#and helen delivers 100% of the time

[annabelle--cane]

do we have any information on the approximate dates or year that TMA takes place in? I’m obsessed with timelines and I’m so curious about if those dates are Known or not or can only be guessed about

yes we do! some parts of the timeline are a little vague, but every live and "in situ" statement (with a few exceptions) has a date attached to it. I won't go through every known date, and I'm also not scrupulously checking to make sure I've copied all these numbers down correctly so there's probably an error or two in here, but some significant ones include:

s1

mag 13 - alone: the first live statement and the first hard date for the show, 13 january 2016

mag 22 - colony: martin's statement after being trapped by jane prentiss, 12 march 2016

mag 26 - a distortion: sasha's statement about meeting michael, 2 april 2016 (<- that was my fourteenth birthday :3)

mag 38 / mag 39 / mag 40: jane prentiss's attack on the institute, sasha's death, and all the debrief statements afterwards, 29 july 2016

s2

mag 41 - too deep: jon's statement about exploring the tunnels and his first supplemental tape about gertrude's murder, 2 september 2016

mag 43 - section 31: basira's statement about diego molina + the start of her giving gertrude's old tapes to jon, 19 september 2016

mag 47 - the new door: helen's statement about the hallways, we meet michael in person for the first time, 2 october 2016

mag 61 - hard shoulder: daisy's statement about seeing the coffin for the first time, 1 december 2016

mag 73 - police lights: basira's statement about rescuing callum brodie from maxwell rayner, 11 february 2017

mag 76 - the smell of blood: melanie's statement about her investigations into war ghosts, at the end she and jon have a bit of a fight about how That Is Not Sasha, 13 february 2017

mag 78 / mag 79 / mag 80: jon releases not-sasha from the table, martin and tim get trapped in the corridors, jon meets leiter, elias smashes leitner with a metal pipe, all on 16 february 2017

s3

mag 81 / mag 82: jon makes a statement at georgie's place about a guest for mr spider at the same time as daisy interviews the remaining archives staff to try and ascertain his whereabouts, 18 february 2017

mag 89 - twice as bright: statement of jude perry, ft. jon hand crispification, 24 april 2017

mag 91 / mag 92 (/ maybe mag 93?): statement of mike crew, death of mike crew, jon daisy and basira's encounter in the woods, the big elias conversation at the institute, 28 april 2017. mag 93 might also be recorded on this day, I'm not quite sure, because georgie's statement (mag 94) is 29 april, but I don't know if that's fully the next day or if jon got back really late on the 28th, recorded mag 93, and then georgie gave her statement in the wee hours of the 29th. up to interpretation and how little sleep you envision jon as having.

mag 100 - I guess you had to be there: lynne hammond's is 2 may 2017, robin lennox's is 20 may 2017, brian finlinson's is 26 may 2017, and "john smith's" statement doesn't have a date.

mag 111 - family business: gerry's posthumous statement about smirke's 14, 30 june 2017. again, trevor and julia's statement about how they met in mag 109 is dated 29 june, and I don't know if it's an either-side-of-midnight thing or a full day elapsed between them.

mag 118 - the masquerade: martin and melanie pull a fast one on elias while the rest of the gang sets up explosives in the unknowing, 6 august 2017.

mag 120 - eye contact: elias's statement about jon's coma dreams + elias's arrest, 9 august 2017.

s4

mag 121 / mag 122: oliver banks gives his statement about point nemo and jon wakes up, 15 february 2018

mag 128 - heavy goods: breekon deliver's the coffin and jon slurps a statement right out of his head, 3 march 2018

mag 132 - entombed: jon buries himself alive to rescue daisy, 24-26 march 2018

mag 141 - doomed voyage: on the boat to norway jon slurps a statement about mikaele salesa out of a shiphand's head, 11 june 2018

mag 142 - scrutiny: jess tyrell comes in to complain about jon slurping a statement out of her head and haunting her nightmares, 12 june 2018

mag 146 / mag 147: jon gets intervened on about all the brain slurping, they go to hilltop road and find annabelle's statement, 20 july 2018

mag 157 / mag 158 / mag 159: peter releases not-sasha and brings martin to the panopticon for a showdown with "elias," julia and trevor attack the institute, daisy goes monster mode, and jon follows martin into the lonely and saves him with the power of gay love and also slurping peter lukas's brain so hard he explodes badly, 25 september 2018

mag 160 - the eye opens: jon reads a normal statement and nothing bad happens, 18 october 2018.

s5

fuck if I know

[mariacallous]

A week after Hurricane Helene ripped through the southeastern United States, parts of western North Carolina devastated by the storm are still facing more than 400 road closures. “There are places we can’t get to,” a government official told a local paper. Photos that have made it out of the region show local roads entirely washed away, and others still covered in water.

That this degree of flooding could happen in this part of the country—far inland and long touted by real estate experts as a “climate haven”—demonstrates that the devastating effects of climate change can be felt anywhere and everywhere. Last week, some parts of North Carolina saw more than 2.5 feet of rain in three days. The storm and its floodwaters have killed at least 200 people nationwide, with over 100 still missing in the North Carolina mountains.

A key part of the recovery in North Carolina and elsewhere will be rebuilding the roads, both for supplies to get where they need to go and for a sense of normalcy. In general, states are responsible for building and maintaining their own roads, and the last few years have seen more and more of them grapple with the realities of climate change. “All departments of transportation are looking at more resilient infrastructure in the face of these increased weather events,” says Kevin Marshia, a former Vermont transportation official who is now the director of engineering at the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, a national organization.

Early in the North Carolina disaster response, federal agencies delivered vital food and supplies to residents via “air bridges”—airlifts—and even mules. The Army Corps of Engineers has deployed experts to the region to help with debris removal, water management, and road and bridge inspections. Florida—arguably the national leader in protecting assets from floodwaters—says it has contributed infrastructure damage-assessment teams and temporary bridge materials, which likely include lower-weight steel structures that can be erected without too many tools.

Generally, officials try to get transport back up and running on damaged roads through temporary fixes, including restricting traffic to lanes that can safely handle any vehicles. In the short term, engineers might, for example, replace a washed-away 4-foot culvert (a drain pipe under a road) with whatever size they have premade and close by, knowing they’ll eventually have to go back and install a much deeper, 20-foot version, says Marshia.

The New 50-Year Flood

Longer-term fixes to prepare infrastructure for climate change start with data. Traditionally, engineers use a specific historical flood as a design reference point, says Steve Muench, a civil and environmental engineering professor at the University of Washington who studies transportation infrastructure. A 50-year storm is the sort that can be expected every 50 years; a 100-year storm is a much more intense one that can be expected, yes, every century.

But engineers now realize that more intense weather patterns mean they can’t design simply based on historical records. For every project, transportation engineers need to figure out “how to shift their design procedures from using historical records to ones with better climate prediction,” Muench says.

These more “armored” road projects do typically cost more. But more public officials—though not all public officials—have realized that hardening their roads against intensifying weather will save money in the long run.

Typically, Muench says, the solution isn’t something too complicated: Just build infrastructure higher. But engineers can’t build roads and bridges to survive every disaster, which would lead to expensive, overbuilt projects that would “take generations to finish,” says Muench.

‘Rice Krispie’ Roads

When engineers are rebuilding roads from scratch, they have also started to use different materials to account for the possibility of lots of water arriving really quickly. In the past decade, road builders have increasingly installed more permeable, “spongy” roads.

Pervious concrete, unlike regular concrete, usually excludes sand from the typical “gravel, sand, cement, water” recipe. It also has a lower water-to-cement ratio, which creates a thick paste before it dries. “It’s like caramel popcorn, or a Rice Krispie bar,” says Nara Almeida, who studies the material as an assistant teaching professor in the civil engineering program at the University of Washington Tacoma.

On normal concrete roads, water pools and collects, with the stagnant water eventually damaging its various layers, and especially critical underlying ones, which bear vehicles’ heavy loads. But the increased porosity of pervious concrete allows water to flow through the material more easily, so it can reach and be absorbed into the ground—a nice feature for roads subject to lots of wetness.

Pervious concrete does have its downsides. It’s weaker than normal concrete, which means it’s a better fit for sidewalks, parking lots, and low-traffic streets than interstates that expect a lot of heavy trucks. (Research into reinforcing the material with steel, natural, glass, and synthetic fibers is ongoing.) Its porosity means it’s not a great fit for cold climates, where water can seep in, freeze, and break down the material inside. The concrete also needs regular pressure washing or vacuuming, to “unclog” it from the sort of material often found on the roadway—dust, leaves. Because states sometimes have to switch vendors and processes to use the newer material, the projects might cost them more. But some places have put the material on the shoulders of interstates, says Almeida, which are much less likely to get regular tire poundings.

Ultimately, though, there’s not a lot that can be done when a huge volume of water quickly flows across a roadway or the base of a bridge, which engineers call “scour.” “We’ve all played in the backyard with water and hoses—it’s very damaging,” says Muench, the engineering professor. Part of climate resilience is planning ahead—and staging the quick-fix materials nearby—so communities can rebuild quickly.

[darkmaga-returns]

Wednesday March 19, 2025 Truth Bomb

Karen Bracken

TAKE ACTION: SUPPORT PRESIDENT TRUMP’S “AMERICA FIRST INVESTMENT POLICY” - this policy of Trump’s is very important. Please take the time to read and process the request to take action - TAKE ACTION

I will reserve my own personal comments about this video with Elon Must but here is the description of the interview: When Australia faced a massive energy crisis, Musk didn’t just talk—he took action. In 2017, he bet the world that Tesla could build the largest lithium-ion battery in history within 100 days—or it would be free. Many doubted him. But he delivered. During a 60 Minutes interview, Musk got emotional hearing how high electricity costs were forcing Australians to choose between power and food. Instead of brushing it off, he made a promise: to work harder. This moment captures what sets Musk apart—he doesn’t just chase profits, he solves real-world problems. His relentless work ethic, bold risks, and deep sense of responsibility turned an ambitious idea into a game-changing reality.

I ask that you read the comments from viewers and don’t forget how he stepped in to help the victims of hurricane Helene when there was no communication. 1 min. VIDEO

Why the Department of Education Must Be Abolished by Dr. Carole Haynes - I agree with Dr. Haynes conclusion that actually shutting down the US Dept. of Education has a slim chance of happening during Trump’s administration. The best way to do it is for every state to pull out. But that won’t happen either because state governments hold their citizens in slavery to the federal funding and they truly do not care if our kids graduate high school not knowing how to read, write or do math. All that matters is to keep the federal funds flowing. Truth be known most of the funding for education comes from state taxes and if we were to get out from under the federal Dept. of Education and got back to the system that once made us a beacon for education we would find a huge savings by not adhering to all the garbage that comes out of DC. - ARTICLE

These two are related:

CHD.TV Exclusive: Parents of Child Who Died During Texas Measles Outbreak Speak Out - it is very obvious to me this child was not given the proper medical treatment. Was it punishment to the parents because they do not believe in vaccines for their children? Why would they put a child on a vent when she had pneumonia in one lung without trying breathing treatments and the normal protocols for pneumonia? I believe this story is going to get really big and it should - ARTICLE/VIDEO (18 min.)

Texas Health Officials Reject Doctor’s Plea to Recommend Measles Treatment - I hope you see what is going on here. A child gets the measles and all they do is say the child should have had the measles shot and then deny care??? Its you damn well will take your vaccines or when you get sick we are going to just let you die. ARTICLE

Chief Justice John Roberts by Lex Greene - ARTICLE

[confoundepangolin]

What the fuck. I'm sorry, I don't understand why I never give myself time to process before getting in here and writing out posts, but Nikola? A plastic manikin from a seemingly random mall who stole a voicebox somehow just to talk? That's such an odd season protagonist, not that it's bad, it just leaves so many questions, like how she has sentenence, how she can even move her plastic limbs, if she's a soul trapped in s manikin or just genuinely alive. I think it's a sign of what to come, that fact she's a literal manikin is, I think, not do subtle symbolism that she working for something much more dangerous. And Mike or The Spiral, and Gertrude... was she that desperate? How did she figure out where to find the secret spiral of entities, how did she map the endless hallways to have an end? You can't exactly use trial and error, and she succeeded! She bound a primordial figure, something with the power to kill her and everyone around her, to an archival assistant that was eventually killed, and I hope The Spiral as well, though I doubt it can be killed. Breekon on Hope is proven to ship much more, quite a lot actually, and have connections to Nikola Orsinav's dad, I assume, the ringmaster. I actually think that the manikin is being possessed, since I don't get how having a plastic child would work. I think that, when the whole crew had to get off The Arctic while it disappeared, that it was going to the secret, hidden place where the patrons swirled... for some reason, I don't know what. I also think that one of the secret, hidden places that they got flung off to might be the staircase in the coffin, especially since Breekon and Hope delivered it. So, Helen Richardson, the one who vanished into the hallways, what is she now? She's not the sitter, she's not Helen, but she helps. She rescues Jon from death by Spiral or Circus, I assume she's truthful at least. Gertrude somehow stole a vital skin that would be worn by Nikola at the ritual, but that means the manikin is very important... maybe she's more powerful than I thought? She knows where Georgie lives, and I think Georgie will be bound to the Magnus Institute as well. That weird, loud, screeching sound, I think it means Nikola, or the Circus, or even the Stranger, because it appears when Nikola is there, and never anywhere else (I think) and it's not even the finale. I should've known that something big was coming after episode 100, completely full of random people giving (most likely) fake statements, but I didn't expect this! And why did Nikola think Jon is Elias? Can she not distinguish between two avatars of the Eye? An I just confused? I checked the credits, and Elias isn't even in this episode. I assume this is the same circus from Gertrude's tape, the one that makes weird amalgamations of human parts like messed up legos, in that case I think everyone is fucked completely. Maybe with those cool new eye powers Jon can persuasive essay the Stranger to death, ohhhh if this is only halfway through then the season finale is going to be fucking crazy... and there's two more after that.. aaaaaaaah noooo

[elliepassmore]

Even Though I Knew the End review

4/5 stars Recommended if you like: historical fantasy, urban fantasy, murder mystery, noir, queer reads

I definitely did not read the dust jacket thoroughly before buying this book, but at least I liked it! I don't really do the whole 'sold you soul' thing, I did my time watching Supernatural, but this actually was an interesting, and funny, take on that plot.

What I initially bought the book for was the promise of a SFF noir book, and this 100% delivers on that. It's set in 1940s Chicago and comes with the accent and behaviors you would expect from that. To be honest, the language kind of took me out of it a little even though I know it's accurate to how some people talked at the time, it's just not really my speed. That being said, I did enjoy the historical nature of it and getting to see the different aspects of an older Chicago.

The worldbuilding was interesting as well. We start off with a detective who does auguring and spells, and then slowly over the course of the story we learn more about the kinds of magic that exist and the different varieties of it. From the sound of it, a lot of people have small magics that are just a normal occurrence, like Edith sometimes picking up people's thoughts. Then there are different orders that train more magically inclined people into their service...though what that service is I'm unsure.

Helen sold her soul ten years ago to save her brother's life, now at the brink of that time running out, she's given a chance to save herself and life the life she's always dreamed...but only if she takes a dangerous case. A noir detective through and through, she uses her instincts and skills to track down the murderer, all while piecing together a potential motive. She's got a big heart and is willing to sacrifice to save those she loves (see: the soul bargain she took), but she's also willing to do the right thing when it comes down to it.

I liked Helen's girlfriend, Edith, as well. She's got a religiosity that seems like it would be at odds with Helen, but the two of them work well together. I liked that Edith helps Helen with her photography sometimes, and the two of them have a lovely relationship. Helen's brother, Ted, also comes into the story. I have to say, it's hard to get a read on him, but the love between him and and Helen is clearly still there. I'm glad they were able to talk to each other clearly.

The ending was interesting as well. You know how it ends...but also you don't.

Overall I enjoyed this book and found it to be a quick, fun read. Some of it was predictable, but considering the length of the book that isn't really a big deal.

[oww666]

Lowe's and Builders Quickly Construct 100 Tiny Homes for Helene Survivor...

a company doing something ..last time I posted this they had delivered 7 built by volunteers now looks like they have contracted the job out to pros who are building 100 

[comedicallyterriblemasky]

hi, could i request BEN, eyeless jack, and bloody painter with a S/O that a twitch streamer

Characters: BEN Drowned, Eyeless Jack, Helen Otis (Bloody painter)

S/O?: Yes

S/O type: Gender neutral

CW: None

Tags: SFW

A/N: Anon I hope I delivered

Headcanons below!

BEN Drowned:

Hacks, walks in, pops through the computer during the stream

Supportive, words of positivity

Does not care whatever you do on stream, quote "You do you boo!! Get that bag ❤❤" (I cringed at my own words)

Might randomly spam the chat for funsies

-------

Eyeless Jack:

Accidentally will wander into the room when the stream is happening

Tries not to like, eat organs and stuff if he hears the stream (Due to him being blind he can't actively see when it's happening so he has to listen) Or he might just not care and will eat them right then and there

Supportive, doesn't understand it though like wym there's a service where people can watch you live???

Tries his best to not judge (Judgy ass mf)

------------

Bloody Painter:

Stays tf away from the setup 100% of the time

So very camera shy, stays away at all costs, even when there's no stream

Mainly draws in the next room over

Supportive but doesn't want to be associated with the streams (No bringing up this man at all)

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Paul Blumenthal at HuffPost:

Hurricane Helene left a path of destruction as it moved across a string of Southern U.S. states last week, with an untold amount of property damage and at least 100 people dead. The vast devastation caused by the storm has left many without food and water, or cut off from medical care. Among the logistics issues imposed by the hurricane is one that may not seem immediate, but carries significant consequences: the new struggle for election officials to ensure affected voters can cast their ballots in the Nov. 5 election.

Election officials had already stated concerns about the delivery of mail ballots by the Postal Service in a letter made public on Sept. 11. That letter noted that the Postal Service’s consistent failure to deliver mail on time and the non-standardized use of postmarks across the country could lead to the rejection of properly cast mail ballots in November. “Over the course of the last year, election officials across the country have raised serious questions about processing facility operations, lost or delayed election mail, and front-line training deficiencies impacting USPS’s ability to deliver election mail in a timely and accurate manner,” the letter from the National Association of State Election Directors, the National Association of Secretaries of State and 29 local election official associations said. Those issues are now compounded by Helene’s destruction as thousands may be displaced for an extended period of time, polling locations may be damaged or unreachable, and mail delivery to affected areas is suspended. Adding to the complications is the fact much of the damage is in battleground states like North Carolina, where relatively small numbers of voters could have an outsize impact on election results.

Hurricane Helene’s leaving of a wide swath of destruction could have a massive impact on voting, especially in the key states of Georgia and North Carolina.

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this New York Times story:

California draws more electricity from the sun than any other state. It also has a timing problem: Solar power is plentiful during the day but disappears by evening, just as people get home from work and electricity demand spikes. To fill the gap, power companies typically burn more fossil fuels like natural gas.

That’s now changing. Since 2020, California has installed more giant batteries than anywhere in the world apart from China. They can soak up excess solar power during the day and store it for use when it gets dark.

Those batteries play a pivotal role in California’s electric grid, partially replacing fossil fuels in the evening. Between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. on April 30, for example, batteries supplied more than one-fifth of California’s electricity and, for a few minutes, pumped out 7,046 megawatts of electricity, akin to the output from seven large nuclear reactors.

Across the country, power companies are increasingly using giant batteries the size of shipping containers to address renewable energy’s biggest weakness: the fact that the wind and sun aren’t always available.

“What’s happening in California is a glimpse of what could happen to other grids in the future,” said Helen Kou, head of U.S. power analysis at BloombergNEF, a research firm. “Batteries are quickly moving from these niche applications to shifting large amounts of renewable energy toward peak demand periods.”

Over the past three years, battery storage capacity on the nation’s grids has grown tenfold, to 16,000 megawatts. This year, it is expected to nearly double again, with the biggest growth in Texas, California and Arizona.

Most grid batteries use lithium-ion technology, similar to batteries in smartphones or electric cars. As the electric vehicle industry has expanded over the past decade, battery costs have fallen by 80 percent, making them competitive for large-scale power storage. Government mandates and subsidies have also spurred growth.

As batteries have proliferated, power companies are using them in novel ways, such as handling big swings in electricity generation from solar and wind farms, reducing congestion on transmission lines and helping to prevent blackouts during scorching heat waves.

In California, which has set ambitious goals for fighting climate change, policymakers hope grid batteries can help the state get 100 percent of its electricity from carbon-free sources by 2045. While the state remains heavily dependent on natural gas, a significant contributor to global warming, batteries are starting to eat into the market for fossil fuels. State regulators plan to nearly triple battery capacity by 2035.

[justforbooks]

Alfred Nobel stipulated that his annual prizes be awarded to those who “have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind”. Few scientific advances have had a greater impact on our lives than that made by the American materials chemist John Goodenough, a chemistry Nobel laureate in 2019 for his role in inventing the rechargeable lithium battery.

If you are reading this on a handheld device, it will almost certainly have a lithium battery inside. These power packs have been instrumental to the advent of electric cars, and their ability to store power such as that generated by ephemeral renewable sources could aid the transition away from a fossil-fuel energy economy.

For year after year Goodenough, who has died aged 100, featured in the list of Nobel predictions. Only his remarkable longevity saved the Swedish committee from an embarrassing injustice – he is the oldest person to have been awarded a Nobel. He seemed phlegmatic about being repeatedly overlooked, even though he did not enjoy any financial reward for his breakthrough either: in the 1980s he was not encouraged to take out a patent on the battery breakthrough he made at Oxford University. He was glad enough still to be able to do research, which he sustained almost until the very end of his life.

He left Oxford in 1986 for the University of Texas at Austin to escape compulsory retirement at 65, convinced – rightly – that he had a lot more still to offer. “Why would anyone retire and simply wait to die?” he asked. His vitality and enjoyment in the lab well into his 90s, punctuated by his loud and high-pitched laugh, was a constant cause of amazement.

One would hardly have guessed from that demeanour how unhappy his childhood had been, as the second of three children of extremely distant parents in what he called “a disaster” of a marriage. He was born in the city of Jena, Germany, to Helen (nee Lewis) and Erwin Goodenough.

They were both Americans who were living in Oxford – Erwin was studying for a DPhil at the university and, according to his son, “enjoyed the culture of the Weimar Republic; he spent much of his long summer vacations in Germany as well as in Rome”.

John was taken as a baby to the US, where his father became a professor of religious history at Yale University. John grew up mostly in a boarding school in Massachusetts, from where, despite being an undiagnosed dyslexic, he won a place to study mathematics at Yale. After wartime military service as a meteorologist, he gained a doctorate in physics at the University of Chicago and in 1952 began research on magnetic materials for information storage at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

That work qualified him to switch to inorganic materials chemistry when in 1976 he moved to Oxford. At that time, interest was growing in electric vehicles, which were being held back by the lack of suitable batteries.

The potential benefits of electric cars as quieter and less polluting than those using the petrol-fired internal combustion engine had been recognised since their inception. But the lead-acid batteries used as starter batteries and the power source for vehicle electronics were utterly unequal to the task of supplying the motive power: they were too heavy and offered too little power.

The dream of battery-powered cars was resurrected in the 60s, but it was only a decade later, with the Opec oil crisis in full swing, that the industry took them seriously.

The key was to find the right materials for the battery electrodes. Lithium metal looked attractive because it is lightweight and capable of delivering high voltages. The idea was that lithium at the positive electrode would provide electrically charged ions that travel to the negative electrode, where they could be trapped between the layers of atoms in materials called intercalators.

The British chemist Stanley Whittingham, one of Goodenough’s co-laureates, working at the Exxon laboratories in New Jersey, found a suitable intercalator called titanium disulfide in 1976. Four years later, Goodenough in Oxford identified the material – a form of cobalt oxide – that became the industry standard, offering a higher voltage and greater power density.

Early lithium batteries had a tendency to catch fire because of the high chemical reactivity of pure lithium. But the third 2019 laureate, the Japanese researcher Akira Yoshino, of the Asahi Kasei Corporation in Tokyo, replaced lithium electrodes with graphite-like carbon made from petroleum coke, which also intercalates lithium so that the ions merely shuttle back and forth between the two sets of layers, making them easily rechargeable.

The lithium-ion battery was commercialised in 1991 by the Sony Corporation, and now commands an estimated $92bn market. Without it there could have been none of today’s handheld electronics – laptops, smartphones, tablets. Elon Musk’s Tesla electric cars depend on them.

There is still room for improvement and Goodenough never stopped seeking it. In the past decade he was working, among other things, on making batteries that operate at low temperatures, suitable for powering cars in the winter.

He was also seeking a new, safer way to reinstate pure lithium electrodes, which could give lithium batteries more energy capacity. At the same time, he expressed concerns about the international tensions that might arise over the limited global supplies of lithium.

Goodenough maintained a strong Christian belief throughout his life, seeing no conflict with his scientific work. “The scientist is trying to do something for society and for his fellow man,” he said. “In that sense why should there be a conflict?” During his 90s he cared for his wife, Irene (nee Wiseman), who had Alzheimer’s disease. They had married in 1951; she died in 2016.

“I’d like to get all the gas emissions off the highways of the world”, Goodenough said in 2018. “I’m hoping to see it before I die.” It was always an ambitious aspiration, even for someone with his staying power. But if it happens one day, Goodenough will have played a central part in that.

🔔 John Bannister Goodenough, materials scientist, born 25 July 1922; died 25 June 2023

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at http://justforbooks.tumblr.com

[bakerstreetbabble]

Granada TV Series Review: "The Speckled Band" (S01, E06)

"The Adventure of the Speckled Band" seems to be a favorite with many readers, despite its many obvious plot holes (snakes don't drink milk or climb ropes, for example). Holmes's cool head in the face of the belligerent Grimesby Roylott's threats and the middle-of-the-night stakeout waiting for "the speckled band" to arrive are fairly dramatic and entertaining scenes, and the gothic horror of Mr. Roylott's messy end is rather gripping.

The Granada adaptation is quite well done, and it adheres very closely to the outline of its source material. There are a few changes that the viewer will notice in comparison to the original story. A few examples:

The sisters are no longer twins. Julia is 5 years older than Helen.

The cheetah on the grounds of Grimesby Roylott's estate has been replaced by a leopard.

Holmes wears the "traditional" deerstalker cap, rather than the bowler shown in Mr. Paget's illustrations. (To be fair, there is no indication in the text as to Holmes's choice of headwear.)

Other than those (very minor) changes, the episode proceeds in much the same way as the Doyle narrative.

As I mentioned above, the nasty confrontation with Mr. Roylott at the Baker Street flat is one of the more enjoyable scenes in the original story, and the adaptation in the TV episode does not disappoint! The little twitchy half-grins that Jeremy Brett flashes, as the angry Grimesby delivers his monologue, are absolutely priceless. Brett's gleeful laugh in the face of the verbal onslaught is the cherry on top of the sundae. And, of course, the lovely moment when Holmes bends the poker back into shape is delightful as well.

“Ha! You put me off, do you?” said our new visitor, taking a step forward and shaking his hunting-crop. “I know you, you scoundrel! I have heard of you before. You are Holmes, the meddler.” My friend smiled. “Holmes, the busybody!” His smile broadened. “Holmes, the Scotland Yard Jack-in-office!” Holmes chuckled heartily. “Your conversation is most entertaining,” said he. “When you go out close the door, for there is a decided draught.”

Just a bit later in the episode, when Holmes and Watson meet up with Helen Stoner again, the writers add a funny little moment in which Watson, clearly still very impressed with his friend's handling of Mr. Roylott's bullying manners, tells Miss Stoner that "Holmes sent him off with a flea in his ear!" I'm not 100% sure what that phrase actually means, but it made me chuckle. David Burke's excellent portrayal of the faithful sidekick never ceases to impress me.

​Before Holmes and Watson encounter the deadly snake face-to-face, there is an intense monologue from Jeremy Brett that is very effective in setting up the scene to come, as he meditates aloud on the dangerous nature of the evil Grimesby Roylott, a doctor gone wrong. The monologue is very nearly word-for-word from Doyle's orginal:

When a doctor does go wrong he is the first of criminals. He has nerve and he has knowledge. Palmer and Pritchard were among the heads of their profession. This man strikes even deeper...

My only real quibble with this particular adaptation is the scene that comes after Mr. Roylott meets his demise. After the horror of the snake, Holmes's brief explanation of how he put together the last few details seems just a bit anti-climactic. His somewhat emotionless statement that the death of Grimesby Roylott does not weigh heavily on his conscience, followed by the whistle of the train, is a bit too abrupt an ending for the episode.  Overall, though, I found the episode a very engaging one, and quite a bit more interesting than the previous episode, "The Naval Treaty." A faithful adaptation and well worth my time.

[ear-worthy]

The Late Discovered Club Podcast: Building A Community Of People Diagnosed Later in Life With Autism

Most podcasts are an audio experience to be enjoyed as a personal experience between the listeners and the podcaster (s) in their ears.

Then there are those rare and unique podcasts that are more than a sonic experience. In this case, the podcast is one component of a larger community. Often, the podcast is the unifying concept behind the community. The Late Discovered Club is a social impact community and podcast, on a mission to give a voice to Late Discovered Autistic women and people, provide access to tailored post discovery support, and to help create safer, more autistic inclusive spaces, places and faces.

The podcast brings you real and empowering stories of late discovered autistic women and people from all walks of life - through an intersectional lens - helping to deconstruct stereotypes, and giving the next generation visibility.

The show is hosted by autistic psychotherapist and author Catherine Asta and edited by her daughter, Caty Ava. In Season four, which began in January 2025, Catherine was joined by author Pete Wharmby as a guest co-host.

The podcast is not a niche show. Consider these facts. The podcast has an ever-growing global community currently in over 125 countries, with 150K downloads and was ranked the number one podcast for 'Female Autism' in the world by FeedSpot in 2023/24. The podcast has listeners in over 125 countries. The podcast and organization boasts Over 100 Community Partners and Members supporting their work.

The organization also delivers a free monthly community connection circle online for their members across the world to come together each month and feel a sense of belonging. Indeed, they have developed our own online community space where our members can connect.

What is unique about this podcast and organization is that they have a plan. In fact, it's an "ambitious ten-year plan" to be a global movement that is making evidenced social impact, and changing the narrative and lived experience of autistic women and marginalized groups.

The podcast began in December 2022 and just started its fourth season in January 2025. The podcast deftly handles its episode structure. First, it breaks up its episodes into seasons, with a short break of only a month or two between seasons. That break enables the podcast to release a trailer for the next season, generating renewed enthusiasm for the show and providing loyal and new listeners with a summary of what’s coming up. One of my favorite episodes was the first episode of season four with Nigerian born and Yorkshire bred, Dr Helen Lawal, who is a Black African-White British, Medical Doctor, Nutritionist, Coach, TV Presenter and "Mum of 2." 

Following her own late discovery as Autistic-ADHD, Dr. Lawal is now devoted to using all her expertise and experience to support other ADHD and Autistic people navigate their own health and nutrition challenges. Most recently she joined The National Autism Training Programme as a trainer and this is the first time she has openly identified as being autistic.

Dr. Asta is an excellent interviewer, just as you would expect a psychotherapist to be. The podcast produces excellent sound quality, and smartly, the show re-introduces itself and its goals at the beginning of every episode, which is always a successful strategy.

Creator / host Dr. Catherine Asta graduated with a degree in psychology and sociology and then had a 12+ year career in Local Government Policy and Research,  leading on National Strategy in the NHS. 

In her online bio, Dr. Asta says: "It's fair to say that I've experienced quite a lot in my 40+ years. I’m a late discovered multiply neurodivergent woman (autistic, dyspraxic, and ADHD) who has experienced life, loss, trauma, and adversity."

Dr. Asta continues: "I'm a 2x times breast cancer survivor, too. I was diagnosed with an aggressive type of cancer in July 2023 and again in the summer of 2024. I’ve gone through months of chemotherapy (losing my hair in the process), surgery, radiotherapy and targeted treatment. I completed my treatment in November 2024 and placed my colorful flag at the top of my breast cancer mountain, just as my first book is about to be published in February 2025."

Dr. Asta notes: "I’ve been a young single parent, and I've also been a parent navigating life with a blended family life. I embarked on motherhood all over again so have children across the age spectrum from seven years old to 23 years old, and I'm navigating new chapters in my life as a 40-something woman."

In 2014, she made the decision to change careers and studied alongside working full-time to qualify as a psychotherapist.

I recommend this show for several obvious reasons. First, it's well done technically, strategically, and is narratively compelling. Second, the podcast takes on a subject not discussed enough and is often shrouded in conspiracy theories, misinformation or ignorance. Third, the show grapples with a particularly heart-breaking subset of the autistic community. Those who were diagnosed "late," typically in adulthood.

Consider this the Lost Generation: Growing Up With Autism Before The "Epidemic."

  People who suffered from their autism being unrecognized, where they were sometimes regarded as willfully nonconformist, disruptive, or emotionally unstable. Some managed to earn stellar grades, while others muddled along academically, sometimes in special education classes, sometimes not. By contrast, in today's world, children would receive their diagnosis much earlier, many times at pre-school age.

Check out The Late Discovered Club. The podcast provides a public service, builds a community of people with similar conditions, and shines light where there was previously only darkness.

[trumpexecorders]

[quote from here]

"President Donald Trump’s second term is off to an historic start.   The President is wasting no time delivering on the promises he made to the American people. The President signed more executive orders on his first day in office than any other president in history.   Within the first 100 hours of his second administration, President Trump taken hundreds of executive actions to secure the border, deport criminal illegal immigrants, unleash American prosperity, lower costs, increase government transparency, and reinstitute merit-based hiring in the federal government.   The President has already secured over $1 trillion in historic new investments.   We’re witnessing the Trump Effect"

tags list

#abortion

#aid (such as to the LA wildfires and Hurricane Helene victims)

#citizenship

#covid

#declassification

#dei

#economy

#education

#healthcare

#immigration

#military (also includes national security and designation of terrorists/enemies)

#native american

#nominations

#palestineisrael

#pardon

#queer

#race

#tech (as in "technology", not the university)

#trans

[writer59january13]

Look no further than the nose on your face...

for Mutualism among Homo sapiens long thought to be a pipe dream case in point sited by a couple of recent purportedly natural events possibly exacerbated courtesy global warming namely present conflagrations include veritable towering inferno - (sharing merest premise with Hollywood film by the same name, the highest-grossing Classic 1970s disaster movie about a fire that breaks out in a state-of-the-art San Francisco high-rise building during the opening ceremony attended by a host of A-list guests: An overworked fire chief (charging full force like Minnesota Vikings - or feel free to substitute your own football team) and the building's architect must cooperate in the struggle to save lives and subdue panic while a corrupt, cost-cutting contractor tries to evade responsibility for the disaster helped establish the modern blockbuster) dwarfed by devastating southern California, or the impacts from Hurricanes Helene and Milton both particularly destructive, causing more than $100 billion in combined damage across Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia over a two-week period from late-September into early October), where trials by fire and water respectively witnessed linkedin collective effort that spread kudzu like attempted delivering relief, no matter Federal disaster workers paused and then changed some of their hurricane-recovery efforts in North Carolina, including abandoning door-to-door visits, after receiving threats that they could be targeted by a militia, officials said, as the government response to Helene targeted by runaway disinformation. Impossible mission to duplicate or even barely approximate wrenching cataclysms wrought by mother nature, no matter death defying scenes movies present quite realistic, especially seen on the big screen incorporating surround sound, where more or less clear cut protagonists and antagonists confront each other, whereby the former (more times that not in that make believe world) where actors and actresses present convincing drama) and win the day quite unlike reality, when havoc ferociously strikes indiscriminately rich or poor alike.

I always marvel at the surge of voluntary brother and sisterhood (personhood generally) that encompasses (or follows) a figurative groundswell, (particularly when the phenomenon in question constitutes a natural event say aftermath of meteorological storm in question, namely a tsunami) pitting dearth of humanitarian intervention, where terrorist act and violent crimes grist for the tabloid or social media mill give the impression that Homo sapiens' pith and marrow chock full of animalistic, atavistic, cannibalistic, fascistic, hedonistic,

misogynistic, et cetera predilections, thus believing challenging the bedrock belief in inherent goodness of man/woman kind as the exception rather than the rule

and proving the potential exists, whereby idealistic opportunistic government (of the people by the people for the people shall not perish from the earth” spoken at Gettysburg), but these words apply as well to the countless soldiers that died for the cause of democracy in the following 160 years, yet not just highlighting slain combatants also extending by proxy to vicious acts of homicide, physical sexual abuse, plus verbal castigation as experienced by the writer of these words (ofttimes in his younger days deemed, hashtagged, peppered, targeted, et cetera as ideal scapegoat) pummeled courtesy nasty, short and brutish louts, who heaved, lobbed, threatened, et cetera me with expletive laced brickbats, where bullies evinced sympathy for the devil.

[wolfnowl]

Lowe’s Donates 100 Tiny Homes to Carolina Families Waiting For Rebuilt Housing After Hurricane Flooding

👏

[how2fit]

Every day, everywhere, seemingly ordinary people do extraordinary things for others, just out of the kindness of their hearts. These are the ones who prove how much value there is in showing up for others and doing what is right and good. So, each week, we celebrate the everyday heroes among us who make us believe in the power of kindness. We can all be heroes: in our virtues, in our homes, in our lives. - James Ellis Let’s look at this week’s uplifting stories: A son surprises his mom by paying her mortgage A non-profit is dedicated to improving the lives of street dogs A woman is working to reunite lost photos with owners Children with disabilities receive water safety education   Positively Uplifting Stories | December 9 2024 A son expresses his deep gratitude to his mom in a special way. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-x--x2KBsKs[/embed][embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-x--x2KBsKs[/embed] To honor his mom Tracy Gathers-Williams, who he considers his biggest supporter, André Williams paid off her mortgage! André carefully carried out the plan to get the mortgage statement from his mother and secretly pay off Tracy's mortgage. Despite challenges in his own life, he persevered and gave his mom the best surprise ever. The video reflects the emotional moment and the profound sense of relief on Tracy’s face when André revealed the big news. “Mom has always been an extremely hard worker. Two jobs, three jobs. It was just a lot of relief for her to just be free, I guess, in a sense of not having that burden anymore. That's what she expressed to me on the phone and just being very thankful and expressing her gratitude,” said André.   Non-profit celebrates a loving dog’s life. Niall Harbison devotes his time to saving dogs in need. His nonprofit Happy Doggo has helped improve the lives of thousands of street dogs in Thailand. It supports life-saving sterilization, feeding, and medical treatment for street dogs.   Unfortunately, despite his best efforts, little pup Capri passed away. Niall made sure she spent her last moments surrounded by love. To celebrate Capri’s life, Niall and his friend delivered treats to nearly 100 dogs. The act of kindness served as a reminder that even in the midst of sorrow and pain, there are still moments of joy. “I find the only way you can stay doing what we do is to find the positives. To look at all the people who tried to help. The messages of support,” said Niall.   A woman creates a virtual lost-and-found to reunite lost photos with their owners. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNrKM14OM1M[/embed][embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNrKM14OM1M[/embed] Hurricane Helene has left a trail of devastation across the Southeast U.S. While helping her friend find her belongings in the debris of her house, Taylor Schenker found several family photos that got lost in the storm. She realized that she wanted to reunite these snapshots of irreplaceable memories and important milestones with the families who own them. So, she created an Instagram page to help people find these pictures. Taylor has about 200 family photos in her possession that she wishes to return to their rightful owners. "Being able to have that moment where you hand something so special to somebody and then also just give them a hug – because they've lost likely their entire home in this situation – it's such a privilege to have an insight into this moment in their lives through these photographs and be able to," said Taylor.   This program provides adapted swimming lessons to children with disabilities. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFzFMZL1V_0[/embed][embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFzFMZL1V_0[/embed] A program in Western Sydney, Australia is helping children with disabilities practice swimming. Children with a disability are at a higher risk of drowning, and that’s why it’s important to provide them with the right support and learning environment. This program includes small group lessons with an instructor trained to teach people with disabilities.

Children who tend to feel overwhelmed in noisy crowded aquatic centers are able to take part in safe and enjoyable aquatic activities under close supervision. “All children are attracted to water. We need to ensure that our most vulnerable children who may not be able to communicate at the same level as children without a disability, know those basic skills,” said Louise Smalley, Royal Life Saving NSW Health Promotions Manager.     Have a Great Week Everyone! And there you have it! Another week of positive news to put in your pocket.  As always, if you have a story of your own to share, or want to point us toward someone amazing we should feature, please reach out in the comments below, or DM us on our Instagram page.  Have a great week ahead everyone! Photo by Yulianto Poitier