#data warehouse in data mining

[perpetualconfluxecho]

Get Industry-Ready with Data Warehouse Training

Introduction

In today’s data-driven world, businesses rely on structured information to make smart decisions. That’s where data warehousing comes in. A solid understanding of data warehouse concepts, architecture, and business intelligence (BI) tools can set the foundation for a strong career in IT and analytics.

For students and freshers aiming to enter the tech or business analytics industry, enrolling in a data warehousing course for beginners in Yamuna Vihar or Uttam Nagar can be a smart move.

Why Learn Data Warehousing?

Data warehousing is not just about storing data; it’s about organizing, analyzing, and making it useful for business strategies. Companies across the world use data warehouses to gain insights, spot trends, and plan for the future.

With growing demand for professionals skilled in data analysis, BI, and architecture, there’s a need for individuals trained in both basic and advanced concepts. Whether you’re from a technical or non-technical background, learning data warehouse technologies can make you job-ready.

What Will You Learn in a Data Warehouse Course?

A well-structured data warehouse and architecture course in Yamuna Vihar or Uttam Nagar teaches you the foundational and practical aspects of:

Data warehouse concepts and components

Architecture models (star schema, snowflake schema)

ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) processes

Data modeling techniques

Business Intelligence and reporting tools

Real-time project-based learning

If you are looking for a professional data warehouse training course in Uttam Nagar or Yamuna Vihar, look for institutes offering a mix of theoretical understanding and hands-on practice.

Learning Options That Suit Your Schedule

For students who prefer flexible learning, there are options for the best data warehouse training online in Yamuna Vihar or Uttam Nagar. These courses allow you to learn at your own pace while still gaining the necessary practical skills.

Many learners also choose online data warehouse classes near me in Yamuna Vihar or nearby areas, especially those with live sessions, mentor guidance, and access to real datasets.

If you’re ready to take your skills to the next level, you might also consider an advanced data warehouse training program in Uttam Nagar. These programs are ideal for those who already have basic knowledge and want to deepen their understanding of architecture, tools, and design.

Career Paths After Completing the Course

Completing a data warehouse and BI training institute in Yamuna Vihar or Uttam Nagar opens doors to a range of career opportunities such as:

Data Analyst

BI Developer

Data Warehouse Engineer

ETL Developer

Reporting Analyst

Data Architect

Professionals with certifications and training from the top institute for data warehouse and architecture in Uttam Nagar are more likely to get noticed by recruiters, especially those hiring for MNCs and startups looking to build data teams.

Finding the Right Institute

When choosing a learning center, students should always look for the best data warehouse training institute in Uttam Nagar or Yamuna Vihar that offers:

Certified training programs

Updated curriculum with real-time tools

Live projects and assignments

Doubt-clearing sessions

Job support or placement assistance

These features ensure that your learning experience is not just academic but practical and aligned with real industry needs.

Final Thoughts

In a world where data is the new currency, having the right skills to store, manage, and analyze that data is incredibly valuable. A quality data warehouse architecture and design training in Yamuna Vihar or Uttam Nagar can empower students and working professionals to build a strong career foundation in analytics and business intelligence.

Whether you're just starting out or upgrading your skills, now is the perfect time to enroll in a data warehousing course for beginners in Uttam Nagar or explore more advanced options in your local area. Get industry-ready. Get data warehouse ready

Suggested Links:

C++ Programming Language

Database Management System

Advanced Data Structures

Learn Core Java

[amtexsystemsblogs]

Unlocking Potential with WebFOCUS: Your Comprehensive Guide

Discover the Power of WebFOCUS

Modern businesses thrive on data-driven insights, pushing the boundaries of technology to become more analytics-centric. Consequently, the demand for cutting-edge business intelligence tools is at an all-time high. Enter WebFOCUS, a robust, scalable, and adaptable analytics platform that aims to streamline decision-making processes and transform the world of business intelligence.

Understanding WebFOCUS

WebFOCUS, typically associated with WebFOCUS reporting and Business Intelligence (BI), is an advanced analytics platform designed to empower businesses to make data-driven decisions intelligently. Perfect for WebFOCUS jobs and developers alike, this tool can maneuver vast data landscapes and conduct insightful WebFOCUS data analysis.

Key Benefits of Using WebFOCUS

WebFOCUS redefines the realms of data analytics with its advanced features. Its key benefits extend to:

- Data discovery and Data mining: Gain an edge in identifying patterns and trends behind your data.

- Data governance and management: Control data integrity and reliability through WebFOCUS's robust data governance and management tools.

- Data integration: WebFOCUS excels at integrating varied data sources, ensuring a seamless data pipeline.

- Security, Performance, and Scalability: As a secure, efficient, and scalable platform, WebFOCUS stands out as a robust data analysis tool.

WebFOCUS Capabilities

WebFOCUS App Studio and WebFOCUS Designer

Being a WebFOCUS developer means understanding and utilizing the many modules within the platform. WebFOCUS's core is its App Studio module, an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) that allows users to create and manage business applications. Similarly, WebFOCUS Designer offers an intuitive user interface for developing sophisticated data visualizations.

WebFOCUS Info Assist and WebFOCUS Reporting

For data refinement and extraction, WebFOCUS offers InfoAssisT, a browser-based module that simplifies ad hoc reporting tasks. InfoAssisT allows business users to create engaging dashboards, charts, and custom reports, providing visual-driven insights within the WebFOCUS dashboard that are actionable.

WebFOCUS Insights and Predictions

WebFOCUS isn’t just about knowing your business; it’s about predicting it. With predictive analytics capabilities companies can forecast future trends and make informed decisions.

WebFOCUS Security and Scalability

A standout feature of WebFOCUS as an analytics tool is its commitment to data security. Businesses can rest assured knowing their data is protected with utmost rigor.

WebFOCUS Jobs and Salary

What does a WebFOCUS developer salary look like? Given the demand for data analysis and BI skills, a career with WebFOCUS is both rewarding and lucrative, offering competitive remuneration.

WebFOCUS Training and Tutorials

To facilitate user understanding of its multifaceted features, WebFOCUS offers a comprehensive collection of training resources and tutorials online, catering to varied learning abilities and paces.

Conclusion: The Future with WebFOCUS

As businesses constantly adapt and grow, so too do their data analytics needs. WebFOCUS, with its advanced BI capabilities and robust data handling, appears poised to remain an industry leader. Businesses looking for a future-proof, comprehensive analytics platform need not look further than WebFOCUS. Whether transitioning into a WebFOCUS developer job, seeking out WebFOCUS training, or looking to improve your current business operations, WebFOCUS stands out as an invaluable tool. Harness the power of WebFOCUS and transform your business today.

[objectsol07]

Data Lake & Data Warehouse

Although both Data Lakes and Data Warehouses are frequently used to store massive data, the words are not equivalent. A data lake is a sizable collection of unprocessed data and data warehouse is pool of processed & stored for a particular purpose. matted, filtered, and stored in a data warehouse. The differentiation is crucial since they have diverse functions and must be effectively optimised by various viewpoints. Data Lakehouse, an emerging trend in data management architecture, combines the adaptability of a data lake with the data management skills of a data warehouse.

Data Lake: A data lake is a central location that holds massive data in its original, unprocessed form. Data is stored using a flat architecture and object storage with metadata tags and a unique identifier, making it simpler to find and retrieve desired information. Data lakes make it possible for numerous applications to use the data through open formats and cheap object storage.

[opencommunion]

"The story of  'John Doe 1' of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is tucked in a lawsuit filed five years ago against several U.S. tech companies, including Tesla, the world’s largest electric vehicle producer. In a country where the earth hides its treasures beneath its surface, those who chip away at its bounty pay an unfair price. As a pre-teen, his family could no longer afford to pay his $6 monthly school fee, leaving him with one option: a life working underground in a tunnel, digging for cobalt rocks.  But soon after he began working for roughly two U.S. dollars per day, the child was buried alive under the rubble of a collapsed mine tunnel. His body was never recovered. 

The nation, fractured by war, disease, and famine, has seen more than 6 million people die since the mid-1990s, making the conflict the deadliest since World War II. But, in recent years, the death and destruction have been aided by the growing number of electric vehicles humming down American streets. In 2022, the U.S., the world’s third-largest importer of cobalt, spent nearly $525 million on the mineral, much of which came from the Congo.

As America’s dependence on the Congo has grown, Black-led labor and environmental organizers here in the U.S. have worked to build a transnational solidarity movement. Activists also say that the inequities faced in the Congo relate to those that Black Americans experience. And thanks in part to social media, the desire to better understand what’s happening in the Congo has grown in the past 10 years. In some ways, the Black Lives Matter movement first took root in the Congo after the uprising in Ferguson in 2014, advocates say. And since the murder of George Floyd and the outrage over the Gaza war, there has been an uptick in Congolese and Black American groups working on solidarity campaigns.

Throughout it all, the inequities faced by Congolese people and Black Americans show how the supply chain highlights similar patterns of exploitation and disenfranchisement. ... While the American South has picked up about two-thirds of the electric vehicle production jobs, Black workers there are more likely to work in non-unionized warehouses, receiving less pay and protections. The White House has also failed to share data that definitively proves whether Black workers are receiving these jobs, rather than them just being placed near Black communities. 'Automakers are moving their EV manufacturing and operations to the South in hopes of exploiting low labor costs and making higher profits,' explained Yterenickia Bell, an at-large council member in Clarkston, Georgia, last year. While Georgia has been targeted for investment by the Biden administration, workers are 'refusing to stand idly by and let them repeat a cycle that harms Black communities and working families.'

... Of the 255,000 Congolese mining for cobalt, 40,000 are children. They are not only exposed to physical threats but environmental ones. Cobalt mining pollutes critical water sources, plus the air and land. It is linked to respiratory illnesses, food insecurity, and violence. Still, in March, a U.S. court ruled on the case, finding that American companies could not be held liable for child labor in the Congo, even as they helped intensify the prevalence. ... Recently, the push for mining in the Congo has reached new heights because of a rift in China-U.S. relations regarding EV production. Earlier this month, the Biden administration issued a 100% tariff on Chinese-produced EVs to deter their purchase in the U.S. Currently, China owns about 80% of the legal mines in the Congo, but tens of thousands of Congolese work in 'artisanal' mines outside these facilities, where there are no rules or regulations, and where the U.S. gets much of its cobalt imports.  'Cobalt mining is the slave farm perfected,' wrote Siddharth Kara last year in the award-winning investigative book Cobalt Red: How The Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives. 'It is a system of absolute exploitation for absolute profit.' While it is the world’s richest country in terms of wealth from natural resources, Congo is among the poorest in terms of life outcomes. Of the 201 countries recognized by the World Bank Group, it has the 191st lowest life expectancy."

[reasonsforhope]

Green energy is in its heyday. 

Renewable energy sources now account for 22% of the nation’s electricity, and solar has skyrocketed eight times over in the last decade. This spring in California, wind, water, and solar power energy sources exceeded expectations, accounting for an average of 61.5 percent of the state's electricity demand across 52 days. 

But green energy has a lithium problem. Lithium batteries control more than 90% of the global grid battery storage market. 

That’s not just cell phones, laptops, electric toothbrushes, and tools. Scooters, e-bikes, hybrids, and electric vehicles all rely on rechargeable lithium batteries to get going. 

Fortunately, this past week, Natron Energy launched its first-ever commercial-scale production of sodium-ion batteries in the U.S. 

“Sodium-ion batteries offer a unique alternative to lithium-ion, with higher power, faster recharge, longer lifecycle and a completely safe and stable chemistry,” said Colin Wessells — Natron Founder and Co-CEO — at the kick-off event in Michigan. 

The new sodium-ion batteries charge and discharge at rates 10 times faster than lithium-ion, with an estimated lifespan of 50,000 cycles.

Wessells said that using sodium as a primary mineral alternative eliminates industry-wide issues of worker negligence, geopolitical disruption, and the “questionable environmental impacts” inextricably linked to lithium mining. 

“The electrification of our economy is dependent on the development and production of new, innovative energy storage solutions,” Wessells said. 

Why are sodium batteries a better alternative to lithium?

The birth and death cycle of lithium is shadowed in environmental destruction. The process of extracting lithium pollutes the water, air, and soil, and when it’s eventually discarded, the flammable batteries are prone to bursting into flames and burning out in landfills. 

There’s also a human cost. Lithium-ion materials like cobalt and nickel are not only harder to source and procure, but their supply chains are also overwhelmingly attributed to hazardous working conditions and child labor law violations. 

Sodium, on the other hand, is estimated to be 1,000 times more abundant in the earth’s crust than lithium. 

“Unlike lithium, sodium can be produced from an abundant material: salt,” engineer Casey Crownhart wrote ​​in the MIT Technology Review. “Because the raw ingredients are cheap and widely available, there’s potential for sodium-ion batteries to be significantly less expensive than their lithium-ion counterparts if more companies start making more of them.”

What will these batteries be used for?

Right now, Natron has its focus set on AI models and data storage centers, which consume hefty amounts of energy. In 2023, the MIT Technology Review reported that one AI model can emit more than 626,00 pounds of carbon dioxide equivalent. 

“We expect our battery solutions will be used to power the explosive growth in data centers used for Artificial Intelligence,” said Wendell Brooks, co-CEO of Natron. 

“With the start of commercial-scale production here in Michigan, we are well-positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for efficient, safe, and reliable battery energy storage.”

The fast-charging energy alternative also has limitless potential on a consumer level, and Natron is eying telecommunications and EV fast-charging once it begins servicing AI data storage centers in June. 

On a larger scale, sodium-ion batteries could radically change the manufacturing and production sectors — from housing energy to lower electricity costs in warehouses, to charging backup stations and powering electric vehicles, trucks, forklifts, and so on. 

“I founded Natron because we saw climate change as the defining problem of our time,” Wessells said. “We believe batteries have a role to play.”

-via GoodGoodGood, May 3, 2024

--

Note: I wanted to make sure this was legit (scientifically and in general), and I'm happy to report that it really is! x, x, x, x

[sbcdh]

"You saw it?"

"For a second. Yeah. I saw one."

"Start at the beginning."

"Hoo. Okay. Uhhh... It was 77. I think. I was air force. Or, hypnoengineering support staff contracted to help out around St. Louis."

"That's how you came into your supply of JVH-1"

"It was JVH-11 actually, and yeah, the fuckin, uh- the requisitions officer at Scott was an old buddy of mine. We used to fuck around in college before I, you know-"

"Yes I understand."

"I worked records for Sears-Roebuck, I had all the accounting expertise, as well as a ready supply of LSD."

"How did you start?"

"Oh it was easy at first. Really just selling off phials of the new experimental stuff to finance guys. They'd go nuts for the stuff, pay top dollar for it too. Hell, I could get 100$ for a milliliter. Made it easy to keep my contacts bought in and re-invested. Honestly I don't think the req office would even know that we were skimming if they weren't in on it.

But, you know how it is with hypnoregulation. Transchronological market data is worth it's weight in diamond. It started with the odd photo of a 2q-week readout, then biometric data, then, uh- then. Well, we decided to try it ourselves."

"You attempted full sub-finantial emmanation?"

"No no god no, what're you nuts? No, see. We figured if one person can meld their brain with the market, we just had to get as close as we could to that guy, and mark the twain, hypnologically speaking."

"Mark the twain?"

"Yeah, see, okay. A plutophant in full emmanation isn't like us. We exist at a single point in time, an R1 rational market actor. But they exist in multiple points in time, back in 77, I think the government could hit R6 with that analogue tech. Most people can hit R2 with a single hit of JVH-1, with practice you can hit R3, but anything higher than R3 takes a pretty serious support team. But here's the thing, I had a whole cadre of co-implicated members of a military grade hypnoengineering support team. All we needed was the space."

"The warehouse. Schaeffer Marble and Tile was it?"

"Bingo. See here's the thing. You know why the government had to start building those special regulation temples? It's not just for security. Once you crack the R6 barrier, Plutophants start leaving what's called a wake. You know, like a fuckin, uh, like a boat. They're imperceptible to normal people, but if you have sensitive enough instruments or, say, a person in the edge of sub-market emmanation.

See the government didn't know at the time, but if you balanced the drugs just right, and kept someone right on the edge of R4, you could actually read the plutophant's interpretations by their wake rather than their direct neurofeedback. It's not nearly as precise, but if you have a good team and you know what to look for, you can get some really, really valuable market data that way."

"And your co-worker?"

"You mean Mills? Fuck. Yeah...Mills. Right."

"Take your time."

"No, no I'm good. It's... It's uh, It's dangerous. Brains aren't meant to take that much JVH-11 all at once. We could stay on R4, but what we didn't have was a recovery team, or a medical team, or recon team. It was me, Mills, Israel, Connaught, and Marsh. The five of us were the only ones in the soup. Bruso was running the machines and Lasker was monitoring the readout."

"Can you tell us what happened?"

"Yeah. Yeah. It was a normal intrusion. Hypnogrid emmanation is pretty simple with our tech and support. Sedation was all green, hypnoinduction was green. Smooth as silk. Landed about 40 minutes from our work location. We had the codes from the IRSAW people that morning, all we had to do was maintain hypnoinduction for 40 minutes while traversing the colon and we'd be able to-"

"I'm sorry, colon?"

"Oh come on. Colon. Collective Unconscious. Col-Un. Colon."

"I- of course. Continue."

"Hey, have you ever been on a dive before?"

"Can we focus on your statement?"

"It's important. I need to know if this next bit is gonna make sense to you or not."

"I've undergone basic anti-intrusion training standard for IRS investigation task force officers."

"So you've done safe dives. White room? Castle training? Putting up the wall? All that jazz?"

"That's correct."

"Did they ever tell you why it's dangerous to perform off-site hypnoincursion in meta-unstsble hypnospace?"

"They did."

"Well they're lying...don't look at me like that. I'm not bullshitting you. They're lying...there's...there's shit out there okay? There's things out there."

"Mills?"

"Yeah. Mills. Uh..."

"Take your time."

"Yeah yeah. Quit interruptin me. Mills... Uh, yeah so we were T-Plus 30 into the dive. Bruso gives us a heads up that some hypnoflora is headed our way, but can't get a read on mass. Says we should steer clear, but we are so close. Israel had handled some hypnoflora before, so we weren't worried. But it was... I dunno. I can't explain."

"Do your best."

"Like. Okay. Meta-unstsble dives are fucked. They're acid trips. The St. Louis hypnoscape already doesn't look normal, but Scott Base looked like some kinda bastard lovechild of a medieval castle and a seashell, all twisting up into itself. The streets were a chessboard, and all the streetlights we're these tall kinda mannequin lookin' things holding a tiny sun in their hand. Everything is fucked, it's all topsy turvy. But it's okay, because it's meta-unstable hypnospace, its not SUPPOSED to be normal. And then there was a Red Sock."

"Like for the feet?"

"No. Like. In the middle of this fucked up dreamscape, there's suddenly a batter for the Boston Red Sox. He's standing there, maybe 50 feet away. He's got a bat in one hand and a mitt in the other, and he's just kinda walking towards us. Nobody really knew what to do. It didn't look dangerous, but something wasn't right. It didn't fit. We just kinda stood there, looking at the thing. Israel starts talking to Bruso, asking him what to do. Suddenly, Bruso is screaming at us, telling us to book it. He's screaming into the com, telling us to prepare for de-emmanation. Nobody knows what's happening. Israel is suddenly standing between Mills and the Red Sock, and..."

"Any information you can recall could be of use."

"It's...it's mostly feeling at this point. You ever been having a normal dream? Like, a good, normal dream? And suddenly you realize that something is really, really wrong? There's signs. For me? It's that the lights go out. Suddenly day turns to night, and something about this batter just makes me want to curl up and hide. Suddenly, moving through the world is like trying to swim through molasses. I try to run, but nothing moves, and everything is dark. The world is shifting. There's shadows under the bathroom door that can't be happening. A man who looks like Jesus. An old and terrible house and an old man with no name whose face I can't remember. The batter swings at Mills and she just...vanishes. Shes gone. Bruso pulls us out a second later."

"So this, batter killed Ms. Mills?"

"No."

"No?"

"No. We get out, she's comatose. Whatever that thing did to her, she was still in hypnospace. I gave her a hot shot of barbiturates. Her brain activity slowed to R0 after about 90 seconds."

[stop-copying-me]

“ I got this...memory thing. I pick up anyone's moves just by seein' 'em. That's a lotta data. More'n my brain's got room for, I guess.

So I...forget things. Things that ain't about combat, about survival. People, places...I can't remember what I did last week.

By Monday, I probably won't remember this conversation. I wanted ta fight you 'cause...I thought if I remembered your moves, I might remember you.

But all your moves... are somebody else's. Just like mine. ”

I survived the blaze at that O.X.E. warehouse.

Now I’m back and looking for people I used to know.

Not sure what else to put in an introduction.

Perhaps I’m looking for other lost widows.

ANONS :

🌷• 🎭

[goldenlionprince]

If you like it you should put a tag on it

You thought I would be ready to let them out of their little bubble in @sorenphelps The Bodyguard AU yet? Nope. But also, hear me out: dog tags 👀

if you want to check out previous parts of mine, I have a collection on AO3 for all of them. tags for @neverenoughmarauders @lovelymasks

.

“You really won't look at this?” Sirius asks, tapping his fingers against the flash drive still lying on the nightstand.

James sighs and rolls onto his back. “No, even if you ask me another fifteen times. I won't riffle through your past like you're just a piece of data to analyse. It won't change how I see you anyway.”

Sirius looks at him and there is a flicker of uncertainty in those grey eyes that James just can't have there. “Look, if you want to tell me about your time at the military or about your family or anything at all, you absolutely can. But I want it to come from you, not a military report.”

“What if what I tell you makes you run for the hills?”

“Won't happen.” James turns onto his side so he can better look at Sirius. “How many times do I have to say it for you to believe it? I saw you yesterday. I saw you stab that one Death Eater multiple times and that wasn't even the first time I've seen you get rid of someone.”

Sirius very nearly flinches and James does feel a little bad about it but he has to get it into that stubborn brain of his that James won't be turned away by this.

“There was this guy with the Death Eaters. Severus.” Sirius almost growls at the mention of that name but James pushes on. “Said he was an old military buddy of yours. He couldn't shut up about how many people you've killed. Sounded a little jealous about the numbers, not gonna lie.”

“Buddy,” Sirius grumbles. “Sure we're buddies. He only tried to blow me up and I had to get away through secret tunnels and with the help of a smuggler. Interesting way to declare someone is your buddy.”

James blinks at him multiple times. “Okay, we will come back to that eventually. My focus right now is on the mention of multiple killings.”

“As it should be,” Sirius says, sounding almost defeated now. “He didn't lie to you, James. It might be a first in his miserable life but he didn't lie.”

“Oh, really?” James huffs. “So your body count fills multiple graveyards?”

“It might. I've lost count.” Sirius looks at the fabric of the blanket, plucking at a loose thread. “The things you've seen yesterday, that's not the first time I did that. Nor was it the worst I ever did. The nickname they gave me... the Grim, the omen of death... it was well deserved. Do you know how much death you have to bring for people to see you like that? To see you and know they will die? And you know what's the worst about all of it? I enjoyed it. I wore that name with pride. I loved doing my job so well.”

“I still don't -”

“James,” Sirius interrupts him, looking at him desperate to understand. “I was addicted to that life. And I might still be because all of those people yesterday? I enjoyed killing every single one of them. I might never be able to shake the Grim completely.”

Sirius sighs and closes his eyes, unable to look at James any longer. James reaches out for him, cupping his cheek in his hand. “I saw all the bodies there when we walked out of the warehouse. All the blood,” James says, using his other hand as well when Sirius tries to pull away, cradling his face gently but firmly in both of his hands. “My point is, I know you're capable of violence. I'm not blind. I do realize you have a bloody past and it's a part of you. But I also know that you've never turned that violence against me, and that, when I needed you, you were there and ready to rip the whole world apart for me. Why is it so hard for you to hear that this is incredibly hot and won't make me run away?”

With another sigh Sirius leans into the touch, his lips brushing against the palm of James' left hand in a barely there kiss. “Because it won't be the first time something like that ruined a relationship for me.”

“Remus?” James asks. Sirius only nods.

“Well, I don't know if you've noticed but I'm not Remus.”

A little chuckle leaves Sirius' lips. “Yeah, I've noticed.”

“Good. So listen to me. I really need you to listen,” James continues, his voice almost a whisper. “I'm in love with you, Sirius. With the person you are right now. I need you to believe that I chose you and I won't change my mind on that or run away.”

“You can't promise that,” Sirius says as he opens his eyes again but he looks very much like he wants to believe it.

“I just did,” James says with a shrug like it's the most normal thing in the world because for him it is. It's easy to promise something like that because he knows he's stubborn enough to hold on to Sirius, no matter what. Stubborn enough to hold on until Sirius finally sees he's worth it.

Sirius looks at him like he can't believe someone like James can even exist, then pulls him closer and kisses him again, deep and long and all consuming.

They don't talk for a while after that.

****

Sunset lights the whole evening sky on fire. It's all flaming reds and oranges, tinged with a little bit of purple at the edges. It reminds James of the phoenix on Sirius' chest, brilliant and bright with a taste of new beginnings.

Sirius leans over to the nightstand and pulls the drawer open, but instead of searching something inside he reaches underneath the drawer to where he had hidden the flash drive. “Is there another one?” James asks with a lazy smile from where he sits, leaning against the headboard of the bed. “Is this where I find out you're really the prince of a small European country somewhere hidden in the alps?”

Sirius' laugh echoes through the small room. “Sorry to disappoint. As much as my parents would have liked it, we're not royalty.”

“And here I thought I could be king someday,” James says with a grin as Sirius turns back to him, a small envelope in his hands. “How will I live now with my dreams shattered?”

“I hope you'll survive somehow,” Sirius says and rips the envelope open. The silver chain he pours out of it into his palm reflects the red light of the setting sun.

Before James can ask him what he's doing, Sirius drops the chain around James' neck, cool metal hitting the centre of his chest. James picks up the small pendants attached to the chain and looks at them in the fading light.

BLACK SIRIUS O. ᛈᛉ390 AB POS GRYFFINDOR

Dog tags. They are Sirius' dog tags.

“I probably should have gotten rid of them ages ago,” Sirius says, watching James as he lets them fall back against his chest.

“Why didn't you?” James asks. The metal warms up against his skin. He likes the feeling of it. It's barely there weight but James likes the reassurance it brings.

Sirius shrugs. “Couldn't get myself to do it. Now I'm glad I kept them.”

A grin spreads on James' lips. “Do you like the idea of your name on me?”

“You have no idea,” Sirius says, a matching grin tugging at his lips as he hooks his fingers into the chain around James' neck and pulls him closer. “I would like it even more if you'd wear them all the time.”

James' heartbeat speeds up at the thought alone. “I think I can do that,” he says, sounding almost a little breathless to his own ears, before he crashes their lips back together in a heated kiss.

Outside the window the first stars can be seen in the slowly darkening sky.

[paigesbasketball]

Echos of The Fallen

Chapter 4: Calculated Risks Shadow the Hedgehog x reader Warnings: swearing

3:45 AM – Warehouse Hideout

The stolen G.U.N. assets lay sprawled across the table, stacks of high-value data drives, encrypted documents, and access credentials that were worth more than gold on the black market. Avia leaned back against the cool metal wall, arms crossed, eyes flickering across the team. They had pulled it off, but it had been too close. Shadow had nearly caught them.

Scar paced near the table, cracking her knuckles. “I still can’t believe we got out of there in one piece. You really had to go and flirt with him mid-fight, huh?”

Avia rolled her eyes. “It was a distraction. And it worked.”

Scar smirked. “Yeah, but now he’s going to remember you. Maybe even hunt you.”

Zero, still typing away at his laptop, barely glanced up. “We should assume he’s already started.”

Avia exhaled sharply. She knew that better than anyone. Shadow wasn’t one to let things slide. If anything, her stunt back at the bank would make him dig even deeper. But the important part was that he had no idea who she was.

Scar plopped onto the couch, tossing a data chip between her fingers. “The real question is—what now? We got their money, but G.U.N. isn’t just gonna take this lying down.”

Zero’s fingers didn’t stop moving. “They’re already sweeping the city. My feeds are picking up multiple strike teams mobilizing.” He finally looked up, eyes sharp. “And they’re not just looking for the stolen goods. They’re looking for us.”

Avia tensed. “Then we go dark for a while. Let the heat die down.”

Scar raised a brow. “And what about Prototype X-09?”

That was the real issue, the real reason they had made a move against G.U.N. The money was just a means to an end. The real prize was understanding what G.U.N. was hiding—what kind of weapon they were planning to unleash.

Avia tapped the table thoughtfully. “We intercepted their funds, which means delays. But we still don’t know what X-09 is.” She turned toward Zero. “How much were you able to pull before we had to bail?”

Zero plugged in one of the stolen drives, his screen filling with lines of code and heavily encrypted files. “Not much. G.U.N. really doesn’t want people knowing about this project.” He narrowed his eyes, fingers gliding over the keys. “But… there’s something. I can break through it, but it’ll take time.”

Scar sighed, leaning her head back. “Great. More waiting.”

Avia wasn’t convinced they had that luxury. Shadow wouldn’t stop, not until he figured out who they were. She had seen the look in his eyes before they escaped—the calculation, the intensity. He knew she wasn’t just another mercenary.

And that was a problem.

4:15 AM – G.U.N. Headquarters

Shadow stood before the monitor in the war room, arms crossed, crimson eyes locked onto the surveillance footage from the bank. The fight replayed in slow motion—every movement, every detail, every split-second decision. His opponent was skilled. Too skilled.

Rouge sat on the edge of the table, arms folded. “You keep watching that, and you’re gonna burn a hole through the screen.”

Shadow didn’t answer, his focus unwavering. The way she moved… precise, calculated. She had known how to disable Omega. Had known exactly how to bait him into a vulnerable position. And then there was her escape. Efficient. No hesitation. It all pointed to training—elite training.

But who was she?

Rouge smirked. “Still thinking about your little mystery girl?”

Shadow turned to her, unamused. “She’s not ‘mine.’”

Rouge waved a hand. “Relax, I’m just saying—it’s obvious she’s not some common thief. She knew what she was doing.”

Shadow’s eyes flickered back to the screen. “She’s ex-G.U.N. or something close to it.”

Rouge tilted her head. “You really think so?”

Shadow nodded. “She was too precise. Knew how to counter Omega. Knew how I would react.” He exhaled. “This wasn’t her first time going up against our tactics.”

Omega’s mechanical voice rumbled from across the room. “RECOMMEND IMMEDIATE TERMINATION OF ALL SUSPICIOUS INDIVIDUALS.”

Rouge rolled her eyes. “Real subtle, Omega.”

Shadow rewound the footage to the moment she had spoken to him, her words still lingering in his mind. You gonna kiss me or something, handsome?

It had been a taunt. A distraction. But in that moment, her expression had been unreadable—playful, but measured. She had calculated her next move before he had even reacted. That level of control wasn’t common.

Rouge noticed his silence and smirked. “She really got under your skin, didn’t she?”

Shadow ignored her, his fingers tightening into a fist. “We find her. And when we do, I’ll make sure she tells me everything.”

3:55 AM – Rooftop Overlook

The city stretched out below Avia, neon lights flickering in the distance as the early morning air bit at her skin. The team was still back at the hideout, resting, but she needed space to think.

Shadow was going to come for them. That much was certain. But as long as he didn’t know her identity, they had the upper hand. For now.

She pulled out a small, old photograph from her pocket. The edges were worn, the image slightly faded—a glimpse of a past life. One she had walked away from long ago.

G.U.N. thought they could bury their secrets. That they could erase the past. But Avia wasn’t done yet.

She clenched the photo in her fist before tucking it away. Shadow would chase her, but he was missing the most important piece of the puzzle.

He didn’t know who she was.

And as long as she kept it that way, she still had the advantage.

6:30 AM – Warehouse Hideout

The sun had barely risen, casting an orange glow over the hideout as I stepped into the main room. The rest of the team was scattered around, still groggy from sleep. Viper sat at the table, sipping coffee with a lazy expression. Zero leaned against the wall, arms crossed, and Nova was fiddling with a small vial of something that probably shouldn’t be spilled.

I clapped my hands together. “Alright, guys, I have our next move.”

A few tired eyes turned toward me, some more interested than others. Zero raised an eyebrow. “I thought you wanted us to stay hidden until shit calmed down?”

“Well, change of plans,” I said, smirking.

I let the tension build for a moment before finally saying, “Our next mission is to kidnap Shadow the Hedgehog.” I smiled, hoping for agreement.

A beat of silence. Then—

“WHAT?!”

Scar walked in, stretching her arms above her head as she let out a yawn. “Good morning, people.”

Without missing a beat, Zero smirked and said, “Scar, Avia wants us to kidnap Shadow.” he says snickering while eating a piece of bacon.

Scar froze mid-step, eyes going wide. Then, without hesitation, she spun back around and started walking toward her room. “Good night, everyone.”

I blinked in confusion and sassily said, “Where are you going?”

Scar’s voice called from inside her room. “Back to sleep! I’m not gonna help you kidnap a man to get dick—there are other ways for this!”

Rolling my eyes, I marched over and dragged her back out.

Scar groaned, rubbing her eyes. “I blame Nova. Did you sniff one of her weird potions again and start hallucinating?”

Nova blinked. “Um… no? I wasn’t making any illusion potions this time… I think.”

Viper groaned and rubbed her temples. “Maybe we should stop letting her go up to the roof. The smoke fumes from the chimney's are making her crazy.”

Zero, suddenly burst into laughter. “There is no way you are this down bad for a man, or maybe its just him who caught your eye” he says wiggling his eyebrows.

I rolled my eyes. “Listen, he may have information that can help us.”

Viper leaned over and whispered to Scar, barely holding in a snicker, “Yeah, like his phone number.”

The two of them erupted into laughter.

I shot them an annoyed glare. “Guys, just huddle up.”

[untoldreader]

The Mission Begins

Bucky Barnes x Natasha Romanoff x Y/N

Summary

Bucky and Natasha are in a high-stake mission that puts all of their skills to the test to save y/n from their past lives. Will they save her, or will her life be the cost of them wanting a piece of a normal lifestyle?

Warnings

None?

Part 2

Chapter 3

Natasha's POV

As the video feed of Y/N being held captive in the warehouse flickered to life on the screen, a surge of adrenaline shot through me, my heart quickening with a mix of fear and determination. Bucky stood beside me, his jaw clenched in a silent display of resolve as we watched the chilling scene unfold before us.

The man's taunting words echoed through the room, his malicious intent palpable in every frame of the video. I could see the fear in Y/N's eyes, the shadows of despair that clung to her like a cloak, and a fierce protectiveness surged within me, a primal instinct to do whatever it took to ensure her safety.

Bucky's gaze never wavered from the screen, his expression a mask of steely determination as he processed the gravity of the situation. "We need to move fast," he said, his voice low yet resolute, a sense of urgency cutting through the tension that hung heavy in the air.

I nodded in agreement, my mind already racing with plans and strategies to rescue Y/N from the clutches of the dangerous individuals who held her captive. "We can't let them harm her," I replied, my voice firm and unwavering, a sense of fierce protectiveness welling up within me.

Bucky's eyes met mine, a silent understanding passing between us as we prepared to face the looming threat that now stood before us. "We'll get her out of there, no matter what it takes," he vowed, his voice laced with a quiet determination that fueled the fire of resolve burning within me.

Together, we set out to confront the darkness that lurked in the shadows to face the dangers that awaited us in the abandoned warehouse where Y/N's fate hung in the balance.

And as we embarked on this treacherous journey, I knew that our bond would be tested in ways we could never have imagined, that the true measure of our strength and loyalty would be revealed in the crucible of danger and despair that awaited us.

Natasha and Bucky exchanged a knowing glance, their eyes filled with determination as they set out to locate the warehouse where Y/N was being held captive. Utilizing their extensive spy skills and training, they knew they had to act swiftly and decisively to rescue their friend from the clutches of danger.

Natasha, with her keen eye for detail and analytical mind, meticulously analyzed the video feed for any clues that could lead them to the warehouse's location. "There," she pointed to a distinctive graffiti tag on the wall in the background of the video. "That could be a key marker to narrow down the area."

Bucky, with his sharp instincts and combat expertise, scanned the surroundings of the video for any recognizable landmarks or geographical features that could help pinpoint the warehouse's whereabouts. "I recognize that skyline in the distance," he noted, his voice firm and focused. "It's a few blocks away from the old train yard. That should help us narrow down the search area."

Working in tandem, Natasha and Bucky cross-referenced the graffiti tag and the skyline with their knowledge of the city's layout, using their spy connections to gather intel on known hideouts and criminal activity in the vicinity. "If we can track down recent reports of suspicious activity in that area, we might be able to pinpoint the warehouse's location," Natasha suggested, her voice tinged with a sense of urgency.

Bucky nodded in agreement, his gaze unwavering as he coordinated with their network of informants to gather real-time data on the ground. "We need to move quickly. Time is of the essence," he emphasized, a steely resolve in his tone as they prepared to embark on the rescue mission.

As they pieced together the puzzle of Y/N's whereabouts, Natasha and Bucky exchanged brief yet meaningful words of reassurance and support. "We'll get her out of there, Nat," Bucky stated, his voice a quiet promise of unwavering loyalty. "We'll bring her home safely."

Natasha's eyes held a flicker of gratitude and determination as she responded, "We'll do whatever it takes, Buck. Y/N is counting on us, and we won't let her down."

With their resolve steeled and their plan of action in place, Natasha and Bucky set out into the night, their spy skills honed and their hearts set on one goal - to rescue Y/N from the clutches of danger and bring her back to safety, no matter the obstacles that stood in their way.

「Y/N's POV」

As I sat in the cold darkness of the abandoned warehouse, my heart heavy with fear and uncertainty, I could only hope that Natasha and Bucky were on their way to rescue me. The shadows seemed to close in around me, their icy fingers of despair tightening their grip with each passing moment.

Time ticked by slowly, the silence of the warehouse broken only by the distant sounds of the city outside. I felt the weight of my captivity pressing down on me, a sense of helplessness and vulnerability washing over me like a tide of despair.

But amidst the darkness that threatened to engulf me, a flicker of hope burned bright in my heart, a glimmer of faith in the unwavering determination of my friends to come to my rescue. I clung to that spark of hope like a lifeline, a beacon of light in the midst of the shadows that loomed over me.

As I waited, the minutes stretched into eternity, each second filled with a sense of anticipation and dread. I whispered silent prayers for Natasha and Bucky's safety, for their swift arrival to shatter the chains of my captivity and bring me back to the light of freedom.

And as I sat there, the echoes of my own heartbeat mingling with the distant sounds of the night, I knew that the true test of my courage and resilience was yet to come. But in the depths of my soul, I held onto the belief that my friends would not abandon me, that their bond of loyalty and love would be the key to unlocking the chains that bound me and leading me back to the safety and warmth of their embrace.

As Natasha and Bucky approached the abandoned warehouse where Y/N was being held captive, a tense silence hung heavy between them, the weight of the impending rescue mission pressing down on their shoulders. The night was alive with the whisper of danger, the shadows dancing around them like phantoms as they prepared to confront the darkness that lurked within.

With their spy skills honed and their resolve unwavering, Natasha and Bucky moved with practiced ease, their movements precise and calculated as they closed in on the warehouse. The faint glow of the city lights illuminated their determined faces, a silent promise of unwavering loyalty and unwavering resolve shining in their eyes.

As they breached the threshold of the warehouse, the scene before them unfolded like a nightmare. Y/N, bound and helpless, the cruel shadows of her captors looming over her like a malevolent storm. Natasha and Bucky sprang into action, their movements a blur of precision and skill as they engaged the enemy with lethal efficiency.

The air crackled with the sound of combat, the echoes of fists and bullets mingling with the cries of the vanquished as Natasha and Bucky fought with a ferocity born of desperation and love. The warehouse became a battlefield of shadows and steel, the clash of wills and weapons, a symphony of chaos and defiance.

In the midst of the chaos, Natasha and Bucky reached Y/N's side, their hands swift and sure as they untied her restraints and pulled her into the safety of their embrace. The relief that washed over Y/N was palpable, a wave of gratitude and joy flooding her heart as she clung to her friends, their presence a beacon of light in the darkness that had threatened to consume her.

As the last of the enemy fell, defeated by the combined strength and skill of Natasha and Bucky, a sense of triumph and relief filled the air. Together, they stood amidst the wreckage of the warehouse, their breaths coming in ragged gasps, their eyes meeting in a silent exchange of gratitude and understanding.

"We've got you, Y/N," Natasha whispered, her voice a soothing balm against the chaos that surrounded them. "You're safe now."

Bucky's gaze softened as he looked at Y/N, a flicker of concern and devotion shining in his eyes. "We'll always have your back," he vowed, his voice a quiet promise that echoed in the stillness of the night.

And as they stood together in the aftermath of the rescue, the bond between Natasha, Bucky, and Y/N strengthened.

≡-----------------------------------------≡

Previous Chapter-> Next Chapter-> Nat's Masterlist-> Bucky's Masterlist-> Main Masterlist->

≡-----------------------------------------≡

[lwillowlthewicked]

How to reduce the shininess/specular of an object in TS4:

Open the object's package file in S4Studio. Do to the warehouse tab and find the Model layer (?). Scroll down on the Model data properties until you find LODs.

Click to open the tab, then find which lod has the meshes tab.

Once you open the meshes tab, you'll see this screen. Under Phong, scroll down until you see the material/resource area. Click on the edit items button beside entries.

Scroll down to find the material tab. Click on the edit items button.

Find the specular. On the right you can see that there are 3 values; make sure to change all three values. I suggest keeping these values from 0-1. 0 is completely matte and 1 is shiny. I personally have the values for mine at either .75 or .5.

You must do this for entries you see on the entries tab. They each represent the different swatches. I've noticed that there are two of the same variants for each swatch, at least in this object (not sure if it's the same for others). There's a default and burnt version. You do not need to change the burnt variants.

Once you've done all of those, the next step is to do the same process on the rest of the lods. Don't forget to press save on each of the screens/pages you've made edits on or your edits will not be saved. Of course, make sure to also save the package itself.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments/replies.

@thesimslums Here you are! I hope this is easy to follow.

Notes: I learned how to do this on the S4Studio website, but I couldn't find the page again. It was kind of difficult to find in the first place. Anyway, credits to whoever posted the mini tutorial on there.

[oldgayjew]

Do you recall some of Trump's rants?

‘Vengeful’ Trump withheld disaster aid and will do so again, ex-officials warn

Former administration officials say Trump deliberately denied funds to states he deemed politically hostile

Donald Trump deliberately withheld disaster aid to states he deemed politically hostile to him as US president and will do so again unimpeded if he returns to the White House, several former Trump administration officials have warned.

As Hurricane Helene and then Hurricane Milton have ravaged much of the south-eastern US in the past two weeks, Trump has sought to pin blame upon Joe Biden’s administration for a ponderous response to the disasters, even suggesting that this was deliberate due to the number of Republican voters affected by the storms.

Former Trump administration officials have said the former president, when in office, initially refused to release federal disaster aid for wildfires in California in 2018, withheld wildfire assistance for Washington state in 2020, and severely restricted emergency relief to Puerto Rico in the wake of the devastating Hurricane Maria in 2017 because he felt these places were not sufficiently supportive of him.

The revelations, first reported upon by E&E News, have raised major doubts over what Trump’s response to disasters would be should he win next month’s presidential election. The former president has already been criticized for his role in spreading misinformation about Helene and Milton that has allegedly slowed the disaster response and even led to online death threats against Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) staff and metorologists.

“Trump absolutely didn’t want to give aid to California or Puerto Rico purely for partisan politics – because they didn’t vote for him,” said Kevin Carroll, former senior counselor to the homeland security secretary John Kelly during Trump’s term. Carroll said Kelly, later the president’s chief of staff, had to “twist Trump’s arm” to get him to release the federal funding via Fema to these badly hit areas.

“It was clear that Trump was entirely self-interested and vengeful towards those he perceived didn’t vote for him,” Carroll told the Guardian. “He even wanted to pull the navy out of Hawaii because they didn’t vote for him. We were appalled – these are American civilians the government is meant to provide for. The idea of withholding aid is antithetical to everything you want from in a leader.”

The effort to overcome Trump’s reluctance to provide aid for California succeeded only after the then-president was provided voting data showing that Orange county, heavily damaged by the wildfires, has large numbers of Republican voters, according to Olivia Troye, who was a homeland security adviser to the Trump White House.

“We had to sit around and brainstorm a way where he would agree to this because he looked at everything through a political lens,” Troye told the Guardian. “There were instances where disaster declarations would sit on his desk for days, we’d get phone calls all the time on how to speed things up, sometimes we had to get [Vice-President] Mike Pence to weigh in.

Republicans forget what he's said. It's well documented and there's even proof on videos. It's not FAKE News.

Romans 12:19-21"Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord".  

Proverbs 24:29"Do not say: 'I will do to him just as he has done to me; I will get even with him'".  

Leviticus 19:18A Jew should not take revenge or bear a grudge against a fellow Jew who has harmed him.  

The only reason that aid would be denied is if he knew that it wouldn't get to the people who needed it most ... such as the aid that was sent to Puerto Rico and stockpiled in warehouses so that the governor could say that Trump was denying aid and aid that lined the pockets of California politicians ... aid for wildfires was conditional that clearing of underbrush and cutting firebreaks was mandatory to prevent future fires ... the EPA refused to allow it ... the same EPA that valued the lives of "snail darters" over the lives of 23 firefighters that perished because the wouldn't allow a water drop taken from their habitat ...

You also cite sources that are laughable at best and deceitful at large ... you turn the story to match your narrative by claiming "partisanship" and against non-supporters ... Obozo did that in Texas and other states that opposed him ... clean up your own back yard before you look at others ...

[mariacallous]

On a dead-end road that climbs out of the tiny city of Jenkins, in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in Eastern Kentucky, there stands a large warehouse with a mint green roof. It shares the road with a few other businesses, but is otherwise surrounded by an expanse of open fields and tree-lined slopes. Inside, the warehouse is stacked high with racks on racks of computers—thousands of them. But none have ever been switched on.

The warehouse is owned by Mohawk Energy, a company cofounded by Kentucky state senator Brandon Smith in 2005, originally to resculpt landscapes disfigured by coal mining. After lying dormant for a period, Mohawk was reincarnated in 2022 when Smith struck a deal with HBTPower, a company then owned by Chinese crypto exchange Huobi, which wanted to use the warehouse for a bitcoin mining operation.

Under the deal, Mohawk promised to fit up its warehouse with the necessary power infrastructure, operate the equipment, and funnel any bitcoin produced to HBT. In return, HBT would pay Mohawk a monthly hosting fee, a cut of its mining revenue, and the associated energy bills.

Smith says he hoped the arrangement would generate tax revenue and create jobs for former coal miners, who could be trained as repair technicians. The coal industry departed Jenkins long ago, the reserves depleted, leaving people in search of work. More than a third now live below the poverty line, per the latest census data. “I liked the idea of going from one type of mining to a new type,” says Smith. “I thought, now in Eastern Kentucky we are going to have our time—we’re going to catch up and play a part in the tech future.”

But after a promising start, the relationship between Mohawk and HBT soured and then fell apart. “Nothing has ever been turned on. It’s a fascinating, almost Willy Wonka–type atmosphere when you walk through,” says Smith. “It has turned into a disaster.”

In November 2023, HBT brought a lawsuit in federal court, alleging that Mohawk had breached its contract on several fronts, including by failing to install the appropriate power infrastructure and secure certain power subsidies, and attempting to sell off the mining equipment. “Ultimately, the source of the current dispute is Mohawk’s basic failure to comply with its obligations, not only in a timely way, but at all in many regards,” says Harout Samra, a specialist in international dispute resolution at law firm DLA Piper and representative for HBT.

Mohawk sued HBT in return, contesting the various alleged breaches and claiming that HBT is delinquent on more than $700,000 in rent, labor, and fit-up costs. The company is also seeking damages relating to the loss of income over the term of the contract and the inability to bring a new tenant into the facility while the equipment remains on-site. “Huobi simply made a bargain it believes now is a bad one, and wants to get out of it without paying the funds it owes,” the filing states.

The legal conflict, which remains unresolved, is just one in a series of fights between Chinese companies and the owners of industrial facilities in the rural US over failed bitcoin mining partnerships. What looked to facility owners in Kentucky like an irresistible opportunity to tap into a new line of business in an otherwise fallow period has turned into a nightmare. They claim to have been saddled with unpaid hosting fees and energy bills worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, with few options for recovering the money. The Chinese parties have been left equally displeased. “HBTPower obviously regrets that this opportunity has ultimately played out the way it has,” says Samra.

The bitcoin mining game—a race between computers to win the right to process a bundle of transactions and claim a crypto reward—is dominated by large corporations that own and operate industrial-scale facilities. But in 2021 and 2022, smaller-scale operations began to proliferate in the US countryside wherever there was available power, including in Kentucky. “A lot of mom-and-pop shops opened up,” says Phil Harvey, CEO at Sabre56, a firm that consults on crypto mining projects and operates its own facilities. “Appalachia has always been a good source of power.”

These small facilities were plugging a gap in the market. A ban on crypto mining in China had left businesses casting about for a new home for their many millions of dollars’ worth of mining equipment. “A lot of wealthy Chinese businesses were affected,” says Harvey. “Every minute these machines are down, they are losing revenue.” Meanwhile, as the price of bitcoin ballooned—and the profitability of mining along with it—mining firms and investor groups began to hoard large quantities of bitcoin mining equipment of their own, says Harvey, without considering where they might deploy it.

In an overheated market, holders of mining equipment jumped into hosting arrangements at short notice with owners of small facilities, some of whom had no prior experience and insufficient expertise, who agreed to install the equipment and run the mining operations on their behalf.

But the haste with which these hosting relationships came together, in the name of striking while bitcoin was hot, says Harvey, set many of the partnerships up for failure. There was limited due diligence conducted by parties on both sides, delays in kitting out facilities and deploying equipment, and disputes over payment terms, he says, among other points of friction. “It's a snowball effect where everyone just ends up getting pissed off with each other,” says Harvey.

Though the American market proved more expensive and bureaucratic than some Chinese businesses expected, says Harvey, problems were also caused by the hubris of facility owners, some of whom found themselves in over their heads. “It’s no joke running a [bitcoin mining] operation of any kind of scale,” he says. “Just because the Chinese are tough to do business with, doesn’t mean they are the ones in the wrong. I would say that blame is equally shared.”

The law firm acting for Mohawk in its dispute with HBT, Anna Whites Law Office, has represented multiple owners of small facilities in Kentucky in similar legal conflicts with Chinese partners. The cases differ from the Mohawk situation, says attorney Anna Whites, founder of the firm, but share a common thread: “We saw a pattern that [companies with ties to China] would ship in machines with uncertain provenance, mine very heavily for three months, then run without paying the bill,” she claims.

Some of the cases settled out of court; Whites is unable to supply the details for reasons of client confidentiality. But others continue to drag on.

Biofuel Mining, a company formerly co-owned by Smith, is involved in legal tangles with two companies that Whites believes to be run out of China: Touzi Tech and VCV Power Gamma. Although both are incorporated in Delaware, per SEC filings, they conduct business in Mandarin and cannot be reached at their listed US addresses, Whites claims. “It's pretty standard for the foreign entities from any country to get a short-term office so that they have less scrutiny from US investors and government agencies,” she says.

In both cases, Biofuel claims, the firms shipped equipment from China to its hosting facility in Eastern Kentucky, then walked away with the bitcoin produced, leaving behind hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid energy bills and hosting fees.

Biofuel reached a settlement with Touzi in early 2022 for $60,000, but despite having handed back the mining equipment, it claims not to have received the sum it is owed under the agreement.

In the still-unresolved spat with VCV, Biofuel received permission from the Martin County Circuit Court in Kentucky to sell off the mining equipment, claims Whites, to recoup a portion of the funds it is owed (she has not confirmed the amount), but she alleges that no damages have yet been awarded. VCV has stopped responding to communications, she claims.

Biofuel has since dissolved, put out of business by the failed hosting ventures. “I literally lost my house—I lost everything. It financially ruined me,” says Wes Hamilton, former Biofuel Mining CEO. “I’m just so frustrated about the whole thing.”

WIRED contacted VCV and Touzi for comment, but did not receive any response.

There are few financial recovery options for companies like Mohawk and Biofuel. The situation is made more difficult, as in the Mohawk case, if they are dealing with so-called special purpose entities. Because they are set up by their parent companies for a single specific business venture, these entities need not be concerned about their long-term ability to operate in the US.

“It certainly can be more difficult to recover damages from a non-US counterparty,” says Kim Havlin, a partner in the global commercial litigation practice at law firm White & Case. “There is certainly a risk that an entity that doesn’t need to be in the US may just ignore the case.”

Even if the Kentucky facility owners win out in court, it could be difficult to collect any damages awarded. “A judgment is essentially a piece of paper. Any judgment needs to be turned into assets or cash in order to be valuable,” says Havlin. If the opposing party refuses to pay up and has no US assets to collect against, sometimes that isn’t possible.

Almost a year after the dispute began, the Mohawk case is stuck in legal limbo. In a setback for Mohawk, the presiding judge recently denied its motion to dismiss HBT’s complaint, on the basis that it had failed to sufficiently back up its argument. The judge also pushed Mohawk’s countersuit into arbitration, a forum for resolving disputes privately instead of in open court. Non-US parties tend to prefer arbitration as a way to “remove a home forum from both sides,” explains Havlin. “You can pick an arbitral seat in neither country as a means of creating a neutral playing field.” A parallel federal court hearing is set for December to consider whether an injunction should be imposed on Mohawk, preventing it from selling off the remaining HBT equipment in its possession.

Smith has given up on the idea of recovering the full amount he claims to be owed. “We’re at the point that it’s almost silly to even be arguing about breaking even,” he says.

In an interview with PBS that aired in September 2023, touting the Mohawk Energy facility, Smith said he hoped to prove that not every business that blew into Jenkins would abandon the area. “I’ve stood at their ribbon cuttings, then watched them leave. I’d like to do something to let people know that not everybody is like that,” he said.

After the relationship with HBT collapsed last year, Smith faces the prospect of Mohawk becoming yet another false start. With the facility inactive, the company has been forced to dismiss the former coal miners brought on as technicians. (It is unclear how many people it employed.)

The Mohawk facility was perhaps never set to revitalize Jenkins in the way Smith hoped, anyway. “I would say that a rural community benefits very little from a bitcoin mining facility. In terms of job creation, it’s minimal in a lot of cases,” says Harvey, the consultant. “It's certainly not the savior to a dwindling community.”

Nonetheless, Smith remains hopeful of salvaging the crypto mining project, with a new partner. “I’m hoping that this gets settled in the way that it should and that somebody comes forward and lets us go through with the vision that we wanted for this region,” he says. “I hope every day that maybe some big company will see that there's a place ready to go in this part of the country.”

Otherwise, Mohawk’s dalliance with bitcoin mining will become a cautionary tale. “It was very hurtful to see these families lose their income. We were one of the biggest payrolls in Jenkins,” says Smith. “It adds insult to injury that I’m sitting here arguing in court.”

[ssspringroll]

ok time for an info post about my edited stuff folder and also some new additions to it

a lot of these are pyxis edits, but the others are also creators who dont seem to be active anymore. but if anyone is the original creator of one of the things ive edited and you're mad at me for posting my edit... sowwy. ill take it down if you ask nicely ♥

ssspringrollIntergalacticSpotsM.package

edit of: https://pyxiidis.blogspot.com/2018/02/intergalactic-supernatural-overlays.html

description: so it turns out all these years, the fem frame version of the intergalactic overlay was a little different from the masc frame and i never noticed. so i made a little add on edited version of the fem frame overlay so it fits the masc frame.

before -> after (there's shoulder spots now)

its available in all the original colors. theres 2 versions of each color though, since there were slightly different leg opacities for the masc and fem versions and i couldnt decide which one to go with. they are very minuscule differences, the shoulder spots are really the main event.

feel free to recolor this in other palettes, id appreciate it actually. took a lot of fiddling to get those spots to line up right, please! please use my edit and make recolors!

this shows up in cas (for m frame only, theres no point for f frame, they already have it) as a separate cas part. the thumbnail is the same as the original, except i slapped the word 'EDITED' over top in big red letters. hopefully you will see it.

ssspringrollPrettyVisitorsHeterochromia.package

edit of: http://pyxiidis.blogspot.com/2017/04/pretty-visitors-eyeset.html

description: heterochromia. the meshes are by me (not that i can take much credit for them, its an ea eyeball thats slightly larger than usual. thats it.) but there are L and R meshes for each age (infant to TYAE) feel free to recolor in other eye sets, the mesh follows my usual TOU. the textures, obviously, are not mine. i don't know if i managed to squeeze every swatch from the pretty visitors eyes in there, but i know for a fact all the human colors, the pooklet colors, and some other alien colors are in there. I did not do the vampire colors. sorry. maybe some day.

found in face scar and neck scar (in skin details) but feel free to re slot them to other categories for your convenience. left and right cheek might also be a good spot for them. there are two cas items, L and R, so i wanted them to be sort of close together, thats the only reason i picked the spots i did.

incompatible with glasses.

demondays

edit of: https://pyxiidis.tumblr.com/post/177241795736/demon-days-vampire-stuff-by-pyxis-some-things

description: the original texture of the gradient limb overlays was bleeding out of the leg area a little bit, which clipped into the texture area of some wicked whims body parts, making unexpected splotches. i just trimmed it back a little so it shouldn't do that anymore.

eyes

edit of: https://pyxiidis.blogspot.com/2017/11/arachnophobia-accessory-spider-eyes.html AND https://www.patreon.com/posts/29118520 (v2)

description: converted for all ages. the meshes are addons and should be installed alongside the originals, the arachnophobia overlays (PYXIS_Arachnophobia_SpiderEyes_FaceMarkingDetails_upperRightArmTat.package, etc.) are direct edits of the original package files. Delete the old packages with the same names and replace them with my edits, if you want the overlays to be available for all ages. You don't need the overlays for the meshes to work, though.

An additional slot has been made available for infants -> children in the eye details section. The meshes will not be found in that category for teens and up, just the tots.

Waay'los' folder

this sections formatted a lil different. dont worry about it.

PYXIS_Siren_MermaidGills

edit of: http://pyxiidis.blogspot.com/2018/05/siren-mermaid-accessories.html

description: edited warehouse data so that necklaces can be worn at the same time as the gills. the mesh has not been edited, so compatibility with very close-fitting necklaces like chokers is not likely (gills are bulky and will clip) but i figured thats no reason to close off the option entirely. so necklaces are allowed now. also, i changed the categories. the packages claiming to be necklaces are found in mouth scar and the ones claiming to be rings are found in face scar (skin details section, towards the bottom near acne)

⚠ NSFW [MiniGiles]LoveBelow SkyrimFantasies Reptilia Male

edit of: i dont think this ones available anymore i will be honest. i can't find a link

description: tweaked positioning of the mesh so it lines up a little better with animations. also tweaked the weight painting and uv map. it doesnt animate quite right all the time, but it gets the job done. should still show up in the ww body selector (does for me, anyway)

⚠ NSFW ssspringrollReptiliaOverlays.package

edit of: this ones original content

description: gradient overlays for the reptilia body parts in the same basic rainbow palette as my overlay minipack. found in body scar (right leg). really nothing fancy, just for a little bit of personalization. should be color slider mod compatible

no custom thumbnail

ssspringrollHorns

edit of: https://flapjack-sims.tumblr.com/post/114810983191/horns-for-sims-4-ive-noticed-the-lack-of-horns-in (MESH) https://cherryvanillasims.tumblr.com/post/163956398575/flapjacks-thicc-horns-forehead-in-noodles (RECOLORS)

description: moved the uv map and textures so now the horns are compatible with hats (and any other accessories that use the hat texture space, like lots and lots of the wing cc thats out there)

changed the category to acne. there's two packages of these horns, i think the textures are ever so slightly different between them, but its negligible. I'd recommend the ssspringrollHornsEditedForMyBoy.package version, if you don't want to grab both (which you can, they appear as two separate cas parts)

no custom thumbnail. i dont know if these require the mesh. i dont remember.

Disclaimers:

Just because I've edited these pieces of cc does not mean I'm adopting them. I cannot promise I will offer support if something breaks.

Lots of these are edits of my own personal package files, rather than edits of freshly downloaded versions. They may have been batch fixed, re-slotted, renamed, or otherwise edited over the years I have had them in ways I no longer remember.

Okay looks like thats everything for now.

I will probably add to this pile eventually, but until then, bye bye.

shoutout to @/occultradio for requesting most of the edits that aren't in the Waay'los folder. i straight up did not notice the shoulder spots until they pointed it out and likely wouldnt have done any of the other stuff either if they hadn't asked lol

[cogitoergofun]

Amazon is reportedly responsible for more injuries than previously thought, according to a new study published Wednesday. The retail giant employs one of the largest warehouse workforces in the U.S., boasting of more than 700,000 people, but recent investigations question the safety and health of those employees.

Researchers found a shocking 41% of employees reported being injured while on the job, while 69% of workers had to take unpaid leave because of pain or exhaustion from working at an Amazon warehouse . The study surveyed 1,484 frontline Amazon warehouse workers across 451 facilities and 42 states.

In recent months, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Department of Justice, and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions launched investigations into Amazon’s health and safety practices across the country.

“We undertook this study because media reports and government agency investigations have raised serious questions about working conditions at Amazon warehouses,” Dr. Beth Gutelius, a co-author of the report, said in a press release. “The survey data indicate that how Amazon designs its processes–including extensive monitoring and the rapid pace of work–is contributing to a considerable physical and mental health toll, including injuries, burnout, and exhaustion.”

[...]

Gutelius and her co-author, Dr. Sanjay Pinto, say their findings showed that 78% of Amazon warehouse workers feel pressured by the company to work faster, thus experiencing burnout which can result in an increased risk of injury. Of those surveyed, the findings also revealed that 60% of the employees said they are monitored more at Amazon than at any previous jobs.

“Amazon has been heralded as a quintessential ‘innovator,’ reshaping norms and practices in the warehousing industry and the economy more broadly,” Gutelius and Pinto wrote in the press release. “But our survey data suggest that its drive towards ever-greater speed and efficiency carries significant costs that are being displaced onto its workforce.”

The study follows a report in April showing similar findings, but an Amazon spokesperson told CNBC at the time that the findings “paint an inaccurate picture” of the company’s warehouse working conditions.