#Impact Site with Boulder

[trustednewstribune]

4 Dead, 60 Injured As "Strongest Earthquake In 25 Years" Hits Taiwan

At least four people were killed and nearly 60 injured Wednesday by a powerful earthquake in Taiwan that damaged dozens of buildings and prompted tsunami warnings that extended to Japan and the Philippines before being lifted.

Officials said the quake was the strongest to shake the island in decades, and warned of more tremors in the days ahead.

"The earthquake is close to land and it's shallow. It's felt all over Taiwan and offshore islands," said Wu Chien-fu, director of Taipei's Central Weather Administration's Seismology Center.

Strict building regulations and disaster awareness appear to have staved off a major catastrophe for the island, which is regularly hit by earthquakes as it lies near the junction of two tectonic plates.

Wu said the quake was the strongest since a 7.6-magnitude struck in September 1999, killing around 2,400 people in the deadliest natural disaster in the island's history.

Wednesday's magnitude-7.4 quake struck just before 8:00 am local time (0000 GMT), with the United States Geological Survey (USGS) putting the epicentre 18 kilometres (11 miles) south of Taiwan's Hualien City, at a depth of 34.8 kilometres.

Three people among a group of seven on an early-morning hike through the hills that surround the city were crushed to death by boulders loosened by the earthquake, officials said.

Separately, a truck driver died when his vehicle was hit by a landslide as it approached a tunnel in the area.

Social media was awash with shared video and images from around the country of buildings swaying as the quake struck.

"I wanted to run out, but I wasn't dressed. That was so strong," said Kelvin Hwang, a guest at a hotel in the capital, Taipei, who sought shelter in the lift lobby on the ninth floor.

Dramatic images were shown on local TV of multi-storey structures in Hualien and elsewhere tilting after it ended, while a warehouse in New Taipei City crumbled.

Local TV channels showed bulldozers clearing rocks along roads to Hualien, a mountain-ringed coastal city of around 100,000 people that was cut off by landslides.

President Tsai Ing-wen called for local and central government agencies to coordinate with each other, and said that the national army would also be providing support.

The National Fire Agency confirmed the death toll, adding nearly 60 people had been treated for quake-related injuries.

Regional impact - In Taiwan, Japan and the Philippines, authorities initially issued a tsunami warning but by around 10 am (0200 GMT), the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the threat had "largely passed".

In the capital, the metro briefly stopped running but resumed within an hour, while residents received warnings from their local borough chiefs to check for any gas leaks.

Taiwan is regularly hit by earthquakes as the island lies near the junction of two tectonic plates, while nearby Japan experiences around 1,500 jolts every year.

Across the Taiwan Strait, social media users in China's eastern Fujian province, which borders Guangdong in the south, and elsewhere said they also felt strong tremors.

Residents of Hong Kong also reported feeling the earthquake.

China, which claims self-ruled Taiwan as a renegade province, was "paying close attention" to the quake and "willing to provide disaster relief assistance", state news agency Xinhua said.

Fabrication at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company -- the world's biggest chip maker -- was briefly interrupted at some plants, a company official told AFP, while work at construction sites for new plants was halted for the day.

The vast majority of quakes around the area are mild, although the damage they cause varies according to the depth of the epicentre below the Earth's surface and its location.

The severity of tsunamis -- vast and potentially destructive series of waves that can move at hundreds of kilometres per hour -- also depends on multiple factors.

Japan's biggest earthquake on record was a massive 9.0-magnitude undersea jolt in March 2011 off Japan's northeast coast, which triggered a tsunami that left around 18,500 people dead or missing.

The 2011 catastrophe also sent three reactors into meltdown at the Fukushima nuclear plant, causing Japan's worst post-war disaster and the most serious nuclear accident since Chernobyl.

Japan saw a major quake on New Year's Day this year, when a 7.5-magnitude tremor hit the Noto Peninsula and killed more than 230 people, many of them when older buildings collapsed.

#Taiwan #Japanearthquake #Japan

[tapuhauko]

@skillswapping // a closed starter for Faba ;

It was strange. It had been some sort of illusion, perhaps, that caused Hau to be lured into a cave system in the Haina Desert. That alone was strange enough by itself, honestly, but then... "...Faba?" What was he doing here? There was not much time to think about it, though, because a threathening rumble rang throughout the cave, signaling the start of something.

"Shit— Watch out!" A bunch of boulders started falling from the ceiling, one aimed right for the other. Hau didn't hesitate one moment. Even if it meant exposing his powers to the man, he couldn't just let him get hurt— or worse. With inhuman speed they sprint forward, pulling Faba away from the impact site just in time. The crashing of rocks goes on for a little while, and when they look up again... "..." The exit is gone. And now he was stuck with this jerk. Great.

#skillswapping #of sunshine and thunderstorms ; ic

[amandasgeekblog]

Don't Nod's Jusant Demo Review

Don't Nod recently announced its newest game Jusant by revealing its trailer during XBox Games Showcase 2023. Showing off impressively tall environments and highlighting somewhat otherworldly nature, it feels like a fresh setting for the studio. It was a beautiful and intriguing look into the surprise climbing video game due out this year. Lucky for us, Steam has a demo. Here are my thoughts.

Jusant's demo starts with the definition of the title. Jusant, a noun, is French for low tide. While cliche in an essay, I don’t mind this at all. I do not know French, and the demo likely doesn’t start at the very beginning of the game. It's low tide, and in this game, it’s implied a big unusual ebb.  One might miss that the desolate, incredibly tall, vertical climb is not your average desert. But beside the definition, there is the call of seagulls and areas of barnacles found on the climb. It’s a quiet game, in its isolation and sound. You can hear your breath, your hand as it grasps a ledge, the wind as it blows past your body. Jusant is almost devoid of music for the majority of the game, with subtle musical cues, and high impact when the music full of awe does come through. 

Besides the sounds, right off the bat, the visuals are great. The protagonist’s design has a brightness to it. The high saturation colors stand out from an arid landscape. The stylistic choice of no whites of the eyes makes the character design stand out. The interior environments seem to be an eclectic style of construction site, oceanic, and alien. These ad hoc scaffolding areas were built for all to climb because the low tide seemingly upheaved the locals' lives. No one outside of the player character is seen in the demo (save for glimpses of your little water-blob friend), but there are a few notes and text-based messages to be found. Those familiar with Don’t Nod’s massive hit Life is Strange or the lesser known Tell Me Why (available for free every Pride month) might wish for more interactivity of props. There is one “moment of reflection” as I like to call it, that is common in that genre, and it was peaceful. But if exploring via thoughts or item examination is lacking, that could be very intentional, Jusant’s genre is described as an action-puzzle climbing game on their website. However, Jusant is also tagged as an action-adventure game on Steam. So, it will have to be examined in the full game if the adventure elements are lighter.

I know, I know. Let’s get to the gameplay: climbing! Apologies in advance to those who boulder or rock climb that might suffer through my lack of knowledge and clunky wording. Another note: I used a controller, and it is highly recommended that you do. Climbing feels pretty good. The left hand is the left trigger, and the right hand is the right trigger. I wouldn’t say the controls are floaty, but I do feel like the experience is a little smoothed. The protagonist feels like a strong climber. It is easy to get a good flow in the beginning of the demo with an abundance of available handholds. The player can “look” with one of the joysticks to direct where they reach. Stamina is no worry at all in the start of the demo. Once embarking on some longer climbs or when jumping is needed, you’ll have to watch your gauge. The protagonist will also breathe a little heavier for a diegetic reminder to rest. While on a climb, simply clicking your left joystick down lets you rest just about anywhere. The character is shown shaking out the hands, which is fun and a thing I have seen real climbers do. I did not see what an actual fail state looked like, but when stamina was dire, there was heart racing and red blinking on the stamina meter. 

There’s more depth to the aspects of the gameplay, like with the length of your rope, and adding pitons along the way so you don’t fall too far and lose too much progress if you lose grip. There’s elements of rappelling and ascending that are not realistic to physics, but fun for a game. Sometimes you need to descend or do a sort of wallrunning move to reach the next set of handholds. The demo explored mostly straightforward navigational routes except for a couple trickier spots closer to the end. From the trailer it seems more puzzle elements will be introduced. For example, growing, flowering stalks can take you higher, and seemingly magically-appearing vegetation can sprout into handholds.

Don’t Nod bills this game as a meditative climbing game in nature. I do think they will deliver that. The scenes and landscapes are really vast while on the climb. There doesn’t seem to be anything to rush you on your climb, and the visuals and music are calming. You explore a desert-like landscape in the demo, but there seems to be more biomes that will be explored throughout the game.

Any negatives or issues? 

Handholds are not always the clearest, I do not have an issue with this myself but people with low vision may have trouble. A highlighted or more contrasted color scheme setting could be good for others

There was some graphical stuttering on my PC a few times (for reference I have RTX 2070, Ryzen 7 2700x). But to be honest, I don’t know much about PCs or running games.

I feel like once the panting audio to indicate lower stamina got stuck even after I rested. 

Hints were repetitive, but this is a demo, and there was a setting to turn it off, so this is all good

You might wish more in the interiors were interactive

The pros: 

Fun to climb, intuitive. Which is good, that’s the main mechanic!

Lovely style, saturated hues contrasted with expansive and more realistic landscapes.

Quiet game, relaxing. An hour passed without me noticing!

Potential to have unique lore, something different

Jusant is planned to release Fall 2023 on XBox Series X|S, Playstation 5, and Steam. Get the demo on Steam now.

#game review #mine #the writing that is #jusant #don't nod #demo #steam #long post #review

[youremarvelous]

give up the ghost

fandom: bnha pairing: todobaku rating: m tags: hurt/comfort, sickfic, whump, grief/mourning chapter: 1/3 summary: When Shouto is hit with an amplified dreaming quirk, he finds out the hard way that if something seems too good to be true, it’s probably because it is.

preview:

Rain is pouring down in thick gray sheets by the time they reach the site of the landslide. The impact zone is vast, but the area is rural—more forest than development. Earth cascades down the mountain in a thunderous, muddy torrent—dislodging power lines and washing away trees whole.

A handful of heroes scour the mountain face, searching for anybody caught in the runoff. Bakugo has just pulled a woman from her upended car when the earth shifts again. His grip around her holds, but further up the mountain an elementary school groans and collapses into rubble. Giant slabs of plaster and concrete topple together like playing cards, hurtling directly toward them.

Shouto is downhill, building thick walls of ice to protect the road. He’s just reinforced a blockade on the southernmost tip when the ground rumbles threateningly under his feet. He turns his eyes up the cliff to find the newest casualty of the storm and sees Bakugo, struggling to pull a woman out of the trajectory of its impact.

Bakugo can use his quirk to blow the debris away. He’s smart and capable and not in any real danger. But Shouto sprints up the hill, anyway, desperately scanning for a good angle to cast out a barrier of ice to protect him.

When he finally finds one, the soaked earth sighs and gives way under his feet. Boulders tumble past, glancing off his cheeks, his legs. Shouto tries to dodge, but his boots are caked in mud and he can’t find his footing. A fist-sized rock collides with the side of his head, and the resounding crack reverberates through his teeth and down his spine. He wobbles to his knees, his vision throbbing like a heartbeat.

Shouto sends out a wall of ice just as he falls the rest of the way. He sees the ice hold. Then he sees Bakugo whip around and yell out to him—his voice rinsed away by the pounding rain.

Shouto tries to get up, but his body is washed up on a distant shore. The tide tugs at him, needy and dark. Shouto closes his eyes and lets it take him.

read on ao3

#bnha #todobaku #todoroki shouto #bakugo katsuki #whump #tdbk #bktd #my writing #my fic

[mariacallous]

As the dust settled following SpaceX’s brief, explosive test launch of Starship in April, both the company and the Federal Aviation Administration dug into investigating the aftermath. The gigantic rocket’s flight lasted just four minutes before it blew up near SpaceX’s Boca Chica launch site on the Texas coast. Images and news reports posted in the days afterward showed boulders of concrete and rebar blasting into the air during liftoff, and there were accounts of particulates raining down on nearby Port Isabel.

Today, both SpaceX and the FAA released statements on their joint “mishap investigation,” which was led by the company and overseen by the FAA, with NASA and the National Transportation Safety Board acting as observers. The results had to be evaluated and approved by FAA officials, but neither the agency nor SpaceX has released a full report, which would include proprietary data and US Export Control information.  Despite SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s claim on X (formerly Twitter) on September 5 that “Starship is ready to launch,” the FAA’s statement makes clear that SpaceX has more work to do. “The closure of the mishap investigation does not signal an immediate resumption of Starship launches at Boca Chica. SpaceX must implement all [63] corrective actions that impact public safety and apply for and receive a license modification from the FAA that addresses all safety, environmental and other applicable regulatory requirements prior to the next Starship launch,” the statement reads.

The FAA also released a “mishap closure letter” sent to SpaceX officials today, which further outlines the agency’s safety and environmental concerns. “During lift-off, structural failure of the launch pad deck foundation occurred, sending debris and sand into the air,” the letter states. On ascent, when the rocket deviated from its trajectory, the Autonomous Flight Safety System issued a destruct command, but there was an “unexpected delay” before it actually blew up, the letter continues.

The letter to SpaceX also summarizes what the FAA expects the company to address before it can be granted a new launch license. Those actions include “redesigns of vehicle hardware to prevent leaks and fires, redesign of the launch pad to increase its robustness, incorporation of additional reviews in the design process, additional analysis and testing of safety critical systems and components including the Autonomous Flight Safety System (AFSS), and the application of additional change control practices.”

A statement on the SpaceX website briefly describes updates the company has been making to the rocket and launchpad since April. These include a hot-stage separation system, intended to use the second-stage engines to “push the ship away from the booster,” as well as a new thrust vector control system with electric motors, rather than hydraulic systems, which the company says “has fewer potential points of failure.”

Their statement also said the company had reinforced the launch pad’s foundation. Similarly, Musk tweeted this morning: “Thousands of upgrades to Starship & launchpad/Mechazilla,” referring to the launch tower.

The April launch was not the first time SpaceX had tested—and crashed—a version of Starship, although previous launches had been of earlier prototypes, including just the upper-stage rocket. In April, engineers had sought to test the fully stacked rocket and to send it on its first nearly orbital flight. After stage separation, the uncrewed upper stage was supposed to fly almost all the way around the Earth, and then splash down in the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii 90 minutes later.

On launch day, Starship successfully got off the pad, but trouble became apparent a few minutes later. During ascent, propellant leaked at the end of the Super Heavy booster and caused fires, which severed the connection with the primary flight computer, according to the SpaceX statement. That’s why the upper stage and the booster failed to separate, the company concluded. Engineers then lost control of the vehicle, the connected stack began to rotate and tumble, and it eventually exploded.

Another problem was the cratering of the launch pad, caused by what Musk described on Twitter Spaces as a “rock tornado” generated by the launch. The launchpad notably lacked a flame deflector—or water deluge system—which most pads are built with. This is intended to diffuse the sound, flames, and energy produced by a launch. In SpaceX’s statement today, the company says it has made upgrades “to prevent a recurrence of the pad foundation failure,” and that includes “the addition of a flame deflector, which SpaceX has successfully tested multiple times.”

(SpaceX has not responded to WIRED’s request for comment.)

There’s a lot on the line for Starship. At 390 feet tall, it is bigger than either SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy or even NASA’s Space Launch System. With 33 Raptor engines and millions of pounds of thrust, it could become the most powerful rocket in the world. Musk envisions using Starship for Mars voyages, and NASA plans to use it for the Artemis moon missions, starting with the historic Artemis 3 flight planned for 2025, which will take astronauts back to lunar soil for the first time since 1972. NASA also awarded SpaceX a contract for the Artemis 4 landing scheduled for 2028. Those plans will face setbacks if SpaceX can’t quickly get its launch site and its massive new rocket working. A couple weeks after the Starship explosion, NASA awarded Blue Origin—SpaceX’s rival—a moon lander contract for the Artemis 5 mission slated for 2029, perhaps as a hedge in case SpaceX’s troubles with Starship continue.

Inaugural rocket launches almost always fail, especially attempted orbital flights, and SpaceX’s Starship’s short-lived flight was not unexpected. (NASA’s successful lunar flight by the Space Launch System and Orion last year was an exception.) Musk himself tweeted that he thought there might be a 50 percent chance of success and said on Twitter Spaces that he hoped the rocket wouldn’t “fireball” and melt the launchpad. The FAA oversees other companies’ launch site investigations too—including Blue Origin’s following its New Shepard rocket failure in September 2022.

The Starship launch site neighbors a wildlife refuge and public beach. Local and environmental groups like Save RGV (referring to the Rio Grande Valley) and the Center for Biological Diversity raised concerns even before the test launch, not just about debris but also about increased vehicle traffic, intense heat, noise, and light pollution from construction, and launch activities that could affect protected species and the public beach. On May 1, they sued the FAA for granting the launch license without a more thorough environmental impact statement. (SpaceX later joined the lawsuit on the FAA’s side.) Through their lawsuit, the groups are calling for the FAA to conduct a fuller review of the Starship launch program that would likely include more mitigating measures. They feel this will better protect the local community and wildlife, including threatened and endangered species like Kemp’s ridley sea turtle and migratory birds like the piping plover.

“The explosion, the destruction at the launch pad, the debris scattered across the area, the dust floating to nearby towns, what occurred proves our point: The mitigation is clearly insufficient,” says Jared Margolis, senior attorney for the Center for Biological Diversity. “As we look to the stars, as we try to look forward to this new age of spaceflight, we can’t forget about life here on Earth.”

[miniscrew-anon]

HSH Febuwhump Day 15 - Self-Sacrifice

This prompt I actually had an idea for since the beginning. Takes place before HSH and also my day 8 and 9 prompts.

----

The controls aren’t responding. 

Champion presses buttons furiously, head coming up to watch for danger every other second. He’s ducked between the steel beams of a fallen crane that had been ripped from its foundation and crashed into the on-site lab of testing ground C. The wreckage around him is still ablaze, electrical sparks and a leaking fuel line keeping the area shrouded in smoke. The heat is intense. Sweat drips down his forehead and stings his cuts on his face. But this was the safest place he could find in short notice because the dark plumes help obscure his form. 

All around him, chaos reigns; explosions from the plasma impacting electrical infrastructure, lights from the lasers firing in all directions, buildings crumbling from the ground-shaking footsteps of the Divine Beast, bodies screaming in pain and fear.

With nothing but a cracked shield and an empty quiver, Champion had no choice but to retreat and take cover. He can’t contain this situation from the battlefield. All he can do is try a remote shutdown of the whole system. 

He’s trying to establish a connection to the system when the slate’s screen reflects blue light. Champion is up and moving before he even fully processed it, shield coming up to protect himself. The guardian's laser hits him full on, nearly knocking him off his feet. His arm trembles from the sheer force of it, unable to properly parry. His shield cracks at the impact but it holds, the laser redirecting to a nearby rock and scattering dust and debris into the air. Using it like a smoke screen, Champion dives for the cover of the canyon rubble beside the Sheikah tower. He ducks and weaves among the boulders until he comes to a small enclave, enough to hide in for a moment.

He slams his back against it, eyes peeled for danger. He pulls the slate out again. Desperately he tries to rework the communications. He needs to inform HQ that the guardians were malfunctioning and attacking indiscriminately. They needed to be shut down now. 

But no matter how he tries he can’t get it to work. He rips open the back of the slate to manually reroute the communications to the main battery core and splice the slate directly into the Tower’s mainframe from the junction box. 

In the corner of his eye he sees a figure, engulfed in flames, stumble out of the rubble of the coms center. 

The slate restarts but the icon blinks red. No Signal. Shit!

The robotic sounds of plate metal on rock reach his ears. Champion stuffs the slate into his bag and peers out from his hiding spot. 

He’s near the testing facilities emergency hanger. If he can reach it and get on a bike he might be able to catch Rudania and use its stronger signals to send out a kill order. The only way to reach it is through open ground, which is optimal for the guardians targeting system. But he’s out of options; the facility has fallen. The defense systems failed. The tower is non-operational. 

And there’s no one left to call for backup. 

He’s on his own.

Champion bursts out into the open and makes a mad dash for the hanger. His legs burn as he pushes himself to the limit, only stopping to take cover when a distant guardian takes fire. He doesn’t bother trying to fight or sneak. There are just too many of them and he’d broken his bow just escaping the lab before the whole thing burst into flames.

He can still hear everyone still stuck inside screaming as they were consumed by flames.

Don’t think about it. Not now. Just focus on the task at hand.

He reaches the hanger and ducks inside as another laser comes out of the mountains. It blows the door off its hinges and scalds his leg, bringing him down painfully. Champion doesn’t stop. He scrambles to his feet and jumps on to one of the emergency bikes. He forgoes opening the hangar door and drives out through the side door, throttling the engine to avoid another shot.

He heads to the Divine Beast that’s crawling on the mountain pass. 

He pulls out the emergency radio on the bike and connects it to his earpiece. It’s a shorter range but its on a different frequency than the towers, so it might get through. The Divine Beasts should pikc up on the emergency broadcast automatically. 

“Daruk!” He starts screaming the moment he’s in range “Daruk! May Day! Guardians have gone AWOL! They are attacking! Mass casualties at testing ground C! Requesting immediate assistance! I repeat - Guardians have gone AWOL! Approach with extreme caution! Please respond!”

The radio crackles in his ear and he hears a rapid beeping on his right. Champion just barely avoids being shot point-blank as a Guardian races out from a dust cloud, eye blood red. The rapid turn he makes almost shakes him but he gets the death wobble under control just in time to avoid another blow. It comes so close he can feel the heat on his skin and rhe shower of dust plink off his bike.

“Daruk!” Champion screams into the mike, voice breaking, “Please respond! Mayday! The guardians have gone AWOL and they are attacking! Requesting immediate assistance! Do you read me?!”

The ground shakes. Van Rudania roars and takes several unsure steps. Its movement patterns have become unpredictable. It turns and stops on a dime. Champion struggles to catch it even as it turns towards him. 

“”Daruk, do you read me?! I need assistance-!”

The guardian comes out of nowhere, metallic arm swiping for him. 

The bike jolts out from under him. Champion goes flying head first over the handlebars. 

For a moment everything is in slow motion. He sees the guardian, its leg held out in a vicious swipe. His bike, the front end crumpling like paper against the Guardians reinforced hull. His own limbs, hands outstretched as if to grab something. 

He’s weightless for a long, drawn moment. 

Then he hits the ground. He skids and bounces like a ragdoll against the stone. Head over heels, body scraping painfully against the dirt and gravel, leaving bits of blood and flesh behind like a splatter painting. He slams to a halt, finally hitting a boulder and hearing several cracks that resonate up his body to his ears. 

Champion slumps to the floor, dazed. He coughs and tastes copper. He stares at the floor and for a glorious moment he doesn’t feel anything. 

Then the pain hits. Like someone taking a hammer to every bone and muscle, the pain almost blacks him out. He wheezes, tears of agony burning his eyes. 

His left arm is mangled, broken in too many places to count. His chest feels like it’s been caved in. His back is on fire. His head is pounding and his ears are ringing. His legs feel like they’ve been shredded. He can barely breathe. 

Twenty meters away, the guardian locks onto him, stepping casually over the wreckage of his bike. It looms closer.

Beep.

Time accelerates back to normal.

Champion gasps. His body is a sack of broken bones and torn skin, but his head kicks back into gear. He’s alive. He’s not done, then. 

And against all odds, his shield is still strapped to his arm. Still in one piece. 

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Champion whines in pain when he forces his body to move. One leg up, then onto his knees. One foot. Then the other. Push to his feet and brace his knees. 

Beepbeepbeepbeepbeep

Face the enemy. Arm up - shield up!

BEEP-

The impact slams him back against the rock and shatters his shield. But his shield does its job and the laser goes wide and arcs up, hitting Van Rudania in the chin. The Divine Beast roars, tilting its head towards him in jerky motions. 

Champion leans his whole weight to the boulder, arm dropping. His shield, now just a twisted, brittle metal sheet, slides off his arm and clatters to the floor. 

He’s bought himself a few more seconds. 

Beep. 

It’s not enough time. His earpiece crackles somewhere near his feet. It fell out when he was launched off his bike. But whoever is calling is too late. They won’t reach him in time.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

And there’s nothing he can do. He can’t run. He can’t hide. He can barely stay standing. 

Beepbeepbeepbeep

He has no weapons, no armor, no backup. The most he can do is die on his feet. 

There’s not even enough time to pray; only enough to glare down his killer.

BEEP-

The blow doesn’t come. 

Something lands heavily in front of him, taking the blast for him. The impact sends more dust into the air, shielding him momentarily from the Guardian’s aiming systems. 

Champion blinks past the dust particles and sees a large figure in front of him, big and strong and shielding him from death.

“Hey little guy. Hope you don’t mind me dropping in.”

A relieved sob breaks free from Champion's lungs. His legs go out. He slides down the rock, leaving a rusty trail. 

He watches Daruk turn to face him, the melted remains of his famous Boulder Breaker in one hand. The Goron smiles widely, tossing his weapon away. “You’re looking a little rough. Don’t worry! You’ll be fine! I called Revali - he’s on his way! Kill codes already broadcasting. The moment he’s in range these damn things will be nothing but scrap metal.”

Daruk gently helped Champion into a sitting position, tucking a few strands of hair behind the Hylians ear tenderly. “I’m sorry I couldn’t shut them down myself. But this tech stuff never was my strong suit, you know?” 

Daruk hovers over the Hylians body, bracketing him with his large arms. There is nothing but warmth and relief in his eyes.

“That was close call,” The Goron chuckles. “I almost didn’t make it. Sorry for the sudden landing! I had to jump. Rudania wasn’t responding to my commands. ”

He looks up contemplatively. Above them the great lizard stands still, blue lights flickering a sickening pink. Champions’ stomach twists at the sight. It was just like what happened to the guardians, before they turned on their creators. 

“I tried to use her to smash those guardians to bits! But she wouldn’t respond.” Daruk looks over his shoulder, frowning lightly. “This doesn’t pass the smell test. Brother, I think we’ve been set up.”

The dust cloud settles. The hulking guardian comes back into view, targeting them as soon as its laser can lock on. 

Champion tries to speak, to yell out a warning,  but no words come out. Just garbled sounds. Daruk looks back down at him and smiles. “Hey there, buddy. Save your strength, okay? You’re gonna need it if you’re gonna take down the baddies who messed with our tech.”

Beep.

Champion’s eyes go wide. What was Daruk doing? Why wasn’t he running? He could roll out of here - why was he staying? 

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Daruk smiles, teeth gritting. There’s a resolve shining in the Goron Chiefs eyes. 

Champion inhales sharply, realizing why Daruk is not moving.

Beepbeepbeepbeep

No!

BEEP-

A laser fires. Daruk locks his jaw in pain as he takes the shot to the back, screaming from behind his teeth. Champion gasps, eyes wide. Daruk hisses in pain, slumping over slightly. Champion smells burnt flesh. He feels sick. 

“Ah, now that’s brisk.” The Goron leader pants hoarsely. He breathes for a minute, gathering strength. Then punches the stone with a grunt and straightens up, both hands planted firmly to either side of Champion's head. 

Bracing. 

Champion lets loose a whine.

"Aw, little guy. don't give me that look." Daruk smiles like his back isn't burnt to a crisp. "Don't worry about me! I'm as sturdy as Eldin herself!"

The guardian targets Champion again. Daruk stays where he is. 

Beep.

Champion struggles to move, to speak, anything!

Run, he wants to scream, leave me!

Daruk just laughs heartily, planting his feet firmly. "Save it little guy! I'm not leaving a sworn brother behind!"

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Champion's eyes water, nothing to do with the pain. He's not even feeling it anymore except for his chest, which squeezes painfully.

Beepbeepbeepbeep

Please!

BEEP-

A second shot to the back. Daruk can't hold in his scream this time, strong voice ringing throughout the mountain range and Champion's ears.

The great Goron's legs go out from under him and the man collapses, using the stone as support more than a brace. He moans in pain, blood dripping from his mouth.

Champion sobs, tears streaming down his screwed up face.

"Pl..sss.." He chokes out.

"Sorry brother, but you're not getting rid of the great Daruk that easily." Strong, rock-like arms curl around Champion's broken body, bringing him in for the most secure embrace he's ever felt. Champion can feel slick blood stain his clothes, not all of it his own.

Beep.

"Listen," Daruk puffs into his hairline, "Everything is going to be okay. You're going to make it out of this. Then you’re going to rally the troops and catch the guys who did this. I believe in you! And I’m so, so proud of you."

Beep. Beep. Beep

In the distance, Champion can see the silhouette of a great eagle, finally breaking through the clouds above the canyon, bright blue lines thrumming with energy. It’s head targeting systems recalibrate, energy beams charging to engage. 

Daruk pets his hair comfortingly. "And since you’re going to get out of this, you mind doing me a favor? You mind telling little Yunobo his dad is really proud of him, too? And that I can't wait to watch him grow up? I'd really appreciate it."

Beepbeepbeepbeep

Champion sobs into his shoulder, nodding. 

Across the sky, Vah Medoh turns in their direction. 

Daruk smiles against his forehead. "Thank you, Brother."

BEEP-

------

Daruk is such a sweetheart and I was so sad to hear that he’s dead in HSH. He’s got such powerful dad energy. I guess Stormy didn’t want him coming in and adopting all the boys away from Time

#hsh au #townhouse au #febuwhump 2023 #hsh champion #hsh Daruk

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

NASA missions find ‘jetlets’ could power the solar wind Scientists with NASA’s Parker Solar Probe mission have uncovered significant new clues about the origins of the solar wind – a continual stream of charged particles released from the Sun that fills the solar system. Observations from multiple space and ground-based observatories show the solar wind could be largely fueled by small-scale jets, or “jetlets,” at the base of the corona – the Sun’s upper atmosphere. This finding is helping scientists better understand the 60-year-old mystery of what heats and accelerates the solar wind. “This new data shows us how the solar wind gets going at its source,” said Nour Raouafi, the study lead and the Parker Solar Probe project scientist at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland. “You can see the flow of the solar wind rising from tiny jets of million-degree plasma all over the base of the corona. These findings will have a huge impact on our understanding of the heating and acceleration of the coronal and solar wind plasma.” Understanding the solar wind is fundamental to our understanding of our solar system and others throughout the universe – and is the primary science goal of the Parker Solar Probe mission. Made of electrons, protons, and heavier ions, the solar wind courses through the solar system at roughly 1 million miles per hour. When the solar wind interacts with Earth’s magnetic field, it can create stunning auroras as well as disruptions in GPS and communications systems. Over time, the solar wind, and stellar winds in other solar systems, can also affect the composition and evolution of planetary atmospheres – even influencing planets’ habitability. Strength in Numbers At Earth, the solar wind is usually a constant breeze. Scientists have therefore been looking for a steady source at the Sun that could continually power the solar wind. However, the new findings – accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal and published on the ArXiv, an online preprint site – show the solar wind might be largely energized and fueled by individual jetlets that are intermittently erupting into the lower part of the corona. Though each jetlet is relatively small – just a few hundred miles long – their collective energy and mass could be enough to create the solar wind. “This result implies that essentially all of the solar wind is likely released intermittently, becoming a steady flow in much the same way that the individual clapping sounds in an auditorium become a steady roar as an audience applauds,” said Craig DeForest, a solar physicist at the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado, and coauthor on the new paper. “This changes the paradigm for how we think about certain aspects of the solar wind.” Jetlets, which were first observed over a decade ago, are known to be caused by a process known as magnetic reconnection, which occurs as magnetic field lines become tangled and explosively realign. Reconnection is a common process in charged gases called plasmas and is found across the universe from the Sun to near-Earth space to around black holes. In the solar corona, reconnection creates these short-lived jets of plasma that pass energy and material into the upper corona, which escape across the solar system as the solar wind. To study the jetlets and magnetic fields, scientists primarily used observations from the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) and the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-R Series’ Solar Ultraviolet Imager (GOES-R/SUVI) instrument, as well as high-resolution magnetic field data from the Goode Solar Telescope at the Big Bear Solar Observatory in California. The whole study was driven by a phenomenon first observed by Parker Solar Probe called switchbacks – magnetic zig-zag structures in the solar wind. The combination of observations from many viewpoints, along with the high resolution of those views and Parker Solar Probe’s up-close observations, helped the scientists understand the collective behavior of the jetlets. “Previously, we could not detect enough such events to explain the observed amount of mass and energy streaming from the Sun,” said Judy Karpen, coauthor on the paper and heliophysicist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. “But the improved resolution of the observations and meticulous data processing enabled the new findings.” The observations showed that jetlets are present in the lower solar atmosphere across the entire Sun. This makes them a tenable driver for the constant solar wind, as opposed to other phenomena that wax and wane with the 11-year cycle of solar activity, such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections. Furthermore, the scientists calculated that the energy and mass produced by the jetlets could provide most, if not all, of the amount of energy and mass seen in the solar wind. A Breakthrough Decades in the Making The solar wind was first proposed in the late 1950s by the visionary scientist Eugene Parker, namesake of the Parker Solar Probe. In 1988, Parker proposed the corona could be heated by “nanoflares,” tiny explosions on the solar atmosphere. Parker's theory eventually became a leading candidate to explain the heating and acceleration of the solar wind. “The tiny reconnection events we observed are, in a way, what Eugene Parker proposed over three decades ago,” Raouafi said. “I am convinced that we are on the right path toward understanding the solar wind and coronal heating.” Continued observations from Parker Solar Probe and other instruments such as NASA’s Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere, or PUNCH, and the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope, will help scientists confirm whether jetlets are the main source of solar wind. “The findings make it much easier to explain how the solar wind is accelerated and heated,” DeForest said. “We’re not finished with the puzzle yet, but this is a major step forward for understanding a central mystery of solar physics.” Parker Solar Probe was developed as part of NASA’s Living With a Star program to explore aspects of the Sun-Earth system that directly affect life and society. The Living With a Star program is managed by the agency’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory designed, built, manages, and operates the spacecraft. IMAGE....In the center, a gold, rotating Sun. Gold and black swirls across the surface of the Sun. Around the edges, streams of golden solar particles escape the star, into space. A composite video from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory and NOAA’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite – R Series Solar Ultraviolet Imager instrument shows small-scale jetlet activity at the base of the solar corona, or the Sun’s upper atmosphere, and its extension to higher altitudes. This can be seen in the wavy structures emanating from the surface of the Sun. The observations were made over the course of approximately 10 hours on April 28, 2021. CREDIT NASA/SDO/GOES-R

#space #science #Astronomy #physics #news #nasa #parker solar probe #sun

[rkrdozerservice]

What Makes Pond Excavation The Key To Sustainable Farming?

Pond excavation isn't just about digging a hole in the ground; it's an art that combines precision, planning, and an understanding of the natural landscape. Whether you're looking to create a serene oasis, a thriving aquatic ecosystem, or a functional resource for agriculture, the process demands attention to detail and respect for the environment.

The journey from envisioning a water-filled retreat to the actual creation involves several crucial steps, each with its own significance. The pivotal role of livestock pond construction will emerge here, showcasing how it not only enhances property value but also supports sustainable farming practices.

Assessing The Excavation Site

When planning the layout for a livestock pond, observing the natural incline and decline around the perimeter is crucial. Typically, these water bodies are positioned close to areas where viewers gather, like a patio. This strategic placement ensures the water's edge nearly touches the viewer's space, with the pond's surface sitting about 2 to 3 inches beneath the patio level. To achieve this, the surrounding edges of the pond must rise at least 2 inches above the water's mark for consistency. The area opposite the patio, destined for the waterfall, will require a significant elevation tailored to the intended height of the waterfall. Every measurement from this point is aligned with the pond's water level, a key aspect in livestock pond construction.

In landscapes where the ground slopes away from the house, aiding water drainage, adjustments in measurements become necessary for livestock pond construction. In cases where the slope is steep, adding soil may be required to reach optimal levels for construction. Conversely, if the slope is directed toward the house, it presents an opportunity to incorporate striking waterfalls into your livestock pond construction, enhancing its visual appeal. This scenario, however, extends the timeline and increases the soil volume needed for pond construction, emphasizing the need for detailed planning in construction projects.

The Importance Of Ledges In Pond Design

Incorporating ledges or shelves during your livestock pond construction is crucial for multiple reasons. These features offer safety by preventing steep, dangerous descents into the pond, functioning as a natural staircase rather than a hazardous incline. This aspect is vital not only for human safety but also for the structural integrity of the pond itself. Ledges add stability, reducing the risk of erosion or collapse compared to a sheer vertical drop.

Moreover, we cannot overstate the aesthetic dimension that ledges bring to livestock pond construction.They create visually appealing layers and dimensions that enhance the underwater landscape, especially in clear water where the pond's bottom is visible. For livestock pond construction, these terraces are essential for supporting diverse plant life. They accommodate various aquatic plants that thrive at different depths, from shallow-water marginals to deeper-dwelling species like waterlilies, thereby enriching the pond's ecosystem and its visual appeal.

Effective Planning Of Pond Ledges

In livestock pond construction, starting with a shallow ledge, about 6 to 10 inches deep along the pond's perimeter, is key. Once gravel is added, this depth reduces slightly, creating a naturalistic edge. It's crucial to emulate nature's irregularity; ledges need not be perfectly even. Subsequent excavation zones are marked following this initial setup.

For vertical ledge faces, utilizing boulders or large rocks is standard in livestock pond construction, ensuring easier placement by limiting height to 12 inches to avoid stacking. This approach streamlines the construction process. Larger machinery allows for bigger boulders and deeper ponds, impacting the project's cost.

Ledge width varies; narrower in front for close fish encounters and wider in the back for seamless landscape integration. This strategic variance is essential in livestock pond construction for aesthetic and practical purposes, facilitating a harmonious blend with the surroundings.

Stream And Waterfall Integration

Choosing the perfect spot for a stream or waterfall's entry into a pond is crucial for multiple reasons, including aesthetics, functionality, and budget considerations. The decision impacts the visual appeal of the water feature: would a majestic waterfall or a gentle riffle zone suit the setting better? The water's depth at this entry influences both the scale of boulders needed to support a waterfall and the auditory experience it offers—deeper waters produce lower tones, while shallower ones contribute higher pitches.

For a pond, especially in livestock pond construction, having shallow water where the stream or waterfall enters can enhance the surface's rippling effect and promote effective water movement. Opting for shallow entry points in livestock pond construction is advantageous, allowing for a variety of design options.

In terms of functionality and expenses, deeper entry points necessitate larger boulders and more extensive labor. Conversely, shallow water is preferable in livestock pond construction for its benefits in water quality, ensuring better circulation and facilitating the removal of debris.

Crafting A Berm For Livestock Pond Construction

For livestock pond construction, creating a berm that mirrors the irregular levels found in natural ponds is crucial. During the construction phase, setting up filters and pipes is a primary step, with the biological filter positioned first for crew efficiency. Subsequent flexible piping installation is essential in pond construction. Forming the berm around the biological filter matches the pond's dimensions for consistency in efforts by utilizing excavated soil.

Livestock pond construction considerations include the biological filter's elevation to ensure it blends seamlessly without requiring excessive soil for concealment. Proper evaluation during construction determines the waterfall's height, optimizing soil use and avoiding its removal. In instances of subpar soil quality within pond construction projects, importing organic topsoil for planting around the berm enhances the water feature's natural appearance, making construction more efficient and aesthetically pleasing.

Overcoming Poor Soil Conditions

Excavating earth for ponds, particularly those aimed at livestock pond construction, brings its unique set of soil-related hurdles. During spring and fall, clay-rich terrains are more manageable, unlike the challenging hardness faced in midsummer, impacting the duration and cost of livestock pond construction projects. Rocky terrains extend excavation times, necessitating additional underlayment layers beneath the pond liner for protection against sharp edges, a tactic often employed in pond construction.

When encountering bedrock, the excavation for construction may extend timelines, potentially necessitating the construction of partially or fully elevated ponds to achieve a natural appearance. This scenario might require the utilization of jackhammers to penetrate the stubborn layers, underscoring the adaptability needed in pond construction.

Conversely, sandy soils offer easy digging but challenge the creation of stable ledges, leading to alternative strategies, like forming flat-bottomed ponds with strategically placed boulders and gravel to simulate natural terraces and planting areas.

Managing Large-Scale Excavation Projects

For substantial undertakings exceeding 600 square feet, especially in livestock pond construction, deploying heavy machinery becomes crucial for efficient excavation, arranging large stones, and handling materials. The utilization of such equipment maximizes productivity. In the sphere of construction, embedding ledges is a strategic approach to bolster pond durability and resilience. Commonly, skid-steers and backhoes are employed, with cranes and loaders as additional options.

For the nuanced crafting of pond shelves, skid-steers prove beneficial, whereas the nuanced contours at the pond's base demand manual refinement. Although a proficient backhoe operator can significantly advance the excavation, the precision of hand tools is indispensable. For those not owning such heavy machinery, outsourcing this aspect is a viable strategy, incorporating the subcontracting costs into the overall project budget. In pond construction, anticipate potential landscape repairs due to heavy equipment use, including turf restoration from compaction or damage, underscoring the importance of client discussions regarding equipment impact.

Transform Your Land With RK&R Dozer Service

Ready to enhance your property with professional livestock pond construction? RK&R Dozer Service is here to bring your vision to life. Our expertise ensures the beauty and functionality of your pond and its contribution to sustainable farming. With precision, skill, and the right equipment, we manage every aspect of the excavation process. Don’t let the dream of a perfect livestock pond stay just a dream. Contact us today and take the first step toward a practical and picturesque addition to your farm or ranch. Let us help you create a water feature that stands the test of time.

#oklahoma pond construction #building pond with dozer #site clearing and excavation #livestock pond construction

[chasingplainandsmiple]

The February 9th to 11th 1994 Ice Storm: 30 Year Anniversary

Image from: https://www.actionnews5.com/2019/02/11/breakdown-looking-back-ice-storm-feb/

Here is the surprise I have been working on for the last several weeks. This might be coming out a little late, but that has never hurt anything anyways. February 9th to February 11th marked the 30 year anniversary of the infamous 1994 Ice Storm that hit the region. I hope that everyone enjoys the blog and learns a little something about this event.

Introduction

The February 9th to 11th, 1994 Ice Storm will be always be consider one of the worst storms to ever impact North Mississippi, Arkansas, southwestern Tennessee and portions of Louisiana and northwestern Alabama. Widespread freezing rain accumulations of 2 to 6 inches had stretched from southern Arkansas and northern Louisiana into North Mississippi and eventually into Tennessee and northwestern Alabama. Due to the historic nature of this storm, I wanted to dive into the meteorological data from this event.

Synoptic Overview of the Event

Before the storm, there was a stationary front stretching from southern Plains in Texas, into the Lower Ohio River Valley. Just to the south of that boundary, temperatures across the region were in the low to mid 70s across a large portion of Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee and even into northwestern Alabama. Towards Canada, there is an arctic High that was pushing the colder temperatures into the Central Plains and the upper Ohio River Valley, which eventually made its way into the Southeast.

By 12z on February 10th, 1994, temperatures across the entire region had dropped to the mid 20s to the lower 30s within a 24 hour period as the stationary boundary had transition into a cold front causing the drastic drop in temperatures. By this time, the damage had been done as several places across Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Northwest Alabama had seen several inches of freezing rain. For those who did not see freezing rain, had to deal with flooding across the area where 5 to 7 inches of rain were reported.

Sounding Analysis for Little Rock and Memphis

The first set of soundings show the drastic the temperature drop as the cold front had moved through the region on February 9th. The red line is the freezing mark for water at 32 F or 0 C. This was common across a large portion of the area.

By 00z on February 10th, temperatures had fallen to below freezing and at this time. several places had ethier started or have been seeing freezing rain across the area. The freezing rain accumulation had continued for several hours after the fact at this point.

Image provided by the NOAA/ESRL Physical Sciences Laboratory, Boulder Colorado from their Web site at https://psl.noaa.gov/.

For comparison, this is the reanalysis sounding over Memphis, TN at 06z on February 10th, 1994 with the red line representing the freezing mark. Memphis, TN does not have an upper site like Little Rock or Jackson, MS, so a reanalysis can be use to provide what the atmosphere would have looked like given the meteorological conditions.

Estimated Precipitation Totals

As for the freezing rain totals, I was unable to get exact storm reports from this event. However, I was able to find estimated precipitation totals from the event. Given that freezing rain is measured very similar to rain, a 1:1 ration can be applied. This means for 1 inch of freezing rain, it is equal to 1 inch of rain. The black line is approximately where the separation of rain and freezing rain had occurred at between February 9th 12z to February 12th at 12z in 1994. Places north of the black line experienced freezing rain whereas places south of the line experienced heavy rainfall and possible flooding.

Source from: https://www.localmemphis.com/gallery/weather/severe-weather/ice-storm-memphis-mid-south-1994-greenville-mississippi/522-aeadd648-43b4-425e-a9e7-856dfc8f17c9

Several places in the Arkansas/Mississippi Delta had saw 3 to 5 inches of freezing rain, with some spots seeing closer to 6 inches. Across southern Tennessee, including the Memphis area, freezing rain accumulations of 2 to 3 inches were commonly seen or even reported for this event. Even in Alabama, several places in northwestern portion of the state saw 3 to 5 inches of freezing rain, if not more. For those who did not experience the Ice Storm of 1994, they did have to contend with flooding and heavy rainfall of upwards to 5 to 7 inches. Images, like the one above, were very common across the region.

[backlinkdailynews-blog]

The Single Best Strategy To Use For Marrakech

You'll find 1000s of persons filling up the sq. and an limitless quantity of charming street performances and exhibits.

Marrakech is house to by far the most magnificent resorts in Morroco—and so they’re undoubtedly well worth the splurge. But, based on Everything you’re on the lookout for, You may also locate genuine, stunning accommodations over a spending plan.

Chilly desert: snow area at Dome C Station, Antarctica Chilly deserts, in some cases often called temperate deserts, take place at bigger latitudes than very hot deserts, as well as the aridity is brought on by the dryness in the air. Some cold deserts are far within the ocean and Other people are divided by mountain ranges through the sea, and in equally situations, there is inadequate dampness inside the air to induce Significantly precipitation. The biggest of these deserts are located in Central Asia. Other people happen around the japanese facet of the Rocky Mountains, the jap side with the southern Andes As well as in southern Australia.

We do the job with just about every significant tour corporation in the world, and you'll find their cheapest licensed rates on This great site. Even so, when you ever locate a lower cost for the same corporation, tour and date, right before reserving, we will match it.* Assistance Warranty

Aerial perspective of Makhtesh Ramon, an erosion cirque of a kind exceptional towards the Negev Lots of individuals think about deserts as consisting of substantial regions of billowing sand dunes since that is the way they are frequently depicted on Tv set As well as in films,[fifty five] but deserts do not normally seem like this.

This is often thought to generally be attributable to the stresses place to the rock by recurring thermal expansions and contractions which induces fracturing parallel to the original surface area.[forty eight] Chemical weathering procedures in all probability Enjoy a far more crucial part in deserts than was Earlier imagined. The necessary dampness can be existing in the form of dew or mist. Floor h2o may very well be drawn on the surface by evaporation along with the formation of salt crystals may possibly dislodge rock particles as sand or disintegrate rocks by exfoliation. Shallow caves are occasionally shaped at the base of cliffs by this means.[48]

Generally time I would catch whiffs of incense from the tiny streets, at other moments It could be the scent of leather that could fill my nose.

Madrasas are ancient Quranic educational institutions. They are available throughout Morocco As well as in other Islamic nations around the world for example Uzbekistan. They sometimes have stunning intricate tile styles and they are masterpieces of architecture.

When we arrived at our camp for that night, we were greeted with heat tea and some very tasty nearby foods. This normal camp was far more touristic and there were all kinds of other attendees and guides.

Moroccan, European The perfect spot for a lightweight lunch, I like the neat throwback variety of Le Jardin. They’ve also obtained a cool popup where you could find neighborhood garb.

Other non-sandy deserts include exposed outcrops of bedrock, dry soils or aridisols, and a variety of landforms impacted by flowing h2o, like alluvial enthusiasts, sinks or playas, short-term or everlasting lakes, and oases.[20] A hamada can be a kind of desert landscape consisting of the higher rocky plateau in which the sand has actually been taken out by aeolian procedures. Other landforms contain plains mostly lined by gravels and angular boulders, from which the finer particles are actually stripped by the wind. They are referred to as "reg" inside the western Sahara, "serir" in the eastern Sahara, "gibber plains" in Australia and "saï" in central Asia.

It has an exceptionally standard seem with vibrant tiles and also a water fountain. This riad is famed for its super big rooms with humongous beds. If you want to really feel like a royal devoid of investing an excessive amount of dollars, This is actually the location in which you'll want Tour to remain.

You can also visit this oasis of art and landscaping at Majorelle Gardens after which you can learn to experience a camel for the La Palmeraie over a 50 %-working day city escape in Marrakech. Read more.

[newslynet]

Denver Airport Leads Nation in Flight Cancellations Amid Frigid Conditions

Denver Airport Leads Nation in Flight Cancellations

Denver International Airport (DIA) faced significant disruptions, reporting a total of **257 flights** canceled and **538 flights** delayed as of **4:37 p.m. Sunday**. This made DIA the U.S. airport with the highest number of cancellations and delays for both outbound and inbound flights on Sunday, according to flight tracking site FlightAware.

Frigid Conditions and Flight Impact

The frigid conditions in Denver contributed to this situation, with a forecasted high of only **10 degrees** and a low of **-8 degrees** on Sunday. The extreme weather created dangerous wind chills, causing widespread inconvenience for air travelers. Weather Outlook and Advisory The weather in the Denver area is anticipated to be partly sunny with a high near **5 degrees**, and there is a chance of snow on Sunday, according to the National Weather Service in Boulder. A north wind with a windspeed of around **6 mph** will result in wind chill values as low as **-24 degrees**. Snow accumulation is expected to be less than half an inch. Given the combination of wind and cold temperatures, there is a heightened risk of dangerously low wind chill values. Individuals are advised to avoid outdoor activities if possible, and when venturing outside, it is crucial to wear appropriate clothing, including a hat and gloves. Mountain Snow and Travel Precautions Additional mountain snow is predicted through Sunday night, accompanied by westerly winds with gusts up to **45-55 mph** for areas above **10,000 feet**. This could result in blowing snow along mountain passes, necessitating caution and preparedness for winter driving conditions. For the plains, light snow is expected, with potential accumulation up to **1 inch** mainly for areas above **I-76**. Overnight, wind chills between **-20 to -30 degrees** are possible. Looking ahead, periods of moderate to heavy snowfall are forecasted in the mountains on Monday, with a decrease in the afternoon. Simultaneously, light snow will spread across the plains on Monday, following another surge of arctic air. Extended Weather Forecast As frigid conditions persist through Tuesday morning, with temperatures dropping well below zero, wind chill readings pose a risk of frostbite on exposed skin in as little as **10 minutes**. Temperatures are expected to moderate across the plains by Tuesday afternoon into Wednesday. Later in the week, another round of snow is anticipated in the mountains on Wednesday into Thursday. The National Weather Service provides the following forecast: - Martin Luther King Day: Snow likely. Cloudy and cold, with a high near 1. Wind chill values as low as -19. North northeast wind 7 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible. - Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 34. South southwest wind 6 to 9 mph. - Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 48. - Thursday: A chance of snow, mainly before noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 38. - Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 36. - Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 46. Read the full article

#dangerouswindchills #Denverairport #flightcancellations #NationalWeatherService #snowaccumulation #weatherforecast

[dcstechno]

Unveiling the Power of Rock Breakers: Advantages That Transform Industries

In the realm of heavy-duty industries like construction, mining, and demolition, rock breakers stand as indispensable champions, revolutionizing the way tough materials are handled. These hydraulic marvels are designed to pulverize formidable rocks and concrete structures, offering a range of benefits that redefine efficiency and productivity.

Breaking Down Barriers

1. Precision Demolition: Rock breakers provide precise control in demolishing structures, allowing workers to selectively break down specific sections without causing collateral damage.

2. Enhanced Efficiency: Their ability to swiftly break down large rocks or concrete significantly reduces manual labor and project timelines, boosting overall productivity.

3. Versatile Applications: From excavations to road construction and quarrying, rock breakers adapt seamlessly to various industries, proving their versatility.

Advantages That Matter

1. Safety: By eliminating the need for manual labor in breaking down hard materials, rock breakers minimize worker exposure to hazardous tasks, ensuring a safer work environment.

2. Cost-Efficiency: Their efficiency in breaking down materials reduces project costs associated with labor, time, and equipment maintenance.

3. Environmental Impact: With precise demolition capabilities, rock breakers contribute to reducing waste material and minimizing environmental impact during construction and demolition processes.

Why Choose Rock Breakers?

1. Power and Precision: These hydraulic tools offer immense power coupled with precise control, enabling targeted demolition and breaking operations.

2. Durable Performance: Built to withstand rigorous conditions, rock breakers ensure durability and longevity, making them a reliable investment.

3. Operational Adaptability: With various sizes and attachments available, rock breakers can be tailored to suit specific project requirements, enhancing their utility.

Rock breakers, the unsung heroes of heavy industries, redefine efficiency and safety standards while delivering unmatched performance. Their ability to break down tough materials with precision, cost-effectiveness, and minimal environmental impact makes them indispensable assets across diverse sectors.

Whether it is demolishing concrete structures or breaking down boulders, the rock breaker's prowess continues to reshape industries, setting new benchmarks for productivity and safety.

Applications of Rock Breakers in Demolition

Rock breakers, with their robust and versatile capabilities, find extensive applications in demolition across various industries. Here is an overview of their key roles in demolition:

Structural Demolition

Buildings and Infrastructure: Rock breakers are used to dismantle concrete and masonry structures during building demolitions. They provide precision in breaking down walls, floors, and pillars, enabling controlled demolition without causing excessive collateral damage.

Roads and Bridges: In infrastructure projects, rock breakers aid in demolishing roads, pavements, and bridge components, facilitating efficient removal of concrete and asphalt surfaces.

Quarrying and Mining Demolition

Quarry Operations: Rock breakers assist in primary breaking tasks within quarries, helping extract large blocks of stone or ore from the earth. They enable controlled fragmentation of rock surfaces for extraction.

Mining Operations: In mining, rock breakers are employed to break oversized rocks or ore materials before transportation or further processing. This enhances efficiency and reduces the size of materials for easier handling.

Site Preparation and Excavation

Site Clearing: Before construction begins, rock breakers aid in clearing sites by breaking down rocks, boulders, and large debris, preparing the ground for construction activities.

Excavation: During excavation projects, rock breakers assist in breaking up hard soil, concrete, or rock formations, making the digging process more manageable.

Concrete Demolition and Renovation

Concrete Removal: Rock breakers efficiently demolish concrete structures such as walls, floors, driveways, and foundations, allowing for the selective removal of specific sections without damaging surrounding areas.

Renovation Projects: In renovation works, where selective demolition is crucial, rock breakers offer controlled breaking, allowing for the removal of only the targeted areas while preserving the rest of the structure.

Underwater Demolition

Marine Demolition: Specialized rock breakers are employed for underwater demolition tasks, assisting in dismantling underwater structures, removing underwater obstacles, or clearing debris.

Safety and Precision

Controlled Demolition: Rock breakers enable controlled and precise demolition, reducing the risk of accidents and minimizing the potential for damage to nearby structures or the environment.

Rock breakers play a pivotal role in the demolition process across a spectrum of industries, ensuring efficient, safe, and targeted destruction of structures, materials, or obstacles. Their versatility and adaptability make them indispensable tools in projects requiring selective and controlled demolition.

To know more information about DCS Techno Rock Breakers Visit: https://www.dcstechno.com/indeco-rock-breakers/

#rock breakers

[rocksmithconstruction]

Crafting Timeless Landscapes with Sandstone Retaining Wall

When it comes to transforming your outdoor space into a masterpiece of functionality and aesthetics, few elements can rival the impact of a well-designed retaining wall. Whether you're looking to level a sloped yard, create terraced gardens, or simply add an eye-catching feature, the key lies in the meticulous art of constructing boulder walls, particularly with the use of versatile materials like sandstone.

The Foundation: Understanding Retaining Wall Landscaping

Retaining walls are the unsung heroes of landscaping, offering both structural support and an opportunity for creative expression. These walls serve various purposes, from preventing soil erosion to providing an attractive boundary between different levels of your yard. In the realm of wall landscaping, the possibilities are as diverse as the materials used to bring these visions to life.

The Elegance of Sandstone Wall Construction

Enter sandstone, a natural choice for those seeking a timeless blend of durability and beauty. Crafting walls from sandstone seamlessly marries form and function, providing a sturdy foundation while adding a touch of rustic elegance to your outdoor space. The warm hues and unique textures of sandstone make it a popular choice among landscape architects and homeowners alike.

Unveiling the Art of Constructing Boulder Walls

Construction of boulder walls, an art in itself, involves strategically placing large stones to create a visually appealing and structurally sound retaining wall. The use of boulders adds a naturalistic element to the landscape, evoking a sense of permanence and harmony with the surroundings. When combined with the inherent charm of sandstone, boulder walls become a testament to the artistry achievable in outdoor design.

Steps to Success: Building Your Sandstone Retaining Wall

Planning and Design

Before embarking on your sandstone retaining wall construction journey, meticulous planning is paramount. Consider the layout, height, and purpose of the wall. Engage with the natural contours of your landscape to create a design that complements the overall aesthetic.

Site Preparation

Prepare the construction site by clearing debris, excavating as needed, and ensuring proper drainage. A solid foundation is crucial for the stability and longevity of your retaining wall.

Construction Techniques

Follow proven techniques for boulder wall construction, paying attention to the arrangement and interlocking of stones. This step requires precision and an eye for detail to create a stable and visually appealing structure.

#boulder wall construction #retaining wall landscaping #sandstone wall construction

[spacenutspod]

After celebrating their 1,000th sol, or Martian day, on Mars, NASA’s Perseverance rover and Ingenuity helicopter are continuing to explore Jezero Crater on the Red Planet. Recently, the robotic pair completed their extensive investigation of the ancient river delta within Jezero, which contains evidence of flowing water that may have once filled Jezero thousands of years ago. As part of its extensive investigation into the river delta, Perseverance routinely collects samples of the Martian surface, rocks, and other intriguing surface features. To date, the rover has collected a total of 23 surface samples as part of the joint NASA/European Space Agency Mars Sample Return mission. However, scientists get a preliminary look at the samples when Perseverance collects them, and they’ve already been able to decipher pieces of Mars’ geologic history from the samples. For example, one of the most recent samples Perseverance collected, named “Lefroy Bay,” contained high amounts of fine-grained silica, which is known to help preserve ancient fossils on Earth. Within sample “Otis Peak,” scientists identified large quantities of phosphate — a compound that is often closely associated with life. Both of the samples also contained carbonate, which can preserve local environmental conditions from when the samples were formed. “We picked Jezero Crater as a landing site because orbital imagery showed a delta — clear evidence that a large lake once filled the crater. A lake is a potentially habitable environment, and delta rocks are a great environment for entombing signs of ancient life as fossils in the geologic record. After thorough exploration, we’ve pieced together the crater’s geologic history, charting its lake and river phase from beginning to end,” said project scientist Ken Farley of Caltech. Image of Jezero Crater’s river delta, taken by ESA’s Mars Express orbiter. (Credit: ESA/DLR/FU-Berlin) Though scientists had ideas and theories about what Jezero was like, they ultimately didn’t know until Perseverance landed there in February 2021. Following landing, the rover discovered that the crater floor of Jezero is made of igneous rock, meaning its surface was created from magma under the surface or volcanic activity on the surface. The discovery of igneous rock in Jezero’s surface allowed scientists to confirm that the crater was formed from an asteroid impact nearly four billion years ago. See AlsoPerseverance UpdatesMars Missions SectionSpace Science CoverageClick here to Join L2 Subsequent discoveries of sandstone and mudstone by Perseverance allowed scientists to determine when the first rivers began flowing within Jezero a few hundred million years after the asteroid impact. Above these initial sand and mudstones are salt-rich mudstones, which hint at the presence of a shallow lake that was experiencing evaporation. When the lake filled up, fast-flowing waters carried boulders from outside Jezero into the lake, where they were ultimately distributed atop the river delta and throughout the entire crater. Further discoveries by Perseverance and Ingenuity have led planetary scientists to estimate Jezero’s lake to have once been as wide as 35 kilometers and as deep as 30 meters. “We were able to see a broad outline of these chapters in Jezero’s history in orbital images, but it required getting up close with Perseverance to really understand the timeline in detail,” said mission manager Libby Ives, a postdoctoral fellow at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California. As mentioned, the samples collected by Perseverance are planned to be returned to Earth via the Mars Sample Return mission, meaning that — in addition to Jezero’s history as a lake — scientists had to factor which locations would provide the best samples when determining Mars 2020’s landing location. Returning the samples to Earth will allow scientists to investigate the Martian surface and surface features in extreme detail, as Perseverance only has a handful of instruments that can analyze the samples. However, how exactly do scientists determine where to collect samples? First, the team must identify a specific area or surface feature that may provide scientists with valuable information on Mars’ environment, past, and more. Once a target has been identified, Perseverance will use an abrasion tool on the end of its robotic arm to wear away a small portion of the target. With some of the target’s interior exposed, Perseverance studies the target’s chemistry and characteristics using a suite of instruments, including the Planetary Instrument for X-ray Lithochemistry (PIXL). At one of Perseverance’s most recent sample targets, named “Bills Bay,” PIXL identified carbonates within the abraded surface of the rock. In addition to preserving local environmental conditions, carbonates can form in watery environments that play host to conditions that may be favorable for preserving organic molecules, which are formed via geological and biological processes. What’s more, Bills Bay also contained silica, which, as mentioned, is great at preserving organic molecules. The presence of carbonates and silica — among other elements and compounds — within Bills Bay is what led scientists to pull a sample from it. “On Earth, this fine-grained silica is what you often find in a location that was once sandy. It’s the kind of environment where, on Earth, the remains of ancient life could be preserved and found later,” said PIXL deputy principal investigator Morgan Cable of JPL. PIXL’s analysis of Ouzel Falls. Note the presence of phosphate and carbonate in the abraded rock. (Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS) Another sample target PIXL investigated, named “Ouzel Falls,” was found to contain iron that is closely associated with phosphate. Phosphate is an important component of DNA, the cell membranes of all known types of terrestrial life, and molecules that carry energy.  Perseverance carries instruments capable of detecting microscopic, fossil-like structures and chemical changes that may have been left by ancient microbes. However, these instruments have yet to detect any structures or chemical changes within the samples and surface features Perseverance has investigated. The aforementioned samples, Lefroy Bay and Otis Peak, were taken next to abrasion patches on Bills Bay and Ouzel Falls, respectively. “We have ideal conditions for finding signs of ancient life where we find carbonates and phosphates, which point to a watery, habitable environment, as well as silica, which is great at preservation,” Cable noted. With the science campaign at Jezero’s river delta now complete, Perseverance and Ingenuity will now move on to their fourth science campaign, which will see the robotic pair investigate Jezero’s margin — the area of the crater near the canyon entrance where a river may have once flooded the floor of the crater. Deposits rich with carbonate have already been spotted along the crater margin. (Lead image: Perseverance takes a selfie after depositing one of its surface sample tubes onto the Martian surface. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS) The post 1,000 sols into their mission, Perseverance and Ingenuity continue to investigate Jezero Crater appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.

#space #astronomy #news #science

[rockdelivery]

Rockwave Deliveries: Surf the Waves of Quality Service

In the vast landscape of construction, landscaping, and architectural design, where the right selection of materials can turn a project into a masterpiece, Rockwave Deliveries emerges as the tide-turner, committed to delivering a wave of quality service directly to your doorstep. More than just a rock delivery service, we are the architects of an experience that captures the fluidity, strength, and reliability of rocks, ensuring that every delivery is a symphony of quality, creativity, and unparalleled service.

At the heart of Rockwave Deliveries is a commitment to delivering not just rocks but an experience that mirrors the ebb and flow of nature in your projects. Rocks, with their raw and timeless appeal, aren't just materials; they are the foundational elements that shape the essence of your vision. With Rockwave Deliveries, the journey is not just about transporting materials; it's about riding the wave of quality service to elevate your project with style and efficiency.

Our journey begins with an immersive process of sourcing rocks from quarries celebrated for their quality, diversity, and geological integrity. From the commanding presence of boulders to the intricate details of pebbles, Rockwave Deliveries curates a collection that spans the spectrum of possibilities in construction and landscaping. Each rock is chosen not just for its visual impact but for the distinctive qualities that make it a fluid addition to your project.

What sets Rockwave Deliveries apart is our unwavering commitment to delivering a seamless experience from the moment you choose your rocks to the final drop-off. Our online platform serves as a gateway to fluidity, allowing you to explore our collection, delve into detailed specifications, and make informed decisions with ease. It's not just about choosing rocks; it's about a fluid selection process that puts you in control of your project's aesthetic.

The ordering process with Rockwave Deliveries is designed to be an intuitive extension of your creative journey. Whether you're overseeing a large-scale construction project or refining your outdoor space with meticulous landscaping, our platform accommodates bulk orders and individual selections alike. Your project is a canvas, and Rockwave Deliveries ensures that the rocks you choose arrive at your doorstep with the fluidity you expect.

But the true magic lies in the delivery experience itself. Rockwave Deliveries employs cutting-edge logistics to ensure that your rocks are not just delivered promptly but with the care and precision that befits their quality. Real-time tracking updates provide you with a front-row seat – from the departure at the quarry to the triumphant arrival at your project site. It's not just about delivering rocks; it's about orchestrating a seamless delivery that enhances the essence of your project.

The packaging process is an integral part of the Rockwave Deliveries experience. We understand that the journey from quarry to your project site involves more than just transportation; it's about presenting the rocks with the care and fluidity they deserve. Each stone is securely packaged, arriving at your location with the fluid presentation that makes it a distinguished addition to your project.

Rockwave Deliveries isn't just about the transaction; it's about the ongoing support and partnership. Our website serves as a fluid resource center, offering everything from installation guides to maintenance tips. We believe in a relationship that extends beyond the delivery; it's a commitment to being your partner in ensuring that the fluid quality of your rocks endures in your projects.

Imagine a garden transformed into a tranquil oasis, or a construction project where each stone contributes to the dynamic flow of design. Rockwave Deliveries: where fluid deliveries meet the timeless beauty of rocks, and every project is a testament to the ebb and flow of nature.

As you embark on your journey with Rockwave Deliveries, envision a space where fluid deliveries aren't just a feature but a defining element of your project. Whether you're constructing a pathway with the enduring fluidity of granite boulders or creating a serene space with the graceful charm of river rocks, Rockwave Deliveries ensures that the rocks you choose arrive with a fluidity that resonates with the vision of your project.

In the world of construction and landscaping, where efficiency is the cornerstone, and each project is a testament to the fluid spirit of design, Rockwave Deliveries stands as the delivery service of choice. Your project is not just a creation; it's a fluid composition, and we are honored to be the ones ensuring that the rocks you choose arrive with a seamless quality that sets the tone for your space. Welcome to Rockwave Deliveries: where fluid deliveries elevate your project, and every delivery is a celebration of the Earth's timeless fluidity.

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[mariacallous]

While mobile health options have been celebrated by doctors and advocates as a way to expand treatment for substance use disorders, there has been persistent concern over how private the websites offering treatment and support really are—especially now that the US Supreme Court’s toppling of Roe v. Wade has reignited the national conversation about how far medical privacy protections extend online.

The Opioid Policy Institute (OPI) and Legal Action Center (LAC) today released the findings from a 16-month analysis of a dozen major substance-use-focused mHealth websites, revealing details of how much data is shared with third parties. While the sharing of any kind of patient information is often strictly regulated or outright forbidden, it’s even more verboten in addiction treatment, as patients’ medical history can be inherently criminal and stigmatized.

Generally, patients seeking treatment for substance use disorders, or SUDs, are protected not only by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) but by a law called 42 CFR Part 2 (commonly known as “Part 2”), which guarantees the confidentiality of treatment records and protects individuals from having their treatment history used against them. Browsing histories, however, exist in a gray area, and though it’s not exactly medical information, experts find these sites’ monitoring of it concerning.

The OPI and LAC analysis used Blacklight, a privacy tool created by news nonprofit The Markup to analyze the websites for Bicycle Health, Boulder Care, Bright Heart Health, Confidant Health, DynamiCare Health, Kaden, Loosid, Ophelia, PursueCare, reSET-O, SoberGrid, and WorkItHealth on four timepoints from March 2021 to July 2022. All 12 websites included technologies that collect, identify, and share information about users with third parties and had ad trackers that are used for advertising purposes. The average number of these trackers “generally” increased over the 16 months, researchers found.

Furthermore, 11 of the sites used third-party session cookies that identify visitors and track them across other websites to serve ads, and four of the 12 used session recording, which monitors the behavior of visitors to the sites, from their mouse movements and clicks to their scrolling and typing, even if the text input is never submitted. Half of the websites used Meta Pixel to send user data to Facebook, 10 used Google Analytics (which can track user metrics), and all 12 sent some data to ad tech companies that buy and sell user data for advertising.

Many of the providers highlight their commitment to “privacy” on their websites. However, as Regina LaBelle, director of the Addiction and Public Policy Initiative at Georgetown Law’s O’Neill Institute, explains, “In the addiction policy field, when we define our position about privacy, I think it is much more comprehensive than what is laid out in some of the companies’ definitions of privacy.”

Ad tracking is commonplace across the internet, but these are sites for individuals with highly stigmatized medical conditions. Experts are concerned about what could happen as a result of the tracking, but not necessarily that it’s already been used nefariously. Part 2 exists because the sensitive information people share during treatment for substance use disorders could easily impact their employment status, ability to get a home, custody of their children, and even their freedom. Health care providers and lawmakers recognized long ago that the potential threat of losing so much would deter people from getting life-saving help and set up strict laws to protect those who do seek treatment. Now, experts worry that data collected on telehealth sites could bring about the harm Part 2 was designed to prevent and more, even inadvertently.

Pointing to the recent case of a Nebraska teen who was charged for self-administering a miscarriage after police reviewed her Facebook messages, Dr. Westley Clark, who formerly lead health IT initiatives at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, drew a parallel: “It won’t take long for the narcotics section of criminal justice to realize that the abortion section of criminal justice has tools that they can also use,” Clark says. “With these technologies, all I have to do is get an administrative subpoena … if I suspect you of being an addict. I can go to Facebook. I can go to Google.” He also expresses concern that for the right price, entities holding such data wouldn’t even require a warrant to hand it over.

Clark cautions that he isn’t aware of law enforcement looking at data from addiction-focused mHealth sites but believes it could happen in the post-Roe world. He, like other experts contacted for this story, is a strong proponent of telehealth as a tool to tackle the ever-expanding overdose crisis and wants to see telemedicine companies do a better job of protecting patient privacy. LaBelle says she thinks these mHealth companies are helmed by “well-meaning people who want to do good but may not understand the totality of the issues that are involved in getting people the services they need, and how critically important a broad definition of privacy is to protect these people.” The Legal Action Center’s Dr. Jackie Seitz, one of the authors of the research, says she also appreciates the value of these online services and questions whether providers themselves realize “all the different, leaky ways that the information they’re collecting about patients is sort of floating out.”

One person who does know about those leaky ways is Sean O’Brien, a lecturer on cybersecurity at Yale Law School who founded the Privacy Lab at Yale’s Information Society Project. He worked with the OPI and LAC on previous research that focused on mobile apps in the addiction telehealth space and lamented that it’s “shocking” to see mHealth providers still using so many third-party trackers despite the fact they’ve been “under the microscope” for some time now. “They’re just sharing it with everybody they can,” he says, adding that what he finds particularly problematic is the caching of the data on servers, where someone could “scoop up” the information.

Leaders at some of the analyzed companies were quick to respond and share their thoughts on privacy, noting they always aim to improve the services offered to such a vulnerable population.

Boulder Care CEO Stephanie Strong says her company is subject to HIPAA and Part Two and “takes patient privacy extremely seriously.” She adds that her company uses digital advertising and web measurement tools “sparingly” (indeed, Boulder Care used fewer of the tools than others in the report) and limits the use of ad tracking software to website visitors and inquiries only, without reporting back to Google or Meta on any actions that could be “indicative of actual treatment.” Patient care is delivered by Boulder’s app, which does not use any tracking software.

Lisa McLaughlin, co-CEO of WorkIt Health, says her company “is committed to creating a safe place for our members to receive discreet and accessible virtual care.” A representative for Confidant Health echoes that the company recognizes the importance of privacy in SUD care and will “continue to adhere to HIPAA and similar legislation as well as upholding our own internal protocols which we developed to protect our members.”

Representatives from other companies included in the study did not deny the use of the third parties that researchers identified, but they maintained that this poses no threat to patient privacy and is in keeping with standards across the internet and in the medical space.

Nick Mercadante, founder and CEO of PursueCare, says his company does not collect, store, or forward protected health information from visiting users, and that patients don’t receive their care directly on the PursueCare site. He also said PursueCare does not share protected health information (PHI) with third parties, though it does “utilize Facebook Pixel and Google Analytics for internal reporting purposes.”

“It is a reality that users of most websites on the internet today are subject to collection of user data,” Mercadante says. “Health-care-related websites, including those of health systems, hospitals, inpatient care facilities, and other brick-and-mortar care facilities, are no different.”

Pear Therapeutics, responsible for reSET-O, notes it doesn’t share PHI without patient consent, does not use any digital footprints to identify user identities, and reports data “on an aggregated and de-identified basis.”  Experts remain concerned by the collection of the data in the first place, de-identified or not, but acknowledge that what’s happening here isn’t illegal and is likely to continue for that reason. Danielle Tarino, who formerly led the health IT team at SAMHSA and now works in cybersecurity, has spent a considerable chunk of her career investigating the privacy implications of mHealth, especially for people with substance use disorders. She believes the best shot at protecting privacy will come from the creation and implementation of additional tools.

“This is how small tech businesses work, and absent anyone telling you that you’re not allowed to do that, you’re allowed to do that,” she says, questioning whether the sites’ use of ad trackers and outside software boils down to finances. Clark, too, expresses concerns that the use of data collection is financially motivated and, for the right price, could be sold or leased to law enforcement or other parties. “When there’s monetary incentives, people make the changes. When there are no monetary incentives, they don’t,” he says. In short, data privacy experts don’t anticipate that mHealth companies will stop collecting data unless forced.

The opinions of cybersecurity professionals and telehealth company CEOs are relevant, but perhaps most important are the opinions of individuals with substance abuse disorders, the people who stand to lose the most if experts’ fears are realized and for whom Part 2 was designed. After being shown the data from the analysis, one patient who utilizes brick-and-mortar health care providers said via direct message, “Thank you for reaffirming why I don’t use telehealth.” He added that he wasn’t sure the findings would stop anyone from using telehealth if that were the only way they could get treatment. Those patients would simply have to trust their providers act in their best interest.

Another patient who uses one of the companies analyzed by the OPI and LAC was alarmed by the findings.“They should [be required to] have a service that prevents them from being able to track anything like that,” he says.

“How much is my information worth?” he asks, questioning whether data from his and other patients’ website use was more valuable than the few hundred dollars they generate each month as patients. “It’s so scary. This is the first time in my life I’m not on probation in 10 years. Now, I’m not. Thinking that someone could really just look at that … Who knows what’s going to happen?”