#these industries are the equivalent of a small town

[script-a-world]

Submitted via Google Form:

I would like to build a world that has intentionally similar street, town/city names, basically think of all the confusing addresses the world already has but magnified significantly. Like when you think Paris? Well the world has a couple of towns named Paris in Canada, Indonesia, plenty in the US, and a few other countries. Reality? They are around the world. The most issue we'd get is probably the US if you mix up states. But then the addresses likely won't match/have the same street names. Also, they are tiny towns compared to the Paris in France. So what would happen to a city named 'Paris' in my world? It may be the capital city of 2 countries. There may be 50 cities (not town) of significant population in 15 other countries. Also, street names will also be highly repetitive. Why? Because there is a lot more globalization, and large empires renaming all the cities. What would happen to everywhere when an empire such as the equivalent of British in my world? You get large countries like India with 20 cities each named London, Birmingham, Aberdeen, Manchester etc. How about the streets then? Newly built roads will repeat the street names from ones in Britain, many more will get renamed. If it's not like this, then you get individual cities that trade between each other like 'sister cities' renaming their cities and streets so that they are similar.

Tex: Toponymy is a fascinating subject, and an exceptionally revealing perspective of how people view the world around them in what orders of importance. I believe two of the sub-topics you’re looking for is tautological place names and toponymic related concepts.

Wootzel: We’re not really sure what you’re asking us, but a couple thoughts for you: 

When it comes to cities having the same name, it’s pretty common historically for people coming from the great city of Tuftylump to start a new, small town and call it Tuftylump, and then for that small town to grow in size and repute until it’s also famous. This could happen several times in various places and be perfectly plausible. 

However, existing cities aren’t likely to undergo a name change unless forced to by an invading power, and even then it’s not likely to stick if the invaders get kicked out eventually. Place names come with history and identity, and while it might not seem like an arbitrary name change would matter, I think people would be extremely resistant. It would also be a bit of a nightmare to have to either change all historical records related to the place, or make it part of all public education that the city has an older name but it’s no longer in use. 

What cultural significance is making this phenomenon happen in your world? Is there some kind of widespread taboo against coming up with new names for things, ever? Is there an idea that sharing a name carries some kind of power? Does this phenomenon of repeated names occur in people too?

Miri: The big question I have is why are they making their lives more difficult like this? Wootzel has some suggestions above that may be factors. There’s entire industries out there dedicated to making things function smoother, and making things more likely to be confused flies in the face of our desire to make things functional and less prone to error when possible. Sending things to the wrong place can have disastrous financial and other consequences, and constantly clarifying which version of a city you mean gets tiresome, from personal experience. 

I have a friend who once decided she was going to write a story where all of the characters had very similar names because she intentionally wanted to confuse and irritate her audience. She quickly realized she was irritating herself just as much in writing it, and that people were more likely to just stop reading than put up with it.  

[greatwyrmgold]

Cathedra

Another post about that GWitch/Parahumans crossover I've been building out. This time, I'm finally going to talk about the cape team at the heart of it.

First, though, links to previous posts:

Premise

Setting (broad details)

Prospera's powers and plans

The Benerit Republic

Origins & Organization

Cathedra was envisioned and championed by Delling Rembran, designed to forestall post-apocalyptic chaos. The constitutional election mentioned in the fourth post would reduce the number of people who considered the Benerit Republic illegitimate, but it wouldn't eliminate them...and without strong leadership, any dissent could snowball into civil war.

Delling designed Cathedra to be the iron gauntlet which would prevent that fate.

Cathedra is a unified law enforcement agency, responsibilities divided among specialized departments but united under one authority. Those departments are:

The Urban Police, which serve the same role as pre-apocalyptic cops. They only have departments in the five cities and larger towns.

The Mounted Police, which nominally do the same in smaller settlements (riding between them on their horses), but in practice mostly serve to make the Benerit Republic seem more like a legitimate successor state to Canada.

The Private Liason Office, which coordinates Cathedra with private security forces. Specifically, the unofficial police forces various corporations used to protect their facilities. Delling would rather have replaced them with Cathedra cops, but he had to make some concessions.

The Industrial Parahumans Bureau, which I'll explain later.

Basilica, the PRT equivalent.

Which feels like enough background to discuss...

Parahumans in the Benerit Republic

Delling recognizes parahumans as both a potent tool and a destabilizing factor; Cathedra is intended to bring them under state control.

Before Gold Morning, it was unofficially expected that law-abiding parahumans would defend their communities against supervillains, S-class threats, and so forth. Rogues were tolerated, but hardly embraced. The Benerit Republic has taken this cultural attitude and enshrined it in law; all parahumans are required to register with Cathedra.

Now, not all parahumans are required to actually fight. If they can demonstrate that they are unsuitable to Basilica work or would serve the community better in some other capacity, they can work under the IPB. But most Benerit parahumans are either in Basilica or outlaws.

Funding

The way Delling pitched Cathedra to the public, it would be funded by a substantial tax on corporate income. This is legally true; corporations in the Benerit Republic are required to pay a portion of their profits to fund Cathedra operations. However, they can reduce the amount they owe if they instead provide Basilica with personnel (particularly parahuman personnel).

In practice, this means that the big firms have one or more Basilica teams that they operate (within Cathedra's framework), who are partly loyal to Cathedra and partly to the firm that writes their paychecks, and also pay a bit of tax to Cathedra's coffers to balance the books more cleanly.

Supporting parahumans costs less than the tax savings they grant, but small firms don't have the operating income to support even one Basilica parahuman, so the small firms have to pay the whole tax.

Basilica

Basilica is the SWAT, the Justice League, the emergency army. They are a symbol of the Benerit Republic, they are inefficient, they get the job done.

Armor Suits

Like the PRT, Basilica has both parahuman and non-parahuman officers. Unlike the PRT, all of its field agents wear advanced armor.

Basilica manages this impressive feat through two channels. First, almost every tinker in the Benerit Republic (as well as some hired from outside) works for Basilica, and none of them do field work. Second, Delling struck a bargain with Dragon, where he would send her raw materials in exchange for giving Basilica access to the Guild's tinkertech database. (Basilica also needs to provide Dragon with access to their designs, but that's a small price to pay.) So they have a lot of tinker labor, and access to the Guild's blueprints—including Masamune's.

The non-parahuman officers generally wear what amounts to knockoff Dragon's Teeth armor, manufactured in bulk. The parahuman heroes wear capital-letter Armor Suits—powered armor with upgrades and accessories added by the team's tinker.

(Needless to say, the Armor Suits are this fic's equivalent of Gundam's Mobile Suits.)

The Armor Suits are each unique, designed to suit both the specific talents of the tinker creating it and the wearer's parahuman abilities. This makes Basilica's parahumans very potent...when everything works well. If a parahuman transfers from one location to another, leaving their technicians behind, their new technicians need to figure out how best to adapt their tech to this new parahuman and the transferee needs to get used to the new suit. And if a tinker leaves the team for whatever reason, every parahuman whose Armor Suit they were working on has to go through that at once.

Still, the Armor Suits are very impressive. They do a good job of convincing the public that Cathedra is on the ball and capable of handling problems.

Structure

Basilica has separate command structures for parahuman and non-parahuman officers. The non-parahuman command structure is less important and probably less interesting.

The building block of Basilica's org chart is the wing. Each wing has a couple of tinkers and several other parahumans. The tinkers design, build, and maintain the other parahumans' Armor Suits; the other parahumans train and fight together.

Wings are based out of major population centers. The five cities each have multiple wings for local use. (Maybe some of the larger towns do, too? I should probably work out rough population numbers at some point...) Small towns usually have one wing each; these wings usually have of Movers or high-mobility Armor Suits, so they can quickly handle problems in settlements too small for their own wings. Each wing has a lieutenant.

The wings are grouped into Parishes. (Am I going too hard with theme naming in this org chart?) Each of the big cities is its own parish, and the areas between are divided into larger parishes. The wings in each parish are expected to work together in times of crisis. Each parish has a commander. A city's parish commander has authority over other commanders in their privince, and the rank of captain. These five captains report directly to Basilica's director, along with their non-parahuman counterparts.

Asticassia

Another element of Cathedra that is very impressive on paper is its floating base of operations, Asticassia. Think of it as a small town crossed with an aircraft carrier and full of tinkers.

The idea of Asticassia is to have a mobile base which can move to whatever part of the Republic needs the most support. (It can't easily support any places that aren't near the lakeshore, which is mostly the cities, but that's good enough for PR.) It also means Cathedra isn't connected to any particular

Asticassia has its own Basilica wings, but they don't have their own dedicated tinkers. Asticassia's wings are teams of powerful or high-profile heroes who have been promoted out of common patrol work. They have Armor Suits, of course, but those suits are designed and maintained by the Asticassia technical staff as a whole, not any specific tinker. This lets the capes stationed at Asticassia have a variety of gizmos in their suits.

Of course, the tinkers aren't just making armor. They also maintain the Asticassia itself. It's a big, impressive town-ship with a lot of tinkertech—some of it intended for defense and power projection, some intended for supporting Cathedra's operations, all of it prone to malfunction if it doesn't get enough tinker-love. Again: Great propaganda symbol, with serious drawbacks for its stated purpose.

Asticassia's school

As in GWitch canon, Asticassia has a school, which is focused on training youths for service in metal-plated Suits. This Asticassia is a combination of boarding school and pre-GM America's Wards—a bunch of minors who are learning to be superheroes, in Cathedra's power-armored mold.

The kids at Asticassia aren't divided into pilots, mechanics, and management strategy, but into pilots and technicians—non-tinkers and tinkers. (Maybe also a third track for rich kids whose parents want them to go to a respectable and well-defended school?) Both are taught normal school stuff; the pilot track supplements this with hero training, the technician track with a mixture of apprenticeships (doing grunt tinker work) and self-study (inventing stuff on their own).

The Benerit Republic makes a point that they, unlike other communities, aren't forcing their underaged parahumans to fight supervillains. This is mostly true; they usually don't. However, when dealing with threats that require the combined forces of Asticassia's wings and local ones, the students are often assigned the patrol duties that local heroes would normally perform. They're not fored to fight, but...fights sometimes happen anyways.

Anyways, remember how the Benerit Republic's corporations sponsor and pay Basilica heroes? Same deal here. The students are divided into houses based on their corporate sponsor. Some are scouted by Cathedra itself before any corporation has a chance to hire them, though, or piss off their sponsor so badly that they don't want to work with them any more. That's the equivalent of Earth House.

Individuals of Interest

Delling Rembran

Delling Rembran is generally considered the single most powerful individual in the Benerit Republic. He is the chief director of Cathedra, he's in the Prime Minister's cabinet, he has great sway over Grassley Transport Systems, and he's rich.

The Grassley thing deserves more detail...or at least, I thought of more details. While Delling stepped down from being Grassley's CEO when Cathedra was created, he maintains a great deal of influence through his contacts, reputation, and owning nearly a third of GTS stock. It's hardly direct, but it's significant.

Anyways, many people have looked at this, looked at Delling apparently trying to consolidate power for himself and the institutions he has influence over, and come to the conclusion that Delling Rembran is a power-hungry megalomaniac. This conclusion is like Newtonian gravity; it's not wrong, and it's good at predicting what direction Delling will move, but the truth is a bit more complicated.

Ever since Delling learned of the apocalyptic prophecy from Brockton Bay, his focus was on making sure humanity weathered that disaster as well as possible. That's part of why he pushed for the Toronto portal project, why he supported the Benerit Republic, why he created Cathedra. And the consolidation is largely for that purpose, too.

Delling believes that the only thing that separates humanity from the animals is strong leadership. The rabble needs to be kept under control, lest they ruin everything. Gold Morning wasn't just a threat because it wrecked Earth Bet's biosphere and infrstructure, but because it destroyed the institutions that leaders used to control humanity's dangerous aspects.

Delling seeks power in part because he thinks that humanity united under his tyranny would be safer and more stable in the long run than it would be without such leadership. But also...whatever his justifications, he does want to be the one in control.

Miorine Rembran

Daughter of Delling Rembran, and probably not a parahuman. The whole Rose Bride duel thing for her hand in marriage is still a thing, and still primarily because Delling wants to make sure her husband is strong enough to protect her...just, you know, in a setting where that sentiment has a grain of reason to it instead of being silly if you think about it too much.

Miorine sees it as another way to consolidate power, to ensure his son-in-law is a powerful hero so his children will have the same influence over Cathedra. And while that's not correct, it's not exactly inaccurate either.

Nora Samaya/Prospera

I already wrote a whole post about her, and I don't want to repeat myself. So I won't! New details only.

Nora Samaya settled down in the South Canal area and works for Shin Sei (as one of their Cathedra parahumans). She's the only tinker in South Canal, but there are only a couple of Basilica officers with full Armor Suits, so she has time to pursue her personal projects.

As mentioned previously, South Canal is not a particularly populous area. It's not even really a town; it's too dispersed. Which makes it a good place to raise a country bumpkin, Mercurian or no.

Suletta Samaya/Aerial

The first thing to note about Suletta is that her being a clone is a bit of an open secret. She and her mom don't make a big deal out of it, but they don't try to hide it either. Everyone knows Nora cloned her daughter, they just assume Ericht is dead and only has one clone.

Suletta is one of South Canal's heroes, despite not being a parahuman or an adult. Her mom makes her a fancy Armor Suit with integrated drone bits, and everyone accepts this, because they're mother and daughter and because South Canal is short on manpower. But Suletta wants to go to Asticassia, and she eventually gets her wish.

What Next?

Next, I need to figure out what the actual plot is. I've got a lot of plot fragments—the Rose Bride duels and Sulemio, the tension between Founders and refugees, Prospera's crazy plan—but I don't know how to connect them. If I post about this fic idea again, it'll be because I thought of some.

[moregraceful]

twin peaks 40s au?!?

twin peaks is problematic etc etc etc i love it and watched three times in one summer once and own the gold box edition of the dvds. if loving it makes me wrong then i will be wrong. also fuck the revival all my homies hate the revival. BUT I DREAM OF TWIN PEAKS AUS WITH THE KRAKEN. under a cut bc this got so long

ANYway WHAT IF shane and matty's japanese american hockey teammate got murdered in their small washington/british columbia border town and the local police (carson and soucy) couldn't solve it so they had to call in whatever the canada equivalent of the fbi is and SPECIAL AGENT CHRIS DRIEDGER CAME and he stayed at the Great Northern Hotel, which is also where shane lives bc he's hiding from his parents (matty's dad owns it idk)(also for purposes, matty and shane are in love but also they have the world's most pathetic crush on chris)(they also work in the double r diner with canner. don't at me). he meets in the hotel's dining room the mysterious PHILIPP GRUABAUER, a german national whose cabin in the woods burned down due to arson and now he just has to live at the hotel while he rebuilds his house by himself bc all the local craftsmen went to seattle to build warplanes and no one will help him or talk to him bc he is german. but chris does!!!

it turns out that philipp is both very intelligent and very patient, and willing to accompany chris on his various investigations and vision quests even though chris can get a little dreamy sometimes. they fall in love OBVIOUSLY bc what is more romantic than being haunted by owls and douglas firs. and ofc matty and shane's teammate was murdered by their coach, who was possessed by the demon of racism that philipp "exorcizes" with a baseball bat and then he falls off a waterfall. tragique. i know if this was a true twin peaks au chris would end up in the black lodge due to a real demon but frankly i don't know how dale cooper ever got out of the black lodge and i will not be watching the revival to find out. also tbh i'm not really creative enough in a david lynch way to really pull that off? so the racist murder coach simply: dies painfully. and then town returns to its sort of equilibrium of just trying to survive.

and then chris helps philipp rebuild his house 🥺 and splits his time between vancouver with canada fbi and the little border town.

obvi this fic is full of weird creepy shit and chris wearing tidy suits and grubi's eye crinkles when he smiles and shane and matty going 😍 at chris like giant baby birds but also carries multiple threads of tension abt grubi being a german national in the us during the height of wwii, about rising anti-japanese american sentiment on the west coast/pnw leading up executive order 9066, about matty knowing he is going to get drafted when he turns 18 and graduates high school and he's looking forward to getting out of his small town but not wanting to leave his friends and shane, about shane knowing when he goes back to canada he will soon get conscripted and he's so, so afraid of death so he's hiding from his parents in this random british columbia/washington border town but ofc there is no escaping death even among his friends...also just abt the devastation of the war on local industries and how a small town navigates that.

also no smartphones, many cool cars, people looking hot while smoking (bad for you but period appropriate), the andrews sisters on the radio all the time to the point of comedy, and chris is wearing well cut three piece suits while grubi rocks that jeans and flannel woodsman look. it's all very sexy and horrible

CRUCIALLY: jamie oleksiak is andy brennan and brandon tanev is the log lady 🪵

[kontextmaschine]

Well, even as bad as it got yesterday with anxiety attacks inflicting, ah, let's say psychic damage, the basic mood effects were still normal, not disordered anxiety, just VERY.

And so my mind's turning to Portland, with my more balanced projective/evaluative sense. And what if it continues developing as a great city to live but just never particularly realizes the promise of the early 2010s.

Like, when I was first here it felt like most everyone in a bar was a potential friend and/or lover. Among the new crowd, who's not suburban normie as I was fearing but still not really "keeping it weird", there's some promise if you go looking but like you have to look for them.

It really seems that the Portland I came to was filled with the quality people from other cities who looked around, saw that was no place for a quality life, and all came here for a personality-enriched environment.

Well, that and Oregonians who came through the 1980s collapse of the timber industry and much of the traditional… well, not "redneck", but a PNW-equivalent small town and rural white outdoorsy good-time laboring class. And not just that group entire but a selection of the most "urbany" among that – the ones who left their collapsing hometowns in the woods for Portland and often food service, not the ones who left for other outdoors manual and vehicular work in oil fields or the service.

And they are not in fact making more people with memories of 1988, and even a purely equivalent "looking to get out of town as a 20-year-old prep cook", economically I'm not sure that Portland would make sense as a destination even if it and his hometown elect the same governor.

[newstfionline]

Friday, May 26, 2023

Expect big crowds for the summer travel season—and big prices, too (AP) The unofficial start of the summer travel season is here. The number of people going through U.S. airports hit pandemic-era highs last weekend, and those records are almost certain to be broken over the Memorial Day holiday. AAA predicts that 37 million Americans will drive at least 50 miles (80 kilometers) from home this weekend, an increase of more than 2 million from Memorial Day last year. With more travel comes more expense. The average rate for a U.S. hotel room last week was $157 a night, up from $150 in the same week last year, according to hotel data provider STR. And the average daily rate for other short-term rentals such as Airbnb and Vrbo rose to $316 last month, up 1.4% from a year ago, according to AirDNA, which tracks the industry.

DeSantis Declares (1440) Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) made his long-anticipated jump into the 2024 presidential race yesterday, making the announcement in a livestreamed conversation with Twitter CEO Elon Musk. DeSantis has positioned his campaign as focused on conservative populism with an emphasis on effective governing and joins a field of seven other candidates seeking the Republican nomination.

ChatGPT maker OpenAI calls for AI regulation, warning of ‘existential risk’ (Washington Post) The leaders of OpenAI, the creator of viral chatbot ChatGPT, are calling for the regulation of “superintelligence” and artificial intelligence systems, suggesting an equivalent to the world’s nuclear watchdog would help reduce the “existential risk” posed by the technology. In a statement published on the company website this week, co-founders Greg Brockman and Ilya Sutskever, as well as CEO Sam Altman, argued that an international regulator would eventually become necessary to “inspect systems, require audits, test for compliance with safety standards, (and) place restrictions on degrees of deployment and levels of security.” They made a comparison with nuclear energy as another example of a technology with the “possibility of existential risk,” raising the need for an authority similar in nature to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the world’s nuclear watchdog. The OpenAI team wrote, “In terms of both potential upsides and downsides, superintelligence will be more powerful than other technologies humanity has had to contend with in the past. We can have a dramatically more prosperous future; but we have to manage risk to get there.”

Fuel shortages slam Cuba’s countryside (AP) Rosa López, a 59-year-old housewife, lit a charcoal stove to boil sweet potatoes and prepare scrambled eggs for her grandchildren. The gas cylinders she normally uses to cook her meals have not been available for almost two months in Mariel, a port town west of Havana. Not far from there, on the highway to Pinar del Río and under a scorching sun, Ramón Victores spent one week waiting in line at a gas station, hoping to fuel up the 1952 red Chevrolet he uses for work, moving produce from one town to another. Cuba’s most recent fuel shortage has crippled an already fragile economy, but it is hitting rural villages particularly hard, with residents resorting to coal fires to cook their food, scrambling to find transport to take them to work and spending days—and nights—at the gas station waiting to fuel up. With food and medications already in short supply amid an economy that was severely hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic, the end of the country’s two-currency system and a tightening of U.S. sanctions, the lack of fuel and cooking gas is perceived by many Cubans in the island’s countryside as the last straw.

As Protesters Die, a Nation’s Security Forces Face Little Scrutiny (NYT) In the adobe house she built with her husband in a small village in Peru, Antonia Huillca pulled out a stack of documents that once represented a glimmer of hope. They were part of an investigation into the death of her husband, Quintino Cereceda, who left one morning in 2016 to join a protest against a new copper mine and never returned. Ms. Huillca can’t read, but she can identify a photo of her husband’s body, a bullet wound to his forehead; the question-and-answer format in which police officers describe firing live ammunition as protesters threw rocks; the logo of the mining company sending convoys of trucks over unpaved roads, sparking protests among villagers fed up with the dust. But today, the investigation has gone cold. “All these years and no justice,” Ms. Huillca, a 51-year-old Quechua farmer, said. “It’s as if we don’t exist.” For years, scores of similar cases in Peru have met a familiar fate: Investigations into the killing of unarmed civilians at protests where security forces were deployed, most of them in poor Indigenous and rural areas, are opened when they attract headlines, only to be closed quietly later, with officials often citing a lack of evidence. Now, the unusually high death toll during antigovernment demonstrations after the removal of the country’s president last year has put accusations of abuse by security officials in the global spotlight, raising questions about why so many previous killings remain unsolved.

Immigration to Britain reaches record high in 2022 (AP) The number of people moving to Britain reached a record high of more than 600,000 in 2022, government figures showed Thursday. The statistics office said the record level was due to a “series of unprecedented world events throughout 2022 and the lifting of restrictions following the coronavirus pandemic.” As well as people coming to Britain to work, the figure includes tens of thousands of international students and almost 200,000 people who have arrived under special programs for people fleeing war in Ukraine and China’s clampdown in Hong Kong. The high figure will renew debate about Britain’s departure from the European Union, which was motivated in part by the arrival of hundreds of thousands of people from across Europe in the years before the 2016 Brexit referendum.

Europe Faces a Food Shock (WSJ) Fresh out of an energy crisis, Europeans are facing a food-price explosion that is changing diets and forcing consumers across the region to tighten their belts—literally. This is happening even though inflation as a whole is falling thanks to lower energy prices. New data on Wednesday showed inflation in the U.K. fell sharply in April as energy prices cooled, following a similar pattern around Europe and in the U.S. But food prices were 19.3% higher than a year earlier. The continued surge in food prices has caught central bankers off guard and pressured governments to come to the rescue.

Prigozhin’s warning (Washington Post) Fresh off his claim of victory in capturing the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, Russian mercenary boss Yevgeniy Prigozhin warned that Moscow’s brutal war could plunge Russia into turmoil similar to the 1917 revolution unless its detached, wealthy elite become more directly committed to the conflict. In a lengthy interview with Konstantin Dolgov, a political operative and pro-war blogger, Prigozhin, the founder and leader of the Wagner mercenary group, also asserted that the war had backfired spectacularly by failing to “demilitarize” Ukraine, one of President Vladimir Putin’s stated aims of the invasion. He also called for totalitarian policies. “We are in a situation where we can simply lose Russia,” Prigozhin said, using an expletive to hammer his point. “We must introduce martial law. We unfortunately … must announce new waves of mobilization; we must put everyone who is capable to work on increasing the production of ammunition,” he said. “Russia needs to live like North Korea for a few years, so to say, close the borders … and work hard.” Instead of demilitarization, he said, the invasion turned “Ukraine’s army into one of the most powerful in the world” and Ukrainians into “a nation known to the entire world.”

Turkish voters weigh final decision on next president (AP) Two opposing visions for Turkey’s future are on the ballot when voters return to the polls Sunday for a runoff presidential election that will decide between an increasingly authoritarian incumbent and a challenger who has pledged to restore democracy. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a populist and polarizing leader who has ruled Turkey for 20 years, is well positioned to win after falling just short of victory in the first round of balloting on May 14. He was the top finisher even as the country reels from sky-high inflation and the effects of a devastating earthquake in February. Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the leader of Turkey’s pro-secular main opposition party and a six-party alliance, has campaigned on a promise to undo Erdogan’s authoritarian tilt. The 74-year-old former bureaucrat has described the runoff as a referendum on the direction of the strategically located NATO country, which is at the crossroads of Europe and Asia and has a key say over the alliance’s expansion. “This is an existential struggle. Turkey will either be dragged into darkness or light,” Kilicdaroglu said. “This is more than an election. It has turned into a referendum.”

Beijing can’t take a joke (Foreign Policy) A Chinese comedian’s mild joke about the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) last week led to a $1.9 million fine for his entertainment company. Li Haoshi, a stand-up comedian known as “House” onstage, joked that watching his dogs chase a squirrel reminded him of the PLA slogan “Fight to win!” Beijing authorities intervened after audio was shared on social media, fining the company that represents Li and confiscating the profits of weekend shows. Li is now under investigation for insulting the PLA and causing “bad social impact.” Around the same time, China suspended the Weibo and Bilibili accounts of a popular British Malaysian comedian after he made a joke about Chinese surveillance. One of the reasons that Chinese censorship has become so petty is that years of crackdowns under Xi quashed most dissident content years ago. The authorities must now go after the inconsequential to justify their own existence.

South Korea, US troops to hold massive live-fire drills near border with North Korea (AP) The South Korean and U.S. militaries were set to begin massive live-fire drills near the border with North Korea on Thursday, despite the North’s warning that it won’t tolerate what it calls such a hostile invasion rehearsal on its doorstep. Thursday’s drills, the first of the allies’ five rounds of firing exercises until mid-June, mark 70 years since the establishment of the military alliance between Seoul and Washington. North Korea has typically reacted to such major South Korean-U.S. exercises with missile and other weapons tests. Since the start of 2022, North Korea has test-launched more than 100 missiles but none since it fired a solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile in mid-April. North Korea has argued its torrid pace of tests was meant to respond to the expanded military drills between the U.S. and South Korea, but observers say the North aims to advance its weapons development then wrest greater concessions from its rivals in eventual diplomacy.

What about those who can’t flee fighting in Sudan? (AP) Mahmoud almost never leaves his small apartment in east Khartoum. Electricity has been out for most of the past month, so he swelters in the summer heat. When he does venture out to find food, he leaves his mobile phone behind because of looters in the street. Otherwise, he hunkers down in fear, worried that an artillery shell could burst into his home. Since the conflict broke out last month, more than 1.3 million people have fled their homes to escape Sudan’s fighting, going elsewhere in the country or across the borders. But Mahmoud and millions of others remain trapped in Khartoum and its sister cities of Bahri and Omdurman, unable to leave the central battleground between Sudan’s military and the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary. For them, every day is a struggle to find food, get water and charge their phones when electricity is cut off. All the while, they must avoid the fighters and criminals in the streets who rob and brutalize pedestrians, loot shops and storm into homes to steal whatever of value they can find.

Paralysis Breakthrough (1440) Swiss neuroscientists have successfully utilized a brain-spine interface to enable a paralyzed man to walk using his thoughts, according to a study released yesterday. The breakthrough development expands on recent innovations using spinal implants to generate movement in patients with immobilizing spinal injuries. Gert-Jan Oskam, a Dutch 40-year-old who was paralyzed 12 years ago, received two brain implants and one on his spine, creating a so-called “digital bridge” across the injured nerves. A portable computer decodes his brain’s electrical signals and relays them to a spinal pulse generator, resulting in the perception that his lower body movements are voluntary. Combined with regular therapy, the procedure allows Oskam to walk and climb stairs with a natural gait aided by a walker, at times without the digital bridge activated. The procedure further opens the possibility for victims of paralysis to regain control of their legs, with researchers hoping to reduce the size and invasiveness of the implants.

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

Sunny Days in Morocco’s Ouarzazate Basin For centuries, caravan traders used villages in the Ouarzazate basin in Morocco as a stopover on journeys between North Africa and Europe. In recent decades, the entertainment industry discovered the small sedimentary basin flanking the High Atlas and Anti-Atlas mountains and the area has become a center of movie and television production. Most recently, the renewable energy sector has capitalized on the region’s dry, sunny weather by building a large concentrated solar-thermal power plant. The Operational Land Imager (OLI) on Landsat 8 acquired an image (centre) of the plant and the western part of the Ouarzazate basin on December 17, 2022. An image acquired in 2015 image (top) shows the same area when the plant was only partly built. The Ouarzazate Solar Power Station (also called Noor Power Station), located 10 kilometers (6 miles) northeast of Ouarzazate, has an installed capacity of 582 megawatts. The plant supplies electricity to nearly 2 million Moroccans and prevents emissions equivalent to 1 million metric tons of greenhouse gases per year, according to Moroccan officials. The complex is divided into four power sections. Noor I, completed in 2015, is made up of thousands of parabolic mirrors that focus sunlight to heat tubes, filled with thermal oil, that run the length of the mirrors. The heated oil is used to make steam that turns a turbine to generate electricity. The thermal oil can also be used to heat molten salts in storage tanks that keep the salt hot enough to generate steam well after sunset. Noor II, completed in early 2018, uses similar mirrors but has a dry cooling system that significantly reduces the amount of water required to run the system. Noor III, also completed in early 2018, includes 7,400 Sun-tracking mirrors called heliostats that are arrayed in a circular pattern around a tall power tower that heat a molten salt fluid. Noor IV, completed later in 2018, runs on photovoltaic panels, which generate with semiconductors. Note the lower water level on the reservoir behind the Barrage Al Mançour Ad-Dahbi in December 2022 compared to December 2015. In 2022, this part of Morocco was in the midst of a severe drought. This has made apportioning the region’s scarce water resources between the solar plant, farmers, nearby mines, and urban water users in Ouarzazate and other towns challenging. Growth and development in Ouarzazate have put additional pressure on natural resources. The city’s population has swollen by more than 80,000 people since the early 1990s, driven in part by economic development associated with the power plant and other industries but also due to the region’s active tourism industry. One of the main draws for tourists include Ouarzazate’s movie and television industry. The region hosts major studios and has served as the filming location for productions such as Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator, The Mummy, Game of Thrones, and many others. Another draw is Aït Ben Haddou, a UNESCO World Heritage Site northwest of Ouarzazate that hosts a fortified town built with clay and featuring traditional southern Moroccan architecture. NASA Earth Observatory images by Allison Nussbaum, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Story by Adam Voiland.

[slimechao]

RoX Lore Dump ~~~ Notable Settlements

TW: mentions of religious belief (non x-tian)

~~~~~~~~~~~

Eithai Uros - This name is commonly used to refer to the main continent itself, as those unaware of the islands beyond it believe it to be the only land within the planet. Eithai Uros is a small spacial body with one moon, existing in a small universe cluster. Of intelligent life, you can typically find humans, elves, half-elves, half-orcs, halflings, and-- for the more seasoned traveler-- you may even be familiar with a few dwarves or gnomes. In more recent years, most cannot note a time where there was any identifiable "warring factions".... Though communities have become more and more closed off over the last thousand years due to threat of Xahl creatures. Its natural flora is dynamic and plentiful, with varying biomes and mystical plants that have blossomed from centuries of being untouched by industrialization.

Aeiturn Isle - the central-most location within the main continent of Eithai Uros, and currently the largest and most populated settlement. It sits atop a slight plateau, gated off and guarded by a militia-esque team to prevent breaches from Xahl creatures. It is one of the only locations with a proper medical facility, standardized educational system, dedicated marketplace, and an elected official in charge. One of the most popular amenities is Aiko's Tavern, which hosts karaoke nights every week for the entire fall season.

Yukkin Village - a small settlement slightly to the southwest of Aeiturn Isle, mostly populated by elves and halflings. The residents are mostly hermits-- outsiders that pass through often refer to it as a "ghost town". Rumors of this settlement speak of a blasphemous population that holds hatred of the Oracles and fears the unknown, but most residents have great respect and fear of the Oracle of Fate-- rituals, offerings, and even sacrifices to her are a common occurrence among the ancestors of Tolubiir migrants, passed down and performed in hopes that she will protect their new home. The EXTC has strong ties to both Yukkin and Aeiturn, offering sanctioned protections in exchange for cooperation in EXTC programs and information relating to travelers and Xahl sightings.

Ki'tuun - a quiet farming community located in the deep south of the main continent. Due to the river north of the settlement, as well as the Ashland Harbor incident, traveling merchants rarely set foot in Ki'tuun. Its wealth is minimal in contrast to many settlements as a result, but it has developed some means of self-sufficiency in order to maintain its populace. Most residents do not believe in the existence of the Oracles, and many are fully unaware of the concept-- the few who know tales of the Oracles believe them equivalent to bedtime stories or mere fables, passing on them to their kin as such. Those who regard the Oracles as legitimate hold hatred of them, placing blame upon them for failing to intervene and bless the settlement. Magic is generally seen with disdain here, leading druids that have settled among the civilization to hide their abilities or use them with restraint to bolster their crop production and animal husbandry.

Ashland Harbor - a once bustling haven for sailors and tradesmen, now only a barren, soot-covered ruin. It was famous for hosting the fastest method of transporting goods across the entirety of the central continent and held strong bonds with Tolubiir Timberworks, as well as dozens of construction companies across the globe. When the notorious blazes occurred, all of its residents and visitors seemingly vanished without a trace-- no bodies or remains were ever located. No ships remained, and no substantial effort to rebuild the harbor has ever been attempted, leaving it a harrowing memory to those who recall its former glory.

Tolubiir Timberworks - once teeming with mystical woodland, now left in ashy decay. It had been settled by halflings thousands of years ago and transformed into the most profitable source of lumber across all of Eithai Uros. Just weeks prior to the Ashland Harbor incident, Tolubiir was set aflame in much the same way, though some residents were able to be rescued and emigrated to Yukkin Village thanks to independent members of the EXTC. The similarities of these two incidents lead many to believe that the catalyzing force behind each of them derived from the same origin.

Niravia Town - a remote village occupying the northwest peninsula, it is cut off from other settlements by the Forest of Dreams. Its residents are militantly religious and anti-magic, apprehensive of the Oracles and firm in the conviction that they have been abandoned by those they once worshiped. Their rituals immensely deviate from other regions as a consequence of the tragedies that have occurred here. The Tree of Oracles at the town's center, long ago efflorescent with sacred flowers and fruits, seems to have withered and begun to rot-- still stained crimson with the life force of a distraught father. The grass and other plant-life in the immediate area has putrefied into an eerie grey and never re-grew to its natural state. The secluded nature of the residents has lead to violent outbursts on the rare occasion that a foreigner approaches the town.

Hiraethfeld - an incredibly small, scarcely acknowledged township, founded at the south-eastern border of the Forest of Dreams. It is perceived by the rare visitor to be a transcendental landscape filled with lush, almost otherworldly flora-- near completely unfettered by the homesteads of its residents. It is absent from many modern maps due to the inherent fear of the forest that the average Uronian holds, but those who live within Hiraethfeld do not hold these same reservations; instead they cherish the forest dearly, believing it to be the strongest connection between the mortal plane and the Realm of the Oracles. Residents wield a strong relationship to the Oracle of Dreams-- many local legends, traditions and holidays center focus around this Oracle in particular. Their communal nature is near unmatched by any other settlement. They're driven by a need for connection with one another, the Oracle of Dreams, and the natural gifts they see as ethereal blessings among mortal life. The closest entities to a "government" present is a devout sisterhood that is known to provide medical aide to the injured, education of the traditions and world to the children, and do much of the preparations for holidays and rituals. It is also home to the most accurate scripture in regards to the Forest of Dreams, as well as the effects of entering it.

[localbiz99]

Local business directories for small businesses

Your Map to Success in the Local Business Jungle

Navigating the bustling streets of the business world can be a daunting task for the small business owner. It's like being a tiny fish in a vast ocean, wondering how to make a splash. Fear not, for local business directories are the beacon of hope, shining a light on small businesses, guiding customers straight to your doorstep. Let's embark on a journey to uncover how these directories can be the GPS for your business's success story.

Introduction

Imagine if there was a magic book that told everyone in town exactly where to find your business and what makes it special. Well, guess what? That's not just a fairy tale; it's the real-life superpower of local business directories for small businesses. These directories are like the town criers of the digital age, shouting out your name in the crowded marketplace and making sure you're found by those who need you most. So, buckle up as we dive into the why and how of getting your business listed and noticed!

Why Local Business Directories Are the Unsung Heroes for Small Businesses

1. The Visibility Boost

Be Seen: In the digital era, if you're not online, do you even exist? Local directories make sure your business is not just a whisper but a clear, visible presence.

SEO Magic: These directories have a special trick up their sleeve - boosting your website's ranking on search engines, making it easier for customers to find you.

2. The Trust Factor

Word of Mouth, But Online: Remember the good old days when recommendations came from neighbors? Local directories are the modern equivalent, lending credibility and trust to your business.

3. The Community Connection

Local Love: Being listed in a local directory is like being part of a close-knit community, where supporting local businesses is a badge of honor worn proudly by customers.

How to Harness the Power of Local Business Directories for Your Small Business

1. Choosing the Right Directory

Not All Directories Are Created Equal: Look for ones with high traffic and a good reputation. Think of it as choosing the right party to attend; you want one where you can shine.

Local Focus: Some directories are more local than others. Find one where your business can be a big fish in a small pond.

2. Making Your Listing Stand Out

The Devil's in the Details: Be as thorough as possible. Include all the bells and whistles - your business name, address, phone number, website, and a captivating description.

Pictures Speak Louder Than Words: Add photos to give your listing some pizzazz and show potential customers what they can expect.

3. Keeping Your Information Up-to-Date

Stay Fresh: Businesses evolve, and so should your listing. Regular updates keep your information accurate and help maintain customer trust.

FAQs: The Treasure Map to Local Directory Mastery

Q: Is it costly to list my business in local directories?

A: Fear not! Many directories offer free listings, though some may charge for premium features. It's all about finding the right fit for your budget.

Q: How many directories should I list my business in?

A: Quality over quantity. Focus on the directories that matter most to your local community and industry.

Q: Can I measure the impact of being listed in these directories?

A: Absolutely! Many directories offer insights and analytics. Keep an eye on traffic sources to your website and ask customers how they found you.

Conclusion: Your Business, Amplified

As we close this chapter, it's clear that local business directories for small businesses are not just a nice-to-have; they're an essential part of your marketing toolkit. By boosting visibility, building trust, and connecting with the community, these directories can turn the daunting task of being found into a walk in the park. So, take the leap, list your business, and watch as the doors to new opportunities swing wide open. Remember, in the bustling marketplace of today, being listed is akin to being invited to the best party in town. Don't let your business miss out!

[quietquaking]

I just wanted to write a cute little 2K fic. Something to do for the night, right? But to do so required knowing a little bit about the specifics of Xavier's School For Gifted Youngsters.

So I tried to figure it out. But the more I did, the more I realized it just didn't make sense. And suddenly there I was, redesigning the entirety of his school and the world with it. Now, almost six hours after I was planning on starting my (short! low-effort! one night!) fic... the map is done.

Worldwide Stats

- mutant-x gene appears in approx. 0.4% of the population, but is only activated in maybe a tenth of those (statistics are skewed by varying radiation levels around the world, as well as some hiding their mutations in countries less open to it)

- so about 27 million mutants worldwide, about 120K from the US

- options are to hide it, be killed for it, jump straight into specialized military or government care from a young age (normal age restrictions on military service apply in the US and other countries), hide somewhere isolated, or stay in a place specifically for mutants (Xavier’s school, Genosha, and global equivalents)

- in the future schools will start to adopt special policies for mutant kids, and they can continue living at home, eventually move on and live in normal society (this is mostly for kids with tame or harmless mutations-mutant schools and havens will continue to stay open, particularly for those with more volatile powers)(some can also go to specialized schools, learn to control their powers while getting an education, then rejoin the world with more control)

- currently, about 5K go to Xavier’s and ~16 million live on Genosha

- people immigrate from everywhere to live on Genosha, it’s the largest haven in the world (most range from towns or cities of 100-1 million)- technically Genosha is a small country, without the rights of one, living under the US government

- Genosha isn’t really a cityscape, it’s more stacked up neighborhoods (made of abandoned industrial material, mostly) and sprawled out farmland - people help each other, some areas elect local governors and some go to Erik for larger conflicts, but mostly it’s just peaceful and self-governing. lots of orphanages and group homes and adoptive families, bc human families keep trying to get rid of mutant kids

Xavier’s School For Gifted Youngsters

- originally it could only hold about 300 people, but it was destroyed during Apocalypse and rebuilt, now holds approx 5K (including 1K of staff) - about 1/2-2/3 stay on site

- floor plan has east, west, south, library, and nursery sections, entry fountain is south, flower garden is south, vegetable/herb gardens are northwest, hedge maze is northeast

- buildings sit in the southeast quadrant of the property

- basement (spanning south and west wings, and stretching farther west underground) holds Cerebro, jet hangar, x-men facilities, hank’s lab (with enough room for other scientists as well), and spaces for training particularly volatile mutations (similar to alex’s bunker in First Class)

- first floor (spanning west, south, and east wings) is large rooms that serve as classrooms (10-30 people), commercial kitchen w hired staff, communal dining space (basically a fancy cafeteria), entrance hall, and headmaster’s office

- second floor (spanning west, south, and east wings) is dormitories (400ish rooms) - for kids staying the week and leaving weekends or kids staying for the year and leaving summer - 6 kids per room (2 triple bunk beds), communal bathrooms, and game room (foosball, pool, ping pong, etc)

- third floor (spanning west, south, and east wings) is residential bedrooms, anyone who stays year-round or lives permanently (x-men and some of the staff)- kids staying summers but leaving after graduation share rooms, but only 2-3 people. couples can also choose to share. a few rooms up here are kept empty for last-minute changes of any kind, as well as a residential kitchen (midnight snacks and whatnot). bathrooms are in each room, but some rooms do share

- attic (south and east wings) is loads and loads of storage

- separate section for the library, 2 stories (kids can also have personal bookshelves in their rooms)

- kids under 6 stay in the nursery, kids 6-14 have someone older in their rooms to mitigate conflict, injury, etc

- everything is connected by two large sets of stair and two elevators, plus stairs in the library and down to the basement

- shed for sports supplies somewhere

- 3 basketball courts, two tracks, and a baseball diamond, plus lots of trees and free space w picnic tables (sometimes outside space gets used for training or classes as well)

- hedge maze and vegetable garden in the back, flower garden in the front

- students can also volunteer in either garden and cook in either kitchen

- the school is private, so it costs to get in, but alternate plans can be made for those that can’t afford it

- everyone is given an allowance to buy their own clothes and toiletries and have a bit of fun, school supplies and food are provided

- trips are taken twice a year in groups to get basic necessities

- there’s a bus stop about half a mile down the road, kids 14 and up are encouraged to walk there and catch the bus to anywhere in town on their days off (students younger than that must find staff supervision)

- students can be finishing up a HS diploma (credits are transferable), or starting from scratch, or just learning to manage their powers

- afterwards students can leave to attempt to rejoin society, go live on Genosha, go hide in the wilderness, join the x-men, or work as a staff member (living onsite or not)

[image id: a pencil sketch of rough squares and rectangles, labelled as all the buildings mentioned above]

[keithsylvest27]

Water Treatment Public Water Techniques Ingesting Water Healthy Water

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Besides often including salt to your water softener and sometimes cleansing the brine tank, it is usually beneficial that you have your water softener serviced annually. Contact your native WaterCare dealer if your water feels hard, you discover spots in your dishes, salt stays at the identical stage each day, or you discover a change in your water quality. Complete Water Solutions offers the experience, data, and resources of a giant company while retaining the flexibility and customized service of a small enterprise. No matter the level of installation you're looking at, we at all times provide top-of-the-line service with industry-leading products, like Osmonics, Fleck, and Autotrol. Inorganic compounds and enormous non-volatile organic contaminants don't evaporate and are left behind because the vapor condenses into purified water. And relying in your needs or particular water sort, there are numerous options to select from — so here’s a primer on what to look for. 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If I had to choose just one vendor of ultrapure water treatment tools for the means forward for this or another endeavor, I would gladly choose Agape Water Solutions, Inc. The reason for this is a high degree of enterprise ethics, competitiveness, and past expert stage of data in the working area, together with reasonably quick response to our wants.

[greenbergeskesen70]

Factoring Companies In Fort Price, Texas

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[whereareroo]

PALAS de REI

WF UPDATE: DAY 11 (7/11/23).

We covered 15.5 miles today. We started at 6:57 a.m. and we hit our new hotel at 1:55 a.m. Along the way, we stopped for a snack, for lunch, and to visit a playground.

Lunch was notable. GC1 is a bit of a foodie, and he likes to try unusual items. He ordered the hot pork and cheese sandwich. He got a freshly baked 8 inch hoagie roll stuffed with two deboned pork chops and topped with a slab of partially melted cheese. The thing was massive. He ate the whole thing. He says that it might have been the best lunch so far. I had an excellent hamburger.

We hit the playground at mile 14. GC1 couldn’t pass up the opportunity to jump off the swing. To his credit, after 10 minutes GC1 realized that the swing set was so decrepit that it couldn’t handle his aggressive swinging. It looked like it was going to fall apart. During those 10 minutes, he did a few good jumps. All was not lost. The playground had a cool zip line, and it kept GC1 occupied for another 10 minutes.

We passed through 8 little towns today. They were linked by little country roads. The trail runs alongside the roads, but it’s perfectly safe to walk on the roads. There isn’t any traffic. I think we saw six or eight cars all day. Between the towns, there are corn fields and dairy farms.

A bunch of “Sarria Pilgrims” had blister problems today. We saw at least 20 people sitting on the side of the road dealing with their blistered feet. Frankly, I’m surprised that we didn’t see more casualties. Most of the folks have improper footwear and terrible socks. I guess they skipped Hiking 101.

Due to the new influx, the cafes were more crowded today. There’s also some Pilgrim congestion before and after each cafe. When we weren’t near a cafe, which was most of the time, we were all by ourselves. My little friend complains about the crowds anyway.

I’ve written before about the large Pilgrim dormitories called albergues. For the equivalent of $10 or $15 a night, you get a bed in some sort of group housing situation and the right to use a communal bathroom. Sometimes albergues have 10 or 12 rooms with six or eight beds (frequently bunk beds) in a room. Sometimes albergues have a single large room, maybe the size of a high school gymnasium, filled with 100 beds. Most Pilgrims stay in albergues. We don’t. We are, however, in an interesting situation tonight. We’re immediately adjacent to an albergue. We know some people who are staying there. The proprietor of the albergue also operates a 9 room hotel in the adjacent building. You check in at the albergue and then they walk you next door to your private room. Our room is big and beautiful, and the bathroom is first class. It’s a strange situation. As far as I can tell, we’re the only guests in the hotel (which, by the way, is only $70.) I haven’t seen anyone else in the building.

We’re in a town called Palas de Rei. This area was part of a kingdom in the early 700s, and the King lived here in a palace from 702-710. The palace is gone, but the name remains. Today it’s a functioning little town. The local industries are dairy farming and cheese making. It’s also a major hub for Pilgrims.

The weather was unusual today. Until about Noon, there was a fine mist that was so light you didn’t really get wet. As we walked up and down hills of green, it seemed as if we were in Ireland. We haven’t met any Irish folks yet. We still have a few days.

The church here is right across the street from our hotel. We walked over to 7:00 p.m. Mass. The timing was perfect because, as is the case in most of Spain, the restaurants here don’t open for dinner until 7:30 p.m.

Octopus is a famous seafood dish in this region. Even though we don’t hit real octopus territory until tomorrow, it is served at a few places here. Of course, GC1 wanted octopus for dinner. We found a nice place, and he had a small serving of octopus and a full serving of cod. I went with a steak. We’re fortified for tomorrow.

Tomorrow is a big day. It will be the first time that we’ve walked for a fourth day without a rest day. We’re also looking at the longest day of our journey. Even though we feel strong, it will take us some time. Thankfully, we have plenty of time. I’m sure that we’ll do just fine. I’ll keep you posted.

[ahlulhaditht]

END TIMES ...

part 1 - The Internet

Abu Abdillah Al Moqdādī is a researcher on Ākhiru-Zamān - End Times, in the light of narrations - ahadīth and athār, from Bilād al-Urdun, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

He researches current events and tries to link them to the narrations, and has been successful many times in explaining some of current events in the light of the narrations. He is also very interested in the current war between Russia and Ukraine and how it could be linked to some prophecies.

Although he is not always clear about the grade of the Hadīth - he generally does make the distinction between the weak ahadīth that do not support a strong narration, and the weak ahadīth that can be counted as they support a stronger narration. Also being the son of a Syrian sheikh, he appears knowledgeable enough about the sciences of Hadīth and Qur'an, and Allāh knows best.

One interesting topic he has been talking about recently is the much discussed topic of the interruption - whether short term, or longer term, or complete disappearance, of the internet during the war.

Here is some of the interesting points he made :

The second world war, which was during a time of much less technological development, particularly here of war weaponry, caused the death of 70 million people, and destroyed a very great part of the industrial fabric of the countries hit by the war - Europe. The USA had to devote 13 billion Dollars, which is the equivalent in today's money of 50 billion Dollars, to reconstruct Europe after the war - and that's only for Western Europe. 70% of the industrial apparatus was destroyed, as well the destruction of many cities in Europe and the then Soviet block. However this could still be less than what would be the result of one nuclear bomb of today's technology, in terms of destructive power.

Now there is a talk of the internet not being there anymore and being destroyed before the total destruction of a third world war....

Today about nine different countries possess together 9000 different nuclear weapons - air weapons, land weapons, in submarines ....

If these weapons are released, used by any of these nine countries, they are in fact capable of destroying not only the earth but other planets as well given their strength.

A professor at the University of South Wales said that a bomb of only 15 kilotons which is considered a small nuclear tactical weapon, can destroy everything in the path of 1.5 km around the centre of the explosion... And the bigger bombs can destroy any sign of civilization in entire towns.

If one ponders over this figures, the prospect of the internet technology being severely impacted in some places is very real.

[liamanders9]

What are Pure Cane spirits?

Pure Cane spirits are distilled alcoholic beverages, made from sugarcane juice. People are often confused between cane spirits and their fraternal twin, rum; the distinction lies in the fact that most rums are made from molasses, a by-product of sugarcane whereas cane spirits, though also technically rums, are distilled directly from fermented sugarcane juice. DJ Pure Cane is the one of two Cane spirits produced in India; Pure Cane spirit being more abundant in Brazil with its manifestation there as cachaca.

Travelers passing from one town to another in India often pass through highways embanked on both sides by agricultural fields. Sometimes these are paddy fields, reaching out till the horizon in vibrant green. Sometimes these are mustard fields, with their yellow flowers swaying joyfully in the air. And sometimes, they are lush fields of sugarcane; the thin, sturdy and upright stalks reaching out to the blue sky in happy abandon.

The long and many stretches of sugarcane fields in India is indication about the importance of the nation’s production of the crop in the global agricultural landscape; India is the second largest producer of sugarcane (and sugar), the first in the rank being Brazil.

Because of high production of sugarcane in Brazil, it is not surprising that the nation is known for cachaca, the pure cane spirit. So much so that, cachaca is protected by geographical indication in Brazil, confining its nomenclature and thus its production only to Brazil.

What is surprising is that for a very long time, despite India being such a high sugarcane producing nation, the nation had no equivalent to cachaca; yes, we manufacture rum, but it is manufactured from molasses, a by-product of sugarcane whereas cachaca and all pure cane spirits are distilled from sugarcane juice itself.

It was only after DesmondJi entered the alcobev industry in 2011, that this gap was filled and India got her first Pure Cane spirit in 2013. DesmondJi introduced DJ Pure Cane which is distilled exclusively from the purple sugarcanes flourishing in the Deccan plateau of the nation.

Proudly Made in India, DJ Pure Cane, and its purple label on the bottle are a tribute to the purple sugarcane that have made India its home since centuries. Like Cachaca of Brazil and Rhum Agricole of the Caribbean region of France, DJ Pure Cane also belongs to the international family of sugar cane based spirit and is a premium white spirit made following international standard. Distilled in small batches of artisanal pot-stills in DesmondJi’s craft distillery in Andhra Pradesh, DJ Pure Cane bewitches patrons with its unique profile of a craft sugarcane rum.

Unlike most of its kindred spirits which are imported products in India and thus highly priced, DJ Pure Cane, because of its domestic origin, commands a comparatively affordable price in the market and is thus accessible to a greater section of tipplers.

Cane spirits, including DJ Pure Cane can be enjoyed with soft beverages and juices. The adventurous patrons who love to explore often give a twist to cocktails like mojito, daiquiri, caipirinha, etc. by introducing Pure Cane spirit into the game.

[xtruss]

France's Bakers May Be Forced To Close Their Shops or Raise “Baguette” Prices

Soaring electricity prices are squeezing bakers.

— By Ibtissem Guenfoud | January 5, 2023,

Baguette gains UNESCO recognition. The United Nations body voted to add the central part of the French diet to the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Stock Image/Getty Images

The Cherished French Baguette is in trouble.

Soaring electricity prices in France are threatening the livelihoods of bakers.

Baker Julien Pedussel, 36, started demonstrations near his shop to warn of the threat to his profession.

"I cannot pay an electricity bill of 12,000 euros with a turnover of 20,000 euros," he said in an interview with a local news outlet.

He may have the raise the prices of his baguette from 1 euro to 3 or 4 euros -- a scenario Pedussel said he won't do.

"Besides, who would buy a baguette at such a price when the supermarkets in the area have a baguette for less than 1 euro?" he said.

French customers seem to agree with Pedussel.

"I won’t [pay 3 euros] because it’s double the price," customer Faustine Lepoutre told ABC News. "Maybe sometimes I would because there is no equivalent to a baguette … but it would become occasional, for parties or if I have people over."

Aurelia Cece said she'd bake a baguette herself if prices hit 3 euros.

Twitter: Emmanuel Macron@EmmanuelMacron! Officiel du gouvernement - France

"For some families, it’s already hard to pay over 80 cents for a Baguette," she told ABC News.

In response to the crisis, France's minister of the economy, Bruno Le Maire, invited industry representatives to talk about rising prices. Several emergency measures were put forward, such as bakers terminating their electricity supply contract in the event of a "prohibitive" price increase.

Starting next month, an "electricity damper" measure will allow some bakers to limit how much their electricity bill increases.

"Aid for bakers has been reinforced," the Ministry for the Economy told ABC News, noting that "eligible bakeries can benefit from it."

On Thursday, during a ceremony at the Elysée Palace for the traditional ceremony of the "Galette des Rois," President Emmanuel Macron addressed the bakers, telling them "I am by your side." He called on energy suppliers to renegotiate the "excessive" contracts of small businesses.

Despite the government response, many bakery managers find themselves incapable of paying their electricity bills.

A baker prepares loaves of baguette bread in a bakery in Brou near Chartres, southwest of Paris, on Dec. 1, 2022. Julien De Rosa/AFP via Getty Images

Damien Roussel owns the bakery La panetière des Buccéens in Boissy-le-Châtel, a town of 3,200 people. Last month, he was unsure if he'd be able to reopen in 2023.

"For now we are holding on through January," he told ABC News, adding that he's waiting to see if energy suppliers will regulate their prices.

Even with the government assistance, Roussel said he will have to pay 12,000 euros more this year for electricity. He can operate his shop until at least January using money have saved up for new equipment. What happens in February is unclear, he said.

Julien Bernard-Regnard opened his bakery five years ago in a small village in Moselle. He had to close on Dec. 4 because his expenses were overwhelming. Another bakery in the village closed the same day.

"I am ashamed to be French. I no longer want to create anything in France. It is always the same people who toil," Bernard-Regnard told ABC News.

[sandyhookhistory]

“Dig Deep and Hit ‘Em Hard” Today is National Miner’s Day, when we reflect on those men and women who dig for the natural materials that make life as we know it possible. For every gadget and gizmo, from toasters to tanks, all components start somewhere in the ground. And someone has to go get it. Mining is a horrifyingly dangerous trade, no matter the product. When it’s not dangerous, it’s dirty, back-breaking, and as tough as it gets. Modern technology have makes it easier, but human hands still have do to do most of it. National Miner’s Day is held each Dec 6th, in honor of the worst mining disaster in American history: the Monongah, West Virginia Mine Explosion on December 6th, 1907. A series of explosions and cave-ins kill no less than 362 men. They left behind over 700 dependents. However, public outcry from Monongah led to reforms and changes; the US Bureau of Mines was formed in 1910. In 1942, holding the line is the “Arsenal Of Democracy.” American shops, factories, and shipyards are hurling out guns, planes, radios, ammo, telephones, tanks, tires, and our refineries are pumping out millions of gallons of gas a day. But that stuff doesn’t grow on trees. You need to go get the iron ore, the copper, zinc, tungsten, lead, aluminum, cadmium, cobalt.. And that’s where the mines come in. They too, operate at fever pitch, humming 24/7 to furnish the mills and factories. And at the heart of it all: Coal. Our vehicles run on oil. But America runs on coal. It runs all the power plants in the factories, from small towns to big cities, and it is as valuable as gold to the US War Industry. 1000 miners will die in 1942; EIGHTEEN THOUSAND FATALITIES in other Industrial Accidents occur as well this year. In our steel mills, ship yards, farms, and factories, we lose 19,000 men and women. That is the equivalent of losing more than an ENTIRE US Army Division on the battlefield. That brings to perspective the price paid here at home, no less real or painful. American Miners play as big a part in the Allied Victory in WW2 just as much as anyone on the front lines. Then, and now, we honor this tough-as-nails group, and we would just like to say… Thank You. (at Fort Hancock, New Jersey) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cl1eJ8_ABQZ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=