#Fuel Drain UK

[fueldrainuk]

Understanding Wrong Fuel Reading: How Fuel Drain Can Help

Experiencing a wrong fuel reading can be frustrating and potentially dangerous. At Fuel Drain, we specialize in diagnosing and correcting inaccurate fuel gauge readings. Our expert technicians use advanced tools to ensure your fuel system is correctly calibrated, preventing misreads that can lead to unexpected breakdowns. Trust Fuel Drain to keep your vehicle's fuel system accurate and reliable.

[ukrfeminism]

The number of women dying from alcohol-related diseases has soared in recent years, new figures show, with experts blaming the rise on brands deliberately targeting marketing at women.

The latest data reveals the number of women who lost their lives this way in the UK increased by 37 per cent in five years – surging from 2,399 to 3,293 between 2016 and 2021 and marking the highest levels since records began.

While more men than women still die from alcohol-related diseases, the Office for National Statistics figures show deaths are rising substantially quicker for women than for men, with the latter seeing a 28 per cent in the same period – from 4,928 to 6,348.

Professor Debbie Shawcross, a professor of hepatology and chronic liver failure at King’s College London’s Institute of Liver Studies, said liver disease was a particular problem in female patients. 

“Women tend to present with more severe liver disease, particularly alcohol-related hepatitis, and do so after a shorter period of excessive drinking and at a lower daily alcohol intake than men,” she said. “This can be accounted for by differences in body size and composition – less muscle mass.”

Richard Piper, chief executive of the charity Alcohol Change, claimed the main factor causing the surge is the “incessant marketing of drinks towards women” as he called for stricter regulation of alcohol advertising.

Abigail Wilson, from WithYou, a drug, alcohol and mental health charity, described the rise in women dying from alcohol-related liver disease as “very concerning” as she argued alcohol was as damaging as heroin and crack cocaine. “Women generally are less likely to die of alcohol-related causes than men. There is always a gap there but the gap is closing, and that is really concerning.”

The Independent can also report that:

The number of deaths among women attributed to alcohol-related liver disease in England increased from 1,533 to 2,190 deaths between 2015 and 2021 – a 42 per cent rise

The total number of male deaths linked to alcohol-related liver disease climbed by 34 per cent to 3,870 deaths in the same timeframe

Recent research from 33 countries found that British women are the biggest female binge drinkers

Exclusive polling from WithYou shows almost two-thirds of those who seek support online are women, with more than half seeking support for their alcohol use

Roxanne Knighton, who lives in Staffordshire, told The Independent of the pain of losing her mother Melanie to alcohol-related liver disease in March 2022. She was diagnosed with the illness in her late forties.

“All the earliest memories were mum drinking,” the 34-year-old recalled. “She was alcohol dependent – it made her function.”

Ms Knighton said her mother never went to the doctor and was in denial about her drinking. So Ms Knighton made the call instead. 

“It was me who called the doctors as she couldn’t get up off the sofa – she was full of fluid,” she added. “It had gone into her belly, she had to be drained, they got 12 litres from her.

“I was looking after her each day. It was four years until she died. It still hurts. I didn’t just lose her, I lost her to the alcohol first. You lose them twice.”

Raising concerns about the “feminisation” of alcohol marketing, Dr Piper highlighted annual reports of major alcohol brands which reveal they are deliberately targeting women.

“This is leading to deaths,” he said. “The second reason would be pricing – alcohol is more affordable now than it has been at any point in the last 20 years so people are drinking more.” 

He called for ministers to introduce tighter rules on alcohol marketing and roll out minimum unit pricing for alcohol to make drinks with higher alcohol content more expensive.

Other campaigners warned it is harder for women to get support for alcohol misuse due to services often being tailored towards men. Women routinely do the lion’s share of childcare, meaning they cannot physically find the time, they say.

Helena Conibear, chief executive of the Alcohol Education Trust, attributed the rise in women dying from alcohol-related liver disease to a significant increase in binge drinking in the late Nineties and early 2000s.

Meanwhile, Prof Shawcross argued women who struggle with alcoholism endure greater “cultural stigma” than their male counterparts, which may deter women from pursuing help. 

Alcohol-related liver disease often has no symptoms for many years, she added, while women also have lower levels of the enzyme which breaks down alcohol.

Vanessa Hebditch, of the British Liver Trust, said: “With alcohol becoming increasingly accessible and affordable, as well as more ingrained in our culture, more women are drinking to levels that put their health at risk.”

Siobhan Herbert, a project manager, told The Independent she started drinking a bottle of wine a night – and sometimes two bottles on weekend evenings – around 20 years ago.

“When I went out, I drank less,” the 52-year-old added. “I was a bit of a closet drinker. At home, there would be nobody around to witness me getting trollied. My mother was an alcoholic, she was exactly the same. You would have thought growing up, seeing all that through my teenage years, it would stop you, but it is very addictive.”

Ms Herbert said she eventually stopped drinking in June 2022 due to growing fed up with the impact alcohol was having on her physical and mental health.

She added: “I wasn’t putting Baileys on my cornflakes but every day I felt awful. I felt tired and anxious. 

“I am a whole new woman now. I feel alive. I have more energy. I am sharper. I do not have anxiety. My depression is gone and all of the problems I was blaming on the menopause have massively improved.”

Sandra Parker, a self-professed “classic binge drinker”, said she would struggle to know how much alcohol she had consumed due to blacking out and would sometimes be in bed for two days afterwards.

The 54-year-old, who stopped drinking in 2018, now coaches women to help them stop or cut down on their alcohol consumption, describing her clients as successful professional middle-class women who are secretly drinking harmful amounts of wine at home.

“They may have a single drink when they are out with people from work, or they may not even drink, but they come home and they have a bottle of wine,” she added. “They have learnt that when they have a drink, they feel less stressed, and it becomes a dependency where they really crave that feeling each night.”

A Department of Health spokesperson said. “Alcohol misuse can ruin lives and destroy families, which is why we are acting to support those most at risk.

“We’ve published a 10-year plan for tackling drug and alcohol-related harms and are investing an extra £532m between 2022 and 2025 to create places for 50,000 people in drug and alcohol treatment services. We are also funding specialist alcohol care teams at one in four hospitals in England, based on those with the greatest need.

“Our 10-year women’s health strategy sets out our plan for improving care and support for women.”

[anatovrocktail]

Thinking on my "don't be nice, be kind" stance and UBI.

I've spent the last three days helping out friends, cooking dinner for people and helping out Emma, our local rough sleeper (previous posts explain that one).

And I realise that there is a massive amount of financial privilege that goes into helping the way I do.

I can afford to buy my US friend a second hand fridge for her UK flat, to pay for petrol and the upkeep of a car to drive 140 mile round trip to deliver it.

I can afford to buy £50 of cleaning supplies and help my friend clean his flat because his mental health is in the toilet and he hasn't cleaned in four years.

I can afford to buy food for 8 people and the fuel to cook it.

I can afford to give a homeless woman a bag of clothes and sleeping bags.

And the reason I can afford it is because I own my home outright. If housing wasn't a massive financial drain, imagine what people could do.

[bqrf]

My friend and I were discussing how we could involve science into the use of Visions, and here’s what I spiraled into! Keep in mind this is all just us spit balling so yeah-

WARNING:

Discussion of Death, graphic injury descriptions and more

Anemo Users

first, I’d like to start off with the discussion of Anemo users as they are actually the most versatile. A common theme being they all use air compression.

This is on the assumption that Anemo users are capable of manipulating any type of air.

Beginning with one of our favorite emos with mommy issues.

The Wanderer - Scaramouche [Introduction]

He is the only known Anemo user (from what I can tell) to utilize his vision for flight. (No, I’m not counting Venti, he just makes a wind current). Something else that interests me more though, is his attack patterns.

When attacking foes with the wanderer, Yuuban Meigen has the effect which leads me to believe he is using pressurized wind; or rather compressed air.

This is further confirmed by the Description of his burst. And This is where I will now rant to you about compressed air.

Please note: most of this can apply to all Anemo users. I will get into the specifics of others momentarily.

source I will be using:

DANGERS

Firstly, what are the dangers of compressed air if not handled properly?

“Although all these occurrences are extremely rare, they are also possible. There is absolutely no good reason to point compressed air at a person, including yourself, which makes these injuries 100% preventable. Don’t use compressed air to clean your clothes, blow dust around, or hit your buddy as a joke, and you’ll be perfectly safe.”

It is also possible for a pressurized air tanks to explode when not looked after due to corrosion— or rather, it is one of the leading causes. When the water isn’t properly drained from the t ank it can weaken it until the tank breaks from the air forcing its way out.

HEAT

Compressed air is known to be hot due to the way it is created. Let’s discuss that.

Compressed air is made in chambers where the molecules are pressed together to create said air. This can be explained by 3 laws.

The third law listed above already explains it! The molecules moving so quickly together causes the heat of the air to increase!

These dangers can also serve as explanations as to why Xiao’s burst does continuous self-inflicted damage.

Theoretically, Sayu should be taking even more damage than him on just her skill. There’s of course the obvious reason of rolling around on hard surfaces but there is also the idea of her using pressurized air and wind to propel herself. I will be doodling Safety gear for all Anemo users at the end of this post.

These guys have the right idea. Though something covering their whole face can prevent the loss of eyeballs!

ALL ELEMENTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

Sub section: Pyro

source:

It is a well known fact that fire is a result of vibrating atoms to release gasses. In short, a combination of fuel, oxygen and heat. What do anemo users have? Oxygen and heat (refer back to heat caused by air compression).

Sub Section: Hydro

In tandem with Pyro and heat, this can cause water to vaporize. Another known fact is that Water is found in the air. Ameno users can utilize this through air pressure to manipulate hydro as if it were their vision.

Furthermore Hydro can be compressed to make Cryo, lending itself to the next sub section.

Sub Section: Electro

sources:

Lightning is formed through droplets and ice crystals “bumping” into each other, creating electrical charges. Oxygen and air have a large role to play in this, as you need cold and warm air for its creation.

“Nitrogen is also involved in further lightning chemistry. At the high temperatures lightning generates, there is enough energy for nitrogen and oxygen in the air to combine, forming nitrogen oxides. In turn, these nitrogen oxides can dissolve in rainwater and form nitrates, which are important for plant growth. The process of usually unreactive nitrogen being turned into nitrates that plants can use is called ‘nitrogen fixing’. Lightning accounts for up to 3-10 teragrams of nitrogen fixed per year (compared to 100-300 teragrams fixed by bacteria).”

(“The Science of thunderstorms- thunder, lighting, and chemical reactions”, Compound interest, ~2018) Yes, anemo also has a grip on Dendro.

Conclusion

With everything we know it’s safe to assume Geo can be manipulated by Anemo too

Compression of Minerals creates others, Anemo as we know it is capable of compression

Cryo is created from hydro, which can be manipulated through Ameno

Through the manipulation of its molecules or Anemo induced Pyro hydro can be created, and therefore Cryo.

Most elements are dependent on Air/ Oxygen

Electro is dependent for the reactions created

Pyro is fueled by oxygen, without it there is no fire

Plant life depends on Air for survival, without it there would be no carbon dioxide to be used in photosynthesis.

BURST

source used:

Now looking back on the Wander’s burst we know it would utilize heat and pressure along with creating an unstable environment for the compressed air in order to cause this explosion.

An important question to bring up is:

How far can this compression be pushed? Assuming there is no limit— dependent on the user— it’s safe to assume it can be pushed to the point of creating a black hole, or something similar.

“Don't let the name fool you: a black hole is anything but empty space. Rather, it is a great amount of matter packed into a very small area - think of a star ten times more massive than the Sun squeezed into a sphere approximately the diameter of New York City. The result is a gravitational field so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape.” (NASA, 1)

Theoretically, Scaramouche could compress matter in the air to the point of a black hole.

Taking a closer look, the effects would suggest light itself warping around the Axis, implying something with the nature of a black hole.

Black holes are created from super Novas, specifically the theory that, if the mass is large enough, no force can keep the star from collapsing under the influence of gravity. Leading this back to the wanderer, a perfect balance could possibly result in the creation of an artificial black hole.

CONCLUSION (scara)

In conclusion, Scara’s attacks can do some serious damage! Taking into account his personality: his skills can and will be used in a manner which would guarantee the safety of no one, not even himself.

Skill ideas

Heat - He burns people, what can I say

Compressing lungs - He could compress the air in the lungs of his foes leading to:

Suffocation

Converting them into essentially pressurized air tanks, of course leading to explosions

Compressing all water molecules to drown them

Black holes

need I say more

Air in the body

Your body requires air for functionality, an Ameno user could quickly cut off oxygen supply.

Good thing he doesn’t need to breathe! Otherwise, he would be rupturing his lungs every time he takes flight!

If you want further details on how he could do more damage please let me know, I can make a follow up for individual characters too with how they can utilize all of this keeping these ideas in mind.

OTHER CHARACTERS - SAFETY GEAR AND ADDITION ABILITIES

Capable of all of this: shown to have similar move set

Sucrose - Anemo CATALYST 4*

Suggested protective gear: Most I can think of at the moment is giving her headphones/ earmu ffs and better protective Eyewear. If needed a mask to cover her mouth

Yes I used an article on why you dont let your dogs stick their heads out windows she has animal ears ok

Eyewear: Effective for Windburn, and debris. Glasses isn’t cutting it!

Earmuffs: Windburn

additionally, anemo would cause constant flapping to the ears and that can do some damage. This constant trauma to the skull can cause blood to pool in the ears leading to painful swelling.

Mask or scarf: Self explanatory

Pants, or heavier clothing:

Again, self-explanatory. We don’t want parts of her outfit to get in the way, especially with the dangers of compressed air.

Hair:

Her hair is actually a good length to keep out of the way, the only issue being her bangs, which could obscure her vision.

Based on her burst I think it’s ok to assume that if pushed further she is capable of black hole creation.

(Concept, not final)

It’s not cute (yet) but safety first!

Shown to use Anemo for the creation of “physical” objects

Faruzan - Anemo BOW 4*

Known to use Air pressure, same conclusion to Sucrose. She is possibly capable of creating a black hole.

Furthermore, it is listed as “vortex damage”. Additionally, we see her use this for the creation of “physical” objects, notably her burst.

This suggests Faruzan compresses the air to create Cryo or hydro.

Suggested gear/ precautions:

Arm Guard: she uses a bow, it would be necessary

I took archery and I do not recommend shooting w/o one- they told us so many horror stories

Pants! PANTS! WHY DO THEY ALL WEAR DRESSES IT’S NOT SAFE

Protective eye gear

No lose jewelry! It can get caught in her bow, and the wind currents she utilizes, would be a fun time for no one!

Tie up her hair! Once again can get caught in the bow especially with the wind all around her.

All characters on the team would need gear to effectively cover their skin and faces if they don’t want any of this to happen.

Concept: Not final

Shikanoin Heizou - Anemo CATALYST 4*

Known to punch and kick with infused Anemo damage.

Through manipulation of the air surrounding his limbs, it is likely he propels himself forward in order to have more force. Air compression is back again! This sort of thing is often used in roller coasters.

The compressed air would be used to launch his leg or arm in a steady motion in a way where he is less likely to get hurt from the movement alone.

GEAR AND PRECAUTIONS

Closed Toed shoes- this goes for everyone!

The leg guards are almost there in terms of safety depending on the material— and anime logic— though they should be extended to cover the entire leg.

The armpit window? aka clothes: Bro you will rupture a lung, that’s no good.

If heavy enough the flowing parts can be excusable, then again that would hinder combat so maybe just scrap them.

Head gear: See the previous 2 characters, it’s a common theme at this point.

He sticks to close range combat mostly so arm Guards.

Cover the fingers!

Hair: His hair is tied up. Good job Heizou 👍

Those bangs are atrocious tho in terms of obscuring vision.

LIGHTNING ROUND

Xiao - Anemo POLEARM 5*

just keep the mask on at all times

Arm coverage

Jean and Kazuha - Anemo SWORD 5*

Arm Guards

Cover more skin

Head gear due to close range

Sayu - Anemo CLAYMORE 4*

Just give her armor at this point

Anemo Traveler

Aether:

Cover stomach, you can rupture your organs bro

More arm Coverage

Hair should be tied up better unless you want to be slapped by it.

Lumine

Snug fit clothing

Arm coverage— again

Gloves should cover the fingers.

Venti - Anemo BOW 5*

I dont care that you’re God, you need an arm guard.

FINAL CONCLUSION

All anemo users have the capacity to use every element to their advantage and can do some serious damage.

I think we now know how Venti was able to survive this long- What a goober

If you want me to go into detail on specific characters let me know!

[llewelynpritch]

https://lnkd.in/eP7s6ZZb https://lnkd.in/eRNmpWNP

i) Explain how and why the Muskrat Falls lower Churchill industrial project, Labrador, NL, Canada is a valid, reliable example of unrealistic hydro 'megadam', methane-generating, methyl-mercury, neurotoxic poison-producing, corrupting, colonial, constitutionally corrosive construction.

ii) An unrealistic project that exists within shameful British Crown, Canadian, NL Provincial and Federal ‘legal’ mismanagement tradition.

iii) A contradictory unethical, immoral, constitutionally corrosive, criminal jurisdiction.

iv) A capitalist, corporate, fossil fuel unsustainable development.

v) Enforced by corrupt criminal justice systems, immoral failed leadership UK CA: a root cause of our planet's cost of living climate crisis.

vi) Rapid disinvestment and no new investment is imperative.

vii) Why not protect our sacred waters by draining, mitigating such unconscionable Muskrat Falls megadam reservoirs without delay and revoke similar unsafe hydro megadam operating licences worldwide to prevent further ecological, ecocidal and climatic suicide?

viii) No such new fossil fuel, megadam methane developments should be licensed - assisting Mother Earth stay within 2 degrees Centigrade average global warming by rapidly cutting, rapidly accelerating, atmospheric greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible. #AI #OpenSource #ChatGPT #Perplexity Llewelyn Pritchard MA 17 July 2023

[chaoticunorigionalstranger]

Hadestown - Broadway - 10.2.23 Eve (2.10.23 as I was in the USA).

I had listened to the cast recording before going and wasn't too sure what to expect, but seeing the show live blewe away.

This show is has so many layers and so much depth I honestly don't know where to start.

There is more, but this is what I've managed to remember and articulate. I may edit and add more later.

Capitalism and collectivism

There is very heavy criticism of capitalism throughout, which was something I'd not picked up on when listening to the recording. Why We Build the Wall was the part that made me realise how interwoven the criticism was. The set/backdrop of an industrialised location/factory with people carrying out menial work to keep Hades happy and fuel his empire, really made the criticism clear. The same can be said for the way the actors would look down and were hunched over, indicating the weight of their labour and the opression of the masses by their leader. The workers singing in unionisin, and repeating what Hades says and/or directly responding to him in a robotic way shows how the monotony capitalism forces on the workers drains them of individuality and freedom; they are stuck - trapped - by the system, and cannot progress beyond what they are currently doing.

Orpheus was given the opportunity to lead Eurydice out of Hadestown, and also the other workers/souls. They say/are told that if he can leave then they all can, if they work together. This highlighting the idea of collective action. Hades even draws Orpheus's attention to this, making it clear that if he doesn't trust that Eurydice will follow him, then not only will she be returned to Hadestown, but so will the others.

Orpheus's actions, which resulted in Eurydice and the workers being sent back down to Hadestown, shows how self-doubt and not having a unified approach can undermine collective action.

Tom Hewitt - absolutely bloody brilliant. His voice is really rich and has a warm velvety sound to it. He is able to effectively portray Hades' mix of emotions from enamoured with Perspohone, to sad, to angry, to steely, all through his voice.

Eva Noblezada - her voice is beautiful

Jewelle Blackman - her voice is beautiful and her physical acting is something else - her body language radiated her emotions so clearly

Walter Kerr Theatre: weird things (from a Brit's perspective)

I'd never been to Broadway, so this was an experience.

1. There was no lobby at the Walter Kerr Theatre, you walked straight into the auditorium!

2. At interval (which is shorter than the UK) people were leaning on the stage. I know that no every theatre has an orchestra pit in the front, but leaning in the stage is weird.

3. The merch line had four people in it and the usher called up and said the line was too long!

4. No over priced ice-cream at interval :(

[darkmaga-returns]

Your daily dose of natural disasters and amazing phenomena for October 20, 2024...

Strange Sounds

Mars on the left, Earth on the right…

Fun fact: The rovers on mars were first tested in the Atacama desert in Chile and Argentina. In parts of the desert it is so dry there that not even bacteria can grow…

The accuracy…

The funny thing is, we all know it but do it anyway…

That meme made me lol…

Could a large-scale cyber attack be imminent?

Guess we'll see what happens. If internet goes down.. well.......... that would suck… Just be prepared in case something happens…

The Eye of God - A stunning deep space nebula…

The Helix Nebula, sometimes referred to as the 'Eye Of God Nebula', is an object known as a planetary nebula located 650 lightyears away and seen in the constellation Aquarius.

It is a dying star that's running out of fuel, ejecting its outer layers into space and producing a large, puffed-out structure.

Hmm wonder what’s on the other side of the eye, the blue part. Looks like paradise…

Wow. That is incredible. Brilliant capture… Mumbai, India…

A new Stoker dropped before Winds of Winter…

Dracula author Bram Stoker's lost story unearthed after 134 years…

HEY FRIENDS! PLEASE SUPPORT MY WORK! THANKS YOU!

PAYPAL

DonorBox

Saudi Crown Prince MBS’s dream project Neom is racing towards completion at such speed that it alone is consuming 20% of the worlds steel…

Stop the steal…

Australia: Funeral home owner accused of keeping a woman’s corpse in the back of a hearse for over a year…

Meanwhile, a funeral home in Poland apologised after corpse falls out of a hearse and into traffic…

Authorities said at least seven people were killed Saturday when part of a ferry dock collapsed on Georgia's Sapelo Island, where crowds had gathered for a fall celebration by the island's tiny Gullah-Geechee community of Black slave descendants.

Two stories... the tragedy of the collapse of the ferry gang plank, and the history of these Black separatist islands. And a third story of homes being sold (increased taxes) as vacation homes... not a good sign, of course…

Harvard scientists unveil a new AI model for cancer diagnosis, 96% accuracy!

Cool, now where's our free treatment that doesnt make us drain our children's college fund, lose our savings, go bankrupt, sell our house, and live on the streets?

It's in Canada, the UK, Australia, France... Well, almost all European countries… Really! Even China, and most of the civilized world... Sorry friend.

Bad luck being sick in America…

10 million people plunge into darkness as Cuba’s grid collapses…

Sounds like you will soon get 10 million more immigrants coming to America...

A rare 237-year-old copy of the US Constitution has been sold at auction for a whopping $9m (£7m).MORE…

The copy was printed in 1787 after delegates from the colonial states met for the Constitutional Convention and drafted what would become the founding document of the US federal government.

There are believed to be only eight copies like this one left in existence, and seven of them are publicly owned.

Why did it sell for such a low value? Paintings often sell for 20x this. This is a valuation you could see on Antique Roadshow. How is a copy of the US Constitution not a good investment?

The annual Orionid meteor shower is underway as Earth passes through a stream of debris from Halley's Comet.

The best time to look is during the hours before sunrise on Monday morning.

Observers in both hemispheres can see this shower, which could produce up to a dozen meteors per hour.

I know you guys prefer news on this newsletter, but I just wanted to share this quote which I found very interesting...

“Man should not be able to see his own face -- there’s nothing more sinister. Nature gave him the gift of not being able to see it, and of not being able to stare into his own eyes. Only in the water of rivers and ponds could he look at his face. And the very posture he had to assume was symbolic. He had to bend over, stoop down, to commit the ignominy of beholding himself. The inventor of the mirror poisoned the human heart.”

— Fernando Pessoa

[mrm101]

Update (augmented NASA blog release) It was later decided to replace the regulator relief valve on the Centaur stage and to allow time to do that the launch has been postponed a week to Friday 17 May at 21:16UT (06:18EDT). The oscillating behaviour of the valve during LOX tank ‘topping up’ replenishment operations, ultimately resulted in the launch team calling a launch scrub on Monday (Tuesday morning UK). After the crew had climbed out of the spacecraft and left the launch complex the valve was commanded shut and the oscillations stopped, however the oscillations then reoccurred twice during de-tanking (fuel draining) operations. After reviewing the valve’s history and examining data signatures form the launch attempt it was decided that the valve had, or would, exceed it’s certified design life of 200,000 individual operations (and also the fact the problem had reoccured in a short period of time). The Atlas V will be rolled back to the VIF tomorrow (8 May). The crew, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will remain at the Kennedy Space Centre crew quarters in quarantine until the next launch attempt.

It was announced, early on Monday morning (7 May) at around L-2 hours that the vehicle was not in a launch configuration and the launch attempt would be aborted and the count would enter a 65 minute hold to allow the crew to egress, assisted by the 'blue team' or the close out team in the white room at the end of the Crew Access Arm, the hatch at that point was still open.

As explained at a later briefing Tony Bruno, the ULA boss, the problem was with a spring loaded pressure relief regulator valve on the liquid oxygen(LOX) tank of the Centaur upper or second stage. This is designed to pop open if the ullage pressure got to great (the space above the LOX in the tank which is filled with helium to keep the tank pressurised and ultimately later push the propellent into the engines). On rare occasions such a valve does not seat properly and starts to oscillate or 'buzz' open and closed very rapidly, about 40htz in this case. It could be heard by the blue team and sounds like a loud buzzing.

Normally to correct this a solenoid would be operated (a electro-magnetically operated switch or lever) to force the valve closed (as is done just before launch), once released this usually stops the valve 'buzzing'. However because a crew was onboard the launch rules of ULA dictate that nothing should be done to alter the fuel state of the vehicle (outside of the launch procedure that is) and shutting this valve with the solenoid would have caused the tank pressure to increase, changing the fuel state. So they had to abort the launch attempt and get the crew off. Once the crew had got out they operated the switch and the valve stopped buzzing.

However the next worry is how much stress that valve has suffered whilst it was rapidly opening and closing and if it was slamming all the way open and closed or just partially. These valves are certified, tested for 200,000 opening and closings (they can probably last longer than that but that has not been tested) and unfortunately it is estimated that it may have been approaching that limit. There aren't any sensors attached to the valve but the launch crew can use accelerometers on the nearly engines to measure and count the vibrations caused by the buzzing valve. Then they can estimate how many times the valve opened and closed and then calculate how much structural design life it has late remaining. which is what they have been doing today (Tuesday). If the valve does not have enough life left in it to cover another launch attempt it will have to be replaced. That can be done but the rocket would have to be rolled back into the Vehicle Integration Facility (VIF), a nearby high bay. There the Centaur LOX tank would have to be supported, put under tension, and completely depressurised (it need to be pressurised, or put under tension, at all times or it would crumple) so the valve can be changed, however the Starliner spacecraft would not have to be taken off the top of Centaur during the process. This would tale several days. Currently the valve condition it is still being assessed and if it is OK, if it does not need to be changed, then another launch attempt can be made on Saturday, UK time. Pic: NASA

[mcbastardsmausoleum]

Lamberto Bava’s Italian Horror Classics DEMONS and DEMONS 2 return in 4K UHD and remastered Blu-ray this August from Synapse Films!

Please Note: These are the Standard Editions releases for DEMONS 1 and 2 and do not feature any new material or restoration work from our 2021 releases.

They will make cemeteries their cathedrals and the cities will be your tombs… in 4K UHD and remastered Blu-ray!

“Perhaps no films better capture the essence of '80s Italian horror” - Nathaniel Thompson, Mondo-Digital.com

Regarded by horror fans the world over as two of the greatest Italian horror films ever made, Lamberto Bava’s Demons films are not only major cinematic nightmare fuel, but also hugely entertaining splatterfests of the highest order. Synapse’s 2013 Blu-rays and 2021 Limited Edition UHD remain two of their most popular releases, and now they’re bringing these favorites to Standard Edition 4K UHD and remastered Blu-ray in spectacular 4K restorations! These horrific splatter classics produced by Dario Argento (Suspiria) have never looked or sounded better and are packed with hours of special features, making this the ultimate home video release of these horror favorites.

In Demons, a masked man offers tickets to a horror movie sneak preview at the mysterious Metropol cinema. When a patron is scratched by a prop displayed in the theatre lobby, she transforms into a flesh-ripping demon! One by one, the audience members mutate into horrible creatures hell-bent on destroying the world! Can anyone escape this gory orgy of terror? In 1986’s ambitious sequel Demons 2, the apocalyptic terror continues! A televised horror film spells doom for the residents of a luxury high-rise apartment, as demons are unleashed through the TV screen at a young girl’s birthday party. As more and more residents are infected and transformed into blood-thirsty demons, a young couple fights to survive as they try to escape Hell on Earth.

DEMONS (4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY)

- Two versions of the film: the full-length original cut in English and Italian, and the shorter U.S. version featuring alternate dubbing and sound effects.

- Uncompressed DTS-HD MA English & Italian 5.1/2.0 audio mixes on the original cut derived from the archival audio masters

- Uncompressed DTS-HD MA English 2.0 U.S. theatrical mono audio newly remastered in 2021 by Synapse Films

- Audio commentary by critics Kat Ellinger and Heather Drain, co-hosts of the Hell’s Belles podcast

- Audio commentary with director Lamberto Bava, SPFX artist Sergio Stivaletti, composer Claudio Simonetti and actress Geretta Geretta

- Produced by Dario Argento: a visual essay by author and critic Michael Mackenzie exploring the legendary filmmaker’s career as a producer

- Dario’s Demon Days: interview with writer/producer Dario Argento

- Defining an Era in Music: interview with Claudio Simonetti

- Splatter Spaghetti Style: interview with long-time argento collaborator Luigi Cozzi

- Carnage at the Cinema: Lamberto Bava and His Splatter Masterpiece

- Dario and Demons: Producing Monster Mayhem

- Monstrous Memories: Luigi Cozzi on Demons

- Profondo Jones: The Critical Perspective

- Splatter Stunt Rock: interview with Ottaviano Dell’Acqua

- Stivaletti Q & A at the 2019 UK ‘Festival of Fantastic Films’

- Original Italian and English international theatrical trailers

- U.S. theatrical trailer

- Newly translated optional English SDH subtitles for the English version

- Newly translated English subtitles for the Italian version

DEMONS – 4K (2160p) STANDARD EDITION UHD BLU-RAY

VIDEO: 4K 2160p Widescreen (1.66:1) Presentation

AUDIO: DTS-HD MA English & Italian 5.1 and 2.0

SUBTITLES: English SDH (English Language Versions) / English Subtitles (Italian Versions)

REGION: ALL

ITEM # SFD0229

UPC: 654930325292

SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE: $44.95

DEMONS 2 (4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY)

- Uncompressed DTS-HD MA English 5.1 & Italian 5.1/2.0 audio mixes derived from the original archival audio masters

- Uncompressed DTS-HD MA English 2.0 true stereo theatrical mix remastered in 2021 by Synapse Films

- Audio commentary by film critic Travis Crawford

- Bava to Bava: interview with Luigi Cozzi on the history of Italian horror

- Creating Creature Carnage: interview with Sergio Stivaletti

- Demonic Influences: Federico Zampaglione Speaks

- The ‘Demons’ Generation: Roy Bava discusses a legacy in lacerations

- The New Blood of Italian Horror featuring Sergio Stivaletti

- Screaming for a Sequel: The Delirious Legacy of DEMONS 2 with Lamberto Bava

- A Soundtrack for Splatter: interview with composer Simon Boswell

- Together and Apart: a visual essay on the space and technology in DEMONS and DEMONS 2 by author and critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas

- Original Italian and English theatrical trailers

- Newly translated optional English SDH subtitles for the English version

- Newly translated English subtitles for the Italian version

DEMONS 2 – 4K (2160p) STANDARD EDITION UHD BLU-RAY

VIDEO: 4K 2160p Widescreen (1.66:1) Presentation

AUDIO: DTS-HD MA English & Italian 5.1 and 2.0

SUBTITLES: English SDH (English Language Versions) / English Subtitles (Italian Versions)

REGION: ALL

ITEM # SFD0230

UPC: 654930325391

SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE: $34.95

ALSO AVAILABLE ON 1080p BLU-RAYS

DEMONS – 1080p STANDARD EDITION BLU-RAY

VIDEO: High-Definition 1080p Widescreen (1.66:1) Presentation

AUDIO: DTS-HD MA English & Italian 5.1 and 2.0

SUBTITLES: English SDH (English Language Versions) / English Subtitles (Italian Versions)

REGION: A

ITEM # SFD0231

UPC: 654930325490

SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE: $34.95

DEMONS 2 – 1080p STANDARD EDITION BLU-RAY

VIDEO: High-Definition 1080p Widescreen (1.66:1) Presentation

AUDIO: DTS-HD MA English & Italian 5.1 and 2.0

SUBTITLES: English SDH (English Language Versions) / English Subtitles (Italian Versions)

REGION: A

ITEM # SFD0232

UPC: 654930325599

SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE: $34.95

Because of space limitations of the 1080p Blu-ray format, a smaller selection of Supplemental Features will be included on each Blu-ray:

DEMONS (1080p BLU-RAY)

- RmTwo versions of the film: the full-length original cut in English and Italian, and the shorter U.S. version featuring alternate dubbing and sound effects

- Uncompressed DTS-HD MA English & Italian 5.1/2.0 audio mixes on the original cut derived from the archival audio masters

- Uncompressed DTS-HD MA English 2.0 U.S. theatrical mono audio newly remastered in 2021 by Synapse Films

- Audio commentary by critics Kat Ellinger and Heather Drain, co-hosts of the Hell’s Belles podcast

- Audio commentary with director Lamberto Bava, SPFX artist Sergio Stivaletti, composer Claudio Simonetti and actress Geretta Geretta

- Produced by Dario Argento: a new visual essay by author and critic Michael Mackenzie exploring the legendary filmmaker’s career as a producer

- Dario’s Demon Days: interview with writer/producer Dario Argento

- Defining an Era in Music: interview with Claudio Simonetti

- Dario and Demons: Producing Monster Mayhem

- Splatter Stunt Rock: interview with Ottaviano Dell’Acqua

- Original Italian and English international theatrical trailers

- U.S. theatrical trailer

- Newly translated optional English SDH subtitles for the English version

- Newly translated English subtitles for the Italian version

DEMONS 2 (1080p BLU-RAY)- 

Uncompressed DTS-HD MA English 5.1 & Italian 5.1/2.0 audio mixes derived from the original archival audio masters

- Uncompressed DTS-HD MA English 2.0 true stereo theatrical mix remastered in 2021 by Synapse Films

- Audio commentary by film critic Travis Crawford.

- Creating Creature Carnage: interview with Sergio Stivaletti

- The ‘Demons’ Generation: Roy Bava discusses a legacy in lacerations

- Screaming for a Sequel: The Delirious Legacy of DEMONS 2 with Lamberto Bava

- A Soundtrack for Splatter: interview with composer Simon Boswell

- Together and Apart: a new visual essay on the space and technology in DEMONS and DEMONS 2 by author and critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas

- Original Italian and English theatrical trailers

- Newly translated optional English SDH subtitles for the English version

- Newly translated English subtitles for the Italian version

The Standard Edition DEMONS 1 and DEMONS 2 4K UHDs and Blu-rays will be released on August 13, 2024.

Pre-order these releases now via the Synapse Films website at www.synapsefilms.com

[fueldrainuk]

Diesel In Petrol Car Removal London

If you have accidentally put diesel in your petrol car in London, don't panic. Contact Fuel Drain UK and let their experts take care of the problem for you. They offer competitive prices and excellent customer service, so you can trust them to get the job done right.

[warmfrontuk01]

Save Money and Energy with a Warm Air Heating Grant

As winter approaches, keeping our homes warm becomes a top priority. However, rising energy costs can strain our budgets. Fortunately, there are government initiatives that can help you save money while making your home more energy-efficient. One such program is the Warm Air Heating Grant, designed to provide financial assistance for upgrading heating systems and improving energy efficiency.

What Is the Warm Air Heating Grant?

The Warm Air Heating Grant, also known as the Home Upgrade Grant (HUG), aims to tackle fuel poverty and contribute to the UK’s net-zero emissions target by 2050. Here’s how it works:

Eligibility: The grant is available to low-income households living in the worst-performing, off-gas-grid homes in England. These homes often face higher energy bills due to inefficient heating systems.

Funding: Successful local authorities receive up to £630 million in grant funding to deliver HUG 2. This money is used to provide energy efficiency measures and low-carbon heating solutions to eligible households.

Energy Efficiency Measures: The grant covers various improvements, including insulation upgrades, draught-proofing, and heating system enhancements. By making your home more energy-efficient, you can reduce heat loss and lower your energy bills.

Low-Carbon Heating: The HUG encourages the adoption of low-carbon heating technologies. This includes air source heat pumps, which extract heat from the air and use it to warm your home. These pumps are more efficient than traditional heating systems and can significantly reduce your energy consumption.

How to Apply for the Warm Air Heating Grant

Contact Your Local Authority: Check if your local council has received funding through the Sustainable Warmth Competition or the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund. These programs are part of the broader Help to Heat schemes.

Assessment: If your home qualifies, an assessment will determine the most suitable energy efficiency measures. This could include installing an air source heat pump or improving insulation.

Installation: Once approved, qualified installers will carry out the necessary upgrades. You’ll benefit from a warmer home and reduced energy bills.

Conclusion

By taking advantage of government grants and investing in energy-efficient upgrades, you can save money, reduce your carbon footprint, and enjoy a cosier home. Don’t let the cold weather drain your wallet—apply for the Warm Air Heating and make your home more comfortable and sustainable.

Remember, a warm home doesn’t have to come at the expense of your budget or the environment. Let’s work together to create a greener, more cost-effective future for all.

[rogerjharding]

Of course working-class people care about the climate crisis: they emit the least, but will suffer most

FULL TEXT BELOW

Many of Rishi Sunak’s political decisions are baffling, but one that’s easy to understand is his recent rowing back from the UK’s climate commitments: he, like many creatures of Westminster, thinks working-class people don’t care much for climate action. This is a lazy stereotype and, predictably, did nothing for his poll numbers.

The simple truth is this: when it comes to the climate crisis, working-class people are often the first to spot the changes occurring because even slight fluctuations can make or break family finances. That doesn’t mean this is the first subject working-class people raise when a canvasser knocks at the door or a pollster asks, but it is there in the background when deciding who to trust with our futures.

It’s the people who think twice before turning on a fan or know their homes aren’t fully insured who are most attuned to the fact that summers are getting hotter and the rain is increasingly heavier than their drains can cope with. If you use the calculator app when you shop to avoid embarrassment at the tills, you have a keener sense that flooded farmers’ fields today mean higher food prices tomorrow.

Above all, working-class people know they have done far less to contribute to our national emissions than those in the private-jet class or the investment managers who have grown rich on fossil fuel. It is therefore unsurprising that many working-class people are slightly suspicious of a climate movement that seems to be whiter and more middle-class than the communities on the sharpest end of climate consequences.

I’m nobody’s idea of a climate radical. I had spent my career working for charities that fight for families on low incomes and tackle inequality, driven by growing up in a council house and seeing my mum struggle (as many more people are sadly doing today). I have never forgotten how tough we had it growing up, so I am determined that working-class families like the one I grew up in won’t bear the brunt of the climate crisis. That’s why my new organisation, Round our Way, highlights the impact the climate crisis is having on working-class communities today, and gets more of our voices into the debate about what we do about it.

This isn’t abstract or something to worry about in the future: the implications are showing up right now in everyday life. Last year, for example, research by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) found the average food bill was £400 higher thanks to climate impacts and fossil-fuel costs. Working-class communities are significantly more likely to be flooded, and have less money and insurance to weather the storms.

And later this week, Round our Way will be jointly publishing research showing that community and lower-league football clubs, such as Whitby Town, are facing huge bills to cope with the wetter weather that the climate crisis brings. Whole communities are changing because of this.

Given all of this, we shouldn’t be surprised that polling last month by More in Common found what the group calls “loyal nationals” (a term for “red wall” voters) had the climate crisis and the environment fourth on their list of priorities. Politicians have got it wrong if they think attacking climate action presents an easy path to popularity.

All of this is good news for those of us who want to see a fairer and greener future, but this cross-class consensus on climate action is fragile and needs reinforcement. Plenty of working-class people worry that climate policies won’t be applied fairly, and we need only look to recent experiences in Germany to see how quickly things can go badly wrong. There, proposals to ban new gas boilers and replace them with green options created huge splits in the governing coalition over whether enough was being done to help people on modest incomes.

Climate politics curdle when one of two things happen. The first is when effective populists pose as working-class champions. You can spot these fairweather class warriors by the speed at which working-class concerns become their calling card only when climate action is proposed. They are the people who don’t say a word when the youth club closes, job cuts are made or bills spiral, but you can’t get them off news programmes when they can use our worries as a stick to beat the climate consensus.

The second is when the actual climate movement becomes dominated by people whose lives are sufficiently comfortable that they don’t think about the distributional consequences of policy, or recognise that its implications will be felt very differently depending on how well off you were to start with.

Thankfully, both these problems have the same solution. A climate movement of and for ordinary people is the foundation on which a durable climate consensus can be built. That’s what Round our Way is doing. If you are ever tempted to think people can’t simultaneously focus on the daily slog and the future, remember all the heroic single mums battling every day to keep their families afloat precisely because they want a future where their kids won’t have to do the same.

Roger Harding is the founding director of Round our Way

[the-firebird69]

It's a huge number of people trying to get here and it's going to be another battle and in space speaking of wish the huge battle besides Saturn the empire is there others are there and they cut Tommy F off from the planet toys fuel he's fighting for it heavy fighting he is going to try and fuel some of the ships here and fly up and back he's being pushed to launch the large Stone ships in the North at the same time. The battle is going on now and he suffered huge losses the morlock have suffered huge losses half of their entire fleet is gone and their total fleet that's the Mac morlock fleet and the other half is heading up there leaving only 200 million behind but they're all class A and they're large ships are staying behind and they're assignment is to try and take ships. This is a huge huge battle there's tons of ships out there fighting they all look the same it is a warning and we are issuing the alert and even though they're fighting they're constant drain and these people are constant drain and we need to stop them right now and they are approaching Saturn as a place to be because of it right now the fleet of Tommy f is at 50% the Mohawk fleet is at roughly 30% of yesterday's numbers it's very small the pseudo empire is at 20% but really it's about 90% of yesterday's numbers which is still around 7.5 billion ships they're in decent shape and they're getting ships instead of losing them. There's a lot happening but this battle is front and center and very important all fleets are winding up for another round Tommy f is fueling up and he's going to depart with some ships and he will run certain watches with ships here they'll probably leave a third and he has 20,000 ships but only about 10 are large meeting 100 miles plus I really doesn't have that many but he's feeling them all and he's going to bring the fuel to other ships and he's going to have other ships come down in doing so it's going to be a violent battle and to stop him from fueling it's going to be violent too and stopping him from coming from out there to the Earth is going to be very very atrocious and it will spread to the ground and underground and you will see movement in the clones to try and get here to leadership of the three groups and yes a Max are here and to Virginia and DC in other parts UK and many movies begin we think that the force of Tommy F will get wiped out unless he launches his Stone chips they're going very slow and they say the refueling and that's what they're doing their fuel reserves are okay and they have to move it we think that they'll be done fueling in the Western hemisphere tonight at 8:00 p.m. and might try and launch then to launch the eastern hemisphere there's a rush job but they need it or they will be destroyed more shortly

Thor Freya

Olympus

Zeus Hera

[penghusound]

2017 : "咾​咕​厝 l​ó​​​-​​​k​ó​͘​​​-​​​chhù", 12" vinyl record

PENGHU EXPERIMENTAL SOUND STUDIO #2

ló-kó͘-chhù 一 means, in Taiwanese, Coral House

Yannick Dauby returns to Discrepant for Vol2 of his ongoing study of the sounds and sights on the Penghu Archipelago, Taiwan. Penghu Experimental Sound Studio Vol2 uses interviews, field recordings, found objects and subtle electronic manipulation to transpose Yannick's impressions of the island's natural beauty.

All sounds, field recordings and improvisations on electronic instruments, are from Penghu, Taiwan. Interviews of children extracted from the film "Childhood of an Archipelago 離島的離島", by Yannick Dauby 澎葉生 & Wan-Shuen Tsai 蔡宛璇. The second session of Penghu Experimental Sound Studio was located in Husi village, during Summer and Autumn 2015 whilst the album was assembled in the hills of Taipei, during the Spring 2016

~~~

Side A

A great stretch of sea with no rubbish. Oh, and sandy beach, and some marine animals.

Most of the people here catch fish. It is close to the sea here, there are lots of fields. It’s also… quieter. When you go down in the water, it feels really chilly. Very fresh, then very comfortable. When I go to the seashore, I can find black sea cucumbers and sea urchins. I saw a swimming sea slug once. It was red and had white stripes. The volcano erupts, then the lava keeps piling up. Then the lava cools down, and it becomes an island. Then people start living there. After that, more people keep moving here. Some people will also move to Taiwan. That is it. Side B On an island far, far away. And in fact, an island of an island. It’s so close to the sea there, so every evening we have fish to eat. My dad often goes at sea for fishing. During the summer he catches squids and during Winter he catches fish for us to eat. Going out at sea is really exhausting, because the sea is always swaying, so you feel really dizzy. Every time we go, I feel really sleepy. You get woken at night, at dawn, or around five in the morning, to go help drain the boat. Then you go fishing and you have to change spots every day. So my dad spends a lot of money on fuel every day, to go fishing at different spots. Sometimes, he goes to Cimei Island, or sometimes he goes to Huayu Island. Occasionally, he goes into the open waters. If my dad is in open waters then I don’t call him. But if he’s not in open waters, on the coasts of Penghu, then I’ll phone to ask dad, how much fish did he caught today, and if he had already eaten. When my dad enters the harbour, my mom would go to the pier to wait for him, and help him carry the fish. With smaller fishes, she would tell him to sell them in Magong city. Sometimes, my aunt takes a pushcart into the village, to see who wants to buy fish. I’ll help by asking: “How many fishes do you want ?” If the buyer wants three fishes, I’ll give him three fishes. I also ask him: “Do you want big or medium-sized ones.” If he wants big ones, I’ll give him three big ones. Each time, my father makes a lot of money. That’s why I have money to go to school, and to pay the lunch fees. Grandma is growing vegetables. We have a piece of farmland next to our house. My grandma is a bit stiff, so if she needs to bend over to scoop up water, I help her do that. Sometimes, I help her with the watering. There is corn, shallots, as well as some cabbages. ~~~ 

credits

released February 3, 2018

Released as 12" LP 45RPM by DISCREPANT (UK) Mastered and cut at Dubplates @ Mastering by Rashad Becker Release date 31st March 2017

[newstfionline]

Friday, July 14, 2023

Inflation Eases, Fed Still Likely to Raise Rates This Month (WSJ) Inflation cooled last month to its slowest pace in more than two years, giving Americans relief from a painful period of rising prices and boosting the chances that the Federal Reserve will stop raising interest rates after an expected increase this month. The consumer-price index climbed 3% in June from a year earlier, the Labor Department said Wednesday, sharply lower than the recent peak inflation rate of 9.1% in June 2022, when gasoline prices hit a U.S. record average of $5 a gallon. Inflation was last close to 3% in March 2021.

Snow shovels in hand, volunteers help Vermont communities clear the mud from epic floods (AP) Volunteers pulled out their snow shovels Wednesday to clear inches of mud after torrential rain and flooding inundated communities across Vermont, trapping people in homes, closing roadways and littering streets and businesses with debris. The water drained off most streets in the state capital of Montpelier, where the swollen Winooski River flooded basements and ground floors, destroying merchandise and furniture. Other communities cleaned up as well from historic floods that were more destructive than Tropical Storm Irene in many places. Dozens of roads remained closed, and thousands of homes and businesses are damaged. The total cost of the damage could be substantial. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, even before these floods, this year has seen 12 confirmed weather/climate disaster events with losses exceeding $1 billion in the United States.

Mexico has replaced China as America’s top trade partner (Insider) According to a new post from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Mexico has once again cemented its place as America’s top trading partner with $263 billion worth of goods passing between the two countries in the first four months of 2023. Trade with Mexico accounted for 15.4% of all the goods exported and imported by the US, just ahead of America’s trade totals with Canada (15.2%) and China (12.0%). Even as the world moves on from the height of the pandemic, Mexico’s ability to take the top spot away from China—which had spent the last two decades integrating itself further into the US economy—is a clear sign how the economic chaos of 2020 will continue to define the world economy for years to come. The change suggests an accelerated shift towards “nearshoring,” a practice in which countries try to bring the supply chains for crucial goods to countries that are close both physically and politically.

How Ecuador Became a Gold Rush State for Drug Cartels (NYT) A total of 210 tons of drugs seized in a single year, a record. At least 4,500 killings last year, also a record. Children recruited by gangs. Prisons as hubs for crime. Neighborhoods consumed by criminal feuds. And all this chaos financed by powerful outsiders with deep pockets and lots of experience in the global drug business. Ecuador, on South America’s western edge, has in just a few years become the drug trade’s gold rush state, with major cartels from as far as Mexico and Albania joining forces with prison and street gangs, unleashing a wave of violence unlike anything in the country’s recent history. Fueling this turmoil is the world’s growing demand for cocaine. While many policymakers have been focused on an epidemic of opioids, like fentanyl, that kills tens of thousands of Americans every year, cocaine production has soared to record levels, a phenomenon that is now ravaging Ecuador society, turning a once peaceful nation into a battleground. “People consume abroad,” said Maj. Edison Núñez, an intelligence official with the Ecuadorean national police, “but they don’t understand the consequences that take place here.”

Fragile UK economy set to dodge recession for now (Reuters) Britain’s economy shrank by less than expected in May despite a bank holiday to mark King Charles’ coronation and strikes, suggesting a widely forecast recession caused by high inflation and surging interest rates was not already under way. Business groups said the big picture of a tepid economy remained, albeit one with stubborn inflationary pressures that means the Bank of England is likely to raise interest rates further in early August. Britain’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic has lagged most of its peers among major advanced economies, with only recession-hit Germany having fared as badly as of the first quarter of this year.

Spain sweats out sultry nights as heat wave bakes southern Europe (AP) Spain sweltered under an unrelenting heat wave Wednesday as temperatures started to build toward what is forecast to be a torrid weekend across southern Europe. Spain’s weather service said thermometers could potentially hit 45 C (113 F) in southeastern areas of the Iberian Peninsula. That mark was reached Monday in the village of Loja near Granada at the start of the heat wave that is causing restless nights across the country. More than 100 weather stations registered temperatures of at least 35 C (95 F) as early as 6 a.m. Wednesday, according to Spain’s national weather agency. While some relief is in store in the coming days for the Iberian Peninsula, other European countries will sweat through the weekend. Temperatures were also starting to tick up in Greece, where a heat wave was forecast to reach up to 44 C (111 F) in some parts of the country in the coming days. In Italy, 10 cities were put on high heat alert for older people and other vulnerable populations from Bolzano in the north extending southward to Bologna, Florence and Rome.

Zelensky’s ‘guilt-based’ diplomacy leaves its mark on NATO summit (Washington Post) On the first day, there was dismay and disgruntlement. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky launched an angry tirade on social media, calling NATO’s failure to give Ukraine a formal invitation or clear timeline for joining the alliance “absurd.” The outburst took some Western and NATO officials by surprise as their Ukrainian counterparts had long known that an immediate invitation would not come while the country was at war with Russian invaders. On the second day, there was mollification. President Biden, as well as the assembled leaders of the Group of Seven nations and NATO countries, put forward full-throated declarations of support for Ukraine. While Kyiv received no guarantees regarding a timeline to NATO membership, it did receive significant promises of major military assistance. There is a clear pattern in Zelensky’s behavior. Ever since he found himself in the unenviable position of leading his nation’s desperate fight for survival, Zelensky has made demand after demand to the outside world for financial help, political support and, most importantly, weapons. Those calls, framed often as reminders of the sacrifices that Ukraine’s fighters are making on the front lines, have yielded a steady drumbeat of deliveries—including ammunition, powerful artillery, armored vehicles, antiaircraft capabilities, tanks, fighter jets and more. Jeremy Shapiro, director of research at the European Council on Foreign Relations, quipped that Zelensky “has adopted a guilt-based approach to diplomacy” that he likened to his “Jewish grandmother, the former grandmaster of the technique.” “‘You never write, you never call, you never send F-16s’ has long summarized [Zelensky’s] approach to getting what he wants from the West and the U.S.,” Shapiro said.

Russia’s war might have a new casualty: The Putin-Erdogan bond (Washington Post) As Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lifted a veto this week on Sweden joining NATO, Russian hard-liners, stung by a flurry of recent Turkish gestures of support for Ukraine, demanded that Turkey be designated an “unfriendly” country. The pro-Western moves by Turkey, including Erdogan’s warm welcome of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Istanbul on Friday, led to speculation that Turkey was pivoting to restore warmer relations with Europe and the United States after several years of close cooperation with Moscow. In Russia, where President Vladimir Putin’s good relationship with Erdogan is valuable geopolitical currency, the sense that Erdogan may be flipping to a closer, more cooperative relationship with Western leaders seemed to provoke almost as much anxiety as the idea of Sweden joining NATO, raising questions about whether Russia’s war has undermined one of Moscow’s most valued relationships. At the heart of Erdogan’s calculations, according to analysts, is ameliorating Turkey’s economic crisis of high inflation, a plunging lira and exports to other countries in decline. Despite the increased trade with Russia, Turkey’s overall exports fell by 10.5 percent to $20.9 billion in June, compared with June of last year, according to Turkish trade figures.

Indian capital faces drinking-water shortage as pumps flooded (Reuters) Supplies of drinking water in the Indian capital will fall by a quarter on Thursday and Friday because three treatment plants have been flooded, the city government said, as the Yamuna river overflowed after incessant rain. Delhi’s river is at its highest level in 45 years after unusually heavy downpours in neighbouring states like Haryana, to the north. The city of 20 million people also saw heavy rain over the weekend with flooding in low-lying communities that forced hundreds of people to seek shelter in relief camps. North Indian states near Delhi had received record rainfall since the monsoon began on June 1, with Punjab and Himachal Pradesh recording 100% and 70% more rain than average, respectively, the India Meteorological Department said.

Thailand’s parliament is set to choose a prime minister, but it might not be the election winner (AP) Thai lawmakers are gathering Thursday to select a new prime minister, a process whose outcome is far from certain even though the country’s most progressive party won both the popular vote and the most seats in the House of Representatives in the most recent election. The reformist Move Forward Party’s victory in the May 14 election appeared to spell an end to nine years of unpopular army-supported rule. Two months later, it is unclear if that mandate for change will be honored. Parliament is due to vote on whether to make Move Forward’s leader, 42-year-old businessman Pita Limjaroenrat, the country’s prime minister. His party captured 151 of the 500 House seats and has assembled a coalition government-in-waiting. The eight parties in the coalition won 312 seats combined, a healthy majority. But on Wednesday, the Election Commission said it concluded there was evidence that Pita had violated election law, and referred his case to the Constitutional Court for a ruling. If the court accepts the case and finds him guilty, he could lose his House seat, get kicked out of politics and face a prison sentence. The more immediate roadblock to Pita taking power is that the prime minister is elected through a joint vote of the House and the 250-seat Senate, whose members were hand-picked by the military-backed regime established after a 2014 coup. Pita needs a minimum of 376 votes to become head of government, meaning he would probably have to shake loose a large number of votes from the Senate, many of whose members appear openly hostile to him.

Xi Jinping Chokes Off Crucial Engine of China’s Economy (WSJ) Beijing has labeled 2023 the “Year of Investing in China” and local officials have embarked on promotional tours overseas to drum up interest from investors. That effort is running headlong into President Xi Jinping’s national-security agenda, with its focus on fending off perceived foreign threats. The perception that doing business in China has become much riskier is choking the flow of capital into an economy already struggling with weak private investment and consumption. Foreign direct investment in China fell to $20 billion in the first quarter of this year, compared with $100 billion in last year’s first quarter.

Pyongyang Reminds The World It’s Still Here (CNN) North Korea has launched an intercontinental ballistic missile in Japan’s direction. The launch, the first of its kind in the past three months, coincides with NATO and the U.S. looking to expand their control over Asia, with NATO signing a pact bringing South Korea closer to its orbit, while Washington conducts military drills with Seoul and Tokyo recently. Earlier this week, North Korea also threatened to shoot down U.S. jets conducting espionage missions near its airspace. The missile dropped into the waters near Japan after a 74-minute flight, the longest missile flight in North Korean history. The launch also coincided with a meeting between the U.S., South Korea, and Japan at the NATO summit in Vilnius on Wednesday.

[hardynwa]

2023 Elections: British Envoy, Catriona Laing lists Three Things Nigeria’s Next President Must Do

The UK has revealed three things Nigeria's next President must do after being elected this Saturday. According to UK, the new president must remove fuel subsidy. British High Commissioner to Nigeria Catriona Laing spoke on Tuesday when she was featured on Channels Television’s election programme The 2023 Verdict. “There are two or three key decisions that the incoming president must take. Number one is to remove the fuel subsidy which is draining but to do it in a way that protects poor people,” the British envoy said during his appearance on the show “Secondly is to tackle the multiple exchange rates or else businesses just will not invest in this country if they can’t secure their foreign exchange. And three, raise taxes. You have one of the lowest tax ratios in the modern world. And without raising revenue, you can’t invest in public services. And public services, infrastructure, education is key to the future.” According to her, the next government should also embrace inclusiveness and ensure youths and women are prioritised. She argued that “a strong inclusive team” will help the next Nigerian leader to tackle the country’s “pretty enormous challenges”. For her, the next president should equally “bring all that talent together and reach out to other political parties”. The British High Commissioner who said her country is keenly watching the next elections decried the rising levels of violence in the leadup to this month’s exercise. “There is a worrying round of insecurity and violence. In this pre-election period, the number of incidents is higher than in the last election,” she said, expressing concerns about safety after the elections. “That’s one of my fears and worries but assuming we can get through that, the future looks bright for Nigeria with the incoming president – whoever it is – tackling these challenges ,” she said “The UK, like most of the international community, wants Nigeria to succeed.” Read the full article