#grand island oil change

[garysautorepair]

How do you know if your car needs oil change? Schedule an appointment at Gary's Quality Automotive and ask about their oil change coupons.

[dandelion-wings]

This ficlet is @theabysscomeshome's fault twice over. First, in 2022, we were talking about the wingfic, and wing-grooming, and they suggested the specifics of this piece. Then, a few days ago, we had another discussion about grooming-as-affection that reminded me of that older conversation. I've been telling myself for two years that I couldn't write this until I finished the wingfic, but I don't know if I'll ever finish the wingfic, and you know what? I don't need to in order to write this. If I ever DO, I'll probably clean this up and throw it on AO3 as a short coda, but for now I've had fun writing it, and it can live on Tumblr as an exercise. :>

---

It takes Diluc a while, once he returns to Mondstadt, to notice the state of Kaeya's wings.

They aren't in notable disarray. But neither are they at all well-kept. He keeps them tightly closed against his back, the cape of his new uniform half-falling over them, eclipsing them with its ornate cut and dramatic tones. There's no gleam of oil, and his feathers are dry and brittle from the lack, more always broken when Diluc sees him than can be accounted for by battle alone. They're brushed back with a ruthlessness that no doubt is only breaking them further.

And Diluc has never once seen them decorated. Kaeya doesn't wear any wing-clasps, even though Diluc can easily imagine several designs that would nicely match his outfit, and whoever he commissioned it from would surely have offered to add them in. Not once has Diluc seen even the ends of the primaries painted. Father used to love painting their wings, and unlike Diluc, Kaeya would hold still for an hour or more, both wings stretched out behind him, while Father painted each primary with a peacock's eye in full and natural detail.

Perhaps Diluc can understand why he doesn't paint them, at least.

The rest, though, makes no sense. If this were the Kaeya he thought he'd known as a youth, shy and soft-spoken, always a step behind Diluc so that Diluc could attract the attention, he could wave it away. But not for this new Kaeya, with his flamboyant clothing and his cheerful, talkative guise. A Mondstadter's wings should be one of the *anchors* of their style, not a disregarded afterthought.

He mentions it to Jean, once, during one of the quiet moments in the midst of Dvalin's unexpected violence. Diluc is careful not to bring up Kaeya with her most of the time, afraid of prying into the friendly trust he can tell exists between them. But in that encounter in the Temple of the Wolf Kaeya had spread his wings, briefly, mantling at him over the Abyss Mage, and the feather-breakage had been unexpectedly brutal on the underside. It niggles at him more than the mantling itself.

"I know," Jean says. "He maintains them well enough to glide, though, and their condition doesn't break the Knights' uniform regulations. I have no grounds to reprimand him for it."

Her expression is carefully composed in the way that means she's holding back some emotion or extra comment. Diluc bites back a more demanding question. He's not her superior anymore, and he can't insist she not treat him as such if he interrogates her like one. Though even if she can't discuss the subject with Kaeya as Acting Grand Master, he doesn't see why she wouldn't speak up as a friend-

Or perhaps that's gone as poorly for her as disapproving of Kaeya's new drinking habit tends to go for him. If Kaeya has set a boundary around the topic, Jean would no doubt be better-mannered than Diluc about crossing it. He only wishes that she could tell him why.

Could, or would. She changes the subject swiftly back to Dvalin, and as soon as she does that closed-up composure falls away. Diluc swallows his frustration and turns his attention, too, back to the task at hand.

***

It eats at him still every time he sees Kaeya, whether it's in his bar applauding his deception of Huffman or roaming the islands of the Golden Apple Archipelago together or at his dining table one evening during the Weinlesefest, making terrible jokes and gesturing to emphasize them with his hands only, not a twitch of wing or feather even when he laughs at his own jibes. Adelinde looks as pained as Diluc feels when Kaeya pins them against the back of the chair at the table instead of slotting them through the notch down its center and draping them comfortably over its curves.

He's not *comfortable* at the Dawn Winery, that seems to say, and Diluc knows that's his own fault. Adelinde and the other staff have never done anything that would make him think he shouldn't feel at home.

The day Kaeya comes by with the Honorary Knight and a variety of gifts from Sumeru is the day Diluc loses his patience at last.

Kaeya is still there when he returns from his meeting--which he'd rather have left to Elzer after all, ill or not, if he hadn't known that Kaeya would be more comfortable if he wasn't there. He'd expected Kaeya to have left already. But instead, while the Honorary Knight has apparently gone back to Mondstadt with Klee after she made an unexpected appearance, Kaeya has lingered to help Adelinde clean up after lunch. Just as he's apparently helped Tunner pick grapes, and Connor check on the fermenting wine, and Elzer handle an unexpected merchant.

He's taken his jacket and cape off by this point in the afternoon, sitting on a bench outside and sharing a bottle of wine with Connor and Elzer, chatting idly about the current projects at the Winery. Finally, unlike that dinner, his wings are spread a bit, low and drooping behind his back. There's grape leaves stuck to the broken feathers, a bit of soot streaked across them, and even a piece of vine tangled around two primaries. He looks up at Diluc, and the ease of his smile makes it clear he's drunk.

"You aren't staying for dinner in that state," Diluc tells him in a flash of utterly unjustified irritation.

That easy smile goes wry and pained in an instant, and the loosened wings draw tight. Kaeya sets his glass down and starts to rise, one hand on the table to keep himself steady. Connor and Elzer both look dismayed, Connor holding out a hand as if to stop Kaeya and Elzer giving Diluc a frowning look.

"I've enjoyed this visit," Kaeya says to the men, waving off Connor's hand, "but it seems it's time for me to take my leave. Thank you for your hospitality."

"I didn't say that." He regrets his tone already, though it still grates at him to see how quickly Kaeya takes that as a dismissal, and not--not jealousy, Diluc admits reluctantly, chagrined by his own reaction. It's not *Kaeya* that casual display makes him frustrated with.

"Oh?"

"I said *in that state*. You ought to clean up first. So should you two. Adelinde won't serve any of you still in work clothes."

The other two hasten to stand, Connor collecting up the glasses while Elzer picks up the bottle. Connor smiles knowingly at Diluc, while Elzer simply looks relieved. Kaeya, though, scoops up his jacket and cape and shrugs.

"I'm afraid these are the only clothes I have on me."

"You can at least straighten up your wings. Come on. I'll brush them for you."

Diluc gestures for Kaeya to follow as he strides through the door, and deliberately doesn't look back. He's aware all the same of Kaeya's hesitation, and then the sound of his footsteps as he does, indeed, follow.

Upstairs Kaeya hesitates again on the landing, and Diluc opens the door to his suite wide and beckons him impatiently in.

"I'm sure Adelinde could give me a hand, if it matters that much," Kaeya says, still standing there. He looks oddly lost.

"Adelinde will be down in the kitchen insisting the cooks make all your favorites. All the ones she trusts them with, that is. She'll make as much as she can by hand."

Kaeya winces and mutters, "She's already made me lunch," but the distraction is at least enough for him to finally acceed to Diluc's impatience and step into his suite.

The front room is half study, but it's also where Diluc does what toilette he requires. He pulls the stool out from under the dressing table and waits until Kaeya has sat down, somewhat awkwardly, upon it before dragging the chair from his desk across the room and sitting down behind him. He can see Kaeya's face in the mirror, and it's clear Kaeya is watching him through it as well.

After a long, silent, wary moment, Kaeya loosens his wings from where they're clamped tight against his back, leaving them half-unfolded and relaxed enough that when Diluc reaches for the left one, the one where the vine is tangled in, he can tug it into a good position to preen.

He untangles the vine carefully, slowly, taking his time. Kaeya's unoiled feathers are just as fragile as he'd presumed, and despite all his care a few barbs still do snap under the slight pressure of him tugging the vine free. Diluc grimaces and pinches the barbs around them gently to draw them straight before collecting up the grape leaves scattered all across Kaeya's coverts.

The soot he has to pat off with a damp towel; if it were his own wings, he'd brush it vigorously off, but whether Kaeya cares or not he doesn't want to break any more barbs than he has to. Then, with the same concern in mind, he ignores the stiff preening brush and picks up a bottle of oil, sitting back down to hand-preen Kaeya's feathers.

Kaeya shifts on the stool when he sees Diluc pour the oil over his hands, but he doesn't say anything in protest. Doesn't say anything at all, in fact, neither light commentary nor teasing jokes nor even any complaints about the tugging as Diluc maneuvers his wing this way and that, oiling his hands over and over again as he runs his fingers delicately over and beneath and between feathers.

The primaries are in the best shape, kept straight and clean for gliding even if too many of the barbs are broken, and the secondaries are close enough to his back to stay more intact, though they're still brittle. The coverts, though, range from in disarray to very nearly matted. He pulls them apart with hands that only force of will keeps from trembling, biting his tongue on sharp comments about their neglected state.

Kaeya is tense in front of him, his shoulders stiff. He watches Diluc in the mirror like he's waiting for the moment when Diluc grasps the delicate bones under his hands and snaps them. Diluc doesn't know how to say what he wants to say without sounding angry, and he knows how Kaeya will take that.

At last, though, the left wing is in good order, every feather fluffed and preened and oiled. Diluc shifts the chair a little and starts on the right.

Kaeya goes even more tense when he takes the leading edge to pull it out. For a moment he resists--Diluc almost lets go, afraid he *will* snap it if Kaeya keeps pulling back--and then he sighs, his face in the mirror resigned, and his wing relaxes as he hunches his shoulders forward. No less tense, he's still sitting like he's waiting for the blow, but he drops his gaze from the mirror and stares down at the dressing table instead.

Two of these primaries are folded oddly inward, their barbs tangled, pinning them together in a way that leaves gaps in the bottom line of the wing. Diluc frowns at that and separates them, carefully as he can, though even that doesn't keep one barb from snapping as he tries to free it from the one it's tangled with. They're bound so close he'd almost think someone had interlaced them deliberately. When they part, it doesn't reveal the third primary that should be hidden between them. The feather just isn't there.

Diluc traces the gap upwards, pushing back the coverts to find the root. He expects the shaft to be broken somewhere high. Maybe this was from a recent blow, because more of the coverts are tangled around the root. He parts them carefully, too, and realizes that two of them are missing, and some of the feathers around and above, and where they're gone, the bare skin of the wing, is- scarred. An old, rough, patch of skin, pulled tight and knotted where fire had burnt first feathers and then flesh away.

He rests his fingers against the burn scar for a long moment. Kaeya is rigid as a board, his left wing clamped in tight again, looking down at his hands in his lap like he has the secrets of the universe folded between them. But he doesn't twitch his wing away from Diluc's hand.

It feels like something is trying to gnaw its way out from Diluc's chest. He takes a deep, slow breath, then pours more oil onto his hands and carries on with straightening the feathers. It's clear now why they were so deliberately matted together, but he doesn't fold them in again. Everyone in the Dawn Winery knows what he's done. There's no point in Kaeya hiding it here except to salve Diluc's guilty conscience, and as much as it burns, Diluc wants to see.

There's more on the underside, a whole burnt streak from top to bottom that isn't nearly as easily hidden. Kaeya has made what efforts he can, enough that Diluc hadn't spotted it before this in the times they've encountered each other in the urgency and chaos of emergencies and battle. At rest, though, he'd have to keep his wings tightly closed to hide that scar. Which, of course, is exactly what he's been doing.

Diluc takes a moment to breathe after that, too, and then goes back to straightening and oiling feathers, the guilty ache gnawing ever stronger beneath his ribs. He doesn't have anything to say that still wouldn't come out angry--he *is* angry, and he can't let that spill out at Kaeya when the anger is at himself. Once the feathers are straight, he stands, touching Kaeya's shoulder when Kaeya shifts to do the same, and picks up his softest brush and a different oil to pour over it before he sits back down.

As a child, he'd rarely had the patience for this part. But Kaeya had loved it, the same way he'd loved Father's feather-paintings. Diluc regrets, now, not often letting Father administer this final gloss, unnecessary as it might have been. If he had known when he wriggled free of Father's ministrations on his eighteenth birthday that he'd never get the chance again....

Maybe no one's done this for Kaeya, either, since this day. He hunches further under it at first, visibly uncomfortable, though he still doesn't protest. Diluc stays silent too, focusing on his work, brushing the oil into Kaeya's feathers in long, slow sweeps. At the burn, he hesitates a moment, then runs the brush down over the scars as well, the rough dark skin taking on the same gleam as Kaeya's feathers, though not as iridescent as this particular oil teases out of that dark blue. Slowly, gradually, Kaeya unhunches, relaxing under the brush, his wings falling into the same comfortable droop that Diluc had seen at that table outside.

When he's finished, he caps both bottles and rises, setting them and the brush back on the dressing table. Kaeya hasn't tried to rise this time, which leaves him room to circle around and double-check his handiwork from multiple angles. A few final touches, pushing feathers that the brush had disturbed back into perfect alignment, and then Diluc can't resist touching the worst of the burns one more time.

He swallows all the anger and guilt and regret that threatens to claw its way up and says, his voice as soft as he's ever been able to make it, "I'm sorry."

Kaeya looks up at him with his eye wide. Then a faintly ironic smile eclipses the astonishment. "Why? They aren't real, remember?"

That feels like a knife twisted in his stomach, and Diluc closes his teeth on an angry retort. Kaeya's shirt is buttoned close around the base of his wings, but he knows that older scars still lie beneath that, the long thin lines of a knife in a wedge-like cut. The gouges, he knows now, as he hadn't as a child, not of attempted removal but of their original installation.

Had it hurt? Diluc doesn't think he's ever asked. He certainly doesn't have the right to ask such a question now. But he can't imagine it didn't.

When he presses a little harder against the burn, he sees Kaeya flinch. "*This* is."

"Ah." Kaeya swallows hard, the smile vanishing. "That's true."

"And if it is, then they are, too."

Diluc can't quite read the expression on Kaeya's face before he looks away. He resists the urge to check it in the mirror. Instead he lowers his hand and steps back, giving Kaeya space.

"I have to change. I'll meet you downstairs for dinner."

And then he flees, putting the door of his bedroom between them. Kaeya will probably dig through his desk behind his back--Diluc would, in his place--but there's nothing there that he can't stand Kaeya seeing. Nothing that his brother doesn't already know, in any case. Kaeya has always been adept at digging out his most mortifying secrets.

He'd rather Kaeya dig through his desk before going downstairs. The other option is that he decides Diluc has been too overbearing and leaves.

When he comes down to dinner, though, Kaeya is there, waiting in the chair beside Diluc's and chatting companionably with Adelinde. He looks up at Diluc and smiles, the friendly mask right back in place. Diluc frowns at him and braces for another evening of bad, teasing jokes. He can live with that. What matters more is that Kaeya has his wings draped over his chair, neat and oiled, arranged loose and comfortably behind him.

[so-true-overdue]

Climate Change: A Triumph of Human Ingenuity

Ah, climate change. Humanity's crowning achievement. We've really outdone ourselves this time. The planet, our beloved home, is heating up faster than a microwave dinner. And let's be clear: we did this. Humans, with our insatiable appetite for fossil fuels, have managed to turn up the thermostat of Earth.

It's not as if we had no warnings. Scientists have been waving red flags for decades. But who needs experts when you can just deny the problem? After all, it's so much easier to pretend it's not happening while we bask in our air-conditioned homes. Just ignore the melting glaciers, the rising sea levels, and the increasingly erratic weather patterns. Those are probably just coincidences, right?

Our industrial revolution kickstarted this grand experiment. We figured out how to burn coal, oil, and gas to power our lives. It was a revolution! Who cared about a little carbon dioxide in the atmosphere? Well, turns out, the planet does. Greenhouse gases trap heat. More gases, more heat. Simple math, really.

But here's the kicker: some of the most vulnerable to this man-made disaster are the ones least responsible. Small island nations are sinking. Poor communities are facing severe droughts and floods. Meanwhile, the big polluters carry on, business as usual. Isn't that just the epitome of fairness?

The Arctic is a great example of our handiwork. Once a frozen expanse, it's now on its way to becoming a seasonal puddle. Polar bears and other wildlife are struggling to survive. But hey, at least it's opening new shipping routes. Silver linings, right?

Our oceans are another success story. They're acidifying at an alarming rate. Marine life is dying off, coral reefs are bleaching. But think of all the fish we can catch before they're all gone!

So let's give ourselves a round of applause. We wanted progress, and we got it. We wanted growth, and boy, did we grow. The planet is changing, undeniably. And the best part? It's all thanks to us. Human ingenuity at its finest.

Remember, when future generations look back at the legacy we've left, they’ll marvel at how effectively we ignored the obvious. They'll study the artifacts of our civilization, buried under floodwaters or scorched by wildfires, and they'll say, "Wow, they really knew how to ruin a good thing."

Here's to us. The true architects of climate change.

[goldenclarice]

𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐈𝐈: 𝐖𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐍'𝐒 𝐖𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐃 𝐖𝐀𝐘𝐒 → a summary of events during the timeskip (featuring @sabithafrey-rp @daltongreyjoy-rp @sirenalannysgreyjoy @payapreciouspenny @princejoffreyvelaryon)

Queen Rhaenyra's reign has changed things vastly and Clarice's role as Lady Regent has not been spared from this dizzying shift, but she has not let herself be deterred. As one the of strongest voices against the the Iron Islands' ruling liege and their vassals convening in court, least of all to stake their interests in the the small council, Clarice had been all too perturbed at securing peace agreements between the two regions with the exchange a Tyrell son of noble birth, anointed with the seven oils and named in the rainbow of light, for a godless fledgling bastard of Pyke. However, after being presented to the newly legitimized Lady Penny Greyjoy by Lord Dalton Greyjoy and Alla Florent, Clarice knew as soon as she laid eyes upon her that she could welcome her into Highgarden and into her heart. "She will be a daughter to me," she had promised the fearsome Lord Dalton. "I did not know Penny as a seed in her mother's belly, or as a soft babe in the arms of the man who contributed to her conception. My new daughter has come to me already a girl, missing some but not all of her childhood teeth. I am glad to receive her into my halls and my homeland."

Lady Clarice was also glad to not enter into trade negotiations with the Iron Islands, even while she still ensured that the ironborn were to not raid and reave in the Reach any longer. Later on, she had received news of the trade negotiations between Dorne and the Iron Islands with a scoff. Part of the agreement had been to not call upon her southernmost vassals to intercept these ships, but Lady Clarice has been heard to say that she also stills her hand if only to see how long this ruse between these two faraway regions will last. However, it is Lord Jon Tyrell that had grown all the more discontented as time went on. In a manner that was always contemptuous, and always fruitless, Jon had gone into theatrical tirades in an attempt grasp for an offense that would match the one served to his honor and to his weakening image of Clarice. It is by Jon's spite and the harshest critics of the peace agreement negotiations that Lady Clarice's image does begin to sour, with many calling her a conniving woman that has betrayed the Tyrell's and made two innocent children the pawns to her ambitions. To assuage these sentiments, Clarice organized a tourney to celebrate the third name day of her son, Lyonel, and called upon knights and squires of the Reach of both noble and common birth to compete in martial games with the prizes not only being monetary, but also the guarantee of her patronage. In display of her beneficence, she would assure their reputation as knights financially (as patrons are also sponsors) and theoretically in connections to a noble house (championing for noble houses and wearing their colors). The fine selection of men who had won in the contests were glad to receive their Lady Regent's patronage rather than having been shipped away to some border garrison.

The next event that followed Lyonel's name day tourney was a welcoming ball in honor of Lady Penny. It was an evening with great fanfare where the honored guest became a beloved novelty, delighted over by all. Invitees arrived to witness Clarice's newly remade family, curious to get a look at the girl who had so spectacularly regaled a grand evening. As the days went on, Clarice filled her daughter's days with artists, educators and a septa so that they could engage her in topics of numbers, philosophy, religion, and the arts. It is from these innovators that Clarice hopes that Penny will learn her sensibilities so that she may lead a morally just and divinely inspired life. However, it seemed to Clarice that Lord Dalton always arrived to undo her work. His visits to Highgarden are unwelcome and consistent, but she withstands him for the sake of Penny even if she had allowed his entrance inside the castle a sparse few times. The presence of men and knights of strength double during Lord Dalton's visits to let him know that he is not trusted. Lady Alannys's presence is less welcome as well, but as she comes with Prince Joffrey on the dragon Tyraxes, more consideration is taken into making her visits more welcoming only while she remains in the presence of a Prince of the Realm. Still, among the maid servants of the castle it is known that Clarice has asked them to inconspicuously separated Lady Alannys and Prince Joffrey at times so that Lady Leila Rowan can beguile the prince instead. It is Lord Toron, Lord Dalton's heir, that has been ignored altogether. While he has not embarked to Highgarden, he has written plenty of letters to Clarice with requests to establish trading voyages at the Arbor. These letters have gone unanswered even if she shared weekly correspondence with his father where Lady Penny and Lord Henley's wellbeing are discussed, with some of these letters even including portraits of Lady Penny in the Myrish painting style and Lord Henley by Lord Dalton's unsteady hand.

Clarice's correspondence with Lady Sabitha of The Crossing was a different matter altogether. Clarice was not so unfamiliar with herself to not recognize that she might have grown infatuated during their initial meeting, and while they continued to socialize at the Red Keep, Clarice started to believe that she may have spun their friendship into something that couldn't and probably never will be. Still, Clarice was happy to receive Lady Sabitha's ravens and quickly grew enamored at her friend's poems that sent her heart racing. Clarice could be seen writing into the long hours of the night until one day she received word from Lady Sabitha that she was pregnant. It was an easy decision to brave a journey of hundreds of miles to the The Twins with Lyonel and a small retinue from Highgarden. Lord Roger Tyrell had petitioned for more important tasks as of late, and Clarice was all too happy to appoint him as castellan in the meantime while Lord Jon had grown distractible in his duties. It was at the Twins, where much attention had been paid to Lady Sabitha's wellbeing, that their passionate love affair began. None could be seen without the other thereafter, and while Clarice was seen entering the guest room during the nights and emerging from it in the mornings, the bed had always been neatly arranged from the day before and many of her items and smallclothes were found in Lady Sabitha's chambers. There was much talk about Clarice's unexplained animosity towards Lady Amarei Charlton and how quick she was to dismiss her at every turn, and on one occasion, these ill feelings had culminated into a heated argument between the two that no one but Lord Forrest had been able to qualm. Nevertheless, Clarice continued to visit the Twins as much as time allowed, with Lord Roger ever poised to prove himself as castellan in her absence.

[unofficialadamtaurus]

i woke up from my deep new years slumber this morning and checked ao3 for anything to feed me. what i was met with was a full course meal in the form of wilt & scatter updating. i was jolly beyond words. if i hadnt just woke up i would have jumped around my room and danced. happy new year

I LOVE EVERYTHING THIS CHAPTER IMPLIES ABOUT ADAMS CHARACTER!!!!!! HE TOO IS DEFECTING, BUT NOT OUT OF A "CHANGE OF HEART" LIKE BLAKE, BUT BY STAYING TRUE TO HIS ORIGINAL MOTIVE OF PROTECTING THE FAUNUS!!!!!!!!!! tell me if im wrong but IM PRETTY SURE ADAM'S HELPING RUBY BUST THESE OPERATIONS CUS THEYRE ONLY GOING TO JAIL... im sure jail is easy for someone like adam to break out of, he can lead a charge to save some imprisoned faunus. i feel like its one of those situations where theyre better off in jail for now, because its either jail or......... Ms. C the LandLord. worst landlord EVER . IF IM WRONG THEN IM SPEAKING OUT OF MY ASS, BUT GOD I LOVE IT!!!!!! adam queuing ruby in on the smuggling... theyve become a well oiled machine if theyve done this like 5 times by now. not to mention i love the suspicion there is on ruby now. how does she know this? weiss is right, how do you get Sources (tm) as a first year from beacon that grew up on an island as what i can only assume is a farmhand outside of huntress training (i mean seriously!!! thats a farm!!! im sure they have livestock just over the fence that yang and ruby took care of!)

love blake here. she feels very volume 1 in the best way possible. shes abrasive in her own cool way and very passionate. her blowing the team off out of anger is so good. i want a scene where both blake and ruby see adam and recognize him and blake turns around and strangles ruby while demanding answers of "HOW DO YOU KNOW HIM??? HOW??? HUH???" . hell, if ruby is communicating with adam through texts and calls, im sure blake may want to follow ruby when she dips off to take An Important Phone Call from her Friend From Signal. or however they do it. SUSPICIOUS BLAKE FOR THE WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!

a small tidbit but i love the idea that ruby smells very obviously like roses, especially to faunus who have better senses of smell than humans. i always imagined adam taking notice and being like "get a new shampoo or something that one smells really strong" and rubys like "i use a 3 in 1 theres no scent" . the scent thing is an interesting way to .. kind of nerf her? shes very good at espionage due to her semblance, it almost looks like teleportation with how quick she can move, so having her opponents be able to smell her is really interesting.

also.. glad the dust robberies are leading up to something... it feels like it at least... cussssss............ mountain glen is looking like the next smuggling spot, considering all the supplies that make it out of vale are heading there. and im sure, maybe, in this AU, mountain glen could quickly snowball into ruining something else . a uh. certain festival. yknow. ohgohgohgohgohgoghoghorrrrrr

Replying late (happy new year!) but hell yeah you got Adam's motivation exactly right!! Some people were struggling with it lol. I'm guessing they don't know me / haven't read my other stuff so they're thinking it's the usual "Adam's a shady one-dimensional bad guy" beat.

Mountain Glenn is hmmm let's say...important. In the grand scheme of this fic. And Adam & Ruby's relationship.

[theculturedmarxist]

At the Richard Nixon Foundation’s Grand Strategy Summit last month, former US national security adviser Ambassador Robert O’Brien suggested that the US might destroy Taiwan’s semiconductor factories in the event of a Chinese invasion, as reported by Army Technology. 

“If China takes Taiwan and takes those factories intact – which I don’t think we would ever allow – they have a monopoly over chips the way OPEC has a monopoly or even more than the way OPEC has a monopoly over oil,” O’Brien said. 

In addition, as reported by Bloomberg in October, the US may be planning to evacuate the island’s semiconductor engineers in the event of a Chinese invasion. The source says unnamed US officials said that accelerated preparations had been made for an action plan to evacuate such skilled personnel to the US in the worst-case scenario.

China’s satellite coverage in the Western Pacific has doubled since 2018, the Pentagon reported last week in its annual assessment of the Chinese military. That gives China the ability to detect American surface ships with an array of sensors that can guide its 2,000 land-based missiles to moving targets, including US aircraft carriers.

The Defense Department’s November 29 report “Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China” reflects a grimly realistic rethinking of China’s military capacity in its home theater.

China hawk Elbridge Colby, a prominent advocate of a Western Pacific military buildup to deny China access to its adjacent seas, tweeted on November 6, “Senior flag officers are saying we’re on a trajectory to get crushed in a war with China, which would likely be the most important war since WWII, God forbid.”

The strategic takeaway is that the United States cannot win a firefight close to China’s coast, and can’t defend Taiwan whether it wants to or not. That view in the Joe Biden administration’s Department of Defense (DOD) persuaded the president to discuss “guardrails” against military confrontation in his November summit with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

Republican hawks appear to have come to the same conclusion. The United States will enact a scorched-earth policy in Taiwan, destroying its semiconductor industry, if the PRC seizes the island, former Trump national security adviser Robert O’Brien told a conference at the Richard Nixon Foundation on November 10, reports army-technology.com. 

“If China takes Taiwan and takes those factories intact – which I don’t think we would ever allow – they have a monopoly over chips the way OPEC has a monopoly, or even more than the way OPEC has a monopoly over oil,” O’Brien said. 

A much-read paper by two Army War College professors published this year proposes that “the United States and Taiwan should lay plans for a targeted scorched-earth strategy that would render Taiwan not just unattractive if ever seized by force, but positively costly to maintain.”

[A bunch of technical information about Chinese satellite coverage and the development and deployment of its electronic arms and other military capabilities]

A noteworthy observation in the new Pentagon report is that China now has only 30,000 marines, compared with a US Marine Corps of about 200,000 including reserves. Only 200 Chinese marines are deployed outside the country, at China’s sole overseas base in Djibouti. China has about 14,000 special forces versus an American count of about 75,000. This isn’t consistent with the report’s claim that China wants to “project power globally.”

[light-atelier]

Pendant Light: A Comprehensive Guide to Lighting Up Your Space

Introduction

What is a Pendant Light?

Pendant lights are a versatile and stylish lighting option that hangs from the ceiling, usually suspended by a cord, chain, or rod. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and styles, making them suitable for different areas and purposes within a home. Whether you’re looking to brighten up your kitchen, add a touch of elegance to your dining room, or create a cozy atmosphere in your bedroom, pendant lights can be a perfect choice.

Brief History of Pendant Lighting

Pendant lighting has been around for centuries, evolving from simple oil lamps to the sophisticated and diverse designs we see today. Historically, pendant lights were used in grand hallways and dining rooms of stately homes, often featuring intricate designs and luxurious materials. Today, pendant lights are more accessible and come in a wide range of styles, from traditional to modern, reflecting the diverse tastes and needs of contemporary interiors.

Types of Pendant Lights

Single Pendant Lights

Single pendant lights are a classic choice that provides focused illumination. They are ideal for highlighting specific areas, such as over a kitchen island or dining table. Their simplicity makes them versatile and easy to integrate into various décor styles.

Multi-Light Pendant Lights

Multi-light pendant lights feature multiple bulbs arranged in a single fixture, offering more widespread light coverage. They are perfect for large spaces or areas where more light is needed, such as dining rooms or open-plan living areas.

Cluster Pendant Lights

Cluster pendant lights consist of several small pendants grouped together, often at varying heights. This style adds visual interest and can be used to create a statement piece in a room, making it a great choice for entryways or above a dining table.

Adjustable Pendant Lights

Adjustable pendant lights offer flexibility with their height and angle, allowing you to customize the lighting based on your needs. This type is particularly useful in spaces where lighting needs may change, such as over a work area or a dining table.

Pendant Light Styles

Modern Pendant Lights

Modern pendant lights are characterized by their sleek lines, minimalistic designs, and use of contemporary materials like glass and metal. They are perfect for modern and minimalist interiors, providing both functionality and style.

Vintage Pendant Lights

Vintage pendant lights often feature classic designs and materials, such as brass or antique finishes. They add a touch of nostalgia and elegance to any room, making them ideal for traditional or retro-themed spaces.

Industrial Pendant Lights

Industrial pendant lights are known for their rugged and utilitarian design, often incorporating materials like metal and exposed bulbs. They work well in lofts or urban-style interiors, providing a raw, edgy look.

Rustic Pendant Lights

Rustic pendant lights feature natural materials like wood and wrought iron, often with a handcrafted appearance. They bring warmth and character to spaces with a cozy, country-inspired décor.

Choosing the Right Pendant Light for Your Space

Consider the Room’s Purpose

When selecting a pendant light, think about the function of the room. For task lighting, such as over a kitchen counter, choose a pendant light that provides focused illumination. For ambiance, opt for a fixture that offers soft, diffused light.

Ceiling Height Considerations

The height of your ceiling will influence the type of pendant light you choose. For standard ceilings, a single pendant light with a fixed height works well. For high ceilings, consider an adjustable or multi-light pendant to ensure adequate lighting and proportionate scale.

Size and Scale of Pendant Lights

Ensure the size of the pendant light is proportionate to the space. A large pendant light can become a focal point in a room, while smaller pendants may be used in clusters or groups to achieve the desired effect.

Lighting Needs and Bulb Types

Different pendant lights use various bulb types, including incandescent, LED, and CFL. Choose a bulb that matches your lighting needs and energy efficiency preferences. LEDs are a popular choice for their longevity and low energy consumption.

Installation of Pendant Lights

Preparing for Installation

Before installing a pendant light, gather all necessary tools and materials, including a ladder, screwdriver, and electrical tape. Turn off the power at the circuit breaker to ensure safety.

Installation Steps

Turn off Power: Ensure the power is off at the circuit breaker.

Install Mounting Bracket: Attach the mounting bracket to the ceiling.

Connect Wires: Connect the pendant light’s wires to the ceiling wires, typically matching colors (black to black, white to white).

Attach Fixture: Secure the pendant light to the mounting bracket.

Test Light: Turn the power back on and test the light to ensure proper installation.

Professional vs. DIY Installation

While DIY installation can be cost-effective, professional installation ensures the pendant light is installed correctly and safely. If you’re unsure about handling electrical components, it’s best to hire a licensed electrician.

Safety Tips for Installation

Always turn off the power before starting any electrical work.

Use insulated tools to prevent electrical shocks.

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for installation and maintenance.

Maintaining Pendant Lights

Cleaning and Care

Regular cleaning helps maintain the appearance of pendant lights. Use a soft cloth and mild cleaner to wipe down glass or metal surfaces. For intricate designs, use a gentle brush to remove dust and debris.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If your pendant light flickers or doesn’t work, check the connections and ensure the bulbs are properly seated. If problems persist, consult a professional electrician.

Replacing Bulbs and Parts

When replacing bulbs, ensure they match the specifications of your pendant light. For damaged parts, such as broken glass or loose wiring, consult the manufacturer’s instructions or seek professional repair services.

Popular Pendant Light Designs

Glass Pendant Lights

Glass pendant lights come in various shapes and finishes, from clear to frosted glass. They offer a sleek, modern look and are excellent for showcasing decorative bulbs.

Metal Pendant Lights

Metal pendant lights, available in finishes like brass, copper, or matte black, add a touch of sophistication and durability. They work well in both modern and industrial settings.

Wooden Pendant Lights

Wooden pendant lights add warmth and natural texture to a room. They are often used in rustic or coastal décor styles and can be crafted from various types of wood.

Fabric Pendant Lights

Fabric pendant lights feature shades made from materials like linen or silk, offering a soft, diffused light. They are ideal for creating a cozy and inviting atmosphere.

Pendant Lights in Different Rooms

Kitchen Pendant Lights

In the kitchen, pendant lights are often used over islands or countertops to provide task lighting and enhance the cooking area. Choose fixtures that offer bright, focused illumination.

Dining Room Pendant Lights

Pendant lights above the dining table create a focal point and provide ample light for meals. Consider a multi-light or cluster pendant for a dramatic effect.

Living Room Pendant Lights

In the living room, pendant lights can serve as a statement piece or provide ambient lighting. Opt for designs that complement your existing décor and offer adjustable lighting options.

Bedroom Pendant Lights

Pendant lights in the bedroom can provide both ambient and task lighting. Choose softer, warmer tones for a relaxing atmosphere or adjustable options for reading and other activities.

Energy-Efficient Pendant Lighting Options

LED Pendant Lights

LED pendant lights are energy-efficient and have a longer lifespan compared to traditional bulbs. They offer a range of color temperatures and are suitable for various applications.

CFL Pendant Lights

Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) are another energy-efficient option. They use less energy than incandescent bulbs and are available in various styles and designs.

Comparing Energy Efficiency

When choosing pendant lights, consider the energy efficiency of the bulb types available. LEDs are generally the best choice for reducing energy consumption and lowering utility bills.

Cost Considerations

Budgeting for Pendant Lights

Pendant lights are available at various price points, from budget-friendly options to high-end designs. Determine your budget and look for fixtures that offer the best value for your money.

Factors Affecting Cost

The cost of pendant lights can vary based on materials, design complexity, and brand. Custom or designer options will typically be more expensive than standard models.

Getting the Best Value

To get the best value, consider both the initial cost and long-term benefits, such as energy savings and durability. Shop around and compare prices to find a pendant light that fits your needs and budget.

Conclusion

Pendant lights are a versatile and stylish choice for enhancing your home’s lighting. With a wide range of styles, designs, and installation options, there’s a pendant light to suit every space and taste. By considering factors like room purpose, ceiling height, and energy efficiency, you can select the perfect pendant light to brighten up your home. Whether you opt for a sleek modern design or a classic vintage piece, pendant lights can add both functionality and flair to your interior décor.

FAQs

What height should pendant lights be hung?

Pendant lights should typically be hung about 30 to 36 inches above a dining table or kitchen island. For high ceilings, the height can be adjusted based on the space and desired effect.

Can pendant lights be used in a small room?

Yes, pendant lights can be used in small rooms. Opt for smaller fixtures or clusters of smaller pendants to avoid overwhelming the space and to provide adequate lighting.

How do I choose the right bulb for my pendant light?

Choose a bulb that matches the fixture’s specifications and provides the desired brightness and color temperature. LED bulbs are often a good choice for their energy efficiency and longevity.

Are pendant lights easy to install?

Pendant lights can be installed as a DIY project if you have basic electrical knowledge. However, for safety and accuracy, consider hiring a professional electrician.

How often should I clean my pendant lights?

Clean pendant lights regularly, at least every few months, to maintain their appearance and prevent dust buildup. Adjust the cleaning frequency based on the location and amount of dust in the room.

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 8.27 (before 1920)

410 – The sacking of Rome by the Visigoths ends after three days. 1172 – Henry the Young King and Margaret of France are crowned junior king and queen of England. 1232 – Shikken Hojo Yasutoki of the Kamakura shogunate promulgates the Goseibai Shikimoku, the first Japanese legal code governing the samurai class. 1557 – The Battle of St. Quentin results in Emmanuel Philibert becoming Duke of Savoy. 1593 – Pierre Barrière failed an attempt to assassinate Henry IV of France. 1597 – Jeongyu War: Battle of Chilcheollyang: A Japanese fleet of 500 ships destroys Joseon commander Won Gyun's fleet of 200 ships at Chilcheollyang. 1600 – Ishida Mitsunari's Western Army commences the Siege of Fushimi Castle, which is lightly defended by a much smaller Tokugawa garrison led by Torii Mototada. 1689 – The Treaty of Nerchinsk is signed by Russia and the Qing Empire (Julian calendar). 1776 – American Revolutionary War: Members of the 1st Maryland Regiment repeatedly charged a numerically superior British force during the Battle of Long Island, allowing General Washington and the rest of the American troops to escape. 1791 – French Revolution: Frederick William II of Prussia and Leopold II, Holy Roman Emperor, issue the Declaration of Pillnitz, declaring the joint support of the Holy Roman Empire and Prussia for the French monarchy, agitating the French revolutionaries and contributing to the outbreak of the War of the First Coalition. 1793 – French Revolutionary Wars: The city of Toulon revolts against the French Republic and admits the British and Spanish fleets to seize its port, leading to the Siege of Toulon by French Revolutionary forces. 1798 – Wolfe Tone's United Irish and French forces clash with the British Army in the Battle of Castlebar, part of the Irish Rebellion of 1798, resulting in the creation of the French puppet Republic of Connacht. 1810 – Napoleonic Wars: The French Navy defeats the British Royal Navy, preventing them from taking the harbour of Grand Port on Île de France. 1813 – French Emperor Napoleon I defeats a larger force of Austrians, Russians, and Prussians at the Battle of Dresden. 1828 – Brazil and Argentina recognize the sovereignty of Uruguay in the Treaty of Montevideo 1832 – Black Hawk, leader of the Sauk tribe of Native Americans, surrenders to U.S. authorities, ending the Black Hawk War. 1859 – Petroleum is discovered in Titusville, Pennsylvania, leading to the world's first commercially successful oil well. 1881 – The Georgia hurricane makes landfall near Savannah, Georgia, resulting in an estimated 700 deaths. 1883 – Eruption of Krakatoa: Four enormous explosions almost completely destroy the island of Krakatoa and cause years of climate change. 1893 – The Sea Islands hurricane strikes the United States near Savannah, Georgia, killing between 1,000 and 2,000 people. 1895 – Japanese invasion of Taiwan: Battle of Baguashan: The Empire of Japan decisively defeats a smaller Formosan army at Changhua, crippling the short-lived Republic of Formosa and leading to its surrender two months later. 1896 – Anglo-Zanzibar War: The shortest war in world history (09:02 to 09:40), between the United Kingdom and Zanzibar. 1908 – The Qing dynasty promulgates the Qinding Xianfa Dagang, the first constitutional document in the history of China, transforming the Qing empire into a constitutional monarchy. 1914 – World War I: Battle of Étreux: A British rearguard action by the Royal Munster Fusiliers during the Great Retreat. 1914 – World War I: Siege of Tsingtao: A Japanese fleet commanded by Vice Admiral Sadakichi Kato imposes a blockade along the whole coastline of German Tsingtao, initiating the Siege of Tsingtao. 1915 – Attempted assassination of Bishop Patrick Heffron, bishop of the Diocese of Winona, by Rev. Louis M. Lesches. 1916 – World War I: The Kingdom of Romania declares war on Austria-Hungary, entering the war as one of the Allied nations. 1918 – Mexican Revolution: Battle of Ambos Nogales: U.S. Army forces skirmish against Mexican Carrancistas in the only battle of World War I fought on American soil.

[7r0773r]

In Search of the Great Dead by Richard Cecil

In Search of the Great Dead

In Paris, Vallejo's hotel near the Bibliothèque Nationale charges a hundred a night, and Ginsberg's seedy room on the rue Git-le-coeur sports flowered wallpaper now, and a couple of Michelin stars. Cabourg's Grand Hotel on the chilly Normandy coast, nearly driven from business by the sunny "costas" of Spain, rents "Chambre Marcel Proust" for twice the price of a suite— a week's pay for the profs who book it, months in advance, to lie in Proust's bed one night fighting sleep as they read his description of insomnia in his snail-paced masterpiece. And, speaking of Spain, in Ronda Rilke slept for a month in room 208 of the Reina Victoria Hotel, which exhibits souvenirs— some scribbles, a cancelled bill — that cold man left behind when he resumed his search for gorgeous emptiness hollow as his hollow heart. But if their names have jacked ridiculously the rent of the tiny, outmoded rooms they slept in for pocket change, like the "Taube" in Hemingway's Shruns, now a first class Austrian Inn with a three-color brochure where, for $2.50 a night, he polished The Sun Also Rises, abandoned his wife for his mistress, and blamed it all on Dos Passos — consider visiting their tombs.

In Cimetière Père-Lachaise in Paris you can stand for nothing by Alice B. Toklas's and Gertrude Stein's remains and stare at their blank stone — not a single word but their names after thousands of pages of chatter! From their excellent address in the capital city of death, avenues of genius fan in all directions. But if you prefer the lonely and isolated dead, Chateaubriand in St-Malo on an island linked to the mainland for an hour at ebb tide rests within the sound of the wind and the sea—and the tourists who photograph his inscription quick! before the causeway floods. Then they board the ferry to the sullen Irish coast to add William Butler Yeats to their album of poet's tombs. Graves's grave's in Majorca near the Chopin/Sand Condominiums; Dante's is in Ravenna, Keats's and Shelley's in Rome, where poets and Caesars lie whose marble cenotaphs barbarians burned for lime. Augustus paid Virgil and Horace to praise his empire and Virtue, then Nero slaughtered Lucan for winning a poetry contest, and Seneca for hating vice, but all of their tombs are lost. There is no place to stand feeling your heart expand at the greatness of the waste that lies between you and them; at the brilliance of their lines through centuries of gloom overshadowing patronage and hostility alike. First the houses they lived in, then their houses of death disappeared, and all that's left are their works—some of their works— some fragment of their works. Half of Livy's History, the juiciest parts of Tacitus were ripped out, charred, scraped off to make paper for another bible or wipe the ass of a monk. All that's left of Sappho is several hundred words caught drifting on the wind from the fire at Alexandria, and Gilgamesh, written on stone, is written on pebbles now— pebbles displayed like diamonds for crowds at the British Museum.

When the pebbles become grains of sand and blow away in the wind of a nuclear strike on London or the gentler breeze of erosion after the city's abandoned, that epic's only remnant will be Hatred of Death, which is the theme of Gilgamesh and also the impulse that drove its author to hack it in granite. "Now I'll never die," he said to himself as he wiped his bleeding hands on his shirt. And he hasn't, quite, yet, though bombs from the War for Oil rocked his ancient, anonymous bones recently and will again. The little wars and the Big One the lovers of death are planning will leave no monuments but rubble and rows and columns of identical soldiers' tombs next to the fields and trees or featureless, shifting dunes that thousands of xs and ys died for, not guessing why, and the unmarked humps of mass graves of civilians who got in the way. These, too, attract their visitors, veterans and survivors who've vowed never to forget, and, later, politicians for a century or two, but at last only the haters of death walk these bone yard acres shaking their heads and digging their nails into their palms, driving needles of pain up their arms into their brains to shake the drowsy numbness of so much nameless slaughter, exactly like the numbness that comes, reading Livy's History in bed, late at night. 10,000 Carthaginians slaughtered 10,000 Romans in 300 B.C. or vice versa — annihilating armies annihilated in turn until the Empire, secured, turned upon itself and Romans murdered Romans— fathers, sons, brothers— for four more hundred years. Their civil war graveyards, long buried by barbarians, must once have looked like ours at Fredericksburg and Shiloh, where every numbered marker listing Company and Regiment whispers, like Emily Dickinson, "I'm Nobody —are you Nobody, too?"

Oh, yes, I'm Nobody, too. My plot, reserved for a small down payment at Valhalla Memory Gardens, isn't a pilgrimage site; it's not on the tour bus route, not topped with a simple stone carved with memorable words, waiting, impatient, for me to die to make them immortal. My house, 912 East First, lacks a bronze inscription screwed into its plastic siding and will certainly be converted to a rental, not a museum when I leave it dead or, alive, determined to die in Florida or Southern France, like Yeats, desiring a year in the sun after a lifetime of gloom and greenness and peasant neighbors. That year's when I plan to write my deathless epitaph and enter it in the contest glutted with Baby Boom poets dying at the rate they were born. But first, I'll waste my life, like now, writing against the grain of drowsiness— I rose at 4 A.M.— with Olive, my black and white cat, kneading my arm with her claws— a pleasure so much like pain, a pain so much like pleasure, like dying after a long illness, then haunting the house you lived in, brushing the fabrics you touched, shoving ghostly feet into shoes, marveling at their size and weight, in which you once walked like a giant. For even the greatest dead, if death isn't just dirt in the mouth, must moan with their reedy voices for the life they lost to be famous.

***

Front Porch Visiting

On the nursing home's front porch swathed not in wool, but air smudged by global warming to an even, tepid gray, I'll think of cold blue days like this one with nostalgia. Wheeled out of my room for "sensory stimulation," and issued a docile cat to cradle in my arms, I'll look straight at the sun through gasoline haze and remember today's wintry glare falling on this page so brightly I have to shade it with my left hand as I write. And I'll remember the feisty cat rolling on my lap, her licorice-colored fur turned chestnut by warming light which drugs her defenses so that I can stroke her unguarded white belly.

Ranged on that porch beside me, strapped into their wheelchairs, my tranquilized companions will stare, like me, at the sun while chatting with dead husbands and wives about dead friends. I'll overhear their halves of intimate conversations as I have at public phones— pleading or angry voices transmitted over black wires to invisible listeners whose inaudible replies stir terrible emotions sometimes. Waiting to call a tow truck, I've eavesdropped on jilted lovers sobbing into receivers and viciously low-pitched voices threatening hearers with death while I shifted from foot to foot, and the dimes in my palm grew hot.

But calls from that future porch placed very, very long distance, will require my companions to speak up to be heard on the other end. Even with my deafness, I'll intercept their messages to the dead as I did in childhood, sprawled on my front porch, when the widower next door sat at his table with two glasses of beer and muttered to his dead wife. His voice rose in argument while I bounced my ball and swept jacks— onesies, twosies, threesies— and listened for her replies. I couldn't hear her talk, but when he went in I peeked over the ledge that divided our connected row house steps and saw that her glass was drained. So I knew she'd returned from the dead to silence his complaints.

They quarreled on their porch all summer as they had the summer before her heart attack and funeral. And then, that fall, their daughter took him to a "home." My mother said he was crazy talking to himself like that, but I knew he wasn't. I learned to hear her side of their talks as I lay flat on the concrete behind the ledge and listened to her indignant denials that she wasted money on doctors and kept a filthy house. "I'm too sick to scrub floors," she said, as she had in life, and he grumbled, "no, you're not," as if she hadn't died to prove it.

Between that haunted porch a nd the haunted one in my future everything I love will have turned into a ghost, even this winter sun, which has put the cat to sleep. The shadow she casts on this page prefigures the gray afternoons I'll sit with dying strangers mumbling to our dead lovers. But they won't come to us as Lilly did to Chuck next door, when I was six. They'll cling to their clear black vacuum sucking us toward them on the other side of the veil of smoke shrouding our planet.

***

Incident at Third and Woodlawn

The flaming trees, like girls on prom night dressed in orange and gold they'll change to gray tomorrow, distract me as I step into the street. A horn, a brake, a turning driver's scream— I dodge her bumper, hopping to the sidewalk, luckier than that squirrel laid by the curb. He's flattened, abstract, except for his glassy eye.

Meeting his stare reminds me I've been struck down twice by cars. Once, looking neither right nor left, I raced toward Carol Anne's yellow curls bobbing on her neck across the street. When I woke up, unhurt, one whole day off from grade school with an x-ray of my skull for a souvenir, I said I'd learned my lesson,

but twelve years later, many states away, musing on the date I hustled toward, I got knocked down again, by a swerving teen on her first day of driving and my last on earth, almost. Looking up I wondered if stars I saw were real, or the kind you see unconsciously in transit to your death.

They turned out real— the Big Dipper, Venus glittering green beneath the crescent moon. The stretcher crew so gently lifted me, I sighed like a taken-care-of child. Once more, x-rays showed no fractured bones, and when I knocked, hours late, at my date's door, my bruises turned her rage to sweet concern.

It's half a lifetime since her frown unwrinkled in dim porch light to wide-eyed sympathy, but I can see and feel that same change, now, as sun breaks through a rift in mottled sky and brushes my face like her unfisted hand. The smiling sun and her gorgeous daughter-trees, tossing down the favors of their leaves,

seem to love me as she seemed to, then, loving, really, only my persistence in trailing beauty like a bee in fall, when threatening frost turns flowers into gems and trees to flowers, and men in their forties to squirrel brains. Oh Nature, take my hand and help me safely cross to brown November.

***

Picnic in the Basement

For the last time this year I clip what's left of the stunted elm hedge— brown gaps in it like rotten teeth. Then I heave the picnic table no one's eaten at all summer onto my shoulders, like Atlas, and stagger through the garage to the black basement, stumbling over the broken trellis that held the climbing rose that died the month after I moved here. I reach for the wall to steady myself and grab a handful of plastic pickets I bought to fence the vegetable garden I sowed that first year with lettuce whose leaves tasted bitter as weeds. The table slips and luckily falls away from the wall of flowerpots filled with geranium skeletons blighted by frost last September, and lands in the center of the concrete floor an inch from my foot. I set it upright, slide one of its splintery redwood benches to elbow-resting distance from it, and, panting, take a seat. I'm finished with outdoor living for another year. I've oiled my push mower with the price tag still attached from ten years ago when I bought it downtown at the hardware store converted to a savings bank when the courthouse turned into a mall. I've taped the orange power cord slashed in six or seven places where the suicidal trimmer trimmed it almost in half but not quite. I shudder whenever I touch its coils, remembering the first time I plugged it in to a living room socket and dragged it outside. While I hacked the weedy hedge, my cats nosed past the screen door and wandered into the strange yard, bordering a street of speeding cars, hundreds of miles from where they were born. When, finished, I wiped sweat from my eyes, looked up, and saw the door ajar, I rushed inside and ransacked rooms, reached deep into closets and hidey-holes. Finally, desperate, I ran out again. Crying their names, I crawled the yard at cats' eye level until-what joy! I found them cowering under this table— new then, half rotten now, with its redwood paint bleached almost white. That family picnic was our last. Since then they've watched from kitchen windows each spring when I haul the grill outside, each fall when I haul it in again, though I haven't cooked meat on it for years. Now they're waiting for me upstairs. I hear their claws click overhead as they pace the kitchen, hungry, impatient. Why not invite them to scamper down the cellar stairs and join me here, each with her plastic dish of Friskies while I gnaw my bone of nostalgia? I feel my way upstairs and fling the cellar door open. Suspiciously, they sniff their way down every stair, while I slide the other bench up to paw-resting distance and set the largest pot of geraniums over the table's umbrella hole. It's safe here, sweeties, out of the glare of the murderous outside world that's dying for the eleventh time in eleven years. Nothing's scary here but corpses dragged in from the lawn and garden— steel cutting edges eaten by weeds, charcoal long ago flamed to ash, and our ghostly centerpiece— branching in your eyes of phosphorous— flowers of death that bloom in the dark.

[garysautorepair]

Wondering what does oil change service include? Schedule an appointment at Gary's Quality Automotive and ask about their oil change coupons.

[rygoespop]

Thomas and Friends: Tales from Sodor (Story 8): Arthur's Kipper

Narrator: Arthur's Kipper

Scene opens with Arthur, pulling trucks full of Fish

Narrator: Arthur is a big Tank Engine who works at the Fishing Village on the Island of Sodor, he is known for having a Spotless Record, when he first came to the Island, his first day went bad

Scene flashbacks to Spotless Record

Narrator: But after Thomas had an accident on the old pier rail, Arthur runs the Line to the Fishing Village all the time

Scene flashbacks to Something Fishy

Narrator: One morning, Arthur was at Knapford Station

Scene transitions to Arthur arriving at Knapford Station

Arthur: Hello, Henry!

Henry: Oh Hello, Arthur! Nice to see you here!

Arthur: I agree with you

Sir Topham Hatt arrived out of his office

Narrator: Then, Sir Topham Hatt came to see Arthur

Sir Topham Hatt: Ah, there you are Arthur! I have a job for you

Arthur: What is it sir?

Sir Topham Hatt: Due to the recent shipment of extra fish, I decided that you will help Henry out on the Flying Kipper

Arthur: The Flying Kipper? What's that?

Henry: It's a Goods Train, that involves Fish

Arthur: Fish?! Hey, that's my specialty to take Fish Cars!

Sir Topham Hatt: Then it's settled! I want you both to take a Double Flying Kipper run

Narrator: Arthur was excited, he's never pulled a Goods Train that involves fish, especially the Flying Kipper

Transitions to Night, as Henry and Arthur arrive at Brendam Docks

Narrator: Later that night, Henry and Arthur arrive at Brendam Docks to take the double Flying Kipper, Salty and Porter have arranged their cars

Salty: Ahoy me harties! Porter and I got your Fish Cars, ready to go!

Porter: Yeah, lots of fish

Henry: Well, thank you Salty and Porter

Scene transitions to Henry and Arthur both backing up to their respective freight cars full of fish

Narrator: Soon, Henry and Arthur both couple up their respective Fish Cars, and they headed off into the night

Henry and Arthur blew their whistles as they puff out of the Docks, and in to the night

Arthur: I'm ready when you are Henry

Scene transitions to Arthur puffing through the Countryside on a starry night

Narrator: Arthur was having grand time, puffing and pulling the Flying Kipper

Arthur: I never thought a Night Train of Fish could be interesting but fun!

Arthur blew his whistle as he arrives at Vicarstown Station, his whistle greeted Hurricane, who has came from the Mainland with Oil Tankers, in which Hurricane whistled back to greet Arthur

Narrator: And soon, Arthur arrived at Vicarstown Station

Arthur: Well, I made it! Vicarstown Station, now to go on the other side

Henry then arrived with his Fish Cars

Henry: Glad you waited for me Arthur, now let's deliver The Double Flying Kipper, together!

Arthur: Right!

Henry and Arthur both whistled as they puff to The Mainland to drop their cars off

Scene transitions to Henry and Arthur, both on the Mainland, Arthur was excited to see The Mainland for the First Time

Narrator: Soon, Henry and Arthur arrive on The Mainland, they were nearly there to their final stop, until

Up ahead, was another Goods Train, this time, pulled by D261/Class 40

Henry: Oh no! Not again! *he applies his brakes*

Arthur: *races up to the Signal Box* Points!

The Mainland Signalman quickly switched the points, diverting Henry into a Siding

Narrator: Henry was diverted into a siding, just in time

Henry braked into the siding

Henry: Huh?!

Arthur: Are you alright Henry?!

Henry: Y-yes, I'm alright, thank you Arthur

Class 40 clears his throat

Arthur: Oh, and who are you?

Henry: Wait! I recognize this Diesel, this is the same one who came when Stepney's Visit was coming to an end

Class 40: Oh yes, I do remember you now

Henry: Well, you got what you get when a Bowler Hat was sucked into your air in take! *chuckled*

Class 40 was angered, as the signal changed to green, and he honked his horn and rolled away

Arthur: Are you alright Henry?

Henry: Yes, I'm fine Arthur! Thank you for saving me from having another collision with a Goods Train *he puffs back onto the main track*

Arthur: Let's finish it, together!

Both Henry and Arthur blew their whistles and head to the final stop

Henry: Final station, here we come!

Scene transitions to the next morning, Henry and Arthur are puffing home to Sodor, after they delivered their Fish Cars

Narrator: The Next morning, Arthur and Henry were puffing home to Sodor after finishing their delivery

Henry: Arthur, I want to say thank you for saving me from having another accident involving a Goods Train

Arthur: Your welcome Henry, glad I got to pull the Flying Kipper

Henry: Hmmmmmmm. I got an idea, what if I ask Sir Topham Hatt to see if you can help me with the Flying Kipper run, similar to how Thomas asks him to have another engine like Percy, Toby, or Rosie run his Branchline

Arthur: I really like that!

Scene transitions to Knapford Station, where Henry and Arthur are there, and Sir Topham Hatt listened to the idea

Narrator: Later that day, Henry told Sir Topham Hatt about his idea, in which Sir Topham Hatt actually liked the idea

Sir Topham Hatt: What a wonderful idea, Henry! Arthur will be helping you with the Flying Kipper

Arthur smiled with joy

Arthur: Oh, thank you, sir!

Scene transitions to Arthur and Henry, at Brendam Docks, taking another run of Fish Cars to the Mainland

Narrator: Arthur was happier than ever, he now helps Henry with the Flying Kipper from taking it from Brendam Docks to The Mainland

Arthur: Ready, Henry?

Henry: I'm ready when you are

Henry and Arthur blew their whistles and puff out of the Docks with their fish cars, as Steam Clouds rolled in

Story End

[market-insider]

Submarine Cables Market 2022 | Offshore Wind Power Generation Emerged As Largest Segment

The global submarine cable market is expected to reach USD 44.33 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 6.1%, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Increasing investments in offshore wind farms, inter-country, and island connections for improved power supply and communication, and growing investments in oil & gas deep-water drilling activities are the major factors driving the overall market. The increased investment by OTT companies in the deployment of high-capacity communications systems and the growing need for HVDC underwater power cables will provide numerous new opportunities that will lead the industry growth in the times to come. The rising internet and data traffic in the region, such as APAC, are the critical factors driving the market over the forecast period.

Gain deeper insights on the market and receive your free copy with TOC now @: Submarine Cables Market Report

The densely populated regions, including APAC, South America, and MEA, actively invest in offshore wind power generation. These investments are expected to fuel the demand for submarine cables. The increasing demand and penetration of the internet, their collaboration with tier-1 vendors, and the rising demand for bandwidth caused due to the rise of 5G are a few factors that propel the demand for the product.

Regional governments worldwide are aiming to increase their electricity generation output from fossil fuel-based sources of energy. The high costs incurred for the installation of cables and the difficulty in restoring and maintaining deep-water cables have adversely affected the adoption and implementation of submarine cables. Several threats, such as fishing hooks, cyclones, ships, and cruises, among others, raise the need for maintenance services. Therefore, proper installation techniques, materials, and the length of the cables will propel the overall market growth. Any fault in submarine cables levies hefty costs to be spent for the repair and re-deployment process.

The OTT providers are an integral part of the market development. These players own, manage, and fund their submarine cables infrastructure. Facebook, Google, Microsoft, and Amazon are amongst the leading OTT providers, which have drastically changed the landscape of the overall industry.

[sciencespies]

Our Changing World: The Climate Crisis in Pictures

https://sciencespies.com/environment/our-changing-world-the-climate-crisis-in-pictures/

Our Changing World: The Climate Crisis in Pictures

Matthew Abbott for The New York Times

Fires.

Floods.

Drought.

Hurricanes.

What is happening to Planet Earth?

Ocean-Eaten Islands, Fire-Scarred Forests: Our Changing World in Pictures

Nov. 8, 2022

Climate change does not lend itself to easy documentation.

Like nature itself, it can move slowly. Change can come in increments, and it is not always clear what to make of it.

Did that species die out because our home is growing too warm? Or was another cause the primary factor in the extinction? Is today’s raging wildfire or monster storm part of something bigger? Or are they just one-offs?

No single change tells the story of a climate in crisis, but a seemingly endless succession of them is another matter. Likewise, no single image, no matter how powerful, can capture what is happening, but our photographers have come back from their global travels with an encyclopedia’s worth.

Collected here is a roundup of some of the best visual journalism about climate change that New York Times journalists have produced over the past few years. From methane-spewing feedlots in the Texas Panhandle to a hurricane-drowned church in Louisiana, and from ocean-eaten Easter Island in Chile to fire-scarred New South Wales in Australia, our visual journalists have gone out to take the pulse of an ailing planet.

HEREFORD, TEXAS

Cattle ranching is big business in the United States, and a big source of planet-warming methane is produced by the cows themselves.

This feedlot in Hereford, Texas, holds as many as 25,000 cows. The cloud of dust is from their manure.George Steinmetz for The New York Times

Cattle are sent to feedlots to be fattened up.George Steinmetz for The New York Times

Then they are sent to the slaughterhouse.George Steinmetz for The New York Times

Manure dust at a feedlot outside Bovina, Texas, often spreads to cover the surrounding town. George Steinmetz for The New York Times

RUKI RIVER, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

In the Congo River Basin, people who collect bundles of wood to make charcoal are playing a surprisingly large role in the deforestation of a region that rivals the Amazon in ecological importance.

A kiln that turns wood into charcoal smolders in the Mpatemata Forest in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in March.Ashley Gilbertson for The New York Times

SOUTH PACIFIC OCEAN

As the ocean rises, Rapa Nui, or Easter Island, a UNESCO world heritage site, is being carved away piece by piece. Waves have unsealed tombs and have even reached the ancient statues for which the island is famous.

Rapa Nui, or Easter Island, is ringed by moai statues and their platforms, called ahu.Josh Haner/The New York Times

The Galápagos Islands, too, are in danger.Josh Haner/The New York Times

Warming seas are imperiling wildlife.Josh Haner/The New York Times

Petroglyphs perch dangerously close to an eroding cliff at a volcanic crater on Easter Island.Josh Haner/The New York Times

WEST KALIMANTAN, BORNEO, INDONESIA

The world has a seemingly insatiable appetite for palm oil, but the deforestation its production brings about is wiping out wild orangutans. In Borneo, where the vast majority live, their population has declined by 80 percent.

Orphaned orangutans in Borneo on their way to a center dedicated to their care.Kemal Jufri for The New York Times

NILE RIVER, EGYPT

There is no Egypt without the Nile, but with that powerful river that cuts through land and history alike under severe stress, including from a new dam, some are starting to imagine a day with no Nile.

The catch of Abdel Halim Abdel Aziz, a Nile fisherman, is less than one-third of what it once was. Some fish species have disappeared entirely.Laura Boushnak for The New York Times

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.Laura Boushnak for The New York Times

Many see decay, not renaissance, as a result of the dam.Laura Boushnak for The New York Times

Fisherman have been caught up in the sparring over the dam between Egypt and Ethiopia.Laura Boushnak for The New York Times

LAKE CONJOLA, NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA

With temperatures far above seasonal norms, fires raged across the east coast of Australia in early 2020. Some burned until there was nothing left to burn, stopping only when they reached the water. Some national leaders scoffed at those who blamed climate change. “They need to get out and have a real look at what’s happening to this country,” one local official responded.

A kangaroo rushes past a burning house in Lake Conjola, NSW, Australia, on Dec. 31, 2019.Matthew Abbott for The New York Times

PAULET ISLAND, ANTARCTICA

Few places illustrate the capriciousness of climate change better than the Antarctic Peninsula. The west side is warming faster than almost anywhere else on earth, and its penguins are dying off. On the east, the penguins are doing fine. For now.

Adélie penguins on an iceberg off the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula.Tomás Munita

A ship heading back from a penguin survey.Tomás Munita

Scientists using a drone to track penguins.Tomás Munita

A penguin colony at Medley Rocks, off the coast of D’Urville Island.Tomás Munita

BAD MÜNSTEREIFEL, GERMANY

It was not a hurricane but floods that tore though Germany and much of Western Europe in the summer of 2021. A relief worker dispatched to the scene said it reminded him of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina — “but this was much faster.”

Receding floodwaters in Bad Münstereifel, Germany, revealed lost homes and businesses.Gordon Welters for The New York Times

AMAZON RAINFOREST, BRAZIL

Some fires are spurred by global warming. Others send it galloping along. The Amazon Rainforest stores a huge volume of carbon dioxide, but it has been unleashed by slash-and-burn loggers, ranchers and miners. “The Amazon is completely lawless,” one climate scientist says.

Only after the smoke lifts does the extent of the blow to the Amazon Rainforest become clear.Victor Moriyama for The New York Times

An illegal cattle farm in Rondônia State in Brazil.Victor Moriyama for The New York Times

A meat processing plant in Rondônia State.Victor Moriyama for The New York Times

Scientists warn that decades of destruction have brought Brazil’s rainforest close to a tipping point.Victor Moriyama for The New York Times

MARRERO, LA.

Even in a summer of extreme weather, Hurricane Ida stood out when it lashed the coast of Louisiana in August 2021. It gained power with extraordinary speed — most likely because of the warming ocean — and its winds hit 150 miles per hour. It was one of the costliest storms in U.S. history.

The storm caused widespread flooding. This was St. Pius Church in Marrero the following day.Edmund D. Fountain for The New York Times

SAN FRANCISCO

A timeless companion may be slipping away on the coast of Northern California. It is hard to imagine San Francisco without fog. But it is getting sadly easier.

Rushing through the Golden Gate Bridge, fog shapes a city with its bracing chill.Nina Riggio for The New York Times

The fog charms tourists and locals alike.Nina Riggio for The New York Times

One of the Golden Gate Bridge’s five foghorns, silent in the sunlight.Nina Riggio for The New York Times

“It could last three minutes or three hours,” one bridge painter said. “It’s fog. It’s got a mind of its own.”Nina Riggio for The New York Times

MAGARAS, RUSSIA

The tundra was burning. Siberia was afire. For a third year in a row, a people who endure the bitterest of winters with little complaint were reeling from the worst wildfires anyone there could remember.

“If we don’t have the forest, we don’t have life,” said a retired kindergarten director in the village of Magaras, Russia.Nanna Heitmann for The New York Times

DAKAR, SENEGAL

Plastic waste is exploding in Senegal, as in many other countries. As populations and incomes grow, so does the demand for packaged, mass-produced products. So is the push for more recycling.

At Mbeubeuss, the dump serving the seaside capital of Dakar, more than 2,000 trash pickers eke out a living.Finbarr O’Reilly for The New York Times

Discarded phone cases.Finbarr O’Reilly for The New York Times

Much waste never makes it to the dump.Finbarr O’Reilly for The New York Times

The Mbeubeuss dump on the outskirts of Dakar, in December.Finbarr O’Reilly for The New York Times

KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARK, CALIFORNIA

California’s epic wildfires of 2020 made quick work of some of the state’s most beloved trees. In a relative instant, countless ancient redwoods, hundreds of giant sequoias and more than one million Joshua trees perished.

“They’ve lived through literally hundreds of fires in their lifetimes. Now we’re seeing them killed in one fell swoop.”Max Whittaker for The New York Times

GYEONGJU CITY, SOUTH KOREA

The links between major tropical storms and climate change are becoming more apparent, and so South Koreans braced in September as Typhoon Hinnamnor bore down. The storm did bring the heavy winds and rains that were feared, but it did not linger, limiting the damage.

As Hinnamnor neared, the government sent out 412 mobile safety alerts over a five-day period.Chang W. Lee/The New York Times

Many homes were flooded.Chang W. Lee/The New York Times

And roads became impassable.Chang W. Lee/The New York Times

A survivor being pulled from a flooded underground parking lot after being trapped for 14 hours.Chang W. Lee/The New York Times

SARATOGA SPRINGS, UTAH

The Great Salt Lake has already shrunk by two-thirds, as a broad swath of Utah around it parches. Its troubles are closely linked to the health and economy of an entire region.

In drought-hit Saratoga Springs, dormant lawns sit next to open plains and deserts.Bryan Tarnowski for The New York Times

SHOYNA, RUSSIA

A fishing village on the frigid shores of the White Sea is slowly vanishing under sand. Years of overfishing is believed in part to blame. Residents now bulldoze the sand away to prepare for winter — “lest the snow piling up on top of the sand buries us to our roof.”

More than 20 houses have been engulfed in the once-thriving port.Sergey Ponomarev for The New York Times

Preparing to take weather readings.Sergey Ponomarev for The New York Times

Old ships help block the waves.Sergey Ponomarev for The New York Times

Life has become barely recognizable for longtime residents.Sergey Ponomarev for The New York Times

BAROUK CEDAR FOREST, LEBANON

The ancient cedars of Lebanon have outlived empires and survived modern wars. Now global warming could finish them off.

As temperatures rise, the cedars’ ecological comfort zone is moving to higher ground, but there isn’t much farther up to go.Josh Haner/The New York Times

FATEHGARH-SAHIB, INDIA

Many of the world’s most vulnerable to the ravages of climate change live in South Asia, where rising temperatures are making it harder than ever to address poverty, food insecurity and health challenges. Floods in Assam, India, in June affected more than half a million people across nearly 1,000 villages.

Villagers helped a farmer who had collapsed in a paddy field destroyed by floods.Atul Loke for The New York Times

Roads in Assam were damaged by landslides.Atul Loke for The New York Times

Inspecting a damaged home in Assam.Atul Loke for The New York Times

After unseasonably heavy rains, mud also derailed trains in Assam. Atul Loke for The New York Times

TAIYUAN, SHANXI, CHINA

With its heavy reliance on coal, China is by far the world’s top emitter of the heat-trapping gases that accelerate climate change, though it has also become a global leader in policy and diplomacy on limiting the effects of climate change.

A layer of smog over Taiyuan, the provincial capital of Shanxi, China’s biggest coal-producing region.Gilles Sabrié for The New York Times

BOHOL, PHILIPPINES

They called it a “super typhoon,” and after it left in December 2021, the smell of death hung in a central Philippine province. The winds from Typhoon Rai reached 168 miles per hour, and when it was over, the country’s Climate Change Commission called for urgent action “to build community resilience against extreme climate-related events.”

“The trees snapped like matchsticks,” said a municipal worker in Ubay, in the province of Bohol in the Philippines.Ezra Acayan for The New York Times

Cleaning a church in Bohul Province after Typhoon Rai. Ezra Acayan for The New York Times

Lining up for gasoline after the storm.Ezra Acayan for The New York Times

Desperate residents in Bohol tried to signal the attention of passing planes and helicopters.Ezra Acayan for The New York Times

MEYERS, CALIF.

Thousands of firefighters, 25 helicopters and an arsenal of more than 400 fire engines and 70 water truck were sent to battle the flames near Lake Tahoe in the summer of 2021, yet the Caldor fire still advanced. Experts believe it offered a cautionary tale for the next megafires in the West, and it lay bare a certain futility in trying to fully control the most aggressive wildfires.

A firefighter worked to save a home in Meyers, Calif. The Caldor fire destroyed more than a thousand structures.Max Whittaker for The New York Times

DOOLOW, SOMALIA

The worst drought in four decades was imperiling lives across the Horn of Africa, with up to 37 million people in Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia facing the risk of starvation by the end of this year, aid officials said in June. Makeshift settlements swelled with displaced people.

A camp in Doolow, Somalia, for internally displaced people. Malin Fezehai for The New York Times

This woman fled after her livestock died.Malin Fezehai for The New York Times

The outskirts of Doolow.Malin Fezehai for The New York Times

The camps around Doolow grew as more and more people sought food and water, safety and stability.Malin Fezehai for The New York Times

ANTARCTICA

On the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula, warming linked to climate change has occurred faster than almost anywhere else on the planet.

Penguins swimming next to an iceberg near D’Urville Island in Antarctica in January.Tomás Munita

#Environment

[hakesbros]

Study Las Ventanas Homes, New Homes In Albuquerque, Nm

KOB-TV hosted the pair for a 30-minute debate on topics like abortion, crime, cannabis and oil and fuel production in southern New Mexico. The opponents spent about eight minutes on the first two questions, which centered on the federal response to the largest fire new homes albuquerque in state history. U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez, a Democrat from Las Vegas, N.M., is making an attempt to maintain her seat within the newly drawn district, one which beforehand contained all of northern New Mexico, plus parts of Albuquerque and Rio Rancho.

Freddie Mac publishes a month-to-month home price index that measures the change in home prices for real property markets in the united states The report assigns December 2000 with a benchmark of 100 and then compares the month-to-month change in housing costs in every state and metro area to a hundred. Metro Albuquerque is also listed as top-of-the-line places to buy rental property for cash flow and appreciation. The area’s steady inhabitants and job progress, together with reasonably priced real property prices, offer pretty much every thing a remote actual estate investor may ask for.

Northrop Grumman, Intel, and Sandia National Laboratories are continuously hiring. The Albuquerque Public Schools faculty district caters to over ninety,000 students’ instructional needs and is praised for its diversity. Patrick Lohmann has been a reporter since 2007, when he wrote stories for $15 apiece at a now-defunct tabloid in Gallup, his hometown. Since then, he is worked at UNM's Daily Lobo, the Albuquerque Journal and the Syracuse Post-Standard. Along the finest way, he's won several state and national awards for his reporting, together with for an exposé on a cult-like Alcoholics Anonymous group and a function on an Upstate New York militia member who died of COVID-19.

Non-Hispanic white accounted for 38.3% of the racial makeup of the city. Of the 62,780 acre-feet per 12 months of the water in the upper Colorado River basin entitled to municipalities in New Mexico by the Upper Colorado River Basin Compact, Albuquerque owns forty eight,200. The water is delivered to the Rio Grande by the San Juan–Chama Project. The project's development was initiated by laws signed by President John F. Kennedy in 1962, and was completed in 1971. This diversion project transports water under the continental divide from Navajo Lake to Lake Heron on the Rio Chama, a tributary of the Rio Grande. In the previous a lot of this water was resold to downstream homeowners in Texas.

Desirable options like our spacious kitchen island designs will call the family to assemble round for snack time. We also offer versatile areas, including lofts that are good in your personalised home theater or office. Recreation and out of doors fun awaits the entire new homes albuquerque household on the Cibola National Forest, the Albuquerque Biological Park, the Elena Gallegos Park, and the Rio Grande Nature Center State Park. The annually-recurring International Balloon Fiesta, the world’s largest gathering of hot-air balloons going down each October, is a superb excuse to spend high quality time along with your children and pals.

Since Route 66 was decommissioned within the 1980s, the only remaining US freeway in Albuquerque, unsigned US-85, shares its alignment with I-25. US-550 splits off to the northwest from I-25/US-85 in Bernalillo. Green chile is broadly out there in restaurants, including national fast-food chains at areas in the metropolis. Albuquerque has an active restaurant scene, and local restaurants obtain statewide consideration, several of them having turn out to be chains. The metropolis is the headquarters of Blake's Lotaburger, Little Anita's, Twisters, Dion's, Boba Tea Company, and Sadie's.

Albuquerque has one of many highest elevations of any major metropolis in the united states, ranging from 4,900 feet above sea degree near the Rio Grande to over 6,700 ft within the foothill areas of Sandia Heights and Glenwood Hills. Albuquerque is among the greatest locations to build wealth due to the metro area’s low price of dwelling and high quality of life, according to Albuquerque Economic Development. In fact, the Albuquerque metropolitan space new home builders in albuquerque ranks under the national index for key price of dwelling measurements including groceries, utilities, transportation, and health care. There are a selection of ways in which real property traders can analyze completely different markets throughout the united states to determine the potential demand for rental property. Among these varied tools are monitoring the historical change in native housing prices and the affordability of housing in every market.

Home Partners is helping individuals get into great homes, in neighborhoods they love, with the chance to construct a more secure monetary future. The website missingmoney.com is authorized new home builders in albuquerque by New Mexico and different states to list owners of unclaimed property. There is no price to search for your property or to request a claim kind.

Located NW of Albuquerque, Rio Rancho is Albuquerque’s largest neighbor. With a growing population of approximately 55,000—60,000, this metropolis is enjoying fast development and strong financial growth. Intel is the city’s largest employer, and has been largely responsible for the economic prosperity enjoyed by the group. Housing prices begin within the $140,000—160,000 price range and prime out in the $600,000 – $800,000 range. The neighborhood has a variety of new construction in all value ranges and styles. Welcome to Albuquerque, N.M., a excessive desert metropolis – the state's largest – with a historic core and a bustling business center within the coronary heart of New Mexico's Technology Corridor.

[crowdedimagines]

Familiar Love - Harry Styles

harry and y/n have a hard time staying out of each other’s arms, not that there’s a place they’d rather be Famous!Y/n

“Well well well.” Harry grins, opening his door wider to his home for me. 

“Why are you acting all surprised? You invited me here.” I get on my toes to steal a fast peck from him as I walk by. I walk into the living room I have grown very familiar with over the years. Harry’s London home never changes, his one taste of consistency.  

“Of course I did, we’re both in London at the same time.” 

“I know.” I roll my eyes, backing up the stairs to his room. He matches my steps evenly, pacing us like predator and prey. I slide my jacket off my shoulder, ditching it for the floor. His eyes never leave mine. If I didn’t know this house so well, I would be on my ass by now. 

“It’s been a while since this has worked out.” He presses a stolen kiss to my cheek, then another and another, “I’ve missed you.” 

“Missed me or a muse?” I bite down lightly on his earlobe, he backs me into his bedroom finally. 

“Always miss you.” 

“That’s right, you are pretty obsessed with me.” I smirk. 

“M’not obsessed with you.” He defends, finally pulling his face away from my neck. 

“Well your discography would beg to differ.” 

“Shh.” He works on the spot he knows would normally occupy my mind enough that I couldn’t banter. The spot just below my ear where my neck and jaw meet. 

“Temporary Fix, Perfect, Change Your Ticket-”

“Alright alright” Harry rolls his eyes, dimples showing up on his cheeks while he fights a smile.

“-and that’s not even counting your solo career” I tease, letting him back me onto his bed. “Only Angel, She-” 

“You’re such an ass sometimes.” He shakes his head, as if in disbelief, but his smile only grows wider. 

“What?” I scoff feigning shock, “You love my ass.” He presses a kiss to my collarbone. 

“Yes, I do. Now shut up so I can love on you for the first time in eight months.” 

-     -     -  

Harry and I were the worst and best things to ever happen to each other. We met when we were too young. My career had just started, I had a singular album to my name and was lucky to open for any band that was on a tour. Harry was a couple years into One Direction by the time we met. 

It was on a red carpet, thankfully not my first, but my first time being on the carpet for an award show that I actually had a nomination for. This was huge for me. My album had done well, but never expected a recognition like this. 

I met Niall before I met Harry. I had bumped into him walking in and he complimented my music, even claiming one of his mates ‘couldn’t get enough of it’. When he said that I wasn’t expecting him to walk me over to meet the rest of the band. Harry had been the ‘mate’ Niall had been referring to. 

I lost that night, to Ariana Grande, who in my own opinion deserved it more than me. That night didn’t feel like a loss though, because I got Harry out of it. We quickly became friends, texting, calling, facetiming any time we got the opportunity. One Direction was touring on a constant cycle, and I had just finished mine. I was in the process of writing my sophomore album, Harry flew me out and I ended up staying for the rest of the tour. 

It wasn’t a surprise to anyone that we started dating, the calls and giddy smiles were enough already to clue in everyone around us. I was able to get a glimpse at the world he lived in with his stardom, and soak in every second he wasn’t on stage. It didn’t take long for fans and the public to catch on. A few too many paparazzi pictures at each concert venue to avoid. 

Both of our managements allowed us to openly date, officially coming out to everyone with PDA and everything. It was amazing. I flew back home to Los Angeles to record my second album and before I could blink I was touring it. 

Things got hard for Harry and I at that point, we could never manage to be in the same city, or get time off to visit the other. My name was quickly becoming a household one, and One Direction had yet to ever even stall in popularity. 

It broke us both completely that after three happy years together, we had to call it quits. Neither of us were ready to give up our lives and it was no longer working to never see each other. We both needed to feel loved, and on opposite ends of the planet it wasn’t enough anymore. It was only a few months after our split that One Direction went on hiatus. 

Harry and I remained close. Some would say too close. It started with just being friendly whenever we saw each other at events or things with mutual events. It took one slip up that sent us back into each other’s arms. It was a New Year's party, we agreed to be with each other, because we didn’t have anyone else to kiss at midnight. 

Once you get a taste for someone you never stopped loving, it gets pretty hard to stop. So that’s how it all began. Harry and I decided to see each other, date, love, fuck, anytime we both happened to be in the same city. It didn’t happen as often as you would think. We both still had home across the world, and varying tour schedules. We both had on and off again partners, that then the deal would be off, but neither of our partners were ever in the picture for very long. For years it went on like this. It was heartbreak all over again though, once we knew that someone had to leave. 

-     -     -

“Well, that was fun! It’s been a while, Styles.” I let out a sigh to try and gain back my breath. We practically just ran a marathon. Maybe two. He does the same, a grin plastered to his face. 

“Too long.” He tilts his head to press a kiss to my bare shoulder. 

“Well I do believe a plane works two ways.” I turn on my side to face him, my head resting in my palm. 

“Mmm, I’ve been stuck in the studio. I’ve been working on new stuff.” 

“Ooh, a new album perhaps?” 

“Yeah, it’s been a whole process trying to get all my thoughts out and sorted.” He clears his throat. 

“So why not go to Jamaica like you did for your first? A new environment that you can just throw yourself into it.” I question. 

“I don’t know, it doesn’t feel like that for me. I did that because it was the first time I was doing music without One Direction. This time it’s a little more on me and how I feel.” 

We catch up for nearly an hour before we both feel gross from our previous activity and decide to take a shower. Together obviously. 

“Mum and Gem are coming over for brunch tomorrow.” He states. 

“Hmm?” I turn away from the shower head to face him again. 

“I think they’re going to be here close to 10:00.” 

“Do you want me to leave?”

“No!” He places a hand on my hip, trapping me between him and the cool tile on the walls. “Never.” 

“So what do you want?” I ask, tilting my head up to fully look at him. To read every expression that crosses his face as the water pours over both of us. 

“I want you to stay. Have brunch with us.” 

“Are you sure?” I ask, pressing a kiss to his peck. 

“Yeah, if you can.”

“My fitting isn’t until 2:00 so that should give me plenty of time.” I smile, “Are you sure they aren’t going to think it’s weird that I’m there?” 

“They won’t think it’s weird. They’ll both be thrilled to see you. I swear everytime I pick up the phone they’re asking me how you’re doing.” 

“That’s funny considering how often that Gemma texts me.” I smile. 

“So you’ll stay for brunch?” 

“Mhm.” I pull him down to my height for a kiss. 

-     -     - 

“Well if it isn’t the one that got away.” Anne teases as she pulls me in for a tight hug. 

“Fuck-” Harry sighs, letting out air as if he took an actual physical hit. 

“Hi, Anne.” I laugh. 

“You just get more and more beautiful every-time I see you.” She holds my face in her hands and she studies me closely. Over the years Anne and I have only grown to be more close, even though I am no longer dating her son she still treats me as family which I can’t help but love her for. 

“Let me give her a hug!” Gemma pushes her way in and pulls me in tight against her chest. 

“Gem!” I grin. 

Harry and Anne walk into the kitchen together with Gemma and I following, arm in arm. I remember this from years ago. The Styles family would like to make brunches together every couple of weeks when they could. 

Obviously if Harry was touring or over in the States they couldn’t, but when they could they make the most of it. Everything is made from scratch, together. Nothing is decided until everyone gets there that morning. 

“How do we feel about waffles?” Gemma asks. 

“And eggs.” Harry adds. 

“And bacon.” Anne adds. 

Everyone turns to me waiting for my request. 

“And fresh fruit.” I smile. 

We all get to work and quickly become a well oiled machine. Them it’s not too surprising due to them doing this over the years, but I have to say I am able to jump in with ease. 

I cut up various fruits arranging them as beautifully as I can. A vibrant display of colors on the platter. 

“Excuse me, love.” He presses a kiss to my temple, a steadying hand at my waist as he reaches for a knife from the island. 

I prepare everyone’s drinks around the table as well considering my task went the quickest. Shortly, everyone joins me and we dig in. Everything tastes immaculate. 

We dive into conversation, the table never getting quiet for a second. Something I love so much about this family. There’s always something to be said.

“Well, I actually should be going it’s one o clock now, and I still need to drive to the other side of town.” I pick up my plate from the table. We’ve all been done eating for a while now, but the conversation kept us at the table. 

“Where are you off to?” Anne asks. 

“She’s got a fitting with Gucci.” Harry grins. 

“Wipe that smug little grin off your face.” I smack his shoulder lightly. 

“Gucci?” Gemma grins even wider than Harry did. 

“I am going to be the new face to the brand.” I smile, feeling pink raise up on my cheeks.

“For the whole company?” Gemma cheers. 

I simply nod as I grab a few other plates off of the table as I go. 

“Can I come with you?” Gemma asks, the two Styles siblings following my into the kitchen. 

“Why didn’t you act like this when I modeled for Gucci?” Harry asks, his jealous side coming out.

“Harry, you got a cologne, but she’s getting the whole company!” She huffs, “Do you know what cool clothes she’s going to be trying one?”

“I’m not getting the company!” I roll my eyes, putting the dishes in the wash. 

“You didn’t answer the question.” Gemma smirks. 

“Yes, Gem.” I laugh, “As long as you can be out the door in five minutes.” 

Gemma leaves the kitchen and goes back to tell Anne, leaving Harry and I alone. 

“You’re coming back here after, right?” He asks, trapping me against the counter. 

“Yeah, of course. I’ll actually be in London for almost the entire campaign. You’re going to be sick of me soon.” I smirk. 

“Never.” 

-    -    -

“I am OBSESSED with that yellow jacket you had on!” Gemma sighs dreamily as we enter Harry’s flat several hours later. “It’s to die for!”

“Well, I can see if I can get it for you after the shoot.”

We make our way to the living room where Harry is settled in on the couch with a book. 

“An angel.” She turns to her brother, “Did you know this one is an angel?” 

“You give me too much credit.” I laugh. 

“Thanks for the reminder, Gem.” Harry chuckles. 

“Okay, now I will get out of your hair. I’ve already stolen all afternoon with you. Hopefully see you soon!” She pulls me in for a hug, “Love you.” I let Harry walk her to the door to say their goodbyes. 

Harry comes back after a few minutes and pulls me down in a hug on the couch. He lets out a deep sigh into my neck, pulling my head in even closer. 

“You okay, babe?” I ask, taking note of his obvious mood. 

“Mmm, I was just thinking while you were out.”

“And what were you thinking?” I pull back so I can get a good look at his face. It’s always been an easy way to see how he’s feeling. 

“I was just thinking that we’re both in such a better place than we were all those years ago. I don’t tour every year anymore, and I’m signed with good management that actually lets me make my own decisions.”

“What are you saying?” I ask, wrapping my arms around his neck and studying his face closely. 

“I’m saying that you only tour ever other year, at max. I do the same now. Why can’t we make this work for real again? We’re both more established now and have the right to chose when and where we do things. I know, we make time for each other when we’re in the same city, but there’s nothing saying we can’t be in the same city. I could live in Los Angeles full time. I could live with you. Or we could both go to New York. I don’t care, as long as we can be together.” 

“Harry, you’re sure about this? We haven’t truly been together in a long time. I love spending my time with you, truly, but I don’t want you to uproot your life just for me.” I clarify. He’s saying what I’ve wanted to hear for years, but I just want to make sure we’ve thought things through before I give either of us false hope. 

“It wouldn’t just be for you, it would be for us. I love you so much, I feel like I’m wasting time. It seems like a waste to know exactly who your soulmate is, and not do everything in your power to make it work.” 

“I love you, too.” I press a fast and passionate kiss to his lips, “Although, I do have one thing that I think we should change.”

“Anything.” He answers, his eyes all gooey and lovey making me break out in a grin. I couldn’t keep a straight face over how I’m feeling if it tried. 

“Let me move here.”

“What?” He asks shocked.

“You love London and being close to your family more than anything, I could never ask you to change that.” 

“But-”

“And I love being close to them too. If today proves anything, you are my family.”

“Let me make the move” I grin. 

“Happily.” Harry’s dimples are on full display. 

“Hey, isn’t that another song you wrote about me?” I tease.

“Oh, shut up.” He rolls his eyes, pushing me back against the couch. 

plz give me some feedback! i thought this was so cute 

[thetitans-stories]

Cynthia was having trouble thinking, but she was determined to figure out what was going on and how this happened.

She and her boyfriend, Brad, had been on holiday in the Bahamas. Walking down the beach, she had stumbled over an old, rusty oil lamp, just like out of Aladdin. Jokingly, she had picked it up and rubbed it. To her and her boyfriends huge surprise, blue smoke had poured out of the lamp and formed into a gorgeous female genie floating mid air.

It had taken them both quite a while to understand what had just happened, but Cynthia was out of her mind to be able to have three wishes. Of course her first wish was for herself to be prettier. Long blond hair, big breasts, thin waist. Everything that would make any heterosexual man turn his head and walk into a lamppost.

For her second wish, she wanted something more so she wished for the entire paradise island they were on to be her own private island. Giggling with glee she now realized how lucky she was she simply told the genie that her boyfriend could have the last wish since he had insisted on them having the vacation here.

Then, things were a bit hazy for her. One thing she had tried to remember for a long time was the wish that her boyfriend then did. For a split second, she could remember the words come out of his mouth “I wish I had full control over anyone and anything on this island.” but that memory changed to a memory of her and Samantha, the grand Masters blue skinned slave, giving him a double morning bj, just like they always did every morning.

After a hectic day of sleeping around with the lesser, invited Masters, slave C rested her pretty butt for a second, trying to remember what she could possibly have forgotten. Then it came to her. She had forgotten to prepare herself for dinner. Luckily, all she had to do was throw off her clothes and get onto the grand Masters dining table. The chef slaves and maid slaves would take care of the rest as she finally could let her mind rest and be the dinner plate she had to be.

Life was good.