#high-tech estimating

[asestimationsconsultants]

Valuing Intellectual Property | A New Challenge for Industrial Estimating Services

Introduction As industrial sectors evolve through digitalization, automation, and innovation, intellectual property (IP) has become one of the most valuable assets within a project. From proprietary software and patented designs to custom manufacturing processes and smart technologies, IP is reshaping how value is created and assessed. However, traditional industrial estimating services—built around physical materials, labor, and equipment—are now faced with a complex challenge: how to accurately estimate the cost and value of intellectual property within industrial projects.

This emerging frontier calls for a redefinition of scope in industrial estimating services, expanding their role to account for intangible assets that drive both performance and competitive advantage.

Why IP Matters in Industrial Cost Estimation In many modern industrial developments, especially in high-tech manufacturing, advanced energy systems, and Industry 4.0-enabled factories, intellectual property comprises a significant portion of overall value. For instance:

A custom automation algorithm embedded in a robotics line

Proprietary energy-efficiency systems in a chemical plant

Secure software platforms for controlling distributed manufacturing

These IP-driven elements often represent a large portion of R&D investment and are critical to long-term operational efficiency. An accurate estimate must include not just the cost to implement or license such assets but also the potential risk, return, and lifecycle value they bring.

Key Categories of Intellectual Property in Industrial Settings Understanding how IP appears in industrial projects is essential for accurate estimation. Common categories include:

Patents: Inventions or processes owned or licensed by the project owner

Trade Secrets: Confidential formulas or methods applied during production

Software and Algorithms: Custom-coded tools used in automation and process control

Design Rights: Proprietary architectural or engineering designs

Licenses and Royalties: Payments made to third parties for the use of protected IP

Each of these categories demands unique valuation methods and estimation strategies that differ from traditional capital expenditures.

Challenges in Estimating IP Costs Valuing IP in industrial settings is inherently complex due to:

Intangibility: Unlike steel or labor hours, IP has no physical form and often lacks clear benchmarks.

Variable Cost Structures: Licensing fees, development costs, and long-term support vary widely by industry and supplier.

Lifecycle Uncertainty: IP might evolve or become obsolete quickly, adding estimation risk.

Confidentiality: Many IP assets are guarded by NDAs or corporate secrecy, limiting estimator access.

As a result, industrial estimating services must blend financial modeling, legal review, and technical expertise to deliver accurate assessments.

Approaches to Integrating IP into Estimates To manage these complexities, forward-thinking estimating services apply several strategies:

Cost-Based Estimation: Involves calculating the original R&D or development costs and applying a markup based on projected use.

Market-Based Valuation: Uses comparative licensing or sales data for similar IP assets, when available.

Income-Based Modeling: Projects future cash flows generated by the IP (e.g., operational savings, productivity gains) and discounts them to present value.

Expert Collaboration: Engaging IP lawyers, technology consultants, and accountants to accurately categorize and value protected assets.

Case Example: Estimating an Advanced Robotics System A manufacturing client planned to install a robotics line powered by proprietary AI software developed in-house. While the hardware had clear market prices, the software’s value was harder to define. The industrial estimating service worked with internal developers and finance experts to model the cost of development, anticipated efficiency savings over ten years, and licensing potential if the software was reused across other sites.

By incorporating both direct and indirect value contributions, the estimate provided a holistic picture that helped justify a higher upfront investment.

Benefits of IP-Savvy Estimating Industrial clients gain several advantages when IP is accurately included in estimates:

More Realistic Budgets: Avoids underbudgeting by recognizing the full cost of IP integration or licensing.

Stronger Business Cases: Supports ROI projections for innovation-driven projects.

Better Risk Assessment: Helps identify where IP exposure (e.g., licensing dependencies) may affect project costs.

Investor Appeal: Demonstrates comprehensive valuation, which is critical for attracting investment in innovation-heavy projects.

New Tools and Trends As the demand grows, some industrial estimating platforms are adapting to include IP modeling features:

Digital Asset Registries: Help track owned or licensed IP within the project scope.

AI-Powered Valuation Engines: Use historical and market data to suggest value ranges.

Blockchain for IP Tracking: Ensures provenance and licensing status of digital IP in complex supply chains.

These innovations indicate that IP valuation is becoming a mainstream requirement in industrial estimating practices.

Limitations and Ongoing Development Despite advances, valuing IP remains a partly subjective exercise. The uniqueness of each asset and the lack of standard benchmarks can introduce variability. Moreover, legal changes—such as patent law shifts or tax implications—can alter value significantly.

Estimating services must remain adaptive, continuously updating models and methodologies to reflect both technical and legal developments.

Conclusion The rise of intellectual property as a strategic asset in industrial projects is reshaping the landscape for estimating services. No longer confined to bricks, pipes, and wires, estimators must now navigate code, algorithms, and trade secrets. By embracing this challenge, industrial estimating services not only improve budget accuracy but also elevate their strategic role in capital planning and innovation management. The result is a more holistic view of project value—one that aligns with the digital age.

[batboyblog]

Things Biden and the Democrats did, this week #25

June 28-July 5 2024

The Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Is putting forward the first ever federal safety regulation to protect worker's from excessive heat in the workplace. As climate change has caused extreme heat events to become more common work place deaths have risen from an average of 32 heat related deaths between 1992 and 2019 to 43 in 2022. The rules if finalized would require employers to provide drinking water and cool break areas at 80 degrees and at 90 degrees have mandatory 15-minute breaks every two hours and be monitored for signs of heat illness. This would effect an estimated 36 million workers.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced $1 Billion for 656 projects across the country aimed at helping local communities combat climate change fueled disasters like flooding and extreme heat. Some of the projects include $50 Million to Philadelphia for a stormwater pump station and combating flooding, and a grant to build Shaded bus shelters in Washington, D.C.

The Department of Transportation announced thanks to efforts by the Biden Administration flight cancellations at the lowest they've been in a decade. At just 1.4% for the year so far. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg credited the Department's new rules requiring automatic refunds for any cancellations or undue delays as driving the good numbers as well as the investment of $25 billion in airport infrastructure that was in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The Department of Transportation announced $600 million in the 3rd round of funding to reconnect communities. Many communities have been divided by highways and other Infrastructure projects over the years. Most often effecting racial minority and poor areas. The Biden Administration is dedicated to addressing these injustices and helping reconnect communities split for decades. This funding round will see Atlanta’s Southside Communities reconnected as well as a redesign for Birmingham’s Black Main Street, reconnecting a community split by Interstate 65 in the 1960s. 

The Biden Administration approved its 9th offshore wind power project. About 9 miles off the coast of New Jersey the planned wind farm will generated 2,800 megawatts of electricity, enough to power almost a million homes with totally clear power. This will bring the total amount of clean wind power generated by projects approved by the Biden Administration to 13 gigawatts. The Administration's climate goal is to generate 30 gigawatts from wind.

The Biden Administration announced funding for 12 new Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs. The $504 million dollars will go to supporting tech hubs in, Colorado, Montana, Indiana, Illinois, Nevada, New York, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Florida, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin. These tech hubs together with 31 already announced and funded will support high tech manufacturing jobs, as well as training for 21st century jobs for millions of American workers.

HHS announced over $200 million to support improved care for older Americans, particularly those with Alzheimer’s and related dementias. The money is focused on training primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, and other health care clinicians in best practices in elder and dementia care, as well as seeking to  integrate geriatric training into primary care. It also will support ways that families and other non-medical care givers can be educated to give support to aging people.

HHS announced $176 million to help support the development of a mRNA-based pandemic influenza vaccine. As part of the government's efforts to be ready before the next major pandemic it funds and supports new vaccine's to try to predict the next major pandemic. Moderna is working on an mRNA vaccine, much like the Covid-19, vaccine focused on the H5 and H7 avian influenza viruses, which experts fear could spread to humans and cause a Covid like event.

[sunshineangel0]

𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘢

pairing- kim seungmin x reader summary- when the world is given 21 days until total destruction, two friends experience the kind of love that never got a chance. genre- sci-fi, slow-burn romance, angst word count- ~2.6k warnings- end-of-world themes, emotional intensity, mild language, grief, existential dread, implied death a/n- sorry sorry sorry sorry. im on this angsty writing streak right now plwase forgive me. also, if you've ever loved someone in silence until the end, this one's for you.

Three Weeks Prior — Impact Zero

The coffee machine made a noise like it was choking on gravel.

You leaned against the counter in the break room, arms folded, watching the old machine stutter through its final breath. The overhead lights buzzed faintly, casting a yellow tint across the white tile and metal countertops. Everything in this building felt slightly too old, slightly too used — like it had seen better years and was trying to hold on, just like the people inside it.

The mug in your hand had a faded logo on it: NAO — North Atlantic Observatory, your workplace and second home for the last four years. An isolated, high-security research facility perched on the northern coast, built to monitor orbital anomalies and space weather. Boring work most days. Too quiet. But stable.

Until recently.

You rubbed your eyes. The sun wasn’t even up yet. You hadn’t slept.

"Looks like it's finally giving up," came a familiar voice behind you.

You didn’t need to turn around to know it was Seungmin. You just let out a soft huff of a laugh.

"Same," you replied.

He came to stand next to you, setting his elbows on the counter, mirroring your tired posture. His hoodie was half-zipped over his standard-issue uniform, and there was a smudge of graphite on his jaw, probably from him resting his head on his hand while scribbling calculations again. You glanced at him out of the corner of your eye.

"You look like hell," you said.

"I aim for consistency." He smiled, but his eyes were tired too. “Also, this is my third shift in a row. I’m legally a ghost now.”

You handed him the mug. “Drink. It’s toxic, but it’s warm.”

He took it, fingers brushing yours for just a second too long. But you didn’t pull away, and neither did he. That was how it always was with you two — almost something, never said.

The silence settled again. There was something about the early hours, before the building came to life, that made everything feel fragile. And lately, fragile felt more like a warning than a mood.

“I checked the readings again,” you said quietly. “There’s still an anomaly near the asteroid belt.”

He didn’t answer immediately. Just sipped.

You glanced at him. “You think it’s real?”

He met your eyes, and his voice dropped. “I think… we’re not being told everything.”

You nodded once. That’s what scared you most.

A faint beep echoed from down the hall — the server room.

Then another. Louder.

Then, the sound that stopped everything: the intercom crackled to life.

“All personnel to stations. This is not a drill. Orbital threat confirmed. Impact trajectory locked. Impact Zero protocol activated. Estimated contact: 21 days. Repeat — this is not a drill.”

The hallway went still.

In the break room, the coffee machine gave a final wheeze and shut down completely.

You didn’t move at first. You were still holding the paper coffee cup, staring at the wall, not quite breathing.

“...No,” Seungmin said under his breath, huffing a laugh. “That’s not—there’s no way.”

You slowly turned your head toward the hallway. Monitors were lighting up outside the glass walls — red lines, looping trajectories, countdowns. Sirens began to flicker faintly through the base, not full blaring yet, just the beginning pulses of something much bigger.

People started rushing down the hall. A tech assistant dropped her tablet. Someone was already shouting into a radio.

You felt it in your chest before your brain caught up: that sinking, weightless drop of understanding.

It wasn’t a glitch. It wasn’t hypothetical. It was real.

“Seungmin,” you said softly.

He was still staring at the floor, the cup forgotten in his hands. His face had gone pale.

When he looked at you, it was the first time in all your years here that he wasn’t joking, wasn’t sarcastic, wasn’t playing anything off.

Just scared. “You don’t think—” he started, voice thin.

“I do,” you said. “I think this is it.”

And suddenly the room felt colder. The air thinner.

He nodded once. Swallowed hard. "Okay."

Then he said it again, quieter. "Okay."

20 Weeks To Impact —

The base fell apart fast after the confirmation.

People ran. Some in blind panic. Others with cold resolve. The top brass left first — whisked away on private jets, secure transports, escorted under military silence. Then the families, the ones with connections. Then the hopefuls, the cowards, the ones who couldn’t face it.

You stayed.

So did Seungmin.

No one told you to. There wasn’t a command, not even a goodbye. Just... silence. The lights in the hallway flickered one morning, and no one came to fix them. You stopped getting updates from command. Coffee stopped brewing. One by one, the monitors went dark.

You and Seungmin stayed in the operations wing, sleeping in shifts, monitoring what little data still came through. It felt pointless, but it was better than waiting with empty hands.

You didn’t talk about the meteor at first. You filled the silence with sarcasm, inside jokes, trading terrible snack bar finds like currency. But your laughs were quieter. Your eyes lingered longer.

One night, Seungmin found an old vinyl tucked in storage. You had no idea why it was there — maybe someone thought the end of the world should have a soundtrack. He didn’t say anything. Just put it on, turned up the volume, and nodded toward you like it was an invitation.

You danced. Badly. Quietly.

He watched you with this look. Like he was memorizing.

You noticed.

14 Days To Impact —

The outside world started showing signs of rot. The power grid flickered. Civilian broadcasts stopped. Riots spread through cities. Roads clogged with cars that never moved again.

From the base, you could see smoke on the horizon almost every day. Not close enough to reach you. But close enough to remind you.

Seungmin stopped making jokes.

You spent a lot of time on the roof.

He started bringing you coffee — the last of it, rationed with ceremony. Some nights you’d find him already there, staring at the stars, and he’d pass you a chipped mug without speaking.

Once, after a long silence, he asked: “Do you think we would’ve made it, if none of this happened?”

You didn’t answer. You couldn’t.

But you stayed next to him until morning.

7 Days To Impact —

By the third week, the base was a ghost. The doors stayed open. Wind blew dust across the lobby. No one was coming back.

There was no plan anymore. No broadcasts. No hopeful countdowns. Just a sky that grew redder every night.

You stopped checking the data. You started living in the in-between moments — eating together in the empty mess hall, flipping through old books, playing music through speakers with frayed wires.

One night, you woke from a nightmare — fire, sky splitting in half — and walked out into the hallway barefoot, your chest tight.

Seungmin was already there. Sitting on the cold floor, head back against the wall, eyes wide open.

You sat next to him.

Neither of you said anything.

You leaned your head on his shoulder.

He didn’t move away.

Two Days To Impact —

Now, it's quiet.

The kind of quiet that wraps around your bones. No sirens. No more data. No more pretending.

You and Seungmin packed small bags. Not because you were going anywhere — just because it felt like doing something.

You didn’t ask where he wanted to go.

He just said, “There’s a place I used to go when I was a kid. A drive-in theater just outside town. Haven’t been there in years.”

You nodded.

He looked at you like he was asking for more than permission.

You nodded again.

Tomorrow, you’d drive out together. Watch a movie that isn’t playing. Under stars that are about to disappear.

And maybe — finally — say all the things you never let yourselves say before.

Day Of The Impact — 2 Hours Until Impact

The sky looked wrong.

Too bright, too red — like the sun had cracked open and started bleeding. Clouds moved strangely, fast and low, as if the world knew what was coming and couldn’t sit still.

But the drive-in was still there.

It sat at the edge of the world.

Not literally — just on the edge of what used to be town. But now, with the roads abandoned and the sky sick with color, it felt like the end of everything. The rusted sign out front still read COSMIC DRIVE-IN in broken letters, and beneath it, someone had spray-painted: “Now Showing: THE END”.

Seungmin parked the car right in front of the big screen.

It leaned, weathered and stained by time, but still standing. Behind the projection booth, the hills rolled out into darkening gold, shadows stretching across the horizon. The sky looked bruised — reds and purples and sick yellows blending into something unnatural.

He turned off the engine.

Neither of you moved for a moment.

“Give me ten minutes,” he said, grabbing the backpack and hopping out.

You stayed seated, eyes scanning the horizon. The clouds pulsed faint orange. Your chest was tight with something massive and unnamed.

Ten minutes later, a sudden flicker lit up the screen.

And then — impossibly — the projector began to hum.

You stepped out, stunned, watching grainy black-and-white spill across the canvas.

Casablanca

Seungmin stood by the shack-turned-booth like it was something sacred. The screen flickered behind him, a grainy beam of black and white cutting across the gravel lot. He crossed his arms, the corners of his mouth tugged up in a smile that looked half triumphant, half broken — like a man who just held a crumbling world together with duct tape and spit and sheer willpower.

He walked back to you, slow and steady, never taking his eyes off your face. Like he was memorizing it.

“I figured...” he said quietly, voice rough with exhaustion and something deeper, “if we’re going out… we should go out watching something that knew how to end.”

You tried to smile, but your lip trembled. Your whole body did.

“God, Seungmin,” you breathed, barely audible. “I’m so fucking scared.”

His face changed — just slightly, just enough. Like a crack down the center of a mask that had held too long. He closed the distance between you in a single heartbeat and wrapped his arms around you like he meant to fight the sky itself.

“I know,” he whispered into your hair, his voice shaking. “Me too.”

You held on like the world was already slipping, like the ground might fall away if you let go. Around you, the gravel lot was still. The air thick with the static of endings. On the screen, Bogart told Ingrid goodbye — again, like he always did. For the hundredth time. Maybe the last time.

You pulled back just far enough to see Seungmin’s eyes. He was already looking at you like he’d never seen anything else.

“I should’ve said this before,” you whispered. “I should’ve said it a thousand times.”

His hands stayed on your waist. Gentle. Solid.

“Then say it now.”

Your throat tightened. The words hurt coming out, like your lungs weren’t built to carry them.

“I love you.”

It broke something open between you — not cleanly, not neatly, but like a dam splitting at the seams. Seungmin didn’t flinch. He didn’t even blink.

“I’ve loved you,” he said, voice cracked and raw, “since the first time you brought me that godawful coffee and told me my hair looked like a dying poodle.”

You choked out a laugh that turned into a sob.

“Since you didn’t leave. Since every night we waited and wondered and watched the sky, and you were still here. You always stayed.”

And then you kissed him.

Not like the movies — there was no slow lean-in, no swelling music. It was desperate. Messy. Your teeth bumped. Your tears mixed. It was the kind of kiss people don’t survive without. The kind that says if we go, we go like this.

You didn’t stop there.

In the front seat of the car, with the old blanket pulled over half your bodies, skin pressed to skin, you clung to each other like drowning things. No words. Just gasps, touches, sobs muffled against each other’s throats. His hands trembled against your spine. Your fingers curled in his hair like lifelines. You made promises without saying them — promises the world didn’t have time left to keep.

Above you, the stars were bleeding red.

But for one hour, it didn’t matter.

For one hour, there was only the warmth of him, the sound of his breathing, your heartbeat syncing with his.

After, you lay curled against his chest, your head rising and falling with every breath he still managed to take. Casablanca was long over. The screen was blank. The speakers had gone quiet.

The silence felt like it was holding its breath.

And then you felt it.

That low, distant rumble.

Not a sound — not really. More like a presence. A vibration that moved through your bones like thunder in the marrow. You both sat up slowly, instinct holding you still.

Far on the horizon, the sky had torn. A jagged seam of light split the clouds, too bright to be natural. Too vast. It didn’t spread — it consumed.

You reached for Seungmin’s hand. He caught it instantly, but his fingers were shaking. Yours were too. You held on like it would anchor you. Like it could undo what was coming.

Seungmin looked at you like you were the last real thing left in the world.

“I’m not scared anymore,” he said, and it sounded like the end of something.

Tears ran down your cheeks, hot and endless.

“I am,” you whispered.

He leaned in. Forehead pressed to yours. Eyes wet, but steady.

“I got you,” he said.

The light swelled.

Everything turned gold and white and endless, like the stars had come down all at once to burn the earth clean.

You didn’t look away from him.

He kissed you, one final time.

No fear. No future. Just now.

And when the sky came down, he held you like he could hold it back.

Year 147 A.I.Z (After Impact Zero)

The road was cracked, but it held.

Weeds had burst through the asphalt in places, curling like green veins across what used to be highways. A rusted sign leaned sideways at the turnoff: — COSMIC DRIVE-IN — CLOSED —

No one had come here in years.

The girl stepped out of the all-terrain rover, dust kicking up beneath her boots. She was young — maybe twenty. Hair pulled back in a knot, a thick canvas jacket with a radiation patch on the sleeve. She carried a small camera slung across her chest.

She walked slowly across the gravel lot.

The metal speaker poles were still there, bent and sun-bleached. The snack shack was nothing more than a shell, but the screen stood — faded, cracked down one side, but standing.

She lifted her camera and took a photo.

Inside the booth, everything was half-rotted. Dust covered the console, but the projector still sat like a sleeping relic. She brushed off the label:

Model 1973 | Last Run Logged: April 11

She paused. Eyes narrowed. Something glinted under a drawer.

A tape. A movie. Casablanca.

Old, black, and barely labeled. The words scratched in shaky handwriting:

“our last night — s.”

She took it.

The moment felt sacred.

As she turned to leave, she noticed two names, scratched into the wall of the booth with what looked like a key:

Y/N & Seungmin Final Show.

She didn’t know who they were.

But when she got back to the rebuilt city, she’d restore the film. She’d watch it. She’d tell people.

And they would remember.

Title Card

LAST NIGHT AT THE CINEMA

They didn’t make history. But they made a moment.

One screen. One love. One ending.

April 11 — The world fell silent. But their story played until the final light.

“This was my best scene.”

©sunshineangel0 𖹭 if you liked this work, please consider reblogging, commenting or liking! xoxo franzi 💋

skz general: @velvetmoonlght @scarlet789 @estella-novella @nightmarenyxx @channiesluvrclub

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[destinysbounty]

One thing that I think goes understated both in canon and fandom, is the *fascinating* parallels between Zane and the Bounty. Both of them having a running gag of being constantly destroyed/demolished every season. Both of them are unexpectedly high-tech despite being very old, and get progressively more advanced as the series goes on (the Bounty is a 400-year-old pirate ship turned flying machine, and by most estimates Zane is 40 years old at the start of the series).

In season 1, the monastery is destroyed and Zane goes missing, leaving them simultaneously without Zane or a roof over their head. But then Zane returns and leads them to the Bounty, declaring it to be their new home.

In Crystallized, both Zane and the ship are destroyed at roughly the same time. And in s4, we don't see the Bounty fully repaired and brought back into action until *after* Zane properly rejoins the team. There's even a comment in the first ep of s4 about Nya wanting to rebuild it, to which Garmadon quips it is an "all hands on deck" affair - rebuilding their home is something all of them must come together for, just as all of them must come together to save Zane.

Both Zane and the Bounty have been destroyed and rebuilt so many times that one could be argued they are no longer the same entities as they were at the start of the series, a la Theseus's Ship. And yet the ninja do not care and choose to love both their friend and their home no matter the iteration. Because according to the ninja, the only answer to the question "is Theseus's Ship still the same after all the ways it's changed?" is "does it still love you the same?"

I'm not saying "Zane is home". But I'm also not not saying that, if you catch my meaning.

Every person on the team serves a different meaning and adds unique value to their group synergy. For instance, when Nya left they fell apart because, as Jay says, she's the glue holding them together. When Zane died they fell apart because "without Zane, there is no team" - and without a home, they have nowhere else to go.

[robertreich]

Who’s to Blame for Out-Of-Control Corporate Power?    

One man is especially to blame for why corporate power is out of control. And I knew him! He was my professor, then my boss. His name… Robert Bork.

Robert Bork was a notorious conservative who believed the only legitimate purpose of antitrust — that is, anti-monopoly — law is to lower prices for consumers, no matter how big corporations get. His philosophy came to dominate the federal courts and conservative economics.

I met him in 1971, when I took his antitrust class at Yale Law School. He was a large, imposing man, with a red beard and a perpetual scowl. He seemed impatient and bored with me and my classmates, who included Bill Clinton and Hillary Rodham, as we challenged him repeatedly on his antitrust views.

We argued with Bork that ever-expanding corporations had too much power. Not only could they undercut rivals with lower prices and suppress wages, but they were using their spoils to influence our politics with campaign contributions. Wasn’t this cause for greater antitrust enforcement?

He had a retort for everything. Undercutting rival businesses with lower prices was a good thing because consumers like lower prices. Suppressing wages didn’t matter because employees are always free to find better jobs. He argued that courts could not possibly measure political power, so why should that matter?

Even in my mid-20s, I knew this was hogwash.

But Bork’s ideology began to spread. A few years after I took his class, he wrote a book called The Antitrust Paradox summarizing his ideas. The book heavily influenced Ronald Reagan and later helped form a basic tenet of Reaganomics — the bogus theory that says government should get out of the way and allow corporations to do as they please, including growing as big and powerful as they want.

Despite our law school sparring, Bork later gave me a job in the Department of Justice when he was solicitor general for Gerald Ford. Even though we didn’t agree on much, I enjoyed his wry sense of humor. I respected his intellect. Hell, I even came to like him.

Once President Reagan appointed Bork as an appeals court judge, his rulings further dismantled antitrust. And while his later Supreme Court nomination failed, his influence over the courts continued to grow.  

Bork’s legacy is the enormous corporate power we see today, whether it’s Ticketmaster and Live Nation consolidating control over live performances, Kroger and Albertsons dominating the grocery market, or Amazon, Google, and Meta taking over the tech world.

It’s not just these high-profile companies either: in most industries, a handful of companies now control more of their markets than they did twenty years ago.

This corporate concentration costs the typical American household an estimated extra $5,000 per year. Companies have been able to jack up prices without losing customers to competitors because there is often no meaningful competition.

And huge corporations also have the power to suppress wages because workers have fewer employers from whom to get better jobs.

And how can we forget the massive flow of money these corporate giants are funneling into politics, rigging our democracy in their favor?

But the tide is beginning to turn under the Biden Administration. The Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission are fighting the monopolization of America in court, and proposing new merger guidelines to protect consumers, workers, and society.

It’s the implementation of the view that I and my law school classmates argued for back in the 1970s — one that sees corporate concentration as a problem that outweighs any theoretical benefits Bork claimed might exist.

Robert Bork would likely regard the Biden administration’s antitrust efforts with the same disdain he had for my arguments in his class all those years ago. But instead of a few outspoken law students, Bork’s philosophy is now being challenged by the full force of the federal government.

The public is waking up to the outsized power corporations wield over our economy and democracy. It’s about time.

[zvaigzdelasas]

[Haaretz is Israeli Private Media]

A review by TheMarker indicates that a string of Israeli startups have shut down or significantly reduced their activity in the past year, with the trend being even more pronounced in recent months. Their common denominator is that their last significant funding round was in 2021 – the height of the high-tech bubble.[...]

Some of these companies folded after the money ran out and they were unable to start a new round. In some cases, entrepreneurs report, the war in Gaza was another key cause of problems.[...]

"It's directly tied to the war," says Kula. "Foreign investors disappeared, and those who wanted to work together said it wasn't the time. Investors in Israel who had expressed interest also decided to pull out. That's the situation in other companies, too. It's very hard to raise money, even small amounts. It's related to the decline in investments worldwide as well as with the economic and political uncertainty in Israel."

An entrepreneur who shut down a company earlier this year agrees. "The valuation estimates declined, the investors stopped investing," he says. "They tell themselves, 'A bomb just went off and now we're taking our time."

26 Aug 24

[katakaluptastrophy]

I've seen a couple discussions recently on when John was born.

He attended a music festival that ended in 2014. His taste in memes suggests he knows the correct answer to receiving a compliment about his shoelaces. Millennial? Gen z?

He played with a doll that used to belong to his mother that was released in 1992. The population sits at a level the UN estimates we won't reach until the 2050s. Gen alpha?

I feel the thing that we're all overlooking here is his casual mention of the fact that they're building a shell world around Uranus. That's not something we'll be doing by the 2050s. That is wild, far-future high tech sci fi.

John seems to be intended to feel vaguely adjacent to being a millennial, but I think that's much more about allowing us to picture a sort of guy we probably have all encountered. But I don't think he's necessarily meant to exist in our timeline...

[reasonsforhope]

"In a first-ever human clinical trial, an mRNA cancer vaccine developed at the University of Florida successfully reprogrammed patients’ immune systems to fiercely attack glioblastoma, the most aggressive and lethal brain tumor.

The results in four adult patients mirrored those in 10 pet dog patients suffering from brain tumors whose owners approved of their participation.

The discovery represents a potential new way to recruit the immune system to fight treatment-resistant cancers using an iteration of mRNA technology and lipid nanoparticles, similar to COVID-19 vaccines, but with two key differences: use of a patient’s own tumor cells to create a personalized vaccine, and a newly engineered complex delivery mechanism within the vaccine.

“Instead of us injecting single particles, we’re injecting clusters of particles that are wrapping around each other like onions,” said senior author Elias Sayour, M.D., Ph.D., a UF Health pediatric oncologist who pioneered the new vaccine, which like other immunotherapies attempts to “educate” the immune system that a tumor is foreign.

“These clusters alert the immune system in a much more profound way than single particles would.”

Among the most impressive findings was how quickly the new method spurred a vigorous immune-system response to reject the tumor, said Sayour, principal investigator at the University’s RNA Engineering Laboratory and McKnight Brain Institute investigator who led the multi-institution research team.

“In less than 48 hours, we could see these tumors shifting from what we refer to as ‘cold’—very few immune cells, very silenced immune response—to ‘hot,’ very active immune response,” he said.

“That was very surprising given how quick this happened, and what that told us is we were able to activate the early part of the immune system very rapidly against these cancers, and that’s critical to unlock the later effects of the immune response,” he explained in a video (below).

Glioblastoma is among the most devastating diagnoses, with median survival around 15 months. Current standard of care involves surgery, radiation and some combination of chemotherapy.

The new report, published May 1 in the journal Cell, is the culmination of seven years of promising studies, starting in preclinical mouse models.

In the cohort of four patients, genetic material called RNA was extracted from each patient’s own surgically removed tumor, and then messenger RNA (mRNA)—the blueprint of what is inside every cell, including tumor cells—was amplified and wrapped in the newly designed high-tech packaging of biocompatible lipid nanoparticles, to make tumor cells “look” like a dangerous virus when reinjected into the bloodstream to prompt an immune-system response.

The vaccine was personalized to each patient with a goal of getting the most out of their unique immune system...

While too early in the trial to assess the clinical effects of the vaccine, the patients either lived disease-free longer than expected or survived longer than expected. The 10 pet dogs lived a median of 4.5 months, compared with a median survival of 30-60 days typical for dogs with the condition.

The next step, with support from the Food and Drug Administration and the CureSearch for Children’s Cancer foundation, will be an expanded Phase I clinical trial to include up to 24 adult and pediatric patients to validate the findings. Once an optimal and safe dose is confirmed, an estimated 25 children would participate in Phase 2."

-via Good News Network, May 11, 2024

-video via University of Florida Health, May 1, 2024

[littlespirit-199]

Trying to Decipher the Ages of the Burns Family from Transformers: Rescue Bots Because I Have Little to No Social Life

Apparently Nicole Dubuc once tweeted that Kade, Dani and Graham are 21, 20, and 19 respectively at the start of the show. I couldn’t find this tweet myself, but I did find people talking about it when I tried to look up if their ages had ever been confirmed, and I wanted to set the record straight, because I don’t buy that for a second. Not only does it assume that Graham earned two degrees by the age of 19, it also mixes up their age order. Seeing this made me wonder if I could puzzle out estimates of their real ages based on their respective licenses/careers and compare that to Maine law. If you’re the same kind of insane I am, hopefully you’ll enjoy my ramblings. It isn’t meant to be academically sound or airtight, I’m basically just here to have fun. No one asked for this, but it is my cross to bear lol

P.S. Everyone please thank Graham for being the only one with definitive markers of his age. Most of these guesses are based off of him and his age in relation to the other characters

Kade

He is the oldest child in the Burns family

According to portlandmaine.gov, three years of work and/or educational experience after high school are required to become a firefighter in Maine, so he is 20 at the absolute minimum (some people graduate high school at 17, but statistically, more people graduate at 18, which would push this minimum up to 21)

We see in S3E3, “Too many Kades,” that Kade also has his pilot’s license, but that doesn’t help us here, as you can get that at 16 in Maine, and we already determined that he’s obviously older than that

We can get a more accurate guess by comparing Kade’s age to Graham’s. Graham is clearly at least 24 at the start of the series (later discussed in his section), which would make Kade at least 25

None of these characters are new at their jobs. Kade, being the oldest, has likely been working the longest, so I can guesstimate he has ~5 years experience. This also points to him being 25-26, however, it’s mostly based on speculation and shouldn’t be taken at face value

In S2E13, “The Island of Misfit Tech,” Kade mentions how well he and Graham did at soccer, presumably when they were Cody’s age. This isn’t definitive proof that they’re close in age, however, it nudges me in that direction. Out of the 4 siblings, I believe these two have the smallest age gap, likely only a year or two between them, because they seem quite close and mention how they grew up together more so than either of them do with Dani. For the sake of argument, I’m going to assume that Graham is 1 year younger than Kade.

Final guess for Kade: 26

Graham

Second oldest according to S1E3 “Hotshots”

Apparently a lot of people headcanon Dani as older than Graham, but that directly contradicts what Dani says in this episode.

A high school diploma is required to get a heavy machinery operations license in Maine (though I don’t think anyone was doubting that he graduated high school)

He starts working on his PhD in S1E19 “You’ve Been Squilshed,” meaning he already had a master’s degree prior to that point

If we assume he took an average amount of time earning his previous degrees (4 years for a bachelor’s, 2 years for a master’s), he is 23 at an absolute minimum (more likely 24, if we assume he graduated high school at 18), but I’m inclined to believe he’s at least slightly older due to the fact that he’s clearly been working as an engineer for a while before the start of the series.

In S4E1, “New Normal,” he finished his doctorate, which was probably about 5 years working on it in total if we count the time spent during seasons 1-3 and factor in the three year timeskip. This is an expected timeframe for earning a PhD, which could support the argument that he earned his other degrees at an average pace as well.

If we go on our earlier assumption that Graham is a year younger than Kade, this would make him 25 at the start of the series, which fits all these stipulations

Final guess for Graham: 25

Dani

She is the second youngest Burns child, according to S1E3, “Hotshots,” and S4E14, “Hot Rod Bot”

I also believe that there’s a bigger gap between her and Graham, because in S2E22, “A Brush with Danger,” she runs into an old classmate that neither Kade nor Graham remembers meeting. Since Griffin Rock is so small, and we see during Cody’s school scenes that his class is very small, Kade and Graham would have remembered him if they were at the same school at the same time, so this pushed me in the direction that they had either graduated or were many grades ahead of Dani.

In the state of Maine, you have to be at least 16 to fly solo, and 17 to have a private pilot’s license according to umaine.edu

Notably, Maine is one of the few states that allows underage EMTs, with 16 as the minimum (source: https://www.healthcarepathway.com/become-an-emt/maine-emt). However, underaged EMTs have to follow a “junior supervision plan.” I couldn’t find what exactly this entails in my research, but we can assume Dani doesn’t have to follow one considering we see her acting alone many times without her father or older brothers around. This puts her at 18 at least. Considering she also doesn’t go to school, it’s pretty obvious that she’s already graduated (or dropped out, but that doesn’t seem likely considering she becomes an astronaut later, and you need schooling for that)

She also seems very experienced, so we can assume she’s been working at this job for a few years. I’d be willing to put her at 20-21 because of this.

There is an argument for her still being a minor, being that in S4E14, “Hot Rod Bot,” she gets grounded.

The mere fact that this is a season 4 episode essentially disproves that she would still be a minor. If she were still under 18 in season 4, this would only make her 13 in season 1, which is incredibly ridiculous and not even worth discussing

She’s still living at home, so she has to follow Charlie’s rules, and I would say that risking revealing Cybertronians to the public is grounds for a grounding even if you’re an adult

There’s not much to suggest her age other than that, so the full range of possibility for her is 18-24, which is a pretty big range to guess from. We’re trying to sculpt with cotton candy here, so I’m not as confident in this guess as I was for the other two.

Final guess for Dani: 22

Cody

He’s the youngest by a significant margin

Surprisingly, Cody was one of the simpler characters to parse out.

In S3E16, “Time After Time,” we see that Cody and Frankie are in the same class at school.

In S1E11, “Return of the Dino Bot,” Cody says that Frankie is “a little older than him,” meaning she is probably only a few months older (if she were a whole year older, they would be in different classes)

In S4E14, “Hot Rod Bot,” Frankie celebrates her 14th birthday, meaning she was 11 before the 3 year timeskip, and ~9 during season one, since we already established that several years passed during seasons 1-3.

Following this logic, Cody is 8-9 during season one

Final guess for Cody: 9

Charlie

Idk he’s probably like 55 or something he’s old but still young enough to be a first responder and that needs a really good physical condition

Their season 3 ages:

Kade: 28

Graham: 27

Dani: 24

Cody: 11

Their season 4 ages:

Kade: 31

Graham: 30

Dani: 27

Cody: 14

[youngsadlesbian]

BORN FOR THIS

pairing: natasha romanoff x bucky barnes x daughter!reader

summary: growing up as the daughter of natasha romanoff and bucky barnes, you prove your brilliance and earn your place among the avengers.

a/n: it's been a long time since i wrote anything for buckynat x daughter!reader so here it is.

word count: 914

warnings: just fluffy <3

Being the daughter of two of the world’s most dangerous spies came with a lot of expectations. People assumed you’d be a perfect soldier, a flawless fighter, or maybe an expert in covert operations. But you were none of those things—at least, not in the way they expected.

Your mind was your greatest weapon.

It started with a Hydra firewall.

You were twelve, sitting in the Avengers Tower’s common room, absently hacking into a secure system while eating a bowl of cereal.

Steve, Bucky, and Natasha were sitting nearby, discussing an upcoming mission. They were stuck on a major issue: Hydra had encrypted files that could expose their newest operation, and no one—not even Tony—had been able to break through their security.

"FRIDAY, any progress?" Natasha asked, crossing her arms.

"Negative. Decryption process remains incomplete. Estimated time: seventy-two hours."

Bucky groaned. "We don’t have seventy-two hours."

You looked up from your tablet. "What are you trying to get into?"

"Classified," Natasha said automatically.

You rolled your eyes and turned the screen toward them. "You mean this?"

There was a long silence.

Steve nearly choked on his coffee. "How the hell—?"

Bucky snatched the tablet from your hands. Sure enough, the encrypted Hydra files were right there, already decrypted.

Natasha blinked. "You cracked the encryption?"

You shrugged. "It wasn’t that hard. They used a basic 256-bit cipher. Amateurs."

Tony chose that exact moment to walk in. "Hey, who’s been messing with my—" He froze as he saw what was on the screen. His face went through at least four different emotions before he turned to you, eyes wide. "Wait. Wait, wait. You cracked the Hydra encryption? The one I spent a week trying to get through?"

You nodded. "Yeah, but to be fair, they used a weak key. If you tweak the algorithm to—"

"Okay, nope. I refuse to be shown up by a twelve-year-old," Tony declared. "This is unacceptable."

Steve just stared at you. "How long did it take you?"

You tilted your head, thinking. "Maybe… ten minutes?"

Natasha looked genuinely impressed.

Bucky looked horrified.

Tony groaned. "I hate this. I hate this."

At fourteen, you had another brilliant (but completely ridiculous) idea.

The mission was in Madripoor. The Avengers needed to infiltrate a high-tech facility, but security was tight. No one could get past the biometric scanners without raising alarms.

The team spent hours brainstorming. Then you walked in, half-asleep, holding a bag of chips.

"Why don’t you just trigger a system-wide false alarm first?" you suggested between bites.

Everyone turned to look at you.

You chewed slowly. "I mean… if the whole system freaks out first, no one will notice when you actually break in. Hydra will think it's just another system malfunction."

Silence.

Bruce adjusted his glasses. "Technically, that could work."

"That’s insane," Clint muttered.

"It’s also brilliant," Natasha said.

Tony groaned. "Okay, fine. Let's try the kid’s dumb idea."

It worked.

And no one ever called your ideas dumb again.

By the time you were fifteen, it was clear that you weren’t just "the kid of two super-spies." You were an asset.

So when a mission required an undercover agent who could blend in as an ordinary teenager, you were the perfect candidate.

Natasha was against it.

"No. Absolutely not."

"Nat," Bucky sighed, "she’s the best option."

"She’s fifteen," Natasha snapped.

"She’s also better at this than half the team," Tony added. "I mean, let’s be real, she’s already saved our asses multiple times."

You sat there, watching as your parents debated your fate.

Finally, you crossed your arms. "You do realize I’m in the room, right?"

Natasha sighed, rubbing her temples. "You’re not ready for this."

You met her gaze, unwavering. "Yes, I am."

She studied you for a long moment. Then, finally, she nodded. "Fine. But if anything happens to you—"

Bucky cut in. "—we’ll burn the whole damn place down."

That was the only reassurance they needed.

The mission went too well.

You slipped in undetected, blending in as just another teenager at an elite school. You befriended the target’s daughter, gained access to restricted areas, and managed to get crucial intel without setting off a single alarm.

Everything was fine—until it wasn’t.

The second Hydra caught wind of an intruder, all hell broke loose.

Gunfire. Alarms. Agents swarming the building.

You could hear Natasha’s panicked voice over the comms. "Where is she?"

You didn’t have time to respond. You were already running.

A Hydra agent lunged at you, but you were faster. You ducked, disarmed him, and took him down before he could blink.

Natasha and Bucky reached you just in time to see it.

You turned to them, slightly out of breath. "Hi."

Natasha’s eyes flickered to the unconscious agent. "Did you—?"

"Yeah."

There was a beat of silence.

Then Bucky grinned. "That’s my girl."

Natasha sighed. "God help us all."

But you caught the tiny smirk she tried to hide.

After the mission, things changed.

No one treated you like a kid anymore. Not even Tony.

You had a seat at the table. You had a voice in the room. You were an Avenger.

And as you sat there, watching Natasha and Bucky exchange knowing glances, you realized—

This was where you were meant to be.

[autolenaphilia]

God, the end of support for Windows 10 will be such a fucking bloodbath. It’s coming a year from now, 14 october 2025 and it will be a disaster. The one Windows version supported by Microsoft will be Windows 11, and its hardware requirements are like the rent, too damn high.

Literally most computers running Windows 10 can’t upgrade to Windows 11. 55% of working computers aren’t able to run windows 11 according to an analysis. A man quoted in the article argues even that is too optimistic considering how many older computers are still used. He thinks even an estimate of 25% of win10 machines being able to upgrade to win11 is too high an estimate, and frankly he sounds reasonable.

This will probably lead to two things.

Number one is a mountain of e-waste as people get rid of old computers unsupported by microsoft despite the hardware working fin ,and buy new windows 11 machines. It’s the great Windows 11 computer extinction experiment, as writer Jenny List called it. And when you buy a new computer with windows pre-installed, the windows license fee is baked into the price. So a windfall in license money for Microsoft, and the real reason why they are doing this.

Number two is a cybersecurity crisis. A lot of people will keep on using Windows 10 because “end of support” doesn’t mean it will stop working on that date. But the end of support means the end of security updates for the operating system. That will make those systems very unsafe, if they are connected to the internet. Security flaws and exploits for windows 10 will be discovered, problems that will never be patched because win10 isn’t supported anymore and they will be used against systems still running it.

Apparently a lot of people don’t understand this so I’ll try to explain this again as simply as I can. No human being is perfect, and accordingly nobody can write the perfect software that is safe from all cybersecurity threats forever. Security flaws and exploits will always be found, if the computer running that software is connected to the internet, which means it can be attacked by every bad actor out there. This is especially true if that software is as complex and important as an operating system, and it’s also widely used, which is true of Windows. But if the software is supported, the people who design and distribute that software can write patches and send out security updates that will patch the exploits that are found, minimizing the risks inherent to software, computers and the internet. It’s a constant race between well-meaning developers and bad actors, but if the developers are good about it, they will stay ahead.

But when support for the software is dropped, that means the developers will no longer patch the software. And that’s what happening to Windows 10 in october 2025. Any new exploits for the operating system that are found, and they will inevitably be found, won’t be patched by Microsoft. The exploits will stay unpatched, the system will be old and full of holes and anyone using it will be unsafe.

We already have this problem with people who are still using Windows 7 and Windows 8, years after Microsoft dropped support, often because their computers can’t upgrade even to windows 10. They are probably a disproportionate amount of the people getting hacked and their data stolen. From reading what they write to justify themselves online, my impression is that these people are frankly ignorant about technology and the dangers of what they are doing. And they are filled with the absurd self-confidence the ignorant often have, as they believe themselves to be too careful and tech-savvy to be hacked.

The problem will however explode with windows 10 ending support, because the gap in hardware requirements between win10 and win11 is so large, as already explained.

(sidenote, running unsupported operating systems can be safe, as long as you don’t connect the computer to the internet. You can even run windows 3.1 in perfect safety as long as its kept off the ‘net. But that’s a different story, I’m talking here about people who connect their computers to the internet)

So let’s imagine this very common scenario: you have a computer running Windows 10. You can’t upgrade it to windows 11 because most win10 computers literally can’t. You want to keep the computer connected to the internet for obvious reasons. You don’t have the money to get a new windows 11 computer, and you don’t want to throw your old perfectly useable hardware away. So what do you do?

The answer is install linux. Go to a reputable distro’s website like linuxmint.com, read and follow their documentation on how to install and use it. Just do it. If you are running windows 10, you have until October 14 2025 to figure it out. And if you are running windows 7 or 8, do it now.

There are good reasons for not using Linux and sticking with windows, linux has serious downsides. But when the choice is literally between an old unsupported version of windows and Linux, linux wins everytime. Every reason for not installing linux, every downside to the switch, all those are irrelevant when your alternative is literally running old unsupported windows on a machine connected to the internet. Sure linux might not be user-friendly enough for you, but that’s kinda irrelevant when the other alternatives presented is either throwing the computer away or sacrificing it to a botnet. And if you believe yourself to be too tech-savvy and careful to ever get pwned (as some present-day windows 7 users clearly believe themselves to be), that’s bullshit. If you really were careful and tech-savvy you would take the basic precaution of installing a supported operating and know how to do it.

I don’t think everyone can just switch to linux, at least not full time. If you need windows because your work requires it, frankly your only realistic option is to have a computer that supports win11 when october 2025 rolls around. If you don’t, either you have to pay for it yourself or ask your employer to supply a work computer with win11. Just don’t use Windows 10 for work stuff past that date, I doubt your co-workers, your employer or your customers will appreciate you putting their data at risk by doing so.

The rest of you, please don’t contribute to the growing problem of e-waste by throwing away perfectly useable hardware or put yourself at risk by using unspported versions of Windows. Try Linux instead.

[maybe-im-dark]

INT. X-MANSION MEDICAL WING - DAY

Logan walks into the pristine, high-tech medical wing of the X-Mansion, his face twisted into a mix of discomfort and annoyance. His signature leather jacket is unzipped, and for once, the once rock-hard abs are nowhere in sight—his belly has grown soft, bulging over the waistband of his jeans. He’s felt bloated for weeks now, and the morning sickness is becoming unbearable.

Hank McCoy (Beast) looks up from his clipboard as Logan enters, raising an eyebrow.

HANK: (smiling, curious)

"Logan, this is a surprise. You look... different."

LOGAN: (grumbling)

"Yeah, yeah. Don’t start. I’m not here for a chat. Something’s wrong. I’m sick in the mornings, can’t keep food down, and I’ve… (gesturing to his belly) ... put on weight."

Hank's expression shifts to concern, motioning Logan to sit on the examination couch.

HANK: (slightly teasing but professional)

"Take off your jacket and shirt, and let’s see what’s going on."

Logan does as he’s told, lying down, shirt lifted to expose his swollen abdomen. Hank applies gel to Logan's belly and picks up the ultrasound device, pressing it against Logan’s skin.

The screen flickers to life, and Hank’s eyes narrow in concentration, moving the wand carefully across Logan’s stomach.

HANK: (after a long moment)

"Hmm… there’s definitely something here. Alive, even."

LOGAN: (snapping, a bit panicked)

"A parasite?! Goddammit. Figures. Just cut it out of me, Hank. I’ll heal up fast."

Hank holds up a hand, continuing to study the screen, his face serious but calm. He moves the ultrasound wand slowly, taking his time.

HANK: (softly, almost in awe)

"No, Logan. It’s not a parasite."

He glances up at Logan, eyes meeting his with an unreadable expression.

HANK:

"Congratulations, Logan. You’re… pregnant."

Logan stares at him, his jaw going slack. For a moment, he doesn’t seem to comprehend the words, but then—

LOGAN: (stunned, almost laughing in disbelief)

"You’re joking, right? I mean, I don’t have the parts for that!"

HANK: (shaking his head, still serious)

"It appears that your mutation allows your body to adapt and create what’s necessary to carry a child when the situation demands it. You’re capable of impregnating others, and it seems, under the right circumstances, of being impregnated yourself."

Logan blinks, utterly taken aback by this revelation.

HANK: (pause, delicate but firm)

"I have to ask, Logan… Did you have intercourse with a man recently? Without protection?"

Logan exhales deeply, running a hand through his hair, and nods, a slight smirk tugging at his lips despite the situation.

LOGAN: (soft chuckle, resigned)

"Yeah. I slept with Wade. I mean, we’re both immune to diseases. Didn’t think there was any risk…"

Hank nods thoughtfully, continuing with the examination.

HANK:

"You’re about two months along, but since your mutation derives from wolverines, I estimate you’ll carry for only around 215 days—about seven months in total. The child is developing quickly. You’ll need to make a decision now."

Logan’s eyes soften, and for once, the tough exterior fades.

LOGAN: (tentative, vulnerable)

"Can I… Can I hear it? The heartbeat?"

Hank offers a small, reassuring smile and adjusts the machine. A soft, rhythmic sound fills the room, quick and steady, and Logan’s breath catches. For a moment, there’s nothing but the sound of that tiny heartbeat, and Logan feels something bloom inside him.

LOGAN: (whispering, a gentle smile forming)

"I’ve always wanted a kid. Never thought… (laughs softly) Never thought I’d be the one carrying it, though."

He looks at Hank, eyes shining with emotion.

LOGAN:

"But I’m keeping it."

Hank places a hand on Logan’s shoulder, offering him a moment of silent support.

HANK:

"Then we’ll make sure you and the baby are taken care of, Logan. You won’t be alone in this."

Logan nods, eyes drifting back to the screen, his hand unconsciously resting on his swollen belly. For the first time in weeks, the nausea, the discomfort, the fear—all of it melts away, leaving only the quiet, overwhelming joy of hearing his child’s heartbeat.

[bloominheresy]

After being inspired by Kj's Band AU months back, I have decided to also throw my hat into the rink! (👉ﾟヮﾟ)👉

I only have Narinder and Leshy's streetwear designed so far, but anyways!! Lore drop time YYYYEAAAAH

An Eternal Vessel for a Voice AU ( Bishops ):

Legally recognized foster family, all used to live in one house until a few years prior to the current timeline

Shamura the eldest sibling, estimated 35 yrs old, is the founder of their own rapidly growing tech company. They used to be a super popular anonymous producer online but retired to pursue the challenge of technological innovations + support their siblings as the main breadwinner of the family

Kallamar (30-ish) used to work at a private clinic as a doctor and also supported the household, but has since parted from the household to watch over Heket

Heket at her early twenties is currently touring the lands and is a well-renowned vocalist known for her deep and powerful growls and control (think Ado!); doesn't want to return home just yet in order to heal from the rift caused by a certain event

Leshy (18) is still a high schooler on his last year; one of those 'stupidly smart without studying' type of kids who has too much free time on his hands and uses it to indulge himself in art and anime weeb stuff HAHAHA he got gifted a drawing tablet by Kallamar for his birthday and has been obsessed in exploring the art medium

Narinder (24) finished college a few years back, but a certain event made him a social shut-in for a while, taking care of the house now instead and being the only sibling Leshy loves to constantly annoy since Shamura often comes home late and barely has time to stay for the weekends. He has a great passion for music producing thanks to Shamura's influence growing up and has been using his spare time at home to hone his craft and post his work online

They all have social media accs Twitter Narinder and Leshy's mascots / pfps uses their crowns; Leshy is actually the artist for many of Narinder's album covers and music videos and is often seen bantering online on the TL even if they're literally in the same house most of the time 💀

This one is just self-indulgent and projecting but Narinder loathes the idea of socializing in order to collab with other online musicians so he forced himself to learn how to play the piano so that he could just use VSTs (virtual instruments) instead to cover all other parts his songs would need BWAHAHAHA ( I wish I knew how to play piano for the same reason :') )

Adding onto here some more Nari and Leshy-specific hcs:

Magic doesn't exist in this Modern AU, so Narinder's eyes are an olive green, and his third eye has been replaced with an oddly symmetrical scar he got from an accident years back

Leshy's social media handle (@chervx888_) is based on the romanized spelling of worm in Russian, while all the 8's are meant to represent a lot of eyes

Leshy has once bursted into Narinder's room, phone in hand, to proclaim with his volume turned up to eleven: "BRO, BABY GRONK JUST CALLED OUT THE RIZZLER TO FIGHT HIM IN THE BOXING RING"

Leshy is really REALLY nearsighted but refuses to wear the prescription glasses he was given since it looks "uncool" to his classmate friend group consisting of the Darkwood mini bosses

—

Be warned that I need to add another set of woody horns on Leshy to match his sprite... but. BUT- what if... the third set starts growing out or something later down the line.... (no clie, just add the third set instead doubling down)

Anyways, this AU is meant to reference popular JP entertainment media online! NicoDouga, Vtubers, Vocaloid, Utaites, JPop, and much more!

[technofeudalism]

headlines like this from western media are so fucking incredibly cynical. not only because Ian's estimate of 14,000 is probably a gross under-estimate. but especially considering the US has essentially created a modern-day Skynet to identify targets for drone strikes, which often targets first responders with multiple, consecutive strikes.

in fact, this has been such a constant in the MENA region that an entire generation of children grew up fearing blue skies, knowing it meant American killer robots might come and blow up their schools and kill their families.

and the thing is: that's mostly what happens—only 2% of US drone strike targets are considered "high-profile," while 98% of the victims are civilians, conveniently labeled as terrorists to hide the actual real statistics.

what China has done is give regular consumers similar capabilities by making affordable, high-performance drones widely available—much like they did with mobile phones and smartphones, making tech more accessible and "democratizing" it.

in fact, in 2013, the New York Times tried to run a smear piece saying that China "planned to kill" a Burmese drug lord with a drone, but the article literally mentions in the very first paragraph that they opted to capture him alive and try him in a court of law.... wow.... brutal stuff.

[snitchcrimsonwrites]

Drawn Together-Chapter 12

Pairing: Tech x Jedi!Reader

Tech is concerned about a few security risks he's assessed after Bracca, and Hunter decided to send you both on a supply run...alone. What could happen while you've got tasks to complete?

Chapter 11

Chapter 13

The Marauder drifted silently through hyperspace. Most of the squad was asleep, exhausted from the skirmish on Bracca and their intense days of recovering Omega. Tech, however, had tasks he needed to complete, so he remained focused on the central console, surrounded by numerous holoscreens and data projections. You enter the cockpit silently, your gaze quickly settling on the myriad of translucent data streaming before him: fragments of Imperial code, biometric maps, and surveillance feeds. Lines of code rush by his goggles as he works, his body tense with concentration.

“Are you still working?” you inquire, hoping he would have eventually relaxed for the evening. “Okay, I’m intrigued. What has you so locked in?”

Tech didn’t look up. “Yes. Several high-priority security concerns emerged after our encounter with Crosshair. I’m addressing one of them now.”

You moved closer, captivated by the flow of information on the screen. You recognized some of it: Imperial data classifications and probe scan results. Your breath caught as you saw your younger self, dressed in Jedi robes.

Your voice dropped an octave. “That’s my old Jedi record.”

“Correct.” Tech tapped a key. The image sharpened, pulling up status information underneath the photo. First Name, Last Name – KIA. Order 66.

He continued. “This file is still active within the Empire’s deep archive. Marked as deceased, but your biometric and genetic data remain. The system could generate a match if flagged by a facial recognition sweep or an active probe.”

Finally, he glanced at you over his shoulder. “On Bracca, Crosshair saw you. While he didn’t appear to make any connection, exposure increases risk. I prefer not to gamble with statistical probabilities where your safety is concerned.”

You leaned over, studying the data scrolling beside your archived image. “So what are you doing?”

“Creating a replacement identity,” he said plainly. “A complete record. New birth data, civilian classification, altered biometrics. Once uploaded, it will overwrite your existing registry entries and prevent standard cross-referencing. Essentially, you will no longer exist as Y/N, Jedi of the Republic.”

You folded your arms, the weight of them settling on your chest. “That sounds... difficult to pull off.”

Tech gave a slight shrug. “Moderately. The encryption layers in the Imperial mainframe are extensive, but not infallible. I’ve already accessed the appropriate clearance chain through a backdoor in a now-defunct Separatist node. It’s just a matter of aligning the metadata.”

You continue to watch him work before asking, “Why go to all this trouble?”

Tech paused his fingers over the keyboard. “Because you’ve been compromised. If Crosshair alerts the Empire about your presence or, worse, your abilities, they’ll launch an investigation. That will prompt questions. Which will lead to records. Which will lead back to you. Which puts us all at risk.” He gestured toward the display without shifting his gaze. “I estimate that the likelihood of long-term survival with your current identity has decreased by twenty-eight percent due to recent events. Therefore, I’m taking steps to correct that.”

A faint smile tugged at your lips. “You could’ve just said you were worried about me.”

Tech blinked behind his goggles, caught off guard. Then, as if concluding there was nothing to correct, he returned to his work. “I thought I did.”

Your gaze lingered on the holo screen, where the archival image of your younger self stared out in frozen monochrome. Her Jedi robes were crisp, and the lightsaber was clearly visible at her belt. A trace of pride was faintly apparent in the stiff line of her posture.

“I look… young,” you murmured, almost to yourself. “That was taken just after I passed my trials." You paused. “That was more than a decade ago.”

Tech adjusted something on his screen. “Your appearance hasn’t changed significantly.”

You glanced over, unsure. “Was that a compliment?”

He blinked, considering. “Merely an observation based on biometric comparison.” Then a brief hesitation. “Though yes, personally, I find your current appearance quite favorable.”

That drew a surprise from you. “Oh? What parts, exactly?”

He didn’t look up as he replied, busy realigning the registry overlay with the replacement profile. “Your eyes, for one. They are notably expressive. And the contour of your jaw. It has a certain symmetry I find pleasing.”

You shook your head, attempting to conceal the blush that crept onto your cheeks. “Of course you do.”

He keyed in a final sequence, fingers pausing just above the console. “I’ll need to scan your current biodata now.”

You nodded, stepping in as he activated the portable scanner. A faint blue light washed across your face, neck, and hands as he captured the necessary readings. The device beeped softly in confirmation.

“Scan complete. The new profile is nearly ready to go live,” Tech said, already merging the data into the fabricated records. “All that remains is to overwrite the original file from the archive.” He hovered over the final command, waiting. But you didn’t say anything. He glanced up from the screen.

“I didn’t think I’d care,” you said finally. “I mean…It’s just a file. Data. A few lines in a system.” You exhaled slowly. “But seeing it overwritten like that…I don’t know, it feels like I’m disappearing.”

Tech was initially silent. "It isn’t gone,” he finally said. “It’s just not traceable by hostile systems anymore." You smiled faintly, appreciating the intent, even if the comfort didn’t quite land. “Maybe. But it still feels like erasing a part of who I was.”

He hesitated, then reached over, deactivating the display. The holo of your younger self blinked out, leaving only you and Tech’s reflections in the cockpit screens.

“This doesn’t alter anything; you’re still the same person," Tech murmured, moving closer to you.

“Thank you, Tech,” you said, softly kissing his temple to wish him a goodnight.

—---------------------

The Batch was scattered around the hold; after the chaos of Bracca and Omega’s recovery, things settled for now. Wrecker was transporting equipment to the corner storage unit, whistling out of tune. Echo sat nearby, checking a parts manifest against the records. Tech was in the middle of diagnosing the ship’s navigation relays.

You stood by the navigation console, holding your small datapad, attempting to decipher Hunter’s jotted inventory list, partially legible, yet mostly a confusing array of shorthand and gear codes that only he seemed to grasp. “We’re low on supplies,” he said, scanning the list over your shoulder. “Rations, thermal tape, compression seals…” He glanced at Tech, then at you. “The marketplace just beyond the outpost should have everything we need.”

You nodded, tapping the datapad. “No problem, I should be able to handle it.”

“You’re not going alone.” Hunter’s tone made it clear this wasn’t up for debate. He turned, gaze shifting toward Tech. “Tech, go with her.”

Tech knelt beside a diagnostic console, glancing up, determined to finish this task. “I can complete the system analysis first. There’s no immediate urgency to—

“You can finish them when you get back.” A pause settled like static in the air. Tech’s hand lingered over the exposed panel. His eyes darted to you and then back to Hunter. “…Understood.”

Hunter firmly clasped Tech’s shoulder to make a point. “Take your time. Make sure you get everything we need.”

You caught the subtext instantly, arms folded with easy suspicion.“You’re not even trying to be subtle.”

Hunter only shrugged, his mouth lifting in the faintest of smirks. “I’m not trying to be.” His gaze softened a bit. “You’ve both been on edge since Bracca. A bit of fresh air won’t hurt you.” With that, he turned away, calling out to Echo about the backup comm relay as his footsteps faded toward the ship's interior.

You and Tech descended the ramp together, leaving the Marauder behind. The streets of Ord Mantell City unfolded before you as you walked side by side past rows of stalls.

At one booth, Tech took a moment to inspect a bin of compression seals, carefully assessing each one for integrity. You stood next to him, arms casually crossed again, while your eyes roamed around the open square.

“You really don’t mind?” you asked after a moment. “Hunter shoving us into... whatever this is?”

Tech examined the seal closely before placing it in the satchel at his hip. Only after did he look at you, composed and measured.

“No. I don’t. I find it...” Tech hesitated, “...beneficial to spend time with you.”

“That’s practically romantic coming from you.”

He tilted his head slightly. “I wasn’t attempting to be romantic.”

“Sure,” you replied, lips curving despite yourself.

“But I acknowledge the implication.”

A quiet settled between you again, not awkward, but the kind of quiet that didn’t need to be filled. You adjusted your position to observe a group of travelers walking by while Tech remained at the stall. You watched them absently before turning your attention back to Tech. He was watching you too, but this time not with amusement or even calculation, but with curiosity.

“I’ve been meaning to ask,” he said. “Your abilities. On Bracca... that wasn’t standard technique.”

You blinked. “No. It wasn’t.” At this point, you shouldn’t be surprised by his knack for recognizing those subtleties, but you still were.

“Was it something you developed yourself?” he asked. “It did not resemble typical manipulation; the form and energy signature were unique. Less linear, more ambient, and elementally reactive.”

You paused, careful with your words in this open space, then nodded slowly. “I’ve always been capable of it, even when I was young. But I didn’t grasp it for a long time. The masters didn’t either. They discouraged me from pursuing it… considered it a distraction. Too unpredictable. Too ancient.”

Tech focused intently on connecting these words to the disjointed texts he had aided you in translating. “You’ve been researching this,” he said slowly, “your abilities. Trying to learn more?”

“Yes,” you said, quietly but firmly. “Lately, I’ve been thinking I’ve ignored this part of myself for too long.”

Tech’s demeanor changed as he nodded briefly, readjusting his satchel. “I would like to continue being of assistance if you’d allow,” he said. After a brief pause, Tech added, “May I make an additional observation?”

You turned your head slightly, indicating you were listening without fully facing him. “You usually do.”

"Despite being discouraged from building personal connections, you appear to have managed these dynamics quite well, especially regarding me... and the others."

You paused, briefly looking down at the fractured stone below you, then raised your gaze to meet his.

“That’s... been another change,” you said, your voice quieter and more introspective. You shifted your weight from one foot to the other. “It’s not that we lacked attachments,” you continued. “We simply... didn’t discuss them. Not in the way that truly mattered. I had my squad; they were close and loyal. Friends I would have died for. I almost did, more than once.” For a moment, your voice faltered. “Those connections were always present. We weren’t emotionless. We just learned to distance ourselves from what we couldn’t afford to lose.”

Tech studied you. “And now?”

You inhaled deeply and calmly. “Now I realize that the distance might have cost us more than we anticipated."

Tech nodded thoughtfully, absorbing your words with the same deliberate precision he used for every system he examined. “For what it’s worth, you appear to have melded into our group dynamic with minimal disruption.”

You smirked faintly. “That’s your way of saying I fit in.”

“Yes,” he confirmed. “And that your presence boosts morale, cohesion, and operational success. Including mine.”

“You know,” you remarked nonchalantly, “you’ve managed to navigate all of this quite well too.”

Tech glanced up, a hint of surprise showing on his face. “Have I?”

You shrugged slightly, grabbing a ration pack from a nearby rack and feigning an inspection. “Not every guy customizes a datapad with language processors. Or adjusts a replacement weapon to fit my precise fighting style.”

“It was logical,” he said. “Your original ‘sidearm’ was no longer reliable. It was the most sensible course of action.”

You gave him a look. “Tech.” He paused. “Yes?”

“It was incredibly thoughtful.”

Tech’s gaze lingered on you longer this time, something unreadable flickering behind the lens of his goggles. He didn’t immediately refute you. Didn’t try to mask it in technical terms.

“I admit I do care,” he admitted at last, and the straightforwardness of his confession carried much more significance than any elaborate display could. “About your well-being. Your presence. Your… potential ongoing presence in my life.”

Your smirk returned, warmer now. “See? That was romantic.”

“I still wasn’t attempting it to be.”

“I know,” you said, nudging him gently with your shoulder. “That’s what makes it kind of perfect.”

Tech looked down for a moment, as though calculating a response, but instead just adjusted the strap of the satchel again. “You’ve made these... personal variables less complicated than I expected.”

—-----------------------

The last of the ration packs went into the satchel with a soft thunk, and Tech conducted a quick inventory check, nodding to himself in satisfaction. “That concludes the primary supply list.”

You tossed your smaller bag over your shoulder and leaned in a bit toward him. “You know, Hunter mentioned that we should take our time.”

Tech looked over, raising an eyebrow. “He did. Which I interpreted to mean thoroughness.”

You grinned. “See, I interpreted it as permission.”

That earned you a mild look of caution. “Permission for what, exactly?”

You started walking again, slower this time, weaving through a thinner part of the market crowd, “A potential detour.”

Tech fell into step beside you without hesitation, but he tilted his head in that precise, curious way of his. “What kind of detour?”

You glanced at him with a slight smile playing on your lips. “I was thinking… I could buy you a drink.”

He blinked once, then twice. "...A drink?”

“Yeah,” you said. “You know. People go out, get drinks, talk, maybe sit somewhere without servo parts or exploding ion engines.”

“I understand the social ritual,” he responded. Tech halted in his tracks, evidently considering factors he hadn’t thought of before. “Would this be… a date?”

You tilted your head. “Would you mind if it were?"

He was quiet for a beat. Then, “No. I’m not opposed.”

Your grin widened. “Good.”

Tech resumed walking, but his pace was slightly slower now, more deliberate. “Is there a particular location you had in mind for this… drink?”

"There’s a cantina just past the main square. It’s quiet and has a decent view of the skyports. It’s not Cid’s."

“That is an acceptable ratio,” he said without missing a beat.

You laughed quietly to yourself. “Great. Then it’s settled.”

As you and Tech exited the main market and headed toward the cantina-lined square's edge, the chatter of vendors receded. Tech shot you another look, his voice slightly softer now. “You know… I don’t typically deviate from mission parameters.”

“I know,” you said. “But this is kind of the point. Letting yourself want something… even if it’s small.”

Tech nodded, deep in thought. "And what you want, at this moment… is a drink. With me.”

You gave a quiet smile. “Every much so.”

He remained silent initially, yet his hand grazed yours once more. This time with intention. He did not grasp it. Merely a touch. A subtle affirmation. “I find,” he said finally, “that I want that too.”

The cantina was tucked along the city's edge, modest compared to the rowdier establishments closer to the city's center. Upon entering, Tech instinctively scanned the room, as he always did—mapping exits, evaluating threat levels, and cataloging details. But when he looked back at you, he relaxed slightly; no threats were present.

You approached the bar, with Tech standing next to you, visibly out of place but at ease. The bartender came over, asking, “What’ll it be?” Without hesitation, you replied, tapping the bar. “I’ll have a J’nari fizz and a smoked ardees. Warm, no ice.”

Tech blinked, slowly turning his head toward you.

It was clear he was taken aback. “You always hesitate when Wrecker orders it with ice,” you remarked, a grin barely contained on your face. “And you asked the bartender at Cid’s if they had the smoked variant. Twice.”

“I was checking for consistency,” he replied reflexively, though a slight flush rose to his ears. “Not showing preference.”

“Mmhmm.”

The drinks were set before you moments later, yours bubbling lightly, his swirling with faint red-gold vapor. He picked up the glass, studied it briefly, then looked at you.

“You pay attention,” he said quietly.

You lifted your glass with a smirk. “Of course I do.” He hesitated for a moment, then raised his own and gently clinked it against yours.

You both sipped, and he nodded in approval. “It’s… optimal.”

“Told you.”

You found a quiet booth near the back, half-shaded with a skyline view. You slid into the seat beside him, resting your arms on the table. Tech set his drink down with careful precision. “You surprise me,” he said. “Often.”

“I hope it’s not something you mind,” you replied, chin resting on your hand.

He studied you again, eyes moving over your face, “It’s not discomforting.” You smiled, softer now, settling in next to him. “I’m glad.”

The walk back was slower than it needed to be.

As night fell, the streets became quieter, and the city’s street lamps illuminated one by one, creating amber-lit patches along the path back to the Marauder. You and Tech walked side by side, bags slung over your shoulders. As you walked, you lightly bumped him with your shoulder. “You sure you’re not secretly a social creature? You’ve handled this whole ‘date’ thing suspiciously well.”

"I do not believe one outing makes me socially inclined,” Tech responded, his hands clasped behind his back in his typical thoughtful manner. "However, I must admit, the circumstances were... favorable.”

“Might’ve been the company.”

“Might’ve been the drink,” he countered, deadpan.

You scoffed. “One ardees and you’re bold now?”

“You’re implying I wasn’t before?”

You blinked, pretending to mull that over. “I mean, in some sense of the word. But I’d lean into meticulous, maybe. Efficient. Occasionally impossible.”

“Impossible,” he repeated, as if testing the word.

You looked over and smiled. “In a peculiarly charming way.”

That earned you a lopsided grin from him. “You’re exaggerating.”

“Not even a little,” you said, stepping in front of him momentarily as you walked backward, your jacket fluttering slightly behind you. “You’ve got that whole understated ‘genius with mysterious depths’ thing going on. It's very effective.”

Tech blinked. “Effective… how?”

You tilted your head, smile sharpening. “You know how.”

He cleared his throat, adjusting his goggles, even though they didn’t need adjusting. “Ah. Understood.”

You fell into step next to him again, intertwining your arm with his and resting it there. He let you. “I like you like this,” you said after a beat. “A little less filtered.”

“Are you suggesting I lower my internal regulation more often?”

“Not too much,” you said. “I like that you think before you speak. But it’s nice when you let something slip. Even if it’s just how much you actually like smoked ardees.”

There was a pause. Then: “I also enjoyed the conversation, for the record. Not merely the beverage.”

“Oh stars,” you groaned dramatically, “now he’s sweet-talking me.”

“I’m being honest,” he said, a hint of pride in his voice. “Which I believe is encouraged in these situations.”

You laughed softly, the sound echoing through the quiet street. “You really are dangerous when you loosen up.”

“Noted,” he replied, though his tone carried a playful note. A tease.

You reached the port hangar where the Marauder was docked. The hangar was quiet, with only the hum of distant city noise drifting through. You stopped walking for a moment, turning to face him again.

“I’m glad you came with me,” you said quietly.

“I’m glad Hunter prompted me to,” Tech replied, equally quiet.

You observed him for a moment longer, a feeling tugging at your chest. "Will there be a next time?” you asked, moving closer.

“As long as it includes you,” he murmured, “I consider it a favorable arrangement.”

And that did it. You leaned up, just slightly, enough to press a brief kiss to his cheek. As you withdrew, Tech remained motionless, deep in thought. Suddenly, he took a step closer. His hand, gentle and barely there, glided along your jaw. Before you could inquire about his intentions, he leaned in and replaced your kiss with a tender one of his own.

When he pulled back, his face was still close to yours. “I prefer precision,” he said softly, almost apologetically. “If that wasn’t clear.”

You blinked, caught off guard, but now smiling. “Yeah,” you breathed. “That was... very clear.”

He adjusted his goggles, a faint upward curve gracing his mouth. “Noted.”

You turned toward the ramp, your heart racing as you tried to regain your breath and composure. “Remind me not to underestimate you again.”

“I’ll remind you as frequently as necessary,” he replied, falling into step beside you.

[zvaigzdelasas]

‘We thought we lived in Tuscany’: Hizbollah strikes ravage Israel’s north - FinancialTimes

The fighting has forced the largest evacuation of a region since Israel was founded more than 70 years ago.[...]

Many residents now wonder whether they will be able to return to an area that, in nearly two decades of relative calm since the last full-blown war between Israel and Iran-backed Hizbollah, had been part of a push to attract start-ups and other businesses to Israel’s under-developed periphery.

“For the last 17 years we thought we lived in Tuscany,” said Zeevi. “But when missiles started shooting from Lebanon, all of a sudden we realised that with all due respect to the start-ups, the innovation, climate tech, food tech, agtech, we live in the fucking Middle East. And we had forgotten about this.”[...]

Before the hostilities began, Kiryat Shmona was a city of about 24,000 people. Now it is a ghost town: traffic lights blink permanently orange; almost all businesses are closed; roads to the border are blocked by checkpoints. Locals say only 2,000 to 3,000 people remain — a mixture of essential workers and a small number of residents who refused to leave.[...]

[The] past 10 months have already taken a heavy toll on the region’s businesses. Zeevi, who before the war was general manager of the innovation hub at the Margalit Startup City in Kiryat Shmona, estimated that about 30 per cent of start-ups in the eastern Galilee had closed since the start of the war.

“It’s so frustrating, because we built something tremendous. People came from all over the world to see how in a very rural area you can create an ecosystem that develops start-ups and creates high-salary jobs,” he said.

In the family-run Oved’s Kabab in Kiryat Shmona, one of only a handful of businesses still open in the city, Tomer Oved said the restaurant was now running on a volunteer basis to help provide food for emergency personnel and incoming soldiers.

“We don’t care about business — it’s gone down by 55 per cent [since the start of the war]["][...]

Even before the latest surge in tensions, Hizbollah’s strikes had become an unprecedented strategic challenge for Israel, with the “war of attrition” in the north testing public patience to breaking point and heaping pressure on the government to respond.[...]

For now, most evacuees say the security situation remains too dangerous for them to return.

3 Aug 24