#Laser Alignment Systems

[bafco-reliability]

Laser Alignment Systems in Jeddah: Precision for Industrial Machinery

The Laser Alignment Systems in Jeddah play a vital role in ensuring the precise alignment of industrial machinery. Misaligned equipment can lead to vibration, wear, and operational inefficiency, affecting overall productivity.

Laser Alignment Systems in Jeddah offer highly accurate alignment capabilities, significantly reducing downtime and improving machinery performance. These systems are especially valuable in sectors like manufacturing, oil and gas, and power generation, where precise alignment is essential.

Advantages of Laser Alignment Systems:

Improved Accuracy: Ensures perfect alignment, reducing wear and tear.

Enhanced Efficiency: Minimizes downtime associated with realignment.

Extended Machinery Life: Reduces the strain on equipment, increasing longevity.

By adopting Laser Alignment Systems in Jeddah, industries can maintain optimal operational efficiency and equipment lifespan.

Explore our range online—click here! 📲 https://bafco-reliability.com/

[nasa]

All-Star Moments in Space Communications and Navigation

How do we get information from missions exploring the cosmos back to humans on Earth? Our space communications and navigation networks – the Near Space Network and the Deep Space Network – bring back science and exploration data daily.

Here are a few of our favorite moments from 2024.

1. Hip-Hop to Deep Space

The stars above and on Earth aligned as lyrics from the song “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” by hip-hop artist Missy Elliott were beamed to Venus via NASA’s Deep Space Network. Using a 34-meter (112-foot) wide Deep Space Station 13 (DSS-13) radio dish antenna, located at the network’s Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex in California, the song was sent at 10:05 a.m. PDT on Friday, July 12 and traveled about 158 million miles from Earth to Venus — the artist’s favorite planet. Coincidentally, the DSS-13 that sent the transmission is also nicknamed Venus!

NASA's PACE mission transmitting data to Earth through NASA's Near Space Network.

2. Lemme Upgrade You

Our Near Space Network, which supports communications for space-based missions within 1.2 million miles of Earth, is constantly enhancing its capabilities to support science and exploration missions. Last year, the network implemented DTN (Delay/Disruption Tolerant Networking), which provides robust protection of data traveling from extreme distances. NASA’s PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) mission is the first operational science mission to leverage the network’s DTN capabilities. Since PACE’s launch, over 17 million bundles of data have been transmitted by the satellite and received by the network’s ground station.

A collage of the pet photos sent over laser links from Earth to LCRD and finally to ILLUMA-T (Integrated LCRD Low Earth Orbit User Modem and Amplifier Terminal) on the International Space Station. Animals submitted include cats, dogs, birds, chickens, cows, snakes, and pigs.

3. Who Doesn’t Love Pets?

Last year, we transmitted hundreds of pet photos and videos to the International Space Station, showcasing how laser communications can send more data at once than traditional methods. Imagery of cherished pets gathered from NASA astronauts and agency employees flowed from the mission ops center to the optical ground stations and then to the in-space Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD), which relayed the signal to a payload on the space station. This activity demonstrated how laser communications and high-rate DTN can benefit human spaceflight missions.

4K video footage was routed from the PC-12 aircraft to an optical ground station in Cleveland. From there, it was sent over an Earth-based network to NASA’s White Sands Test Facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The signals were then sent to NASA’s Laser Communications Relay Demonstration spacecraft and relayed to the ILLUMA-T payload on the International Space Station.

4. Now Streaming

A team of engineers transmitted 4K video footage from an aircraft to the International Space Station and back using laser communication signals. Historically, we have relied on radio waves to send information to and from space. Laser communications use infrared light to transmit 10 to 100 times more data than radio frequency systems. The flight tests were part of an agency initiative to stream high-bandwidth video and other data from deep space, enabling future human missions beyond low-Earth orbit.

The Near Space Network provides missions within 1.2 million miles of Earth with communications and navigation services.

5. New Year, New Relationships

At the very end of 2024, the Near Space Network announced multiple contract awards to enhance the network’s services portfolio. The network, which uses a blend of government and commercial assets to get data to and from spacecraft, will be able to support more missions observing our Earth and exploring the cosmos. These commercial assets, alongside the existing network, will also play a critical role in our Artemis campaign, which calls for long-term exploration of the Moon.

On Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, at 12:06 p.m. EDT, a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket carrying NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

6. 3, 2, 1, Blast Off!

Together, the Near Space Network and the Deep Space Network supported the launch of Europa Clipper. The Near Space Network provided communications and navigation services to SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket, which launched this Jupiter-bound mission into space! After vehicle separation, the Deep Space Network acquired Europa Clipper’s signal and began full mission support. This is another example of how these networks work together seamlessly to ensure critical mission success.

Engineer Adam Gannon works on the development of Cognitive Engine-1 in the Cognitive Communications Lab at NASA’s Glenn Research Center.

7. Make Way for Next-Gen Tech

Our Technology Education Satellite program organizes collaborative missions that pair university students with researchers to evaluate how new technologies work on small satellites, also known as CubeSats. In 2024, cognitive communications technology, designed to enable autonomous space communications systems, was successfully tested in space on the Technology Educational Satellite 11 mission. Autonomous systems use technology reactive to their environment to implement updates during a spaceflight mission without needing human interaction post-launch.

A first: All six radio frequency antennas at the Madrid Deep Space Communication Complex, part of NASA’s Deep Space Network (DSN), carried out a test to receive data from the agency’s Voyager 1 spacecraft at the same time.

8. Six Are Better Than One

On April 20, 2024, all six radio frequency antennas at the Madrid Deep Space Communication Complex, part of our Deep Space Network, carried out a test to receive data from the agency’s Voyager 1 spacecraft at the same time. Combining the antennas’ receiving power, or arraying, lets the network collect the very faint signals from faraway spacecraft.

Here’s to another year connecting Earth and space.  

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space!

[a-d-nox]

web of wyrd: annual energies and potential surgeries associated with the year

the outer rim of the wyrd web foretells the themes of our year ahead. today i will be covering some common surgeries that tend to occur. in no way does one number mean a single surgery type. each number can mean different surgeries - multiple surgeries - no surgery... this is just what i associate medically with these energies and i have seen correlate with other charts when surgery occurred. your lack of a number correlation with an experience below does not mean to minimize your experience. this is a general hypothesis not a fact.

tw: sensitive topics like amputation, ivf, addiction, weight, physical trauma, and end of life care are included in post.

1 (the magician): laser surgery

skill, precision, and transformation. this technique uses precision tools to create change in the body.

2 (the high priestess): diagnostic surgery

intuition, secrets, and hidden knowledge. seeks to uncover hidden issues or provide clarity about a medical condition (will be common for 2000 baby around the time doctors start recommending colonoscopies and mammograms).

3 (the empress): fertility surgery

surgeries like in vitro fertilization (IVF) or other fertility-related procedures.

4 (the emperor): orthopedic surgery

structure and stability. anything involves bones, joints, and structural support of the body, resonates with this energy.

5 (the hierophant): cardiovascular or oral surgery

what maintains order/structure in the body a.k.a. anything dealing with the heart and blood flow. oral surgery is because of this card connection to the throat and sharing of beliefs which requires the mouth - it might be time for your wisdom teeth extraction.

6 (the lovers): cosmetic or reconstructive surgery

this is often elective surgery / chosen for personal reasons related to self-image.

7 (the chariot): neurosurgery

deals with the brain and nervous system (the body's control center), which aligns with the chariot's themes of mastery and control.

8 (strength): physical rehabilitation surgery

requires a lot of resilience as muscles and tendons aren't easy to heal...

9 (the hermit): gastrointestinal surgery

involves the digestive system, relates to the internal processes and inner workings (aligning with hermit energy).

10 (the wheel of fortune): emergency surgery

often needed unexpectedly and dictated by fate, aligns with the theme of chance.

11 (justice): corrective surgery

aims to fix or balance out bodily functions or appearance, mirrors the themes of rectifying and balancing.

12 (the hanged man): organ transplant

sacrifice, suspension, and new perspectives. transplant surgery involves the sacrifice of one organ for the life of another, offering a new lease on life.

13 (death): amputation

a literal removal or ending of a part of the body, that can also lead to a transformative process of healing and adapting.

14 (temperance) : bariatric surgery

used to achieve weight balance and improve health.

15 (the devil): addiction, breast reduction, and reproductive surgery

surgeries that address addiction-related issues, such as gastric banding for overeating. but also reproductive surgery like a tubal ligation or vasectomy. any surgery where something big/open becomes small, constricted, snipped, or thinned.

16 (tower): trauma surgery

sudden upheaval, destruction, and revelation. this type of surgery is often performed in response to sudden, life-altering accidents or injuries, echoes the energies themes of sudden change and crisis.

17 (the star): reconstructive/plastic surgery

hope, healing, and renewal are themes of this energy - this surgery which restores form and function after trauma or illness, aligns with the themes of healing and rejuvenation.

18 (the moon): biopsies and tissue collections

biopsy involves extracting tissue to investigate potential issues, often when there’s uncertainty about a diagnosis or the presence of something hidden (like tumors or other abnormalities).

19 (the sun): pediatric surgery

performed on children and ensures their health and vitality, which connects with the energy's themes of life, energy, and well-being.

20 (judgment): organ transplant or some other life changing/saving surgery

life-saving surgeries, such as heart or organ transplants, can offer a second chance at life, reflecting the energy's themes of renewal and awakening.

21 (the world): making a full recovery or end-of-life care

surgeries that lead to a full recovery or decisions around end-of-life care align with the themes of closure and achieving a state of completeness found with this energy.

22 (the fool): exploratory surgery

represents the unknown. aligns with entering a medical situation without knowing what will be found.

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© a-d-nox 2024 all rights reserved

[pyrrhiccomedy]

I'm sorry that you're going through this. It sounds terrible.

How does a machine make your bones feel like jam? What do you mean, "like jam"? What helps while you're in the machine?

You lamented the lack of a "no downers" Tumblr option before. Is there any kind of fun internet thing your followers could curate for you?

thank you for actually asking me about the Big Machine

so a modern radiation therapy machine looks like this:

It is actually kind of hard to communicate the scale of this thing. It's the size of most people's living rooms, and the whole thing rotates around you. You feel like you're trying to dock with the international space station.

Actually being in the machine doesn't feel like anything. You lay down, they take your boob out of your hospital gown and align the lasers to these little tattoos they've put on your chest and sides, they leave the room, Vivaldi plays for about 5 minutes while things beep and buzz and the space station revolves a few times, and then you're free to get dressed and go home.

Then - in my experience, as someone who is, apparently, "a real outlier" in terms of how sensitive I am to radiation - about 30 minutes later, on the subway ride home, you start to feel extremely bad. Shaky, weak, exhausted, stabbing pains all over the boob, and just an overall feeling of, like...internal griminess. Like there's grit gumming up everything on your insides. You feel wobbly, like your bones have turned to jelly. It feels a little like food poisoning, but without the nausea, if you've ever had that experience. Just that jittery, feverish, whole-body feeling of something being very wrong.

That feeling persists for 4-5 hours, then starts to taper down; but it never tapers down completely, so every day (and you go in for radiation every day, except for weekends) it builds up a little bit more. So on Monday, you feel like shit for a couple of hours, but you shake it off by dinner time; but by Friday, you're dragging yourself through every step of the process and then you get home and pass out for 14 hours.

It's weird, too, because it's not like there's anything that the doctors can do to make it better. Like, they can't give you a different treatment, or give you less radiation. There's a set amount of radiation you need to receive over a set amount of time to be sure that they've killed all the cancer, and the alternative to radiation is cancer, so you're getting radiation. The radiologist was sympathetic to how hard I've been taking it, but all she could really do is remind me that it's temporary. All of the effects of the radiation will be out of my system a week or two after the treatment ends, so like. Knuckle down, camper, it is what it is.

Y'all are sweet to ask if there's anything you can do, but honestly, not really. I vent a bit about this stuff on Tumblr because I don't want my friends and family to have to hear about how tough this is. Sending the occasional nice message or little question is appreciated! It gives me something to think about that isn't cancer.

[boinkingbattlemechs]

Spider

The Spider was the first BattleMech produced by Newhart Industries, designed in 2650 as a light reconnaissance and attack 'Mech to be used by Star League Defense Force Special Operations forces such as the Blackhearts. Beyond exceeding all of the SLDF's minimum requirements, Newhart had actually designed the Spider before receiving the Star League's request for proposals and were ready to begin production immediately, factors which helped the company win the contract very quickly. In terms of maneuverability, the Spider has a ground speed comparable to a Locust and can outjump either the vaunted Wasp or Stinger light 'Mechs. Built with top-of-the-line reliable parts, sophisticated reconnaissance equipment, and an energy weapon payload which allowed for extended operations without resupply, the Spider was a great success. While not produced in large numbers, it could be rapidly manufactured, which enabled its service to the end of the Star League.

Newhart's Spider factory on New Earth was destroyed in 2776 as part of the Amaris Civil War and very few Spiders ended up in the hands of the Successor States when the Star League dissolved. As their numbers began to dwindle during the Succession Wars, entire offensive operations were conducted simply to secure spare parts for these 'Mechs. So rare was the Spider that Wolf's Dragoons were notable for having an entire lance of Spiders, albeit split among the various regiments. This trend towards extinction was finally reversed when the Free Worlds League was able to secure the schematics for the Spider and, in a deal with Nimakachi Fusion Products Limited, the company was given exclusive control of the 'Mech's technical specifications in exchange for building them for the Free Worlds League. Nimakachi began building new Spiders from their factory on Tematagi and later expanded their facilities on Lapida II to produce them as well. This resulted in the Free Worlds League and Draconis Combine having the largest number of Spiders in active service in the late Succession War period.

The recovery of lost Star League technology inspired Nimakachi to update the Spider with new upgrades, resulting in the improved SDR-7M and the derivative Venom. While the Free Worlds League did not express much interest in these 'Mechs, Nimakachi found ready buyers among the other Great Houses, in particular the Draconis Combine, which had lost a large number of light 'Mechs during the Clan Invasion and bought up both local- and foreign-made Spiders to replenish their ranks. The Word of Blake also expressed an interest in these Spiders and bought several to outfit their military. These Spiders were used as part of the Blakist conquest of Terra and were later gifted to the Protectorate Militia, where they fought in the Jihad. Starting in 3067, the Spider was restyled by Nimakachi, which allowed the addition of an ejection system to the cockpit of the new SDR-7K, 7K2, and 7KC models.

The Spider carries a very light armament of two Aberdovey Mk III medium lasers mounted in its center torso next to the fusion engine. While more expensive than the common Martell lasers mounted on other 'Mechs, they are of superior quality and require very little maintenance. Waste heat generated by the lasers are handled by the standard number of 10 single heat sinks mounted in the fusion engine. Three and a half tons of armor provide some measure of protection, although most Spider pilots agree that speed is the best defense. The unique armor alignment on the front of the Spider is what gave the 'Mech its name, and this spiderweb pattern is further emphasized by a bright red fiberglass sealant in the seams between armor plates.

The Spider carries a grand total of eight jump jets, four each in the left and right torso, giving it an incredible jumping distance of 240 meters. Using cutting-edge components, the jump jets can pivot the 'Mech in mid-flight while still reaching its original landing point thanks to its advanced computer tracking. This ability for the Spider to "twitch" in the air gives it greater protection, as even the most advanced targeting computers can have a hard time acquiring a lock.

The O/P communications system and targeting-tracking system are fully integrated in the Spider, meaning both verbal communications and sensor readings can be transmitted back to headquarters. This advanced computer setup even includes an entertainment system for those long, lonely nights on recon duty. However, it also has a serious drawback in that the system combined with the head's armor layout leaves no space for a proper ejection system: the pilot must manually reach the lower hatch on their own in order to exit the 'Mech. Many Spider pilots therefore practice quickly exiting the 'Mech during their downtime, especially those variants which carry vulnerable ammunition liable to cook off.

[cosmicroseflower]

I know of a place we can go. But it's our secret. Once you read these words, promise me you won't go back to the old broken world, even if everyone and everything around you is convincing you that fear is real and you must stay back. Close the door and don't look back. Repeat after me: fear is false evidence appearing real. Don't share this with anyone because they won't understand you and even if they do they may convince you that their reality is the only truth.

You have to align with that reality that already exists where there is no more war, there is no more poverty, there is no more famine, there are no more droughts and wildfires, and everyone has what they need AND all the materials you could want. Including the states of being that you want to feel which of course eventually will become more important than the materials you have manifested. But you still deserve to experience all the experiences you want including all the material abundance you can't even imagine. Feel good where you are now to align with that reality. The reality you see with your two eyes now is the old broken 3D matrix world.

That is your old manifestations from your old programming you are releasing now because you are AWAKE now. You now are realizing you are having a very vivid lucid dream. So you can relax and rejoice in the knowing that it's your creation and you don't have to worry about what anyone else is doing or believing in or what threats they are to the old world. Let them have that old world if they are too asleep to hear you. They chose to stay asleep. You chose to be awake in the lucid dream you're having now.

All you have to do is believe it, see it in your imagination, place your focus there and trust one hundred percent you are there now in your dream home, in your preferred reality. See this world already exists NOW. You can go there. This is not something that you need to burden yourself with all the responsibility of creating entirely by yourself. It already exists NOW. All you have to do is align yourself to that reality, only believe and trust you are there and living in that reality, because remember your subconscious mind doesn't have eyes. It believes whatever you say is happening.

Now you know that reality where everything is getting better in the new world, where nothing is going wrong and this new world has free energy, clean oceans, a new economic system, and no one is relying on fossil fuels anymore, no one is on the wavelength of war, poverty, famine, separation and creating chaos and from their unhealed wounds and projecting their pain onto others. No. In the New Earth the mass consensus is peace, love, bliss, equality for all, acceptance, abundance, freedom and evolution.

So you're in New Earth NOW. Have laser focus and intention on that reality. Do not second guess yourself. It's real and you deserve to experience it now. Don't focus on the old broken 3D world. You already learned so much there, and yes you are still healing and will continue to heal. But you will also continue to create, and remember you are an infinite eternal being. So you have plenty of time to create more of what you prefer. But let's just get you there first and then you can create more and more while you're there. You're already there, it's here and now. It's available for you to experience.

The old reality has no power over you to affect you because you know now it's just an echo. The key now is to not react the same way you used to in those old situations with those toxic people and unfortunate circumstances. Remember circumstances don't matter, only your state of being matters. States of being are what you really are going to manifest more of because the materials can only give you temporary satisfaction.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with those things and relaxing or playing in those things. But as you ascend you'll want to manifest more positive states of being more than anything. You've done all the work you can do in the old world. There's nothing left for you to fix. Nothing has gone wrong. You are already doing it, you're already on your way there now. It's more about vibrational work and less about action work as Abraham Hicks says. Do about 75% percent less action work than you are doing and do more daydreaming than anything. Get into the energy of receiving it. Let go of the ego.

Know you are receiving it everyday. The ego thinks it's in charge. It is not. Tell your subconscious mind, "this is what is happening. We're finally in the new earth, on a safe world, in our beautiful dream home, everything is perfect, nothing has gone wrong, everything is beautiful in this new world, we're thriving in this new world. Everyone is on the frequency of unconditional love here. I found my dream partner. I love my life now." Ect. Daydream all day.

You're going to go from being completely detached, cups empty, unfulfilled by the old 3D broken matrix to in a deep connection with your soulmate, a community of people supporting you, cups overflowing, blissful and completely fulfilled in your purpose. Even if they say, you're not doing enough in the old world. You don't need to explain yourself to anyone. Turn the other cheek. Close the door on the past echo.

You're doing more work than you realize by quantum shifting to the New Earth because trying to change the 3D is like pushing up a massive boulder up a mountain and watching it fall several times because you're not working hard enough to push it. It's pointless. Because it's going to repeat again. Go within, change your self concept, your perspective, change your mind about what reality you are experiencing and you cannot help but be there. Without trying, without lifting a finger. Appreciate where you are and feel gratitude for everything. Love your life. You're already there now. Your power lies within you. Don't worry about other people outside of you who seem to have more power, other billionaires outside of you, because they don't have power over you. No being was born with more power than another. They don't exist in your world until you believe they do. The power that you have to change your vibration, your thoughts, your beliefs, your perspective, all of that power lies within you. You can do anything I believe in you and the entire Universe believes in you. Enjoy your journey to New Earth and remember that reality exists NOW.

[semi-sketchy]

Okay I 100% legally watched Sonic 3.

6/10, overhyped.

I think I enjoyed the second movie more actually, but let me walk through this.

As a brief summary, basically Gerald was imprisoned for 50 years and designed the Eclipse Cannon (it's just a flying saucer laser) in return for his freedom. GUN built it, but it needs two keys to activate. So it's kinda a race to see who can get both keys and either destroy the world or save it. Gerald was also the one who hacked into the system and disabled Shadow's stasis as well as stole Eggman's tech to lure him to the research facility for a team-up. That's the basis of the plot.

Firstly, the beginning is...a million miles a minute. I thought the trailers were hypercut, but no the scenes really are just that fast. (At least until we get to Carrey. Animating hedgehogs is too expensive.) Sonic's having a party, GUN shows up like "we need Team Sonic" and Sonic is literally just like "I like the name, let's go!" that's it. No briefing, no convincing from the organization that tased and captured him, just go.

I did find the little "What did you do, Sonic?" "I don't know, I do a lot of things" line to be funny, though.

Also before they jump out of the chopper, Sonic does the "talk about low budget flights" but it is...so forced. Like the entire idea behind that line in SA2 is Sonic is being a cheeky bastard because they captured him, here he just randomly says it for no reason.

NOW THE ACTUAL BEST PART OF THE MOVIE, Shadow and Maria. God they were SO CUTE. Like this is the stuff I wanted out of Dark Beginnings. Maria on roller skates while Shadow pulls her around the base, just getting into kid mischief, watching movies, slipping keycards to go sit out and watch the stars... Oh my god AND THE BUNNY FACE SHE DRAWS ON HIS TUBE. These scenes? 10/10.

Actually, when Commander Walters finally briefs Sonic, the way it was edited really made me think "oh shit did...did Shadow accidentally kill Maria in this movie?" that's obviously not what happened, but I was interested to see what angle they took.

Oh yeah and Maria didn't get shot. She died from an explosion CAUSED by a gunshot. The solider was trying to shoot her though, just Walters knocked the gun because "that's a child!" So there's that. (Not allowed to hate the GUN commander here, after all, he's on Sonic's side! He can't be for child murder!)

It was also...not as dramatic as I thought it would be. It's like 30 seconds. Gerald runs up, says "We have to go, they wanna take Shadow from us!" Then 10 seconds later, boom. I'm not paraphrasing, by the way.

Oh yeah, I guess I should mention Gerald. He's 110 and still alive. I was not opposed to this, I like to think I'm receptive to changes in AUs and I was curious what they could do with Gerald actively manipulating Shadow. Here's what they do: Jim Carrey. It's just double the Jim Carrey shenanigans and yes, it is tiring. Shadow has a moment like "I don't know if this is what Maria would have wanted..." and Gerald just goes "it's not about what she wanted, it's about what they deserve" and that's...basically it. YOU COULD'VE DONE MORE WITH THIS, BRO.

On top of that, Shadow was not created: he was found inside a meteor that looks A LOT like the Black Comet. Considering this is meant to be modern day Earth and not a huge fictional universe like the games where there's advanced space stations and such in the 50s (oh yeah the ARK ain't real here) I'm fine with this. Keeps his alien origins while aligning to the movie universe.

And I was kinda surprised but I THINK there's a reference to the fandub?? Sonic calls Shadow "Hot Topic" nooo my secret!!! so that was interesting. Could also just be some of their famous product placement, but this movie is also less...commercial than the others. No Olive Garden mentioned. Guess they used all the ad space on Knuckles.

Anyways, while getting the second key, Shadow punches Tom because he has the key and is currently disguised as Commander Walters, the one who sealed Shadow away. This is important, this is like the basis for the entire end of the movie because apparently one punch to the chest is enough to knock Tom out and put him in the hospital.

Now Sonic ALSO wants revenge, so he gets the Master Emerald to go super and...I just gotta point out, Knuckles left it with Wade. The way EVERYONE IN THE THEATER GROANED WHEN WADE POPPED UP ON SCREEN it was beautiful. Nice to know we all hate the Knuckles show.

This all leads to Shadow's reform which was...ech? After Sonic is like "no I won't kill you, that's not who I am, revenge doesn't make things better" Shadow is like "I didn't have a choice in who I became" and Sonic says "you always have a choice", Live and Learn plays and they go to stop the cannon firing on Earth. It felt so...shallow for a character like Shadow. Nothing about how Maria loved the world, so he should protect the world to honor her memory, it's just "revenge is bad". I guess it's to be more relatable to Sonic because they lean more into them being two sides of the same coin, but it's just so rushed and hollow.

Meanwhile Eggman kills his grandfather in a really drawn out unfunny sequence because he wants to rule the world, not destroy it, but the canon is already set to fire so they instead turn it away from the Earth while Super Sonic and Shadow block the ray. (The moon getting hit is an accident.)

Also you have no idea how much I wanted them to show Sonic trying to save Shadow, but only getting his inhibitor ring, THOUGH SONIC IS THE ONE WHOSE SUPER FORM FAILS. In this universe, I guess it makes sense because Sonic isn't the absolute powerhouse his game version is. But does Shadow show his growth and try to save him? No, it takes Tails and Knuckles awhile to address that.

Anyways, the reactor is unstable so Eggman tries to buy time while Shadow pushes the weapon away from Earth and then it blows up, killing both of them. ...Well Shadow shows up in the post-credits alive so I guess just Eggman is dead...maybe. Because the other scene shows a shit ton of Metal Sonics a la Shadow Android and Amy shows up to save him as the 4th teaser.

Overall, my issue isn't that it changed SA2's story, I wanted something different because I literally have SA2 at home. It's just these changes have all their potential completely squandered in favor of a lot and I mean a LOT of Jim Carrey nonsense. He's like half this movie.

With the writing quality of these films, I shouldn't be surprised, but I really thought after the second movie, they were on a good track. After seeing everyone else love it, it's kinda disappointing to find it rather mid.

Oh yeah and nothing from the bowling tournament teaser line in the Knuckles series, either. After making us sit through that hell, I WANTED to see Shadow bowl. We truly were robbed.

[on-a-mechtechnicality]

Roost

Sigrid stared at the work order. Sometimes things that appear simple are difficult. Sometimes things that appear difficult are simple. Sometimes things appear difficult only to those with enough context to appreciate them.

MechTech: Sigrid Guntran Initial assignment: Highlander ‘Old Bird’s Nest’ Bay: 14 Work order:  Left leg - realign ankle actuator Center torso - repair armor panel (laser hits) Reactor - general maintenance Other - Full systems check Notes: Sigrid, Melissa asked for you specifically on this job. You got this. -Karrie

She had the context.

The ‘Mech was Melissa’s. Commanding General Hazen. The big boss, in charge of the entire SLDF. This was her personal ‘Mech. Melissa would never stand for formality but Sigrid knew. She knew this was important and not a job to be taken lightly.

The ‘Mech was ancient. And not just ancient. Systems from multiple eras and places and standards had come together to form a precariously-balanced ecosystem of technology. Upsetting any of the components, even to make it ‘better’, had the potential to unbalance the entire tower and cause it to crash down.

The ‘Mech was an heirloom. Components from all over Clan history had come together to create this perfect fusion of history and significance in the shape of a Highlander. Every component a piece of art, every single system a fragment of history, every scratch, dent or mark cataloged and revered.

And Commanding General Hazen had requested her to work on it. That was okay, no pressure.

Breathe. Deep in, slow out.

It would be easiest to start at the bottom and work her way up, and at this point there was no point worrying more. There was a job, it needed doing, she needed to do it. She grabbed her toolbox and walked over to the proud ‘Mech in Bay fourteen. Even powered-down the Old Bird’s Nest was an impressive sight. Tall and regal, befitting the Black Watch, which it led from the front.

And here it was, shut down, ready for Sigrid to give it all the care and attention it required to do its job once more. She placed her hand on the paneling of the towering ‘Mech’s foot.

“Not long now, girl. We’ll get you what you need.”

She took off the panel, one fastener at a time. It reminded her of the first time she saw this foot, Melissa’s head poking out and Sigrid having no clue how she should act. She still didn’t, really. But she knew how Melissa wanted her to act, and that was enough.

She set the panel aside and hopped onto the foot, and then down into the cavity. She was thankful the work lights were positioned the way they were, allowing her to just see the adjustment marks on the joint. Where they were supposed to be was not where they currently were. Thankfully, that was an easy fix. The adjustment bolt was right there and–

And it was already bottomed out.

That was not what she wanted to see. A bottomed-out adjustment bolt meant that there was no more slack to take up, no more way to easily adjust the alignment. But the alignment needed adjusting.

She took a step back and had another look at the complete mechanism. She couldn’t see any obvious signs of damage or warping on the components, no cracks or bends. She ran her hand across the surface to feel for burrs or subtle clues. What she found was her fingers wedging themselves into the clearance. They shouldn’t be able to do that.

What it meant was that the center wasn’t sitting in, well, the center. The inside of the joint was supposed to have a gap around it, roughly equal in all directions, so it could move freely. The fact that her fingers got stuck meant that it was narrower near the bottom.

And that meant that the likely culprit was the wear plates. But that was okay, that’s why they were there. Anywhere there are heavy components rubbing against each other with enormous forces, such as needing to withstand 90 tonnes of force with every step, there are wear plates. They were a lot easier to replace than the entire ankle joint, but it did mean this adjustment had just turned from a ten-minute job into a two-hour one.

She stepped back and mentally took stock of the situation. She needed to replace the wear plates deep inside the Nest’s ankle joint. If she tried to take the ankle joint apart while there was still half a ‘Mech resting on it, it’d explode into a million pieces and the Highlander would topple over. This would be bad.

She needed a way to get the weight off of the left leg, and somewhere else. Anywhere else. There was the ceiling-mounted crane above the Bay, but there was no way that would be able to support the entire 90 tonnes of ‘Mech and lift it clean off its feet.

‘Mech designers are smart though, and had already thought of situations like this. The Highlander had a mechanism inside each knee joint that, when activated, would lock the opposing knee in place. Even if the ‘Mech itself was powered down. This would allow ‘Techs to lift the knee and work on the ankle or foot or myomer without risk of damaging the components. The tricky bit, though, would be accessing that mechanism. There was no way to attach the crane’s chain to the massive knee in order to provide the required force.

Thankfully the designers had thought of that too. Two innocuous-looking bolts, on each side of the knee joint, could be removed and replaced with hardened bolts with hooks on the end. The crane could connect to those and lift the knee from the outside.

It did make her wonder for a moment why it was just the left ankle that needed aligning, before she remembered the chassis type. She bet five C-Bills against herself that Melissa favored the left foot when performing Highlander Burials.

She climbed back out of the hole and over to the terminal. The downside of working in a MechLab this big was that it took absolute ages to fetch the replacement parts, consumables, and anything standard-sized from the warehouse. The upside was that you didn’t have to.

She scrolled through the list of parts in stock, selected the appropriate ones, and pressed the big ‘request for delivery’ button. Four max-length eye bolts, and two full sets of Highlander ankle joint wear plates. If she didn’t replace the right ankle plates too, it’d only be a matter of time before the Old Bird’s Nest came in again. Plus, doing it now would make it easier to calibrate both of them to be the same angle.

Next step would be preparing to relieve the strain on the ankle joint, and that meant getting the heavy crane into position, as well as her climbing harness. No access ladder to that part. At least directing the crane could be done from the terminal, but for the other part she needed to make her way to the nearest lockers.

She picked out a properly rated harness and started putting it on over her coveralls. It wasn’t hard, just time consuming. She emptied her pockets; medkit, water bottle, tablet, several tools, in order to make it easier to pull the climbing gear over her clothes. She was barely done and on her way back when she saw the electric flatbed pull up to Bay 14. She finished attaching her tablet back to her wrist and walked the rest of the way.

“Hey Snaps!” she called out, “Got you on delivery duty today?”

The driver got out and offered his fist, which hers met in a smooth motion as she walked along the truck to the cargo bed.

“Yeah, all hands today with the amount of repairs we got. Plus showing the new kid the ropes.”

From around the flatbed Sigrid could hear fastening straps being unclipped to prepare for unloading them.

“Sigrid, I’d like you to meet–”

By the time the words left his mouth, Archaea’s arms were wrapped firmly around Sigrid’s waist, and Sigrid’s were returning the gesture around her upper back.

“--or have you met?”

“We met before Sigrid is so cool we disassembled a Thug and she showed me how to use a laser cutter and she is the one who gave me my toolbox and… Sorry!”

“I helped her get set up on her first day, yeah”, Sigrid supplied before turning to Archaea. “Fancy running into you today. You enjoying yourself? What have you got for me?”

Archaea released the hug and nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah!” She hopped the few feet to the back of the truck in a single bound before pointing to three boxes in turn.

“Bay fourteen gets crates A2,” point, “B4,” point, “and B5!” Another point, and then a pause.

“C-could you help me unload? They are so heavy.”

“Absolutely,” Sigrid responded, very thankful that there was an actual upper limit on how much could be loaded into a single crate. Wear plates could get heavy in a hurry, so spread out over multiple boxes made the actual moving easier. She had to strain to lift the first two boxes.

“Old Bird got you working on her nest then, has she?” came the voice of Snaps as she unloaded. “Probably about time she got a good once-over from someone other than herself. Means she trusts you, you know?”

“Yeah. No pressure, right? Don’t worry, I’ll treat her right. Make sure she’s in top shape before she’s asked to walk back out onto the field again.”

The third almost lifted off by itself. That would be the eye bolts then. Boxes safely on the ground, she watched Archaea clip the belts back in place ready for their next delivery.

“Thanks again Sigrid!” she called out, before giving a quick hug and hopping into the passenger seat. In the driver seat Snaps was looking over the next deliveries as Sigrid walked up.

“Thanks for the speedy delivery, see ya ‘round, both of you.”

“You too, Red,” came the reply from Snaps. He offered his fist once more, and was rewarded with another smooth bump. With that he hit the accelerator and the vehicle drove off to its next delivery. Sigrid turned back to the Nest.

The crane had moved into position overhead, and three lines were dangling in front of the Highlander. Almost ready, just one more ingredient. She opened the lightest of the crates, and took out two of the eye bolts. Hardened material with a loop on the end for the crane to grab on to. They were heavy duty, but then they’d have to be considering what was about to be asked of them. She put them into the pouch hanging from the back of her belt.

One of the lines she hooked onto her harness, the others she made sure were the right height to reach the Nest’s left knee. Then it was just a manner of raising herself to that height too.

She liked being on the side of a ‘Mech, with nothing holding her up but a safety harness and very sure footing. Somehow it made her feel closer to the ‘Mech, better able to appreciate the sheer difference in scale between her and the Highlander, and yet knowing precisely how to make it do exactly what she wanted it to.

She found herself face-to-face with the enormous knee joint of the titan, and sidled to the side. Here she found a single red arrow pointing towards one of the identical-seeming bolts. She undid it.

Sometimes the things that impressed her most about ‘Mech design weren’t the mighty weapons, or the powerful myomer actuators, or the centimeters of highly engineered armor. It was the simple things.

Things like the linkage connected to this bolt hole. She took the eye bolt out of her pouch and threaded it in. It was several times longer than the one she had taken out, and for good reason. Deep inside the knee joint was a linkage that served no purpose when the ‘Mech was in operation, so it was detached. But for a MechTech, it was one of the more important pieces of mechanism. She hooked up the crane to this eye.

She moved around the other side, and found another red arrow. The other eye bolt was inserted here, and she hooked it up to the crane’s other strap. Then she lowered herself back down to the ground.

As she instructed the crane to tension, she heard a clunk as the mechanism engaged in the ceiling of the cavern. Then another chunk as a mechanism that had lain dormant in the Highlander’s knee activated, transferring the full load of the mighty machine to the other leg as the knee lifted, slowly taking the ankle with it.

She kept a close eye on it, making sure that the sole of the foot never left the ground. She needed just enough clearance to unload the ankle joint.

And stop.

The motors in the crane ceased their movement, but still held the knee just ever so slightly bent. The Nest looked nearly the same, but Sigrid knew she was now balanced on just her right leg. It was time to verify some findings.

She hopped back onto the giant foot in front of her, and then into the cavity. It felt different in a way that was hard to quantify, now that the weight was off. Here she could see the ankle joint, the adjustment screw, and the center she ran her fingers over earlier. She ran them across the surface again. This time they did not get stuck, and there were no imperfections she hadn’t felt earlier.

She turned her attention to the adjustment bolt and undid it as far as it could go, spreading the parts further and further apart until she could access where the massive ankle joint met the foot. What she found was exactly what she expected to see, but no less awe-inspiring.

The wear plates had been worn to be no thicker than a sheet of paper at the edges. She grabbed one to remove it and it crumbled where her fingers touched it, ground down over time by the movement of the ‘Mech. Every step, every turn, every Burial was another millimeter worn away, until all that was left crumbled at her touch.

She shifted her grip, slowly working her way through the crumbling section until she hit something solid. With a gentle tap from her hammer she shifted the plate loose from where it was hanging on. Lifting it out and into the light, she could see the lines where it had rubbed against the ankle joint, again and again and again, until both surfaces were worn away.

They did their job well, and now it was time to retire.

She tapped the upper plate with her hammer, and it fell into the lower plate’s cradle, looking just as thin, especially around the heaviest wear spots. She made sure to clean the area of any debris and shavings before resting the worn-down sections in the crate, taking the fresh ones out.

The difference in weight and size was incredible - she could wield the old ones with a single hand, but needed both of her hands to carry the new ones into position. She started with the top plate, propping it up in the lower cradle and tapping it into place with her hammer. When she was satisfied it wouldn’t fall down, she retrieved the lower plate. It was a lot easier to install, letting gravity do most of the setting.

Then she turned her attention once more to the adjustment bolt. Both fresh wear plates now in place, she was able to start tightening it again. It hit its mark with almost alarming speed, showing her just how far down the plates had worn.

She checked if she had her tools before extracting herself from the foot. A place for everything, and everything in its place. That place was not in the left foot of the Old Bird’s Nest.

Once satisfied, she lowered the crane again, firmly planting the Highlander’s foot on the ground. She felt the two bolts in her pouch and hooked up her harness again. Unhook the crane from the knee, unthread the eye bolts, reinsert the old bolts, and then do it all again.

She put in the move order for the crane and held on tight to the knee. It would move without her, pulling her up slightly as the line stretched across the gap between the ‘Mech’s knees. When it was halfway across, she pushed off. Swinging by the chain, she landed on the other knee and grabbed her handholds. The crane finished its movement shortly after.

Here she repeated the same process, unthread the bolts, thread in the eye bolts, attach the chains, lower herself down. She took off the cover plate for the right foot, and performed the same inspection again. No deformations, no visible cracks or scratches. She ran her fingers across the gap. They did not get stuck. She knew the check was unnecessary, but it wouldn’t be right not to afford this side the same care and attention she did the other.

Only then did she raise the Highlander’s right knee.

The wear plates on the right ankle joint weren’t as thin as the ones on the left, but still had a lot of visible wear. Definitely favored her left leg. It did mean that there was a lot less debris to clear out of the cradles after she removed the wear plates. Still, it paid to be thorough. Metal particles stuck between the plates could wreak havoc on the smoothness of the motion.

It took exactly as many turns of the adjustment bolt to get the left and right joints to their mark, making Sigrid appreciate the standardization even more than usual. She climbed back outside and freed the Old Bird’s Nest from her sling, setting both her feet firmly on the ground.

If everything went well, this meant the next five years of ankle alignment work orders would be a simple matter of turning the adjustment bolt.

One job down, two more to go. But first tidying up; it wouldn’t do to get in her own way. Right knee freed from eye bolts, crane’s chains retracted to the chest of the Highlander, climbing gear stowed away, everything back in her pockets. She found herself on the lift rising up to meet the Nest’s torso plate. Assault ‘Mechs were always so tall, especially the ones with a humanoid body plan. She didn’t think any amount of exposure would acclimate her to this.

No sooner had she finished her thought than she came face-to-face with the scarred armor plate. She ran her fingers across the molten and scratched surface, gliding across the edges of where the holes were, and the deep scratches caused by the glancing blows.

This armor plate was old. Older than her, older than Melissa. Possibly even older than the Clans. It had been there to protect the ‘Mech, to protect the pilots past. And now it had been there to protect her friend.

“Thank you.”

The Nest protects Melissa. The armor protects the Nest. And now she protects the armor.

She took the chains from the ceiling crane and hooked them up to the damaged plate before starting the disconnect process. Thankfully none of the bolts had taken a hit, so one by one they came undone at her touch until only momentum held it in place. She placed her hand once more on the scarred plate and provided the last nudge.

It swung out, suspended by the crane above as she guided it down to the floor to be picked up. She wanted to be sure it got the care and attention it needed, so she walked ahead of the forklift to the machine shop. It arrived with the damaged plate moments after she did.

Standard procedure would be to cut wide around the damaged subpanels to make sure no damaged material remained, but in this case it would be better to cut tight, to make sure no undamaged material was removed. She knew how important it was to Melissa to keep as many of the Nest’s components original as possible.

The removal of the subpanels was slow going. Not quite tedious, but definitely slow. Cut, examine, let the tool sneak up on her marks. Taking her time was worth it, to make sure she could examine the resulting surface. Take too much off at once, and you risk overshooting. So slow, deliberate increments were the order of the day. 

As she was chipping away, a strata of paint jobs revealed itself to her. Underneath the SLDF green a brilliant silver, and beyond that it just kept going. Vibrant yellows and blues, muted grays and blacks, a shining white that reminded her of the Word of Blake, but was more likely to be ComStar. And then, all the way at the bottom before the bare metal made itself known, the exact same shade of SLDF green that was at the top. All preserved in this piece of history.

She made sure to set the biggest shards she took off apart, given the historical importance of the component. Likely some in the Clans would appreciate her saving them.

When she was done, nothing remained of the tell-tale scorch marks that indicated laser hits, and the scratches of glancing blows were cleaned of any soot or debris.

Lamellor armor was always tricky to work with due to the layered nature, but at least it wasn’t as messy as HarJel variants. Those always extended the work time by at least a day just to get the gunk off of the tools.

She was thankful for the other ‘Techs on duty today that helped her find appropriate-sized chunks of replacement armor to be shaped into the new sub-panels. Attaching was a slow and repetitive process, but this job demanded nothing less than perfection. With a steady hand she affixed the new panels, filling gaps where needed until only the different colors showed where new replacement panels connected.

The experience in the spray booth was contemplative, like she was adding to history. The color codes of the SLDF’s muted greens were on file and abundant in stock. She had done this before, on the Old Girl, on the Raptor IIs, and would do it many times more. And now it was time for Old Bird’s Nest to take the stand and be supplied with a fresh coat on her torso armor.

Before it could be mounted though, she needed to make sure the underlying components were still in good condition. The walk back to ‘Bay fourteen was a lot more relaxed than the way to the fabrication area. She didn’t have to worry about outpacing a forklift for one, and for another the part of this repair where she was most reliant on others was behind her.

The lift rose again, and she was face to face with the Old Bird’s Nest. Above her the rectangular window of the cockpit loomed, and right in front of her, the internal systems of the mighty ‘Mech were lain bare.

She remembered exactly where the armor had been pierced, and on the components underneath she could see soot marks and molten slag in those exact places. Thankfully only surface problems, the armor had done its job well. The conduits underneath showed no signs of warping or cracks as she ran her hand along each one in turn. For all the advanced diagnostic tools in existence, there would always be a need for a well-trained eye and a gentle touch as part of a MechTech’s repertoire.

The repaired plate was waiting for her on the floor of the ‘Bay, the crane’s chains dangling by the side of the moveable platform and ready to be attached. She lowered the platform and hopped off.

One chain into each attachment point, and with a few taps on her tablet the panel was raised into position by the chest of the ‘Mech. She hopped back onto the platform and followed it.

Attaching it was a simple manner of finding her marks, top left, bottom right, top right, bottom left. Once those were in, she went around the perimeter to attach each bolt in turn until not even a direct impact would shake this panel from where it was. With the final bolt in, she touched the now-dry paint on the freshly installed panel.

“Keep her safe for me.”

She kept her eyes on the panel as the lift took her back down, feeling it slowly transform in her mind from the component she installed, to part of the Old Bird’s Nest. It was always a curious sensation to see something she made be absorbed into a ’Mech, and look like it was always meant to be there.

She shaped it. With her mind and her hands and her experience, she shaped it. And now it was part of a larger whole.

She climbed the ladder up to the center catwalk and sat down on the floor by the workbench. She was dreading this next part. Not because of the work involved, but because she knew how important it was to her. When she closed her eyes she could sometimes see this exact access door, Karrie jumping out as speakers blared and the hellfire that was the plasma created by suborbital insertion licked the hull of the DropShip.

She didn’t want to experience that again. She didn’t want Karrie to have to go through that again.

I will turn this reactor inside out to find the root issue before I allow that to happen again.

The access hatch loomed ahead of her on the left side of the Highlander’s torso. More memories came over her, better times on Terra, lightning scars, focus.

Sigrid closed her eyes. Anger at the injustice, fear at the consequences, duty as a MechTech, care for her friends, protection. They all flashed by her in rapid succession. She needed to focus. Take those feelings, push them aside, and let them power her conviction to see this through. There was work to be done.

She opened her eyes and stood up. Eyes keen, hands steady, she opened the hatch and climbed in. The area inside the torso was at once spacious and cramped, especially for someone her size. Thankfully she didn’t need much room yet. Her full collection of diagnostic tools consisted of a flashlight, a trained pair of eyes, and a sensitive set of fingers. The reactor was ahead, dormant and cool.

The sensor alignment on left side #3 magneto array on the reactor. That was what Karrie was in here to fix. It was a good place to start. She bent down and took a look at the adjustment mechanism. There were no tool marks, no impact marks, nothing that would indicate why it would suddenly move.

Maybe it wasn’t the sensor that had moved. Maybe it was what it was measuring. She let her hand rest on the housing for the adjustment mechanism, careful not to touch the screws themselves. It helped her think, and be more connected to the ‘Mech.

What was it measuring? That would be the timing for the plasma peak inside the housing. But it needed to be precise, and aligned exactly with the location of the peak. What would shift the peak? Internal forces, either positive or negative pressure.

She traced her hand over the labyrinth of pipes, slowly moving up the reactor housing. What would influence the pressure? The release valves. Each magneto array had three of them, calibrated to stagger their releases irregularly to prevent resonance from occurring and…

Shifting the peaks.

She stood up, tracing the pipes further and further up to the maze that was the reactor’s crown; a tangle of pipes and bolts dancing across the central structure. Chaos to an observer, poetry in geometry to a MechTech. A loose crown bolt could offset the stagger just enough to cause a cascade. She ran her hands across the circle of them, while her eyes focused on finding the one for the #3 array. Both found their mark at the same time.

There was a small, barely perceivable sound as her hand brushed the bolt. She could feel it more than hear it, but it was loose. Just ever so slightly. She took her spanner, adjusted it to the correct size and slid it over the bolt easily. A small turn later, and it was seated tightly.

A thought at the back of her mind drew her attention.

It cannot be that easy.

MechTechs have worked on this machine before. So many talented ‘Techs, the best the Inner Sphere and the Clans alike have to offer. It cannot be that simple.

She ran her hands across the bolts again, this time focusing not on identifying them, but identifying differences. And the #3 one was different. Something deeper was amiss here. Bolts get replaced all the time, as they wear out, as they get lost in rebuilds, but that’s not a problem. They’re standardized. Identical. Made to the same specifications each and every time. So why was this one different?

She took her spanner again, and unthreaded the #3 bolt. It looked exactly like how she expected it. The weight felt correct, the thread felt correct. There was some thread locker on it. The high temperature version. With the bolt in her hand, she exited the access hatch and moved over to the workbench. When all else fails, measure and inspect. The bolt was marked with its size, manufacturing date, and producing factory. She took out a set of thread gauges and found the correct one to test the bolt. It slotted in perfectly. No wiggle room, no imperfections. This was as standard a bolt as could be found. So why was it the only loose one?

She went back into the hatch, and climbed onto the reactor crown. Was there something wrong with the bolt hole? Her flashlight revealed no obvious damage, no wear marks, no cracks. Nothing. But then she saw the other bolts. Same information. Size was identical, but the manufacturing date was old. Very old. These were from when the reactor was produced. Originally produced. Before the Exodus.

She didn’t want to disrupt the working parts of the reactor, but removing and reinserting a crown bolt should be part of regular maintenance. She took the #2 out, and went back to her workbench. Somewhere she feared she was just making the difference up, but the tread gauge confirmed it. It moved ever so slightly, and holding it against the light she could see the miniscule gaps.

Shit

There were many possible implications of this, and none of them good. She had her first answer though, and that meant she needed help. She put the bolts, both the ‘new’ to-spec one and the old one in her pocket, and started on the long walk towards the machine shop.

The trip was enough time for her to clear her head, come up with a plan, maybe think on what she found. But it wasn’t long enough to finish thinking, as she soon found herself face-to-face with the door leading to the shop. She stepped in and looked around. She hadn’t had the time to look at today’s schedule yet.

“Kirsty, good to see you on shift today! Got a minute?” she called out.

“Sure, what’s up?”

“What would you say this is?” She handed the machinist the older bolt she took out of the reactor.

“Standard sized bolt, manufactured on Terra in… is that correct? Where did you get this?”

“Old Bird’s Nest, reactor’s left side #2 crown bolt. And you’d think so, wouldn’t you?” She handed her the thread gauge.

It was interesting to see Kirsty’s face go from self-assuredness to confusion to comprehension to a wide-eyed stare back at Sigrid. “What is this?”

“That’s what I’m trying to find out. Thread gauge is good, by the way. Here’s a newer bolt.” The #3 bolt changed hands. “So I’ve got two things I need. One, is I need one made to this specification. You’re one of the best machinists on this drop so if anyone can do it, it’d be you. The second, is I know you’re also very well-connected. I need to find out what happened to cause the drift. I don’t believe the original SLDF was sloppy with their precision.”

“Yeah, you… yeah.” was all Kirsty could say. “Machining is going to be an absolute bitch though. Do you have at least enough time for me to get… three or four setups for this?”

“I do. Nest’s not due for deployment for another day or so. Can you send ‘em over to ‘Bay fourteen?”

“You got it, chief. And once I find out more, I’ll let you know too!”

“You’re the best, K. In so many ways!”

And with that, she walked back to her Bay. She knew enough about machining that she understood what she was asking. Thread cutting happened in increments - cutting a thread precisely in between those increments? That required an incredibly skilled machinist. Kirsty was one. She would pull this off.

Meanwhile Sigrid would entertain herself by updating the maintenance log. When she arrived at her Bay, she hopped onto the foot of the Highlander, like she did this morning. But this time, she made herself a comfortable seat around the ankle joint and detached her tablet from her wrist. She pulled up the maintenance log. Filling it out while she was waiting for parts was a good use of time.

She realized it was taking its time to load, which gave her a moment to contemplate. For some ‘Mechs, filling in the work log was a formality. Like Death Knell. She knew the logs would be scrubbed before long, just like it was scrubbed of anything else identifying.

For The Old Bird’s Nest though? It was a ceremony. There would be a list of some of the best MechTechs around, going back to when Melissa first acquired her. When currently Commanding General Hazen first acquired her. And she’d be adding her name to that long list. The log finally loaded and displayed its first entry. Right there, she was expecting; final prep before delivering to commander Hazen.

And then she looked again.

Jun 2766 T MacEvan: Final prep for delivery to cdr. Hazen. …

This was… not Melissa. 

This was Elizabeth.

Part of her wanted to probe deeper. Wanted to know which part of the ‘Mech had originally belonged to her. Wanted to know everything. It could have been the reactor, it could have been a single control panel in the cockpit. In the end, it didn’t matter.

The ‘jump to current’ button lit up in the corner of the screen. She thoroughly ignored it and gave the list a flick.

Name after name scrolled by, engineers, MechTechs, names of historical figures. Military units, mercenary companies, every service performed on every single part of this ‘Mech contained here within her tablet.

She sat there for minutes, just scrolling through the list, taking in all the names. Many she didn’t recognize, some she did. Each of them at the top of their field. Every entry telling a story. She spotted two engineers performing calibrations at each other. She spotted Y. Virtanen changing to Y. Virtanen-Murad. She spotted the #3 left magneto array sensor starting to need calibration after the crown bolt was replaced following a rough battle. She considered the gravity of what she did. What she was about to do.

She reached the bottom of the list.

… Sep 3153 M Hazen: Calibrate IFF signature registry Oct 3153 M Hazen: Realign L. ankle joint Oct 3153 M Hazen: Realign #3 L. reactor magneto sensor Oct 3153 K DeLacey: Realign #3 L. reactor magneto sensor (I filled this out for you, please verify when you have the chance? -Sigrid) Oct 3153 S Guntran: Replace L. ankle wear plates Oct 3153 S Guntran: Replace R. ankle wear plates Oct 3153 S Guntran: Realign L. ankle joint Oct 3153 S Guntran: Realign R. ankle joint Oct 3153 S Guntran: Replace torso armor Oct 3153 S Guntran: Replace L. reactor crown bolt #3_

Her name was on here now. Added into the story - into the history - of this ‘Mech. Forever part of not just the Old Bird’s Nest, but the SLDF.

An approaching electric truck caught her attention, Snaps waving as he got closer, Archaea sitting quietly in the passenger seat until the flatbed came to a stop by her Bay and she stepped out to untie a container.

He was the first to speak up. “What in the hell did you have Kirsty make? I swear I’ve never seen her so excited to make something or this creative in her cursing.”

Sigrid grinned knowingly. “SLDF standard bolt.”

He narrowed his eyes.

“Okay okay, bit more to it than that, I think she’d have to recalibrate her entire setup twice over to make this thing. They in there?”

“Yeah. Plus a note.”

Archaea finished unloading the crate and silently clipped the retaining straps back down.

“Yelling might’ve gotten to her,” he supplied.

Sigrid walked over, and saw Archaea flinch as she approached. She opened her arms in the offer for a hug. Archaea took her up on it, burying her face in her coveralls. She didn’t need to say anything for Sigrid to know. She knew what it was like.

“You good soloing the next few deliveries, Snaps? I think a moment would do her good.”

“Yeah. Yeah, I got this.”

She looked down at the top of Archaea’s head. “What do you think? Would you like to stay here for a bit?” The midnight black crown of hair nodded slightly, still pressed tightly against her.

She let go with one hand and waved to Snaps as he accelerated, then turned her attention back to Archaea.

“It’s okay, let’s go sit by the foot. I’ve got some water, and I think it’s time for lunch anyway.”

The walk to the foot of the Highlander was slow, but that was okay. Sigrid picked a spot on the wall-side of the ‘Bay, out of view of everything. Times like this didn’t need rushing, they needed care. Archaea didn’t extract her head from Sigrid’s coveralls for the walk, nor for the slow descent into sitting on the floor. She wasn’t crying, but it looked like she was just tired of the world for now. Sigrid knew the feeling well.

She sheltered Archaea from the world, providing soft comfort, and big arms to wrap her up and hold her, until she was ready to face existence again. The first sign this was happening was a small voice coming from her side.

“You’re still really warm.”

She smiled at that, giving a gentle squeeze. “Must be the crawling around in the reactor core.”

She released the squeeze, giving Archaea a chance to peek her head out. “Takes a lot of fuel though. Would you like pancakes?”

At this her head detached from Sigrid’s coveralls. “Pancakes?”

“Yeah, Karrie made ‘em fresh this morning! Even got syrup this time. Would you like some?”

There was a frantic nod from her side, and at that signal she pulled her toolchest closer. In it was a bundle of grease paper, a carefully-wrapped fork, and a sachet of syrup. It made Sigrid feel safe.

The pancakes were room temperature, no longer as hot as when they were fresh. But they somehow made her feel warm inside anyway. She hoped Archaea could feel the same.

From how quickly she was eating, they definitely made her feel like more. This was good, Karrie had made a lot of them.

Archaea looked like she was feeling a little better. No longer as quiet and… still, as she was when she delivered the crates. More comfortable taking up space again.

“Looks like you needed that. Feeling a bit better?”

“Yeah, I-... Thank you Sigrid. You’re a good friend.”

“Takes one to know one,” she replied. “Ready to face the Lab again?”

Archaea nodded, and they got up together. No longer fully attached by force of hug, but enough that they moved in unison. As they rounded the corner of the foot, the quiet hum of an electric flatbed made itself known. Archaea waved at it as it approached.

When Snaps stopped, he smiled. “Feeling a bit better Kid?”

“Yeah, Sigrid is the best she knew a quiet spot so I could rest and she had pancakes and we talked about... Sorry!”

Snaps’ grin broadened at that. “Glad to hear it, you ready for the next few? I picked up a shiny new set of crates.”

Archaea gave Sigrid a last hug before dashing off again and hopping into the passenger seat. She fastened her seatbelt and nodded enthusiastically.

“Off we go then. Thanks again Red!”

Sigrid waved at them as they drove off before turning her attention to the freshly delivered crate. Opening the lid, she spotted three bolts and a note.

Dear Sigrid, 1) Fuck you, you know how much of an ass it was to precisely machine a bolt 0%<x<1% out of spec in every single dimension? 2) I could kiss you right now, that was the most fun I had on this drop! I had to use every trick I know to pull this off but I’m awesome so I made it happen! Got you a spare too. 3) I don’t know if you know how big a deal it is that you found this, but if this is what I think it is you are going to get so much writing credit. So. Much. 4) If you see the Old Bird, tell her I said ‘hi’ and that I haven’t forgotten. Love, Kirsty

The bolts looked identical to each other, save for the markings. One had the original markings from Terra, the other two bore the current year and the DropShip machine shop. The sizing information had the addition of -SGu. Probably a good idea to differentiate them from the in-spec sizing with the same name.

She climbed up to the catwalk, and crawled back into the access hatch on the Highlander’s left torso. Through the maze of pipes, to the reactor, up to the crown. She made a mental note of how the #2 bolt felt when it went down, and was very satisfied when the #3 felt identical. No more loose threads, no more slight wiggle. She tightened both of them down.

All that was left now was to re-re-recalibrate the sensor. That was a job best done with two people though, the running back and forth between the cockpit and the reactor would get very tedious otherwise. That left just a single part of this work order left to do, a general systems check.

She extracted herself from the torso, and closed the door. She touched her hand to the latch and gave it a push. The sensation helped cement in her mind that she had in fact closed it. No more cause to worry.

She climbed the ladder to the top catwalk, and climbed onto the Nest’s shoulder. The cockpit was locked with a softkey, and Melissa had trusted her enough to provide her with one. She knew how much that meant. Probably four people in the galaxy had one.

She tapped it and listened for the soft beep and the even softer click that unlocked the cockpit as it was accepted. She closed it behind her and sat down in the pilot’s seat. Four people. Only four people in the entire galaxy had ever seen this cockpit, as it was right now. The Old Bird’s Nest.

This was as close to Melissa’s sanctum as anything could be, she doubted even her own bedroom held more significance to her. Every single console, every adjustment of the seat, the exact ergonomics were tailored to her specifically. If she closed her eyes, Sigrid could almost imagine her sitting here, hands on the controls, talons grasping the specially designed pedals.

Her fingers danced through the startup procedure. Screens lit up with diagnostic information, performing self-tests on all the systems it could access. Panels lit up, warning lights illuminating and dimming as every system was checked. The systems beneath the damaged chest plate passed their tests, as did the ankle actuators.

Her helmet wasn’t plugged in, so the Highlander wouldn’t be able to move. Even if she was plugged in, she knew Melissa would have the controls locked. Still, when performing a full reactor startup, procedures were there for a reason. Sigrid paused and keyed the radio transceiver on the control panel in front of her.

“Bay Control, this is Sigrid Guntran, piloting Highlander ‘Old Bird’s Nest’ in MechBay fourteen. Requesting clearance for reactor test cycle startup. How copy?”

The response came almost immediately.

“‘Old Bird’s Nest’, Bay Control. Cleared for reactor test cycle startup in thirty seconds.”

“Bay Control, ‘Old Bird’s Nest’. Starting reactor test cycle in thirty seconds.”

Sigrid waited. Overhead a warning light switched on to alert anyone working in the area that a full ‘Mech powerup was about to happen. The thirty seconds would give them the time they needed to clear the immediate area. Sigrid suspected there wasn’t anyone there, but acting on suspicions like that without verifying is what got people hurt.

When the timer ticked down, her fingers resumed their dance. The shrill whine of the auxiliary generator was replaced with the thrum of the main one. Diagnostics danced over her screen. If her fix behaved as expected, the reactor should supply only three quarters of its rated power. The thrum became louder, until the full potential was reached. At almost exactly 75%. The only thing that remained was recalibrating the now-offset #3 magneto array sensor with Karrie or Melissa. One in the cockpit to monitor output, the other to make the actual adjustments. Those would have to wait until one of them was available.

She powered down the systems again, watching each component return to cold and dark until only a single screen was illuminated. It displayed a message:

Playing audio file MHazen_HelloSigrid

And then it too went dark. Before she could question what that was, Melissa’s voice filled the cockpit.

“Sigrid. I know you are working right now, and I would have liked to tell you this in person... but things have gotten in the way. I wanted to say that to have you working on my 'Mech… I appreciate it. Truly. You and Karrie are the two Techs I trust with her. So thank you. Oh, and there is a further message for both you and Karrie, so share it with her, will you, Sigrid?"

On the dashboard ahead was a small data chip plugged into the command and control interface. Melissa had mentioned this before; it used to be mounted in an Orion. Kerensky’s Orion. She reached out and detached the chip, trying and failing to not consider the weight of what she did today.

She worked on the command ‘Mech for the entire SLDF. She worked on equipment older than the Clans. She requisitioned custom-machined parts to address an issue that had been overlooked for decades.

She added her name to the log of people who came before, the best in their field. She received a vote of confidence from Melissa Hazen. Her, Sigrid. From a little town outside Naragajan.

She turned the chip over in her hand, wrist resting on the console. Kerensky’s console. Now Melissa’s.

She considered that maybe. Just maybe.

She actually was good enough.

[darillium-night]

Hello friends and loved ones!

I am a trans man in my late 20’s, and have been transitioning since 2016. I take hormones and have undergone multiple surgeries to better align my body with my internal sense of self. At this time, my biggest source of dysphoria is my genitalia. In order to relieve this dysphoria and align my body with my internal self, I need to undergo phalloplasty.

Phalloplasty is a multi-stage surgical process to create a penis using donor tissue from another site on the body. This process takes place through multiple surgeries over the course of about 2 years.

While the actual surgical process is still a ways away, there are a lot of out of pocket costs to manage that insurance will not cover. Some of these costs include:

⁃ Hair removal on the donor tissue site (this has to be done pre-op over the next year and a half to two years)

⁃ Travel costs to and from appointments and surgery (currently I am consulting with surgeons in New York and San Francisco)

⁃ Accommodations in the city in which I have surgery, such as an Airbnb (I will have to stay in the area for about a month post-op)

⁃ Food and groceries post-op

⁃ A post-op caregiver

Pre-op my biggest expense is hair removal on the donor tissue site, which is done using laser hair removal and electrolysis, and insurance doesn’t cover this. It needs to be started right away to be ready in time for surgery. It can get very expensive very fast.

I greatly appreciate those folks who have given to me in the past to make my transition possible. It’s because of my support system that I am able to live as my most authentic self. I am once again asking for your support if you are able to give it.

Thank you for your love and support as I travel the massive journey that is transitioning. I love who I was and I love who I am and I love who I’m becoming and I love all of you!

[bafco-reliability]

Straightness Laser Alignment Systems in Al Khobar: Precision for Structural Stability

In Al Khobar, Straightness Laser Alignment Systems in Al Khobar are essential for industries that require precise alignment over extended distances. These systems are ideal for applications where long, straight alignments are necessary, such as in large-scale manufacturing and construction.

The Straightness Laser Alignment Systems in Al Khobar provide real-time feedback, allowing technicians to adjust machinery or structures with high accuracy. This ensures that equipment operates smoothly and reduces the potential for misalignment-related issues.

Advantages of Straightness Laser Alignment Systems:

Accurate Alignment Over Long Distances: Ideal for large-scale projects that require precise, straight alignment.

Increased Safety: Reduces the risk of equipment failure due to misalignment.

Enhanced Efficiency: Optimizes machinery performance by ensuring exact alignment.

Straightness Laser Alignment Systems in Al Khobar are invaluable for industries seeking accuracy and stability in large-scale industrial applications.

Discover more on our website! 🌐✨ https://bafco-reliability.com/

[theawakenedstate]

5 Common Mistakes in Chakra Healing You Need to Avoid

Chakra healing is a powerful practice that can transform your life from the inside out. Let’s explore five common mistakes that many individuals make when it comes to chakra healing. Here’s How you can begin to enhance your Chakra Healing journey. I’m a big advocate for Consistency. Why? It not only helps me spiritually grow but it gets me results!

One area I’ve been consistent beyond spiritual practice has been my journey with the chakra Healing system. I’ve learned a lot over the years about how to properly understand energy work through Chakra Healing. 

However, just like any new ager out there, there are a lot of mistakes I’ve learned over the years. After 13-14 years on this healing path, I’ve personally refined my chakra strategy so I always get incredible results. 

I wanted to share some common mistakes that many people are making when it comes to energy work and the chakras that they might not be realizing. 

#5 is def my soap box I will admit LOL 

But In general – these are mistakes I’ve personally gone through and eventually realized there are stronger tools out there to help you heal easier. Likewise, in some cases even faster!

2 hour + somatic breathwork?  Not remotely Necessary when you’re dealing with the chakras. 

Here’s my tips and tricks on Chakra Healing to help you avoid these common Mistakes I see continuously in the spiritual community. 

Catch the full Episode on the Youtube or Season 3 of the Podcast: Awaken & Manifest your Best Life

WATCH ON YOUTUBE

LISTEN ON THE PODCAST

SUMMARY OF THE FIVE COMMON CHAKRA HEALING MISTAKES

1 – You’re Using Surface-Level Tools to Solve an Internal Problem

Ever caught yourself getting lost in a sea of crystals, essential oils, and sage, hoping they’ll magically fix your energy imbalances? While these tools are fantastic for boosting your vibes, they’re like the sparkly cherry on top. One common mistake in chakra healing is relying solely on surface-level tools like crystals and oils without going deeper into the root cause of energetic imbalances. While these tools can help aid in the process, (I call these amplifiers because they amplify the energy of that chakra) true healing occurs when we address the core issues within each chakra.

2 – Thinking That you ONLY need Yoga Asanas and Color Therapy

If you’ve been hanging your hopes on wearing specific colors, Eating certain foods or striking yoga poses to heal your chakras, hey, you’re not alone! Another misconception is the overemphasis on yoga asanas and color therapy as the primary methods for chakra healing. While these practices can complement healing, they should not overshadow the importance of addressing Your Beliefs behind your Mindset, Your Internal Programming, Emotional Health and internal energetic frequency for lasting transformation. It’s about balance, yo 😉

3 – Confusing Chakra Healing and Reiki as the same thing. Spoiler Alert: It’s not

 Reiki Healing and Chakra healing are completely different methods. It’s like comparing apples and oranges – both juicy and delicious, but with their unique flavors. While Reiki casts a broad energetic net for overall alignment, chakra healing zooms in like a laser beam on your individual energy centers. For Example, Reiki focuses more on healing the energetic field with symbols, chakra healing delves deep into individual energetic centers, providing a more targeted approach to addressing specific issues within the energy system. Chakra Healing also works specifically with your unique programming and Patterns that are looping in your nervous system.

4 – Listening to Sound Frequencies and Meditations to Heal – Yet Avoiding the inner work

Here’s the thing, sound frequencies and meditations can enhance your chakra healing journey, but they should not be the sole focus. It’s important to enhance these practices with adding internal work on Your Energetic Patterns. For Example, working on your Internal State of Consciousness surrounding your emotions, mindset, and habits to facilitate sustainable healing results.

5 – Only Focusing on Releasing and Clearing Work – Nothing Else.

Let’s chat about the shadow-side of healing – a vital but often overemphasized piece of the puzzle. While diving into your shadows is important, The real healing is when you empower your chakras. A key aspect of effective chakra healing is empowering the chakras through repatterning. This is the deep work we do inside The Ultimate Chakra Academy Simply releasing negative energies or even Shadow patterns is not enough; true healing occurs when we replace old patterns with new, empowering beliefs and behaviors.

Why are people not able to properly heal?

When we only do releasing work, we’re not actually shifting and changing the pattern. And what happens instead is it reverts. The entire pattern starts to revert and come back! Have you ever had that happen? This causes the entire script to change. (and maybe you lost money from that, all the same, right?)

Avoiding the Real Internal Work to Truly Heal

The hugest thing I want to emphasize here is you notice, all these mistakes aren’t actually working on your emotions or your patterns. They’re kind of, bypassing those emotions. Naturally, they’re energy tools, they help, but they’re not working with the emotion. If the tool does not work with the negative pattern or the emotion itself, Then it’s just like an amplifier. Instead, When we work with a Chakra, we’re opening up the Energy pattern that makes up your beliefs, emotions, actions, and even working on the habits that keep the pattern going.

We’re not looking at the actual programming itself. We’re not looking at the actual pattern or the framework of the pattern. We’re instead bypassing that and using different tools to try to access it. Chakra healing makes up a pattern. If you want to raise your vibe, heal, or manifest? Change the Energy Pattern, Change the Results.

In conclusion,

By avoiding these common mistakes and approaching chakra healing with an Empowering mindset, you can unlock the transformative power of this unique practice. Remember, true healing begins from within, and each step you take towards nurturing your chakras brings you closer to manifesting your best life. ✌️

P.S. Ready to enhance your chakra healing journey? Grab your Chakra Starter Kit for a look behind the scenes of Energy Vibrations, how to heal your Chakra Centers and my signature chakra detox Framework! Free access to sign up here:

If you Enjoyed this Article Share it to the Socials or Pin it for a Spiritual Bestie to Find, Thanks for the support!

https://www.theawakenedstate.net/5-common-mistakes-in-chakra-healing-you-need-to-avoid/

5 Common Mistakes in Chakra Healing You Need to Avoid

Chakra healing is a powerful practice that can transform your life from the inside out. Let’s explore five common mistakes that many individuals make when it comes to chakra healing. Here’s How you can begin to enhance your Chakra Healing journey. I’m a big advocate for Consistency. Why? It not only helps me spiritually grow […]

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

ESA and NASA satellites deliver first joint picture of Greenland Ice Sheet melting

Academics from Northumbria University are part of an international research team which has used data from satellites to track changes in the thickness of the Greenland Ice Sheet.

Academics from Northumbria University are part of an international research team which has used data from satellites to track changes in the thickness of the Greenland Ice Sheet.

Global warming is causing the Ice Sheet to melt and flow more rapidly, raising sea levels and disturbing weather patterns across our planet.

Because of this, precise measurements of its changing shape are of critical importance for tracking and adapting to the effects of climate warming.

Scientists have now delivered the first measurements of Greenland Ice Sheet thickness change using CryoSat-2 and ICESat-2 – the ESA and NASA ice satellite missions.

Both satellites carry altimeters as their primary sensor, but they make use of different technologies to collect their measurements.

CryoSat-2 carries a radar system to determine the Earth’s surface height, while ICESat-2 has a laser system for the same task.

Although radar signals can pass through clouds, they also penetrate into the ice sheet surface and have to be adjusted for this effect.

Laser signals, on the other hand, reflect from the actual surface, but they cannot operate when clouds are present.

The missions are therefore highly complementary, and combining their measurements has been a holy grail for polar science.

A new study from scientists at the UK Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling (CPOM), based at Northumbria University, and published in Geophysical Research Letters shows that CryoSat-2 and ICESat-2 measurements of Greenland Ice Sheet elevation change agree to within 3%.

This confirms that the satellites can be combined to produce a more reliable estimate of ice loss than either could achieve alone. It also means that if one mission were to fail, the other could be relied upon to maintain our record of polar ice change.

Between 2010 and 2023, the Greenland Ice Sheet thinned by 1.2 metres on average. However, thinning across the ice sheet’s margin (the ablation zone) was over five times larger, amounting to 6.4 metres on average.

The most extreme thinning occurred at the ice sheets outlet glaciers, many of which are speeding up.

At Sermeq Kujalleq in west central Greenland (also known as Jakobshavn Isbræ), peak thinning was 67 metres, and at Zachariae Isstrøm in the northeast peak thinning was 75 metres.

Altogether, the ice sheet shrank by 2,347 cubic kilometres across the 13-year survey period – enough to fill Africa’s Lake Victoria.

The biggest changes occurred in 2012 and 2019 when summer temperatures were extremely hot and the ice sheet lost more than 400 cubic kilometres of its volume each year.

Greenland’s ice melting also affects global ocean circulation and disturbs weather patterns. These changes have far-reaching impacts on ecosystems and communities worldwide.

The availability of accurate, up-to-date data on ice sheet changes will be critical in helping us to prepare for and adapt to the impacts of climate change.

Lead author and CPOM researcher Nitin Ravinder said: “We are very excited to have discovered that CryoSat-2 and ICESat-2 are in such close agreement.

“Their complementary nature provides a strong motivation to combine the data sets to produce improved estimates of ice sheet volume and mass changes.

“As ice sheet mass loss is a key contributor to global sea level rise, this is incredibly useful for the scientific community and policymakers.”

The study made use of four years of measurements from both missions, including those collected during the Cryo2ice campaign, a pioneering ESA-NASA partnership initiated in 2020.

By adjusting CryoSat-2’s orbit to synchronise with ICESat-2, ESA enabled the near-simultaneous collection of radar and laser data over the same regions.

This alignment allows scientists to measure snow depth from space, offering unprecedented accuracy in tracking sea and land ice thickness.

Tommaso Parrinello, CryoSat Mission Manager at ESA, expressed optimism about the campaign’s impact:

“CryoSat has provided an invaluable platform for understanding our planet’s ice coverage over the past 14 years, but by aligning our data with ICESat-2, we’ve opened new avenues for precision and insight.

“This collaboration represents an exciting step forward, not just in terms of technology but in how we can better serve scientists and policymakers who rely on our data to understand and mitigate climate impacts.”

Thorsten Markus, project scientist for the ICESat-2 mission at NASA, said: “It is great to see that the data from ‘sister missions’ are providing a consistent picture of the changes going on in Greenland.

“Understanding the similarities and differences between radar and lidar ice sheet height measurements allows us to fully exploit the complementary nature of those satellite missions.

“Studies like this are critical to put a comprehensive time series of the ICESat, CryoSat-2, ICESat-2, and, in the future, CRISTAL missions together.”

ESA’s CryoSat-2 continues to be instrumental in our understanding of climate related changes in polar ice, working alongside NASA’s ICESat-2 to provide robust, accurate data on ice sheet changes.

Together, these missions represent a significant step forward in monitoring polar ice loss and preparing for its global consequences.

CPOM is a partnership of six universities and the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), based at Northumbria University, primarily funded by the National Environment Research Council (NERC) to provide national capability in observation and modelling of the processes that occur in the Polar regions of the Earth.

CPOM uses satellite observations to monitor change in the Polar regions and numerical models to better predict how their ice and oceans might evolve in the future.

By providing long-term capabilities to the scientific community and leading international assessments, CPOM helps global policymakers plan for the effects of climate change and sea level rise.

IMAGE: Greenland Ice Sheet Credit Prof Andrew Shepherd

[darkmaga-returns]

Making U.S. Elections Legitimate Again by Lex Greene - ARTICLE

Trump Administration Shuts Down USAID, Ending Decades of Covert Operations - this is truly huge - I am still waiting and hoping he removes the US from the UN. - ARTICLE

From Deep Seek to Deep Doo-Doo - this webinar is long but it will give you a deep understanding of the US AI and China’s Deep Seek. I do not understand how Trump can align himself with Ellison and Altman. Ellison clearly said his AI will track every human to insure good behavior. If they are putting up cameras in your community understand they ARE NOT for your safety they are to track you and more will be coming. Ellison also created Oracle for the CIA. Altman is being sued by his sister Ann for sexual abuse and rape starting when she was 3 years old. And the mother of an OpenAI whistleblower employee was murdered. He had evidence that Altman was unlawfully collecting data on American citizens. She was interview by Tucker Carlson and it is very obvious her son did not commit suicide he was murdered. I watched the entire video and it was well worth the time. I generally clean while listening to long videos. ARTICLE/TRANSCRIPT/VIDEO

LARRY ELLISON - this is what AI is REALLY all about. The cure for Cancer is just the fake sales pitch to insure buy-in just like they made up climate change to push UN Agenda 21/2030 Agenda - VIDEO

‘A Titan of a Human Being’: Remembering Francis Boyle, International Law Expert and Medical Freedom Advocate - for those that are not aware of the huge loss Dr. Francis Boyle was to not only America but to the world. He was an activist before we even knew what an activist was. RIP Dr. Francis Boyle - ARTICLE

U.S. Navy Deploys HELIOS Laser Weapon System Amid Rising Directed Energy Arms Race - ARTICLE

[sunshinesmebdy]

Navigate the Stars: March 5 Astro Vibe Check

The universe is whispering to you, and it’s time to listen! This month’s celestial alignment offers a powerful opportunity to elevate your business and financial well-being. Let’s explore how the current planetary positions, interpreted through the lens of astrology, can guide you towards success.

Harnessing Emotional Intelligence (Moon in Capricorn Sextile Sun in Pisces):

The Moon in Capricorn sextile the Sun in Pisces creates a harmonious connection between your emotions and intellect. This translates to smart decision-making in the face of change. Use your emotional awareness to navigate challenges, but don’t let feelings cloud your judgment. Stay grounded by setting realistic goals and taking practical steps towards them. Don’t hesitate to leverage existing support systems and resources. Remember, clear choices are key to ensuring your emotions don’t lead you astray.

Embracing Abundance (Moon in Capricorn Trine Jupiter in Taurus):

The Moon in Capricorn trine Jupiter in Taurus is like having a cosmic lucky charm in your pocket, especially for business and finance. This benevolent aspect brings positivity and the potential for success. Confidence is key during this transit, so don’t shy away from taking calculated risks. Believe in your abilities and embrace opportunities for expansion. Remember, Jupiter encourages growth. Consider investing in your business or exploring new ventures. Don’t forget to share your success by supporting others. Generosity and ethical conduct will pave the way for lasting partnerships.

Sharpening Your Focus (Moon in Capricorn Sextile Saturn in Pisces):

When the Moon in Capricorn sextiles Saturn in Pisces, get ready for laser-sharp focus. This transit brings discipline and organization to the forefront, making it the perfect time to wrap up projects, network, and plan your finances. Structured thinking will significantly benefit your financial planning. Embrace responsibility by reviewing existing financial agreements and partnerships. Resourcefulness becomes your superpower, enabling you to find practical solutions to any financial challenges that may arise.

Unlocking Innovation (Moon in Capricorn Trine Uranus in Taurus):

The Moon in Capricorn and Uranus in Taurus create a powerful duo, sparking resourcefulness and creativity. This translates to unconventional approaches to your financial matters. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box. Embrace adaptability as it can lead to unexpected breakthroughs and material success. Uranus encourages financial independence, so explore innovative ways to secure your future. Remember, embracing change can pave the way for unexpected prosperity.

By understanding these astrological influences, you can leverage the cosmic energies to make informed decisions, navigate challenges, and unlock your full potential for business success and financial prosperity. Remember, the stars are aligned, and the universe is on your side!

[materialsscienceandengineering]

Laser Safety

There are four classes of lasers, with a few subclasses, with the class of the laser dictated by the safety hazards presented. Class 1 lasers, including Class 1M lasers, present little to no hazards under normal operations and typically do not require additional training to operate. (Note: higher class lasers can be classified as class 1 lasers if they are enclosed in a system, such as in laser printers.) Class 2 (and 2M) lasers present no hazards if used for short periods of time and viewed with the naked eye; they can be dangerous if viewed with magnification or long-term exposure occurs. Class 3R lasers present low risk viewed with the naked eye. Typically 2, 2M, and 3R lasers also do not require additional training to use.

Classes 3B and 4 lasers can present significant hazards to the eyes and skin and typically cannot be operated without specific laser training. Often, individuals cannot even be in the same room without laser awareness training, and laser operator training is even more extensive. Class 3B is considered to have a moderate risk to the eyes and low risk to the skin; class 4 presents a high risk to both. These lasers present a variety of hazards; general safety rules include (but are not limited to, wearing laser safety glasses, removing all reflective items possible (including jewelry), posting warning signs, and preventing access to rooms containing these lasers except by trained individuals.

During alignment of lasers is when most injuries typically occur, but lasers can also present non-beam hazards such as, among others, electrical hazards, and separate electrical safety training must also be carried out in many circumstances. Most organizations require a laser safety officer to be determined before adding a laser to any laboratory.

Sources/Further Reading: (Image source - SPIE) (NIH) (Caltech) (Stanford)

[porcalain]

your beauty holy grails and or beauty tips you swear by?

Nourish your soul. Pay it as much attention as you do your physical appearance, if not more

Heal yourself. Trauma and painful experiences can remain stagnant in the body. If you have read “the body keeps score” then you’ll understand this more.

The saying beauty comes from within is a common saying for a reason. Don’t be bitter, don’t be nasty, don’t be cruel.

Be as you want to be perceived.

If you want to be beautiful, then find beauty in everything around you.

Dried rose buds/petals in tea, baths, water, skin care.

Olive oil soap. Tallow moisturiser for the body and face. Hair oil masks once a week. Lymphatic drainage massages daily to undo years of toxic build up.

Set Intention with everything that you do.

Make soups that will comfort you.

Warm milk and sugar before bed 🥛

Care for yourself as you would a child.

Find validation within yourself instead of seeking it out from others. Trying so desperately to find validation from others and going to extremes where you no longer align with your morals will violate your soul. No matter how much validation you receive from others, it will never be satisfying.

I cook my own food and haven’t had fast food in a year. Probably an extreme but my body is sensitive to the foods I eat so I like to eat whole foods that I cook with ingredients I am happy with.

Cut off toxic people & pity friends. It’s better to be alone than it is to be surrounded by individuals who dont make you feel good.

Take care of your hair. It’s an extension of your nervous system and it protects you whether you know it or not. Nourish your hair with massages and oils and masks. Oil your ends before bed and sleep with a protective style no matter your hair type

Detox your scalp with an ACV rinse.

Living by your cycle/cycle syncing.

Drinking fresh carrot juice daily.

Carrot salads.

Practice gratitude.

Consistent routines that you live by.

I always wear stockings, tights, and heels.

I never go outside in sweatpants.

Full body laser hair removal. Very painful but 100% worth it.

Do well by yourself. Be your best friend and lover.

Eating spoonfuls of honey daily.

I’m not sure if I would call these tips but these are a few things I like to do to take care of myself. Doing these things makes me feel beautiful. I also like to read a lot, that makes me feel pretty. If you want generic beauty tips you can find them anywhere online.