#Special Needs Products Manufacturer

[ecoplanet]

We are a leading manufacturer of portable cabin solutions that are engineered to offer hygienic sanitation needs for your daily life, special events, and many more.

all our products come in different sizes and shapes suitable for your needs. If you are in search of Temporary Toilets, Portaloo, or even Fire Rated Portable Toilets, then you can directly walk into Ecoplanet.

If you have any queries, please don't hesitate to contact us, We are located in Jurf Industrial 2, Ajman – UAE Tel: +971 (06) 744 1881 Ph: +971 56 744 1881 Email: sales@ecoplanet.ae Web: https://ecoplanet.ae

[syyds]

www.yyprecision.com

[robertreich]

Boeing Is Everything Wrong With American Capitalism

Excuse my language, but why is Boeing such a shitty corporation?

Their planes are literally falling apart in the sky.

At least six Boeing planes have had parts fall off this year — including an exit door in mid-flight. A whistle-blower has accused Boeing of a “criminal cover-up” of its safety failures.

But beyond this one company, Boeing’s descent is a case study in how American capitalism has become so rotten. Let me explain.

I’m old enough to remember when people used to say “If it’s not Boeing, I’m not going.”

But in 1997, everything changed when Boeing merged with McDonnell Douglas and became the only major maker of commercial aircraft in America. With no domestic rivals, it no longer needed to stay on the cutting edge of innovation.

Executives at Boeing who once specialized in engineering were replaced with Wall Street types who looked down on the engineers. One money-hungry CEO described those who cared too much about the integrity of Boeing’s planes, and not enough about its stock price, as “phenomenally talented assholes.”

To keep Wall Street happy, Boeing began spending billions on stock buybacks that pumped up the value of shares — money that could have been spent on safety and innovation.

It doled out hundreds of millions on campaign contributions and lobbying to lower safety standards, rake in massive government contracts, and boost its bottom line.

To cut costs, Boeing outsourced roughly 70% of its design, engineering, and manufacturing rather than rely on its experienced union workforce.

To further undercut its union, Boeing opened an assembly plant in South Carolina, a notorious anti-union state. Executives reportedly told managers not to move any unionized employees there.

This quest for profit resulted in massive quality control problems that were reported by engineers and machinists, but allegedly ignored by management. All of this inevitably led to the deadly safety issues Boeing faces today.

And because of Boeing’s monopoly-like power, it has been largely immune from any repercussions for its poor performance.

Boeing made it seem like it was punishing executives who led it astray by firing them, but still rewarded them with “golden parachutes” on the way out.

Folks, Boeing’s troubles should serve as a cautionary tale. It’s reflective of broader trends in our economy over the past forty years. Monopolization. Wealth siphoned off to rich shareholders at the expense of everyone else. Cutting corners on safety to save a dime. Bashing unions. All while spending big money lobbying the government.

Boeing may have become a shitty company, but that doesn’t mean we have to put up with it.

The government has the power to increase antitrust enforcement to bust up big companies — something that we are already starting to see in other industries.

It should also attach strings to government contracts and subsidies to ensure that private corporations are working in the best interest of the country, and not just their bottom lines.

It should ban stock buybacks, which were illegal before the Reagan administration, so profits are put back into improving the company, including the safety of products, rather than solely padding investors’ wallets.

Union power should be rebuilt, so that workers can once again act as a countervailing force to Wall Street.

And we should continue the fight to get Big Money out of politics.

It’s not too late to reverse course and chart a new flight path.

[zvaigzdelasas]

You can’t buy the Seagull in the US. But I bet you wish you could.

A small hatchback around the size of a Mini Cooper, the Seagull is a fast-charging electric car and claims a range of up to 250 miles [...] BYD, its Chinese manufacturer, claims it can go from 30 percent to 80 percent charged in a half-hour using a DC plug. It’s hardly a luxury car but it’s well-equipped, with a power driver’s seat and cruise control. “If I were looking for an inexpensive commuter car … this would be perfect,” veteran car journalist John McElroy said after taking a drive.

The best part? Its base model costs about $10,700 in China.

That’s about a third of the cost of the cheapest EV you can buy in the US. In South America, it’s a little pricier, but still fairly affordable, at under $24,000 for a top-trim version. Even in Europe, you can get an entry-level BYD for under €30,000. These are absolutely screaming deals — exactly the kind of products that could turbocharge our transition away from gas and toward electric vehicles.[...]

The problem for Americans? The Biden administration is hell-bent on preventing you from buying BYD’s product, and if Donald Trump returns to office, he is likely to fight it as well.

That’s because the BYD cars are made in China, and both Biden and Trump are committed to an ultranationalist trade policy meant to keep BYD’s products out. [...] Shipments to Europe have increased astronomically; Chinese companies sold 0.5 percent of EVs in Europe in 2019 but they’re already over 9 percent as of last year. Companies like BYD make cheap, reasonably good-quality cars people are eager to buy.

In 2018, Trump imposed, and Biden has since continued, a special 25 percent tax on Chinese-made autos, on top of the ordinary 2.5 percent tax on foreign-made cars.

That has so far prevented BYD and its Chinese peers from trying to enter the US market. US customer tastes are different enough that Chinese manufacturers would probably prefer to make cars tailored to them — but US policy has been so hostile toward cheap Chinese EVs that so far, the companies haven’t wanted to bother.

So, the result is that we’re left out of the bounty of cheap EV options created by BYD and others. “If you’re a consumer right now, the best place to be right now is China, because you have the best choice of EVs,” Ilaria Mazzocco, senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and an expert on Chinese EVs, says.[...]

Still, China’s price advantage is big enough that even the extreme Trump-Biden import tax might not be enough to deter companies like BYD from entering the US market. Even with the tariffs, Chinese cars might be cheaper than their rivals. “​​Subsidies most likely won’t be enough; Mr. Biden will need to impose [more] trade restrictions,” climate journalist Robinson Meyer predicted recently. The Biden administration is already making noise about imposing even more draconian taxes or trade restrictions against these vehicles. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo has described Chinese-made cars as a national security threat, and recently announced an investigation into the vehicles’ data collection abilities and the possibility they could send movement data to Beijing.

On the one hand, Biden is offering Americans up to $7,500 per vehicle to buy EVs (provided they meet certain made-in-North America rules). On the other hand, he’s imposing massive taxes to keep Americans from buying EVs. It’s a bizarre policy that makes no sense from a climate perspective.[...]

[The Biden Administration] has proven shockingly willing to sabotage its own climate policy if it gets to stick it to the Chinese in the process.

“There’s almost an across-the-board apprehension about Chinese EVs, even though they would make an important contribution to [lower] CO2 emissions,” Gary Clyde Hufbauer, a veteran trade expert at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, says.[...]

Realistically, Helveston argues, BYD might not sell something like the Seagull in the US because it’s smaller than most cars Americans buy. They’d probably build plants in the US instead, or its free-trade zone partners Canada and Mexico, to build vehicles tailored for Americans. “If you’re going to really enter a market, you have to make it locally,” Helveston explains. “US automakers like GM sell and make millions of cars in China to sell in China.” BYD would do the same. Indeed, it’s already reportedly scouting sites for factories in Mexico.

If they ever were to set up shop in North America, BYD and other Chinese car companies would still have a major price advantage versus American EVs. They have years more experience and a much more successful track record of building batteries and EVs at low cost.

“Part of why they’re so successful is they’ve been thinking outside the box on cost reduction for a long time,” Mazzocco says. They took the “opposite of the Tesla approach”: starting not with luxury vehicles but ultra-cheap cars fit for taxi fleets and not much else, and constantly improving their early inexpensive prototypes. The result is that Chinese firms have gotten extremely good at making inexpensive EVs, at a time when Ford, by contrast, lost $28,000 for every EV it sold in 2023.[...]

“If you have more affordable EVs in the United States, no matter where you come from,” Gopal says, “that’s better for the climate.”

Still, the Biden administration reportedly wants to restrict Chinese car companies’ access to the US even if they do set up shop in North America. Bloomberg reported earlier this month that the Biden administration is formulating rules that would limit US sales of Chinese-made parts, even if they’re in vehicles ultimately assembled in the US or Mexico.[...]

But the Biden administration’s objections to Chinese EVs are also ideological. The Biden administration represents the victory of a protectionist, trade-skeptical wing of the Democratic party that was relegated to the sidelines during the Clinton and Obama years.[...]

[O]ver 90 percent of American households have a car, and surging car prices were a huge contributor to the 2021–2023 rise in inflation.

Barriers to importing cheap cars make inflation worse and reduce the real incomes of the middle class.

Not only are the administration and other left-leaning institutions opposed to Chinese EVs, but hardline conservatives at places like the Heritage Foundation are calling for outright bans on Chinese EVs as well. Their rationale is security, another theme the Biden administration evokes often. On Thursday, the Commerce Department announced it was beginning a process to “investigate the national security risks of … PRC-manufactured technology in [internet-connected] vehicles.”

6 Mar 24

[macmay]

OMAKHEATERS - PLATİN

Omak Heaters: Your Trusted Partner in Heating Solutions

When it comes to reliable and efficient heating solutions for various industrial applications, Omak Heaters stands out as a leading provider of top-quality products. Specializing in IBS tank heaters, barrel heaters, filter heaters, satellite dish heaters, and more, Omak Heaters offers innovative and dependable heating solutions to meet the diverse needs of its customers.

IBC Tank Heaters:

Omak Heaters offers a wide range of IBC tank heaters designed to provide consistent and uniform heating for industrial storage tanks. Whether you need to maintain the temperature of liquids or chemicals stored in tanks, our IBC tank heaters ensure optimal heating performance, enhancing operational efficiency and productivity.

Barrel Heaters:

For heating applications involving barrels and drums, Omak Heaters offers high-performance barrel heaters engineered to deliver efficient and uniform heat distribution. Our barrel heaters are designed to withstand harsh industrial environments and provide reliable heating solutions for various applications, including oil and chemical processing.

Filter Heaters:

Omak Heaters also specializes in filter heaters designed to prevent freezing and maintain optimal operating temperatures for filtration systems. Our filter heaters are built to deliver consistent and reliable heating performance, ensuring uninterrupted operation and prolonging the lifespan of filtration equipment.

Omak Heaters Quality Assurance:

At Omak Heaters, quality and reliability are our top priorities. All our heaters are manufactured using premium-quality materials and advanced manufacturing techniques to ensure superior performance and durability. Our team of experienced engineers and technicians conducts rigorous quality control tests at every stage of production to guarantee the highest standards of quality and reliability.

Customer-Centric Approach:

Omak Heaters is committed to providing exceptional customer service and support. We work closely with our customers to understand their unique heating requirements and offer customized solutions tailored to their specific needs. From product selection to installation and ongoing technical support, our dedicated team is here to assist you every step of the way.

Contact Omak Heaters Today:

Whether you're in need of IBS tank heaters, barrel heaters, filter heaters, or satellite dish heaters, Omak Heaters has the expertise and products to meet your heating needs. Contact us today to learn more about our comprehensive range of heating solutions and discover how we can help optimize your industrial heating processes.

[tekniblog]

Adamsllc - Devasa+ (2)

If you are looking for a reliable and durable engine, look no further than Adams International, which serves brands such as DIETZ MOTOREN, ELK MOTOR. Each of the manufacturers specializes in producing high-quality engines that are built to last. Whether you need a small engine for an application like your lawnmower or a larger engine for industrial purposes, you can be sure that anyone with our company will have the right product for you. ORIENTAL MOTOR is known for its rugged designs and reliable performance, offering cost-effective solutions tailored to your needs, and the brands in our company combine cutting-edge technology with traditional craftsmanship to produce premium motors. It offers a wide variety of motor solutions for every conceivable application. Whatever the type or size of the project you are working on, our company will assist you with a comprehensive selection of quality engines.

[whencyclopedia]

Celtic Coinage

The coinage of the ancient Celts, minted from the early 3rd century BCE to the 1st century CE, at first imitated Greek and then Roman coins. Celtic engravers then soon developed their own unique style, creating distinctive coins with depictions of stylised horses, abstract shapes, and the portraits of Celtic chiefs. Not being part of a wider political and economic entity like the Roman Empire, gold, silver, and bronze Celtic coins were rarely used for interregional trade but were, rather, used to buy and exchange goods locally and to spread imagery of rulers, tribes, and the ancient Celtic religion. Finally, coins were frequently buried in large hoards as part of votive rituals.

The Function of Celtic Coinage

An enormous number of Celtic coins have been found in burials and as part of ritual treasure hoards across Europe. Some hoards contained as many as 10,000 coins. Celtic coins were used for a variety of reasons. They were, as one would expect, used as a currency to acquire goods locally but coins were primarily used as a more convenient replacement for other high-value goods which had previously been used in a barter system. Coins were also offered as diplomatic gifts and perhaps given as tribute to more powerful neighbouring rulers.

Coins were also minted for prestige reasons: to demonstrate the wealth and sophistication of a particular chief and to spread their likeness amongst the people they ruled. Coins were sometimes dispensed by chiefs to their people on special occasions as a demonstration of their success and generosity. It is for this reason, perhaps, that the minting of Celtic coins was so sporadic: only when a ruler needed extra legitimacy for their rule were new coins minted.

Although coins provided artists with a new medium to show off their skills, an unexpected consequence of their introduction on wider ancient Celtic art is here summarised by the historians J. Farley and F. Hunter:

The spread of coinage coincided with a rapid decline in the production of unique and ornately decorated objects: the shields, weapons and torcs that were both symbols of status and power, and the canvases for earlier Celtic art. As small, mass produced objects, coins are undoubtedly less impressive than the imposing metalwork that had gone before but they offered a new kind of impact. Rapid manufacture and portability allowed powerful images, political messages, and a newly transformed stock of Celtic art to be transmitted to a wider audience than ever before.

(110)

Celtic coins were rarely used in interregional trade since, unlike say in the Roman Empire, Celtic Europe was made up of many different tribal groups and the coinage of one had no value in another except for the weight of precious metal. It is for this reason that small scales have turned up everywhere in the archaeological record, needed to assess the real value of coins which were used in trade. A consequence of the necessity for a coin to have a real value as opposed to a face value was that should any chief be tempted to debase the metal in their coinage (and some did), they would find it of little use outside their own territory.

Finally, coins were frequently buried in hoards. However, this was not always a mere ‘bank in the ground’ strategy but likely involved some sort of specific ritual and was done as a votive offering to Celtic deities. Such deposits were added to over a period of many years, sometimes several decades, and were often divided into multiple hoards in the same vicinity. The site of Hallaton in England, for example, has been excavated by archaeologists, and they discovered over 5,000 coins buried in 16 different places. Nearby were remains of ritual animal sacrifices, further pointing to a religious significance to the burial of these coins.

Continue reading...

[speechgears]

Biting is a Severe Problem: Tools to Teach Biting

Biting is a severe problem, particularly among children. Biting should be avoided by parents, teachers & it should be addressed if it occurs. 

Some children may bite to obtain sensory input. Treatment with sensory integration therapy tools can teach youngsters how to manage their sensory systems, reducing their demand for sensory-seeking behaviours.

Behaviour modification strategies are used in ABA treatment to Tools To Teach Biting teach children new behaviours and lessen undesirable behaviours. ABA techniques may be used by therapists to teach children other communication styles or to minimise the frequency of biting.

Children can be encouraged to utilise alternate behaviours instead of biting using positive reinforcement approaches. Praise, awards, or other incentives for adopting proper communication or problem-solving skills may be included.

It is critical to remember that Tools to Teach Biting should only be utilised with the supervision of a skilled therapist or healthcare practitioner. Every kid is unique, and treatment should be customised to the child's and family's specific requirements.

[oldguydoesstuff]

Bare CPU Printed Circuit Board for the Alpha NT XL366 workstation I designed back in 1995 or so. This was an obscure model of an obscure product line, made by a company (Digital Equipment Corp.) that is now itself obscure. To be honest I don't even remember much about this machine now.

What I do remember is the HUUUUGE fight I got into with our Signal Integrity team while I was designing this, over decoupling capacitors.

Decoupling caps are small components that hold a charge to help even out power when a circuit is active. This board featured hundreds of them, smaller than a grain of rice (see photo comparison of mounting pads vs rice grain below).

Our Signal Integrity team was tasked with making sure everything was electrically stable, so they required many hundreds of these to be added to the board, based on power simulations they did. Trouble was, they wanted so many, we couldn't even build the board.

My job as the Systems Engineer here was to meet the requirements from the SI team, but also from manufacturing, and the requirement that my PCB layout techs don't go insane trying to place and route the board. SI really only cared about signal quality, so they would not relent, and I ended up getting shouted at at one point by a junior SI engineer who was also under a lot of stress, when I said "There are different schools of thought on this.." and he screamed THERE ARE NOT DIFFERENT SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT ON THIS!!

It got to the point where the product was not going to get built, because we just couldn't fit like a thousand of these tiny caps on the board, we needed to ditch at least 25% of them to have a hope. The models were the models though, and you couldn't argue against them.

But then my boss got a genius idea. What if we could prove the simulation models were too conservative? We came up with an experiment where we would remove caps from an older system and measure the power supply noise, to see how many caps could be taken off before the system became unstable.

Me and the junior SI engineer were tasked with doing this experiment (later deemed The Decapitation Project), so we grabbed a Tektronix scope and Metcal soldering station and headed over to this abandoned lab we had in our old Maynard headquarters, a now creepy attic space on the 6th floor of an old mill building. Here were a few older Alphastation 3000 workstations we built years earlier, working but waiting to be recycled.

We had this special program that would thrash the CPU within an inch of its life, to put a big demand on the power supply system. While this was running, the SI engineer measured the power quality, while I proceeded to (very carefully to avoid short-circuiting the system) actually desolder caps from the board while the workstation was running.

We managed to get about 1/3 of them off before there was any noticeable effect, and we found one specific type of cap was not doing much of anything at all. We took the data back to the head of the SI team, and he finally relented and let us remove several hundred capacitors. (He also buried the report and data I had, because he didn't want the bad publicity - I remember being mad about that)

The system got built after that, and worked just fine. We did try to enact a small bit of petty revenge on the SI team manager though - there was a recognition event for people involved on the project, and me and our PCB procurement guy decided to give the SI team manager a special "Faraday Award" for achievement in capacitance (Farads are a measure of capacitance - geeky eng joke). We took an old bowling trophy with a giant, beer-can sized electrolytic capacitor strapped to the top of it as the award. He was a no-show so we didn't get to present it. Those SI guys never did have much of a sense of humor.

Anyway, long story sorry. Just thinking of it recently because I was helping someone at work with an analog simulation and I remembered this..

[projectg2redo]

Myself and the absolutely incredible Dark-Lys are thrilled to announce that the first ponies of 'Project G2 Re-Do' has been fully funded and are beginning production. YES YOU READ THAT RIGHT!!! I cannot thank Dark-Lys enough for their amazing investment which is making this pony dream a reality. They have personally funded the first production run of the project and we've been excitedly scheming behind the scenes to make this happen. HUGE THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART    They are incredible What does this mean for everyone? A first run of blank white G2 ponies are being made. I have a meeting to finalise our requirements with the factory tomorrow but they have been working from a detailed project proposal meaning that these ponies should have: - Plain white bodies made from hollow vinyl with a detachable and posable head - Mane rooting holes pre-punched for ease and a tail hole - Printed eyes matching the originals - Holes for eye gems (gems not included) - In the Sky Skimmer / Pretty Parlour Ivy style pose These ponies will be ready in approximately 4 months!!! No kickstarter required! They will be available to directly purchase - easy peasy! They are being made in the UK by a very reputable toy manufacturer, meaning the materials used will be the highest quality and certified to comply with health and safety standards worldwide. It also means that communicating with the factory to make sure everything is perfect is really easy! I'll be opening a webstore, and Dark-Lys will be an official US / North American distributor which means buying internationally will be a breeze! Additionally we will be offering wholesale orders for any pony shops interested in stocking them. My store will hopefully also include everything you need to customise your ponies including eye gems, rooting kits, hair, possibly cutie mark stamps, and a blog full of tutorials, tips and tricks to make some beautiful 90s style ponies Thank you SO MUCH everyone for your support on this project it's a dream come true. Special shoutout to Uftaki over at MLPTP for helping name the project! So exciting! I can't believe that after 20 years there'll be more G2s in the world! Any questions please feel free to ask - I could talk about this all day!!!

[wheelsgoroundincircles]

1971 Dodge Hemi Super Bee

The Ultimate Muscle Car of its Time

When it comes to legendary American muscle cars, the 1971 Dodge Hemi Super Bee stands out as an iconic symbol of power, speed, and style. Despite the challenges faced by the performance era during that time, this rare gem emerged as one of the most exceptional vehicles of its generation. In this article, we delve into the remarkable features and unique attributes that make the 1971 Dodge Hemi Super Bee a prized possession for muscle car enthusiasts.

Rarity and Authenticity

In the realm of automotive rarities, the 1971 Dodge Hemi Super Bee holds a special place. Among the limited production numbers, this particular model is one of only nine factory 4-speed Hemi Super Bees manufactured in 1971. What further adds to its allure is the fact that it was sold new through Mr. Norm’s Grand Spaulding Dodge franchise in Chicago. Documentation is key to verifying its authenticity, and this Super Bee comes with an extensive array of records, including the window sticker, invoice, retail order form, Bill of Sale, shipping document, and record envelope. This comprehensive documentation adds an extra layer of credibility to the vehicle’s rich history.

1971 Dodge Hemi Super Bee

Unparalleled Options and Performance

As one of the most highly optioned 1971 Hemi Super Bees known to exist, this Dodge masterpiece offers an array of features that elevate its status to a league of its own. Let’s explore some of the standout elements that define its exceptional performance:

Engine and Transmission

At the heart of this Super Bee lies the mighty matching-numbers 426 Hemi V-8 engine. Equipped with dual 4-barrel carburetors and hemispherical cylinder heads, this powerplant delivers raw power and exhilarating acceleration. What sets Chrysler apart from its competitors is its unwavering commitment to performance, as evidenced by the unchanged 10.25 compression, forged internals, and the adoption of a hydraulic camshaft. Paired with the A34 Super Track Pak, which includes the 18-spline Hemi A833 4-speed manual transmission and a 4.10-geared Sure-Grip Dana 60 differential, this Super Bee offers an unrivaled driving experience.

1971 Dodge Hemi Super Bee

Braking and Cooling

Safety and reliability are paramount in any high-performance vehicle, and the 1971 Dodge Hemi Super Bee doesn’t disappoint. It features power brakes with front discs, ensuring quick and efficient stopping power when needed. Additionally, the car is equipped with extreme cooling equipment, a vital component for optimal performance during intense driving conditions.

Exterior and Interior Styling

The exterior of the 1971 Dodge Hemi Super Bee is a sight to behold. Adorned in EV2 Hemi Orange with striking black striping, it exudes an aura of power and aggression. The premium optional concealed headlamps add a touch of refinement to its overall appearance. Other notable exterior elements include hood pins, color-keyed racing mirrors, and front and rear spoilers, accentuating its muscular and aerodynamic design.

1971 Dodge Hemi Super Bee

1971 Dodge Hemi Super Bee

Inside the cabin, the Super Bee offers a comfortable and stylish environment. The black vinyl bench seat interior provides a classic and timeless look, while the Hurst Pistol Grip shifter adds a touch of sportiness. The car is also equipped with a pushbutton Multi-Plex AM/FM radio, a Rallye dash cluster with a tachometer, and woodgrain-style trim, all contributing to an enhanced driving experience.

Wheels and Tires

Completing the Super Bee’s striking aesthetics are the premium Rallye wheels and Goodyear G60-15 Polyglas GT tires. These wheels not only enhance the car’s appearance but also provide excellent traction and handling capabilities, ensuring an exhilarating ride on the road.

Conclusion

In the realm of American muscle cars, the 1971 Dodge Hemi Super Bee holds a special place. Its rarity, authenticity, and exceptional performance make it a highly sought-after collector’s item. As the only year that the ‘Bee was built on the Charger platform, this Super Bee stands as a testament to Dodge’s commitment to creating top-of-the-line vehicles that capture the spirit of the muscle car era. Whether you’re a die-hard enthusiast or simply appreciate automotive excellence, the 1971 Dodge Hemi Super Bee is a masterpiece that continues to inspire and captivate generations of car enthusiasts.

[valkyrieres]

Putting notes abt Valkyrie here bc it'll be easier to find than if I put it in my notes app dnshjshshs (would revise later)

I need to make a proper drawing of her later sjdhjdhdjdhdb 😭 ok the rant continues below

In my hc, there r vehicles that r naturally born from their parents (yes they can have sex shut up) and those who r built for certain reasons or for mass production (just like cold construction in Transformers)

S-70's variants (Firehawk, Seahawk, Pavehawk, Jayhawk, etc) are part of the latter. They were built based on Blackhawks' DNAs, and built into bodies/forms that fits their manufacturing reasons(?)

Once built, the manufacturer would expect them to adjust into maturity ASAP, since unlike normal vehicles who go through the childhood phase etc, they were built for specific reasons and are expected to start working in less than a year

They'd be put through intense training etc in special facilities based on their models

Valkyrie is one of the Firehawks, built with additional equipments for firefighting+SAR (night vision equipments, heat sensors for SAR reasons, built-in water tank+extended landing gear, rescue hoist, cargo hook, water pump to get water from lakes, infrared, weather radar, etc) (these r actually included in Firehawks irl so I'm not making these up other than the heat sensors)

She spends a year of training in the facility along with other Firehawks, several Jayhawks that were going to be released to Coast Guard, and a Blackhawk that were undergoing a training to be a Navy SAR.

They had developed sibling-like relationship with each other, but they weren't aware of the term until the Blackhawk explained abt it.

These helos r completely and painfully innocent/clueless bc their life had been revolving around firefighting lol. The trainers r so strict. No fiction books/movies/etc, no communicating with the outside world, no going outta the training facility, etc

They were basically raised to be the firefighting aircrafts to be sent out in rougher situations when other aircrafts can't fly, and they've been told to not get attached to anyone, mentally nor physically, bcs getting KIA (killed in action) is common in firefighting.

The Firehawks still developed siblings bonds tho (⁠◡⁠ ⁠ω⁠ ⁠◡⁠)✨ they can only act laid-back around each other dbjsjdkdj

This causes Valkyrie to feel foreign/weird when it comes to receiving affection, but she started pampering others with love etc after the Blackhawk showed her some of his novels in secret 😋

After getting certified, Valkyrie and the others got stationed to CalFire, assisting the intense fire season around the area.

The higher-ups kinda fucked up and made several Firehawks keep on working on a huge wildfire in nighttime with close to zero visibility

Their heat sensors, night vision equipments, and GPS r basically useless in that situation so they can't locate each others' position

Valkyrie and another Firehawk accidentally crashed onto each other

Yea basically it traumatized her

The crash caused her to get anxious to fly in the dark without her night vision equipments, and she'd turn on her heat sensors 24/7, day and night, out of anxiety

She can't stand crowded places/airspaces bcs of this since the numerous heat signs would overwhelm her system, causing sensory overload

After the fire that burnt the whole Piston Peak National Park happened, the higher-ups sent her to assist the PPAA, deeming her a good choice since she'll have less sensory overloads there

Imma shorten it up and she basically developed a semi-romantic relationship with Blade, no intense stuff tho

It's the type of relationship u go through bc u feel comfy around each other? Just cuddling, sharing ur stories and past, doing stuff together, supporting each other. No sexual stuff and they barely flirt with each other bc both of them aren't used to it???

Valkyrie would do night patrols with her equipments on until 3-ish am, sleep until 5 or 6 am, and steal some naps whenever there's no fire nor work to be done (with Blade's permission)

She'd do stunts while doing water drops (sideslips, loops, etc) for fun as long as Blade didn't notice her (he actually did, but she did her job and there was no casualties so he keeps his mouth shut)

She listens to Japanese rock songs until she discovered romantic songs, and she'd sing them for Blade bcs she's bad with her own words when it comes to showing him how much she loves him 😭 (she only sings in front of Blade tho, she's too shy to do it in front of the others)

She has been having a hard time trying to not get attached to Blade bc she doesn't want either of them to get hurt if one of them dies

She'd secretly go into Blade's hangar after her night patrols for a short cuddle and quick nuzzles

Blade would do the same whenever she takes naps

(tbc)

Nicknames from Blade: Hotshot (she's good at her job but takes risks too often), Val/Valk

She's a sweetheart yet swears a lot (just like a firefighter I used to befriend irl)

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Karen Thompson for Abortion, Every Day:

Earlier this year Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry signed into law SB 276, a first-of-its-kind legislation classifying mifepristone and misoprostol as controlled dangerous substances. The drugs, commonly used to perform medication abortions, are responsible for 63% of abortions in the US. As a result of this new law, mere possession of mifepristone and misoprostol without a prescription in Louisiana can result in fines of up to $5,000 or “imprisonment of no more than five years with or without hard labor.”  We know what happens now: The outcome of this new layer of criminalization is entirely foreseeable. By putting the pills on a drug registry with special access rules, providers are no longer able to easily prescribe the pills and the ability of OB/GYNs to nimbly provide needed—and even emergency—health care if a woman is miscarrying is chilled. In Louisiana’s telling, mife and miso are the new heroin and medication abortion care puts pregnant people’s lives in jeopardy, not their own dangerous law. The lack of situational awareness around the law would be comical if the inevitable devastation of its effects wasn’t so horrifying. 

This is true even for people who are not using the drugs to end their pregnancies, but for the myriad other health issues the drugs treat—from softening the cervix for an endometrial biopsy to the insertion of IUDs. But the massive burden SB 276 places on pregnant people—particularly those seeking to self-manage their own abortions—is disastrous. By reclassifying a safe, effective, regulated drug used for a broad range of healthcare purposes into a dangerous controlled substance whose distribution and use can be entered and tracked in a state database, Louisiana, as one local health care provider noted, would “effectively be creating a database of every woman who is prescribed mifepristone and misoprostol, regardless of the reason, truly monitoring women and their pregnancies. That should be unimaginable in America.”

Such policing is not only very much imaginable in America, but has been the country’s sad truth for decades. Before the overturning of Roe v. Wade, state surveillance and criminalization of women during pregnancy and around their pregnancy outcomes—based on their alleged drug use, in particular—was the daily truth for countless women and other people who can become pregnant. A past truth is simply devolving into a dystopian present.  To be clear, classifying drugs in light of their potential harms is not a new thing. One of the most infamous classification tools, the Controlled Substances Act, has been in place since the 1970s, when President Nixon signed it into law. The CSA became the enforcing mechanism for Nixon’s “War on Drugs,” and gave both the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Food and Drug Administration power to determine which substances were fit for medical use. Such regulation can serve a useful purpose; the CSA is itself the legislative grandchild of the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906, which required food and drug manufacturers to clearly label any product that contained dangerous substances, including morphine and opium, drugs often included in everyday products from soft drinks to teething medicines. 

But SB 276 is not trying to protect babies. As John Erhlichman, one of Richard Nixon’s Watergate co-conspirators, bluntly stated in 1994: “[w]e knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be either against the [Vietnam] war or blacks, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin, and then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities. We could . . . vilify them night after night on the evening news. Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did.”  Once again, government actors are lying about drugs to criminalize women’s access to and control over their own social and bodily autonomy. Louisiana’s law unmasks in broad daylight what so many people and communities living with the consequences of bad drug policy have long known: the “war on drugs” is a political invention to construct fiscal and social power over individuals and communities, not to provide much needed public health services. 

[...] By criminalizing possession of abortion medication, the Venn diagram of overlap between the “war on drugs” and the war on reproductive freedom has, once again, become a perfect circle. The efforts to control reproduction and drugs are rooted in the same forms of bigotry: controlling women’s behavior and liberties rather than providing actionable solutions to satisfy public health needs. 

Karen Thompson writes for Abortion, Every Day the impacts of criminalization of abortion medication as the new era of the War on Drugs takes shape in the post-Roe era.