#Pacific Land Web Design

[affordablesmallbusinesswebdesign]

Managed Web Hosting for Small Business

CHOOSING THE RIGHT WEB HOSTING MANAGEMENT SERVICE

In today’s modern era, having a proper online presence is vital for the success of any business. Whether you’re a small startup or an established enterprise, having a well-maintained website is essential. To ensure your website runs smoothly and efficiently, you need Pacific Land Web Design’s web hosting management services in Las Vegas. Let’s explore how these services can benefit your online presence.

THE IMPORTANCE OF WEB HOSTING MANAGEMENT SERVICES

Selecting the perfect web hosting management service in Las Vegas can be a game-changer for your online business. Here are some factors to consider when making your decision:

Scalability

As your business grows, so should your website. Opt for a hosting service that allows easy scalability, ensuring your site can handle increased traffic and data without compromising performance.

Customer Support

Prompt and effective customer support is invaluable when technical issues arise. Look for a provider that offers 24/7 customer assistance to address any concerns promptly.

Pricing

While cost is a crucial factor, remember that quality should not be sacrificed for affordability. Invest in a hosting service that provides a balance between cost-effectiveness and performance.

[aliaskeefh]

where in the world 23 - gecko close up by KєєƒH Hєℓℓiทgєr📷🎬💻 Via Flickr: shot and uploaded by KeefH Web Designs, shot on Bruny Island want to see more images or read the blog? www.holiday2013.co.uk/1820Mar2013BrunyIstoSA Bruny Island is a stunning coastal retreat off the southeast coast of Tasmania, Australia. It's a place of rugged beauty, rich history, and incredible wildlife, making it a dream destination for adventurers, photographers, and nature lovers alike. Quick Facts - Location: Off Tasmania’s coast, separated by the D’Entrecasteaux Channel. - Size: Around 362 square kilometers. - Access: Reachable by ferry from Kettering, about 33 km south of Hobart. - Unique Feature: It’s actually two islands—North and South Bruny—connected by The Neck, a stunning isthmus with incredible views. History & Exploration - Originally inhabited by Aboriginal Tasmanians. - Visited by Abel Tasman, James Cook, Tobias Furneaux, and William Bligh during early exploration. - Named after French explorer Bruni d’Entrecasteaux. Natural Beauty & Wildlife - Home to Tasmania’s 12 endemic bird species, including the rare and endangered forty-spotted pardalote. - Little penguins nest along the coastline—perfect for an evening wildlife experience. - Diverse landscapes, including towering sea cliffs, pristine beaches, and lush forests. Things to Do - Adventure Bay: Scenic beaches and coastal walks where explorers once landed. - The Neck Lookout: Offers panoramic views of the island’s coastline. - Cape Bruny Lighthouse: Built in 1838, it’s one of Australia’s oldest lighthouses. - Hiking & Trails: Explore Labillardiere Peninsula, Fluted Cape, and Mount Mangana. - Local Food & Wine: Taste Bruny Island oysters, cheeses, honey, and craft gin. - Bligh Museum of Pacific Exploration: Dive into maritime history and early exploration. Best Photography Spots Since I know you appreciate dramatic landscapes, you’d love capturing: - Sunrise over The Neck—those golden hues are breathtaking. - Cape Bruny Lighthouse at sunset, with waves crashing against the cliffs. - Hidden beaches & coves, perfect for coastal compositions. Bruny Island is best explored slowly, savoring its wild beauty and local flavors. Hence the Gecko shot

[saifawaisi3211]

Discover the Power of Digital Aesthetics with a Top Web Designer in Bangalore – Hello Errors

In today’s digital-first marketplace, your website is often your brand's first impression—and possibly the only one. With users forming opinions in mere seconds, the importance of web design cannot be overstated. If you’re looking to build or revamp a website that’s both visually appealing and functionally effective, partnering with a professional web designer in Bangalore is a must. That’s where Hello Errors comes in.

Based in Bangalore, India’s thriving tech hub, Hello Errors specializes in end-to-end digital experiences—from bold web design to intelligent AI integrations. Our team helps brands go beyond just having a website; we ensure your digital presence tells your story, converts visitors, and scales with your growth.

Why Hire a Web Designer in Bangalore?

The advantages of hiring a web designer in Bangalore extend beyond cost-effectiveness. Bangalore is a melting pot of innovation, digital transformation, and tech-savvy talent. Here’s why Bangalore-based companies like Hello Errors are ideal for your web design project:

1. Access to Creative & Tech Talent

The city houses some of the brightest design minds who understand the balance between form and function. Designers here know how to fuse aesthetics with performance, giving you a site that not only looks stunning but works like a charm.

2. Real-Time Collaboration in Your Time Zone

Working with a web designer in Bangalore means better communication, real-time updates, and streamlined project workflows—especially if you're based in India or the Asia-Pacific region.

3. Industry-Specific Expertise

From eCommerce and healthcare to education and startups, designers in Bangalore understand the nuances of different industries. Hello Errors, in particular, has worked with clients across sectors and brings a customized design approach for every niche.

Hello Errors: A Creative Web Design Agency in Bangalore

At Hello Errors, we do more than just design pages—we build experiences. Our goal is to help businesses, startups, and organizations make a strong digital impact through modern, minimal, and intuitive designs.

Our Web Design Philosophy

User-first, always: We prioritize user behavior and accessibility in every design.

Responsive and future-ready: Every website is built to perform seamlessly across all devices.

Brand-consistent: Your visual identity is embedded in every pixel, from color palette to typography.

Performance-optimized: Designs that are fast, lightweight, and SEO-friendly from the start.

Unique Web Design Services Offered by Hello Errors

Hello Errors doesn’t believe in cookie-cutter templates. We take a consultative approach to understand your brand goals and design accordingly. Here's a breakdown of our core services that differentiate us as a top web designer in Bangalore:

1. Custom Landing Pages for High Conversions

Whether you're launching a new product or running a campaign, we create conversion-optimized landing pages with strong CTAs, minimal distractions, and emotional design elements that drive clicks.

2. Microsite Design

Want a standalone website for a special initiative? We design engaging microsites that pack a punch in a single scroll—perfect for product launches, events, or limited-time offers.

3. Animation & Motion Design

Set your site apart with subtle motion graphics and animations that elevate the UX without distracting the user. Smooth transitions and micro-interactions can lead to higher engagement and retention.

4. Mobile-First Design

Since most users access websites on their smartphones, we design mobile-first, ensuring your site loads quickly and looks stunning on smaller screens before scaling up.

5. Web Accessibility Compliance

We ensure your website is inclusive, usable by people with disabilities, and adheres to WCAG guidelines. That means better user trust and improved SEO.

The Hello Errors Advantage

When you choose Hello Errors as your web designer in Bangalore, you're getting more than just design—you’re getting a full digital ecosystem.

Full Stack Support:

Need backend development or want to integrate AI chatbots? Our in-house tech team works alongside designers to build a seamless end-to-end experience.

Speed & Scalability:

We use best-in-class frameworks and coding practices that ensure your website loads quickly and scales as your traffic grows.

Local Understanding, Global Quality:

We blend local business insight with international design standards—delivering a site that appeals both locally and globally.

Who We've Helped

Our portfolio spans across industries—here’s a glimpse of the type of clients we’ve worked with:

Tech Startups: UI-rich platforms with clean navigation and SaaS-level optimization

Education: Engaging websites and portals for e-learning platforms and schools

Luxury Brands: High-end aesthetics with elegant transitions and product showcases

Service-Based Businesses: Custom quote forms, booking integrations, and SEO-driven designs

The Role of SEO in Web Design

As an SEO-aware web designer in Bangalore, Hello Errors always keeps searchability in mind. Unlike many agencies that treat SEO as an afterthought, we design and code in a way that:

Improves site speed

Reduces bounce rate

Enhances on-page SEO elements (meta titles, headings, alt text)

Encourages internal linking

Makes Googlebot indexing seamless

The result? A website that doesn’t just look good—but also ranks better in search engine results.

Conclusion: Let Hello Errors Be Your Design Partner

In a city buzzing with tech energy and innovation, your website needs to reflect your brand’s uniqueness and digital capability. Whether you're starting from scratch or revamping an existing site, Hello Errors is the trusted web designer in Bangalore to make your vision come alive.

We blend design artistry with strategic thinking to deliver websites that work, convert, and scale.

Ready to Build a Website That Performs and Inspires?

📞 Contact Hello Errors today at helloerrors.in and schedule a free consultation. Let’s build something great—together.

[guam-webz]

Why Hiring a Local Software Developer in Guam is a Smart Move for Your Business

In today’s digital age, having a strong online presence is essential for business growth. Whether you're a small startup or a growing enterprise in the Pacific, the right tech partner can make all the difference. If you’re looking to streamline your operations, create custom solutions, or enhance your digital infrastructure, hiring a Software Developer in Guam could be your smartest move yet.

The Rising Demand for Software Development in Guam

Businesses in Guam are increasingly recognizing the need for custom software to support growth, enhance customer experience, and improve operational efficiency. From retail and hospitality to real estate and healthcare, the demand for tailored tech solutions is rapidly growing.

A Software Developer in Guam understands the local business environment and can build applications or systems that align perfectly with your market's needs. Rather than outsourcing overseas and dealing with time zone differences or communication gaps, working with a local developer ensures faster turnaround, clearer communication, and better collaboration.

Why Local Matters: Benefits of Working with a Guam-Based Developer

1. Personalized Support and Quick Turnaround

One of the biggest advantages of hiring local talent is the ability to work closely with them. A Software Developer in Guam offers real-time communication and on-the-ground support. If you run into issues or need changes, help is just a call or quick meeting away.

2. Cultural and Market Understanding

Local developers understand the Guam market, culture, and customer behavior. This means your software or application will be built with user experience and functionality that resonates with your audience.

3. Long-Term Partnership

Hiring locally means building long-term relationships. At GuamWEBZ, we believe in being more than just a service provider—we aim to become a tech partner for your business journey.

Beyond Software: Web Design and Digital Marketing in Guam

A great product or service needs a powerful online presence. That’s why businesses also look for a Web Designer in Guam and a trusted Web Design Company in Guam to build beautiful, functional, and responsive websites that convert visitors into customers.

At GuamWEBZ, we combine software development with creative web design and result-driven digital marketing in Guam. From eye-catching landing pages to SEO-optimized eCommerce platforms, we build websites that not only look great but also perform exceptionally.

How GuamWEBZ Can Help Your Business Grow

GuamWEBZ is your one-stop destination for everything digital. Whether you're looking for a reliable Software Developer in Guam, a skilled Web Designer in Guam, or a full-service Web Design Company in Guam, we’ve got you covered.

We don’t just build software—we create solutions. Our team specializes in:

Custom software development

Website design and development

Mobile app development

E-commerce solutions

SEO and digital marketing in Guam

Final Thoughts: Invest in Local Talent, Invest in Success

Partnering with a Software Developer in Guam gives your business the edge it needs in today’s competitive landscape. With local expertise, personalized service, and a commitment to excellence, GuamWEBZ helps businesses across the island grow with confidence.

Ready to bring your digital vision to life? Contact GuamWEBZ today and let’s build something great—together.

[internationalrealestatenews]

[ad_1] After structure agency Munoz + Albin jumped the gun unveiling Hines’ plan for an residence tower in Victory Park, the Houston heavyweight is able to make its mark on the neighborhood. An affiliate of Hines filed plans to construct a 497-unit constructing and an eight-level parking storage, at 2371 Victory Avenue, the Dallas Enterprise Journal reported. The Dallas Metropolis Plan Fee is scheduled to approve the 28-story mission as a part of its consent agenda Thursday.  The event was beforehand reported as having 23 tales, however the plan fee request is for 28 flooring. The positioning, alongside Stemmons Freeway, simply south of the American Airways Heart, is a floor parking zone. The deliberate residence constructing would rise 689 toes and span over 128,000 sq. toes. Development is slated to start in July and be accomplished by the top of 2026. The mission carries an estimated price of $150 million. That works out to virtually $302,000 per unit. Collaborators embrace Munoz + Albin, Home & Robertson Architects, panorama architect TBG Companions, civil engineer Pacheco Koch and inside designer Ink + Oro, the outlet stated. The event web site is a stone’s throw from a number of different developments by Hines: the 17-story One Victory Park workplace tower and 39-story, 344-unit Victor residence tower.  It’s a few blocks from the place Goldman Sachs is constructing a $500 million workplace campus, and a few mile from the place KDC and Pacific Elm Properties are growing the workplace constructing that landed Financial institution of America as an anchor tenant final 12 months. Learn extra Whereas murmurs of the mission surfaced prematurely, concrete particulars had been scarce till now. Munoz + Albin briefly confirmed a rendering of a 23-story residence mission, referred to as Aire, earlier than eradicating it from its web site. Hines is without doubt one of the titans of Houston actual property, and it operates in 30 international locations, however it's rising in Dallas-Fort Price. In Dallas’ Uptown neighborhood, the agency is constructing a 22-story, 345-unit residence tower referred to as Maple Terrace. Hines can also be on the helm of a number of massive initiatives within the suburbs, together with a 420,000-square-foot spec warehouse growth in Wilmer and 240,000-square-foot enterprise park in Lewisville.  —Quinn Donoghue  [ad_2] Supply hyperlink

[amrutmnm]

Rotary Revolution: Exploring the Automation Potential of Actuators Market

Embark on a journey into the heart of aviation innovation as we explore the dynamic Aircraft Actuators Market, set to surge from USD 8.1 Billion in 2022 to an anticipated USD 11.4 Billion by 2027, boasting a robust CAGR of 7.0%. In this in-depth exploration, discover the key drivers, challenges, opportunities, and the ecosystem shaping the trajectory of this industry.

Market Growth: Soaring to New Heights

With a compelling CAGR of 7.0%, the Aircraft Actuators Market charts a course from USD 8.1 Billion in 2022 to an estimated USD 11.4 Billion by 2027. Uncover the forces propelling this growth, fueled by factors such as the adoption of the more electric aircraft concept and the rising global demand for commercial aircraft.

Get a Deeper Understanding of the Industry by visiting: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/aviation-actuator-system-market-137846800.html

Driver: The Rise of More Electric Aircraft

Dive into the transformative landscape of more electric aircraft (MEA), a catalyst driving collaboration between aircraft OEMs and suppliers. Explore how MEA revolutionizes the aviation industry, offering weight reduction, fuel-efficient engines, cost-effective maintenance, and heightened aircraft reliability. Witness the shift towards electric power in non-propulsive systems, eliminating challenges associated with hydraulic and pneumatic technologies.

Restraint: Power Consumption Challenges

Uncover the challenges posed by high power consumption and associated issues in pneumatic and hydraulic actuators. From excessive maintenance costs to potential faults and fluid leakages, explore the limitations of these traditional systems. Delve into the intricacies of electrical actuators, addressing concerns about circuit design, energy consumption, and customer preferences.

Opportunity: The IoT Revolution in Aviation

Step into the era of digitization and the adoption of Internet of Things (IoT) systems in the aviation industry. Explore how IoT enhances operational efficiency and automation in various aircraft operations, offering a network where connected actuators communicate and collaborate. Witness the potential of big data analytics in aircraft design, manufacturing, and maintenance, ushering in a new age of efficiency.

Challenge: Navigating Stringent Regulatory Frameworks

Unravel the complex web of bilateral, national, and international regulations that govern the aviation industry. Explore the challenges posed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the pressure on industry players to develop advanced systems while adhering to stringent quality checks. Understand how rapid technological advancements necessitate continuous compliance with regulatory environments.

Market Segmentation Insights:

This research report categorizes the Aircraft Actuators Market based on System, Platform, Fit, and Region:

Aircraft Actuators Market, By Installation Type

Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM)

Retrofit

Aircraft Actuators Market, By System

Flight Control System

Landing & Braking System

Thrust Reverser Actuation System

Power Generation System

Fuel Distribution System

Payload Management System

Cabin Actuation System

Fuel Storage System

Aircraft Actuators Market, By Technology

Full-Electric

Hydraulic

Electric Hybrid

Mechanical

Pneumatic

Aircraft Actuators Market, By Type

Linear

Rotary

Aircraft Actuators Market, By Platform

Commercial Aviation

Military Aviation

Business & General Aviation

Aircraft Actuators Market, By Aircraft Type

Fixed-wing

Rotary-wing

Aircraft Actuators Market, By Region

North America

Europe

Asia Pacific

Middle East & Africa

Latin America

Flight Control Systems Dominating:

Explore how the emphasis on safer and lighter aircraft control systems propels the demand for actuators in flight control systems. Witness the growing importance of actuators in optimizing aircraft efficiency.

Fixed Wing Aircraft Taking Flight:

Delve into the factors driving the demand for aircraft actuators in fixed-wing aircraft, fueled by rapid urbanization and a focus on manufacturing high-performance, lightweight aircraft.

Hydraulic Actuators Leading Technology Adoption:

Understand the benefits driving the use of hydraulic actuators in high-force applications. Explore the transition towards electric actuators and the efficiency and control they bring to the market.

Rotary Actuators Revolutionizing Automation:

Witness the inherent benefits of rotary actuators in automation applications, such as gates and valves. Understand their high efficiency and compatibility with automated control systems, driving demand for integration into modern aircraft platforms.

Commercial Aviation at the Helm:

Explore the dominance of the commercial aviation segment, driven by fleet expansion, demand for fuel-efficient aircraft, and the increasing number of airline passengers.

Get an Instant 5% Discount, The Offer is Limited to November Month Only, Hurry Up and Secure Your Copy Today: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/discountreports.asp?id=137846800

Regional Focus: North America's Market Dominance

Uncover how North America takes the lead in the Aircraft Actuators Market, boasting several major manufacturers like Honeywell International Inc., Collins Aerospace, Moog, AMETEK, and Woodward Inc. Discover their commitment to R&D, developing efficient and reliable aircraft actuators for cutting-edge technologies.

Key Market Players: Giants Shaping the Sky

Gain insights into the dominant players shaping the Aircraft Actuators Market, including Raytheon Technologies Corporation, Curtiss-Wright Corporation, Honeywell International Inc., Safran SA, Liebherr-International Duetschland GmbH, Moog Inc., and Eaton Corporation plc. Explore their diverse product portfolios, technological advancements, and global presence.

As we navigate the complex skies of the Aircraft Actuators Market, it becomes evident that innovation, collaboration, and adaptation are key. From the transformative influence of more electric aircraft to the challenges posed by power consumption and stringent regulations, the industry stands at the forefront of technological evolution. With opportunities arising from IoT integration and a relentless pursuit of efficiency, the Aircraft Actuators Market promises a future marked by growth, reliability, and groundbreaking advancements.

About MarketsandMarkets™

MarketsandMarkets™ has been recognized as one of America's best management consulting firms by Forbes, as per their recent report.

MarketsandMarkets™ is a blue ocean alternative in growth consulting and program management, leveraging a man-machine offering to drive supernormal growth for progressive organizations in the B2B space. We have the widest lens on emerging technologies, making us proficient in co-creating supernormal growth for clients.

Earlier this year, we formally transformed into one of America's best management consulting firms as per a survey conducted by Forbes.

The B2B economy is witnessing the emergence of $25 trillion of new revenue streams that are substituting existing revenue streams in this decade alone. We work with clients on growth programs, helping them monetize this $25 trillion opportunity through our service lines - TAM Expansion, Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy to Execution, Market Share Gain, Account Enablement, and Thought Leadership Marketing.

Built on the 'GIVE Growth' principle, we work with several Forbes Global 2000 B2B companies - helping them stay relevant in a disruptive ecosystem. Our insights and strategies are molded by our industry experts, cutting-edge AI-powered Market Intelligence Cloud, and years of research. The KnowledgeStore™ (our Market Intelligence Cloud) integrates our research, and facilitates analysis of interconnections through applications, helping clients look at the entire ecosystem and understand the revenue shifts happening in their industry.

To learn more, visit www.MarketsandMarkets™.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Contact: Mr. Aashish Mehra MarketsandMarkets™ INC.

630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441

Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com

[seattlesoftwaredevelopers]

Seattle Software Developers: Pioneering Innovation in the Heart of the Pacific Northwest

Seattle, often referred to as the "Emerald City," is not only known for its lush green landscapes and iconic Space Needle but also for its thriving tech industry. At the forefront of this industry are the skilled and innovative Seattle software developers who play a crucial role in shaping the digital landscape of the region.

The Role of Seattle Software Developers

Seattle software developers are the creative minds behind the applications and software that power our Seattle Software Developers modern world. They are responsible for designing, coding, testing, and maintaining software solutions that cater to diverse industries and user needs. From mobile apps to web platforms, these developears are essential in driving technological advancements.

To excel in this role, Seattle software developers need to possess a range of skills, including proficiency in programming languages like Java, Python, or JavaScript. They should also have a strong understanding of software development methodologies and be adept at problem-solving and critical thinking.

Advantages of Hiring Seattle Software Developers

For businesses and startups, hiring Seattle software developers brings numerous advantages. Firstly, the city boasts a highly educated workforce with access to leading tech institutions like the University of Washington and Seattle University. This provides companies with a vast pool of talented developers to choose from.

Additionally, outsourcing software development to Seattle can be cost-effective. While the city has a high standard of living, the competitive job market often results in more reasonable development rates compared to other tech hubs like Silicon Valley.

Moreover, Seattle software developers are known for their innovative mindset, which contributes to the continuous growth and success of companies in the region.

Top Software Development Companies in Seattle

Seattle houses several renowned software development companies that have made a significant impact in the industry. Company A, with its focus on cutting-edge AI applications, has received accolades for revolutionizing the healthcare sector. Company B specializes in developing e-commerce platforms that provide seamless user experiences. Company C, a pioneer in blockchain technology, has been at the forefront of secure and transparent data solutions.

How to Become a Software Developer in Seattle

Aspiring software developers in Seattle need a solid educational background in computer science or related fields. However, formal education is just the beginning. Building a strong portfolio of projects and practical experience is crucial in demonstrating one's abilities to potential employers.

Networking also plays a vital role in landing software development roles in Seattle. Attending tech meetups and events allows aspiring developers to connect with industry professionals and explore job opportunities.

Emerging Trends in Seattle's Software Development Industry

The tech industry is ever-evolving, and Seattle software developers need to stay ahead of the curve. Artificial intelligence and machine learning are transforming various sectors, including finance, healthcare, and transportation. Internet of Things (IoT) applications are also gaining momentum, enabling interconnected devices to streamline everyday tasks. Additionally, Seattle has seen a rise in blockchain and cryptocurrency development, providing secure and decentralized solutions.

Challenges Faced by Seattle Software Developers

While Seattle offers a plethora of opportunities, the job market is highly competitive. Developers need to showcase their skills and experiences to stand out in a sea of talented candidates. Moreover, the rapid pace of technological advancements demands continuous learning and upskilling to stay relevant in the field. This can lead to work-life balance issues and burnout among developers.

Seattle's Software Development Community

Seattle's software development community is vibrant and supportive. Numerous meetups and networking events facilitate knowledge-sharing and collaboration among developers. Hackathons and tech conferences provide platforms for developers to showcase their innovations and learn from industry leaders. Moreover, organizations like TechSeattle offer valuable resources and mentorship to aspiring and established developers alike.

Success Stories of Seattle Software Developers

To gain insights into the experiences of Seattle software developers, we interviewed industry professionals who shared their journeys and achievements. Their inspiring stories showcased how passion, dedication, and innovation have driven their success in the tech industry.

The Future of Software Development in Seattle

The future of software development in Seattle looks promising. With emerging technologies like AI, IoT, and blockchain on the rise, developers will play a critical role in shaping the city's tech ecosystem. Growth opportunities are abundant, and Seattle is poised to remain a hub of innovation and creativity.

Conclusion:

Seattle's software developers are the driving force behind the city's thriving tech industry. Their skills, innovation, and dedication are propelling the region to new heights in the digital age. As technology continues to evolve, Seattle will remain at the forefront of software development, creating solutions that transform the world.

[songoftrillium]

An Editions-Agnostic Chronicle for Werewolf: the Apocalypse

Coming in Fall 2023

This chronicle introduces a lot of original content, including:

Over 20 new locations Over 20 new and multi-faceted NPCs A full timeline of events happening in multiple locations New House Rules New Fetishes New Patron New Rites! New Enemies! New Storytelling Tools designed to bring inclusivity to your groups, as well as tell better horror stories.

Act 1: Senescence

Dark Fates Collide! Garou of Sept of the Trillium Glade stand at a crossroads, their fate already written in the stars. The temperate rainforests of the Pacific Northwest serve as a dark and brooding backdrop for their tragic story, one that showcases a specimen of intrigue lurking at the heart of the World of Darkness.

The first Act of Dead Mountain is high-powered chronicle written for Werewolf: the Apocalypse and is meant to be played in any edition of the game. This chronicle is for 3-8 players of Rank 3 Adren, and is intended to have a long play time of 6-9 months in length.

Set in 1975, this story revolves around the garou of four packs at Sept of the Trillium Glade, a primarily Red Talon caern that is doomed to abscess. The players must also navigate the complex web of alliances and animosities that exist among the different packs here. They must fight to protect their territory from incursions by their enemies, while also trying to uncover the secrets of their own history.

They will be tasked with navigating the treacherous and unpredictable terrain of the temperate rainforests framing the fictional Pacific Northwest town of Trillium. As the players journey through this harsh and unforgiving land, they will encounter a strange and ancient patron spirit, Dume'fa, who has been a hidden part of garou history since the time of The First Pack. Her power is great and mysterious, and the garou of the sept who venerate her are as elusive as the primordial forest spirit herself. The xenophobic Red Talons of the sept are among her most devoted followers, and they will stop at nothing to ensure that Dume'fa's will is done, for better and for worse.

The players will encounter a myriad of challenges as they make their way through the dense forests and rocky cliffs of the cascade range. But perhaps the greatest challenge they will face is the looming shadow of their own fate. With every step they take, they will come closer to absolution. The players must confront the inevitability of their own destruction and choose how they will meet their end. Will they fight with all their strength, determined to make the most of their time left? Or will they succumb to despair and allow themselves to be consumed by the darkness?

This Act provides an opportunity to take all of your favorite legends, happenings, character experiences and edition history, and freezes it in time. The tragedy of Act 1 creates a mythology in the region that new players in Act 2 will unearth and piece together. Act 1 is the vehicle for giving closure to the characters that never saw an end to their chronicle, that one showdown you never got to play out, or found out what your favorite character's ultimate fate was to be. And in the grim ending of this first Act, all of those things you love the most will now become the legends that reveal themselves to the garou that come long after, and finally bring closure to the events that are to take place.

Dead Mountain's first act is a story of tragedy, one that will test the players' resolve and challenge their notions of what it means to be a garou. It is a tale of ancient secrets, hidden truths, and the grim and unforgiving landscape of the World of Darkness. The players will need to rely on their own wits and ingenuity to uncover the mysteries that lie ahead, and they will emerge from the story as better, more skilled storytellers in their own right.

Stay Tuned for a specific publish date, content previews, and more! As I develop this chronicle, I'll be offering peeks into the upcoming content you can come to expect in this indy Chronicle.

Act 2, set many years since the events of Act 1, is intended for players new to Werewolf: the Apocalypse 5th Edition, and the World of Darkness on the whole.

[usafphantom2]

IMAGES: USAF and RoKAF perform joint exercise after launch of ICBM from North Korea

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 20/02/2023 - 12:00 in Military, War Zones

The United States and the Republic of Korea held a combined air training event when the B-1 Lancers of the U.S. Air Force were relocated to the Korean Peninsula on February 19, 2023.

In this combined air training from South Korea with the U.S., the South Korean F-35s and U.S. Air Force F-16 escorted the U.S. bombers when they entered the Korean Air Defense Identification Zone and carried out a combined flight in a formation over the Korean Peninsula.

The South Korean General Staff announced that USAF B-1B Lancer and F-16 bombers participated in the exercise, as well as F-16, F-35A and F-15K warplanes of the Republic of Korea Air Force (RoKAF).

The training offered the alliance an opportunity to rehearse last-minute return missions. It also demonstrated the combined US-ROK defense capacity and the unwavering commitment to provide extended deterrence in the defense of the Korean Peninsula.

The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command maintains a fast and resilient response capacity in the Indo-Pacific theater, maintaining the ability to respond quickly to any regional threat in support of our allies and to defend the U.S. homeland.

Joint aerial exercises on Sunday occur as an apparent response to North Korea's firing of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). The exercise demonstrated the "overwhelming" defense capabilities of the allies and the posture of readiness.

Japan and South Korea reported that North Korea conducted an ICBM test on the Sea of Japan on Saturday.

The ballistic missile, which remained in the air for 66 minutes, traveled 900 kilometers (559 miles) with a maximum altitude of 5,700 kilometers (3,541 miles) before landing at sea on the west coast of Japan.

North Korea released a statement on Sunday through the state news agency KCNA saying it fired the ICBM as a warning to the U.S. and South Korea, noting that it successfully demonstrated its ability to launch a "fatal nuclear counterattack".

The U.S. said it "strongly" condemns the ICBM test.

Tags: Military AviationROKAF - Republic of Korea Air Force/South Korean Air ForceUSAF - United States Air Force / US Air ForceWar Zones - Korean Peninsula

Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, he participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. He has works published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. He uses Canon equipment during his photographic work in the world of aviation.

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Website Management for Small Business

WEBSITE MANAGEMENT SERVICES IN LAS VEGAS

Elevating Your Online Presence

Website Management Services in Las Vegas: In the ever-evolving landscape of the internet, establishing a solid online presence for your small business in Las Vegas is essential. With millions of websites competing for attention, it’s crucial to have a strategy that not only sets you apart but also helps you outrank your competitors. That’s where professional small website management services come into play. At Pacific Land Web Design, we understand the unique challenges and opportunities that businesses in Las Vegas face, and we’re here to help you navigate the digital realm effectively.

A UNIQUE APPROACH TO WEBSITE MANAGEMENT FOR SMALL BUSINESS

The Digital Landscape in Las Vegas 

Las Vegas is not just about neon lights and bustling casinos; it’s a thriving business hub with a rapidly growing online market. Whether you run a local restaurant, a boutique hotel, or a specialized service, having a strong online presence is no longer a choice but a necessity. Consumers in Las Vegas, just like anywhere else, turn to the internet to discover, research, and connect with businesses. This is where small website management services can make all the difference.

Pacific Land Web Design Advantage

Las Vegas is a unique market with distinct opportunities for businesses. Here’s how our small website management services are tailored to the specific needs of Las Vegas entrepreneurs:

1.Local SEO Expertise

Ranking high in local search results is crucial for attracting Las Vegas customers. We specialize in local SEO techniques that ensure your business appears in local listings, Google Maps, and other location-based searches.

2.Social Media Integration

Las Vegas is a city that never sleeps, and neither does social media. We integrate your website seamlessly with your social media profiles, allowing you to engage with your audience in real-time and build a loyal local following.

3.Reputation Management

In a city as vibrant as Las Vegas, reputation is everything. Our reputation management services help you monitor and maintain your online image, ensuring that your business is perceived positively by both locals and tourists.

[panatmansam]

Is there an Afterlife?

The Buddha was often asked why he did not answer the question of “is there an afterlife” in his teachings.  His answer was always “You ask this question only because of your attachment. Lose this attachment and you will no longer ask” Needless to say this was a very unpopular answer and the Buddha lost followers because he would not answer.  Later, lesser men, attempted to answer it and conjured up all kinds of Buddhist Heavens and “Perfect Lands”.  The Buddha never said anything more about the subject. I, being a lesser man, have this answer to the question the Buddha never answered.  It is my view and mine alone. Here it is:

The Examination of Life in the Context of Space-Time

All designed systems have a “purpose”.  A watch, a space shuttle or a toaster oven … all have as their central characteristic a function. There is an unbroken connection between every living thing on this planet from tube worms in the Pacific Rift to you and the first self replicating system. You are directly connected to every living thing on Earth both now and since the beginning.

A Fourth Dimensional Structure called a Hypercube

The American Science Fiction author Kurt Vonnegut once wrote a short story called “Timeline”. In it he describes human beings as fourth dimensional beings. Worm like creatures pink and small at one end and gray at the other. We are constrained by our three dimensional perspective.

Carl Sagan Explains the Fourth Dimension

  Life is not the discrete form you see with your senses. It is a vast fourth dimensional web of being. We accept time as linear and progressive because this is the way we perceive it with our senses and interpret it with our consciousness.

The truth, as physics shows us is that time is not linear. It is as many Eastern philosophies have described it for centuries eternal. All that was and will be is. We only see time as linear in the same way we can only sense certain wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum or the way our senses are limited in scale. We cannot perceive the very small or the very large. Likewise we see time as flowing from moment to moment always forward.

Clifford Torus a Fourth Dimensional Structure

Look at life in the fourth dimension. Consider the atoms which make up living things as they move both in space and in time. It becomes a tangled overlapping skein of life. You are connected, not in some vague philosophical way but in a very real and physical way with this tangled fourth dimensional web of life. Viewed in this way, the question of “life after death” becomes meaningless. The Hindu/Taoist/Zen view of death as not an end but a transition makes very real and concrete sense.

There is no death only the death of consciousness within the individual. Viewed from a fourth dimensional perspective YOU have always been alive and will always be alive. It matters little that the atoms of carbon and hydrogen which have agreed, for the time being, to be you will someday go a different way and become something else. Your mind, your consciousness is not so much as a tool for gathering information as it is a reducing valve to reduce information to a form useful for gathering sustenance and allowing you to pass along your immortal coil … your genes … your DNA. Your consciousness will have served its purpose but its essence is contained within the helix. We are obsessed with endings and beginnings. Whence did life begin? When will it end? Is my death the end of that which is truly me? How was the universe formed? What existed before space and time? These questions only matter from the perspective of one locked in three dimensions. If there is a God then it is us.

[melissart]

Miracle Circus: Chapter One

Genre: fantasy/coming-of-age/LGBT+

Word Count: 8,447

Synopsis: Every summer, Peterkin G. Saemon and Ralph Blimerance spend the summer touring across the country with their respective parents, Sybil Saemon and Dorian Blimerance—the two most powerful circus magicians to ever live (in that order, Sybil would proudly boast). With their great power, Ringmasters Sybil and Dorian run the world-renowned Miracle Circus all by themselves: the tickets, the concessions, the games, the tents, but most importantly, the Big Top show that ends the night with a guarantee for the impossible, the fantastic, and the miraculous. But Peterkin is bored of perfection. He can’t find excitement in a perfect world of where everything is colored within the lines, no matter how glorious the colors may be. 

In his twelfth-and-a-halfth summer, Peterkin decides to sabotage Miracle Circus’ first show of the season, just for a brief moment. That moment is the first time Miracle Circus had ever been thwarted. Impossible, fantastic, miraculous—Sybil and Dorian realize they had been out-miracled in their own Big Top and come to the conclusion that there are still witches remaining. They stage an audition as a facade for a witch-hunt, not knowing that the witch they are hunting is none other than their own darling little Peterkin.

The fair, golden-haired boy sits in Section E, Row 5, Seat 12 and a half whenever he visits Miracle Circus. It’s specially reserved for him because he’s Dorian’s son—handsome Dorian’s son, ringmaster Dorian’s son, old money Dorian Blimerance’s son—but he doesn’t know that. Ralph Blimerance sits in the same seat because he’s used to it. He doesn’t know that the ringmaster and ringmistress of the circus perform to him, for him, and because of him every summer, when Dorian has custody of him. He doesn’t know that the sun’s warm beams follow him even when he’s strolling down the darkest of alleys because he was always meant to walk in the light. He just thinks that life is wonderful and that whoever is miserable is simply predisposed to gloom. 

It’s already five minutes past scheduled showtime and Section E, Row 5, Seat 12 and a half is empty. Another thing that Ralph doesn’t know is that the show doesn’t start without him. 

Peterkin had been alternating between apparating and running, charming every minute hand on every clock into turning one degree counterclockwise per every 360 degrees the second hand travels. He can’t find Ralph anywhere, that stupid boy! He’s not in the Tent of Sundials and Mercury or the Tent of Time and Candles or the Tent of Hourglasses and Looking Glasses or any of the other tents that are either time-themed or, for some reason, involve some kind of clock. 

Peterkin hates the circus for having so many tents. He’s wasting his time! The mature thing to do would be to tell Dorian, straight-up, that he doesn’t know where Ralph is and that tonight’s show would have to start without him. Ralph is a big boy, now, and he should be allowed to live his life as he pleases. He’s half a year older than Peterkin and he still doesn't understand why he was looking after him. 

The harsh air of Empire State’s night weather engulfs Peterkin in a shiver as soon as he exits the Tent of Isolation and Crippling Anxiety. (Actually, it’s just an empty tent. Some of those are thrown in amongst the infinite attractions as a prank. Expect anything—even nothing.) His breaths come out in hot white puffs. 

“Dorian,” Peterkin says to himself quietly. Best to practice now. “Ralph is missing.” 

He happens to look down at his hands which were, rightfully, shaking—Dorian is going to have his head. His first day officially volunteering as the third magician of the formerly two-magician wonder that is Miracle Circus and he’s already failing miserably. Tonight’s show was supposed to be dedicated to Ralph. But then again, every show is dedicated to him. It doesn’t take much but a heartfelt speech at the beginning of the show to dedicate it to someone. Dorian and Sybil could adlib any other name in their dedication and it wouldn’t make a difference. 

“It’s not my fault!” Peterkin insists. He walks and talks, all the while scanning for any sign of Ralph. “Ralph is twelve-and-a-half years old, already. He can take care of himself.” 

He pauses in his tracks. “Twelve-and-a-half years old is still a child, stupid. Of course he needs a babysitter.” It’s all because he lost him while repairing the glass menagerie in the Tent of Fragility. The crystal animals, the glass sculptures, the diamond chandeliers, the pottery and the intricate spider webs and the preserved flowers and the porcelain tea sets—all destroyed. He told Sybil to not put that tent next to the Tent of Baseball and Bats, but she never listens. It’s the most vulnerable tent, besides the Tent of Vulnerability, and he’s always the one who has to clean it up. Almost as susceptible as the Tent of Susceptibility.  “It’s all my fault. It really is all my fault!” 

It’s strange, though, because usually Ralph is eager to drag Peterkin from tent to tent and narrate what elaborate techniques went into designing each and every detail, as if Peterkin were not a son of a ringmaster himself. It’s not as if he took too long un-shattering the shards in the Tent of Fragility. It takes but a flick of the wand. Somewhere, amidst the applause of nosy spectators, Ralph slipped away without a trace.  

Suddenly, Peterkin realizes he’s surrounded by fountains and bubbles. He doesn’t remember how he got there or how much time it took, but he refuses to think of it. Sometimes he uses magic without realizing it. It’s not good. Again, he doesn’t want to think about it. 

The Tent of Fountains and Bubbles has been his favorite tent ever since Sybil made the pink bubbles pink-flavored. Peterkin says it’s one of the greatest accomplishments of her entire magician career, next to founding the Little Miracles Orphanage. She really captured the color pink in a flavor: bubble gum, watermelon, strawberry, peach, and some other artificial undertones he can’t quite place. The other bubbles taste like soap. Non-toxic for curious idiots like him, but disgusting enough to discourage you from eating it. 

Oh, he loves this tent. He can’t be anything but happy when sitting at a fountain and catching bubbles in his hand. It’s all a good time. The bubbles come in all shapes and sizes and colors and opacities. Some become cute bunnies that hop along a pool of water at the bottom of a five-tiered fountain. Some never pop. Some are colorful, foamy bubbles in a bathtub that apparently passes for a fountain just because it has lily pads in them. 

The lighting changes according to Pacific Standard Time, the time zone Peterkin was born in. It’s barely glowing a sunset in the Tent of Bubbles and Fountains, though it’s already dark outside. The bubbles near the top of the tent glow auburn and amber and rose and pewter-blue, the same shade as the clouds on the beach. How is he supposed to leave this tent when the fountain water tints to the same darkness as the ocean and foamy bubbles start to look like the white crests of pacific waves? 

Peterkin sits at the cupid fountain wondering if he even had the heart to leave the tent. It’s not often that he gets to sit at the cupid fountain without being surrounded by PDA. Sybil says the fountain is made of pearls to strengthen love and protect children. Witchy elements like that are socially accepted as long as it’s for good luck.

There’s a lot to say about a cupid fountain that depicts Cupid stabbing himself through the heart with his own arrow. The water gushes out of his wounds and his crying eyes. The main legend is that Cupid was so fascinated by a mortal that he thrusted his own arrow into himself so he could properly fall in love. There’s another variation he’s heard, where the arrow is poisonous to Cupid and he only has a short time before he dies to experience true love for the mortal. 

The important part is that Sybil tells people if two lovers toss a chip behind them at the same time and the chips land on the same side, then they will stay in love forever. At the end of the day, she has Peterkin clean up the chips and store them away. Not that money is of much use, nowadays. Inflation in the country is a nightmare. 

Peterkin looks down at his reflection in the pool of water, littered with white roses. “Dorian, I’m sorry,” he says to his wavering image. He brushes some foam out of his hair. He tries a more pitiful tone. “Please forgive me, Dorian.” He sure is glad nobody is around to hear him. “Dorian, you’re the most handsome man in this universe and I want to marry you.”

“Peterkin!” 

Peterkin doesn’t dare look behind him. Dorian is as stunning as Medusa is petrifying—one thoughtless glance, and he’s done for. The enchantment is insidious, as Freudian as it is Pavlovian. “I didn’t say anything—” 

“Where’s Ralph?” 

“Um…” The blank white petals on the roses start to dye an inky black. He stands up and faces Dorian. “I’m sorry, sir.” Uncharacteristically, he meets Dorian’s gaze. Better for Dorian to look at his pitiful face than the black roses behind him. Peterkin has to pick his troubles. 

And what a devastating trouble it is to look Dorian in the eyes. Dorian is in a pure white ringmaster’s ensemble: a white button-up under a white vest with a white silk bow with a white satin tailcoat and white pants and a white tophat. All fitted perfectly and immune to even the most miniscule specks of dust. Ruffles of white lace adorn his arm cuffs. Raining down his waist are strings of pearls, like icicles hanging down from the edge of a snowy roof. He looks as if he robbed his outfit from a bridal shop. Peterkin assumes Sybil’s ringmaster costume for this show is in pure black, to juxtapose her partner. Pure black and pure white—the trademarked colors of Miracle Circus’ striped tents. Every other non-Miracle Circus-affiliated product or company or production featuring black or white has to settle for an off-colored variant. 

Dorian sighs loudly. He crosses his arms and shakes his head in disappointment. As a performer, he has a habit of exaggerating his feelings, constantly broadcasting to an invisible audience. “You had one job, Peterkin.” 

“No, you gave me one job! Sybil gave me one job, and then the same job again because she forgot, then she kept on piling more tasks on me, and then eventually she figured out that writing a list would be more efficient...” The list she gave Peterkin was a scroll longer than his height. 

Dorian gives Peterkin a sympathetic pat on Peterkin’s shoulder. His reflection is covered by pink roses. “That’s your mother’s revenge for ditching last year’s finale show.” 

Peterkin looks away. He never was good at keeping eye contact. Sybil tells him the trick is to look six feet past the person in front of him, but the only trick he wants is a vanishing act. He’d like to be the disappearing milk poured into a dry cone of yesterday’s newspaper. 

“Maybe Ralph wants to ditch tonight’s show,” Peterkin suggests. “It gets boring going by yourself all the time. Most kids visit the circus with their parents.” 

Dorian ponders the idea. “You’re right, young Peterkin.” 

“I am?” 

Peterkin can’t believe Dorian is buying his lemon of a pitch. Ralph could be in real danger, maybe kidnapped for ransom by a rival circus. He never misses a show. He spends every summer with his father, and consequently with Sybil and Peterkin, and every summer he’s thrilled to see the same three tricks his father and Peterkin’s mother perform: the impossible, the fantastic, and the miraculous. He’s Miracle Circus’ biggest fan. Even in the off-season, he watches old recordings of Miracle Circus shows and practices behind his mother’s back after he’s done studying. He collects all the merchandise and wears it to every show. He readily soaks in all the propaganda Sybil feeds him of Miracle Circus’ glory, the silver lies of Miracle Circus’ divine right to ruling the circus industry. It’s hard to believe wide-eyed Ralph is capable of a rebellious phase. 

“Of course you’re right, young Peterkin!” Dorian ruffles Peterkin’s hair affectionately. “Why don’t you take Ralph’s seat for tonight?” 

“Huh?” 

“I understand that you don’t have the most maternal of mothers. She treats you more like an equal than a son. That’s not fair to you. Why, just because you’re a child prodigy doesn’t mean you’re not still a child.” 

Peterkin glances down at his watch. “That’s kind of you, Dorian.” It’s already twelve-and-a-half minutes past scheduled showtime. They should really be double-timing it to the Big Top, but he doesn’t have the courage to rush Dorian. The more distracted Dorian is by his own tangent, the farther away from the consequences of losing Ralph Peterkin is. 

“We’ll change the plans! This show is just for you, Peterkin. Your favorite color is pink, right? And your favorite bird is the rooster and your favorite noise is the jingling of keys and your favorite flower is the daffodil?” 

“That’s... right.” Peterkin would fear Dorian had been reading his diary, but he doubts Dorian would be able to look him in the eye if he did. “You’re not going to dedicate it to me, are you? Out loud with a spotlight and all?” 

“Of course we will!” Dorian grabs Peterkin by the shoulders. “This show will be un-ditch-able. One hundred percent, money-back guarantee!” 

“But I didn’t pay—” 

Before he can finish his sentence, he appears at Section E, Row 5, Seat 12 and a half with a surprised yelp from the boy in Section E, Row 5, Seat 14. He’s the only one bothered by Peterkin’s abrupt existence. The rest of the crowd is busy orchestrating the cacophony of excited chatter.

“Geez, you scared me!” the boy in Seat 14 exclaims. He’s clutching at his chest, as if he were trying to keep his heart from leaping away. “But I’ve got to admit—that’s a wicked clean appearification. I’d poof around everywhere too, if I were that clean.”

The cogs in Peterkin’s mind are turning too fast for him to come up with a proper response to his undeserved compliment. He swears both of Dorian’s hands were grabbing him, in that split second moment before he poofed them both away. Far from the wand in his back pocket. He can still feel the warmth of those strong, soft, handsome hands on his shoulders, like a phantom’s touch—a ghost of a memory of a feeling that he was going to be dazzled against his will. He wouldn’t forget anything Dorian makes him feel. 

He just used wandless magic. Didn’t he?

Complete darkness swallows the Big Top. The white stripes of the canvas become indistinguishable from the black stripes. Light manipulation is one of Miracle Circus’ many specialties, under the broader umbrella of passive magic. There’s a difference between active light manipulation and passive light manipulation that Peterkin hasn't figured out, yet. A single pink spotlight befalls Sybil and Dorian. Peterkin looks up to try and locate its source, but the point at the top of the cone of light has no blinding shining circle of origin. The pink light seems to come from higher than the ceiling of the Big Top, as if it were sent by the heavens above. 

Any half-smart magician would be immediately impressed by that pink spotlight alone. Peterkin notices that the boy beside him has his chin turned up, wondering about the source of the light instead of cheering for the ringmasters under it. Ralph would be doing the same, if he were here. Peterkin tries to look around for Ralph’s specific hue of blond, but every mop of hair he finds are all the wrong shades. 

Sybil and Dorian’s ringmaster costumes have been dyed pink. Sybil’s bodice has strings of pink pearls cascading in loops, drooping down just until the poof of layered pink lace on her skirt, which flares out just below her sheer pink tights-clad knees. Her tailcoat is pink satin, the same as Dorian’s, with the same ruffled lace at her cuffs and the same pink silk bow at her neck. Her tophat is adorned with pink lace and pink daffodils and a pink bow. If there’s any consolation to Peterkin for being stuck watching another tedious show, it’s knowing that Sybil will be in a bad mood later from having to wear her least favorite color. 

Contrasting Sybil’s pink ensemble is her infamous waterfall of dark, silky-straight hair that spills over her shoulders and down to her lower back. It’s not her natural hair texture. Peterkin thinks she must have wavy locks like his own, but he has no proof besides his genetics. More eye-catching, though, is the length of her hair. She doesn’t respect the hair protocol in the Magician’s Code, which states that all female magicians must have their hair worn up and out of the way during performances. Her excuse is that she’s not a “female magician”, but a “real magician”. 

“Ladies and gentlemen! Both and neither!” Ringmaster Sybil calls out. 

Her voice projects around the stadium surrounding her as if she were only a couple feet away from every audience member. She doesn’t need the assistance of a microphone. Passive sound manipulation is another specialty of Miracle Circus.

“Welcome to Miracle Circus! Home of the impossible, the fantastic, and of course—the miraculous! You’ll never find magic as pure, nor as powerful, nor as potent as ours! But there is another thing that’s just as pure and just as powerful and just as deathly potent… Dorian, do you know what that is?” 

Peterkin knows he’s about to be publicly humiliated. He reaches for the wand in his inner coat pocket, but it’s missing. He frantically checks every other pocket to no avail. Dorian took his wand. 

“Of course I know, dear Sybil! That would be…” 

A new beam of pink light illuminates the poor idiot sitting in Section E, Row 5, Seat 12 and a half. The boy beside Peterkin yelps in surprise again. The spotlight is hot and heavy, but unfortunately not hot enough to burn Peterkin to a crisp and release him from his eternal suffering. 

“... our love for little Peterkin-pumpkin!” the two ringmasters declare in unison. 

The crowd erupts in an adoring coo and proud applause. Everyone likes a family business. It gives them the illusion of a moral high ground for supporting a mom-and-pop operation while still enjoying the luxury of a multi-million corporation. Sometimes Peterkin wonders if he was only born to be a marketing strategy, but he couldn’t deny that Sybil and Dorian’s grandiose gestures come from their idea of love. He could only cry in the restroom later from sheer embarrassment. 

But if they dare call him up as a volunteer, Peterkin will not hesitate to cry right then and there. 

“This show is dedicated to my darling Peterkin! My son! My pride and joy! You might have seen him earlier, helping Mommy maintain some of our more difficult tents, and you can bet a pretty chip that it only takes him a flick of the wand!” 

Peterkin tries not to focus on the audience members below him, craning their necks to gawk at Ringmistress Sybil’s son. The energy is better spent trying to convince his nervous system to not shut down. 

“That’s right,” Dorian says. “Young Peterkin is an heir of talent! A prince of purity! A claimant of genius!” 

Peterkin slumps into his seat. He doesn’t like being Ralph’s replacement much. Only Ralph has the ego to soak up overinflated praise with a smile. This certainly is his punishment for losing Ralph. 

“So, without further ado, let us begin our program, ‘Peterkin’s Show’!” 

Peterkin is floored by the creativity of the title. Truly an inspiration. With that kind of eloquence, Sybil could be a wordsmith. 

Though, what she can’t achieve with her words she compensates with her magic prowess. She flips her wand high up into the air, where it twirls and sparkles gold out of the white tips on either end. Underneath the wand, she does an aerial and lands in time to catch her wand, which triggers a burst of thick pink smoke and iridescent glitter that expands out into the audience. A light tinkling of metal keys ring out like sleigh bells. Underneath the high tones of the tinkling metal is the sound of many stringed instruments bending their pitch up. 

Instinctively, Peterkin flinches at the smoke and glitter, but there’s no tangible residue to creep into his corneas. On the tip of his tongue, he tastes sweetness. A light aroma of peaches and cream wafts about. He already knows what’s to come: when the smoke clears, the stage will proclaim some dazzling display of roosters and daffodils and some random surreal element you wouldn’t usually associate with roosters and daffodils, like the twinkling of a galaxy or silvery clouds that project images of winged angels frolicking in lush fields or dancing bronze sculpture-people. It’s the classic Miracle Circus opener that the crowd swoons for every time. Sybil always likes to open with strong symbolism to give the audience members something to grasp onto before ripping away the familiarity and sending them spiralling down a rabbithole of spectacles. 

When the smoke clears, the stage is revealed to be teeming with absolute emptiness. Nothing has changed. Sybil and Dorian are standing in the very middle of it, the same spot they were in before, gesturing to the invisible grandeur around them. Peterkin had to admit, his expectations are defied. He’s amazed. Not impressed, but thoroughly on the edge of his seat wondering what’s to come. It’s a risky move building up to a reveal and then disappointing hundreds of eager, money-paying spectators right off the bat. Anticlimacticism is hard to pull off. But he likes it. It’s a bold statement that asserts dominance, as if Sybil were saying outright, You know who I am, I don’t need to impress you. 

Sybil is the first to break character. That’s when Peterkin realizes this isn’t some avant-garde act of defiance against consumer culture. She whips her head around, a quick motion emphasized by the twirling of her long, dark locks all around her, looking for someone hiding in the shadowy backstage. The show is being sabotaged. Peterkin picks his posture up and shifts his weight to the edge of his seat. No one has ever dared to sabotage a Miracle Circus Big Top show, before. 

Dorian takes over and summons the growth of pink daffodils, peeking out of the crevices in between the floorboards. Green spathes unfurl yellow petals, cradling dew-kissed coronas spewing out puffs of glowing pollen, like millions of tiny fireflies. The distinct smell of burning canvas, a reminder of a lesson in creating fireworks gone wrong, distracts Peterkin from the light floral scent. Someone has set fire to the tent. In response, Sybil waves her wand and sprinkles water upon the audience. The sparks of fire at the bottom of the canvas sizzles out. She sends out an eclectic blue jolt of lightning into the air, which branches in all directions and hisses at every drop of water it meets. 

When a deafening boom of thunder reverberates, Peterkin looks down and finds that Sybil has been replaced by a clucking rooster. The sprinkling of water has stopped. Dorian is similarly alarmed by his partner’s disappearance. In a panic, he resorts to distracting the audience with bright bursts of colored smoke streaming into the air and exploding in chrysanthemum bursts. Shades of cobalt, tangerine, violet, magenta, and dandelion swirl about. Behind the rainbow of cloudy smoke, a bright white orb of light shines. The shrill scream of a lime green stream of smoke popping into the air covers up yelling below.

All at once, the multicolored smoke gets absorbed into the orb of light, which collapses in on itself. Peterkin tries to blink away the spots in his vision. When he looks down at the stage again, he sees Sybil and Dorian gliding around on an ice rink on ice skates. In one corner, Dorian lifts up into a quadruple toe loop. The audience claps at his perfect landing. He meets Sybil at the center of the rink and lifts her up onto his shoulders. She uses the momentum for a backflip.

Before she lands, Dorian casts a large dome of opaque ice around them just before a gunshot. The bullet shatters the dome, revealing a flock of roosters underneath. There are screams from Section J, stage right. A pink spotlight flashes there for a moment, highlighting Sybil dragging a gunman out of his seat. The spotlight darkens and is replaced by a different spotlight back on stage, where Dorian juggles bowling pins. The ice rink has been replaced by a white marble floor. Dorian narrowly avoids the sudden addition of a bowling ball to his juggling act, but before the bowling pins and bowling ball come crashing down, the attention is once again replaced when yet another spotlight redirects the audience back to Sybil, who is crossing a tightrope up high that wasn’t there before, balancing the bowling pins and bowling ball from Dorian’s act on her outstretched arms in two precarious towers. 

There’s a final moment of relief as the spotlight follows her, in silence, across the tightrope. It is more of a quiet exercise in introspection than it is a gravity-defying act. As she is suspended in the air by only a rope and her balance, the audience, too, has their disbelief suspended with the knowledge that Sybil isn’t known to play games she can’t win. She will meet the end of the tightrope as easily as she met the beginning of the tightrope. But it is doubt that makes the journey through the middle of the tightrope tantalizing, the .01% of uncertainty that removes absolute perfection as easily as 10% would. It isn’t hers. The doubt could only belong to the envious onlookers, whose everyday lives are so infinitesimal with doubt, made so microscopic with every fluctuation between black and white and even more minute whenever wrong crosses paths with right, that the grains spill out and manifest as bias. If Ringmistress Sybil of Miracle Circus could only teeter to the left a bit, not even fall, but just give her onlookers the sharp inflation of a gasp into their pudgy stomachs and thus succumb to their doubt shamelessly, then absolutism could be abolished and absurdism may abscond. 

Peterkin’s hope for his mother to make a mistake shines the brightest of them all. He doesn’t live in a reality of crooked lines or scraped knees or spilled half-empty cups of milk. There is no vicarious escapism for him at Miracle Circus. As he was telling Dorian earlier, he didn’t pay to get in, just as he didn’t ask to be the son of a ringmistress, and thus a refund wouldn’t be possible. And if he’s not the consumer and he’s not the producer, process of elimination would have it that he’s the product. Peterkin hopes to gain some form of pleasure from the show dedicated to him, to prove that he can be a consumer, but he can only indulge in schadenfreude when it comes to the pure black matriarchal shadow he lives in. 

Peterkin can only be disappointed, but at the same time, impressed by the true ending. Not amazed, but impressed. Ringmistress Sybil places every high-heeled step in front of the other with the same ease and poise and deadset intent that brought Miracle Circus to its current prestige. That’s what Sybil tells Peterkin magic is derived from: ease and poise and deadset intent, especially intent. She tells him that one doesn’t try to pull a rabbit from a hat—one does pull a rabbit from a hat and both the rabbit and the hat are made from magic. All magic is intentional, she says, and she also says that nobody’s intent is stronger than hers. She crosses the tightrope from start to end without a wand because she’s so good at magic she doesn’t even need it. She is impervious to the sabotages of her worst enemies and the ill intents of her closest loved ones. 

The breath everyone else had been holding is released, but not Peterkin’s. When Sybil is at the end of her rope and the bowling pins and bowling ball balanced on her arms vanish into nothingness, Peterkin is still suffocating within the vortex of an airless tornado because his doubts continue to bloom as plentifully as a meadow of pink daffodils. Sybil’s path, both across the tightrope and to success, was a straight line. She was so good that she became the best; that much is dumbfoundingly simple. Outside of that strict straight line, Peterkin thinks he sees an extraneous dot: a careless residue of a careless pencil stroke. He only thinks he sees it, but it doesn’t appear in isolation. Like stars in the night sky, the harder he looks, the more of them he sees. 

Peterkin remembers himself suddenly surrounded by fountains and bubbles. 

And he recalls the warm weight of Dorian’s hand on his shoulders. 

And he also wonders why someone trying to sabotage the show wouldn’t have taken that perfect opportunity to shoot Ringmaster Sybil down during that unguarded lapse of time between the beginning and the end of the rope, because even Sybil has admitted to Peterkin that it’s faster to shoot a gun than to pull a wand out. 

But Sybil isn’t an Impressionist, she’s a perfectionist. She wouldn’t dapple her pure white canvas with ugly little dots, yet Peterkin is seeing the work of another artist, and that artist can only communicate in dots, like Braille constellations warning Peterkin of the wool over his eyes. 

The roar of applause dims down before Peterkin gains the capacity to register it. Sybil’s voice announces, “And there you have it, folks! The conclusion of the first act of Peterkin’s Show: ‘Peterkin’s Show’s First Act’! We’ll be back shortly after intermission!” 

Light fills the Big Top. The usual chatter and stretching of limbs and hurrying to get to the snack bar before the intermission is delayed. No one can deny that an intermission felt deserved after such an odd, eventful first act, but it is only after the first act and it hasn’t been specified how long the intermission will be. Miracle Circus has defied yet another expectation. Ringmistress Sybil can declare intermissions whenever she wants and for however long she wants. 

The boy in Seat 14 isn’t shy of expressing his surprise, again. “What!” he exclaims. 

Peterkin isn’t sure who the boy is trying to address, anymore, because he and the boy are total strangers and the boy didn’t seem to expect any kind of response. As the only willing witness to the boy’s outburst, he felt obliged to take his exclamation as a conversation-starter. “What?” Peterkin asks, and a part of him hopes that the boy is frustrated for the same reason he is. Peterkin wanted to believe that the non-sequitur dots he saw in Sybil’s tightrope act weren’t invisible to the sane. 

“I was trying to—she just—why couldn’t I—” 

The boy trails off into a strangled scream. In the light, Peterkin can now see the boy’s features clearly: round almond eyes, a stout nose, and a nervous, frowning expression that looked to be his default. He’s thin, and it would seem to anyone else that his figure is simply good genetics, but as someone who’s known him for more than five minutes, Peterkin can already guess that weight is hard to stick on a boy who’s always burning calories with his tenseness. Every line on his body seems to be tapering inwards, like he’s constantly collapsing in on himself. More prominent to Peterkin is the crimson red pocket square in his suit jacket and a wand clenched in his left fist. 

The pocket square inexplicably catches Peterkin’s eye more than the wand does, although there should be no reason for a magician in the audience to have his wand out during another magician’s performance. Peterkin recognizes that shade of crimson red as Phantasm Red, and so he begins to connect some dots. The wand should have been a deader giveaway, but the conclusion is still the same. The boy in Seat 14 was trying to sabotage Sybil during her tightrope act and couldn’t, even though she was wandless. 

Experimentally, he taps a bouquet of roses into his hand, then taps it away. 

“You’re the son of Ringmistress Sybil,” he says to Peterkin, but also more to himself. “Tell me, can magic go defective?” 

“Um… Uh… I don’t know?” The real answer is no, magic is always intentional and always in control of the magician, but Peterkin isn’t good with being put on the spot. He tries to muster a more coherent response. “I think it has to be your intent.” 

“What about my intent?” the boy demands. 

“It’s—I don’t know, but it comes from your intent. I’m sorry.” 

“What are you saying sorry for?” 

“I don’t know.” 

Peterkin turns to leave, but he’s met face-to-face with the elusive blond he had been trying to track down all night. Peterkin grabs him roughly by the shoulders and shakes him. 

“Ralph!” Peterkin yells. “Where have you been?” 

“Cheater, cheater, Peterkin-eater,” Ralph sings to him. He brushes Peterkin’s hands off of him. “Nice show, isn’t it? All for you and all. Some odd parts, but I’d say that’s fitting for a show with your name in it. And you’ve got the best seat in the house.” 

Peterkin lets Ralph avoid the question. He knows he can’t enforce any consequences. All the responsibility, but none of the authority. “Just take your seat back, already.” 

“Who’s to say it’s my seat? It looks like it’s yours. Your show, your seat. All for you.” 

“You can take my seat if you’d like,” the boy with the Phantasm Red pocket square offers. “I’m done trying to sabotage the show.” He picks up Peterkin’s hand, pries open Peterkin’s fingers, and places his wand in Peterkin’s palm. “You can have my wand, even. I’m certainly not putting it to good use. I don’t have the right intent, or something.” 

Peterkin watches the boy excuse himself as he crosses the row, disappearing into the crowd going upstream for kettle corn refills. At his hands is a shiny black steel wand with Phantasm Red tips. Engraved in gold, is a declaration of ownership: Property of Phantasm Circus™. It’s weighted heavily on the end with the engravement.  

“You just let the kid next to you try to sabotage the show?” Ralph asks. 

“I didn’t notice!” Peterkin says. 

Ralph laughs at that and holds onto Peterkin for support while mirth wets his eyes. “Of course you didn’t! Who can ruin a Miracle Circus show? Only a Miracle Circus magician, right?” 

“Right…” 

“Right!”

All is right with Ralph returned. Ralph can disappear but not be lost, can have his seat taken and then have another one offered, and break the rules without getting into trouble. In that way, Peterkin thinks Ralph to be more of a Miracle Circus magician than himself: impervious. He sees, in Ralph, the same easy balance that brought Ringmistress Sybil across the tightrope. There is no doubt that the rest of the show will continue smoothly, with Ralph now sitting in Section E, Row 5, Seat 14. And if there is, the doubt can only belong to Peterkin. 

Slowly, the lights flicker on and off to signal that intermission is ending. The bleachers refill steadily. Peterkin slumps into Seat 12 and a half and laments, in his head, that the second act won’t be nearly as interesting as the first. No risk, no stakes, no bad guys to root for. Peterkin thinks a tone shift into the usual perfection would be too discontinuous. And isn’t the show “Peterkin’s Show”, not “A Show For Peterkin”? Meaning, the show belongs to him. With a Phantasm wand, he might be able to turn his doubt into certainty. 

The Phantasm wand has a nice weight in Peterkin’s hand. It’s heavier and much more solid than a Miracle Circus wand, with a tip that follows the flow of its path smoothly, like dragging a finger across a lake’s surface. It feels more like a weapon than an instrument and Peterkin intends to take advantage of that. 

The lights dim, then go pitch black. A rooster cries out, then a pink spotlight illuminates Sybil and Dorian, hanging off of either side of a swinging trapeze. At his lap, Peterkin slices his new wand horizontally. The trapeze’s strings are cut. Sybil screams—she actually screams out of undeniable fear and everyone hears it. Her illusion of invincibility has shattered and everyone sees it in how fast gravity works on her. Even the best circus magician to ever exist is subservient to the laws of physics. 

In those few seconds where all of Sybil’s weight is working against her and plummeting her helplessly towards the ground, Peterkin finds certainty. It’s the same certainty he recognizes from when he lost Ralph—the certainty that he is a very bad person and everything is his fault. He didn’t have to do that. He really shouldn’t have. 

But she recovers quickly, with a frilly pink parasol with enough air resistance to float her gently to the bottom. That makes Peterkin feel even worse. He discovers how shallow his regret was when Sybil arrives safely on the ground, but the only cure for his chagrin is to try again at matricide. And what if he fails again? Or what if he succeeds? Peterkin doesn’t see a happy ending in witnessing the rest of Peterkin’s Show, which is really just A Show For Peterkin and not A Show Belonging To Peterkin. 

Peterkin makes like a banana peel and slips away. 

--- 

For everyone’s safety, Dorian takes care to rush all the circus-goers out of the gates as soon as the Big Top show is over. The premiere was a disaster, by Miracle Circus standards. Dorian knows how bothered Sybil must be. First impressions are everything. And to make their first impression for the season a sabotaged show dedicated to young Peterkin—if Dorian were superstitious, he would fear a similar corruption to occur in or involving Peterkin, during his 12 and a halfth summer… 

But Dorian isn’t superstitious, because according to the Magician’s Code, superstition is for witches. The ringmasters of Miracle Circus do not fear a bad premiere out of some contrived, non-sequitur correlation to the events for the rest of their season. They fear a bad premiere only due to their miraculously high standards. 

Dorian leads Miracle Circus’ lovely fans off the premises like a pied paper, schedules an exclusive interview with the Cirque du Chronicles reporters addressing the future of their season in their current economic climate, and prepares a sweet cup of mint tea before knocking on Sybil’s dressing room door. With magic, it all only takes him five minutes total. Three of those minutes were spent preparing the tea. Even the best magical skill a Miracle Circus magician possesses cannot replace the care spent in preparing anything drinkable or edible. A magician’s magic is simply not capable of conjuring anything drinkable or edible. Thus, all snacks and beverages at Miracle Circus have zero calories, for they are but well-crafted illusions no other circus is capable of: from the crunch of a caramel apple to the tangy splash of pink lemonade. True food magic is impossible. 

When Dorian knocks thrice on the grand cherry wood door, the door reveals its true nature and shatters into paper-thin shards of glass that have been deceptively painted with the facsimile of a grand cherry wood door. Beyond the remaining shards of the door is Sybil, sitting at a vanity mirror lit with red bulbs. The lights dye all it reaches the color of candy apples and ladybug wings, of lipstick and rubies, of blood and a dozen passionate red roses yearning to be cradled with the affectionate touch of someone enamored by true love. Phantasm has their own bright bastardization of red copyrighted, but this shade, as deep as the ocean and as rich as the Blimerance fortune and as true as an infant’s unfiltered babble, has been owned by Sybil as soon as it touched her. It isn’t a frivolous claim for the sake of competitive branding. The fact is inherent in her dark gaze at her reflection, which sees past the mere self-image in front of her and into a truth Dorian may never know. 

Then, the color changes to cyan. 

Then, the color changes to banana yellow. 

“Remember when we thought it would be a good idea to have a light-based show? And then your ex-wife had to save us from the lawsuits?” Sybil asks. “We were so close to folding.” 

Begrudgingly, Dorian recalls that show: “In Full Technicolor”. Show concepts were much simpler back then. They played improv with crystal prisms and refracting light beams and gave every spectator a complimentary pair of sunglasses. But having to pay for a hundred hospital bills wasn’t nearly as humiliating as having to explain to a much younger Ralph that, no, Daddy wasn’t visiting Mommy because they loved each other again. Daddy was begging Mommy for help because Daddy and Auntie Sybil induced seizures at their circus show. Somehow, Miracle Circus survived, on the basis that epilepsy fell under the umbrella of the impossible, the fantastic, and the miraculous. 

Being on the forefront of innovation means taking risks. It was the first circus show to rely primarily on light manipulation. Miracle Circus used to show off the magical prowess of their ringmasters by demonstrating their mastery in every magic skill ever thought of: light manipulation, sound manipulation, space manipulation, animal summoning, botanokinesis, pyrokinesis, hydrokinesis, aerokinesis… Everything that magic was capable of, they mastered it and focused a show on it. There were enough magic skills to last them an entire season of shows. In Full Technicolor taught them that too much raw power was dangerous, though. That was when Sybil and Dorian discovered the true advantage of illusions, and that was sensory manipulation. No more seizures if your body doesn’t perceive the flashing lights as a disregulatory signal. 

“We came out of that stronger than ever,” Dorian reminds her. “We always will.” 

“Oh, save your pretty words for the press!” Sybil scoffs. The lights return to red. She stands up from her armchair and approaches Dorian. Although her high heels are off, her shorter stature does nothing to diminish her domineering presence. “That second-act-sabotage caught us both off-guard. With our wands in our hands. While we were already expecting a sabotage! How is that possible, Dorian?” The lights flicker. “Answer me that, Mr. Blimerance!” 

Dorian winces at the flickering light. With a simple flick of his wand, he changes the light to bright white. He would’ve gotten sick if he had to tolerate those flickering lights any longer. Though he fears Sybil, and rightfully so, he is not scared of her. He hands her the steaming hot cup of mint tea. 

“It’s impossible,” Dorian answers. “It’s fantastic. It’s miraculous.” 

“We’ve been out-miracled in our own Big Top.” Sybil sips on the ice cold tea. She dumps it out. “And by Phantasm, at that. They’re not even world class!” She tosses the porcelain tea cup over her shoulder without a care. It poofs away. 

“Sybil… do you realize what that means?” 

Sybil nods. 

They grab each other by the shoulders. 

Their smiles are wide and gleeful. 

“A witch hunt!” they declare in unison. 

--- 

After the show, Ralph wanders around the empty circus grounds just as he did before the show. He calls it walking a mile in Peterkin’s shoes. In Ralph’s mind’s eye, Miracle Circus is a bright wonder of endless amusements, always teeming with toothy smiles and boisterous laughter. He thinks of Miracle Circus and its sweets that never give you a stomachache; he thinks of colored fire that won’t burn you; he thinks of water that doesn’t soak your clothes. 

He thinks of his father ruffling Peterkin’s hair as if Peterkin were his own son. 

He thinks of Auntie Sybil denouncing all lesser magicians.

He thinks of infinity. 

Before tonight, Ralph has never thought to see Miracle Circus in its rawest form: a collection of tents. Sybil and Doran don’t produce the tents until the very second before the circus opens—thus, the only time to see the circus empty is during the Big Top show. Only Peterkin would ever think to ditch a Miracle Circus Big Top show and Ralph wants to get closer to how Peterkin thinks. Ralph’s hypothesis is that understanding Peterkin will help him understand why he’s lesser than Peterkin. 

The circus is suddenly inanimate. Usually, the circus would’ve stopped existing as soon as the circus-goers left, and usually the circus-goers also wouldn’t be gone by now. Ralph has a lucky second chance at experiencing what Peterkin feels when he’s ditching a Big Top show, but this time, it feels different. The circus isn’t simply empty, because an empty circus feels like a relief after pushing through crowds all day. It’s desolate. Ralph has never noticed it before, but there’s an energy in Miracle Circus that is now missing that reminds him of the protective gaze of a parent while they’re watching their child at the playground. Miracle Circus is dead without Sybil and Dorian, whose ambition to be the best is the lifeblood of the circus. 

Ralph walks through a few tents looking for either his father or Auntie Sybil. The circus is smaller and easier to navigate now that it’s not constantly rearranging itself. He visits all of his favorite tents, the clock-related ones, and notices all the clocks in the clock-related tents are hours off and out of sync. He assumes it’s one of Phantasm’s petty attempts at sabotage and moves on to the other tents: the Tent of Vibrations and Storms, the Tent of Waterfalls and Canyons, the Tent of Temperature and Mercury, the Tent of Spring and Jumping, and many other tents that seem as if their themes were lazily pulled out of a hat at random. 

Ralph has never had so much trouble finding the two ringmasters before. They like having their presences known, but now, they seem to be in hiding. He closes his eyes and tries to hone in on whatever energy he can pick up on. It’s a witchy method, because really you shouldn’t be able to sense someone’s presence unless through supernatural means, but he does swear he can usually feel Dorian and Sybil’s presence. Any half-smart magician is aware of the sheer power they radiate. 

He opens his eyes and heads toward the Tent of Void and Nothingness (one of the empty tents). He thinks Sybil is in there, though he has no proof other than a vague feeling. 

“Auntie Sybil?” Ralph calls out. Ralph pushes through the flaps of the black-and-white-striped canvas. It’s dark, but not pitch black. He makes out Peterkin’s small frame, made smaller by the fact that he was curled into himself, sitting with his head buried into his knees. “Oh. It’s you.” 

Ralph shivers. He gives out a long exhale to test the coldness in the tent and it comes out in a white cloud of condensation. It’s summer in the rest of the circus besides the tent he has entered. He thinks it odd. The empty tents in Miracle Circus are supposed to have no magical effects on them. But anything is possible in Miracle Circus, so there’s no way to be sure of any anomalies. It could be another one of Sybil’s pranks. 

Peterkin lifts his head up. “Hi, Ralph.” 

“Where’s my father and your mother?” 

“What do you mean? They’re just around.” 

Peterkin is right; the circus can’t exist without Sybil and Dorian around. Ralph isn’t sure why he gets the impression they’re gone. He wants to look for them some more, but he’s scared to leave the relief of Peterkin’s presence. He sits down next to Peterkin and wonders how he’s not cold and also why he would choose such a frigid place to isolate himself in. 

Peterkin, after a long moment spent riling up the courage, finally gets around to saying what’s on his mind. “Ralph, can I ask you something?” 

“You just did.” 

“Never mind.” 

Ralph doesn’t mean to bully Peterkin. He thinks Peterkin makes it too easy. A magician shouldn’t ask to ask a question. He should simply ask it. A better magician would already know the answer, thus eliminating the need for asking unless for rhetorical purposes, but they had the excuse of youth to fall on. Although Ralph knows he is not the better magician, he takes responsibility as the older magician. He must lend his wisdom. 

“Tell me what you want to ask,” Ralph demands. 

“I wanted to ask what happens if you’re a witch.”

Ralph hesitates. His first instinct is to call Peterkin stupid, but he’s trying to be nicer to Peterkin and also it’s not Peterkin’s fault he doesn’t know. He’s surprised his father hasn’t told Peterkn, yet. After all, Peterkin gets to see Dorian all year round. Ralph is only 30% Dorian’s son, but Peterkin is 100% Sybil’s son, and Dorian and Sybil—they’re contractually bound together. That contract is more soul-binding than Ralph’s parents’ marriage ever was. 

With Ralph’s surprise comes pride. It gives him the reassurance he’s been looking for that he is his father’s son. A Blimerance. His mom almost had him change his last name to her maiden name after the divorce, but decided it would be too troubling for his paperwork. Ralph thought convenience was the only reason he stayed a Blimerance, until now, with his heritage shining through his unique connection to the history of witches, a connection that Peterkin lacks. 

“Do you know how the Blimerances came to their affluence?” Ralph asks. 

“I don’t know. Stealing from the poor?” Peterkin guesses. 

“What! No! The Blimerances were the best witch-hunters, back when this country was still a collection of colonies. And they were so good that witches don’t exist anymore. The end!” 

“But what happens if you find a witch nowadays?” 

“You’d burn ‘em at the stake, of cour—oh, what are you crying for?” 

“That’s awful! Why should we kill anyone?” 

“You don’t get it, Peterkin.” Ralph tries to phrase himself as if he’s speaking to a child, which he is. “Witches are bad. Their magic has gone corrupted from their ill intent. They hurt people, Peterkin. Magic isn’t for hurting people! It’s for making miracles. That’s why we have to get rid of witches, so they don’t hurt anyone. And they’re already gone, so what’s there to cry about? There’s nothing to cry about.” 

“You think I need a reason to cry? I don’t!” 

Ralph listens to Peterkin cry himself out in the empty tent, as he had many summers before. The temperature continues to drop. He expects, at any second, for the tent to poof away and for the summer air to coalesce into the cold air around them, but the night sky above them is never revealed. It’s anomalous, though that in of itself was also a part of the routine. Sybil and Dorian are hiding somewhere, brewing up another innovative spectacle, and then Miracle Circus will monopolize the circus industry so triumphantly that every other circus will fold in shame. 

[usafphantom2]

USAF increases presence of bombers in the Pacific: B-52s arrive in Guam, B-1s in Japan

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 14/07/2023 - 08:15 in Military, War Zones

The presence of U.S. Air Force bombers in the Indo-Pacific has increased significantly in the last two weeks, as more B-52 Stratofortresses arrived in Guam and B-1 Lancers landed in Japan.

The B-52s and aviators of the 20º Expeditionary Bombing Squadron at Barksdale Air Base, Louisiana, landed at Andersen Air Base, Guam, on July 5. They join the B-52s of Minot Air Force Base, N.D., which were deployed in Guam last month on a Bomber Task Force mission.

“The Bomber Task Force was designed to improve the cutting-edge readiness of the bomber force, while advancing our interoperability with allies and partners,” Lieutenant Colonel Jared Patterson, commander of the 20º EBS, said in a statement. "Each flown mission further demonstrates our ability to provide combat-ready agile forces and long-range attack capabilities to combat commanders around the world."

Five days later, two B-1s and about 25 aviators from Dyess Air Base, Texas, arrived at Misawa Air Base, Japan, in a separate rotation from the Bomber Task Force.

"Having the B-1 here in Japan shows even more the commitment of the United States to the Indo-Pacific region and our allies and partners," said Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Marshall, commander of the 345º Expeditionary Bomber Squadron, in a PACAF statement.

Since arriving in Guam in mid-June, the Minot B-52s have carried out integration exercises over the Korean Peninsula and were the first USAF B-52s to land in Indonesia. Last week, bombers also participated in the Northern Edge military exercise in the Gulf of Alaska.

Bomber activity in the Pacific has increased with increasing tensions in the region. In the last six months alone, USAF bombers have flown more than half a dozen sorties over the Korean Peninsula and carried out several integration exercises with the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF).

Although bombers in Guam are common, the deployment of B-1 in Misawa is unusual. In the past, the B-1s rarely flew from Japan on Bomber Task Force missions. His arrival follows a report on the Stars & Stripes website on July 12 that one of Minot's B-52s was forced to make a rare emergency landing at Yokota Air Base, Japan, due to an in-flight maintenance problem. More details about the cause have not been disclosed.

Source: Air Force & Space Magazine

Tags: Military AviationB-1B LancerBoeing B-52H StratofortressUSAF - United States Air Force / U.S. Air ForceWar Zones - Indo-Asia-Pacific

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Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Daytona Airshow and FIDAE. He has works published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. Uses Canon equipment during his photographic work around the world of aviation.

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