#Measuring scale calibration

[metallurgyandmetrology]

Explore high-quality measuring scales and tape calibration solutions at Multitek. Ensure precise measurements with our range of calibration services and products. Feel Free to visit us and know more about our other Machines and Calibration Services: https://rb.gy/8kk0q6

MeasuringTape #MeasuringScale #Calibration #calibrationsolutions #calibrationservices #scales

[felassan]

Dragon Age: The Veilguard settings details - Display and Graphics

This post is under a cut due to length.

This information comes directly from the game.

DA:TV menu 'pages': Display, Graphics, Audio, Controls, Gameplay, Interface, Accessibility, Other.

For some of the settings, additional detail on a specific one (the one that was selected at that particular point during the video, e.g. "Window Mode" was set to "Full Screen") is given after the general explanation/definition of the setting itself. These are in italics at the end of an entry.

DISPLAY

Display Mode

Active Monitor: Select the monitor for game display. Window Mode: Switches between full screen, windowed, and borderless windowed modes. You can press ALT+ENTER at any time to switch between full screen and windowed modes. In full screen mode, the game will play on the entire screen. Screen Resolution: Changes the game's display resolution. The game's level of on-screen detail is determined by the number of pixels it contains. Higher resolution increases the number of pixels displayed, which will result in a clearer image. This comes with a potential cost to performance. Refresh Rate: Sets how often your display will refresh game visuals. A higher refresh rate means a smoother picture, depending on your computer's hardware. Frame Rate Limit: Sets the maximum framerate for the game. VSync: Synchronizes the game's framerate with the display's refresh rate to prevent screen tearing.

Calibration

Brightness: Adjusts the intensity of the game's visuals. Makes all visuals lighter or darker. Contrast: Adjusting the contrast will change the difference in color and light between the brightest and darkest parts of the screen. Enable HDR: HDR (High Dynamic Range) mode provides enhanced color and contrast ranges. This option can only be enabled on supported displays. HDR must also be enabled in your operating system. Use the HDR Calibration option below to adjust. HDR Calibration: Launches the HDR calibration tool which adjusts the HDR settings to best match your display. The maximum brightness level should generally be adjusted to match what your HDR display will support. Measured in nits. This is only available when Enable HDR is turned on.

Upscaling

Unsample Method: Improve performance and visuals by rendering the game at a smaller resolution, then "upsampling" to a larger resolution for display. The pixels that make up the difference between the two resolutions are generated using advanced algorithms. Unsample Quality: Select the desired quality level for the upsampling method selected. DLSS Frame Generation: DLSS Frame Generation can generate additional frames that boost your overall frame rate. In order to use Frame Generation, you must have an NVIDIA RTX 40-series graphics card. NVIDIA Reflex: NVIDIA Reflex is a technology that helps reduce input latency while playing the game. In order to take advantage of NVIDIA Reflex's feature, you must have a supported NVIDIA graphics card. Anti-Aliasing: Anti-Aliasing smooths out pixels along the edge of objects that can look sharp or jagged in certain situations. Temporal Anti-Aliasing (TAA) uses information from current and past frames to address aliasing issues. The high setting uses a large range of frames and will result in a higher quality anti-aliasing effect, but with a higher performance cost.

Resolution Scaling

Render Scale: Controls the resolution the game is rendered at relative to your display resolution. Settings below 100% may decrease visual fidelity, but can improve performance. Settings above 100% may increase visual fidelity, but can negatively impact performance. Dynamic Resolution Scaling: Automatically lowers the game's resolution in real-time to maintain the target frame rate. Target Frames Per Second: Determines the target frame rate for dynamic resolution scaling. Minimum Resolution Scale: Determines how low the resolution can be scaled when Dynamic Resolution Scaling is active.

GRAPHICS

Graphics Preset

Graphics Preset: Graphics presets are predefined configurations that simultaneously adjust multiple graphics settings to achieve a balance between visuals and performance. Restart required for setting change. Maximizes visual fidelity by setting most graphics options to their highest values. Recommended for the Ultra hardware specification tier.

Textures

Texture Quality: Selects the level of detail and resolution for textures applied to objects in the game. Higher settings will result in more detailed textures, potentially at the cost of performance. Restart required for setting change. CPU - Moderate. GPU - Moderate. VRAM - Major. Texture Filtering: Adjusts the appearance of textures at varied angles and distances. Higher settings will increase texture quality, though potentially at the cost of performance. CPU - Minor. GPU - Moderate. VRAM - Minor.

Light and Shadow

Lighting Quality: Adjusts the appearance of shadows, reflections, and light-scattering. Higher settings increase the visual fidelity of light effects. CPU - Minor. GPU - Moderate. VRAM - Major. Contact Shadow: Contact Shadows improves the appearance of shadows when objects are close to one another. It fills gaps between objects and shadows that can occur with static lighting. CPU - Minor. GPU - Moderate. VRAM - Minor. Ambient Occlusion: Ambient Occlusion is a technique to simulate soft shadows where objects are close together or where surfaces meet. This makes the scene look more realistic. Disabled when Ray-traced Ambient Occlusion is enabled. CPU - Minor. GPU - Major. VRAM - Minor. Disables Ambient Occlusion. This potentially increases performance at the cost of visual fidelity. Screen Space Reflections: Screen Space Reflections simulate reflections of objects and light on visible surfaces. Enabling this will result in high-quality reflections. Disabled when Ray-traced Reflections are enabled. CPU - Minor. GPU - Moderate. VRAM - Moderate. Volumetric Lighting: Adjusts the appearance of volumetric lighting effects. This simulates how light interacts with atmospheric elements like fog, smoke, dust, and clouds. Higher settings increase the quality of these types of elements. CPU - Minor. GPU - Moderate. VRAM - Minor. Sky Quality: Adjusts the appearance of the sky, clouds, and celestial bodies like the sun and moon. CPU - Minor. GPU - Moderate. VRAM - Minor.

Ray Tracing

Ray-traced Reflections: Enables the use of Ray-Tracing to simulate realistic reflections of objects and light on reflective surfaces. This is a more advanced technique and requires specialized Ray Tracing compatible hardware. CPU - Major. GPU - Major. VRAM - Moderate. In selective mode, the game will only enable Ray-traced Reflections in specific areas that can best take advantage of the feature. Ray-traced Ambient Occlusion: Enables the use of Ray Tracing to simulate soft shadows where objects are close together or where surfaces meet. This makes the scene look more realistic. This is a more advanced technique and requires specialized Ray Tracing compatible hardware. CPU - Major. GPU - Major. VRAM - Moderate. Ray-Traced Ambient Occlusion is always on. Ultra Ray Tracing: Enables the highest level of ray tracing effects, which provide better quality visuals at the cost of performance. This setting is available on the Ultra and Custom graphics presets and is only recommended for high-end graphics cards.

Geometry

Level Of Detail: Adjusts the distance at which objects are visible and the level of detail as they get father away from the camera. Higher settings increase the visual quality of objects at distance. Restart required for setting change. CPU - Major. GPU - Major. VRAM - Moderate. Strand Hair: Strand hair simulates the appearance and movement of individual strands of hair. Enabling this will result in more realistic and natural-looking hair. CPU - Major. GPU - Major. VRAM - Moderate. Terrain Quality: Terrain is the natural landscape and ground surfaces. Higher settings will increase the detail and overall quality. CPU - Moderate. GPU - Major. VRAM - Moderate. Terrain Decoration Quality: Adjusts the appearance and detail of terrain elements like rocks, vegetation, and other environmental objects. Higher settings will increase the quality and density of the terrain elements. CPU - Moderate. GPU - Major. VRAM - Moderate. Visual Effects Quality: Adjusts the quality and detail of visual effects throughout the game. This includes particle effects, decals, and screen effects. Higher settings will result in higher quality effects. CPU - Minor. GPU - Moderate. VRAM - Moderate.

Camera Effects

Depth of Field: The Depth of Field effect causes some elements of the scene to be in focus, and others to be out of focus. This effect is generally only used in cutscenes and conversations. CPU - Minor. GPU - Minor. VRAM - Minor. Depth of Field is only enabled in cinematic sequences. Vignette: The vignette creates a subtle darkening of the image towards the edges of the screen during cinematics and gameplay. This is generally used to enhance the atmosphere of scenes. CPU - Minor. GPU - Minor. VRAM - Minor. Motion Blur: Motion Blur slightly blurs fast-moving objects. This helps make motion appear smoother and more natural. CPU - Minor. GPU - Minor. VRAM - Minor. Post Processing Quality: Adjusts the overall quality of the post process effects above like depth of field, bloom and motion blur. Higher settings will result in higher quality effects. CPU - Minor. GPU - Moderate. VRAM - Minor. Field of View: Adjusts the field of view, which changes how much of the game world is visible during gameplay. A higher field of view allows you to see more of the game world. CPU - Major. GPU - Major. VRAM - Moderate.

[source]

[renphousa]

How to Test Your Bathroom Scale for Accuracy

How to Test Your Bathroom Scale for Accuracy

When it comes to tracking weight loss progress or monitoring our overall well-being, we rely on bathroom scales to provide accurate readings. However, have you ever questioned yourself if you have an accurate scale? After all, it's not uncommon for them to gradually lose their precision over time, potentially leading to misleading measurements and frustration. Thankfully, there's no need to second-guess the reliability of your bathroom scale any longer. Let's go through the step-by-step process of testing one for accuracy. By following these simple yet effective methods, you can ensure that the numbers displayed on your scale truly reflect your weight, empowering you to make informed decisions about your health and fitness journey.

How Do Digital Bathroom Scales Work?

Digital bathroom scales work by utilizing a strain gauge and load cell to accurately measure weight. When weight is applied to the scale, the load cell deforms, a change detected by the strain gauge. The strain gauge then translates this physical deformation into an electrical signal processed and displayed as weight on the digital screen. Compared to analog scales, these scales are generally more reliable and accurate, providing consistent and precise weight measurements. However, common points of failure can include issues with the strain gauge or load cell, leading to inaccurate readings. Environmental factors such as temperature or humidity can also impact the accuracy of the scale. Additionally, improper calibration or damage to the scale can lead to unreliable measurements. Regular maintenance, calibration, and care can help mitigate these potential points of failure and ensure the accuracy of digital bathroom scales. Overall, when functioning properly, these scales provide a convenient and accurate way to monitor weight.

Why is Scale Calibration Important?

Scale calibration is important for several reasons. Firstly, it ensures accuracy in the measurements provided by the scale. Factors like regular use, temperature changes, and mechanical stress can affect a scale's performance over time, leading to inaccuracies. Calibration helps identify any discrepancies and ensures that the scale provides precise readings. Secondly, calibration helps maintain consistency in measurements, which is crucial when tracking health and fitness goals. By regularly calibrating the scale, you can rely on consistent and accurate readings, allowing for reliable comparisons over time. This is essential for making informed decisions and effectively tracking progress. Lastly, regular calibration can extend the lifespan of the scale. By identifying potential issues or malfunctions early on, timely repairs or adjustments can be made, preventing further damage and saving costs on replacements. Recalibrating your scale regularly also allows you to maintain accuracy.

If you don't know how to recalibrate your RENPHO Smart Body Scale, here's a link guide to help you

[mysticstronomy]

A MISSING PIECE IN THE BIG BANG THEORY HAS SURFACED??

Blog#411

Wednesday, June 19th, 2024.

Welcome back,

Combining different pieces from Big Bang cosmology could help explain an issue we have today.

The Hubble constant, the speed of expansion of our universe, is not observed with consistency.

These scientists suggest that not-well-understood quantum gravity could account for the gap.

In research published earlier this year, physicists from the University of Hyderabad in India say they’re on the path to solving one of the universe’s biggest outstanding problems. Since Edwin Hubble realized the universe is always expanding nearly 100 years ago, scientists have used the “Hubble constant” in calculations on virtually every scale in the universe.

But today, estimates for the Hubble constant don’t always align, with a difference of up to 10 percent between calculations made using different methods. (When someone at NASA mixes up meters and yards and loses an entire spacecraft, that’s not even a full 10 percent deviation.)

The paper appears in the peer reviewed journal Classical and Quantum Gravity. The journal has an ongoing, periodically updated “focus issue” specifically about this measurement tension, and the editors explain the problem there—scientists can’t say for sure that the different Hubble constants measured are actually different, rather than just observation or calibration issues.

But the authors of the new paper, physicist P.K. Suresh and his research fellow (referred to as just Anupama B.) say that most measurements taken now are reliable. Instrumentation only continues to improve—we’ve all seen those generation-defining, poster-quality photos of the far-out planets, for example. If the measurements on the local and faraway levels are indeed sound, then something is missing.

It’s here where they introduce quantum gravity as a possible factor. This variable—which, to be honest, is another enigmatic “placeholder” in some ways—could close the gap in Hubble constant observations. That’s because, as the authors propose, quantum gravity could have affected the rate of change at which the universe expanded itself. When a constant can have a variable rate of change, it’s easy to see why researchers tend to drop the ‘constant’ label and instead call the fatcor simply H0, H1, and so on to designate which version of the measurement is in play.

The researchers explain that during inflation—the rapid growth of the universe immediately following the Big Bang—there may not have been a single, uniform inflation zone. Instead, more and more scientists are theorizing around the idea of “multi field” inflation. The idea originated to explain another measurement discrepancy: the number of particles in particular places or times, compared with the massive speed of inflation overall.

If a theory could help explain one gap in our codified equations for how inflation works, it makes sense to try that theory to find other missing pieces. These researchers used what is called the hybrid inflationary model, which describes two fields: one inflating and one rolling over like a waterfall. By accounting for quantum gravity, they found they were able to reconcile H0—the current Hubble constant—with both H1 (during inflation) and HT (during phase transition). Just one adjusted equation with a parameter for quantum gravity could draw a curve that includes all three data points.

Originally published on www.popularmechanics.com

COMING UP!!

(Saturday, June 22nd, 2024)

"WHAT IS THE OLDEST BLACK HOLE IN OUR UNIVERSE??"

[biglittleluobo]

中文 weights & measures

大家好！

Fellow Chinese learners are almost certainly familiar with "measure words", which indicate units of items. Their prevalence can introduce some frustration for students, but other languages are also chock full of them! While the 个 character is a catch-all that can be used universally, many other more specific options exist, like cup and box:

杯 (bēi) - cup; 一杯水 (one cup of water)

盒 (hé) - box; 两盒巧克力 (two boxes of chocolate)

But that's for another post.

Today I'd like to talk about weights and where to find them! For example, did you know that the most common Chinese measure for weights (斤, half-kilogram or 500g) is very close to the most common imperial unit of weight "pound" (lb, 453.6g)? Gotta love humans :)

Here's some weight words spanning 6 orders of magnitude:

克 (kè) - 1 gram

Grams are unsurprisingly most commonly used for small and/or light things! When we purchased loose leaf tea in Hangzhou, we mostly ordered using units of 克, though we did order a few in scales of 两.

两 (liǎng) - 50 grams

In my experience, units of 两 were most common for noodles! The 米粉 that we commonly ate for breakfast (pic below) in Sichuan come in sets of 两, referring to the weight of noodles in your bowl order.

斤 (jīn) - 500 grams (half kilogram)

Half-kilogram units (斤), sometimes translated as "catty" in English, are extremely common for purchasing things like produce. For example, you might see a sign like 苹果 5元/斤. Weights of people are also commonly given in 斤, though may sometimes be reported in 公斤 as well.

公斤 (gōngjīn) - 1000 grams (1 kilogram)

Full kilograms can be used anywhere that they would be in your native sense of scale. I didn't see too much of it while in the southern regions of China, but I hear for example that the northern parts of the country, where trips to the grocery store are minimized, prefer to purchase produce in units of 公斤.

吨 (dūn) - 1 metric ton (1000 kilograms)

Gonna be honest, I didn't see the word 吨 at all, but it's included here for completeness. Plus it's super easy to remember! So might as well add it to your repertoire of weights :)

Weights in real life:

You can feel free to mix-and-match units as needed. Like I mentioned above, we purchased a few different types of loose-leaf tea at different scales. At the smallest scale, we ordered some teas in units of 两 aka 五十克, and some at the 250g scale as 五两 aka 一半斤, and the owners gifted us a few 克 of tea for our purchases.

Finally, as promised, here's what 二两米粉 looks like!

🤤🤤🤤

(I miss it .... ;_;)

I hope this post helps calibrate you at scales of weights in Chinese! Fortunately, there are many fewer words for this than measure words ;)

See you next time! 下次见！

[mebis-art-dump]

How do you think time is measured in Hallownest? Would it operate under the system we have IRL (24 hours a day 365 days a year), or would it operate under its own unique system centred around something specific like a harvest or planting season?

Time is purposefully kept vague in the text of the game, with only mentions of ages (and years by the Hunter)

Mentions of astral objects are purposefully avoided (this was something Team Cherry openly requested when fangamer's Wanderer's Journal (official lore book from the point of view of a bug visiting the kingdom) was written); Mr Mushroom mentions the moon but he's an outlier doing metatextual references

Coincidentally, he also heralds an age's end, so you could theoretically use him as point of reference for that, but the scale is too big to be useful and is more of an "end of times" marker, likely not widely known either

(end of times from the point of view of someone living within a kingdom that is falling over, think a Roman experiencing the end of the Roman empire as the end of the world)

(or maybe like the end of an ancient calendar, end of an era)

So yeah, it's unlikely that it is the same as ours (which while originally used to keep track of crop and harvest seasons, was calibrated through astral objects)

It could be based on harvesting times (or even mating seasons if they had cattle that underwent such cycles), that'd make sense

They also had to sleep at some point, but then the question is which would dictate the other, if they'd make a "work day" around their sleep time, or if they'd schedule their sleep around their duties and routines

[mossy-covered-bones]

Hey, yall! I participated in @ecto-implosion this year, and I was paired with @avensartt -- here is the fantastic art she made that inspired this fic!

Puppeteer, Chapter 1

ao3 link

warnings: just a panic attack for the first chapter

*

     Maddie flicked the Ectoradiation Radar on, watching the sensor boot up. The screen glowed a light green, harsh against the black grid. The brightest section of light centered on a point just left of center--that would be the ambient ectoplasm from the portal registering. A yellow spot flickered in the portal's place, as some of the fluctuations pinged significantly above average. 

     "Honey, do you want to head out for a patrol soon? We could use a test run on the Ectoradiation Radar," Maddie called to the other side of the lab, where Jack was maintenencing some of their weapons. "I want to make sure it's calibrated correctly, away from the portal interference."

     Jack started reassembling the weapon he was working on, slamming the pieces back into place.

     "Careful, Jack!"

     "I am!" he called back, snapping the barrel back into place. He grabbed one of the ectocharge magazines and slotted it into the weapon. "C'mon, let's hunt some spooks!"

     Maddie couldn't help but grin, clipping the Radar to her belt and starting to gather her usual weapons from the armory wall. "Don't forget to bring some extra magazines, dear."

*

     The baseline scale on the side of the Ectoradiation Radar inched down the further they got from the lab, the ambient ectoplasm dropping fairly quickly once they were away from the portal. The seatbelt dug into the shoulder of Maddie's jumpsuit as Jack took a turn too fast.

     "You added a range modifier to this, right, dear?"

     Jack shot her a grin that took his eyes off the road long enough for him to veer into the curb. "Of course, Mads! Slider on the right." He yanked the wheel to the left, overcorrecting a bit and making the GAV wobble.

     She felt along the side for the slider, watching the grid grow and shrink as she fiddled with it. "Okay, the readings are following with the scale change... take a right here, there's an area with a higher ectoradiation level I want to investigate."

     The GAV jolted, crossing one too many lanes of traffic to turn at the light. A car horn was just audible over the squealing of tires.

     "This looks like the way to the high school," Jack commented.

     Maddie glanced up from the Radar screen to scan the buildings around them. "I think that's where the higher readings are centered on--the scale looks right. I didn't think it was that large of a difference, though."

     "We should get some updated readings."

     "That could be useful." She glanced over her shoulder at the back of the GAV, past the back seat to where they kept the equipment. "Do we still have the other instruments? I want to get a cross reference to make sure the sensitivity's right on the Ectoradiation Radar"

     "Pretty sure!" Jack took another sharp corner, pealing into the virtually empty parking lot and slamming on the breaks. He barely paused to yank the gearshift to park before he threw himself out the driver's door. "C'mon, let's check it out!"

     Maddie scrambled to unbuckle her seatbelt and follow him, barely fighting back a grin from the excitement.

     She ducked under Jack's arm to get to the GAV's stash, fishing out the computer display for the Signature Sensor from one of the miscellaneous bins, plugging it into the readings equipment while Jack booted it up.

     Maddie handed the display over and twisted the settings dial on the Ectoradiation Radar, turning it from 'area' to 'local'. The grid disappeared in favor of a list of numbers, a flood of scales and measurements that brought a smile to Maddie's face. "Okay, what are you getting for ambient?"

     "Just under one rem per hour. Yours?"

     "Zero point nine four, and the estimated digit keeps varying between... two and five. Most of that is tied to a signature--a lot of that is signature. Are you picking anything up?"

     Jack frowned, sweeping the Sensor around a bit more. His eyes stayed trained on the display, searching for change. "Nope, no spooks."

     "Right, it must have been recent, then." Maddie hummed. "There have been a lot of sightings here, it could have raised the baseline. Should check the logs when we get back..."

     "Is it that much higher?" Jack leaned over her shoulder to glance at the Ectoradiation Radar's screen. "I don't think we measured type of ecto when we found Amity Park's standard, should we--"

    They both froze as the Signature Sensor's display computer beeped, eyes flicking to the screen.

    Jack let out a bark of laughter. "It's Phantom! C'mon Mads, let's go!"

*

     Jack was going at least double the local speed limit to keep their quarry in range, little flickers of a tail in the sky or readings on the Signature Sensor's display keeping them on path.

     "It's switching course--left, turn left!" Maddie shouted, leaning to try and follow Phantom's path. She braced herself before Jack threw the GAV to the side. It shuddered as the wheels slammed back into the asphalt, and they raced down the road.

     "Looks like it's leading up towards the woods, Mads!"

     They managed to keep on its tail up until town limits and the road veered away from the ghost's path. They'd have to go on foot to follow, with how dense the trees grew---no luck getting the GAV through there.

     They were out the second Jack parked, grabbing the most essential equipment before striking out.

     It was slow going, trying to trek through the underbrush after Phantom's ectosignature. It didn't take long for Phantom's ectosignature to travel out of range, leaving them to follow the general direction the ghost had been taking and hope they'd stumble on the path again.

     It was dim, the canopy blocking most of the evening light. Jack had the Signature Sensor at the ready, and Maddie kept the Ectoradiation Radar in hand just in case. They kept a brisk pace, doing their best to keep their direction consistent.

    They were maybe thirty minutes in before Maddie spotted a change on her screen, a little sliver of brighter green at the top of her screen. "Look, Jack, there's an area up ahead with more ectoradiation--we found something."

     "Let's go check it out," Jack cheered, diving back into the underbrush. Maddie followed his wake, letting him push aside bushes and trample the plants so she could keep an eye on the screen, watch that sliver of green get wider, grow brighter. The area baseline creeped up with every step, well past the readings they got around Casper High. If this was some sort of natural phenomenon, it was groundbreaking. Possibilities starting flipping through Maddie's mind. A large amount of microportals, maybe? Or an overlap of several haunts all coalescing into a cesspit of residual ectosignatures? Maybe even a place for assembling shades or blob ghosts, or some sort of old graveyard.

     "Mads, I'm getting a reading again. It's nearby."

     They shared a look. This could be their chance.

     Maddie clipped the Ectoradiation Radar to her tool belt and grabbed her recorder, the gentle click of it starting almost deafening in the still, darkening woods.

     "Recording 026B-03," Maddie whispered, reading off the label on the tape. "Research topic, where Phantom goes after a sighting. We have been following it through the forest for..." She glanced at her watch. "...seventy-four minutes. It seems that--"

     "Mads!" Jack hissed, barely quieting his voice. "The ectosignature's getting stronger--it's close."

     Right, game time.

     "Get ready." Maddie slipped the still-running recorder back into her belt, bringing a weapon to the ready. Jack followed suit, and they creeped forward,

     "There." Jack took a step forward, pushing some of the underbrush aside to get a better look. The glow was just barely visible under the sunlight filtering through the canopy, discoloring the foliage around it more than illuminating anything. It was fuzzy around the edges, insubstantial, like static forced into solidity. All black and white and bright vivid green that barely looked substantial. A messy, smoky impression of hair, a long, whispy tail, glowing white claws hooked under the arms of an unconsious teen.

     Phantom didn't seem to register their presence, too busy drifting through the underbrush, clutching at the boy he was carrying around. The grip looked secure, possessive, with how deep its claws were latched into his hoodie. The taste of static sat heavy on her tongue.

     Jack's face set with resolve, and he aimed the Fenton Bazooka right at it. "Put him down, ghost."

     Phantom's head snapped around to stare at them, neck twisting just too far to be natural. The only features on its face were the two green specks of light where eyes should have been. It pulled the teenager a little closer, claws catching on the seams on the shoulders of his hoodie, leaving little tears Maddie could just barely make out in the dying light.

     Maddie's grip tightened on her own weapon, and she moved a few steps to the left, just far enough that Phantom had to swivel his head to look between the two of them. "We're not going to let you hurt an innocent child."

     The ghost's face split open in mockery of a mouth, jagged with the impression of teeth, and let out a sound like nails against a chalkboard that made their audio filters hiss. It started to back up, grip not faltering.

     Maddie took a step forward, heard Jack follow suit. "We're not asking again, spook. Let him go." Her eyes flicked down to the unconscious teenager. The hoodie looked familiar.

     The barrel of her ectogun drifted as she tried to make out his face in the poor lighting. Was that... "Danny?"

     Phantom let out another squawk of grating static and Maddie couldn't help but flinch that time, weapon pulling back up to aim directly at its chest, but the space where the ghost--the ghost holding her son--had been was empty, the faint, sickly green light gone. Her eye's snapped to Jack, fumbling for the Sensor's display.

     She held her breath for a beat while he checked, but Jack just shook his head.

     Phantom was gone.

*

     Shit. Fuck.

He could hear himself trying to breath, like radio interference echoing through the empty observatory. He needed to switch back, before his--his parents managed to catch up, or track him down like they had in the woods. They had been right there, in the middle of--

     The world was getting fuzzy, turning to static around him. Danny could barely register his hoodie tearing even further as his claws dug into it, still unable to let go of his body. He couldn't still be ghost when--if his parents got here, holding his dead fucking body, but he could hardly think through the sheer panic of being so, so very close to his parents finding out.

     He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to force himself back to human, but he couldn't get the change to take through his core screaming at him to hide, that he was in danger.

     Shit, what was he supposed to do if they stayed there and kept looking? They couldfind the graves, find--

     Danny let out a whine, high and shrill, and pulled his body closer, burying his face in his hair. He still needed to bury himself, he couldn't just... not go back there, he...

     He needed to find Sam and Tucker, or Jazz, just somebody. He scrambled for his body, grabbing his phone from the pocket of his jeans. His claws scrabbled against the screen, password failing a few times before he managed to hit the right buttons and unlock. The message to the group chat was riddled with so many typos it was almost unreadable, but his phone started to ring just a few beats later. 

     Tucker's voice came through the speaker the second he hit answer. "Hey, Danny, what happened?"

     Danny let out another wheeze of static, curling closer to his body.

     "You're still in ghost form? Um. Nothing for no, sound for yes, alright?"

     He tried to parrot the words back, but trying to force out the sounds just jumbled them together into nonsense. Sound. Yes. Good enough.

     "Alright--are you safe?"

     It was harder to swallow back the noises than it was to speak.

     "Can you get home?"

     He bit down on his nails to keep the static in.

    "Could you get to my or Sam's house?"

     Yes, yes--Danny let the burst of noise force itself out from behind his teeth.

     "Go to whichever is closer, I'll let Sam know--want me to stay on the call?"

     The staticy whine echoed through the observatory, and Danny tugged his body further into his chest.

     "Okay, I can do that."

[bluehardtops]

George Russel is disqualified post race || July 28th 2024

"The Stewards, having received a report from the Technical (document 42), summoned (document 43) and heard from the team representative, the FIA Delegate, the FIA Single Seater Director and the FIA Single Seater Technical Director, have considered the following matter and determine the folowing:

No I Driver

63 - George Russell

Competitor

Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team

Time

17:50

Session

Race

Fact

Weight of Car 63 (796.5 kg) was below the minimum weight required (798.0 kg).

Infringement Breach of Article 4.1 of the FIA Formula One Technical Regulations

Decision

Car 63 is disqualified from the Race classification. All other drivers move up in the classification.

Reason

The Stewards heard from the team representative of Car 63 (George Russel), the FIA Technical Delegate, the FIA Single Seater Director and the FIA Single Seater Technical Director Car 63 was weighed on the FIA inside and outside scales with both scales showing the same result of 796.5 kg. The calibration of both scales was confirmed and witnessed by the competitor. During the hearing the team representative confirmed that the measurement iS correct and that all required procedures were performed correctly. The team also acknowledged that there were no mitigating circumstances and that t was genuine error by the team. The Stewards determine that Article 4.1 of the FIA Formula 1 Technical Regulations has been breached and therefore the standard penalty for such an infringement needs to be applied. Competitors are reminded that they have the right to appeal certain decisions of the Stewards, in accordance with Article 15 of the FIA International Sporting Code and Chapter 4 of the FIA Judicial and Disciplinary Rules, within the applicable time limits

Decisions of the Stewards are taken independently of the FIA and are based solely on the relevant regulations, guidelines and evidence presented"

[usafphantom2]

More U.S. Combat Aircraft Heading To Middle East Ahead Of Expected Iranian Attack On Israel (Updated)

Iran has vowed to attack Israel to avenge the death of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh who was assassinated Wednesday in Tehran.

Posted on Aug 2, 2024 3:22 PM EDT

F-16 Iran Middle East

USAF

The U.S. will send additional combat aircraft to the Middle East ahead of what is anticipated to be a large-scale attack by Iran and its proxies against Israel in retaliation for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on Thursday, but just how long that may take in the face of what is said to be a looming Iranian military operation is unclear.

“How many planes to send is still being worked out, as are final approvals from senior officials including Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III,” The New York Times reported. “Officials said they were seeking to calibrate the American response to send enough of the right types of aircraft as quickly as possible to help defend Israel without appearing to escalate the conflict.”

Friday afternoon, the Pentagon confirmed that it was sending additional assets to the Middle East and Europe. See our update at the bottom of this story.

A U.S. defense official confirmed to The War Zone that additional aircraft are being considered as part of an effort to protect U.S. and allied personnel.

“U.S. forces in the region are taking necessary measures to increase readiness and force protection,” the official said.

An F-15E Strike Eagle deployed from the 335th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron from North Carolina’s Seymour Johnson Air Force Base takes off during Sky Shield 9 from an undisclosed location within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, July 15, 2024. U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. Peyton Craven

The Pentagon on Friday said there will be additional force protection measures in the region, but would not specify what those would be or when they will arrive.

In a conversation with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Friday, Austin promised the U.S. would support Israel in defending against looming threats from regional adversaries.

“The Secretary reiterated ironclad support for Israel’s security and informed the Minister of additional measures to include ongoing and future defensive force posture changes that the department will take to support the defense of Israel,” Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters, including from The War Zone.

Austin “highlighted that further escalation is not inevitable and that all countries in the region would benefit from a de-escalation in tensions, including through completing a Gaza cease-fire and hostage relief deal. He also stressed that the unprecedented scale of U.S. support for Israel since October 7 should leave Iran, Lebanese Hezbollah and other Iranian-backed terrorist groups, with no doubt about U.S. resolve.”

Just how the U.S. will bolster its presence in the region appears to be something that is still in the works.

“I’m not going to get ahead of any decisions that the Secretary has not made yet,” Singh said when asked if Austin has determined what additional U.S. assets will head to the region. Singh declined to confirm that additional combat aircraft are being deployed.

On Thursday, U.S. President Joe Biden “reaffirmed his commitment to Israel’s security against all threats from Iran, including its proxy terrorist groups Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthi,” according to a White House readout of his call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “The president discussed efforts to support Israel’s defense against threats, including against ballistic missiles and drones, to include new defensive U.S. military deployments.”

The call came after the assassination of Haniyeh that Israel has yet to acknowledge as well as one it said it carried out Tuesday on Hezbollah military commander Fuad Shakr in Beirut. That attack prompted Hezbollah’s leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, to also vow vengeance on Israel.

A view is showing a partially destroyed building, which is being targeted by the Israeli army, in Beirut, Lebanon, on July 31, 2024. The Israeli army is also claiming that it is killing key Fuad Shukr, Hezbollah's top military commander, in the strike. (Photo by Fadel Itani/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

A view is showing a partially destroyed building, which is being targeted by the Israeli army, in Beirut, Lebanon, on July 31, 2024. The Israeli army is also claiming that it killed key Fuad Shukr, Hezbollah’s top military commander, in the strike. Photo by Fadel Itani/NurPhoto via Getty Images

There is growing concern that the response from Iran and its proxies Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen could be far larger and more complex than Tehran’s previous attack on Israel. In April, Iran sent more than 300 drones and missiles toward Israel in retaliation for an Israeli strike on a consular building right next to the Iranian Embassy in Syria’s capital Damascus on April 1 that killed three top Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders.

U.S. and allied weapons played a major role in ensuring what the Israeli Defense Forces said was the destruction of 99% of those aerial threats, most before they could enter Israeli airspace.

U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles in particular were key to that effort. Forward-deployed F-15Es from units based at RAF Lakenheath in England and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina played an outsized role in shooting down more than 70 Iranian drones.

A U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle breaks away from a KC-135 Stratotanker after receiving fuel during Joint Air Defense Exercise 19-01. The aircraft participated with regional partners to test objective-based command and control actions during the exercise Feb. 19, 2019. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Clayton Cupit)

U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles played a huge role in defending Israel against an Iranian attack in April, swatting down more than 70 drones. U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Clayton Cupit Staff Sgt Clayton Cupit

In addition to boosting the presence of U.S. combat aircraft in the region, the Pentagon has also gathered more than a dozen warships there, including the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group and the Wasp Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), a three-ship amphibious task force that includes more than 4,000 Marines and sailors, The Washington Post reported.

The Roosevelt strike group is in the Gulf of Oman at the moment while the Wasp ARG is in the eastern Mediterranean, where it is always stationed. Singh told reporters that like previous aircraft carrier strike groups, the Roosevelt could move around the region as needed.

The six Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyers said to be among those vessels have air defense systems that have already proven effective against missiles and drones launched by the Houthis in their ongoing campaign against Red Sea shipping.

Ships assigned to the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower‘s carrier strike group (IKECSG) fired 155 Standard-series missiles in operations against Iranian-backed Houthi militants based in Yemen during a recently concluded nine-month deployment, officials said last month. Aircraft from the strike group launched another 60 air-to-air missiles in the course of their operations in and around the Red Sea. Collectively, the IKECSG used its various weapons to destroy a bevy of Houthi aerial drones, missiles, uncrewed surface vessels and undersea vehicles, and different kinds of targets ashore.

US Navy destroyers have fired around 100 Standard series surface-to-air missiles against Houthi missiles and drones since October, according to a recent report.

The Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS Carney fires a surface-to-air missile at Houthi threats on October 19, 2023. U.S. Navy

During Iran’s April barrage on Israel, two ships in that class – the Arleigh Burke and the Carney – downed Iranian ballistic missiles with Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) anti-missile interceptors. That marked the first combat use of those weapons. You can read more about that in our initial report here.

The success of those engagements prompted Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro to ask Congress for additional funding to purchase more.

“I truly believe that the SM-3s will be needed in greater numbers in the future, given the operations that took place in defense of Israel,” Del Toro testified during a House Armed Services subcommittee hearing in May. “Recently, some were fired. And very effectively. So I think given the future threat and our deterrence mission of the Indo-Pacific, we are going to need more SM-3s in the future.”

When it comes to projecting combat airpower in the Middle East, the Pentagon has several options, including sending long-range bombers from the U.S. as both a deterrence and contingency measure. In February, two B1-B Lancer bombers from Dyess Air Force Base took part in aerial strikes on Iranian-backed militias and IRGC-related targets in Syria and Iraq in retaliation for a drone attack that killed three U.S. soldiers in Jordan on Jan. 28.

There are several bases in the region hosting U.S. aircraft like Prince Sultan Air Base (PSAB) in Saudi Arabia and Al-Dafrah in the UAE, among others. USAF F-16C/Ds from Aviano Air Base in Italy are forward deployed to the region and have been flying in air-defense configurations.

F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and EA-18G Growlers are embarked aboard the Roosevelt. Getting additional fighter aircraft to the region, like Strike Eagles forward from Lakenheath, could take as long as two days, however. That, of course, is after the White House approves the plan.

While the Pentagon is in the process of preparing for a major Iranian-led operation against Israel, time may not be on its side. Iran could kick things off at any movement and moving fighter aircraft and other assets to the Middle East takes time, no matter how on alert units are to carry out their orders. There clearly is a race against the clock underway here that is being informed by intelligence products the U.S. and its allies are working from. Iran could exploit this reality, but time will only tell to what end.

Update: 6:01 PM Eastern –

Singh released a statement confirming additional assets will be heading to the Middle East:

“The Department of Defense continues to take steps to mitigate the possibility of regional escalation by Iran or Iran’s partners and proxies. Since the horrific Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, the Secretary of Defense has reiterated that the United States will protect our personnel and interests in the region, including our ironclad commitment to the defense of Israel.

To that end, Secretary Austin has ordered adjustments to U.S. military posture designed to improve U.S. force protection, to increase support for the defense of Israel, and to ensure the United States is prepared to respond to various contingencies.

To maintain a carrier strike group presence in the Middle East, the Secretary has ordered the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group to replace the USS Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group, currently on deployment in the Central Command area of responsibility.

Additionally, Secretary Austin has ordered additional ballistic missile defense-capable cruisers and destroyers to the U.S. European Command and U.S. Central Command regions. The Department is also taking steps to increase our readiness to deploy additional land-based ballistic missile defense.

The Secretary has also ordered the deployment of an additional fighter squadron to the Middle East, reinforcing our defensive air support capability.

These posture adjustments add to the broad range of capabilities the U.S. military maintains in the region, including the USS Wasp Amphibious Ready Group / Marine Expeditionary Unit (ARG/MEU) operating in the Eastern Mediterranean.

As we have demonstrated since October and again in April, the United States’ global defense is dynamic and the Department of Defense retains the capability to deploy on short notice to meet evolving national security threats. The United States also remains intently focused on de-escalating tensions in the region and pushing for a ceasefire as part of a hostage deal to bring the hostages home and end the war in Gaza.”

Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com

[branded-perceptions]

Motivating vs justifying reasons:

without motivation no observation which simultaneously is an ACTION

that in the realm of quantum scale is bound to via subjective decision of observation SIMULTANEOUSLY ACT UPON / alter objective reality in order to measure it which we then justify / explain subjectively via our reductionistic (like a computer compressing) consciousness made up of fictional numeric and linguistic SYMBOLS🎅 that we collectively our subjective emotions attach to

our social desires (and the resulting actions that alter reality according to) what we subjectively long for and thus collectively compete to create (and "race" for / chase mimetically wanting "more" ... "mehr") like past colonialism is defined by HOW / what we "observe" and make sense of ... the socio-psychological metaphor "Quantum observer effect" at "SCALE" (double-entendre: dimension vs "SEEsaw"⚖️) which requires proactive metacognitive BALANCE to make sure in by our habits

(what we "SEE" depends on the filtering of our mind symbols whose order and connotations depend on what we "SAW" in the past)

defined motivational competitions' psychotically self-justifying in-group identity "races" (competitive group chases for via shared symbols convergerted goals, behaviours and identities) collective attention shadows happens no injust causal abuse like "racism".

a behaviour or moral in-group justification that to one group ("kin") appears as "kind" or "go(o)d"🤥😷😇 might appear to another "party" or group ("kin") as "hatred" or "bad": these PSYCHOLOGICAL "quantum fluctuations" in "deCOHERENCE" (📚Free energy principle by Karl Friston) of in-groups' symbolic (sinn bolic) understandings can now be better conveyed and discussed via help of music pattern bridging logos, mythos and underlying emotions, metaphorically flirting with each other's sense-makings instead of physically fighting:

our subjective sense-makings are constructed via and defined by our collective sense-makings and emotionally stabilised via grouped🏟👏👏👏 symbolic🎅 constructs' argumentative team identitifications. No one of us has ever had an "independent" or "individual" mind, but tend to arrogantly believe otherwise. But some introspect more than others and thus learn to evaluate and especially in moral contexts (Immanuel Kant) create social differentiations and symbolic groupings more autonomously with an intrinsic compass.

Everything we think or communicate is inevitably a lie to a certain degree as we are bound to need to compress data of objective systems reality in order to fit into reductionistic psychological symbolic🎅 representations of it like linguistics or algebra that thus has inevitable blind spots as explored by Higher topos theory Jacob Lurie which we can only strive to handle responsibly via proactive curiosity about subjective UNfamiliarity of everything that might not be represented by familiARITY (in-group identifications "ARITY master functions" as used in AI-TECH) of our symbolic subjective perceptions and interpretations of objective reality.

Irony is the mimetic tool to communicate and dialectically evolve that: both linguistically and mathematically (ponder about the meaning of mathematic 0).

the emotional charging of dominance of linguistic / numeric symbolic🎅 constructs' explanatory reductionism of an in-group define what "MATTERS" to / is perceived as "real" (matter) and worthy of pursued by them, emotionally calibrating their motivations and out of this resulting curvature of psychotic justifications we tend to confuse with reason: 🔍list of psychological (group) biases.

https://twitter.com/BEFREEtoSEE/status/1788485006567850320

[metallurgyandmetrology]

If you are looking for measuring scale and tape calibrator the Multitek is one of the best option for you to buy Measuring Scale and Tape Calibrator Machine from at very competitive price.

[triflesandparsnips]

hey hey guess what it's time for

Update 4: Return of the (Soap) King

For those who haven't been following along, I've been having a nice time doing experimental archaeology and recreating cosmetics/household goods that are historically plausible for local idiot pirate Stede Bonnet to have had around.

Figure 1. Me, addressing my kitchen appliances.

So far we've had successful lip balm, yet-to-be-completed Oil of Lavender, the terrible tragedies that have so far befallen the pearl face cream, and, finally, the unending journey of the one household item actually mentioned on the dang show: the lavender soap (with updates 1-3 and several mini-updates).

Did this all secretly derive from my researching period-appropriate medical horror? Yes. Am I still going to write about it? Of course come on now I can't just keep that enema information to myself--

But TODAY IS NOT THAT DAY.

Figure 2. One very excited ship's surgeon who will unfortunately have to bide his fuckin time.

Nope, today we're on the next iteration of the lavender soap, because we're still at the "fuck around and find out" portion of this experimental process-- and so, behold:

Version 3.0 7 oz. dried soap 4 oz. ground orrisroot 1 oz. ground whole cloves 1 oz. ground benjamin 10 drops lavender essential oil oil of lavender, q.s. rosewater, q.s.

You may notice that I have, tragically, only added enough of anything lavenderish to allow myself the honesty of still calling this "lavender" soap -- as previously discussed, lavender essential oils (as we know them today) were not really a Thing, and the Oil of Lavender (...which is not an essential oil, but rather an infusion of lavender flowers and olive oil) is not quite ready for primetime scent vibes, so I genuinely don't think these are comparable to actually just grinding up and shoving in the dried flowers.

But for the sake of Science, I needed to find out if removing the flowers would help with the browning issue of previous versions, so-- out went the lavender. For now.

Figure 3. Oh no, I-- oh man, don't cry, I'm sorry, I'll put it back omg.

Other changes in this version are:

store-bought ground orrisroot (...listen, Thomas is but a wee lad, and not yet hearty enough to wreck regular orrisroot as hard as it needs);

store-bought ground benzoin (because it was cheaper to buy in bulk that the solid resin from the woo-woo shop);

increased the amount of orrisroot from 1 ounce to 4 ounces, in keeping with some other recipes, to try and bulk up the myristic acid content (i.e., the thing wot makes olive-oil based Nabulsi soap actually produce a bubbly lather)

I should at this point say that typically the scientific process recommends making only one change at a time when conducting Experiments, so that one may know what exactly affected a change in a positive, negative, or neutral manner.

Consider, however, that I have no patience. So fuck it, we ball.

Show us the soap, trifles

To get to the soap, you must first suffer through mortifying ordeal of process photos.

Figure 4. The ground orrisroot on my tiny digital scale (that actually measures grains, which itself is a holdover from apothecary measurements!)

Wait wait wait actually look at my tiny bullshit scale, I love it, look at its little one-gram calibration weight:

Figure 5. A baby.

Figures 6 and 7. An ounce of whole cloves (left) and the results of young Thomas's efforts thrown on top of the orrisroot and benjamin in the mortar (right).

I should note that rather than grinding the cloves in my granite mortar and pestle first, I put them straight into Thomas's maw-- I don't know if that led to how intensely clove-oily these grounds are, or the fact that the lavender flowers were not present to soak it up. Previously I got a grey-green powder out of grinding the both together, so this rich, wet clove-color did not bode well for my "can I stop this from being brown?" soap plans...

Figure 8. ...Or maybe it'll be fine? I added the dried soap, and now look at them all mixed together!

As a note, I had to actually use a whisk at this point rather than just rely on my pestle to do the work -- my mortar is Too Small for these shenanigans, and the four ounces' worth of orrisroot did not help matters. I won't say how much of this mix ended up outside the mortar and on my clothes, but it was... it was a non-zero amount.

Whatever, thought I. This is Science. This is me experiencing the divine art of creation across space-time with my alchemical forebears, and also this is why I should not be allowed in other people's kitchens.

Notably, the upped powder content meant that I had to add a lot more splashes of rosewater to get to a dough-y state where the soap could be hand-rolled, and I had to work significantly longer with the pestle-- while version 2.0 was, per my notes, about 8-10 minutes' worth of work, I would call this a solid 20 minutes at least of beating the ever-loving shit outta this mix until everything was incorporated.

And once it was, well--

Figure 9. Hello, brown.

As you can see, the soap mix does form up very nicely, though it still requires a spatula to clear the sides of the mortar and pestle.

At this point, remembering that the last time I hand-rolled wash balls my palms came away Very Brown, I donned some latex gloves before I commenced my rolling. However, because (and again, I cannot stress this enough) I lack patience, I threw in another change: rather than leaving them as balls, I squished them slightly between my palms to flatten them into slightly more traditional soap shapes.

Figure 10. Cookie dough or falafel: you decide.

A note regarding the scent: Whether it's the relative lack of the lavender, or the big bump to the orrisroot (or some magic alchemical combination of the two), the soaps, while still smelling strongly like spice cookies, now have an oddly-unfamiliar-but-fascinating scent profile, similar to what I found happened when I made the lip pomatum. There's no good reason why this should make me believe that I've come closer to a "real" recipe, but the feeling is there nonetheless -- and it's definitely interesting.

Finally, and because the flat sides of these soaps looked too innocent, too pure, I decided to try that octopus stamp again. For future reference, stamping immediately after making these? Not a great idea. The soap stuck to the stamp like a motherfucker, and so a lot of detail was lost. But regardless--

Figure 11. Spice cookie kraken soap cakes, holy shit.

And now, I actually do have to wait a few days before I can try them out, or they'll fall the fuck to pieces. Keep watch for mini-updates, though, as I check out how they dry and probably do more unfortunate stamp experiments on them.

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

Lake Erie Blooms

Algal blooms have become a common occurrence on Lake Erie, as much a part of summer at the lake as island-hopping, scenic cruises, and roller coasters. In 2024, a bloom of blue-green algae began forming in the lake’s western basin on June 24—the earliest that a bloom has been identified by NOAA since the agency began tracking them in 2002. It was still present in early September. Bloom season can last into October, with its duration depending on the frequency of wind events that mix lake waters in the fall.

When the OLI-2 (Operational Land Imager-2) on Landsat 9 acquired this image on August 13, the bloom covered approximately 320 square miles (830 square kilometers). Since that date, which was the last time Landsat satellites got a clear look at this part of the lake, the bloom would more than double in area to the season’s likely largest extent of 660 square miles (1,700 square kilometers) on August 22.

Phytoplankton blooms carry implications for the lake ecosystem, human health, the local economy, and even municipal water supplies. The dominant organism in this bloom, a Microcystis cyanobacteria, produces the toxin microcystin, which can cause liver damage, numbness, dizziness, and vomiting. NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory measured toxins at concentrations above the recreational limit the week of August 12. The agency noted that toxins can be concentrated in scums, advising that people and their pets stay out of the water near scums.

NOAA and its research partners had forecasted a moderate to above-moderate harmful algal bloom (HAB) in western Lake Erie this summer. Blooms are classified based on their biomass, and a moderate-severity bloom will produce noticeable areas of scum. However, the agency noted, a bloom’s size does not necessarily correlate with its toxicity.

“Nutrient input from the Maumee River is the dominant driver of HAB variability from year to year,” said Brice Grunert, a professor in the department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences at Cleveland State University. Other factors such as temperature, mixing of the water column, and water movement also influence the extent and duration of blooms, he said. Precipitation can increase the load of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorous in runoff to the lake, and warmer, more stratified water can amplify blooms. In 2024, the bloom followed a period of record April rainfall and an intense heatwave, according to news reports.

Satellite imagery plays an important role in helping scientists understand the nuances of phytoplankton blooms, which in turn can aid those charged with monitoring and forecasting the events. Grunert has been working in Lake Erie’s western basin for the past three years to better understand phosphorous cycles within the lake. His team is investigating how satellite imagery, combined with data from sediment sampling and chemical tracers, relates to the amount of algae-producing phosphorous in the water column.

He and other scientists studying aquatic ecosystems will soon have a new tool at their disposal in the form of the OCI (Ocean Color Instrument) aboard NASA’s PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) satellite. This instrument measures waterbodies in hundreds of wavelengths across a spectrum of ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared light. When fully calibrated, the data will enable scientists to track the distribution of phytoplankton and—for the first time from space—identify which communities of these organisms are present on daily, global scales.

Despite the presence of the word “ocean” in the mission title, PACE also opens new lines of inquiry in the freshwater realm. “There are a lot of interesting questions that can be addressed using PACE imagery in the Great Lakes,” Grunert said. For example, hyperspectral data will be able to reveal phytoplankton pigments that could previously only be estimated with the limited number of spectral bands, he said. And a more detailed perspective of blooms over space and time is expected to help scientists decipher how HABs in Lake Erie develop and why cyanobacterial blooms in Lake Superior are starting to occur. “This unlocks a whole new level of information that can be used to describe the unique and changing ecosystems and biogeochemistry within the Great Lakes,” he said.

Grunert is currently working on a PACE Validation Science Team project, taking field measurements in parallel to observations being collected by PACE’s OCI. These include water-surface color and the optical properties of phytoplankton, sediment, and other substances in the water column.

NASA Earth Observatory image by Wanmei Liang, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Story by Lindsey Doermann.

[frank-olivier]

The Universe’s Expansion: Dr. Wendy Freedman’s Breakthrough Research and Reflections

The universe has been expanding since the Big Bang, and knowing the rate of expansion is crucial to our understanding of the cosmos. However, measuring the rate of expansion, known as the Hubble constant, has proven to be a difficult task. For decades, scientists have tried to determine this value, but different methods have produced conflicting results. Dr. Wendy Freedman, a renowned cosmologist, is at the forefront of this research, and her recent breakthrough has brought us closer to solving this long-standing mystery.

Dr. Freedman's journey into cosmology began with her work on the Hubble Space Telescope Key Project in the 1990s. This ambitious project aimed to determine the distance scale of the universe and measure its current expansion rate. The team led by Dr. Freedman used the Hubble Space Telescope to observe the brightness of Cepheids in nearby galaxies. By calibrating the distance to these galaxies, they were able to determine the value of the Hubble constant with an accuracy of 10%. This achievement was a significant milestone in cosmology, but it also highlighted the complexity of the problem.

In the years that followed, other teams used different methods to measure the Hubble constant, but the results were inconsistent. Some measurements suggested a value of about 50 kilometers per second per megaparsec, while others gave values ​​of up to 80 kilometers per second per megaparsec. The discrepancy was puzzling and sparked a heated debate in the scientific community.

Dr. Freedman's latest research, conducted with the James Webb Space Telescope, has brought a new level of precision to the measurement of the Hubble constant. By observing the same Cepheids used in the Hubble Space Telescope Key Project, but with the enhanced capabilities of the James Webb Space Telescope, Dr. Freedman and her team have determined a value of the Hubble constant that is consistent with the measurement of the cosmic microwave background radiation. This breakthrough has significant implications for our understanding of the expansion of the universe and the properties of dark energy, a mysterious component that is driving the acceleration of the expansion of the universe.

Dr. Freedman's work is not only a testament to her dedication to cosmology, but also a reflection of her passion for understanding the universe. Throughout her career, she has been driven by a desire to uncover the mysteries of the universe. Her latest research is the culmination of years of hard work and persistence and demonstrates her commitment to expanding our knowledge of the cosmos.

In addition to her groundbreaking research, Dr. Freedman is also a pioneer in her field. As a woman in a male-dominated field, she has faced numerous challenges throughout her career. However, she has never let these obstacles deter her from her goals. Instead, she has used her experiences to inspire and mentor others, especially women, to pursue careers in science.

Wendy Freedman: Unraveling the Universe - Hubble Constant, James Webb, & the Future of Astronomy (The Origins Podcast, August 2024)

Monday, October 7, 2024

[midnightactual]

Physical Constraints in Bleach

I've said for a while that Bleach has exactly two known and quantified physical feats in 1. Gin's Bankai speed being given as Mach 500 (chapter 400), and 2. Rukia's Shikai and Bankai achieving absolute zero (chapter 567), but it turns out there is a third in chapter 582:

For the record, per Wikipedia:

6 gigajoule is about the chemical energy of combusting 1 barrel (159 L) of petroleum. 2 GJ is about the Planck energy unit. One megawatt-hour of electricity is 3.6 gigajoules.

and

The terajoule is about 0.278 GWh (which is often used in energy tables). About 63 TJ of energy was released by Little Boy.

So, if you do some simple math, 63 TJ is 63,000 GJ, meaning Candice is using 1/12,600th the power of Little Boy on a decently serious attack. Little Boy is best estimated to 15 KT of explosive yield, meaning Candice is using a little over 1 ton of TNT, and indeed a TNT equivalent is calibrated at 4.184 GJ.

Even if we're extremely generous and assume her later Electrocution fired at Ichigo in chapter 583 is 10,000 times stronger than the Galvano Javelin cited above (100 to 1,000 is probably more accurate), she's only getting to 10 KT of yield, which is a small tactical nuke. Even very strong Bleach characters are generally using attacks with absolute powers measured at the low-end of the tactical nuclear scale.

(I have had someone on Reddit argue with me that the Bambies are "mid-Espada level" based on their combat performance in CFYOW as compared with Grimmjow and Luppi, apparently wholly ignorant of the fact that Grimmjow and Luppi are much stronger by then than in HM Arc, as Kisuke explicitly states souls power up after near-death experiences [chapter 60] and Grimmjow has had at least 2 or 3 near-death experiences and Luppi actually died. They are likely much stronger than Starrk in HM Arc was by then, given Robert Accutrone in TYBW quite casually does much better against Shunsui than Starrk did. The Bambies are not weak. Also worth noting here that Bambietta is by Kubo's own admission stronger than Candice without Blut, unclear if Vene or Arterie. In short their attacks should be taken as quite high-end here, not low-end, especially as they just finished beating down a [substantially] weakened Kenpachi with all of 3 hits in chapter 580.)

As I've said before from just visual estimation, we can maybe say that Mugetsu Ichigo and Ultrafragor Aizen were in the 1 MT to 10 MT yield range and managed to get to the level of strategic nuclear weapons, but it's worth noting the largest bomb ever tested was Tsar Bomba at around 50 MT (209 PJ), or 5,000 times stronger than our extremely generous estimate of Candice's Electrocution, and it was a 100 MT design that had been partially disabled. (Nuclear weapons can be made arbitrarily large through staging.)

Anyone wanting to put Ichigo head-to-head with Goku, Saitama, or even Naruto, is on the basis of canon figures, an idiot. The series simply does not scale that high. Even Naruto does things that are on the order of gigaton or teraton nuclear weapons if not more.

Likewise, that neither Ichigo nor Aizen could dodge Gin's Bankai, and Gin's peers and contemporaries remained relevant into TYBW, means that Bleach's speed scaling likely never breaks Mach 1,000. For the record, the powerscalers want you to believe that Cero and Negación are lasers because a translated databook called them "light" and Bala are stated to be 20 times faster than Cero, and therefore even Lieutenants are moving at 20 times light speed... which would be Mach 17,480,600. Yet nobody can dodge Gin's Mach 500 attack. Sure, that makes perfect sense.

In other words, when powerscalers try to tell you that Bleach has continental or planetary or stellar or galactic or universal or dimensional feats, and is superluminal, they're full of shit. Bleach is an extremely small and constrained setting when it comes to both power and speed.

The Cold War nuclear forces of the USA or USSR could absolutely sweep Soul Society through sheer saturation, no diff. (And that includes Yamamoto, because his 15 million degrees Celsius Zanka no Tachi, Nishi: Zanjitsu Gokui is pretty weak compared to the 100 million degrees Celsius or higher fireballs of strategic nukes. This explains why Bazz-B could literally fight fire with fire against him. Maybe Mayuri could survive through trickery if he knows enough about ablation. And yes, those nuclear forces would eventually saturate speedy Shinigami with tens of thousands of nuclear warheads, they couldn't cut them all down, especially as they wouldn't perceive many of them coming from both the speed of reentry vehicles and the lack of reiatsu or reishi. And yes this does also mean that human nuclear weapons development should've concerned Shinigami greatly, even beyond the possibility of megadeath and gigadeath overwhelming the reincarnation cycle. And yes you can probably make the equivalent of a Naquadah-enhanced nuke from Stargate SG-1 using reishi or reiatsu to improve fission and fusion yields or just straight-up make the equivalent of an antimatter-catalyzed fusion bomb. Humans post-Trinity should be treated as being spooky if their governments learn about souls. Yes, this should have been considered the main reason to stop Yhwach and Tokinada's plans, as if the realms were merged, even the US of 2003/2004 would indisputably have military power over the Gotei 13.)

[sellgoldncr]

How To Sell Gold For Cash: A Comprehensive Guide

Assessing Your Gold

Before selling your gold for cash, it's essential to assess its value accurately. Determine the purity of your gold items by checking for hallmarks or conducting a purity test. Weigh your gold using a scale to calculate its total weight. Understanding the purity and weight of your gold will help you determine its market value.

When preparing to Sell Gold for cash, the first step is to assess the value of your gold items accurately. This involves determining the purity and weight of your gold, as these factors play a crucial role in determining its market value.

One way to assess the purity of your gold is to look for hallmarks or stamps on your gold jewelry or coins. These markings indicate the karatage or purity of the gold, with common hallmarks including 24K, 18K, 14K, and 10K. If your gold items are not stamped with a hallmark, you can use a gold testing kit to determine their purity accurately.

In addition to assessing purity, it's essential to weigh your gold items using a digital scale. Gold is typically measured in troy ounces, grams, or pennyweights, so amake sure your scale is calibrated to the appropriate unit of measurement. Once you have determined the weight of your gold, you can calculate its total value based on the current market price of gold.

Researching Current Market Prices

Before selling your gold, research current market prices to ensure you get a fair deal. Gold prices fluctuate daily based on supply and demand dynamics, economic conditions, and geopolitical factors. Use reliable sources such as financial news websites or precious metal market indices to track gold prices in real-time.

One of the most crucial steps in selling gold for cash is researching current market prices to ensure you receive a fair offer. Gold prices fluctuate constantly due to various factors, including changes in supply and demand, economic indicators, and geopolitical events. Therefore, it's essential to stay informed about the latest developments in the gold market before selling your gold items.

There are several ways to research current gold prices. One option is to use online resources such as financial news websites, precious metal market indices, or mobile apps that provide real-time updates on gold prices. These platforms offer valuable insights into gold price trends and allow you to track price movements over time.

Another option is to consult with reputable gold dealers or pawnshops in your area to inquire about current buying prices. While local dealers may offer slightly lower prices compared to online buyers, they can provide personalized service and immediate cash payment for your gold items.

By researching current market prices through multiple sources, you can gain a better understanding of the fair value of your gold and negotiate confidently with Gold Buyer when selling your gold for cash.

Choosing A Reputable Gold Buyer

When selling gold for cash, it's crucial to choose a reputable buyer to ensure a smooth and fair transaction. Look for buyers who are licensed, experienced, and transparent about their pricing policies. Avoid dealing with buyers who pressure you to sell or offer prices significantly below market value.

Selecting a reputable buyer is essential when selling gold for cash to ensure a fair and secure transaction. With numerous buyers available, it's crucial to conduct thorough research and choose a buyer who is licensed, experienced, and trustworthy.

One way to identify reputable Gold Buyers is to check for certifications or accreditations from recognized industry organizations. Look for buyers who are members of associations such as the Jewelers of America or the Better Business Bureau, as these organizations uphold strict standards of ethical conduct and customer service.

Additionally, consider reading online reviews and testimonials from past customers to gauge the reputation of potential buyers. Positive reviews and high ratings are indicators of a buyer's reliability and professionalism, while negative reviews may signal red flags such as hidden fees or poor customer service.

Transparency is another essential factor to consider when choosing a gold buyer to get high Cash For Gold. Look for buyers who provide clear and detailed information about their pricing policies, including how they calculate gold prices based on purity and weight. Avoid buyers who are vague or evasive about their pricing methods, as this may indicate dishonesty or unethical practices.

Furthermore, it's essential to compare offers from multiple buyers to ensure you receive a competitive price for your gold items. Obtain quotes from different buyers and carefully evaluate each offer based on factors such as price, reputation, and convenience. Keep in mind that the highest offer may not always be the best option if it comes from an untrustworthy buyer.

By choosing a reputable buyer who offers fair prices and transparent policies, you can sell your gold for cash with confidence and peace of mind.

Preparing Your Gold For Sale

Before selling your gold for cash, take steps to prepare your gold items for inspection and evaluation. Clean your gold jewelry or coins using a mild soap and water solution to remove dirt and debris. Store your gold items securely in a protective case or pouch to prevent damage during transportation.

Preparing your gold for sale is an essential step in the selling process that can help you maximize the value of your gold items and ensure a smooth transaction. Before presenting your gold items to potential buyers, take the time to clean and organize them to make a positive impression and facilitate the evaluation process.

Start by cleaning your gold jewelry or coins using a mild soap and water solution. Gently scrub the surface of your gold items with a soft-bristled brush to remove any dirt, oil, or tarnish that may have accumulated over time. Avoid using harsh chemicals or abrasive cleaners, as these can damage the finish of your gold and diminish its value.

Once your gold items are clean and dry, inspect them carefully for any signs of damage or wear. Look for scratches, dents, or missing stones that may affect the overall value of your gold. If necessary, consider having your gold items professionally repaired or restored to enhance their appearance and marketability.

After cleaning and inspecting your gold items, store them securely in a protective case or pouch to prevent damage during transportation. Avoid mixing your gold items with other jewelry or valuables, as this can increase the risk of loss or damage. Instead, keep your gold items separate and label them accordingly to ensure they remain safe and secure until they are ready to be sold.

By taking the time to prepare your gold for sale, you can present your items in the best possible condition and increase their appeal to potential buyers. Additionally, thorough preparation demonstrates your commitment to transparency and professionalism, which can help build trust and confidence with buyers during the selling process.

Negotiating The Sale

When selling your Gold For Cash, don't be afraid to negotiate with buyers to get the best possible price for your items. Be prepared to walk away if you're not satisfied with the offer and consider seeking quotes from other buyers to leverage your bargaining position.

Negotiating the sale of your gold is an essential aspect of the selling process that can significantly impact the outcome of the transaction. By approaching negotiations strategically and confidently, you can maximize the value of your gold items and secure a fair price for your investment.

One key strategy in negotiating the sale of your gold is to be well-informed about current market prices and the value of your gold items. Conduct thorough research and obtain quotes from multiple buyers to establish a baseline for comparison and gauge the competitiveness of each offer. Armed with this information, you can negotiate from a position of strength and confidently assert the value of your gold to potential buyers.

When negotiating with Jewelry Buyers, be prepared to advocate for your interests and articulate the reasons why your gold is worth a certain price. Highlight any unique features or attributes of your gold items that may increase their value, such as rare designs, historical significance, or exceptional craftsmanship. By showcasing the inherent value of your gold, you can justify your asking price and persuade buyers to offer a higher price for your items.

Additionally, don't be afraid to walk away from a negotiation if you're not satisfied with the offer. Remember that you have the right to sell your gold on your own terms and shouldn't feel pressured to accept an offer that doesn't meet your expectations. Consider seeking quotes from other buyers to leverage your bargaining position and explore alternative selling options if necessary.

Throughout the negotiation process, maintain professionalism and courtesy when interacting with buyers, even if negotiations become challenging or contentious. By fostering a positive and constructive dialogue, you can increase the likelihood of reaching a mutually beneficial agreement and completing the sale successfully.

In conclusion, negotiating the sale of your gold requires careful preparation, strategic planning, and assertive communication. By following these tips and approaching negotiations with confidence and professionalism, you can optimize the value of your gold items and secure a favorable outcome for your investment.