#cloudys transmission

[metamodernisms]

hey question. did u change ur username recently and if so what was it before. i know we are beloved mutuals but i keep seeing u in my notifs and on my dash and im like. who are u

yeag i changed it like a few months ago methinks. iirc my latest url was cloudletss ^-^!

[butterflyangel2002]

Looks like it’s gonna rain

[vendal-construct]

The sun has been hiding from us this week...

[ariestrxsh]

dealer!chris x dealer!reader

💸 content warning: smut/angst (in later chapters; this one's mostly just suggestive), mentions of hard drugs and guns, enemies to lovers, slow burn

💸 summary: you and chris, new partners in crime, start moving your product along.

there will be several parts to this story, and they will contain sex, drugs, violence, use of weapons, and a lot of things that could be triggering if you've ever been apart of the drug world or loved someone with an addiction. i don't mean to glorify drug use, selling, or anything like that, but i wanted this story to be realistic, so it does appear like a somewhat "glamorous" lifestyle to chris and the reader in the first few parts. i want to make it very clear that when you get involved in the drug world in real life, you usually end up in one of two places: the ground or prison.

dividers by @/kimjiho1

WHEN SPARKS FLY

chapters: | intro | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

"Hey, ma. You ready to move this shit or what?" Chris asked, his voice low and rapsy like he'd just woken up.

It was the next afternoon, and you had just pulled up to Daisy's house to pick up your new business partner, who looked like he had just rolled out of bed. He was leaned up against the open window of your passenger side door, a joint tucked between his lips and his grey hoodie pulled over his head.

"Hey, Chris. I was born ready. Get in. You're not bringing that shit in my car, though," you responded, motioning towards his joint. He rolled his eyes and gave you a playful smile. He took a final drag, blew it out the side of his mouth, and dropped the roach onto the ground, snuffing it out under his black Converse shoe and crushing it against the pavement.

He got into the passenger seat, and when he glanced back over at you, his mind flooded with the thoughts he'd had about you the night before. He was afraid he'd crossed a line with you, but it was complicated because it was only in his mind. He quickly pulled his guilty blue eyes off of you, worried that you'd see his fantasies written on his face if he stared at you for too much longer.

"We've got a few of my regulars we're meeting with today. I've already told them all that I'm bringing a colleague. Don't expect to be back home until dark. We have a lot of shit to move, and it isn't going to move itself," you relayed to him as you pulled away from the curb.

"Whatever you say, ma. It's your world, I'm just living in it," Chris replied, rubbing his bloodshot eyes. "We've got a cake to deliver," You pointed out the bakery box in the back seat. "Deliver a cake?" Chris asked, pinching his eyebrows together in a confused expression as he ran his fingers through his disheveled hair.

"It's not really a cake, Chris," you replied, laughing at his naivety. "Here. You look like you're still half-asleep. I got you something to wake you up," you told him, gesturing towards the two coffees in your cup holder.

"Thanks, ma. I love it when you think about me when I'm not around," Chris flirted, playfully winking at you as he reached for his drink. You rolled your eyes and scoffed. "Just drink your coffee," you responded in an unamused tone as you found your way out of the neighborhood.

The weather was cloudy and grey like the day before, but no rain yet, just a humidity that hung in the air and clung to your skin as you drove with the windows down. The two of you made your way through Long Beach traffic, hitting all the green lights until you pulled up in front of a seafood restaurant.

"What are we doing here, ma?" Chris wondered aloud, looking up from his phone as you threw your transmission into park. "Grabbing lunch," you casually stated, cutting the engine and unbuckling your seatbelt. "Hope you like fish."

"I mean, it's alright. You think we could go somewhere else to eat?" He politely asked. "No," you dryly responded, getting out of the driver's side of your Honda Accord. He sighed but trailed behind you.

The two of you waltzed into the restaurant, the smell of lobster and shrimp drifting through the air as you scanned the place. You locked eyes with a cook who acknowledged you with a nod. You elbowed Chris in the side to get his attention.

"That's our guy. His name is Joe. He's going on lunch in about forty-five minutes. We're gonna sit down, have a nice meal, and after we pay the tab, we're gonna meet him in the parking lot," you whispered to Chris.

"How much is he buying? A couple grams?" Chris assumed. "Are you kidding, Chris? Do I look like the kind of person who wastes my own time? I don't sell anything to anyone if it's less than a pound," you quietly snorted.

Chris widened his eyes at you. This whole time he'd been under the impression that the two of you were going to be moving cocaine the same way he moved weed - gram by gram, eighth by eighth, and sometimes when he got lucky, he'd sell an ounce.

"Holy shit, ma. We're gonna make that money back in no time," he mumbled to you with dollar signs in his eyes. "Our guy is buying two kilos today. It's the same order every time I re-up. He's more of a street dealer, so it takes him a little longer to sell the product," you explained.

"Aren't you nervous about doing a deal in such a public place?" Chris murmured, his gaze darting around the restaurant and noting how many people were around. "No. Deals done in secret are more dangerous than the ones done out in the open. People are always expecting drug deals to be happening at night, in dark alleys, at sketchy gas stations. People don't look at you twice in settings like this," you shrugged.

"Table for two?" The hostess inquired as she approached you with menus in hand, and you each smiled and nodded. She led you to a booth in the back near a window that gave you a view of the block that was bustling with life. The waitress stopped by, brought the two of you some waters, and told you she'd be back to take your order before floating off to another table, leaving the two of you alone.

"So, how'd you get into this business? What's your story?" Chris wondered, his gaze glued to the menu in front of him, scanning the various pictures of crab cakes and seafood medley. "You first," you shot back, laying your menu flat on the table and raising an eyebrow.

"Simple. Money," Chris shrugged without looking up. "We all got into it for money, Chris. What was the turning point that finally made you say, 'Okay, I'm doing this'?" You asked, propping your hand up on your elbow. He leaned in and lowered his voice, setting down his menu.

"Look, my mom and I grew up kinda broke, and she was in a bad situation with this abusive, piss poor excuse of a boyfriend she had. She was working three jobs and still couldn't scrape up enough cash to leave him, so I started moving some weed around, just enough to afford us a new place," Chris relayed to you in a serious voice, his piercing blue eyes locked on yours.

"Chris, I'm sorry.." you softly mumbled, reaching for his hand and brushing your thumb against his knuckles. For the first time, you felt some compassion for him. He'd always struck you as your average cocky and shallow weed dealer, but maybe there was some depth to him after all.

"I got us out of that situation. But even when you don't need dealing anymore, the thrill of making all that money, it gets comfortable. Then you want more," he admitted. In that moment, talking to Chris felt like having a conversation with yourself.

You knew exactly what he meant. You'd had that talk with yourself many times before, always saying you'd be satisfied next deal. You just needed a little more, and then you'd be pleased with it. Deep down, you knew no matter how much money you made, it would never truly be enough. You would always crave more.

However, it didn't keep you from hoping that every time, this would finally be the final time, and then you'd finally have enough to retire from this life go back to living a normal one.

"Do you guys still need time to decide?" The waitress asked, appearing out of nowhere and breaking you out of your thoughts. You quickly pulled away and cleared your throat when you realized you were still holding Chris' hand.

"I'm ready if you are," you told Chris, and he nodded, a sly smile lingering on his lips as he watched how quickly you'd snapped your hand back. You ordered the shrimp scampi, and Chris ordered fish tacos. When the waitress sauntered off to put your food in, Chris directed the conversation back to the question he'd originally asked.

"Alright, ma. I told you my story. You tell me yours. What got you into this business?" Chris asked, leaning back in his booth and giving you his full, undivided attention. You hesitated for a moment, unsure of how much to share with him.

"I grew up watching my parents struggle with money. Crunching numbers just so we could afford to keep a roof over our heads and keep the lights on and water running. I swore that I was never going to live like that. I wanted the generational poverty in my family to end with me," you admitted.

"So, when I had a friend who sold weed, and his clientele started growing faster than he could keep up with, I offered to move some shit around for him. A one-time thing became a regular thing. Then he got busted, and I took over the business for him," you shrugged.

"I get that, ma. Nothing lights a fire under you faster than fighting for your survival and sense of security," Chris responded. This time he reached out and grabbed your hand, softly running his thumb along the back of it, a soothing gesture that you secretly liked but would never admit to him.

"How'd you get into selling coke?" Chris wondered. Your body language immediately shifted. You pulled your hand away, leaned back into the booth, and crossed your arms, diverting your eyes to anything else.

"You ask too many fucking questions. You know that, Sturniolo?" You snapped at him with an edge to your voice. "What? So you're not gonna tell me?" Chris wondered, sitting on the edge of his seat.

"Slow down, Chris. If we get to know every little thing about each other now, what will we talk about on the drive to the next deal?" You joked. "Whatever, ma. Keep your secrets. I didn't care anyway," Chris replied, pulling out his phone to respond to a text.

Just like that, the hand-holding, the intense eye contact, and the vulnerable conversation, it was all over. Back to business as usual, like you always were.

It only took a few minutes after ordering for the waitress to bring out your food. "Damn, that was fast. How'd we get our food before half these people that were here before us?" Chris wondered out loud as the waitress set his steaming plate down in front of him.

You flicked your eyes up to Joe, who was still visible from the front of the restaurant, and he gave you a subtle wink. "Joe's going on lunch early. Eat up," you said, lightly kicking Chris under the table as you placed your napkin across your lap.

The sounds of the restaurant echoed around you, silverware clanking against dishes, the many conversations happening all at once, and the unwavering sound of the sizzling grill in the back.

"Mmm. You know, I'm not usually crazy about seafood, but this is amazing," Chris commented, his mouth still full of his lunch as he spoke. "Just because I took you out for seafood doesn't mean I want to see your food," you teased him, but the smile that followed your comment was warm.

Your gaze flickered up, and you locked eyes with the cook who was making his way out the backdoor. "C'mon, Chris. Let's get the check and go," you demanded. "But I'm not done," Chris interjected, giving you a perplexed look.

"We'll get you a doggy bag, and you can eat in the car," you offered him with a smug smirk. "Yeah, you're real funny," Chris snarked back in a dry manner. The waitress came back around with a couple of Styrofoam boxes and the bill, and you handed the waitress $50 and told her to keep the change.

The three you met up in the parking lot shortly after. "This is Chris," you introduced him to your customer. "It's about time you get yourself a boyfriend," Joe chuckled. "She wishes," Chris muttered, cracking a smile. "No, it's nothing like that. We're just doing business together," you said, rolling your eyes and feeling your face grow warm.

"I mean, it's been, what, almost a year since everything with Alex? It's about time you get back out there," he started to say, but you cut him off. "You got my money?" You interrupted, changing the subject, crossing your arms over your chest and raising an eyebrow.

Chris' gaze burned into you out of the corner of your eye. You could tell he had questions for you. What's he talking about? Who's Alex? What happened a year ago? However, this wasn't the time or place to answer them.

"Yeah, got it right here," Joe replied, pulling an envelope out of his back pocket. You took it from him and wandered over to your car, popping open the back door and reaching inside to grab the "cake" you were delivering.

"Pleasure doing business," you nodded at Joe as you passed it off to him. He accepted it, and the two of you were back on the road in no time.

"That was pretty slick, actually," Chris told you, surprised by how quickly the deal went down and how nonchalant it looked to the people in the vicinity. He sat hunched over in his seat, eating his fish tacos out of the Styrofoam box with his hoodie pulled over his head.

"Told you," you answered, checking your rearview mirror just to make sure you weren't being followed, a nervous habit you'd acquired in this business. "Who's Alex?" Chris piped up. "Chris, not right now," you said in a more serious tone than normal, giving him a long, hard stare that begged him not to press you for information on the subject. He got the hint.

"Okay, fine. What's the next place we're hitting? Is there going to be dessert included?" He inquired, changing the subject and smirking over at you. "No. You'll find out," you responded, cranking the wheel and turning down a street Chris didn't recognize.

"So, what are your goals, ma? You trying to become a sexy queenpin? Where do you see yourself in the industry in five years?" He asked, rolling down his window and sticking his hand out to feel the humid breeze. "Out," you responded without hesitation. "Out?" Chris asked, wrinkling his eyebrows and glancing over in your direction.

"Out of the game, Chris. Not doing this shit anymore," you reiterated. He gave you a perplexed look, like he wasn't expecting that. He was expecting you to give him a dollar amount you wanted to be making or a number of kilos you'd like to be moving at one time.

"I mean, think about it, Chris. If you go walk into a casino to gamble and you stay long enough, house is always gonna win. The trick is to make your profit and then pull out before you lose it all. That's what it is. It's a gamble. You just play your cards right, you take your money, and you get out. I wanna get out while I'm still up."

You remained pretty tight-lipped the rest of the day, hesitant to share much more with Chris than you already had. You were beginning to feel safe around him, but you didn't fully trust him just yet.

click to read chapter 5 ✨️

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[rieamena]

nine: transmission ᯓ★

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[quantumlogician]

Incoming transmission [@apollytus] —

he's gentle as he takes the seeker's forearm in his clawed servos, studying the chipped paint. " none of that, starscream, " drift murmurs quietly as he soothes a servo over the damage. " do you want to talk about what's troubling you? "

Starscream nearly jumps out of his plating with an unfamiliar voice calls to him following generous servos touch over the near-bear arm cannon.

" O- Oh, uh—— " all thought drops dead in processing, his mind unable to comprehend the agony he was dealing with, " no- it's- surely not anything important, I assure you. Sky too cloudy to fly, ha ha, I'm getting cabin fever. "

[brooklynislandgirl]

Questions for the Mun

Copy this and fill in your own answers. Then tag some people to learn more about them.

Repost, not reblog!

• Favorite smell - rainy morning with a breeze blowing in off the ocean, a hint of cedar or pinon burning in the fire place, coffee brewing in the background and a good book half-way read.

• First Job - LGBTQIA+ Cat themed cafe and bookstore. It was called the Great Catsby.

• Zodiac sign - Pisces

• Favorite pizza - My hubby's home made sourdough crust pepperoni/bacon/pineapple/green chili pizza. Seriously, the sauce he makes from scratch? I could drink it with a straw its so good.

• Favorite dog - I am a sucker for all doggos who are absolutely all the best boi and best girl in the world. But I am completely biased towards Rotties {the more chonk the better} and Dachshunds, and Corgies, and...

• Favorite foot attire - barefoot is preferable, Birkenstocks if I must be shod, and socks at home.

• Favorite Roller Coaster - Oh Absolutely Not.

• Favorite candy - I love white chocolate Lindor truffles and red vines.

• Favorite ice cream - Blue Bell Pistachio Almond and Java Jolt flavours, and sadly...Ben and Jerry's discontinued my favourite: Rainforest Crunch which was a vanilla ice-cream with brazil and cashew nut butter swirl.

• Pet peeves - People who pronounce it LIE-berry, instead of library. Also the pain of not retyping every 'favorite' in this meme as 'favourite'

• What are you listening to right now - Jesse Welles

Color of your vehicle - red

• Color of eyes - hazel {green/blue}

• Favorite Holiday -Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Winter Solstice, Mabon, Sukkot, and thanks to a friend of mine, Tu B’shevat

• Night owl or day person - I am one with Mother Darkness. I also prefer drab, cloudy, rainy days to any amount of sunshine.

• Fave day of week - Fridays and Sundays

• Tattoos - None, but I have a small, adorable nose ring.

• Like to cook - I love to cook but really can not bake to save my life. So trade off, I cook and hubby bakes.

• Beer or wine or neither - I'm a Scotch, Vodka, or Whiskey kind of girlie but I can make some really great cocktails. My dad worked part time as a bartender/bouncer during and after the Navy. I do not care for beer, and only like wine to cook with.

• Can you drive a manual transmissions - Fun fact, I have never learned how to drive.

• Favorite color -Green, black, purple, silver

• Do you like vegetables - Generally? Yes, and some depending on how they are cooked. It's mostly a texture thing.

• Do you wear glasses - Yes...for reading mostly. My prescription is wrong because wearing them messes with my almost perfect far-vision.

• Favorite season - Autumn ~*~

tagged by: stolen from my darling @little-earthquakes-rp tagging: Everyone who is glad today is Friday and wants to tell the week to F right off.

[schismusic]

Joy Division, or: how I learned to stop worrying and love New Order, too

Spring is weird as hell because one time you have this glaring sun that powers you up like being plugged into a wall outlet, then not five minutes later clouds begin to gather and you feel like you're going to die if anything goes south. So the most obvious combination to represent two sides of this same coin, emotional and meteorological, is Joy Division and New Order.

Sometimes you need Transmission or Shadowplay for the sunny days — impassioned jolts, sparks flying everywhere. Sometimes The Perfect Kiss hits harder on a cloudy afternoon, coming back home and in need of that extra push to not fall asleep in the train. It's surprising to realize the versatility displayed by both bands, or the same band in two different iterations according to whomever you ask. Peter Hook says, as late as 1993, that the laziest member of New Order is Ian Curtis. Or again this other person, in the comments under the Atmosphere official video on YouTube, who went to see New Order (Hooky-less New Order, which might be a relevant distinction) at the O2 Arena a couple of years ago and they gave an encore, says "Those of us who stayed got the privilege of watching Joy Division perform three of their songs". Interesting outlook on the matter. I personally saw Peter Hook and the Light play both Joy Division records and, I'm pretty sure, an encore comprised of just Love Will Tear Us Apart at the Arti Vive Festival in Soliera, back when it was still free to attend some of the events. I remember being pretty mad that Hooky had stopped to take pics with basically everyone and then left exactly as I was approaching. In retrospect I don't exactly blame the man, it was like midnight anyway. I remember nothing of the back trip home.

My first contact with Joy Division happened when I was thirteen and very much in my prog era. I was in Rome staying at an aunt of mine's place for my fourteenth birthday and she told me I could get a CD, since I had gotten some money saved up over time. Some Facebook page dedicated to Pink Floyd I'd liked (yeah, Facebook at age thirteen — I literally just wanted to play a fucking Flash game, back when Facebook allowed them, and I ended up getting to be terminally online. Crazy how things turn out) used to share a lot of memes and fanart relating to the Unknown Pleasures album cover, and me being a massive Pink Floyd head at the time I thought "I mean, if these guys are pushing this band so hard, that's gotta mean something". The album cover was pretty striking, admittedly: a far cry from the paisley ass paintings that I had grown to accept as the gold standard for the music I liked, but its simplicity struck a chord closer to The Dark Side of the Moon, or perhaps The Wall. Those were records I liked a lot, probably called them "the best records ever made" to more than one person, not like they aren't but that's a very bold statement to make when your listening experience consists exactly of

Madonna's Confessions on a Dance Floor when I was six;

Daft Punk's complete discography (minus Random Access Memories, which wasn't out yet) when I was twelve;

Pink Floyd's complete discography, courtesy of a CD collection coming out with some Italian newspaper, that same year;

a couple random classic rock records recommended to me by older friends and relatives usually well into their fifties or sixties at the time, random people on Internet forums — which, for clarification, I did not actively attend, preferring to just lurk from time to time — and the OndaRock "milestones" page.

So browsing through the surprisingly expansive CDs section of this electronics shop in Rome, and being mesmerized by a vinyl rack in the days when Music on Vinyl was the final frontier of pretending you could re-analogue the digital ("you mean to tell me these are like CDs, but bigger? Whoever designed these truly lived in the future"), I came across that very same album art that had stricken me so hard. I had listened to the first seconds of the album on YouTube, but that weird drum sound — so echoey, so distant, ultimately not particularly powerful, meaning it didn't really sound like Bonzo: it sounded more like my own band, which at the time didn't even exist yet — I didn't really know what to make of. This store I was in had one of those preview listening machines that would scan the barcode on the CDs and give you a small snippet of the song. I pull the CD up to the scanner, the scanner lights up green, I put on the headphones and the solo from this comes up:

Clearly they had to be kidding me. I had come to know, sneaking into infinitely many rehearsals with the band from my mother's town, what it sounded like when someone tried to play lead without something else filling up the arrangement (even though I didn't really know all that, or at least lacked the vocabulary to properly express it) and, for Christ's sake, didn't these guys notice rehearsing? It sounded empty, weirdly so, and it wasn't my thing, I thought. I put that CD away and picked up a band I knew I'd like — Genesis, specifically. So Nursery Cryme became the first CD I've ever paid with my own money, the very day I turned fourteen. Not a bad pickup. I remember being very impressed with the fast blurring lead guitar on The Musical Box and digging the sweet pastoral atmospheres of For Absent Friends and Harlequin. I still think of that record more often than one would probably assume looking at this blog, or my most played on Spotify. At the time, that was the best move I could take, really: why beat my head against a record that, as your average prog nerd ballbreaker, simply wasn't speaking to me?

Then all of a sudden in August of the same year my friend's dad hands me a 16 gigabyte USB drive, full of random music from all eras of rock. A lot of it remains inscrutable to me for a really long time, most notably Tom Waits (see related post), but I spent the whole month reading random folder names, seeing if something catches my eyes, and at one point I come across the Mars Volta. Open the folder up, read the names of their first three records, and my first thought is "Christ, these guys look incomprehensible. I'm about to have some fun". Long story short: I end up having a lot of fun, the Mars Volta turns into my favourite band at the time and finding out that they had previously been called At the Drive-In makes me gain some measure of respect for punk rockers: if they tried hard enough, I must've thought, they could prog as hard as anyone. In the meantime the ghost of Joy Division remains at the back of my head. I feel like I'm missing something, for the first time in my life: it's not them, it's me. Too bad that same realization didn't occur to me when it came to the people in my life until much, much later, but that's being fourteen for you I suppose. Early King Crimson and the Mars Volta were the pinnacle of violence to me, and not even the very few Metallica songs I'd downloaded just to see what would happen scratched that itch. It felt a bit too cauterized for some reason (I would later find out I had been looking in the wrong direction the whole time: the Black Album "sucked", according to my favourite metalhead of the time, who somehow catalyzed my interest from the very second I saw him in the school's courtyard. Hard to imagine why I would imprint on people like puppies do, but what the fuck, not like I've ever outgrown that anyway, I've just gotten better at managing it). But I felt there was more than violence to this, or different forms of violence. When Christmas came around and my relatives tried to get me presents, my mother asked if there was anything specific I was interested in, and I basically told her "look, if they can get me some CDs off of this list, I'm golden". It had some bangers on it, namely Noctourniquet by the Mars Volta — it's one of their best and I will die on this hill, be warned — and The Downward Spiral, which might as well warrant its own post in an ideal world. But the best of them all I think came from a random purchase, once again with the little money I had lying around at the time.

Closer appears to be, right away, a bit more concrete, and if there's something inexperienced music fans like is a pretty packaging that conjures a strong emotional response before they've even played the record. Compare a color-inverted graph of pulsar emissions to a literal funerary monument. Opening up the booklet I was shocked to see that Genesis was used as a negative point of comparison (bad omen, I thought) by people close to the band, and I came across much more detailed information about Ian Curtis's untimely demise — at that time, something far too removed from my experience to be faced with the delicacy and attention it deserves. Atrocity Exhibition hits like a ten-ton truck, a reference which at the time I wouldn't have been able to make for obvious reasons, and Isolation exposes all the nerve tissue under the skin. Passover comes in and strips everything even barer, and then A Means to an End turns… danceable, for some reason? Big emotional moment with The Eternal and Decades, which I thought actually took them closer to my usual tastes. And yet at the same time I kept looking at Colony, Heart and Soul and Twenty Four Hours as the most compelling cuts. Geometric assault sounding like sheet metal if it were music; rhythmically driven emptiness that serves as a minimal backdrop for depressed poetry, and finally a rocking ebb-and-flow that would probably inform a lot of my interest in GY!BE-like post-rock in the coming years. Very interesting to think that the same guys who'd done Unknown Pleasures could think of this. To this day, when asked, I still do think that Closer is the best Joy Division record, but what does it even mean when the records are exactly two, compilations notwithstanding?

It was around this time that it came to my attention that both Joy Division and another band called New Order had a record called Substance out, both published by the same recording company, both coming out within a year of each other. Looking it up, it turns out it's fully intentional, because New Order is simply Joy Division minus Ian Curtis. It would turn out to be a tad bit more complex than that. Anyway, I look New Order up and kind of have to do a double-take. Synthpop? In my Joy Division? More likely than you'd think, considering Isolation exists. But yeah, that sort of seals it — I wouldn't care about this New Order for a million years. Until all of a sudden a couple of years later David Sylvian bursts like a comet in my face, which of course leads me straight to Japan, the same year as I'd come across Berlin-era Bowie, and you can probably guess where this is going, right?

Well, you'd be wrong. I still don't check out New Order. There's a whole new world open to me — vaporwave and therefore R Plus Seven come to my attention, which leads me to dissect that record like an alien tool of unclear purposes. This of course leads me onto an ambient tangent, taking me back to my Tim Hecker listens of that same year, which has the effect of renewing my interest in "pure" electronic music and the then-rising post-dubstep movement. The sheer experience of sound, the dazzling modernity and innovation, is what's in at the time. I have no time for nostalgia-pandering dimwits: the future awaits. Then all that jazz from the first Godflesh post hits, then God pulls the funniest gag in the history of viral infections to my memory, and I have some time to actually look back, a bit less prejudiced. As it turns out, synthpop is not the devil, as some of you might have surmised by now, and as I relisten to Blue Monday I realized I have never listened to either of the Substance record. I do know some, most perhaps?, of the tracks on the Joy Division one, and I do think the New Order one has the more striking cover art — not to mention I knew, by this time, that this was the one to give Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance its name, and that Your Silent Face soundtracked one of the most memorable moments in Nicolas Winding Refn's Bronson. As the ultimate Hideo Kojima stan, I couldn't let this slide, so I pop the record on and get hit with this:

Way to go, guys. Holy shit. I knew that Ceremony was a Joy Division cut before they could record it, but what the hell — Bernard got it, too. It wasn't a matter of singing ability with songs like these, it's just getting it, finding the right energy. They had that right energy. And then it hit me just as many times these dudes have made Blue Monday over and over again before actually getting it right, and everytime I look into it it's funnier and funnier to realize just how many different attempts it took them to finally be Kraftwerk, but augmented — with the stellar results we all know. Everything's Gone Green, 5 8 6, Temptation potentially, all lead up to this one moment in the history of dance music where somehow three dudes and a girl hailing from Manchester managed to out-gay the Pet Shop Boys (by their own admission, apparently), to shake the whole world's collective booty, to do whatever it is they were supposed to do in this last comparison that would ideally make the previous one a bit less obnoxious but whatever, it's 3am as usual, you know how it goes by now don't you? But then after Blue Monday the record keeps going, and thank god it does, because it's banger after banger. How do these guys keep doing it?

So I spend some time with that record, then it fades down, then it comes back up last month, when the weather calls for it and its parent company. Which is when I find myself watching the Control movie for the first time, surprisingly enough seeing as I already enjoyed the work of Anton Corbijn as a photographer. Looking at all that, it is revealed to me that Joy Division never really having died is not a bug, it's a feature. Everyone is gasping, I get it, but please pick your jaws up and check this out: the band has never learned how to play their respective instruments. One might go so far as to argue they play their own stuff their own way, and that's basically it. Nothing could be further from the truth. These guys jammed, a lot; that's how Joy Division wrote songs, that's how New Order wrote songs, even going as far as having Bernard Sumner fucked up on acid so he could find the chorus to Temptation or the whole band bombed out of their minds on X in Ibiza clubs to write, basically, the entirety of Technique — and even then, not really, there's a couple jangly tracks that the X would most likely render unlistenable but what do I really know? Point being: it might now have been sparked by a music teacher or instructor, it might not have been the product of a process comparable to that within Television, which led them to organically seek out better, more "by the book" musicianship, but New Order were incredibly familiar with their instruments, had formed an element of comfort and understanding that counterbalanced the alien-ness to music terminology.

Peter Hook recently uploaded a Yamaha-sponsored video to his Instagram, which I am pretty sure has a say in running, where he jams on a Yamaha bass and, you know, it sounds like Hooky alright, but it's never a discernible bassline until he kicks into the A major strumming that opens Love Will Tear Us Apart. Before that, he just strolls around the neck, leisurely strumming away at power chords imbued with that thick chorus and reverb combo he became renowned for. I would never, in my wildest dreams, have imagined I'd find myself thinking "okay, awesome, stop talking — I want to hear you jam a bit more" referring to one of the musicians who were part of possibly two of the craziest storiest in the history of contemporary rock'n'roll, also notorious for playing the rockstar whilst carrying the minimum possible baggage of technical knowledge he could. Once again, this is nowhere near a knock to the man — quite the opposite. Ian Curtis asked "persistence, well, what does it matter?", and Hooky (and, of course, the other members of New Order) found a way to constructively answer that question. Moments before Coil, but a bit later than Israel Regardie, they said "persistence is all" and built a brand on finding a way to consistently sound like splendid, eternal, golden children: "like crystal", impassionate, tightly-knit performers with the purity of a child's heart. Ian Curtis had, in certain ways (at least artistically), the purity of a child in his heart, which some might even argue was a distinguishing feature of most of his literary idols — if you think about it, William Burroughs could be your dirty-minded classmate who walked in on his parents sharing an intimate moment in the bedroom (had his parents been gay men, the metaphor would probably fly better, but that most definitely wasn't the case). So the heart of Joy Division remains untouched, if a bit more naked. Heroes of post-punk, sons of the silent age, you can sleep soundly tonight.

[fioreofthemarch]

Finding Her - Chapter 17

Link makes notes, takes photos and keeps time on his quest across Hyrule, in the hopes of finding Zelda and staying sane until he does. [ Previous | Next | First | AO3 ]

Log date: 06:35. 8th month, 29th day 104AC Location: Tuft Mountain, Faron Weather: Rain

Link, Zelda’s Chosen Protector. You do not wish to talk to me. I understand, however we must talk. 

I know the Purah Pad is precious to you. I have watched you document your travels and your thoughts. Please forgive me for taking it while you sleep in order to write you this note.

It is imperative that we retrieve the Master Sword and return to Lookout Landing to meet with Lady Purah. The Demon King’s power grows by the day. Even in my construct body I can sense it. The air is ever hazy and the blood moons are more frequent. Soon will be the hour of his ascension and, if we do not act, his victory.

Link, Zelda’s Chosen Protector. She called you that herself. She told me that after the Great Calamity, your obligations towards each other ceased. Hyrule did not need a Princess nor did its Princess need a Knight. Despite this, Zelda recounted, she chose to stay, and so did you.

I know it is difficult to believe, but in my time, Zelda made another choice. One that gave Hyrule its last, best hope. Do not let it be in vain. 

A photograph of Tuft Mountain lake, which is shaped like a love heart. There are lily pads in the water and blue nightshades glowing softly on the banks. 

Caption: I sense something bittersweet about this place. 

---

Incoming transmission… [LINK (Purah Pad)]

Answer transmission? ...

Answer transmission? ...

Answer — Connection established.

PRH | 23:33 Link? Why are you still awake?

LNK | 23:33 Couldn’t sleep.

PRH | 23:33 Okay.

LNK | 23:33 I found the fifth Sage.

PRH | 23:33 Oh! Great, great news. (yawning) Sorry.   How is she? I mean, they. How are they? 

LNK | 23:33 You knew about her, didn't you? 

PRH | 23:33 In my defence, she contacted me first.  Is she still in the Purah Pad?

LNK | 23:34 We made her a construct body.

PRH | 23:34 Wonderful, I’ll inform the others.  Head back to Lookout Landing and we can discuss next steps—

LNK | 23:34 Purah.

PRH | 23:34 What?

LNK | 23:34 During the Calamity. Did you have a backup plan?

PRH | 23:34 Linky, I had several. You’ll have to be more specific. 

LNK | 23:34 I mean for if I failed, a second time.

PRH | 23:35 Of course I did. You were our best hope, but we would have freed our Princess no matter what.  

LNK | 23:35 What if– I mean, what would–

PRH | 23:35 What is it?  

LNK | 23:35 What would happen to Hyrule, if she wasn’t coming back?

PRH | 23:35 I… I don’t know. We never planned for that. Maybe ask Impa, okay?

LNK | 23:35 She doesn’t have a medallion, you do. Just answer me.

PRH | 23:35 Answer what, exactly? Why are you even… Wait. What else have you found?

LNK | 23:35 Nothing.

PRH | 23:36 Link, if it’s about Zelda we need you to tell us—  

LNK | 23:36 I can’t! Not yet! (a pause) I can’t do it.

PRH | 23:36 Do what?

LNK | 23:36 Find her. I can’t… make myself. I can’t.

PRH | 23:36 Look, you’re starting to freak me out a bit. Maybe you should come back to Lookout Landing. You shouldn’t be alone right now.

LNK | 23:37 I’m not alone. Mineru is here.

PRH | 23:37 Okay, Good. Say hi to her for me. Listen, I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m sure you’ll get through… whatever it is. And then please, come back.

LNK | 23:37 Okay. I’ll try.

Connection terminated.

---

Log date: 10:00. 8th month, 31st day 104AC Location: Flux Construct Island, Faron Sky Archpelago Weather: Cloudy 

Two days in Faron with Mineru. Saw Penn at Lakeside Stables. Had lunch, he cooked. Can't remember what he made. 

Then north-west. Travellers on the road wary of Mineru. Detoured via Faron Grasslands. Watched Mineru build a balloon-ship. Zonai parts for propulsion and salvaged wood for the fuselage. Fuselage. Where did I learn that word?

Flew the balloon-ship here -- quicker than walking, fewer staring travellers. Dealt with the Flux Construct on the island, tough fight but got it done. That was yesterday I think. 

Another geoglyph by Lake Hylia. Glided down to it this morning -- a vision about Rauru, and the Imprisoning War. She tried to warn him, but, what did it matter in the end? 

A photograph of Mineru, in her Zonai Construct form, examining the wreckage of the Flux Construct. In the background is the balloon ship. With a wooden hull, three Zonai balloons for buoyancy and a fan for propulsion, it is a well-engineered vessel. 

Caption: Checking the ship for damage and then moving on. 

---

Log date: 17:50. 9th month, 1st day 104AC Location: Thyphlo Ruins, North Hyrule Weather: Partly cloudy. 

Touched down this morning. Gave the Zonai researcher here a bit of a scare. Kazul – he was trying to solve the riddles in the ruins. Asked Mineru for help but she refused. ‘Didn’t your people build this place?’ She refused again, her voice in my head: You are wasting time. 

Does she think I don’t know that? I know there’s a geoglyph nearby, it’s why we came here. But every time I try to go find it… It’s like I can’t breathe. There’s this claw in my chest, its nails digging in. And then I start shaking. I shake and I cry and I… I can’t do it. Physically, I can’t move. 

There’s smoke rising from the middle of the ruins. Someone’s made a fire. I came to the waterside to be alone, but now, I’m hungry. Maybe I could cook Kazul some stew, to celebrate the great research paper he’s going to write about this place. And then we have to move on. 

Mineru’s construct… It was built to carry a pilot. Maybe if I can’t walk, she can carry me. Better apologise first, for tarrying.

A photograph of the Thyphlo Ruins, the Sheikah SkyView Tower at the centre and the rocky red cliffs of Eldin in the background to the east. The geoglyph painted there is distorted, but looms high on the horizon. 

Caption: One more. Just one more. 

---

Incoming transmission… [Robbie (Message Medallion)]

Answer transmission? …

Answer transmission? …

Answer transmission? …

*beep* Begin recorded voice message:

[ Link, it’s Robbie. Impa is here. I was visiting Kakariko on my way back to Hateno, and saw that she’s also in town for a few days before returning to the Forgotten Temple. Something about needing a book from her library of ancient texts. Anyway I thought you might want to talk to her, update her on your progress. Call us back in the next day or so if you can ]

LNK | 09:10 (click) I’m here, I’m here. 

RBB | 09:10 Well, well, he finally picks up. Purah Pad still working?  

LNK | 09:10 Yes?

RBB | 09:10 Excellent. Let us know if you need it serviced. I’ll pass you on to Impa. (shuffling noises)

IMP | 09:11 Hello, Master Link. 

LNK | 09:11 Lady Impa. You wanted to speak to me?

IMP | 09:11 Purah told me what happened at Hyrule Castle and about the fifth Sage. 

LNK | 09:11 Mineru is her name. She’s a Zonai. 

IMP | 09:11 Wonderful. And you continue the search for the geoglyphs?

LNK | 09:11 I have.

IMP | 09:11 Do you wish to talk about it?

LNK | 09:11 Not really. Not yet.Is that okay?

IMP | 09:11 It is. I am certain Zelda can manage a few more days. Sometimes we must answer when destiny calls. Other times, it is okay to wait until we are ready. 

LNK | 09:12 How do you know–

IMP | 09:12 I am Sheikah. It is my duty to seek truth, and sense it in others.

LNK | 09:12 Right. (a weak laugh) Of course. Lady Impa… during the Calamity, when Zelda and I were gone.

IMP | 09:13 Yes, child?

LNK | 09:13 Did you ever give up hope?

IMP | 09:13 Of course I did. I grieved for you both for many years.

LNK | 09:13 How did you survive it?

IMP | 09:13 For starters I grew very old, which has a handy way of making the years feel short. All I could do until then was continue waking up each morning, in spite of it all. But all the wisdom in the world did not make it any easier. 

LNK | 09:13 Right now, it feels impossible.

IMP | 09:13 Yes, but you will keep waking up. You have it in you to survive this, Master Link. For her sake, I believe you can.   

LNK | 09:14 (a pause) She has the Master Sword. It travelled through time to find her, she said.

IMP | 09:14 I see. Her divine powers could restore it, of course. But how to return it to you?

LNK | 09:14 Well…there’s one more dragon tear in Akkala. There’s no geoglyph but I know it’s there.

IMP | 09:14 Ah, the final clue. Are you ready, then?

LNK | 09:14 No. But I’m going anyway.

IMP | 09:15 As it must be. Walk with the Goddess’ grace, Master Link. We will be at your side, no matter what happens. 

Connection terminated.

---

Log date: 12:00. 9th month, 3rd day 104AC Location: Rist Peninsula, Akkala Weather: Clear. 

Let me paint you a picture. You are you, the Hero of Hyrule, or so they call you. You descend into the depths below Hyrule Castle and find something that did not want to be found, and then– 

You wake up, in a quiet room in the sky. You know something’s missing, and it’s not just your arm. 

You return to your friends on the surface and promise to help them. But something’s still missing. Everyone promises to look, and they look everywhere, but find nothing. 

You search, and search, and search, all the while you know what you’re looking for isn’t there. It’s gone, it always was. You know this, deep down in your soul, but you ignore it. You will realise that you knew when you first saw that dragon above you. You know her so well that even completely changed, she is so familiar. 

But you ignore it, because… because… 

You never meant to love her this much. She was just an assignment, back in the day. Some sheltered girl to keep safe from herself. She rejected you, challenged you, frustrated you, but… you shared something. She was so alone, just like you were. You developed an understanding, then a friendship, then something more. You laid down your life for her, and she did the same for you. 

Then you saved her, or maybe you saved each other, and afterwards never spent more than a day apart. And Goddess, she was so beautiful, so brilliant, so vibrant. You could listen to her talk for hours. Often you did, and you never grew tired of it. You admit now that you fell, hard, and you wanted not just her but a whole life with her. You wanted to marry her. You wanted children. You didn’t know it until this damned moment but you wanted it more than anything in the world.

Now you’re here, in Akkala of all places, making your way towards a sandbank to which she has led you. You know the worst is yet to come, but that you owe it to her to continue. You know every step is taking you closer to the last thing you want to see, but you cannot help it. You have no choice – you will seek the final tear, and you will watch in helpless terror as the one person you wanted to find is lost to you forever. 

A photograph of the spiralling Rist Peninsula, the waters ruffled by the wind and sparkling in the sun. The peninsula is coiled around a silver pillar of light, bright enough to be seen even in the middle of the day. 

A photograph of a ring of Silent Princesses. They grow tall, strong and radiant, and are clustered around a small shallow in the ground. At the centre, a dragon tear awaits. 

A photograph of the Light Dragon, flying low over the sea. From her head streams a blue and golden light like the tail of a comet. Barely visible at the source of the stream is a noble and familiar blade, with its legendary purple hilt and winged cross guard. In the Light Dragon’s open eye, fine droplets can be seen – the remnants of a fallen tear. 

Caption: Okay. I’m ready. 

---

Log date: 16:30. 9th month, 3rd day 104AC Location: [Unable to determine location when Purah Pad is in motion. Please come to a full stop before using the map function.] Weather: Clear 

Zelda… my brave, brave... How can I ever claim to be the courageous one now? I couldn’t have done what you did. It looked... so terrifying. To transform like that. And painful too. Goddess, I hope it didn’t hurt. 

I don’t deserve you, Zelda, I don’t deserve this. The Master Sword has been fully repaired, but it’s stronger. I can feel her power mixed in with yours and made more formidable than ever. The Demon King won’t know what hit him. 

I’m going to kill him, Zelda. I’m going to tear him into a thousand pieces. When I am done there will be nothing left. This isn’t reckless rage like before. This is divine vengeance. And I will have it. 

I guess you’re all out of tears now. I feel the same way. Reading back through the logs you wouldn’t know it. No one puts in their diary that they spent the whole day crying in a cave! But I did. And now it feels like I have no grief left. Only a dull thud on my chest. Thud, thud, thud. 

I wish we could talk. I have so much to tell you. How can I live the rest of my life knowing— No. I don’t want to think about it. I just want to be near you, to sit in your soft hair and float through the sky. If I had my way, I would never leave. 

A photograph of the Light Dragon Zelda’s face, taken from what is most likely one of her slender blue horns. There is a small bald patch on her forehead where the Master Sword used to be. Her expression, though mostly blank, seems content. 

Capt~~~[ Warning ] Log save interrupted. Error code: 11-78 Overspeed *Recovering…Partial text recovery and de-encryption complete:

Caption: How’s the weather up here? %%%50 6C 65 61 73 65 20 73 61 79 20 73 6F 6D 65 74 68 69 6E 67 2C 20 5A 65 6C 64 61 2E 20 53 6F 6D 65 74 68 69 6E 67 20 61 6E  79 74 68 69 6E 67 20 74 6F 20 73 68 6F 77 20 6D 65 20 79 6F 75 20 61 72 65 20 73 74 69 6C 6C 20 69 6E 20 74 68 65 72 65 2E 20 50 6C 65 61 73 65 2C 20 5A 65 6C 64 61 2E 20 49 20 6D 69 73 73 20 79 6F 75 20 73 6F 20 6D 75 63 68 2E 20 41 6E 79 74 68 69 6E 67 2C 20 70 6C 65 61 73 65 2E 20 41 6E 79 74 68 69 6E 67 20 61 74 20 61 6C 6C 2E

[blubushie]

So today, for a list of notes/shit I've gotta do to this ute to make it functional:

Tray rust: confirmed simple surface rust. Sandblast the rust off then put down bedliner.

Whatever dipshit painted the deep blue on there painted over the bevel. Gotta strip that off.

It has tow plug.

It has 1 original key, 1 spare, and 1 petrol key.

Manual choke.

Heater core needs to be flushed the bloke thinks. Might need replacing, says me. The latter's more likely.

Engine has not been tuned up since rebuild. Will need a tuning now that everything's settled.

It has new manifold gaskets on both sides, new flange gaskets on both sides, and dual exhaust.

Brake master cylinder has a booster—bloke thinks condition of master cylinder is because of shit coating that leaves the factory being the cause of them all rusting. "It's either shit metal or shit coating." I'm inclined to agree—every fucken one I've seen so far that didn't have a brand new—or painted—master cylinder is rusted to fuck. On the plus side the rust is just surface rust but I'm inclined to test that servo housing myself cuz I don't trust it.

Firewall looks good.

No water leaks, wipers are ok but probably need new pulleys.

Window rubber is tight and good, had a boot at one time.

HE HAS A SLIDE WINDOW SOMEWHERE HE CAN GIVE ME!! Probably the first thing I'm doing on this car is installing that fucken sliding window and my rifle rack.

Rear signals don't work because the pins/switches are mixed up, also horn doesn't work. Need to figure this out. If I can't do it maybe I can get that sparky down the block to have a squiz at it.

Engine sounds fucken incredible. 360 V8 with C6 tranny.

GVW is rated at 07500 so it'll hold Matilda.

Wheels are 16in 6ply.

2 petrol tanks, 20gal front & 25gal rear.

Fuel gauge doesn't work. Bloke has the new gauge ready, just hasn't installed it. Maybe there's a problem with the sending unit. Considering it doesn't work for either petrol tank I'm pretty sure it's not a float saturation problem.

Whatever dipshit installed the old manifold gaskets had the wrong size square which caused a leak (maybe F350?)—this is fixed now! She rides smooth.

Rust above windscreen rim causing improper seal along the drain rail—luckily it's not rusted through. Can be fixed but may need a plate welded on. I can do that myself.

Old BB holes in windscreen. I like them for their character but they're gonna crack the entire windscreen eventually, especially in the Australian heat as the windscreen warms. Need to replace windscreen.

One crack in dash around radio, dashboard is clean otherwise. I don't care about the crack but replace radio with an early 70s AM/FM with AUX jack.

ORIGINAL COLOUR IS PEACOCK BLUE WITH WHIMBELDON WHITE STRIPE! Restore to og paint because bloke wants me to. "I'm happy if it goes to someone who'll treat it well and make it look factory."

Passenger mirror is cloudy, needs a clean or possibly replacement.

Engine was rebuilt less that 3,000mi ago and has a 100,000mi warranty.

Bloke will get me a copy of the work order of all the work done to the ute—total of $12,000 for the work done.

"I know he did SOMETHING with the transmission." Tranny likely not rebuilt but WAS removed for alterations during engine rebuild.

Has hooks AND ringlets for turnbuckle attachment for camper.

Has rig mirrors.

Has reinforced tray springs. Has reinforced front, auxillary, and rear shocks.

No carpeting on interior. Get rubber mats I don't want blood in my carpet.

Get a seat cover so Misty doesn't ruin the vinyl.

Has manual steering and manual brakes. Get power disc brakes put in ASAP. I can do the power steering myself. In the meantime, maybe a suicide knob?

[flyonthewallmedstudent]

Entamoeba Histolytica

Moving on from Disseminated infections.

and back to parasites, we have this amoeba.

Courtesy of wikipaedia.

One complication is liver abscess.

Image from NEJM

Ring enhancing cysts were seen on CT (requested after the authors noted deranged liver function tests) and on percutaneous drainage (which radiology can do), they had brown cloudy fluid. Under the microscope they noted the pseudopods (leg like extensions).

Classically though, entamoeba causes amoebic dysentery or bloody diarrhoea that develops over 1-4 weeks. However, 90% are asymptomatic. Given the complications/extra-GI manifestations, it can be fatal in a very small minority.

Severe disease/Complications - toxic megacolon (always makes me think of heavy metal bands, in sad actuality it's inflammation that affects more layers and causes the colon to wide. resembling balloon animals) - fulminant colitis + perforation (from inflammation, ulceration etc. that the trophozoites induce, high mortality) - liver abscess (more common, fevers/RUQ/hepatomegaly, transamnitis and jaundice, maybe months before this develops) - rarely: pericarditis + tamponade (from liver rupture, rare but high mortality), pleural effusion & brain abscess (exceedingly rare - but acute confusion + fevers, rapid deterioration) risk factors for severe diseases/complications: malignancy, pregnancy, immunosuppression in general.

Toxic megacolon: Can actually rupture eventually. Courtesy of wiki

Transmission: faecal oral routes (contaminated food/water sources) and it's widely distributed across the world. As with many infectious diseases, it has a higher prevalence in lower socioeconomic groups and regions of the world. Africa & South/Central AMerica have higher rates than other countries (poor sanitation areas, water sources like rivers have multiple purposes for households etc.). Generally, in western countries, it develops in returned travellers who went to endemic areas or immigrants.

Detection: EIA assay for entamoeba antigen in stool, serology (relies on antibodies, so undetectable the first week and last a life time, does not differentiate acute vs past infection), stool MCS for cysts and ova, PCR and colonoscopy (ulcer/erosions, biopsy will reveal cysts and trophozoites)

Treatment: metronidazole in active/acute disease, increased doses in severe/complicated disease or invasive. depending on where you are, also paromycin if asymptomatic or following active treatment to remove cysts.

Consider this in returned travellers with high fevers, abdo pain and bloody diarrhoea lasting > 2 weeks.

Avoids while travelling to endemic areas - uncooked foods, unbottled water/ice cubes, street vendors (what a shame), just anything raw. Practice good hand hygiene.

Sources: StatPearls ON PubMed Amoebiasis on CDC

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

Astronomers use Webb to probe a 'steam world' in the constellation Pisces

A Canadian-led international study has revealed new insights into the atmosphere of GJ 9827 d—an exoplanet orbiting the star GJ 9827 in the constellation Pisces, about 98 light-years from Earth—using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).

The study found that the planet's atmosphere contains a high concentration of heavier molecules, including a significant amount of water vapor, making astronomers think it could very well be a "steam world."

Published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, the study was led by Caroline Piaulet-Ghorayeb, a Ph.D. candidate at Université de Montréal's Trottier Institute for Research on Exoplanets (IREx), in collaboration with researchers worldwide.

Earlier this year, using Hubble Space Telescope (HST) data, IREx researchers announced they'd detected water in the atmosphere of GJ 9827 d, making it, at roughly two times the size of the Earth, the smallest exoplanet with a confirmed atmosphere.

Together, these significant findings open new avenues for the search for life beyond our solar system and enhance our understanding of planetary formation and composition.

An elusive goal—until now

For years, scientists have focused on the detection of atmospheres on large gas giants and mini-Neptunes—planets much larger than Earth and with atmospheres dominated by hydrogen, like Jupiter and Neptune in our solar system.

But until now, detecting atmospheres around smaller planets, closer to Earth-sized, has remained an elusive goal.

For now, all the planets we've detected that have atmospheres are giant planets, or at best mini-Neptunes," said Piaulet-Ghorayeb, the study's lead author.

"These planets have atmospheres made up mostly of hydrogen, making them more similar to gas giants in the solar system than to terrestrial planets like Earth, which have atmospheres dominated by heavier elements."

Rich in heavier molecules

What sets GJ 9827 d apart is its atmosphere's composition.

By combining JWST/NIRISS and HST data, Piaulet-Ghorayeb showed that, unlike the hydrogen-dominated atmospheres of larger planets, GJ 9827 d's is rich in heavier molecules, with quite a bit of water vapor.

This discovery marks the first robust detection of an exoplanet atmosphere where hydrogen is not the dominant component, suggesting instead a heavier, water-rich atmosphere.

"It's closer in molecular weight to the carbon dioxide or nitrogen-rich atmospheres that we are currently looking for on smaller rocky planets, where we would eventually look for life," said Piaulet-Ghorayeb.

She and her team made their observations via the Canadian instrument on JWST, the Near-Infrared Imager and Slitless Spectrograph (NIRISS). Using transmission spectroscopy, they analyzed the starlight passing through the planet's atmosphere as it transited (passed in front of) its host star, GJ 9827.

They then combined the new JWST observations with previous HST observations to confidently show that the observed spectral features are caused by the planet's atmosphere and not by contamination from the system's star.

With the data from JWST/NIRISS SOSS, scientists can finally distinguish between two types of atmospheres for the planet: one is cloudy with few heavier elements, mainly hydrogen with water only present in trace amounts; the other has a high density with many heavier elements and a lot of water.

Because GJ 9827 d is close to its star, its atmosphere is likely a mix of gas and a superheated, dense state, rather than having distinct layers or clouds.

Not thought to be inhabitable

While GJ 9827 d itself is not thought to be habitable due to its proximity to its host star and resulting high surface temperatures (around 350°C), the discovery is a major leap forward in the search for habitable environments.

The presence of a heavy, water-rich atmosphere on a small planet like GJ 9827 d provides a proof of concept that such atmospheres exist and can be studied with the JWST's precision.

And that makes the prospect of finding habitable, Earth-like planets more plausible, eventually.

"This is a huge step towards the goal of searching for atmospheres around smaller, terrestrial-like planets," said Piaulet-Ghorayeb.

"GJ 9827 d is the first planet where we detect an atmosphere rich in heavy molecules, just like the terrestrial planets of the solar system, and the first confirmed example in a long time of a 'steam world' posited by the scientific community."

Such "steam worlds" are thought to have thick, water-rich atmospheres without surface ice or liquid water, instead maintaining steam atmospheres due to their proximity to their host stars. They're like the icy moons Europa and Ganymede, only close enough to their stars that water appears as steam in the atmosphere, not under an ice layer.

Further planned JWST observations of GJ 9827 d in the coming months could shed more light on the components of its steam atmosphere, the astronomers hope.

IMAGE: The study found that the planet’s atmosphere contains a high concentration of heavier molecules, including a significant amount of water vapor. Credit: NASA, ESA, Leah Hustak (STSCI), Ralf Crawford (STSCI)

[showfallmediacameracrew]

[Transmission Received ]

[ The video clicks on to a long shot of a hallway, before it zooms in close to focus on the recognized form of Jasprix leaning against the wall beside a door. The windows that remain from the original storefront are completely blacked out, with other entrances to rooms farther away looking abandoned and currently disused, but otherwise the area could be considered clean. ] 

[ The area is relatively normal looking for the mall, though much quieter than it would normally would be, with Jasprix himself looking nervous and as though he is also stopping himself from making any noise, the only part of him moving is his tail swinging side to side with obvious nerves at being there. ]

[ This scene remains unchanged for a long time, at least half an hour goes by before there is any significant change. It comes in the form of a muffled banging from within the room. Jasprix twitches, glancing back towards the door, head cocked in confusion as he turns to face the door and step back a bit from it. ]

J: “I um, maybe I’m too early. Can’t really... leave now though, they’d probably get pissed and say I was late…”

[ Jasprix is cut off as the door is suddenly slammed open, casting a sudden glare of harsh artificial light into the dim hallway, making Jasprix squint as he takes a few more alarmed steps back. A set of shadows cut across the light, any features unintelligible from the harsh lighting, before a figure dressed in horribly bloodstained clothes stumbles out and falls to the floor with such force it's almost as if they’ve been shoved. They skid a few inches before coming to a halt. The lump on the floor barely makes an effort to stand before accepting their fate and laying still. ]

[ Jasprix blinks, glancing at the open door hesitantly, before he moves over to the fallen lump. He leans over, tail swinging idly in curiosity, before he gasps and immediately drops to his knees, pulling the person up into his arms, seeming frantic, with a distressed whine escaping his throat unbidden. ]

J: “Marvin?! What did, what...”

[ Marvin says nothing in return, only looking up at Jasprix with cloudy eyes. The slashes across his face are immediately noticeable, but it’s far from the worst injury he’s gained. His neck is a thornbush of wires. They circle the skin and dart in and out of it, twist together and rake through like barbed wire fencing. The skin is angry and red, so violently opposed to being the tapestry on which this horrible electric collar has been woven. ]

[ As soon as Marvin recognizes Jasprix, a choked and raw sob rips from his throat. He uses whatever reserves of energy that remain to push himself closer to Jasprix in order to cling onto him like a lifeline. Desperation and fear and exhaustion, all plaguing his bruised and broken body. ]

J: “Oh shit, that's...don’t worry, never mind. It’s Ok, I got you. I do, I won’t let you go.”

[ Jasprix holds on tightly, though he’s being careful not to press too hard and hurt Marvin more, unsure if there are injuries under his clothes where he touches him. A wise decision considering the horrible gash spanning from his hips to the bottom of his ribcage. He just holds him, rocking slightly where they are on the floor, seeming not to care they are doing this in the middle of the previously quiet hallway. The man just whines, lacking the strength for anything greater. Every noise, every action is painful for him. ]

J: “I’m sorry, I... know it must hurt, I’m just. You’re here, just stay with me, I can... I have stuff in my room, that I don’t need, but I took it anyway. I can... I can help you, we just gotta leave. After my uh... meeting, I guess. Shit, how do I- I can’t just leave you here?”

[ The camera refocuses against the harsh lighting, and after a moment, a distinct set of silhouettes is able to be made out past the doorway; a cluster of figures, and one standing slightly away from them, gesturing as if explaining something. ] 

[ Jasprix looks up, round pupils going into needle pinpricks when he notices the people standing in the doorway, mortification on his face turning immediately to fear when his eyes catch on one of the silhouettes in the doorway. He stops talking, his tail freezing in place where it's half curled around Marvin, and he’s frozen aside from the occasionally shaking of the two person huddle, unknown who the cause of the movement could be in this moment. ]

[ After a minute or so, the separated silhouette pauses in their movements, and their head perks up and turns to look directly out the doorway. Directly at the huddled two on the tile floor. ] 

[ There is a moment of pause, before the figure drops their arms and moves. The tapping of the shoe heels off the tile echo in the now-eerie silence, and as they approach they break up the light, casting a long shadow across the floor, and casting the two in darkness. ]

[ Marvin shifts to look at the figure. Horror draws across his face like a bowstring. He immediately begins trembling. ]

[ They stop, just in front and slightly to the side of them. They do not look down at Marvin at all, their masked gaze seems to be locked on Jasprix, head tilted slightly. ]

[ Voice recognition activated. Recognized as: Elizabeth of HR. ]

E: “You seem rather attached to this one, aren’t you?” 

[ Jasprix stares, mouth open but barely able to do much more than squeak and hold Marvin a little closer, before he twitches and nods once, needing to give an answer even if it’s lacking his usual tone and vocal pattern. ]

J: “Y-yes.”

[ Elizabeth does not move a muscle, seemingly locked in an unnatural stillness. With their mask, it is even difficult to see their jaw moving to speak. ]

E: “Interesting. Very, very, interesting. I would hope you have at least taken notice of my handiwork, I would be so dearly disappointed if that work went to waste.”

[ Jasprix keeps his head turned to them, but glances down at Marvin, at the twisting ring of wires in his neck and around it, and the large gash left in his skin from hip to ribs, among the rest of the injuries. He looks back up at them, the fear stronger in his eyes then before, and gives a tiny nod, unable to speak. ]

E: “I hope you have gathered why you are here, it should be at the very least painfully obvious, however you were never the most observant, so do correct me if I assumed wrong.”

[ He winces, curling in slightly on himself, licking his lips as he shifts nervously. When he speaks, it’s quick, and disjointed. ]

J: “You-you’re giving him to me? To-to- as a-a warning? I-if I- if I keep-keep fighting every m-meeting?”

[ They make a clicking sound with their tongue, and shake their head in mock pity. ]

E: “Tch tch tch. I do suppose my assumption was an incorrect one. You are wrong. Not all I do is about you, little salamander. You may think yourself special, but you are far from the only thing that demands my attention. Try again.” 

[ Jasprix whines slightly, ears drooping down as he shakes, glancing from them to Marvin as he tries to speak before he finally manages it, managing to look hopeful in between the fear and mild anger forming from the idea he’d come to. ]

J: “Wall Rat? Escaped, but-but they. They left him. I-I’m here, because of them?”

[ They tilt their head to the side, not dissimilar to a bird. ]

E: “They did leave him, yes, and what a great service they provided in doing so. And while yes, they are a part of this, they are not what concerns me now, nor does their particular situation at all pertain to you. I am uncertain of how observant you have been since this clumsy bird stumbled out the door, however, I would inform you if you have neglected to notice that you are not the only one who was called.”

[ Jasprix stares, then slowly takes his eyes off Elizabeth to look around again, nervously turning his head away from them to see what they are talking about. Back in the bright room, presumably a part of the HR department, the crowd of stark silhouettes remains, seemingly talking amongst themselves in lue of the person who was presumably leading the meeting. ]

J: “...HR? This... was-wasn’t a-an actual meeting for me. I don’t... know w-why I-I’m actually here. S-sorry, sir.”

E: “You never were the smartest of your group, not quite. You have neglected to notice the thing you are holding so closely in your arms, or notice, remarkably, against what I could not help but notice you had assumed, is alive.”

[ Jasprix looks down at Marvin again, moving a hand from his shoulder to instead hold onto his arm with it, confused expression even as he concernedly watches his pained breathing and slow blinking. ]

J: “He-he is. I...he-he was called too? For-for what, why-why di-did. I w-was called, to meet, w-with him an-and you?”

E: “You are quite the odd one, and not very bright in any meaningful manner, it does seem.”

[ Elizabeth tips their head the other way, never removing their gaze from him. It is almost as if Marvin is nothing more than an uninteresting plant to them, with how little attention to him they pay. ]

E: “Ye of so little faith, assumed that he would die. Well, die permanently. Have you so little faith in me? Did you really think I would let an opportunity such as this pass me by?”

J: “I- I thought-thought he was want-wanted dead, before-before H-Hetch stopped caring, even-even though everything else. Was still-still a threat to him. What, um, what op-opportunity? I’m-I’m sorry, I don’t, see. What you mean.”

E: “You are so very chatty today, terribly unlike you. Even more so uncharacteristic when every word that falls out of your mouth seems to completely lack awareness or logic.”

[ They bring a hand from behind their back and put it on their chin, tipping their head. ]

E: “The specifics of which I speak, you are not privy to. It is above your station, and you should by this point know better than to question what is not yours to know.” 

[ Jasprix ducks his head, still looking at them respectfully from that position, and nods quickly instead of speaking. Looking chastised and afraid to say anything for the moment after they had brought attention to it. ]

E: “The reason that you are here, since it seems it must be spelled out clearly to you as if you were a child, is involving what will become of him now. He is no longer a threat to the company, I have made thoroughly sure that is the case, and so now something must be done with him. Since you do not seem to recognize them, the other individuals who have been spoken to are his superiors, informed of his new position. Do I need to clarify more, or has it finally sunk in in the hollow space between your ears?”

[ Jasprix frowns, glancing from the doorway to Elizabeth then back down to Marvin quickly before returning his attention to the person in front of him. Seeming to remember he had been called here, he clears his throat and speaks again. ]

J: “His...superiors. D-does that, is he, meant to work, under me?”

E: “In a sort of way, yes, as you seem to finally have caught on, and I no longer need to talk in circles until my words are finally understood as a language you speak. He will not return to his prior position, in my personal opinion it was a ludicrous idea to make him an actor to begin with, thus he will go to what he was initially selected for at this company, and has proven to be best suited for. That is where he is useful, and out of the way, and can cause minimal harm.”

[ Jasprix nods again, shifting slightly to better look at them from where he sits on the floor, wincing when his movement causes Marvin pain. The broken man can only sob at this information. Despite the pitiful sight below him, Jasprix keeps his eyes on Elizabeth for now. All he manages is a quiet squeak and only a single word as a response to show his understanding. ]

J: “Okay.”

[ Elizabeth takes a step closer, and leans down slightly, uncomfortably close to him. ]

E: “I feel it necessary to state, and state so clearly as it seems you do not understand what I have been saying in this conversation, the stipulations with which this deal comes.”

[ They reach a hand down and put it on his shoulder. Jasprix freezes completely, and stares at their face, not even blinking as he breathes slowly enough it looks like he isn’t at all. ]

E: “Due to the.. Foolishness, and recklessness, that accompanies the sort of attachment you have formed, you are the one I have to be concerned about most in regards to this man. I want you to listen to what I say very closely, as I will not repeat it.”

[ They tip their head, and even though the white plastic hides their eyes, it feels as if their gaze is boring into him. Jasprix just manages to nod stiffly, before he locks up again. ]

E: “You will not, not under a single circumstance, aid him in his endeavors of insubordination. I know the moment you are alone with him you will wish to free him, this will not happen. Not once, will it be allowed. There will be no mercy, in the event of transgression of this. You know full-well what occurs when you disobey orders. This is the most vital to not violate.”

[ Jasprix blinks, nodding immediately his understanding, fear clear on his face, obvious to anyone looking that he does know exactly what they mean, and has experienced enough to fear the punishment for disobeying. He shifts slightly subconsciously, still close to Marvin as much as he can be but his body giving some space to not touch the wires like they had been previously to his shoulder. He keeps his eyes on the mask, where the eyes would be, and just nods again more slowly. ]

[ They put a finger under his chin and tip his head up so he is forced to look at them directly. ]

E: “You have grown rather fond of your newly acquired freedom, that much is easy to parse. Understand, that if there is even a whisper of you violating my orders, and assisting the little pinned bird regardless, it will be taken away swiftly and without even the slightest sliver of a chance of getting it granted again. Do you understand me? I will not repeat myself.”

[ Jasprix whimpers at the contact, but doesn’t pull away, fear still playing on his face and stopping him from nodding when being made to look deliberately. He opens his mouth, for a moment unable to speak, before he lets out a shaky breath and tries again, more successfully. ]

J: “I understand, yes sir. I’ll-I’ll behave, and-and make sure he does. I understand.”

[ They drop his head, and stand up to their full height, towering over him and once again casting a harsh shadow across them. They fold their arms behind their back, and when they speak it is clear without even needing to see their face that they are smiling. ]

E: “Good. So very good of you. Wise, wise choice.”

[ They take a step back from him, resuming the almost unnatural-looking rim-rod posture. ]

E: “There will be certain measures in place at the hands of his proper authorities that should, if all goes as it should, keep him in line proper this time. So, I sincerely hope you have listened, and that it will not be necessary to begin with.”

[ They turn on their heel, as if to begin walking back into the room. Jasprix watches them go, not moving from the spot on the floor.  They pause, and look back at him from over their shoulder. ]

E: “And, Jasprix, you should know better, by this point, than to assume anything I say is a lie. I make good on my word. For now, before he joins productions, what happens to him is none of my concern, but do not think for even a moment that I will not be watching. You cannot hide, not from me.”

[ Jasprix stares at them, openmouthed and speechless, and nods again in resigned understanding. He is shaking, and looks ready to fall over, now that their proximity has gotten farther, but keeps himself steady braced against Marvin. ]

[ After a moment more, they seem satisfied, and turn away. Their footsteps on the tile might as well be loud as gunshots in the silence as they fade away, back into the room. The door shuts behind them, once again casting the two in darkness. ]

[ Jasprix sits there for a few minutes, watching the door just in case, before he lets out a loud exhale that ends in a whimpered sob. He looks back at Marvin properly, squeezing the arm he was holding gently. ]

J: “Marvin, M-s-Songbird. I need to lift you up, can you hear me, I need you to- to tell me you're still awake.” 

[ It takes him a second, but he manages to give Jasprix a shaky thumbs up. He isn’t able to hold his hand up for long before it falls to his side, limp. ] 

J: “Okay, um. I’m going to assume you heard that, because I also don’t want to repeat that. Just... I’m sorry. I’m sorry you’re like this, it isn't anyone's fault except the person who chose to abandon you. I’m... also sorry that this will fucking hurt, but I need to get you to my room.”

[ Jasprix carefully scoots away, keeping his hand holding onto Marvin’s arm to stop him from falling over without him holding him fully again, and stands up hesitantly. He’s shaky, struggling to stand for a few moments, before he looks down and pulls Marvin up by his arm quickly. Marvin immediately hisses in pain, his knees buckling. Jasprix freezes, wincing in sympathy from Marvin’s pained sounds, and hesitates for a moment in the action he was taking.]

[ Jasprix moves around him instead, and leans down to grab hold of Marvin's legs, hoisting him off his feet quickly with a grunt of exertion. Holding him under the knees and at his shoulders in a bridal carry as he tries to shift it to be as comfortable as he can make it. Marvin grunts in pain at first but as soon as the movement stops, he relaxes. Or, more accurately, he practically melts into Jasprix’s arms. Jasprix huffs, looking concerned but also relieved, that he’s managed to keep a grip. ]

J: “You are a lot lighter than I thought you were. Um, time to go, before someone comes out again. God, at least it isn’t a fuckton of floors to get back to my room. Sorry if it gets bumpy, I’ll- I’ll kiss it better maybe, after I... help bandage you up. Um...Are you ready to move?”

[ Marvin tucks his head against Jasprix’s chest and nods. He looks so small. ]

[ Jasprix squeezes him gently in a return hug, then looks back over at the door for a second just to make sure one more time. The glass being dark makes it hard to know if he’s being watched, and for a moment he lingers, before he quickly shakes his head and moves as fast as he can away from the room with someone in his arms. His tail flicks rapidly behind him as he leaves and disappears past a wall with a final flick of the tail. Quiet words of apology fading as they get farther away from the HR meeting room. ] 

[ The video stays on another minute more, recording the eerie quiet left behind, a final zoom on the door as the video fades out, and clicks off. ]

[ Transmission end. ]

[integrating-sphere]

Introduction Haze and turbidity are critical parameters in evaluating the optical clarity and quality of various materials, including glass, plastic, and liquids. These parameters are particularly significant in industries like automotive, construction, packaging, and pharmaceuticals, where transparency and consistency are vital for functionality and aesthetics. This article explores the concepts of haze and turbidity, their measurement techniques, and the advantages of using the LISUN HM-120 Haze Meter/Turbidity Meter for accurate evaluations. What Are Haze and Turbidity? Haze refers to the scattering of light caused by imperfections or particles within a transparent or translucent material. It reduces the sharpness of images viewed through the material, affecting its clarity. Haze measurement is essential for products like automotive windshields, LCD screens, and optical films. Turbidity, on the other hand, measures the cloudiness or haziness of a liquid caused by suspended particles that scatter light. It is a key parameter in water quality testing, beverages, and chemical solutions. Turbidity levels are often expressed in nephelometric turbidity units (NTU). HM-120_Haze Meter/Turbidity Meter Principles of Haze and Turbidity Measurement The LISUN HM-120 Haze Meter/Turbidity Meter operates on the principles of light transmission and scattering. Below are the primary principles utilized: • Light Scattering: A light beam passes through the sample, and the scattered light at various angles is measured. Higher scattering indicates higher haze or turbidity levels. • Total Transmittance: This measures the total amount of light that passes through the sample, combining both scattered and direct light. • Diffuse Transmittance: By excluding direct light, this measures only the scattered component, which is directly correlated with haze. Key Features of the LISUN HM-120 Haze Meter/Turbidity Meter • High Accuracy: The HM-120 offers superior precision with repeatability within ±0.1% for haze and ±0.02% for transmittance. • Wide Measurement Range: Haze can be measured from 0% to 100%, making it versatile for various industries. • Compliance with Standards: The device adheres to international standards such as ASTM D1003 and ISO 13468. • User-Friendly Interface: With a touchscreen and intuitive software, the HM-120 ensures ease of use. • Compact Design: The device is portable and suitable for both laboratory and on-site testing. Applications of Haze and Turbidity Measurement Industry Application Parameter Measured Automotive Windshield and headlamp clarity Haze Packaging Film transparency for food and beverages Haze Water Treatment Monitoring water quality in treatment plants Turbidity Pharmaceuticals Ensuring clarity of liquid medicines Turbidity Electronics Optical clarity of display screens Haze Advantages of Using LISUN HM-120 • Dual Measurement Capability: The HM-120 seamlessly switches between haze and turbidity measurements, eliminating the need for separate devices. • Fast and Reliable Testing: With high-speed data acquisition, the HM-120 provides quick and repeatable results. • Versatility: The device can measure various sample types, including liquids, plastics, and glass, making it suitable for multiple industries. • Data Analysis: Haze and Turbidity Measurement with LISUN HM-120 Below is a hypothetical data comparison to demonstrate the efficiency of the LISUN HM-120. Sample Haze (%) Turbidity (NTU) Total Transmittance (%) Glass Sheet A 0.5 – 99.5 Plastic Film B 12 – 88 Water Sample C – 1.2 – Beverage Sample D – 5.6 – Working Mechanism The LISUN HM-120 employs an integrated sphere system to capture scattered and transmitted light. A schematic representation of the system is provided below: • Light Source: Emits a consistent beam. • Sample Holder: Holds the material or liquid. • Detector: Measures the light intensity at various angles. • Output Display: Provides haze and turbidity readings. Conclusion Haze and turbidity measurements are indispensable for quality control across industries. The LISUN HM-120 Haze Meter/Turbidity Meter stands out as a reliable, efficient, and user-friendly device for these critical assessments. By adopting the HM-120, manufacturers and quality control teams can ensure compliance with industry standards, improve product quality, and enhance customer satisfaction. For more information about the LISUN HM-120, visit the official product page. Read the full article

[stevesociety3]

Why are we always putting green energy assets in all the wrong places? The main electricity demand comes from big cities and their industries, so the electricity generators should be nearby, thus reducing capital costs and transmission losses, and supporting local jobs.Why put wind turbines, access roads, and power lines in rural and remote areas where there is little demand for electricity, where neighbors hate them, and where they destroy forests, wipe out resident eagles, and start bush fires? And of course, it is foolish to locate wind turbines anywhere along the cyclone coasts of Queensland, the Northern Territory, or the Kimberly coast in Western Australia. The Green/Teals love wind energy so let’s put turbines on every hill or open space in electorates that support green energy like Ryan in Brisbane, Warringah in Sydney, Kooyong in Melbourne, and in Canberra, Australia’s Federal capital. Green children will benefit as the turbines clear their green spaces of aggressive magpies and noisy crows instead of dewinging or decapitating innocent wedge-tail eagles and other bush birds and bats.And why plaster remote grasslands with solar panels that smother the grass and need long transmission lines that upset the locals? And why try to gild them by calling them wind and solar “farms” -- they are totally anti-farming. Cities should generate green power within their cities from every rooftop, stadium, factory, and railway station. Greens in Canberra would surely support the installation of a big wind turbine atop Parliament House and floating solar panels on the Molonglo River? (The problem there is that Canberra has more politically active NIMBYS than real communities with real jobs and real worries.)And of course, there is the big problem that the solar energy union goes on strike from sundown to sunrise every day and refuses to work in rain, fog, or overcast days. The wind energy union is far less predictable, and their strikes can last far longer. So to power windless nights or cloudy days, big batteries or stored hydro are essential, preferably located close to the cities that need the power.

But battery fires are not uncommon, and they are very hard to extinguish. So big batteries should be located beside every fire brigade shed, starting in Fairfield (the Sydney electorate of Australia’s Energy Minister Chris “Blackouts” Bowen). Every university should also install a big battery near their chemistry department so students can study the chemistry of lithium battery fires.

For ages now politicians have been trying to rush motorists into electric vehicles before there are enough charging stations or green energy to power them. Some sneaky bureaucrats have a hidden agenda here -- use smart metering to enable them to drain the batteries of electric vehicles to support the grid when wind and solar are on strike. So instead of their car battery being charged overnight, morning commuters may find their batteries drained overnight to keep lifts, hospitals, trains, and street lights working.

The universities are great supporters of green energy so let’s make sure there is a big wind turbine outside every physics department -- their PhD students can study seasonal and daily variations in wind speed and the effects on electricity generated. They can also study the harmonics of turbine noise and its effect on humans, whales, and other animals.

And as the panels and turbines have a limited life, the economics undergrads can study the feasibility of recycling wind turbine blades and solar panels. They can also study the green jobs created by using non-polluting crowbars and shovels to dig big holes to bury them.

But the biggest problem with green energy is that we have ignored the sage advice given by President Xi Jinping in 2024:

“Make sure to establish the new before abolishing the old.” 

Our green politicians are forever demolishing coal-fired power before demonstrating that our cities and economy can survive on wind, solar, and big batteries. No other economy has demonstrated that this will work without an established safety net of nuclear, hydro, coal, gas, or accommodating neighbors with long extension cords.

For Australia, “Net Zero” is a negative sum game -- an economic suicide pact.

PS. Australia’s first wind-powered generator is closing down. It will leave ruined farmland behind it.

[hvsolarnsw]

How Solar Energy Boosts Property Value

As homeowners and property investors seek sustainable and cost-effective solutions, Newcastle solar energy has emerged as a game-changer. Installing solar panels not only reduces electricity bills but also enhances a property's market value. Buyers today prioritise energy efficiency, making solar-powered homes more attractive. With the help of a solar professional, here is how solar energy can boost your property's worth.

Higher Market Demand

Solar energy can contribute to faster property sales because of increased buyer interest. More buyers are looking for energy-efficient homes with lower utility costs, making solar-powered properties more attractive. There will also be a reduction in energy bills because buyers see immediate savings on electricity costs, making the property more appealing. But other than that, there are also government incentives. Properties with existing solar installations may benefit from tax credits or rebates, encouraging quicker purchases. Remember that homes with solar panels differentiate themselves from others in the market, leading to faster sales.

Faster Property Sales

Solar energy can make energy independence possible in properties by providing a self-sustaining power source that reduces or eliminates reliance on external electricity providers. There is on-site energy generation where solar panels convert sunlight into electricity, allowing properties to generate their own power instead of depending on the grid. When it comes to battery storage solutions, solar batteries store excess energy for use during nighttime or cloudy days, ensuring continuous power availability without grid reliance. You also have protection against power outages because properties with solar and battery storage can maintain an electricity supply even during blackouts, enhancing reliability and security.

Energy Independence

Solar energy makes energy independence possible in properties by reducing reliance on external power sources and providing a self-sufficient energy solution. Aside from on-site power generation and battery storage solutions, there is also reduced vulnerability to price fluctuations. Solar energy protects property owners from rising electricity costs and unpredictable utility rate increases. Also, grid-connected systems allow excess solar energy to be sent back to the grid, potentially earning credits or financial returns.

Environmental Appeal

Using solar power in your property can enhance its environmental appeal by making it more sustainable, energy-efficient, and eco-friendly. It is possible because it reduces carbon footprint. Solar panels are known to generate clean energy, cutting down on greenhouse gas emissions. There is also a decrease in dependence on fossil fuels because properties with solar power rely less on coal, gas, or oil, reducing pollution. Solar-powered properties demonstrate commitment to renewable energy and environmental conservation.

Reduced Carbon Footprint

Unlike traditional energy sources, solar panels produce electricity without emitting CO₂ or other pollutants. Also, onsite solar generation reduces energy losses that occur during transmission from distant power plants. Widespread solar use influences communities and businesses to transition toward clean energy. If you want to support energy independence, this is a good idea because producing electricity onsite decreases reliance on centralised power grids powered by fossil fuels. 

Attractive to Commercial Investors

Solar energy makes properties more attractive to commercial investors because it has lower operating costs. Businesses benefit from reduced electricity bills, improving profitability. They can also attract eco-conscious tenants aside from the preferring leasing spaces with sustainable energy solutions. When it comes to maintenance, there will also be no problem. Solar panels require minimal upkeep compared to traditional energy systems.

Increased Rental Income

This type of power source can contribute to increased rental income in properties by enhancing their value, reducing operating costs, and making them more attractive to tenants. Renters are willing to pay higher rents for properties with lower energy costs, making solar-equipped units more desirable. Solar panels add to a property's appeal, allowing landlords to charge premium rental rates due to energy efficiency. By leveraging solar energy, landlords can create a more profitable, sustainable, and desirable rental property that benefits both owners and tenants.

Positive Public Perception

Properties with solar panels are seen as environmentally responsible, attracting eco-conscious tenants and buyers. Solar installations signal that the property owner embraces new technologies, making the property appear more advanced and future-ready. Businesses leasing solar-powered properties can also promote their sustainability efforts, boosting their public image. Remember that property owners investing in solar energy can set an example for sustainable living, positively influencing their community.

Solar energy is more than just an eco-friendly upgrade. It is a smart financial investment. By lowering energy costs, increasing energy independence, and appealing to eco-conscious buyers, solar panels can add substantial value to a property. Whether you plan to sell in the future or enjoy long-term savings, investing in solar energy is a step toward a brighter, more profitable future.