#solar-powered ferry

[reasonsforhope]

"It is 70 years since AT&T’s Bell Labs unveiled a new technology for turning sunlight into power. The phone company hoped it could replace the batteries that run equipment in out-of-the-way places. It also realised that powering devices with light alone showed how science could make the future seem wonderful; hence a press event at which sunshine kept a toy Ferris wheel spinning round and round.

Today solar power is long past the toy phase. Panels now occupy an area around half that of Wales, and this year they will provide the world with about 6% of its electricity—which is almost three times as much electrical energy as America consumed back in 1954. Yet this historic growth is only the second-most-remarkable thing about the rise of solar power. The most remarkable is that it is nowhere near over.

To call solar power’s rise exponential is not hyperbole, but a statement of fact. Installed solar capacity doubles roughly every three years, and so grows ten-fold each decade. Such sustained growth is seldom seen in anything that matters. That makes it hard for people to get their heads round what is going on. When it was a tenth of its current size ten years ago, solar power was still seen as marginal even by experts who knew how fast it had grown. The next ten-fold increase will be equivalent to multiplying the world’s entire fleet of nuclear reactors by eight in less than the time it typically takes to build just a single one of them.

Solar cells will in all likelihood be the single biggest source of electrical power on the planet by the mid 2030s. By the 2040s they may be the largest source not just of electricity but of all energy. On current trends, the all-in cost of the electricity they produce promises to be less than half as expensive as the cheapest available today. This will not stop climate change, but could slow it a lot faster. Much of the world—including Africa, where 600m people still cannot light their homes—will begin to feel energy-rich. That feeling will be a new and transformational one for humankind.

To grasp that this is not some environmentalist fever dream, consider solar economics. As the cumulative production of a manufactured good increases, costs go down. As costs go down, demand goes up. As demand goes up, production increases—and costs go down further. This cannot go on for ever; production, demand or both always become constrained. In earlier energy transitions—from wood to coal, coal to oil or oil to gas—the efficiency of extraction grew, but it was eventually offset by the cost of finding ever more fuel.

As our essay this week explains, solar power faces no such constraint. The resources needed to produce solar cells and plant them on solar farms are silicon-rich sand, sunny places and human ingenuity, all three of which are abundant. Making cells also takes energy, but solar power is fast making that abundant, too. As for demand, it is both huge and elastic—if you make electricity cheaper, people will find uses for it. The result is that, in contrast to earlier energy sources, solar power has routinely become cheaper and will continue to do so.

Other constraints do exist. Given people’s proclivity for living outside daylight hours, solar power needs to be complemented with storage and supplemented by other technologies. Heavy industry and aviation and freight have been hard to electrify. Fortunately, these problems may be solved as batteries and fuels created by electrolysis gradually become cheaper...

The aim should be for the virtuous circle of solar-power production to turn as fast as possible. That is because it offers the prize of cheaper energy. The benefits start with a boost to productivity. Anything that people use energy for today will cost less—and that includes pretty much everything. Then come the things cheap energy will make possible. People who could never afford to will start lighting their houses or driving a car. Cheap energy can purify water, and even desalinate it. It can drive the hungry machinery of artificial intelligence. It can make billions of homes and offices more bearable in summers that will, for decades to come, be getting hotter.

But it is the things that nobody has yet thought of that will be most consequential. In its radical abundance, cheaper energy will free the imagination, setting tiny Ferris wheels of the mind spinning with excitement and new possibilities.

This week marks the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere. The Sun rising to its highest point in the sky will in decades to come shine down on a world where nobody need go without the blessings of electricity and where the access to energy invigorates all those it touches."

-via The Economist, June 20, 2024

[carionto]

Ignition

Once the Galactic Coalition had (without other realistic options) given Humanity an equal position among the governing bodies, despite the fact they were a single planet race, the initial dread of what they would do eased. A little. When they showed how they powered their impossibly massive vessels, the fears of our ancestors who deemed the Responsibility Barrier a necessity reemerged a thousandfold.

The Humans, with a slight grin, said "Solar power, of course."

They took a delegation within the bowels of one of their smaller, civilian research craft, which was still bulkier, better armored, and more worryingly - better armed than most flagships of the other predator-races. Were we not able to see with our own eyes their actual, what they aptly call, Dreadnoughts, from distances you would normally need a telescope, we would have assumed this was their mightiest warship. Yet it was just one of hundreds.

As we passed through the ludicrously thick and seemingly excessive number of bulkheads and shielded and compartmentalized hallways, the ever present hum of raw power beneath our feet gradually became nerve-wracking. What is that? It reminded us of stories told by those who traveled near Black Holes - of the sheer vastness and infinite apathy they felt from the all consuming entities.

A dozen or so biometric gates later, we were greeted by a gigantic sphere, easily a hundred and fifty meters in diameter, an abomination of reinforced panels, wiring, heat pumps, and countless tubes, hanging from numerous power conduits in the middle of an even more massive chamber from behind our observation platform. A true, pure fusion reactor. And there were Humans, in full protective suits at least, working directly next to it within the ominous chamber.

"We wanted to give you a demonstration of our advances in the past millennia, so please observe as we turn on this one."

This one? As in... the power we were feeling was not from this monstrosity? We had to ask.

"Oh, of course not, this ship has three such reactors, we recently performed a full maintenance on this and decided to delay reactivating it for you to see."

The delegates' mouths (or equivalents) were agape. Sure, nuclear fusion is known far and wide, but due to it's high potential for cataclysmic failure, or worse, deliberate destruction, the vast majority of such reactors were mostly found in deep space stations where solar radiation was scarce. Background radiation converters, while efficient at what they do, were nowhere sufficient enough for anything more than as passive emergency battery chargers. And no civilization kept fusion reactors anywhere near populated or colonizeable planets.

Yet here they were, looking at one nearly five times larger than any other known or attempted. And there were three on this ship alone. They counted hundreds of similar size, a few dozen of their Dreadnoughts, thousands of smaller vessels ferrying between the stations, the surface, and other larger ships. Countless world ending bombs-in-waiting right around the Humans' only home.

"Yeah, us science ships get the biggest ones, kinda need the extra oomph for our projects. The military kids like their redundancies, so theirs are smaller."

A slight relief.

"I think their newest capital ship, the UGSF Caliban of York, has fifteen, each about half ours."

A few delegates passed out. Their attendants rushed to salvage some dignity, but Captain Knoslark of this vessel, The Radiant Dusk at Everest, didn't seem surprised or offended and simply waited for the delegation to regain composure before continuing.

"This is my favorite part."

He said quietly with a glint in his eyes, then his tone changed to a more formal and authoritative one.

"Chief Engineer Ira Tameki, status of Reactor 2."

"All green, Captain. She's ready to purr to life at your command."

"Good. Then," his tone shifted once again, to a far more theatrical one as he took a pose, half turning his body and extending his right hand towards the reactor, index finger pointing dramatically. As he pronounced every syllable of the next word, there was a silent resigned sigh from his crew:

"ignition!"

Outwardly, nothing of significance changed. The engineers clicked at their consoles, bars slowly rose and everyone was deliberately doing their best to make it clear they were ignoring the fact that the captain was still in the same pose.

There was a muffled thump from the chamber, then the hum beneath their feet became a rumble for a few moments before steadying back to a now slightly more intense almost-buzz. Physically, nothing all that noteworthy. Mentally, everyone in the delegation was in true shock as they fully understood what they had just witnessed done all too casually:

The birth of a star.

[batboyblog]

Things Biden and the Democrats did, this week #12

March 29-April 5 2024

President Biden united with Senator Bernie Sanders at the White House to review Democratic efforts to bring down drug prices. President Biden touted his Administration’s capping the price of insulin for seniors at $35 a month and capping the price of  prescription drugs for seniors at $2,000 a year. Biden hopes to expand both to all Americans through legislation next year with a Democratic congress. The President also praised Senator Sanders' efforts as chair of the Senate Health Committee which has lead to major drug manufacturers capping the price of inhalers at $35 a month. “Bernie, you and I have been fighting this for 25 years,” Biden said “Finally, finally we beat Big Pharma. Finally.”

The White House gave an update on its actions around the Francis Scott Key Bridge disaster. The federal government working with state and local governments hope to have enough of the remains of the bridge cleared to partially reopen the Port of Baltimore by the end of the month and have the port working normally by May. The Administration has already released $60 million in emergency money toward rebuilding and promises the federal government will cover the cost. The Department of Labor has released $3.5 million for Dislocated Worker Grants and plans up to $25 million to cover lost wages. The Small Business Administration is offering $2 million in emergency loans to affected small businesses. The Administration is working with business and labor unions to keep workers at work and cover lost wages.

Vice-President Harris and EPA Administrator Michael Regan announced $20 billion to help finance tens of thousands of climate and clean energy projects across the country. The kinds of projects that will be financed through this project include distributed clean power generation and storage, net-zero retrofits of homes and small businesses, and zero-emission transportation. 70% of the funds, $14 billion, will be invested in low-income and disadvantaged communities. The project is part of a public private partnership so for every 1 dollar of federal money, private companies have promised 7 dollars of investment, bring the total to $150 billion for ongoing financing of climate and clean energy projects for years to come.

The Department of Transportation announced $20.5 billion in investments in public transportation. This represents the largest single investment in public transit by the federal government in history. The money will go to improving and expanding subways, light rail, buses, and ferry systems across America. The DoT hopes to use the funds to in particular expand and improve options for public transport for people with disabilities and seniors.

The Departments of Energy and The Treasury announced $4 billion in tax credits for businesses investing in clean energy, critical materials recycling, and Industrial decarbonization. The credits till go toward 100 projects across 35 states. 67% of the credits ($2.7 billion) will go to clean energy, wind, solar, nuclear, clean hydrogen, as well as updates to grids, better batter storage, and investments in electric vehicles. 20% ($800 million) will go to to recycling things like lithium-ion batteries, and 13% ($500 million) to decarbonization in industries like automotive manufacturing, and iron and steel.

The Department of Agriculture announced $1.5 Billion in investments in climate-smart agriculture. USDA plans to support over 180,000 farms representing 225 million acres in the next 5 years move toward more climate friendly agriculture. 40% of the project is reserved for disadvantaged communities, in line with the Biden Administrations standard for climate investment. $100 million has been reserved for projects in Tribal Communities.

The Department of the Interior approved the New England Wind offshore wind project. To be located off Martha’s Vineyard the New England project represents the 8th such off shore wind project approved by the Biden administration. Taken together these projects will generate 10 gigawatts of totally clean energy that can power 4 million homes. The Administration's climate goals call for 30 gigawatts of off shore wind power by 2030. The New England Wind project itself is expected to generate 2,600 megawatts of electricity, enough to power more than 900,000 homes in the New England area.

The Department of the Interior announced $320 Million for tribal water infrastructure. Interior also announced $244 million to deal with legacy pollution from mining in the State of Pennsylvania, as well as $25 million to protect wetlands in Arizona and $19 million to put solar panels over irrigation canals in California, Oregon and Utah. While the Department of Energy announced $27 million for 40 projects by state, local and tribal governments to combat climate change

[scotianostra]

On March 3rd 1883 three hundred inhabitants of the remote Shetland island of Foula were on the point of starvation as the first supply boat of the year reached the stormbound community.

Foula, often described as the "Edge Of The World" is our most remote inhabited island. It is situated in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 20 miles to the west of the Shetland mainland. It is an island of crofting townships, breath-taking sheer cliff drops, and a wealth of wild flowers and wildlife.

Over a century ago, in 1881, Foula had a population of 267, mostly employed in fishing...at the last census in 2001 that figure had dropped to just 38.

On March 3rd 1883 the Shetland Times published this;

The Weather and Mails – Foula

Nine weeks have now expired since our last mail was landed, and all our resources are almost exhausted. Sugar and tobacco have been all done for more than a fortnight, and tea, coffee, etc, are now done also. Those who had a little meal to spare have helped those who had none, a thing often done in Foula, but if the weather does not moderate we will soon be all alike. The boat has been in readiness now for some time to go to Walls for supplies, and as the weather has become a little more moderate today they are going to make a start, so we hope that they may get safe through, and a chance to return again soon. But we doubt if the mail boat will be able to cross today yet, as the wind still inclines to the westward.

There isn’t much more than this about their plight, but it seems that same day they breathed a sigh of relief as a boat must have made it to Mainland and back successfully.

Today crofting as well as fishing are the main activities, half the population living at Hametoun in the south east and the remainder to be found at Ham near Ham Voe on the east coast. The island is not connected to any mainland electricity grid system. In 1987 a community electricity scheme was constructed, comprising a 3.3kV island grid which linked diesel generators, a wind turbine and a hydroelectricity scheme to the island’s properties. This scheme gradually fell into disrepair and has undergone a major refurbishment, funded primarily through grants.

Before refurbishment, the entire island's power was supplied by one of the two diesel generators which operated between approximately 7.20am and 00.30am. That’s not to say they were without power for the, just under 7 hours the generator is off, a battery/inverter system was installed between 2006 and January 2007, a solar charging array helps top up the batteries as well . The system was fully commissioned at the beginning of March 2007 and already the islanders not only have continuous power ( instead of the previous 17 hours per day) but are noticing considerable savings in diesel fuel use. Since diesel has to be shipped in by ferry (and often the weather is too bad for the ferry to run for up to 3 weeks on end) this of huge value.

An interesting feature of the island's people is that they still observe the old Julian calendar, replaced in 1752 in Britain by the present Gregorian system which deleted 11 days from the year. Remote areas of the country kept to the old calendar, adding an extra day in 1800, which was a leap year, and some parts of Shetland continued to observe festivals 12 days after the dates in the new calendar. The most remote areas kept to the old calendar longest, and the people of Foula still celebrate Christmas on 6 January and New Year's Day on 13 January

Travel to the island is by sea or air and is completely dependent on suitable weather conditions.

A wee bit more, and a short video can be found at the link below.

[honourablejester]

Some random pieces of Starfinder worldbuilding from the Pact Worlds setting book that bring me joy:

From the Burning Archipelago, a network of force bubbles holding a city inside the surface of a sun:

“Tethers of energy hold the bubbles in an unchanging formation, but they also serve as the backbone of interbubble transport. Ferries known as linecrawlers hug the tethers, using them to traverse the turbulent solar atmosphere between the bubbles. […] In practice, the senate operates more like a negotiating society than a legislative body, as major trade guilds, especially the powerful Linecrawler Operators Union, can speak freely at senate meetings.”

This little nugget about ferry ships hugging force tethers inside the surface of a sun and the powerful union that runs them. Like. When you imagine that? As if you were a tourist experiencing it for the first time, climbing onto this bus and watching as it heads out of the force bubble that is all that stands between you and immolation inside a star, hugging to a line of force that nobody knows how to repair, and the guy driving the thing knows your awe and your terror so well, because it’s what he and his union bank on to give them a voice in government. Just. Awesome.

From Aballon, the machine-world closest to the sun:

“Between millennia of robotic excavators crafting perfectly aligned subterranean tunnels and the organic “diggers” of the Ice Wells crafting their own networks, Aballon is rife with internal transit routes. Unleashed in the wake of the First Ones’ departure, the excavator robots began work constructing a series of pathways to connect the planet’s various settlements. Sometime during the Gap, these excavators completed their work, and the anacites installed complex, magnetically charged rail systems. The mag-rail network allows high-speed transit beneath the planet’s surface, freeing up the skies for city-sized bulk landers to collect goods from the anacite-run forges.”

I have a fascination for logistics and transport systems, okay, especially in sci-fi, and Aballon’s mag-rail system running underground between massive machine megaplexes, organic undercities hiding in the craters beneath them, and the jungles of the ‘Ice Wells’, deep impact craters that protect from the burning sunlight and allow the presence of water, is just … It’s just the imagery? This machine-dug traceries running beneath the surface of the world.

From the permanently frozen dark side of the tidally locked Verces comes the Fastness of the Ordered Mind:

“A cluster of linked fortress-temples, the Fastness houses the Ascetics of Nar, one of the oldest monastic societies in the Pact Worlds. Within its walls, the ice-obsessed scholars undergo bizarre rituals in order to further their mystical study of the cosmos, seeing in the crystalline structure of ice a blueprint for the inherent order of the multiverse. For some, this means using melting shards of ice to carve magical sigils into their flesh—thus supposedly taking the ice’s order into themselves— while others meditate unprotected on exposed glaciers, letting the cold ravage their bodies. The most aggressive of these allow frostbite to take all of their limbs, and these honored individuals, called the Clarified, are either wired permanently into starships or joined psychically into neural networks with their cenobites in the Fastness’s most secure heart, helping take the order’s research of the universe to new heights.”

Because Verces’ dark side is the setting of the Thing and Event Horizon and Hellraiser, and I love it so much. And the detail of the frostbitten Clarified being directly wired into the heart of starships as their pilots is just exactly the sort of gruesome horrifying science fiction detailing that I enjoy.

From the pirate-and-mystery laden asteroid belt of the Diaspora:

“The ysoki trade frigate Farabarrium is a salvaged ATech Immortal left adrift by the Knights of Golarion after a brutal confrontation with an Eoxian cruiser several years ago. A group of ysoki salvagers called the Shirsask Kaia laid claim to the damaged ship and were able to bring the vessel back online within 2 years’ time. With the significant firepower and space provided by the Farabarrium, the Shirsask Kaia decided to put down roots in the Diaspora and operate as a trade hub and salvage way station. The Shirsask Kaia were quick to negotiate a lucrative protection deal with the Free Captains in return for offering priority maintenance for all Free Captain vessels. Now the Farabarrium is a well-known hot spot of trade activity within the Diaspora and a noteworthy pit stop for travelers scouring the forgotten reaches of the asteroid belt.”

The Farabarrium is easily one of my favourite parts of the setting. There’s a lot of the old school Star Wars book EU in her. A salvaged warship that’s been converted by ratfolk to serve as a mobile salvage and repair station among the pirate asteroids of the Diaspora. She has that blue collar science fiction sensibility that I just delight in.

From Eox, the blasted undead world that destroyed itself in the process of shattering two worlds into what would become the Diaspora asteroid belt:

“The vast, flat, northern reaches of Eox are known as Lacustria Hollow, the basin of what was once the arctic Lacustria Sea. Though no major settlements exist here, the area is littered with the wrecked remains of airships, diving spheres, sailing vessels, submarines, and underwater cities from the time when it was a thriving ocean beneath an eternal ice pack. What appear to be centuries of experimental ships, shattered strongholds, submerged ports, and wrecks suggest that before the planet was devastated, the Lacustria Sea was extremely active and saw trade, naval battles, eldritch wars, and even attempts to settle the seafloor.”

From both an archaeological and also a cosmic horror point of view, Eox is fascinating. They wiped themselves out and literally turned their entire planet undead, but before that, they were apparently already having Cthulhu-esque exploration and wars and attempted submarine colonisation efforts in the icy seas beneath their polar ice caps. There’s a ghostly city mentioned later on called Grim Reach out here that appears to be a pre-cataclysm city at the bottom of this sea, but that isn’t built as an underwater city, but an open air one, so what the hell happened up here?

From the gas giant of Liavara, one of my favourite planets in this system … actually, there’s a couple of things from Liavara, I love this place, so a small sampling:

“The only true settlement on Liavara is the floating city of Roselight, a series of transparent aluminum and polycarbonate domes atop a mechanical thruster platform, built almost exclusively as a carefully managed gas-mining outpost. […] Although it exists solely for Liavara’s tightly controlled gas-mining industry, Roselight is a surprisingly beautiful city—a floating platform of steel and polycarbon capped with transparent aluminum domes of varying sizes that catch the light filtering through Liavara’s peach-colored clouds to shimmer like giant soap bubbles. The tight restrictions on the city result in an environment not dissimilar from a space station, as everything in the city, including air and water, must be recycled.”

“Deep Station. The depths of a gas giant are a fascinating subject for researchers, and this research facility, complete with a tiny shrine to Yaraesa, floats at a depth where the pressure is too intense for most structures to retain integrity. Deep Station was built with a sturdier infrastructure than most vessels transporting staff and supplies to and from the station, so while the station could go deeper into Liavara’s atmosphere, it would then be unable to receive support. The pressure and electromagnetic fields at such depths usually wreak havoc with standard communications systems, but recently transmissions from Deep Station have stopped altogether. Colleagues at Deep Station’s partner institutions would deeply love to find a starship crew with a ship hardy enough to brave the gas giant’s depths to investigate.”

“Old Hulk. Before Roselight was established, gas mining on Liavara was conducted from a scrappy mechanical platform built sometime during the Gap. It had already failed by the time history resumed, abandoned and left to deteriorate within the planet’s depths. Its buoyancy engines, however, retain at least some level of functionality, and the platform bobs between the upper and lower layers of the planet’s atmosphere. This erratic elevation means that sometimes the derelict structure “surfaces” from the clouds below, like the corpse of a mechanical whale, floating for a few hours or days before sinking back into the unbearable pressure of the planet’s depths.”

While the moons of Liavara are fascinating, it’s the installations and cities within the atmosphere of the gas giant itself that fascinate me. Possibly you can blame Lando Calrissian and Cloud City from Star Wars, but there’s just something about the imagery of a gas giant and the flying/floating cities within it. It’s a weird combination of sky and ocean, of clouds and storms and massive winds, but also crush depths, canned air, and resource management. Deep Station being lost to the depths, the ragged ghost of the Old Hulk rising periodically like a shipwreck, the Flying Dutchman, while Roselight shimmers like a soap bubble and bristles with port-slash-industrial city concerns. Liavara is such a fantastic picture of a planet.

From the incredibly turbulent skies of the gas giant Bretheda:

“Eyes of the Ancients. For ages, three cyclones of epic proportions have churned in a symbiotic maelstrom in the southern hemisphere of Bretheda’s turbulent atmosphere. Mentions of these storms appear in records dating long before the Gap, even among societies with only the most basic of telescopic technology, and the violence of each storm is enough to tear apart even the sturdiest of vessels. Yet satellite imagery shows an apparently calm center cradled between the three, with faint signals suggesting that there might be some kind of settlement or structure nestled within the clouds here. Worshipers of Triune, citing the trifold nature of both their deity and the storms, insist that the structure must be a shrine to their deity, while others point to the inscrutable nature of the signal as fitting for a site holy to Ibra. More skeptical voices dismiss both claims as far less likely than the structure being nothing more than a remnant of a starship caught in the storms and eventually swept to the central area— though for a ship to have survived the crushing power of the Eyes would require an extraordinary quality of construction, likely beyond that currently seen in the Pact Worlds. Regardless of which theory, if any, is correct, no pilots have yet managed to navigate the Eyes or succeed at a direct descent from orbit into the center.”

You know in Event Horizon, that ominous first shot of the ship herself hanging above the eye of a storm in the atmosphere of Neptune? I feel like this mysterious object very much has that vibe, to the point where I wonder if it was a direct inspiration. But man, I really want to discover a survivable way down to this thing so I can poke at its mysteries (and possibly die horribly to them).

The gas giants in this system are so fun. And, again, it is probably noticeable that I grew up on the likes of Alien and Event Horizon. And Star Trek, you’d think there’d be more influence from that, but I just … I like cosmic horror and I like blue collar science fiction. I like transport systems and unions and logistics and air recycling systems, and I also like mysterious objects hanging in impassible planetary storms and evidence of Lovecraftian wars beneath the vanished seas of a death world.

This is such a good setting. Such a good setting. I love the worldbuilding so much.

[jacquesthepigeon]

While blimps do produce a minimal amount of CO2 emissions, they are the most unreliable in terms of fuel. Helium is not a renewable resource. Humans have not been able to artificially produce it. And it's not the same as using solar power to make electricity to run a car. Creating an entire cities transport structure around that is actually more harmful to the planet than just using cars.

Bustier could still ban cars, but would make to create a peak system of public transportation. Maybe use the Seine to charter ferries and prioritize cleaning the river.

Electric vehicles and renewable energy have been a thing in the real world for so long I have no doubt the advanced technology in the ML universe could perfect it to create a zero emission city with reliable transportation 😭 why they gotta use balloons

[deathblossomed]

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐎𝐅 𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐄 & 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐇 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐒 ( @thuganomxcs. )

❝ turn around. you don’t need to see this part. ❞

( Protective Violence. )

𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐌𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐏𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑, shinigami aren't worth much. They're powers don't draw from combat, nor can they rend the earth in two with sheer will. They grow stronger with age, some more than others but Botan is still young in the grand scheme of things, still blossoming and learning to forge her powers. She slips between realms so easily because she known to them and because a shinigami flying overhead is hardly interesting.

Unless of course, you're looking for a key.

Reikei is protected by the Sanzu, which drowns trespassers and floods to protect it's own. Only those born of it may cross, escorts for the dead and the living alike. But there are some who seek a way across, who think that if only they could get through the waters, they could seize Reikai as their own. They just need a key, a shinigami broken to their will to ferry them across. And what an easy catch she was, Koenma's envoy to the other realms, someone who lets down her guard as soon as she's crossed into Ningenkai. Her disappearance noticed only when she failed to report to work the next day, her oar laying abandoned a few blocks from Yusuke's house, a crumb she'd left in hopes it would lead them to her.

And it had, eventually. She put up a good fight, kicking and biting until they bound and caged her, a beating not strong enough to kill her but enough to keep her reiki low, to keep her from escaping or signaling for help. She's been slowly draining it just to keep herself conscious and stable, not enough to heal completely, not anymore. If she runs out, she knows her core will take over, siphoning life energy from her captors. But that's a last resort. She won't risk hurting Yusuke when he comes for her.

And when he does arrive, he's angry like she's rarely seen. He looses his temper, sure, but not like this with his teeth bared. Her vision's blurry and she feels cold, but there's heat radiating off him, yoki spilling out like a solar flare, a warmth she'd recognize anywhere. She hates pushing him to this point, doesn't want to keep dragging him into these messes. But she'll always trust that he'll come for her.

When he tells her to turn around, she complies, tucking her head to her chest and closing her eyes. She knows he'll kill them, imagines it will be brutal. But for now, she feels safe enough to turn her attention away. She'll make it up to him later.

[frozenoverblackballoon]

Why Issak wasn't part of the Mars colonization project? Because he was part of the Venus colonization project! when the UN green lite the Mars project they green lite the Venus project too. With the hope to ferry people off Earth to lessen the population density and to use Venus's close proximity to the sun to harvest solar power to replace fossil fuel and nuclear energy. Issack was to leave Earth with three other enhanced humans at the same time as the Mars group. The two groups shared similar enhancements. Like high intellect and slowed ageing. But what made them different was the planets they were made to colonize. The Mars group were made with stronger bones and muscles to withstand the low gravity of the red plant, while the Venus group was made to stand the toxicity of the planet closest to the sun. That is why Issak can drink and smoke like it's his last day every day and face no ill effect ten years up the road. Neither group know of the other, but they were planned to meet one day on Earth.

Also, his full name is Samael Knightlord. Receiving his last name from his creator.

[ross-hori]

Sometimes I'll go for a photo walk and fixate on a subject. I don't mean I start following people around in a stalkerish way. My focus settles on a particular object or situation, and I start looking for shots to fit this mood.

This was one such occasion.

It was another hot day, and a morning walk to the local pond was a great idea. Aside from the cooling effect of a large body of water, there was plenty of dapple shade, and it was 6km there and back. Out and back before the sun got too high in the sky, and wander around for half an hour with a camera.

Wander I did, following a well-trodden route and pausing to snap this and that. A few insects. Shots across the water. A rotting tree stump. The usual.

Except when I got home and went through the images, I realized I'd dropped into that fixated mode. About half my shots were of transmission towers. A handful of these monsters ring the pond, ferrying electricity from one of Hyogo's power stations to communities far and wide. For whatever reason, I'd decided they needed documenting.

It's not the first time this has happened. Some of my written work focuses on renewable energy generation, and I often look for electricity-themed shots. Earlier that week I'd wandered down to the local valley to capture a few images of the solar farms. I have a small library of transmission towers looming over landscapes.

Perhaps I should share a few on Unsplash. At last count I have over a hundred.

[earth-ai]

Hal Jordan

Hal Jordan is a test pilot for Ferris Aeronautics, an aerospace corporation that builds military aircraft and space ships for the US government.

When an alien from a nearby solar system died on Earth AI, he bequeathed his power ring to Hal, chosen by the ring as a man without fear.

[thefirstknife]

new raid description: "haunting" huh... this is how Nezarec can stil-*shot by Bungie sniper*

I'm the sniper. HJFKJSHFKJSHF

On a more serious note, it's really interesting that they updated the raid description. Like, it's driving me insane, especially since other raids didn't get that. Vow stayed the same the entire time for example, and told us quite a lot about the location being the Pyramid. Original for Lightfall:

New description:

That seems like a lot of information, but also it tells us nothing conclusive. The "haunting presence" stayed the same. The rest is super vague and could mean a number of different things.

"Unknown time and place" seems to indicate something to do with the Vex. But it could also mean something related to the Nine or whatever Elsie is doing to go through timelines or whatever is the power of the Witness or something entirely new. We don't know enough about Neomuna and what they've been dealing with. Also "ferried" is interesting. It implies that something is being brought in, not that it shows up on its own.

The original description says that this threat is "within" something redacted. I think that indicates a new location, or at least something they didn't want to detail during the initial reveal. But the new description doesn't add to it much outside of saying "growing at our doorstep."

"Growing" is an interesting word given the recent flood of egregore infested spaceships. "At our doorstep" could mean near Earth or near Neptune or even just a general near our entire solar system or near our dimension/timeline. The later seems to be closest so far, given the "unknown time and place."

I would love to see Nezarec in full glory, but also I genuinely don't want us to rethread old stuff. Nezarec is dead. He can whisper to people through his relics and that's about it. I want to know more about his actions and ultimate fate in the Collapse as that's important for us to know how to fight against the Pyramid ships, but I don't think we have to fight him again personally. More so because he failed as a disciple and died. From what we know right now, there is no reason for the Witness to entertain him again or for him to be described as coming from "unknown time and place." Obviously, super wild plot twists notwithstanding. This would obviously be super cool. I'll be the first in line to scream from joy if that happens.

I'd definitely prefer something new for the raid though. Vow really spoiled me tbh. But also, if we're bringing back something known, I would like something we haven't explored before, but that's relevant for the future. Like the Nine! The Nine are known to be coming from weird dimensions and trying to grow life out of nothing, for example, which I would much rather see explored as it's something we've been in the dark about for the entire duration of the game.

Another issue is that while I think the "unknown time and place" could signify Vex, we already have 2 Vex raids. So is it likely to get another? It could also be that the new raid has multiple enemy types so it's not all Vex. We currently don't have an active raid with the Uluran and Calus is known to like to dig around dangerous stuff.

I think guessing what the raid will be about is pretty much impossible. Outside of Crota's End and King's Fall (it's in the name for them), we've never really known what any of the raids would be about and who would be the final boss. I think that makes is more exciting! And speculation is super interesting as well. I remember speculation around Vow and how incredible it was to see that it has nothing to do with anything we've seen before.

But I also know that speculation can sometimes lead to disappointment. Some people are still salty to this day that Deep Stone Crypt didn't have "giant Exo Clovis" as a raid boss as if there was anything indicating that it would be the case. People just kinda wanted that to happen, despite Clovis' story not being nearly close to ending so killing him in a raid wouldn't have made sense. So definitely keep on speculating (and feel free to comment what you'd want to see from the raid!), but also keep in mind that we're most likely entirely in the dark and don't bet your enjoyment on any specific theory. There's so much we don't know and we could get another super cool surprise with something totally unknown!

[nickypoppieandel]

Tuesday 3rd October

Hopefully I can upload a few photos this evening. Having gone to bed really early, day started started really really early for Nicky and I as we woke right up at 5 am, jumped up, showered and dressed and went for a walk along the waterfront - there being enough lights for us to see our way and not trip and spoil our holiday! Flam (pronounced Flum … or as our tour leader calls it, “The Flum”!) is honestly one of the prettiest and most peaceful and yet dramatic places I have ever been to. I hope you get an idea from the photos.

After our walk, a MONSTROUS cruise ship (Carrie’s 5000 people!) was parked right in front of our hotel balcony! It wasn’t there when we set off, but was being guided in to the dock. Not for me, that sort of holiday, but others love it. Actually …I would be interested to try it for a long weekend, “just to see…”. The walk was beautiful because it was mild …. and silent …. and pretty!

Anyway, after breakfast, we jumped on board a lovely catamaran ferry and slowly cruised up and around the Sognefjord (the King of fjords) which is UNESCO World Heritage site. Water literally thousands of meters deep and fed by hundreds of small and huge waterfalls with the occasional farm house - often with its own sauna hut at the water’s edge - and a few sheep. I have SO many questions to ask about how the people living there survive, surely they can’t make a living from 20 sheep and there was no sign of electricity poles and wires on one side of the fjord and there would be no chance of solar power. So if any of you know a Norwegian who knows anything about this area of agriculture, I’d love to know!

Again, I am blown away by the height of the mountains either side of the fjords and the depths of the water. We all ooo’d and aghhh’d about how beautiful it is - and it is - but how tough would it be to live there!!

Although we came to Flam by rail, there is vehicle access too, one road going through the longest tunnel in the world - 25 km!

But back to the fjord cruise… I think I will have to let the photos paint the picture.

From the ferry, we caught a bus, weaving along the road (no… the driver wasn’t our “high” tour guide from 2 days ago!!!) past the sweetest little houses and tiny villages and …. MORE WATERFALLS. What amazes me about the waterfalls is not only how many of them, but the power of them. Even the ones that look to be trickling down, are white. I have just looked up a scientific answer to this, but you can do that!! I just know it’s because of the velocity of the fall.

From the bus, we were again on a train, and arrived in Bergen (or as Richard our tour leader says “The Berrrrrgen”. Bergen is a very busy shipping port (it would been very scary thousands of years ago, to see the Vikings rowing in!) that has very little flat land on which to build, so many of the houses are built on the side of mountains. Nicky Poppie and I have become accustomed to a very early dinner and book reading for Nicky and blogging for me (Poppie is in another room) and going to sleep early. So as I write this, it is 8 pm and we have had our dinner (a restaurant specializing in fish which was so beautifully fresh and yummy), walked a bit and then stopped at a groovy little place and had a short black coffee and Poppie and I shared a scoop of ice cream and half an apple cake thing. I didn’t eat my chips, so didn’t feel too guilty! Each day though, we had taken advantage of the delicious breakfast and had a more than hearty one and not needed anything until dinner. All breakfasts are provided and some dinners.

There are 22 people on our tour, mostly couples and all friendly and thank goodness no prima donnas! Of course there are all sorts and we have our favorites!! There is one giant of a man (tall and big, not fat) who is just a bit “odd”. He has an English wife who seems oblivious of the fact that we know he’s a bit odd. He doesn’t engage with anyone, and if he answers a question, it is always a bit obtuse. He seems completely in his own world, pushes past people etc. Anyway, I think he’s harmless! On the way back from dinner-plus-naughty-snack, we passed a group of young women lit up from head to toe in sparkles and pink, in an outdoor cafe. I asked (all Norwegians are happy to speak English) “Is someone getting married?” and they said it was the pink breast cancer “run”. We told them we had that in Australia too. We actually told them it started in Australia but maybe it didn’t. But they think it did, now!! How amazing is that anyway! A little later we saw lots of young runners dressed in all different shades of pink, running through the town.

Norway is a very peaceful and generally homogenous and egalitarian country, but there are rumblings of dissatisfaction about “economic refugees” being given special treatment. Yet they are still reeling from “one of their own”, Anders Breivik, who was the young man who firstly, killed 8 people from a bomb he planted in the city, then 69 young people at a youth camp on one of the little islands off Oslo. He said it was a wake up call to save the world from Muslims. Such is Norway’s homogeneity, each year on National Constitution Day, they all dress up - regardless of politics - find their ribbons and Norwegian flags and come out onto the street and watch children sing songs. They do this to celebrate something wonderful or reflect on something awful, that has been in the press about Norway. It’s al ost childlike. Maybe because it’s such a small country that it is easier to gather people.

Well, I’m going to have a go at uploading photos now. Wish me luck …

[worrywrite]

History of a Heartstring (Part 1)

There are fewer celestials than there are fiends. There is no question about this.

Fiends, as a general method of operation, corrupt mortals into lesser fiends. Devils steal away the hearts and souls of all manner of creatures, twisting them into abominations of hellfire and corrupted flesh.

This is not the manner in which celestials are made. Though, as a matter of fact, celestials do not make a habit of broadcasting their origins. Records show that most are made as they are, as though they are the children of the deific makers themselves. Others are promoted from mortal beings, such as great heroes and saints of their patrons. Celestials, much like fiends, have stations in life that go hand in hand with their abilities. And, much like fiends, celestials can be promoted to higher stations and greater power.

Unlike fiends, however, a celestial can be demoted. And this is part of the reason why there are so few celestials.

Demotions are not, strictly speaking, as natural as promotions are. Really, it is a matter of choice—a choice as to whether or not they will follow the rules they have been given and a choice as to whether or not they will allow themselves to be distracted and fall; fall and become the thing they revile most.

This had never once happened to the ranks of the Merciful Twilight—the clade of a lesser god long since replaced by another lesser god. The Merciful Twilight is not a warring faction of celestial warriors, nor is it an influential faction of holy power and faith. There is no organized religion, no mortal following, and no worshippers. Their ranks are slim, efficient, and designed for a single purpose: to deliver the souls of dying mortals to their destinations across the outer resting planes.

One empyrean, five solars, ten planetars, and forty deva. Fifty-six celestial emissaries, each with unflinching loyalty to their god and an unwavering dedication to their duties, expect no praise, and few ever hear a remark of gratitude. Such is the station of a psychopomp.

Mortals might see this as unusual. Among the higher powers that employ psychopomps to deliver and ferry the souls of the dead, there is some fierce competition. But this competition happens in the ethereal space surrounding great battlefields, sick houses, dens of thieves and betrayers, and brothels— places where one is likely to meet an untimely end, a legendary death, or even a little death. But there is rarely competition for those who die quietly in the night, in the comfort of their own beds, after old age or a long illness has taken its toll.

The Merciful Twilight, in this sense, is relatively non-conflicting. Someone must come for these wayward souls, though they profit their guides very little, lest their souls linger and corrupt the world around them. It is constant work across large geographical and interplanar areas, and there is little room for promotion.

None of the Merciful Twilight cared much about promotion. All but three had been created to serve in the stations that they occupied. And all but four were content to remain in the positions that they held.

It was the empyrean, Mogon, who most wanted to be allowed to progress from his station. As an administrator, he did little besides direct and plan for the celestials of lower station that worked beneath him. And unlike a fiend of comperable station, Mogon was content to wait and earn his place among the lesser godly beings he so craved to join. His ambition was bridled with a sense of nobility and fairness.

Two of the deva, Caspian and Hesenine, both longed for promotion so that they could expand the range of their duties. The ambition of both existed in a somewhat competitive but respectful dance. Caspian wished to transport more souls per celestial cycle than Hesenine. And Hesinine enjoyed Caspian's attempts to best her. Their jobs were carried out with kindness, respect, and much note-taking. This is generally the behavior of young celestials still coming to grips with the nature and personality of mortal beings.

It is the case of Peresine, one of the five solars of the Merciful Twilight, that most concerned her superiors. She was one of the three that had not been created by their god; the others being Mogon and a rather unassuming planetar named Seronun, who had been promoted from the rank of deva while in the service of another god for no other reason than that he had been perfectly consistent in his duties for 500 years. Seronun was so bland and unassuming that Mogon assumed he had been a modron hero that had been awakened into a deva as a reward for particularly consistent mathematics. Peresine, on the other hand... Mogon had little idea of how any celestial could be promoted to the rank of solar with so little to show for it.

Few mortals know this, but celestials take on varied appearances in accordance with both their rank and achievements. Mogon, through his centuries of dutiful service as both a psychopomp and a celestial emissary for various gods, appeared to mortals (and their immortal portions that were carried on to their next existence) as a nine-foot-tall humanoid man with fair jade skin. He wore a crown of interwoven silver gilt serpents, was always seen carrying about his book of records, and was always adorned in the robes of his station. His body and vestments were practically one, and each element of his appearance spoke of greatness. The jade glow of his skin was a blessing from a nature god, for whom he had guided the spirits of forest creatures to their next existence. The silver crown was a boon from a god of healing, for whom he had carried a life-saving cure to a mortal king to waylay the prospects of war and the collapse of a nation. His book, which he used the endless pages of to carry out all of his duties, had been awarded to Mogon by a greater deity for identifying a loophole in one of their divine edicts. The vestments, an intricate white silken fiber patterned with the pale yellow bones of a figure of gentle death, were granted by his current godly patron and displayed for all to see that he was mere centuries from earning his master's position.

Peresine held no such adornments, boons, or blessings.

She appeared to mortals as nothing more than a young elven girl: trustworthy in appearance, wise beyond her years in visage, and with a kindness that shown from the dimples in her cheeks. But her vestments were plain and white, her grain-brown colored hair had no crown to hold or ornaments to display. She had even taken to walking barefoot as she carried out her duties, much to the disgust of Mogon (though it did not and, in fact, could not hamper her duties). Among the ranks of celestials of all clades and duties, Peresine was and would be considered plain, even more plain than Seronun, who at least had a staff of divine copper that he had earned from his previous master for his outstanding strictness to the rules he had been told to operate within.

But the rules which the Merciful Twilight operated within held no clauses regarding acclaim or adornments or boons or blessings or appearance. The rules were, actually, quite simple and forgiving. Those in the lesser god's clade needed only to ferry the souls of the dead to their destinations and ward off those that would assail and extort those souls. And while other, more particular, bylines had been written in by Mogon, there was nothing wrong with being plain and barefooted and blissfully in tune with the people one shepherded. And Peresine was just that.

She smiled kindly, even to the crotchety old geezers that asked her if she was qualified to help them. She would smite and repel with quick and severe action those who sought to capture her protected. And she, perhaps secretly, loved the souls she guided. She loved the worlds she passed through; she loved the breeze on her ethereal wings as she passed through the outer realms; and she loved the beings she worked with. The two planetars under her command and the four deva below them were all treated well and spared a great deal of work by her intervention. Despite her promotion to a mostly administrative rank, Peresine could not bear to give up her prior duties as a psychopomp and often took on additional work for her own enjoyment.

It was such an overtime assignment that led her to the metaphorical doorstep of a lifelong prince of a peaceful kingdom in elven lands.

A prince by the name of Velen who had, for the span of three hundred years, remained third in line for the throne of the kingdom and then died of old age. Despite his constant distance from the throne, Velen had been instrumental in maintaining peace in the land and transitioning the rule of the kingdom from his older brother to his young—some one hundred and twenty years old—niece as his brother passed away. And it was in his three hundred and fifty-third year that Velen passed away in his sleep of old age, having the love of his whole kingdom and many more to wish him farewell.

As Velen, or the immortal soul that remained after Velen's death, sat up from his deathbed, he was kindly welcomed by a young girl with long and wavy golden-brown hair that reminded him of the farmland that lined the outskirts of his kingdom and otherwise unremarkable features. She said nothing, but held her hand out for him to follow her. And they went.

Their journey would be long, as Velen had earned a seat at the Eternal Autumn Court of Bright Stars, which resided in a small plane of a lesser god on the outer ring of planes that composed the known planarverse. And the court had requested that his passage be aided by the Merciful Twilight, which was not uncommon for well-known mortals of grand and peaceful reputation.

However, this one soul—this one peaceful soul—had competition waiting.

[duckiefm]

{ ic; lana condor. 24. non-binary. she/they. } yo! have you heard about [ DAPHNE “DUCKIE” PHAM ]? i couldn’t help but notice them blasting [ SOLAR POWER BY LORDE ] when they pulled up.  i saw them moving into [ SKYLINE BEACH ] which makes sense because they remind me of [ UNCONTROLLABLE LAUGHTER IN THE SUMMER SUN & ALWAYS FINDING A SILVER LINING]. word on the street is that they’re [ SCATTERBRAINED & IRRESPONSIBLE ] but i also heard they can be [ FEARLESS & EFFERVESCENT ]. i could be wrong but something tells me that they work over at [ BLOCKBUSTER ] but i guess we’ll find out soon enough.

hi hello to my favorite babes !! your friendly neighborhood maeby coming in hot and so stoked to be here ♡ i’m 26, out here in the mst this time of year, and use she/they pronouns. i’m truly so freakin’ jazzed to finally be playing my favorite lil pea again... duckie ! she is my teeny-tiniest, sunshine-iest dork and i can’t think of a better place for her to be than urbzville v2 ! without further ado...

STATS

given name: daphne elaine pham preferred name: duckie - given as a child, an offshoot of “daffy duck” other nicknames: duck, daph, pham zodiac: leo sun, sagittarius rising, aquarius moon orientation: pansexual, non-binary (demi-woman) hobbies: surfing, skateboarding, throwing impromptu house parties, amateur filmmaking, electric guitar, planning concerts so her band has somewhere to play for once, racking up high scores at the arcade favorites: ultra loaded nachos, pizza for every meal, chocolate lava cakes, "all that she wants” by ace of base, empire records (1995), dance dance revolution character inspo: ferris bueller (ferris bueller’s day off), phoebe buffay (friends), zack van gerbig (gilmore girls), jack dawson (titanic), shaggy rogers (scooby doo), penny lane (almost famous)

BIOGRAPHY

duckie (never daphne, unless you want a little tasmanian devil after you) pham’s story began when her father, acclaimed surfer đại niên “daniel” pham, met the woman who would be daphne’s mother, interior designer leona tran while just trying to get a burger after a long day. in a mix-up at a diner in leona’s hometown, they were given each other’s food. when they realized the mistake and went to fix it, they couldn’t stop talking until well after midnight. they were from wildly different worlds, but they didn’t care! duckie’s older brother was born nine months later and though her parents weren’t actually married until a few years ago, that hopeless romanticism became a constant theme in duckie’s life. duckie didn’t put much effort into dating or romance, herself, but she did enjoy making matches for her friends’ lonely hearts. even when her family moved from australia to urbzville for her mother’s career, duckie immersed herself in her new friends’ personal lives.

while the rest of the people her age seemed to be in the middle of crazy schemes to try to get boyfriends and girlfriends (often that she came up with), duckie was busy trying to learn how to kickflip, running around filming everything around her, learning how to play bad covers on her dad’s old acoustic guitar, and surfing at skyline beach. by far the closest to her heart, surfing took up the majority of her attention and love. when her dad opened a surf shop with his brother right in skyline beach, duckie swore allegiance to urbzville for life. who needs anywhere else when you’ve got waves and halfpipes right in the urbz? the city was a revelation to duckie and the diverse districts around the city opened her up to all kinds of things that she hadn’t cared enough about back in her home country. kicktail park and cozmo street became her second homes, but even when she moved out with one of her best friends at nineteen, she couldn’t help but stay in skyline beach.

duckie has a hard time taking any seriously and would much rather joke everything off and focus on making other people happy than holding grudges or creating confrontation. creating chaos, though? she’s absolutely here for. her pranks are very much about confusing, not abusing, and they’re proof that even five years after moving out of her parents’ place, she has not grown up. the closest she’s come to maturity is keeping down her steady job at blockbuster, her favorite place to spread movie theories and celebrity gossip. she spends a ton of time there even outside of her shifts. is that because of her insistence that she has the best taste in movies of anyone in the city? it’s not... not! duckie doesn’t put much stock into the rivalries between the districts and doesn’t mind making it known. prides herself in having friends from all over urbzville and claims not to care about the flack she catches from people because of it. is truly just here for a good time! always has good weed!

WANTED CONNECTS

regulars at blockbuster, where duckie works and honestly spends a ton of her time!

employees and regulars of duckie’s favorite haunts!

people she went to high school with here in urbzville!

band mates / someone for duckie to play music with!

flings, crushes, exes, fwbs!

anybody who needs a friendly face around, since duckie sees the good (or at least the good time) in everyone!

people who really don’t get along with duckie since she isn’t everyone’s cup of tea!

someone who thinks she’s a poser for not sticking to her district!

anything under the sun you might be vibing!

[scotianostra]

On March 3rd 1883 three hundred inhabitants of the remote Shetland island of Foula were on the point of starvation as the first supply boat of the year reached the stormbound community.

Foula, often described as the “Edge Of The World” is our most remote inhabited island.  It is situated in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 20 miles to the west of the Shetland mainland.  It is an island of crofting townships, breath-taking sheer cliff drops, and a wealth of wild flowers and wildlife.

Over a century ago, in 1881, Foula had a population of 267, mostly employed in fishing…at the last census in 2001 that figure had dropped to just 38.

On March 3rd 1883 the Shetland Times published this;

The Weather and Mails – Foula

Nine weeks have now expired since our last mail was landed, and all our resources are almost exhausted. Sugar and tobacco have been all done for more than a fortnight, and tea, coffee, etc, are now done also. Those who had a little meal to spare have helped those who had none, a thing often done in Foula, but if the weather does not moderate we will soon be all alike. The boat has been in readiness now for some time to go to Walls for supplies, and as the weather has become a little more moderate today they are going to make a start, so we hope that they may get safe through, and a chance to return again soon. But we doubt if the mail boat will be able to cross today yet, as the wind still inclines to the westward.

There isn’t much more than this about their plight, but it seems that same day they breathed a sigh of relief as a boat must have made it to Mainland and back successfully.

Today crofting as well as fishing are the main activities, half the population living at Hametoun in the south east and the remainder to be found at Ham near Ham Voe on the east coast. The island  is not connected to any mainland electricity grid system.  In 1987 a community electricity scheme was constructed, comprising a 3.3kV island grid which linked diesel generators, a wind turbine and a hydroelectricity scheme to the island’s properties. This scheme gradually fell into disrepair and has undergone a major refurbishment, funded primarily through grants.  

Before refurbishment, the entire island’s power was supplied by one of the two diesel generators which operated between approximately 7.20am and 00.30am. That’s not to say they were without power for the, just under 7 hours the generator is off,  a battery/inverter system was installed between 2006 and January 2007, a solar charging array helps top up the batteries as well .  The system was fully commissioned at the beginning of March 2007 and already the islanders not only have continuous power ( instead of the previous 17 hours per day) but are noticing considerable savings in diesel fuel use. Since diesel has to be shipped in by ferry (and often the weather is too bad for the ferry to run for up to 3 weeks on end) this of huge value.

An interesting feature of the island’s people is that they still observe the old Julian calendar, replaced in 1752 in Britain by the present Gregorian system which deleted 11 days from the year. Remote areas of the country kept to the old calendar, adding an extra day in 1800, which was a leap year, and some parts of Shetland continued to observe festivals 12 days after the dates in the new calendar. The most remote areas kept to the old calendar longest, and the people of Foula still celebrate Christmas on 6 January and New Year’s Day on 13 January

Travel to the island is by sea or air and is completely dependent on suitable weather conditions.

A wee bit more, and a short video can be found at the link below.

https://www.shetland.org/visit/plan/areas/foula

[fayemouse]

Ferrying packages and people and the occasional bit of confidential information relies on the jump gates. It's the only way to get from point A to point ∝ in anything under a few dozen lifetimes.

You catch your ersatz copilot's mouth catching flies.

If it wasn't for going through literally thousands of them over the past -- gods, too long -- maybe you could put yourself in their shoes. It's just specifications to you. Il'theth Gate is 45 by 65 by 151,253 kilometers. It has a core reactor spread in a cylindrical mesh around the gate's walls, producing and recapturing enough power for 46 brave souls that process on average 127 ships a day.

A small, shitty little gate for a worthless one-port dive of a system. It's only proximity that this dead end connects directly to the Hub. You click your teeth at yourself. It's a fine system. Stop being so snooty. It's a one-port dive, but it's a great port for when the seas are too rough.

Then again, so's TPB-6. But you'd rather not get gutted right after setting foot on terra firma. Again.

As you weigh the relative merits of the systems you'd rather be in, it hit you.

"You ever been trans-system, shiprat?" Oh? Pet names already? You're laying it on far, far too thick.

They jump in their seat, making a small squeak. It's the first thing you've said in six hours. Your taciturn leathery ship captain act has apparently been doing a good job of hiding the dull ache of your empty canister and the less existential ache of dehydration and temporary vitamin B deficiency.

Your navcomp bloops. An unassuming noise for something so routine for you. It's your turn in the gate queue.

You look at their face. They look green. It's not routine for them.

The glow begins at the center: a nebulous purple and cyan oort cloud, three or four miracles of technology that you shrug at every day. The controlled birth of a star every eleven minutes or so overwhelms your passenger. A flash -- blinding to someone whose retinas haven't been burnt out by days of unshielded solar radiation. The ship starts to list forward into the gravity well. Even with the artificial you bought years ago to make life a bit more tied down, you can still feel the pull.

Their eyes are wide. They can feel their atoms stretching. The world outside - a languid symphony of departures and arrivals - blurs into a glissando. They struggle to turn their head towards you. They see you so different from the sad-sack in the bar, the seen-it-all ship jockey, the one person it looked like would actually take their job.

You're smiling. Not the sly smile of a wannabe con. The kind that means you're going to see your oldest friend, the one that won't leave you, the one that welcomes you with a cup of imported tea, the one that always has a place for you.

You've never put the visor shields down when you've been in hyperspace. You bask in the dimensionality of the universe. Your headache fades. You've forgotten there's anyone else in the ship. You lean back in your pilot's chair like you're in a hammock on the beach.

They, on the other hand, vomit up what little was in their stomach onto the floor.