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sunny-mercya · 11 months ago

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Sounds like a Melody

Apollo x Male Reader

Fandom -> Percy Jackson Series

Requested by -> @r0sep3tal

Masterlist | Part 1 | Related OS | Song

Give me more tragedy, more harmony and fantasy, my dear

Set it alight, we're head over heels in love

1985 was a year, where Apollo truly felt how the burning love he had for you—his husband he adored oh so much, like the stars in the night and the sunrise in the morning—was about to vanish, slowly ever so fading like a distant memory or cloud, into nothing but emptiness.

His heart aches painfully, whenever you wouldn't sleep next to him or didn't wanted to be held in his arms anymore.

All of this started, thousands years and decades ago, with the simple and innocent question of wanting Children.

You and Apollo tried many times, but when it was clear that you couldn't birth any—there had been one success, centuries ago, but Apollo didn't want to risk your fragile health again—and I mind you, the procedure of how god and goddesses giving birth is a complexity of its own—the subject was dropped quickly and you two continued to enjoy the tranquility.

Everything had been fine, till Zeus—no one was surprised—his other siblings and deities, decided to mate with humans (more and more than they had before already) and creating Half-Bloods.

This of course arose questions in you and towards Apollo, because if the other deities could do such—why couldn't he?

So after a long argument with Apollo, who assured you he would never dare to cheat on you and then you explained, that it isn't cheating when you know it from the beginning and give consent—Apollo begrudgingly agreed.

When Camp Half-Blood had been created, albeit a messy concept in the very beginning, you wanted to live in a house with enough space of garden—so that all your children could live there. Though the Children, over the years, never wanted to came or meet you, instantly hating you after they got claimed in Camp.

~~~

It was around midnight when Apollo and you, hand in hand, strolled through the empty streets of Santa Monica—a city you've come to love, when Zeus had announced that the Olymp will be moved to the USA for a scenery change.

Apollo was happy and although this could be the last time he could be with you—before you might plead to Zeus for a divorce—Apollo felt satisfied that he could get you out of the house, you once again begun to detest whenever you passed by the empty—besides the ones with Apollo, you and the handful of children which you cared for (and still do) in the early years of your marriage with Apollo—picture frames.

Apollo had hoped, foolish perhaps even, when he takes you to a nice dinner and a midnight stroll—and maybe to a swim, fully nude, showing you passion once more—that extinguished flame, which cuts through his fated heart—which is filled sorrowful with undying love and adoration for you—so slowly painfully, that there are nights where he had vomited blood, would be burning once more again, for another eternity—so high and mighty, like Greek fire.

When walking along the beach—it has to be another checked move from fate, otherwise Apollo didn't knew how to explain the next happening—passing by the few remaining couples here and there and rolling waves are an tranquility sound to the ears—there comes a song played, from a lonesome forgotten Boombox.

Around the second time, when Alphaville's song; Sounds like a Melody, had been played again—was it the beat? the lyrics? Or the melody itself? Probably all of them together—you grabbed Apollo's hand and moved with him on the sand.

Oh, mighty stars, thought Apollo as he danced with you—body close and sometimes with distance—watching how you were so carefree and joyful again, laughing wholeheartedly and singing along to the song—which is for certain on a loop.

It's like a repeat of the longing memory—during the first night, after you had finally fully recovered, where Apollo danced with you through the clouds—so gently and soft—and when you asked—meek and shy and your voice still hoarse but honey soft—Apollo just who you are exactly (and again) and when Apollo kissed you on the lips, telling you; you're [Name], his love for endless and beyond eternity—the adoration in your eyes, were sun blinding.

And during another night, after the wedding ceremony, where you moaned out Apollos name—the moon and stars being the only witness to such intimacy—full of pleasure and love filled joy—Apollo swore to himself, to never leave you alone and only bath you in a passion the deities alone could do.

Gently you took Apollo's face in your hands, looking him in the eyes. Apollo swore, no he was certain—River Stxy and the stars above sole witness—that the gleam of adoration, you once had in your (e/c) eyes—which sucked him in, like a soft spring breeze—had returned with a new arising spark.

You leaned in, near to your husband, kissing him on the lips—biting on his lower lip to ask for entrance and fighting for a dominance, neither of you wanted to lose—and tumbling down onto the sand.

Apollo had thought, year 1985 would be the final end of the flourishing love between you and him—but it isn't, it's just the beginning of a new chapter with love much stronger than ever.

Ares, Hermes, Aphrodite and Eros had taken somewhere near cover, watching you two dance and turning respectfully away—once Apollo and you passionately devoted to one another.

Ares moved along to the song and Hermes thought, how absolutely graceless and embarrassing his brother looks like—shaking his head to get such unpleasant memory out of his mind.

»See! I told you guys, that song is real magical!« said Ares proudly and albeit a bit too loud.

»Yes, I know. It was me who send such idea to the band after all.«

»Oh hush Eros, important is that [Name] and Apollo have rekindled their love, after all I quite like my brother in law and it would be such a tragic shame if they would be separated«

»Thus why we created such brilliant plan.«

»Actually,« started Hermes, pinching the bridge of his nose and sighed out in annoyance,

»the Fates and Stars would never let it happen anyways that those lovebirds are fading from one another.«

»Hermes, shut up. You're such a mood killer.« grunted Ares.

~~~

Jason always wanted to know the story of how his parents had adopted him. When Jason was little he always thought his Papa had magically conjured him or something and Jason remembers, how you looked at him all confused and questioning yourself for about two hours.

Jason knew how his younger brother Will got adopted—his dad had a heated night with Will's biological mother and once born, she had dropped Will off to his dads—but Jason wanted to know his own story now and so he asked his parents.

It had been in 1994;

Apollo laid on the couch, watching one of those Sitcoms the humans had created and in his humble opinion, he would rather watch Cartoons or cooking shows instead of this—but it's 3 in the morning and Sitcoms are the only shows which are tolerable to watch, besides the Tele-shopping at such hour.

You still hadn't got back from the small grocery shopping you wanted to do hours ago. Apollo wasn't worried, although with the heavy pouring rain and consider your fragile health—yeah, scrap that, Apollo begun to worry about you ever so slightly.

Around five in the morning, Apollo almost fully asleep—drooling just a bit—you did come home, ringing your husband out of dreamland and—when he tiredly dazed open the doors, confused and needed a few minutes to get the current situation—pushing him out of your way, while running towards your bedroom.

»Apollo! I need hot water and milk in separate bowls and ambrosia! Real quick!« you ordered at him from above the stairs.

»What for exactly?«

»Just do as I say! Fucking please!« and Apollo did what you asked him, knowing that when you curse—at him directly—it's a serious matter.

Once upstairs inside the bedroom, with the required things on a tray, Apollo saw for what you needed them.

There, in the middle of the bed—carefully surrounded by the blankets—lay a sickly and blue looking baby, not older than perhaps a few months.

»Where did you get the child?«

»I tell you later. Mix the ambrosia with the milk and then hold the bowl under my palm so I can add my blood to it.«

Apollo had many questions, but was also perplexed at the way you tell him medical instructions when he's the one with such knowledge.

»The baby looks already close to deaths door, if you give him your blood, the chance of him surviving is fatally slim.« Apollo narrowed his eyes at you, wanting to know what or who got in your head to do such decision.

»But there is a chance! And I will take it, if you like it or not. I won't let this baby, when the fates themselves had lead me to him, abandon and die, like how it happens with me. So, by Zeus, help me or fucking leave me alone.«

By now you were crying and Apollo had taken a deep breath, realising you relieving a memory which should be buried too deep to be remembered—and that there's a desperation in your current doing he couldn't decipher.

It had been hours after you have giving the baby, so small and fragile, the mixture of either possible life or death—and gentle cradling him between you and Apollo.

»Would you mind telling me now, where you found him?«

»In a alley, behinds piles of trash, after I finished grocery—oh, the bags are still in the car—and like I couldn't just let him there all by himself, but no one of the humans wanted to help, so I took him here.«

»He's mother probably abandoned him...«

»Her loss. Now the little warrior has two dads, who will cater him in endless love«

And when the first cries came, a sign that the boy had survived, Apollo and you smiled at each other.

»What should be his name, my love?«

»Jason will be his name.«

We need the ecstasy, the jealousy, the comedy of love

The ringing of your laughter, sounds like a melody

#male reader #x male reader #fanfiction #malereader #oneshot #xmalereader #percy jackon and the olympians #percy jackson series #apollo x male reader #apollo #thanks for the request!#request ask

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tamapalace · 23 days ago

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2024 Year In Review

2024 was a great year for Tamagotchi, it was our second year with the Tamagotchi Uni, and of course the iconic return of the Tamagotchi Connection! This year brought a record number of collaborations, software updates, Tamaverse Tickets, and Gashapons! For 2024, since so much happened, we are only going to focus on the big news.

01/03/2024 Tamagotchi Adventure Kingdom is Now Available on Apple Arcade! After being announced in December, 2023, the Tamagotchi Adventure Kingdom Apple Arcade application officially launched in the Apple App Store in early 2024! It was really exciting to see this game launch, and it has consistently received positive reviews.

02/17/2024 Bandai Namco US & Premium Bandai USA Announce Easter Themed Tamagotchi Original Shells This was a first, and we really enjoyed it! Bandai Namco US announced exclusive Easter 2024 themed Tamagotchi Original shells. Six shells were announced, and they were exclusively available on Premium Bandai US!

03/25/2024 New Tamagotchi Original Shells Advertisements in Japan’s Train Stations An impressive campaign was launched back in March, 2023 in Japan located at Shinjuku Station! It was to help spread the word about more western Tamagotchi Original shells being released in Japan. This was one of our favorite memories of 2024!

04/01/2024 Bandai Namco US Pulls Tamagotchi Connection April Fools Prank Bandai Namco US had jokes, huh? We had no idea that this April Fools joke would foreshadow a future announcement. The prank showcases a removable Tamagotchi accessory to add to your Tamagotchi Original, giving it the Tamagotchi Connection/Keitai antenna. Well played, Bandai Namco US!

04/11/2024 Bandai Japan Announces Hello Kitty 2024 Tamagotchi To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Hello Kitty, Bandai partnered up with Sanrio again to release another Tamagotchi Nano! New shells, and two new characters added to then programming which were Neliatchi and Shykutchi!

04/11/2024 Bandai Announces Tamagotchi Uni Sanrio Characters & Tamaverse Ticket Sanrio Characters Another Tamagotchi Uni! The Sanrio Characters Tamagotchi Uni was announced, and it served up a new color, a new faceplate, and of course a new Tamaverse Ticket! The most exciting part was that this would soon be announced as a global release, for the first time ever!

04/23/2024 Detective Conan Tamagotchi Nano Colorful Bandai Japan officially announced the very first Tamagotchi Nano Colorful, after teasing an announcement with Detective Conan on social media. An updated Tamagotchi Nano, but this time in color, and a rechargeable battery with USB-C connectivity. Super exciting to see Bandai partner up with Detective Conan again!

04/25/2024 Bandai Teases Possible Tamagotchi Connection Re-Release OMG, we remember this one like it was yesterday. Bandai drops a teaser for an upcoming Tamagotchi release. The teaser video was reminiscent of the Tamagotchi Connection V3 commercial. We were all on cloud 9.

05/13/2024 Bandai Introduces the Tamagotchi Connection with a 20th Anniversary Global Re-Release After years of outcry from the community, Bandai officially announces the return of the Tamagotchi Connection for the 20th anniversary. THIS WAS HUGE, and it still is. We finally have our Tamagotchi Connection back, and that makes our heart happy. Six shells announced globally, with two returning from the early 2000’s, and four shells were announced for Japan, with all four of them being updated shells from the originals released back in the early 2000’s.

05/28/2024 Bandai Announces Tamagotchi Uni Angel Festival & Tamagotchi Uni Monster Carnival More Tamagotchi Uni’s! We didn’t know at this time but this release was foreshadowing the return of the angel! Bandai announces two new Tamagotchi Uni’s, Angel Festival and Monster Carnival, along with their respective Tamaverse Tickets! Gorgeous new shells, and some new characters.

06/02/2024 Inside the Bandai Namco Store American Dream Mall Grand Opening Bandai Namco US opened the first very Bandai Namco store in the United States! That’s right, on May 31st, 2024 the first store was opened in the American Dream Mall, located in New Jersey. We were so excited to attend the store opening, and meet Asaki Murakami! This is where #MelonSodaGate all started!

07/11/2024 Bandai Japan Announces Hololive Fantasy Tamagotchi Nano ColorfulThe second Tamagotchi Nano Colorful is announced! This time, it’s collaboration with Hololive Fantasy, a group consisting of video streamers! Four new shells, with matching plushies are announced.

08/31/2024 Inside the Tamagotchi Booth at 2024 Tokyo Toy Show After a big year of announcements, Bandai Japan took their latest Tamagotchi goodies to the 2024 Tokyo Toy Show. Showcasing the new Tamagotchi Uni Sanrio Characters, Angel Festival, Monster Carnival, and of course Tamagotchi Original in all your favorite shells, along with the iconic return of the Tamagotchi Connection.

10/17/2024 Bandai Namco US Announces Tamagotchi Original Angel at “Fun With Tamagotchi” 2024 New York Comic-Con Panel This announcement was incredible to witness in person! At the 2024 New York Comic-Con Bandai Namco US hosted a “Fun With Tamagotchi Panel” were they announced the return of the Tamagotchi Angel, under the name “Tamagotchi Original Angel”, which features generation 3 programming. Two shells were announced, and fans all over the world rejoiced! Another return for 2024!

10/17/2024 Bandai Namco US is Bringing Melon Soda Tamagotchi Connection to the United States After we spoke to Asakai Murakami at the Bandai Namco Cross store opening at the American Dream Mall, and the launch of #MelonSodaGate, Bandai Namco US officially announces the Melon Soda shell! That’s right, for the first time ever Melon Soda is now available to purchase in the United States. This was a HUGE win.

10/31/2024 CHOGOKIN Tamagotchi Robot This was major! A collaboration of two Bandai brands, Tamagotchi and CHOGOKIN to bring the CHOGOKIN Tamagotchi Robot! A die cast metal robot with a Tamagotchi nested in it’s chest, the community is loving this one!

2024 was incredible, and there is so much to celebrate. The biggest highlight had to have been the return of the Tamagotchi Connection, which holds such a special place in our heart!

We couldn’t image celebrating Tamagotchi without our amazing fans. We are looking forward to an even better 2025, so stay tuned to Tama-Palace for the latest and great Tamagotchi news. Happy New Year!

#tamapalace #tamagotchi #tmgc #tamatag #virtualpet #bandai #yir #yearinreview #year in review #2024 #newyears #new years #holidays

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demifiendrsa · 1 month ago

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youtube

FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH - PC ANNOUNCE TRAILER

youtube

Japanese version

The PC version of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth will launch for Steam and Epic Games Store on January 23, 2025.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth first launched for PlayStation 5 on February 29, 2024.

Screenshots

PC Features

The PC version introduces new features and customizations to take full advantage of the platform:

Lighting – Lighting has been adjusted, and the game’s overall rendering of light is significantly improved. The updated areas and cutscenes present with even greater beauty and clarity than before.

Frame Rate and Resolution – NVIDIA DLSS support means that frame rates can be enhanced and image quality upscaled. There is now also support for variable refresh rate (VRR).

Textures – The Level of Detail (LoD) for background models and MIP maps for background textures can both be freely configured in the options settings. With this background polygon density and texture density can be set higher than was previously possible, allowing for gameplay with higher-quality graphics.

Controller Input Support

Connecting a DualSense® controller with a PC allows players to use the same controls as the PS5 version. Keyboard and mouse support has also been added, alongside the option to freely customize the controls between world exploration and combat or mini-games.

Steam Deck

The Steam version is planned to be playable on Steam Deck as well.

Pre-Orders

Players can pre-order Final Fantasy VII Rebirth on PC via Steam or the Epic Games Store and take advantage of an Early Bird discount of up to 30 percent off across all editions for a limited time. Additionally, those who pre-order will receive the Moogle Trio Summoning Materia, giving access to a powerful summon for their first steps into the unknown journey. The preorder bonus also includes a Shinra Bangle Mk: II and a Midgar Bangle Mk: II. The Posh Chocobo Summoning Materia will also be offered to all players who purchase the PC version of the game regardless of their purchase timing.

A full list of digital editions available for pre-order is as follows:

Standard Edition (limited time price: $48.99)

Digital Deluxe Edition (limited time price: $62.99) – Includes digital Mini-soundtrack, digital artbook, and digital DLC items including the Magic Pot Summoning Materia, Reclaimant Choker accessory and the Orchid Bracelet armor.

Final Fantasy VII Remake & Rebirth Twin Pack (limited time price: $69.99) – Offering great value during the pre-order phase, the Twin Pack includes FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH, available at launch, and the full game download of Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade which will be available to play as soon as the Twin Pack is pre-ordered.

Final Fantasy VII Remake & Rebirth Digital Deluxe Twin Pack (limited time price: $89.99) – Includes Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade full game download plus all Digital Deluxe Edition contents.

Accolades

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth was named Game of the Year by USA Today, and was also awarded the Best Score and Music at The Game Awards 2024 show. The company’s highly acclaimed hit, which earned over 110 perfect review scores from global critics, was also nominated at The Game Awards 2024 for Game of the Year, Best Game Direction, Best Narrative, Best RPG, Best Performance (Briana White as Aerith), and Best Audio Design.

About the Game

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is a new, standalone adventure set across a vast and vibrant planet. The game sees Cloud, Tifa, Barret, Aerith and Red XIII escape from the dystopian city of Midgar into the wide world beyond. To hunt down Sephiroth, a haunting figure from Cloud’s past bent on ruling the planet, these unlikely heroes join forces with new companions like the spirited ninja operative Yuffie and the wisecracking, feline-shaped robot Cait Sith. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth delivers an unforgettable experience to players filled with unexpected twists, memorable characters and jaw-dropping set pieces that longtime fans and newcomers can both enjoy.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth follows the previous installment, Final Fantasy VII Remake, which was released in 2020 to universal acclaim from players and critics around the globe. Final Fantasy VII Remake became the highest-selling digital release on the PlayStation platform in Square Enix’s History, exceeding more than seven million shipments and digital sales worldwide since its release.

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n2qfd · 3 months ago

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@swradiogram 31OCT24

Welcome to program 376 of Shortwave Radiogram.

I'm Kim Andrew Elliott in Arlington, Virginia USA.

Here is the lineup for today's program, in MFSK modes as noted:

1:43 MFSK32: Program preview (now) 2:51 MFSK32: Daylight saving time linked to lost productivity 8:01 MFSK64: Ultra-thin film absorbs electromagnetic waves* 12:37 MFSK64: This week's images* 28:27 MFSK32: Closing announcements

with image(s)

Please send reception reports to [email protected]

And visit http://swradiogram.net

We're on X/Twitter now: @SWRadiogram

inkt9

From Phys.org:

Daylight saving time linked to lost worker productivity

Posted by Sherri Buri McDonald University of Oregon October 29, 2024

As much of the world prepares to turn clocks back an hour this fall, new research from the University of Oregon finds the annual spring forward to daylight saving time affects worker productivity more than previously thought.

Rather than affecting workers for just a day or two, the adjustment to daylight saving time can affect worker productivity for up to two weeks, said Glen Waddell, a UO labor economist and co-author of a new research in the Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization. He collaborated on the paper with Andrew Dickinson, a doctoral student in economics in the UO's College of Arts and Sciences.

The researchers did not identify a similar effect in the fall. They found that early-morning productivity picked up following the return to standard time.

Waddell and Dickinson looked at the daily work activity of 174,505 people who used GitHub around the transition to daylight saving time from 2013 to 2019. GitHub is a cloud-based version-control platform used by software developers, engineers and other collaborative programmers. It has 83 million users worldwide.

The publicly available GitHub records enabled the researchers to examine worker activity down to the second.

"When we look inside the day, hour by hour, we're actually able to see patterns of workers getting off to a bumpy start in the early morning and trying to make up for their lost productivity throughout the rest of the afternoon, and this is happening for upwards of two weeks," Waddell said.

Although GitHub users don't represent all workers, they do provide valuable insights into how "losing" an hour in the transition to daylight saving time affected their productivity, he said.

The researchers also looked at the effect on workers when they returned to standard time in the fall.

"We actually see a picking up of productivity in those early morning hours, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., with the extra sleep being the likely reason," Waddell said.

The paper's findings have direct relevance for the 1.6 billion people in 75 countries who change to daylight saving time each spring and back to standard time each fall.

The research also comes at a time when United States lawmakers are considering abandoning the yearly time change. In 2021, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed the Sunshine Protection Act, which would end the return to standard time for the months of November to March.

"Our research findings could be interpreted as yet more reason to put this clock-switching experiment behind us," Waddell said. "If we were fence-sitters before, maybe this is just another nudge toward the direction of doing away with this practice."

Arizona and Hawaii already remain on standard time all year, and a growing number of countries, including China, Russia, Pakistan and Brazil, also have abandoned daylight saving time.

Introduced in 1916 and soon after adopted by many Western countries, daylight saving time was intended to save energy. However, consensus opinion today finds the energy savings to be negligible, on the order of plus or minus 1%, according to the paper.

Shortwave Radiogram now changes to MFSK64 …

This is Shortwave Radiogram in MFSK64

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From TechXplore:

Ultra-thin film that absorbs nearly all electromagnetic waves could improve reliability of wireless communication

by National Research Council of Science and Technology (South Korea) October 28, 2024

A conceptual diagram of the electromagnetic wave absorption and shielding material developed by the research team, along with the designed conductive pattern. Credit: Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS)

The research team of Dr. Byeongjin Park and Dr. Sang Bok Lee from the Composites & Convergence Materials Research Division at the Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS), has developed the world's first ultra-thin film composite material capable of absorbing over 99% of electromagnetic waves from various frequency bands (such as 5G/6G, WiFi, and autonomous driving radar) using a single material.

The findings were published as the cover article in the October 1 edition of Advanced Functional Materials.

This electromagnetic wave absorption and shielding material is less than 0.5mm thick and is distinguished by its low reflectance of less than 1% and high absorbance of over 99% across three different frequency bands.

Electromagnetic waves emitted by electronic components can cause interference, leading to performance degradation in other nearby electronic devices.

Electromagnetic shielding materials are used to prevent this, and absorbing electromagnetic waves is more effective at reducing interference than merely reflecting them. However, conventional electromagnetic shielding materials reflect over 90% of the waves, with an actual absorbance often as low as 10%. Moreover, materials with higher absorbance are typically limited to absorbing electromagnetic waves within a single frequency band.

To overcome these limitations, the research team developed a composite material that can absorb electromagnetic waves across multiple frequency bands simultaneously.

This technology absorbs and eliminates electromagnetic waves, resolving secondary interference issues. The material is also thin, flexible, and durable enough to maintain its shape even after being folded and unfolded thousands of times, making it suitable for use in rollable phones and wearable devices.

The team synthesized a magnetic material by altering the crystal structure of ferrite, enabling it to selectively absorb desired frequencies. They produced an ultra-thin polymer composite film and incorporated conductive patterns on the film's back side to control the propagation of electromagnetic waves.

By adjusting the shape of the conductive pattern, electromagnetic wave reflection at specific frequencies can be dramatically reduced. Additionally, a carbon nanotube thin film with high shielding properties was applied to the back to further enhance the material's electromagnetic wave shielding capabilities.

Senior researcher Byeongjin Park of KIMS, who led the project, said, "As the applications of 5G/6G communications continue to expand, the importance of electromagnetic wave absorption and shielding materials is growing."

He added, "This material has the potential to significantly improve the reliability of wireless communication devices such as smartphones and autonomous vehicle radars."

The research team has completed domestic patent registration and has also applied for patents in the U.S., China, and other countries. Additionally, the technology has been transferred to several domestic material companies, and it is currently being applied to actual communication devices and automobiles.

Image: The electromagnetic wave absorption and shielding material, showing its thin and flexible form and its shape remaining intact even after 5,000 bending tests …

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This week's images …

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frmartinshomiliesandreflections · 3 months ago

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25th October >> Fr. Martin's Reflections/Homilies on Today's Mass Readings for Friday, Twenty Ninth Week in Ordinary Time (Luke 12:54-59): ‘How is it that you do not know how to interpret these times?’

Friday, Twenty Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

Gospel (Except USA) Luke 12:54-59 Do you not know how to interpret these times?

Jesus said to the crowds: ‘When you see a cloud looming up in the west you say at once that rain is coming, and so it does. And when the wind is from the south you say it will be hot, and it is. Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the face of the earth and the sky. How is it you do not know how to interpret these times? ‘Why not judge for yourselves what is right? For example: when you go to court with your opponent, try to settle with him on the way, or he may drag you before the judge and the judge hand you over to the bailiff and the bailiff have you thrown into prison. I tell you, you will not get out till you have paid the very last penny.’

Gospel (USA) Luke 12:54-59 You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and sky; why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

Jesus said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west you say immediately that it is going to rain–and so it does; and when you notice that the wind is blowing from the south you say that it is going to be hot–and so it is. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; why do you not know how to interpret the present time? “Why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? If you are to go with your opponent before a magistrate, make an effort to settle the matter on the way; otherwise your opponent will turn you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the constable, and the constable throw you into prison. I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”

Reflections (11)

(i) Friday, Twenty Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

We often talk about the weather here in Ireland. Perhaps that is because we have so much weather. It never stays the same for very long. If we have a spell of hot weather, it soon turns cooler. If we have a spell of very cold weather, it soon turns milder. If we have a dry spell, we know that rain is not too far away. People of a certain generation were often quite good at anticipating whatever weather was coming. We are losing that skill, probably because we have so many weather apps on our phones. In the gospel reading, Jesus comments on some of the more obvious signs of coming weather in his land. Clouds forming in the west announce the coming of rain. A wind coming up from the south suggest the arrival of heat. However, Jesus laments the fact that those who are good at interpreting the signs in the sky and earth and not so good at interpreting the times in which they live. Many are failing to recognize that God is visiting his people in and through Jesus. There is no sense of urgency among them before the presence of this unique visitor from God, the kind of urgency that someone destined for the courts might show in dealing with his or her accuser in advance. We can all fail to recognize the presence of the risen Lord among us today. God continues to visit us through his Son, now risen Lord. He often comes to us in ways that seem very ordinary and hum drum. He comes to us through our children, through our sick and vulnerable, through those who cross our path every day, and, of course through his word and the sacraments. We need to be watchful and alert to his many guises. As the poet. Gerard Manly Hopkins, wrote, ‘Christ plays in ten thousand places. Lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not his’.

And/Or

(ii) Friday, Twenty Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

Irish people often talk about the weather. That’s probably because we get a lot of weather, different kinds of weather. We often watch the sky to see what kind of weather might be coming along in the next few minutes. The sky can tell us that there is a shower on the way or that a clearance is coming over us. In the gospel reading, Jesus acknowledges that his own contemporaries were good at interpreting the signs in the sky, and recognizing the weather that was coming, but they were not so good at interpreting the times in which they lived and recognizing that someone greater than Solomon, greater than Jonah, was standing among them. We can all fail to interpret the signs of the time in that sense. We can fail to recognize the Lord who stands among us and who calls out to us in and through the various circumstances of our lives. To recognize the Lord among us and to hear his voice we need eyes that see and ears that hear. We need to develop a kind of contemplative attitude, an attentiveness of mind and heart. We also need an expectant faith, a faith that fully expects the Lord to be present wherever we find ourselves, a faith that expects the Lord to speak a word that addresses our own particular situation in life. We pray for that contemplative attitude and expectant faith this morning.

And/Or

(iii) Friday, Twenty Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

In this morning’s first reading from the letter to the Ephesians, Paul reminds his readers and listeners that in spite of the tensions between them, they have a great deal in common in virtue of their shared baptism. He enumerates seven elements that they share, in the form almost of a litany: one Body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, on God who is Father of all. If you count all those elements, there are seven, and in the biblical world, seven was considered a symbol of completion, perfection. The realization of that wonderful oneness with all those dimensions to it should help them to, as he says, ‘bear with one another charitably, in complete selflessness, gentleness and patience’. It can be easy for us to focus on the lack of harmony between ourselves and others. The normal little tensions and misunderstandings of life can come to assume huge proportions. We can easily forget all that unites us as brothers and sisters in Christ. It is worth returning to that list of seven elements that Paul puts before us which we all have in common, in spite of our differences and difficulties, ‘one body (the church of which we are members’, one Spirit (the Holy Spirit), one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God who is Father of us all.

And/Or

(iv) Friday, Twenty Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

We tend to talk a lot about the weather in Ireland. It is a regular topic of conversation. We find it a useful thing to talk about when we have nothing much else to say. Because the weather in Ireland is so changeable and variable, there is always something to say about it. It has either been raining or is raining or is about to raining. Even when it doesn’t rain for days we consider it worthy of comment. In this morning’s gospel reading, Jesus suggests that his contemporaries sometimes talked about the weather too. They knew what weather was coming from the direction of the wind and the change in the appearance of the sky. However, Jesus was disappointed that they were not able to read the times they were living in. They failed to recognize from what Jesus was saying and doing that God was moving among them in a special way. We too can be very aware of the signs of the weather but not so aware of the ways that the Lord is present to us and moving among us. Jesus promised us that he would be with us always until the end of time. The signs of his presence can be subtle and non-dramatic, but, nonetheless, very real. He is present in us in the Eucharist, in his Word, in the silence of our hearts, in each other, in the chance encounters that we have in the course of our day. He can be present in people we find troublesome and in suggestions made to us that we are tempted to kick into the long grass as unworthy of serious consideration. There are signs of the Lord all around us; what we need are ears to hear and eyes to see.

And/Or

(v) Friday, Twenty Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

In the gospel reading Jesus criticizes his contemporaries for not knowing how to interpret the times in which they were living. They are failing to take seriously the presence of God among them in the person of Jesus and are also failing to respond to his call to conversion and renewal. They know how to interpret the signs in nature which suggest the kind of weather that is on the way but they do not know how to interpret a much more fundamental reality, the ministry of Jesus in their midst. The gospel reading calls on all of us to interpret the signs of the Lord’s presence in all our lives, and to discern what the Lord is asking of us and calling us towards. The Lord has some purpose for our lives and there is always an urgency about that purpose; the Lord looks for our response in the here and now. We need to be alert, ready and keen, in response to that sense of urgency that the Lord feels in our regard.

And/Or

(vi) Friday, Twenty Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

In the gospel reading, Jesus suggests that it can often be better to settle a dispute with an opponent out of court than to end up in court and lose your case. Perhaps Jesus was aware that the court system of the time favoured those with status and money, and most of those he was speaking to were not in that category. Jesus is calling for an urgency in the settling of disputes; it is not always good to wait for the case to be brought to court. Why does Jesus draw attention to this aspect of human interaction? He is suggesting that the same kind of urgency is needed in the way people interact with himself. Many of Jesus’ contemporaries were not taking him seriously. Jesus was saying that the time of his presence was a crucial time; it was a time to take seriously what he was saying and doing and to respond appropriately. Earlier in the gospel reading, he used another image, this time drawn from nature, to make the same point. His contemporaries know how to interpret the significance of the signs in nature for forecasting the weather, but they do not seem to know how to interpret the significance of Jesus’ presence among them. The Lord is present among us today just as much as he was present to the people of Galilee. We too need a sense of urgency in responding to the Lord’s presence, the Lord’s call. We too need to be alert to the significance of the signs of his presence among us; we need to read the signs of his presence to us and act accordingly.

And/Or

(vii) Friday, Twenty Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

In the gospel reading, Jesus declares how easily people interpret the face of the earth and the sky in order to predict the weather. Wind from the west brings rain; a wind from the south brings heat. Even though we have a very different climate in Ireland to Galilee of Jesus’ day, it remains true for us too that a wind from the West tends to bring rain and a wind from the South tends to bring warmth, if not heat. However, Jesus goes on to say that his contemporaries are not so good at interpreting the times in which they live. They are failing to recognize that God is visiting them and calling out to them in and through his own ministry. Something hugely significant was a stir among them and they were failing to respond to it. The community of disciples today, the church, is constantly engaged in that work of interpreting the times. We always need to ask ourselves, ‘What is the Lord saying to us in and through these times in which we live today? We can look out on our world, our society, our culture, and get very discouraged. Yet, the Lord stands among us just as he stood among his contemporaries and he continues to work among us and to call out to us. This is the world, this is the culture and these are the times, within which the Lord is calling us to be his disciples, his witnesses. He doesn’t want us to flee from the world or the culture but to interpret what it is to be his followers in the midst of our world, our culture, with all its challenges to faith. The call of Paul in the first reading remains valid today. In the midst of the times in which we find ourselves, we are being called to lead a life worthy of our vocation, bearing with one another charitably in complete selflessness, gentleness and patience, doing all we can to preserve the unity of the Spirit.

And/Or

(viii) Friday, Twenty Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

In the gospel reading, Jesus criticizes his contemporaries because they are not reading the signs of the times. The great sign of their times was the presence of Jesus. He was present among them as someone greater than Solomon and greater than Jonah, and, yet, they did not really recognize the significance of his presence. They were not taking that great sign of the times seriously enough. They could interpret the signs of the sky, which enabled them to forecast the weather, but could not interpret the signs of the times. We often speak about the importance of reading the signs of the times today. Not all of the signs that mark our time are very encouraging. The increase in crime, the rising disrespect for life, the pollution of our natural environment, are all signs that worry us. Yet, the Lord’s presence remains as much a sign of the times today as it was two thousand years ago in places where Jesus lived and worked. We can continue to say with Saint Paul in today’s first reading, ‘Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord’. The Spirit of the Lord is moving in our times, if we have eyes to see and ears to hear. As one example, in the face of the growing pollution of our environment, the Spirit is moving huge numbers of people to take action to protect our environment. That is one of the more positive signs of the times. As followers of a risen Lord who continues to pour out his Spirit among us, we need to keep naming all those positive signs of the times, all the ways the Lord is moving among us today, even in places and situations that seem devoid of hope.

And/Or

(ix) Friday, Twenty Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

My father was very good at judging the weather. He would look at the sky and announce that it would be a good day or it would rain in half an hour. Generally, he wasn’t too far off the mark. Many of us have weather apps on our phones these days. He was his own weather app. We talk a lot about the weather in Ireland, probably because we get such a variety of it. It has been said, ‘we don’t have a climate, we just have weather’. In the gospel reading, Jesus suggests that his own contemporaries were good at reading the weather. They knew that clouds in the west meant rain, and that wind from the south meant heat. However, although they knew how to interpret the elements of earth and sky, they weren’t so good at interpreting the significance of the times they lived in. Many of them could not recognize that God was working powerfully through the life and ministry of Jesus, and calling out to them through Jesus. They were impervious to God’s unique visitation of them, through Jesus. We are in difficult times at the moment and it is not always easy to interpret these times. What is going on in all that is happening to us? Where is God to be found in it? What is God saying to us through it? We may not have easy answers to these questions, but it is good to be asking them. One thing we can be sure of is that God is present in in our time and that he continues to speak to us through his Son. We need to be attentive to his presence and to what he may be saying to us. The Lord’s word to us will always be words of life, words that give us courage and hope, that inspire us to be as generous and loving towards others as he is towards us.

And/Or

(x) Friday, Twenty Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

In the gospel reading, Jesus complains that, whereas his contemporaries are good at interpreting the signs in the sky and on land that indicate the kind of weather that is on the way, they are not good at interpreting the times in which they live. They fail to recognize the presence of God in the life and ministry of Jesus. They fail to notice that God is speaking to them through Jesus of Nazareth. We can all fail to interpret the times, in that sense. We fail to recognize what God is trying to show us and say to us in and through all that is happening in our church and in our world. This is a time when we are being asked to interpret the times, to listen to what the Lord may be saying to us as a church in these days. It is one strand of a process that engages the church throughout the world. The local strand in our Diocese fits within the context of a national strand as the church in Ireland prepares for a national Synod, and that in turn fits within the world-wide strand as the universal church prepares for a Synod in Rome in 2023. The diocesan strand will impact on all the parishes in the Diocese. Each parish is being asked over the next few months to interpret the times. Each parish has to select two representatives of the Parish Pastoral Council who will receive training before Christmas to help them to animate a Parish gathering in the new year. This Parish gathering will be a listening exercise, a time when we try to listen to what the Lord may be saying to us in and through each other. We are being asked to discern what the Lord is saying in and through the times in which we live. We all need to pray that this process will bear fruit. We need to pray for a listening heart so that we can discern what the Lord is saying to the church now, regarding its mission in the world.

And/Or

(xi) Friday, Twenty Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

There is a wonderful call for unity in today’s first reading, what Saint Paul calls the unity of the Spirit. As followers of the Lord, we can have disagreements over many things, but we are always united on the fundamentals. We all acknowledge one Body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism and one God who is Father of all. The unity is already there; it has been given to us by God. Paul calls upon us not to create unity, but to preserve the unity we already have by attitudes of selflessness, gentleness and patience. In this way, we will be living lives worthy of our baptismal vocation. In the gospel reading, Jesus remarks on how well his contemporaries can interpret the sky to forecast the weather and yet how poor they are at interpreting the times in which they live. They fail to recognize God powerfully at work in the ministry of Jesus and they fail to respond to Jesus as God’s powerful presence among us. A question believers always live with is, ‘What is God saying to us through the times in which we live?’ One of the characteristics of the times in which we live, one of the signs of the times, is disharmony, division, divisiveness, conflict. In and through that worrying sign of our times, the call of God to us may be the call of today’s first reading, the call to live in such a way that the unity which God is always creating becomes more and more of a reality. God is always at work to gather all humanity around his Son, to create the unity of the Spirit. Anything we do to allow that unity of the Spirit to become more visible among us is an important sharing in God’s own work.

Fr. Martin Hogan.

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roman-catholic-mass-readings · 8 months ago

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13th June >> Mass Readings (USA)

Saint Antony of Padua, Priest, Doctor

Thursday, Tenth Week in Ordinary Time.

Thursday, Tenth Week in Ordinary Time

(Liturgical Colour: White. Year: B(II))

(Readings for the feria (Thursday))

(There is a choice today between the readings for the ferial day (Thursday) and those for the memorial. The ferial readings are recommended unless pastoral reasons suggest otherwise)

First reading 1 Kings 18:41-46 Elijah prayed and the sky gave rain (James 5:18).

Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.” So Ahab went up to eat and drink, while Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, crouched down to the earth, and put his head between his knees. “Climb up and look out to sea,” he directed his servant, who went up and looked, but reported, “There is nothing.” Seven times he said, “Go, look again!” And the seventh time the youth reported, “There is a cloud as small as a man’s hand rising from the sea.” Elijah said, “Go and say to Ahab, ‘Harness up and leave the mountain before the rain stops you.’” In a trice the sky grew dark with clouds and wind, and a heavy rain fell. Ahab mounted his chariot and made for Jezreel. But the hand of the LORD was on Elijah, who girded up his clothing and ran before Ahab as far as the approaches to Jezreel.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 65:10, 11, 12-13

R/ It is right to praise you in Zion, O God.

You have visited the land and watered it; greatly have you enriched it. God’s watercourses are filled; you have prepared the grain.

R/ It is right to praise you in Zion, O God.

Thus have you prepared the land: drenching its furrows, breaking up its clods, Softening it with showers, blessing its yield.

R/ It is right to praise you in Zion, O God.

You have crowned the year with your bounty, and your paths overflow with a rich harvest; The untilled meadows overflow with it, and rejoicing clothes the hills.

R/ It is right to praise you in Zion, O God.

Gospel Acclamation John 13:34

Alleluia, alleluia. I give you a new commandment: love one another as I have loved you. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Matthew 5:20-26 Whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment. +

Jesus said to his disciples: “I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven. “You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to his brother, Raqa, will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court with him. Otherwise your opponent will hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Amen, I say to you, you will not be released until you have paid the last penny.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

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Saint Antony of Padua, Priest, Doctor

(Liturgical Colour: White. Year: B(II))

(Readings for the memorial)

(There is a choice today between the readings for the ferial day (Thursday) and those for the memorial. The ferial readings are recommended unless pastoral reasons suggest otherwise)

First Reading Isaiah 61:1-3d The Lord GOD anointed me and sent me to bring good news to the poor.

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me; He has sent me to bring glad tidings to the lowly, to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners, To announce a year of favor from the LORD and a day of vindication by our God, to comfort all who mourn; To place on those who mourn in Zion a diadem instead of ashes, To give them oil of gladness in place of mourning, a glorious mantle instead of a listless spirit.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 89:2-3, 4-5, 21-22, 25 and 27