#How Do Solar Panels Work

[newenglaandsolargreen]

How Do Solar Panels Work? A Simple Guide from New England Solar & Green Energy? How Do Solar Panels Work?

Many people are switching to solar power as a dependable source of sustainable energy for their houses as a result of growing interest in the use of renewable energy. How do solar panels operate? Is the first question that most people ask when they want to install solar panels at their home or place of business. We at Williamstown, Massachusetts’s New England Solar & Green Energy are dedicated to educating you on the fundamentals of solar technology so you may make an informed choice. In this essay, we’ll describe how solar panels convert sunshine into electricity and why Massachusetts households would be wise to invest in solar panels.

What Are Solar Panels? A solar panel is one of those devices that captures sunlight and directly transforms it into electricity with the help of photovoltaic technology. Such panels consist of a huge number of individual solar cells that are made from silicon, which happens to be a semiconductor material. Such solar cells work together in a combination when exposed to sunlight to produce electricity.

Step-by-Step Process: How Do Solar Panels Work? The process of converting sunlight into usable electricity is efficient and straightforward. Here’s how it works:

Sunlight Hits the Solar Cells Once that sunlight hits a solar panel, energy from the photons is absorbed by the solar cells. These are the materials such as silicon and, through them, the ability to absorb solar power and turn it into electrical energy.

Exciting the Electrons The photons are absorbed and scattered in the silicon cells, knocking electrons loose from their atoms. These electrons are what produce electricity. Silicon atoms are arranged in a grid pattern. When sunlight excites the electrons, it causes them to flow through the material.

Creating an Electric Current At the moment that free electrons start to flow. The electric field in the solar cells pushes free electrons in a particular direction. The resultant flow of free electrons is termed DC electricity.

Converting DC to AC Electricity While the electricity generated by the photovoltaic panels is DC, most homes and commercial businesses operate on AC or alternating current electricity. Consequently, the system incorporates an inverter to switch the DC electricity over into usable AC electricity. The function of the inverter is to convert the DC power generated by the solar panel over to AC power and distribute over to run appliances, lights, and electronics in the home or business. 5. Using the Electricity Some other individuals also place solar batteries in addition to their systems. Solar batteries, like the Tesla Powerwall, store excess power created in your home from your solar panels during the day. That’s when that stored energy can prove helpful at night once you’re not creating enough electricity through your panels or on cloudy days. Energy storage brings consumers more independence from energy and spares them the peak rate for electricity. Why Solar Panels Are a Smart Investment? Now that you know how solar panels work, you might be wondering why they’re such a great investment for your home or business in Massachusetts. Here are a few key benefits: Reduce Your Energy Bills:-By generating your electricity, solar panels can drastically reduce your reliance on the electrical grid. This means lower monthly utility bills, and with net metering, you can even earn credits for the excess electricity your system generates. 1) Take Advantage of Massachusetts Incentives:-Massachusetts offers some of the most generous solar incentives in the country, including state tax credits, solar rebates, and net metering programs. These incentives can significantly reduce the upfront cost of your solar installation and help you start saving sooner. 2)Increase Your Home’s Value:-Homes with solar panels are often more attractive to buyers, especially as more people become conscious of energy costs and environmental impact. Studies show that homes with solar panels typically sell faster and at higher prices than those without. 3) Reduce Your Carbon Footprint:- Solar energy is a clean, renewable energy source. By switching to solar, you’ll reduce your reliance on fossil fuels, which helps decrease carbon emissions and combat climate change. It’s a win-win for both your wallet and the environment. 4 )Energy Independence:- With solar energy, you’re not reliant on the fluctuating prices of electricity from the grid. Additionally, by adding energy storage, you can store excess energy for later use, giving you more control over your energy consumption.

What Makes New England Solar & Green Energy Different? New England Solar & Green Energy is locally owned and operated in Williamstown, Massachusetts. We are committed to being the best at providing high-quality solar installations and services. Here’s why you should choose us for your solar energy needs: Expert Installation: Our team of certified solar installers has extensive experience with Massachusetts’ unique energy landscape, ensuring that your solar system is designed to maximize energy efficiency and savings.

Customer-Focused Approach: We take the time to educate you about your solar options so you can make an informed decision that meets your needs and budget.

Full Service: From the initial consultation to system design, installation, and ongoing maintenance, we provide complete solar solutions. We’re with you every step of the way.

Tailored to Massachusetts: We understand the local climate, regulations, and incentives, so we ensure your system is optimized for New England weather and the state’s clean energy goals.

Conclusion: Harness the Power of the Sun with New England Solar & Green Energy. First things first: understanding just how solar panels work will lead you to making the switch to clean, renewable energy. With solar technology continually improving and Massachusetts offering incredible incentives, there’s never been a better time to install solar panels on your home or business.At New England Solar & Green Energy, we assist homeowners and businesses in Berkshire County and beyond in making the most of quality, custom solar solutions for reduced energy costs, reduced carbon footprint, and much more. Contact us today if you are interested in learning exactly how we can assist you in getting the most from solar power.

[clairelutra]

"everything you want is on the other side of fear" no it's on the other side of brutal burnout, fuck you

[what-even-is-thiss]

Mandatory caveat that Obama’s presidency had problems so the tumblr people don’t try to shoot me but anyways I often think about this one interview that Obama did a few years ago and in it he was asked what he was most proud of in his presidency and he was like we severely upped the efficiency of most household appliances in the US and reduced our carbon footprint a lot with that and helped people save on energy bills and that’s the sort of thing nobody ever notices

And he was right. I’d heard nothing about that. And I looked into it and there was a massive effort during his presidency to improve the efficiency of everyday household objects and do stuff like give people the means to install solar panels and track how much electricity they were using.

I missed this and I’m a person who’s generally in tune with what’s going on politically. Like there’s so many unsexy mundane things the government is working on all the time that are super important. And I kinda like the idea that a president’s proudest achievement is that he made your appliances eat up a bit less of your electric bill.

[solarkart]

Solar Panel with Inverter and Battery

Sure! Here's a detailed description of how solar panels, inverters, and batteries work together in a solar energy system:

1. Solar Panels:

Function: Solar panels are the first component in the system, responsible for capturing sunlight and converting it into electricity. They do this through photovoltaic (PV) cells, which generate direct current (DC) electricity when exposed to sunlight.

Types: The most common types of solar panels are monocrystalline, polycrystalline, and thin-film. Monocrystalline panels are generally more efficient but also more expensive.

2. Inverter:

Function: The inverter is the second critical component in the system. It converts the DC electricity generated by the solar panels into alternating current (AC) electricity, which is the standard form of electricity used in homes and businesses.

Types:

String Inverters: Commonly used in residential systems, they connect all the solar panels in a string (series) and convert the electricity in one go.

Microinverters: These are installed on each solar panel, allowing for individual conversion. They are more expensive but offer better performance in systems where some panels might be shaded.

Hybrid Inverters: These inverters can manage both solar panels and battery storage, allowing you to store excess energy for later use.

3. Battery Storage:

Function: Batteries store excess electricity generated by the solar panels that isn't immediately used. This stored energy can be used during the night or on cloudy days when the panels aren’t producing electricity.

Types:

Lead-Acid Batteries: Traditional and cheaper but have shorter lifespans and lower efficiency.

Lithium-Ion Batteries: More expensive but offer longer life, better efficiency, and more storage capacity.

Flow Batteries: A newer technology that offers unlimited charging cycles and is ideal for large-scale storage, but they are still expensive.

How They Work Together:

Energy Generation: During the day, solar panels generate DC electricity from sunlight.

Conversion: The inverter converts this DC electricity into AC electricity to power your home or business.

Energy Use & Storage: The generated electricity is used to power your appliances. If there’s excess energy, it gets stored in the battery for later use.

Nighttime or Cloudy Days: When the solar panels aren't producing electricity, the stored energy in the battery can be used to power your home.

Benefits:

Energy Independence: A system with battery storage can provide power even during grid outages, giving you energy independence.

Cost Savings: By using stored energy during peak hours when electricity rates are higher, you can save on your electricity bill.

Environmental Impact: Reduces reliance on fossil fuels and lowers your carbon footprint.

Use Cases:

Off-Grid Systems: Perfect for remote areas where the electricity grid isn’t accessible.

Grid-Tied with Battery Backup: Ideal for areas with frequent power outages, as the system can switch to battery power when the grid goes down.

Self-Consumption: You can maximize the use of solar energy by storing excess power and using it when needed, reducing your dependency on the grid.

www.solarkart.co.in

[cybertron-after-dark]

Average transformers g1 episode:

Megatron is attempting to black out the entire sky across a hundred mile radius and funnel all the sunlight into one, concentrated solar death ray to target a heavy duty solar panel he's having soundwave and the cassetticons build in order to convert it to energon. Then he plans to hit the autobot base with the death ray just for funsies. Starscream plans to push Megatron directly into the death ray, also just for funsies.

Optimus sends Wheeljack and Spike to deal with it, along with two bots you're pretty sure have not been in this show before this point, but you're kind of past asking how many of these fuckers were on the ark offscreen when it crashed. One of them has the worst fake Canadian accent you have ever heard, and the other's name sounds inexplicably dirty.

Starscream tries to get Megatron to stand in the spot he told Skywarp and Ramjet to direct the death ray, but is interrupted when Rumble asks why Starscream stuck him with extra work (a task Megatron assigned specifically to Starscream). This vexes Megatron. The autobots show up and try to figure out what the point of the blacked out sky is while Starscream attempts to talk his way out of it. Then the death ray goes off two feet away from Megatron, which only pisses him off further.

The Canadian bot yells "AH BINARY-BEAVERS!!" because the death ray caught him off guard and completely gives away the bots' position. Soundwave immediately fires on them. Gratuitous robot violence ensues. Spike is generally useless and tries chucking rocks at Rumble. Megatron is too busy trying to almost-murder Starscream to bother with the autobots and just lets Soundwave handle it.

Probably-an-innuendo-name-bot is luckily a flier and takes the chance to see what's blocking the sun now that their cover's blown anyway. He gets up there and the seekers are sticking tinfoil on the clouds to make the tops reflective. The writers are really just hoping you don't think too hard about it.

Skywarp starts firing on dirty-name and calls him a nerd. Dirty-name takes evasive action. Skywarp runs out of ammo and starts just chucking tin foil at him. Dirty-name calls him dumb and says his processor is made of spare toaster parts. Then he crash lands and canada-bot asks if dirty-name's wings are spare toaster parts as well. Wheeljack yells that they'll all be spare toaster parts if they don't focus on the decepticons. The death ray goes off again and barely misses the autobots. Wheeljack corrects himself to Melted spare toaster parts.

Dirty-name gives Wheeljack the rundown on the tinfoil clouds so he can figure out a way to get rid of them while Canada-bot fights Soundwave and the cassettes in the background. Spike is kind of helping too sort of almost. Those rocks hes chucking sure are damaging. Ravage gets straight up drop kicked. It cuts back to Wheeljack whipping up a good old fashioned Device™️.

Starscream flies up past the tinfoil barrier while Megatron shoots at him. All the holes he's shooting in the blackout barrier are just making more, slightly shittier death rays and the main one is losing concentration. One of them hits Megatron right in the optic and he keels over with an over the top screech. Starscream descends, breaking another hole in the tinfoil to see a golden opportunity.

"MEGATRON HAS BEEN BLINDED!!! I, STARSCREAM AM NOW YOUR LEADER!!!"

Wheeljack finishes his Device™️: A grenade that makes tinfoil entirely invisible, thus rendering the whole weapon unusable. The writers are hungover, please do not think about it too hard. Pretty please. Dirty-name doesn't know if he can throw it into one of the holes in the barrier on his own since he can't fly in robot mode and he cant throw in altmode. Spike offers to get on his back and throw it in for him if he can get close enough. And he's just SO good at throwing things. The other two agree he's their best shot, they're so happy spike is around, couldn't do it without him.

Starscream is hovering in the air as he gives his Decepticon Leader Acceptance Speech he's prepared for this very occasion, golden light streaming in from the him-shaped hole in the barrier. Dirty-name and spike zip past him and spike makes the best goddamn throw of his life. Before starscream can properly question the Fucking Audacity of these autobots interrupting him while he's trying to have a moment, the invisible explosion goes off that the animators are just happy they don't have to put that much effort into drawing. Starscream gets knocked out of the air and crashes directly onto Megatron. This vexes Megatron.

Sky's normal again. Don't worry that there's still tinfoil there, don't even fuckin worry about it dude. Spike and Dirty-name touch back down. Round of applause for spike for throwing super good. Wheeljack comments that he's just happy it blew up the way it was supposed to. Cue uncomfortably long laughing. Megatron manages to roll starscream off him and calls for a retreat.

Back at the decepticon base, Megatron has an eyepatch and is skulking. Starscream yaps about how it makes him look like a proper tyrant, brooding and battle scarred, and, dare he say, darkly handsome? This vexes Megatron.

[livwritesstuff]

Eddie walks into the kitchen one evening to find Steve supervising their daughters as they work on homework.

Steve’s attention is on Robbie at the moment, and he’s got his hands on his hips as he looks over her shoulder with a questioning look on his face.

This in and of itself isn’t anything unusual, because Robbie’s their kid who tries to get out of homework most often, so it takes a second for Eddie to realize that what Steve is doing is trying to encourage Robbie to do less on an assignment.

Steve: Hon, I really think you just needed to fill out the footprint calculator thing.

Robbie: I’m going above and beyond, Pop.

Eddie: What about just doing the bare minimum with this and all your other homework and then see how you feel?

Robbie: No.

Robbie: I have a vendetta.

Eddie: Okay, against who?

Robbie: Ethan Miller. He wouldn’t shut up about how his family’s gonna have the lowest carbon footprint out of the entire class because his house has solar panels.

Robbie: I wanna prove that we have the lowest.

Steve: Why do you think we have a lower carbon footprint than the Millers?

Robbie: Because you adopted us.

Robbie: So there’s, like, no additional carbon emissions of entire new people.

Robbie: You reduced and reused.

Robbie: I don’t think it could count as recycling.

Steve:

Steve:

Steve, pulling out his laptop: Okay, let’s look into this because Ethan’s mom is really effing annoying about those solar panels and I’d love to be able to one-up her for once.

Eddie: Oh, god.

[myownwholewildworld]

Just thinking about that old man lazily fingering you while he's reading some book/manual. Like he's trying to figure out how to build something and ofc he's multitasking.

listen... i've been (horny) thinking about this the whole damn day. joel would definitely do that, wouldn't he? and the bastard would pretend like what was happening had nothing to do with him... please joel wreck us 🧎‍♀️

more old man!joel miller (with his reading glasses on) filth under the cut 👇

Your fingers weren’t Joel’s. Ever since that old man touched you, you could swear he’d broken your pussy—in more ways than one. It just didn’t hit the same now. If you insisted you were sure you could come on your own, but why suffer through it when you could just get him to do it for you? Throwing the duvet cover off you, you jumped out of bed. It was around midnight, crickets chirping outside through the open window. The light summer breeze rustled the curtains, the night quiet and peaceful. And Joel wasn’t anywhere to be seen. When you went upstairs, Joel had promised he wouldn’t be long. Liar.

Huffing, you readjusted your panties and put on Joel’s green flannel shirt before you stomped down the stairs, only to find he wasn’t in the dining room where you had left him. So you headed towards the main door. It was ajar, the yellow light of the porch filtering through the crack.

Peeking outside, you found Joel on a rocking chair with his reading glasses on, immersed in a book titled “Beginners Guide to Solar.”

“What are you up to, gorgeous?” you purred, making yourself comfy on his lap.

You spread your legs open over his thighs, your back resting on his chest, and Joel threaded an arm between your waist and elbow, his palm gently resting on your lower belly—the tips of his fingers stroking your covered mound mindlessly.

“Just doin’ some reading. Found some solar panels and I’d like to hook them up to the electricity supply here at home. I just worked out our power usage, but then I need to figure out if the batteries we have are compatible to run off the grid. See, if the specs are right, then I just have to…” Joel babbled, but your mind had already drifted off to other topics.

You loved him when he got all nerdy about this stuff. Just the sight of him with some manual in hand and his reading glasses on had you in heat.

“Mhm. Interesting,” you compelled him to keep on talking, his deep, throaty voice making your pussy tingle.

Biting down your bottom lip, you covered the back of his hand with your palm and guided his touch under your panties. Joel didn’t even flinch, still speaking out loud about how to get the solar panels to work. You led his thick fingers past your mound and pushed his ring one in your damp slit.

You were so fucking wet, his finger sliding down your velvety cunt produced the most beautiful, squelching noises. You then guided him to your throbbing clit, and Joel pressed some deep, tight circles on your nub, your jaw hanging wide open while the back of your head rested on his shoulder. You pussy beat in unison with your racing heart, gushing for him, melting under his touch.

Joel flicked your overexcited bundle of nerves, and you mewled in reply, grinding your ass on his bulge. He wasn’t immune to you despite how his voice kept a steady tone—his growing erection firmly pressing against your buttocks. And you really liked it when he pretended like this.

When the hot coil began tightening in your dripping pussy, Joel dropped his hand further down and stuffed his middle and ring fingers in your slippery hole without warning, down to the knuckles. Your hips bucked up and then down, your fingers harshly curling around the armrests of the rocking chair.

“Oh, f-fuck—” you gasped, eyes fluttering shut. “So, uh, the… the finge— batteries… are they… uhm… the right size— I mean, type?” you stuttered, your concentration scattered all over the place while Joel fingered you in deep, smooth thrusts.

“Yeah, they are sealed ones. But I think I’mma need an inverter so I can convert the direct current of the battery into alternate current, otherwise it won’t be enough voltage for the appliances,” he explained with a calm demeanour, as if he wasn’t fingering you stupid out here in the open.

“Uh-huh… I see…” you mumbled, breath hitching in your throat, not a coherent thought in your brain.

Joel pumped his fingers in and out of your cunt with ease, hooking them inside to expertly rub your anterior wall, the roughness of his palm pressed against your crying clit for extra friction. His words made no sense anymore, filling your ears like the buzzing noise of a broken TV.

By that point you were squirming and whimpering, drool pooling in your mouth, slick sliding off his fingers, wetting his wrist now. Your inner walls suddenly clenched, squashing his fingers tight—but that didn’t stop Joel, who made a point of sinking them deeper. And the coil inside you was so very ready to snap, your muted sobs growing louder.

“Quit whimpering, I’m tryna focus ‘ere, sweetheart,” he scolded you, the crease between his brows more pronounced, his hand building a faster pace between your thighs.

The moment Joel stuffed a third finger and bottomed out, you just lost it. Wailing on his lap, your fingers clutching around the armrests, holding on for dear life, you finally let go… all the while Joel kept on talking about something to do with charge controllers. Your pussy clamped down on his thick digits, fluttering and squeezing harshly, while you got to the highest climax possible. Just to then uncontrollably come crushing down like a rock off a precipice because Joel kept on fingering you throughout your orgasm.

Your stiff body suddenly relaxed, finding the bliss you’d unsuccessfully been going after on your own. Joel tapped your pussy a few times with his wet palm and when you were done, his hand stayed there, gently buttering your puffy lips with your sticky arousal.

“So… are we installing the solar panels tomorrow then?” you finally asked when you found your wavering voice.

“Did you not hear a thing of what I've just told you, darling?” Joel tsked.

“Nope, sorry,” you giggled, peppering kisses on his jawline.

“You’re incorrigible,” he rolled his eyes, but there was a hint of mischief in his eyes, the ghost of a sly grin on his lips.

“So correct me, baby.”

[incorrect-green-lantern-quotes]

I wonder if NASA and other space agencies in the DC universe pester the Green Lanterns for help

Like, they probably do that to Superman and Martian Manhunter too, but Clark and J’onn can at least say they don’t leave Earth very often (regardless of how true that statement may be for them). But the GLs can’t use that excuse because NASA knows they're the space cops

If the Justice League has contact information like a hotline or an email, you can bet your ass that NASA is blowing it up with stuff like "um excuse me mr. space policeman our rover got stuck on mars can you pwease dust her off so that her solar panels can work again??"

[smash cut to Hal in a maid dress cleaning Oppy with a construct of a feather duster]

[fairyhaos]

how seventeen help their s/o who's scared of the dark

requested by @klmllr ! sorry for getting to this so late </3

PLEASE REMEMBER TO REBLOG WHAT YOU LIKE ‼️

masterlist

seungcheol

puffs his chest out and squares up like he's about to fight the shadows to protect you when you tell him you're scared of the dark. very much goes into “dw babe, i’ll keep you safe” mode. all the lights in his house are voice controlled, so all you have to do is yell “turn on the [insert room] lights” and they'll automatically turn on for u so u don't have to wander around his house in the darkness. and when the power goes out at night, he's totally more than ready to have you cling to him like a koala bear for the entire time until you feel relaxed enough to fall asleep in his arms

jeonghan

you're scared of the dark? like, actually actually scared of the dark? he's not making fun of u, it's just that this means he can't play any pranks on u by going “boo!” in the middle of the night like he wanted to :( it's no fun when you're actually terrified, yk? he's actually super good at helping u thru power outages. tells you silly stories to take your mind off the dark, and has a whole drawer in his bedside table full of torches and extra batteries ready at his disposal to provide you with some light so ur not too afraid. 

joshua

never ever ever leaves ur side in the evening when you're together. like even if you're walking down the street after a date and it's actually quite a well-lit main road, he's not letting go of ur hand at all and sticks vvv close to your side. he's not going to leave you for one second, no sir, not him. power outages at his house are never a big deal, because he has so many fairy lights strung up and candles and battery-powered lamps at the ready to light up your life so you're not left in the dark. never let it be said that joshua hong is an inattentive boyfriend. 

junhui

you sheepishly admit that you're kind of embarrassed to still be scared of the dark even after so many years, and he just blinks at u bc. what. that's a totally valid fear to have. who knows what could be hiding in the dark??? he does his best to rid you of your fears tho, encouraging u to talk thru your thoughts with him as you lie together in bed, the door cracked open only the slightest bit. his nonsensical reasoning and the way he manages to reshape all the dark creatures in ur mind into silly and cute shapes really does help you calm down. 

hoshi

you're scared of the dark????? nooo wait that's actually so cute :(((( pls he actually can't take this wdym ur fear is the dark??? that's the cutest thing ever </3. kinda just thinks that's super adorable of u tbh. you complain that it sounds like he's making fun of u but he rly doesn't mean it like that!!!!! it's just so cute that out of all the phobias in the world, what you're most scared of is. blackness. you pinch him for saying that bc hey >:(( it's a real and valid fear ok. he gets it tho and when it gets super dark, he's always the one to cling to you first to reassure u he's there for u

wonwoo

dw about it baby. he makes enough money that you can leave all the lights on 24/7 so don't even fret over that for a second, okay? ‘most prepared bf’ award has to go to him because not only does he buy lamps, torches, fairylights etc etc in case of a power outage, but he also invests in solar panels and energy storage electric battery banks so he always has energy spare to power some lights so you never have to sit in the dark. he's the light of your life, literally, bc you never have to worry about the darkness when he's near

woozi

pretends to not be scared of the dark for ur sake but man. sometimes it's really hard. he totally understands ur fear of the darkness and while he's cringing in fear on the inside, he stays gentle and calm for u, taking you through breathing exercises and offering to show u what he's working on on his laptop to take both your minds off of ur fears. however, strangely enough, being with you has helped his fear of the dark begin to lessen also. as he becomes more focused on taking care of you, his own terror seems to melt away, as he focuses only on you and how to make you feel better. 

minghao

switches on all the lamps, puts in a classical music cassette into his cassette player, hauls you to your feet and starts dancing with you across the living room to take your mind off any fears you may be having. teaches you silly little dance steps bc having to concentrate on learning choreo means your brain doesn't have time to start conjuring imaginary fears. not when minghao's hand is warm in yours and his voice is soft and all you can feel is his guiding touch as he directs you to move with the music. it's terribly romantic, really. only minghao could turn your fear into the sweetest memory of all. 

mingyu

you've never told him about ur fear of the dark before so when the power cut happens, you scream super loud. this prompts mingyu to scream too, making you scream again, and then he screams also and then you scream too, going round in a cycle until you're shaking with fear and are too scared to scream. scaredy cat mingyu x you who's scared of the dark is a terrible combo, but he eventually calms down, turns on his flashlight and makes his way over to u, apologising profusely. makes sure he's always prepared for the next power outage so u guys never have to have an impromptu screaming match again

dokyeom

oh no :(((( dw sweetheart he's there to help u thru any worries u have!! lowkey understands your fear of the dark very well bc like. who knows what can be hiding in the pitch black darkness?? has sooo many of those battery powered lamps at his disposal already but when you moved in with him, the amount only increased bc like hell is he not gonna be The Most Prepared Boyfriend Ever. scoops you up in his arms and sings softly to u to take ur mind off the darkness when the power goes out. he's so warm, and you can feel the vibrations when he sings, and it's so comforting that you actually end up falling asleep against him

seungkwan

tbh he's kinda scared of the dark too, especially when it's the kind of pitch blackness that comes with a power outage, so he totally gets u. the two of you huddle together in the middle of the bed, blankets pulled tight around you, pretending that you're not shaking with fear. fortunately, though, the experience is always marginally better bc seungkwan is by your side — even though he's shaking like a leaf, he's still warm and grounding against you, and you just know that it would feel 10x more terrifying if you didn't have him here. 

vernon

buys you different shaped night lights every year on your birthday as a way of showing his support for u. they inhabit different areas of the house and act as like guiding lights for u whenever the power goes out. the crescent moon shaped one sits on your bedside table; the glowing, spinning globe resides in the living room; the squishy lying-down goose is splayed out in the study. even tho they're a pain to turn off bc every single one of them is battery powered with the tiny switches that hurt his hands to get to, he makes sure to diligently do so once you've fallen asleep so the battery lasts til the next day so u can use them again

chan

helps you through your fear of the dark by loudly talking to you about anything and everything he can think of as he hugs you tight. it certainly provides good enough distraction, bc his voice is so animated and captivating that u can't pay attention to anything else apart from what he's saying. it only occurs to him a long while later that he can, like. buy lights. to help you. and he doesn't have to help just by talking loudly to u in the dark. almost buys out the entire lights section in ikea before seungkwan stops him and tells him to just get the highest wattage bulbs he can find

request guidelines

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[rheitais]

DP x DC One shooting star later. Pt 1.5

This is more snips and bits about the batfam interactions with the Nightingales/Fentons.

[ Part 1 | Part 2 | Masterpost ]

Original post here^

_____________________________

In a local cafe (way before the joker incident):

Ellie: I am just saying the villains here? In all honesty are like a joke.

Jazz, studying to be a therapist: Mhmmhm, hey do you think I would be able to catch Dr. Quinzel next time shes out of Arkham?

Dan: Probably, stop stealing my food, what are you, Catwoman???

Danny: Oh please I don't have the body for that. She's very fancy, don't compare me to a queen.

Ellie: I thought you would be more insulted because you were excused for thievery.

Danny: Do I look like Dan to you?

Dan: Hypocrite says what?

Danny: Mass murderer says what?

Tim in the next booth: ????? *Aggressively texting the batfam group chat*

__________________________________

Dan: why do we need to be together again?

Danny: So you can't kill anyone again and I don't start killing people.

Dan: right, right.....

Danny:

Dan:

Dan: So.... What do we do with this?

Danny: Look clowns are really freaky. I know jazz told us to stay out of trouble since we are kinda on the bats radar but he kinda sneaked up on *us*. Again mind you. This was fully deserved. Right?

Dan, standing over the joker's dead body: Yeah, but we did just kill him in someone else's haunt.... We aren't even supposed to be over here.

Danny: Call mom?

Dan: Call mom.

Red hood overhead staring at the 2 halfas and a dead joker: Fck if they didn't already have parents I would pull a bruce with these 2.

__________________________________

Maddie: And that is how you make an energy gun that uses solar panels. No bullets and litter required and 100% effective.

Poison Ivy, who kidnapped Maddie and Ellie: Would you like to work for me?

_____________________________

Jack at a gala since his family was invited: IT IS GREAT TO MEET YOU MISTER REPORTER MAN! *Aggressively shaking the reporter's hand and honestly just man handling him the whole time*

Bruce: Ah, Mr.Nightingale I think ya wife is looking for ya?

Jack: Maddie? OK BYE REPORTER MAN AGAIN.

Clark: How the hay is he so strong?? *Still dizzy from the handshake*

Bruce: Hm. *Also had that whiplash when he first met the man*

__________________________________

Ellie: The teacher is so dumb, " Benny didn't invent anything, if anything he sucked at it. A guy named Lewie actually made it way better"

Damian: You mean Lewis Latimer?

Ellie: Yeah! He is actually a really cool dude. It's so dumb the teacher didn't mention him :(

Damian: While I would have to agree that the lack of proper credit is missing in the textbooks, I am intrigued by your opinions on this matter.

Ellie: Please I'm not fancy or anything i just travel and spoke to a lot of people for a while. Plus stuff about history is more my brother's thing, I am a chaotic art girlie myself.

Damian: Interesting.

__________________________________

Just an idea

[lordcrumps]

The Sims 2 For Rent - CC EXPANSION PACK

Sul Sul!

~ More photos under the under the cut ~

Last week the Sims 4 got a new pack, this week Sims 2 players get that same pack! In a collaboration with @platinumaspiration and @tvickiesims and a HUGE assist from @episims, we bring you "The Sims 2 For Rent CC Expansion Pack!"

This is a large set, and advisable that it does not get merged even further than it already is! - I ran into some issues when trying to do this!

When you explore this pack, please take a look at the marble ring rug, it has some surprisingly cute rug swatches! I put a swatch in it to remove the marbles themselves, so you have a cute small rug! - I only mention this as I was going to bin the rug off once uploaded, but then I found it had some lovely swatches!

FUNCTIONALITY

So most of the items will function as they should and intended as. Its just not just deco items.

There is two collection files included, separated into build buy! Please note that fences and stairs and spandrels cant be but into a collection!

The squatty toilet that took me over 12 hours to make, yeah they squat, animation can be a bit bouncy but such is life. This toilet also can be flushed, get dirty and is cleanable!

Outdoor plants are seasonal!

Counters are animated with insides built, there is no drawer on the counter, I did not want to change the shape of the unit, and saw EA did the same - ignore the fact they grab something from a non existent drawer

Wardrobes have interiors elements, and have working doors!

Each Kettle have two versions, choose only one, one for the colour traits mod / one 'normal'. They function as Tea makers! Huazzah!

Spandrels in build mode are classified as fences. I made a variant with fence / no fence.

Several of the larger deco pieces such as the Arch Gate, or umbrella are actually lights!

Radiators act like radiators!

The Aircon Unit is completely functional, doesn't lower bills, but it does lower sims temperatures!

"Water Heaters" act like solar panels, they get money off your bills!

The Electrical Fuse box has 2 versions, I kept them both in, one wall deco and one functions as a burglar alarm - I wanted more alarms.

Most Sofas / Chairs have morphs!

Slots added to the Vanity and Bathroom Cabinet!

FENCES / SPANDRELS / STAIRS OH MY!

I have included swatch images of each of the spandrels, fences and stairs and labelled them to match, this is so that you can go in and take out any of the swatches you do not want. This is because there are lot of new fences and the menu can feel cluttered with them in for some people.

DOWNLOAD

ALT - SFS

~ Credits / Thanks / List of items not converted under the cut ~

MORE PHOTOS

CREDITS

Mini fridge is cloned from Targa over at MTS - so now it works just like a regular fridge barring a few animations (get baby bottle and juggle)

Kettles were cloned from @pforestsims's kettle, link here.

@jacky93sims for the base of the squat toilet! Epi for the code edits!

THANKS

@tvickiesims, @platinumaspiration thank you soo much for helping with the objects, really couldn't do it myself!! Your amazing, awesome, and some of the best creators out there! Thank you again!

@episims - YOU ARE DA BOMB! Thank you for all your help in getting those toilets working with me, and everything else you do when you answer my little annoying questions! Appreciated like you wouldn't believe!

LIST OF ITEMS NOT CONVERTED - @sims4t2bb

Due to the sizing / functionality of these objects, they will not be included in this pack!

All Yer Fixins Untenable Food Stand

Mali's Moonlight Market Craft Stall

Vegan Vittles Night Market

Late Night Snack Dessert Stall

Rice to Meet You Night Market

The Unrestroom

Fisherman's Slats Window - Tall

The Secret Maze Window - Very Tall

The Secret Maze Window - Super Duper Tall

Stained Glass Tomarani Shutters - Tall

Stained Glass Tomarani Shutters - Tall and Open Wide

The Save Us From Ruin Tallest Cinched Wall Curtain

The How Many Times Do We Need To Tell You It's Not Silk Taller Wall Curtain

The We Are Going To Jail< Tallest Wall Curtain So You Know the Truth Curtain

[mahmoudna]

“My Dream Is Still Alive Despite the Rubble”

My dream has always been to become a UX/UI designer and a web developer. This dream has been my compass toward a better future for me and my family, giving my life meaning and hope despite the challenges.

But the war in Gaza turned our lives upside down. We lost our home, my university, and even the laptop I relied on for learning and work. We were displaced to the southern part of Gaza, where we suffer daily from power outages and limited internet access. Despite these circumstances, my heart still clings to hope, and I refuse to give up on my dream.

I am not just asking for support to acquire equipment; I am asking for a chance to rebuild my future—not just for myself, but for my family as well. I believe that every challenge holds an opportunity, and I am determined to turn this hardship into a story of success.

Why Do I Need Your Support?

To continue my education and pursue my dream, I need some essential tools to help me learn and work under these harsh conditions:

• Laptop: $2,000

• Solar Panel: $2,000

• Power Inverter: $1,000

• 100Ah Battery: $1,000

Total Cost: $6,000.

So far, I’ve managed to raise €975 through my GoFundMe campaign, but I need to reach €7,000 to cover all costs.

My Vision for the Future:

My ambition is not just to complete my studies but also to use my skills to support my community in Gaza. I aim to train young people in programming and design so we can contribute to building a better future despite the challenges we face.

Why Your Contribution Matters:

Your donation is not just helping me personally but is an investment in a young man determined to empower his community. I aspire to become a role model for Palestinian youth, showing that resilience and creativity can overcome any obstacle.

A Heartfelt Thank You:

I live under difficult conditions, but I believe that goodness exists everywhere. Every person who contributes to my dream brings hope back into my life and gives me the strength to keep going.

How You Can Help:

1. Donate to the campaign:

GoFundMe

OR USDT

TLns8czyFHsJQWkaAEeza3of5cgEH7vi3n

2. Share my story with your friends and family. It might reach someone who can help.

3. Offer advice or opportunities that could help me develop my skills and achieve my dream.

Finally:

I promise to share every step of my journey with you—from acquiring the equipment to completing my education and realizing my dream. You are part of this story, and your support is the light I need right now.

“In the darkest times, there is always a ray of light. That light is you and your support, which gives me the strength to carry on.”

Special Thanks:

I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has supported me so far. A special thanks to:

@gaza-evacuation-funds @gaza-relief-fund @wellwaterhysteria @ayeshjourney @nabulsi @catnapdreams @vetted-gaza-funds @vetted

[highprettybabyy]

Seeing Red

Part 9 - The Villa

jenna ortega x fem!reader apocalypse au

summary: house hunting part II

warnings: enemies to lovers, typical apocalypse stuff, violence, blood, zombies, gore, maybe angst... some fluff...

AN: is it time?? will they have peace?? a safe home?? 😈

word count: 3.5k

Part 8

—//—

The living room was hushed, soaked in the soft glow of candlelight, and smelling faintly of honey and burned wick. The dishes from dinner were still drying on the counter, a quiet testament to the rare peace of the day. You sat on the couch, a steaming mug of chamomile tucked between your palms. The ache in your abdomen had dulled to a slow, persistent pulse, but you could finally breathe through it again. Your ankle still twinged now and then, especially if you turned too fast, but it was manageable. You could walk. You could move. You could feel the weight of your own body without crumpling under it.

Jenna sat beside you.

Not across the room. Not perched in a corner, eyeing you like she might need to bolt. Right beside you. The kind of close that made the couch feel smaller than it was - not touching, not quite, but one shift of balance and your thighs would brush.

Your eyes flicked to the stack of house flyers between you. Most of them had been crossed out. "No roof," "smelled like mould," "already burned down." One was folded open in her lap - the villa.

You both stared at it like it might disappear if you blinked too hard.

You sipped your tea. “Four point six million.”

Jenna hummed low in her throat. “Pre-apocalypse inflation’s a bitch.”

You smiled faintly, letting the candlelight catch the edge of it. She noticed.

“I keep trying to find a reason it’s too good,” you admitted. “But it’s fenced. Far enough from the woods. Has space for a proper garden.”

Jenna nodded. “Garage looked massive. Could convert part of it into storage. Maybe even raise solar panels on the roof.”

You tilted your head. “We?”

She went quiet.

The silence stretched.

Finally, she said, “If we’re doing this... we should do it right.”

You didn’t reply at first. Just shifted slightly, letting your thigh brush hers - barely - and tried not to flinch at how deeply your body still ached. Her breath hitched almost imperceptibly, and a second later, she turned to look at you fully.

“Your side hurting?” she asked, already leaning forward slightly.

You nodded. “More when I sit still. Weirdly.”

“Let me check?”

You hesitated, then nodded again. She set her lavender tea down and moved closer, only a breath between you now, before gently lifting the hem of your shirt to look at the edge of the bandages. Her fingers were careful, deliberate, tracing no closer than needed, but it still sent your heart sprinting.

“It’s healing,” she murmured. “Still a little red on the edges, but it’s closing.”

“Good,” you said softly. “That’s… good.”

She lowered your shirt again, but didn’t move back right away.

The space between you still hummed.

You reached slowly toward the flyer again, fingertips brushing the corner of the page. “We could make it work, right? You and me?”

She nodded slowly. “You’d do the garden?”

You smiled. “Garden. Chickens. Rainwater collectors.”

“I’d maintain the panels,” she said. “Figure out the filtration stuff. Keep the lights on.”

“Then we’d both cook.”

“You cook,” she corrected, voice light. “I supervise.”

You laughed - a soft sound that didn’t hurt for once.

It was quiet again. But the kind that felt full of something good this time.

Jenna reached for the flyer and smoothed the crease down the middle. “We could make it ours.”

You looked at her.

She was already looking at you.

There was something open in her eyes - unguarded in a way you’d never seen. No smirk. No armour. Just that steady, burning gaze.

You swallowed. “You want that?”

A long pause. Then:

“I think I’ve wanted that for a while.”

You didn’t say anything. Just leaned your head against her shoulder.

And for the first time in weeks, she let her head rest against yours.

You didn’t talk about tomorrow. Or what the road would be like. Or how many more houses you’d need to check before you reached it.

You didn’t need to.

You’d picked a home.

And each other.

-

The road was quiet. Not safe - it never was - but quiet in a way that made you think, for a moment, that things were okay. That maybe the world had stopped spinning off its axis long enough for you to just breathe.

You could walk again. You weren’t fast, and every few steps reminded you that your ankle still hated you, and your side was a little too tight beneath the bandages, but you could move.

Jenna kept pace beside you, rifle slung across her back, her smaller handgun now holstered comfortably on her hip. She kept glancing sideways - not quite at you, but just past. Watching your balance. Watching your face. She never said anything, but every few minutes, she’d casually ask something like, “How’s the ankle?” or “Need to stop?” You always shook your head. And she always kept asking.

The sun was already warming the top of the trees by the time you turned onto the gravel path that curved toward the estate. It was a good sign - sunlight kept the shadows at bay, and the walk had been blessedly uneventful. You were just starting to feel a little too confident about that when you heard it.

A soft rustle. Then a low groan.

Jenna’s hand moved before her head did. Her fingers wrapped around the handle of a curved blade strapped across her thigh. She didn’t speak - didn’t need to. The second the snarl came from the brush, she stepped forward without hesitation.

It was fast - one of the newer ones. A teenage boy, maybe. Hard to tell. His hoodie was still half-zipped, a badge from a summer music festival flapping at his side. His eyes were still a little too human. But they didn’t slow her.

She ducked the first lunge, twisted, and drove the knife into the side of his head so fast you almost didn’t see it. He dropped without a sound.

Jenna wiped the blade on his jeans and looked up at you. “Still got it.”

You blinked. “Yeah,” you said quietly. “You really do.”

-

The neighbourhood was too quiet.

You stood beside Jenna in the middle of a wide cul-de-sac flanked by overgrown hedges and abandoned cars, staring at the villa that loomed just down the lane, the - very - long lane. It looked untouched from here - all clean, white brick and dark wood beams, the garden fence still intact. The surrounding fields rolled gently beyond the tree line, and a gravel path twisted toward a garage that looked��� elegant, almost. Expensive. Still.

But it was too still.

Jenna had one hand on her rifle, eyes fixed forward. You knew she was listening for the same things you were: the wet gurgle of a throat that shouldn’t be working, the thump of slow footsteps on decaying wood, the chitter of fingernails scraping down stone.

But there was nothing.

You shifted your weight from one foot to the other, trying to favour your good leg. The stitched wound at your side pulled tight with every step, a constant reminder that even winning came with a price.

“It looks clear,” Jenna murmured.

You didn’t believe her.

Not really.

But you nodded, and together, you moved.

The two of you approached slowly, boots crunching softly against the gravel. Each step was measured. Deliberate. You scanned every window, every angle. Jenna raised her hand in a silent signal, and you dropped back, slipping to the left flank while she covered the right.

It should’ve been reassuring how easily you moved together now. Like a unit.

But something wasn’t right.

There was something about the front door - not the door itself, but the space beyond it - that made your skin crawl. You tilted your head slightly, trying to catch a glimpse through the frosted glass panes along the side.

And then you saw it.

Movement. A flicker of colour.

Red.

Not just red - sequins. Glitter. Dresses.

You froze.

You didn’t speak. Just raised your hand and pointed, two fingers low.

Jenna crept forward, following your signal. She peered through the gap, squinting into the dim interior of the villa’s front hall.

Her whisper was barely audible. “Party guests.”

You counted quickly. At least twenty.

They weren’t packed tightly. They were scattered, swaying, idle, twitching. All dressed in half-formal wear: velvet jackets, cocktail dresses, one with a feathered hat askew on her scalp, another with a plastic champagne flute still stuck between what remained of their fingers.

A party.

This had been a party.

And now?

Now it was a massacre that hadn’t finished rotting.

You backed away slowly, motioning Jenna with you. Once out of earshot, she leaned close.

“We can’t take them all inside,” she murmured.

You shook your head. “Field. Open ground. I’ll draw them out.”

“I’ll cover you from the tree line,” she said. “Same as the mall.”

You hesitated.

Her eyes met yours. Steady. Focused.

This time, she knew the plan would hurt you. That your body was still healing. But she also knew there was no other way.

“Alright,” you said quietly.

She helped you find a decent vantage point - a stone bench tucked behind the trellis near the gravel path. From there, you could make a wide run across the field, enough to lead them away from the front door and give Jenna the shot she needed.

You grabbed a small metal toolbox you’d found discarded on the side of the drive and gave it a solid rattle.

The zombies inside twitched.

Their heads snapped toward the sound with bone-cracking urgency.

You took a breath.

And then you bolted.

The scream of squeaky hinges as the front door was thrown open was the last thing you heard before the groans erupted.

They came spilling out - stumbling, flailing, dressed in rags of glitter and crushed velvet, eyes long rotted out but ears sharp as ever. You ran, knees burning, your boot skidding once on a patch of loose gravel, nearly toppling you. The wound at your side screamed with every stride, but you didn’t stop.

Behind you, you could already hear the first shot.

Jenna’s rifle cracked through the evening air - clean and precise. The first body hit the ground with a thud.

You didn’t look back.

The ground flattened out into an open meadow, the grass high and dry around your knees. You weaved through the tall blades, keeping your head low, hoping the distraction would hold. You could hear them behind you - the rustle, the groaning, the sickening slap of rotten feet against soil.

Another shot.

Another.

A pause. Reloading.

You reached the end of the clearing and veered sharply left, ducking down into a slight ditch that would shield you just long enough for Jenna to pick off the rest.

Except your ankle twisted.

You cried out - sharp and loud - as your leg gave way and you hit the ground hard, elbow scraping through packed earth and thistle. Pain flared white-hot in your side. The stitches - fuck - you felt them pull, at least one of them tear.

You gritted your teeth and started crawling.

One arm forward. One leg dragging behind. You felt every tremor in the ground as the undead approached, the last of the partygoers, lumbering closer. You could hear their breathing. Wet. Open-mouthed. Hungry.

And then, a click.

Gunfire again. Louder. Closer.

Jenna had moved.

The next three shots were faster - controlled, but urgent. You rolled to the side just in time to see her advancing down the hill, rifle raised, feet steady, eyes blazing.

Her magazine clicked empty.

She didn’t stop.

She drew her Glock and fired twice more - head, chest - before slamming it back into its holster and pulling the old Magnum from her boot.

It hurts.

By the time she reached you, you were half-conscious and shaking.

She dropped to her knees beside you, hands already reaching, already checking. “Hey. Hey. You with me?”

You tried to nod. You weren’t sure if you managed.

“Jesus, Y/N, don’t- don’t do that again.”

You gave a breathless laugh through tears. “Which part?”

She didn’t answer. Just got under your arm, lifted you gently, and helped you limp the rest of the way back to the villa.

-

The villa felt different once the bodies were gone.

Not better. Just emptier.

Jenna helped you up the porch steps and through the front door with a gentleness that surprised you. Her fingers were firm under your arm, but not demanding - like she was more worried about bruising you than rushing. Once inside, she let you lean against the banister near the stairs while she checked the corners.

You watched her sweep the rooms again, just to be sure. One gun in hand, the other ready at her side. She didn’t speak. She didn’t need to. She was clearing this place for you. For both of you.

The bodies had been left where they fell, you hadn’t had the energy to drag them. That could come later. For now, you just wanted the doors shut, the windows curtained, and the scent of rot to start fading.

Jenna double-checked the lock on the back door, then moved room to room, opening closets, tapping on walls, testing every hinge. She even pulled open the laundry chute and checked the pantry floor for loose panels. You could hear her footsteps above, clearing the upper floor. It was strange - in a way - how thorough she was. As if she wasn’t just looking for threats, but making sure this place was real. Making sure you were both allowed to have this.

You shuffled into the kitchen on your own, using the counter as support. Someone had thrown one hell of a party. The kitchen island was covered in stale nuts, sticky spills, party hats tipped over like casualties. You gathered everything into a cracked serving bowl and dumped it in the bin without ceremony. The fridge was humming faintly - but you didn’t trust the food in it. The pantry was better. Cans, dry rice, some oil, and - blessedly - a couple of cartons of long-life milk.

You lit the lantern and got to work.

A simple meal, nothing fancy. You warmed up a can of chickpeas, mashed in some herbs and oil, sliced bread from the loaf you'd brought, and cracked open a tin of smoked salmon. It smelled surprisingly okay. You even found salt - fancy, flaky stuff from a half-used jar on the spice rack.

By the time Jenna came back down, you were plating the meal: bread with warm chickpea mash, salmon, and a few sprigs of something dried you didn’t recognise but hoped wasn’t deadly.

She blinked at the lanternlight.

“Is this-”

“Dinner,” you said, holding out a plate. “Best we’ve got till I can stand long enough to cook proper.”

She took the plate. Sat beside you on the couch. Didn’t speak for a while.

You ate in silence, both of you too tired to fill the space with anything clever. But it wasn’t empty. It was full of small things. The way your knees brushed. The way Jenna’s fingers lingered on your wrist when she passed the salt. The way she watched you wince and shifted so you could lean easier against the pillows.

After the last bite, Jenna set her plate aside. Her eyes flicked to your side.

“Let me change it?”

You didn’t argue. You lifted your shirt slowly, teeth grit, while she opened her small pouch of supplies - fresh gauze, antiseptic ointment, bandage wrap.

She worked in silence.

Her fingers were gentler now than they’d been even two days ago. She dabbed the ointment on in soft, slow motions, watching your face for every wince. She took care with the wrapping, securing it neatly.

“You went out,” you said suddenly. “For that.”

Jenna paused.

You turned your head toward her. “Didn’t you?”

She didn’t deny it. “I had to.”

“You could’ve died.”

“I couldn’t watch you suffer like that.”

You stared at her. The words dug under your skin and stayed there.

“…Thank you,” you said eventually, voice rough.

She didn’t answer. But her hand - after the bandages were done - lingered on your arm. Just for a moment. Warm and steady.

-

After the meal, everything settled into a kind of quiet neither of you wanted to disturb.

The villa creaked faintly with the wind outside, a soft whistle through the trees and into the corners of the house. You sat together in the warm lantern light, your bowl scraped clean, Jenna’s placed empty on the floor nearby. She had checked your wound again without comment - her fingers gentle, her expression focused - and now, you were both simply sitting. Breathing.

You didn’t know what time it was. Just that the air felt different.

Like a full stop had been placed at the end of a sentence.

You stood slowly, teeth clenched against the dull ache in your side, and she was up a second later without needing to be asked, one hand hovering, just in case.

“Let’s find beds,” you said softly.

The hallway stretched ahead, the shadows deeper now, but less frightening. You passed what must’ve been half a dozen bedrooms - each with unmade sheets, signs of a life that had once filled these walls. Shoes still lined neatly against skirting boards. A stuffed elephant left in the corner of a child’s room.

You and Jenna paused outside the last two doors.

They stood opposite each other - one slightly ajar, the other closed but not locked.

Neither of you moved.

Then, carefully, you said, “Would you mind if… we just picked one room?”

Jenna looked at you, her expression unreadable for a moment.

Then, quietly: “Yeah. I’d like that.”

You pushed open the door to the master bedroom. The lantern light spilled in first, revealing the massive bed, still made. A thick, high-quality duvet. Pillows lined neatly at the head. The walk-in closet was cracked open, and the room smelled faintly of cedar and something sweeter - like old perfume, long faded.

Jenna closed the door behind you both. She didn’t say anything as she moved to wedge a chair beneath the handle and then dragged over a small desk to block the entry entirely. You watched her work with quiet appreciation.

It didn’t matter that you were exhausted. Watching her do something so… deliberate, so calm, had a grounding effect. As if the two of you could actually pull this off.

You crossed the room toward the closet, your lantern bobbing gently in your hand. “Might be some clothes we can use.”

“I’m not wearing a cocktail dress to bed,” Jenna warned.

You pulled the door open - and grinned.

Inside was a full wardrobe, organised meticulously: warm clothes, thick jumpers, and to your utter delight… novelty loungewear. Hanging in pride of place was a bright red panda onesie, complete with ears on the hood. And next to it: a panda-patterned oodie and matching sweatpants.

You didn’t hesitate.

“Dibs on the oodie.”

Jenna narrowed her eyes at you, then looked at the onesie.

Her lips twitched. “You just want to see me in that thing.”

You shrugged, already pulling on the massive hoodie. “Prove it.”

She changed without shame - stripped off her jacket, unbuckled her belt, stepped into the onesie with the deadpan seriousness of a soldier preparing for war. She zipped it up, flipped the hood over her head… and looked up at you with the little red ears poking upright.

You almost burst out laughing.

Instead, you said, “You look adorable.”

“I will throw you out a window.”

You handed her the bag of candy.

“Truce,” you offered.

Jenna rolled her eyes but took the bag anyway, climbing onto the bed and sitting at the edge opposite you. She opened it and pulled out a handful of sweets, chewing one while her legs swung off the side like a teenager avoiding a real conversation.

The room settled around you both. Soft. Warm. Safe enough.

Neither of you reached for the light yet.

Eventually, you pulled back the duvet and slid beneath it, wincing a little but making it work. Jenna joined you a moment later, curling on her side - not close, not touching - but close enough to feel the shape of her next to you.

There was a long, comfortable silence.

You’d almost drifted off when her voice cut through it, barely above a whisper.

“…Goodnight, Y/N.”

You let out a slow breath. “Goodnight, Jenna.”

The moonlight trickled through the high window above the bed, soft silver stretching across the floor like something sacred. The wind outside had calmed. You could hear crickets in the field beyond the trees.

You slept better with her next to you.

--//--

AN: so what if they woke up cuddling..

Part 10

[dandelionsresilience]

Dandelion News - March 8-14

Like these weekly compilations? Tip me at $kaybarr1735 or check out my Dandelion Doodles!

1. Caribbean reef sharks rebound in Belize with shark fishers’ help

“Caribbean reef shark populations have rebounded beyond previous levels, more than tripling at both Turneffe and Lighthouse atolls[…. The recovery] arose from a remarkable synergy among shark fishers, marine scientists and management authorities[….]”

2. Landmark Ruling on Uncontacted Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Strikes at Oil Industry

“[T]he Ecuadorian government [must] ensure any future expansion or renewal of oil operations does not impact Indigenous peoples living in voluntary isolation. [… E]ffective measures must be adopted to prevent serious or irreversible damage, which in this case would be the contact of these isolated populations,” said the opinion[….]”

3. America's clean-energy industry is growing despite Trump's attacks. At least for now

“The buildout of big solar and battery plants is expected to hit an all-time high in 2025, accounting for 81% of new power generation[….] The industry overall has boomed thanks to falling technology costs, federal tax incentives and state renewable-energy mandates.”

4. Study says endangered Asian elephant population in Cambodia is more robust than previously thought

“A genetic study of Asian elephants […] reveals a larger and more robust population than previously thought, raising hopes the endangered species could slowly recover. […] “With sufficient suitable habitat remaining in the region, the population has the potential to grow if properly protected,” the report concludes.”

5. Scientists are engineering a sense of touch for people who are paralyzed

“[Engineers are] testing a system that can restore both movement and sensation in a paralyzed hand. [… A]fter more than a year of therapy and spinal stimulation, [… h]is increased strength and mobility allow him to do things like pet his dog. And when he does, he says, "I can feel a little bit of the fur."“

6. Florida is now a solar superpower. Here’s how it happened.

“In a first, Florida vaulted past California last year in terms of new utility-scale solar capacity plugged into its grid. It built 3 gigawatts of large-scale solar in 2024, making it second only to Texas. And in the residential solar sector, Florida continued its longtime leadership streak.”

7. Rare frog rediscovered after 130 years

“The researchers discovered two populations of the frog[….] "The rediscovery of A. vittatus allowed us to obtain, more than a century after its description, the first biological and ecological data on the species.” [… S]hedding light on where and how they live is the first step in protecting them.”

8. Community composting programs show promise in reducing household food waste

“The program [increased awareness and reduced household waste, and] also addressed common barriers to home composting, including pest concerns and technical challenges that had previously discouraged participants from composting independently.”

9. Pioneering Australian company marks new milestone on “mission” to upcycle end-of-life solar panels

“[…] SolarCrete – a pre-mixed concrete made using glass recovered from used solar panels – will form part of the feasibility study[….] A second stage would then focus on the extraction of high value materials[…] for re-use in PV and battery grade silicon, [… and] electrical appliances[….]”

10. Beavers Just Saved The Czech Government Big Bucks

“The aim was to build a dam to prevent sediment and acidic water from two nearby ponds from spilling over, but the project was delayed for years due to negotiations over land use[….] Not only did the industrious rodents complete the work faster than the humans had intended, they also doubled the size of the wetland area that was initially planned.”

March 1-7 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

[suratan-zir]

Do you mind me asking how the electricity situation is? I understand it's probably awful to put it lightly. But Russia is targeting electrical infrastructure now

Hi. I can only talk about my area, which is in central Ukraine, the situation is different for each region. We have schedules for hourly blackouts. Sounds scary, but it's just so people can be prepared to be without electricity for two or more hours and know when it happens, then another two hours with power, and so on. Each address has a queue number corresponding to a particular blackout schedule, so it’s not only different between regions but even within one city.

After the most recent mass attack, some people in my town were without power for many hours, while others, like my lucky self, experienced only "regular" blackouts. Now we typically have 2-4 hours without power - sometimes less, sometimes more. Other queues have it worse than we do, it depends. We've been lucky lately. On weekends, we almost don’t have blackouts. Overall, it’s been much better than this summer when we sometimes had just 1–2 hours with electricity a day, nonconsecutive. It was hell. For the past two days, it’s been completely normal for us. Almost no outages!

Again, this is my small town in the center of Ukraine. People closer to the frontlines have it much, much worse. If a city is within the range of Russian artillery, they target infrastructure day and night, deliberately attacking and killing workers who arrive to fix it.

In the rest of Ukraine, people have adapted to the blackouts. Those with money and private houses have diesel generators and/or solar panels. People in flats, like us, rely on charging stations, power banks, etc. Most of the stores have generators. We have two large charging stations: one for our heater/boiler (which can run for about a day or more) and one for our laptops and fiber-optic internet, which works even during power outages. One day, when we had no power for a long time, we went outside and smelled gas - turns out our downstairs neighbor put a generator right below his flat’s window. (that’s gotta be illegal, though, lol)

Of course, all these measures are expensive, and not everyone can afford them. But the situation could've been way worse.

Sorry if this reply is too long.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Circular battery self-sufficiency

I'm coming to DEFCON! On FRIDAY (Aug 9), I'm emceeing the EFF POKER TOURNAMENT (noon at the Horseshoe Poker Room), and appearing on the BRICKED AND ABANDONED panel (5PM, LVCC - L1 - HW1–11–01). On SATURDAY (Aug 10), I'm giving a keynote called "DISENSHITTIFY OR DIE! How hackers can seize the means of computation and build a new, good internet that is hardened against our asshole bosses' insatiable horniness for enshittification" (noon, LVCC - L1 - HW1–11–01).

If we are going to survive the climate emergency, we will have to electrify – that is, transition from burning fossil fuels to collecting, storing, transmitting and using renewable energy generated by e.g. the tides, the wind, and (especially) the Sun.

Electrification is a big project, but it's not an insurmountable one. Planning and executing an electric future is like eating the elephant: we do it one step at a time. This is characteristic of big engineering projects, which explains why so many people find it hard to imagine pulling this off.

As a layperson, you are far more likely to be exposed to a work of popular science than you are a work of popular engineering. Pop science is great, but its role is to familiarize you with theory, not practice. Popular engineering is a minuscule and obscure genre, which is a pity, because it's one of my favorites.

Weathering the climate emergency is going to require a lot of politics, to be sure, but it's also going to require a lot of engineering, which is why I'm grateful for the nascent but vital (and growing) field of popular engineering. Not to mention, the practitioners of popular engineering tend to be a lot of fun, like the hosts of the Well That's Your Problem podcast, a superb long-form leftist podcast about engineering disasters (with slides!):

https://www.youtube.com/@welltheresyourproblempodca1465

If you want to get started on popular engineering and the climate, your first stop should be the "Without the Hot Air" series, which tackles sustainable energy, materials, transportation and food as engineering problems. You'll never think about climate the same way again:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/01/06/methane-diet/#3kg-per-day

Then there's Saul Griffith's 2021 book Electrify, which is basically a roadmap for carrying out the electrification of America and the world:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/12/09/practical-visionary/#popular-engineering

Griffith's book is inspiring and visionary, but to really get a sense of how fantastic an electrified world can be, it's gotta be Deb Chachra's How Infrastructure Works:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/10/17/care-work/#charismatic-megaprojects

Chachra is a material scientist who teaches at Olin College, and her book is a hymn to the historical and philosophical underpinnings of infrastructure, but more than anything, it's a popular engineering book about what is possible. For example, if we want to give every person on Earth the energy budget of a Canadian (like an American, but colder), we would only have to capture 0.4% of the solar energy that reaches the Earth's surface.

Now, this is a gigantic task, but it's a tractable one. Resolving it will require a very careful – and massive – marshaling of materials, particularly copper, but also a large number of conflict minerals and rare earths. It's gonna be hard.

But it's not impossible, let alone inconceivable. Indeed, Chachra's biggest contribution in this book is to make a compelling case for reconceiving our relationship to energy and materials. As a species, we have always treated energy as scarce, trying to wring every erg and therm that we can out of our energy sources. Meanwhile, we've treated materials as abundant, digging them up or chopping them down, using them briefly, then tossing them on a midden or burying them in a pit.

Chachra argues that this is precisely backwards. Our planet gets a fresh supply of energy twice a day, with sunrise (solar) and moonrise (tides). On the other hand, we've only got one Earth's worth of materials, supplemented very sporadically when a meteor survives entry into our atmosphere. Mining asteroids, the Moon and other planets is a losing proposition for the long foreseeable future:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/01/09/astrobezzle/#send-robots-instead

The promise of marshaling a very large amount of materials is that it will deliver effectively limitless, clean energy. This project will take a lot of time and its benefits will primarily accrue to people who come after its builders, which is why it is infrastructure. As Chachra says, infrastructure is inherently altruistic, a gift to our neighbors and our descendants. If all you want is a place to stick your own poop, you don't need to build a citywide sanitation system.

What's more, we can trade energy for materials. Manufacturing goods so that they gracefully decompose back into the material stream at the end of their lives is energy intensive. Harvesting materials from badly designed goods is also energy intensive. But if once we build out the renewables grid (which will take a lot of materials), we will have all the energy we need (to preserve and re-use our materials).

Our species' historical approach to materials is not (ahem) carved in stone. It is contingent. It has changed. It can change again. It needs to change, because the way we extract materials today is both unjust and unsustainable.

The horrific nature of material extraction under capitalism – and its geopolitics (e.g. "We will coup whoever we want! Deal with it.") – has many made comrades in the climate fight skeptical (or worse, cynical) about a clean energy transition. They do the back-of-the-envelope math about the material budget for electrification, mentally convert that to the number of wildlife preserves, low-income communities, unspoiled habitat and indigenous lands that we would destroy in the process of gathering those materials, and conclude that the whole thing is a farce.

That analysis is important, but it's incomplete. Yes, marshaling all those materials in the way that we do today would be catastrophic. But the point of a climate transition is that we will transition our approach to our planet, our energy, and our materials. That transition can and should challenge all the assumptions underpinning electrification doomerism.

Take the material bill itself: the assumption that a transition will require a linearly scaled quantity of materials includes the assumption that cleantech won't find substantial efficiencies in its material usage. Thankfully, that's a very bad assumption! Cleantech is just getting started. It's at the stage where we're still uncovering massive improvements to production (unlike fossil fuel technology, whose available efficiencies have been discovered and exploited, so that progress is glacial and negligible).

Take copper: electrification requires a lot of copper. But the amount of copper needed for each part of the cleantech revolution is declining faster than the demand for cleantech is rising. Just one example: between the first and second iteration of the Rivian electric vehicle, designers figured out how to remove 1.6 miles of copper wire from each vehicle:

https://insideevs.com/news/722265/rivian-r1s-r1t-wiring/

That's just one iteration and one technology! And yeah, EVs are only peripheral to a cleantech transition; for one thing, geometry hates cars. We're going to have to build a lot of mass transit, and we're going to be realizing these efficiencies with every generation of train, bus, and tram:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/29/geometry-hates-uber/#toronto-the-gullible

We have just lived through a massive surge in electrification, with unimaginable quantities of new renewables coming online and a stunning replacement of conventional vehicles with EVs, and throughout that surge, demand for copper remained flat:

https://www.chemanalyst.com/NewsAndDeals/NewsDetails/copper-wire-price-remains-stable-amidst-surplus-supply-and-expanding-mining-25416#:~:text=Global%20Copper%20wire%20Price%20Remains%20Stable%20Amidst%20Surplus%20Supply%20and%20Expanding%20Mining%20Activities

This isn't to say that cleantech is a solved problem. There are many political aspects to cleantech that remain pernicious, like the fact that so many of the cleantech offerings on the market are built around extractive financial arrangements (like lease-back rooftop solar) and "smart" appliances (like heat pumps and induction tops) that require enshittification-ready apps:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/06/26/unplanned-obsolescence/#better-micetraps

There's a quiet struggle going on between cleantech efficiencies and the finance sector's predation, from lease-back to apps to the carbon-credit scam, but many of those conflicts are cashing out in favor of a sustainable future and it doesn't help our cause to ignore those: we should be cheering them on!

https://pluralistic.net/2024/06/12/s-curve/#anything-that-cant-go-on-forever-eventually-stops

Take "innovation." Silicon Valley's string of pump-and-dump nonsense – cryptocurrency, NFTs, metaverse, web3, and now AI – have made "innovation" into a dirty word. As the AI bubble bursts, the very idea of innovation is turning into a punchline:

https://www.wheresyoured.at/burst-damage/

But cleantech is excitingly, wonderfully innovative. The contrast between the fake innovation of Silicon Valley and the real – and vital – innovation of cleantech couldn't be starker, or more inspiring:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/05/30/posiwid/#social-cost-of-carbon

Like the "battery problem." Whenever the renewables future is raised, there's always a doomer insisting that batteries are an unsolved – and unsolvable – problem, and without massive batteries, there's no sense in trying, because the public won't accept brownouts when the sun goes down and the wind stops blowing.

Sometimes, these people are shilling boondoggles like nuclear power (reminder: this is Hiroshima Day):

https://theconversation.com/dutton-wants-australia-to-join-the-nuclear-renaissance-but-this-dream-has-failed-before-209584

Other times, they're just trying to foreclose on the conversation about a renewables transition altogether. But sometimes, these doubts are raised by comrades who really do want a transition and have serious questions about power storage.

If you're one of those people, I have some very good news: battery tech is taking off. Some of that takes the form of wild and cool new approaches. In Finland, a Scottish company is converting a disused copper mine into a gravity battery. During the day, excess renewables hoist a platform piled with tons of rock up a 530m shaft. At night, the platform lowers slowly, driving a turbine and releasing its potential energy. This is incredibly efficient, has a tiny (and sustainable) bill of materials, and it's highly replicable. The world has sufficient abandoned mine-shafts to store 70TWh of power – that's the daily energy budget for the entire planet. What's more, every mine shaft has a beefy connection to the power grid, because you can't run a mine without a lot of power:

https://www.euronews.com/green/2024/02/06/this-disused-mine-in-finland-is-being-turned-into-a-gravity-battery-to-store-renewable-ene

Gravity batteries are great for utility-scale storage, but we also need a lot of batteries for things that we can't keep plugged into the wall, like vehicles, personal electronics, etc. There's great news on that score, too! "The Battery Mineral Loop" is a new report from the Rocky Mountain Institute that describes the path to "circular battery self-sufficiency":

https://rmi.org/wp-content/uploads/dlm_uploads/2024/07/the_battery_mineral_loop_report_July.pdf

The big idea: rather than digging up new minerals to make batteries, we can recycle minerals from dead batteries to make new ones. Remember, energy can be traded for materials: we can expend more energy on designs that are optimized to decompose back into their component materials, or we can expend more energy extracting materials from designs that aren't optimized for recycling.

Both things are already happening. From the executive summary:

The chemistry of batteries is rapidly improving: over the past decade, we've reduced per-using demand for lithium, nickle and cobalt by 60-140%, and most lithium batteries are being recycled, not landfilled.

Within a decade, we'll hit peak mineral demand for batteries. By the mid-2030s, the amount of new "virgin minerals" needed to meet our battery demand will stop growing and start declining.

By 2050, we could attain net zero mineral demand for batteries: that is, we could meet all our energy storage needs without digging up any more minerals.

We are on a path to a "one-off" extraction effort. We can already build batteries that work for 10-15 years and whose materials can be recycled with 90-94% efficiency.

The total quantity of minerals we need to extract to permanently satisfy the world's energy storage needs is about 125m tons.

This last point is the one that caught my eye. Extracting 125m tons of anything is a tall order, and depending on how it's done, it could wreak a terrible toll on people and the places they live.

But one question I learned to ask from Tim Harford and BBC More Or Less is "is that a big number?" 125m tons sure feels like a large number, but it is one seventeenth of the amount of fossil fuels we dig up every year just for road transport. In other words, we're talking about spending the next thirty years carefully, sustainably, humanely extracting about 5.8% of the materials we currently pump and dig every year for our cars. Do that, and we satisfy our battery needs more-or-less forever.

This is a big engineering project. We've done those before. Crisscrossing the world with roads, supplying billions of fossil-fuel vehicles, building the infrastructure for refueling them, pumping billions of gallons of oil – all of that was done in living memory. As Robin Sloan wrote:

Did people say, at the dawn of the automobile: are you kidding me? This technology will require a ubiquitous network of refueling stations, one or two at every major intersection … even if there WAS that much gas in the world, how would you move it around at that scale? If everybody buys a car, you’ll need to build highways, HUGE ones — you’ll need to dig up cities! Madness!

https://www.robinsloan.com/newsletters/room-for-everybody/

That big project cost trillions and required bending the productive capacity of many nations to its completion. It produced a ghastly geopolitics that elevated petrostates – a hole in the ground, surrounded by guns – to kingmakers whose autocrats can knock the world on its ass at will.

By contrast, this giant engineering project is relatively modest, and it will upend that global order, yielding energy sovereignty (and its handmaiden, national resliency) to every country on Earth. Doing it well will be hard, and require that we rethink our relationship to energy and materials, but that's a bonus, not a cost. Changing how we use materials and energy will make all our lives better, it will improve the lives of the living things we share the planet with, and it will strip the monsters who currently control our energy supply of their political, economic, and electric power.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/08/06/with-great-power/#comes-great-responsibility