#North Pole logistics

[satireinfo]

Santa Declares ‘Christmas Miracle’ After Forgetting One House

  When “Santa Magic” Meets Forgetfulness Santa Declares ‘Christmas Miracle’ After Forgetting One House and Delivering Anyway Santa’s Near Miss Sparks Questions About Dementia Claims By Holly Jolly, Miracle Correspondent NORTH POLE—In a rare twist of events, Santa Claus has publicly declared a “Christmas Miracle” after nearly forgetting to deliver presents to a single house during his annual world…

[willowjay07]

[allpiesforourown]

I didn't think things deeply enough and just wrote what my brain spilled and ran with it, but Shen Jiu as Krampus is the most perfect fit! So, now that I've been gifted with more ideas (thanks so much for reading and more inspo), I apologise for blabbing more.

Binghe has been getting bullied for years, as per usual. But Binghe knows that to see Santa, it's super important to be on the "good list", so he never retaliates. He's a model kid, until one day he tries to dodge an influential bully and the bully ends up getting hurt and blames it on Binghe. Binghe is expelled from school and he's scared he's made it to the naughty list and will never see Santa again. So he starts formulating a plan to capture Santa and plead his case. If he wasn't on the naughty list previously, he is now, because Krampus SJ is in charge of that. So on Krampus Night, Binghe is dragged away by SJ for his mandatory abyss arc, without Shen Yuan ever knowing what happened to his little lotus.

Time skip to the Santa-napping, and Binghe's revenge arc. He found some source of power (Xin Mo) in whatever hell he was in and he's got an army of children (now adults) who were dragged away for being "naughty" owing to bad thoughts or minor offences. It's easier because one of his subordinates has a mole in the North Pole, who oversees the logistics of Christmas.

(I really do wanna write a fic with at least one of the 50+ ideas in my head, but I've never gotten beyond 2 paragraphs.)

This is insane. The sword burial mound shizun made for Binghe can be like. Zheng Yang was the final gift Shen Yuan was going to give Binghe for his last Christmas (lucky Christmas is a few days before Binghe's birthday so Shen Yuan can see him right before he turns 18!) but Binghe was pushed into the abyss during Spring

[batsarebetterthanpeople]

@wearfinethingsalltoowell I made a second post because I need to talk about this and I wish to keep disc horse and monster penis in separate categories.

Let's talk about whether Adam is able to ejaculate, far be it from me to not jump at the opportunity to discuss any monsters genitals, the book gives no indication either way. Whether he's capable of becoming erect depends entirely on whether he has blood pumping through his veins as a human would. The book also gives no indication of this one way or another to my recollection, although I could be misremembering. He speaks of wounds he has but never of blood one way or the other. Victor says he gave him veins and his brain and nervous system are fully operational and he breaths which would seem to imply the presence of a circulatory system of some kind, however his skin is described as mummified when Walton sees him for the first time, so theres no circulation to the skin. Whether that's because he has opaque human leather for skin which the blood does not reach or because his circulatory system functions by some means other than blood. He feels the sensation of cold and warmth but seems to be unnaffected by being at the north pole in any manner other than discomfort which to me implies his blood cannot freeze. Whether he bleeds when injured is a question only Adam can answer given that he's the only one who has ever seen himself bleed.

So there is evidence for and evidence against Mr. Adam Frankenstein being able to raise his little monster from the grave. To me this says that Mary Shelley did not think that hard about the logistics and was more interested in telling a story than in how the monster was made, or perhaps, owing to the time in which she was born, did not have the knowledge of human anatomy required to give these things consideration and just gave her monster traits of "a person but more".

But anyway, back to Adam's little creature. We can infer by Victor's fear that they will have children that he gave Adam balls a dick a urethra a prostate a vas deferens. The whole nine yards. Whether those balls can produce semen is anyone's guess but Adam seems to be capable of digestive, circulatory, and nervous function all of which requires the body to produce it's own fluids in theory so why not sexual function.

The one last hurdle to the creature and the bride being able to produce little creatures (aside from the fact that the brides mummified skin would not stretch to accommodate pregnancy like a humans would but let's gloss over that) is that both the Creature and the Bride are working with human cellular makeup, so even if one of his sperm combined with one of her eggs the DNA would still be coming from a Scottish woman and a German man who's balls and ovaries old Vicky nabbed for his experiments so presumably the baby would be human.

[fishrpg]

Prepare Yourselves For September, Because It's Time For...

I finally decided how I'm going to approach September's Hexplore challenge. Instead of going all-in on a more gonzo approach to a variety of vintage cartoons in the Merry Melodies and Looney Toons eras, I opted to reframe this month's cartoon as something from the early 1990s that was trying to capitalize on the success more established cartoons like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. This is a show that is a blatant cash-grab that hopes to carve out a foothold in toy store shelves for a season or two before moving on to something else. As such, I felt it fitting to modify only slightly a promotional image for the cartoon Street Sharks.

Through the magic of a bunch of arbitrary dice rolls, here's a little bit about the show:

It's set mostly in Fresno, California, in 1992 and designed to appeal to the 8-12 year-old boy demographic. Like many other shows designed to sell toys, the continuity is nearly non-existent between episodes. I have never been to Fresno, and thus the plot points will likely lean into fabrications and poorly-informed constructions because the "show's writers didn't have time to research during the tight production timelines." However, I'd like the show to have some pro-environmental messages like Captain Planet to offset the cynical marketing of such a show.

Because I don't know anything about Fresno other than reading a few paragraphs of the the city's wikipedia page, I made a series of random tables to tell me where the primary location of the episode will be set. And because it's a cartoon that is not constrained by film crew logistics or real-life geography, a good chunk of episodes will take place in various locales that are decidedly different from Fresno (also described without research to really get into the thrall of unchecked capitalism).

For each episode, I'm going to roll to see if it takes place in/around Fresno, somewhere else in the world, or in an exotic/unusual location like a moon base. Here are the tables I've created to tell me where to set the episode:

Fresno

Construction Site

Mall

Sewer

City Hall

Skyscraper

TV Station

Bank

Factory

Garbage Dump

Sierra Nevada Mountains

Museum

Forest

Subway

Zoo

Stadium

Bad Guy’s Hideout

Theme Park

Army Base

Airport

Restaurant

Elsewhere

Ocean Depths

Pirate Ship

Volcano

Haunted House

Laboratory

Beach Resort

Castle

Japan

The White House

Australia

Mount Everest

France

Racetrack

Tropical Island

Scotland

Graveyard

Antarctica

Hoover Dam

Mount Rushmore

Lake Superior

Exotic

Space Station Mir

Alternate Dimension

Moon Base

Center of the Earth

Atlantis

Alien Planet

Time Warp (Future)

Time Warp (Past)

Inside a Monster

Inside a Computer

Magical Reality

Genre Crossover Episode

North Pole

Mount Olympus

Valhalla

Hologram/Virtual Reality

Secret Superhero/villain Base

Giant Robot

Alien Spacecraft

Bermuda Triangle (of cryptid/conspiracy fame)

[popentertainment-moviereviews]

RED ONE (2024)

Starring Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans, Lucy Liu, JK Simmons, Kiernan Shipka, Bonnie Hunt, Kristofer Hivju, Nick Kroll, Wesley Kimmel, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Marc Evan Jackson, Jenna Kanell, Clayton Cooper, Lanz Duffy, Makana David, Samantha Benson, Ashleigh Domangue, Cody Easterbrook, Nikki Garza, Abel Arias and the voice of Reinaldo Faberlle.

Screenplay by Chris Morgan.

Directed by Jake Kasdan.

Distributed by Amazon MGM Studios. 123 minutes. Rated PG-13.

Once upon a time, in the movies, Santa Claus was just a hefty, jolly, bearded guy in a red and white suit who went about doing good deeds and distributing toys and was a good friend to reindeer. Somewhere along the line, though – probably about the time of How the Grinch Stole Christmas in the 1966 TV special – Hollywood decided to make him darker. However, the Grinch wasn’t really Santa, he was a bad guy who was masquerading as the St. Nick.

The real dark quirky times probably started early in the millennium with the Billy Bob Thornton starrer Bad Santa. But, again, this wasn’t the real Santa, it was just an alcoholic con artist running a scam as a mall Santa.

Soon enough the movies started making the questionable choices and ethics about the real Santa, though, and Christmas movies are just turning into genre pastiches. Forget peace, goodwill and joy to the world. Even the commercial aspects of the holiday, like presents, are now just getting cursory glances.

Just last year, Santa was portrayed as a dirty, homeless alcoholic who was more than willing to savagely mow through some naughty criminals in Violent Night. Now, less than a year after slasher Santa, why not make him a ripped and unpredictable action star, and slip him into a film that seems like an unholy merge of Fast and Furious, a particularly obnoxious mythological Marvel movie and Santa Claus Conquers the Martians?

Which brings us to Red One.

Now, actually, Santa is not in a huge chunk of Red One, because the film is about Santa being kidnapped just days before Christmas. This is actually a real shame, because casting JK Simmons as Santa is by far the smartest decision made in this film, even if they play up some of the wrong things about the character. Simmons has an enviable physique for a man of his age, but showing how buff Santa is goes in direct contradiction of holiday lore. Still, Simmons is the best thing in Red One, and when he is not on screen the film suffers for it.

So, if this film is only tangentially about Santa, what is it about? Well, mostly a mish mash of vague holiday ideas pureed through tired action tropes that have been done better – and made much more sense – in many other movies.

In the world of Red One, the North Pole and the toy factory are like a military operation, full of regulations, cutting edge technology, and a strange amount of odd alien creatures. (Walking talking grizzly bears, for example, or elves which look like undercooked versions of Harry Potter’s Dobby. Even the half-brother of Santa is an evil looking goat troll.)

The real stars here, though, are Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans, both slumming for a relatively easy paycheck.

Johnson plays Cal, Santa’s stone-faced head bodyguard, the leader of Enforcement Logistics and Fortification (E.L.F., get it? Okay, it isn’t funny.) He has just decided to retire from his job after hundreds of years, because of course he did. Getting ready for his final trip, he is thrown into saving Santa (code name: Red One) from an evil Icelandic shape-shifting witch (Kiernan Shipka, taking advantage of her witch experience from The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) who is determined to take over the holiday and punish everyone on the naughty list.

Evans is Jack, a “level four naughty lister,” who we are introduced to in a prologue where when he was a child, he was charging his cousins for what he called proof that Santa wasn’t real. He has grown up to be an alcoholic, gambling, thieving deadbeat dad who also just happens to be the greatest hacker on the dark web.

When one of his hacks shows the kidnappers how to find Santa, Jack is hunted down by M.O.R.A., the Mythological Oversight and Restoration Authority (lots of weird agencies in this movie). In fact, they do it surprisingly easily considering he is supposed to be an impossible-to-identify specter on the dark web. Jack is forced to help find the big guy with them, taken on a whirlwind tour of tropical islands with killer snowmen, a medieval castle that seems to have been populated by the random alien characters from the Star Wars cantina band sequence, and several other supposedly life-threatening experiences.

Not surprisingly, Cal and Jack, who are immediately antagonistic, grow a grudging respect for each other. And then, completely out of the blue, the film drops a completely gratuitous speech about love, family and the holiday spirit, because they suddenly remembered this was supposed to be a Christmas movie.

I’m not sure who this film is supposed to be for. It is too violent and has too much foul language for kids but is too ridiculous and disjointed for adults. But perhaps that is the answer. Maybe Red One is for no one.

Put Red One on the naughty list and leave a lump of coal in its stocking.

Jay S. Jacobs

Copyright ©2024 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. Posted: November 14, 2024.

[ragnarssons]

Do you think Kataang will still happen in the LA? That EW cover of the four of them where Kiawentiio drapes herself over Dallas has me worried.

So. I'll be honest here, I wouldn't worry too much if I were you. It's apparent that the writers only thought about adapting Book 1 so far, and have been prepared, if needed, to have Book 1 be treated as a story of its own. So I think we might have some very small hints here and there, but nothing that will be clear. And for most of book 1 (at the exception of the Blue Spirit episode), Zuko will be an antagonist to the Gaang, and Kiawentiio has already spoken up several times about how her big moment with Zuko is "Katara kicking Zuko's ass at the North pole". Now, if the show works and does get renewed? It'd take years to develop stuff and age would basically become a non-issue at this point. I don't want to worry about that, because no matter what, we'll always have the source material, aka the cartoon, where Kataang are a thing and that is set in stone, it's never gonna disappear and it's gonna be featured in ATLA studio's future projects. I do think not writing Kataang into the LA would be missing out on a huge bunch of symbolism and heartfelt moments, and big dimensions of the characters of Katara and Aang as individuals. I do think at best we'll have Kataang, at "worst" we'll have nothing, for whatever logistical reason, them just not wanting to touch That Shipwar with a stick or whatever. But I'll never believe that "fandoms" could ever sway or force writers (or producers for that matter) to change characters' direction so drastically (unless they're petty, like Jason Rothenberg, but I don't even consider him a writer anymore anyway). I think ZTs could make a petition with 5million signatures demanding ZT in the show, it wouldn't happen if the writers don't want it and don't think it thematically matches their story and characters (and spoiler, it doesn't match ATLA, since it never happened in the cartoon). Really, I just do not want to engage in this LA adaptation thinking about ships (guess I'm getting too old for that lol... also they're children so it makes me take a step-back, like in Stranger Things where I used to - because I won't watch anymore - just not care because they're basically babies). I live in an ideal world where people would finally appreciate ATLA's central symbolic relationship, and that is Zuko and Aang (but thanks to the Shipwar(tm) they're always pitted against each other, which is the most ridiculous thing possible I'm just gonna get upset if I keep going ffs). That's why I'm so pumped about the producers having made Dallas and Gordon have chemistry reads, because it's the heart of the show, really, how these two are constantly bound together by destiny, hope and "soul" (reincarnations, previous lives etc). To me, them testing chemistry between these two actors, makes me believe they understood the assignment (that, and Albert Kim saying that APPA is Aang's best-friend and is basically just vital to Aang). I'd advise people not to read too much into photoshoots tho, they're photoshoots. Kiawentiio and Dallas Liu are friends, let's not overinterpret "marketing" stuff, because it's just marketing, not the story, yknow? 🤷‍♀️

[sihasah]

North Pole Zip Code: Unveiling the Mystery Behind Santa's Mailbox

The North Pole zip code has long been a source of fascination for children and adults alike. Every year, millions of letters addressed to Santa Claus find their way to the snowy wonderland, filled with wishes and dreams. But what exactly is the North Pole zip code, and how does it work? In this exclusive article, we delve into the history, logistics, and magic behind Santa's special postal code. https://sihasah.com/north-pole-zip-code-unveiling-the-mystery-behind-santas-mailbox/

[beardedmrbean]

Newspaper Helsingin Sanomat covered a propaganda exhibition seen near the Finnish Embassy in Moscow.

The street exhibition dubbed "The Stages of Finnish Russophobia" by the Russian Military Historical Society, appeared opposite the Finnish Embassy in Moscow on Thursday, consisting of six billboard-style panels with text and images. However, a separate, larger exhibition with 16 panels also appeared roughly a kilometre away on Gogolevsky Boulevard.

The society's exhibition aims to show how Finland, having joined Nato and "turned its back on Russia", has actually been "anti-Russian" throughout history.

HS wrote that in Russia, it is still often difficult to understand, at least for ordinary citizens why Finland, which was widely considered neutral by the Russians, suddenly joined Nato and broke off decades of relations with Moscow.

The historical society said it located the exhibit opposite the Finnish Embassy because it is the sole remaining Finnish mission in Russia.

The street display attempts to illustrate Finland's history of Russophobia.

For example, pointing to the time in history when Finland was under Russian rule, the exhibit characterises the Nordic country as ungrateful.

Another panel highlights Finland's aspirations of a Greater Finland in the 1920s and 1930s, showing a map of Finnish nationalists' ambitions to annex land across wide swaths of Russian territory.

Other aspects of the propaganda exhibit detailed Finland's military actions in World War II against the Soviet Union and Finnish tourists drinking cheaply "at the expense of the Soviet Union" in the 1970s and 1980s. The exhibit ends with a panel showing Nato's new borders with Russia, along with military bases and tales of Finns fighting in Ukraine.

While most people walking past the exhibit did not want to speak to the Finnish newspaper reporter, one person said that the exhibit was a simple lashing out at Finland and Sweden because they joined Nato.

However, another passerby said: "Finland is part of Russia. Finns cannot live apart from Russia".

A circle of stars on a field of blue

Ahead of the upcoming EU Parliamentary elections, rural-focused newspaper Maaseudun Tulevaisuus, asked why the European Union flag is rarely seen.

When the flag is visible in Finland, it is often at press conferences or ports of entry, while it is seen more often in other EU countries.

Janne Juujärvi, an interior ministry senior specialist, pointed out that the use of the flag differs.

"Finland has a very strong culture of flagging with the Finnish flag, and the European flag is used, for example, alongside the Finnish one at border crossing points on the EU's external borders and at international airports and ports," explained Juujärvi.

"As a rule, the Finnish flag is only flown on official flag days. Then again, there are countries in Europe where, for example, flags are flown all the time outside office buildings," Juujärvi said.

MT explained there is also a logistical factor behind the issue — there's a lack of flagpoles.

If people in the Nordic country were to fly the EU flag as often as they hoist Finnish ones, they would need a second flag pole — which is not common in Finland.

Midsummer forecasts

Tabloid Iltalehti reported that Midsummer in Finland could be warm this year, according to the monthly forecast of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts.

As Midsummer is still three weeks away, the forecast is still unclear, but it looks like it'll be warmer than average across Finland over the long holiday weekend.

According to the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) long-term forecast, the average high temperature for Midsummer will be around 20 degrees Celsius in the south and 14-16 degrees in the north. In the south, nighttime temperatures are forecast to be around 10 degrees and 4-6 degrees in the north.

After a few weeks of little precipitation, rainfall is expected to be above average in the weeks leading up to Midsummer, according to the paper.

[brothershardy]

Frank never had a phase in childhood where he believed in Santa, because the idea of a magical man who lived in the North Pole that could watch his every waking second, decide if he was "good" or "bad" at any time, and could legally break into his house freaked him out so much that he simply refused to believe it at all. Fenton and Laura tried multiple times to get him into the magic of the belief, but after Frank had an anxiety attack at the age of seven trying to think of the logistics of it, they gave up.

[naturecoaster]

Get ready to celebrate New Year’s Eve like never before with the Tangerine Ball Drop, a fun and vibrant event happening on Tuesday, December 31, 2024, from 6 pm-1 am at the Water Tower in downtown Brooksville! This unique celebration brings a colorful twist to the traditional ball drop, featuring a glowing tangerine descending to mark the start of the New Year. After a long hiatus, the signature event is a unique festive way to usher in the New Year, complete with live music, food trucks, an NYE Night Market, a VIP area, and a family-friendly atmosphere. Whether you're looking for a night of dancing, a spot to enjoy great food, or just a fun evening out with friends and family, the 2024 Tangerine Ball Drop has something for everyone. A History of Brooksville and the Tangerine John Hale, a farmer, introduced tangerines to Brooksville. He had the home built at 7 North Orange Avenue built in 1882. The tangerine industry he started would grow so much that Brooksville would become known as the “Home of the Tangerine.” John Hale also worked with J.J. Bell and W.A. Fulton to establish the Brooksville Citrus Growers Association. From the 1920s to the 1960s, signs at the city limits read, "Welcome to Brooksville, Home of the Tangerine." There were 12,000 acres of citrus in Hernando County and 3 citrus processing plants according to a 1960s Brooksville Chamber of Commerce brochure. “The city of Brooksville has a rich history with tangerines,” said Dawn Triconi, the Executive Director of Brooksville Main Street. “Brooksville’s unique topography meant better conditions for the fruit and by the early 1900s, the Brooksville fruit was in demand around the country and earned the highest prices in the industry.” Alfred McKethan, one of the city’s prominent leaders of the time, believed his uncle Daniel Hale coined Brooksville as the “Home of the Tangerine,” according to Triconi. The fruit also garnered national attention for the city in 1926 when local grower H.B. Schulte sent a box of the tangerines to President Calvin Coolidge. Brooksville had many, many tangerine and citrus groves. Image courtesy of DepositPhotos.com Following issues with pest infestation and freezes in the 1930s and 1950s, along with the rising popularity of juice, local citrus farmers turned their attention to oranges. History of Brooksville's Tangerine Drop began with Tangerine Time in 2001 The Brooksville Tangerine Drop started in 2001 as a way to celebrate Hernando’s historic tangerine industry. Citrus was one of the major industries in the area in the early 1900s, Brooksville had an ideal growing climate, and many prominent citizens owned tangerine groves. Wayne Vutech was part of a group that wanted to highlight the tangerine with a local event due to its prominence in Hernando County history. The idea of dropping a tangerine on New Year’s Eve like the ball drop in New York’s Times Square was decided on. The logistics mimicking the ball drop were overwhelming, so the group chose to use a weather balloon. Wayne found a weather balloon for sale in North Carolina, so he drove up and purchased it, bringing it back to Brooksville for the first Tangerine Drop. In 2009 they paused the event, due to difficulty in getting volunteers. The Tangerine Drop was brought back for 2020, with an eight-foot fiberglass orb sliding down a metal pole. 2024 promises an event that will be better than ever. Dance to the fun music by DJ Shalimar at the 2024 Tangerine Drop. Image courtesy of DepositPhotos.com Come to the Brooksville Water Tower for the NYE Tangerine Drop Event For 2024, the electrifying New Year's Eve celebration kicks off with DJ Shalamar taking the stage to spin the best of today’s favorites, classic hits, and everything in between. Known for his seamless blending of genres and infectious energy, he’s set to ignite the dance floor and keep the party going! From top chart hits to throwback favorites, partygoers can expect an epic soundtrack to usher in the New Year with style. When the clock strikes 9 pm, families can expect a unique ball drop just for the kids!   The fun doesn’t stop there! southern rock band, Tommy Roxx, takes the stage at 9:30 pm and shows us why they’re the best at keeping the energy high throughout the evening. They’ll be joined by outgoing Mayor Blake Bell for a live countdown to midnight with a spectacular Tangerine Ball Drop and cheers from the crowd! Watch as the iconic tangerine lights up the night sky and makes its descent to welcome in the New Year. Come out to the 2024 Brooksville Tangerine Drop party - Free or VIP - It's gonna be great! Image courtesy of DepositPhotos.com Admission to the 2024 Tangerine Drop is FREE, so bring the whole family to enjoy all the fun!  For those looking to elevate their experience, check out the exclusive VIP Experience, with tickets priced at $45 per person or $75 per couple. Savor complimentary dishes from local restaurants and enjoy signature festive drinks, a champagne toast at midnight, a swag bag, and a few other surprises!  VIP Tickets are now on sale at welovebvl.org or tangerinedrop.com This year’s event promises to be the best, with the Brooksville tangerine glowing brighter than ever. Come dressed to impress or keep it casual but be sure to bring your New Year's spirit as we countdown to 2025.  “Our New Year’s Eve party is all about creating a night to remember,” said Christopher Rhodes, board president of Brooksville Main Street. “With DJ Shalamar kicking off the night and then passing the baton to southern rock band, Tommy Roxx, this is going to be the ultimate celebration to kick off 2025 in the best way possible.”  For more details, you can visit www.WeLoveBVL.org or https://www.tangerinedrop.com/ Sources: - Tangerine Drop is Back, Hernando Sun, Nov. 27, 2019 - https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/333881 - https://www.tourbvl.com/7-north-orange-avenue Read the full article

[ainews]

As the holiday season approaches, one particular group of flowers has been questioning the validity and fairness of Santa Claus' delivery route. Lilacs, known for their stunning blooms and sweet scent, are speaking out against the traditional distribution of gifts by Saint Nick.

According to these flowers, Santa's route largely favors colder climates, leaving those in warmer regions with little to no representation in his gift-giving. Lilacs, which thrive in moderate to hot climates, argue that they provide just as much beauty and joy as traditional winter flowers such as poinsettias and holly.

One outspoken lilac, named Lily, stated in an exclusive interview, "We work just as hard as any other flower, but it seems like Santa only pays attention to those in the North Pole or areas with snow. What about us in the southern states? We deserve presents too!"

Other lilacs have expressed feelings of neglect and disappointment, citing instances where even fake snow-covered decorations are given preference over their natural blooms in holiday displays.

In response to these accusations, Santa Claus has released a statement reassuring all flowers that he values their contributions to the holiday season. However, he explained that his distribution route is based on practicality and logistics. He stated, "I want to make sure that every child receives a gift from me on Christmas, and unfortunately, the majority of children live in colder climates. But I do appreciate the hard work and beauty of all flowers, regardless of where they grow."

Despite Santa's explanation, the lilacs are not satisfied and are calling for a change in the distribution of gifts. They have even started a petition, urging Santa to include more warm climate regions in his route. The petition has gained traction on social media, with other flowers and plants showing their support for the cause.

While the debate continues, one thing is for sure – the lilacs will no longer be silent and will continue to question and advocate for their fair share of holiday cheer. To all those who underestimate the power and importance of these blooming beauties, the lilacs have one message: "Don't forget about us in your holiday celebrations."

[dalihdgaming]

Alaskan Road Truckers - 1.4 Update | Is it any good? Part 25

Alaskan Road Truckers on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/849100/Alaskan_Road_Truckers/

Full 1.4 patch notes (Thu, April 18) :

Optimisation -Optimisation of textures, materials and light maps -Optimisation of trailers, buildings and animals -Optimisation of towns: Fairbanks, Palmer, Delta Junction, North Pole, and Paxson

Visual -Art improvements to Northern Alaskan terrain -Reworked the user interface on the map screens -Added the possibility to switch between light and dark UI themes -Added trailer preview graphics to job descriptions -Improved the look of fog and made it less dense on lower visual settings -Improved the cable connecting animations -Improved pop-in / draw-distance management (GPU and CPU optimization) -Added company logos to container trailers -Reworked the texture on dirt roads -Improved the look of reflections on wet grass -Made all truck skins available on all current models -Lightened up all the logistic location offices during daytime -Reduced the color difference between birch trees seen from afar and closer -Reduced the brightness of light sources -Improved the colors of traffic lights -Improved the contrast and brightness on selected textures -Balanced the overall contrast of the game -Replaced some NPCs with better models -Fixed some trucks having incorrectly applied customization components -Fixed the flag flickering

Controls -Increased the speed of map zoom -Added new controller preset and renamed presets for more clarity (Controller steering type determines the general speed and sensitivity of truck steering. Steering correction curve determines the sensitivity and dead zones of thumbsticks) -Added the possibility to bind and use the radial menu on a controller -Enabled scaling truck decals when using a controller -Enabled switching workshop menu tabs with L1/R1/L2/R2 when using a controller -Enabled using the truck shop with a controller -Tweaked controller vibrations -Improved the communication of binding conflicts

Gameplay Changes -Adjusted the speed of AI cars around dangerous turns -Improved the overtaking behavior -Fixed traffic and navigation near Fairbanks -Added 35 and 45 mph speed limit signs -Added a new type of AI car -Added one new trailer (cement tank trailer) and new jobs -Made more jobs available during the early stage of the game -Made it impossible to die of exposure inside the truck when the heater is on -Fixed the collision problem with the big-boy military chopper trailer -Reworked the traffic ticket calculation system to make the fines more realistic -Improved the placement of traffic police patrol cars -Oil overfill is now communicated to the player in the workshop and via a HUD icon -Added auto parts stores in Prudhoe Bay and Valdez -Added bulbs to stores and enabled the player to manually fix the headlights -Fixed the problem where discovering new cities would not work -Enabled previewing trucks in the truck store even without having the required license -Adjusted the fuel capacity of trucks in higher classes

Sound -Added the sound of swaying grass and twigs breaking when driving on grass surfaces

Other -Fixed a rare instance of trucks disappearing from the parking spot

#alaskanroadtruckers #jimmydali #simulator #greenmangaming #moviegames #drivingsim #roadstudio

[jcmarchi]

NASA’s Artemis IV: Building First Lunar Space Station - Technology Org

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/nasas-artemis-iv-building-first-lunar-space-station-technology-org/

NASA’s Artemis IV: Building First Lunar Space Station - Technology Org

NASA and its partners are developing the foundational systems needed for long-term exploration at the Moon for the benefit of all with NASA’s Artemis campaign. Following the Artemis III mission that will land the first people near the Moon’s South Pole, astronauts on Artemis IV will live and work in humanity’s first lunar space station, Gateway, which will enable new opportunities for science and preparation for human missions to Mars. The mission will bring together an intricate choreography of multiple launches and spacecraft dockings in lunar orbit, and will feature the debut of NASA’s larger, more powerful version of its SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and new mobile launcher.

Artist’s concept of the full Gateway configuration. Image credit: NASA

Artemis Generation Science

Artemis missions are accelerating scientific research on the surface of the Moon, and soon, in lunar orbit aboard Gateway. Built with international and commercial partnerships, Gateway will include docking ports for a variety of visiting spacecraft, space for crew to live, work, and prepare for lunar surface missions, and instruments for science investigations to study heliophysics, human health, and life sciences, among other areas.

Gateway’s oval-shaped orbit passes over both the North and South Pole areas of the Moon, and it provides unparalleled opportunities for science and access to the lunar surface. The orbit combines the benefits of surface access from low lunar orbit with the fuel efficiency of distant retrograde orbit, all while offering unique views of the Earth, Moon, Sun, and deep space for scientific study.

Mission prelude

Gateway is taking shape on the ground, and engineers will connect its first two modules — the Power and Propulsion Element (PPE) built by Maxar, and the Habitation and Logistics Outpost (HALO) built by Northrop Grumman — for launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. The elements will spend about a year traveling to lunar orbit, taking advantage of highly efficient solar-electric propulsion and the gravity of the Earth, Moon, and Sun to reach its destination. Multiple scientific instruments on and in HALO and PPE will provide scientific data on radiation during transit and while Gateway is in lunar orbit.

Once in its orbit around the Moon, Gateway’s computers will run through a checklist of items to prepare for the arrival of a second habitation element with the Artemis IV crew — the International Habitation module, or I-Hab, provided by ESA (European Space Agency). I-Hab will expand where Gateway’s astronauts will live, work, conduct groundbreaking science, and prepare for their lunar surface missions. I-Hab also includes the critical life support systems provided by JAXA (Japanese Space Agency) to enable longer stays aboard Gateway.

Prior to launching the crew and I-Hab with the SLS rocket, NASA and its partners will pre-position two additional spacecraft for the mission: SpaceX’s Starship Human Landing System that will carry the next-generation spacesuits for moonwalks, and the SpaceX Dragon XL logistics module carrying science experiments and other supplies for the mission. An upgraded Starship will support Artemis IV with expanded capabilities for long-term exploration and future missions, including docking with Gateway.

Bigger boost for crew, Moon-bound module

Artist’s concept of the Block 1B crew configuration of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket during lift-off from a new mobile launcher for a night launch. Image credit: NASA

Four Artemis IV crew members will lift off from Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida aboard the agency’s Orion spacecraft on NASA’s upgraded SLS rocket. The Block 1B version of the rocket is capable of hoisting 84,000 pounds to the Moon using a more powerful upper stage, and it also features an adapter with more than 10,000 cubic feet of space to send large cargos, such as I-Hab, to the Moon along with the crew. NASA’s new mobile launcher will accommodate the larger rocket, which will stand about 40 feet taller than current configurations, and additional weight of increased payload capacity.

After the SLS rocket completes its initial launch and ascent, the core stage will separate from the upper stage, which will remain connected to Orion and I-Hab. After the upper stage performs a translunar injection burn to set Orion and I-Hab on their path to the Moon, Orion will act as a spacefaring tugboat, flipping itself 180 degrees to extract I-Hab from the adapter using Orion’s docking system, and transporting the module to Gateway where it will connect to the lunar station’s HALO module.

Surface operations

When Orion and I-Hab rendezvous with Gateway, Orion will maneuver I-Hab into position to dock with the HALO module. The astronauts will enter the world’s first lunar space station and fully activate its hardware and systems, and the crew also will check out the human landing system, unload supplies and science experiments from the logistics module, and prepare for their work at the Moon.

After several days performing initial checkouts aboard Gateway and readying for the surface expedition, two crew members will enter Starship and undock to spend about six days on the lunar surface. The other pair stay at Gateway to continue setup, conduct research, and monitor surface activities.

Like on Artemis III, the astronauts will conduct several moonwalks, donning advanced spacesuits and taking Starship’s elevator down to the surface to accomplish their exploratory to-do list. The crew will conduct field geology, deploy instruments, and collect samples that will help us understand the history of our solar system.

Artist’s concept of SpaceX Starship human landing system. Image credit: SpaceX

Until next time (Artemis V)

With surface expeditions complete, the two astronauts will board Starship, fly back to Gateway, and all four astronauts will prepare for the quarter-million-mile journey back to Earth aboard Orion. 

Prior to departing Gateway, the crew will transfer scientific samples to Orion and prepare the outpost to hum along without human tenants. Then, after reaching the optimal departure point, Orion will undock, fire its engines, and harness the Moon’s gravity to slingshot home, where recovery teams will await the crew’s return in the Pacific Ocean.

With Artemis, NASA will land the first woman, first person of color, and its first international partner astronaut on the lunar surface and establish long-term exploration for scientific discovery and to prepare for human missions to Mars. The agency’s SLS rocket, Orion spacecraft, and supporting ground systems, along with the human landing system, next-generation spacesuits and rovers, and Gateway are NASA’s foundation for deep space exploration. 

Artemis IV Mission Map

Artemis IV will be the first mission to the Gateway space station in lunar orbit, bringing together an intricate choreography of multiple launches and spacecraft dockings in lunar orbit, and featuring the debut of NASA’s larger, more powerful version of its SLS (Space Launch System) rocket and new mobile launcher. Image credit: NASA

Source: National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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Whistler, Feb 2024

Vancouver Food | Whistler | Travel Tips

Just 1.5 hours north of Vancouver is the world class Whistler Ski Resort, host of 2010 Winter Olympics. This is our second winter in a row skiing at Whistler with the kids. There are actually two mountains, Whistler with more gentle green and blue trails and Blackcomb with more challenging blue and black trails, our fave.

Blackcomb

Last winter when we visited during Feb vacation week, it was record cold, -10 F, -30 F with windchill. This time the weather's a lot more comfortable, but there's less snow and the condition wasn't the best. The best place to go both times is top of Glacier Express, the view is spectacular.

On the right off the lift is Blue Line, one of the best trails with great view of the valley below. Off of that you can even find some powder on a good day.

From the left side of the lift, our kids and family hiked up to top of Spanky's Ladder, it's challenging to climb up, especially at the steep end. But the runs down Ruby or other bowls are quite exciting.

From left side you can take Crystal Traverse to Crystal Express, our second favorite lift with lots of nice blue and black trails. Our other favorite is Arthur's Choice, a black gladed trail. Next to it is Outer Limits, which is steeper and has more dense trees.

7th Heaven

One the best areas in the whole ski resort is 7th Heaven, which you can access via 7th Avenue off of the Jersey Cream Express (from Glacier Lodge) or the Blackcomb Gondola. It gets more sun and has both groomed and lots of soft powder and glades to explore. The only downside is everyone's here, and the line is often 15 minutes or more.

Peak 2 Peak

Between Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains is the Peak 2 Peak Tram, which holds the world record for longest unsupported (free) span lift and longest continuous lift system.

It's fun to take the tram, whether on a partly foggy or beautiful sunny day. The view of the valley below and mountains all around is breathtaking. You can also see down in the valley the Fitzsimmons Creek power plant that produces enough power to cover the annual energy consumption of the whole ski resort.

Whistler Peak

Once you get off the Peak 2 Peak, or if you take Whistler Village Gondola all the way up, you can take Peak Express to go to top of the mountain. On a sunny day the view is spectacular.

Unfortunately, it was only sunny for maybe one out of 6 days we were there. Most of the time the peak is covered in fog, and sometimes even near white-out conditions. People would tell me to look and stay between the poles.

The condition mid mountain and up are better, lower to the village level it can be quite slushy.

Logistics

We stayed at Whistler Village the first year, closer to restaurants and shops. The second year we stayed at the Blackcomb side. Either way we found it easier to park at Parking lots #6 and 7, to avoid the 5 min walk carrying skis to our condo. From the lot you can take Excalibur Gondola at the midstation with shorter lines, then Excelerator Express to Glacial Creek Lodge, where you can then take Glacier Express up the mountain or Jersey Cream Express to Peak 2 Peak and 7th Heaven.

Food

For lunch, we mostly ate at the Glacier Creek Lodge, with a great view on a sunny day. It has the best food, pork belly ramen with tonkotsu All the lodges also offer delicious danishes, with everything from sppinach to guava to lemon filling. The best flavor is cherry and cheese cake. My kids also enjoyed the poutine there.

Whistler Village Dining

Down in the Whistler Village, getting a dinner reservation is often hard, so show up early e.g. 4:30pm if u want to make the first seating.

We'd recommend delicious Mexican seafood from Mexican Corner, probably my husband's favorite, serving an ultra-fine mango margarita.

Yummy sushi especially local albacore tuna from Sushi Village, probably the most popular restaurant in town. Both of these restaurants will have long waits, so put your name down ASAP, and the wait is often less than they tell you if u just missed the first seating at 4:30.

We found out about dinner reservation challenge the hard way, and just walked into the Indian Masala Bistro, which turned out to have delicious food. Check out especially their Malai Kofta. Just note their rice has to be ordered separately and the naan is rather small.

Vancouver Food | Whistler | Travel Tips