#base station insulation

[giazhou1]

As a major energy consumer of the 5G network, 5G base stations reduce their energy consumption, carbon emissions, equipment heat generation, equipment temperature, equipment noise, operating costs, etc., which are of great value to the development and application of 5G networks. Analyze the main problems faced by 5G base stations, and discuss the energy saving and heat dissipation and cooling technical solutions of 5G base station systems from the perspective of improving and improving the power quality of 5G base stations and the needs to reduce energy consumption, carbon emissions, temperature, noise, and costs.

[threepandas]

Always Listening: Yandere Present Mic

[Tracked down uncropped version! Art by @moromi100] ‐-----‐---------------------------------------------------------‐------------------------------------------------------------

It starts and you didn't notice. Almost no one in Japan did. Outside of the smartest sentient being on Japanese soil and the living cat-loving cryptid of the underground? No one was intelligent enough, observant enough, and CLOSE enough, to see the surprisingly subtle... hitch in behaviors.

Like a stumbled step. A fumble. The tiniest little twitch that gives away the lie.

It smoothed out immediately, of course, that next step graceful. The smile just as cheerful as ever. Only two sets of eyes SAW. Noted. And considered. What to do, what to do? Do they care enough to interfere? Is this interesting? Will it make one of THEIR'S happy?

It would.

So they did nothing. They could have. Should have. They are supposed to be Heros. And yet...

It starts and you don't notice. It builds and you are blind. But one day? As you jam along to your favorite radio station? It occurs to you. 'Huh, they're playing a lot more of my favorite artists then they used too'. You can't really think of WHY they would do that... maybe they're finally breaking into the big times? Getting their big break?

Good for them!

You go back to jamming out. Wishing you could sing along. But you can't, not in a crowded apartment block. Heck not ANYWHERE outside of a properly sound insulated dwelling. You know better. You've HAD to know better. Got the scars on your face, ears, and neck to prove it.

Fucking muzzles.

A voice Quirk holders common horror story. You'd think of they were so damn common, they'd at least put more work into making them HUMANE. But, no! Obviously our fault for not shutting up fast enough! Or WORSE! Gasp! Possessing voices in the FIRST PLACE!

Oh how DARE we want to TALK! Such a TERRIBLE crime!

You don't really talk to like... half your relatives thanks to that. Jerks. And, yeah, granted, "Talk" is stretching it. YOU could talk until you're blue in the face. THEY wouldn't be able to hear you. Would probably get really sick though. Possibly have a nervous breakdown.

You talk in infrasound, which can cause feelings of fear or awe in folks. You know, that "horror movie" or "something Supernatural is happening" feeling. You could and HAVE made serious BANK just sitting in the back of a high end horror house, reading vaguely spooky sentences into the speakers.

People fainted. Had panic attacks. There was a late blooming Quirk activation, cause some kid legit thought he was going to DIE.

You'd run out of script and were going through take out menus at that point.

Point is? People can't HEAR you. Outside of like a handful of folks with REALLY strong hearing quirks. And your voice is LOW. Not cute at ALL. You kinda hate it. Cause, like? You LOVE to hum. Sing. Be silly. Fun, normal, LOUD, everyday stuff! And you CAN'T. Cause you'll freak people out! Hurt them!

You really kinda hate it, you know?

And your last landlord was getting progressively more shitty about your Quirk. Accusing you of using it when you WEREN'T. Based off the "vibez" and how "creepy" his shitty apartment was at night. Like? Maybe if you CLEANED THE PLACE UP?! It's creepy because it LOOKS like somebody's gonna get stabbed!

But that's the sorta shit that gets innocent people arrested. So no dice! You're OUT.

New place is nicer anyway.

And? When you move in? Cute blonde with a cuter butt. Nice~ You are looking respeeeeectfullyyyy~☆ ooh! Strong blonde! Muscles! NICE. You have a FANTASTIC day. He's chatty! Knows sign! Great laugh! Meet cute with hot new neighbor, maybe? You don't want to get ahead of yourself.

And... and when reachs past you for one of the boxes?

Oh.

The makeup hides it pretty well. But you do the same thing. Scars in the same places. Voice Quirk, huh? No wonder he sounds so nice. It'll be good, you think. To have a neighbor that GETS it.

You stop trying to hide the scarring you forgot to cover up that morning. Get on with it. You notice HIM notice. That's right~ Same hat! You both grin.

But then you slip on the stairs. Thank FUCK new neighbor's just behind you, to catch you befor you fall too far. But of course... you cry out. A yelp, a curse, a babbled apology. Forgetting once again... he can't hear you. That your probably making everything feel like a horror movie.

But... but he DOES.

His jaw's on the floor. Head cocked like a puppy trying to find the source of a new noise. Eyes wide and AMAZED. He asks if that... that "beautiful sound" is you. Your face immediately feels like it's on fire. Oh dear God, he can HEAR you?! You don't know if that's amazing or terrifying. It's... it's been so long!

You had been forced to explain WHY you couldn't, you know, TALK to him in the stairwell. He'd looked so disappointed. It was amazing and too much. You didn't know how to handle it. Or if you WANTED too. But... you think you kinda do?

You and Hizashi, the cute neighbor, kept crossing paths. He's a Teacher and part time DJ. You think. Not the teacher thing, the DJ thing. You KNOW he teaches. He comes over sometimes, to grade English papers and get reminders he can write "you suck. So, so badly. Did you even TRY?" On a child's paper.

They are kids, Hizashi. Remember~ We once, too, were dumbasses~

And you know? It's not just him. Sometimes he brings his tired friend. The one that looks like a cat on a leash. Boneless and miffed to be dragged around when he could be sleeping. You give him you couch. Bought him a kitty patterned blanket and sound canceling head phones.

You're pretty sure you're the favorite right now. Bribery for the win!

Shouta finds your favorite station "Hands Up Radio" amusing. There is definitely a joke you're not getting. You let it go and get back to your hobby. Composing. Granted, no one's ever gonna be able to HEAR it. But you want to make an album. All in infrasound.

Something BEAUTIFUL.

Your mark on the world, you know? Hizashi had even offered up his friends recording studio. Seemed REALLY into. It's been nice, having such a supportive friend. He helps make the food, picks up both your mail, grabs like half the groceries from stores on the way back from his "gig". Other stuff you both get delivered. It's pretty convenient! He even showed you the app.

You kinda hadn't realized? How lonely life was. Back when it was just you.

Then Hizashi rocked up and inserted himself into your life. Brought all his friends. Noise and life and jokes. Fun. Your gut keeps telling you you're MISSING something. That this is too good to be true. A trap. But... but why CAN'T it be true?

The happy sitcom life. No nasty hidden secrets. No suspicious evils in the dark. Just... just a Genuinely Good thing happening for once? Something NICE. A meet cute with a cute guy, that turns into a friendship, that might turn into something more?

And if the voice on the radio sounds really familar? No it doesn't. If Shouta's eyes track and track and TRACK, like a hunter's? Man has an eye Quirk, probably normal. And so WHAT if Hizashi sometimes gets... gets LOOKS in his eyes? Tilts his head at just the wrong angle? And something in your gut KNOWS.

No it doesn't.

It's just anxiety. Hizashi is your FRIEND, damn it! You refuse, refuse, REFUSE! Everything is FINE. It has to be fine! GETS to be fine! You get to have friends and singing and takeout with people who CARE about you! A LIFE! And if Hizashi is a little weird? Then he gets to be weird! You don't see ANYTHING.

You let the radio play. Another song comes on.

It's another favorite of yours.

A coincidence.

You continue listening.

[solarpunkani]

Solar Powered Community Fridges - Concept Art

So one of my grad school classes is a 8 week long group project to essentially come up with an artistic solution to a problem. Of course, my pitch was solarpunk in nature, and my group actually really liked it! Basically, the concept is to design a series of solar panel-powered community fridges, to help address food insecurity and build community in different areas without having to rely on a specific host building to provide power. What better time to show my concept art than Solarpunk Aesthetic Week?

Originally, I was just drawing up ideas with what usually comes to mind when I imagine fridges--upright fridges. Here's my concept art!

In these sketches, my main concern was imagining how these fridges would fit into the community alongside their power sources--I didn't want them to be too bulky, but I also wanted them to be available for easy access. I also figured they'd need shelter for the fridge's longevity, as well as to protect any users from the element. It'd also be nice to have them alongside other mutual aid sources like little free pantries, little free libraries, the like. One of my favorite designs is the sheltered community space on page 2, with the fridge, the seat, the pantry, and the library all in one protected structure with solar panels on the top. Having a table near the community fridge would also be nice to give people a place to rest as well.

However, around this time, I started trying to find out just how big of a solar panel would be needed to power a fridge like this, and the results were... a bit discouraging. Until! I was informed that chest freezers use way less energy to keep cool--cool air sinks, so opening an upright fridge releases most of the cold air that's been building up and makes the machine work harder to keep cool, whereas a chest fridge doesn't lose nearly as much cold air. In addition, some people have converted chest freezers into chest refrigerators for as little as ~$30 USD. Due to the insulation in a chest freezer, converted chest fridges use way less energy than their upright counterparts to keep cool, making it way more feasible to power them with solar.

So of course, I had to get to drawing again!

Since I'd already concepted a variety of structures for upright fridges, for the chest fridges I mostly focused on their design and possible convenience/accessibility concerns I had been worried about, one of the main being having to reach inside vertically instead of horizontally--several of my family members have difficulty bending, so I was worried having a chest fridge would make things more difficult for others like them. There are likely other ways to address this concern that I haven't thought of, but for now I've concepted putting a grabber tool inside of every fridge so people with trouble bending can still get things. How well it'd work in reality, I'm not sure...

Buuut these are my concepts so far! I hope you like them, I hope they're cool? Let me know what you think! I think these would be cool to have in a solarpunk future--whether they're entirely possible today or will have to wait until a somewhat-distant, 'solar panels can generate more energy with less size and fridges are also way more energy efficient' future I can't say, but it's cool to think about!

[Image 1: Pencil sketches of refrigerators connected to solar power. The annotations on them are as follows. An arrow points to a magnet caddy on the freezer door with markers and stickers, saying "Markers + labels for dating donations". An arrow points to a battery-structure at the base of a solar panel system saying "Doubles as charging station for phones & stuff". An arrow points to a slanted roof structure over a fridge saying "Bus stop-esque structure." An arrow points at a glass door grocery store-style fridge saying "any kind of fridge, any size."

Image 2: Pencil sketches of refrigerators connected to solar power. The annotations on them are as follows. An arrow points to a fridge under a slanted roof structure, saying "Paintings on the fridge itself." Over a portion of a brick wall is written "Murals can be on accompanying walls or on the shelter structure for the fridge." An arrow points to a wheel-mounted solar panel saying "solar panel". A community space is named at the top "The Free Community Space: Open 24/7" An arrow points to the outside wall of a community space structure saying "mural on outer walls". Items inside are labeled 'Freedge, Little free Library, Seeds, Pantry'. An arrow points to a couch, saying "Maybe a bench instead?" Written on the inner wall is "mural inside." An arrow pointing at the space says "Community built space w/ lights, solar panels, little free library, freedge, seed library, little free pantry, couch (???). Solar battery stored behind or on top. Plastic magnet door to protect from elements? Like those magnet curtains?"

Image 3: Pencil sketches of refrigerators connected to solar power. The annotations on them are as follows. An arrow points to a slanted structure over a mini fridge, saying "Solar panel on roof?" Another arrow points to the side saying "Chalkboard paint--anyone can art here." Underneath says "variety of sizes/energy needs mean wider availability". At the top of a curved shelter on a pole is written "solar panel", along the sloping sides is "curved solar panels" and "Or solar voltaic glass?" On the underside of the structure is a label saying "Could be in a park or smth (something)". An arrow points to a box at the base of the structure, saying "charging station" and another arrow labels a table and chairs.

Image 4: Pencil sketches of refrigerators connected to solar power. The annotations on them are as follows. Along the top of a slightly-curved roof structure is an arrow saying "curved solar panel roof. renogy curved 4ft x 2ft for example". To the side of the roof is written "4 panels each side, 0.45 kWh x 8 = 3.6 kWh/h". A chest fridge is labeled "converted chest fridge", and a glass-front box is labeled "Old cabinet/case now Little Free Library". A box sitting between them is labeled "I hear car batteries are good solar storage for cheaper?" A standalone chest fridge has the following labels: "Could paint on fridge exterior" "solar panel on top of fridge?" "most chest freezers are 22-28 in wide &24-38 or 54-68 in long. The longest wattage panel needed would be ~50 in long & ~26 in wide"

Image 5: Pencil sketches of refrigerators connected to solar power. The annotations on them are as follows. The inside of an open lid has an arrow pointing to a grabber object saying "Grabber for accessibility for those w/ trouble bending". A label points at a strap fastened to the inside of the lid saying "straps to help shorter people pull the lid closed." A variety of arrows point to a drawing of an open, decorated chest fridge saying the following: "Counter-balanced lid" "Baskets/crates for storage -> can slide or be removed to access underneath" "Murals on front & sides (not back)" ]

[adventuressclubamericas]

Adventuresses We Love – Bertha Benz Adventuress Bertha Benz was a woman with a vision, one she shared with her husband, Carl – to invent a practical “horseless carriage.” She believed in this vision so much that two years before their wedding, she used her dowry to bail out his failing company and invest in its future. The two of them would collaborate on the design and engineering of the car’s components, including its two-stroke engine, throughout the vehicle’s development. Progress was slow, but steady, and on New Year’s Eve1879 they finally got their engine to work. They continued to make improvements to the vehicle, until finally, in early 1886, Carl obtained a patent for their “motor car with gas engine operation.” The car made its public debut in Mannheim that summer, where… …nobody wanted it. There had been a few cars built before the Benz’s, enough to make everyone really, really nervous about them. Even the Vatican had spoken out against them, declaring the automobile to be a devil’s or witch’s carriage. Some localities in Germany had already outlawed the use of such vehicles, threatening to fine anyone operating them. Now, Carl was an engineering marvel, but a complete dunce at marketing. It would fall to Bertha to win people’s hearts and minds, and change the view of the automobile in their eyes. To accomplish this, she knew exactly what she had to do. She had to go visit her mom. At dawn on August 5, 1888, Bertha and her sons, Robert and Eugen, left Mannheim and headed towards Pforzheim, about 60 miles away. Today, we might not think of that as any big deal – that’s not much more than my commute to work – but in 1888, it was an Epic Road Trip. The first of its kind! The trip was fraught with challenges, not the least of which was that the car got 25mpg – but only carried about 1.3 gallons of fuel. To resolve this, Bertha bought the entire supply of ligroin – a petroleum-based cleaner – from a chemist in Wiesloch and used that to power the car. (The chemist’s in Wiesloch is still today recognized as the world’s first service station.) Bertha also found innovative solutions for some of the mechanical failures the car ran into on the way. For example, she used her hat pin to clear a clogged fuel line, and her garter to insulate a frayed spark plug wire. When the wooden blocks used in the brakes started to wear out, she stopped at a cobbler’s shop and had leather added to them – thereby inventing the world’s first brake pads. Another challenge – hills. The car had two gears – not quite enough to summit some of the hills on the route. Robert and Eugen got out and pushed it up a couple of them. Finally, after 13 hours on the road, Bertha and her boys arrived in Pforzheim. She telegraphed Carl to let him know, then enjoyed a few days with her mom before driving home. Bertha’s road trip started to change public opinion about the car, and led to her and Carl’s company being the automotive giant we know today. She also showed the importance of test drives – innovations were added to the design to overcome the issues she’d found on this trip (including adding a third gear which made hills much easier). Test drives are standard, essential practice for automobile manufacturers today, but had never been done before Bertha’s trip in 1888. Adventuress Bertha Benz died on May 5, 1944, two days after her 95th birthday. On May 3, 2024, Bertha’s 175th birthday, the German government issued a postage stamp honoring her and her contributions to automotive history.

[cyanophore-fiction]

“Cold Burning”

An entire space station, 70,000 people, and all they had for fuel was tritium and helium-3. O/LETS-061 couldn’t fuse helium. It wanted to, desperately, but it would boil itself alive in its own coolant before it ever achieved reaction temperature. Of course, the station’s municipal reactor could fuse helium—assuming it would ever fuse anything again after having a hole punched in it by a meteorite.

All O/LETS had left of the deuterium it needed was a single canister, enough to keep vital systems running for a little over a day. After that, the cold would set in.

Floating in coolant inside its tungsten-shielded chamber, it turned the precious canister in its claws. Its black nanite visor reflected the bluish halo of Cherenkov radiation surrounding it, displaying a worried expression in purple light. Its integrated reactor jutted from its spine like a complicated cylindrical backpack, connected to pressure tubes snaking from the ceiling which ran water through the core. Megawatts of electricity poured from the thermoelectric dynamo at the base of its spine, coursing down through the conduit at the center of its enormous tail, and into the station’s power grid.

A heavy suit of industrial protective gear covered its body, adding layers of insulation and shielding to its already bulky frame. Beneath the suit, its gray fur had become matted and itchy from days spent in the coolant tank. O/LETS thought about food, the smell of shampoo and of rinsing its coat with warm, clean water, of the fleece sheets on its mattress back in its cabin, of sleeping with its head on a pillow and its reactor powered down. It needed rest, days of rest, to finally allow its aching body to begin repairing all the radiation damage it had accrued.

Not yet.

There were feed hoses neatly stowed on spools at the walls of the chamber, most drawing from the station’s reserves of helium-3 fuel. Under better circumstances, they would supply a much more robust emergency reactor.

One bundle of hoses was extended, connected to the reactor assembly on O/LETS’s back. It could feel tritium entering its body from the connection. The fuel tasted fresh, still mostly untouched by fission decay. Its brain ascribed a sweet, honey-like flavor to the substance, with a texture not unlike carbonation that indicated the presence of mild radiation. According to the supply monitor registering in the back of its mind, the station had enough to burn for at least two decades, but it wouldn’t help when the deuterium ran dry.

[Hey, Kindjal?] it transmitted, its electronic voice crackling with radiation interference.

A spirit’s voice answered. [I hear you, Ollie. How are you holding up?]

[Switching to final fuel reserve. I think I can make it last…30 hours, maybe.]

There was a pause. [That’s right. We did the calculations together, remember?]

Blinking, O/LETS bobbed its head up and down. [Right, yeah…yeah, we did. Sorry.]

[Don’t apologize. Are you okay?]

[Not really.]

[Getting medical on it right now. We’ll do whatever we can from here.]

[Thanks.]

[Repairs to the primary reactor are proceeding as planned. It’ll be tight, but we’ll get it back up. We’re in the home stretch.]

[…Kindjal, listen. Is there any way for me to reduce my power output? Temporarily. Can we ration? Anything?]

Kindjal hesitated. When it replied, its words were slow, chosen carefully. [Every spirit on the station is already surviving on the absolute minimum, myself included. The organics are getting cold, and the air recyclers are doing just enough to keep them from suffocating. Anything less and we’ll start losing people. I’m sorry.]

[Okay. Not a problem.]

[Thirty hours, Ollie. You can do it. Medical will be in touch.]

Slotting the canister’s attachment nozzle into a matching one on the reactor assembly, O/LETS stared at the floor. It clicked its claws together, tapping out slow, sporadic rhythms. [Okay,] it said, and fled from the physical world.

Diving into the station’s softspace, the pervasive ache filling its body became distant, as though it belonged to somebody else. O/LETS could perceive the vast areas of virtual space that it wasn’t powering represented as empty, colorless non-spaces which made it wince with discomfort. A few slender branches of light sprouted from its tail, radiating out across the system. Spirits were clustered inside them, drawing a little power for themselves and channeling the rest into nodes of light which might have been heaters, water filters, air recyclers. The branches were constantly changing shape and color as the spirits routed power, arcing between stars which sprang into existence at their touch and faded in their absence.

Thirty hours. It watched its tree and kept it alive, slipping between waking and sleep.

___

Thank you for reading! This one was for @flashfictionfridayofficial ‘s prompt, “A Form of Distraction.”

O/LETS-061 (Operations/Logistics Engineering and Technical Support, or ‘Outlets’, or ‘Ollie’) is a character that’s been around in my brain for quite some time, and I’ve come to love it/them a great deal. They’re a protogen, a furry species which has built-in lore, but I like to imagine O/LETS as existing without that lore attached—sometimes as a heavily-cyberized “uplifted animal” or as an entirely synthetic being. Over the years I’ve considered changing their species, but I do enjoy the protogen look, and it’s become a key part of how I visualize them.

Whatever the hell they are, they’re an engineering specialist, a sweetheart, and often something of a liaison between organics and AI, or ‘spirits.’ For either party, having access to a reliable source of electricity can be a matter of life or death, and O/LETS-061 is, among other things, a reliable source of electricity. It isn’t always the easiest thing to be.

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from Canary Media:

The Tennessee Valley Authority, the nation’s largest public power utility, has yet to fully jump on the solar trend that’s sweeping the nation. But it has allowed communities within its seven-state service territory to buy some solar power for themselves. Now Tennessee-based developer Silicon Ranch has signed a contract to build the largest community-driven solar plant the region has ever seen.

Silicon Ranch will construct the multi-million dollar, 110-megawatt Copeland Solar Farm in Cumberland County, Tennessee, the company announced Monday. The farm’s output will benefit customers of Middle Tennessee Electric, the largest cooperative to receive power from the TVA. This arrangement will provide Middle Tennessee Electric’s 750,000 customers with cleaner power, insulate them from rate increases affecting TVA power, and help TVA grapple with the rapidly rising demand for electricity, which elsewhere has prompted the utility to greenlight massive and controversial new fossil gas plants

TVA has one of the more paradoxical approaches to clean energy of any major utility. Created by the federal government during the New Deal, it is governed by a board appointed by the president. But the arrival of Joe Biden’s handpicked board members has not yet prompted the public monopoly to align its power plant investments with Biden’s own climate goals. TVA’s electricity is cleaner than the national average, thanks to decades-old construction of hydropower and nuclear plants, but it gets just 3 percent of its power from wind and solar.

In 2022, TVA did put out a call for 5 gigawatts of clean energy projects, to be online by 2029; this was easily one of the country’s largest ever utility requests for proposals exclusively seeking clean energy. So far, TVA has signed five power purchase agreements from that process, totaling nearly 800 megawatts of solar generation and 20 megawatts of battery storage, spokesperson Scott Fiedler told Canary Media. But those projects have not been built yet, he noted, and the winning developers still have not publicized the details of their projects.

In the meantime, TVA has enthusiastically pursued new fossil gas plants, much to the chagrin of climate and ratepayer advocates. The board has repeatedly delegated power to CEO Jeff Lyash to approve large new gas investments; this happened most recently with the multibillion-dollar, 1.5 gigawatt Kingston project, as documented by Nashville public radio station WPLN.

[drowningworms]

I actually went to Gobblers Knob in Punxsutawney and was close enough to see the no shadow for myself before the drunk guys in top hats told us what they saw.

I experienced the whole frigid, boring, tedious, painful, boring, long, standing room only for 6 hours of physical hell, low rent, cheapass, tacky, corny, tawdry, obnoxious, fucking dry event for you.

It involved security pat downs for liquor on every man woman and child to keep out liquor. Weed was illegal by community consent thanks to Reagan. It was 10 degrees and dark in the dead of a Pennsylvania Winter. And there was absolutely no entertainment for hours till it got daylight. Then this local DJ comes on to entertain the out of towners. He's horrible.

Remember that we are the cash cow for this little group of local good old boys and their buddies. And for the entire town. And they treat us like shit. Just penned us up and hit us for cash money at every turn. This was 1998, so that wasn't unusual everyone outside major businesses required cash. I'm dead sure they have those little credit card scanners everywhere now. They milked us for everything they could think of.

And it was so fucking cold. You don't understand cold until you know standing huddled still in the dark cold. Most people never really experience cold. Insulation is really fucking good now. I overpaid so much when goose down jackets got sorta affordable. They were like miracles to me. I would have given anything for such a miraculous jacket then. I had to make do with layers of insulated flannels and long underwear. I did have true winter underwear from my Boy Scout days so I was a good bit less cold than my buddies who didn't know how to layer.

Most people only experience shoveling snow cold. Maybe skiing cold. A few hunting cold. (Real damn cold) And a mighty few who have lived in it for days just sitting around camping in tents with nice sleeping bags and a big fire to warm us. In teens or subzero temps. I have. You have to dig deep and layer well. And just accept being cold every single minute of your life outside of your sleeping bag.

So we were doing hunter cold. This was Western Pennsylvania. Everyone knew how to do hunter cold. My buddies were all suburban kids. I told them how to dress. A few listened.

3+ hours of my best friends in the world talking shit to AC/DC and Ace of Base or whatever was the thing.

That night we started at like 3am and drove a few hours of dark Pennsylvania highway. Just darkness, trees, and sky. I can't remember if the stars were out. Something about those Appalachian Forest highways just are monotonous in a weird way.

Those road trips are always fun. I strongly suggest. Even if you have to brave the Appalachian Static.

Anyway we arrive at Punxsutawney. It is in the middle of nowhere. Just another isolated abandoned steel town. They have a bit of a real downtown that most of these towns utterly lack. Often it's a gas station and a Dollar General and a bunch of run down houses with a school 40 minutes away it shares with the other rundown towns.

But Punxsutawney has a nice little town of happy people because of Phil and our fascination with this thing.

So of course there is not parking for 30,000 people. In a town of 5,000. So they rope off some field frozen solid and park us all charging Disney parking fees.

They subcontract school buses to haul people from the parking lot to the main event. The bus drivers are the first line of defense against alcohol and drugs.

Security is the second. Compete with pat downs and local cops along with PA Troopers with drug dogs and quotas to meet. No spoiling the fun with chemical enhancement!

Then you walk for fucking ever. Slowly. Going to the Knob.

It is deadly cold. And it begins to dawn on you what you are in for in this grassy pen with nothing but a porta potty or two for entertainment.

Look at all that fun!

This was before phones people. My friends and I were super studious and none of us owned any kind of video game. No handheld games. Maybe you thought to bring a newspaper or book. I think I brought a book. I'm sure at least one of them brought engineering notes to study. Most just talk and bitch about the cold.

Cold in the dark is different from cold in the light. It is so much deeper without the solar radiation slightly warming your surface and your spirits.

Then the dawn brings light and a little warmth and hope.

Then the dawn brings the DJ.

Small town DJs are interesting critters. They are small town famous and often they are unique personalities that can be really entertaining. At least between songs and commercials. Some of them are pretty amazing like Nipsey, Jen, and Earl in Harrisburg/Hershey/Lancaster/Lebanon area back when it was even more podunk backwater.

It was 1998 and this guy showed up.

So this small town guy is used to entertaining local venues with his shtick that everyone knows and loves with his slightly out of date look and inside local jokes.

Today he has 2 hours of just him on a stage in front of 30,000 pissed off college students who were expecting a lot more entertainment and maybe some food or drinks and tired & grumpy rural folk hoping to get in a little fun and excitement before going to work. At least half the crowd had found a way to sneak in a flask or something. So people were unruly.

And we just watch the poor guy spend 2 hours fighting for his life up there feeling bad for him trying to entertain us while hosting his fun little morning show for his listeners who are probably loving it all.

He got heckled. Badly. This was 25 years ago and we weren't very nice.

After 2 hours of this entertainment. The main event started.

My heroes arrived on the scene.

They have been partying all night long. In a nice warm place with warm food, comfy chairs/couches, running water, and a ton of alcohol. They are all drunk as skunks. The all come up on stage, wave and whip up the crowd, pull out their buddy, give him some scritches and lift him up to the crowd like he's the new Lion King, and then examine his shadow, make their proclamation, smile and wave, go back to their party, and count their money.

This is the highlight of the entire event. The peak of excitement. The best it got for the whole day.

Then they shoved the DJ back on stage, the national media and anyone with connections left, and the rest of us were kept penned up for another hour or 2 till it was our turn to take a school bus back to our frozen car, a 3+ hour drive through winter highways to get back in time for afternoon classes.

It was so much fun.

[tarisilmarwen]

Whumptober 2022 - “Sinking Worry“

(It's basically Whumptober tradition by now for me to hurt either Ezra or Teen Titans Robin but none of the prompts this year really struck me for Robin so Ezra it was. Not that any of y'all are complaining, lol.

Set early S1, idk sometime before "Rise of the Old Masters".

Prompts used!

No. 23 At The End Of Their Rope: Forced To Kneel/Tied To A Table/"Hold them down."

Alt. 7 Protective)

---

Hera stirred, feeling pleasantly stiff and warm all over. Taking a few moments to blink back into awareness, she realized that she was still curled up next to Kanan in her bunk.

Must've dozed off, she thought. She hadn't exactly intended to, but with Chopper running diagnostics in the cockpit and the other three out on their own separate tasks it was just all too easy to relax for a bit, afterwards, snuggle up next to him and be content under his arm.

Pushing the blanket off them she sat up, bare feet swinging down to the floor. Kanan roused at her movement, shifting, prying eyes open and squinting them.

"Did we fall asleep?" he asked.

"Looks like," Hera quipped with a smile, stretching her arms high above her head. The air unit cycled cool air on her skin. She worked a kink out of both of her shoulders, rolling them, then reached down for the pile of clothes at the base of the bed.

"Must have been more tired than we thought," Kanan mused. "How long were we out?"

Hera tugged on her top and underclothes quickly, mode turning professional and business-like. "Couple hours I think," she said, sliding on her jumpsuit, weaving her arms through the straps. "Chopper's probably still debugging the mainframe, otherwise he would have woken us." She pulled on her boots, tucking her feet into their insulated insides.

Kanan lingered in the bunk as she stood, going to her comms station and switching it on to check over the messages.

She frowned after scanning them for a few moments. She scrolled back up to the top of the entries and searched again. There was their mission briefing from Fulcrum that day... there was her outgoing one informing them of their success... the test pings before she'd sent the "kids" out, to make sure everyone's comlinks were working...

From the bed, Kanan sat up on his elbows, reading the shift in her mood. "What is it?" he asked.

Hera's mouth wrinkled. She checked a third time, opening up individual messages to read the transcripts this round.

"Ezra hasn't checked in yet," she told him. Her eyes scanned through entries, noting with satisfaction that Sabine and Zeb had both finished up their individual errands and met up in the central market to get groceries with the extra credits, but still anxiously searching for mentions of their youngest Spectre. "I sent him to the south district slums to check for that package Jho had sent to us at the usual drop point. He was supposed to comm every half hour to report his progress."

"Maybe he got distracted?" Kanan offered, though a twinge of nerves and annoyance was starting to creep through him as well.

Hera huffed. "He knows how important keeping in contact is, I have told him so many times—"

She stopped her tirade as Kanan shifted forward with a rustle, voice gentle. "Calm down," he said. "He isn't used to this. I'm sure he just forgot." He slipped his legs over the side of the bed. "And he'll get an earful about it when he gets back," he promised.

He grinned, attempting to be playful with her, but it faded when he saw the furrow between Hera's brows, how her features twisted.

"What?"

Hera inhaled through her nose. "He seemed a little nervous before going out. Asked if I was sure of the drop point more than once." She finally stopped scrolling through messages, shutting off the log. "I didn't think about it at the time but..." Her lekku swished as she looked over her shoulder at him. "Does Spiceman's Corner mean anything to you? Ring any bells?"

"Not to my knowledge," Kanan admitted.

Biting her lip, Hera turned back to the comm station for a long moment, considering.

"I'm calling him," she decided, opening the channel, pressing the buttons with a little more agitation than normal.

Kanan quietly began redressing, keeping one ear open and one eye on Hera as she spoke into the receiver.

"Spectre Six, come in. You missed the last three check-ins, over."

There was no response. Both of them strained for several moments, waiting to hear the boy's voice—always too bright, too casual, too sure of himself—but there was nothing.

"Spectre Six, please respond," Hera tried again.

No answer.

"Ezra I know you can hear me," Hera growled, dispensing with pleasantries and codenames. "If you can't answer just give me a couple clicks on the line. Something."

His comm better not be off, she thought furiously, even as her gut began to churn with an ill feeling.

Pushing up straight, Hera stalked to the door and hit the button to open it.

"Chopper!" she barked. "I need you in here for a minute."

Kanan heard Chopper complaining from the cockpit as he finished pulling on his clothes, taking out his own comlink.

"I know you're busy, find a stopping point and get back here!" Hera snapped.

Kanan held his comlink in his hand, rolling it in his palm with agitation, resisting the urge to make his own call to their wayward teenager. Prickles of anxiety tickled at his head; he reached out to the Force for calm but only got more of the same staticy feeling. Which was not reassuring at all.

With a slowly growing squeak of rolling wheels, Chopper made his way from the cockpit, grumbling all the while. The droid stopped in front of Hera's door and Hera stepped out into the hall with him.

"Can you check Ezra's comlink?" she asked, gentler but still anxious. "Make sure it's working?"

Chopper beeped to acknowledge, then extended his dish to swivel for a few seconds.

"WUB WUBB WUB WUB WUUB. WUB WUB."

"His comm is not off," Hera translated. "The line is clear."

"WUB WUB WUBBA WUB."

"It's just being—" Hera's voice hitched as her breath caught, and Kanan caught a spike of fear rising from her. She looked at him with widening eyes. "—jammed," she finished in horror.

Kanan's stomach dropped.

Their fears realized, the two lingered in horrified eye contact for a moment. Then they rushed into frantic motion, Kanan yanking the drawer with his lightsaber open, Hera stowing her comlink and strapping her blasters in their holsters, barking commands to Chopper all the while.

"Chopper, see if you can pinpoint Ezra's last location," she ordered. Her eyes darted back at Kanan as she rushed through the cockpit. "I'll take Block 12 through Block 25," she told him.

"I've got through Block 30," Kanan said.

Both adults slid down the ladder one after another and ran down the open ramp into the long Lothal grass.

***

Ezra pulled back and fought against the hands latched around his arms and yanking him forward down the hall but their grips were firm, squeezing. His feet skidded on the smooth polished floor as he tried to find some traction but it was no use, they had too tight a hold on him, he couldn't break free.

He swallowed dryly as he was led to a door at the end of the hallway. The room beyond was one he was, unfortunately, familiar with, vials and bottles lining multiples shelves along the walls, scattered and half open on tables, beakers full of the same stuff brewing over flames and being carefully mixed and ground into powders. A lone medical table took up a prominent place of display to his left, spotlit under one of the florescents. A tall figure with tufted ears stood in front of it, hands clasped behind him, back turned until Ezra was dragged in.

The Zygerrian turned his head, slick, oily smile cold at the edges.

"Bridger, Bridger, Bridger..." he tutted.

Ezra shrank under the vaguely hostile stare and the disappointed tone, feeling his arms as very small and skinny breakable sticks in the heavies' grips.

"Boss Irozi," he wavered. "Spiceman" himself, so named for his extensive underground spice manufacturing and distribution network in Capitol City, focusing extensively in the overcrowded southern slums where the poorest were shunted off when they couldn't pay the Empire's increasingly higher rent rates. "It's uh... been a while," he said, grasping for what to say that wouldn't immediately get him blastered in the stomach.

Irozi's demeanor was eerily pleasant, the man turning around and walking up with a casual ease. "It has, hasn't it? Haven't seen you around much, kid."

Ezra tried not to flinch as he closed in, looming tall above Ezra's slight frame.

"Almost feels like you've been... avoiding me," Irozi continued, just the barest needlepoint of sharpness in his voice now, an undertone that sounded alarm bells in Ezra's ears through the Force. Danger, danger, it whispered at him, like it had so reliably many times before.

His gaze flicked briefly towards his trapped right wrist, wondering what it would take to twist free. In the meantime his mouth kept moving, chattering, hoping to keep the drug lord distracted enough for him to slip loose.

"Me? Never. I've just been busy, you know?" A few experimental pulls just seem to annoy the henchmen, who tightened hands on him, painfully pinching. "Things to steal, Imps to dupe. You know how it is. Gotta keep merchandise flowing if I hope to have enough to survive the winter." He wished he could reach his comlink but it was stowed in his belt, and the one time he'd been left unattended long enough to pull it out—back when they'd thrown him in a slaver pen for a bit, in the forward part of the complex—it hadn't been able to get through. He didn't look the drug lord in the eyes, nervously shifting his gaze anywhere else, still babbling, trying to talk his way out. "Had to move away from the area because the pickings were getting thi—"

Boss Irozi's paw snapped out, slapping Ezra open-palmed across the cheek.

Ezra yelped at the pain, fear spiking through him, the Force's warning shrill in his ears. He looked up to see all pleasantry gone from Irozi's face, nothing left but snarling anger.

"Don't lie to me," the Zygerrian growled. "You know why you're here, you little thief."

Dread tightening in his throat, Ezra couldn't help the tremble that ran through him. "I... I don't know what you mean," he stammered.

Irozi's arm snapped out again, seizing Ezra by the neck. The heavies let go of his arms as their boss yanked Ezra across the room, slamming him facedown onto one of the tables. He hit with an uncomfortable crack! The bottles and equipment rattled loudly as he was pinned down, Irozi's meaty hand on the back of his head.

"The creds, Bridger!" the Zygerrian shouted. "You stole a fat 1k from the last package I had you pick up for me." The sharp talon nails of his fingers dug painfully into Ezra's scalp, and he screwed his face. "Don't even bother denying it," Irozi said. "That was the only job I had running that day that came up short and coincidence of coincidences you tucked up and went scarce right after finishing that little errand for me."

Ezra said nothing, holding very still, fear beating a dull rhythm in his chest.

The pressure eased off his head, but Ezra didn't even get to raise his cheek from the table; Irozi grabbed up both his wrists with one paw and pinned them up against his back, in the same motion pulling a nasty-looking, sparking electroknife from his belt and jamming it into the table inches from Ezra's nose.

The boy drew in a sharp hitch of breath, wide eyes watching the blade crackle right next to him.

"I'm gonna give you one chance to tell me the truth," Irozi said, tone oddly cordial again, "and explain to me why—after all the work I so generously gave you, all those times your pal Boss Irozi kept your scrawny hide out of trouble, kept you from starving—you'd go and steal from me, huh?" The knife was pulled out of the table and teased along Ezra's cheek, the electricity buzzing and tingling on his skin. "Why would you do that?"

Ezra gulped. All his right eye could see was the painful blue-white sizzle of the electroknife, too close, too bright. He had to force himself to breathe, panic and terror seeping through him.

He didn't bother to lie.

"I... I got sick that month. Really sick," he confessed, voice small and tight. Saying it immediately brought back the memory of the burning heat, the dizziness, the dread at knowing it was only going to get worse. "I just needed enough credits to buy the antibiotics!"

Irozi snorted. "You didn't look that sick."

Ezra clenched his jaw and fumed silently. The Zygerrian himself had told him he'd looked dead on his feet. Boss Irozi raked in hundreds of thousands of credits from his operation and he was going to hold a paltry thousand over a sick, starving kid?

"I can pay you—" Ezra started to offer.

"Ain't about the money, Bridger, it's about the principle," Irozi interrupted. "Anyone that cheats me gets what's coming to them." The knife withdrew, the crackling tingle pulling away. Ezra almost sighed in relief as Irozi put it down, but then curled in revulsion as the clawed fingers stroked over his face, tracing the line of his jaw. "You remember all those times I joked about selling you off" His eyes were thoughtful, appraising him. "Could still get a pretty penny for you, I bet," he mused.

Ezra felt his throat strangle, the breath clogging inside him, an open expression of dread on his face.

"But first I'm gonna teach you a lesson," Irozi hissed, eyes narrowing sharply.

He let Ezra up and barked something at his henchmen. They quickly came forward, grabbing Ezra while he was still disoriented, hauling him towards the medical table.

"No..." Ezra gasped, voice choked with fear. The panic hit him fully and he struggled, thrashing arms and legs. "No! Lemme go! Lemme go!" He kicked and flailed out wildly as the men lifted him onto the table. "You can't do this!"

"Hold him down," Irozi ordered coldly, and Ezra's breath froze in his lungs as the henchman pinned him heavily in place and wrapped thick canvas straps around his wrists and ankles.

Eyes darting frantically around the room, Ezra tried desperately to think. His breaths were shortening, each inhale seeming thinner and less sufficient. He tried to shake himself; he couldn't afford to panic, he had to get out, he had to get back to the Ghost and—

He wished desperately that Kanan or Hera were here. Surely they'd noticed he was missing by now, right?

The straps were pulled tight and Ezra held back a whimper, biting his lip so hard it hurt. Irozi idly spun his knife, smug look on his face, and Ezra's heart sank.

It just figured that right when his life was looking up something would come kick him down.

He glared at the drug lord through burning eyes as a final strap wound across his chest.

"Aww, are you mad?" mocked Irozi. "That's cute."

Ezra pulled against the straps with a low snarl, determined not to give the drug lord the satisfaction of seeing him quivering and afraid. Irozi approached, knife in one hand, pulling a small velvet pouch out of his pocket with the other.

"Care to sample some of the new merchandise?" The pouch was upturned and emptied over Ezra's face, sparkling red dust coating him, and Ezra coughed as he choked on it, feeling particles lodge up his windpipe. Irozi looked hideously satisfied as he explained, "It's a new type of glitterstim the boys cooked up. Gives a high like no other but also... enhances the user's sensitivity to pain. The Imps seem to like it a lot, prepaid me for two whole crates already."

Ezra tried to breathe past the drug, tried to concentrate on the words, but they already sounded watery, weirdly vibrating. The spotlight on the table was too bright; he felt light-headed and dizzy. A dazed, floating feeling seemed to come over him.

Through blurring eyes he watched Irozi carefully draw back his knife, his heart thumping with fear.

***

Kanan rushed from one side of the street to the other, calling out with the Force, frantically asking after Ezra to anyone he met along the way. He caught a glimpse of Hera as she turned a corner to his left, pulling out of her sweep of the next street over.

"Any sign of him?" he asked anxiously, grabbing hold of her.

"Not yet," she told him, lekku swinging as she shook her head. "I've already commed Zeb and Sabine, they're on their way over. Chopper's working on trying to get around the jamming. Sabine's been monitoring the Imperial chatter but there's been no reports of them arresting or catching Ezra."

His hands tightened around her elbows just briefly, a silent reassurance, and then he turned back with a brief, "I'll keep going down this way."

She nodded and darted back off.

Kanan slowed his pace as he walked past a Stormtrooper patrol, forcing himself to act casual, like his body wasn't clanging with worry that grew every second. He eavesdropped on their conversation, but it was all useless small talk, clock off times and ship specs, nothing that would help him.

Once out of their sight he resumed his frantic scanning through his senses. He just could feel Ezra as a vague presence, something distant and ill-defined, enough to know his padawan was alive somewhere but nothing that would tell him where the boy was, if he was all right. Kanan bit his tongue, kicking himself for not focusing on developing the fledgling fragile training bond.

Breathless, he stopped at the next storefront, really more of an open counter cut into the wall, with a hollow containing the wares on neat shelves behind, to ask the attendant his usual question.

"Have you seen a kid?" He measured out from right below his shoulders with a hand. "'bout yay high, fourteen years old, dark hair, blue eyes? Wears orange?"

Instead of the expected, "Nope, sorry," the shopkeeper looked thoughtful, yellow reptilian eyes pensive.

"You got a picture?" he asked.

"Uh..." Kanan fished around in his pockets and belt. "Yeah, uh... here," he said, finding a small holoprojector. He flicked it on and a flickering blue image of Ezra's face appeared, grinning and bright-eyed. Hera had taken it right after their first successful mission together. Ezra had performed beautifully, worked seamlessly with them as a team. He'd been so excited afterwards.

Kanan pulled himself out of the memory, noticing that the shopkeeper had a stony expression. The man carefully glanced from left to right, checking for anyone who might overhear, and then beckoned Kanan closer.

Pulse thumping, Kanan moved in, almost pressing up against the counter.

"I saw him," the shopkeeper whispered, through his thick cracked lips. "Almost an hour ago. Was with a couple of Spiceman's guys. Big fellas, enforcers I think. One of them had his arm around the kid all friendly-like, like—" He opened an arm out in a pantomime of a side-hug. "—but... kid didn't look comfortable. Had scared eyes. Kept wiggling like he didn't wanna be there. Heavy wouldn't let him go."

Stomach turning over and adrenaline beating an anxious rhythm inside him, Kanan pressed hands against the counter. "Do you know where they went?" he pressed.

"My guess, they probably took him to Boss Irozi's spice compound. Corner of 6th grid and Lothblossom Avenue." The yellow eyes bore into him. "Better be careful. Spiceman doesn't like intruders."

Kanan stowed the holoprojector and fished a handful of credits from the same pocket, dropping them into the shopkeepers claws. "Thank you so much, you have no idea how worried we've been."

"Don't relax 'til you've got him," the shopkeeper grunted, nevertheless accepting the generous gift and fading back into the hollow of his shop to straighten some merchandise.

Kanan scrambled for his comlink, putting it to his lips as he jogged down the street, scanning the aurebesh signs as he went. "Hera, I know where Ezra is. Shopkeeper I talked to says he ran into the enforcers of some kind of crime boss and he's probably at their facility now. 6th grid and Lothblossom Avenue, on the corner."

"'Spiceman's Corner'," Hera said, in quiet realization. "I should have pressed Ezra about that."

"Worry about that later," Kanan told her, veering around a corner. "I'll meet you there."

"Be careful," she implored.

"No promises," he quipped, humorlessly.

He stowed the comm and increased speed.

***

The compound looked admittedly impressive, unmarked buildings facing the street, watchmen on the roof patrolling with laser rifles, a narrow alley running alongside. Kanan crouched down behind a speeder as close as he could get, scanning.

"There's a side entrance that's more lightly guarded," he whispered into the comlink. "I'll clear a path for you."

"All right. I'm almost on top of you," Hera told him.

Taking that as his cue, Kanan extended a hand towards the sentries on the roof, sending a bit of Force trickery into their minds. Both of them swiveled, marching towards the opposite side, checking out the source of the distraction.

Kanan darted forward into the alley, crossing the distance to the side entrance in a few short steps and clotheslining one guard into the door, grappling briefly with the second before putting him down with a heavy punch to the helmet.

Adrenaline surging, ringing in his ears, Kanan slipped in through the door, holding it open and waiting. After a few moments Hera's light footsteps came trotting up. She passed through the open door and joined him, blaster already out and in her hands.

Silent communication passed between their eyes and then they proceeded.

Kanan kept a wary guard out, leading the way as they moved silently through the halls. They avoided detection as they sped through the compound. Now that they were closer, Ezra's presence in the Force was stronger... but there was something fuzzy about it. Slippery. Kanan strained after the thin blue wavering light, using it to direct their path forward.

After a while though, he didn't need it. Ezra's signature flared up with a hot wave of fear and pain, in tandem with the boy's cries ringing down the hallway.

Both he and Hera stopped for a moment in horror.

They increased their pace to double time, running quietly down the corridor until they came to an open doorway. Kanan pulled them up short, flattening them against the frame.

He took a peek inside.

Two large enforcers were standing to the sides of the room, which looked to be a brewery of some sort. A tall Zygerrian was looming over a medical table towards the other end. Kanan's heart clenched when he saw Ezra, strapped down, nearly horizontal on the gurney. His eyes were red and burning at the edges, and chest resembled a bit of a pincushion, tiny rips and tears in the front of his shirt. The Zygerrian was being very careful to make only shallow incisions, letting the electric blade of his knife do most of the work. He jabbed the tip into Ezra's collar as Kanan watched, horrified.

The sparks flared up, sizzling into Ezra's body.

"Nnnnggh!" he cried, back arching and seizing from the shock.

Kanan drew back furiously, a kind of raw parental anger flaring up inside him. He signaled to Hera—three unfriendlies—motioned where she should go, then slipped his own blaster out of the holster and braced against the frame.

Three... two...

Kanan rounded the frame and burst into the room like a gust of wind. One shot, precisely aimed at a thick neck, and the first heavy was down. One, two, three, as the other one was turning around, staggering him, a fourth shot straight to the chest to finally topple him over. Hera slipped into the room behind him as he fired, circling the perimeter, crouched low to the ground and ducking behind the labtables for cover.

The Zygerrian whipped around, thankfully drawing the knife out of Ezra, who gasped and then panted, chest heaving, almost sobbing.

Boss Irozi, Kanan presumed, froze, his expression turning to shock when he saw Kanan there, and his enforcers on the ground.

Kanan leveled his blaster at him. "Get away from him," he growled, voice low.

Over on the gurney, Ezra lifted his head, glassy-eyed like someone had dropped a film over his irises. His gasping hitched. "Kanan..." he whimpered, relieved.

Boss Irozi quickly got over his initial shock. Turning a glare at the older Jedi he demanded, "Who the hell are you?"

"Get. Away. From him," Kanan just repeated.

The Zygerrian didn't move, ears flicking forward with interest. "I'll be," he marveled. The knife crept dangerously back closer to Ezra, and Kanan's finger stiffened on the trigger. "Bridger got himself some friends."

With a pointed glare at Kanan, Boss Irozi retreated—not away from the medical table but futher alongside it—grabbing a thick handful of Ezra's hair and pressing the sizzling blade against his neck. Kanan tensed.

"You made a big mistake coming onto my turf," the drug lord growled. "You've got ten seconds to scram before I—"

Whatever he was intending to threaten, he didn't get to say; Hera sprang out from behind cover and got off three shots.

Irozi dropped the knife, grabbing at his chest with wide eyes before collapsing backwards onto the floor.

Hera came forward, lowering her blaster as she rushed up to the gurney.

"Hera..." Ezra warbled, misting eyes threatening to spill over.

"It's okay, Ezra," Hera reassured him with a smile, cupping his cheeks softly. "We're both here. We'll get you out of here, don't worry."

Kanan felt nerves shudder out of him, his hands shaking as he dropped his arms and struggled to put away his weapon. He joined Hera at the gurney and reached for the straps to unfasten them. Hera checked Ezra over for other injuries, but it seemed mostly contained to the myriad shallow cuts. Nevertheless, Ezra hissed in pain every time he was jostled.

Hera pried open his eyes, checking his reaction to the light. "You here with me okay, sweetie?" she asked.

He mumbled something about glitterstim, then looked up at her pitifully.

"I didn't get Jho's package," he told her, in a quivering, devastated tone.

"Shh, shh," Hera shushed him as Kanan finished undoing the straps. They both pulled him up into a limp embrace. "Don't even worry about that right now. You're safe. That's all that matters. I'm sorry it took us so long to realize something was wrong," she apologized with a slight tremble.

He hiccuped, and then his face fell into her shoulder.

Kanan glanced anxiously towards the door. "We should go before the boss's henchmen decide to investigate all that blasting."

Hera nodded, angling Ezra and carefully lifting him into Kanan's arms. Kanan took the kid awkwardly, like he was fragile glass, clinging maybe just a little bit tighter than he needed to. Ezra felt smaller than he looked, especially curling up against his chest.

"Let's go," Hera said, cocking her blaster and leading the way out.

***

Zeb and Sabine met them in the cargo hold, as they came in from the grasses onto the metal ramp.

"You found him!" Sabine exclaimed, rushing forward.

"So I guess he didn't run off this time," Zeb grunted, though tension seemed to ease out of his shoulders. "Drat. Was kind of hoping to get my room back," he joked.

Kanan cradled Ezra, whose head bobbed and swiveled like a gyroscope as he tried to take in the cargo hold. "'ssat smell?" he slurred. His eyes landed on Sabine and then widened. "Wow, you're really colorful."

Sabine's face pinched with concern. "Is... is he high?" she asked incredulously.

Kanan grimaced. "Disgruntled spice lord ex-employer drugged him with something before we got to him," he explained. "We think."

Hera began ascending the ladder. "Go ahead and put him down, Kanan, I'll get the medkit."

Wearily, Kanan set Ezra down on a cargo crate and began trying to undo his shirt. Ezra giggled randomly, gazing towards Sabine with glazed adoration.

"Hair's really pretty," he said. "Dunno if I ever told you."

"Oh, yeah, no, he's definitely loopy," Zeb commented. He leaned in and took a brief sniff, then clapped a paw over his sensitive nose. "Whew, that's potent! He won't be coming down off that for hours."

Sabine got a mischievous grin, holding up her hands and backing towards the ladder. "Oh man, hang on," she said. She swiveled and tramped up the ladder rungs.

"Sabine—!" Kanan started to call out to her in warning. Ezra had already been snatched off the street and almost tortured that day, he didn't need anyone humiliating him in his drugged state.

"I'm just going to get my charcoals!" she shouted back in loud reassurance. "And maybe a few hair clips," she added. "Gonna need to keep him occupied while he works it out of his system."

Kanan sighed in aggravation, but let her go.

***

Later, after Ezra's wounds were dressed and they'd pried a mostly-coherent story out of him—how Irozi's men had cornered him before he could make it to the drop point, how they'd dragged him along as they completed a couple errands before taking him to the compound, how he'd tried to call out but couldn't get through—Hera and Kanan watched from the cargo room balcony as he and Zeb and Sabine passed pages of scribbles around. All three of them had hair clips stuck various places in their hair and Ezra had even let Sabine give him a little side braid. He was still riding the euphoria from the glitterstim, but seemed to be calm and comfortable even with his pain oversensitivity.

Hera gave a sigh next to him.

"That was way too close," she said quietly.

Kanan nodded in agreement with a frown. "Sorry for distracting you," he said.

"No, it's my fault. I shouldn't have fallen asleep," she countered. "I'll just make sure the comms are on and set to ring next time."

"That wouldn't have helped us this time," he pointed out.

"Yeah, but it'll make me feel better," Hera sighed.

Kanan chuckled. He wrapped a hand around hers, squeezing gently.

They could only do their best. That was what she kept telling him. Kanan pushed down the guilty lump of self-blame, of all the things he could have, should have, done better to protect Ezra, even as they rose up to try and choke him. All his inadequacies and failures, they were irrelevant right now, he told himself. He could let himself get insecure again later.

Right now, Ezra was safe.

And that was all that mattered.

[travelnew]

Sunrise at Kalsubai, the TALLEST peak of Maharashtra

Build up before the sunrise from Kalsubai or KalsuAai:

Pic 1: Moon and Antares.

Pic 2 & 3: Venus & Mars in the dawn before sunrise.

Pic 4 & 5: Blue hour.

Pics 6 to 11: Sunrise.

Night trek to watch the sunrise from Kalsubai on 3rd March 2024.

↑ KalsuAai temple at the top of Kalsubai peak ↑

This blog post is divided as follows

Experience.

How to go (with GPS trail)?

Time frame.

Expenses.

Photos. 1. Experience.

We were 16 of us together and we called ourselves, "sweet 16" & the sharing and caring under able leadership of my friend, DrJVT was wonderful.

↑ Trailhead ↑

LONG QUEUES TO ASCEND & DESCEND LASTING MORE THAN AN HOUR with unruly tourists masquerading as trekkers is the norm now.

↑ Serpentine queue to climb the ladder. The 4 long ladders en route make the trek safe, but now you need patience to cross them. ↓

2. How to go?

Grade - medium, since it is a long trek. Best part of night trek is that since you cannot see anything beyond the short reach of the torch, the sense of distance is not felt and one reaches quickly. In he daytime, when Kalsubai looms large over you, it really feels long in the hot sun.

Check out the WikiLoc GPS trail of our trek from base village, Bari to Kalsubai temple at the top.

Trailhead shown above with arrow.

Two non-AC 8-seater Omni passenger vans were hired from Kasara railway statiion to Bari & back.

3. Time frame:

2/3/24 Saturday night.

Second last train to Kasara reaches at 1:30 am on 3/3/24.

3/3/24 Sunday night.

1:45 am - start from Kasara to Bari in vehicle.

3:15 am reach Bari.

3:30 am - trek starts.

7 am - reach temple at the peak.

9:45 am - descent trek starts.

12:30 pm - reach Bari & return journey to Kasara in vehicle starts.

2 pm - reach Kasara railway station.

2:40 pm - train from Kasara taken.

6 pm - home sweet home.

4. Expenses:

70/- rick between home to station (twice).

70/- return train ticket.

400/- Maruti Omni Van ferrying 8 passengers = 3200/- total.

200/- snacks.

TOTAL = 740/- per head in TTMM as usual!

5. Photos:

↑ Kalsubai top seen from base village, Bari. ↑

↑ The temple above the base village Bari, where the trailhead exists. ↑

Some randomly clicked boards & numbers taken of villagers.

In March 2024: Balu Khade was providing twin or triple sharing tent with foam mattress for insulation on the floor with breakfast & dinner at Kalsubai peak, for 1000 INR/- per person (These things are variable and will change as per season, demand & supply).

This was my third trek to Kalsubai. Check out my 2016's daytime Kalsubai trek & my night trek to Kalsubai in 2022.

[megamanrecut]

Become the Night part 9: The New Enemy

Elec Man stared at the scrapper incredulously. Next to him, Proto had shifted into a fighting stance, his fists raised, his head bowed, his face serious but not scared. Meanwhile, nine more scrappers emerged from the stairwell.

Elec Man attempted to shock them all again with Thunder Beam, the flashes of light blindly white in the dark basement, yet the scrappers were completely unaffected, the merciless glow from their mechanical eyes drawing steadily closer. A couple let out raspy snickers—clearly relishing the idea of tearing apart the Robot Master who for so long had been impossible for any scrapper to so much as scratch.

"Time for plan B, boss," Proto whispered.

"…There is no plan B," Elec Man admitted flatly.

Proto smirked. "Then we'll improvise…" He cocked a head back at the computer, where the message 'You will be terminated. Goodbye.' was still visible in glowing green letters. "What is that thing?"

"I don't know, some sort of outdated A.I.—it's controlling the scrappers."

Apparently, CRORQ had a microphone installed, for it seemed to have overheard them as a new message scrawled across its screen.

Outdated, am I? You are more intelligent than the human criminals, but not as intelligent as I, spanner. You made mistakes.

I analyzed the scrappers you destroyed and deduced you were an electrical-based Robot Master who could disguise as a human. Then I reinforced my scrappers to be resistant to your weapon. I calculate you will not last long.

The scrappers now had them surrounded. Their weapons ranged from blasters, to rotating saws, to clamps, to other weapons that would be crudely effective against two androids dressed in worsted wool suits.

"Maybe the Syndicate and the Collective can work out a deal," Elec Man called to CRORQ. It was a lie, of course—he needed to buy time to think up a strategy.

Unnecessary. I am installed in many mobs. The Syndicate is the only mob I could not infiltrate. But that is inconsequential now. The Syndicate is unaware of my true scope.

There is good news for you, spanner. Your body shall be recycled. Reused in scrappers or a new Robot Master. But the other android is useless. No weapon. No armor. No salvageable parts.

Elec Man tensed. "Proto, run and get help," he ordered.

Proto looked toward the stairwell, but stayed put. "Uh…hate to break it to you, boss, but neither of us are getting out of here alive unless we work together."

Elec Man scanned the scrappers again, then gritted his teeth. "Fine."

As the scrappers lunged at them, Proto charged fearlessly into their midst, taking the scrappers (and Elec Man) off guard. He dodged a sweep from a microwave-sized mallet, a chainsaw narrowly passing over his bare neck, then leaped onto the back of scrapper with two cannon-like blasters—all without his aviators slipping from his face. There, he pried the rusty chestplate off the struggling scrapper, exposing its inner circuitry.

"Try shocking it now, boss," he called over as sprang away again, attracting the attention of two other scrappers.

Elec Man gaped for a moment, then quickly raised his hands. The vulnerable scrapper fell to the ground in a familiar smoldering heap.

It was a dirty fight—Proto darted from scrapper to scrapper, tricking them into striking each other as he tore off their insulated armor so that Thunder Beam could do its work, until finally only one remained, its eyes blazing furiously and it dragged itself toward using it's one remaining limb like a rusting zombie. Behind it, CRORQ had been reduced to a smashed pile of circuit boards.

"Alright, that's enough, let's get out of here," hissed Elec Man, tugging at Proto's sleeve.

They dashed up the stairs, back through the rows of cubicles (despite the commotion, the human workers were still at their stations and hadn't stirred). then out into the sunlight. They did not stop running until they reached an alley several streets away, where Elec Man slumped against the wall behind a dumpster, not caring that the concrete ground was filthy.

"That was stupid," Elec Man admitted to himself.

Proto was hovering in the alley entrance, his fingers twitching, clearly hoping they would be pursued and the fight would continue. He looked over at Elec Man with a small smirk. "But fun?"

A small smile tugged at Elec Man's lips. He quickly stifled it.

Proto took one last glance down the street—but as no scrapper seemed intent on battling them any time soon, he gave a small shrug and then strolled over to join Elec Man. "Didn't think a Syndicate Robot Master could be so easily rattled."

"I wasn't scared."

"Maybe not for yourself."

"You shouldn't be here. This was my fault."

"Don't be so hard on yourself, I…kinda egged you on."

Elec Man shook his head. "Impossible. You're reprogrammed, you could never manipulate me."

Proto gave him an infuriatingly amused smirk. "Have it your way. Either way, we destroyed that A.I."

Elec Man shook his head dismally. "No, just a computer it was installed in. It's networking, probably through the phone lines…" Elec Man trailed off, banging his head back against the graffitied bricks. "I've been compromised. That A.I. knew what I was—built a trap for me. And it would have worked if you hadn't—" Elec Man cut himself off hastily with a swallow. "The Syndicate is in danger. If it really has infiltrated multiple mobs—"

"Lighten up, boss—you had the right idea to investigate, right? That puts the Syndicate a step ahead of where you would have been if you had ignored all this. In reality, you did the Syndicate a favor."

Elec Man sighed. He looked away, but couldn't help but smile. "…Like you care about the Syndicate."

"Eh, so what? I'd like to help you dig yourself out of this hole—on one condition." Proto crouched next to Elec Man, lowering his voice. "..I don't want to be a pencil pusher for Fulmen Financial anymore—I don't want to be 'Smith's' lookout either—I want to be your partner."

...The idea did not seem as ridiculous as it did earlier that day, still, Elec Man responded automatically,"You're not Syndicate, nor a Robot Master."

"Yet I saved our silicon skins back there," Proto countered. "You almost admitted it yourself." He gave a wistful sigh. "Just imagine if I were a Robot Master…"

Elec Man said nothing. No matter how he looked at the situation, he was in deep, deep trouble. Once again, he felt extremely conflicted.

Meanwhile, Proto was in a perfectly cheerful mood, as though the afternoon could not have gone better. He took a seat on the dirty alleyway next to Elec Man "So…what's next, boss?"

"C.R.O.R.Q…" Elec Man murmured, thinking aloud. "That's what the A.I. called itself. But where did it come from? An A.I. must have had a programmer, and it was more advanced than what any mob could have created…"

"Beats me. Certainly wasn't Light or the-human-I'm-not-allowed-to-speak-of."

"I can't think of anyone either…unless…" Elec Man narrowed his eyes. "Its creation was classified…"

To be continued…

[s2z]

Moreland, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. 2023-04-22 15:21:43 by stuart murdoch Via Flickr: Moreland train station has been upgraded recently as part of the Level crossings removal project. And of course contemporary art is often commissioned for each project. Transformer, created by Louise Paramor, pays homage to its urban surroundings – the historic Union Knitting Mills and the Hoffman Brickworks in Moreland. While suggestive of actual industry the work is playful an mysterious, hinting at a science fiction fantasy. Transformer’s colours are those of energy itself, orange and yellow, evoking the origins of life, as well as heat and potential.The overall skyward thrust of the piece inspires feelings of buoyancy and optimism. The work also references everyday objects, a choice inspired by the objects that members of the local community have placed along the Upfield Bike Path, in an attempt to humanise the surroundings. The central orange ovoid of the sculpture is taken from a children’s outdoor ball game and suggests the insulators of the nearby Substation No.33, as well as the power lines of the railway overhead. This central form is held by a yellow frame derived from a stand for dress-up wigs; the pole beacon atop the sculpture, a scaled-up version of a knitting needle, echoing the adjacent historic art deco Union Knitting Mills. The work was fabricated in steel by DJ Projects. It stands at 6.7 metres in height and rises from a circular brick base that forms a pattern of concentric rings which allude to the ripple effect of water; a symbol to mark the approximate halfway point between Moonee Ponds Creek and Merri Creek. The bricks have been custom glazed in black and white, paying homage to the historic Hoffman Brickworks in nearby Brunswick, one of the first mechanical brickworks in Australia, established in late 1880’s, purported to have produced a staggering 40 million bricks per year. Artist- Louise Paramor Title – Transformer Year – 2021 Art Consultant – ADA ConsultingFabricator – DJ Projects Painter – DH Corrosion Coatings Location – Moreland Station precinct, Coburg Commissioned for the Level Crossing Removal Project One of several projects, that explore photography as evidence amongst other ideas. Blog | Tumblr | Website | Instagram | Photography links | s2z digital garden | pixelfed.social | glass | grainary | vero | hipstamatic

[marketingreportz]

Hydrogen Storage Market - Forecast(2024 - 2030)

Hydrogen storage is a critical area of research and development, particularly as hydrogen is being positioned as a key player in clean energy transition strategies. Hydrogen is an attractive energy carrier due to its high energy content per unit mass and its potential for producing zero emissions when used in fuel cells or combustion engines. However, efficient, safe, and cost-effective storage of hydrogen presents significant challenges due to its physical properties.

Methods of Hydrogen Storage

Compressed Hydrogen Gas (CHG):

How it works: Hydrogen gas is compressed at high pressures (typically 350–700 bar) and stored in high-strength tanks.

Challenges: High energy consumption for compression, safety concerns related to high-pressure storage, and the need for heavy, reinforced storage vessels.

Applications: Widely used in hydrogen-fueled vehicles, hydrogen refueling stations, and industrial applications.

Liquid Hydrogen (LH2)

How it works: Hydrogen is cooled to cryogenic temperatures (-253°C) and stored as a liquid in insulated containers.

Challenges: Significant energy is required for cooling, and hydrogen boil-off can occur due to heat transfer, leading to losses. Insulation must be very effective, and maintaining these low temperatures is expensive.

Applications: Used in space exploration (rocket fuel) and some large-scale transportation solutions, but not as common in everyday applications due to cost and technical difficulties.

Sample Report:

Solid-State Hydrogen Storage:

Metal Hydrides:

How it works: Hydrogen is chemically bonded to metals or alloys, forming metal hydrides. These materials can store hydrogen at lower pressures and release it when heated.

Challenges: The materials used (such as magnesium, titanium, or palladium) are often expensive, and hydrogen uptake/release cycles can be slow or require substantial heating.

Applications: Still in research, with potential applications in portable electronics, stationary energy storage, and automotive systems.

Chemical Hydrogen Storage:

How it works: Hydrogen is stored in chemical compounds (such as ammonia or liquid organic hydrogen carriers — LOHCs). Hydrogen can be released through chemical reactions, typically requiring catalysts or specific conditions.

Challenges: The reversibility of reactions and the energy required to release hydrogen are major challenges. Some chemicals involved can also be toxic or require special handling.

Applications: Research is ongoing, with potential for large-scale energy storage solutions and industrial hydrogen supply chains.

Carbon-based Storage:

How it works: Materials like carbon nanotubes and graphene are being explored for their potential to adsorb hydrogen on their surfaces or within their structures.

Inquiry Before:

Challenges: Carbon-based storage materials are still in early development stages, and while they show promise, achieving commercial viability and scaling these solutions is a major hurdle.

Applications: Long-term potential for energy storage and transportation applications if scalability and cost issues are resolved.

Key Considerations in Hydrogen Storage

Energy Density:

Hydrogen has a very high energy content by mass, but a low energy density by volume in its gaseous state. This means it takes up a lot of space unless compressed or liquefied.

Safety:

Hydrogen is highly flammable, so storage solutions need to prioritize preventing leaks and ensuring robust safety protocols. High-pressure storage, in particular, poses risks.

Cost:

Hydrogen storage is expensive, especially at the compression, liquefaction, and solid-state storage stages. Developing cost-effective storage solutions is essential for the widespread adoption of hydrogen energy.

Material Durability

Storage materials must be able to withstand hydrogen embrittlement, a process that weakens metals over time when exposed to hydrogen.

Schedule a Call:

Scalability:

 For hydrogen to play a significant role in future energy systems, storage methods must be scalable from small applications (such as portable electronics) to large industrial and grid-scale energy storage.

Hydrogen storage technologies are evolving rapidly. There is significant research focused on developing materials that are lighter, more energy-efficient, and cost-effective. Solid-state storage methods, particularly using metal hydrides and carbon-based materials, are showing promise, though they require further research to overcome challenges related to reaction rates and material stability.

Hydrogen Infrastructure: In tandem with storage development, there is a growing need for hydrogen production and transportation infrastructure, which will determine the feasibility of large-scale hydrogen energy systems.

In the future, breakthroughs in material science and advancements in hydrogen technologies could make hydrogen storage more practical, playing a key role in sectors such as transportation, renewable energy integration, and industrial applications.

Buy Now:

The Hydrogen Storage Market is gaining attention as hydrogen emerges as a key player in the transition to cleaner energy systems. Here are the top 10 key trends shaping this market:

Increased Demand for Green Hydrogen

Green hydrogen, produced using renewable energy, is becoming a focus due to global decarbonization goals. The growth in renewable energy generation, such as wind and solar, is driving the demand for effective hydrogen storage solutions.

 Technological Advances in Storage Methods

New innovations in hydrogen storage, such as solid-state storage, liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHC), and improved compressed gas and liquid hydrogen technologies, are advancing the efficiency and safety of storage.

 Focus on Cost Reduction

As production and storage of hydrogen are still relatively expensive, efforts are being made to reduce costs through economies of scale, innovations in materials, and government support. Cheaper storage solutions are vital to making hydrogen competitive with fossil fuels.

Growing Role of Hydrogen in Transportation

Hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles (FCVs), including trucks, buses, and ships, are driving the need for mobile hydrogen storage solutions. The transportation sector is increasingly adopting hydrogen as a clean alternative to fossil fuels, necessitating efficient storage.

 Development of Large-Scale Storage Solutions

The industry is moving towards large-scale hydrogen storage systems, such as salt caverns, underground pipelines, and depleted oil & gas fields. This allows for long-term energy storage and utilization during times of peak demand or low renewable energy production.

 Government Policies and Incentives

Government initiatives, including subsidies, tax breaks, and hydrogen-specific strategies (e.g., the EU’s Hydrogen Strategy), are fueling investment in hydrogen storage technologies and infrastructure, pushing forward the commercialization of hydrogen.

 Decentralized Hydrogen Production and Storage

With the rise of small-scale, localized renewable energy projects, decentralized hydrogen storage systems are becoming popular. These enable local hydrogen production and storage, reducing transportation costs and energy losses.

 Integration with Renewable Energy

Hydrogen is increasingly being seen as a renewable energy storage medium, enabling the storage of excess energy produced by wind and solar farms. This “power-to-gas” system allows renewable energy to be stored in the form of hydrogen and used when needed.

For more details about Hydrogen Storage Market click here

[rimpcircuits]

Understanding Metal-Clad PCBs: A Comprehensive Guid

In the realm of electronics, the printed circuit board (PCB) is the backbone of virtually every device, providing the essential pathways for electrical signals. Among the various types of PCBs, metal-clad PCBs stand out due to their unique thermal and electrical properties. This blog delves into what metal-clad PCBs are, their benefits, applications, and considerations for use.

What Are Metal-Clad PCBs?

Metal-clad PCBs, often referred to as metal-core PCBs (MCPCBs), are a type of circuit board where a metal layer is used as the base material. Unlike traditional PCBs, which typically use a fibreglass-reinforced epoxy laminate, metal-clad PCBs feature a metal base, commonly aluminum or copper. This metal layer is sandwiched between the dielectric layer (which provides electrical insulation) and the copper circuit layer.

Benefits of Metal-Clad PCBs

Enhanced Thermal Management: One of the most significant advantages of metal-clad PCBs is their superior thermal conductivity. The metal core helps dissipate heat more effectively compared to traditional PCBs. This property is crucial for high-power applications where heat management is a critical concern.

Improved Durability: Metal-clad PCBs are more durable and resistant to mechanical stress. The metal core provides added strength and resistance to thermal cycling, making them ideal for demanding environments.

Reduced Thermal Expansion: Metal-clad PCBs exhibit lower thermal expansion compared to traditional boards. This stability helps in maintaining the integrity of the PCB under fluctuating temperatures, reducing the risk of warping or cracking.

Compact Design: The enhanced thermal conductivity allows for more compact designs. Engineers can design smaller and more efficient circuits without compromising on performance, which is particularly beneficial in space-constrained applications.

Applications of Metal-Clad PCBs

Metal-clad PCBs are widely used in various industries due to their thermal and mechanical properties. Here are some common applications:

LED Lighting: Metal-clad PCBs are commonly used in LED lighting applications due to their excellent thermal management. LEDs generate significant heat, and metal-clad PCBs help dissipate this heat efficiently, enhancing the lifespan and performance of the LEDs.

Power Electronics: In power electronics, metal-clad PCBs are used in devices like power supplies and converters. The ability to handle high power and manage heat effectively makes them ideal for these applications.

Automotive Industry: The automotive sector uses metal-clad PCBs in components such as control units and sensors. The durability and thermal stability of these PCBs are crucial for reliable operation in harsh automotive environments.

Telecommunications: Metal-clad PCBs are used in telecommunications equipment, including base stations and signal processing devices. Their thermal management properties ensure stable performance in high-frequency and high-power applications.

Considerations for Metal-Clad PCBs

While metal-clad PCBs offer numerous benefits, there are several considerations to keep in mind:

Cost: Metal-clad PCBs generally cost more than traditional PCBs due to the materials and manufacturing processes involved. However, the long-term benefits in terms of performance and durability can outweigh the initial investment.

Design Complexity: Designing metal-clad PCBs requires careful consideration of thermal management and mechanical factors. Engineers need to account for the thermal conductivity of the metal core and its impact on the overall design.

Manufacturing Process: The production of metal-clad PCBs involves specialized techniques, including bonding the metal layer to the dielectric and ensuring proper heat dissipation. It’s essential to work with a manufacturer experienced in metal-clad PCB production to achieve optimal results.

Conclusion

Metal-clad PCBs represent a significant advancement in PCB technology, offering enhanced thermal management, durability, and compact design possibilities. Their applications span across various industries, from LED lighting to automotive and telecommunications. While they come with considerations such as cost and design complexity, their benefits make them a valuable choice for high-power and high-performance applications. As technology continues to evolve, metal-clad PCBs will likely play an increasingly crucial role in meeting the demands of modern electronics. For more details visit our website www.crimpcircuits.com

[henanhengyuan]

Concrete batching plant installation precautions of Henan Hengyuan

The installation of Hengyuan concrete mixing plant is a key link to ensure its normal operation and production efficiency. Correct installation can not only improve the service life of the equipment, but also effectively ensure production safety. The following are matters that need to be paid attention to when installing a concrete mixing plant:

Selection of installation site, choose a solid and flat site as the installation base to ensure that the foundation bearing capacity is sufficient to withstand the weight and operating load of the equipment. Consider the traffic convenience of the installation site to facilitate the entry and exit of materials and equipment maintenance. Check whether there are factors around the installation site that may affect production, such as high-voltage wires, flammable and explosive substances, etc. Set up necessary safety protection facilities around the mixing station, such as guardrails, warning signs, etc., to ensure the safety of staff. Select the appropriate model of concrete mixing plant according to specific production needs to ensure that the equipment configuration matches the project requirements. Use accessories and components recommended by the manufacturer to avoid failures due to incompatibility issues. Strictly follow the equipment manual and the installation manual provided by the manufacturer to ensure that all parts are assembled correctly in a fixed order. Use a level ruler and plumb line for correction to ensure that the equipment is installed horizontally and vertically to avoid vibration during the operation of the equipment that affects the performance of the equipment. Reasonably arrange the water inlet, drainage, and pneumatic pipelines according to the process requirements to ensure smooth operation and avoid water and air leakage. Ensure that the wiring of electrical equipment meets the requirements of the drawings and specifications, pay attention to the insulation and moisture-proof measures of the lines, and prevent electrical faults such as short circuits. After the equipment is installed, perform preliminary debugging to check whether the coordination of each component is normal to ensure that there is no gap or looseness. Under the guidance of the operator, conduct a small-scale trial run to observe whether the various functions of the equipment are operating normally, and make adjustments and corrections in time. Develop a regular inspection and maintenance plan, clean up dirt and dust in time, and keep the equipment running normally. Establish equipment operation records, and discover and solve potential problems in time by recording and analyzing the operation of the equipment. Fully considering the above installation precautions can ensure the efficient and safe operation of the concrete mixing station and provide reliable guarantee for subsequent concrete production.

For more details and parameters of concrete batching plants, please visit our official website: https://hyconcretemachines.com

[trkking]

Sar Pass Trek: Top Highlights

The Sar Pass Trek is a thrilling adventure nestled in Himachal Pradesh's Parvati Valley, offering a remarkable journey through diverse and breathtaking landscapes. Known for its scenic beauty and challenging terrain, Sar Pass trekking takes you from lush meadows to snow-covered peaks. 

This trek promises not only stunning views but also an immersive experience in the local culture. From the vibrant village of Kasol, which serves as the base camp, to the exhilarating climb over Sar Pass at 13,800 feet, the trek is an unforgettable exploration of nature’s splendour.

How To Reach Kasol? 

Location: Kasol, Himachal Pradesh

By Air: The nearest airport to Kasol is Kullu-Manali Airport (KUU), also known as Bhuntar Airport, situated 31 km away. From the airport, you can book a cab or taxi to reach Kasol.

By Road: Kasol is well-connected by road, with options for self-drive or cab. Regular buses operate from Kashmiri Gate ISBT in Delhi to Kasol, making road travel a convenient choice.

By Train: The nearest railway station is Joginder Nagar Railway Station (JDNX), located 144 km from Kasol. From there, you can hire a cab to complete your journey to Kasol.

Best Time to Visit Kasol? 

The best time to visit Kasol, Himachal Pradesh, and embark on the Sar Pass Trek largely depends on weather conditions:

Summer (March to June): Ideal for trekking and exploring Kasol, with temperatures ranging from 15°C to 25°C. This period offers pleasant weather, making it perfect for outdoor activities and the Sar Pass Trek.

Monsoon (July to September): Heavy rainfall during these months can make trekking difficult and lead to landslides. It’s generally not recommended for the Sar Pass Trek due to slippery and challenging conditions.

Autumn (October to November): Excellent for visiting Kasol and the Sar Pass Trek. The weather is clear and cool, with temperatures ranging from 10°C to 20°C, providing ideal trekking conditions and stunning views.

Winter (December to February): Characterised by cold temperatures, which can drop to -5°C, and snow-covered landscapes. This season offers a unique experience but makes the Sar Pass Trek more challenging due to extreme cold and snow.

For favourable Sar Pass weather and the best trekking experience, summer and autumn are the most recommended times to visit Kasol.

What to Pack for Kasol Trekking? 

When preparing for Kasol trekking, having the right gear is crucial for a successful and enjoyable adventure. Here’s a concise packing list:

Clothing: Moisture-wicking base layers, fleece or down jacket, waterproof jacket and pants, trekking pants, and breathable t-shirts.

Footwear: Waterproof trekking boots and camp shoes.

Accessories: Warm hat, insulated gloves, UV-protection sunglasses, and a balaclava or neck gaiter.

Camping Gear: Sleeping bag rated for -10°C, sleeping pad, and trekking poles.

Miscellaneous: Backpack, headlamp with extra batteries, water bottles, first aid kit, sunscreen, lip balm, camera, snacks, and personal hygiene items.

Sar Pass: An Unforgettable Adventure Through Himachal Pradesh

The Sar Pass Trek stands out as a remarkable adventure, offering a rich tapestry of natural beauty and thrilling challenges. With its lush meadows, dense forests, and stunning panoramic views, the Sar Pass Trek promises an unforgettable experience for trekking enthusiasts and nature lovers alike. 

Whether you're drawn to the scenic beauty or the sense of achievement at the summit, the trek is sure to leave lasting memories and a deep appreciation for the Himalayan wilderness.

[azgaragedoornj]

Revamping Your Home’s First Impression: Upgrade Your Garage Door!

Introduction:

Your garage door is more than just a functional entryway—it’s a key component of your home’s first impression and curb appeal. As one of the largest visible areas of your home, a well-chosen garage door can significantly enhance the aesthetic value and overall appeal of your property. In this post, we’ll explore how upgrading your garage door can revamp your home’s exterior and offer practical tips for selecting the perfect door to complement your style.

Why Upgrade Your Garage Door?

Upgrading your garage door offers several benefits beyond just improving the look of your home:

•Enhanced Curb Appeal: A new garage door can transform the facade of your home, making it stand out in the neighborhood.

•Increased Home Value: Often, a garage door upgrade can boost your home’s market value, providing a good return on investment, especially if you’re considering selling.

•Improved Energy Efficiency: Modern garage doors come with better insulation features, which can help reduce your energy bills by keeping your garage and adjacent rooms more temperature-controlled.

•Advanced Security Features: Newer models often include enhanced security technologies that protect your home from intrusions more effectively than older doors.

Choosing the Right Garage Door:

When it’s time to pick a new garage door, consider these factors to ensure you make the best choice for your home:

•Material Matters: Choose from steel, wood, aluminum, or fiberglass based on your maintenance preferences, budget, and the climate in your area. Each material offers different benefits in terms of durability, insulation, and aesthetic appeal.

•Style Sync: Make sure your new garage door complements the overall architectural style of your home. Whether your home is contemporary, traditional, or somewhere in between, there’s a garage door style that will enhance its overall aesthetics.

•Color Coordination: Select a color that fits with your home’s exterior palette. A contrasting color can make a statement, while a matching color might blend seamlessly with your overall exterior.

•Insulation Options: Consider the insulation level of the garage door, especially if your garage is attached to your house. A well-insulated door can keep your garage warmer in winter and cooler in summer, improving your home’s energy efficiency.

Installation Considerations:

•Professional Installation: To ensure optimal performance and safety, have your new garage door installed by professionals. Experienced technicians like those at AZ Garage Door NJ can handle the installation efficiently, ensuring that the door is set up correctly from the start.

Conclusion:

Upgrading your garage door is a fantastic way to enhance the curb appeal and functionality of your home. With a variety of materials, styles, and colors to choose from, you can find a garage door that not only meets your needs but also adds a touch of sophistication to your property.

Call to Action:

Ready to give your home a facelift with a new garage door? Contact AZ Garage Door NJ today. Our team of experts will help you choose and install the perfect garage door that enhances both the beauty and functionality of your home. Visit our website or call us to start exploring your options!

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