#multi point inspection form

[mtsdmecc]

Understanding Multi-Point Inspection Forms: A Simple Guide

Have you ever taken your car to a mechanic and wondered what they do during a service? One crucial tool they use is the multi-point inspection form. This form helps mechanics check various parts of your vehicle to ensure everything is working well. In this article, we'll explore what a multi-point inspection form is, why it's essential, and how it helps keep your car in great shape. We'll also talk about the related term multipoint inspection sheet, which is often used interchangeably with the multi-point inspection form.

What is a Multi-Point Inspection Form?

A multi point inspection form is a checklist that mechanics use to evaluate a vehicle's condition. It typically covers multiple areas of the car, allowing the mechanic to assess everything from the engine to the brakes. The purpose of this form is to provide a comprehensive overview of the car's health, helping both the mechanic and the vehicle owner understand what needs attention.

Why is the Multi-Point Inspection Important?

1. Safety First

One of the most important reasons for a multi-point inspection is safety. Mechanics check essential components, such as brakes, tyres, and lights, to ensure they are functioning correctly. If any of these parts are faulty, it can lead to dangerous situations on the road. By identifying issues early, you can avoid accidents and keep yourself and others safe.

2. Preventative Maintenance

A multi-point inspection is a form of preventative maintenance. Regular inspections help catch minor problems before they turn into major repairs. For example, if a mechanic notices worn brake pads during an inspection, they can recommend replacing them before they cause damage to the brake system. This proactive approach can save you time and money in the long run.

3. Enhanced Vehicle Longevity

Cars are significant investments, and you want yours to last as long as possible. By regularly using a multi-point inspection form, you can keep track of your car's condition and address issues as they arise. This not only helps maintain the value of your vehicle but also prolongs its lifespan. Regular maintenance checks can help keep your engine running smoothly and your tyres in good shape.

What Does a Multi-Point Inspection Form Include?

A multi-point inspection form usually includes various sections that cover different parts of the vehicle. Here's a breakdown of what you might find on this form:

1. Engine Check

The mechanic will examine the engine for leaks, inspect the belts and hoses, and assess fluid levels. They may also check the oil, coolant, and transmission fluid to ensure everything is topped off and in good condition.

2. Brake System

Brakes are crucial for safety. The form will include a section for checking the brake pads, rotors, and fluid levels. The mechanic will look for any signs of wear and make recommendations if necessary.

3. Tires

Tire health is another essential part of a multi-point inspection. The mechanic will check the tread depth and look for any signs of damage, like bulges or punctures. Proper tyre maintenance can improve fuel efficiency and ensure safe driving.

4. Lights and Electrical Systems

The inspection will include checking all lights, including headlights, taillights, turn signals, and brake lights. The mechanic will also evaluate the battery and electrical connections to ensure everything is functioning correctly.

5. Suspension and Steering

The suspension and steering systems affect how your car handles on the road. The mechanic will inspect these systems to ensure everything is in good working order.

6. Fluid Levels

In addition to checking individual fluids like oil and coolant, the mechanic will look at transmission fluid, brake fluid, power steering fluid, and windshield washer fluid. Proper fluid levels are vital for the smooth operation of your vehicle.

How to Use a Multi-Point Inspection Form

1. Choose a Reputable Mechanic

Not all mechanics offer multi-point inspections, so it's essential to find a reputable shop that does. Ask friends or family for recommendations or look for online reviews to find a trusted mechanic in your area.

2. Request an Inspection

When you take your car in for service, ask the mechanic to perform a multi-point inspection. Many service centres offer this as part of routine maintenance, such as oil changes.

3. Review the Results

After the inspection, the mechanic will review the results with you. They highlight areas that need immediate attention and those that can wait. Make sure to ask questions if you don't understand something.

4. Plan for Repairs

Based on the inspection results, you can prioritize repairs. If the mechanic points out a serious issue, it's essential to address it right away. For less urgent matters, you can create a maintenance plan to take care of them in the near future.

The Benefits of a Multipoint Inspection Sheet

The multipoint inspection sheet is essentially the same as the multi-point inspection form, but it may be used in different contexts or by other service centres. This sheet serves the same purpose: to ensure that all critical aspects of your vehicle are checked during a service. Having a clear and detailed multipoint inspection sheet helps mechanics communicate findings effectively and gives vehicle owners a better understanding of their car's condition.

Common Questions About Multi-Point Inspections

1. How often should I have a multi-point inspection?

It's a good idea to have a multi-point inspection at least once a year or every time you take your car in for routine maintenance, like an oil change. This ensures that your vehicle remains in top shape.

2. Do I need to pay for a multi-point inspection?

Some mechanics offer free multi-point inspections as part of their services, especially when you pay for other maintenance. However, others may charge a fee, so it's always good to ask upfront.

3. What if my mechanic finds issues during the inspection?

If your mechanic finds problems, they will typically explain the issues and provide recommendations for repairs. You can decide which repairs to prioritize based on your budget and safety needs.

Conclusion: Keep Your Car Running Smoothly

A multi-point inspection form is a valuable tool that helps keep your vehicle safe and running efficiently. Regular inspections not only help identify potential problems but also promote preventative maintenance, ultimately extending the life of your car. Whether you're a car enthusiast or just someone who relies on your vehicle, understanding the importance of multi-point inspections is crucial.

Next time you take your car to the shop, remember to ask for a multi-point inspection. This simple step can make a big difference in your vehicle's performance and safety. Knowing what a multi-point inspection entails, you can feel confident in maintaining your vehicle's health and addressing any issues that arise.

[obbystars]

revised document for 4.5 update

Z-222 “FALLEN ANGEL”

In late 2024, a strange signal had appeared just above the Let-Vand Zone before it pierced through the veil. It wasn’t a fish, and it definitely wasn’t an ordinary person despite the shape of them. Upon closer inspection, and once captured, it turned out to be an angel. Somehow, it found the location of the Hadal Blacksite and was heading straight for it before operatives caught it in its tracks.

This angel is vastly different compared to the Guardian Angel that was captured in the Banlands, but still provides blood just like it. The angel was soon given the designation “Z-222” as it was both used for research purposes as well as harvesting its blood. Some researchers have tried questioning it, but it refuses to respond. It only stares at them, sometimes turning away. The angel hasn’t attempted any retaliation even before it was captured. Due to this, it is advised to be wary when speaking to Z-222 or even approaching it.

Researchers then opted to study the angel’s biology to better understand it, but it appeared that it has biology strangely similar to a human. This may be because of the form it has taken which was one that appeared to be a human. The wings don’t appear to have bones either. The mask on its face isn’t a mask at all, but rather its actual face where the pale white eyes can be seen blinking. Occasionally, Z-222’s right eye will have two stars, but the reason for that is unknown.

There was one instance where a researcher was almost killed by Z-222. The reasons for this is unknown as Z-222 refused to explain and the researcher seemed to have been silenced by it due to possible threats. After this, a metal box was locked around its head to prevent incidents like this happening again. It was later found out Z-222 had no intention to kill the researcher, but the reason for the incident is still unknown.

Seeing as studying the angel’s biology is no longer possible, Z-222 is now being used as a “secondary angel blood harvester.”

2 hours into the lockdown, Z-222 had escaped containment. Ever since then, there has been little to no visual of Z-222. Operatives are instructed to attempt to recapture Z-222.

Various cameras within the facility has also been knocked out, which leads to difficulty in manages the various teams sent down into the blacksite.

About 7 hours into the lockdown, footage caught Z-222 meeting up with Z-13 but it was cut short as Z-222 noticed the camera in the room. It is unclear if they are working together, but recently, there’s been strange occurrences where operatives will find themselves in rooms that have never been constructed in the blacksite. Sometimes, they are rooms with a completely different structure.

The strange rooms within the blacksite goes as follows:

Hotel lobby

Cabin

Modern office spaces

Bricked hallway maze

Never ending hallway

Hallway of a bloody ocean

Module room

Backrooms

An unknown containment room

It is likely there are more to be discovered. It is also theorized this is Z-222’s doing as to throw off the EXR-P who were instructed on retrieving the crystal. It is possible that due to this, monsters like A-60 “The Multi-Monster” and ▇▇▇ had been dragged into the blacksite.

I think I should point out that the whole idea that Oberon’s the reason for the rare/easter egg rooms is just a silly idea I had that oddly fit for his character lol

[ask-crimson-weaver]

Research: done. Wizard: arrived. Here’s what we’ve got so far:

First, Clearlee Cosmetics. It’s a relatively new company (less than a year since it was founded) and is absolutely a multi-level marketing scheme. Focuses on selling skin care products marked up to make them seem fancier. Had Strange look at the hand scrub that showed up, and it’s mundane— no weird magic going on with it. Suppose that can’t speak for the entire product line, but we don’t have anything else to inspect right now. The founder-slash-head person’s name listed on their website is, I kid you not, Karen Clearlee. No other identifying info info online (the Clearlee website and social media are all pretty generic and brand-focused) so we’re assuming it’s an alias. Some of the next-tier members seem to be using their real names though, so Red’s trawling the web to pool some data on them.

Speaking of Res: the footage.

It… honestly doesn’t show much? Hannah didn’t leave the apartment, only came out to head to the bathroom for a minute with the hand scrub before going back to the bedroom. Harls ran some visual identifier program over it, and he did manage to pick up on some distortion in the footage, isolated to the wall where our bedroom is. Started a few minutes before Hannah came out, ended right before she left the room. Trace magic inside suggests that someone else— or at least something using the same type of magic Han’s been dunked in— was in there. Explains how the hand scrub got in, but also means someone else stopped by for a visit. The Karen Clearlee lady, maybe?

Now for the wizard’s input.

It’s definitely vampirism— or, at least, a form of blood magic that mimics what we consider to be vampires. Somehow, though, that doesn’t narrow it down, so he’s gonna have to take his notes and do some research on what type of blood magic-based vampirism we’ve got going on.

Something a bit more concerning is that, from a mix of how the magic is structured and the point it’s progressed to, he… doesn’t have a way to draw out the vampire stuff without some major magical consequences. Something about… bound blood? Connection to the vamp that did the vamping to Hannah, or something like that. Best way to release the hold with the fewest repercussions is to take out the top vampire. But, of course, we’ll have to track her down first.

So… yeah. That’s where we’re at right now.

I guess, for the foreseeable future, my girlfriend is a vampire.

[lunarsands]

Multi-SMP Fanfic: Which Fate's Fairest To Us All - Ch 4

Afterlife SMP, New Life SMP and Empires SMP S2 crossover combo!!! I'm back with more MythicalSausage meets MythicalSausage shenanigans!

Characters: Mythical Sausage (1st), Rusty the Copper Golem, PearlescentMoon, Scott Smajor (1st), Mythical Sausage (2nd), Hermes, Mythical Sausage (3rd), Scott Smajor (2nd), Rocky the Goblin, and a couple of briefly mentioned cameos at the end!

WARNINGS: Character death (but they get better because Afterlife/New Life rules are in play), body horror

Chapter Summary: The groups separated in the labyrinth finally reunite. Myth has all the evidence he needs to tell him where they are, and where to go to escape. Things don’t remain that easy when they come across more sculk...

Sequel to Mirror Tenfold, Beyond the Wall and follows sometime after the events of Thou, O Kings, Fair Be You All (“sometime” being relative to how much time passes in each universe)

(Also available on Ao3!)

[ Chapter One ] [ Chapter Two ] [ Chapter Three ]

-----

Chapter Four

The two followed Myth all the way to the crossroads where he had found Scott. There, Myth seemed to be searching for something. He walked to the passageway to their left and inspected the wall then the floor. Scott warily eyed the small patch of sculk near the phoenix’s hand. He was then shocked when Myth grabbed a strand of sculk vein and yanked it free of the floor. Flames engulfed his fingers, incinerating it. Myth then touched the floor again.

“This way,” he said. He prevented any questions by adding, “Call it a hunch.”

Scott would have commented that this passage ran parallel to the one he had fled from, but saw the wisdom in keeping silent. He did discover what Myth had apparently been searching for when he stepped forward to follow and his foot slipped downward into a divot in the floor. He wasn’t sure what it signified but it seemed to mean something to Myth.

Something that made flickers of flame come off his wings.

To Scott’s relief, however, the sculk thinned out after a point, no longer forming  masses that spanned between both walls across the floor like in the other section. Myth continued to check the ground at the open end of each passageway they came across. He always chose the ones with divots in either the floor or near the open edge of a particular wall.

They seemed to be making good progress this way, at least, although Scott had begun to wonder what had made the divots. His concern really ramped up when they reached a wall with a hole in it. Myth’s flames flared up even more, causing Scott and Sausage to step away from him simply by instinctual caution. Myth inspected the edges of the hole, then stepped through. He glanced back and now noticed an indentation on the opposite side.

Myth hurried back into the first passageway, and was soon rapidly following a trail of destruction through multiple walls. Scott and Sausage attempted to keep up, although the more Sausage saw of the damage, the more it reminded him of the state some of the buildings in Sanctuary had been left when the Superhero had interfered between the two battling angels.

Eventually the holes and debris along the ground gave way to the unblemished walls of an intact passageway stretching off into darkness ahead. Myth continued forward, a scowl of determination on his face. Scott looked to Sausage for reassurance; the older man didn’t seem to have any doubts or lose faith even though Myth was obviously following something he was familiar with rather than whatever influence the Staff was having over him.

It was at the next crossroad, though, that Scott saw what had first signaled to Sausage that he could trust where Myth was going. As the phoenix repeatedly inspected the floor and walls, the gemstone in the Staff twinkled. In that same second Myth decisively turned to his right.

A few minutes later the other end of the passage came into view. First they saw part of a giant statue, then the debris around it became apparent, and upon fully entering this open area, they saw a battleground with more damaged walls and scorch marks in various places.

They also saw two figures: a tall one seated on another piece of a statue next to a perpendicular passageway, and a very small figure on the floor below the first. The latter seemed to be pacing but in very small increments. Myth stopped and gripped the staff so hard it creaked. When Sausage glanced over to reprimand him, he saw that Myth’s gaze was scanning the whole tableau rather than focused on the figures.

It was then that a third person joined the other two – by floating down from above, a trident held in one hand. They immediately addressed the person sitting, who nodded a couple of times before coughing into their elbow.

Sausage smiled, relief flooding through him. He strode around the assortment of debris, disregarding Scott, Myth, and everyone else. “Mijo!” he called, just loud enough to not startle the man that his son was talking to.

“Dad?” Hermes turned in response to the affectionate term. He spread his arms wide and ran to embrace Sausage while carefully holding the trident at the same time. “Dad! I’m glad you’re alright! We were going to go look for you, but my new friend here isn’t feeling well, so I’ve been out scouting while he rests.” He stepped back and gestured to the man seated on the statue, then hastily motioned downward. “Oh, and of course my other new friend, Rusty. He can’t really introduce himself.”

“Hello!” Sausage cheerfully greeted the Ghast Mage; neither of them was phased by the fact that they shared an identical face. “And hello, Rusty! I know someone who has been looking for you!” He smiled at the copper golem, then shifted his gaze to the trident Hermes held and asked quietly, “Um, mijo, where did you get that? I don’t remember you packing it…” He seemed unable to resist the urge to reach out to touch it. “I can sense energy coming off it that feels… familiar?”

“Yeah, I thought I noticed something, too,” Hermes replied. He nodded toward the Ghast Mage. “He found it here in the rubble and thought it might work best in my hands.” The young man grinned and flexed his biceps. “I figured Thunder-dad couldn’t hear me in this dimension, but maybe he found a way to help out, y’know?”

A cryptic if not amused expression danced across Sausage’s lips. “Oh, yes, I get a sense of involvement from your other parent, alright…”

The chance to elaborate on this comment passed when the Ghast Mage spoke up, sporting a cheerful smile of his own.  “It’s nice to finally meet Hermes’ dad! He’s a good boy! Very helpful.” His gaze then slid to Myth and his smile faded to a tight line. He coughed politely – unrelated to his current malady. “And hello, Rusty’s surrogate dad.”

Myth didn’t acknowledge any of what was going on. He was facing away from the group and was clutching the Staff close, apparently staring at something on one of the walls.

If any of them were to have a view of his face they would have seen that his eyes had turned pale and his expression had become haunted by a past memory that took over his thoughts.

Scott, equally oblivious to Myth’s affliction as everyone else, jogged over. “Saus—er, Ghast-sage! Did you run into that thing, too? I never saw you when I was escaping from it. Or, um, I didn’t notice you. I ran into it way back that way.” He pointed over his shoulder. He was dismayed when his Sausage pointed in the opposite direction.

The Ghast Mage sighed in exasperation. “Oh, no, don’t tell me there are two of them! One is enough! Sheesh!”

Scott couldn’t help pointing out the humor in the situation. “Well, there are three of you here right now, so maybe we shouldn’t complain about only two Wardens.”

Ghast-sage folded his arms over his chest. “I don’t know if I should be offended by that or not.”

“You’re handling this well,” Scott said in a softer tone. “I’m still wrapping my head around it.”

“Yeah, well, we were going nowhere fast, so Hermes and I talked for a while and he told me about his dad, and Rusty told me about my usurper, so I knew what to expect.”

Scott pointed down at the copper golem, who was now calmly standing still beside him. “Rusty… told you about… this guy?” Scott rotated his torso to the side so he could gesture at Myth with both hands while not moving his gaze from his friend’s face.

“Yeah. In his own way. I have a special rapport with him,” Ghast-sage bragged.

“I hate to tell you this,” Scott said, “But I’ve seen them interact, and the phoenix hybrid over there can also communicate just fine with Rusty.”

“Oh.” The Ghast Mage looked less proud of himself. “I guess, uh… I guess that just means all versions of me are special! Ahem.” He went quiet for a few seconds, then began coughing again.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah. It’s just—” Cough, cough. “You know that trick people use in the Nether? ‘Return to sender’?” Scott nodded while the Ghast Mage coughed again. “It turns out… A sonic shriek… can turn back a Ghast ball, too… Really quickly. Right back into my mouth. Ghast hybrids aren’t quite, ehhh, built for that internally. I can conjure fireballs, not eat them!” He coughed a few more times, then leaned back on his hands. “Whew! Young Hermes there tried to give me a healing potion but it evaporated as I started to drink it. We figured the ones from his world don’t work on people from our world. Or, our world’s configuration? I forget how he explained it, but he’s the one with experience traveling the multiverse, so it makes sense to him, and he sounds very confident about it! Like, there are other realities parallel to ours that have similar rules about physics and nature, and realities like his, where the rules can be slightly different, or completely different! So, the way a certain potion is formulated can vary.”

“Uh-huh,” Scott murmured as his friend continued to ramble. His mind went back to what Myth had said about no one being bothered by a phoenix and a fungal mage taking the place of a ghast mage and a transporter, which made him wonder what the two masqueraders’ world was like.

Suddenly, Myth’s distinctly gruffer voice rang out over the Ghast Mage’s rambling. “I know exactly where we are in this labyrinth, and I know where to go to get out.”

All eyes turned to him, including Hermes’ – and Sausage noticed a look of distress on his son’s face, as well as the young man’s posture tensing, knuckles white around the haft of the trident. He lightly touched Hermes’ arm. “Mijo?”

Hermes inhaled and forced his body to relax. He responded quietly, “Sorry. I… I’m used to meeting other versions of you in different realities, but none of them had similarities to… that one. The… first one I ever met.”

Sausage quickly hugged Hermes. “It’s okay, mijo. This one is grouchy, but the Staff trusts him. You know it has a failsafe now to prevent another imposter incident.”

Hermes gave a start. “Wait, the Staff…” He turned, eyes going wide in disbelief. “I hadn’t even noticed!”

Myth had paused upon seeing that The Protector was distracted by the unfamiliar young man whom Myth assumed must be Hermes. He couldn’t hear what they were saying, but the cautious looks made him resigned to accept more negativity based on who he was. So, he went on with his announcement. “There’s just one catch.” He removed one hand from the Staff to point upward. “I only know it from above. Last time I wasn’t able to get there under my own power and had help finding it.”

Here he laid a glance over the Ghast Mage and Hermes. “As you can probably guess, it was yet another version of us.” He then looked at Sausage. “One that you personally know. So, if you don’t want to trust my word, you can obviously trust that one’s.”

Sausage frowned regretfully at him in response. “Myth, did you hear any of what we were all saying a few minutes ago?”

Myth blinked. He realized that he hadn’t heard them nor could he even remember if anything had happened between exiting the passageway and seeing the rest of the group comingling without him. Rather than admit his inattention he merely shook his head.

Sausage’s hand trailed away from Hermes’ arm as he took a few steps in Myth’s direction. “Can I be honest with you, triste pájaro de fuego? I think you need to stop comparing yourself to that other angel, and focus on what you can do. If you can get us out of here, please show us.”

Myth harrumphed. “What about you, though? We’ve found everyone we came in here with. Why don’t you just send us all back?” He thrust the Staff toward Sausage. “Just make sure you grab Smajor for me and throw him back into my world, then he and I can both return to our inconvenient existences and not get in the way of someone we happen to look like.” He lowered his head with a scowl – only to sneak a forlorn glance at Rusty. “…Everyone back exactly where they belong.”

Hermes took note of that glance. He was ready to say something, but a slow shake of Sausage’s head made him pause. “I can’t,” Sausage confessed. “My powers are limited here, or else I would have been able to find Hermes without your help.”

Myth’s lip twitched into a sneer as he lifted his head. “What do you mean, my help? We were lucky to find them here!”

“Here, of all places in this labyrinth?” Sausage countered. “The specific point of reference that only you have? The Staff sensed it in you. That’s why it let you hold it.”

“What are you talking about?” Myth scoffed, although his loss of time from a few minutes ago had sparked some internal panic spurred on by Sausage’s words. “How can an overgrown magical stick let me do anything?”

Sausage chuckled quietly. “It holds the magic of Sanctuary, and the magic of all of reality. It knows what it’s doing: trusting you.”

Myth exhaled an uncomfortable breath as he held the Staff at arm’s length and placed the end of it against the ground. He attempted to be subtle about running his gaze up and down the length of it as he reevaluated his opinion of it.

Hermes now saw his chance to chime in – as well as get the group to make some progress toward escaping. He was just as concerned about the Ghast Mage’s condition as he was for what Myth was implying about himself. “You get used to it. I had to wait for the Staff to accept me, too, and I’m a demi-god on my other father’s side.”

The comment worked to sidetrack Myth’s discomfort. “Other father…?”

“Yeah. He has control over the weather.” Leaving those words to sink in, Hermes swiftly continued, “I’ve been to the top of the walls. I can probably get at least two people up there before I need to rest.” He saw Sausage was about to say something out of worry so he added, “There’s something about the atmosphere here that is dampening my powers, too. This trident can only help me so much with the traveling part. I could use my reserves, but I’d rather not do that just yet. In my case it’s probably the lack of open sky.”

Sausage nodded at this reasoning. He scratched at his beard with one hand in thought. “No, you’re on to something. No open atmosphere means no energy connecting outward to the rest of reality, which is what could be preventing my powers from working.”

Myth interjected, “There’s some kind of energy here that influences people’s powers, because—” He stopped himself. In a defeated mumble he said, “…Never mind. That’s about other people. Let’s… uhm, focus on what we can do.”

Having muddled over Hermes’ dilemma, Scott offered, “I can help get everyone up top. My powers have recharged. Hermes, if you take me up first I can set a teleportation point and go back and forth taking one person with me. You can stay there to make sure they recover from any disorientation, and then we can be on our way in less than two minutes.”

The Ghast Mage piped up, “Oh, yes, his teleportation is completely accurate! Not a lot of disorientation at all! Um. Unless you happen to get motion sick from dimensional displacement. Not a big deal, really!”

Scott rolled his eyes, “Saus – er, Ghast-sage, you can stop now. You’re not helping.”

“Sorry, sorry!” The Ghast Mage coughed between words. “Just speaking from my own personal experience, you know! It’s not necessarily universal!”

Hermes couldn’t help a small laugh, then he turned to Myth. “Which wall do you recommend we start from?”

Myth looked around the old battleground again, hoping that this time he didn’t zone out. Scott took the opportunity to help his friend down off the statue. Rusty immediately began tugging on the latter’s cloak while whispering repeatedly, “What’s wrong with you?”

The Ghast Mage gently shooed him away. This motion caught Myth’s attention, causing him first to look away from the walls, and then to hastily move to supposedly study the passageways to his right.

Hermes, in turn, again noticed Myth’s behavior. He glanced down at Rusty, who continued to fuss over his creator. After a moment’s thought, Hermes crossed over to where Myth was. He could see the phoenix’s expression seemed to be one of disappointment – yet it quickly changed to distraction as the gemstone in the Staff twinkled and Myth abruptly peered upward with eyes that had turned pale orange. Hermes frowned. He reached up to touch the earring with the pressed flower, silently requesting for the magic to give him some insight and reassure him that the Staff wasn’t simply manipulating Myth just because he had knowledge of this place.

Maybe it was only a coincidence but Myth’s shoulders seemed to relax. “This one, I think,” he said thoughtfully in response to Hermes’ question from a few minutes ago. Myth looked at the young man with eyes that had returned to fully saturated orange. “I’m going to check for another clue. Could you gather the others over here?”

“Of course,” Hermes replied. He held the phoenix’s gaze for a moment longer – searching those eyes, noting the weary lines under them, lingering on the details of the four additional, horizontal scars across his right cheek. With a nod, Hermes turned to jog back to the group. “This way, everyone. El triste pájaro de fuego found the wall we need to get on top of.”

Scott glanced from the young man to the older Sausage. “Can I ask what you two are calling him? He said his name was ‘Myth’.”

Hermes and Sausage traded glances. “Welllll,” Sausage replied, stretching out the word, “I shared memories with a version of me who met Myth before, in this very place – although I’ve, eh, lost some of the details of most of them at this point. As I recall, the story behind why he goes by ‘Myth’ and not Sausage like the rest of us doesn’t have a good association. I just, uh, decided on the spot to call him triste pájaro de fuego.”

“Sorry,” Scott said, “I’m asking what does that mean? I’m not familiar with that language.”

“Judging by his attitude,” Hermes explained in a benign tone as he shifted his knapsack so he could secure the trident to it, “It seems he’s had a rough time. And he’s trying to hide it. So, he kind of strikes us as a… sorrowful firebird.” He grabbed up Rusty on his way as he turned to where Myth was standing. “Let’s not keep him waiting. I’m getting antsy to be under open skies again – if that’s alright?”

Scott accepted the explanation and nodded, although he would need to think more on this assessment of Myth’s demeanor after having only noticed the coarse edges.  He lent the Ghast Mage a supportive arm as the latter pushed off the piece of statue he had been leaning on while everyone was talking. “I don’t blame you,” Scott replied. “I prefer to know where I’m teleporting to. This place messes with my sense of spatial awareness.”

.

As planned, Hermes flew Scott up to the top of the wall Myth had indicated, then Scott began teleporting one person at a time up with him and returning for the next, starting with the Ghast Mage. Before it was Sausage’s turn, Myth gave the Staff back to him. “I need both hands free for a minute,” was all he said to explain.

Sausage merely nodded. He could feel the Staff vibrating against his hand. It wasn’t ready to leave its new wielder yet; he knew he would have to part with it again.

When Scott returned, however, Myth shook his head. “Not comfortable with that.” He bit back an explanation of the last time a Scott had teleported him around. “I’ll use my own power. Tell them I’m on my way.”

Scott hesitated, only to hop backward a second later when Myth pointed both hands at the ground and released a doubly explosive fireball, propelling himself upward. His wings flared out and with a hearty flap, he ascended farther.

Scott went ahead and teleported to the top of the wall. The others looked at him in alarm due to arriving alone – they also hadn’t missed the sound of the explosion below. “He wanted to come up on his own,” Scott explained. “Either he’s not fond of teleporting, or Ghast-sage made him nervous about it.” He tried to smile at his own joke. The anxious looks from the two Sausages made it clear the joke hadn’t landed.

They heard a sound like a hawk screech, which drew their attention over the side of the wall. A bright orange blur was quickly approaching, first appearing in the shape of a bird then resolving more clearly into Myth’s particular features. Flames streamed from his wings, hair, and eyes. The unspoken thought passed among them of how Myth could have taken off at any time to get out of the labyrinth, leaving them behind. In collective relief, the group parted to either side of where it seemed he might land.

Myth gave one last flap of his wings. In that moment all of the flames dispersed away from his body and feathers. His eyes went wide in surprise. He couldn’t make it all the way to the top on his own. He threw his hands upward out of reflex – maybe he could grab the edge—

Hermes darted to the spot everyone had vacated and dropped to his knees, reaching down to grasp hold of one of Myth’s hands just before the phoenix lost momentum. With a grunt Hermes heaved Myth upward. Through the magic granted by his sandals the young man avoided falling off the other side of the wall as he fully pulled Myth onto the top edge. He then clasped his other hand over the one he held. “Good try, mate. I had to stop myself falling the first time I flew up, too.”

“Thanks,” Myth muttered. When Hermes released his hand, Myth looked out over the tangle of walls spread out around them, taking a moment to catch his breath.

Without a word Sausage handed the Staff of Sanctuary back to Myth and the group set off, with Hermes carrying Rusty to help speed things along and Scott keeping an eye on the Ghast Mage in case he needed a rest. Occasionally Myth would take off for a short flight to confirm the correct direction to go, explaining how last time he had been guided from above by two flight-capable people. The others could follow the bright orange light as he swooped back and forth – as well as see the twinkle of the gemstone when it coincided with a change in Myth’s direction.

On the latest check and return, Myth announced that they would need to cross over five walls to the east, which was the largest change they’d had to make up to that point. This time Hermes pushed Rusty into Myth’s arms for the phoenix to carry across; previously, Sausage had merely piggybacked while Hermes carried them both, but now Hermes picked his father up in his arms for such a long distance.

Myth held Rusty gingerly in the crook of one arm, wanting to hand him off to the Ghast Mage, but when he looked to where the other had been standing he only saw a flicker of orange particles. Scott had already teleported him over to the new wall.

Rusty said quietly, “What’s wrong with you?”

Caught off guard by the tone of the question, Myth stopped short just as he was about to glide off the wall. “I’m… fine. Just focused on getting out of here.”

“No. What’s wrong with you?” Rusty asked insistently.

Myth glanced at the others, then back down at Rusty. He kept his voice low even if the distance was enough that they were unlikely to hear. “This is going to be goodbye for me. I won’t… I won’t be able to spend time with you anymore.”

“That’s an odd thing to say.”

“No, it isn’t,” Myth replied, slightly frustrated. “We found your creator. You go back to your world with him, and I go… somewhere. I don’t really belong in your world. I can’t just stay there. My body doesn’t follow the rules of your universe. And I don’t think the multi-verse will allow more than one of me to be in the same reality for the long term. It wouldn’t be… natural.”

“Are you sure about this?”

“Rusty.” Myth let the exasperation slip into his voice. “You lo— care about him more. It’s obvious. There’s no sharing. I don’t belong.” He ended the conversation by launching off the wall, producing an unintended fiery streak that vented his feelings.

The others once again backed off to give him room to land. Myth immediately pushed Rusty back onto Hermes without even looking at the young man – but Hermes saw the scowl and clenched, bared teeth in time before Myth turned away to lead them in a new direction.

.

The group traveled in silence for about ten minutes before coming across something Myth hadn’t noticed during his scouting: a small patch of sculk near the top of the wall that ran parallel to the one they were on. Since it seemed dormant, he chose to ignore it and walked past.

Scott, bringing up the rear, couldn’t take his eyes off the sculk patch. He suddenly clutched his companion’s arm.

“Ow! Careful, Scott! I’m still sore all over!” the Ghast Mage exclaimed.

“It’s bubbling!” Scott hissed in a panic.

“What? That only happens if something dies on it! That’s a vertical surface!” Ghast-sage argued.

“Everyone—!” Scott called out. “Be careful! Something weird is happening with that—”

There was a loud pop as a giant bubble formed in the middle of the sculk patch and burst. A wet splat sounded out as a cluster of sculk vein hit the side of the wall that the group was on. It was followed by a spray of purplish-turquoise spores, which struck the surface around the sculk vein. The stone then began to bubble just like the patch and soon sculk was rapidly spreading outward from where the vein had landed. It didn’t touch the very top edge of the wall, but the group watched in horror anyway. Sausage, his mouth going dry, whispered, “That’s not normal.”

Scott wanted to say that he had been trying to tell everyone this all along, but he was prevented from even uttering a single syllable by the sound of cracking and crumbling stone. Horror turned to terror as the torso of a Warden with grayish-purple moss hanging off its antennae and cushioning its exposed heart emerged from the sculk patch right below their feet.

The Warden reared upward, more of its body emerging from the sculk. It grabbed Sausage by one ankle and swung him outward, off of the wall, to send him plummeting before it began to pull the rest of itself out of the wall.

Hermes immediately dived after his father, taking Rusty with him. The copper golem was aware enough to maneuver himself around Hermes’ shoulder, ending up clinging to the young man’s knapsack so Hermes’ arms would be free to catch his father.

The Ghast Mage let out an involuntary, alarmed squeak. The Warden growled, its head whipping in his direction. As it lunged fully out of the wall to reach for him and Scott, two things happened at once: Myth threw a fireball at it, knocking it toward the opposite side of where it had emerged from and Scott, with the Ghast Mage clinging to him, chose to teleport blindly down where Sausage had fallen.

They reappeared a few blocks above the actual ground, causing them to land in a heap as Hermes was gently setting his father down on his feet. He then let Rusty down off his back. They heard the Warden roar followed by a pained cry that rang out loud enough for them to hear even at that distance. Hermes scowled in determination and launched upward, intent on aiding Myth. There was an even bigger and brighter explosion next. The sound of the Warden’s howling took on a distressed quality. It then ended in a thud that reverberated from the other side of the wall.

When Hermes reached the top, he saw Myth laying on his stomach facing the opposite side. His wings were giving off steam and he was panting. The tips of his feathers were glowing yellow. As Hermes watched, they dulled to the same orange as the rest. “Are you alright?!” he asked, leaning to offer the phoenix a hand up.

“Y-Yeah.” Myth continued to pant. “It… got me good. And… I… only knocked it off… It might still—”

They heard a roar from below, then the wall they stood on began to tremble. “Oh, no.” Myth scrambled up without Hermes’ help, then took off gliding downward. Hermes followed. His sandals could allow him to drop straight down but he stayed level with Myth’s glide, keeping watch for the Warden’s exact location.

It wasn’t trying to climb back up; instead, it was gouging at the wall as if trying to break through. Hermes could guess at the exact spot where the others were standing on the other side. “Why is it still focused on them? Surely they’re being quiet, or at least sneaking away?”

“Scott said there was something strange about the one he was chased by. I have a suspicion I know why,” Myth replied.

“We need to distract it.” Hermes pulled the trident free from his back then reached up to touch his gold lightning bolt earring for luck. He concentrated for a moment, closing his eyes. When he opened them again they were completely white and glowing brightly. Sparks danced from his hand onto the length of the trident, which he held up over his head. He halted his descent and focused on a spot next to the Warden’s feet. A blinding flash stemming from the tines of the trident zigzagged downward, striking the ground. It was accompanied by a resounding boom of thunder.

While the flash obviously wouldn’t have an effect on the Warden, the thunder certainly did. It groaned and reeled away from the wall, its paws shooting up to clutch at the base of its antennae. Myth landed and immediately started throwing fireballs at it. Each impact made it stagger and roar in pain.

Hermes drifted down, taking time to recover from what had turned out to be a strain on his energy despite having the trident…Or maybe because of it. He studied it again, trying to ascertain what quality its existing energy held that his father had hinted at. Then he remembered what he had discussed with the Ghast Mage about differences in physics depending on the reality. This trident had been imbued with powers from someone who was thunder god adjacent. All he needed to do was attune himself to its particular atmospheric frequency.

Well, as soon as there was time to try doing that. The Warden would have to be dealt with first. He watched Myth assault the creature with a barrage of fireballs until Myth himself was roaring in fury. The fireballs went from bright yellow to orange, and then to red. Apprehension prickled at Hermes; fire darkened like that when it was about to go out.

Myth’s roar dropped down to mere heavy breaths. He threw one last projectile that was more akin to a lump of charcoal than anything else. It hit the Warden on the side of its chest. The Warden responded with a sonic shriek that knocked Myth back a few steps. He steadied himself, although he now sounded desperate for air.

This made it easy for the Warden to lunge directly at him and grab at him. Myth ducked but the creature’s claws caught hold of his wings. Myth yelped. He was out of power. He could do nothing to stop the Warden from swinging him bodily into the wall not far from the hole it had been trying to create.

The Staff of Sanctuary clattered to the ground.

Cracks spread from those earlier gouges, reaching out to where Myth had impacted the wall. Myth smiled grimly. “Go ahead. See if you can finish me off, you stupid—!"

Hermes made a desperate mental pull on the trident’s energy hoping that just by coincidence he might align with its frequency. Unfortunately, for the moment there was no response beyond a tingling in his fingertips.

And then he had to cover his eyes as the Warden delivered a crushing blow to the center of Myth’s chest which was immediately followed by a brilliant explosion of fire that lit the entire passageway.

Hermes lowered his arms to see Myth in full undamaged form again, all of his feathers glowing yellow this time before darkening to orange like before. The phoenix’s eyes glowed brightly, too, and he paid the Warden back with a large fireball aimed straight into its exposed ribcage. The force of the resulting explosion’s shockwave affected the Warden, Myth, and the wall. The Warden howled as it expired. Myth was shoved right back against his initial impact spot. The wall cracked from both the pressure and the heat, with long vertical fissures racing upwards.

On both sides of the now-compromised wall, chunks of stone began to rain down. It included a piece with the patch of sculk.

Hermes grabbed onto that tingling feeling and used it to amplify his voice like a boom of thunder. “Everyone, get away from the wall!” He ran over to yank the dazed Myth out of the way as debris came tumbling down.

The havoc wasn’t enough to bring the entire wall down, thankfully. After everything stopped shaking and the sound of cracking stone stopped, the dust started to clear, revealing a gap just big enough for Myth and Hermes to squeeze through sideways. Hermes was greeted with a crushing hug from his father, who had a small trickle of blood running down the side of his face, likely caused by flying debris.

Peering around at the mess, Myth frowned at the chunk of wall that had sculk on it. It wasn’t bubbling nor was there any sculk vein spreading from it, but he now knew to be suspicious of any of it. He then glanced at his right hand, realizing he was missing something. He slipped back through the gap in the wall.

His fingers started to itch.

Myth found the end of the Staff sticking out from under the rubble that would have landed on him had Hermes not reacted so quickly. He knelt down to grasp the Staff and wiggled it a little to see if it was pinned by the fallen stone. It seemed to scrape slightly, but he was able to slide it out. When he lifted it and examined the crook for damage he saw that the gemstone had fractures running through it. It wasn’t broken yet, but he wondered what would happen to the Staff’s power if it did. He held the base of the crook tightly in one hand while tentatively reaching the other to touch the gemstone.

A jolt went through his brain upon contact. He heard what resembled the reversed sound of shattering glass. His breath appeared visible in front of his face as if he had exhaled steam or if the temperature had abruptly dropped to the cold of the grave. The lines of the fractures within the gemstones flashed blue-white for a split second, then, when he lowered his hand, the gemstone was whole again.

Myth blinked a few times and shook his head to clear it. “I should really give this thing back to the Protector,” he muttered. “It’s getting weird.”

However, as he started to squeeze through the gap to the other side while holding the Staff ahead of him, it was Hermes who took it from his grasp. “We’ve got another problem, mate.”

Myth emerged to see sculk patches forming in multiple spots along the walls around them like a stain soaking into cloth. The patch on the fallen chunk was trembling. The sound of stone crumbling grew louder. A second later, a new Warden emerged from the fallen chunk.

Myth gritted his teeth. They needed to go past it so they could find a stable part of the wall to get back on top. He clapped his hands together before approaching the Warden. Flames flickered from the corners of his eyes and along the tips of his wings as he fearlessly strode toward it. Despite being on a horizontal surface now, the Warden still needed to lever its way out of the sculk.

Just like the other one it had grayish-purple moss on its antennae and in its chest.

“Hey, mycelium monster!” Myth bellowed. “I think I know how you got like that! But I’m sure you don’t want to discuss it! So, come on! I’ve got plenty of fire where this comes from!” So saying, he began to throw fireballs aimed at the sculk that still enclosed the Warden’s legs, burning the blue-black substance.

Hermes passed the Staff to his father. In the half-second that both of them were touching it, Hermes felt a jolt that ran from that hand, up his arm, along his chest, then down his other arm to the trident. He was stunned speechless for the next breath as the jolt seemed to run down the length of the trident then bounce back the way it had come. He could feel that the weapon was vibrating in his grasp now. The tingling in his fingertips returned, buzzing in time with the trident.

Sausage seemed to be unaffected, merely gripping the Staff out of reflex as he took it from Hermes, murmuring, “He really just throws himself right at everything, huh?”

Hoping his father didn’t notice the waver in his voice from what he had just experienced, Hermes commented, “You know him better than us.”

“Well, I only met him once,” Sausage said. “But he did act the same back then, now that I think of it…”

Multiple rumblings rang out at once. The group went on alert, eyes being drawn to the various new patches of sculk that had appeared. Some were bubbling; some had bits of stone being flung out of them.

“Scott,” the Ghast Mage rasped, “Get them out of range, then be ready to skip us around.” He pointed to Rusty and Sausage, then stepped forward with smoke rising from the palms of his hands and from out of his mouth.

“Wait,” Sausage protested, “I can—”

Scott didn’t give him a chance to finish speaking. He grabbed the man and the golem by one arm each and disappeared in a burst of orange particles. They reappeared several meters down the passageway opposite the way they needed to go – which was, thankfully, free of the sculk infestation that had cropped up.

“—Help!” Sausage completed his proclamation. He glanced around, then squinted into the distance trying to glimpse the battle. He uttered a disappointed noise. “Why is everyone treating me like a helpless old man? I’m still the Guardian of Realities! Come on, now!”

“Instinct, I guess,” Scott replied. “And I think that title means we should keep you safe. Can you fight from a distance? Also, um, do you have any more food you can spare? I’m going to run out of energy fast if I follow Ghast-sage’s plan.”

As if on cue, they heard the cry of a ghast followed by explosions. A fiery glow blossomed at the other end of the passageway.

“Oh, of course! Food is still helpful, right? Eh-heheh…” Sausage chuckled meekly, then set his knapsack down to rummage through it. “I can cast spells from a distance – maybe not this distance, need to see the target, you know – but I guess I’ll use this chance to come up with something really good to use! Here you go!”

He handed Scott a bundle full of cookies. The transporter immediately shoved one into his mouth then spoke while chewing. “If you need to get closer, go slowly and watch out for new sculk appearing.” He swallowed then patted Rusty on the head. “You stay over here, okay? You need to keep safe, too.”

Another ghast shriek reached them. Scott disappeared, leaving Sausage to watch the particles flicker out as they fell to the ground. He let out a breath. “You know, Rusty, I’ve been meaning to retire. I can never resist an adventure, but maybe I should admit to myself that I really am too old for it.”

“That’s an odd thing to say.”

“Well, I kinda doubt I’m going to be given another chance to start over and the way I ended up coming into this life was probably not how it’s supposed to go plus I had a good run this time around, getting to spend time raising my adopted children, even if my soul missed out on the first twenty-something years of it.”

“What’s wrong with you?”

“It – It’s kind of a long story,” Sausage stuttered. “I’ll tell you on the way. Let’s get to some sneakin’, and I’ll do what I can to help out those scary fire-wielding versions of me!”

~*~*~

Translations:

Mijo – son

Triste pájaro de fuego – sorrowful firebird

To be Continued in [ Chapter Five ]

[ghostiebeech]

Mushy May Day 2: (Cowbell centered fics: “I made this for you”

Hello again. I think Cowbell needs more love so I am going to try to do Mushy May centered on my beloved creature Cowbell Ghoul.  This one is centered around Era IV.  Zephyr and Ifrit are gone (personally I HC them as not dead or anything sad just gone, back to the pit maybe, but my baby Cowbell is still chilling). 

I did not proof read this, if you see something weird, no you didn’t.  Enjoy!

Special thanks again to one of my favorite blogs @forlorn-crows​ for compiling the list of prompts.   

Rating: Everyone

Pairings: None.  Just a bunch of pack love. 

Word Count: ~400

Summary:  There’s a clothing thief at the ministry.  Cowbell is a crafty little thing.

Various bits of clothing had been going missing around the ministry for weeks now.  A bunch of shirts, pairs or pants, even socks!  

“What kind of crazy bastard steals somebody’s socks?” Swiss was mourning the loss of a pair of socks depicting a great white shark drinking a martini.  

Numerous siblings and members of the clergy were interrogated by the pack.  Little did they know, the thief was inside their ranks. 

Cowbell was struck with a great idea shortly before the new era of ghouls went on their tour of North America.  The ghoul had seen one of the sibling’s dogs napping on a blanket seemingly made from different t-shirts.  

Cowbell quickly got to work, sneaking into the ghouls bedrooms, snatching anything soft and eye-catching.  Nothing was safe.  Not even underwear.

The band ghouls had returned from a particularly grueling practice to find their missing articles of clothing thrown on the nest in the common room.

Upon further inspection, the pile of clothing appeared to be stitched together neatly into a large blanket.  The pack looked upon the blanket in awe, pointing out their previously thought to be lost  items of clothing.  

A shy chitter brought the pack back to reality.  Behind them stood Cowbell, looking at the floor.

The ghoulettes squealed and ran over to the multi ghoul, “Cowbell baby, did you make this?!”

Cowbell looked up at the pretty ghoulettes with a big smile.  

Love pack. 

Aether, Mountain, and Dew knew better than anybody how much Cowbell missed their previous pack.  Zephyr and Ifrit leaving left a big hole on the little ghoul’s big heart.  Aether, Mountain, and Dew were able to integrate with the new members of the pack quickly through tours and band practice, but for Cowbell it took a little longer.  Cowbell could get along with anybody.  They’d even been seen having an animated, signed conversation with a rock.  However, it took the new ghouls time to get used to the little ghoul’s quirks.

Dewdrop pulled his fellow gremlin into a big hug, “We love you, buddy.”

The rest of the ghouls had already begun to form a ghoul pile.  Aether picked up Cowbell, carefully playing them in the middle between Dew and Rain.  

Purrs and sounds of contentment filled the room as one by one each of the ghouls fell asleep.  Cowbell stayed awake, happy, surrounded by almost everybody they loved.  

[beardedmrbean]

A 30-ton shipment of a chemical that can be used as fertilizer or an explosive is missing from a California-bound railroad car after rail officials confirmed it disappeared during a trip across the West last month.

The railcar, loaded with 61,000 pounds of ammonium nitrate, left Cheyenne, Wyoming on April 12, a Union Pacific spokesperson told USA TODAY Tuesday. Two weeks later it was found empty at a rail stop in the California Mojave Desert, according to a report filed with the federal National Response Center on May 10.

Dyno Nobel, an explosives manufacturer, told local station KQED News the material − "transported in pellet form in a covered hopper car similar to those used to ship coal" − likely fell from a rail car on the way to a rail siding (a short track connecting with the main track) about 30 miles from Mojave in Kern County, just east of Bakersfield.

"The railcar was sealed when it left the Cheyenne facility, and the seals were still intact when it arrived in Saltdale," the company told the outlet. "The initial assessment is that a leak through the bottom gate on the railcar may have developed in transit."

In addition to Dyno, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) and Union Pacific are investigating the case.

Neither the FRA nor CPUC could immediately be reached by USA TODAY on Tuesday morning.

'Seal still intact'

Officials told KQED the railcar was transported back to Wyoming where it will be inspected.

"At this point in the investigation, we do not believe there is any criminal or malicious activity involved," said Kristen South, a spokesperson for Union Pacific, who works with its customers to investigate any loss of commodity or damaged freight.

"Our investigation is in its early stages because the customer recently reported the possible loss of fertilizer from one compartment of a multi-compartment railcar," South told USA TODAY Tuesday. "The fertilizer is designed for ground application and quick soil absorption. If the loss resulted from a railcar leak over the course of transportation from origin to destination, the release should pose no risk to public health or the environment."

What is ammonium nitrate?

Ammonium nitrate is explosive under certain conditions. Mixed with something flammable and exposed to flame, it can explode.

Timothy McVeigh used 2 tons of ammonium nitrate mixed with fuel oil to destroy the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, killing 168 people in 1995.

But it's not a danger that exists in many places. That's because the chemical, once a popular fertilizer, is rarely used these days, USA TODAY reported in 2013.

Ammonium nitrate was the main suspected chemical in a Texas explosion that killed 14 people in April 2013.

The explosion at West Fertilizer Co. also injured more than 200 and left at least 50 homes uninhabitable.

[merrybrides]

8 Wedding Cake Trends

1. Heart-Shaped Cakes

We can't get enough of this adorable wedding cake trend—and you might have even already spotted it popping up on your social media feeds. Heart-shaped wedding cakes are all about whimsical details and over-the-top embellishments, which you'll love if you're into maximalist style. The Lambeth-inspired cakes, usually decorated in pastel colors like pink, purple, yellow, green or blue, are often topped off with bright red cherries that complete their vintage look. Not sure you want to try this trend for your wedding day? Heart-shaped cakes are just as cute at engagement parties, bridal showers and rehearsal dinners.

2. Garden Patch Cakes

Florals for wedding cakes? Groundbreaking. But really—in 2024, fresh flowers will adorn cakes in new ways that evoke a more abstract, organic look than ever before. Instead of meticulously placed clusters of blooms or elaborate flowers cascading down fondant tiers, the concept of this wedding cake trend is to use florals in a way that feels like they sprouted directly out of the cake. It's giving simple cottagecore garden wedding—just add a sweet gingham or checkered tablecloth. Editor's note: Your wedding cake baker and wedding florist can help you choose food-safe flowers, which is important to keep in mind when adding any type of plant or natural element to your cake.

3. Ribbons and Bows

Dainty bows are already trending for hair accessories and wedding fashion, and they'll be making their way onto wedding cakes, too. This trend is a throwback to wedding cakes of the early 2000's, and today's version falls perfectly in line with the popular coquette and balletcore aesthetics. Expect to see bows on cakes in all sizes and forms, from actual ribbons to sugar bows made of fondant, meringue or hand-piped icing. Try this pretty idea if you're into understated and timeless details, since you won't need to add many other embellishments (if any) to your cake.

4. Wavy Piping

This wedding cake trend is unlike anything we've ever seen before, and we're a little obsessed. Wavy piping, ruffled buttercream and squiggly meringue accents are all bringing unique dimension to wedding cakes. The basket weave piping technique with a wavy look around the circumference of the cake stemmed from the inspiration of 1920s women's hair styles—the short bobs with their finger waves. I love the sensual and feminine look it adds, but how it also creates depth and structure. Each ribbon belt is different to emphasize the individuality of my cakes and to the corresponding client. No two cakes are ever alike.

5. Textural and Tonal Cakes

Understated luxury, anyone? Bridging the gap between super-simple wedding cakes and highly detailed creations, monochromatic textured cakes give you the best of both worlds. An all-white color palette tones down the overall look of the cake, but upon closer inspection, the details keep it far from boring.

6. Extra-Grand Wedding Cakes

Now that big weddings are back in full swing, the desserts have to be equally as impactful. After all, what's a party without cake? The cake is now center stage again. It's a vital part of decor and getting dressed up more than ever. Extra-tall cakes (think six and seven tiers or more) will tower above dessert tables, creating a focal point at your reception venue and giving you the ultimate cake-cutting photo opportunity. And the cake itself is just the beginning—lavish embellishments and add-ons will take the whole display to the next level. Lots of flowers, not just on the cake, but surrounding the table so that it feels more like a focal art piece than a dessert.

7. Sheet Cakes

If you're going the casual route for your wedding day, consider skipping the multi-tier cake for a one-tier sheet cake instead. But if you think this is your average grocery store sheet cake, think again. What makes this wedding cake trend so noteworthy is that the sheet cakes are decorated just as much as (if not more than) vertical cakes, complete with fresh flowers, intricate piping and other decorative techniques. The main difference? Because of their horizontal design, sheet cakes won't need as much structural support—and they're a great option to maximize the amount of cake you can serve at once.

8. Unique Cake Flavors

There's always going to be a time and place for classic vanilla sponge cake and buttercream frosting, but you don't have to play it safe on your wedding day. If trusty standbys like chocolate or red velvet just aren't doing it for you, draw inspiration from experimental avant-garde menus and seasonal flavors instead.

I truly believe in keeping things seasonal and I hope that the wedding cake industry can tune in more to this. I believe we will see more focus on seasonality and the use of various grains with a different twist on traditional flavor pairings. Think certain fruit fillings infused with various spices or herbs, such as citrus and coriander, or my all-time favorite and go-to: strawberry and bay leaf jam.

[averysexyleon]

Miranda's Crystal making vs Ethan and Roses

She had similar black spots on her skin.  Fluid trickling from her nose.  She was choking, and speaking rapidly in Romanian.  Ethan’s heart began to beat faster at the sight of her, but this was not Miranda in the flesh (or the mold.)  It was simply a memory.  The memory he’d asked to see.  Miranda braced herself up, pulling the buttons on her dress shirt aside to reveal more blackened splotches.  

He had no idea what she was saying, but now the woman grimaced, grasping one of the wounds with her thin fingers.  She extended her other hand, and a mycelial root slithered into it, linking her directly to the mold’s network.  The disgusting branches writhed around her almost expectantly and she screamed in pain, grasping at the stomach wounds. 

Ethan’s glare was intense as he watched her other hand, the one extended, reach out and turn palm up.  For a moment, Miranda’s eyes turned white, or rolled back in her head, and then from her palm, spikes danced and churned.  Her screams of pain turned to a rather gasping sort of maniacal laugh.  Miranda’s eyes shot open as she watched the crystal grow in her palm.  After another several moments she cradled it in both hands, her laugh less relief and more crazed power seeking as the woman’s fingers danced over the item. She grasped it so hard that her fingers were cut all over and began to bleed black, but she didn't even seem to notice. 

The crystal shone bright white, so bright it was almost blue, but as Miranda continued to caress it, it dimmed to a silvery sheen.  In a flash the image was gone, leaving Ethan to stare at a particular patch of nothing in the garden. 

With a nod of resolve, he dipped down to one knee and Maricara stood the toddler in her pajamas on the ground.  Rose was undeterred by the chill on her socks, and she immediately made her way to Ethan, her chubby fingers grabbing his thumbs. 

Ethan smiled at her, the babbles causing him to lose focus, but now he could feel the pull from the ground.  Stronger now.  He lowered both long legs, tucking them underneath him, feeling the bite of cold ground as he settled forward.  There was a growing sort of energy around the pair of them, and he wondered what it meant.  

As if reading Ethan’s mind--or perhaps he just felt the buzzing himself, as a creature of electricity, Heisenberg raised a palm and brought a magnetic field around the group.  The act didn’t change the engineer’s expression at all, but years melted from the Roma woman’s face as she basked in the strange magic that no doubt had filled her youth.  And Rose squealed as she always did whenever Karl did…well, pretty much anything.  

Ethan didn’t even have to ask for help this time.  It seemed like the most natural thing in the world, to tear this ‘essence’ as the Duke liked calling it, from his body.  The fluctuating and rotating fields moved around them like a pulse, urging the spirits? Souls? Forward.  Rose felt like an oppositional magnet to him, pulling what felt like splinters toward his upturned palms.  The white beads of--sweat? Mold? Now began to look like salt crystals, forming over the surface of his palm and cracking as they expanded in several directions.  

Maricara nodded almost knowingly, but Heisenberg’s was a true face of wonder as he gazed at the pair.  Though she was silent, Eva’s form was visible here and she clapped.  After several more seconds, Ethan exhaled deeply and realized that the pain and odd sensations in his body had left him during the process.  

And now he had two crystals, one in each palm.  They were translucent white, full of spikes, resembling multi-pointed stars.  The blond now clasped them and turned his hands over, inspecting his often ill-fated fingers.  

Healed, normal.  

One crystal was dropped as he clawed over his torso.  No wounds. 

Karl dropped the field abruptly and metal clanged to the ground all around them.  

“I’ll be damned,” came Heisenberg’s voice.  

[hotpotrandomfics]

Riordanverse OC Profile: Emilio Victor (V.) Silverio-Azarello

Full Name: Emilio Victor (V.) Silverio-Azarello

Alias/Nicknames: Em, V., Dark Knight, Styx's Problem Child, River Boy

Godly Lineage: Styx (mother), Kymopoleia (ancestor), Guabancex (ancestor)

Gender: Male

Age: 20

Birthday: August, 7th

Sexuality: Heterosexual

Species: Demigod

Language: English, Spanish, French, Portugues, Cantonese, Ancient Greek

Hairstyle, Hair Color: Undercut with Medium Fade, Obsidian Black

Eye Shape and Color: Upturned and Obsidian Black

Lip Shape: Bow Shaped

Nose Shape: Straight

Face Shape: Oval

Body Type: 

Mesomorph

Swimmer-toned physique

Extra Traits: 

Birthmarks

Left Cheek Bone

Right Collarbone

Left Shoulder

Scars:

Right shoulder, hydra claw

Left oblique, sword

Height: 5'10

Skin tone: Almond Brown

Ethnicities: Puerto Rican, Dominican, Brazilian, Spanish

Style of dress: Natural, relaxed but functional. Jeans, running sneakers or hiking boots, t-shirts or plaid long sleeves, a pair of rings in one hand with one ring on the opposite. Colors of olive green, forest green, black, grey, and white.

Personality: At first glance, they appear self-centered or intolerant but on closer inspection, they're pragmatic, honest, and compassionate, especially to those who've been harmed or wronged unjustly.

Strengths: Adaptability, Perseverance, Humility

Flaws: Pushes others away, self-confidence

Fatal flaw: Excessive Personal Loyalty

Likes and Hobbies: Latin American and Italian coffee, medium-rare cooked meats, martial arts tournaments, dogs, cats, and otters

Dislikes: Promise breakers, liars, heavy sweets, and people pleasers

Voice: Crisp and ethereal

Fears or Phobias: Atychiphobia 

Favorite Color: Sea Green

Favorite animal: Otters

Favorite possession: N/A

Favorite food: Churrasco steak with rice, beans, and fried yuca root

Least Favourite food: War Heads

Love interest: N/A

Best friends: N/A

Friends: N/A

Enemies: N/A

Rivals: N/A

Powers:

Hydrokinesis (Includes):

Water Immunity

Water Solidification

Water Empowerment

Toxikinesis (limited)

Atmokinesis (Includes):

Aerokinesis

Storm Spirit Communication

Oath Binding (Includes):

Necromancy 

Umbrakinesis (Includes):

Shadow Travel

Odikinesis

Hypnokinesis

Enhanced Strength

Enhanced Durability

Enhanced Stamina

Weapon(s):

Oath's Bane (multi-formed weapon, Kali/Eskrima sticks initially form) 

Kali/Eskrima Sticks: Stygian Iron/Silver

Baat Jaam Do (Butterfly Sword): Stygian Iron/Silver

Luk Dim Boon Kwun (6 & 1/2 Pole) Stygian Iron/Silver

Fighting style(s):

Unarmed:

Wing Chun

Kali/Eskrima

Pencak Silat

Kickboxing

Jiu Jitsu

Armed:

Swordsmanship

Wing Chun

Kali/Eskrima

Pencak Silat

Archery

Backstory: Born to a reformed criminal turned lawyer, Emilio grew up in Tampa, Florida, and was raised by his father, Enrique, who served in the state attorney office of the city. Emilio didn't care for much as his father provided all he needed but never allowed his son to have anything without fulfilling some promise or obligation. An effective method to prevent his son from becoming a spoiled brat, Enrique enrolled the young boy in multiple martial arts schools to help him develop discipline and mental fortitude especially given that he could potentially become a target because of his father's past. 

During hurricane season when he was seven, Emilio saw three women from his window in the middle of the bay. They appeared to be arguing as the hurricane became more violent so did the body language of those women. To his surprise, they all pointed in his direction and he ran to his father as he was in the middle of going over a case. Comforting his son, Enrique assured Emilio he was safe and that his eyes were playing tricks on him. Eventually, the young boy would peer into the veil that was the Mist and question what happened during that storm and why one of the women stared at him with a mix of pain, contempt, and something else...

[inky-snowdrop]

Mortal Kombat 11: Civil War

A Mortal Kombat Multi-Chapter Fanfiction

Pairings: Mileena/Scorpion || Hanzo Hasashi, Kitana/SubZero || Kuai Liang (implied), Sonya Blade/Erron Black

Rating: M (18+)

(canon-typical violence, implied sexual content, strong language, cannibalism, graphic descriptions of blood, gore and death)

Originally Written In: 2015

Notes: I wrote this a very long time ago before MK11 came out... This has literally nothing to do with the canon MK11 lore and follows directly after the events of MKX. Basically, if I worked at Netherrealm Studios, this is what MK11 would look like.

Prologue || Chapter 1 ->

The first thing she felt was a pain on her face. It was quite painful so she moved her hand to her face. She yelped in pain as her razor sharp teeth cut her skin, leaving a gash on her hand. The girl then opened her eyes, the amber eyes gleaming in the darkness of the flesh pits. She stared at her nails, which were a sharpened to a point. She quickly cut her bondages and slowly stood to her feet. All around her was the smell of blood and death. There were also bodies, each an exact copy of her. She inhaled the smell and smiled broadly. "I have been sleeping for a long time," she purred as she walked towards the nearest body. "Perhaps I'll just have a taste..."

🥀🪦🥀🪦🥀🪦🥀🪦🥀🪦🥀🪦🥀🪦🥀🪦🪦🥀🪦🥀🪦🥀🪦🥀🪦🥀🪦🥀🪦🥀🪦🥀

Prologue - Mileena

She then jumped onto the body and bit down hard on the things neck. There was a gurgling sound as blood erupted from its neck, soaking her. She merely laughed as she licked herself clean. The body's meat tasted delicious to the girl and she was eager to try more, but then she heard a far of sound. The sound of yelling. Almost immediately, the girl was engulfed with pink magik. She smiled as she reappeared behind one of the giant test tubes. As she peered around, she saw three figures approach. One was the color of the sun. The girl's hands formed fists as she shook with rage. She remembered the name of the creature before her. 'D'vorah,' She seethed silently.

D'vorah looked around the chamber with a satisfied look on her face. "This one thinks we should dispose of this monstrosities," D'vorah said as she kicked the closest body, knocking its head off with a snap. She turned to face the two Tarkatans in front of her. "Kotal Kahn expects nothing to remain of Mileena. Quickly so we may leave this wretched place!"

The girl could barely control her anger as the Tarkatans made haste removing the bodies by chopping them into pieces and feeding them to D'vorah's pet bugs. 'It would be so easy to slit their throats,' The girl thought bitterly as pink magik enveloped her once more. 'Too easy…' The girl reappeared behind the first Tarkatan, grasping him tightly around the throat. He let a gasp as the girl ripped his throat open with her claws. Blood splattered everywhere. She set him down silently so not to disturb D'vorah. Trying not to make a sound, she crept over the now dead body towards the Kytinn, who now was inspecting the glass test tubes. The girl quickly crawled right behind the second Tarkatan and ripped his leg off. He howled in pain before the girl could silence him, biting down on his horror written face. D'vorah spun around in time to see the girl throw the leg at her head. D'vorah quickly ducked out of the way and grabbed the leg with one of her tentacle like arms. The girl emerged from behind D'vorah, reaching for her head, but D'vorah stung her with one of her tentacles instead. She ripped a giant gash from the top of the girl's left breast to the bottom of her right thigh. She then threw the girl to the floor in front of her and stung her in the stomach. But before she could finish her off, the girl disappeared in a cloud of pink magik and reappeared behind D'vorah. D'vorah then got a good look at the girl's face. Though she was not wearing her signature pink, D'vorah recognized the girl's face anywhere.

"Mileena," She hissed as she got into a fighting stance.

"Hello D'vorah," Mileena replied, her voice dripping with venom. "Let us Dance."

🪦🥀🪦🥀🪦🥀🪦🥀🪦🥀🪦🥀🪦🥀🪦🥀🥀🪦🥀🪦🥀🪦🥀🪦🥀🪦🥀🪦🥀🪦🥀🪦

🥀🪦🥀🪦🥀🪦🥀🪦🥀🪦🥀🪦🥀🪦🥀🪦🪦🥀🪦🥀🪦🥀🪦🥀🪦🥀🪦🥀🪦🥀🪦🥀

[fbiinspectiontechnology]

The Ultimate Guide to Protecting Your Manufacturing Investment in Asia

In today's global marketplace, manufacturing in Asia represents both an incredible opportunity and a significant challenge for businesses worldwide. While the region offers competitive advantages, protecting your manufacturing investment requires careful planning and robust quality assurance measures. This comprehensive guide will walk you through essential strategies to safeguard your interests and ensure consistent product quality.

Understanding the Stakes in Asian Manufacturing

When venturing into Asian manufacturing, companies often focus primarily on cost savings. However, successful businesses understand that protecting their investment goes far beyond initial pricing considerations. Manufacturing safeguards must be implemented from the very beginning to prevent quality issues, production delays, and potential financial losses.

One business owner recently shared, "We learned the hard way that saving on quality control meant paying double in product returns and reputation damage. Now we know better – prevention is always cheaper than cure."

Essential Steps to Protect Your Investment

1. Thorough Initial Assessment

Before committing to any manufacturing partnership, conducting a comprehensive factory audit is crucial. This initial step helps you:

Evaluate production capabilities

Assess management systems

Verify compliance with international standards

Identify potential risks early in the process

A professional factory audit provides invaluable insights into your potential partner's operations and helps prevent future complications.

2. Implementing Quality Control Systems

Quality control forms the backbone of successful manufacturing operations. Working with experienced quality control inspectors ensures that:

Product specifications are met consistently

Materials meet required standards

Production processes follow established protocols

Defects are caught before shipment

Remember, quality isn't expensive – it's priceless when it comes to protecting your brand's reputation.

3. Regular Monitoring and Inspection

Establishing a reliable third party inspection process is vital for maintaining consistent quality standards. These inspections should occur at various stages:

Pre-production evaluation

During-production checks

Pre-shipment inspection

Loading supervision

Regular monitoring helps identify issues early, allowing for timely corrections and preventing costly mistakes.

Building Strong Quality Assurance Framework

Successful manufacturing in Asia requires a multi-layered approach to quality assurance. Consider implementing:

Clear Quality Standards

Document detailed product specifications, acceptable quality limits (AQL), and testing requirements. This documentation serves as a reference point for both manufacturers and inspectors.

Regular Communication

Maintain open channels with your manufacturing partners. Regular video calls, progress reports, and site visits help ensure alignment with your quality expectations.

Professional Quality Control Team

Whether in-house or through third-party services, having dedicated quality control personnel is essential. These professionals understand local manufacturing practices and can effectively communicate with factory staff.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Learning from others' experiences can help you navigate common challenges:

Inadequate Specification Documentation Unclear or incomplete specifications often lead to quality issues. Ensure all requirements are documented in detail.

Relying Solely on Factory QC While factory quality control is important, independent third-party inspection provides unbiased verification of quality standards.

Irregular Monitoring Consistent oversight is key to maintaining quality standards. Sporadic inspections often lead to gradual quality deterioration.

Investing in Long-term Success

Protecting your manufacturing investment in Asia is an ongoing process that requires dedication and resources. Consider these long-term strategies:

Relationship Building

Strong relationships with manufacturers often lead to better communication and higher quality standards. However, maintain professional oversight through regular factory audits and inspections.

Continuous Improvement

Work with your manufacturing partners to implement continuous improvement programs. This might include:

Regular training sessions

Process optimization

Quality system updates

Technology upgrades

Making the Right Choice

When selecting quality assurance partners, consider their:

Experience in your industry

Local presence and understanding

Communication capabilities

Technical expertise

Track record of success

The Path Forward

Protecting your manufacturing investment in Asia requires a balanced approach combining rigorous quality control, regular monitoring, and strong partnerships. While the initial investment in proper quality assurance might seem significant, it typically represents a fraction of the potential costs of quality failures.

Remember, successful manufacturing in Asia isn't just about finding the lowest price – it's about building sustainable partnerships that deliver consistent quality while protecting your investment for the long term.

By implementing these strategies and working with experienced quality assurance professionals, you can significantly reduce risks and build a successful manufacturing operation in Asia. The key is remaining vigilant and maintaining consistent oversight of your manufacturing processes.

Start implementing these practices today to protect your manufacturing investment and ensure long-term success in Asian manufacturing. The effort you invest in quality assurance will pay dividends in product quality, customer satisfaction, and brand reputation.

[muhammedfayasma]

Critical analysis

Ben Labidi, I. (2020) ‘Representation and emancipation: Cinema of the oppressed’, International Journal of Cultural Studies, 24(2), pp. 250–265. doi:10.1177/1367877920959338. 

This article is written by Imed Bin Labidi, an assistant professor of media and cultural studies at the doha institute of graduate studies. Published in the international journal of cultural studies, it discusses the issue of representation of palestinians in cinema, how cinema has been used by their oppressors to show a black and white representation of them that strip them of their humanity and how different palestinian filmmakers are using the medium of cinema to fight against such portrayals,providing a more nuanced image of their culture. My analysis will be focused on pages 258-262, chapter titled “discourse of intervention”.

The author starts by analysing different scenarios of resistance depicted in 3 different palestinian films. The first case study being Tawfek saleh’s “the dupes” an adaptation of Ghasan Khanafi work. The author highlights the various ways in which Tawfek Saleh forces the viewer to reconsider their perception of Palestinians as either the oppressed or oppressor. He states that Saleh achieves this by engaging in self critique of his own culture and its generational intricacies, helping to paint a picture of Palestinians as individuals with flaws and weaknesses, who can be conflicted and selfish, but ultimately human. By crafting tales of solidarity as well as criticism of a wider global audience, the author highlights how Saleh’s films speak to both a need for Palestinians to remain united in the face of an overwhelming force but also how the Arab leadership has failed in aiding the downtrodden, which has earned it a blacklist that still continues to this day in some of those countries. The article continues to expand on the cinematic and narrative techniques Saleh employs to achieve these effects.

The author highlights how Saleh incorporated different aspects of both second and third cinema movements, defying genre conventions and employing various cinematic techniques that clearly showcase both soviet and neorealist influences. He talks about how these techniques are employed in what appears to be a straightforward political commentary but which upon further inspection conveys a clear message against abandoning one's home, wilfully continuing to live under occupation and the need to keep fighting. A point driven home further by highlighting the difference in endings between the filmmaker and original author of the story. After the analysis of “the dupes”, the author moves on to the next scenario of resistance in the film “Rana’s wedding”.

The author highlights how the form of resistance shown in “Rana’s wedding” is one that is portrayed through the personal dilemmas of the character that is seamlessly interwoven in the collective struggle. By setting the story in real locations, the author makes the case that the film is able to give a very detailed picture of what it is like to live day to day in Palestine, how oppression is present in the smallest of actions like walking to places, realities that are rarely shown and discussed in the depiction of minorities. 

The author also points out how it's not just highlighting the oppression but also about how the people are fighting back against them, using a critic’s quote the author expands on how the movie showcases the role and the integral participation of palestinian women in the resistance against occupation. Highlighting the religious persecution, economic disenfranchisement and issues of women's rights. Rana’s wedding also portrays the multi-religious and pluralistic aspect of Palestinian culture which common portrayal misses out on. The movie according to the author also combines different genres as well as international elements that help heighten and make its points while also very much staying grounded in the day to day reality. 

The third and final film the author discusses is the “eyes of a thief”, The characters backstory is based on a true story where resistance was met with violence, but the film instead of advocating or glorifying it chooses to focus on the personal struggles of the character. It showcases the physical and social changes that occurred in Palestine while exploring the universal complexities of human interaction and behavior. The struggle to lead a normal life under occupation becomes the central focus. The author also highlights how the movie, just like “Rana’s wedding” showcases the multifaceted aspects of palestinian culture, even having meta elements of artists from different nationalities who play important roles in the movie, coming together to showcase an authentic palestinian experience. 

The author analyses three films that showcase different palestinian reactions towards occupation and the different cinematic techniques used to convey the narrative and reality inorder to change existing biased perceptions of Palestinians as people and as a society. The strength of the article comes from the nuances that the author is able to highlight in each of these films as well as showing how both palestinian history and the history of cinema has influenced the depiction of those nuances. 

The article also sadly is one that is still relevant with the events of 2024 and the way Palestine has been portrayed in various forms of media and calls for  and highlights the importance for more authentic portrayals of not just Palestinians. It applies to not just Palestinians but minorities everywhere, some of whom come into criticism due to types of token representation in popular media, aimed to simply please instead of inviting critical thinking, which has an even worse implication of minority representations being reduced to very stereotypical aspects. It is a topic that while I was interested in I did not know much about and this article has helped me in understanding the nuances of representation that I hope to achieve in my own work one day. 

[msp234]

The-Ways-&-Means-to-Increase-Life-&-Performance-of-Lead-Acid-Batteries

Lead-acid batteries, which involve UPS batteries and UPS batteries, have existed for more than a hundred years and are used in an assortment of applications, such as power backup systems, like the APC UPS battery. Such batteries are long-lasting, but inexpensive, and while they can be very productive if handled with care and proper maintenance, as well as optimal usage conditions. This article provides detailed strategies in the enhancement of life and performance of lead-acid batteries, which focus primarily on APC UPS systems and other UPS battery configurations.

Understanding Basics of Lead Acid Batteries

The lead-acid battery is one of the popular UPS batteries; lead-acid battery functioning is derived from a chemical reaction by lead plates with sulfuric acid resulting in electrical energy. It involves the major core components associated with lead acid battery construction:

Lead Plates Lead dioxide in the positive and sponge lead in the negative are associated with the production of this battery.

Electrolyte Solution: The sulfuric acid (battery electrolyte) solution facilitates the chemical reaction and enables energy generation.

Discharge and Recharge Cycle: The acid, in a discharge cycle, reacts with the lead plates to generate energy; in the recharge cycle, this is reversed. Without proper care, sulfation, loss of electrolytes, or physical damage to the plates can degrade the UPS batteries over time. For optimal system ups battery performance, it is critical to understand the ups type, the function of ups, and the best battery for ups.

1. Employ Proper Charging Practices

Probably one of the most important parameters of ensuring lead-acid battery life expansion is proper charging. Of the various causes of battery failure, poor charging techniques rank atop. Therefore, by following some of these methods, you would ensure long-term performance:

Avoid Overcharging: Overcharging a battery causes the electrolyte to evaporate, generates extreme heat, and warps the lead plates. For this reason, use smart chargers that automatically cut off when the battery is fully charged.

Avoid Undercharging: If the lead-acid batteries are allowed to go deep undercharge, they develop sulfation, which is the process of forming lead sulfate crystals on the battery plates. It gradually reduces the capacity to hold a charge and exhausts the overall battery capacity. Always recharge the UPS batteries before they go too deep undercharge.

Stage Charging: This refers to charging the battery in stages, namely, the bulk, absorption, and float stages. A multi-stage charger is ideal for UPS battery systems because it optimally regulates the voltage and current at different points of the charge cycle.

Use Trickle Charging for Idle Batteries: If the battery isn't in regular use, such as APC UPS batteries that serve as backup power, a trickle charger can help maintain it at optimal charge. This prevents overcharging while keeping the battery ready for use.

2. Perform Regular Maintenance and Inspections

Regular inspection and cleaning of lead-acid batteries are necessary to ensure their continued efficiency. Many users neglect routine battery maintenance, which can lead to preventable failures. Here's what to focus on:

Clean the Battery Terminals: Corrosion may collect on the terminals of the battery, preventing electricity from flowing. Clean the terminals regularly with a solution of baking soda and water. Once cleaned, apply a protective coating like petroleum jelly to prevent future corrosion.

Monitor Electrolyte Levels: For flooded lead-acid batteries, the right battery electrolyte levels are essential. If the electrolyte falls below a certain level, it exposes the lead plates to air, which is irreversible. Distilled water should be used to top up the electrolyte because tap water contains minerals that can damage the internal components of the battery.

Check for Leaks and Fractures: Regularly examine the casing of the battery to check for signs of leakage or physical damage. A battery that leaks should be managed promptly since sulfuric acid can be dangerous to components of the battery and even the environment.

Ensure Proper Ventilation: When charging lead-acid batteries, ensure they are in a well-ventilated area. These batteries emit hydrogen gas during charging (battery ventilation), which can be dangerous if confined to a small space.

3. Control and Optimize Operating Temperature

Temperature is one of the most significant factors that affect the life and performance of lead-acid batteries. Both extreme heat and cold can damage the battery, so temperature management is key to longevity. The ideal UPS room temperature is usually between 20°C to 25°C (68°F to 77°F):

Avoid Overheating: Excessive heat is bad for lead-acid batteries. When the temperature exceeds the recommended operating range, the chemical reactions in the battery increase, making the battery age faster. So, keep your UPS batteries in a temperature-controlled environment, especially if you're using high-performance systems such as APC UPS batteries.

Cold Weather Performance: In very cold temperatures, lead-acid batteries lose the ability to retain a charge. When it gets very cold, the electrolyte of the battery can even freeze and thus cause permanent damage to the battery. For such an environment, keep the battery in a warm area or use a battery heater if necessary.

Installation of Temperature Sensors: For any high-performance UPS battery like an APC UPS battery, a temperature monitoring system investment allows one to control charging cycles based on real-time temperature readings such that the battery always operates at safe limits.

4. Conduct Regular Capacity Testing

The battery capacity of your lead-acid batteries should be tested regularly to determine the overall health of the batteries. Capacity tests help to identify failing batteries and avoid unexpected downtime in critical systems.

Load Testing: This is the process of discharging a battery under a controlled load to measure its actual capacity. UPS batteries can be tested by connecting a load bank to the battery and observing the rate of discharge and recovery time. Regular load testing helps identify whether the battery is losing its capacity to hold a full charge.

Perform Voltage Checks: Periodic voltage checks indicate the battery's overall state. A fully charged lead-acid battery should have a voltage between 12.6V and 12.8V. Anything lower may indicate sulfation or other issues.

Look for Signs of Battery Aging: Decline in voltage, inability to maintain the charge, or extended duration to get a charge are an indicator that it is coming near to the end. Consider changing the older APC UPS batteries to ensure continued power protection.

5. Preventing and Managing Sulfation

This is the primary reason why lead-acid batteries fail over time; sulfation occurs when the crystals of lead sulfate build on the battery plates, which make the ability of the battery to carry a charge diminished. Prevention strategies for sulfation

Use a Desulfation Charger: If your lead-acid battery has started to reveal signs of sulfation, a desulfation charger will break down the lead sulfate crystals and reverse the process. This is particularly useful if the batteries have been stored for long periods in discharged states.

Avoid Deep Discharge: Frequent deep discharge of the battery to very low levels, below 20% capacity, accelerates sulfation. Always recharge the UPS batteries before they become deeply discharged.

Equalization Charging: Some chargers have an equalization mode, which overcharges the battery at a controlled rate to balance the cells and break down any sulfation that has started to build up. This should be done with caution to avoid overcharging.

6. Balancing Loads for Even Distribution

Distributing the load evenly across your UPS batteries is another factor in extending the battery life. Overloading or constantly drawing too much power stresses the battery and thus shortens its lifespan.

Monitor the Load on UPS Systems: The devices connected to the UPS batteries should not exceed the recommended capacity. If the load exceeds the rating, the UPS will have to work harder, leading to overheating and faster battery discharge.

Use Battery Balancers: where large-scale applications are carried out with the use of lots of lead-acid batteries installed in parallel or series, balancing the load can be perfectly done by using a balancer so that no two batteries are overloaded while leaving others idle.

_______________

7. Invest in Quality Batteries and Accessories

A key fact to maintain a lead acid battery life span is ensuring to purchase a good and quality batteries from the commencement. Buying inexpensive or mediocre batteries saves one money immediately but has less lifespan than a short-span battery plus lower performances by the overall battery. https://www.msplgroup.com

[nnglazing]

Aluminium Door and Window in Muswell Hill: Affordable Prices & Premium Quality

Nestled in the heart of Muswell Hill, N10, lies a growing trend: modern aluminium door and window in muswell hill. With a sleek, contemporary design and practical benefits, these installations are transforming homes across North London. Whether you’re looking for bifold doors, sash window, or sturdy patio doors, aluminium offers a reliable and stylish solution for your property.

Why Choose Aluminium Doors and Windows?

Aluminium is lightweight yet incredibly strong, making it an ideal material for doors and windows. Unlike timber or uPVC, aluminium maintains its form and functionality for years. Here are some of its key benefits:

Durability: Aluminium resists rust, warping, and weather damage, ensuring long-lasting performance.

Sustainability: It’s eco-friendly and recyclable, reducing your carbon footprint.

Aesthetic Appeal: The slim frames provide a modern look that complements any home design.

Low Maintenance: Cleaning is simple, and it requires no repainting or refinishing.

Energy Efficiency: When paired with double-glazing or safety glass, aluminium frames improve insulation.

Popular Aluminium Door and Window Styles in Muswell Hill

Homeowners in Muswell Hill N10, are opting for a variety of aluminium products to suit their preferences and needs:

1. Sliding Doors

Ideal for maximising natural light and providing seamless access to your garden. Sliding doors are perfect for North London n10 homes looking to enhance their indoor-outdoor connection.

2. Bifold Doors

Bifold doors create a wide, open space, ideal for entertaining or simply enjoying panoramic views.

3. Casement Windows

These windows swing open, offering great ventilation and easy cleaning access.

4. French Doors

A timeless choice that blends traditional and modern aesthetics. Aluminium French doors are durable and stylish.

5. Sash Windows

Perfect for listed buildings, aluminium sash windows preserve the charm while adding a contemporary twist.

The Cost of Aluminium Doors and Windows in Muswell Hill

The price of aluminium doors and windows can vary depending on several factors:

Size and Customisation: Larger or custom designs naturally cost more.

Type of Glass: Safety glass or energy-efficient options may increase the price.

Additional Features: Features like sliding mechanisms or multi-point locking systems also impact cost.

On average, aluminium doors and windows offer excellent value for their longevity and performance.

How to Maintain Aluminium Installations

Maintaining aluminium doors and windows is straightforward:

Regular Cleaning: Use a soft cloth and mild detergent to wipe frames and glass.

Inspect Seals: Ensure weather seals are intact to maintain energy efficiency.

Lubricate Moving Parts: Keep hinges and sliding mechanisms smooth with occasional lubrication.

Address Repairs Quickly: For issues like broken locks or glass, hire a professional for timely repairs.

Services Available in Muswell Hill

If you’re in the Muswell Hill or North London area, a variety of services are available to enhance and maintain your aluminium installations:

Door repair and Window Repairs: Fixing locks, seals, or glass damages.

Replacements: Upgrading old timber or uPVC windows to modern aluminium designs.

Glass Window Repair: Addressing chips or cracks in the glass.

Customisations: Adding bespoke designs like contemporary aluminium windows or bifold doors.

Enhancing Your Home with Aluminium

Whether you’re modernising a listed building or upgrading a contemporary home, aluminium doors and windows fit seamlessly. The material’s versatility suits various architectural styles, from Victorian sash windows to minimalist sliding doors.

Expert Tip: Pair aluminium frames with energy-efficient glass for maximum insulation and reduced energy bills.

Why Muswell Hill Homeowners Prefer Aluminium

Muswell Hill residents appreciate the blend of practicality and style aluminium offers. Its durability suits the unpredictable North London weather, while the customisation options match the diverse architectural styles in N10.

Choosing the Right Professional

Finding the right provider ensures you get high-quality installations that last. Look for local services that offer:

Expert craftsmanship in North London.

Transparent pricing for all aluminium products.

Comprehensive services, including installation, repair, and replacement.

Customisation options for unique designs like bifolding doors or sash windows.

Transform Your Home with Aluminium

Whether you’re installing sliding sash windows or upgrading to modern bifold doors, aluminium enhances your home’s aesthetics, functionality, and value. In Muswell Hill, where style meets practicality, this material continues to be the go-to choice for discerning homeowners.

Upgrade Yor Muswell Hill Home

Aluminium doors and windows redefine what it means to have a stylish yet functional home. Experience the benefits today and see how these installations can transform your property in N10.

FAQs on Aluminium Doors and Windows in Muswell Hill

1. What are the benefits of aluminium doors and windows?

Aluminium offers durability, low maintenance, energy efficiency, and a sleek modern design.

2. What styles of aluminium doors and windows are popular in Muswell Hill?

Popular options include sliding doors, bifold doors, French doors, casement windows, and sash windows.

3. How much do aluminium doors and windows cost?

Costs depend on size, design, type of glass, and additional features, offering excellent value for their durability.

4. How do I maintain aluminium doors and windows?

Regular cleaning, seal inspections, and occasional lubrication of hinges or sliders ensure longevity.

5. Are aluminium doors and windows suitable for listed buildings?

Yes, aluminium sash windows preserve traditional aesthetics while offering modern functionality.

Conclusion

Aluminium doors and windows in Muswell Hill are an excellent investment for homeowners seeking a balance of style, durability, and energy efficiency. With various designs like bifold doors, sliding sash windows, and French doors, aluminium enhances the look and functionality of any property. Its low maintenance, eco-friendliness, and resilience make it a smart choice for the long term.

Whether upgrading a listed building or modernising a contemporary home, aluminium installations provide the perfect solution to elevate your living space in North London. Choose quality materials and trusted professionals to transform your home with confidence.

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Machine Lubrication: Ensuring Efficiency and Longevity

Machine lubrication is a cornerstone of efficient industrial operations. Proper lubrication minimizes wear, reduces friction, and prevents costly breakdowns. At Harvard Filtration, we understand the importance of effective machine lubrication and offer solutions to optimize performance and extend equipment life.

What is Machine Lubrication?

Machine lubrication involves applying lubricants such as oils or greases to mechanical components to reduce friction, dissipate heat, and protect against corrosion. It ensures smooth functioning of machinery, which is essential for consistent productivity in industries like manufacturing, construction, and energy.

Types of Machine Lubrication Systems

Modern industries utilize a range of machine lubrication systems to meet diverse requirements:

Manual Lubrication: Operators apply lubricants manually to specific parts. Suitable for smaller machines, but labor-intensive.

Automatic Lubrication Systems: These systems deliver precise amounts of lubricant at regular intervals, minimizing human intervention.

Single-Line Systems: Ideal for small to medium machines with fewer lubrication points.

Multi-Line Systems: Designed for larger machinery with multiple components.

Progressive Systems: Sequentially lubricate complex systems with interconnected components.

Mist Lubrication Systems: Used for high-speed applications, this system disperses lubricants in the form of a fine mist.

Importance of Machine Lubrication Maintenance

Even the best lubrication system requires regular maintenance to function effectively. Machine lubrication maintenance includes:

Inspecting Lubricant Levels: Ensuring the system has adequate lubricant for continuous operation.

Analyzing Lubricant Quality: Checking for contamination or degradation that may reduce effectiveness.

Cleaning Lubrication Lines: Removing blockages for smooth lubricant flow.

Regular System Audits: Identifying potential issues early to prevent system failure.

Benefits of Effective Machine Lubrication

Reduced Downtime: Prevents unexpected breakdowns, ensuring seamless operations.

Enhanced Equipment Life: Reduces wear and tear, extending the lifespan of machinery.

Cost Savings: Minimizes repair and replacement costs by maintaining optimal system performance.

Improved Efficiency: Lowers energy consumption by reducing friction between components.

Harvard Filtration: Your Partner in Machine Lubrication

At Harvard Filtration, we specialize in providing advanced lubrication systems and maintenance solutions tailored to your industrial needs. Explore our detailed blog, Machine Lubrication & Its Types, for deeper insights into lubrication technologies and best practices.

Ensure your machinery operates at peak performance—contact Harvard Filtration today for expert guidance on machine lubrication systems and maintenance.

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AWS App Studio: The Quickest & Easiest Way to Develop Apps

The quickest and most straightforward method for creating enterprise-class apps.

What is App Studio?

With the help of AWS App Studio, a generative AI-powered service, developers can now construct enterprise-grade apps using natural language in only a few minutes, enabling a new group of builders. IT project managers, data engineers, and enterprise architects are examples of technical people without extensive software development experience that can easily create business apps using App Studio that meet their organization’s requirements.

Advantages

Create scalable, secure apps in a matter of minutes rather than days with no need for specialized software development knowledge.

Develop apps more quickly with the help of a generative AI helper

AWS App Studio will create an application with a multipage user interface (UI), a data model, and unique business logic based on your requirements if you only use plain language to describe the application you want to construct. After that, you may ask App Studio questions on how to edit your program, and it will help you by giving you thorough instructions on how to use the point-and-click interface to make changes.

Install programs that are extremely scalable without requiring any overhead

By handling all deployment, operations, and maintenance, App Studio gives you a highly secure, scalable, and performant application without requiring you to worry about the underlying code or infrastructure. This allows technical professionals to concentrate on innovation rather than application management.

Improve governance and security to the joy of IT

You can set very precise access control settings for your users, apps, and data using App Studio. Additionally, it provides IT staff with application visibility, enabling them to monitor use and ensure adherence to corporate guidelines.

Save up to 80% when compared to similar products

App Studio challenges the current low-code technologies’ price structures, which impose costly per-end user licensing. Building an application with App Studio is free, and you only have to pay when consumers engage with your published apps.

Use Cases

Learn how to develop and implement solid business applications with access to databases and enterprise systems, multi-page user interfaces, and unique business logic for builders.

Simplify the handling of claims

In just a few minutes, you can create an application using AWS App Studio that will automate the tedious and laborious processes involved in processing claims. Large claim volumes may be handled by the program in bespoke processing processes including file uploads, data input, and progress monitoring.

Control supplies and equipment

Create an application that provides you with a consolidated view of equipment assignments, inventory levels, and reordering requirements. To monitor component compatibility details and inventory levels, you may link your application to data repositories. By effectively managing inventory, the program may save operating expenses by automating warnings when compatibility complaints and returns exceed certain thresholds.

Approve projects with ease

Consolidate your organization’s project intake, review, and approval procedures into a low-code application for project managers. In addition to automating alerts and integrating with current solutions for contract administration and project kickoffs, the application may improve visibility into approver information and project progress.

Digitize audits and inspections

With digital forms and dashboards, AWS App Studio can develop an application that eliminates the need for paper-based inspections and problem reporting. It can automate problem tracking, interact with ticketing systems, connect to historical data sources, monitor issues automatically, and provide real-time insight into the state of your operations.

Combined reporting and metrics

You may create an application that combines data from many sources into a single dashboard for sales, operations, and marketing by using the point-and-click interface of App Studio. It allows for immediate updates from team members and displays real-time, current data from all underlying sources.

Conclusion

Its generative AI-powered guidance is available throughout the development process.” Amazon Web Services developers have little time to build and maintain internal apps because they work with some of the biggest companies in the world today. With AWS App Studio, they can reduce the expense and complexity of creating and managing their own internal tools, freeing up engineers’ time to innovate for their clients.

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