#solar permit drawing

[thisispoggers]

Drew too much men, have pretty ladies

[reasonsforhope]

"The last coal-fired power plant in New England, which had been the focus of a lawsuit and protests, is set to close in a victory for environmentalists.

Granite Shore Power said Wednesday it reached an agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency to close the Merrimack Station in New Hampshire by June 2028. As part of the deal, the company said the site will be turned into the state’s first renewable energy park that host solar power and battery storage systems. The company also said it would shutter Schiller Station in Portsmouth in December 2025. That facility, which is permitted to use oil, coal and biomass, has not operated for several years...

The 460-megawatt station in Bow has long been a thorn in the side of environmental groups. Most recently, the Sierra Club and the Conservation Law Foundation filed a lawsuit against plant owners, alleging it was violating the Clean Water Act. The plant was owned by Eversource until 2018, when it was sold to Connecticut-based Granite Shore Power. Both were named as defendants.

The environmental groups claimed the plant draws about 287 million gallons (1.1 billion liters) of water per day from the Merrimack River, heats that water as a result of its cooling process, and then discharges the water back into the river at temperatures that often exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius).

Climate activists also protested the plant and demanded its closure over concerns it is a major source of air pollution. [Note: Coal plants are by definition major sources of air pollution. x] In one incident, climate activists last year paddled canoes and kayaks down the Merrimack River to the plant site and were arrested after going onto the property.

“This historic victory is a testament to the strength and resolve of those who never wavered in the fight for their communities and future,” Ben Jealous, Sierra Club Executive Director, said in a statement. “The people of New Hampshire and all of New England will soon breathe cleaner air and drink safer water.”

The Sierra Club said the announcement will make New Hampshire the 16th state that is coal-free and New England the second coal-free region in the country."

-via AP News, March 28, 2024

--

Note: It doesn't say it in this article, but the coal plants are being replaced by renewables! Specifically solar and battery farms! Source

[starfall-spirit]

Rewrite the Stars

@officialfeysandweek2023

Day 5: Starfall

Read on Ao3

“We had danced. All of us together. And I had never seen Rhys so happy, laughing with Azriel, drinking with Mor, bickering with Cassian. I’d danced with each of them, and when the night had shifted toward dawn and the music became soft and honeyed, I had let Rhys take me in his arms and dance with me, slowly, until the other guests had left, until Mor was asleep on a settee in the dining room, until the gold disc of the sun gilded Velaris.”

~A Court of Mist and Fury, Pg. 441

AN: This was only supposed to be a moodboard, but @shallyne is constantly putting out little ideas I want to run away with. I'll just let the book quote serve as the summary.

“They’re a band of fools,” Rhys muttered, watching his drunken family members stumble towards various pieces of furniture one by one. The dawn was just kissing the sky as he was finally left alone with his mate once again. He loved his family to pieces, truly. And he had been smiling so often this evening his face was almost aching from it. It had been too long since he felt that joy. Since they all did.

And it was all thanks to the female beside him.

A slow melody was drifting over the dwindling crowd staying to embrace the morning, and as Feyre leaned against the red stone of the house to watch the pinkening sky he found his feet bringing him closer to her.

“I don’t think any sight could compare to the moment the stars fall, but there is something beautiful about the sunrise,” she said. “Maybe it’s just my imagination. Wanting to paint again may be changing how I view the simple things.”

“There’s nothing wrong with it, either way. But I did mention before, dawn is exquisite to all of the solar courts. I’m glad you enjoyed yourself tonight.”

“How could I not? There’s certainly nothing like this in the human lands, and I’ve always found solace in the stars. To be beneath them tonight, here with you—” She paused, looking startled by her own confession as his own heart began to race. “—and the others. All of you, I mean.”

He reached out to cup her face, finding a bit of pink there beneath the shimmering dust from earlier. “Dance with me, Feyre. One last time, before we go home. Please?”

One more dance would never be enough, but it was all he could ask of her without pushing too hard. Even if he’d be cataloging every tender moment between them that night. Every intentional brush of fingers, every smile and laugh between them, every time she spun away from Cassian or Mor and right back into his arms, leaning into him before logic or fear had her pulling back to a more modest hold. He was a greedy bastard, clinging to those stolen moments, but he needed every one of them.

“I’d love that, Rhys.” She’d be the death of him, smiling like that. And he’d let her, if it meant she was healing at last. He squeezed her hand, drawing her away from the wall and back out to where the stragglers danced around them. She slid right into his arms, this time close enough to share breath. And as he started to lead her, she rested her head on his chest, the soft scent of her washing over him.

It would only take a few movements. Simple adjustments to shift his hand off of her waist and band his arm around her, to reach up and cradle her head, to lean down and press a kiss to her hair. All possibilities she may permit after everything that had changed between them. 

All possibilities that could shatter the progress they had made. He couldn’t risk that, not even now with her body pressed to his, a tentative trust growing over these weeks. Months, he’d dare say. From the moment she left Spring, things had been changing, little by little. He had to hope this step wasn’t all to do with the wine they’d drank this evening. Or that she’d brush it off as only that, even if he didn’t deserve a happy ending with her.

“A thought for a thought?” Feyre mumbled into his chest sometime later, the visiting citizens long gone.

“Didn’t we already play that tonight?”

She shrugged. “You seem… pensive. I thought it might help. Was it too much after all, being with your family? You seemed happy earlier.”

He sighed, running a loose length of hair between two fingers. “I’m thinking, Feyre, that I’m more happy than ever. And I’m dreading the moment I have to fly you back to the town house and say goodnight.” He ducked his head, his nose brushing the side of her face as he brought his lips to her ear. “What’s your thought, darling?”

He couldn’t quite tell if it was the breeze around them or his tone that had her shivering in his arms, but he knew which he’d prefer. “I’m thinking I don’t want this to end either. But if I’m being honest, my feet are killing me.”

He chuckled, despite his disappointment that her confession broke the spell building between them. “Come on then. I’ll winnow back once we’re past the wards.”

She let him lift her in his arms, possibly holding her a little closer than was necessary. “Can we—can we fly the whole way? If you aren’t too tired?”

He smiled softly. “Why not.”

And as she curled her arms behind his neck, her head tucked under his chin, he knew he was utterly ruined for anyone else, regardless of what happened in this war. If he lost her…

He launched into the sky, flying directly to the townhouse and setting Feyre back on her own feet all too soon. “Goodnight, Feyre.”

“Goodnight, Rhys.” And something in her voice, in her eyes, held him there at her door. “Goodnight,” she repeated, softer this time. And as he slipped into his own room, that hesitation turned into a restlessness he hadn’t felt between them before. Almost like—hope. As if—She couldn’t want that. Not from him. Never from him. That bridge was long since burned, no matter what sort of chemistry they may have as mates.

And if he told her now, she knew between the story he’d shared with her about his parents and whatever Tamlin had told her, most mated pairs would try to force the bond to work. She had endured enough out of obligation and he would not risk swaying her with such a strong sense of duty. Not when she was just finding her independence again. He tried to send something soothing down the bond between them and moments later he sensed her settling in at last, exhaustion at the young hour finally claiming her consciousness.

Rhys fell to his knees at his own door. And he wept.

~~~~~

Taglist:

@lulling-night-sky // @edgyellie // @shallyne // @the-lonelybarricade // @darling-archeron // @goddess-aelin // @the-lost-changeling // @faeriequeensuriel // @pandavelaris // @s-uppertime // @elentiya-whitethorn // @acotar-fanns // @jealousveronya // @acourtofwips // @reverie-tales // @gwynkyrie // @corcracrow // @thelovelymadone

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

Planets contain more water than thought

We know that the Earth has an iron core surrounded by a mantle of silicate bedrock and water (oceans) on its surface. Science has used this simple planet model until today for investigating exoplanets – planets that orbit another star outside our solar system. “It is only in recent years that we have begun to realise that planets are more complex than we had thought,” says Caroline Dorn, Professor for Exoplanets at ETH Zurich.

Most of the exoplanets known today are located close to their star. This means they primarily comprise hot worlds of oceans of molten magma that have not yet cooled to form a solid mantle of silicate bedrock like the Earth. Water dissolves very well in these magma oceans – unlike, for instance, carbon dioxide, which quickly outgasses and rises into the atmosphere.

The iron core is located beneath the molten mantle of silicates. So how is the water distributed between the silicates and the iron? This is precisely what Dorn has investigated in collaboration with Haiyang Luo and Jie Deng from Princeton University with the help of model calculations based on fundamental laws of physics. The researchers present their results in the journal Nature Astronomy.

Magma soup with water and iron

To explain the results, Dorn has to go into some detail: “The iron core takes time to develop. A large share of the iron is initially contained in the hot magma soup in the form of droplets.” The water sequestered in this soup combines with these iron droplets and sinks with them to the core. “The iron droplets behave like a lift that is conveyed downwards by the water,” explains Dorn.

Until now this behaviour had only been known to be the case for moderate pressures of the sort that also prevail in the Earth. It was not known what happens in the case of larger planets with higher pressure interior conditions. “This is one of the key results of our study,” says Dorn. “The larger the planet and the greater its mass, the more the water tends to go with the iron droplets and become integrated in the core. Under certain circumstances, iron can absorb up to 70 times more water than silicates. However, owing to the enormous pressure at the core, the water no longer takes the form of H2O molecules but is present in hydrogen and oxygen.

Large amounts of water are also inside the Earth

This study was triggered by investigations of the Earth’s water content, which yielded a surprising result four years ago: the oceans on the Earth’s surface only contain a small fraction of our planet’s overall water. The content of more than 80 of the Earth’s oceans could be hidden in its interior. This is shown by simulations calculating how water behaves under conditions of the kind that prevailed when the Earth was young. Experiments and seismological measurements are accordingly compatible.

The new findings concerning the distribution of water in planets have dramatic consequences for the interpretation of astronomical observation data. Using their telescopes in space and on the Earth, astronomers can under certain conditions measure the weight and size of an exoplanet. They use these calculations to draw up mass-radius diagrams that permit conclusions to be drawn about the planet’s composition. If in doing so – as has been the case so far – the solubility and distribution of water are ignored, the volume of water can be dramatically underestimated by up to ten times. “Planets are much more water-abundant than previously assumed,” says Dorn.

Understanding evolution history

Water distribution is also important if we wish to understand how planets form and develop. The water that has sunk to the core remains trapped there forever. However, the water dissolved in the magma ocean of the mantle can degas and rise to the surface during mantle cooling. “So if we find water in a planet’s atmosphere, there is probably a great deal more in its interior,” explains Dorn.

This is what the James Webb Space Telescope, which for two years has been sending data from space to Earth, is seeking to find. It is capable of tracking down molecules in the atmosphere of exoplanets. “Only the composition of the upper atmosphere of exoplanets can be measured directly,” explains the scientist. “Our group wishes to make the connection from the atmosphere to the inner depths of celestial bodies.”

The new data of the exoplanet called TOI-270d are particularly interesting. “Evidence has been collected there of the actual existence of such interactions between the magma ocean in its interior and the atmosphere,” says Dorn, who was involved in the corresponding publication about TOI-270d. Her list of interesting objects that she wishes to examine more closely also includes the planet K2-18b, which hit the headlines because of the probability of there being life on it.

Are water worlds life-sustaining after all?

Water is one of the preconditions for life to develop. There has long been speculation about the potential habitability of water-abundant Super-Earths – that is, planets with a mass multiple times greater than the Earth and with a surface covered by a deep, global ocean. Then calculations suggested that too much water could be hostile to life. The argument was that in these water worlds a layer of exotic high-pressure ice would prevent the exchange of vital substances at the interface between the ocean and the planet’s mantle.

The new study now reaches a different conclusion: planets with deep water layers are likely to be a rare occurrence as most of the water on Super-Earths is not located on the surface, as has been assumed until now, but is trapped within the core. This leads the scientists to assume that even planets with a relatively high water content could have the potential to develop Earth-like habitable conditions. As Dorn and her colleagues conclude, their study thus casts a new light on the potential existence of water-abundant worlds that could support life.

IMAGE: Magma ocean planets that contain water – like the earthlike exoplanet GJ 1214 b in this artist’s concept – will only host a tiny fraction of this water on their surface. The majority of it is stored deep in their interiors. Credit NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Hurt

[speaker-of-the-void-cats]

"When he reached a displacement of eight he told us he was dead."

"He sees the wolves have formed up around him. Eight of them."

"The greatest gaiaforms of our solar system are eight in number—or, if you prefer, [N]ine—but asteroids and minor planets have them too. And in their sidereal generosity, these gaiaforms will protect us, if we ask them."

Fist of Eight Moons

"Only in the Ascendant Plane—where a well-defended idea is a reality—do these moons, in this small way, still exist."

"Eight Barons and an Awoken prince - and only one of you. I so dislike betting on the underdog… But you are resourceful…"

"The man turned to his left and saw a familiar, weathered face staring up at the eight Barons of the Tangled Shore."

[...]

"’Sundance’ appears to be the victim of a single, catastrophic wound from a Devourer Bullet, modified to fire from a Scorn launcher. Projectile classified as ontological.”

“Define Devourer Bullet.”

“Payload matches the ballistics of a Weapon of Sorrow or a comparable Hive implement.”

"We are all pinched silhouettes impaled on the twitching of infinitely long spiderlegs."

"You must reckon with yourself. Can you see the path ahead?

Do you know the shape of your trial?"

Auseklis

Ogdoad

Guñelve

Arevakhach

Schläfli

Compass rose

Isotoxal | edge transitive

Eightfold Path

The Star of Lakshmi

The Star of Ishtar

The morning star

First light of the new dawn

Venus

[Consult Cryptarchy's pre-Golden Age stacks for more information]

"Is it a simple answer? Perhaps none who serve you have the capacity to grasp your vision. And so, rather than waste more of your time and attention on explaining something they will never hold, it is enough that they act as you will. The Witch and her Hive carving single-mindedness out of the cloth of the universe, that whispering Nightmare seeking the fullest gamut of existence, the Upender destroying all differentiation. Shadows on the wall.

In this case, it would be hubris to think I have understood your work, that I alone among your Disciples have grasped what purpose it is we serve. All of us must see darkly reflected.

But there is relief in simplification. There is kindness in winnowing. So then, why is this proliferation permitted?

The shadows, showing the truth by their casting. [...]

There: I have resolved the conflict within my thoughts, and I am at peace again. Once more, I am only your violence and nothing more.

The Final Shape will realize us as we strive."

—Unknown Disciple of the Witness, Inspiral

Who am I?

Call me Coyote. Call me mantis, serpent, Cagn, Anansi, call me Sri-cleans-his-brother's-stomach. Call me the grandmaster of semiosis, the jeweler's hammer which gilds the signal, a purposeful mob none of whose members know its purpose, the infinite regress of enigmas, a self-questioning answer, the word not spoken, black ice, cataract of mimes, the ache and fever of overthought while bedridden with illness, the intolerable thorn of frustrated inquisition, gray regret at the end of a fruitless day, the thing which is unlike your beloved but arbitrarily recalls your beloved to agonizing effect, architrave of the no-window, needle driven in flush with skin so that desperate fingers cannot pull it out, sweet petal, unmemorable, crystal death, the provably improvable.

Here at the center, I lie to you the truth. You have everything you need to know it, but I will give you a clue, as the duelist gives warning before she draws. The answer you seek to the Dreaming City is simple, not complex.

In primordial space, timeless creatures made waves. These waves created us and the others. Waves were the battles, and the battles were waves. Fleeing all W'rkncacnter, Yrro and Pthia settled upon Lh'owon. They brought the S'pht, servants who began to shape the deserts of Lh'owon into marsh and sea, rivers and forests. They made sisters for Lh'owon to protect and maintain the paradise. When the W'rkncacnter came, Pthia was killed, and Yrro in anger, flung the W'rkncacnter into the sun. The sun burned them, but they swam on its surface.

Marathon 2, Six Thousand Feet Under terminal: ax1-40^23<094.95.28.85>

Oryx went down into his throne world. He went out into the abyss, and with each step he read one of his tablets, so that they became like stones beneath his feet. He went out and he created an altar and he prepared an unborn ogre. He called on the Deep, saying: I can see you in the sky. You are the waves, which are battles, and the battles are the waves. Come into this vessel I have prepared for you. And it arrived, the Deep Itself.

Books of Sorrow

XXXI: battle made waves

Verse 4:1 — battle made waves

[gatheringbones]

[“Gustaw Herling-Grudziński, who endured Stalin’s Gulag while his brother was sheltering Jews, wrote that “a man can be human only under human conditions.” The purpose of the state is to preserve these conditions, so that its citizens need not see personal survival as their only goal.

The state is for the recognition, endorsement, and protection of rights, which means creating the conditions under which rights can be recognized, endorsed, and protected. The state endures to create a sense of durability.

A final plurality thus has to do with time. When we lack a sense of past and future, the present feels like a shaky platform, an uncertain basis for action. The defense of states and rights is impossible to undertake if no one learns from the past or believes in the future. Awareness of history permits recognition of ideological traps and generates skepticism about demands for immediate action because everything has suddenly changed. Confidence in the future can make the world seem like something more than, in Hitler’s words, “the surface area of a precisely measured space.”

Time, the fourth dimension, can make the three dimensions of space seem less claustrophobic. Confidence in duration is the antidote to panic and the tonic of demagogy. A sense of the future has to be created in the present from what we know of the past, the fourth dimension built out from the three of daily life. In the case of climate change, we know what the state can do to tame panic and befriend time.

We know that it is easier and less costly to draw nourishment from plants than animals. We know that improvements in agricultural productivity continue and that the desalination of seawater is possible. We know that efficiency of energy use is the simplest way to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases. We know that governments can assign prices to carbon pollution and can pledge reductions of future emissions to one another and review one another’s pledges. We also know that governments can stimulate the development of appropriate energy technologies. Solar and wind energy are ever cheaper. Fusion, advanced fission, tidal stream power, and non-crop-based biofuels offer real hope for a new energy economy. In the long run, we will need techniques to capture and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

All of this is not only thinkable but attainable. States should invest in science so that the future can be calmly contemplated. The study of the past suggests why this would be a wise course. Time supports thought, thought supports time; structure supports plurality, and plurality, structure.

This line of reasoning is less glamorous than waiting for general disaster and dreaming of personal redemption. Effective prevention of mass killings is incremental and its heroes are invisible. No conception of a durable state can compete with visions of totality. No green politics will ever be as exciting as red blood on black earth. But opposing evil requires inspiration by what is sound rather than by what is resonant. The pluralities of nature and politics, order and freedom, past and future, are not as intoxicating as the totalitarian utopias of the last century. Every unity is beautiful as image but circular as logic and tyrannical as politics. The answer to those who seek totality is not anarchy, which is not totality’s enemy but its handmaiden. The answer is thoughtful, plural institutions: an unending labor of differentiated creation.

This is a matter of imagination, maturity, and survival. We share Hitler’s planet and several of his preoccupations; we have changed less than we think. We like our living space, we fantasize about destroying governments, we denigrate science, we dream of catastrophe. If we think that we are victims of some planetary conspiracy, we edge towards Hitler. If we believe that the Holocaust was a result of the inherent characteristics of Jews, Germans, Poles, Lithuanians, Ukrainians, or anyone else, then we are moving in Hitler’s world.”]

timothy snyder, from black earth: the holocaust as history and warning, 2015

[beardedmrbean]

An Alabama family has hired an attorney after one of their dogs was shot and injured Sunday by an Amazon driver attempting to deliver a package to their home outside of Birmingham.

Police in Hueytown, located about 13 miles southwest of Birmingham, declined to charge the driver after determining that he shot the dog in self-defense. But the Kirk family claims that the dog was chained on the porch and that the driver had no reason to be on their property since they had not ordered a package.

“If you notice dogs, why are you steadily walking toward the dog if they’re a threat to you?” Rose Kirk, the homeowner, told WLBT. “If I don’t know a dog, I’m not going to go near it.”

Kirk told Birmingham news stations that she was inside her home with her children Sunday night when she saw the Amazon delivery truck parked outside her home.

Moments later, she said she heard a single gunshot.

In surveillance video released by the family to local news stations, the two smaller dogs, Solar and Lunar, can be seen lounging on the porch of the home as the driver slowly approaches. When he notices the dogs, he can be seen drawing a handgun and shooting Solar as both dogs run off the porch toward him.

"He noticed them, but instead of backing off, he did not back off," Kirk told WLBT, adding that she hadn't even been expecting a package. "He had no reason to be on my property.”

Patrol officers with the Hueytown Police Department were dispatched to Kirk's home and interviewed the driver, who had fled down the road.

"It was reported that the dog was being very aggressive and charged at the delivery driver," the department said in a news release shared on Facebook. "The driver, who was armed, fired a single shot at the dog in an attempt to get away."

"Through the investigation by patrol officers on scene, it was determined that there was nothing more to this investigation rather than a delivery driver attempting to defend himself," the release said.

Kirk family hires attorney

The family rescued both dogs in 2017 from the Birmingham Humane Society, according to WLBT.

Solar survived the shooting, but now suffers from internal bleeding after the bullet entered his shoulder and exited his chest, according to the family. The family has set up a GoFundMe page seeking donations to cover the cost of Solar's veterinary expenses.

The Kirk family has also hired a Birmingham-based attorney "as legal counsel to investigate the matter," according to a statement provided to USA TODAY.

"At this time, the focus of the Kirk family is on the continued recovery of Solar and working to heal themselves emotionally after this tragedy," attorney Travis McCormick said in the statement. "Solar is still recovering at this time from his injuries and remains under the care of his veterinarian. However, the family remains hopeful that Solar will soon make a full recovery and return back to his loving family that misses him dearly."

Amazon said drivers prohibited from carrying guns

The shooting occurred around the same time that a woman in Georgia accused an Amazon driver of attempting to steal her family's puppy from their front yard.

Whether or employed by Amazon or a third party, the company's drivers are prohibited from carrying firearms regardless of state and local laws, Austin Stowe, an Amazon spokesperson told USA TODAY in a statement. Delivery drivers are, however, permitted to carry non-lethal deterrents for self-defense as long as they are legal.

“We are in touch with the customer and we’ve reached out to Hueytown Police Department as they investigate," Stowe said in the statement. "The driver involved is no longer delivering packages for Amazon.”

[teecupangel]

Desmond as a Mind Flayer

Submitted by @fanworldbuildingfun​

 few days I have been absolutely consumed by Baldur’s Gate. It has been a most excellent diversion. And thus, I come to you with an idea: after the Solar Flare, Desmond does perish in the Temple. Physically, that is. However, his mid endures – and not at all as The Reader

No, instead – Desmond comes to as a silent observer in the mind of the MC of Baldur’s Gate 3. An experience so similar to Animus that, at first, he thinks he IS stuck in an Animus. But the world, the beings in it – they fit nothing that Desmond has experienced before. And so, he tries to adapt. Trying to reach out to the person he is riding. Permitting what he perceives as a draw on his Eagle Vision (even if it comes across so odd now!). Pinging when he senses danger going on

And then, one day… He manages to actually interact with his host. In a dream. Now. To stop them from being so antagonistic to Desmond – neither of them, after all, had an option to get stuck as they are

In short: Desmond gets reborn as the Mind Flayer parasite in BG3 world. And does not realize it

Que Desmond being *the* Bleeding Effect here. And possibly working on having the other companions become potential carriers to his ancestors’ memories? But that only happens if his host opts to “connect” with the others often (which the game implies is Bad)

=================================

Additions by teecup:

I haven’t bought Baldur’s Gate 3 yet so I am basing Desmond’s Mind Flayer capabilities on what’s wildly accepted in D&D.

First of all, we’ll make Desmond a rogue Mind Flayer that no Elder Brain can control at all. This would make him an enemy of the other Mind Flayers (although they wouldn’t necessarily attack Desmond or his host directly though) because he cannot be ‘put in his place’.

Of course, this would also mean that Desmond has no connection to the hivemind (either permanently or, if you’d like, we can make Desmond be able to access the hivemind later on but he’d mistake it for maybe the Bleeding Effects of ancestors he didn’t know about).

And Desmond always appears as Desmond Miles in the MC’s dreams. He’s just as baffled as the MC to why he can see thru their eyes and the MC might even believe that he’s a wizard or a sorcerer who had fallen into a spell of his own or some kind of magical artifact.

Desmond doesn’t believe that because he has all of Desmond Miles’ memories.

That’s when the MC would suggest “Perhaps you did come from another world and have been transformed?”

And that’s when the search for what Desmond is will begin.

Mind Flayer won’t be the first guess of the MC because Desmond doesn’t act like a usual Mind Flayer. He’s sincere and his words held no lies. Sure, he didn’t tell the MC everything about himself but that’s not surprising at all. Everyone has secrets and it was clear that Desmond’s secrets wasn’t his alone to share.

So they bonded in their dreams and Desmond starts to gain more control over the MC’s body. It’s like… the more they share what they were thinking, what’s on their mind, the more Desmond… feel more in control.

Desmond doesn’t think that’s a problem. In Desmond’s eyes, it was just similar to how more ‘invasive’ the Bleeding Effect was becoming (and that is how he and the MC had been calling it, the Bleeding Effect).

And neither of them realize that Desmond was doing what Mind Flayers were meant to do to their host from the very beginning.

The moment the MC starts to talk to Desmond about their thoughts and feelings…

Desmond had begun to eat their mind.

Unorganized Notes:

Desmond has no idea what he’s doing. He doesn’t even know what a Mind Flayer is.

I’m thinking we should make the MC magic-focused so that the actions Desmond could do while in control would synergies well enough that they won’t realize that Desmond’s affinity to magic is more on the side of the Mind Flayer’s Psionic Magic ability being on the forefront.

It’s probably going to be the Mind Flayers who would tell the MC and Desmond what Desmond truly is unless they find a character that can tell that the MC is already undergoing ceremorphosis.

You want other people to be the host of his ancestors? We can go for the D&D lore of Mind Flayers and make Desmond lay eggs which will hatch to tadpoles with memories of his ancestors.

Of course, this would mean the real reason why the Elder Brain wants him dead is because his ‘offsprings’ also do not adhere to the rest of the Mind Flayers and they do not need to stay with the Elder Brain to live and grow.

They can automatically be implanted into a host.

Which means… Desmond wasn’t just a Mind Flayer. He could potentially be a Mind Flayer with the power of an Elder Brain.

And… I just have to add this:

[indignantlemur]

Thank you so much, I do have follow up questions ^_^

1) how did those early conversations go? “What do pinkskins do for sports?” “You strap knives to your shoes and do what now?” (Maybe? I just feel like Dagmar would bring up winter sports first in an effort to be relatable? You’re the writer, do what you will)

2) what does Andorian dance look like? Historically, currently? do clans compete (any comparison to Highland Games)? Groups? Weddings? Siblings? Any Taboos? Anything you can think of :))

Hello again! <3

I suspect the initial introductions to Terran sports started out casually. Humans making friends, as they do, and doing friendly things like inviting them to attend sporting events - football, lacrosse, hockey, volley ball, snowboarding, rugby, what-have-you. This inevitably leads to a very confused alien asking about the rules, and from there the indoctrination begins! 😆

(1) I fully intend to have Dagmar bring up some uniquely Norwegian and Canadian sports at some point, probably when the gang is all back on Earth again. Dagmar's not really a sports person, per se, but her mother and little brother were and she often got dragged along to events regardless of her own preferences on the matter. You could say she learned the rules of lacrosse and hockey largely involuntarily, really.

(2) While I haven't fully fleshed out all of the details, my Andorians do dance, contrary to the impression that they like to give outsiders, but only very rarely and it's almost always centered around specific traditions and rites. It's considered a private thing meant for family and spouses, and therefore deeply personal - so much so that most Andorians will outright deny that such an activity ever takes place rather than discuss the matter with strangers. Andorians who are reasonably well acquainted with aliens, such as Thelen is with Dagmar, will understand that other species view the activity rather differently and of those Andorians many will often separate the two 'kinds' of dancing mentally. Thus, when Thelen learns from Dagmar he can truthfully say that he is not violating a cultural taboo; he is merely indulging an alien friend's equally alien customs.

When it is permitted, Andorian dances are surprising. This is one of the times where I get to bring in some of that insectoid ancestry that Andorians have and actually apply is sensibly. Drawing inspiration from bees (and stick bugs somewhat), I imagine that the steps are recreations of old migration paths, important battles, and other historical events, each one unique to a Clan and interpreted with heavy artistic license. Swaying, lunging, twisting, leaping, gliding, rising and falling and rising again - the pacing varies, but there is one consistent element: a heart-beat pattern. The measure of each dance is always based on the pattern of an Andorian's heartbeat, the timing quickened or slowed as needed in each 'scene' depicted; one might be frenzied and erratic, the other steady and even, and yet another might shift between the two extremes.

Andorians will dance to celebrate ancient religious rites, new births, and, yes, sometimes even weddings. During weddings, it's usually done after getting outrageously drunk - and usually results in at least one person making an absolute fool of themselves. As long as nothing too untoward happens, most folks let the behaviour slide as 'high spirits' and leave it at that.

One idea that I'm extremely fond of it the idea of the First Dance. After an Andorian child is born, one of the parents will hold the child and map out the progression of Andoria around their solar system in slow, ponderous steps, evenly paced like the steady orbit of their homeworld. When the entire quad is present, the three non-birthing spouses will take turns guiding the child through the First Dance, or move in a kind of relay-race with one switching out and one swapping in while the third waits their turn, rotating through each role until the dance is complete.

The First Dance was once a kind of portent for the child, with numerous outcomes derived from the the slightest of stumbles, the barest of missteps, and whether or not the parent(s) guiding the child took the correct number of steps, or more, or less. In modern times, it is an old tradition kept more out of fondness than anything else, with much of the weight once placed upon its meaning shifting to be an act of profound love and welcome.

As time progresses and Andorians as a whole become exposed to more and more alien cultures, I fully expect their natural reserve to lessen somewhat as new ideas are slowly, cautiously embraced and then eventually adapted to suit their culture.

[fromadistantstar]

Dreamt I was watching a movie from the 60s about a crewed expedition to Venus. A town in space, international and huge, crewed with men and women from across the Earth- the best of the best. The part of the movie I was watching centered around the ship's chief navigator drafting a message to Earth about their course and status- but the ship's communications systems have failed, so the message has to be sent by careful maneuvering of the ship's main solar sail. He is redrafting the calculations over and over, triple-checking the angles to the Sun and Earth and Venus and Venus again.

He looks up from his desk at a glimmer of sunlight, and in quick succession three things happen- he and those watching realize that the sunlight is brighter and harsher than it should be at this point in the mission, we see that the floor is covered with paper covered in scribbled equations, and a man bursts into the room telling the navigator to prepare for final approach. Venus draws ever-nearer, and soon we are to finally meet her. The man explains what the navigator's missed and why he's here, and the viewers get a sinking feeling- as he describes the little catastrophes and mishaps of the mission, he can't stop smiling. How could he stop? The hour of destiny is nigh.

As I awoke, we cut to two female crewmembers acting as security guards discussing the situation- I got the sense that they, too, had had their minds warped in some way; but I woke up before it could become clear. I don't know how the movie ended, but I suspect it was harrowing- this Venus seemed far too jealous to permit Earthmen to stay on her surface for long, even after bringing them in like this.

[tgrailwar-zero]

Servant Matrix: MIYAMOTO MUSASHI

Class: Saber

True Name: Miyamoto Musashi

Gender: Female

Alignment: Chaotic Good

Height/Weight: 167cm / 56kg

Source: Historical Fact

Region: Japan

ENDURANCE GAUGE: [X/X/X/X/X/X]

MANA CHARGES: [ X ]

COMMAND SPELLS: [ X / X / ]

A former Servant of the Interlopers, both during the mysterious 'Origin War' where the Interlopers allegedly first invaded the Solar Cell, as well as during the first 'THGW' as the Saber-class Servant.

While her memories of the 'First THGW' are spotty, due to the THGW being a 'black box' of sorts, she remembers the 'Origin War' well, having been cursed into a violent, berserk, and ruthless version of herself that was promptly put down by Sigurd and turned into a shadowed warrior meant to roam the catacombs of the Nameless City. Due to this, she carries a shame that she hides behind her smile, wanting to both do right by her Masters, and atone for her former sins.

Upbeat, yet focused. Empathetic, but ruthless. Sharp, although caring. Miyamoto Musashi lives by the law of her own blade, acts upon the clarity of her own feelings, and has much more experience than one may think.

Even when faced by her former allies, despite understanding their loathing for the once 'Interlopers', she opts to put her trust in her Masters- hoping that this time, they'll be able to carve forth a brighter path. - Musashi is a Servant of constant adaptability, due to her unique sword-style. However, she is at her best when engaging in close-ranged combat, using her Niten Ichi-ryu technique and personal skills to keep her opponents on the back foot. While her innate Magic Resistance makes her difficult for mages to touch her, her lack of innate mana means that she can only push out so much magical power before it starts interfering with her physical being. Quick-witted and free-hearted, Musashi is a Servant that tends to either rock the boat or keep things steady as needed. She lives by her own Way, and will tend to prioritize that over anything else. However, this doesn't make her disloyal, rather she makes her opinions, actions, and thoughts clear when relevant.

Strength: B

Endurance: B

Agility: B

Mana: E

Luck: B

NP: B

SKILLS:

Magic Resistance (A) - Cancels spells and Greater Rituals 'A-Rank' or lower. To many modern Wizards, this makes her almost untouchable.

Heavenly Eye (A) - A Mystic Eye ability that permits the resolution of a desired result as "inevitable," by way of committing the entirety of the user's existence to the act of achieving the outcome. A powerful Mystic Eye that takes every possible outcome, and cuts it down to 'one'.

Fifth Force (A) - A stance that instantly maximizes Musashi's power. While the Niten Ichi-ryu is a constantly changing battle art, one that adapts to the field of battle when needed. However, if Musashi is going up against a particularly powerful opponent, then she will take this specific stance.

Book of Five Rings (Unranked) - Musashi's own understanding of the Niten Ichi-ryu and the concept of 'Void'.

Emptiness (A) - The highest order a swordsman can attain, based around the teachings of Suigetsu from the Yagyu Shinkageryu. If one is nothing, then one is invincible.

Battle Continuation (EX) - Unlike the traditional Battle Continuation, that allows one to take a mortal wound and remain standing, this is the embodiment of Musashi's scrappy nature to survive. No trick is too lowbrow, no tactic too uncouth, and no escape too shameful- after all, you can't win in the end if you're dead!

NOBLE PHANTASM: Six Realms Five Rings - The Divine Figure of Kurikara

The dual blades of Miyamoto Musashi roar to life, their force manifesting the form of a mighty Nioh that slashes with the elements of earth, water, fire, and wind- before finally Musashi draws her blade and slashes with 'Void'. While technically an 'Anti-Unit' Noble Phantasm, it is truly an 'Anti-Karma' Noble Phantasm, able to cleave anything in two- be it even something supernatural and intangible like curses, misfortunes or one's very karma.

NOBLE PHANTASM: Ganryuu-jima

This is a Noble Phantasm that centers around the heretical killing method of making the area (Island) into an Anti-Swordsman 'stronghold' (Bounded Field), luring the opponent to the center, and then utterly crushing them. An Anti-Swordsman Anti-Swordmaster Grand Bounded Field.

As the one person who witnessed this technique is dead, it makes defining what the move truly looked like difficult. If she were a Berserker, this move would manifest as a deluge of waterside prowess and swordsmanship- however, as a Saber she can act more strategically.

Normally she would just possess 'Six Realms Five Rings', but it seems as if your connection through the 'First THGW' has unlocked this Noble Phantasm as well.

MYSTIC CODES:

Flaming Flashing Flower (Triple Threat)

A Mystic Code given to Musashi by Jaguar Man for water-based combat during the Flaming Bout. After inspiration struck however, Nero made some modifications to improve it.

A Mystic Code that enhances water-based mobility, grants long-range attack capabilities, and makes Musashi look really good. A serious triple threat.

MYSTIC CODE SKILLS:

Marksmanship (C-) - With Nero's tampering, the gunblades fire real bullets made from Musashi's magical energy, giving her a rare ranged attack that she usually doesn't possess. That doesn't exactly mean she's good at shooting, though…

Accel Turn (Nereis) (B-) - The major addition from Nero after augmenting Musashi's Mystic Code with the Saber's suggestion of a skill from 'a Summer that happened once upon a time'. While the Mystic Code in its default state allowed Musashi to fight with less hindrance when submerged, Nero has enhanced the 'water mobility' capabilities. A special form of dodging that only works within the water, Musashi goes from a 'decent underwater fighter' to 'a brilliant undersea warrior'.

However, as the Nereids (Nereis to the Romans) were known for their gentleness and beauty, there's a quote-unquote 'minor' attraction charm affixed to the Mystic Code, as Nero wished to bring out all of Musashi's latent beauty. Her 'Princess Level', as would maybe be described by a shut-in yokai goes from 0 to at least... 10, or something. She doesn't become that elegant, though she may feel differently.

For Musashi, an avid appreciator of beautiful girls, this does mean that she may become infatuated with herself if she ever catches a glimpse of her own appearance. This skill also acts as a form of 'vanity-based Madness Enhancement'.

...This skill can also be read as 'Accel Turn (Narcissus)'.

Her Noble Phantasm, 'Ishana Daitenshou' (Six Realms, Five Rings) is sealed when using this Mystic Code.

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from Inside Climate News:

The four western states that have traditionally exported large amounts of electricity generated with fossil fuels to neighboring states are poised to draw tens of billions of dollars by exporting clean energy across state lines, but only if the region can successfully expand the vast network of interstate transmission lines needed to distribute the electricity, according to a new study released Wednesday by RMI, the clean energy research and advocacy group.

At stake is a market for electricity from Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico and Montana that could grow to nearly $50 billion by 2050 or dwindle to just $3 billion if more transmission lines aren’t built. The economic impacts could be far-reaching, not just for those four states, but the entire Western U.S. If the entire region was able to coordinate interstate transmission lines, for example, it could reduce the cost of shifting to a carbon-free grid by 30 percent, according to the report, saving billions of dollars for ratepayers across the West and enabling states to better meet their clean energy goals. 

“The larger area you plan over, the larger the savings,” said Tyler Farrell, a senior associate at RMI’s carbon-free electricity program and co-author of the study. 

Renewable energy projects are booming in the West, with vast solar fields, wind farms and other clean energy technologies coming online or being proposed across the region. The Biden administration has said the 245 million acres of public lands overseen by the Bureau of Land Management are key to the nation’s energy transition away from fossil fuels, with rules in place to streamline development. 

But getting more clean energy to where it’s needed isn’t just a matter of building more facilities to generate it—it also requires new transmission lines to distribute the electricity, and as the RMI study found, potentially sell the excess to the highest bidder.

Transmission lines are the backbone of the grid, acting as highways that connect the source of electricity to where it is used. With remote solar and wind farms developing over vast expanses far from existing transmission infrastructure, building new lines is critical to the nation’s transition away from fossil fuels, and one of the biggest obstacles to the adoption of more clean energy in the U.S., especially in the West, where interstate lines need to cross vast stretches of federal, state, municipal, tribal and private lands, and can often run into the challenging permitting processes and pushback from those living along a project’s route.

As fossil fuel plants go offline, space opens up on transmission lines for renewables. But that won’t satisfy growing electricity demand, such as from AI data centers and charging stations for electric vehicles, or connect renewable energy projects that are being built in places where transmission lines don’t yet exist.

[themortuatorium]

A Compilation of Flashbacks in Chronological Order

As God’s favorite jester I’ve been doing my part getting friends of mine into Good Omens by ceaselessly joking about it. I wrote this moreso for one who wanted to see a timeline of the flashbacks between season 1 and 2, and how they now correlate with newly given context. I thought that was a neat idea, which someone else out there might find neat to see as well.

I tried to keep them all as summaries to encourage drawing personal conclusions, rather than insisting upon my own, but got a little poetically analytical at Soho 1967 anyway. That scene continues to mean so much to me as a hopeless romantic, just like it had the first time. Included also are some snippets from the novel, where I felt the context they provide can still be considered canon to the live action adaptation.

Spoilers to follow for season 2 of Good Omens if you haven’t seen it. Though I don’t know how much sense it will make if you read it anyway. I’m relying on you to have seen all of it in order to fill in the blanks.

BEFORE TIME (S2)

Aziraphale and Crowley meet for the very first time. Crowley, still an angel, is busy setting into motion the Pillars of Creation when he asks for an extra hand. Marveling at the stars themselves, Aziraphale pities how it will all be gone in 6000 years time. Crowley is indignant to the idea the stars he worked so hard to help create will only be “wallpaper”, and decides to speak with someone of a higher authority – aspirationally, God; realistically, only the Metatron, due to the office space nature of Heaven’s bureaucracy – later on about it. As stars fall, Crowley shields Aziraphale with a wing. Deflecting off what appears to be Earth’s own solar system[*].

[*] “Because, underneath it all, Crowley was an optimist. If there was one rock-hard certainty that had sustained him through the bad times […] then it was utter surety that he would come out on top; that the universe would look after him.” (Good Omens novel, p304)

EDEN (S1) – 6000BC

Aziraphale and Crowley meet for the very first time, a second time. Now a demon, Crowley opens their soon-to-be 6000 year long discussion over the concept of morality – “I don’t see what’s so bad about knowing the difference between good and evil.” - and logical fallacy in an infallible being – “Not very subtle of the Almighty though, is it? Fruit tree in the middle of a garden, with a ‘Don’t Touch’ sign. Why not put it on top of a high mountain, or on the moon?” - Crowley

As the first rain begins to fall, Aziraphale shields Crowley with a wing[*].

[*] As Adam and Eve turn away from the Garden, perspective affords enough of Aziraphale’s wing to look as if he’s covering them too. A foreshadowing of sorts for the role he plays as a guardian angel to humanity.

THE ARK DAY (S1) – 3004BC

Aziraphale and Crowley, after presumably not seeing much of each other since Eden, get a chance to talk at the proverbial water cooler. Crowley is shocked to learn Heaven – on God’s order – are planning the Great Flood, which intends to drown everyone within the local region of Mesopotamia, including children. There is a visual gag when Crowley asks “Not the kids, you can’t kill kids?”, both children and young goats run past the two, which ends up relevant to his actions in Job.

“That’s more the kind of thing you’d expect my lot to do.” - Crowley

BOOK OF JOB (S2) – 2500BC

Crowley has a permit from God to do whatever he wants to Job; Aziraphale, having not got the memo, goes to intervene. Several notable themes become established in this flashback:

Initially Aziraphale is relieved to find that it’s Crowley, most likely recalling their conversation about the Great Flood. He insists on his belief that Crowley is, at heart, a good person. But as the angel Crowley once was, rather than as the person he currently is.

Aziraphale also finds himself standing in a similar position to Crowley during 3004BC, in disbelief that God would do something so cruel to Job for no reason. The Great Flood had reason, however weak. Job, on the other hand, is a reasonless wager.

It is the first time, maybe even the only time, Aziraphale and Crowley really listen to what the other is saying with empathy. Visually, they appear stranded together at sea.

“But what am I?” “You’re just an angel who goes along with Heaven as far as he can.” “That sounds, um.” “Lonely? Yeah.” “But you said it wasn’t.” “I’m a demon. I lied.” - Aziraphale & Crowley

GOLGOTHA (S1) – 33BC

The next time we see them together is at the crucifixion. Most likely they’ve run into one another between Job and now, but possibly haven’t been afforded conversational amounts of time. A significant moment for both characters in different ways, which will become their ongoing pattern. Crowley informs Aziraphale of his change in identity, no longer going by Crawly[*]. Aziraphale now comes across as numbed to the cruelty of Heaven, with the context of Job behind this scene. Unsurprised, albeit unaligned with the events taking place.

[*] A fact he’s more than willing to share with Aziraphale. One can assume Hell only learns this vicariously, if at all: “What’s he going by these days?” (Ligur, S1); referred to as Crawly in 1941 by Furfur throughout (S2, subtitles pending corrections per Gaiman); “Changed his name? YUCK!” (Hastur’s book on Angels who walk the Earth, wherein Crowley is mentioned in the entry on Aziraphale, S2)

(In season 1, they have encounters during 41AD, 537AD, and 1601 that aren’t especially necessary to summarize for any new context now provided by season 2)

EDINBURGH (S2) – 1827

The philosophical discussion on moral grey areas is opened.[*]

“But people get a choice. You know, they cannot be truly holy unless they also get the opportunity to be wicked.” “Yeah, but that only works if you start everyone off equal. You can’t start someone off [poor] and expect her to do as well as someone born in a castle?” - Aziraphale & Crowley

“Trouble is there’s never enough murderers. […] No one cares if you cut up murderers.” “If we can’t cut, we can’t learn. If we can’t learn more, a lot more, then how on earth are we going to win the battle against monstrosities like [tumors]? I’m just trying to save lives, and teach students. I either end up with a Knighthood, or condemned as a Resurrectionist and hanged from a rope.” - Dr. Dalrymple

Crowley behaves carelessly, drinking the entire glass of laudanum both as a good deed to prevent Elspeth from committing suicide, and as an excuse not to be held responsible for doing good (being a demon). He has a microsecond of confidence that Hell did not notice, before being dragged down.

[*] Just a fun fact, in the novel this conversation is had in 1020, and again in 1023 when Crowley manages a suitable comback. I always thought that was really funny.

ST JAMES PARK (S1) – 1862

Crowley and Aziraphale have a clandestine meeting at the park, wherein Crowley asks him for holy water as “insurance”. One can assume that whatever happened in the “quite some time” between 1827 and the 1860s to Crowley has him acting in a more calculated manner. The couple had never been especially discreet in their meeting one another before now, Crowley appears to be the one creating the distance. He refuses to actually tell Aziraphale what he needs it for, other than “insurance”. The lack of communication causes an argument that splits them apart, all on the grounds of a misunderstanding.

THE BLITZ (S1) – 1941

After not having spoken for a little over 90 years following their fight in 1862, Crowley arrives unannounced and unexpected to crash Aziraphale’s nazi spy church party. It is, ostensibly, a grand gesture on his part. Unlike any other time they’ve met, he’s there solely of his own choice with no strings attached or Arrangements to be honored.

Crowley places his trust in Aziraphale to protect them when the bomb drops. Aziraphale’s faith in Crowley is rewarded by his selfless act of saving his books. They are both rewarded by God with falling the fuck in love.

THE BLITZ (S2) – 1941

We now understand Crowley’s actions at the church were a dangerously large sacrifice of his own well being: rescuing an angel (something already known to be frowned upon), entering hallowed grounds (something a demon cannot do unless invited, implying he has to of been, at some point, by some angel, or at the very least an angel has to want him there – the angel is Aziraphale, sorry I don’t prescribe to the former arch angel Crowley theories), harming humans Very Directly even if in an indirect manner, the list kind of goes on.

But the couple are absolutely honeymooning, interacting again after so long. Despite Crowley trying to keep a distance between them, by disengaging at the mention of being friends, he falls back easily into their routine of goofy shenanigans. Arguably, as careless as he had been in 1827.

They’re confronted later by Furfur with evidence of their fraternization, Aziraphale’s sleight of hand causes it to be only a near miss. It’s the first time the audience gets to see Aziraphale do something that protects Crowley, from a kind of harm that would go beyond being discorporated.

SOHO (S1) – 1967

More of an analysis than a summary:

It stands to reason that Aziraphale is a smart enough being, the events that happened in 1941 were enough for him to put two and two together about the kind of danger Crowley is actually in being his friend. The constant surveillance he’s under, and Hell’s penchant to find out. Giving him the holy water implies more about the significance of their relationship to Aziraphale, that it is above all else worth protecting. I can only imagine, the reason it happens over 20 years later, as opposed to “immediately”, is simply because Aziraphale didn’t find it absolutely necessary to do. Only after he catches wind that Crowley intends to rob a church, aware of the risk he poses to himself if not scrupulously careful handling holy water, does Aziraphale find more than enough reason to give him holy water and trust him with it. It’s the least he can do in that moment.

At each other’s grand gesture, they ask the same question of what they can do to say thank you. Interestingly, they give the other the same answer, in a different way to mean mostly the same thing:

“Forget about it, would you?” - Crowley

“You go too fast for me, Crowley.” - Aziraphale

They’re both always going to be in danger of being together or helping each other, so long as Heaven and Hell exist and they exist within it. Until something can be done about the system they’re stuck in, it will always be this way. Distance between them, then, must be inherent. Aziraphale can’t afford giving Crowley reasons to act carelessly, he’s proven himself far too capable of doing so. Crowley can’t afford Aziraphale getting close, because he knows he will get careless. Of course, it’s not what either of them actually wants. What they want is to spend an infinite amount of time together, doing an infinite amount of things, within an infinite universe full of infinite possibility.

[nv-members]

Nevada's Transformative Shift: Changing the Way We Do Business

In recent years, Nevada has been making waves in the business world with a series of transformative changes that are reshaping the way business is conducted within the state. From technological advancements to regulatory shifts, Nevada is fostering an environment that's conducive to innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainable growth. Here's a glimpse into how Nevada is changing the way it does business:

Embracing Technology: Nevada is positioning itself as a technology hub, particularly in the Las Vegas and Reno areas. The state has made significant investments in technology infrastructure, including 5G networks, data centers, and smart city initiatives. This tech-savvy environment is attracting startups and tech giants alike, fueling economic growth and diversification.

Renewable Energy Focus: Nevada is committed to clean energy and sustainability. The state boasts some of the largest solar installations in the country and has set ambitious renewable energy goals. Businesses are encouraged to adopt eco-friendly practices, and incentives are provided for renewable energy projects, reducing the environmental footprint of local industries.

Regulatory Reforms: Nevada has been proactive in streamlining business regulations to make it easier for entrepreneurs to start and grow their businesses. Initiatives to cut red tape and simplify permitting processes have been implemented, creating a more business-friendly climate.

Tax Advantages: Nevada's tax structure is among the most advantageous in the nation. There is no state income tax, and the state offers various tax incentives, making it an attractive destination for businesses looking to optimize their bottom line.

Diverse Industry Clusters: Nevada has diversified its economy beyond the gaming and tourism industries. Sectors such as aerospace, manufacturing, healthcare, and logistics have seen significant growth. This diversity insulates the state's economy from external shocks and provides a stable environment for businesses to thrive.

Education and Workforce Development: Nevada is investing in education and workforce development programs to ensure a skilled and adaptable workforce. Collaboration between educational institutions and businesses helps tailor education and training to meet industry demands, ensuring a steady supply of qualified talent.

Promoting Entrepreneurship: The state supports entrepreneurship through various programs, grants, and resources. Incubators and accelerators provide startups with the support and mentorship they need to succeed, fostering a culture of innovation.

Infrastructure Investments: Significant infrastructure projects, such as the expansion of airports and improvements in transportation networks, are making it easier for businesses to connect with national and international markets. This infrastructure investment enhances Nevada's strategic location for logistics and distribution.

Tourism and Conventions: Nevada continues to invest in its tourism and convention industry, drawing visitors from around the world. This not only boosts the state's economy directly but also creates opportunities for local businesses in the hospitality, entertainment, and service sectors.

In conclusion, Nevada is on a journey to change the way it does business. The state's commitment to technology, sustainability, regulatory reform, and economic diversification is creating an environment where businesses of all sizes can thrive. With a forward-looking approach and a focus on innovation, Nevada is positioning itself as a dynamic and attractive destination for entrepreneurs and established companies alike. As these changes continue to take shape, Nevada's business landscape is sure to remain exciting and full of opportunities for years to come.

[bluestreampoolsdubai]

Dubai Regulations for Pool Construction: What Homeowners Need to Know

Building a swimming pool in Dubai involves adhering to specific regulations to ensure safety, sustainability, and compliance with local laws. Whether you’re planning a residential or commercial pool, understanding these regulations is essential to avoid potential legal or operational issues. Here’s a comprehensive guide to the key rules homeowners should know.

Obtaining Necessary Permits

Before construction begins, you must secure permits from the Dubai Municipality. This process includes submitting detailed designs, structural drawings, and a site plan for approval. Working with a licensed swimming pool contractor familiar with local regulations can streamline this process.

Adhering to Safety Standards

Dubai emphasizes safety in Pool maintenance contractors Regulations include:

Fencing: Pools must be surrounded by a safety fence with self-closing, self-latching gates to prevent unauthorized access.

Depth Markings: Clear and visible depth markings are mandatory for all pools.

Anti-Slip Flooring: Poolside surfaces should be non-slip to reduce accident risks.

Structural and Engineering Requirements

Pool designs must comply with structural integrity and engineering standards. This includes ensuring proper drainage systems to prevent waterlogging and constructing pools with materials that can withstand Dubai's extreme temperatures.

Water Quality and Filtration

The Dubai Municipality mandates that pools maintain high water quality standards. Pools must be equipped with efficient filtration systems and regularly treated with approved chemicals to ensure the water remains safe for use. Proper filtration and chemical treatment also reduce the risk of waterborne diseases.

Energy Efficiency and Sustainability

Dubai encourages eco-friendly pool construction. Solar-powered heating systems, energy-efficient pumps, and LED lighting are recommended to reduce environmental impact and utility costs. Recycling systems for pool water are also encouraged to conserve resources.

Inspections and Compliance Checks

Post-construction, the Dubai Municipality conducts inspections to verify compliance with regulations. Any deviations may result in fines or the need for costly modifications. Regular maintenance and periodic inspections are also required to ensure ongoing compliance.

Noise and Privacy Considerations

Pools should be designed to minimize noise and maintain privacy, particularly in residential areas. Adding landscaping features like hedges or walls can help meet these requirements.

By following these regulations, homeowners can ensure their pool is not only compliant but also safe and enjoyable for years to come. Working with experienced contractors and staying informed about updates to Dubai's pool construction laws will help make the process smooth and hassle-free.

[sonetra-keth]

WBSV-TOWER 1: Outdoor Decking

Building outdoor decking on a multi-story building requires careful planning, adherence to safety standards, and precise execution.

The construction of the WBSV Tower 1 Outdoor Decking is a complex process that requires meticulous planning, coordination, and execution. The project managers, architectural managers, and construction managers can deliver high-quality decking while ensuring safety, durability, and aesthetics. Clarity in each stage of the process will facilitate effective communication among stakeholders and contribute to the project's overall success.

DESIGN DEVELOPMENT: Collaborate with WBSV architects and other stakeholders to finalize the design specifications and layout of the decking of the tower.

SITE ASSESSMENT: Conduct site analysis to understand environmental factors, access points, and existing structures that may influence construction. Assess wind loads, solar exposure, drainage, and other environmental factors critical to decking performance.

PERMIT ACQUISITION: Obtain the necessary permit from local authorities, ensuring compliance with zoning laws, building codes, and safety regulations

MATERIAL SELECTION: • Choose Materials: Select durable materials that can withstand outdoor conditions (e.g., composite decking, treated wood) and align with aesthetic preferences. Assess material sustainability, cost, and maintenance requirements when choosing decking materials. • Supplier Coordination: Source materials from reputable suppliers and establish delivery schedules to ensure timely availability.

STRUCTURAL CONSIDERATION: • Load Bearing Consideration: Determine the load-bearing capacity of the existing structures to support the weight of the decking, including furniture and occupants. Design structural components (beams, joists) using appropriate materials, ensuring they meet the structural safety factors coded in relevant structural engineering standards. • BIM Collaboration: Use BIM tools to simulate the integration of decking with the existing structural system and identify potential clashes.

INSTALLATION PLANNING: • Construction Drawings: Prepare detailed construction drawings that outline the layout, dimensions, connections, and finishes of the decking. • Logistics and Scheduling: Develop a construction schedule, outlining critical milestones, labor resources, and timelines. Plan logistics for material handling, such as hoisting equipment or cranes for upper-level decks.

PREPARING THE SITE: • Site Protection: Secure the construction area with safety barriers and signage. Ensure proper access routes for construction personnel and equipment. • Surface Preparation: Clear the deck area of debris, and inspect the structural elements for integrity. Verify that waterproofing and flashing are properly installed, particularly where the decking abuts walls or other structures.

DECK FRAME CONSTRUCTION: • Framing Installation: Construct the framing system (beams and joists) to support the decking. Ensure proper spacing and alignment as per design specifications. Use steel or treated lumber for the framework, ensuring all connections are secure and meet engineering standards. • Leveling: Check and achieve the appropriate slope for water drainage to prevent pooling on the decking surface.

DECKING INSTALLATION: • Deck Board Placement: Begin laying the decking boards, starting from one edge and working towards the other, securing each board as per the specified method (screws, hidden fasteners). Maintain consistent spacing between boards to allow for expansion and drainage. • Finishing Touches: Install railing systems, lighting components, and any necessary features (planters, benches) as per design. Check for any sharp edges or potential safety hazards.

Quality Control and Inspections • Inspections: Conduct regular inspections throughout the installation process to ensure compliance with structural and safety standards. Perform final inspections to verify all components have been installed according to the design and specifications. • Documentation: Maintain detailed documentation of inspections, material deliveries, and any incidents that occur during the construction.

POST-CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES: • Cleaning and Final Touches: Clear the site of construction debris and perform final cleaning of the decking area. Ensure all installations are functioning correctly and check for any required adjustments. • Owner Orientation: Conduct a walkthrough with the building owner to explain the features and maintenance of the decking. Provide maintenance guidelines to the owner to ensure the longevity of the decking materials.

Maintenance Planning • Implement a Maintenance Schedule: Develop a regular maintenance schedule for cleaning, inspection, and repairs of the decking. Consider seasonal checks for weather-related damages and general wear and tear.

•Project: WORLD BRIDGE SPORT VILLAGE •Facility: WBSV SALE GALLERY and HEADQUARTERS •Architectural Manager: Sonetra KETH •Developer: OXLEY-WORLDBRIDGE (CAMBODIA) CO., LTD. •Subsidiary: WB SPORT VILLAGE CO., LTD •Location: PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA

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