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abyssleaves · 11 months

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CW: mentions of past domestic abuse

(Not Beta'd, so forgive any typos)

It's the damn steaks that get you, in the end.

Not the trip, driving at definitely-not-illegal speeds all the way from Maine, the windows down, tendrils of your own dark hair whipping you in the face. Blaring the music he never let you play, singing along to the lyrics even though he always said your voice was flat. All you felt on the road was a wild kind of exultation, flying, numbness in your limbs as if this were a dream.

(You only stopped at a motel once. Put your backpack down on the single bed, and felt the stillness press in like a vise on your temples. Ten minutes later you were slapping a hundred dollar bill down in front of the bemused check-in lady, and back on the road. You slept at rest stops the rest of the way.)

The trip was fine. Freeing.

It wasn't the reality of the house, either. You shook hands with the realtor in a daze, smiling brightly the way you were taught, barely feeling the keys in your fingers. It takes you another ten minutes to unload the car. A handful of boxes and your backpack is all you brought with you. It's all that could fit in your car.

It's heavy, and you thought maybe you should be tired, but there was nothing but a sense of floating as you carry your few things in. You told yourself it's the weight lifted, the feeling of finally being able to hear yourself think. But all you could seem to think about is practicalities like thank god they left behind furniture, and is that mattress safe to sleep on.

How long until my voicemail is full, and I have some peace?

Unable to settle, even though it's far too late to unpack, you began to wander, pulling out drawers, opening cupboards. You peeked out windows, assessed the property. It's a steal, honestly, especially in this market, and you don't even really need to worry about neighbors. You can see other houses around, bits and bobs peeking through the trees, but there's only one little bungalow visible, with an older model red truck parked outside of it.

It was clean, and there was light around the edges of the heavy blinds, but no movement or sound. Maybe an older person, or older couple, you figured, then. Nobody that should be interested in you, but a relief to have someone close enough to hear it if–...if-…

Maybe it wasn't too late to unpack after all. No time like the present.

The first box you pick was the one with all of your sentimental plushes and knicknacks. The old gameboy color that you used to let Katie play, your merch from Anime Boston, the last anniversary trip. You only got a few things unpacked before you fell asleep right there on the floor, curled up.

Its fine. You were tired.

And now, it's morning, and you're still fine. Really, you do genuinely feel pretty great. A little blank, but that's to be expected after such a radical move.

You should call your mom and tell her you're in Texas.

You don't.

Instead, you go to make coffee and realize there isn't any. Because you didn't pack any. But there is a place nearby, google tells you. That's fine. You can treat yourself. Who’s going to stop you?

You don't think about how much Katie loved going to coffee places. Stop. She's not your responsibility anymore.

But of course she is. That's why you're in Texas, and Ben isn't in jail.

You don't remember getting the coffee. What you remember is sitting in your driveway, sipping it, thinking, huh, that truck is gone.

That's fine. You can introduce yourself later. You should make a Hello Treat first, anyway. That's what Mom would have suggested you do.

Your coffee goes mostly undrank, cooling slowly on the counter, as you throw yourself into unpacking with as much gusto as you can.

That's where things start to go wrong, by your estimation. Because when your stomach rumbles, what seems like an hour or two later, you casually glance at the stove clock and break into autopiloted panic. Oh my god, it's nearly four. Ben likes dinner at five.

You saw a grocery store on the way to the coffee place. That's fine. That's fine. It's a short trip, five minutes at most. You can get something that cooks quickly. You know a handful of dinners by heart at this point, and your exhausted brain busies itself with calculations on sides and cook times, and before you can blink you’re headed down the aisles with a basket on your arm. You pick up enough for simple sides, some spices, some paper plates because whoever furnished your place took all the plates but left a mysteriously insane number of forks.

Steaks. Ben likes red meat. He'll want something special after a move.

When you approach the red meat shelves, there's a man already standing there. He looks lost in thought, and he's standing right in front of the steaks. You wait patiently, the polite way you were taught, but when he finally looks up, he jumps back about a foot. You feel terrible immediately.

“Oh! I'm sorry, um, I was just…” You gesture helplessly to the rows of meat.

“It's fine. Can I grab something for you?” His affect is so flat, you're sure you've annoyed him, and you can’t say you blame him. But playing the “no, really” game would take longer and probably only irritate him more than simply getting what you need and getting out of his hair.

“Yeah.” You drop your eyes to the case, instinctively. “Uh, I was just gonna grab a couple steaks."

Silence.

Reluctantly, you look up. He's watching you, stonefaced. He looks like he’s waiting for something. You look at him blankly, and he seems to bite back a little sigh before he asks, if possibly even flatter, “What kind?”

Oh.

“Oh, my god, I'm so sorry.” You give a nervous chuckle that borders on manic, put a hand to your temple. It's almost four-fifteen now. You point to a few of the ones directly in front of him, where you can't reach. “Uh, those please.”

He grabs the three you point to and hands them over, waiting with each in his hand as you load your basket. Feeling a little guilty, you do your best to give him the warmest smile you can, feeling guilty at having been such a bother. “Thank you so much.”

He looks a little…surprised, maybe? In any case, his eyes are wide behind his vintage glasses, and he holds on a second too long to the last steak, so that you have to half pull it from his grip.

“Uh…no problem. Have a nice day.” His voice is a little friendlier, and he even gives you a faint lifting of his mouth. It could almost pass for a smile.

You feel forgiven, and beam back brightly. “You, too!”

You don't look back as you hurry away.

As you rush through self-checkout, some of that brightness dims as you feel the familiar dread. You hope none of Ben’s friends saw you smile at the guy like that. Especially since Ben knows well enough your weakness for green eyes.

Cooking passes in a blur of muscle memory, so that's not really the sticking point either. Oil in pan, steaks in, sear, add the butter and herbs, baste it. The sides both go in the oven, so that's all on the timer.

You get everything laid out as nicely as you can on three paper plates–two whole steaks for each of the adults, and a carefully trimmed set of slices for Katie. She hates all the fat.

Not that it matters.

Because she's never going to eat this steak.

Because she's in Maine. Because you had to flee her father in the dead of night while he worked a late shift. Because now all you have to your name is a couple boxes of necessary documents and cherished memorabilia. And a storage facility full of every scrap of your art equipment that you could slowly squirrel away, but couldn't afford to ship down after buying your new house. A bare mattress with your childhood blanket and no pillow because you haven't bought sheets yet. You had to leave your vintage dresses and leather jacket behind. You couldn't save the cameras, either. And Katie…

You haven't slept properly, changed clothes, or showered in days.

You’re free.

And you just wasted money on food you didn’t have to cook, for two people you'll never cook for again.

A car door slams in the silence.

Your vision is blurry when you try to look out the window, and you hurriedly wipe the shoulder of your shirt across your eyes, sniffling.

The red truck is back. You move over to the window to have a closer look, because it's better to be nosy about the neighbors right now than look at the plates of food you made for a husband that was never much of a husband, and a stepdaughter that isn't a stepdaughter anymore.

…

No.

No way.

You've got to be kidding me, is your first thought when around the hood of the truck comes the blond man from the meat department. He ducks to look into his mailbox.

Without even thinking you wrench your door open and stick your head out. “Hey!”

He jerks his head up from his mailbox, and you think in passing, twice in one day, he's going to think you're a psycho. He looks genuinely shocked to see you, as shocked as you were a few minutes ago.

Oh, well. Too late now. “Do you want some food?” You bellow across the lawns to him, and his face crinkles a little in confusion.

After a moment he calls back uncertainly, and much quieter than you, “. . . …Sure?”

Relief and a little happiness stir in your chest. It's been a long and lonely couple of days. “Just a sec!” You call back, and duck into the kitchen. Swiftly, you pile the second whole steak and as much of the sides from the extra two plates as you can fit. You end up needing to stack a couple plates to give it stability. It looks a little ludicrous, but what else are you going to do with it all? At least he'll know where my extra padding comes from.

(If you give your messy bun a couple of ineffectual pats, too, well, nobody needs to know but you.)

You're half-prepared to encounter the disappointment of an empty yard, given that a disheveled woman who scared him at the grocery store just yodeled at him out of nowhere, but he's waiting patiently by his mailbox, fidgeting a little with the envelopes. He looks up as you approach, and his eyes widen at the mountain of food you present to him with a smile.

“Oh, whoa,” he says. “I thought y’ meant like some cookies or something.”

“Oh… yeah, I was planning to do that later. That would be more normal.” You laugh a little, and both of you look down at the plate of food. “Um, sorry there's no clingfilm. I don't have any of that stuff yet.”

“Aw, that's alright.” For a moment you're too distracted by his drawl to notice that his eyes aren't on you anymore. They've drifted over your shoulder, and he squints as if looking for something. You follow his gaze, but all you see is the curtainless window showing your silent, still kitchen. “Your family not like the steaks or somethin’?”

“It's just me actually.”

The sentence is surprisingly steady at the start, but once you hear yourself say it, the end of the last word wobbles just a bit.

“Oh.” He looks back at you, eyebrows raising. “But you bought three of ‘em.”

“Yeah, um…” It takes you a minute to swallow the throat lump making all those funny shudders in your voice. He must hear them too, because his brow furrows as he peers more closely at you. He looks faintly concerned. “I guess I'm still used to cooking for more.”

There's a brief pause. He clearly has questions, but seems unable to figure out how to voice them. The green eyes you noticed at the store are boring into you like he wants to read the answers on your forehead.

You stick out your hand. “I'm Elizabeth–...Uh, Bess, to most people.” Bess is a cow’s name, Ben sneers in your head. But right now, competing with blond scruff and a slow, rolling accent, he's easy to ignore.

It takes your neighbor a second to shuffle the plate to one hand, but he gives your hand a firm shake with a callused grip. As with the steaks at the store, it seems to take him a moment to let you go. “Jacob,” he says, and gives you his first proper, if small, smile.

“Jacob,” You say, smiling happily, and watch his own smile widen to match yours. His face looks a little pink in the dark. “I guess we’re neighbors now.”

“Huh, guess so.” He glances at the house again, then back to you. “You let me know if you need anythin’, ok?”

You blink a little at this, after all the trouble you've been to him today, but you're not going to argue. It must be a southern thing. “Ok...I will. Thanks! I really appreciate…all this, today.” You gesture at the steak plate. “I better go eat my own before it gets cold.”

His smile dims slightly. “Sure,” he says, tone flat as ever. “See you around, Bess.”

You both linger a second longer. This is the most pleasant interaction you've had with a person in a long time, and you're surprised to find yourself not wanting to walk away. “Bye, Jacob.”

It takes a lot longer than you expect, as you make your way across to your own house, to hear his door shut.

In your silent kitchen, some of the bubble of happiness begins to leach away. You wish you'd thought to invite him to eat with you. But then, paradoxically, you feel a sudden intense guilt at the thought. You were living with your husband less than a week ago. And a voice that sounds a lot like Ben’s adds in a hiss, You’re a complete wreck.

You put your steak plate in the fridge and walk slowly over to the boxes, digging out your blanket.

Looking out your bedroom window, you can see the faint glow of Jacob’s lights in his windows. The hollowness of the silence refuses to go away, but you don't feel the same kind of flying numbness that you felt this morning. You're not running and alone now. You have a house, even if it's half-empty, and you have what might become at the very least a friend.

That's fine. It'll be fine.

( @carnivorekitty, I only saw a definite yes to fanART in your FAQ. If this isn't ok, let me know and I'll take it down!)

#I paused work on my own novel to write this bc the brainrot is that bad #jacob alden #i am so down bad #lurking for love #lfl visual novel #lfl game #Jacob pls come kidnap me I promise I won't tell about the murders #this demo completely consumed me #I had to write my MC meeting Jacob #This counts as therapy right? I'm calling it #bess chambers

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howwelldoyouknowyourmoon · 1 month

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Seattle's Unification Church owned mansion sold – and will be demolished

6601 Northeast Windermere Road, Seattle, WA 98105

The original Rolland Denny estate home in Seattle’s exclusive Windermere neighborhood has been sold. On the market since 2022, Loch Kelden was recently sold to developers for what real-estate sites say is $5.999.900.00, “pending feasibility.”

Preservationists could not nominate it as a city landmark because the state Supreme Court has exempted religious entities from landmark designation unless such owners support or seek it. Thus, demolition appears imminent.

This gem of Seattle history is nestled behind a curtain of trees: it's the 7,700-square-foot mansion that Rolland Denny, the first son of Seattle pioneer Arthur Denny, built in 1907.

Shortly after moving in, in 1908, Denny named his new domain "Lochkelden" — loch, meaning "lake" in Scottish; "Kel" for his wife, Alice Kellogg; and "Den" for Denny. Today, it's the only residence left in Seattle where one of the original pioneers lived.

Rolland Denny was an infant when Arthur Denny and the original pioneers arrived on Alki Beach in 1851. The Duwamish Tribe helped keep him alive by teaching his mother to feed him clam broth through the winter.

Like any 100-year-old institution worth its salt, the old Windermere mansion, as it's called, is not without intrigue.

In 1974, the Unification Church, a nontraditional church established by Sun Myung Moon in Korea in the 1940s, bought the property and its remaining 1.7 acres for $175,000.

In 1977, a group of Windermere neighbors, "Save Our Neighborhood," brought a lawsuit against the new owners, questioning their right to use the residential property for religious and commercial ventures. The lawsuit, spurred partly by a popular condemnation of the church's mass marriages and recruitment techniques, was dropped in 1982.

A community feature is access to the waterfront/private beach.

While some neighbors remain uncomfortable with the Unification Church's hold on the property, others applaud the church's efforts to refurbish the house, which suffers from the inevitable internal decay of 100-year-old plumbing and wiring.

"There's so much to fix. I have so many projects. And it's an absolute bottomless pit for money," said Scott Dolfay twenty years ago. He is a carpenter and had been a church member since 1981. In 2001, he helped raise $180,000 from the church for maintenance purposes and estimates he and other church members have contributed over a million dollars more in personal cash, materials and volunteer work since then.

Exploring the old mansion is like peeling back layers of time, he says: There's the false-backed cupboards in the master bedroom, that can be revealed using a pulley-system, rigged to the closet.

_________________________________

Boston UC Mansion at 46 Beacon Street purchased in 1976 for $475,000 now sold for $20.5million

Unification Church sells Cardinal Cushing Villa in Gloucester for $5 million

Jin-joo Byrne was raped and murdered in August 2002. She was just 18. She was fundraising on her own with costume jewellery in Charlotte NC. Some time later it was arranged for Hak Ja Han, on a visit to Seattle, to meet the family who lived there. Hak Ja Han was not very sympathetic. One person understood what she said in Korean.

All these UC members were killed while fundraising for Sun Myung Moon and Hak Ja Han

#unification church #sun myung moon #hak ja han #moonies #ffwpu #Seattle #Jin-joo Byrne

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justinforprez · 8 months

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A walkable cities, functional transit system and zoning relaxation in US cities would save the average person $16400/year from just travel expense and food (it would take time for us to realize these savings and it would likely be realized through costs not increasing over a decade)

Potentially more with HSR between cities. And a cheaper route cross the country would enable greater social mobility as women and poor brown people would feel more comfortable leaving their safety nets. Right now only well-off single white males (such as myself) can reliably accept a job offers 3k miles away from their families and feel safe doing so

We should also just nationalize ownership of rail infrastructure so we can open the train routes and reduce the cost of goods. It current costs 50% more to move a container across the country via train than by truck because you get charged crazy fees when changing from Union Pacific, BASF, and norfolk (up to $20k from LA to Boston just for transfer to another train)

Another $2500 in healthcare because that small amount of walking means. A lot for your health

Plus more opportunities for millionaires to run successful small shops and for their children to squander than wealth allowing for another to be successful

Less tinnitis and asthma

Less reliance on plastic money and more cold hard cash that the govt can’t track

Farm to table would again be possible for many, if not most, restaurants

Its hard to really estimate the economic, cultural, health, safety, and other benefits with having several hundred years of experience and a bunch of PhDs

But I don’t care about that, I just want to walk to a fucking grocery store

I just want to be able to get an onion without my car

Out of toilet paper? Just walk 5 min and get some

#kowloon manifesto #stealing your tag

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houseofbrat · 11 months

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Hard disagree on the conjecture for Cambs arriving late to the Coronation. They were late. They were busy on their PR film shoot but a last minute bathroom break from Louis caused them to be late?! NO.

They then followed up the bad manners of being late by choosing to throw The King under the bus with their misleading statement. Now the rumor mill wants to use The King again as if he somehow sanctioned their behavior. NO.

And what is this incessant need to make excuses for them? Wailers will tell you William is BoS$, an alpha dog, that Catherine has untold power. But anytime they’re held account for their choices, it’s needed to bend over backwards to excuse and coddle them or else you’re a HAteR? NO.

[related post]

I find what the Royal Foibles dude said credible. This is mainly because he doesn't have a dog in the fight between the stans of different British royals. He writes about a bunch other royals or other old time celebrities such as Jackie Kennedy Onassis.

A last-minute bathroom break by a five year old is quite realistic when you consider the behavior of four- and five-year olds.

Charles & Camilla being so early as to cause & block Will & Kate and kids from arriving isn't as plausible as certain Wales fans/stans would like to believe. The horses and their driving teams practiced the route from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey prior to the coronation. The driving teams had a good estimate of how long it would take them to do the route and arrive on time.

The non-reaction by Buckingham Palace to the incident confirms that Charles & Camilla aren't concerned about the incident. Also, BP & CH household & officials don't seem to care about making corrections, which they probably would if they were more concerned about being thrown under the bus in this instance. But they clearly aren't making any moves regarding it, so they must see it as insignificant in the long run.

Kensington Palace's statement blaming The King & Queen for being early is typical William overreaction. It's the same overreaction that happened regarding William's speech at the end of the 2022 Caribbean tour, and the same overreaction that happened in Boston over Lady Susan Hussey. I'd bet that he had his communication officers overreact because the real reason does involve Louis and his potty story.

I agree with your last paragraph. Any minor critique of the Waleses causes an absolute meltdown by some of their fans/stans.

#ask #rumors...conjecture #operation golden orb #King Charles III #prince louis #William The Prince of Wales

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ingek73 · 1 year

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Boston Is Apparently Really Angry That the Royals Are Visiting

"I didn’t invite these people," the city councilor says.

BY ROSA SANCHEZPUBLISHED: DEC 1, 2022

Prince William and Princess Catherine have been looking quite at home while on their trip to Boston for their Earthshot Prize Awards—having stepped out looking radiant in coordinating suits and given a glimpse at their sweet chemistry while watching a Boston Celtics game courtside. But as happy as they seem to be on their visit, residents are apparently not so happy to have them.

While some in Somerville, Massachusetts, are appreciative of the fact that the British royals will bring some positive attention to Greentown Labs, an incubator for startups aiming to tackle the climate crisis with tech-fueled innovation, they are also annoyed about the inconveniences the Wales' visit will cause for the city—traffic, for example.

A main concern on the social channels is how difficult it will allegedly be for residents to get to their local grocery store Market Basket, located on Somerville Ave. A block of the avenue, from Dane Street to School Street, will be blocked during William and Kate's visit to the area today, according to an email city officials sent to residents on Wednesday, The Boston Globe reported.

Both directions of travel, the sidewalks, and parking will also be closed to the public, and the MBTA’s route 87 bus will be temporarily rerouted, the city reportedly said, adding that the move was made "to accommodate security measures for the British Royal visit."

A spokesperson for Market Basket said the store will remain open, with access from the Union Square side, per the Globe. But even the Somerville city councilor is outraged at the possibility of having one entrance to the local supermarket temporarily, partially blocked for the royals' historic visit—their first to the U.S. since 2014.

"Hey, did you know that the royal family is visiting Ward 2 tomorrow? Yeah, me neither until I read it in the press," City Councilor Jefferson Thomas Scott wrote on Twitter yesterday upon the royals' arrival in Boston.

"I didn't invite these people and was unaware of this visit until you found out too," he added. "The City is not handling the Prince and Princess of Wales' itinerary, so the times of these transits and closures ending is unknown."

Scott additionally pointed out that he wasn't sure how many "lookie-loos" the royals would draw, and advised locals to avoid the area where the prince and princess will be altogether. "Also unknown is the number of lookie-loos. I've heard no estimates, but it might draw a crowd. (I hope not.)," he wrote.

Of course, some residents are happy the royals are in town, and even made festive signs to greet them.

Another great tour. They were also warmly welcomed at basketball:

#prince william #kate middleton #abolish the monarchy #brf #royal tour #harpers bazaar #boston

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is-the-whale-video-cute · 2 years

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Endangered cetacean spotlight: North Atlantic right whale

What are North Atlantic right whales?

[ID: A photo of a North Atlantic right whale breaching. Its head and front fins are out of the water. End ID.]

North Atlantic right whales are, as the name name suggests, a species of whale native to the northern Atlantic Ocean. They’re easily distinguished from other species in the area by their callosities, large, white, rough patches on skin on their heads, as well as their lack of a dorsal fin. They also spend a lot of time closer to the shore compared to other large whales, leading to them gaining the nickname “urban whales”.

A right whale’s diet consists of zooplankton, which hang out near the surface of the ocean. Right whales have developed an efficient method of skimming the surface to feed, good for maintaining that bulky physique. Though not nearly as long as blue whales, right whales are one of the heaviest kinds of whales.

Right whales have had a rough time of it throughout history. Their name, right whales, comes from the fact that early commercial whalers considered them the “right” whale to kill. Their coastal habitat, time spent moving slowly at the surface, and docile nature unfortunately made them easy targets, and right whale populations were decimated throughout the 18th century. By 1935, when the practice of hunting right whales was globally banned, there were estimated to be fewer than 100 North Atlantic right whales left. And though their population is larger today, they’re still in dire straits. As of 2022, it’s estimated that there are 366 North Atlantic right whales alive today.

Why are they endangered?

Now that right whales are no longer hunted, their main threats are ship strikes and entanglement. The same behavior that made them vulnerable to whaling, being slow-moving and spending most of their time at the surface, makes them vulnerable to being struck by large boats. This problem is made even worse by the fact that the whales most likely to spend more time at the surface and move slowly are pregnant females, and females with calves. The loss of a reproducing female is devastating to the population, as it takes around a decade for a female North Atlantic right whale to reach sexual maturity. In total, it’s estimated that up to a third of North Atlantic right whale mortalities are caused by ship strikes.

The other major threat facing these whales is entanglement in marine debris, most often fishing gear like gillnets. Entanglement can kill animals outright by causing them to drown, or weaken them, causing them to be more vulnerable to future injury or illness. In addition, whales weakened by entanglement are less likely to be able to successfully reproduce. By looking for scars indicative of past entanglement, researchers are able to estimate how many North Atlantic right whales have had encounters with fishing gear during their lives. The result is a sobering 85%.

[ID: A photo of a North Atlantic right whale seen from above. It has rope tangled around its mouth, which is trailing behind it. End ID.] Further resources and ways to help

The Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life through Boston’s New England Aquarium has been studying North Atlantic right whales for over 40 years. They maintain a database of individual whales, allowing their population to be kept track of, and conduct research into how people’s impact on them can be minimized. You can support them by symbolically adopting a right whale.

The North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium is comprised of over 100 organizations and individuals dedicated to conserving the species. Their website has an excellent selection of resources where you can learn more about the North Atlantic right whale and its plight.

The Ropeless Consortium is dedicated to developing and implementing methods of fishing that do not use the deadly ropes that whales get entangled in. The technology of the project is still in its infancy, but this is definitely something to keep an eye on.

As for things you personally can do, spread awareness for these whales! The more people that know about them, the more people are likely to care about them. For US/Canadian followers (particularly ones along the Atlantic coast), support policies to reduce boat speeds, create protected marine areas, or better regulate the fishing industry. You can even go the extra mile and write in support of actions like these to politicians. More recommended actions can be found in the resources I’ve linked above.

Here’s to hoping North Atlantic right whales will be roaming the ocean for years to come.

[ID: A photo of two North Atlantic right whales, an adult and a calf, seen from above. End ID.]

#tw animal death

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ejacutastic · 2 years

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without paywall

The outdoors have always been a sanctuary—even more so since the advent of the pandemic.

Spreading COVID outside was possible, but not probable, experts advised in 2020, urging cooped-up citizens to turn to Mother Nature as an antidote to the isolation of lockdowns. Events, dining, and even entire classrooms were moved outside, when feasible.

But Omicron was a game changer, in more ways than one.

The original Wuhan strain of COVID-19 had a reproductive rate—also known as an R0 or R-naught value—of around 3.3, meaning that each infected person infected another 3.3 people, on average. That put COVID-19 among the least transmissible human diseases.

Slightly less transmissible were the 1918 pandemic strain of flu, which had an estimated R0 of 2, as does Ebola. On the higher end of the spectrum, mumps has an R0 of 12; measles tops the list at 18.

In order to outcompete, successful COVID variants have become more transmissible with time. Delta had a slightly higher reproductive rate of around 5.1. Then came Omicron, with an reproductive rate almost twice as large: 9.5.

So called “stealth Omicron,” nicknamed for its ability to evade detection on PCR tests, was about 1.4 times more transmissible than BA.1, so its reproductive rate was around 13.3, Adrian Esterman, a professor of biostatistics and epidemiology at the University of South Australia, recently wrote on academic news website The Conversation.

New studies suggest that BA.4 and BA.5, currently sweeping the U.S. and countries around the globe, have a growth advantage over BA.2 similar to the growth advantage BA.2 had over BA.1. Thus, the latest dominant COVID subvariants have a reproductive rate of around 18.6, tying or surpassing measles, the world’s most infectious viral disease, according to. Esterman.

Greater transmissibility means greater transmissibility in any setting, indoors or outdoors—even if outside is still safer, Maimuna Majumder, an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and a computational epidemiologist at Boston Children’s Hospital, recently told NPR.

Upping the ante is the fact that recent subvariants like BA.4 and BA.5 are the most immune-evasive yet, with the ability to dodge antibodies from both vaccines and prior infection.

All this to say your protection outdoors isn’t what it was in 2020—and it may be time to begin thinking more critically about outdoor gatherings.

#covid #didn't realize how much worse these new ones are ugh

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mariacallous · 1 year

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A new gold rush is underway in Latin America—only this time around, the bounty is white. With its sprawling salt flats, the region is rich with a new ore—lithium—and everyone from Germany to China is clambering to get in on the race.

White gold, or lithium, is a coveted critical mineral that is key to making the batteries that drive the energy transition. Some 60 percent of the world’s lithium reserves can be found in the so-called lithium triangle, a region that encompasses Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia. It’s not just lithium either: Peru and Chile are the world’s two largest copper producers, while Brazil is home to 17 percent of all nickel reserves.

“Latin America is front and center in the race for minerals,” said Ryan Berg, director of the Americas Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “It’s just about every single mineral you need to power the modern infrastructure, the green infrastructure that we’re going to need.”

That has sparked a global scramble to tap the region’s wealth—one in which Chinese companies have an edge. For decades, Beijing has rapidly ramped up its trade and investment in the region, entrenching its economic ties and influence there while the United States’ attention wandered. A growing number of Chinese projects in Latin America now center around the clean energy sector, part of what experts say is emblematic of a broader shift, as Beijing scales back its big-bore lending and zeroes in on what it sees as the prize.

“We’ve all known that renewable energy would eventually get the momentum necessary to pick up speed and really dominate the investment horizon,” said Rebecca Ray, an international development finance expert at Boston University’s Global Development Policy Center. “And we’re beginning to see that pivot in the [China-Latin America] relationship, where it goes from potential to reality.”’

Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century found loads of silver in Potosi, Bolivia. Chinese investors think they’ve found their own mother lode of a different kind. Chinese firms won a bid to develop two lithium plants in Bolivia last month, beating out offers from American and Russian companies. Led by Chinese battery giant Contemporary Amperex Technology, the consortium is betting big on Bolivia’s enormous potential mineral wealth—estimated to be home to the world’s biggest lithium resources—although extraction challenges and political hurdles have long stymied the Bolivian industry’s development. Bolivia’s lithium just isn’t as easy or cost effective to pluck as it is in neighboring countries.

“Many countries and many companies have gone in there, tried to exploit the resource—for lack of a better phrase—and just run into challenges either with the government or with purifying that brine,” said Chris Berry, president of House Mountain Partners, an independent metals analyst, referring to the process of drying brine in salt flats to extract lithium ore. “That’s always been the problem with Bolivia.”

Beijing has found more success in Argentina, with Chinese battery powerhouse Ganfeng Lithium paying $962 million to buy Lithea Inc. and snap up the firm’s rights to two salt lakes. A year ago, another Chinese company, Zijin Mining, funneled $380 million into Argentina to build a lithium carbonate plant.

Beyond lithium, Beijing has also struck deals for solar, wind, and hydroelectric projects across the region, pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into solar parks in Argentina and Brazil as well as signing contracts for hydroelectric projects in Bolivia and Argentina. In Brazil, Chinese firms have also made inroads in the country’s electric vehicle industry. Ray, the Boston University expert, said as Western firms withdrew from the region during the pandemic and resulting economic slowdown, Chinese companies moved in and began building up their portfolios. “And so now, Western companies may be playing a bit of catch-up,” she said.

Part of the allure of partnering with Beijing, experts say, is the very nature of Chinese deals. China has boasted about its no-strings-attached financing, with fewer economic and political conditions than Western lenders. Many Latin American governments see China as the only option, and criticism that Beijing’s lending practices have overburdened borrowers with debt have failed to resonate in the region, Berg said. Last September, debt-ridden Ecuador and China inked a deal to restructure $4.4 billion in debt.

“[Governments] know that they’re not going to get the same level of quality by partnering with Chinese companies, but they also will get fewer headaches, fewer regulations, fewer lessons on the environment, fewer complaints from [nongovernmental organizations],” Berg said.

In the past, Chinese-funded projects have come under fire for creating lasting environmental harm, including deforestation, pesticide toxication, and the mismanagement of delicate ecosystems. In Ecuador, for example, a copper mining project operated by the subsidiary of a Chinese state-owned company led to the displacement of local populations, land seizures, and environmental damage, according to the U.S. Foreign Affairs Committee. Still, China’s silver has currency.

“Even though China has this image as insensitive to environmental protection, it is the principal player in this region in this very dynamic green energy sector,” said Benjamin Gedan, director of the Wilson Center’s Latin American Program. “That’s to the disadvantage of U.S. companies and influence in the Western Hemisphere.”

Western countries, which have marketed themselves as more environmentally and socially conscious investors, have been rushing to compete. Last month, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz traveled to Argentina and Chile to secure new lithium deals while the European Union updated its trade ties with Chile just a few months ago. Canada has issued regulations that forced three Chinese companies to divest from Canadian lithium mining firms.

The Biden administration’s answer, the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity, promises multi-sector, region-wide cooperation and involves 11 countries that account for some 90 percent of GDP in the Western Hemisphere. Although the details of the partnership haven’t been hashed out yet, Washington has pledged to use it to expand supply chains and boost economic growth—all while deepening U.S. trade ties with the region.

All of these competing interests have put Latin American leaders in a tricky position. They can get easy money, with headaches. They can get good money, with strings attached. But it’s all part of the new great game.

“They’re all really trying to triangulate both Western and Chinese financing,” said Stephen Kaplan, a professor at George Washington University. “In a lot of ways, the region is looking to circumvent some of the geopolitical tensions.”

But increased interest could also come with its own benefits. As foreign investors scramble to make attractive offers for clean energy deals, Latin American governments are also in a unique position to pick the highest bidder—and maximize their own economic interests.

“It serves Latin America to have competition,” Ray said. “If they get to have competitive bidding processes with many different competitors—be it European, Chinese, American, Japanese, Korean—they may get better outcomes than if they’re just working with one.”

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charmingpplincardigans · 2 years

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Had my last session with my Orlando therapist today. We talked a lot about change and leaving space for my emotions and just allowing myself to greet the future with an open heart. Believing in my ability to be a captivating human who will find and hold on to the people who will bring me as much joy as I can bring them. I'm excited by the possibility of it all.

I did get a chance to voice something I hadn't really worked through yet, and that was how much I'd changed already. Not in the last couple of years (though that has also been a whole heap and a half of growth), but the change between leaving for Boston the first time and coming home. I just hadn't seen it while I was in it, which is always the way, you know?

Like, Florida doesn't fit anymore, and a couple of my friends here have hypothesized that it has to do with how their lives changed while I was away so that I didn't move back into the same situation relationship-wise that I'd left from and that's what doesn't fit. That diagnosis hasn't ever felt right to me. Partially because like, I knew their lives had changed. I never expected to come back to the same place I'd left in that way. But also partially because my life had changed too, and I knew it, but because I had been with myself the whole time and still felt like me I underestimated how different I was going to be and feel in this place.

I only came back to Florida because I got homesick and I'd never been homesick before (because I'd never really felt like I had a home, what with its supposed defining attributes of it being a place of safety and support) so I confused that for feeling like I needed to be here. Like there was some magical root I could just plug myself back into and feel more tethered. Which I know is ludicrous, because I felt so untethered here for so long the first time around. The whole reason I left in the first place is because I didn't want to be here and suddenly I didn't have to be anymore. So I went to a place that was bigger, that felt like it could give me enough space to grow into and experiences I would enjoy as I did it. And it did.

And then I felt one (1) human emotion and I left. Because why? Because I got scared of how big I was becoming on the inside? Because I felt that any moment my friends would realize I wasn't cool or fun or whatever they thought I was? Because one other human being became interested in me and I couldn't handle the pressure of it? None of those are very good reasons at all by my estimation, but all together they did add up deep in my subconscious. Whenever anyone in Boston asked me why I would want to go back I would just say 'oh, you know, it's my home and I miss it too much.' Miss what? What even did I think I was homesick for? That hopelessness and depression from before? All the devils I already knew? On top of that, it was a very expensive decision that is now very expensive to reverse and I'm so mad at myself about all of it.

But I'm trying not to be. I'm trying to give myself grace for not remembering the sharpness of the old wounds as they began to heal over. Because the feelings I was having when I left Florida were real and the feelings I was having when I left Boston were real as well. They were reactions to trauma and anxiety and stress and all sorts of things that I'm trying not to let rule me anymore. They were things no one could fix but me and I was grasping at straws over how poorly equipped I was to do that, even with my therapist at the time. Now I know that she just wasn't the type of therapist I needed, that she gave me too much rope to hang myself with. Turns out I need shorter leads, someone who will do CBT and EMDR and whatever other round of acronyms you can find. Someone who can guide the discovery and help me put it into a context and a place and keep it from overrunning everything else about my life. We have worked so hard at that these last four years.

I'm not the same person I was when I left Boston. That person wasn't the same person I was when I got there. That person just wanted to find out who they could become if they were set free. At the end of it all, that person is still me. And wouldn't you know it? With the proper support, it turns out I can fly.

#no one cares kl #but i care deeply #so #43 days until i put it all in a truck and leave #i'm trying to spend my remaining time well #being with my friends #soaking up the floridaness and southernness of it all #so that i have a little golden bit of warmth to take with me #and remind me of the seed i came from #even as i go forth and grow way beyond it #just a little green tendril #climbing over the back fence to freedom

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xtruss · 2 days

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We Know Where The Next Big Earthquakes Will Happen — But Not When

Scientists Have Drastically Improved Our Understanding of Seismic Events. Here are Eight Things to Know.

— By Umair Irfan | April 5, 2024

A building lurches in Taiwan after a Magnitude 7.4 Earthquake Rocked the Island. Sam Yeh/AFP Via Getty Images

Earthquakes Can Strike When and Where We Least Expect Them — as residents in the New York City and New Jersey area discovered on Friday morning, when an estimated magnitude 4.8 quake hit at 10:23 am Eastern time.

The quake’s epicenter was in Lebanon, New Jersey, some 50 miles west of Manhattan, though shaking was reportedly felt as far south as Philadelphia and as far north as Boston. As of late Friday morning, there were no reports of serious damage.

Earthquakes on the East Coast are rare, but not unheard of. On August 23, 2011, a magnitude 5.8 quake struck nearly Mineral, Virginia, causing an estimated $200 to $300 million in damages. That quake occurred in the Central Virginia Seismic Zone.

In part because seismic waves can travel further in East Coast sediment than along the much more seismically-active West Coast, and because the region is so densely populated, scientists at the US Geological Survey estimated that the 2011 quake was likely felt by more people than any other quake in North American history.

Around the world, quakes remain a potent, deadly threat. The largest earthquakes in nearly 25 years rocked Taiwan on Wednesday morning, killing at least nine people and injuring hundreds more. The magnitude 7.4 quake led to a series of aftershocks, the largest of which reached magnitude 6.4. A series of earthquakes reaching magnitude 6.3 struck Afghanistan last year, leading to more than 2,400 deaths. A magnitude 6.8 earthquake rocked Morocco last September, the largest earthquake to hit the country in at least 120 years. Officials reported that it killed more than 2,900 people.

The Mediterranean region is also seismically active, according to the US Geological Survey, though such strong earthquakes are rare in North Africa. Quakes are more common in places like Turkey, where two major fault lines cross and trigger shocks on a regular basis. A huge magnitude 7.8 earthquake rattled across Turkey and Syria in 2023 and another quake with a magnitude of 7.5 rocked the region a few hours later. The quakes killed more than 50,000 people and toppled more than 5,600 buildings in the region.

While scientists have drastically improved their understanding of where earthquakes are likely to occur, forecasting when one will occur is still impractical. The rumbling earth can easily catch people off-guard, worsening the ensuing death and destruction.

In light of the recent disasters, here’s a refresher on earthquakes, along with some of the latest science on measuring and predicting them.

1) The Basics On What Causes Earthquakes

An earthquake occurs when massive blocks of the earth’s crust suddenly move past each other. These blocks, called tectonic plates, lie on top of the earth’s mantle, a layer that behaves like a very slow-moving liquid over millions of years.

That means tectonic plates jostle each other over time. They can also slide on top of each other, a phenomenon called subduction. The places on the planet where one plate meets another are the most prone to earthquakes. The specific surfaces where parcels of earth slip past each other are called faults. As plates move, pressure builds up across their boundaries, while friction holds them in place. When the former overwhelms the latter, the earth shakes as the pent-up energy dissipates.

Scientists understand these kinds of earthquakes well, which include those stemming from the San Andreas Fault in California and the East Anatolian Fault in Turkey. However, earthquakes can also occur within tectonic plates, as pressure along their edges cause deformations in the middle. These risks are harder to detect and measure.

“Our understanding of these within-plate earthquakes is not as good,” said Stanford University geophysics professor Greg Beroza. An earthquake within a tectonic plate has fewer telltale signs than those that occur at fault lines, he added.

2) The Richter Scale Isn’t The Only Measurement Game in Town Anymore

The Richter scale, developed by Charles Richter in 1935 to measure quakes in Southern California, has fallen out of fashion.

It uses a logarithmic scale, rather than a linear scale, to account for the fact that there is such a huge difference between the tiniest tremors and tower-toppling temblors. On a logarithmic scale, a magnitude 7 earthquake is 10 times more intense than a magnitude 6 and 100 times more intense than a magnitude 5.

The Richter scale is actually measuring the peak amplitude of seismic waves, making it an indirect estimate of the earthquake itself. So if an earthquake is like a rock dropped in a pond, the Richter scale is measuring the height of the largest wave, not the size of the rock nor the extent of the ripples.

And in the case of an earthquake, the ripples aren’t traveling through a homogenous medium like water, but through solid rock that comes in different shapes, sizes, densities, and arrangements. Solid rock also supports multiple kinds of waves. (Some geologic structures can dampen big earthquakes while others can amplify lesser tremors.)

While Richter’s scale, calibrated to Southern California, was useful to compare earthquakes at the time, it provides an incomplete picture of risks and loses accuracy for stronger events. It also misses some of the nuances of other earthquake-prone regions in the world, and it isn’t all that useful for people trying to build structures to withstand them.

“We can’t use that in our design calculations,” said Steven McCabe, leader of the earthquake engineering group at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. “We deal in displacements.”

Displacement, or how much the ground actually moves, is one alternative way to describe earthquakes. Another is the moment magnitude scale. It accounts for multiple types of seismic waves, drawing on more precise instruments and better computing to provide a reliable measuring stick to compare seismic events.

When you hear about an earthquake’s magnitude in the news — like Turkey’s recent magnitude 7.8 quake — moment magnitude is usually the scale being used.

But this is still a proxy for the size of the earthquake. And with only indirect measurements, it can take up to a year to decipher the scale of an event, like the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, said Marine Denolle, an earthquake researcher at Harvard University.

“We prefer to use peak ground acceleration,” she said. This is a metric that measures how the speed and direction of the ground changes and has proven the most useful for engineers.

So, yes, earthquake scales have gotten a lot more complicated and specific over time. But that’s also helped scientists and engineers take much more precise measurements — which makes a big difference in planning for them.

3) We Can’t Really Anticipate Them All That Well

Predicting earthquakes is a touchy issue for scientists, in part because it has long been a game of con artists and pseudoscientists who claim to be able to forecast earthquakes. (Their declarations have, of course, withered under scrutiny.)

Scientists do have a good sense of where earthquakes could happen. Using historical records and geologic measurements, they can highlight potential seismic hot spots and the kinds of tremors they face. (You can check out the US Geological Survey’s interactive map of fault lines and NOAA’s interactive map of seismic events.)

As for when quakes will hit, that’s still murky.

“Lots of seismologists have worked on that problem for many decades. We’re not predicting earthquakes in the short term,” said Beroza. “That requires us to know all kinds of information we don’t have.”

It’s difficult to figure out when an earthquake will occur, since the forces that cause them happen slowly over a vast area but are dispersed rapidly over a narrow region. What’s amazing is that forces built up across continents over millions of years can hammer cities in minutes.

Forecasting earthquakes would require high-resolution measurements deep underground over the course of decades, if not longer, coupled with sophisticated simulations. And even then, it’s unlikely to yield an hour’s worth of lead time. So there are ultimately too many variables at play and too few tools to analyze them in a meaningful way.

Some research shows that foreshocks can precede a larger earthquake, but it’s difficult to distinguish them from the hundreds of smaller earthquakes that occur on a regular basis.

On shorter time scales, texts and tweets can actually race ahead of seismic waves. In the 2011 Tohoku earthquake in Japan, for example, warnings from near the epicenter reached Tokyo 232 miles away, buying residents about a minute of warning time.

Many countries are now setting up warning systems to harness modern electronic communications to detect tremors and transmit alerts ahead of shaking ground, buying a few precious minutes to seek shelter.

Meanwhile, after a large earthquake, aftershocks often rock the afflicted region. “If we just had a big one, we know there will be smaller ones soon,” Denolle said.

When it comes to prediction, researchers understandably want to make sure they don’t overpromise and underdeliver, especially when thousands of lives and billions of dollars in damages are at stake. But even this caution has had consequences.

In 2012, six Italian scientists were sentenced to six years in prison for accurately saying the risks of a large earthquake in the town of L’Aquila were low after a small cluster of earthquakes struck the region in 2009. Six days after the scientists convened to assess the risk, a large quake struck and killed 309 people. Those convictions were later overturned and the ordeal has become a case study for how scientists convey uncertainty and risk to the public.

4) Sorry, Your Pets Can’t Predict Earthquakes Either

Reports of animals acting strange ahead of earthquakes date back to ancient Greece. But a useful pattern remains elusive. Feathered and furry forecasters emerge every time there’s an earthquake and there’s a cute animal to photograph, but this phenomenon is largely confirmation bias. Animals do weird things (by our standards) all the time and we don’t attach any significance to them until an earthquake happens.

“On any given day, there will be hundreds of pets doing things they’ve never done before and have never done afterward,” Beroza said. Bottom line: Don’t wait for weird animal behavior to signal that an earthquake is coming.

5) Some Earthquakes are Definitely Human-made

The gargantuan expansion of hydraulic fracturing across the United States has left an earthquake epidemic in its wake. It’s not the actual fracturing of shale rock that leads to tremors, but the injection of millions of gallons of wastewater underground.

Scientists say the injected water makes it easier for rocks to slide past each other. “When you inject fluid, you lubricate faults,” Denolle said.

US Geological Survey map of natural and induced earthquake risk in 2017. USGS

The US Geological Survey calls these “induced earthquakes” and reported that in Oklahoma, the number of earthquakes surged to 2,500 in 2014, 4,000 in 2015, and 2,500 in 2016.

“The decline in 2016 may be due in part to injection restrictions implemented by the state officials,” the USGS wrote in a release. “Of the earthquakes last year, 21 were greater than magnitude 4.0 and three were greater than magnitude 5.0.”

This is up from an average of two earthquakes per year of magnitude 2.7 or greater between 1980 and 2000. (“Natural” earthquakes, on the other hand, are not becoming more frequent, according to Beroza.)

Humans are causing earthquakes another way, too: Rapidly drawing water from underground reservoirs has also been shown to cause quakes in cities like Jakarta, Denolle said.

6) Climate Change Could Have a Tiny Effect on Earthquakes

In general, scientists haven’t measured any effect on earthquakes from climate change. But they’re not ruling out the possibility.

As average temperatures rise, massive ice sheets are melting, shifting billions of tons of water from exposed land into the ocean and allowing land masses to rebound. That global rebalancing could have seismic consequences, but signals haven’t emerged yet.

“What might occur is enough ice melts that could unload the crust,” Beroza said, but added there is no evidence for this, nor for which parts of the world will reveal a signal. Denolle agreed that this could be a mechanism, but if there is any impact from climate change on earthquakes, she says she suspects it will be very small.

7) We’ve Gotten Better at Reducing Earthquake Risks and Saving Lives

About 90 percent of the world’s earthquakes occur in the Ring of Fire, the region around the Pacific Ocean running through places like the Philippines, Japan, Alaska, California, Mexico, and Chile. The ring is also home to three-quarters of all active volcanoes.

Most of the planet’s earthquakes occur along the Pacific rim in a region known as the Ring of Fire. Javier Zarracina/Vox

Mexico is an especially interesting case study. The country sits on top of three tectonic plates, making it seismically active. In 1985, an earthquake struck the capital, killing more than 10,000. Denolle noted that the geology of the region makes it so that tremors from nearby areas are channeled toward Mexico City, making any seismic activity a threat.

The Mexican capital is built on the site of the ancient Aztec city of Tenochtitlan, an island in the middle of a lake. The dry lakebed that is now the foundation of the modern metropolis amplifies shaking from earthquakes.

The 1985 earthquake originated closer to the surface, and the seismic waves it produced had a relatively long time between peaks and valleys. This low-frequency vibration sends skyscrapers swaying, according to Denolle. “The recent earthquakes were deeper, so they had a higher frequency,” she said.

The biggest factor in preventing deaths from earthquakes is building codes. Designing buildings to move with the earth while remaining standing can save thousands of lives, but putting them into practice can be expensive and frequently becomes a political issue.

“Ultimately, that information has got to get implemented, and you can pretty much get that implemented in new construction,” McCabe said. “The trickier problem is existing buildings and older stock.”

Earthquake-prone countries know this well: Japan has been aggressive about updating its building codes regularly to withstand earthquakes. The revised standards have in part fueled Japan’s construction boom despite its declining population.

Mexico has also raised standards for new construction. Laws enacted after the 1985 earthquake required builders to account for the soft lakebed soil in the capital and tolerate some degree of movement.

Meanwhile, Iran has gone through several versions of its national building standards for earthquake resilience. And Alaska has been developing earthquake damage mitigation strategies and response plans for years.

But codes are not always enforced, and the new rules only apply to new buildings. A school that collapsed in a 2017 Mexico City earthquake apparently was an older building that was not earthquake-resistant. And because the more recent earthquakes in Mexico shook the ground in a different way, even some of the buildings that survived the 1985 earthquake collapsed after tremors in 2017.

In countries like Iran, there is a wide gulf between how buildings are constructed in cities versus the countryside. More than a quarter of the country’s population lives in rural areas, where homes are built using traditional materials like mud bricks and stone rather than reinforced concrete and steel. This is a big part of why casualties are so high when earthquakes strike remote parts of the country.

The biggest risks fall to countries that don’t have a major earthquake in living memory and therefore haven’t prepared for them, or don’t have the resources to do so. A lack of a unified building code led to many of the more than 150,000 deaths in Haiti stemming from the 2010 magnitude 7.0 earthquake.

8) The Big One Really is Coming to the United States (Someday)

The really big one you keep hearing about is real.

The New Yorker won a Pulitzer Prize in 2015 for its reporting on the potential for a massive earthquake that would rock the Pacific Northwest — “the worst natural disaster in the history of North America,” which would impact 7 million people and span a region covering 140,000 square miles.

The potential quake could reach a magnitude between 8.7 and 9.2, bigger than the largest expected earthquake from the San Andreas Fault, which scientists expect to top out at magnitude 8.2.

Large earthquakes are also in store for Japan, New Zealand, and other parts of the Ring of Fire. We don’t know when these earthquakes will rock us; we just have a rough estimate of the average time between them, which changes from region to region.

“In the business, we’ve been talking about that [Pacific Northwest] scenario for decades,” Beroza said. “I wouldn’t say we’re overdue, but it could happen at any time.”

“It is a threat,” echoed Denolle. “We forget about this threat because we have not had an earthquake there for a while.” “A while” means more than 300 years.

So while California has long been steeling itself for big earthquakes with building codes and disaster planning, the Pacific Northwest may be caught off guard, though the author of the New Yorker piece, Kathryn Schulz, helpfully provided a guide to prepare.

— Umair Irfan is a correspondent at Vox writing about climate change, Covid-19, and energy policy. Irfan is also a regular contributor to the radio program Science Friday. Prior to Vox, he was a reporter for ClimateWire at E&E News.

#Science #Climate #Explainer #Vox.Com

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stairhoppermovers-boston · 23 days

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How to Save Money When Hiring a Moving Company In Boston

Moving to a new home is exciting but can also be expensive, especially in a bustling city like Boston. Whether you're changing neighborhoods or coming from far away, hiring a moving company to help can make the process smoother. However, the cost can quickly add up. This article will guide you on how to save money while ensuring your belongings safely reach your new home without compromising on quality. We'll cover practical tips and tricks for working with Boston moving companies without breaking the bank. Plan Ahead One of the simplest ways to save money is by planning your move well in advance. Boston movers are often booked weeks or even months ahead, especially during peak moving seasons like summer and the start of the school year. By scheduling early, you can avoid the higher prices that come with last-minute bookings. Early planning also gives you ample time to compare different Boston moving services, ensuring you get the best deal. Declutter Before You Pack The less you have to move, the less you'll have to pay. Boston moving companies typically charge based on the weight of your belongings or the amount of space they take up in the truck. Before you start packing, take the time to sort through your things. Sell, donate, or throw away anything you no longer need or want. Get Multiple Quotes Don't settle for the first quote you receive. Ask for estimates from several Boston moving services to ensure you're getting a competitive rate. When comparing quotes, make sure to consider what is included in the price. Some companies offer inclusive packages that might seem more expensive at first but could save you money in the long run by including services like packing and unpacking. Do Some of the Work Yourself While the convenience of having a Boston moving company take care of everything is appealing, doing some of the work yourself can significantly reduce costs. Consider packing your belongings, disassembling furniture, and doing the final clean-up yourself. You can also save money by supplying your own packing materials instead of buying them from the movers. Choose the Right Time to Move The cost of hiring movers in Boston can vary significantly depending on the time of year, day of the week, and even the time of day. Summer months, weekends, and the beginning and end of the month are the busiest and most expensive times to move. If possible, schedule your move for a weekday in the middle of the month during the off-peak season to get the best rates. Understand the Fine Print Before signing a contract with a Boston moving company, make sure you understand all the fees involved. Ask about any potential extra charges, such as for moving heavy items, long carry fees if the truck can't park close to your door, or charges for using stairs. Knowing these details upfront can help you avoid unexpected expenses on a moving day. At Last Moving doesn't have to drain your wallet. With careful planning, some effort, and the right timing, you can significantly reduce the cost of hiring Boston movers. Remember, the key is to balance cost-saving measures with the convenience and reliability of professional services. For those looking for a trusted partner in their moving journey, Stairhopper Movers is a moving company that offers affordable, high-quality moving solutions tailored to your needs. With a bit of research and preparation, you can make your move to or from Boston both economical and stress-free.

#Boston Area Movers #Boston Moving Services

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marketinsight1234 · 1 month

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Capsule Endoscopy System Market: Global Industry Analysis and Forecast 2023 – 2030

Global Capsule Endoscopy System Market size is expected to grow from USD 405.3 Million in 2022 to USD 617.31 Million by 2030, at a CAGR of 5.4% during the forecast period (2023–2030).

A capsule endoscopy system is a non-invasive diagnostic procedure that utilizes a tiny wireles camera, encapsulated within a pill-shaped capsule, to capture images of the digestive tract. This capsule, measuring approximately the size of a large vitamin, is equipped with a light source and a high-resolution camera capable of transmitting thousands of images per second to a data recorder worn around the waist.

Capsule endoscopy is a non-invasive procedure that doesn't require incisions or sedation, making it more comfortable and patient-friendly. It allows for a comprehensive examination of the small intestine, an often-inaccessible area. Patients can move around during the procedure, reducing anxiety and enhancing comfort. Capsule endoscopy is generally considered safe with minimal risks.

Get Full PDF Sample Copy of Report: (Including Full TOC, List of Tables & Figures, Chart) @

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The latest research on the Capsule Endoscopy System market provides a comprehensive overview of the market for the years 2023 to 2030. It gives a comprehensive picture of the global Capsule Endoscopy System industry, considering all significant industry trends, market dynamics, competitive landscape, and market analysis tools such as Porter's five forces analysis, Industry Value chain analysis, and PESTEL analysis of the Capsule Endoscopy System market. Moreover, the report includes significant chapters such as Patent Analysis, Regulatory Framework, Technology Roadmap, BCG Matrix, Heat Map Analysis, Price Trend Analysis, and Investment Analysis which help to understand the market direction and movement in the current and upcoming years. The report is designed to help readers find information and make decisions that will help them grow their businesses. The study is written with a specific goal in mind: to give business insights and consultancy to help customers make smart business decisions and achieve long-term success in their particular market areas.

Leading players involved in the Capsule Endoscopy System Market include:

CapsoVision (U.S), Boston Scientific Corporation (U.S), Northside Gastroenterology Endoscopy Center, LLC (U.S.), Interscope, Inc. (U.S.), AnX Robotica (U.S.), Medtronic plc (Ireland), IntroMedic Co., Ltd. (South Korea), Chongqing Jinshan Science & Technology (Group) Co., Ltd. (China), Shangxian Minimal Invasive Inc. (China), Check Cap (Israel) and Other Major Players

If You Have Any Query Capsule Endoscopy System Market Report, Visit:

https://introspectivemarketresearch.com/inquiry/2010

Segmentation of Capsule Endoscopy System Market:

By Type

Capsule Endoscope

Workstations and Recorders

By Product

Oesophageal Capsule

Small Bowel Capsule

Colon Capsule

By Application

Obscure Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Crohn’s Disease

Small Intestine Tumor

By End User

Hospitals

Diagnostic Laboratories

Specialty Clinics

Market Segment by Regions: -

North America (US, Canada, Mexico)

Eastern Europe (Bulgaria, The Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Rest of Eastern Europe)

Western Europe (Germany, UK, France, Netherlands, Italy, Russia, Spain, Rest of Western Europe)

Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, The Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, Rest of APAC)

Middle East & Africa (Turkey, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Israel, South Africa)

South America (Brazil, Argentina, Rest of SA)

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• Qualitative and quantitative analysis of current trends, dynamics and estimates;

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• The report analyzes the market competitive environment and provides information about several market vendors.

• The report provides forecasts of future trends and changes in consumer behavior.

• Comprehensive fragmentation by product type, end use and geography.

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jcmarchi · 2 months

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Annie Liau: Infinite caring for the MIT community

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/annie-liau-infinite-caring-for-the-mit-community/

Annie Liau: Infinite caring for the MIT community

Growing up in Thailand, Annie Srethabhakti Liau could not have imagined spending the bulk of her career working at the storied Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Now, as she heads into retirement, she and those around her are reflecting on her journey to Cambridge, Massachusetts, and on four decades as an integral member of the MIT community.

One of the longest-serving physicians at MIT Health, Liau is an obstetrician and gynecologist who managed the delivery of some 1,500 babies and oversaw an estimated 100,000 visits with patients during her tenure at the Institute. For her extraordinary work ethic and unsurpassed care for patients and colleagues alike, Liau has become a beloved figure at both MIT and at the affiliated hospitals she’s worked at for the past 39 years.

From Bangkok to Cambridge

Liau was born in Bangkok to Chinese parents, the eldest of six children. Her father was a physician who traveled the world for his training and practice, so Liau was exposed early on to the idea of caring for others as a vocation. Her parents strongly valued education for all their children and made that a priority, starting with young Annie. In school, her teachers encouraged her inclinations toward math and science, and her stellar grades earned her a place at Mahidol University, where she decided to follow in her father’s footsteps and pursue a career in medicine.

In the 1970s, when her mother opted to move the family to the U.S. to be closer to relatives already here, Liau, then a young adult, followed suit. She initially stayed in Thailand to complete her medical training at Mahidol, but after passing a number of exams, Liau began her career in New England, at medical centers in Waltham and Brighton, Massachusetts, and Danbury, Connecticut. By this time, she had decided to specialize in obstetrics and gynecology. “I feel that it’s a miracle to be part of the beginning” of life, she says. “Continuing the journey with the patient to all the stages in life, it seemed to be very fulfilling.”

Before long, she saw a position listed in the New England Journal of Medicine for a full-time physician at what was then MIT Medical — now MIT Health. It was the mid 1980s, and MIT Health had recently moved into its current location in Building E23 from its previous headquarters in Building 11. Liau was excited about the opportunity to serve a changing Institute population — one in which women were an increasing percentage of the student and faculty bodies.

“I just love the feeling of caring and healing,” Liau says. “I always felt from the beginning that MIT Medical is MIT Health: It always embraces the wellness, immunizations, community support. It wasn’t just taking care of the sick. … We need to take care of the MIT population so that they are well and they can focus on their work, so they can actually achieve their goals.”

Infinite care

From the start, Liau’s services were in high demand. An MIT Tech Talk article from the early 1990s described a period in which “the queue to see her was extremely long.” At the time, MIT Health doctors oversaw the births of some 200 babies per year — a number that Liau says has since dropped by about two-thirds, largely mirroring a national trend in birth rate.

During her time at MIT, Liau held appointments at several Boston-area hospitals, where she helped Institute affiliates give birth at all hours of the day and night. In addition, she served as a part-time instructor with Harvard Medical School (HMS). She was also a preceptor for gynecology residents at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and for medical students from HMS, the Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology, and Boston University. And she has served on numerous committees and professional societies, including as the past president of the Obstetrical Society of Boston.

Back on campus, Liau not only supported those expanding their families but also any community members in need of basic gynecological care.

“With our recent rebrand to MIT Health, we’ve been talking about ‘Infinite Caring’ as the underpinning of how we care for the people of MIT. To me, Dr. Liau is the epitome of Infinite Caring — and has been for 39 years,” says Cecilia Stuopis, MIT’s chief health officer and a fellow obstetrician/gynecologist. “She has cared for generations of women at MIT by being curious about their lives, their well-being, and their overall state of health. She is always learning and always teaching her patients and colleagues about what she has learned. Most importantly, she does all of these things with incomparable levels of kindness; kindness defines Dr. Liau in all aspects — professionally and personally.”

“Dr. Liau has been the foundation of our department,” says Chana Wasserman, chief of obstetrics and gynecology at MIT Health who has worked with Liau for over 26 years. “She is very personable and truly interested in people’s wellness. She always wants to learn from everyone and everything. She reads and retains everything she hears or learns. When professors, graduate students, or postdocs request her help with their research studies, she goes above and beyond to really try to help them. She has tremendous empathy for patients and colleagues alike.”

At a recent farewell event during which Liau had a chance to say goodbye to longtime patients, one attendee noted that while it’s unusual to look forward to gynecological appointments, she found that to be the case every time she went to see Liau.

“With Annie, it seems the construct of time is nonexistent and all that matters is that patient and their well-being,” says Nicole Napier, population health manager at MIT Health who worked closely with Liau for 18 years in her former role as the OB/GYN nurse practice manager. “She understands the true ‘health’ of a person is shaped by their personal relationships, diet, sleep, overall outlook on life, and many other factors. Her goal is to assess and advise on as many of these factors as possible to make you the best human being you can be. … Her ability to care knows no limits.”

Part of the family

In recognition of her remarkable service, Liau has over the years earned four MIT Health awards, including two Infinite Mile Awards, for clinical excellence and for lifetime contribution; the Commitment to Care Team Award; and the Patient Choice Award. She also regularly earned MIT Health’s highest Press Ganey scores, which measure patient satisfaction.

Colleagues and patients have expressed myriad ways in which Liau will be missed — from sharing findings from seminars she’d attend to constantly serving as a valued partner in health as well as a cherished friend.

Several colleagues mentioned Liau’s gifts of fruit — oranges and persimmons, especially — that would frequently appear on their desks. “I had always thought that Dr. Liau only gave me fruit since she knew I would never bring lunch to work,” says Wasserman. “At her retirement party at Mount Auburn [Hospital], though, one of the speakers asked the audience to raise their hand if they had ever received a piece of fruit from Dr. Liau. Almost the entire crowd raised their hands! This is just a small way that she made sure not only that I had something to eat, but that everyone she knew was kept healthy and well.”

“Every day she walks into the building, whether she’s scheduled to work or not, she cares about her patients and colleagues,” adds Eleashea Passley, a patient service representative at MIT Health who worked with Liau for 19 years. Liau was, according to Passley, “a social butterfly” who, in addition to fruit offerings, often delighted her team with lunch orders of comfort food to help keep spirits high.

In retirement, Liau is looking forward to quality time with family. She plans to help care for her mother, who is now 90 and looking to move back to Massachusetts following four years on the West Coast. She also aims to visit with her siblings, nieces, nephews, and their children around the country. And she hopes to get a bit more sleep and exercise, and to attend more lectures, services, and other events.

“I will miss the connection between me and my patients, and also the staff at MIT and at the hospital. I have been at MIT more than half of my life, so it’s really special. I feel like I grew up here,” says Liau. “I feel very moved and very thankful for the love and appreciation from my patients, and I’m grateful for their trust and for the support throughout the years. I feel like they’re part of my family. … I just help to navigate the care, like someone in the family, but I’m really grateful and thankful that they looked out for me, too.”

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the-firebird69 · 3 months

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And there's a couple things going on there are huge numbers of people bothering our son it's a large amount for real they are fairly pitiful and we know it we don't like them problem people the whole time and they are they are despicable and they're stupid and they think they can do anything to anybody and they get their asses handed to them they don't care and cost some money that they don't have they don't have the best equipment there's a huge huge list of reasons why they're dumb and they're not going to smile right now pseudo empire and the warlock fleet it's like one half of the warlock fleet and 1/3 of the pseudo empire fleet we're heading to Saturn and they are going out there right now to look at this fleet the ghost fleet they call it they got reports that yeah they can see something and they're going out there to find Jason Jason is going to most likely get forced out and it's going to happen and when it does he's going to be above cities and he'll be threatening we'll be using it to take what he takes and get his stuff others will too. True behind it and they will have large large casualties on both sides it is too soon Tommy is trying to accelerate the launch of ships and he is doing a master checklist now on several and he will try and move them up there to defend his fleet and Bull Street instead of having half and half again same thing that happened last time and he is moving out to try and do that he'd have to lunch pretty quick within an hour or two

#there are other developments and other things happening my son is anxious because the treatment is harsh you really he's dependent on something that has failed but we are aware of that but we are sending the troops now and heavy I mean we're standing in tons and TC's surrounding all social security buildings and Treasury and we are taking them down we're sick of them they're all done a few more things

#we've had enough of the pseudo empire they're also big jerks they're all threatening the s*** ever since rental agreement and sunset the stand the empire probably has a place and it's going to have to sit there and be a mental patient he said they're sitting there having it set over and over and I'll tell you it's very disconcerting when it's happening to you we're asking hours to ease off and to get the job done and to take care of problems in a big way that's what's going on but he's going to help out a little if you can

#and yeah his smile means that it's just mental so there are other things going on the war in New England Upton over the firebird westborough over money and secrets Boston is money and a lot of secrets still now and Lexington with money and secrets and it is intensifying and it is going on in a big way and constant Non-Stop and it's going to be a hell of a night just New England is a mess and Rhode Island is now heating up where sun was and Hera was on the border in Connecticut Springfield where he went to University is heating up big time cuz of threats they're going out there and the bank he says Wells Fargo and it's a big huge battle it's probably at 50% but the magnitude is at 60 to 70 percent for that area in what was expected and it may exceed it and the other battles are all about 60% just as we said it's approaching 70% where we said most will be summer exceeding it and by far and Brazil it's way over it's like 120% by magnitude and 60% by armament and huge forces of warlock or after cocaine and some other things most of that though Mexico too is that 70% by magnitude and 70% by weapon rates really really getting intense the numbers are really big are we expected they'll be heavy losses and yeah we said there's about 27% and they're going to drop we estimate maybe three or four percent of the general population but out of the morlock and mostly the max warlock and that would drop them down from 17% to 13% roughly 14% roughly and of course they won't notice it I will continue being assholes other things are happening really huge things are going on today behind the scenes they are starting to see people go after more luck because they're not doing well and don't have any money and they're going after them and taking their stuff and getting rid of what's going on everywhere we expect that number to be a percent tonight tomorrow after the whole day another percent meaning it's going to go up to 2% by the weekend it's going to be like four or five percent a day and they can't afford that at all they're going to be gone in a week and it's going to go on while they're trying to get stuff this battle in space will probably cost them their fleet and they will start fighting on the ground and they're going to get decimated as they try for ships and ground bases really the Macklemore at 17% we probably will see them at 10% tomorrow I mean these are going to be huge huge battles giant battles the empire looks like it's trying for The fleets of Tommy F and it will probably get it but we'll get fleas too it's going to be a war it's going to happen momentarily probably in about 10 minutes

#other news Charlotte county is laying off people who are supposedly government workers are not doing anything it's an embarrassment here in shame you're also going to be arrested if they don't there's also a shake up of the sheriff's department occurring people in the trumpsters you can see them walking around harassing people put to go to PD they're not really done but they're kind of weak here they're forces are evacuating we expect from 25% this morning they're down to about 22.5% we expect by tomorrow morning they'll be at 20% and more and more will probably evacuate because they are leaving and they know each other and they're going to areas where they are planning to meet up with people who are still here fools and they really are we don't fault them for leaving if I were them I'd leave there's some other news and we can wrap it up

#Meghan Markle is designing denying having a car company but she wants to and she's been trying to do it and she has small shops but smaller like 10 million cars a day but she does make a car and it is pretty spiffy and zippy and she likes our son's idea but she needs the chassis so my son says right up a deal inside her up and if we have the chassis nobody else is doing it so we went ahead and sat down with her and said how many do you want she said 10 million a day and we said okay it's easy and it's a good start it really is a good start cuz she could grow and hire managers woman and men and there is a certain organization where you can have a male and female manager and the females like the assistant in the mail usually leaves unless the women handle it and they feel like they're in charge and they sort of are but the women directs them with information and gets the job done so she's going to try it she likes the idea and heck you know she's got the attitude and she's sitting there bearing the heat and these guys do it if it's fake or not so he said that's incredible he said I didn't see any yeah but the stupid and like 50% of my friend for real you can probably have a motorcycle company and all sorts of s*** and he said that to her and she said no way and then we're thinking about this motorcycle company and really she would have to make the Hall but it's just a science and we know how to do it and can show them in the fiberglass people so one thing in time but this other people she can partner with like Kate Middleton and she wants to do it the question is what company and the answer is no company it's a new one and we will give a hoe it's different than ours and it's not a famous One if you are designed to China has tons of them and you make different ones I was pretty good and she wants to look at that too and really the new design is really cool and you don't have to do it with the same typing assignment metal is really needed and metals everywhere you recycle metal all the time it's not an exact science either the The hollies and will send a few molds and they can make more.

There's some other happenings Harley-Davidson fell through again and John remillard said no and he doesn't want to make a deal and he's not making anything there and he sucks there's Harley shops just sitting empty in the Midwest it has some stuff in him so we I'm trying to figure out what to do now it's like 50% of them are on the outskirts and she says just go according them off and pull those stuff out I don't want to look like a whip and if the empire starts s*** with us there going to be mistaken it's happened before and we need to do something to heat it up and so we've got proposals in we'll probably start doing it and I like it because I don't want to pay the money either there's a little bit weird and it's going to be over for them

Thor Freya

Olympus

Zues Hera

The sort of see something they're just sitting there in his areas doing nothing and nobody can get to them and he's just going to go in there and plow through them and start making bikes and sell them as who gives a s*** this is so dumb that guy is such a fruitcake you think he's got something that he doesn't he's a he's a injured TV doesn't know I don't really care and yeah we have to take those stupid devices out he said he can't change the motor but taking a crap off will help he wants to stop and they can sell the same place I guess and everybody will have to do it but I don't think you should have those from any vehicle it makes it less efficient and and ruins the vehicle

Mac

Who looked at that and we have a timetable we can talk about that cuz we talked about it all the time

Thor Freya

Great. I mean too this is a good idea I really like it and we're going to start doing it not like my husband's approached the spying things through it was weird and he wanted to show people the attitude it's ridiculous

Hera

We're going into a different mode but we're going to get this done and we're going to start doing it now

Olympus

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