#classic farm equipment

[randostufforino]

[yz]

A McCormac Farmall Tractor, 1940s.

[stranded-labyrinth]

remember when this was my magnus opus

who is going to fully admit that will graham being louisianan probably means he loves country music. there's vague mentions but not enough. i want to see more. i want to see hannibal steadily die inside as will changes the radio and some bluegrass nonsense plays.

[gabessquishytum]

A very self-indulgent ask here. Hob, having needed to start a new life, decides to take it easy from the fast pace of the city and buys a section of land to start a little farm! Most things come back easy to him - so many years living off the land, one way or another, doesn't go away quickly.

He's patching up the old farmhouse, painting board, hammering nails, breaking a sweat through it all. He starts tilling soil and planting seeds in the smaller back garden - mostly herbs to start with. He plans to ask one of the neighbors for help with the old farm equipment that was left over by the old owner. Even in here, things have changed so much! There's so many new machines and tools! Hob honestly thought it would feel like sliding into an old well worn pair of boots (and in many ways, it still is) but it's still new and fantastical.

He gets some chickens, which makes him realize how much he missed having chickens (and fresh eggs!). He enjoys the toil, the strain of muscle that a life like this provides. He enjoys the sweat on his brow and the easy rest his finds after a long day.

Then Dream comes to him, freshly retired and still wobbly on his newly human legs. So Hob coaxes him inside his home and gives him the care he needs. And slowly, Dream takes to this new human life of his.

So Hob teaches him how life used to be (and how it still is for many). Dream finds he especially likes feeding the chickens and watching them run around, pecking away. His eyes go wide the first time he sees a week old chick moving around. He names her Jessamy. She's his favorite.

Hob tells Dream to "go wild" in the house, and Hob enjoys watching how the fantastical mural progresses on the kitchen walls. Swirling colors and scenes only possible in dreams are revealed on the old walls. Hob smiles as he hands Dream a glass of freshly made lemonade and can't help but think how perfect he looks here in the light of the setting sun with stripes of blue and purple on his cheek.

Hob figures out how the old tractor works and how to attach the tiller and the direct drill with the help of their neighbors (a friendly group - the couple down the road brought them fresh milk). They get the first field tilled and sewn with winter wheat just in time for the cold. Hob takes a picture of Dream up in the tractor, looking wildly out of place in black skinny jeans and his silk top. Dream flips him off and Hob just laughs. Dream finds he quite enjoys that sound.

Winter comes and the daily chores slow (not stop, but slow) and Dream finds himself indulging in arts even more. Hob picks up some soft yarn and hooks when they're in town and the pair of them work on learning to crochet. Dream hates his first piece - a classic granny square - but by the time the holidays approach, he's made both him and Hob well-made scarves. Hob wears his every time he goes outside. It makes Dream smile.

Spring comes and with it, so does a bustling time of planting and planning. They work in tandem, prepping fields, buying seeds and fertilizer, caring for the chickens. They start renovating the old barn for either cows or sheep - they haven't decided yet.

Dream finds he quite enjoys the look of Hob in the midst of work. The sweat on his brow, the arch of his back and the tensing of muscles under his sweat soaked shirt all make for a very appealing image. If he takes out his sketchbook and works on capturing the moment, Hob doesn't comment on the sudden loss of extra helping hands.

It comes to a head on a perfectly average Tuesday when Hob's in the kitchen, kneading dough for bread for the week. It's early still. The sun has just started to peak over the horizon, their roosters just starting to crow - Jessamy from the sounds of it (and yes, so much for thinking she was a hen). Hob hears the padding of footsteps on the cool hardwood floors when a head rests against his back. He chuckles, telling Dream good morning and says he's up early.

Dream just grumbles in reply, a pair of hands rest hesitantly on Hob's sides. Hob continues, letting Dream soak up his natural warmth as he slowly wakes. The loafs will need to be formed still once the first proof is done, so for now, he places a towel over the top of the large bowl and pushes it up to the wall.

Hob turns in Dream's gentle hold and lets his body rest against the edge of the counter. Dream huddles closer, sighing as Hob wraps his arm around him. Dream looks up, this close, their noses are just hairs away from touching. Neither say anything, but both just know as they close the distance, it was how it was supposed to be. Here, in this house they each rebuilt with their own hands, on the land they tended to and cared for, they find love within each other.

This is sooooo lovely. I am very very into the idea of Hob going back to the land and starting a little farm. And how good it would be for Dream to create a whole new realm in the waking world. A sanctuary where he can live in harmony with all the living things around him. The food is home grown and home cooked, the bed is a little lumpy but perfect after a day of hard graft. Life revolves around the act of tending and of creating. It's not too far away from what Dream is used to, but it's all so totally different as well. It's new, but it feels safe.

Hob didn't realise it, but he also really needed this. The modern world is loud and bright, and if he's honest he's been craving the quiet and the stars and the solitude for a while. Solitude with Dream is even better. Sitting on the front step cuddling their chickens, talking about how the crops used to be in the old days before the fields were enclosed. Dream draws patterns in the dust with his finger. Life is quiet. Life is good. When the stars start to come out, they'll put the chickens to bed and then clatter up to their own room, to cuddle up under the patchwork quilt that Dream worked tirelessly to make as a gift for Hob. Tomorrow is a new day to shape together. The fact that Dream is looking forward to it? That means more than he can ever say in words.

[whumpdoyoumean]

Whumptober #10

xxx blow to the head

"How am I just now learning that you're actually a pretty good artist?" Buck says, looking over at the butterfly Eddie is painting on a little girl's face.

"You think so?" Eddie says, tilting his head to one side as he scrutinizes his work.

"Are you a good artist?" the boy seated in front of Buck asks, and Buck's cheeks go warm as he looks at the green blob he's painted that only vaguely resembles a turtle. Chim snickers and Buck does his best to ignore him.

"Y-yeah. I mean." He swallows, shrugs. "Yeah."

The boy doesn't look convinced. Buck smiles at him, grabbing a smaller brush and putting two black dots for the turtle's eyes. They're different sizes, and a little lopsided, but maybe cute? He sets the brush back and leans back, clapping his hands together.

"All done!"

"I wanna see!" the boy cries.

"Oh, uh. I don't think--"

"Here's a mirror, pal," Chimney says, handing a small mirror to the kid and shooting a smirk in Buck's direction.

The boy looks at his reflection, eyes narrowed. Buck is embarrassed at how much he cares what this random six year old thinks, but he can't help it as he practically holds his breath waiting for the kid's response.

"That doesn't really look like a turtle," the boy finally says, "but I still like it."

"You know what, I'll take it!" Buck says. He holds up his fist and the kid grins, balling up his hand into a tiny fist of his own and bumping his knuckles against Buck's before sliding off of his stool and running off to check out one of the other attractions.

The 118 had volunteered to participate at one of the big autumn festivals this year. The engine is all decked out with fake spider webs and bats, and there's a bucket of candy and stickers to hand out to any kid that wants to check out the fire engine and listen to a little spiel on fire safety. What they had not volunteered for was face painting, but the two people who originally signed up canceled last minute. Buck still isn't sure how he, Eddie, and Chim ended up being the ones to get assigned in their place. He is sure that Hen owes him one.

His stomach growls loudly and he looks down at his watch. It's almost noon. Lunchtime. There aren't any kids waiting in line to have their hands or faces painted, so Buck stands.

"I think I'm ready for those donuts we were promised," he says. "I'll check in with the others first, see if they want some, too."

"Hey, wait a minute," Chim protests. "Why do you get to go on the donut run?"

"Because I thought of it first?" He grins and claps Chimney on the back. "Don't worry, you're doing great."

He leaves before Chim has the chance to argue. The engine is parked down toward the other end of the farm, but he really doesn't mind the walk. It's a perfect day – sunny, mid-70s, startlingly blue, cloudless sky, just a slight breeze. It's not as classically autumnal as Pennsylvania gets this time of year, but he just can't bring himself to miss that place.

He's almost to the engine when he sees someone look around and then duck under one of the ropes that acts as a boundary for the areas that aren't open to the public. He doesn't get a good look at them--they've got a baseball hat on, and their hood is pulled up in a way that obscures their face--but they've got a small frame that makes Buck think it's probably a teen. There's all sorts of dangerous farm equipment back there that could cause serious injury, especially to a dumb, thrill-seeking kid. Probably he should tell someone that works here, but the only employees he sees nearby at the moment are bored-looking high schoolers.

So he makes the monumentally stupid decision to follow. It's not even a decision, really. One second he's just standing there, watching, and the next he's moving, away from the fire engine and his coworkers and away from the crowd as he trails after the shadowy figure. Said shadowy figure ducks behind an old barn, out of sight, and Buck slows.

"Hey," he calls. "Hey, you're not in any trouble. Not from me, anyway. I just wanna make sure you're being safe..."

He rounds the corner and startles. The person in the hoodie is standing perfectly still a few yards away, their back to Buck, and they don't respond to his presence. The hairs on the back of Buck's neck stand, and the concern he'd had for the stranger's well-being is suddenly replaced by an overwhelming sense of danger.

“Hey,” Buck says, voice quivering a little now as he takes a cautious step forward.

He doesn’t have a chance to react before the person turns, swinging something at the side of Buck's head, and everything goes black.

xxx

“What’s taking Buck so long?” Chimney says. “I’m starving, I need those donuts!”

Eddie hadn’t really thought about it, but Buck has been gone a while. He stands, stretching as he does. “He probably started talking with the others and lost track of time. I’ll go get him.”

“Be quick. As much as I hate to admit it, Buck was right. You're good at this.”

Eddie snorts. Glancing around to make sure there aren't any kids nearby, he leans in. “I'm not that good, you guys just both suck."

Chim lets out a psh andpushes at Eddie's shoulder. "Get out of here!"

Eddie laughs, heading off toward the engine. As he gets close, though he's surprised to find that Buck is nowhere to be seen.

“Hey, Eddie,” Bobby says. “You guys doin’ okay over there?”

“Yep, Chim has only made one kid cry so far so I definitely count that as a win…Hey, have you seen Buck?”

Bobby’s eyebrows twitch into the barest hint of a frown. “I thought he was with you.”

“He left to get some apple cider donuts, like, twenty minutes ago,” Eddie says. He isn’t sure why, but there’s a feeling of unease settling over him. It’s completely baseless and feels a little silly so he does his best to ignore it. “He said he was gonna come ask if you wanted some first. He hasn’t been by?”

Bobby shakes his head. “No, he hasn’t.”

“Did you check the donut line? They’ve been busy all day,” Hen says. "He could've decided it would be better to go ahead and get in line and then ask if we want some."

“The vendor said she had some set aside for us so that we could skip the line,” Eddie says. “But yeah, it’s possible he ended up waiting, anyway. I’ll go check.”

“Good,” Bobby says. “Let us know if you find him.”

Eddie nods. “Will do, Cap.”

He makes his way over to the donut stand, keeping an eye out for Buck as he goes. He doesn’t see any sign of him, though, and the unsettled feeling grows. He walks up to the window, drawing many annoyed stares from the long line of people.

“Hey!” the vendor, a teenage girl named Lane says with a big grin. “You here for your donuts?”

“Buck didn’t come by to get them?” Eddie says, and she shakes her head.

“No. I haven’t seen Buck since you guys first got here. I’ve got your donuts right here for you, though!”

“That’s okay, I’ll get ‘em later.” Eddie flashes a smile. “Thank you.”

Eddie shoves his hands in his pockets and walks back to the engine. Bobby and Hen both look up.

“No Buck?” Bobby says, and Eddie shakes his head.

“Nuh-uh…” He takes a deep breath. “Look, I know it’s going to sound kinda weird, but I’ve got this feeling I can’t shake.”

“What kind of feeling?” Bobby says slowly, frowning.

Eddie shrugs. “I don’t know, most likely it’s nothing but just…something feels off. He should’ve been back by now.”

“You know Buck. I'm sure he just got distracted by something. But if you’re worried, I can help you look for him.”

“Yeah, I’ll stay back with the engine,” Hen offers. “It’s not too busy right now since the haunted hayrides started.”

“Thank you,” Eddie says. “Again, it’s probably nothing but I want to make sure.”

“Hey, it's not a problem," Bobby says. "I’ll head toward the corn maze if you wanna go let Chim know what’s going on and then maybe check the bathroom?”

Eddie nods gratefully. “Sounds good.”

He scans the crowd for Buck as he jogs back toward Chimney, listens for the familiar sound of his voice, his laughter. But there’s no sign of him.

“Hey, Eddie! You got some donuts for me?” Chim calls as he approaches. “Where’s Buck?”

“I’m not sure. Bobby is helping me look for him. You’re on your own for a few more minutes.”

Chim’s face falls. “Wha--Oh, come on! I just made another kid cry!”

Eddie pats him on the shoulder. “Thanks, Chim. If Buck shows up, call me or the cap."

"Sure," Chimney says, brow furrowing. "Is something the matter?"

"I hope not," Eddie murmurs, heading toward the main building.

The big red barn is pretty packed. It's where the cash registers are for anyone who wants to buy produce or flowers from the farm, or tickets for the hay ride. He keeps an eye out as he works his way over to the bathroom.

"Buck?" he calls as he shoulders the door open. There's no answer, though, and the only occupied stall opens a second later. A teenage boy wearing an apron walks out, glancing over at Eddie as he walks to the sink. Eddie is about to apologize and leave when the kid speaks.

“Hey, are you looking for that other firefighter? The one with the scar over his eye?”

Eddie turns. “It’s a birthmark. But uh, yeah. Yeah, I am. Have you seen him?”

The teen nods. “I saw him going toward the cider barn a little while ago. Thought it was weird since only employees are allowed in there. Like, adult employees, I mean.”

“The cider barn?” Eddie says.

“Yeah, it’s the barn where they make the cider.”

“Where is it?”

"It's down at the end, kind of close to where the firetruck is, actually."

"Thank you," Eddie says, already pulling the bathroom door open.

It doesn't take him long to find the barn, set back a ways from the bustle of people. He glances around before ducking under the rope and breaking into a sprint. He gets up to the doors and frowns. They're padlocked from the outside.

"What the hell?" he murmurs. What was Buck even doing back here? Not going inside the cider barn, clearly. He decides to take a quick look around anyway, just in case there's something he's missing.

His phone buzzes and he pulls it out. A text from Bobby reads, Corn maze employee didn't see him. Any luck?

Eddie is tapping a response when he rounds the corner to the back of the barn. He glances up for a second, then does a double take, his heart leaping into his throat.

"Buck!"

Buck is lying face-down on the ground, and there's blood pooling on the ground underneath his head and covering the right side of his face.

"Oh my god," Eddie breathes rushing forward and crashing to his knees. He pushes the fingers of his right hand under Buck's jaw. With his left, he calls Bobby.

"Hey, Eddie," Bobby says a second later. "You find him?"

"Yeah, Cap. We're gonna need an ambulance and – and probably police as well."

"What?" Bobby's voice is sharp. "What happened?"

"I don't know, I just found him unconscious. Heartbeat's steady, but his head is bleeding pretty bad. I think--" He takes a deep breath, fighting back a wave of nausea. "I think someone must've attacked him. I need Hen and Chim here. Tell them we're behind the cider barn."

"K. We'll be there in just a minute, Eddie, hang tight."

The line goes dead and Eddie sets his phone down, turning his full attention to Buck. He puts a hand on his back and gives him a shake.

"Buck?"

Buck groans a little.

"Buck, you with me?"

Buck's eyes move beneath the lids, and then his lashes flutter, eyes opening a crack. He winces immediately.

"Ow. What happened?"

Eddie wishes he knew. "You got hit in the head," he says. "Do you know where you are?"

"I – uh...I don't know."

"We're at the autumn festival," Eddie says.

"Oh," Buck murmurs. "...With Christopher?"

Eddie's chest tightens. Shit. Buck is definitely concussed, but already it's worse than he thought. "No, no. Not with Chris. The 118 came to help out, remember?"

"Oh," Buck says again. And then, "What happened?".

"You hit your head, Buck," Eddie says gently.

"Eddie?"

He looks up at the sound of Chim's voice. "Back here!"

Chim and Hen round the corner, Chimney with the med bag in hand. His eyes widen as he lays eyes on Buck.

"Whoa."

"Hey, Buck," Hen says as she and Chim join Eddie on the ground next to Buck.

"Hen?" He sounds confused. "What're...what happened?"

"That's the third time he's asked that," Eddie says, voice low, and Hen looks up at him. Eddie swallows. "He's, uh. He's pretty confused."

"Okay," Hen says. She looks a little shaken, but nods. "Okay, Chim, let's get a c-collar on him, just in case."

"Did you see anything?" Chimney asks as he and Hen fit the c-collar around Buck's neck.

"No," Eddie says. "But this didn't just happen. Someone did this to him." Anger is starting to permeate the fear, a roiling heat under the bottom of his rib cage.

"God," Chim breathes. "Who'd wanna hurt Buck?"

"Guys." Hen's voice is firm, and though she doesn't say it, the meaning on her face is clear: Now isn't the time. "Let's get him turned over."

They get him onto his back, and then Chim pulls some gauze out of his bag and presses it against the long gash, a few inches above Buck's right ear. Buck draws in a sharp breath through his teeth, flinching away as much as he can with the c-collar on.

"I know," Chim says, grimacing. "I know that hurts. But I've gotta get that bleeding stopped, bud."

"I'm gonna take a look at your eyes really quick," Hen says. "Can you look straight ahead for me?"

She shines her penlight in each of Buck's eyes. Eddie watches her expression closely, trying to gauge how worried she is (how worried he needs to be).

"Pupils are equal, but sluggish," she says.

"M' head hurts," Buck says. "What's..." He reaches up toward the c-collar, but Eddie grabs his wrist.

"Leave it, Buck," he says. "You've gotta leave that alone until they clear you at the hospital."

Buck blinks slowly. "Eddie?"

"Yeah?"

"What happened?"

xxx

A/N: I actually started this one for Whumptober last year hahaha, this is not karma for what happened at the end of the premiere 😭

[thoodleoo]

do you have any non-fiction book recs on slavery and the Third Servile War in ancient rome? I've seen posts that defended or played down slavery in ancient Rome claiming they treated their slaves well and typically didn't abuse them without a good reason, because they'd risk the loss of property and these posts just didn't seem right to me. If they actually treated them well there wouldn't have been slave uprisings. If they slaves had rights they wouldn't have been called slaves.

i haven't read a lot of modern accounts of the third servile war, but shaw's spartacus and the slave wars is a phenomenal sourcebook for you to look through ancient documents about the servile wars and the general treatment of slaves. it contains ancient historical texts, but it also pulls from relevant sources like letters and inscriptions that discuss things like laws pertaining to fugitive slaves. some of my followers and other classicists in the tumblr classics community who know more about the subject than i do might be able to offer up some other sources.

as far as treating their slaves well- the first thing to remember is that slavery, no matter how "well" the slaves were treated, is still slavery. at its core, slavery treats human beings as if they were property and strips them of their rights. in addition, while some particularly skilled slaves or slaves that had been in a household for a long time were treated more compassionately than others, the vast majority of slaves were not given this treatment. many of them were treated with little to no dignity and were forced to complete difficult, sometimes dangerous, jobs. for every tiro we know of, there were probably thousands of unnamed slaves being treated as little more than expendable farm equipment. the relative good fortune of a handful of slaves does not in any way justify slavery.

[the-gone-ton]

North Hanover Mall, from the outside. Most of the mall entrances are totally unlabeled, but the one that actually does say "North Hanover Mall" on it also has a little labelscar at the top where the logo for Crown American (the mall developer) used to be. Also, we got a Sears Auto Center surrounded by farm equipment courtesy of Rural King, a classic Spirit Halloween moment, and a visually mold-infested mall entrance.

[da-birb-writes-sometimes]

Driving Habits -Pomefiore Edition

Can they drive? If so, what kind of drivers are they? What are their car habits?

Characters; Vil Shoenheit, Rook Hunt & Epel Felmier

Content; mentions of road rage, swearing

Word Count; 500+

Find the Rest of the Series; Heartslabyul, Savanaclaw, Octavinelle, Scarabia, Ignihyde, Diasomnia

Author’s Note; As a reminder, do not put my work — or others for that matter — into AI as it steals. Link to Masterlist

Vil Shoenheit

He keeps to the rules of the road and somehow got near perfect on his driving exam. He gives all the learning/beginning drivers lessons, regardless if they want them or not.

Listens to classical music and a radio show that discusses any scandals going on in the acting sphere. If he has a role coming up, he will play any songs that he may have to sing. He does not share the aux under any circumstance.

His phone is on silent and is in his carry-on. He wears a bluetooth headpiece in case chaos breaks loose in the ten minutes that he is absent from the dorm.

Keeps emergency beauty supplies, snacks, and an extra change of clothes; both his casual look and his ‘hiding from the press’ get up. He keeps his car clean, and it’s most likely custom to match his preferences.

Just digs his nails into the steering wheel whenever someone cuts him off or rides his ass. He refuses to give into flipping people off or honking at them, even though he really wishes to in the moment.

Rook Hunt

A good driver albeit a bit fast. He sat in during his older siblings’ lessons, and they then taught him. Likes to go out on little joy rides every so often.

You cannot tell me that he doesn’t listen to musicals and opera when he’s driving. He has several playlists dedicated to Vil’s and Neige’s singing roles. He also does not share the aux, unless Vil is in the vehicle.

Keeps his phone on silent, he doesn’t need the pinging to notify him when someone has messaged him or the latest gossip just dropped; he knows.

His trunk is filled with extra crossbows and outdoor gear; he has gotten pulled aside and questioned heavily. He keeps it hidden now. He also has little keepsakes from people he finds interesting.

Doesn’t get road rage, he just chuckles to himself and keeps on driving as if someone didn’t nearly try to drive him off the road. Someone could be flipping him off and he’ll just have that happy look on his face. But he has a dash cam since sometimes truly interesting things do happen.

Epel Felmier

He is a speed demon. GOTTA GO FAST. Vil is giving him lessons, but if anything it just makes him want to go faster. 

Country boi plays country music or “manly” music [whatever that means] when he’s on the road. Will fight people who touch his aux, and will fight over the aux in other people’s cars; he cannot stand Rook’s opera music.

His phone isn’t on silent, but he doesn’t text or call while driving; he got lectured by his meemaw last time. Will outright ignore the voice messages Vil leaves.

Keeps a bunch of promotional items for the family farm in his trunk at all times. He also has some Spelldrive equipment just in case. The only decorations he has are gifts from his parents and meemaw. If anyone teases him about them, he is kicking them out of his car, enjoy walking.

Has bad road rage; swearing up a storm in his accent, flipping them off, honking, the whole shebang. After an incident, he’s forced to have either Vil or Rook be in the car with him at all times.

[ferrarihamilton]

STORMCHASER?? 👀

this fic has been ruminating in my head for almost a year..... it's a chalex au where charles stopped racing after winning gp3, and alex's family moved to the US when he was young and he visits every summer break just before storm season starts.

Charles texts him at 3:18AM on a Saturday in the middle of July: Alex! I hope you are dreaming sweet dreams. I will be in Dogwood in a week! Can I stay with you?

Alex smiles when he sees it in the morning. Charles asks the same question every summer, and he’s always so polite about it. Like Alex hasn’t seen him throw up on himself after drinking a box of wine, and hasn’t been opening his house to Charles for four years now. Like he doesn’t know how the first thing Alex does upon waking is check the forecast. He might not have the fancy equipment that Charles has, but he can see the cartoon of a little raincloud with lightning as well as anybody else. They’re promised high winds at the beginning of August. Alex had already prepared the spare room.

He replies, Hey charlie. What day would you be arriving?

The typing bubbles appear immediately, and a second later a string of kissy faces come through, followed by Hmmm thursday I think

Alex thumbs up the message, and then sends a photo of his view of the sunrise for good measure. In the foreground, there’s his windowsill, littered with various trinkets that Charles has brought before, and then below, the cafe's porch awning, and the sprawling fields for miles to see. Even without opening the window, the air feels fractious, hot.

Alex knows Charles understands, because he sends back four emojis: a battery, an electric plug, a thermometer, and a satellite. Alex smiles again, helplessly, before tucking his phone into his back pocket and heading out start his day.

Chloe is already starting to make breakfast. She turns as she hears him come down the stairs, and smirks when she sees his face. “Charles due soon?”

“Shut it,” he says. Chloe just smirks wider as she hands him a bowl and a carton of eggs.

+++++

Dogwood, Oklahoma, population 300, sits on State Highway 39, and the township’s economy is mostly fuelled by the tourists heading north to Kansas. It’s completely unremarkable, utterly boring, and the perfect place to spend three weeks of summer when your day job normally consists of multiple timezones a week.

His mum had bought the house and the attached cafe soon after they moved to the US: Albon's, a classic tourist trap place with cheap sandwiches and coffee, morphed into half a farm slash petting zoo when Luca wouldn’t stop rescuing animals and plunking them firmly in their backyard. The tourists kept asking about the donkeys wandering around the picnic tables, and Zoe had said eventually, “Well if they’re not going away, we might as well make some money.” They’re proudly advertised as family-owned and operated, which is supposed to make the people feel good about spending their money there, but mostly gets brought up through gritted teeth whenever Zoe and their mum argue about finances.

Alex tries not to get involved. Even though he makes more than enough money now for them to not need the cafe, he thinks it keeps his mum happy, to be reminded of the first life they'd had that was completely theirs.

And the cafe is how him and Charles are still friends. Alex had been furious when Charles told him he wasn't continuing with racing after winning GP3. Alex would have given everything to have beaten him, and here Charles was, acting like it didn't mean anything.

But Charles had followed him to Oklahoma that winter, instead of going home. He'd helped out at the cafe, and the night before his flight back to Monaco, he'd told Alex that he'd enrolled at Oklahoma State, tentative major in mech-E. Later, Alex will think that he probably had wanted to be an astronaut. Instead, when Charles' prof in sophomore year had taken his class out in the middle of a thunderstorm, and Charles had dragged Alex along with him, Alex had had the almost religious experience of watching Charles’ face as the sky crackled with lightning.

They’re still good friends; they text fairly frequently, but it’s been a year since they’ve seen each other. Charles is a proper stormchaser now, galivanting around the country on grant money from the college. He looks happy in every photo he posts on Instagram, writes long blog posts using words like isobars and Doppler effect and mobile broadband MNVO. And without fail, he stays at Alex's family home for a week before the storm season begins in earnest, and Alex sends him off to run after tornadoes, like a wife watching her husband leave for war.

+++++

Charles arrives in a flurry, bringing with him a battered Jeep fitted with mods Alex isn’t entirely sure are legal. As she does every year, his mother comes out to stand next to him on the porch as they pull up, and her eyebrows are thoroughly unimpressed until Charles’ smiling face hops out.

“Oh Charles!” she coos. “He was always such a good boy,” and then Charles is kissing her on both cheeks, saying hello and how she looks as beautiful ever, before he turns his attention on Alex, and even though Alex is twenty-six, he feels himself flush.

“Alexander,” Charles singsongs, and then mushes his face into Alex’s collarbone as he hugs him. Alex huffs out a laugh, wraps his own arms around Charles.

“It’s good to see you too,” he tells him. Charles beams at him, and Alex hasn’t followed Charles on one of his tornado chases since he was twenty, but under his gaze, he feels supercharged, electric.

Charles insists on helping out around the farm, because Alex absolutely puts his foot down when Charles offers to pay them for his week stay. This would be useful, because it’s the busiest part of the tourist season, if Charles were not completely useless. He takes nervous steps away when the animals approach him, clumsy with the dirty plates when clearing tables, and even though Alex knows that Charles can operate software with GIS overlay and the college’s ham radios that tune into Skywarn frequencies, he stares at their cash register with the same trepidation most people approach large spiders. And despite all of that— he charms all the little old ladies that come though the café doors, even when he messes up the orders. He makes Melina laugh, which in turn, lets Zoe get on with the bookkeeping undisturbed. He also brings in a shitload of tips. Alex hides a smile, watching Charles flit around and somehow be totally out of place and completely at home all at once.

It’s hard not to be charmed by Charles, his quick hands and the way he looks when he’s concentrating. Alex was a lost cause when he was eighteen; he sees no reason why that might have changed now.

+++++

Alex is always worried that Charles will get bored when he stays. Usually, he’s a doer, not a worrier, but he still has a training regime to keep up, so it's not like Alex can skive off to entertain Charles.

But they do have one tradition, and there’s nothing else to do on a Saturday night. So Alex takes the pickup truck they usually use for moving animals, cleans the hay and muck out, and drives Charles out to the fields. It’s a clear night, and they can see the stars, and he spreads out the blanket over the truckbed, throws down a couple of pillows, and leans back to look up at the night sky.  

“Tell me about your year,” Charles demands, once they've settled in.

Alex shrugs. Anybody can find out how his year is going from every sports website under the sun. He nudges Charles. “Tell me about your year.”

But Charles shrugs too, even though he’s smiling, and starts telling him about clouds instead. “Cumulonimbus,” he says. “Cumulus means ‘heap’ in Latin and ‘nimbus’ means storm cloud. They mean a storm is coming— air currents care carrying the water vapour up. When they develop, they have this dome.” He cups his hands into shape. “And then they can become supercells.”

Alex knows about the team that Charles is going with this year: Lewis, who used to work for the National Weather Service but now he’s a storm spotter for fun; Seb, a professor of climatology and technically their team lead; Daniel, who looks like he’s only there because he’s an adrenaline junkie and a good driver.

Alex knows from reading the captions on Charles’ Instagram posts that storm season starts in August, and the café is the first stop. For the next two months, he’ll follows the weather patterns as they shift and morph on radar displays, driving into fields, into wide-open terrains of grass and dirt and lakes with no roads and a cloudless sky, and waiting for the winds to pick up before they go.

He knows their time is limited, so Alex drinks in the sight of Charles and all the ways he’s changed in the time they’ve been apart. He tries not to wish for anything more.

At the end of the week, two more Jeeps roll into the driveway, Seb, Lewis, and Daniel all get introduced in quick fashion, and then Charles kisses Alex high on his cheek, and waves at him the whole time they’re driving away. Alex watches him go, waving, sore.

+++++

August turns into September, and the season picks up again. Williams has a solid midfield car now, and it's good, seeing the fruits of his hard work, having a team around him that listens to him, takes him seriously. Him and Charles continue to text, infrequently, as they always have. Charles tells him about amazing tornadoes, sends photos of himself at the World’s Largest Ball of Twine in nowhere towns on the side of highways, miles and miles of cornfields.

In return, Alex sends photos of the track, some terrible coffee they make him try for a marketing challenge, Luca screwing his face up at his maths homework, the crowd of fans at Singapore.

This is why it’s particularly insulting, that Alex finds out from fucking Lando of all people, that Charles got struck by lightning.

“What,” he says. His hands are clammy where he’s clutching his phone.

“Yeah, Max mentioned it to me. Guess Daniel told him. They’re having one of their weird on again things again.”

Alex couldn’t care less about whatever drama Lando has embroiled himself in. He’d known, logically, the risks of storm chasing. Except it was Charles, who has always seemed bigger than it all, exempt from the rules of physics and karma and everything else that made the rest of them mortal.

He checks Charles’ Instagram after Lando hangs up. The last post is still there, from a few hours ago. Alex had already seen it, liked it, thought nothing of it. A photo of a long stretch of highway, Daniel’s exaggeratedly frown. Location tagged Humboldt, Tennessee: stuck here for a few days with an upside down smiley face.

There’s a shiver running up his spine, a tense, live wire. If he touched anybody right now, he’s be unsurprised if the venom of it ran straight through them.

That feeling only intensifies in the twenty-four hours between Landos call and him pulling up outside the only motel in Humboldt. He stands outside the car feeling angry and frightened as he figures out what to say to Charles. This is greatly ruined by how Charles stumbles out ten minutes later in socks and slides, and stops dead.

“Alex?” He blinks. "You're supposed to be in Austin."

Alex is; it's Wednesday, race week. He has media duties in the paddock tomorrow.

“Did you get taller?” Charles asks, when Alex still doesn't say anything.

“I don’t think so,” Alex manages to get out. He's still feeling that sickly furious feeling, and Charles must see it on his face, because he huffs.

 “Fucking— I’m fine, the car is ruined but it had to happen at some point.”

“Does it?”

Charles squints at him. “Is this a trick question?”

"Charles," Alex says, but he's stopped by movement in the motel. harles glances back. A door is open, and Seb is lounging casually against the door frame in sweats. Alex didn’t know it was possible for a man wearing a headband to look so frightening.

 “Let’s go for a drive,” Charles says.

+++++

Charles directs them back onto the highway. He riddles with the radio, turning the dials until it crackles into a frequency that’s giving a weather report. Alex has to keep his eyes on the road to drive, but he knows what Charles looks like even without turning his head: lips pursed, hands twitching like he’s looking for a notebook before his thoughts fly away.

"Here," Charles finally says. It’s a dirt road turn off that looks like it leads nowhere, but Alex turns off all the same.

“You’re here,” Charles says wonderingly, even before he's killed the engine. Alex takes a deep breath, turns to face Charles. Seeing his face, whole, open, looking at Alex in that way lets the last of Alex’s worry melt away.

“Okay,” Charles says, and Alex leans forward and fists his hand in the collar of Charles’ shirt, and kisses him.

[randostufforino]

[darkimpala1897]

I'm currently doing a storm chaser Au for MOTA, I posted my three part today, so I just wanted to drop some lore slash headcanons

1. Bucky was adopted at age seven by Jack and Chick, he doesn't call them his dads. He calls them his weird uncles.

2. Buckys parents were killed by a tornado.

3. Bucky has been chasing tornados since he was a kid.

4. Bucky and Buck are married, but currently divorcing. But also at the same time not really.

5. Curt and Dickie have been married since the dinosaurs.

6. DeMarco is engaged to Brady, Meatball is their son.

7. Bubbles and Crosby are married duh.

8. Douglass and Hambone have been dating forever.

9. Helen and Nash are married.

10. Quinn is in a situationship with Bailey and Babyface, I can't even explain it.

11. Ken is married to Winks, they have a son named Sammy.

12. Sammy was carried by Helen, but she is not biologically his mother.

13. Meatball was found in what was left of a barn, he was just a puppy.

14. Helen is the only one with her life together, she's a sex therapist, which Nash finds hilarious.

12. Ken and Winks are farmhands slash mechanics, that live on Jack and Chicks farm.

13. Everyone lives in Jack and Chicks basement.

14. They live in Wakita Oklahoma.

15. Nobodys car dates past 1996 is a running joke between everyone when in reality its like 1990.

16. Hambone is the human barometer.

17. Croz is the navigator, he has a whole a conniption if Bubbles folds the maps.

18. DeMarco drives a retired school bus, for some reason well drunk DeMarco put where it use to say school, it says "Burrito Barn" now. He doesn't know either.

19. Bucky drives a blue 1983 GMC Vandura with a unicorn painted on both sides.

20. Ken painted the unicorns on Buckys van.

21. Curt and Dickie drive a black 1989 Chevrolet Suburban, it's nickname is "The Beast"

22. The Beast has been put back together four times now, the most severe incident was a cell tower piece through the windshield.

23. Bubbles and Croz drive a 1982 Ford F-150.

24. Douglass and Hambone drive a 1983 Ford LTD Country Squire, Hammy calls it "The Boat" or "The Wagon" depending on the day.

25. Douglass loves to drift his Squire, which is not good for it.

26. Rosies drives a 1985 Chevrolet Chevy Van, it has utility lights on it, Bucky calls it "The Boring Van"

27. Helen and Nash drive a 1975 Chevrolet K-10.

28. Bucky is the resident idiot of the group.

29. Rosies operates all the fancy equipment, and the cameras for obvious reasons.

30. They have a YouTube channel, which is called the Windy 100th. Rosie thought of it because he was a history major.

31. Their YouTube channel isn't that popular, but it's more about them having fun then anything.

32. Curt and Brady do audio, they have the best ears.

33. Smokey is their doctor, but he is a registered wackadoodle.

34. Smokey drives this hideous green 1990 Crown Victoria it belongs to Stormy, though he pretends not to own it for obvious reasons.

35. Instead of Brady yelling "Son of a bitch, that's France! He's yelled "Son Of Bitch, that's the tornado." He nearly died that day.

36. Brady just owns a baseball helmet for some reason.

37. Hambone is called Hambone because he literally got smacked by a flying pig.

38. Babyface is called Babyface, because for some reason he keeps getting smacked in the head by babydolls.

39. Stormy is an actual meteorologist, that just helps out the group. So he slightly has his life together.

40. Ken owns a flatbed tow truck for obvious reasons, but he normally drives a 1977 GMC C-15 which he shares with Winks.

41. Buck owns a 1984 Jeep Wagoneer.

42. All of them met in college well studying you guessed it weather.

43. Rosie knows Oklahoma by heart, he sings with Smokey.

44. DeMarco loves rock music, he blasts it on drives through speakers on his bus.

45. Douglass loves classical music.

46. All of them are amazing drivers which is surprising considering.

47. Chick is the one who cooks, Jack bakes and makes pretty much everything.

48. Jack makes wind chimes that he sells.

49. The only one to ever have seen an F5 was Bucky, its what killed his parents.

50. Bucky thinks he's the leader, but it's actually Rosie.

That's it, that's lore for the Windy 100th aka Storm Chaser AU.



[basingstokemercury]

And here's the full set of character concepts Snow and Vicori belong to.

All but one are based on a character from a classic folk ballad - all the ballads have been recorded by Joan Baez, though in one case I've used the lyrics from someone else's version.

I've given this away previously, but if you don't know all the songs and want to try guessing feel free (answers below a cut at the end)

Francis Seabreeze (high elf battlesmith artificer)

Francis grew up on a farm, with a loving family and a talent for mechanics. There weren't too many opportunities for an engineer to make herself a name out in the country, and fixing the farm equipment didn't quite cut it; so she left for the big city, where education and industry awaited. Years later, Francis is known throughout the region as a brilliant artificer. She's rich, famous, talented - and alone. Naturally introverted and slow to open up to strangers, she hasn't been able to build a new social circle after leaving behind everyone who knew and loved her. If only she could go home... But she's put too much work into her new life, burned those bridges too long ago to back out now. Until new people do make their way into her life, bringing adventure, risk, and a possible way back...

Pyrrhus Firshade (centaur ancestral guardians barbarian)

Pyrrhus was an unremarkable, happy young man. A soldier in training, with a stable job and a wonderful fiancée serving alongside him. Until that fiancée got herself mixed up in a duel. And killed. Devastated, Pyrrhus went beyond his people's usual pragmatic mourning customs, visiting her grave every day and spending most of his time there. A year and a day later, that ended rather surprisingly. As Pyrrhus sat by his beloved's grave as usual, her spirit appeared to him. The lengthy, passionate mourning was keeping her tethered to the physical world, preventing her from moving on as the dead should. Still not fully comprehending her meaning, Pyrrhus was ecstatic to see her again. Perhaps this meant they could yet be reunited? The task she named to bring that about seemed impossible, but he was determined. If he succeeds, will he choose to save his love or let her rest?

Snow Brightlord (air genasi eloquence bard)

Snow never meant to change his life when he came to the bustling city on a pleasure visit, but lovely Fleur changed it for him. A charming saloon girl with many friends and admirers, Fleur was always courteous to Snow as she was to all who sought her favour. Wishful thinking is a strong force, and Snow interpreted that courtesy as a mark of greater distinction than it was. So, when he came upon Fleur talking intimately with a young aristocrat - a clear betrayal of his love - he took the obvious course of action. Killing his rival. A talented orator when thinking clearly, Snow managed to talk himself out of the death penalty - but all his verbal arts couldn't win the still-grieving Fleur over to him. Considering his difficulty, Snow came to a conclusion. Obviously, Fleur had only wanted the other man for his wealth and status. If Snow could make a name for himself too, perhaps she'd be convinced. Of course, as Snow looks for money and power of his own, he still doesn't accept his guilt for the murder. It was justified, and if not he wasn't in his right mind, and anyway the man had it coming. Maybe that'll change with time, and maybe his mind will be able to survive the blow.

Vicori Bittergrace (duergar mercy monk)

Ten years ago, Vicori had it all. Well, maybe not all, but a pleasant life, good marriage, and affair with her husband's best friend. That last bit, of course, is what brought it all down - but not in the way one might expect. Vicori's lover was accused of murder. He was innocent, of course, but the witnesses all identified the fleeing killer as bearing a definite resemblance to him. Luckily, there was a cast-iron alibi: he'd been with Vicori the whole time. Using that alibi, now... It would have destroyed a marriage, ended two people's happiness, condemned Vicori in the eyes of the public. He stayed silent. Vicori regretted not having spoken herself, having put her honour before the life of someone she cared for, but it was too late. After her husband's premature death, she dedicated herself to a monastery, wandering in a quest to prevent other wrongful executions. She still visits her lover's grave when she can, dressed in black on lonely nights.

Sierra Silverwood (tiefling arcane trickster rogue)

Rake. Rambler. Careless drifter. Sierra's life was neither comfortable nor orderly, but she didn't particularly mind any of that. Until she fell in love, that is. A normal occurrence, and a perfectly safe one if you don't happen to be a ballad character. The young man she married was vain and materialistic, exulting over the gifts she sank her little income into. She was glad to give all she could, every token of affection worth all the effort it took to gain. And when she didn't have enough? There was no choice but to take from others. Sierra became an infamous highway robber, raking in gold by the thousands - until she got caught. Her husband didn't even visit her in jail, claiming ignorance of his "beloved"'s crimes. Too late, she realised she'd thrown everything away for someone who didn't even care as long as he could use her. Freed from impending execution by a strange chance, Sierra feels lost and directionless, ready to follow any path that can restore her confidence and self-sufficiency.

Chiyo Flowerfall (human divination wizard)

Chiyo fell in love. Familiar beginning, isn't it? He left home to be with the woman he adored, abandoning his father and brothers for the allure of sweet romance with a passing stranger. It didn't last. Bitter and disillusioned, Chiyo swore off romantic love and turned to the study of divination magic. His goal: never to have to take a gamble like that again. If everything was predictable, every chance studiously calculated... Then, maybe, he could dare to risk his heart again someday. With the proper assurances behind his choice. His research has to wait, though, now that a disturbing prophecy has chosen him as its vessel; the fate of much more than his happiness rests on what he'll do with the knowledge.

Songs referenced:

Francis - original story, I couldn't find a song to match

Pyrrhus - The Unquiet Grave

Snow - Lily Of The West

Vicori - Long Black Veil

Sierra - Rake And A Ramblin' Boy, with small touches from Sylvie

Chiyo - Careless Love

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Chinese machines arrive in the country, inaugurating the Brazil-China Center for Family Farming

The Chinese Minister of Education attended the inauguration, which featured exchanges and a big data center

Following President Xi Jinping's state visit to Brazil, China's Minister of Education, Huai Jinpeng, visited the University of Brasilia to launch the Brazil-China Center for Research, Development, and Promotion of Technology and Mechanization for Family Farming.  

Jinpeng participated in the "Brazil-China Forum: Milestones for a New Phase of Cooperation for Shared Development," organized by the University of Brasilia and the Taihe Institute of China and sponsored by the Banco do Brasil Foundation (FBB, in Portuguese).  

The event also officially welcomed the 70 pieces of Chinese machinery and equipment destined for the University of Brasilia's Água Limpa Farm and agrarian reform settlements in the Federal District.  

"We hope that, under the guidance of the two heads of state, Lula and Xi Jinping, education in China and Brazil will become a pioneer, a model, and a leader in the development of both countries, creating a new chapter 'across mountains and seas,'" said the minister, referencing The Classic of Mountains and Seas (Shan Hai Jing), a metaphor for an ideal multicultural society used to describe distant places.

Continue reading.

[evatheepic]

You know what would be crazy?

If there was a 90s-2000s niche cult classic cartoon that barely anyone remembers and it was about magical artifacts or some sort of cursed relics and one of the characters was a gruff old man voiced by an iconic voice actor of the time.

And in one episode the gang would find cursed farming equipment and the old man character would get enticed by one of them and say something like "The hoe.. it calls to me". And it would make sense in universe but the line would be taken out of context and used as a funny in tumblr by mentally ill people.

I think that would be cool.

[pheebasaur7]

So I've worked out more details for Domitius, Above is a sketch of some ideas for his mark and weapon, and the other is a basic render of his outfit with pictures from Google and notes.

Backstory:

Before he was imprisoned and forced to become a gladiator he was a horse breeder and before that a soldier. He was specifically an Equites soldier and that is where he learned to use his Spatha as horseback cavalry. After being injured in battle he was discharged from the military and given a small farm. Because of the atrocities he was forced to commit as a soldier he became a pacifist and began breeding horses on his new farm. At first, he only bred workhorses for other farmers and for the occasional merchant but eventually, the Roman Empire soon came knocking.  He was to begin breeding war horses as he was a well-known skilled breeder at this point. He reluctantly agreed not having much of a choice. He felt extremely guilty every time he sent one of his beloved horses off to war knowing they would likely die. After a few years of doing this for the Empire, he decided he had had enough. He couldn't do it anymore. Couldn't send another horse to die. And so he refused to breed another horse for the Roman Empire. The emperor did not take kindly to this and sent his men to capture him. When they couldn't convince him to breed more horses he was imprisoned for disobeying the empire. He was sold as a gladiator slave and then went on to the Colosseum 

Outfit and Gear:

He is equipped with a Spatha as his summoned weapon. 

His general outfit would consist of a classic gladiator helmet and a gold Cuirass with a galloping horse on the center of his chest. He also has a bad(gr)ass cape for sure. He would of course have some Greaves to protect his legs with leopard engraving on them. He has big Gold Pauldrons with a lion on his right shoulder and a tiger on the left. Nothing special with his shoes just Roman war shoes.

Mark: 

His killing blow was dealt by another gladiator and it was a spear to the heart. So his wolf Mark is on his chest directly on top of his heart.

Powers:

As a knight, he gained the ability to speak to animals. This doesn't guarantee that they will listen or obey him but it makes it easier for him to persuade them to help him. He cannot talk to magical creatures only wild “real” ( real as in they exist IRL) animals so lions, elephants, gorillas, etc.

He also has a minor ability to summon treats for his pets basically he has a magical infinite supply of scooby-snacks lol

[ecosmining]

How Cryptocurrency Mining Works: Process, Methods, and Risks

Cryptocurrency mining is a topic of interest for many people. Today, there are numerous opportunities available for those who want to earn money, and one of them is cryptocurrency mining, which can provide a significant income.

What is Cryptocurrency Mining?

First, let’s understand what cryptocurrency mining means. It all started with Satoshi Nakamoto, who in 2007 began developing the principles of cryptocurrency mining (Bitcoin). In 2009, the first mining application was released. The generation of the first block, “Genesis 0,” brought the first 50 bitcoins to its creators. In the same year, the first purchase of BTC for dollars took place: $5.02 was sold for 5050 bitcoins (which is an astronomical sum today).

The essence of the cryptocurrency mining process is the creation of new blocks in the cryptocurrency network. For this, the mining equipment solves complex mathematical problems. For each new block, cryptocurrency coins are issued. Miners can then store them in their wallets or sell them on exchanges.

How Does Cryptocurrency Mining Work?

To understand the principles of mining, it is necessary to clearly understand how bitcoin is mined.

Information about each transaction within the BTC network is recorded in a special block, which confirms the authenticity of the transfer.

Blocks form a single chain — the blockchain. Each block contains the hash of the header of the previous block, the hash of the transaction, and a random number.

The miner’s equipment performs mathematical calculations to determine the block hash.

After calculating the hash, the miner receives a reward and adds a new block to the general register of transactions.

The mining process is protected using the Proof-of-Work and Proof-of-Stake algorithms. These are sets of rules according to which transactions are conducted, mining is carried out, and other actions are performed within the network.

Proof-of-work (“proof of work”). The algorithm organizes the operation of the entire cryptocurrency network, verifies the authenticity of transactions, and so on. After a certain amount of cryptocurrency is mined in the network, PoW increases the complexity of the calculations. As a result, miners are forced to constantly increase the power of their farms and devices. PoW is the algorithm of a large number of cryptocurrency networks: from bitcoin to LiteCoin and DogeCoin. Proof-of-Stake (“proof of ownership”). An analog of PoW, the essence of which is that the greatest chance of mining cryptocurrency is received by the one who owns the most coins, and not the most powerful equipment. The algorithm reduces the decentralization of the network but significantly reduces energy consumption. PoS is currently used by Ethereum.

Mining Algorithms

To understand how to mine cryptocurrency, you need to know about the most popular mining algorithms at the moment. These technologies form the basis of cryptographic calculations and affect the mining speed, the necessary equipment and its power, the level of energy consumption, and so on.

SHA-256. The basis of mining on this algorithm is the creation of a 256-bit signature. It is demanding on the hash rate (for mining, a minimum of 1 Gh/s is required). Calculations last from 7 minutes. It is used in the mining of Bitcoin, Bytecoin, Terracoin, 21Coin. Ethash. The hashing algorithm was first used to mine ether. In the mining process, the emphasis is on the volume of video card memory. Ethash is used in the networks Ethereum Classic, KodakCoin, Ubig.

Scrypt. It works on the PoW (Proof-of-work) principle. Compared to SHA-256, it has a higher calculation speed and lower requirements for the power of computing equipment. The algorithm is used in the mining of Dogecoiun, Gulden, Litecoin.

Equihash. An algorithm with which you can mine cryptocurrency on home computers. It is used in the mining of Bitcoin Gold, Zcash, Komodo. CryptoNight. The algorithm is designed for mining cryptocurrency on home computers. It allows you to mine even on a not very powerful video card. The only condition is that it must be discrete. It is used in the mining of Bytecoin and Monero.

X11. The algorithm was developed by the creators of the Dash token. It has excellent data protection and low energy consumption.

Types of Mining

What does cryptocurrency mining mean in terms of organizing the process? There are several types of mining that depend on the equipment used and the number of team members.

By Equipment Type

In mining, you can use different equipment: you need to choose a suitable cryptocurrency and install software. Each type of equipment will differ in calculation speed, resource consumption, durability, etc.

CPU (Central processing unit) CPU mining is the use of a PC processor for cryptocurrency mining. It is characterized by very low calculation speed and, accordingly, low profitability. However, it is still relevant among solo miners due to low energy consumption requirements. To increase mining efficiency, you need to choose processors with a high frequency, a large number of cores and threads. It is not recommended to mine on laptops. With CPU mining, you can mine Dogecoin, Monero, Electroneum.

FPGA-module (Field-Programmable Gate Array) The use of an FPGA module is one of the promising ways to mine cryptocurrency. Their advantage/difference lies in the possibility of reprogramming the module for the desired mining algorithm. Thus, you can switch between different cryptocurrencies. Another beneficial difference is that FPGA modules provide a better hash rate-energy consumption ratio. The main disadvantage of FPGA mining is the cost of the modules and the complexity of their setup.

Hard Drive You can also use the HDD of your PC for mining. The work is carried out according to the Proof-of-Capacity (“proof of resources”) algorithm. Mining on a hard disk takes place in two stages: plotting and mining. First, the generation of random solutions takes place, which are saved on the HDD. Then the number of the scoop is calculated, and the deadline is determined. Then the minimum deadline is selected, and the miner who beats the rest receives a reward. The calculations do not require high power but only a lot of free space on the hard drive.

By Number of Participants

You can mine cryptocurrency both alone and in a company with other miners. All this has both its advantages and disadvantages.

Solo Mining The oldest form of mining. The miner independently selects equipment, sets up software, chooses a cryptocurrency, and starts mining. All costs are borne by him. But the reward for the mined block is received in full by the solo miner. During the birth of the cryptocurrency industry, this was the most profitable form of mining, as the calculations were fast and did not require large capacities. Today, solo mining is worth doing when mining promising altcoins.

Mining Pools A mining pool is a combination of miners who start working on creating blocks together. As a result, this significantly increases the overall chances of getting cryptocurrency. There are two main types of pools with different payment mechanisms. Pay-Per-Share (PPS), in which the miner receives a reward for each hash created within the pool — even if the block was not created. Pay-Per-Last-N-Shares (PPLNS), with accrual of the reward only when the block is created.

Cloud Mining This is a type of passive mining. In this case, the user pays for the rental of capacities on the territory of the data center of the company. The equipment starts mining, and with the help of a mobile application or a personal account on the site, the client monitors the results. Profit depends on the rented capacities, the cost of cryptocurrency, and the options in the company’s service.

Mining Profitability

To make a profit from cryptocurrency mining, you need to make a preliminary calculation of costs. If you want to create your own farm, you need to calculate:

Costs for purchasing and maintaining equipment. Payment for electricity. Rent of premises for the farm. The computing power of the equipment, which determines the amount of cryptocurrency mined per month. Assess changes in the value of the chosen cryptocurrency: an accurate forecast will allow you to imagine the expected income.

Mining profitability A profitable option for earning money can be the purchase/rental of ASICs or cloud mining. Their profitability depends only on the starting budget. If you calculate the minimum entry threshold by product, then you can get the following approximate figures:

Purchase of Antminer S21 188TH ($5000): expected income $550* per month. Rent of Antminer S21 188TH for 12 months ($3200): expected income $320* per month. Cloud mining contract ($150): expected income $225* for 60 months. These calculations provide you with forecast information based on the BTC forecast, which will reach $120 thousand. and FPPS 0.0000008. This is not a guarantee of future results, and accordingly, it is not advisable to rely too much on such information due to its inherent uncertainty.

Risks of Cryptocurrency Mining

The cryptocurrency industry has certain risks:

Problems with legislation. Very often, mining is not regulated by the legislation of countries, and in some, it can be completely prohibited, for example, in Taiwan, Kyrgyzstan, Vietnam, Romania, and Ecuador. Before starting to work with cryptocurrency, you definitely need to consult with a lawyer. A good solution to the problem can be the services of a hosting company, which will take any risks upon itself.

The issue of profitability. For successful bitcoin mining on your own, you need to buy powerful computing equipment. It not only costs quite a lot but also requires a huge amount of electricity and careful maintenance. Therefore, it will not be possible to place it at home. At the same time, mining on a home PC or a small farm will be unprofitable due to high competition with large farms and pools.

The difficulty of accurately forecasting income. It is difficult to calculate future income from the sale of mined cryptocurrency: the complexity of mining, the popularity of coins, and their value can and will regularly change.

The Future and Prospects of Cryptocurrency Mining

The industry continues to actively develop around the world. Users know that they can get a good income from cryptocurrency mining, even if they mine altcoins: Ethereum, Tether, BNB, Solana, etc. BTC is the undisputed leader of the industry, the course of which affects users’ trust in it.

After the fourth bitcoin halving in April 2024, the profitability of mining changed. To maintain the previous level of mining, it is necessary to increase existing computing powers. Therefore, miners continue to unite in pools or use the services of hosting companies. In the near future, this trend will not only be preserved but will also receive its development.

Conclusion

Despite periodic declines, bitcoin continues the trend of growth, which makes investing in cryptocurrency mining a profitable investment. With the development of mining pools and the appearance of large farms, it is difficult for a solo miner to get a significant income. Therefore, the best option may be cloud mining or the purchase/rental of an ASIC farm from a hosting company, which will take over the installation and maintenance of the equipment. With ECOS.am, you can focus on mining and investing in BTC. We take on all the other work.