liberties taken with the cyberpunk 2077 lore/universe - full tags in masterlist

Stars flare above the crown of your head. 

The bottle in your hands sweats beneath the heat, condensation running in rivulets over your fingers as you hoist it high. The show dazzles the men crammed into the sticky booth, the light scattering across their sweat-glossed skin and the dark, thumping walls. The arms unoccupied by dates welcome you into the mix.

Their ringleader, a man in green, beckons with the click of his tongue. You tuck yourself between his spread legs and perch passerine on the edge of the low table. He leans in to get a better look, and you meet his gaze with an obliging smile as he presses a glass into your hand.

You chat. You entertain. His hand finds your knee, and you let it sit. You laugh at all of his jokes and nod when he rambles on about securities. It’s all part of the game: constructed intimacy, scaffolded by clever flirting and veiled detachment. Roleplay.

Everyone knows why they are here. It’s another night at Prism.

You get a name. Win. Short for Winston, as though that should mean something. The smile plastered to your face holds, miracle of miracles. Corny nickname aside, he’s not terrible company. A smooth-talker, sure, but you’ve endured worse. An hour passes, and somewhere between bottles three and four, he draws out the shorthand of your life story.

It’s the same tired song every transplant sings: a kid from a struggling town runs away to Night City with no backup plan. Men with money love an underdog.

When he asks what you ran for, you brace for condescension: fame and fortune. Cliché. Naïve. You rattle off your meager resume of adverts on vending machine and elevator screens, and a demo reel stitched from a handful of microbudget horror films. Painful dialogue and dated effects, but you scream like hell and look good doing it. And, being devoid of all extraneous cyberware, you’re a novelty on sets. It’s your thing. It makes directors want to cut you up.

That gets a grin.

“So you’re all natural?”

What a line.

You smile, aiming for sultry, and sweep the backs of your nails up the chrome along his jaw. You push a stray lock of hair behind his ear, quip ready—

—and a massive gloved hand snatches yours in a painful grip.

You yelp, hauled to your feet with such alarming ease it’s as though you float to the toes of your high heels. The rest of the arm seemingly materializes from shadow, and a body follows.

Big.

It speaks, low-pitched and slightly modulated. Two words scrape the air.

“That’s enough.”

A pale, hulking man looms. A brutal silhouette swathed in clothes whose tailoring can’t even hide the reinforced bulk of his frame. An expressionless, matte-black mask sculpts tightly around the lower half of his face, and above it, a thick, lowered brow hangs like a mantle over a pair of dark, depthless eyes tinged red.

Head razored down to the skin, a nasty scar rides along his hairline—a fleshy welt that begins near a temple and arcs around the skull’s curve like a failed autopsy. Crude, stapled shut with dermal rivets. A network of thin wires disappearing into ports behind his ear and snaking beneath his collar.

He squeezes. An invisible choke chain demanding your wandering focus. His optics contract, and an iridescent eyeshine shimmers for the briefest instant. 

Violation pulses in your gut.

Win rises to his feet. “Hey, Ghost–”

“Do we have a problem?” Irina’s rasp purrs like a revving engine in your ear. There’s well over a foot of height between her and this Ghost.

Win grabs Ghost’s wrist, and you inhale sharply the speed at which his eyes snap to the offending appendage. He glares at the ringed fingers as if they’re slathered in shit.

“C’mon, buddy. Be friendly.” Win chuckles nervously, oblivious. “Sorry about that. Bodyguard. A mite overprotective.” 

You snatch your wrist back once the shackle on it loosens, and gently rub. Bodyguard. Between his build and his spendthrift employer, he’s probably packed with implants. Probably could’ve pulverized every bone in your hand. That alone makes you a little dizzy.

Irina herds you with the crook of her arm. “Excuse us.”

You resist instinctually, chin tilting to catch her ear, “Our tips?” You can’t afford to forfeit an enny.

“Don’t worry. Go ice that, and tell Mal.” 

At the booth’s edge, she pats you on the ass with a wink. There’s no arguing.

You glance back at the edge of VIP. Win’s shoulders quake mid-tirade, laying into his bodyguard, but Ghost’s not paying attention. His gaze is locked on you. Sweeping down and up in study.

Creep.

Finding your overworked manager is a chore. You wade through bodies in stinking, perfumed air, fastening a cryopatch to your wrist with a pair of nylons as you go. It’s worth the hassle, though, Mal barely blinks before slapping a service surcharge onto the tab, no questions asked.

A cigarette’s clamped between your lips when Irina finds you in the alley. She kisses your cheek, then your wrist. The tenderness is a balm. Short of a housemother, more akin to an older sister. She’s been where you are.

“Your friend asked for you. Says he wants to tip you himself.”

You snort. “Of course he does.”

“Mm, he gave me a stack. Imagine what he has for you, pretty girl.”

Your neck cracks from the speed at which you turn, searching for the joke. 

“You’re serious.”

“I would never lie to you.”

Her soft laughter chases you indoors. You slow as you return to the main floor, not wanting to appear too desperate. Irina didn’t even speak to Win aside from rescuing you from his brute. You spoke to him. Touched and fawned over him. If he wants to apologize by paying your bills for a month, who are you to protest?

The booth’s quieter, thinned out. Most men have migrated to the rail to survey the crowd writhe below. Win clocks your approach, his money clip gleaming like bait on a hook. You check the corners. Ghost is gone.

Win stands with a lacquered smile. “So, she found you. I was hoping you didn’t bolt.”

Not with a month’s rent possibly on offer. “Of course not.”

“Brave. Ghost’s intense. Wouldn’t be the first girl to run.”

You’ve met your share of monsters. Been chased by them on camera, for money or exposure. “I don’t scare easy.”

Win’s tongue glides over his teeth, and he thumbs through the wad of cash. Your pulse jumps in your throat. Eyes up, like the money isn’t there at all. 

“Maybe I’ll have to replace him,” he muses. “Half his job is being scary.”

With the watchdog gone, you walk your fingers up Win’s arm and squeeze his bicep. “Let’s not talk about him,” you murmur. “Let’s toast to you. One more round. My treat.”

He tilts his head at that, smile tightening. For a second, your stomach knots—you’ve misstepped.

“Oh, babe, you really don’t know who I am, do you?”

His fingers close around the money.

Fuck.

You scan him again. His hair. The suit. The rings.

“Don’t hurt yourself,” he winks. “The name ‘Goforth’ ring a bell?”

Double fuck.

Goforth. As in, The Goforth Agency.

The agency behind half of Night City’s elite—icons, influencers, politicians, idols. They don’t merely build careers—they launch them into orbit. They pluck hopefuls from anonymity and remake them into household names. Manufacture stars the way All Foods cultures meat. Their reach is long, their clients and business spotless. At least, on the surface.

Beneath that veneer? The rumors are endless. Blackmail. Extortion. Trafficking. Murder. The kind of power that doesn’t just protect its assets, but erases threats wholesale.

Any family with that many zeroes to their name has their fingers in unsavory pies, and you’ve been flirting with an apparent scion.

All your flirty bravado dissolves as realization washes over you. He’s not some run-of-the-mill spoiled kid spending daddy’s money. He’s pedigree. Legacy. Stands so tall because there’s a pile of bodies beneath his feet courtesy of his family.

“Does it?” he repeats.

You nod.

“Tongue-tied, baby?”

You force a breath, light-headed, bubbly with panic and too much cheap champagne. “I had no idea.”

He chuckles. “I see that. Well, I don’t advertise it. Don’t want to attract the wrong type of attention, you know?”

Your smile wavers. Yeah, you fucking know.

It really makes sense now, why his huscle’s a chromed-out, hand-crushing titan.

“That’s why you have Ghost.”

The money finally slips into your palm.

“Exactly. Everyone wants a piece once you’re worth something.”

After a shared smoke and no small amount of cajoling on his part, you flick him your demo reel. He watches it there and then, cigarette burning down to the filter, and by the time you’ve crushed it under your heel, he’s calling himself your agent.

On the ride to his place, he drops your robo-agent, and in the morning, you sign paperwork in his bed. No need to step foot in a Goforth office when you have direct access to the future CEO. Non-disclosures, exclusivity contracts. Things you don’t fully understand, but initial anyway. Industry standard, he explains.

That night, in the afterglow, he presses his teeth to your neck and murmurs a promise: I’ll make you a star.

And like that, you’re in. Folded into his world—and beneath him—as though you’d belonged there from the start.

Weeks pass in a blur.

The time funnels into an eight-week intensive—scene study, cold reading, and dialect. You wake early to attend classes, and crash late after work. The confidence built hustling in Prism is laughable, stripped bare under the scrutiny of instructors and a gaggle of other ambitious hopefuls. Failure, though, isn’t a luxury you can afford. You dig in. Rebuild.

Your wardrobe flips. Third and fourth-hand clothes cycle out for fabrics you’ve never worn before—silks, cashmeres, synthetics engineered to shimmer like liquid. Cuts that hug and drape right. Win parades you around to his friends, arm snug around your waist. Introduces you as the next big thing. To remember your face.

Appointments multiply—salons, spas, clinics. No mods, though. Win’s adamant. What was once something you joked about, your ‘organic integrity’, becomes your edge. Your brand. The only exception is your optics. Top-shelf Kiroshi, in any color you want. Preloaded with a trimmed-down version of his own contact net—names, affiliations. Everything you’ll need to navigate the circles he moves you through.

You jump from a ten-second clip for Budget Arms to an Avante microfilm. No lines, visage buried under makeup—but when your image appears on the side of a Westbrook tower, it almost bowls you over. Your coworkers whistle when you clock in. 

It’s a high like nothing else.

Despite everything Win gives, there are lines you’re not allowed to cross.

You learn not to pry. You don’t challenge the boundaries he draws on the city map, districts you’re to avoid unless he’s with you. Don’t protest your dismissal from conversations and meetings. Don’t question why he requires that you report any strange cars or customers that idle at the club. Don’t press when he vanishes without warning, unreachable for days, only to return with gifts and no explanation.

You don’t ask, because deep down, you already know. And knowing the wrong thing, knowing anythingat all, can get you killed.

Still—when Win’s around, things are good. Even if it means Ghost is, too.

Win repeatedly tells you to ignore his turret on legs. Easier said than done.

To Ghost’s singular credit, it is his job—hypervigilance, threat assessment—but you find yourself the subject of his near-constant surveillance. Unapologetically, unashamedly. Not an ounce of professionalism in how he stares. Dissecting like he’s visualizing how to peel you open and study whatever softness hides inside. As if you’re the biggest threat in every room.

When you meet his gaze, daring him to look away first, he doesn’t. He holds it. Leans into it. It sears, lingering even after you drop your eyes and pretend to listen to Win’s laugh. A hot, needling thing that slices clean through whatever butterflies Win manages to stir.

You catch Ghost watching from doorways, mirrored surfaces, the rearview. Especially when you’re in Win’s lap, his tongue in your mouth. He glares, repulsed as if you’re shit to scrape off his boot.

It gets worse when Win starts sending him with you on jobs.

Suddenly, he is your shadow. Your unwanted chaperone. He makes it clear he believes the assignment’s beneath him. He’s mean about it. 

Grumbles when you lag behind, sighs loud enough for all to hear. He skulks about during meetings and auditions, draining the air from every conversation. At shoots, he posts up out of frame—arms folded, jaw clenched. When stylists fix your hem or photographers adjust your posture, his brow sinks in open contempt.

You learn fast: every time Win—or anyone else—touches you, Ghost finds a way to remind you he saw.

Which is rich, considering how little he respects your space.

Booths. Bar stools. Car seats. He spreads out. Takes up all the room he can, leg pressed against yours, arm draped behind your head, elbow brushing your ribs. And when you try to squeeze past, he stays exactly where he is—forcing contact, your body dragged along his like static cling.

He doesn’t leer. Never says a lewd word. He doesn’t need to.

One night, the belt jams in the Caliburn, and you wrestle with it uselessly. Ghost watches for maybe two seconds before sighing like you’re a dense child.

“Ever ride in a fuckin’ car before?”

You bristle, poised to snap back, but he leans across you without warning. One big hand grabs the belt, yanks it into place. He pulls back, knuckles skimming your waist, your belly, your hip—deliberate and utterly unnecessary.

He slaps your thigh after, like a mechanic shutting a hood. Hard enough to sting. You yelp, more startled than hurt.

Ghost laughs. It coils in your belly and stays there.

“So I take it I’m not going to Palm Springs.”

“What? Baby, no, no. I told you last week, it’s all business—you’d be bored out of your mind.”

A slice of pain. You worry at a hangnail, peeling it until blood beads. Your thumb finds your mouth, teeth closing gently around the torn cuticle, tugging it like a loose thread. You’d hoped he might change his mind, but after losing the Jinguji Spring-Summer campaign, you had an inkling.

“Maybe, but I’d be bored out of my mind by a private pool.” 

Win steps out of the ensuite, monogrammed toiletry bag dangling from his hand. He grins, finding you perched expectantly at the bed’s edge. He chuckles, tossing the bag into his suitcase before crouching, warm palms landing on your bare knees.

“Trying to make me late?”

“Maybe. Is it working?” 

He pushes your dress to your thighs, unhurried, clearly weighing the pros and cons of rearranging his scheduled AV in real time. His eyes flicker, that peridot gleam catching the light as he kisses the corner of your mouth. 

“Not going to work this time, Stella.” He teases, sorting through a stack of shirts. Stella. His nickname for you, the one that stuck—vintage, all tied up in your inevitable stardom. It’s not great, but it’s better than—

“Princess.” Ghost flatly intones from the doorway. “Your carriage awaits.”

You don’t look, instead grabbing Win’s sleeve. “Fine. Why don’t we plan a trip for when you’re back? Just the two of us? How about Seattle—”

“Stella,” Win breezes your name through his perfect, clenched teeth, and his hands stall. “I can’t make any promises. We’ll see if our schedules allow for that, okay?”

You release his sleeve, staring at the silver in his skin. There’s a balance here, one you can’t afford to upset.

A finger lifts your chin, and for a fleeting moment, guilt flits across his features before he kills it stone dead. “Hey, I love the excitement, baby. Really. But I’ve got a lot riding on this trip, okay?”

Nothing new there. The future always hinges on some deal.

Another chance to put your recent education to work. You smile. Silly you, sticking your nose into your not-boyfriend’s business. “Yeah, of course. Say hello to your dad for me, and call me.”

He pauses, glancing past you. “I will, baby.” 

The kiss he steals is abrupt and consuming, too much tongue and enough to siphon air from your lungs. His hands close over your thighs, possessive, rings biting into flesh hard enough to mark.

Ghost clears his throat. Win doesn’t seem to hear it, but you do. A crystal clear reminder.

When he pulls away, you whisper again, creaky, “Call me.”

He nods, guiding you to your feet and nudging you toward Ghost. “Make sure she gets to the car.”

Ghost drums his fingertips boredly on the rail. You regard the floor counter as a countdown. A fuse.

You hate being alone with him. It isn’t enough for him to invade your personal space, he must always come armed with some cruel barb to stick you with. Every word’s a test, a tripwire. Designed to keep you constantly bracing for the next snap of his teeth at your heels. It’s suffocating. A loaded gun pressed to your skull. 

More than once, you’ve begged Win to dismiss him. Told him the man makes your skin crawl, but it doesn’t matter. He’s blind to his guard’s behavior. Ghost’s safe. Ghost’s vetted. Bullshit. It doesn’t account for the way Ghost looks at you. His talent for backing you into corners, physically or otherwise.

Even now, it’s a matter of time until he—

“Shame about the trip,” he sneers. “Sunshine, little umbrella drinks, sunning your arse by the pool. That what you thought was gonna ‘appen?”

You stiffen. He needs no reply to continue. 

“‘ate to break it to you, but Junior’s never gonna bring you home to ‘is daddy. Never was. Thought you’d’ve caught on by now.”

Forty, thirty-nine, thirty-eight.

“You’re eye candy when ‘e’s got downtime. You’re not on the itinerary. You’re a piece of meat on the menu.”

That one flays to the bone, because you can’t deny it. Because you’ve tried not to believe it. Shoved every creeping doubt down, smothered them in excuses and daydreams, wrapped them in every sweet, flattering thing Win’s ever said. You’ve clung to the idea that you matter. That you’re more than another client to manage and a warm body to enjoy when it’s convenient. That he keeps you at arm’s length from his business because he cares. Not because he’s ashamed or following some cold-blooded family playbook you wouldn’t even know how to begin reading.

But Ghost? He doesn’t share your delusions nor will he entertain them. He cuts straight to the ugly truth, and what’s worse—

You’re not sure he’s wrong.

Your shift leaves you dusted in glitter. Steeped in cologne and stale cigar smoke. You swear Muttonchops and his buddy were deliberately testing your patience. Dragging out their stay, trading smug looks over their glasses like you couldn’t hear their crude commentary. Irina nearly backhanded the younger one after the third time he called her Bonnie.

At least the commute home was painless. With Win and Ghost both out of town, you’re flying solo. Cabs aren’t a luxury you can afford every night, but tonight you indulged. Worth every eddie.

Your feet throb, your head’s pounding. All you want is a shower. The elevator hums softly, coaxing you into a stupor as it inches up the tower, floor by floor, until finally, you’re home.

But something’s off the second you step into the corridor and find it empty.

No neighbors loitering. No one passed out on the floor. No muffled music or screaming. It’s as if everyone’s abandoned ship, but you know that’s not true. The lobby was bustling when you walked in.

Then, you see it, halfway down the hall. 

Your door’s ajar.

No—not just ajar. The edge of the metal slab is crumpled. Peeled back and then slammed shut again, bent and twisted like foil. You see it clearly in the dim hallway light: four deep gouges in the frame. Finger-sized.

Your stomach drops. Déjà vu strikes, raising goosebumps with a memory from a space horror you were cut from last-minute.

For a moment, you stand there, pulse rabbiting in your ears, then reach down slowly to slip off one heel. It’s not much of a weapon, but it’s the only thing in reach. You hold it tight, and nudge the door open.

Silence.

You tiptoe in—and there’s no one. No scavs. No psycho.

But the place is wrecked.

Your studio’s been torn apart. Every drawer gutted, every surface overturned. The tiny space you kept so meticulously neat is unrecognizable—your vanity-slash-dining-table a messy sprawl of open perfume bottles, the scents mingling in a sickly, cloying mist. Combs and brushes fanned out like tools. Even the bathroom’s been ransacked, med cabinet doors yawning wide, contents obviously rifled through.

You cross the room in stiff steps.

The bed’s a ruin. Pillows and duvet shoved into a corner, sheets completely gone. The wall beside it, once a carefully curated shrine of posters—movie stars, idols, your own small pantheon—is stripped. Torn down, scraps left fluttering.

The worst of it, the very worst, awaits by the wardrobe.

You move like a ghost, detaching piece by piece. It’s easier to pretend you’re watching this unfold instead of living it. Stepping over the heap of clothes tossed carelessly across the floor, your gaze locks on the open drawers.

Your underwear’s been pawed through.

Hands trembling, you count—at least three pairs of panties. The silk slip you bought with your first real paycheck. Sheer and impractical, but you cherished it.

All gone. Nothing else is missing.

Violation.

Whoever broke in didn’t come looking for valuables. They came to touch. They wanted you to see their work and for you to know they’d been inside.

The heel slips from your hand to the floor. Behind you, the door collides with the warped frame. Tries to shut, unable to latch. Thud. Again. Thud. Then it gives up.

When the fog lifts, you call Win—tears bubbling and spilling fast. He doesn’t ask, only promises Ghost will pick you up. Take you somewhere safe.

Thought this might happen. Stalkers, baby. You get used to ‘em. Sickos get obsessed. It’s time anyway, you’ve outgrown the place, Stella.

You gather the essentials. When you pull back the shower curtain to grab shampoo, you shriek.

There, wadded and soaked at the bottom of the tub, are your sheets. Half-heartedly washed and stained.

You turn away and puke.

It’s a small mercy that Ghost doesn’t say anything awful when you slip into the passenger seat, sniffling and hugging your bags.

“I thought you were in Palm Springs.”

“Clearly not.”

He’s damp, a sheen to his skin. Soap clings behind his ear, suds drying around the edge of his neuroport. His knuckles are pink, scrubbed raw along the joints and plating. There’s a gym bag tossed in the backseat, and for a brief moment, guilt twinges hot in your chest.

This clearly wasn’t how he planned to spend his night.

When he reverses, one hand braces behind your headrest, and it stays there.

It takes a few red lights before you notice the touch: a single finger brushing the back of your neck, tracing through the gap in the seat. Featherlight. Absent or intentional, you can’t tell with him.

He doesn’t speak. Doesn’t look your way.

You let it happen.

Strangely, it helps—though whether that’s despite him or because it’s him, you’re not sure. It disarms you, comfort arriving from a man so typically merciless. It unsettles even as it calms. By the time he pulls up to a hotel, your breathing’s evened out. The trembling in your limbs gone.

You’re caught off guard when he accompanies you inside, that same hand migrating to your lower back to guide you through the lobby. You move in a fog, not fully grounded in your own body, allowing yourself to be led like a skittish animal. The unexpected gentleness soothes—until his palm glides north and curls possessively around the nape of your neck.

He tilts your head with enough pressure to shatter that fragile calm.

“You call mefirst when there’s trouble. Understood?”

You nod tremulously. He doesn’t let go.

“Say it.”

“I’ll call you,” you stammer, nodding harder. “I’ll call you first.”

Satisfied, he grunts. Taps a knuckle to your chin in odd punctuation.

“Good girl.”

The next night, Prism’s slow. Not unusual for a weekday, but it lands you in the stockroom, elbow-deep in crates of bottles. A fresh-faced barback chattering nonstop beside you.

You made the mistake of venting to Irina about the break-in, and now the whole staff knows. Every other person’s offered their own horror story, or reminded you—so helpfully—that you were lucky not to be home.

Home invasions go hand-in-hand with scav kidnappings. Which leads to organ theft and implant harvesting. Which leads to no one ever finding your body in a garbage heap.

Really sets a positive tone for the day. 

You beg the universe for distraction. Anything to drag you away from the kid babbling about where secondhand Kiroshis come from.

As if summoned, Mal rescues you.

“Small party. Upstairs. Garnet booth.”

You’re already brushing past with thanks as she flicks the details over. You check your hair, grab the selected bottle, fasten the sparkler, and head for the stairs.

You pick up speed, double-timing it as the sparkler sputters, warming up to its full show. Slowing only near the top, you adjust your grip and smooth your expression, pulling on your brightest smile. You’ve got a lost rental deposit to recover.

Small group, indeed. No overlapping voices, no bodies spilling out of the edges of the private crimson booth. Maybe it’s a promotion or deal. Whatever it is, you’ve got your lines ready.

Then you see who it is. Ghost.

Sprawled in the booth with one leg kicked out, the other propped up lazily. His arms drape along the backrest, a jacket folded neatly beside him. The top buttons of his shirt hang undone, and the ambient light catches the silver veins of wiring tracing from his temples beneath the fabric.

You hesitate. Briefly entertain the idea of tossing the demi-sec straight at his smug face.

You know he’s smirking under the mask when he crooks two fingers, beckoning you closer.

“Champagne’s shit.”

Ghost mentions for the fifth time. Sat between his legs on the table’s edge, you find yourself staring at the faint outlines of panels beneath his shirt. The champagne flute in his mitt looks more like a test tube.

“I can get you another drink,” you repeat, also for the fifth time.

The sum of his visit: you, trying to do your job, and him, a useless asshole. Whatever ounce of kindness he showed last night, he seems determined to wipe it clean from your memory.

“No.”

You glare as he turns away to pull his mask down for a drink, then look over your shoulder. The club’s still solidly dead.

“If you don’t want anything, can I at least go—”

“No.”

Your patience frays more by the millisecond. “If I’m just going to sit on my ass all night—”

“You’re getting paid. You’re comfortable.”

“Hardly. Why are you even here? Shouldn’t you be with Win? Umbrella drink in hand?”

Ghost stares flatly, then slowly leans forward, forcing you to duck awkwardly to avoid contact. He sets his empty glass near your hip.

This close, you can’t help but peer down his open shirt at the exposed cyberware of his chest. At the protruding veins and cords. The champagne in his breath mingles with smoke and a twist of mint. You’d scrunch your nose if he wasn’t technically a guest and you weren’t on the clock.

“Never left,” he mutters, finally leaning back and giving you space to breathe. “Junior’s old man got plenty of security.”

“So you were bored and decided to stalk me at work.”

He snorts. “Ain’t exactly ‘ere by choice. I’m babysittin’ on account of your place gettin’ tossed.”

“That’s a terrible demotion.”

“We’re agreed.”

Your thoughts unwillingly circle, returning to your apartment. The sheets. Your missing panties.

“Guess it’s sweet of Win to care enough to send you, though, after the break-in. Did he say when—”

Ghost knocks a knee against yours. “Aren’t you supposed to dance?”

You clench your jaw so tight you might crack a tooth. “No.”

“Seen others do it, and more.”

“It’s up to the individual, and I don’t dance.”

“So, what, you just sit here?” His chin dips. There isn’t a trace of red in them tonight, only a dark, cold brown. “And if I gave you…dunno, five grand? That get me somethin’?”

Your lungs empty in a silent rush. You stare, waiting for a sign. The twitch of a brow. A tell that this is another of his sick tests or pranks. That’s all it is, a ploy to catch you out. He doesn’t want anything like that from you. Not really. He wants to watch you squirm.

The thought creeps in anyway, uninvited. You picture it. The narrow space between his legs, the roll of your hips, teasing him. Skimming your hands up his thighs and chest. His hands on your waist, gripping—

You swallow the fantasy down, seeing for what it really is, a product of his mind games.

“No way.”

“Took a second,” he murmurs. “You think about it?”

You clamp your mouth shut.

“Oh, Princess,” he chuckles. “You did, didn’t you? Bet you played it out start to finish in that pretty little ‘ead. Poor thing. Sellin’ yourself so short.” 

Drawing his legs in, he rises to his full height. The glass topples with a clink as you scramble backward. He shrugs on his jacket.

“I’d tell you not to let it keep you up tonight, but we both know it will.”

Then he jerks his chin toward the stairs.

“Go get your things. Taking you ‘ome. Got a surprise.”

‘Home’ doesn’t mean the hotel, as it turns out.

Ghost only stopped there long enough for you to grab your things before hauling you off to Win’s place—then disappearing without a word. No instructions, simply disappeared to his wing of the penthouse.

So much for the surprise.

You curl into one corner of the massive sectional, legs tucked, water in hand. You absently scroll the newsfeeds with a glazed stare, mentally adding review lease terms to your ever-growing list.

Heavy footsteps from the hall draw your attention. You double-take.

Ghost emerges from the corridor wearing nothing but a pair of low-slung shorts.

He’s patchwork. Hardware and skin fused and sewn together in layers. Stripped of his usual gear, there’s nothing to distract from the sheer force of him. Where his arms meet his torso, there are visible seams—gaps an inch wide, metal meeting synthetic tendon and wire, connectors and open ports exposed. His forearms are massive, encased in pale, durable polymer and synthskin toned to match his face. Even his knees have been replaced, joints fortified all the way to the ankle.

You can’t look away.

The familiar cables of his neck trail like roots into the panels across his chest. They disappear into the ridges and seams of plating. The scars on his skin there are more precise and cleaner than the one circling his head. But he’s littered with others clearly left by way of violence. Warped, jagged patches that he, for whatever reason, never buffed out.

From this distance, he resembles the surface of the moon. Pitted, cratered, shaped by impact after impact.

And even now, in private, he wears a mask. Plain fabric looped around his ears. Dressed down.

You snap back to the feed the second he pivots toward the living room, and feign disinterest. When he stops in front of you, you glance up like you’ve only just noticed him.

“You’re in my spot.”

You bite your cheek and shuffle over without fuss. Ghost drops into the vacated space with a groan, and sinks into the cushions. He kicks up a leg and the massive screen that dominates the far wall powers on.

He scrolls through endless titles in silence. You try not to stare, but your eyes drift anyway to his hand. The long, thick fingers curled around a beer bottle, one finger easily twice the width of yours.

“You think about it?”

A sip goes the wrong way, and you choke, coughing hard. In the corner of your eye, Ghost twitches as if to clap you on the back, but he lets you fight for your life.

“First time?” he deadpans once you’ve finally sucked in air.

“Asshole,” you croak, wiping your mouth.

“Not very nice when there’s a surprise on the line. Could decide not to give it to you.”

“If it’s from Win, you don’t get a say.”

“Maybe. I think I’ll ‘old onto it ‘til mornin’ all the same.”

You roll your eyes, but he shifts, angling himself slightly toward you, one hand resting on a thigh.

“I am willin’ to negotiate.”

The unspoken implications quarter your thoughts, wrestling them in different directions. You’d call it another stupid test, but he doesn’t look like he’s kidding around. Twice in an hour? He must be in the mood to break something. And without Win around as a safety, you’re the obvious target.

His eyes drill into you, brown irises tinged with a boiling red, dying coals hungry for a spark.

Nerves swallow you whole. You shake your head. “I’ll wait.”

He huffs, the red dulling. “Shame. Sure we could’ve worked something out.” He gestures lazily at the screen, unbothered. “Ever see this one?”

During the final act of Psycho, your eyes spot a dark splotch on the couch.

At first, you don’t understand what you’re seeing—then you spot the curve of an earloop and freeze. Your gaze darts up to confirm it. The film fades in the background.

Ghost remains as he was, locked on the screen, one knee bouncing idly. The light from the film dances white-silver over his skin. Not synthetic, not chrome, not painted and molded polymer. Flesh.

It’s the first time you’ve seen his whole face, and it’s not what you expected. 

Pale lines crisscross the bridge of his nose—surgical, maybe another full replacement or reconstruction. Scars litter his chin like buckshot, interrupted by one that cuts through his upper lip. Another traces the line of his jaw.

More than the damage, it’s the humanity of his face that rattles you most. All that modification, and he’s still so plainly a man.

“Lookin’ at me a lot tonight.” He says suddenly, still glued to the film.

You jump, stutter. “Your face—”

“Yeah? Good work, isn’t it,” Amusement pulls the scar at the corner of his mouth up as he twists to set his glass down, and with that, you get a clearer view of the other side.

Fibrous burn scars mottled with white and pink cover his cheek. A deep gouge, long healed but brutal, cuts a half-moon-shaped hollow beneath his cheekbone from what looks like a failed excavation of his mandible and molars.

“Like what y’see? ‘ave I made an impression?”

It’s unlike any prosthetic or monster-of-the-week mask you’ve seen. It’s real. Gruesome. Alluring in its own strange way.

You look away, ignoring the confusing heat tickling your neck. “An annoying one.”

He chuckles, settling back. “So you say.”

Win gives the surprise away when you call him later. His friend owns a building downtown, and wouldn’t you know it, there’s a unit free. A massive, sun-drenched loft. Partly furnished as the last tenant skipped town after she fell behind on rent. Steep discount on the rent, too, if you want it.

You scroll through the listing while he talks, near-hyperventilating at the sheer size of it. High ceilings, tall windows, polished concrete floors. The location’s perfect. One NCART stop from Studio City. Within reach of work and Win. And with the discount, it’s affordable.

No more thin walls, broken fixtures, or loud neighbors. No more non-existent security.

“Win, this is—this is incredible. Are you sure? I-I mean, I want to say yes…”

He chuckles, shooting you a wink on the screen. “Then say yes. C’mon. You think I’m gonna let my girl keep living in a busted shoebox? Nah, Stella. You’ll learn. You protect your best assets.”

Morning finds you humming as you shimmy on your day-old clothes. Your skirt’s rumpled, the glittery tights split when tugged on, and your feet protest as you shove them into heels—but none of it dims your mood. You skip breakfast, too eager to get going.

When you smugly mention that Win spilled the surprise, Ghost doesn’t say a word, just grunts. Grips his coffee a smidgen tighter. You don’t let it spoil your excitement, either.

On the drive over, you buzz with anticipation. You picture where the bed will go, how the morning light will flood the room. Rugs, colors, textures—maybe splurging on a new couch instead of another dumpster find. A window nook. Real plants. Real art.

It’s more than an apartment. It’s a leap. More tangible proof you’re making it.

“Got a tear.”

“What?” You blink, breaking from your own little world.

Ghost shifts his arm where it’s draped over the center console. Not quite touching, but near enough to edge into your space, causing you to shrink closer to the window. 

Then it moves.

Two fingers extend, and for a second, you assume he’s just pointing out the tear—until they land on it. High on your thigh, beneath the hem of your skirt. They press firm, then slip beneath the nylon.

Before anything else registers, you think: his fingers are cold.

“All tha’ money, and you wear this cheap shite?”

“Ghost—what—”

The tear widens with a whisper-soft sound as he hooks his fingers, tugging. The fabric parts without resistance. You suck in a breath, struck dumb by the sensation, the casually invasive creep of his knuckles against bare skin. His touch trails along the curve of your thigh, stoking heat in its wake despite their chill.

“Fuck, you’re soft…”

Your mouth opens, but no sound comes out. A disconnect, a short circuit. It stutters, looping again and again, unable to bridge the gap between his shitty mood all morning to this.

“Sloppy girl,” he murmurs. “S’posed to keep up appearances, ain’t ya? Wearing tights with runs in ‘em. What would Junior say?”

His hand glides a fraction higher and drags every nerve to the surface, burning like live wires. His pinky ghosts along the inside of your thigh. Testing.

You gulp, horrified to feel your heartbeat sink low into your pelvis. “Ghost—” 

“What?” His hand flexes, pressure ticking up by a degree—just enough to make the implication clear. There’s not a thing you could do to stop him, not really. “You got somethin’ to say, Stella? ”

That stupid name again—drawled like a leash being yanked taut.

Your body finally comes online. You shove his hand away hard, and to your relief, he lets you. He retracts, humming, like you’ve done exactly what he was waiting for.

“Touchy,” he finally looks your way, the faint red glow of his optics simmering. “Relax. Curious is all. Haven’t touched real skin in ages.”

“You didn’t even ask,” you manage through a stutter, fixing your skirt and pressing your knees together tight. Willing the uninvited want, slithering under your skin and burrowing deep, to die.

“Tryin’ to figure you out.”

You turn on him, near apoplectic. “Figure me out?”

The audacity floors you.

“Yeah,” His arm returns to the console. A threat. “You wanna run in the big leagues, but you fall apart as easily as those cheap tights, don’t you?”

The words hit like a slap, flummoxing you into another bout of speechlessness. Rage and shame twist together inside you so tightly they grow indistinguishable.

“S’not worth it.” he mumbles, an afterthought drowned beneath the wail of a passing horn.

“What?”

“Nothin’.”

You don’t chase it. Can’t tell if he meant for you to hear it at all. It wouldn’t matter if he had. He clearly thinks you’re an airheaded piece of arm candy. A dumb girl who’s bitten off more than she can chew.

The car finally stops outside a sleek, mirrored high-rise. You try to hop out immediately, one hand on the door handle, the other clutching your bags, but the lock won’t budge. It forces you to look at him again.

“In a rush?” Ghost eyes you for a moment, then his attention drops to your hemline. His chest rises with a deep breath, and for a second, you think he might do it again. Instead, he looks up, and hits unlock. “Don’t let me keep you.”

You hesitate too long, and of course, he catches it.

“Unless that’s what you want?”

That’s your cue. You’re out of the car in a blink, the door snapping shut behind you. But the window rolls down.

“See you soon, Princess.”

You don’t look back. The run in your tights unravels past your thigh and to your knee. The morning air bites at the exposed skin, chasing off his touch.

[lazywriterkylie]

Day 19: Write a short story that takes place in a laundromat

I've been on a The Last of Us kick ~yet again~ (it happens a few times a year) and I also have delusions that I would thrive in a zombie outbreak. So enjoy this midnight fic :)

I kept one headphone out, just in case. The dark made me nervous. Parking lots made me nervous. Being alone made me nervous.

"What time are you leaving tomorrow?" Alex's tinny voice asked in my ear, disorted by the phone call and my crappy earbuds.

"Probably at four. I want to get on the road before it gets crowded," I responded, hauling on my laundry bag to get it to stay on my shoulder. It's awkward bulk tugged on my hood, and I craned my neck to yank the fabric loose.

"You're three hours ahead of me? So tat's in four hours. Are you going to be okay?"

"Yah," I responded, distracted, "I'll be fine. I'll be out before continental breakfast but I packed food and my tank is full."

Up ahead I watched a small car pull into empty strip mall parking lot and stop at the laundromat under a flickering street light. I slowed my pace, feeling a twang of annoyance and trepidation. I would rather cut my wrists and do push-ups in salt water than deal with other people right now. But the beat up old car shuttered as the engine cut off. The drivers side door opened, and a short stocky figure climbed out. One hand clutched a can and the other was stuffed in the pocket of their dingy hoodie. They staggered forward, stumbling over the curb and through the push doors into the building I was headed towards.

"Shit dude, some shady looking guy just went into the laundromat," I complained quietly, approaching the entrance myself.

"Are you... you know... packing?"

I registered the odd pressure across me chest and nodded slightly to myself.

"Yeah. Yeah I am. And I can't just leave, I walked all this way."

"Aren't you dressed in your baggies?"

"I am."

"Then you probably look like some shady guy right now if you did your job right."

It was true. I wore a huge grey hoodie under my quilted sweater. A sports bra smoothed my chest to an unassuming neutral shape, and I'd washed my makeup off before leaving. I wore my hair in a braid stuffed down the back of my shirt, pulling the hood low and wearing a black surgical mask over my mouth and nose. The only thing that might give me away were my jeans and boots. I had wide hips and my legs were definitely not a man's, and my feet were small. From a distance though, I probably looked like a dude. Which was the whole point.

"Just keep talking to me. Anybody who sees will probably think you're crazy and keep their distance."

"You right."

With as much courage as I could muster, I walked on and made it to the swinging doors plastered in flyers and printed notices from the CDC. I pushed my way in, squinting in the harsh buzzing light that violently lit the scrubby little laundromat. Florescent light poured over every inch of the place, exposing the grimy tile and dusty white machinery that lined the walls and rows of the floor. An old television hung in the far corner over an employee only door and the bathrooms. A change machine, ATM, and vending machines lined the wall to my left, and a few chairs sat against the windows . I shuddered at the thought of sitting with my back to the parking lot.

A few of the dryers were running, and the TV was quietly droning on a news station, filling the eery place with an overwhelming background noise. I scanned the room unabashedly, searching for the drunkard owner of the parked car outside. Empty.

"Cool he's probably in the bathroom. Place it empty for the time being."

"Sick. Get to work."

I turned a sharp right and walked to a washing machine on the end where I could keep an eye on the place and upended my laundry bag. I didn't care to sort the colors like I usually did. I didn't have time to be so picky.

"How's it going?" Alex asked. I could hear things rustling on her end as she packed quickly.

"Good. Just paying."

I untied a long swinging tube sock from the strap of my bag and pulled a dollar fifty out, slotting the change into the machine and pushing it roughly into the pay slot.

"You still using that stupid quarter sock?" I heard the humorous judgement in her voice and chuckled.

"Yep. It's the only way I remember to bring change with me when I come here. I can't carry six bucks in change in my wallet."

"That thing could be used as a weapon."

"Another perk. Why change a working system?"

The washing machine kicked to life and water started filling the tub.

I sighed, leaning back against it and closing my eyes for a moment.

"Done. Just a few more hours and I'll be out of here."

"Hang in there girl."

I could hear her crunching footsteps through gravel in the background, and the slam of her cruisers door.

"Are you almost packed?" I asked, pushing myself back into standing position and wandering over to a vending machine, swinging my quarter sock casually.

"Just about. I just need to grab my cooler and swords."

"You're seriously taking the swords?" I laughed, feeding more quarters into the slot and punching a button. An energy drink banged to the bottom and I reached through the flap to grab it.

"Yes! They may not be sharp but they're all I've got right now. I am not lucky enough to live in a state where you can just carry guns around like a psychopath."

"Whatever keeps you safe i guess."

I popped the tab and took a swig, the carbonation bubbling through my nose. I stopped and coughed a little.

"Ugh. I hate these. But I should probably buy a few more before I go."

"You better not fall asleep at the wheel." Alex warned. I heard her close a door and more foot steps.

"I won't. Aren't your roommates home byt the way? You're making an awful lot of noise," I asked.

"Shana left for Georgia yesterday, and the other two are out at a friend's house."

"Seriously? They are going out with friends with everything going on?"

As I spoke I dug a little bottle of hand sanitizer from my pocket and rubbed it all over my hands and wrists.

"They don't think it's a big deal. I heard Becka say it's all politics."

"Idiot," I grumbled, walking back to my washer and sitting on the machine beside it.

"I know. I need to get out of this house before she brings the bug home."

"Please don't let her get you sick... I don't want another Gabby. I don't think I could handle it."

Alex was quiet for a moment as I heard her packing bags and boxes into what must have been her cooler. I let her do her thing for a moment, working through the sudden knot in my throat.

"She's okay Kylie. She's a smart girl. And where she's at is on the border of the city far from where the crops came from. She's probably in one of the quarantine zones without her phone."

"Yah probably."

I kicked my feet gently against the washing machine. Thinking.

If I left at four, maybe earlier because I doubted I would get much sleep as I was, I might be able to make it to Sioux Falls before dark. Find a nice hotel parking lot to sleep in before making the second leg of the trip. If I played my cards right I'd make it home before Alex, and I could lead our little caravan up to the cabin.

That was assuming I could make it on virtually no sleep and the roads were clear. Which I doubled.

My eyes drifted across the building as I sipped my tropical energy drink and a little buzz errupted at the back of my brain, bringing things into clearer focus. I inspected the CDC & WHO posters tacked and taped haphazardly over the walls and stuck to dryer doors.

Wash your hands.

Cover your mouth.

Avoid produce not grown within the US.

Report to a hospital immediately if you show signs of illness.

I turned my head to the television, tuning in and listening with the ear not plugged into my phone call with Alex.

A blonde anchor woman was reading off of a prompt, looking concerned next to a graphic labeled "infection percentage." The volume was low enough that I really had to strain to hear what she was saying.

"Up next on the Indianapolis Star, we are going live to IU Health North Hospital where reporter Richard Lane is up close and personal with students who are studying strains of the mold found on produce in our very own local grocery store. Ricky?"

The camera cut and the split screen showed a man standing in a full hazmat suite, holding a microphone to another doctor in a suit.

"How are your parents by the way? Any word on how they are handling?" I asked.

"Yeah, I talked to dad yesterday. He said they were quarantined in a special wing in the hospital under doctor supervision. He was feeling alright but mom was still fighting it... hopefully she beats it so they can meet us up north soon..."

"Yeah," I responded.

But I was distracted by what I was seeing on the TV. Something had turned the tides of the interview. The half of the screen that was showing the field interview was waving all over the place, swirling from floor to ceiling, almost as if the camera man was running.

The blonde in the studio was partially standing behind her desk, her finger pressed to her ear as she spoke quickly.

I stood and walked closer, grabbing the remote off of a shelf and jamming the volume button so I could clearly hear what the blonde was saying.

"-that an active shooter may be present on campus, or- no. Sorry, a mob? Am I getting that right? A mob has broken out at the facility. Our reporters and crew are rushing to a safe location, and we ask that any in the area remain in their homes and not involve in the sudden commotion."

As she spoke, the other side of the screen continued to show the coverage coming from the IU Health center. Suddenly the wild camera dropped and spun, and the prone figure of its camera man came into partial view as the instrument rested on the floor. There was chaos, a mob as the woman had said. Camera man was laying on the floor under a desk, and behind him, figures sprinted passed the range of view. Panicked and and erratic in their movement. The camera man pulled himself to his hands and knees, but before he could get to his feet, a large man tackled him, flattening the poor man.

"Oh my gosh, there's a riot breaking out at the IU hospital right now," I said to Alex, turning up the volume further.

"No way?"

"Yeah, I- OH MY GOSH!"

I clasped my hands over my mouth in shock as I watched the large man clamp his teeth down around the camera man's neck, and then the news station cut away, a "we'll be right back!" Message across the screen.

"Whats wrong? Kylie?!"

"I just watched a man go feral on the news!"

"How far away from it are you?" Alex asked, tone suddenly serious.

"Um, that's over by the speedway? No, this is the North hosputal. My hotel is on the north west side by carmel, so like, five or six minutes?"

"Dude, how badly do you need clean underwear to travel?"

Before I could answer, a sound from somewhere outside the laundromat stopped me, muffled by distance and the building walls.

Pop! Pop pop!

Gunshots.

"What is going on!" I ducked down behind the row of washers between myself and the exterior wall, peeking over.

The city lights in the dark beyond were difficult to see through the reflected interior of the laundromat. I saw vaguely the parked car outside and the flickering street light. But beyond that, not much else.

"I've got a bad feeling about this Alex. I think I need to get out of here..."

"Get gone girl."

Just as I was standing to walk to the washer, it's loud blaring alarm triggered the end of its spin cycle. I rushed over to it, the noise making me feel panicked.

I lifted the hinge door and began shoveling damp clothes into my laundry bag, flinching as more and more pops of gunfire echoed in the city outside. A loud car alarm was now blasting somewhere nearby and sirens zoomed by on the road beyond the parking lot.

"Is that shooting?" Alex asked.

"Yeah, somethings going down. I gotta run back to my car across the street. I have all my stuff packed in the jeep already I'm not waiting for check out."

"Good- Oof!!"

I was cut off as something rammed into my side and u was thrown to the floor. My laundry bag landed ontop of my legs, the strap tangled in my boots. My earbud was no longer in my ear, but dangling from its cord and I heard Alex's voice still talking faintly.

I gave a scared and breathles scream as I realized I was being attacked.

I scrambled onto my back and looked up to see a man bearing down on me, crazed and glazed eyes stared ferociously, obscured by the dark hood and strands of sweaty matted hair. I kicked my feet free from the bag and planted a kick into the stocky attackers chest, sending him stumbling backwards onto his back with deranged and babbling screaming.

"GET BACK! STAY AWAY FROM ME!"

I clambered to my feed and backed away as the man clawed back to his feet and came at me, hunched and feral with flailing arms.

I grabbed a laundry cart from behind me and shoved it into him, staggering the man who was drunk or tweaking or something, because he was like an erratic and rabid animal as he snarled and spat.

"LEAVE ME ALONE! I WILL SHOOT!" The scream tore from my throat as i scrambled backwards towards the door. I reached frantically under my hoodie to the strap over my bra, my shaking hands yanking my 9mm Kimber from its hoster and pulling it free from the layers of fabric.

I flipped the safety switch and leveled the small weapon at the man's chest as he got over the toppled cart and lunged. I screamed, and pulled the trigger.

With a bang and a metalic clang the bullet hit the man in the top of his head and tore out the back of his neck into a washer, spraying blood all over the white appliances behind him. He fell forward to the tiled floor with a thud, where he lay motionless.

"OH GOD ALEX. OH GOD! I SHOT HIM!" I shrieked.

I fell to my butt against the wondow and raised a shaking hand to my dangling earbud and stuffed it sloppily back in my ear, Alex's screaming frantic voice meeting me.

"-OUT OF THERE! GO NOW! KYLIE DO YOU HEAR ME?"

"I-I'm here I'm here! I'm okay-okay but I shot him! I need to call the police!"

"KYLIE LISTEN TO ME. YOU NEED TO GET OFF THE STREETS AND TO YOUR CAR NOW. I AM WATCHING THE NEWS NOW AND ITS NOT JUST RIOTS. YOU NEED TO GET OUT OF THE CITY!"

"Okay! Okay!" Grateful for the external assignment of action I sprung to my feet and tore out the glass door into the night. Sprinting frantically from the laundromat across the empty lot towards the cluster of buildings a block away where my hotel held my car. As I left the empty strip mall I took in the looming chaos as sirens and alarms filled the city sky, gunshots reverberated around buildings from virtually every direction, and faint screams and honks joined the chorus to form a cacophony.

"STAY AWAY FROM PEOPLE! DONT STOP TO HELP ANYONE YOU HEAR ME?"

Alex was still yelling in my ear but the rubbing of the headphone cord umder my clothez added to the chaos and made it hard to hear.y speed made my hood fly off and I didn't bother fixing it, to busy running for my life like a prey animal.

I pumped my arms and legs as fast as I could, my boots pounding the rough sidewalk as I rounded a corner and saw my hotel in the distance, maybe a block away. People were spilling from its doors shoving passed eachother as they tried to get out. Several made it to cars and were mounting the curb to get out of the parking lot.

"Almost there!" I cried, spotting my jeep parked against the south wall by the side entrance. I came running into the parking lot and dug my keys from my pocket, hitting the unlock button once. It's lights flashed and I pushed passed a group running together towards their van, tripping as my feet got caught up in someone else's.

"Get up!" One of their group grabbed them and hauled them up and away as I scrapped myself off the ground and staggered forward, partially on all fours until I grabbed my driver's side handle and yanked it open, throwing myself into the driver's seat and hitting the lock button a half a dozen times to be sure to lock the world out.

"I made it! I'm in the jeep!" I gasped, sweating profusely as I struggled through th Indiana humidity and fear. I turned the key in the ignition until it rumbled to life and I threw it in reverse to pull out, switching to drive and plunging through the grassy median onto the road.

"Good! I'm in my car too and headed north to your place. But I'm not hanging up until you're on the freeway!"

"Not a chance," I responded in frustration as a flock of people ran out infront of me, forcing me to slam the breaks.

"What is going on?" I screamed, slapping the wheel and bouncing in my seat as cars and people flooded by in every which way.

"I don't know! My news was saying it's because of the outbreak, it's making people crazy! Sick people are attacking!"

"I'm not going to make it to the freeway." I turned the wheel and drove south onto a side street between a pair of tall buildings where nobody was running.

"How are you going to get out of the city?"

"I am not in the thick of it, ten minutes to the west and I'll be out in the country towards Zionsville and I can take a back way."

"Are you sure?"

"Yah." I stepped on the gas, plowing through a red light and barely missing a woman sprinting down the street.

"Shoot!" I spat, swerving just in time.

"There's people everywhere running! Stay in your houses-"

From behind a truck parked on the road a person darted out infront of me, illuminated in glaring detail in my headlights.

"Crap!" I slammed the breaks but the person smashed into my hood, sending a crack splitting across my windshield before rolling over the side and onto the pavement behind me.

"I HIT HIM!" I shouted, putting it in park and unblinking my seatbelt.

"KEEP DRIVING!"

"BUT I THINK I JUST KILLED-"

Hands pounced the window next to my head and I screamed, turning to see a woman jeering and gnashing her teeth at me, ramming the car with her body and bloody hands.

"AAAAAA!" I fastened my seatbelt and failed about for the gear shift, finding it and putting it back into drive, but to my horror the car wouldn't just groaned and didn't move an inch.

[htmachinerychina]

At the next end of the Quartz color sorting

Nowadays, there is the option of the Quartz powder color sorter which would be a more practical choice than the snack vending for a person who normally works on full time basis. In this instance, these machines would always have stocks even during weekends and evening than venues like the offices that just host small proportions of the snacks. The bulk vending machine would offer entirely mechanical duties like giving out a capsule with a small toy or jewellery, bouncy ball or handful of candy. These items that are offered are normally not sorted so the customer actually receives them at random. In some other cases, the client is guaranteed a definite kind of candy.

The Huffy Green Machine 2 also develops abilities and a good source of exercise. So kids can enjoy and have a good exercise while driving this machine.when a young kid develops some confidence in the machine he/she will be able to perform some sort of stunts by his own.

At the next end of the Quartz color sorting is the completely manual espresso machine. Although these are still in use in many parts of the world, they are seldom found in private homes. When they are then they represent a sure sign that the homeowner is a real espresso aficionado.

If you are looking for a guide on how to use a Sharp fax machine, you've come to the right place. Actually to find out how to run a Sharp fax machine is pretty easy. Most Sharp faxes now have easy functions and setting modes, so you can start use it within minutes.

The first thing you have to do is to check whether there is a dial tone or not. A fax machine cannot run without dial tone. Make sure you have plugged the cord into the fax machine's phone line jack. You can set the option whether it is outgoing or inbound, depending on which one is available and the compatibility of your phone cord. Wrong setting of the phone line jack on you fax will allow you not to able to detect a dial tone. To fix it, you can simply switch the setting. Another possibility is that maybe the phone number is not a working number. Try a mobile phone or an additional land line to verify it.

If you want to have your fax to be able to automatically receive faxes, you can set it by removing the TEL seal. Plug the extension telephone or answering machine to the TEL jack. Now you can instruct your fax to receive faxes, even when no one is at home or office to accept transmission.

Another  Mineral color sorter that needs your consideration is to set the fax to automatic reception mode. This will stop a fax line to ring without cessation and to allow receive faxes after a certain number of rings. If you don't set this thing up, your fax machine might not able to accept an incoming fax.

If you want to know more, you can click https://www.htmachinerychina.com .

[aplusvending]

Know The Benefits of Vending Machine

The big size machine which dispenses products when you deposit some money is what is known as Oakland Vending Machine. Once you deposit some of your money, it is verified by a money detector, and then the machine permits you to get your preferred item. You can find them all over the place; in malls, shops, offices and some other crowded locations. It is very suitable for everybody, and not like a shop, you don't want the presence of worker when making a shop.

Products sold:

Oakland Vending Machine Solutions are very famous. Even, there are photo booth vending machines that are quite a hit in between the young age groups. You can purchase beverages and snacks, as well as newspapers from BreakRoom Solutions. This type of machine is evenknown as Vending Box, where a lot of identical newspapers are stored. When a sale has been done, the door returns to a sealed position automatically. You just need to open the box and take all your desired newspapers, or leave other newspapers outside the box. You can even put the door to an opened position, or shut the door from completely closing. This BreakRoom Solutions Oakland is set up predicting that the customers are authentic and pick up just the newspaper they have paid money.

The products sold in vending or Oakland BreakRoom Solutions completely depend from one country to another country. Some nations do sell alcoholic products like beer, where in few countries it is not permitted. Also, you can purchase cigarettes from vending machines, but now we rarely search them due to issues about under aged shoppers. You can purchase when you insert a pass in the vending machine to confirm your age and then get cigarette.

Different Types of vending machines:

A few famous ones are:

- Bulk gum ball and candy vending machines: These Vending Solutions Oakland are totally mechanical, where you can get bouncy ball, candiesor a small size jewelry or toy, for one or just two coins. The products you get will be purely by chance, because the items can be unsorted. The vending machines are cheaper evaluated to snack or soft drink machines. Someof the operators, to save the money to pay for the exact locations, they donate a proportion of the profits to assistance.

- Full line vending machines: you can purchase bottles or cans of soft drinks as well as snacks. As the requirement for snacks and drinks are high, these vending machines have the benefit that different locations contact a company themselves, and demand for machine installation.

- Dedicated vending machines: These are vending machines that you find in female restrooms to purchase tampons or pads, and in male’s restrooms the most usual is condoms, though in few places you can even find dispensing cologne and medicines machines.

Maintenance:

It is suggested to periodically clean cooling condensers, grease mechanical parts, and regulate the machines to stay away from any issues. If the machine stops working, vending machine professional fix the problems.

[installationworld-blog]

Create A Magic Hitting The Ground With Clients, Leads, And Business Associates Part I

If developing a home, try to use the cool air from the basement to cool down down the property during summer season by allowing air go freely from the basement towards the first floor of the house via porous flooring or parallel slits in ground above the basement. Of course, neglect the south-facing sunroom for the winter period. Evacuation route - Make sure you have a concept and a roadmap on hand. Purchasing a map and keeping it in your glove compartment at year 'round is a good electrical refrigeration service Melbourne plan. However, do keep in mind to replace the map with a replacement from hour and hour since roads are added daily. When you really stop and think about it, obtain from it ? you think your new friend's reaction is gonna be be if when you meet for your first time it's obvious you're not the person they thought they would be date? "Oh . hi. I see that you may have been dishonest with me from the get-go here, but hey, I'm still thinking we have got a great shot at having an open, trusting relationship for your long-term" Obviously not. A regarding people look down on vending. For the people that like the prestige may be come on a certain job title, may be find being 'lowly' vender as a step down. Finally, have got install solar it means guilt- and worry-free energy to power those devices and home installations you might canrrrt you create when possibly footing into your market. Want to run your fancy fountain pumps all day and night, plus elaborate garden lighting in the yard? Check--guilt-free, because the sun is powering them. Need to set up 10 bug zappers within your backyard and live bug-free once also as for all? No problem--kill those bugs that's not a problem power within the sun. Although the machines are often very heavy, impacts won't preferably should hire a company to move them around. In https://esv.vic.gov.au/technical-information/electrolysis-mitigation-and-cathodic-protection/legislation-and-regulations/ to full line vending, you'll need a pickup truck or flat bed truck to be able to the machine, a bulk vending machine can be moved in a vehicle. Best electrical refrigeration service There's idea social phenomenon researchers have found in online interactions. They've found people often change their standards of politeness and diplomacy whenever a conversation is occurring online, versus face-to-face. It is not yet 8:00 am. That is when work starts, but it's not at all even 8 o'clock nonetheless. We have not even made the commute yet. We've not been awake for 2 hours yet. We have used more energy during the last hour and 45 minutes than we would have used all day, if we'd just been a a lot more energy concerned. But you need not yell at me for as being a tree hugger. I love trees, hence there is no want aid them, but that's not the attachment site. The point is, anyone could have spent your hard-earned money needlessly, this could also been just as comfortable without letting your dollars bleed out a hole in the house.

[inhandnetworks-blog]

Researchers Produce Uniform Antimony Nanocrystals for the First T verizon 4g LTE router  ime

www.inhandnetworks.com

Researchers have produced uniform antimony nanocrystals for the first time, taking a big step forward in the exploration of alternative energy storage.

Researchers from Empa and ETH Zurich have succeeded for the first time to produce uniform antimony nanocrystals. Tested as components of laboratory batteries, these are able to store a large number of both lithium and sodium ions. These nanomaterials operate with high rate and may eventually be used as alternative anode materials in future high-energy-density batteries.

The hunt is on – for new materials to be used in the next generation of batteries that may one day replace current lithium ion batteries. Today, the latter are commonplace and provide a reliable power source fo4g LTE routerr smartphones, laptops and many other portable electrical devices. On the one hand, however, electric mobility and stationary electricity storage demand a greater number of more powerful batteries; and the high demand for lithium may eventually lead to a shortage of the raw material. This is why conceptually identical technology based on sodium ions will receive increasing attention in coming years. Although researched for 20 years, materials that can store sodium ions remain scarce.

Antimony electrodes?

A team from Empa and ETH Zurich headed by Empa researcher Maksym  IIoT  Kovalenko may have come a step closer to identifying alternative battery materials: they have become the first to synthesize uniform antimony nanocrystals, the special properties of which make them prime candidates for an anode material for both lithium ion and sodium ion batteries. The results of the scientists’ study have just been published in Nano Letters.

For a long time, antimony has been regarded as a promising anode material for high-performance lithium ion batteries as this metalloid exhibits a high charging capacity, by a factor of two higher than that of commonly used graphite. Initial studies revealed that antimony could be suitable for rechargeable lithium and sodium ion batteries because it is able to store both kinds of ions. Sodium is regarded as a possible low-cost alternative to lithium as it is much more naturally abundant and its reserves are more evenly distributed on Earth.

For antimony to achieve its high storage capability, however, it needs to be produced in a special form. The researchers managed to chemically synthesize uniform – so-called “monodisperse” – antimony nanocrystals that were between ten and twenty nanometers in size. Nanocrystals have a decisive advantage over particles of larger sizes: the full lithiation or sodiation of antimony leads to large volumetric changes. Using nanocrystals, these modulations of the volume can be reversible and fast, and do not lead to the immediate fracture of the material. An additional important advantage of nanocrystals (or nanoparticles) is that they can be intermixed with a conductive carbon filler in order to prevent the aggregation of the nanoparticles.

Ideal candidate for anode material

Electrochemical tests showed that electrodes made of antimony nanocrystals perform equally well in sodium and in lithium ion batteries. This makes antimony particularly promising for sodium batteries because the best lithium-storing anode materials (graphite and silicon) do not operate with sodium.

Highly monodisperse nanocrystals, with the size deviation of ten percent or less, allow identifying the optimal size-performance relationship. Nanocrystals of ten nanometers or smaller suffer from oxidation because of the excessive surface area. On the other hand, antimony crystals with a diameter of more than 100 nanometers aren’t sufficiently stable due to aforementioned massive volume expansion and contraction during the operation of a battery. The researchers achieved the best results with 20 nanometer large particles.

Another important outcome of the study, enabled by these ultra-uniform particles, is that the researchers identified a size range of around 20 to 100 nanometers, within which this material shows excellent, size-independent performance, both in terms of energy density and rate-capability. These features even allow using polydisperse antimony particles to obtain the same performance as with very monodisperse particles, as long as their sizes remain within this size-range of 20 to 100 nanometers. Experiments of Kovalenko’s group on monodisperse nanoparticles of other materials show much steeper size-performance relationships such as quick performance decay with increasing the particle size, placing antimony into a unique position among the materials which alloy with lithium and sodium. “This greatly simplifies the task of finding an economically viable synthesis method”, Kovalenko says. “Development of such cost-effective synthesis is the next step for us, together with our industrial partner.”

More expensive alternative

Does this mean that an alternative to today’s lithium ion batteries is within our grasp? Kovalenko shakes his head. Although the method is relatively straightforward, the production of a sufficient number of high-quality uniform antimony nanocrystals is still too expensive. “All in all, batteries with sodium ions and antimony nanocrystals as anodes will only constitute a highly promising alternative to today’s lithium ion batteries if production costs will be comparable,” he says.

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It will most likely be another decade or so before a sodium ion battery with antimony electrodes could hit the market. The research on the topic is still only in its infancy. “However, other research groups will soon join the efforts,” the chemist is convinced.

In short: Lithium ion batteries

A current lithium ion battery comprises two electrodes – a cathode and an anode. The anode is often made of graphite, the cathode of metal oxides such as cobalt oxide. The lithium ions lodge themselves in these materials during the charging or discharging processes. The two electrodes are separated by a separator permeable only for lithium ions traveling between the two electrodes. During battery discharge, the lithium ions shift from the anode to the cathode. The electrons take a “detour” via an external electronic device, which is powered by the resulting electron flux. Electrons and ions meet again at the cathode. When the battery is charging, lithium ions and electrons flow in the opposite direction. For the battery to work effectively and for a long time, the ions need to be able to move in and out of the electrode materials easily. The shape and size of the electrode materials should not change much through the recurrent absorption and release of the ions.

Publication: Meng He, et al., “Monodisperse Antimony Nanocrystals for High-Rate Li-ion and Na-ion Battery Anodes: Nano versus Bulk,” Nano Lett., 2014, 14 (3), pp 1255–1262;DOI: 10.1021/nl404165c

Image: ETH Zurich

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[babyfacekillamusic]

Hey r/fo76,​As we mentioned, we're putting the PC patch live a little early similar to the format of the December 11 update. The patch will be available for consoles next week, but patch notes will remain the same. Please find the full list of patch notes below.​Patch Version:Download sizes for this update will be approximately 4GB for consoles and around 500MB for PC.PC: 1.0.4.13PS4: Available next weekXbox: Available next weekGeneralPower Armor: The Power Armor light has been made brighter.Performance: Several improvements have been made to in-game performance.Stability: The Fallout 76 game client and servers have received additional stability improvements.BalanceCharging Barrels mod: Increased the Gatling Laser’s damage bonus from the Charging Barrels mod.Glowing Ones: Glowing Ones will no longer grant erroneous large amounts of XP. DevNote: Glowing Ones were granting Large Boss XP rewards, making them highly exploitable when combined with Nuke Zones.Crafting: Lowered chance of Power Generators of spawning fusion cores.Crafting: Set minimum component cost of workshop buildings requiring steel, wood or plastic to 2.Bobby Pins: Reduced the weight value of Bobby Pins from 0.1 to 0.001.SocialTeams: Players now receive a notification that “Players cannot form teams from within Vault 76” if an Invite is sent to a friend still in Vault 76.SystemsPvP: Opening Player-owned, locked containers will now be considered a PVP action as expected.​Bug FixesStability and Performance[Xbox One] Performance: Blowing up the mainframe core stations will no longer cause a performance drop.[PC] Infinite Load: Fixed an infinite load screen that could occur when attempting to join a server on PC.Crash: Fixed a crash that can occur when opening the Pip-Boy.Performance: Improved client performance when viewing a nuke explode.Performance: Fixed an issue where reading a note would cause the background to freeze.Performance: Increased performance in areas with a lot of scorched statues.GeneralSystems: Fixed an issue where items could be duplicated.[PC] Controls: Resetting controls to default no longer causes most Activate prompts to become unusable.[PC] Controls: Fixed an issue when controls in the Settings menu aren't updated when connecting/disconnecting a gamepad controller.Systems: Fixed an issue that allowed armor mods to reduce carry weight past intended values.Systems: Rads will no longer completely be removed when by dying repeatedly.Systems: Address an issue where players could load into geometry after fast travel.Systems: Fixed an issue where bashing an enemy with the Railway Rifle or Crossbow would add the projectile to the enemy's inventory.Art and GraphicsAnimations: Lever-Action rifle now only reloads the correct number of ammo.Effects: Consumed Berry Mentats now correctly show purple glowing auras around players and creatures.C.A.M.P., Workshops, and CraftingCrafting: Level 25 armor and above now requires ballistic fiber to craft.Repairing: Component quantities required to repair mid to high level armor and weapons have been reduced up to 20%. DevNote: Repair costs scale with level, and there's room to reduce costs at higher levels.Crafting: Ballistic Fiber becomes required for armor at level 25 instead of previously at level 20.Crafting: Updated Bulk Acid crafting recipe to require 15 Acid.Crafting: Fixed an issue that prevented players with the correctly equipped perk cards from being able to craft Antibiotics and Disease Cure (Savage Divide).Crafting: “Hardened Mass” will no longer be scrapped when “Scrap All Junk” is selected.Repairing: Overall repair costs have been lowered for both weapons and armor.Crafting: Ballistic Fiber also is now required for repairing armor at level 25 and above instead of previously at level 20Workshops: Fixed issues where enemies at some Workshop locations would spawn underground, making the Workshops unclaimable. Locations include: Charleston Landfill, Lakeside Cabins, and Sunshine Meadows.Workshops: Fixed an issue where objects in Workshops would sometimes float in the air when the Workshop menu was closed.Workshops: Destroying the hay feeder along with the fertilizer collector will no longer prevent them from being repaired.C.A.M.P./Workshops: Placing Power Armor workbenches on foundation will no longer cause them to place on the floor/ceiling above. Edit: There is a fix for this issue coming, but it was erroneously added to these notes.C.A.M.P./Workshops: Fixed an issue that would cause a “not supported” error when attempting to place a tall or short post under a roof.Blueprints: Fixed an issue with the cost of wires not being factored in when storing blueprints.Crafting: Fixed an issue where certain objects aren't able to be scrapped through the stored tabWorkshops: Fixed an issue where certain stored items obtained from claiming a Public Workshop can't be placed againCrafting: Fixed a visual issue with scrapping items in Crafting Menus.Crafting: Fixed an issue where mods cost less steel than what's displayed in Crafting MenusCrafting: Fixed a display issue where incorrect number of Junk items can appear in Crafting MenusChallengesDaily Challenges: Fixed several daily challenges that were not being offered on some days. Dev Note: These include “Pick Wild Flowers”, “Harvest Mutfruit Plants”, and “Harvest Wild Plants and Fungi”.Daily Challenge: Fixed an issue that prevented some wild flowers from incrementing in the “Pick Wild Flowers” Daily Challenge.Weekly Challenge: Fixed an issue that caused the weekly challenge "Complete Quests and Events in a Group while at Night" to work during the day and only recognize events. It will now look for quests and events that are completed at night.Weekly Challenge: Edited the description of a Weekly Challenge to correctly reflect the direction.Sub-Challenge: Fixed an issue that prevented certain photomode challenges from completing as expected.Sub-Challenge: Fixed an issue that prevented certain Bobblehead challenges from completing as expected.Sub-Challenge: Fixed an issue that caused a challenge to be marked as complete incorrectly.Lifetime Challenges: Fixed an issue where some lifetime challenges would revert progress after logging outEnemiesRobots: Fixed an issue that would cause robots to respawn too frequently in Whitesprings.Scorched: Fixed an issue where Wasteland Whisperer could affect Scorched. Dev Note: Wasteland Whisperer can no longer be used to pacify Scorched.Scorched: Shooting a Scorched in the leg will no longer break their weapon causing them to not attack the player.Scorched: Fixed an issue where Scorched may be using invisible weapons or not appearing to fire their weapon correctly.Scorched: Fixed an issue that caused floating debris and disassembled guns to appear in Scorched hands when killed.ItemsWeapons: Fixed an issue that would sometimes cause plasma weapons, flamers and flamer mods, and weapons with explosive bullet mods to not do damage to other players and creatures.Armor: Fixed an issue that would cause players exiting power armor to sometimes appear stretched and unable to reenter power armor.Armor: Addressed several issues that would prevent players from exiting power armor and at times cause the Pip-Boy to become unavailable.Weapons: Fixed an issue that prevented the Gauss Rifle from being identified as a rifle. Now rifle-related perks can be applied to the Gauss Rifle.Ammo Vending Machines: Fixed an issue where some Ammo Vending Machines were only selling repair components.Weapons: Legendary Hunting Rifles will now drop as loot.Weapons: Fixed an issue where the Walking Cane provided as many resources when scrapped as it costs to craft.Armor: Fixed an issue where some Pocketed Chest Pieces were resetting players back to their base carry weight upon logging back into the game.Armor: Fixed an issue where players can leave behind an unusable chassis after exiting Power Armor.Magazine: Consuming Scouts’ Life 6 magazine now correctly depletes food and water stats at a slower rate.Weapons: M79 Grenade Launcher is now considered an explosive weapon in perks instead of being incorrectly considered a shotgun.Fusion Cores: Fixed an issue where Fusion Core generators were producing cores at a slower rate than intended. They are now back to 8 cores/hr.Magazine: Fixed the Backwoodsman 2 magazine to appropriately boost Tomahawk damage.Mirelurk Eggs: Harvesting Mirelurk Eggs will not result in two separate eggs.Weapons: Fixed an issue where several combat rifle automatic receiver mods were prevented from receiving automatic rifle perk bonuses.Weapons: Fixed an issue where multiple weapons were able to be equipped at the same time.Weapons: The Vampire weapon mod effect now works only when hitting living targets as intended.Armor: Fixed an issue where Power Armor parts would display on top of previously equipped parts.Weapons: Fixed an issue where bashing an enemy with certain weapons would add the projectile to the enemy's inventory.Armor: Fusion Cores will no longer replenish to full charge upon joining another world.Quests and Events“Get the Supply Drop”: “Get the Supply Drop” Event now will remove holotape once used with supply crate belonging to the player that requested the Supply Drop.Quest: Daily Missile Silo quest rewards are now correctly obtainable only once per day.“Line in the Sand”: Fixed an issue with the quest, Line in the Sand where the Sonic Generator already being repaired prevented the player from completing the quest. The event will now progress to the next stage if the Sonic Generator is already repaired when the Event begins.“Recruitment Blues”: Fixed an issue with the objective, “find Junk Mail” that prevented players who switched worlds from completing the quest.“Second Helpings”: The following location map markers are now available after finishing “Second Helpings”: Slocums Joe, Gauley Mine, Morgantown Trainyard, and Morgantown Airport.PerksAll Night Long: All Night Long now decreases hunger and thirst growth at night.Overdrive: Fixed an issue where Overdrive was not increasing critical chance % properly.Quack Surgeon: Quack Surgeon no longer allows for reviving hostile players.Strange in Numbers: Strange in Numbers effects now scale properly with multiple teammates (with and without mutations).Refractor: Fixed an error where each rank of Refactor is doubling energy resistance instead of adding +20 as indicated on the Perk card description.Fireproof: Fireproof now reduces explosion and flame attack damage by 15% per rank.Happy Camper: Happy Camper now functions correctly whether the player is inside or outside of their C.A.M.P. when the perk conditions are refreshed.Butcher’s Bounty: Fixed an issue that allowed for the Butcher’s Bounty perk to trigger again on an already-searched creature.Homebody: The Homebody perk now works as intended when at a claimed Public Workshop.Party Boy/Girl: Party Boy/Girl now effects active alcohol effects on the player.PVPTeams: Teamed players can no longer unfairly block an attacking player when that player attempts to overtake a workshop. Your teammate will enter PVP with the attacking player.Turrets: Turrets at Workshops will now attack players the Workshop owner is engaged in PvP with.SocialSystems: Blocking a player now also mutes their proximity chat.Trade: Fixed an issue where players could view another player’s inventory before they can respond to a trade invite.Trade: We no longer let trades occur before the requested player has consented to trade.Trade: Fixed an issue where the Stash transfer menu would appear empty after previously trading with another player.Trade: Stimpaks with a price value set to zero will no longer prompt “use” in the Trade Menu instead of “accept”.Trade: Changed caps limit for player-to-player trades from 5000 to 25000.SoundChat: Fixed an issue where voice chat would not always function properly upon exiting the Atomic Shop.Atomic Shop: Fixed an issue where some Atomic Shop content was missing sound effects.Atomic Shop: “Waving Santa” sound effect will now only play when in “on” state.User InterfaceGeneral: Players no longer will receive a pop-up for the Atomic Shop when Respawning for the first time.[PC] Resolution: Perk Pack opening screen now extends to the edge on 21:9 monitors.Atomic Shop: Players in the Atomic Shop when the Atomic Shop is taken offline will now be notified and taken back to the Main Menu.[PC] FOV: Fixed an issue with scoped weapons zooming incorrectly when the default Field of View setting has been changed.PvP: Fixed an issue where the PVP prompt would appear repeatedly while the same players engaged in combat with each other.Edits: Formatting/typos. via /r/fo76

[terryblount]

Fallout 76 January 10th update available for download, full patch release notes revealed

Bethesda has just released a new patch for Fallout 76. According to the release notes, this patch will update your game’s version to 1.0.4.13 and brings several in-game performance improvements, as well as additional stability improvements.

Going into more details about the performance improvements, this patch increases performance in areas with a lot of scorched statues, fixes an issue where reading a note would cause the background to freeze and improves client performance when viewing a nuke explode.

Furthermore, patch 1.0.4.13 fixes an infinite load screen that could occur when attempting to join a server on PC, fixes an issue when controls in the Settings menu aren’t updated when connecting/disconnecting a gamepad controller, and addresses an issue where players could load into geometry after fast travel.

This patch will be auto-downloaded from the Bethesda launcher the next time you launch it, and you can find its complete changelog below.

Fallout 76 Patch 1.0.4.13 Release Notes

General

Power Armor: The Power Armor light has been made brighter.

Performance: Several improvements have been made to in-game performance.

Stability: The Fallout 76 game client and servers have received additional stability improvements.

Balance

Charging Barrels mod: Increased the Gatling Laser’s damage bonus from the Charging Barrels mod.

Glowing Ones: Glowing Ones will no longer grant erroneous large amounts of XP. DevNote: Glowing Ones were granting Large Boss XP rewards, making them highly exploitable when combined with Nuke Zones.

Crafting: Lowered chance of Power Generators of spawning fusion cores.

Crafting: Set minimum component cost of workshop buildings requiring steel, wood or plastic to 2.

Bobby Pins: Reduced the weight value of Bobby Pins from 0.1 to 0.001.

Social

Teams: Players now receive a notification that “Players cannot form teams from within Vault 76” if an Invite is sent to a friend still in Vault 76.

Systems

PvP: Opening Player-owned, locked containers will now be considered a PVP action as expected.?

Bug Fixes

Stability and Performance

[Xbox One] Performance: Blowing up the mainframe core stations will no longer cause a performance drop.

[PC] Infinite Load: Fixed an infinite load screen that could occur when attempting to join a server on PC.

Crash: Fixed a crash that can occur when opening the Pip-Boy.

Performance: Improved client performance when viewing a nuke explode.

Performance: Fixed an issue where reading a note would cause the background to freeze.

Performance: Increased performance in areas with a lot of scorched statues.

General

Systems: Fixed an issue where items could be duplicated.

[PC] Controls: Resetting controls to default no longer causes most Activate prompts to become unusable.

[PC] Controls: Fixed an issue when controls in the Settings menu aren’t updated when connecting/disconnecting a gamepad controller.

Systems: Fixed an issue that allowed armor mods to reduce carry weight past intended values.

Systems: Rads will no longer completely be removed when by dying repeatedly.

Systems: Address an issue where players could load into geometry after fast travel.

Systems: Fixed an issue where bashing an enemy with the Railway Rifle or Crossbow would add the projectile to the enemy’s inventory.

Art and Graphics

Animations: Lever-Action rile now only reloads the correct number of ammo.

Effects: Consumed Berry Mentats now correctly show purple glowing auras around players and creatures.

C.A.M.P., Workshops, and Crafting

Crafting: Level 25 armor and above now requires anti-ballistic fiber to craft.

Repairing: Component quantities required to repair mid to high level armor and weapons have been reduced up to 20%. DevNote: Repair costs scale with level, and there’s room to reduce costs at higher levels.

Crafting: Anti-ballistic Fiber becomes required for armor at level 25 instead of previously at level 20.

Crafting: Updated Bulk Acid crafting recipe to require 15 Acid.

Crafting: Fixed an issue that prevented players with the correctly equipped perk cards from being able to craft Antibiotics and Disease Cure (Savage Divide).

Crafting: “Hardened Mass” will no longer be scrapped when “Scrap All Junk” is selected.

Repairing: Overall repair costs have been lowered for both weapons and armor.

Crafting: Anti-ballistic Fiber also is now required for repairing armor at level 25 and above instead of previously at level 20

Workshops: Fixed issues where enemies at some Workshop locations would spawn underground, making the Workshops unclaimable. Locations include: Charleston Landfill, Lakeside Cabins, and Sunshine Meadows.

Workshops: Fixed an issue where objects in Workshops would sometimes float in the air when the Workshop menu was closed.

Workshops: Destroying the hay feeder along with the fertilizer collector will no longer prevent them from being repaired.

C.A.M.P./Workshops: Placing Power Armor workbenches on foundation will no longer cause them to place on the floor/ceiling above.

C.A.M.P./Workshops: Fixed an issue that would cause a “not supported” error when attempting to place a tall or short post under a roof.

Blueprints: Fixed an issue with the cost of wires not being factored in when storing blueprints.

Crafting: Fixed an issue where certain objects aren’t able to be scrapped through the stored tab

Workshops: Fixed an issue where certain stored items obtained from claiming a Public Workshop can’t be placed again

Crafting: Fixed a visual issue with scrapping items in Crafting Menus.

Crafting: Fixed an issue where mods cost less steel than what’s displayed in Crafting Menus

Crafting: Fixed a display issue where incorrect number of Junk items can appear in Crafting Menus

Challenges

Daily Challenges: Fixed several daily challenges that were not being offered on some days. Dev Note: These include “Pick Wild Flowers”, “Harvest Mutfruit Plants”, and “Harvest Wild Plants and Fungi”.

Daily Challenge: Fixed an issue that prevented some wild flowers from incrementing in the “Pick Wild Flowers” Daily Challenge.

Weekly Challenge: Fixed an issue that caused the weekly challenge “Complete Quests and Events in a Group while at Night” to work during the day and only recognize events. It will now look for quests and events that are completed at night.

Weekly Challenge: Edited the description of a Weekly Challenge to correctly reflect the direction.

Sub-Challenge: Fixed an issue that prevented certain photomode challenges from completing as expected.

Sub-Challenge: Fixed an issue that prevented certain Bobblehead challenges from completing as expected.

Sub-Challenge: Fixed an issue that caused a challenge to be marked as complete incorrectly.

Lifetime Challenges: Fixed an issue where some lifetime challenges would revert progress after logging out

Enemies

Robots: Fixed an issue that would cause robots to respawn too frequently in Whitesprings.

Scorched: Fixed an issue where Wasteland Whisperer could affect Scorched. Dev Note: Wasteland Whisperer can no longer be used to pacify Scorched.

Scorched: Shooting a Scorched in the leg will no longer break their weapon causing them to not attack the player.

Scorched: Fixed an issue where Scorched may be using invisible weapons or not appearing to fire their weapon correctly.

Scorched: Fixed an issue that caused floating debris and disassembled guns to appear in Scorched hands when killed.

Items

Weapons: Fixed an issue that would sometimes cause plasma weapons, flamers and flamer mods, and weapons with explosive bullet mods to not do damage to other players and creatures.

Armor: Fixed an issue that would cause players exiting power armor to sometimes appear stretched and unable to reenter power armor.

Armor: Addressed several issues that would prevent players from exiting power armor and at times cause the Pip-Boy to become unavailable.

Weapons: Fixed an issue that prevented the Gauss Rifle from being identified as a rifle. Now rifle-related perks can be applied to the Gauss Rifle.

Ammo Vending Machines: Fixed an issue where some Ammo Vending Machines were only selling repair components.

Weapons: Legendary Hunting Rifles will now drop as loot.

Weapons: Fixed an issue where the Walking Cane provided as many resources when scrapped as it costs to craft.

Armor: Fixed an issue where some Pocketed Chest Pieces were resetting players back to their base carry weight upon logging back into the game.

Armor: Fixed an issue where players can leave behind an unusable chassis after exiting Power Armor.

Magazine: Consuming Scouts’ Life 6 magazine now correctly depletes food and water stats at a slower rate.

Weapons: M79 Grenade Launcher is now considered an explosive weapon in perks instead of being incorrectly considered a shotgun.

Fusion Cores: Fixed an issue where Fusion Core generators were producing cores at a slower rate than intended. They are now back to 8 cores/hr.

Magazine: Fixed the Backwoodsman 2 magazine to appropriately boost Tomahawk damage.

Mirelurk Eggs: Harvesting Mirelurk Eggs will not result in two separate eggs.

Weapons: Fixed an issue where several combat rifle automatic receiver mods were prevented from receiving automatic rifle perk bonuses.

Weapons: Fixed an issue where multiple weapons were able to be equipped at the same time.

Weapons: The Vampire weapon mod effect now works only when hitting living targets as intended.

Armor: Fixed an issue where Power Armor parts would display on top of previously equipped parts.

Weapons: Fixed an issue where bashing an enemy with certain weapons would add the projectile to the enemy’s inventory.

Armor: Fusion Cores will no longer replenish to full charge upon joining another world.

Quests and Events

“Get the Supply Drop”: “Get the Supply Drop” Event now will remove holotape once used with supply crate belonging to the player that requested the Supply Drop.

Quest: Daily Missile Silo quest rewards are now correctly obtainable only once per day.

“Line in the Sand”: Fixed an issue with the quest, Line in the Sand where the Sonic Generator already being repaired prevented the player from completing the quest. The event will now progress to the next stage if the Sonic Generator is already repaired when the Event begins.

“Recruitment Blues”: Fixed an issue with the objective, “find Junk Mail” that prevented players who switched worlds from completing the quest.

“Second Helpings”: The following location map markers are now available after finishing “Second Helpings”: Slocums Joe, Gauley Mine, Morgantown Trainyard, and Morgantown Airport.

Perks

All Night Long: All Night Long now decreases hunger and thirst growth at night.

Overdrive: Fixed an issue where Overdrive was not increasing critical chance % properly.

Quack Surgeon: Quack Surgeon no longer allows for reviving hostile players.

Strange in Numbers: Strange in Numbers effects now scale properly with multiple teammates (with and without mutations).

Refractor: Fixed an error where each rank of Refactor is doubling energy resistance instead of adding +20 as indicated on the Perk card description.

Fireproof: Fireproof now reduces explosion and flame attack damage by 15% per rank.

Happy Camper: Happy Camper now functions correctly whether the player is inside or outside of their C.A.M.P. when the perk conditions are refreshed.

Butcher’s Bounty: Fixed an issue that allowed for the Butcher’s Bounty perk to trigger again on an already-searched creature.

Homebody: The Homebody perk now works as intended when at a claimed Public Workshop.

Party Boy/Girl: Party Boy/Girl now effects active alcohol effects on the player.

PVP

Teams: Teamed players can no longer unfairly block an attacking player when that player attempts to overtake a workshop. Your teammate will enter PVP with the attacking player.

Turrets: Turrets at Workshops will now attack players the Workshop owner is engaged in PvP with.

Social

Systems: Blocking a player now also mutes their proximity chat.

Trade: Fixed an issue where players could view another player’s inventory before they can respond to a trade invite.

Trade: We no longer let trades occur before the requested player has consented to trade.

Trade: Fixed an issue where the Stash transfer menu would appear empty after previously trading with another player.

Trade: Stimpaks with a price value set to zero will no longer prompt “use” in the Trade Menu instead of “accept”.

Trade: Fixed an exploit where the cap limit of 5000 in player-to-player trades could be removed.

Sound

Chat: Fixed an issue where voice chat would not always function properly upon exiting the Atomic Shop.

Atomic Shop: Fixed an issue where some Atomic Shop content was missing sound effects.

Atomic Shop: “Waving Santa” sound effect will now only play when in “on” state.

User Interface

General: Players no longer will receive a pop-up for the Atomic Shop when Respawning for the first time.

[PC] Resolution: Perk Pack opening screen now extends to the edge on 21:9 monitors.

Atomic Shop: Players in the Atomic Shop when the Atomic Shop is taken offline will now be notified and taken back to the Main Menu.

[PC] FOV: Fixed an issue with scoped weapons zooming incorrectly when the default Field of View setting has been changed.

PvP: Fixed an issue where the PVP prompt would appear repeatedly while the same players engaged in combat with each other.

Fallout 76 January 10th update available for download, full patch release notes revealed published first on https://touchgen.tumblr.com/

[zeroviraluniverse-blog]

Coffee meets 7UP in Keurig, Dr Pepper Snapple deal

Visit Now - http://zeroviral.com/coffee-meets-7up-in-keurig-dr-pepper-snapple-deal/

Coffee meets 7UP in Keurig, Dr Pepper Snapple deal

(Reuters) – Keurig Green Mountain has struck a deal worth more than $21 billion to combine with soda maker Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc (DPS.N) to form a North American drinks company with brands like Green Mountain Coffee, 7UP, Snapple and Sunkist.

The latest in a five-year string of acquisitions by Keurig’s owner, Luxembourg-based JAB Holding Co, it creates an enlarged group with a wide range of hot and cold beverages, different ways to access customers and a bigger platform for further deals.

“We have a really wide portfolio of brands, we’re able to address almost every consumer need in every format and … to reach every point of sale,” Keurig Chief Executive Bob Gamgort told Reuters.

“If you want to win in the beverage industry you need a portion of your portfolio that gives you significant scale and then you need to be able to layer in higher growth segments,” he said.

Keurig will pay a special dividend of $103.75 per share to Dr Pepper Snapple shareholders, resulting in a cash payment of $18.7 billion. Those shareholders will also retain a 13 percent stake in the combined company to be called ‘Keurig Dr Pepper’.

A 13 percent stake in Dr Pepper Snapple was worth more than $2.2 billion before the deal was announced. The company’s shares jumped 25 percent on Monday to $119.70 in New York.

Bernstein analyst Ali Dibadj estimates the deal’s value at $26 billion to $27 billion.

“From DPS’ perspective at this time it makes a lot of sense,” said Josh Blechman, director of capital markets at Exponential ETFs, which owns shares of Dr Pepper Snapple. “They needed to diversify their business line from sugary drinks, so I think that this is a really good deal.”

The companies expect $600 million in cost-savings, and see opportunities to expand the business such as by selling coffee in bottles and in vending machines. Dr Pepper’s direct-to-store delivery model will be complemented by Keurig’s online presence and relationships with major supermarket chains.

MORE DEALS

Bulking up is a way to boost efficiency in the business at a time when soft drink sales are falling as consumers cut down on sugar.

“If your truck is becoming less full because volumes are declining, you should have other beverages to fill that spot,” said Bernstein’s Dibadj, who has predicted beer and soft drink tie-ups for the same reason.

“The likelihood that Coke (KO.N) and Pepsi (PEP.O) will get bought has just gone up,” Dibadj said. That would mean a mega-deal, given those soft-drink giants have market values of more than $200 billion and $170 billion respectively.

Keurig Green Mountain is the leading single-serve coffee company in the United States. It was taken over by JAB, the holding company of the German billionaire Reimann family, in 2016 for $13.9 billion.

JAB has been on an acquisition spree in recent years, with a string of restaurant deals including Au Bon Pain, Krispy Kreme and Panera Bread as well as several coffee businesses from niche brand Intelligentsia to controlling the international coffee operations of Mondelez International (MDLZ.O).

JAB and its partners will make an equity investment of $9 billion in the deal. Mondelez, now a major Keurig shareholder, will own about 13 percent to 14 percent of the combined company.

Jefferies analysts said further deals by Keurig Dr Pepper are very likely, as the company pays down a debt load expected to be about $16.6 billion when the deal closes, scheduled for the second quarter.

The company expects to get its leverage to below three times earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization within two to three years, while paying an annual dividend of 60 cents per share.

Goldman Sachs was the lead financial adviser to Keurig and Credit Suisse advised Dr Pepper Snapple on the deal.

Additional reporting by Chris Prentice in New York and Sangameswaran S in Bengaluru; Editing by Patrick Graham and Bill Rigby

Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[marketresearchinsight-blog]

Protective Packaging Market Is Projected To Register A CAGR of 5.0% Between 2017 And 2025

The global Protective Packaging Market is expected to reach USD 44.6 billion by 2025, growing at a CAGR of 5.6%, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Increasing demand from various end-use industries has been a key factor driving market growth globally. In addition, continuous technological innovations and increasing consumer spending across the world are also fueling packaging demand.

Flexible packaging segment held the largest market share in 2016 owing to increasing preference for online shopping among consumers. Online retail channels widely use a wide range of flexible packaging products such as flexible foam, paper fills, air pillows, bubble wraps, and dunnage bags for filling empty spaces, wrapping, and blocking & bracing. Stringent regulations pertaining to the degradability of packaging materials are anticipated to restrain market growth over the forecast period.

Factors such as ensuring positive customer experience and meeting their requirements are extremely important for companies. The packaging of a product is likely to be the first tangible interaction with a customer. E-commerce companies are required to meet numerous packaging standards such as protective packaging design, sustainability, operational throughput, material cost reduction, and supply chain cost reduction. This, in turn, is anticipated to help companies in improving their bottom line and retain long-term customers.

Key market players are investing heavily in R&D activities to develop sustainable and environment-friendly packaging materials that can be reused and recycled. Growing popularity of online shopping and increasing adoption of protective materials for packaging are anticipated to have a positive impact on protective packaging market over the forecast period. Increased demand spurs investment for protective packaging, especially in e-commerce applications. Numerous packaging companies are striving to achieve the preferred vendor status among customers.

Access Full Research Report on Protective Packaging Market: http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/protective-packaging-market

Further key findings from the report suggest:

The global protective packaging demand was valued at USD 27.42 billion in 2016 and is expected denote a CAGR of 5.6% from 2017 to 2025. Food & beverage emerged as the largest end-use segment in 2016 and is expected to register a predicted CAGR of 6.0% between 2017 and 2025.

The global rigid protective packaging segment was valued at USD 3.92 billion in 2016 and is anticipated to witness significant growth over the next eight years. Healthcare segment in Mexico market was USD 59.0 million in 2016 and is projected to grow at a rate of 4.4% from 2017 to 2025.

Asia Pacific market is projected to experience substantial growth over the next eight years owing to rising demand from various end-use industries, especially from consumer electronics and healthcare markets. In terms of revenue, APAC is expected to register a CAGR of 7.0% between 2017 and 2025.

Key players including Smurfit KAPPA Group; Westrock Company; Sealed Air Corporation; Sonoco Products Company; Huhtamaki OYJ; DS Smith PLC; and Pregis LLC dominated the global market

Read Our Blog: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/blogs/bulk-chemicals

Grand View Research has segmented the global protective packaging market on the basis of type, material, function, end use, and region:

Type Outlook (Volume, Million Tons; Revenue, USD Million; 2014–2025)

Flexible

Foam

Rigid

Material Outlook (Volume, Million Tons; Revenue, USD Million; 2014–2025)

Paper & Paperboard

Plastic Foams

Plastic

Others

Function Outlook (Volume, Million Tons; Revenue, USD Million; 2014–2025)

Void Fill

Wrapping

Insulation

Blocking & Bracing

Cushioning

End-use Outlook (Volume, Million Tons; Revenue, USD Million; 2014–2025)

Food & Beverage

Industrial Goods

Consumer Electronics

Household Appliances

Healthcare

Automotive

Others

Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million; 2014–2025)

North America

US.

Canada

Mexico

Europe

Germany

UK

France

Russia

Asia Pacific

China

India

Japan

Central & South America

Brazil

Middle East & Africa

Browse Press Release of this Report: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-industrial-vending-machines-market

About Grand View Research

Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare.

For More Information: www.grandviewresearch.com

[fadingfartconnoisseur]

The Most Photogenic Places I’ve Ever Visited

Any destination can be a photographer’s paradise if you’re creative enough. But some places are massive overachievers! I’ve visited some countries, cities, and regions where beautiful shots lurk around every corner.

And it’s not always the places you think. I don’t always have the best luck shooting photos in Italy, for example. And as gorgeous as Savannah is, the shadows from the ubiquitous oak trees make it a challenge to photograph. And I was so upset when my first trip to Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, was a near-disaster due to poor photography conditions.

But when a destination gets it right, I have treasures that will last me a lifetime.

Here are my picks for the 10 most photogenic places I’ve ever visited. Some of them are obvious, like Paris and New York — but I’m sure at least a few of them will surprise you.

Copenhagen

I couldn’t believe how many great photos I got in Copenhagen. I don’t say that to brag about my skills; I say that because I was flabbergasted at how every aspect of the city was begging to be photographed. I had to restrain myself from covering my whole apartment in framed Copenhagen photos!

So, what should you look for in Copenhagen? I take a lot of photos of bicycles ordinarily, and Copenhagen is bike-crazy metropolis.

The Nyhavn, the famous ship-filled wharf along a canal, is the most photographed site in the city. I also happened to be there for Sankt Hans, when bonfires are lit in the canal and led to some awesome colors.

The picture with the lines was taken at the Superkilen, which is a great spot for black and white photography. That shot hangs in my black-and-white bathroom today.

Oh, and also get photos of very tall, very attractive people clad in nothing but black and charcoal gray.

Japan

I’m putting the entire country on this list because literally every part of Japan is a photographer’s paradise. Whether you’re in cities, more traditional areas, or in the wilderness, you’ll get to enjoy some of the world’s most beautiful light.

I urge you to see as much of Japan as humanly possible. Some of my favorite places for photography were the Dotonbori neighborhood of Osaka at sunset, Kyoto for the temples and rare geisha-spotting, the tech-crazy Akihabara neighborhood of Tokyo, and of course Shibuya Crossing.

One thing I’ve always said is that Japan turns you into a stereotypical Japanese tourist — suddenly you want to photograph everything because it’s so different! From vending machines to trash cans, everything is worthy of a photo. And Japanese people are lovely and a lot of fun; many of them turn into total hams when they see a tourist with a camera!

Cherry blossom season is, of course, a very popular and photogenic time to visit, but it can be tough timing it right. Personally, I’d love to visit in the fall when the leaves change.

Istanbul

I’ll spare you the Istanbul is where East meets West and old meets new drivel (god, I hate that so much) — Istanbul is on my list because nowhere else looks like it. I don’t know any other city that looks just as good up close (details in markets! Tulip-shaped tea glasses!) and far away (mosques and minarets dotting the skyline! Colorful seaside buildings!).

There’s so much to see in Istanbul, you could be occupied for weeks. I would start by visiting the Grand Bazaar, Spice Market, and every market that crosses your path. Bowls of olives, brightly colored spices, detailed lamps and hand-painted dishes make for amazing photos.

Istanbul has an amazing skyline and there are fabulous views from the Galata Tower. Istanbul also has some cool neighborhoods — I recommend checking out the hip zone of Kadikoy and the colorful Armenian neighborhood of Kumkapi.

One last thing to photograph — cats. Stray cats are all over Istanbul and they’re well cared for by the locals. Some of those cats are better-looking than most people!

Rural Australia

I’ve been to Australia twice, visiting four of its states, and while the cities are great, it’s the outdoors where Australia truly shines. In no other place in the world have I had as many “I can’t believe this place exists” feelings as I did in Australia. Some of the national parks make you feel like you’re at the beginning of time, a dinosaur lurking around the corner.

Some of my favorite photography spots are Uluru, Litchfield, and Kakadu National Parks in the Northern Territory and Hutt Lagoon (pink lake!), Shark Bay, the Pinnacles Desert, Rottnest Island, and Karijini National Park in Western Australia. I would love to explore the Kimberley, Queensland and Tasmania.

The challenge in rural Australia is getting around safely. WA in particular is very sparsely populated and there is very little public transit; most people either drive themselves or take an organized tour. Of course, driving leads to its own challenges, particularly when kangaroos like to jump in front of your car at night.

Pack your wide-angle for the landscapes and your zoom for the wildlife. And be prepared to take a million selfies with the quokkas!

Oia, Santorini

Ah, the island that launched a thousand calendars. Santorini might be a giant cliché at this point, but clichés exist for a reason. And Santorini’s crown jewel is Oia, the white village on the northern tip of the island.

Oia has been photographed a million different ways, so finding your own take on the village can be a challenge. My recommendation? Just make peace with that fact and take whatever kinds of shots make you happy.

If you want to get the key sunset picture, shot from the fort, I recommend heading there an hour or so before sunset. Bring a book to read; you’ll be glad you have something to do. And don’t leave as soon as the sun dips beneath the surface — stick around for Blue Hour!

Another tip can be photographing the sunset in the opposite direction. It can be surprisingly entertaining to get photos of hundreds of tourists lined up with their cameras.

New York City

It’s a city full of icons. How could New York not be on my list? My only crime is that living here, I treat it less like a travel destination and don’t have nearly as many photos as I should! (That will hopefully change this flower season. I need photos of New York in bloom!)

So, what should you photograph in New York? Definitely get the icons in: Times Square at night, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Staten Island ferry, Central Park. If you want views from above, head to Top of the Rock or One World Trade Center (the Empire State Building is popular, but isn’t the point to have the Empire State Building in the photo?).

But I think the best New York photography comes from neighborhood wandering and seeing what comes your way. Some of my favorite neighborhoods for photography are the West Village, Bushwick, Harlem, SoHo, and the Lower East Side. Spend the bulk of your time here — and don’t fall into the trap of spending most of your time in midtown. Midtown is boring.

Season-wise, you can’t beat spring when everything is in bloom!

Nicaragua

Of all the countries in Latin America, I feel like Nicaragua was the best for photography. (“Not Mexico?!” yells everyone. Sorry, that’s how I feel! Maybe I’ll change my mind when I visit Guanajuato and Oaxaca.) Not only was Nicaragua one of the most colorful countries I’ve visited, it also has the rare combination of extremely photogenic cities and extremely photogenic rural areas.

Nicaragua is a place to focus on details and colors. Think markets, street art, all the fruits you can find. And try to visit at least one volcano; they’re all over the country.

I found León to be the richest photography destination in the country, so many colors and markets, plus that incredible white roof on top of the cathedral. And while I didn’t have a great volcano boarding experience with Bigfoot Hostel, you can’t deny that their orange jumpsuits against the black volcano and blue sky make for some striking shots.

And a little tip: your Instagram followers will love tropical shots of Little Corn Island the most.

Paris

I don’t have to explain why. You already know.

Like New York, I find it best to knock the Paris icons off your list and then dig deep into the neighborhoods. Some of my Paris neighborhoods for photography are Montmartre, St. Germain-des-Pres, and the Marais. My new favorite street in Paris is Rue Montorgueil in the 2nd, which is covered with food shops and cafes so perfect that they look like they’re out of a movie.

But if you’re looking for the best views of Paris, I recommend the top of the Arc de Triomphe, the towers of Notre Dame (gargoyles!), the Montparnasse Tower (I hate that building so much, so when you’re up there you don’t see it!), and the top of the Printemps department store.

Do be prepared for less than ideal weather. One thing that doesn’t get said often enough is that Paris generally has gray weather with sprinklings of rain, not unlike London. Don’t fight it; lean into it and learn to love your gray photos.

Want more? I’ve got 100 travel tips for Paris.

Lake Ohrid, Macedonia

The Balkans are my favorite region in the world to travel, and Macedonia is a particular delight. The first place I visited in the country was Ohrid, the town on the banks of Lake Ohrid (which spans both Macedonia and Albania) and it astounded me with its understated beauty. I’ve never seen water meld into the sky more cleanly than on Lake Ohrid.

I’ve only visited the Macedonian side, so I can’t speak to Albanian shores, but the town of Ohrid is a great place to base yourself. Everyone gets photos of Sveti Jovan, that famous church overlooking a cliff on top of the lake, and make sure you go inside the churches, too — they’re just as interesting as the outside.

One of the best things I did was take a boat trip to Sveti Naum, a few towns away. It’s home to pretty shoreline, an abundance of wild peacocks, and young Macedonian men who don’t speak a word of English but cut you pieces of watermelon with an enormous knife.

Get photos of the lake from every angle — I especially love shots of swimmers from high above.

Also, Macedonia is one of the cheapest countries in Europe and they make surprisingly good wine. Use those facts to your advantage.

  Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a feast for the eyes. So many colors, so many interesting landscapes, an interesting blend of cultures, religions, and people. There is quite a lot packed into this small island, and I was deeply enamored with what I saw.

My favorite photography spot in the country was Galle, home to a Dutch colonial settlement, a fort, and clear cerulean waters. Galle also makes a good base for exploring the nearby beaches. Another must-photograph destination is Sigiriya, home to a giant rock in the middle of the countryside.

Two things that you shouldn’t miss photographing in Sri Lanka: women in their gorgeous dresses, and the tuk-tuks, which are somehow a million times nicer than the ones you’d see in Southeast Asia. And if you’re into mountains or temples, Sri Lanka has both in spades.

While I haven’t been to India, lots of my friends have said that Sri Lanka is so much cleaner and calmer than India. There’s something to be said for that.

Photography Notes: These days the camera I use is a Fuji X-T1, which has dropped in price now that the Fuji X-T2 has come out. I’ve tried the X-T2 and love it, but I don’t feel a pressing need to upgrade at this time.

I use two lenses: my main walking-around lens is the 18-135mm 3.5-5.6, which is versatile enough for most of the shots I take, and I also have a 16mm 1.4 wide-angle lens, which is FAST and FANTASTIC.

I’m also a big fan of the Pacsafe Camsafe V17 anti-theft bag, which is big enough for all my photography and tech gear yet small enough to put beneath the seat in front of me on a plane.

What are the most photogenic places you’ve ever visited?

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[inhandnetworks-blog]

Engin InHandGo  eers Develop a Computer That Operates on Water

www.inhandnetworks.com

Researchers at Stanford University have developed a synchronous computer that operates using the unique physics of moving water droplets. Their goal is to design a new class of computers that can precisely control and manipulate physical matter.

Computers and water typically don’t mix, but in Manu Prakash’s lab, the two are one and the same. Prakash, an assistant professor of bioengineering at Stanford, and his students have built a synchronous computer that operates using the unique physics of moving water droplets.

The computer is nearly a decade in the making, incubated from an idea that struck Prakash when he was a graduate student. The work combines his expertise in manipulating droplet fluid dynamics with a fundamental element of computer science – an operating clock.

“In this work, we finally demonstrate a synchronous, universal droplet logic and control,” Prakash said.

Because of its universal nature, the droplet computer can theoretically perform any operation that a conventional electronic computer can crunch, although at significantly slower rates. Prakash and his colleagues, however, have a more ambitious application in mind.

“We already have digital computers to process information. Our goal is not to compete with electronic computers or to operate word processors on this,” Prakash said. “Our goal is to build a completely new class of computers that can precisely control and manipulate physical matter. Imagine if when you run a set of computations that not only information is processed but physical matter is algorithmically manipulated as well. We have just made this possible at the mesoscale.”

The ability to precisely control droplets using fluidic co InHand Networks - Global Leader in Industrial IoT mputation could have a number of applications in high-throughput biology and chemistry, and possibly new applications in scalable digital manufacturing.

The results are published in the current edition of Nature Physics.

The crucial clock

For nearly a decade since he was in graduate school, an idea has been nagging at Prakash: What if he could use little droplets as bits of information and utilize the precise movement of those drops to process both information and physical materials simultaneously. Eventually, Prakash decided to build a rotating magnetic field that could ac router industrial  t as clock to synchronize all the droplets. The idea showed promise, and in the early stages of the project, Prakash recruited a graduate student, Georgios “Yorgos” Katsikis, who is the first author on the paper.

Computer clocks are responsible for nearly every modern convenience. Smartphones, DVRs, airplanes, the Internet – without a clock, none of these could operate without frequent and serious complications. Nearly every computer program requires several simultaneous operations, each conducted in a perfect step-by-step manner. A clock makes sure that these operations start and stop at the same times, thus ensuring that the information synchronizes.

The results are dire if a clock isn’t present. It’s like soldiers marching in formation: If one person falls dramatically out of time, it won’t be long before the whole group falls apart. The same is true if multiple simultaneous computer operations run without a clock to synchronize them, Prakash explained.

“The reason computers work so precisely is that every operation happens synchronously; it’s what made digital logic so powerful in the first place,” Prakash said.

A magnetic clock

Developing a clock for a fluid-based computer required some creative thinking. It needed to be easy to manipulate, and also able to influence multiple droplets at a time. The system needed to be scalable so that in the future, a large number of droplets could communicate amongst each other without skipping a beat. Prakash realized that a rotating magnetic field might do the trick.

Katsikis and Prakash built arrays of tiny iron bars on glass slides that look something like a Pac-Man maze. They laid a blank glass slide on top and sandwiched a layer of oil in between. Then they carefully injected into the mix individual water droplets that had been infused with tiny magnetic nanoparticles.

Next, they turned on the magnetic field. Every time the field flips, the polarity of the bars reverses, drawing the magnetized droplets in a new, predetermined direction, like slot cars on a track. Every rotation of the field counts as one clock cycle, like a second hand making a full circle on a clock face, and every drop marches exactly one step forward with each cycle.

A camera records the interactions between individual droplets, allowing observation of computation as it occurs in real time. The presence or absence of a droplet represents the 1s and 0s of binary code, and the clock ensures that all the droplets move in perfect synchrony, and thus the system can run virtually forever without any errors.

“Following these rules, we’ve demonstrated that we can make all the universal logic gates used in electronics, simply by changing the layout of the bars on the chip,” said Katsikis. “The actual design space in our platform is incredibly rich. Give us any Boolean logic circuit in the world, and we can build it with these little magnetic droplets moving around.”

The current paper describes the fundamental operating regime of the system and demonstrates building blocks for sy Industrial LTE Router  nchronous logic gates, feedback and cascadability – hallmarks of scalable computation. A simple-state machine including 1-bit memory storage (known as “flip-flop”) is also demonstrated using the above basic building blocks.

A new way to manipulate matter

The current chips are about half the size of a postage stamp, and the droplets are smaller than poppy seeds, but Katsikis said that the physics of the system suggests it can be made even smaller. Combined with the fact that the magnetic field can control millions of droplets simultaneously, this makes the system exceptionally scalable.

“We can keep making it smaller and smaller so that it can do more operations per time, so that it can work with smaller droplet sizes and do more number of operations on a chip,” said graduate student and co-author Jim Cybulski. “That lends itself very well to a variety of applications.”

Prakash said the most immediate application might involve turning the computer into a high-throughput chemistry and biology laboratory. Instead of running reactions in bulk test tubes, each droplet can carry some chemicals and become its own test tube, and the droplet computer offers unprecedented control over these interactions.

From the perspective of basic science, part of why the work is so exciting, Prakash said, is that it opens up a new way of thinking of computation in the physical world. Although the physics of computation has been previously applied to understand the limits of computation, the physical aspects of bits of information has never been exploited as a new way to manipulate matter at the mesoscale (10 microns to 1 millimeter).

Because the system is extremely robust and the team has uncovered universal design rules, Prakash plans to make a design tool for these droplet circuits available to the public. Any group of people can now cobble together the basic logic blocks and make any complex droplet circuit they desire.

“We’re very interested in engaging anybody and everybody who wants to play, to enable everyone to design new circuits based on building blocks we describe in this paper or discover new blocks. Right now, anyone can put these circuits together to form a complex droplet processor with no external control – something that was a very difficult challenge previously,” Prakash said.

“If you look back at big advances in society, computation takes a special place. We are trying to bring the same kind of exponential scale up because of computation we saw in the digital world into the physical world.”

Publication: Georgios Katsikis, et al., “Synchronous universal droplet logic and control,” Nature Physics, 2015; doi:10.1038/nphys3341

Image: Kurt Hickman

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