#blue shuttle produce

[nasa]

25 Years of Exploring the Universe with NASA's Chandra Xray Observatory

Illustration of the Chandra telescope in orbit around Earth. Credit: NASA/CXC & J. Vaughan

On July 23, 1999, the space shuttle Columbia launched into orbit carrying NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. August 26 marked 25 years since Chandra released its first images.

These were the first of more than 25,000 observations Chandra has taken. This year, as NASA celebrates the 25th anniversary of this telescope and the incredible data it has provided, we’re taking a peek at some of its most memorable moments.

About the Spacecraft

The Chandra telescope system uses four specialized mirrors to observe X-ray emissions across the universe. X-rays that strike a “regular” mirror head on will be absorbed, so Chandra’s mirrors are shaped like barrels and precisely constructed. The rest of the spacecraft system provides the support structure and environment necessary for the telescope and the science instruments to work as an observatory. To provide motion to the observatory, Chandra has two different sets of thrusters. To control the temperatures of critical components, Chandra's thermal control system consists of a cooling radiator, insulators, heaters, and thermostats. Chandra's electrical power comes from its solar arrays.

Learn more about the spacecraft's components that were developed and tested at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Fun fact: If the state of Colorado were as smooth as the surface of the Chandra X-ray Observatory mirrors, Pike's Peak would be less than an inch tall.

Engineers in the X-ray Calibration Facility at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, integrating the Chandra X-ray Observatory’s High-Resolution Camera with the mirror assembly, in this photo taken March 16, 1997. Credit: NASA

Launch

When space shuttle Columbia launched on July 23, 1999, Chandra was the heaviest and largest payload ever launched by the shuttle. Under the command of Col. Eileen Collins, Columbia lifted off the launch pad at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Chandra was deployed on the mission’s first day.

Reflected in the waters, space shuttle Columbia rockets into the night sky from Launch Pad 39-B on mission STS-93 from Kennedy Space Center. Credit: NASA

First Light Images

Just 34 days after launch, extraordinary first images from our Chandra X-ray Observatory were released. The image of supernova remnant Cassiopeia A traces the aftermath of a gigantic stellar explosion in such captivating detail that scientists can see evidence of what is likely the neutron star.

“We see the collision of the debris from the exploded star with the matter around it, we see shock waves rushing into interstellar space at millions of miles per hour,” said Harvey Tananbaum, founding Director of the Chandra X-ray Center at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory.

Cassiopeia A is the remnant of a star that exploded about 300 years ago. The X-ray image shows an expanding shell of hot gas produced by the explosion colored in bright orange and yellows. Credit: NASA/CXC/SAO

A New Look at the Universe

NASA released 25 never-before-seen views to celebrate the telescopes 25th anniversary. This collection contains different types of objects in space and includes a new look at Cassiopeia A. Here the supernova remnant is seen with a quarter-century worth of Chandra observations (blue) plus recent views from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (grey and gold).

This image features deep data of the Cassiopeia A supernova, an expanding ball of matter and energy ejected from an exploding star in blues, greys and golds. The Cassiopeia A supernova remnant has been observed for over 2 million seconds since the start of Chandra’s mission in 1999 and has also recently been viewed by the James Webb Space Telescope. Credit: NASA/CXC/SAO

Can You Hear Me Now?

In 2020, experts at the Chandra X-ray Center/Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) and SYSTEM Sounds began the first ongoing, sustained effort at NASA to “sonify” (turn into sound) astronomical data. Data from NASA observatories such as Chandra, the Hubble Space Telescope, and the James Webb Space Telescope, has been translated into frequencies that can be heard by the human ear.

SAO Research shows that sonifications help many types of learners – especially those who are low-vision or blind -- engage with and enjoy astronomical data more.

Click to watch the “Listen to the Universe” documentary on NASA+ that explores our sonification work: Listen to the Universe | NASA+

An image of the striking croissant-shaped planetary nebula called the Cat’s Eye, with data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory and Hubble Space Telescope.  NASA’s Data sonification from Chandra, Hubble and/or Webb telecopes allows us to hear data of cosmic objects. Credit: NASA/CXO/SAO

Celebrate With Us!

Dedicated teams of engineers, designers, test technicians, and analysts at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, are celebrating with partners at the Chandra X-ray Center and elsewhere outside and across the agency for the 25th anniversary of the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Their hard work keeps the spacecraft flying, enabling Chandra’s ongoing studies of black holes, supernovae, dark matter, and more.

Chandra will continue its mission to deepen our understanding of the origin and evolution of the cosmos, helping all of us explore the Universe.

The Chandra Xray Observatory, the longest cargo ever carried to space aboard the space shuttle, is shown in Columbia’s payload bay. This photo of the payload bay with its doors open was taken just before Chandra was tilted upward for release and deployed on July 23, 1999. Credit: NASA

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com

[zaycheese]

Mmm Oc Art

I didn't realize till later how fucking zoomed out it is till now but hopefully the text is somewhat visible anyway

Close ups!

Batshit insane ramblings under the cut!

My beautiful blue child whom I love

Sorry anyone who has been around me the past three days has been subject to me randong about photosynthesis in animals due to me going "I wanna make a guy who can do photosynthesis and also control light waves to a certain extent."

Everyone appreciate my Amphibious daughter rn, I could go on for like a straight up hour about all my scifi sciencey bullshit about how this species developed and what their environment is like. (I get more excited about that than the actual character I fear)

I have so many thoughts but I'm really bad at expressing them but behold my shitty Star Trek oc fan made alien guy I suppose

Basically they are an amphibious species that evolved in water with low levels of oxygen, this caused them to have a symbiotic relationship with a species of algae that found its way into their cells and consumed the nitrogenous waste from mitochondria, while producing oxygen in the eggs allowing them to continue to grow. (See Yellow Spotted Salamander for real life instance of this.)

Over time they evolved into quite the apex predators mostly living in water, but due to shifts in the planets climate and atmosphere they became land animals and build civilizations close to the water.

The star system they are in is pretty far out of federation space so a different alien species native to their solar system lands on their planet before they are NEARLY evolved enough and due to the planets rich resources in being a largely tropical environment they set up outposts there

Because of this the species (Who I'm tentatively calling the Z'oldar) never really evolved their own technology, trading and utilizing other species in their quadrant, and civilization migrated largely to the mountainous regions of the planet where outposts were located for work and better access to the goods brought into this planet

Long and short of it K'prin works at one of these outposts as a bartender for most of their adult life, having been raised by the workers there, when the Borg show up and totally fuck up the whole (Already technologically limited, compared to the federation anyways) solar system and start assimilating Z'oldar outposts first, K'prin manages to find their way into a small impulse shuttle craft that was definitely stolen from the Federation like a solid 15 years ago and got traded to this side of the galaxy.

With absolutely 0 flying skills, Borg related chaos and an old ass shuttle head together with scrap metal, K'prin totally the course and it is left with 0 rations and minimal life support drifting through space when suddenly (for the plot okay guys listen) a wormhole opens up near by and sucks then it, leaving her in weird worm hole time stasis for like 10 years before spitting her back out in the dead center of Federation territory

Who then logically freak the fuck out cause how the fuck did a unidentified ship on IMPULSE POWER get this far into federation territory, and why.

Anyways theres more but I realized this is hella long already and I kinda feel bad for any unsuspecting mutual who just happens to click on the read more. I'll explain more if anyone asks and can go into more detail about K'prin specifically, I have so many thoughts, character ggrrr

[tinydefector]

Laboratory logs 6

Word count: 2.2k

Warnings: Trauma, hints to human trafficking and Sex Trafficking.

Wooo, it's the weekend, which means more fanfic.

Enjoy how the stories come together.

Masterlist

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Request and ask are open.

_______________

 "Feelin betta?" Rattler asked the smaller speedster. Traxies vented softly against Rattler's plating as he slowly onlines his optics after his emotional shut down. "...A little," he replied at last, voice gravelly from raw-edged sobs. 

 "Why...help me?" Traxies field flickered, "You don't know me. I could be anyone"

A rumbling chuckle answered Traxies. "You looked like you needed it. Ain't no crime in that." Servos rubbed his back reassuringly. "We all get tumbled by life sometimes. Best to lend a hand up when we can."

"Rattler! Fuck sake man! Why did you take off!" A voice over the hill yells, the firm if a human comes into view, he stands there panting, hands resting on his knees. When his eyes land on the blue mech that was pressed against Rattler's side the young man lets out a noise. "Oh my god Rattle really?, hookup right now?" . 

Traxies tenses before head floods his linescand his fans kick on in embarrassment. But the shuttler seemed unconcerned, chuckling softly as he hailed the newcomer. 

"Ain't like that, Tony! Just lendin' servo' is all." Rattler greeted. "Poor mech was tumbled up good." Tony slowly makes his way down to the two mechs, "fuck you have long legs, some of us can't Fly remember!" He huffs out before his eyes move back to the rather dishevelled looking younger mech.

Traixes peered at the man, still rather embarrassed over the situation. "Thank you for checking on me. But...where am I, precisely?" Carefully extricating himself from Rattler's hold, Traixes faced them both. " Kosciuszko National Park, Rattler here was meant to be helping me with plant documentation and seed collection!" He huffs out. "What you expect from me T, those plants are minuscule!. Ain't my fault you fleshies so small!."  Rattler rumbled a laugh, unbothered by Tony's grumbling. 

Traixes cycled a soft vent, anxiety uncoiling as he watched the two bicker, “I outta rearrange your wires, maybe take a crowbar to you!” Tony threatened only for Rattler to laugh loudly while getting treated by the human. 

"What plants were you studying?” Traxies voice is faint, but the curiosity in his optics is rather vivid. “ At the moment, Gentianella diemensis and Brachyscome, but really all of them, collecting seeds for storage and documenting and also just taking notes of what else grows in this area, makes it easier for foraging guilds." Tony hums while taking down notes. Traxies optics lit with interest, Over Earth-based botany.   

"Fascinating! Brachycomes are so diverse in form and colour. Gentianellas produce such vibrant blooms - so much beauty packed into such tiny packages." Field rippling with eagerly with excitement over someone else outside of Brainstorm and Perceptor. 

“Well would ya look at that, got ya Self an apprentice Tones” Rattler chuckled. “ Could I tag along?." Traxies was barely containing the urge to leap up and explore. The shuttler's field pulsed in amusement at the speedster's enthusiasm. "Course you can join, kid. Sounds useful to have extra hands and optics. Just watch your step - some critters out here got teeth meaner than Tony's bark!" 

"Yea and I'm the one who's gotta worry about getting bitten by a Mulga Snake. Cause you know, not made of metal!" Tony shoots back at Rattler. The shuttle burst into hearty guffaws at Tony's backhand comment. "Ain't that the truth! These pede just bounce the fangs right off. You thought - one lil' nip and it's bye-bye Tony Time." He teased down at the disgruntled human. 

"Fuck you Rattler, here I am housing and hiding you from the Government and your war and this is the way you treat me, might just leave you out on the airstrip " He calls out while flipping the mech off. In truth it was all fun and games between the two, neither of them took it to heart. "Aww, you know you love me really! Who else gonna haul your scrawny aft outta snake-infested bushes, eh?" 

"Come on let's get these seeds and photos, I wanna get out of here before tourist start showing up and asking questions, and I'd rather not get pinged for being around you lot, last time you were out you nearly ended up in a scuffle between bots and cons" Tony huffs out while continuing to find the dried flowers taking samples and notes. 

Traixes cast Rattler a sidelong glance, field rippling question. The shuttler responded gently, "Ain't easy bein' mech's on an organic world. Factions clashed here and there; we wanna avoid notice. We keep our heads down, stick to backcountry. Don't want Megatron's attention or lackies on us"

It makes Traxies stop for a moment. The war was over, where were the Decepticons and Autobots fighting on earth?Was it the DJD?, or some other side faction. Did he miss hear Rattler? Questions and unease slowly settle into the pit of his tanks. "Rattler, did you say Megatron?." He inquiries softly.   

Rattler glanced down at the Blue speedster. "Megatron's Decepticons came lookin' for energy way back. Went up against Optimus Prime and his Autobots, nearly got cuaght in the crossfire, it's How Tones and I met." 

 "Megatron, now - he's one pit-spawn mech you don't wanna meet, bits. Ruthless as they come." Traixes cycled a soft vent, studying flora to ground swelling emotions. Worry wells up in him. What time was this Earth year, had he jumped back really far again. Megatron had renounced the Decepticon cause, he was now Co-captain of the Lost Light, how far back had he jumped in time?. 

His spark pulsed a frantic staccato as fear crashed over him. Megatron leading Decepticons - the brutal tyrant had not yet walked his road to redemption. And Traxies was out here without his crew. He needed to get out of here. "Easy there, youngling. Breathe for me now, in and out...you're alright. ain't no Cons to hurt you here."

he choked out, "Time...jumped...how...far..." His spark whirled in helplessness and confusion.Tony spun around seeing the young Mech having a panic attack and quickly moving towards both Rattler and Traxies. “Hey, hey, He's not here can't hurt ya” the human man states while patting Traxies leg. 

"C-Can't stop it... ability… it hurts, please...." He choked on static, struggling to regain control over his processor and the memory. He had only ever felt this fear for Megatron once in his lifetime, but he had been grabbed by Ratchet when Optimus and Megatron ended up in a standoff. 

Slowly, through sheer force of will, He blinks. The sound of the wind over hills, the wildlife of earth disappears and it's replaced with talking, gears, engines and mechanical components. His energy field flickers like a dying flame. He slumped, utterly spent. 

"I'm...sorry. Not meant for time-hopping. Dangerous." He rasped shakily against Rattler's plating, optics dim and blurry. Never had his outlier gifts backlashed so violently. He never had trouble with it when he was younger, but it was only ever little jumps. What if he couldn't return?

Tony's mouth opens and closes, almost stunned at the scenery around them, Rattler holds Traxies close trying to sooth him. "Easy, easy. Think of your happy place, where do you feel happy" Rattler asked, trying to calm the young mech. "Easy Kiddo, it's alright, it's alright" Tony says softly. Their touch almost feels like the memory, similar to when the Ambassador would hug him.

This time he settles quicker, doesn't turn into a sobbing mess he had been when he had jumped to Earth, his optics flickering open, he gazed around also taking in the scenery, reading concern, his optics flicker up to the sky and there they are again, the Two unscared moons staring back at him. Traixes' vocalizer glitched. "Frag I've jumped, it feels like I'm losing control." 

He dared not think what becoming truly unmoored between space and time might drive one to. He needed to get back to his crew, back to Ratchet. But exhaustion weighed heavily on his frame as he slumped against Rattler. 

Rattler hadn't seen this in Millennium, it was Cybertron alive and beautiful as it once was. Tony stands there just looking stunned as he looks around. "Cybertron? But how...my ability, it never brought others along before!" Steadying himself, Traxies met their gazes, "I will get us back, I swear, frag im so sorry!."

"I think it's best if we find somewhere to lay low pits. I haven't seen this place in stellar cycles" Rattler states. "I second that" Tony's eyes watch the movement of such large bots in awe. "Whatever you do, don't put me on the ground!" The young man says quickly while trying to climb onto Traxies leg. 

Traxies’ leans down to grab the young man, helping him to get settled on his shoulder plating 

 "If I can remember how to get there I might know a place, Don't trust anyone, nor the mech we are staying with" Rattler states, he takes an uneven vent, "Ain't safe, not here at least, list of all for Him" Rattler states motioning to Tony. "Once we have somewhere safe then I'll try and get us some Fuel, ya look half offline Mech" The shuttler didn't like being here. He tries to push it away, optics flickering to Traxies. "Outlier?" He asked softly trying not to make a scene of it.  

Traixes nodded, His optics dimmed briefly at the question, but met Rattler's steadily. "Time and space are...difficult for me to fully grasp. Sometimes I slip between - it is not a talent I have mastered controlling, I'm sorry I brought you here." Shame washed his field.

“Ya don't tell anyone, if this Pre-war Cybertron Outlier isn't safe here, it's also best we switch over to Cybertronix, sorry Tony ” he explains and apologies to the human riding on Traxies shoulder. 

“Yea, yea. I get it, just keep me updated so I'm not out of the loop” Tony shoots him a nervous look, not liking The dread of being on another planet,  but he'd deal with it later.  

As they move through the streets a few mech's eye them, watching intensity, Rattler keeps an optic out trying his best to make sure he knows where Traxies and Tony were at all times, not wanting to risk them out here. When he finally leads them to a rather boring looking building, one that Rattler is hoping is the mech he's looking for. 

Rattler hammered his massive servo against the nondescript entry, venting gustily as he warily scanned their surroundings. Please let this rustbucket be home - his plating prickled under the stares, every sense attuned for threats. 

Finally the latch hissed open, revealing the Yellow and purple Combaticon within. His optics brightened in surprise that swiftly shifted to avarice as optics landed on Rattler's bulk. "Well, well! Never thought I'd see your aft round here after the last hoist, you elusive brute." Swindle's calculating smirk widened as he caught sight of the blue speedster and Organic standing rather close to him. 

Rattler growled. "Needa lay low, Swindle, and you owe me. We stay, you keep yaps shut an' servos to yourself. Clear?" He nearly demands while pushing past the mech. His field rippled warning at Swindle who huffed annoyance but stepped aside. His optics focus on the pretty blue bot who nearly sticks to Rattler's side. 

“Cozying up with an exotic beauty now, Rattler? My, my, standards slipping or is there profit to be had? And an organic too, you never fail to surprise!” Rattler rounded on him with an engine-rumbling snarl. “Watch it, Swindle. We stay one cycle, no more. Keep your grimy servos and optics to yourself, you hear?” His field radiated violence barely leashed. 

Traxies shifted closer to Rattler’s bulk, discomfort writ clear in his field despite Swindle’s conspicuous absence of Decepticon branding. This mech made his platting crawl worse than scraplets.

Swindle lifted his servos in a mockery of contrition. “Easy now, no need for dramatics. Yesh, what crawled up your booster .” His visor roved hungrily over Traxies once more before Rattler’s snarl deepened.“One cycle. Then we vanish, and your glossa with us.” Rattler rumbled, all too aware what kinds of “exchanges” interested Swindle most.

The three vanish into one of the back rooms, huddled together.  

Swindle sent out a private notice to one of his clients. // you'll never guess the treasures Rattler just dragged through my doors. A sleek blue speedster, practically untouched - if you catch my meaning. Plus an organic, a real live alien. And i know you have exotic tastes.//  

He sends another ping through. //Rattler's never stayed long. I can have them ready for transport within the joor. Knowing him he's going to do a fuel run shortly//

A response comes through only a few kliks after. //The speedster sounds very much one I would like, it's been a while since we have had a new one. But the organic…I want it alive, it be a lovely little message to a Mech which has been a truth thorn in my side. Have them ready within Breem. And this conversation never occurred, is that clear? I trust our transactions remain as discreet as ever, Swindle.// 

Swindle's engine revved. //Perfectly clear. Credits it is then. My docking bay, one Breem.// He cut the comm. After all, now it was the waiting game. 

________

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[stropharian-world]

It's about time I finished his character info.

I've been drawing this puppy for two years (wtf how?!) and I keep on delaying his development, but now my boy is growing and needs some proper attention from my pencil. Besides, I have way too many stories in my head and those need to come out.

Open Flesh Rick's Info Dump under the cut (long text):

Open Flesh Rick (derivative from band name) / OF Rick

This Rick never got around to discover Portal Technology. His early adult life was spent living in the garage of kind roommates, and he used his self-taught engineer and chemist skills to produce small explosive devices and recreational drugs, so he could later sell to sustain himself of rent and resources for his experiments, and music gear. 

His main and solely aspiration in life was (and still is) music: he has always wished to be in a band. 

However, in his late twenties he got abducted by an unexpected sudden visitor in his garage: this body hunter, who looked exactly like him but a few years older, didn’t leave him much of a choice but to tase him and bring him to one of the dark labs, possibly non associated with The Citadel of Ricks.

Rick got experimented on, by the hands of a head scientist Rick, who’s main project was to create different ways for Ricks to be able to access portal technology without being reliant on an external device. He got implanted with a bionic portal fluid containing disk, along with several bionic vertebra of his spine, all containing bionic induced portal fuid, as a replacement for his human CSF (Cerebrospinal Fluid). He was brainwashed, and his neural pathways catered to access this new portal technology on command.

However, this experiment got interrupted by an explosion in the building provoked by another Rick’s rebellion’s attack on other Ricks, and after the scientist’s quick get away, Open Flesh Rick was left to die in the ruins of the lab, being nothing more than a vegetable-like failed experience.

Luckily for him, a Birdperson - Birdperson L-355 (aka Blue Birdperson), was doing a low key recon trip there, gathering tech and equipment for their own Birdpeople’s Rebellious agenda, and he happen to find this Rick, unconscious and barely alive. Being kind hearted and naive, he took Rick to his home planet, where his people provided him with care and healing, despite him not remembering anything or being able to provide any recollection of his life.

It didn’t take long for the matriarch of the Birdpeople to consider this human a liability for their planet, because whoever created that technology could easily try to retrieve him at any point - explaining that he could be considered a Person of Interest by both The Citadel / Unknown Organization and the Galactic Federation. 

He was taken to Dimension H-810, more specifically to planet Têrra H-810, for it’s resemblances to Earth, and the lack of GF jurisdiction. Blue Birdperson traveled with him in a shuttle provided by the Bird People, and stayed with him for a while. 

Emotionally speaking, he’s a very confused and traumatized person. Not only for having this unknown technology implanted in him, but because he feels like he doesn’t fit anywhere. His amnesiac status of not knowing who he is nor where he’s from, along with having his CSf partly replaced with the green fluid, making him neurologically unstable, created a such a turmoil in his mind, that left him to seek all sorts of destructive behavior, making him and his new friend Blue Birdperson to quickly drift apart. His personality is unstable, impulsive, and reckless. 

He did manage to keep on playing music, with a bass guitar he created himself. Apparently, and luckily, some of his faculties and intelligence were slowly being accessible by him, and he didn’t waste any time of making use of those - creating and selling weapons in the black market, and playing his nights away. 

Upon the opportunity to join an audition for rock bands, this conflicted with BP’s desire to keep him safe. Rick was supposed to stay low key and out of sight, and BP feared getting into a band and playing at bars would leave him exposed to possible threats, and eventually expose his own people's whereabouts. This created a rupture even further in their relationship, along with BP’s deep traditional customs, making him leave again for his home planet and dimension. 

While trying his luck in his almost non-existent musical journey, he connected with another Birdperson from that dimension, Birdperson H-810. This older man not only had no connection to his people, he despised everything related with laws and the government. And being in a band with his friend mutant Squanchy, their musical interests just hit perfectly. 

This led quickly to a band partnership and romantical relationship. Rick, not knowing who he is, not belonging anywhere, felt safe and comfortable with someone who didn’t care about origins or backgrounds. And so their story together began. 

NOTES: Rick found out his name was Rick Sanchez, due to a reading bio printed in his arm, possibly from the years he got experimented on. He proceeded to black out both his scars and bio tagged arms. 

Against a better judgment, his drugged out and wasted behavior leaves him to perform/ walk around shirtless many times, exposing his bionic portal fluid disk. Birdperson’s laid back behavior does nothing to prevent this, nor is worried of the consequences of this actions.

They have a small shitty one-bedroom apartment, and when they can’t get around to make enough money for it, they’ll sleep wherever they can, often using Squanchy’s music practice storage room to crash. Rick always keeps a small lab station wherever he lives.

It wasn’t until one day, against Birdperson’s desire of Rick to keep himself in the dark and staying who he is, they managed to collect enough credits to access a very shady technology that would resurface his memories of being abducted and experimented on. This would give him confirmation of the real responsible ones for his situation, and possibly his original dimension name.

After this revelation, whenever he gets around it, his focus shifts into trying to discover how to complete the process of the technology he has in him, and figuring out how to access it. 

[justwriteryan]

CAPTAIN MARVEL WALKS INTO A BAR

Exterior shot. Night. A starry sky wheels over a rocky desert landscape. The only signs of life are the lights and sounds coming from a squat building decked out with neon lights. There’s a sign on the roof displaying words in an unintelligible language. Different types of spacecraft sit parked outside. It’s pretty obvious what we’re looking at.

A biker bar.

In space.

Another spaceship gently comes into land beside the others. A shuttle door opens and the pilot emerges. It’s a blonde woman in a uniform of red and blue with a golden star emblazoned across their chest. She is CAROL DANVERS aka CAPTAIN MARVEL. She enters the building and walks straight to the bar. A large surly alien is cleaning glasses. It turns to the newcomer and growls.

CAROL: Gimme something strong.

She slides some coins across the counter. The barkeep produces a green bottle and pours the contents into a small glass. Carol sniffs it suspiciously, then takes a swig. Her face curdles.

CAROL: Tastes like Brood spit. 

The barkeep laughs. Carol turns away from him. She catches snippets of conversation from a table behind her. Two aliens are talking amongst themselves, but they aren’t being discreet about it.

ALIEN: Where do you wanna hit next?

ALIEN #2: Chitauri-Space will have a few abandoned outposts after the Terra invasion.

Carol freezes. She sets her glass down and marches across the room to their table.

CAROL: Tell me everything you know about this Terra invasion.

ALIEN: Frakk off, blondie!

Carol slams her fist on the loudmouth’s hand, crushing it into the table. Her fist begins to glow and the alien starts to whimper in pain. His companion jumps to its feet. Carol raises her free arm at them and they freeze. She shoots them a warning look. Her eyes are glowing like hot coals.

ALIEN #2: It’s you! You’re that Kree renegade!

Carol turns her attention back to the alien squirming under her grip/

CAROL: Talk.

ALIEN: Two cycles ago… a Chitauri fleet invaded Terra.

CAROL: Impossible!

ALIEN: Its true!

CAROL: There’s no way an alien armada gets near Earth without the Nova Corp or freaking Asgard noticing first. No way.

ALIEN: They used some…weapon…or artefact. Used a portal to move from Chitauri-Space to Terran orbit. I swear!

Carol goes quiet as her captive writhes beneath her. They aren’t lying. Carol whispers a question to herself.

CAROL: Why didn’t he call?

Carol intensifies the light and heat emanating from her clenched fist. The alien shrieks in pain.

CAROL: What happened?

ALIEN: I don’t know the details! The Chitauri were beaten back, their mothership destroyed! Nobody knows how the Terrans did it! All we know is some word!

CAROL: What word?

ALIEN: Avengers!

Carol’s face breaks into a smile. Then a grin. The other alien uses this moment to pull out a blaster. Carol jerks back her raised arm and fires a photon blast, knocking her would-be shooter onto the floor. She turns back to the alien she’s been interrogating.

CAROL: One last thing.

ALIEN: I’ll tell you anything! Please!

CAROL: Who gave the order?

ALIEN: Some Asgardian outcast was with them-

CAROL: I don’t care who led the charge! Chitauri are spineless pirates, they aren’t smart enough to pull off an attack from one end of the universe to the other! I’m asking you: who ordered the invasion of Earth?

The alien stops squirming and looks Carol directly in the eye. She looks back at him. Suddenly she understands.

CAROL: Oh. Him.

Carol lifts her arm off the table. The alien clutches it’s hand and collapses in a heap on the floor. Carol turns and marches out the door.

CAROL: You’ll get your turn one day, you son of a bitch. One day.

                                                    END.

Like all of us, I wondered what Captain Marvel was doing during the Chitauri Invasion. While I don't quite answer that here, I thought it would be cool to show her learning about it and tying things back to her own story as well.

[usafphantom2]

The Top-Secret Warplanes of Area 51

Bill SweetmanPublished Oct 1, 2006 10:00 AM EDT

Aviation photo

On a trip to las vegas in 2004, observing from my east-facing hotel room in the pyramidal Luxor Hotel at daybreak, I watched a fleet of six unmarked 737s make commuter flights to nowhere. These aircraft depart every weekday morning from a tidy, anonymous terminal on the western side of McCarran International Airport. A long line of cars pours into a 1,600-spot parking lot as the jets pull away from the terminal, taxi to the runways, and head out into the desert sky. At the end of the day, the shuttle flights return and the lot empties. The passengers go home and tell their families nothing about what happened at work that day.

Cut to April 4 this year. San Diego is hit by a rumbling shock that isn’t an earthquake. It is ruled out by the media as a sonic boom after military operators claim it is not one of their aircraft. San Diego Union-Tribune reporter Alex Roth does some digging and comes up with six puzzlingly similar incidents around the country since 2003.

Fast-forward to July, at the Farnborough International Airshow in southeastern England. Frank Cappuccio, the avuncular vice president of Lockheed Martin’s secretive Skunk Works division, opens a press conference by introducing what he calls a promotional video, “something to show the kids and families about what we do.” Two minutes into the show, a gray, cockpit-less airplane that nobody has seen before-it looks like a B-2 bomber’s chick-soars over a backdrop of stony, barren hills and mountains.

All these events are linked. They are the visible signs of an invisible, parallel world within the universe of aerospace and defense: the classified, or “black,” world of secret military programs. Those unmarked 737s were ferrying employees to the flight-test center near Groom Lake, Nevada, known to the public as Area 51. The gray airplane is Polecat, a next-generation stealth unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-Cappuccio’s video was his sly way of unveiling the program. Those earthquakes? Quite possibly sonic booms from a long-suspected hypersonic attack vehicle, a sleek aircraft that has consumed the imaginations of black-project enthusiasts and military analysts, including me, for two decades. Though seemingly dormant in recent years, the program appears to be on the move again, and with a renewed vigor that has me feeling, somewhat unsettlingly, a bit like the aerospace industry’s own Ahab.

Invisible Fighter

The Vehicle: Stealthy, unmanned combat aerial vehicle The Technology: Visual stealth, including active fuselage lighting that blends into background The Evidence: Patent filing, development of key technology, obvious gap in current arsenal

The black airplane world has, without question, produced the most significant advances in aviation technology. In the 1950s, it spawned the U-2 spyplane, which flew higher and farther than anyone had thought possible. It gave birth a decade later to the SR-71 Blackbird, the exotic, revered speed king. It also produced the slow but stealthy, origami-like F-117 fighter.

But for aerospace sleuths, there’s been little activity recently in the form of declassified vehicles that might hint at current efforts. (Classified programs can be unveiled to aid in broad combat deployment or when the technology appears in other programs.) The F-117 came out of the black world during the first Iraq war 15 years ago, and only three aircraft have been introduced since. One was Polecat. Another was Northrop Grumman’s ungainly reconnaissance aircraft Tacit Blue, nicknamed “the Whale.” The third was Boeing’s Bird of Prey, which tested visual stealth strategies, including shaping that minimizes shadows and contrast and, rumor has it, body illumination that allows it to blend into its background.

This dearth of unveiled prototypes does not mean, however, that the black-aircraft community is dormant. In fact, all signs point to steadily increasing activity. Google Earth reveals a newly constructed additional runway and multiple new hangars and buildings at the base. The usual vague, untraceable allocations in congressional budgets that often signal classified programs are on the rise, and modern technological innovations are now enabling aircraft designs that might have floundered in the black world for years. Further, there are significant gaps in the military’s known aviation arsenal-gaps that the Pentagon can reasonably be assumed to be actively, if quietly, trying to fill.

The need for such secrecy is simple: It is essential to preserving technological surprise. The Pentagon wishes to prevent enemies from developing strategies to counter the technology. The challenge is to figure out what precisely is happening-without betraying national security-because the bigger the black world gets, the better it conceals its activities. What follows is inescapably an educated guess, arrived at by analysis of the available evidence, at the tantalizing designs being cooked up on the sly at Area 51, including a radical special-forces transport, a stealthy UAV, an agile new bomber, and my own white whale-the mythical, hypersonic dragster and presumed source of those faux earthquakes: Aurora.

Recon Platform

The Vehicle: Unmanned flying-wing capable of long-duration surveillance flights, measured in days and weeks instead of hours The Technology: Autonomous flight controls and ultra-efficient electric motors powered by solar panels or fuel cells The Evidence: Patent filing, clear current need, recent development of key technology

Delivering Special Forces Behind Enemy Lines

One of the best pointers to a secret program is an obvious gap in the “white world” force, and one of these gaps is a stealthy, short-runway transport airplane. The U.S. Air Force’s special

operations community has talked for many years about stealthy transports that could take off and land vertically or on a few hundred feet of level ground (a soccer field is the classic example).

The new V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor transport is a partial answer to that problem, but the military would really like something faster, so it can fly farther into and out of enemy territory, and the Osprey’s big rotors quickly betray it to radar. So far, there is no sign of unclassified, white-world money developing such a vehicle. In 1992, however, Skunk Works engineers filed a patent application for such an aircraft. (New aircraft can take years to develop. A 14-year-old patent filing could easily represent a current program.)

Tailless, with a blended wing and body, the aircraft is powered by six jet engines driving rotor-like lifting fans ensconced in wide, round bays in the wings. For takeoff and landing, doors and Venetian-blind vanes cascade open, and the fans lift the airplane vertically. While cruising, the engines drive smaller, forward-thrusting fans. Why six engines? The engines and fans are interconnected by an elaborate system of cross-shafts so that any engine can deliver power to either side of the airplane. With six engines, the airplane can complete a mission if one fails.

Is something like that out there today? The job of a vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft still needs doing, perhaps now more than ever before, and, barring antigravity solutions from the friendly aliens at Area 51, an aircraft like this is one of the few ways to get it done. Technologically, it is probably benefiting from the innovations behind the Osprey’s power-sharing engines-in that aircraft, if one engine fails, the second still drives both propellers-and the development of the shaft-driven vertical-lift fan in the new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, or JSF.

Special-Ops Infiltrator

** The Vehicle:** Vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft for transporting special-ops forces to hostile areas The Technology: Blended-wing-body design with six jet engines powering lift fans and providing forward thrust The Evidence: Patent filings, obvious gap in current arsenal, recent development of key technology

New UAVs: Unmanned, Invisible, Unlimited

Although manned fighter jets and bombers have long dominated classified programs, unmanned vehicles are rising as quickly in the black as in the white world, particularly because the Air Force lacks any kind of stealth-reconnaissance aircraft. It plans to replace the U-2 spyplane with the Global Hawk UAV, but even though the Global Hawk has the advantage of being robotic-that is, capable of longer flights and expendable, since there’s no human on board-it doesn’t fly as high and can’t carry the same hefty high-performance cameras as the U-2. Nor does it carry a jammer to spoof enemy missiles.

Polecat, just outed from the black world, is part of the answer. Lockheed Martin representatives talk about an operational version with U-2-like altitude and payload, along with technology to avoid visual detection (including features seen on the Bird of Prey) and, perhaps, an automated system that detects a contrail behind the airplane and tells the flight-control system to change altitude.

Other stealthy UAVs have probably been tested-among them, possibly, armed UAVs. It is known, for example, that engine maker Williams International delivered the first dozen or so of its new FJ33 small jet engines to the U.S. government four or five years ago, but no known project uses that engine. A recent report in Jane’s International Defence Review described another, larger vehicle that uses different engines from Polecat, apparently recycled from a 1960s UAV program. The article speculated that the engines are probably General Electric J97s, built for a UAV called Compass Arrow.

Why reuse old jet engines? There is only one good reason. The J97 was unusual in that it was designed to operate at up to 80,000 feet, an altitude at which most jet engines cough, stall, and quit. The Air Force does not send the stealthy B-2 and F-117 over hostile territory in daylight, because those planes could be easily spotted. But at 80,000 feet, six miles above a fighter’s cruising altitude, the sky is almost as black as night, and a UAV could survive at high noon. I suspect that both Polecat and the second, larger stealth UAV are currently undergoing high-altitude flight-testing at Area 51.

Some UAV projects may be much slower than even the stealth birds. A Boeing patent filed in 2004 describes a vehicle that is a cross between an airship and an airplane-employing both buoyant lift from helium gas and wing lift generated by forward speed, and capitalizing on recent developments in on-board solar power generation and autonomous flight control.

What would be the advantage of such a vehicle? For one thing, it would have long flight endurance, measured in days or weeks rather than hours. For another, airships can easily be made to accommodate very large and sensitive antennas. If you want to locate weak or sporadic radio transmissions-such as cellphones or scattered satellite phones used by insurgent groups-the airship is an ideal platform.

On-Time Delivery

The Vehicle: Aurora Mach 6-plus attack aircraft The Technology: Ramjet-powered delta wing The Evidence: Telltale sonic booms; unconfirmed sightings; unresolved history of long-rumored program; recent development of key technology; large, unexplained current budget allocation Is speculating on top-secret military technology a national security risk? Tell us what you think on the PopSci Blog).

Revived Avenger Offers Stealthy Ground Attacks

Another surprising gap in U.S. capabilities is the lack of an all-weather, stealthy ground-attack aircraft. The Joint Strike Fighter is supposed to do that, but not until 2014. The new F-22 Raptor, mostly an air-to-air fighter, will be able to do some of it eventually, but that jet carries a relatively modest 2,000-pound bomb load. The F-117 Stealth fighter can be flown only in clear nighttime weather-it has no radar to bomb accurately through clouds, and its black coating easily betrays it to ground spotters.

Fellow black-project sleuth Jeffrey Richelson, author of the 2001 book The Wizards of Langley and one of the leading historians of U.S. intelligence efforts, guessed in a recent conversation that a behind-the-scenes tour of Groom Lake might reveal a revived program to plug that gap sooner than 2014, when the JSF flies.

A hint about possible all-weather attack vehicles now in testing-ones available sooner than 2014 and capable of carrying significant bomb loads-could reside, aerospace historian Peter Merlin pointed out, in a test pilot’s unclassified biography. Daniel Vanderhorst, who flew Northrop’s Whale and six other secret aircraft in a 20-year career, evidently “tested modified landing gear and conducted initial tests of internal weapons bays and weapon separation tests.” What’s unusual about this is that most prototypes are simple aircraft without weapon bays, which suggests that this airplane was closer to an operational type. Specifically, I’m guessing, it could be an extension of the heavy-payload, all-weather attack jet A-12 Avenger II, which then”Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney canceled in 1991 because it was overbudget and not meeting its technological goals.

The flying-wing, carrier-based stealth-strike airplane was being developed under a tightly classified but not-quite-black program. The jet was only 11 months from first flight, and nobody has ever disclosed what happened to the partly built prototypes. If one of them had been completed and tested in a revived black program, most likely in the early 1990s, it could have pointed the way toward the F-117 replacement that Richelson suspects is flying now. Unlike the other stealth aircraft, an operational A-12 descendant would combine stealth ground-attack capability with the ability to shoot back at enemy fighters, packing a pair of anti-radar missiles and two AIM-120 air-to-air missiles.

Providing On-Demand Worldwide Attack

Lastly, there’s Aurora. The name itself is mysterious, evoking something you may or may not have seen. This code name leaked out of an unclassified budget document back in 1985. Such a vehicle-a ramjet-powered reconaissance and strike aircraft capable of flying at least five times the speed of sound and deploying anywhere in the world in a matter of hours-has been high on the government’s wish list. Aurora is certainly possible. The basic propulsion unit, the ramjet, is no more than a tapered tube with a fuel injector and burner in the middle and a thrust nozzle at the end. Basic ramjet-powered missiles have topped Mach 6. A wealth of aerodynamic data and test flights suggest that a wedge-shaped aircraft would work at these speeds.

I first heard about this kind of program in the mid-1980s, and the first public hint of the project popped up in 1988, when the New York Times reported that the Air Force was developing a spyplane capable of better than Mach 5-nearly twice as fast as the SR-71, then the world’s fastest airplane.

Two years later, the Blackbird was retired. In June 1991, the first in a series of unexplained shock waves rolled across the Los Angeles basin, rattling doors and windows and making people think of earthquakes. But they were not earthquakes, and the military adamantly denied that any of its vehicles caused the booms. In May of this year, I consulted with Dom Maglieri, an ex-NASA sonic-boom expert who has played a key role in the development of low-sonic-boom aircraft. We studied 15-year-old seismograph data from the California Institute of Technology, whose uniquely sensitive sensors could actually track the booms. “The data showed something at 90,000 feet, Mach 4 to Mach 5,” Maglieri says now. The booms did not look like refracted, “over the top” booms, as other reports had indicated-booms from aircraft miles away that had traveled up through the atmosphere and bent down toward Los Angeles. The booms looked like direct overflights by a supersonic airplane that no one admitted to owning. “The signatures are awfully different,” Maglieri says.

Shortly after the first set of waves appeared, Chris Gibson, an oil engineer and well-known aircraft-recognition expert, contacted me. In August 1989, Gibson said, he had been working on a North Sea rig when a colleague called him outside to see a formation of airplanes overhead. Clearly silhouetted against the sky were two F-111 bombers, a KC-135 tanker and-in refueling position behind the tanker-an unidentifiable delta-shaped airplane, about 90 feet long, a near-perfect match for unclassified studies of high-supersonic cruise airplanes.

This evidence helps establish the program’s initial existence. My investigations continue to turn up evidence that suggests current activity. For example, having spent years sifting through military budgets, tracking untraceable dollars and code names, I learned how to sort out where money was going. This year, when I looked at the Air Force operations budget in detail, I found a $9-billion black hole that seems a perfect fit for a project like Aurora.

Over the years, I’ve learned that few people investigate budget holes seriously. Analysts such as Steven Kosiak of the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, a Washington, D.C.”based think tank that pushes innovation in defense, doubt that Congress even knows what’s going on. “A fair amount of classified spending goes through in supplemental requests,” he told me. “It’s seen as must-pass legislation, and people don’t look at it closely.” This $9-billion gap and the most recent booms felt in San Diego and elsewhere are the most compelling evidence for the program’s resurgence. (We can’t analyze the new booms because seismic sensors of the same type were not present.)

But if Aurora has been active for years, why would it be surging forward now? The main hold-up has probably been fuel. The way to make a hypersonic cruiser work is to use circulating fuel to soak up the engine’s heat, but conventional jet fuel can’t absorb enough heat to do the job. In the 1980s, Aurora would have been designed to use fuels such as hydrogen or methane, which are gaseous at normal temperatures and had to be supercooled and densified to fuel the aircraft. Although that strategy is possible, it’s not operationally easy, and complicated refueling would be counterproductive for a jet intended to provide prompt overflight when the military needed it. Better fuels and engine technologies exist now.

The question, finally, is does Aurora exist? Years of pursuit have led me to believe that, yes, Aurora is most likely in active development, spurred on by recent advances that have allowed technology to catch up with the ambition that launched the program a generation ago.

Bill Sweetman is a PopSci_ contributing editor and author of more than 30 books on aerospace technology._

[neopronouns-in-action]

Neopronouns in Action #055

055: Universal Translator Mistranslation

Neopronouns: joker/jokers/jokerself, which will follow the same rules as it/its/itself for this example.

Replace it with joker Replace its with jokers Replace itself with jokerself

EX:

"It is going to adopt a new puppy soon, as soon as it gets a fence set up around its yard so the puppy can go outside without it having to walk it. Its uncle is going to help set up the fence, since he has a set of power tools he's letting it use, since it lost its. It's going to buy toys and train the puppy itself."

Becomes:

“Joker is going to adopt a new puppy soon, as soon as joker gets a fence set up around jokers yard so the puppy can go outside without joker having to walk it. Jokers uncle is going to help set up the fence, since he has a set of power tools he’s letting joker use, since joker lost Jokers. Joker's going to buy toys and train the puppy jokerself.”

= = =

Kraevun lifted jokers hand in the local signal for “I'm a customer who is confused and needs help”, finally giving in to the overwhelming bewilderment that had started to overtake joker almost as soon as joker'd entered the shop.

Joker only had to keep joker hand raised for a few moment before one of the workers swung over along the bars in the ceiling, looking down cheerfully at Kraevun. with an array of shiny dark blue eyes like marbles.

Their face was grey-brown, wrinkled skin, surrounded by patchy black fur, and six yellow pointed ears fanning out like the rays of a sun. They almost looked like a flower.

Kraevun knew they were most likely an odnowi, a tree-like-dwelling species native to the planet Telane. They were the first of this species that joker had met.

They had at least six long limbs that Kraevun could see, covered in long yellow and orange-striped fur, with long claws at the ends, that they used to move around with, and four thinner, furless grey-brown, many-jointed limbs with softer, hand-like appendages on the end sprouting between the larger ones.

They were wearing a simple, flowing uniform secured with black belts, the fabric matched the colors on the shop's door, purple and white with a repeating pattern of black triangles on the edges.

They lowered one of the smaller hand-like limbs to Kraevun's eye-line, and and moved the eight fingers in the sign that was asking Kraevun what language joker wanted the worker's words translated into.

“Kanenevik.” Joker said, inclining joker head in thanks.

The worker dipped their head back, as their translator let out a short melody, then said, “Valeshiki to Kanenevik translation selected.”

The worker looked at Kraevun again for confirmation, and joker nodded.

Then the worker spoke by rubbing two small limbs together on what was either their front or their back, Kraevun couldn't tell and didn't ant to guess, producing a startling musical sound like a violin song for a few seconds.

After the sound faded, the worker's translator beeped once, then spoke, saying, [“Hello, how can I help you?”] then beeped again to close the translation.

“I'm looking for sunblock that's safe for humans.” Kraevun said, gesturing to the shelf in front of joker, which was displaying hundreds of different dispensers of lotions and creams. Joker wished joker'd brought jokers flash cards to help illustrate, but they'd been left behind on the shuttle and it was already on its way back to the central core.

Joker would just have to trust the translators to work properly. Sometimes they didn't.

The worker spoke, and their translator said, [“The purpose of sunscreen is to block the light of the sun from touching your skin, correct?”]

“Yes, that's correct.” Joker said, relieved the translation seemed to be going smoothly this time.

The worker made a gesture, and the translator said, in a different voice, [“Body language: Positive, cheerful, smiling”] as they swung one bar closer to the shelf, then grabbed down a black bottle that was below Kraevun's normal line of sight, and held it out to joker. [“This was created by humans, for humans.”]

And sure enough, stamped in gold on the black glass was the symbol of one of the top producers of human-intended products in this sector. They'd also made the flash cards that Kraevun had been using since joker left Filomina.

The worker continued, [“It is sunscreen, it will stop the light from touching your skin. We provide required safety screenings, and free sample afterward, before purchase, to make sure it's not harmful. Many humans have bought this since I have worked here, and been very happy with the results. One comes in a lot and tells me to always recommend this one to humans looking for it, because it's the best she has ever used, good in wet and dry conditions, long lasting, better than the more expensive ones, even. Sincerely.”]

Well, joker probably wouldn't find a better recommendation than that!

“How much is it?” Joker asked.

[“79.47.0 neyz”]

That wasn't bad at all. Especially since the bottle looked like it was handmade glass that joker'd be able to reuse later.

“I'll take it!” Kraevun smiled.

[“Is there anything else you would like to purchase? We will have to perform safety screening before I can sell this to you.”]

Kraevun started to say no, then paused, and asked instead, “Do you sell flash cards? Uh, translation image cards, that show symbols for words.” Ironically, sometimes the translators had trouble parsing the phrase for the translation flash cards.

[“Translation cards are by the register, I can show you when we get there.”]

“That'll be great, thanks!”

The worker led Kraevun through the store back to the front, swinging along on the ceiling while Kraevun followed from behind on the floor. Kraevun got the feeling that they were moving purposefully slowly so as not to leave joker behind, and joker appreciated it. Constantly having to ask people to slow down got aggravating.

They got up to the register without any problems, and the worker showed Kraevun to the shelf of translation cards nearby, and, after making sure joker didn't need help browsing, went to set up the safety screen.

Kraevun picked out the same set of cards joker'd had before, then met the worker at the counter.

The safety screening was simple and easy, done using a little digital box kept under the counter, and the results said that Kraevun wasn't allergic to the sum, or any parts, of the sunscreen, and it should be safe to use.

Then it was time for the free sample, to make sure Kraevun wasn't going to react to it in a way the scanner couldn't predict (sense of smell, texture, light refraction, the list went on).

So, the worker dispensed a small dallop of the lotion onto Kraevun's outstretched hand. Jokers eyebrows rose as joker realized that the lotion itself was black, so black it was like it absorbed all the light. Joker'd thought it was just a black bottle. Well. That was pretty weird for sunscreen, but it would probably fade when it absorbed into jokers skin, right?

Feeling slightly apprehensive, joker turned jokers other hand over, and rubbed the lotion in on the back of jokers hand, since it would be easiest to wash it off jokers hands if necessary. The worker had already prepared a basin with a running stream of water and special soap, just in case.

The lotion stayed pitch black against Kraevun's dark skin for the first few seconds, so joker continued to massage it in, starting to become disappointed but trying to resist it.

And then, quite suddenly, the lotion began to absorb into jokers hand, and to jokers shock, jokers hand began to disappear. Joker could see the counter through jokers hand. Jokers hand was turning invisible.

Then joker laughed. Joker couldn't help it. Joker knew what had been mistranslated, and how. This was not sunscreen, designed to protect your skin from radiation from the sun and prevent sunburn and skin cancer. No, this was invisibleskin, which bent the light in such a way as to render you invisible once it absorbed.

And both of those things could easily be described as stopping the light from touching your skin.

Kraevun'd had no idea you could buy invisibleskin on this station, and for so cheap. But joker could think of a lot of things to use it for, mainly involving animal photography.

Joker smiled at the worker, who was waiting for jokers response. “I'll take it.” Joker said, and, considering the mistranslation, and unsure when joker'd next get the chance to buy protection from the sun, asked, “And can you show me to your clothes section?”

[activate-shadow-of-the-window]

Day 6 of No One Except @mr-orion Asked November (NoOneExOriAskNov). I’m really coming to appreciate the ‘auto’ edit button on Apple devices.

Five and a half of the Hermit Civilizations in my Horizon au, because I’m tired as hell. From top to bottom, there is Bdubs’ Land of Livingstone, Cub’s Climbing Spires, Doc’s Maw, False’s Umbra, Gem’s Evergreen, and unfinished Scar’s Technicolor City.

I kinda just chose random sections of each hermit’s aesthetics and building styles to make these civs.

I’m gonna draw these places a lot more for landscape and building practice, of which I have almost none.

In-depth descriptions below the cut. They’re what I based these sketches on.

There are two great hills, steep and rocky, that surround the vale at the center of the Land of Livingstone. Straddled by two great bridges of white rock and creeping vines, their arches swirl with carvings and gradients. Similar odd shapes dot the valley, anchored into the sides of the hills: rusted buildings of metal and brick, adorned with half-crumbled chimneys and long shut doors. Nature has reclaimed this place, as the flower forest grows closer every year, and even the great bridges look as if they are about to buckle. But the ancient buildings persist, unwilling to yield to the land. Some still halfheartedly belch smoke, spooking the birds into flight.

The sun is hot and inescapable in the southern realm of Climbing Spires, its beams blanketing the red sand and enormous rock formations that give this kingdom its name. Adorning these spires are buildings, spindly and delicate yet sturdy enough to cling to the colorful rock. Perilous staircases and thin walkways of metal and wood are contrasted by robust columns and arches of sandstone and brick. What little fresh water can be found here is carefully shuttled about through pipes and waterfalls, adding a sense of movement to the otherwise eerily still architecture.

Whether the Maw got its name from the great spines of ice on its surface or the toothlike rocks of its underground is unclear, but wherever it came from, this land has a fitting name. Icy and inhospitable, the surface is deceptively barren of buildings aside from a few circular boreholes reinforced with iron. But these are no mere pits; they are the entrance to the subterranean complex below the snow-covered landscape above. Practical and brutalist, the underground buildings of this land are home to many strange machines that farm food without light and produce material in seconds, making this underground world one of the Land of the Sunrise’s best kept secrets.

The simple name for the land of Umbra is fitting; forested and shady, the thick canopy of trees hide the incredibly advanced yet eerily dark civilization whose inhabitants are almost never seen. Smooth buildings of dark stone and tinted glass manage to be imposing in their small size, draped with strange foliage that glows unnatural colors of red and blue. Towers that mimic trees and doorways like metal cave mouths are obscured beneath years, if not decades, of underbrush. This realm is closed to most outsiders, and not even traders may come any closer than the upper canopy.

True to its name, the queendom of Evergreen is completely forested in pine, spruce, and fir trees. The deep green canopy is broken by tall castles, their pale tiled spires and dark wood halls evoking a sense of regality and wonder. Thin, arcing bridges connect stone tower to stone tower, allowing their inhabitants the ability to cross rivers and valleys without ever touching the earth. Below these great structures is a dark, fertile ground from which mushrooms and sweet berries readily grow, a thick layer of undergrowth that houses foxes and wolves alike.

Too big to be called a city, yet too small to be an empire of its own, Technicolor City seems to have been plucked straight out of a painting. Every building is unique and colorful, yet they all perfectly meld into a skyline that seems to be made of jewels, aided by perfectly swooping hills covered in flowers and trees. Wide boulevards share space with quaint streets and footpaths, each and every one lit day and night. Every inch of the city seems to reach out in welcome to all comers.

[twilightzonecloseup]

1.02c Chameleon

Director: Wes Craven

Writer: James Crocker

Cinematographer: Bradford May

Summary:

In orbit above the earth, a spacewalking astronaut notices a strange blue light flashing off part of the space shuttle Discovery. When the shuttle returns to earth, two engineers, Brady (John Ashton) and Gerald (Steve Bassett), are asked to inspect one of the exterior cameras after it malfunctioned in orbit. When Brady removes the camera, he is engulfed in blue light and disappears—leaving just the camera. The camera is moved to a sealed observation lab where a team of NASA scientists can securely examine it. Dr. Curt Lockridge (Terry O’Quinn) and his team try to reason through what happened while they wait for consultation from a higher ranking scientist, Dr. Vaughn Heilman (Ben Piazza). 

The camera flares up in blue light again, but now the observation lab is occupied by, what appears to be, Brady. “Brady” pleads with them to let him out. They attempt to reason with him, but “Brady” becomes increasingly irate. In a fit of desperation, “Brady” shape shifts into the form of Brady’s wife, Kathy (Lin Shaye). Kathy then pleads the case to the scientists to let “Brady” go home. This reveals that when this shapeshifter absorbs someone, it also absorbs their knowledge and memories, as the real Kathy is safe at home. 

The scientists catch the shapeshifter up in its misunderstanding. It morphs back into its Brady form and begins to lash out. They decide to forcibly sedate the Brady-Thing, and Heilman enters the room to examine it. The Brady-Thing wakes up and absorbs Heilman. Rather than taking on Heilman’s form, it morphs into a bomb with a clock counting down to detonation. As it turns out, Heilman used to work in weapons R&D. Lockridge decides to enter the room himself as a sign of trust, to reason with it and set it free. When the countdown reaches zero, another flash, and out of the room runs the shapeshifter, now in the form of Heilman. 

Lockridge chases after it, out onto the tarmac of the airfield. The shapeshifter explains to Lockridge that it ended up on earth out of pure curiosity and assures him that Heilman and Brady are not being held prisoner. Unable to explain its nature in human language, it offers Lockridge the opportunity to merge with it as well, and travel the universe. Lockridge declines and the shapeshifter transforms into a swirling ball of light, launching itself into the open night sky.

Closing Narration:

“Imagine yourself a visitor to many worlds, drifting on the solar wind, a thousand voices singing in your memory. Now imagine you're this man, who can only guess at the wonders he might have known, wonders that exist for him now only as a riddle... from The Twilight Zone."

More about Chameleon:

Chameleon was conceived and written by supervising producer James Crocker. On the DVD commentary for this episode, Crocker explained that his inspiration for writing this story was simply that he liked shapeshifter stories. It was refreshing to hear to be honest, as sometimes producers who envision themselves as creatives build up grandiose creation myths for their creative output. Anyway, I think that this approach worked out well for Chameleon as a Twilight-Zone story. Crocker successfully took inspiration from  preexisting stories about shapeshifting alien beings and synthesized something original from it. (My assumption is that his inspirations were The Andromeda Strain (1971), The Thing (1982) (or The Thing from Another World (1951)), and maybe just a touch from the Star Trek TOS episode “The Squire of Gothos.” But, that’s just my speculation!) 

Superficially, Chameleon reminded me more of a story that might appear on The Outer Limits. However, the shorter runtime of the episode gives it a Twilight Zone-y flair of presenting the viewer with a strange premise for them to mull over on their own. That is, Chameleon is relatively fantastic, rather than explicative, which would be more in line with the more sci-fi leaning Outer Limits. 

No specific episodes of the original series immediately come to mind to pair Chameleon with, which is a good thing. If every episode had an analog in the original series, this reimagining of the series wouldn’t be showing much imagination! However, if I’m pressed to pair it, I’d go with The Lateness of the Hour (2.08) for depicting the panic response of suddenly not comprehending who or what you are or The Invaders (2.15) for depicting a fundamental difficulty in communicating between people from different planets. While this isn’t a Twilight Zone episode, The Outer Limits episode Corpus Earthing also came to mind when watching this story for the first time.

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[holidaytorment]

the items from my recent work trip i'm going to claim reimbursement for, ranked & reviewed:

train fare from the hotel to o'hare - $3 to get from the loop to o'hare in about 45 minutes, the same amount of time it would have taken to drive (without the wait to get an uber or taxi). i support public transit.

parking at logan - but i don't think i green-line-to-red-line-to-silver-line support public transit (i also don't green-line-to-blue-line-to-airport-shuttle support it). $86 which is honestly reasonable for about 40 hours of parking. the sumner tunnel being closed is outside the purview of this review but if it weren't this would rank lower. accidentally parked on the roof during a heat advisory but got back home after dark so it kind of worked out, i think.

one night at a hotel in downtown chicago - hotel was nice enough but the building was about a hundred years old, which means the rooms were small. small enough that the tv was not opposite the bed, which you usually see in most normal hotels. small enough that the bathroom door had to be a double door, opening into the room. smaller rooms than the los angeles biltmore. appreciated that the conference room was above ground. catered food was good. paid $25 to check in early (??????) and this is called an upsell on the bill which i'm sure will make it real fun to justify. but also wouldn't have minded staying two nights. overall like $280 or so.

cab ride from o'hare to the hotel - this took about as long, if not a bit longer, than the train did. driver did not talk to me the entire time, which is a positive. views were uninspiring. $64

potbelly bacon egg and cheese breakfast sub - got this mainly because the line at dunkin was too long. that should've been a sign. $14 for this and an arizona iced tea, but the iced tea is the only thing i finished

items i'm not claiming reimbursement for because they are already paid for, but that i need to mention on the reimbursment form anyway, ranked & reviewed:

flight from chicago to boston: no one sat in the middle seat, so me and the guy sitting in the aisle seat got to spread out. my boss' boss sat two rows in front of me, but i pretended i didn't see her at all and she didn't make conversation with me on the plane or at either airport, which worked out because i was exhausted. read some le carre. got both pretzels and cookies from the flight attendant. could not smell the bathroom, despite being the same seat as below.

flight from boston to chicago: someone sat in the middle seat. flight was at like 8am and i closed my eyes for about an hour without falling asleep because it is a biological impossibility for me to sleep on a plane. opened my water bottle which lead to my water bottle spilling on my pants on account of the pressure difference. also read some le carre but not as much. could smell the bathroom.

items that i bought in and around my recent work trip but can't claim reimbursment for, ranked & reviewed:

hotel bar sazerac: love a sazerac, and this was a good one. i do not mind drinking at hotel bars when the bartenders are actually good at making drinks. i think if i'd ordered a margarita it would not have had much sugar in it. cannot reimburse because of alcohol on a federal grant

limes at wegman's: wegman's has pretty good produce. i needed the limes to make a baked chicken recipe (and a jack rose) on sunday night, both of which turned out alright. cannot reimburse because an item purchased to make food two days after i return is outside the purview of reimbursement for this trip.

iced tea at a o'hare: they only had green tea, but while i prefer black for an iced tea, green is a good change of pace. small size for $4.50 but that's airport pricing for you. cannot reimburse because both breakfast and lunch were provided, we have no reimbursement for snacks, and calling this dinner feels like a stretch.

qdoba burrito: order placed in the logan parking garage and picked up 20 minutes later. exactly as good, bad, and sad as i expected. the guy working there recognized me. won't reimburse because i don't want anyone to see my shame.

[bosphorus-dinner-cruise-istanbul]

Istanbul, the city where continents meet, is a dazzling blend of history, culture, and modernity. Nestled between Europe and Asia, Istanbul is not only the largest city in Turkey but also one of the most iconic cities in the world. With its rich history spanning thousands of years, vibrant bazaars, awe-inspiring architecture, and dynamic lifestyle, Istanbul offers a unique experience to every traveler. This article explores the multifaceted charm of Istanbul in 1,000 words, highlighting its cultural heritage, historical landmarks, bustling streets, and culinary delights.

Historical Significance

Istanbul’s history is as layered as its vibrant neighborhoods. Originally known as Byzantium, the city was founded around 660 BCE. Over the centuries, it transformed into Constantinople, the grand capital of the Byzantine Empire, before becoming the heart of the Ottoman Empire under Sultan Mehmed II in 1453. Each era left its mark on the city, making Istanbul a living museum of architectural and cultural treasures.

One of the most iconic landmarks in Istanbul is the Hagia Sophia. Built in 537 CE, this architectural masterpiece has served as a cathedral, a mosque, and now a museum. Its massive dome and stunning mosaics captivate visitors, offering a glimpse into Byzantine and Ottoman artistry. Close to Hagia Sophia is the Blue Mosque, or Sultan Ahmed Mosque, renowned for its six minarets and intricate blue tilework.

Another must-visit historical site is the Topkapi Palace, which served as the residence of Ottoman sultans for over 400 years. The palace’s sprawling courtyards, opulent chambers, and sacred relics offer a fascinating insight into Ottoman royal life. The Basilica Cistern, an underground marvel, provides a more mysterious experience with its eerie lighting and ancient columns.

The Vibrant Bazaars

No visit to Istanbul is complete without exploring its vibrant bazaars. The Grand Bazaar, one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world, boasts over 4,000 shops offering everything from carpets and jewelry to spices and ceramics. The maze-like alleys of the Grand Bazaar are a sensory overload of colors, scents, and sounds.

The Spice Bazaar, also known as the Egyptian Bazaar, is another essential stop. Here, you can find exotic spices, dried fruits, teas, and Turkish delights. The bazaar is a testament to Istanbul’s historical role as a crossroads for trade and culture.

Bosphorus: The Lifeline of Istanbul

The Bosphorus Strait, dividing Europe and Asia, is the lifeblood of Istanbul. A cruise along the Bosphorus offers breathtaking views of the city’s skyline, adorned with domes and minarets. Key landmarks such as the Dolmabahçe Palace, Rumeli Fortress, and the charming Maiden’s Tower can be seen from the water.

The Bosphorus is not just a picturesque waterway; it’s a hub of activity. Fishermen cast their lines along the Galata Bridge, while ferries shuttle passengers between the European and Asian sides. The waterside neighborhoods of Ortaköy and Bebek are popular spots for enjoying a leisurely breakfast or sipping Turkish tea with stunning views.

Culinary Delights

Istanbul’s culinary scene is as diverse as its history. From street food to fine dining, the city offers an array of flavors that reflect its multicultural heritage. Turkish kebabs, mezes, and baklava are staples of Istanbul’s cuisine.

Street food is an integral part of the city’s food culture. Try a simit (sesame-covered bread ring) with Turkish tea for a quick breakfast or indulge in künefe, a sweet cheese pastry soaked in syrup. For seafood lovers, the fish sandwiches served along the Eminönü waterfront are a must-try.

Don’t miss the opportunity to visit a traditional Turkish tea house or coffee shop. Turkish coffee, served in small cups, is rich and aromatic, often accompanied by a piece of Turkish delight. The city’s vibrant food markets, such as Kadıköy Market, showcase the freshest produce and local delicacies.

Modern Istanbul

While Istanbul’s history and traditions are captivating, its modern side is equally impressive. The neighborhood of Beyoğlu, centered around Istiklal Avenue, is a hub of contemporary culture. This bustling pedestrian street is lined with shops, cafes, art galleries, and theaters. The historic Tramway that runs along Istiklal Avenue adds a nostalgic charm.

The Galata Tower, located nearby, offers panoramic views of the city. Climbing to the top is a rewarding experience, especially at sunset. For a more modern perspective, visit the Istanbul Modern Art Museum, which showcases contemporary Turkish art.

Religious and Cultural Harmony

Istanbul is a city of religious and cultural diversity. Mosques, churches, and synagogues stand side by side, reflecting centuries of coexistence. The Chora Church, with its stunning mosaics and frescoes, and the Neve Shalom Synagogue are just two examples of Istanbul’s rich religious tapestry.

Festivals play a significant role in Istanbul’s cultural life. The city hosts numerous events, such as the Istanbul Film Festival, the Tulip Festival, and the Istanbul Biennial, attracting artists and visitors from around the world.

Asian Side of Istanbul

While the European side often steals the spotlight, Istanbul’s Asian side offers a more laid-back and local experience. The district of Kadıköy is a vibrant hub with bustling markets, trendy cafes, and a lively arts scene. The Moda neighborhood, with its tree-lined streets and seaside promenade, is perfect for a relaxing stroll.

The Çamlica Hill, one of the highest points in Istanbul, provides breathtaking views of the city and the Bosphorus. The Asian side also boasts stunning mosques, such as the Çamlica Mosque, the largest mosque in Turkey.

Conclusion

Istanbul is a city that defies definition. Its unique blend of ancient history and modern vibrancy creates an atmosphere unlike any other. From the grandeur of its palaces and mosques to the lively bazaars and waterfront cafes, every corner of Istanbul tells a story.

Whether you’re exploring its historical landmarks, savoring its culinary delights, or simply enjoying the view of the Bosphorus, Istanbul promises an unforgettable experience. It’s a city where the past and present coexist harmoniously, offering something for every traveler. To visit Istanbul is to embark on a journey through time, culture, and unparalleled beauty.

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

Volcanic Vistas of the Guatemala Highlands

Between 158,000 and 40,000 years ago, at least three explosive eruptions—including the first-documented super-eruption in Central America—reshaped the landscape of southwestern Guatemala. The activity created a huge caldera that filled with water and formed Lago de Atitlán (Lake Atitlán).

The modern-day lake and volcanic landscape are visible in this image, acquired on January 17, 2024, with the OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 8. The data were draped over a digital elevation model from NASA’s SRTM (Shuttle Radar Topography Mission) to emphasize the terrain.

Since the super-eruption about 85,000 years ago, three “new” volcanoes have formed along the southern side of the caldera rim. Volcán Atitlán is the most active, youngest, and tallest. Its forested slopes are replaced by rocky terrain near the summit, especially on the southern side, deposited there during past eruptions. Explosive eruptions at Atitlán have been documented since the 15th century, with the most recent known event occurring in 1853. Atitlán has been known to release volcanic gases between explosive events.

In contrast, nearby Volcán San Pedro and Volcán Tolimán lie dormant. Past activity at Tolimán, however, has left behind thick, hardened lava flows that form the irregular shape of Lago de Atitlán’s southern shoreline. Elsewhere around the shore, the land is dotted with towns (gray) and agricultural land (light brown). Coffee, corn, beans, wheat, potatoes, sugar cane, and vegetables are commonly grown in the region.

Lago de Atitlán, which plunges to a maximum depth of about 340 meters (1,115 feet), is thought to be the deepest lake in Central America and appears a striking shade of blue. Some areas, however, display a slight tinge of green. This color might be due to sediment washed into the lake carried by the rivers at the lake’s northern side. Some of it might be due to blue-green algae, or cyanobacteria—single-celled organisms that can grow swiftly when nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen are abundant in still water. Blooms of these cyanobacteria now occur most years, with significant blooms appearing in Lago de Atitlán in October-November 2009 and August 2015.

The Lake Atitlán Forecasting System, however, indicated that the probability of a bloom on the day of this image was about 42 percent. That’s low, according to Africa Flores-Anderson, a research physical scientist at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. Flores-Anderson, who worked with scientists from the University of Alabama in Huntsville, the joint USAID-NASA SERVIR program, and Lake Atitlán’s environmental authority to design the forecasting system, noted that blooms typically occur when probabilities reach 60 percent or higher.

In abundance, cyanobacteria can produce toxins and lead to dead zones. Modern societies may not be the only ones to have grappled with these issues. Researchers found evidence in sediment cores that bloom events may have coincided with ancient Maya settlements around the lake 1,000 years ago.

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

[chocolate-soldiers-badminton]

  Which Yonex Badminton String Suits Your Game Best? Having the right badminton equipment is an essential part of a player's identity. Each product changes an aspect of the game, and it's important to find what suits your playstyle to optimize your performance and budget. In this guide, we'll help you find the perfect Yonex badminton string for your game by comparing their key properties and price points. Why Yonex Badminton Strings Matter The string is an essential part of any badminton player's shuttlecock feel, as it is the part of the racket that actually makes contact with the shuttlecock. This means that the strings are largely responsible for how well you can hit the shuttle, including both control and repulsion power. The smallest nuance in string properties can make the difference between a successful shot or a miss. Yonex Badminton String Properties Yonex rates each of their strings based on five key qualities: Repulsion Power: Helps generate force with each shot. Durability: Resilience against wear and pressure. Hitting Sound: The noise produced on contact, helping gauge shot quality. Shock Absorption: Reduces vibration, allowing for faster recovery. Control: Precision of shuttle placement and overall shot accuracy. Yonex Badminton Strings Available at AllRackets.com We offer a wide selection of Yonex badminton strings in different colors, such as the popular Yonex BG 65 and BG 80. Below are some of our favorites based on their unique properties. Our Favorites: Overall Favorite: Yonex BG 80 Best Control: Aerobite, Aerobite Boost, Nanogy 99, BG66 Force, BG66 Ultimax Best Repulsion Power: Aerosonic Best Durability: Nanogy 95, BG65 Best Hitting Sound: Aerosonic Best Shock Absorption: BG66 Force Detailed Yonex Badminton Strings Review Yonex BG 65 The Yonex BG 65 is a durable string (0.70 mm) with a multifilament core. It's suitable for all-round play and offers great longevity. Available in various colors, such as white, black, orange, turquoise, yellow, blue, and amber. Specifications: Durability: 8 Hitting Sound: 6 Control: 6 Shock Absorption: 6 Repulsion: 6 Yonex BG 66 Ultimax With a diameter of just 0.65 mm, the Yonex BG 66 Ultimax is ideal for fast players who rely on drives and jab smashes. Available in pink, yellow, and white, it offers excellent repulsion and great control. Specifications: Durability: 6 Hitting Sound: 10 Control: 10 Shock Absorption: 8 Repulsion: 10 Yonex BG 80 The Yonex BG 80 has a coarse texture for enhanced control and a 0.68 mm thickness, providing a powerful shot with good feel. Available in yellow, white, and black. Specifications: Durability: 6 Hitting Sound: 7 Control: 6 Shock Absorption: 6 Repulsion: 8 Yonex Aerobite Yonex Aerobite is Yonex's first hybrid string, providing excellent spin and repulsion. Its hybrid design features different thicknesses and coatings for optimal performance. Available in red/white and blue/white. Specifications: Durability: 6 Hitting Sound: 9 Control: 10 Shock Absorption: 8 Repulsion: 10 Conclusion Now that you have a better understanding of the different Yonex badminton strings, you're ready to choose the best string to enhance your playing style. Remember, your game will evolve over time, and it’s important to reevaluate your choice of strings as your style develops. When you're ready to switch things up, revisit this guide to help you select the right Yonex badminton strings for your new needs.  

[radioactive-metal]

Events over the years, An AL series

good morning/afternoon/evening! I’m doing a trial run for a slightly different series of posts. Rather than focusing on broad strokes (See my posts about the timeline, the ships, and the facilities) I want to flesh out some smaller details. They will probably be written like encyclopedia entries but I might play with FPV and TPV stories as well.

So without further ado:

Breaking the Barrier: The time to the line record:

The Time to the line record is a fiercely competitive challenge that began just after the end of the Terra-Trask war. The aim is to make it from orbit around mercury to the heliopause (end of the solar wind) in the shortest amount of time, there are two divisions, Manned and Unmanned. Unofficially, the first record holder was the Voyager 1 space probe, though it didn’t start from mercury, with a time of roughly 35 years. The first official attempt was a repurposed Martian shuttle, modified and stripped down, with crew habitation replaced by extra fuel and scientific equipment. With a full load of propellant, the ship set off on August 1st, 2230. It’s propulsion system, an unmodified NERVA-76 open cycle Nuclear engine, set an all time chemical burn record of 5 days, this, combined with an extremely close gravity assist from Jupiter, fired the ship, now named Theseus, out of the solar system in less than 10 years. The record would change hands over the years, going to private companies, government agencies, academic institutions, and on one occasion, a single individual.

the current Manned record holder is the Aurora legion and Longbow-02002, a prototype MK.2 model that was stripped of its weapons, rest areas, armor, radar, and all other non essential equipment. A crew of three, one Alpha, one Ace, and one Gearhead flew the mission, named Speed Demon-3. Utilizing multiple comet flybys, pulsed burns, and a previously undiscovered quirk of orbital mechanics, the ship reached 16% the speed of light, visually confirmed blue shifting, and shattered the previous record of 13 days 15 hours with a total time of 3 days, 4 hours, and 36 minutes.

in the unmanned category, the runs are conducted in a different, uninhabited system to allow for more exotic propulsion. The current record holder is named “Untitled Space Craft”, owned by the 2462 foundation, an organization dedicated to the exploration of the bleeding edge of physics. Utilizing a thermo nuclear pulse kick stage (nicknamed the Nuclear Pogo stick), and a uncontained open cycle fusion hydrogen engine (an uncontrolled fusion reaction that has hydrogen run through it to produce ungodly amounts of thrust) reached 50% the speed of light, and was crashed into a distant stellar object to test relativistic crash physics. The planetoid was [DATA REDACTED BY GIA].

[Notes from Founder_03] relativistic weaponry, while theoretically useful against the Rahaam, would be infeasible due to eventual proliferation. We have seen them crack planets, and we cannot allow them to see the light of day. We cannot fight our monsters with larger monsters

[silksagetextiles]

Jeans Manufacturing Process: Crafting the Perfect Pair

Introduction The jeans manufacturing process transforms raw materials into one of the most popular and versatile garments in the world. This article outlines the various stages involved in producing jeans, emphasizing quality, efficiency, and sustainability in denim manufacturing. Brands like Silksage Textiles are leading the way in ensuring excellence in the denim fabric process.

1. Material Sourcing

The journey of jeans begins with sourcing high-quality cotton. Cotton is the primary fabric used in jeans, known for its breathability, comfort, and durability. Sustainable sourcing practices, such as using organic cotton, have become increasingly important in the denim manufacturing industry.

How is denim fabric made

2. Yarn Spinning

Once the cotton is sourced, it is processed into yarn. This involves cleaning, carding, and spinning the cotton fibers into yarn. The thickness and quality of the yarn will ultimately affect the feel and durability of the final jeans.

Denim fabric manufacturing process

3. Indigo Dyeing

After spinning, the yarn is dyed using indigo dye, which gives jeans their characteristic blue color. The dyeing process can involve multiple dips in indigo vats, allowing the fabric to develop a unique fading pattern over time. This step is crucial in achieving the distinctive look of denim.

Denim Manufacturing Process

4. Weaving the Fabric

The dyed yarn is then woven into denim fabric, typically using a twill weave pattern. This technique creates the diagonal ribbing characteristic of denim. Different types of weaving machines, including shuttle looms for selvage denim, can be used to create various denim styles.

Denim making process

5. Cutting and Sewing

Once the denim fabric is ready, it is cut into the desired patterns for jeans. Skilled workers then sew the pieces together using industrial sewing machines, incorporating elements such as pockets, zippers, and rivets. This stage requires precision to ensure a perfect fit and finish.

6. Washing and Finishing

After sewing, the jeans undergo several washing and finishing processes. This can include stone-washing, acid-washing, or enzyme-washing to create different textures and looks. These finishes not only enhance the appearance of the jeans but also soften the fabric for comfort.

Denim production

7. Quality Control and Packaging

Before reaching consumers, each pair of jeans undergoes rigorous quality control checks to ensure they meet industry standards. After passing inspection, the jeans are packaged for distribution, ready to be sold in stores worldwide.

Conclusion

The jeans manufacturing process is a fascinating blend of tradition and technology, culminating in a garment that is both functional and fashionable. By understanding each step, from material sourcing to quality control, consumers can appreciate the craftsmanship that goes into every pair of jeans. Brands like Silksage Textiles continue to innovate, ensuring that their products meet high standards of quality and sustainability.

[rhonddaandallaneuro]

Papua New Guinea

Finally back on the road or should I say cruising again. This time to New Guinea with P & O for possibly the last time as they end a long relationship in Australian waters. Let’s hope whoever takes over the Pacific cruising routes stay much the same in standard, price and service.

Caught the local shuttle to terminal arriving nearly two hours early but no problem getting aboard so all was good. Dined upstairs in the pantry and enjoyed a very cold beer. The weather is great so did a walk around where the main pool was being repainted and the water slide, not in operation. Much of the same except an increase in drink prices. Hahaa

Dined in Waterfront where it was packed on first night. Was the State of Origin game so straight after off to the big screen where Rhondda’s beloved team smashed the Blues. A few more drinks and off to bed.

Thursday morning up early to do my walk which is very hard in slippers. I forgot to pack my walking shoes. Finally after breakfast we set up camp on the 14th deck where we sat and read in between watching dolphin pods swim past. They are truly magnificent creatures as they glide through the water. After lunch we attended the “Pacific War” lecture which was amazing. So much information that we were unaware of. Well worth the time.

Back to our cabin for a nanny nap prior to doing the Italian restaurant for tea. The food was as good as we have had and met a couple of Victorians who we chatted with for a couple of hours. Spent the next two days cruising with nothing else to do then eat, drink and talk to people. Probably highlite of first few days was the Friday night entertainment, Grant Galea, who sang and did a lot of impersonations however it was his straight impersonations that made the show

On Saturday we docked in Milne Bay and did a “Village” tour. This was great seeing a local village in traditional dress, dancing and serving up fresh prepared local product. The food itself was pretty bland but seeing the preparation and the manner in which they produce it well worth the trip.

Back in the main town saw a few war memorials but other then that not really a tourist destination. The local produce market sees the same products laid out on the concrete flooring. The entertainment on Saturday was a juggler/ comedian and he was great. A totally different slant of juggling and it’s presentation.

Sunday we were tendered to the island Kiriwina where the local market was over 200 metres long on both sides of the pathway. Saw a few things not impressed with such as turtles for sale. They are balanced on timber blocks and you purchase ($200) them so you can set them free. Pretty sure they then catch them again place them back on the blocks. Here we saw fish cooked and dried with lobster and crab freshly cooked. Would have bought a serve but no local currency.

Swimming was amazing with water clean and warm. One just had to keep an eye out for the occasional sea snake. Stayed in for well over an hour before returning to the cruise ship. Back on board we again ate and drank with the occasional trivia trial and listened to the artists on offer. There is one guy that is very good and plays all types of genre on request. Rhondda lashed out here ordering her first fruit tingle cocktail. Pretty sure there will be more enjoyed.

This was the third day where we could go on shore at Rabaul where we intended to just do a walk around to enjoy local culture. This quickly changed as we felt not only the warmth of the locals but the humidity. Quickly decided to hire a street taxi which we shared with another young couple that saw us do the touristy things in an air-conditioned Range Rover. I should point out this cost us $30 each and we did exactly the same things as the tour on offer from the ship which cost $220 per person.

Saw the most recently active volcano at the hot springs where temperatures were high as you walked in the darkest black ash that was warm to say the least. Remember a vast number of the locals walk around in bare feet. Also took in the war museum and the Japanese war tunnels (believed to be. Network over 300 kilometres in length) that saw safe passage from the mountains through to the harbour.

Returning to our cruise ship we enjoyed more drinks and food with some great entertainment on board. Tuesday we are at sea so have elected to sit in the night club area at the back,of the boat. Very calming up here.

Cruise starting to come to an end as we arrived at Conflict Island. This place is owned by an Australian who rents our half a dozen villas. He also has a green turtle sanctuary located on the island. Very pretty to walk through the vegetation but the sand had a lot of shell within so it was hard to walk. The water was also a lot colder then one expected so we only stayed a few hours.

Must mention that when attempting to depart the ship to the “tender” the seas were extremely rough and at times the gang plank fell away. Scary to say the least but we eventually boarded the tender taking us to the island where we had to do a 150 metre walk on a floating jetty. This was even more scary. Once is enough for this island. Hahaha

Back at sea we spent the last two days soaking up the sun at the pool and watching the world go by sitting in the night club area at the back of ship. It was Rhondda’s birthday on Thursday so a bit of a sleep in and then more drinking and eating.

This cruise has been very good with the right balance of days at sea with the days in port. We have talked to so many strangers and even used the swimming pool which was great hanging out at the Oasis. Allan stepped up to the plate and on one day even drank more then Rhondda. Although it must be said Rhondda was imbibing in the occasional cocktail which Allan did not. The casino was good to Rhondda on her birthday where she doubled her investment on day one. Not talking about day two.

Everyone should do this cruise at least once. An eye opener but the experience was good. We really do live in the lucky country.