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Coronavirus disease 2019...Passive antibodies... immune systems... antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity...Sex differences...Gendered impact of the pandemic and mortality rates are different for men and women. by Hughes Songe

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).[8] The disease was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, the capital of China's Hubei province, and has since spread globally, resulting in the ongoing 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic.[9][10] As of 26 April 2020, more than 2.89 million cases have been reported across 185 countries and territories, resulting in more than 203,000 deaths. More than 822,000 people have recovered.[7]

Common symptoms include fever, cough, fatigue, shortness of breath and loss of smell.[5][11][12] While the majority of cases result in mild symptoms, some progress to viral pneumonia, multi-organ failure, or cytokine storm.[13][9][14] More concerning symptoms include difficulty breathing, persistent chest pain, confusion, difficulty waking, and bluish skin.[5] The time from exposure to onset of symptoms is typically around five days but may range from two to fourteen days.[5][15]

The virus is primarily spread between people during close contact,[a] often via small droplets produced by coughing,[b] sneezing, or talking.[6][16][18] The droplets usually fall to the ground or onto surfaces rather than remaining in the air over long distances.[6][19][20] People may also become infected by touching a contaminated surface and then touching their face.[6][16] In experimental settings, the virus may survive on surfaces for up to 72 hours.[21][22][23] It is most contagious during the first three days after the onset of symptoms, although spread may be possible before symptoms appear and in later stages of the disease.[24] The standard method of diagnosis is by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) from a nasopharyngeal swab.[25] Chest CT imaging may also be helpful for diagnosis in individuals where there is a high suspicion of infection based on symptoms and risk factors; however, guidelines do not recommend using it for routine screening.[26][27]

Recommended measures to prevent infection include frequent hand washing, maintaining physical distance from others (especially from those with symptoms), covering coughs, and keeping unwashed hands away from the face.[28][29] In addition, the use of a face covering is recommended for those who suspect they have the virus and their caregivers.[30][31] Recommendations for face covering use by the general public vary, with some authorities recommending against their use, some recommending their use, and others requiring their use.[32][31][33] Currently, there is not enough evidence for or against the use of masks (medical or other) in healthy individuals in the wider community.[6] Also masks purchased by the public may impact availability for health care providers.

Currently, there is no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment for COVID-19.[6] Management involves the treatment of symptoms, supportive care, isolation, and experimental measures.[34] The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the 2019–20 coronavirus outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)[35][36] on 30 January 2020 and a pandemic on 11 March 2020.[10] Local transmission of the disease has occurred in most countries across all six WHO regions.[37]

File:En.Wikipedia-VideoWiki-Coronavirus disease 2019.webm

Video summary (script)

Contents

1Signs and symptoms

2Cause

2.1Transmission

2.2Virology

3Pathophysiology

3.1Immunopathology

4Diagnosis

4.1Pathology

5Prevention

6Management

6.1Medications

6.2Protective equipment

6.3Mechanical ventilation

6.4Acute respiratory distress syndrome

6.5Experimental treatment

6.6Information technology

6.7Psychological support

7Prognosis

7.1Reinfection

8History

9Epidemiology

9.1Infection fatality rate

9.2Sex differences

10Society and culture

10.1Name

10.2Misinformation

10.3Protests

11Other animals

12Research

12.1Vaccine

12.2Medications

12.3Anti-cytokine storm

12.4Passive antibodies

13See also

14Notes

15References

16External links

16.1Health agencies

16.2Directories

16.3Medical journals

Signs and symptoms

Symptom[4]Range

Fever83–99%

Cough59–82%

Loss of Appetite40–84%

Fatigue44–70%

Shortness of breath31–40%

Coughing up sputum28–33%

Loss of smell15[38] to 30%[12][39]

Muscle aches and pains11–35%

Fever is the most common symptom, although some older people and those with other health problems experience fever later in the disease.[4][40] In one study, 44% of people had fever when they presented to the hospital, while 89% went on to develop fever at some point during their hospitalization.[4][41]

Other common symptoms include cough, loss of appetite, fatigue, shortness of breath, sputum production, and muscle and joint pains.[4][5][42][43] Symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea have been observed in varying percentages.[44][45][46] Less common symptoms include sneezing, runny nose, or sore throat.[47]

More serious symptoms include difficulty breathing, persistent chest pain or pressure, confusion, difficulty waking, and bluish face or lips. Immediate medical attention is advised if these symptoms are present.[5][48]

In some, the disease may progress to pneumonia, multi-organ failure, and death.[9][14] In those who develop severe symptoms, time from symptom onset to needing mechanical ventilation is typically eight days.[4] Some cases in China initially presented with only chest tightness and palpitations.[49]

Loss of smell was identified as a common symptom of COVID‑19 in March 2020,[12][39] although perhaps not as common as initially reported.[38] A decreased sense of smell and/or disturbances in taste have also been reported.[50] Estimates for loss of smell range from 15%[38] to 30%.[12][39]

As is common with infections, there is a delay between the moment a person is first infected and the time he or she develops symptoms. This is called the incubation period. The incubation period for COVID‑19 is typically five to six days but may range from two to 14 days,[51][52] although 97.5% of people who develop symptoms will do so within 11.5 days of infection.[53]

A minority of cases do not develop noticeable symptoms at any point in time.[54][55] These asymptomatic carriers tend not to get tested, and their role in transmission is not yet fully known.[56][57] However, preliminary evidence suggests they may contribute to the spread of the disease.[58][59] In March 2020, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) reported that 20% of confirmed cases remained asymptomatic during their hospital stay.[59][60]

A number of neurological symptoms has been reported including seizures, stroke, encephalitis and Guillain-Barre syndrome.[61] Cardiovascular related complications may include heart failure, irregular electrical activity, blood clots, and heart inflammation.[62]

Cause

See also: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2

Transmission

Cough/sneeze droplets visualised in dark background using Tyndall scattering

Respiratory droplets produced when a man is sneezing visualised using Tyndall scattering

File:COVID19 in numbers- R0, the case fatality rate and why we need to flatten the curve.webm

A video discussing the basic reproduction number and case fatality rate in the context of the pandemic

Some details about how the disease is spread are still being determined.[16][18] The WHO and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say it is primarily spread during close contact and by small droplets produced when people cough, sneeze or talk;[6][16] with close contact being within approximately 1–2 m (3–7 ft).[6][63] Both sputum and saliva can carry large viral loads.[64] Loud talking releases more droplets than normal talking.[65] A study in Singapore found that an uncovered cough can lead to droplets travelling up to 4.5 metres (15 feet).[66] An article published in March 2020 argued that advice on droplet distance might be based on 1930s research which ignored the effects of warm moist exhaled air surrounding the droplets and that an uncovered cough or sneeze can travel up to 8.2 metres (27 feet).[17]

Respiratory droplets may also be produced while breathing out, including when talking. Though the virus is not generally airborne,[6][67] the National Academy of Sciences has suggested that bioaerosol transmission may be possible.[68] In one study cited, air collectors positioned in the hallway outside of people's rooms yielded samples positive for viral RNA but finding infectious virus has proven elusive.[68] The droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs.[16] Some medical procedures such as intubation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) may cause respiratory secretions to be aerosolised and thus result in an airborne spread.[67] Initial studies suggested a doubling time of the number of infected persons of 6–7 days and a basic reproduction number (R0 ) of 2.2–2.7, but a study published on April 7, 2020, calculated a much higher median R0 value of 5.7 in Wuhan.[69]

It may also spread when one touches a contaminated surface, known as fomite transmission, and then touches one's eyes, nose or mouth.[6] While there are concerns it may spread via faeces, this risk is believed to be low.[6][16]

The virus is most contagious when people are symptomatic; though spread is may be possible before symptoms emerge and from those who never develop symptoms.[6][70] A portion of individuals with coronavirus lack symptoms.[71] The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) says while it is not entirely clear how easily the disease spreads, one person generally infects two or three others.[18]

The virus survives for hours to days on surfaces.[6][18] Specifically, the virus was found to be detectable for one day on cardboard, for up to three days on plastic (polypropylene) and stainless steel (AISI 304), and for up to four hours on 99% copper.[21][23] This, however, varies depending on the humidity and temperature.[72][73] Surfaces may be decontaminated with many solutions (with one minute of exposure to the product achieving a 4 or more log reduction (99.99% reduction)), including 78–95% ethanol (alcohol used in spirits), 70–100% 2-propanol (isopropyl alcohol), the combination of 45% 2-propanol with 30% 1-propanol, 0.21% sodium hypochlorite (bleach), 0.5% hydrogen peroxide, or 0.23–7.5% povidone-iodine. Soap and detergent are also effective if correctly used; soap products degrade the virus' fatty protective layer, deactivating it, as well as freeing them from the skin and other surfaces.[74] Other solutions, such as benzalkonium chloride and chlorhexidine gluconate (a surgical disinfectant), are less effective.[75]

In a Hong Kong study, saliva samples were taken a median of two days after the start of hospitalization. In five of six patients, the first sample showed the highest viral load, and the sixth patient showed the highest viral load on the second day tested.[64]

Virology

Main article: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2

Illustration of SARSr-CoV virion

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, first isolated from three people with pneumonia connected to the cluster of acute respiratory illness cases in Wuhan.[76] All features of the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus occur in related coronaviruses in nature.[77] Outside the human body, the virus is killed by household soap, which bursts its protective bubble.[26]

SARS-CoV-2 is closely related to the original SARS-CoV.[78] It is thought to have a zoonotic origin. Genetic analysis has revealed that the coronavirus genetically clusters with the genus Betacoronavirus, in subgenus Sarbecovirus (lineage B) together with two bat-derived strains. It is 96% identical at the whole genome level to other bat coronavirus samples (BatCov RaTG13).[47] In February 2020, Chinese researchers found that there is only one amino acid difference in the binding domain of the S protein between the coronaviruses from pangolins and those from humans; however, whole-genome comparison to date found that at most 92% of genetic material was shared between pangolin coronavirus and SARS-CoV-2, which is insufficient to prove pangolins to be the intermediate host.[79]

Pathophysiology

The lungs are the organs most affected by COVID‑19 because the virus accesses host cells via the enzyme angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), which is most abundant in type II alveolar cells of the lungs. The virus uses a special surface glycoprotein called a "spike" (peplomer) to connect to ACE2 and enter the host cell.[80] The density of ACE2 in each tissue correlates with the severity of the disease in that tissue and some have suggested that decreasing ACE2 activity might be protective,[81][82] though another view is that increasing ACE2 using angiotensin II receptor blocker medications could be protective and these hypotheses need to be tested.[83] As the alveolar disease progresses, respiratory failure might develop and death may follow.[82]

The virus also affects gastrointestinal organs as ACE2 is abundantly expressed in the glandular cells of gastric, duodenal and rectal epithelium[84] as well as endothelial cells and enterocytes of the small intestine.[85]

ACE2 is present in the brain, and there is growing evidence of neurological manifestations in people with COVID‑19. It is not certain if the virus can directly infect the brain by crossing the barriers that separate the circulation of the brain and the general circulation. Other coronaviruses are able to infect the brain via a synaptic route to the respiratory centre in the medulla, through mechanoreceptors like pulmonary stretch receptors and chemoreceptors (primarily central chemoreceptors) within the lungs.[medical citation needed] It is possible that dysfunction within the respiratory centre further worsens the ARDS seen in COVID‑19 patients. Common neurological presentations include a loss of smell, headaches, nausea, and vomiting. Encephalopathy has been noted to occur in some patients (and confirmed with imaging), with some reports of detection of the virus after cerebrospinal fluid assays although the presence of oligoclonal bands seems to be a common denominator in these patients.[86]

The virus can cause acute myocardial injury and chronic damage to the cardiovascular system.[87] An acute cardiac injury was found in 12% of infected people admitted to the hospital in Wuhan, China,[88] and is more frequent in severe disease.[89] Rates of cardiovascular symptoms are high, owing to the systemic inflammatory response and immune system disorders during disease progression, but acute myocardial injuries may also be related to ACE2 receptors in the heart.[87] ACE2 receptors are highly expressed in the heart and are involved in heart function.[87][90] A high incidence of thrombosis (31%) and venous thromboembolism (25%) have been found in ICU patients with COVID‑19 infections and may be related to poor prognosis.[91][92] Blood vessel dysfunction and clot formation (as suggested by high D-dimer levels) are thought to play a significant role in mortality, incidences of clots leading to pulmonary embolisms, and ischaemic events within the brain have been noted as complications leading to death in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. Infection appears to set off a chain of vasoconstrictive responses within the body, constriction of blood vessels within the pulmonary circulation has also been posited as a mechanism in which oxygenation decreases alongside with the presentation of viral pneumonia.[93]

Another common cause of death is complications related to the kidneys[93]—SARS-CoV-2 directly infects kidney cells, as confirmed in post-mortem studies. Acute kidney injury is a common complication and cause of death; this is more significant in patients with already compromised kidney function, especially in people with pre-existing chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes which specifically cause nephropathy in the long run.[94]

Autopsies of people who died of COVID‑19 have found diffuse alveolar damage (DAD), and lymphocyte-containing inflammatory infiltrates within the lung.[95]

Immunopathology

Although SARS-COV-2 has a tropism for ACE2-expressing epithelial cells of the respiratory tract, patients with severe COVID‑19 have symptoms of systemic hyperinflammation. Clinical laboratory findings of elevated IL-2, IL-7, IL-6, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interferon-γ inducible protein 10 (IP-10), monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), macrophage inflammatory protein 1-α (MIP-1α), and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) indicative of cytokine release syndrome (CRS) suggest an underlying immunopathology.[96]

Additionally, people with COVID‑19 and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) have classical serum biomarkers of CRS, including elevated C-reactive protein (CRP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), D-dimer, and ferritin.[97]

Systemic inflammation results in vasodilation, allowing inflammatory lymphocytic and monocytic infiltration of the lung and the heart. In particular, pathogenic GM-CSF-secreting T-cells were shown to correlate with the recruitment of inflammatory IL-6-secreting monocytes and severe lung pathology in COVID‑19 patients.[98] Lymphocytic infiltrates have also been reported at autopsy.[95]

Diagnosis

Main article: COVID-19 testing

Demonstration of a nasopharyngeal swab for COVID-19 testing

CDC rRT-PCR test kit for COVID-19[99]

The WHO has published several testing protocols for the disease.[100] The standard method of testing is real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR).[101] The test is typically done on respiratory samples obtained by a nasopharyngeal swab; however, a nasal swab or sputum sample may also be used.[25][102] Results are generally available within a few hours to two days.[103][104] Blood tests can be used, but these require two blood samples taken two weeks apart, and the results have little immediate value.[105] Chinese scientists were able to isolate a strain of the coronavirus and publish the genetic sequence so laboratories across the world could independently develop polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests to detect infection by the virus.[9][106][107] As of 4 April 2020, antibody tests (which may detect active infections and whether a person had been infected in the past) were in development, but not yet widely used.[108][109][110] The Chinese experience with testing has shown the accuracy is only 60 to 70%.[111] The FDA in the United States approved the first point-of-care test on 21 March 2020 for use at the end of that month.[112]

Diagnostic guidelines released by Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University suggested methods for detecting infections based upon clinical features and epidemiological risk. These involved identifying people who had at least two of the following symptoms in addition to a history of travel to Wuhan or contact with other infected people: fever, imaging features of pneumonia, normal or reduced white blood cell count, or reduced lymphocyte count.[113]

A study asked hospitalised COVID‑19 patients to cough into a sterile container, thus producing a saliva sample, and detected the virus in eleven of twelve patients using RT-PCR. This technique has the potential of being quicker than a swab and involving less risk to health care workers (collection at home or in the car).[64]

Along with laboratory testing, chest CT scans may be helpful to diagnose COVID-19 in individuals with a high clinical suspicion of infection but are not recommended for routine screening.[26][27] Bilateral multilobar ground-glass opacities with a peripheral, asymmetric, and posterior distribution are common in early infection.[26] Subpleural dominance, crazy paving (lobular septal thickening with variable alveolar filling), and consolidation may appear as the disease progresses.[26][114]

In late 2019, WHO assigned the emergency ICD-10 disease codes U07.1 for deaths from lab-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and U07.2 for deaths from clinically or epidemiologically diagnosed COVID‑19 without lab-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection.[115]

Typical CT imaging findings

CT imaging of rapid progression stage

Pathology

Few data are available about microscopic lesions and the pathophysiology of COVID‑19.[116][117] The main pathological findings at autopsy are:

Macroscopy: pleurisy, pericarditis, lung consolidation and pulmonary oedema

Four types of severity of viral pneumonia can be observed:

minor pneumonia: minor serous exudation, minor fibrin exudation

mild pneumonia: pulmonary oedema, pneumocyte hyperplasia, large atypical pneumocytes, interstitial inflammation with lymphocytic infiltration and multinucleated giant cell formation

severe pneumonia: diffuse alveolar damage (DAD) with diffuse alveolar exudates. DAD is the cause of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and severe hypoxemia.

healing pneumonia: organisation of exudates in alveolar cavities and pulmonary interstitial fibrosis

plasmocytosis in BAL[118]

Blood: disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC);[119] leukoerythroblastic reaction[120]

Liver: microvesicular steatosis

Prevention

See also: 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic § Prevention, flatten the curve, and workplace hazard controls for COVID-19

Progressively stronger mitigation efforts to reduce the number of active cases at any given time—known as "flattening the curve"—allows healthcare services to better manage the same volume of patients.[121][122][123] Likewise, progressively greater increases in healthcare capacity—called raising the line—such as by increasing bed count, personnel, and equipment, helps to meet increased demand.[124]

Mitigation attempts that are inadequate in strictness or duration—such as premature relaxation of distancing rules or stay-at-home orders—can allow a resurgence after the initial surge and mitigation.[122][125]

Preventive measures to reduce the chances of infection include staying at home, avoiding crowded places, keeping distance from others, washing hands with soap and water often and for at least 20 seconds, practising good respiratory hygiene, and avoiding touching the eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.[126][127][128] The CDC recommends covering the mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing and recommends using the inside of the elbow if no tissue is available.[126] Proper hand hygiene after any cough or sneeze is encouraged.[126] The CDC has recommended the use of cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain, in part to limit transmission by asymptomatic individuals.[129] The U.S. National Institutes of Health guidelines do not recommend any medication for prevention of COVID‑19, before or after exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, outside of the setting of a clinical trial.[130]

Social distancing strategies aim to reduce contact of infected persons with large groups by closing schools and workplaces, restricting travel, and cancelling large public gatherings.[131] Distancing guidelines also include that people stay at least 6 feet (1.8 m) apart.[132] There is no medication known to be effective at preventing COVID‑19.[133] After the implementation of social distancing and stay-at-home orders, many regions have been able to sustain an effective transmission rate ("Rt") of less than one, meaning the disease is in remission in those areas.[134]

As a vaccine is not expected until 2021 at the earliest,[135] a key part of managing COVID‑19 is trying to decrease the epidemic peak, known as "flattening the curve".[122] This is done by slowing the infection rate to decrease the risk of health services being overwhelmed, allowing for better treatment of current cases, and delaying additional cases until effective treatments or a vaccine become available.[122][125]

According to the WHO, the use of masks is recommended only if a person is coughing or sneezing or when one is taking care of someone with a suspected infection.[136] For the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) face masks "... could be considered especially when visiting busy closed spaces ..." but "... only as a complementary measure ..."[137] Several countries have recommended that healthy individuals wear face masks or cloth face coverings (like scarves or bandanas) at least in certain public settings, including China,[138] Hong Kong,[139] Spain,[140] Italy (Lombardy region),[141] and the United States.[129]

Those diagnosed with COVID‑19 or who believe they may be infected are advised by the CDC to stay home except to get medical care, call ahead before visiting a healthcare provider, wear a face mask before entering the healthcare provider's office and when in any room or vehicle with another person, cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue, regularly wash hands with soap and water and avoid sharing personal household items.[30][142] The CDC also recommends that individuals wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the toilet or when hands are visibly dirty, before eating and after blowing one's nose, coughing or sneezing. It further recommends using an alcohol-based hand sanitiser with at least 60% alcohol, but only when soap and water are not readily available.[126]

For areas where commercial hand sanitisers are not readily available, the WHO provides two formulations for local production. In these formulations, the antimicrobial activity arises from ethanol or isopropanol. Hydrogen peroxide is used to help eliminate bacterial spores in the alcohol; it is "not an active substance for hand antisepsis". Glycerol is added as a humectant.[143]

Prevention efforts are multiplicative, with effects far beyond that of a single spread. Each avoided case leads to more avoided cases down the line, which in turn can stop the outbreak in its tracks.

File:COVID19 W ENG.ogv

Handwashing instructions

Management

People are managed with supportive care, which may include fluid therapy, oxygen support, and supporting other affected vital organs.[144][145][146] The CDC recommends that those who suspect they carry the virus wear a simple face mask.[30] Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has been used to address the issue of respiratory failure, but its benefits are still under consideration.[41][147] Personal hygiene and a healthy lifestyle and diet have been recommended to improve immunity.[148] Supportive treatments may be useful in those with mild symptoms at the early stage of infection.[149]

The WHO, the Chinese National Health Commission, and the United States' National Institutes of Health have published recommendations for taking care of people who are hospitalised with COVID‑19.[130][150][151] Intensivists and pulmonologists in the U.S. have compiled treatment recommendations from various agencies into a free resource, the IBCC.[152][153]

Medications

See also: Coronavirus disease 2019 § Research

As of April 2020, there is no specific treatment for COVID‑19.[6][133] Research is, however, ongoing. For symptoms, some medical professionals recommend paracetamol (acetaminophen) over ibuprofen for first-line use.[154][155][156] The WHO and NIH do not oppose the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen for symptoms,[130][157] and the FDA says currently there is no evidence that NSAIDs worsen COVID‑19 symptoms.[158]

While theoretical concerns have been raised about ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers, as of 19 March 2020, these are not sufficient to justify stopping these medications.[130][159][160][161] Steroids, such as methylprednisolone, are not recommended unless the disease is complicated by acute respiratory distress syndrome.[162][163]

Medications to prevent blood clotting have been suggested for treatment,[91] and anticoagulant therapy with low molecular weight heparin appears to be associated with better outcomes in severe COVID‐19 showing signs of coagulopathy (elevated D-dimer).[164]

Protective equipment

See also: § Research

Research into potential treatments started in January 2020,[182] and several antiviral drugs are in clinical trials.[183][184] Remdesivir appears to be the most promising.[133] Although new medications may take until 2021 to develop,[185] several of the medications being tested are already approved for other uses or are already in advanced testing.[186] Antiviral medication may be tried in people with severe disease.[144] The WHO recommended volunteers take part in trials of the effectiveness and safety of potential treatments.[187]

The FDA has granted temporary authorisation to convalescent plasma as an experimental treatment in cases where the person's life is seriously or immediately threatened. It has not undergone the clinical studies needed to show it is safe and effective for the disease.[188][189][190]

Information technology

See also: Contact tracing and Government by algorithm

In February 2020, China launched a mobile app to deal with the disease outbreak.[191] Users are asked to enter their name and ID number. The app can detect 'close contact' using surveillance data and therefore a potential risk of infection. Every user can also check the status of three other users. If a potential risk is detected, the app not only recommends self-quarantine, it also alerts local health officials.[192]

Big data analytics on cellphone data, facial recognition technology, mobile phone tracking, and artificial intelligence are used to track infected people and people whom they contacted in South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore.[193][194] In March 2020, the Israeli government enabled security agencies to track mobile phone data of people supposed to have coronavirus. The measure was taken to enforce quarantine and protect those who may come into contact with infected citizens.[195] Also in March 2020, Deutsche Telekom shared aggregated phone location data with the German federal government agency, Robert Koch Institute, to research and prevent the spread of the virus.[196] Russia deployed facial recognition technology to detect quarantine breakers.[197] Italian regional health commissioner Giulio Gallera said he has been informed by mobile phone operators that "40% of people are continuing to move around anyway".[198] German government conducted a 48 hours weekend hackathon with more than 42.000 participants.[199][200] Two million people in the UK used an app developed in March 2020 by King's College London and Zoe to track people with COVID‑19 symptoms.[201] Also, the president of Estonia, Kersti Kaljulaid, made a global call for creative solutions against the spread of coronavirus.[202]

Psychological support

See also: Mental health during the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic

Individuals may experience distress from quarantine, travel restrictions, side effects of treatment, or fear of the infection itself. To address these concerns, the National Health Commission of China published a national guideline for psychological crisis intervention on 27 January 2020.[203][204]

The Lancet published a 14-page call for action focusing on the UK and stated conditions were such that a range of mental health issues was likely to become more common. BBC quoted Rory O'Connor in saying, "Increased social isolation, loneliness, health anxiety, stress and an economic downturn are a perfect storm to harm people's mental health and wellbeing."[205][206]

Prognosis

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The severity of diagnosed cases in China

The severity of diagnosed COVID-19 cases in China[207]

Case fatality rates for COVID-19 by age by country.

Case fatality rates by age group:

China, as of 11 February 2020[208]

South Korea, as of 15 April 2020[209]

Spain, as of 24 April 2020[210]

Italy, as of 23 April 2020[211]

Case fatality rate depending on other health problems

Case fatality rate in China depending on other health problems. Data through 11 February 2020.[208]

Case fatality rate by country and number of cases

The number of deaths vs total cases by country and approximate case fatality rate[212]

The severity of COVID‑19 varies. The disease may take a mild course with few or no symptoms, resembling other common upper respiratory diseases such as the common cold. Mild cases typically recover within two weeks, while those with severe or critical diseases may take three to six weeks to recover. Among those who have died, the time from symptom onset to death has ranged from two to eight weeks.[47]

Children make up a small proportion of reported cases, with about 1% of cases being under 10 years, and 4% aged 10-19 years.[22] They are likely to have milder symptoms and a lower chance of severe disease than adults; in those younger than 50 years, the risk of death is less than 0.5%, while in those older than 70 it is more than 8%.[213][214][215] Pregnant women may be at higher risk for severe infection with COVID-19 based on data from other similar viruses, like SARS and MERS, but data for COVID-19 is lacking.[216][217] In China, children acquired infections mainly through close contact with their parents or other family members who lived in Wuhan or had traveled there.[213]

In some people, COVID‑19 may affect the lungs causing pneumonia. In those most severely affected, COVID-19 may rapidly progress to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) causing respiratory failure, septic shock, or multi-organ failure.[218][219] Complications associated with COVID‑19 include sepsis, abnormal clotting, and damage to the heart, kidneys, and liver. Clotting abnormalities, specifically an increase in prothrombin time, have been described in 6% of those admitted to hospital with COVID-19, while abnormal kidney function is seen in 4% of this group.[220] Approximately 20-30% of people who present with COVID‑19 demonstrate elevated liver enzymes (transaminases).[133] Liver injury as shown by blood markers of liver damage is frequently seen in severe cases.[221]

Some studies have found that the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) may be helpful in early screening for severe illness.[222]

Most of those who die of COVID‑19 have pre-existing (underlying) conditions, including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular disease.[223] The Istituto Superiore di Sanità reported that out of 8.8% of deaths where medical charts were available for review, 97.2% of sampled patients had at least one comorbidity with the average patient having 2.7 diseases.[224] According to the same report, the median time between the onset of symptoms and death was ten days, with five being spent hospitalised. However, patients transferred to an ICU had a median time of seven days between hospitalisation and death.[224] In a study of early cases, the median time from exhibiting initial symptoms to death was 14 days, with a full range of six to 41 days.[225] In a study by the National Health Commission (NHC) of China, men had a death rate of 2.8% while women had a death rate of 1.7%.[226] Histopathological examinations of post-mortem lung samples show diffuse alveolar damage with cellular fibromyxoid exudates in both lungs. Viral cytopathic changes were observed in the pneumocytes. The lung picture resembled acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).[47] In 11.8% of the deaths reported by the National Health Commission of China, heart damage was noted by elevated levels of troponin or cardiac arrest.[49] According to March data from the United States, 89% of those hospitalised had preexisting conditions.[227]

The availability of medical resources and the socioeconomics of a region may also affect mortality.[228] Estimates of the mortality from the condition vary because of those regional differences,[229] but also because of methodological difficulties. The under-counting of mild cases can cause the mortality rate to be overestimated.[230] However, the fact that deaths are the result of cases contracted in the past can mean the current mortality rate is underestimated.[231][232] Smokers were 1.4 times more likely to have severe symptoms of COVID‑19 and approximately 2.4 times more likely to require intensive care or die compared to non-smokers.[233]

Concerns have been raised about long-term sequelae of the disease. The Hong Kong Hospital Authority found a drop of 20% to 30% in lung capacity in some people who recovered from the disease, and lung scans suggested organ damage.[234] This may also lead to post-intensive care syndrome following recovery.[235]

Case fatality rates (%) by age and country

Age0–910–1920–2930–3940–4950–5960–6970–7980-8990+

China as of 11 February[208]0.00.20.20.20.41.33.68.014.8

Denmark as of 25 April[236]0.24.515.524.940.7

Italy as of 23 April[211]0.20.00.10.40.92.610.024.930.826.1

Netherlands as of 17 April[237]0.00.30.10.20.51.57.623.230.029.3

Portugal as of 24 April[238]0.00.00.00.00.30.62.88.516.5

S. Korea as of 15 April[209]0.00.00.00.10.20.72.59.722.2

Spain as of 24 April[210]0.30.40.30.30.61.34.413.220.320.1

Switzerland as of 25 April[239]0.90.00.00.10.00.52.710.124.0

Case fatality rates (%) by age in the United States

Age0–1920–4445–5455–6465–7475–8485+

United States as of 16 March[240]0.00.1–0.20.5–0.81.4–2.62.7–4.94.3–10.510.4–27.3

Note: The lower bound includes all cases. The upper bound excludes cases that were missing data.

Estimate of infection fatality rates and probability of severe disease course (%) by age based on cases from China[241]

0–910–1920–2930–3940–4950–5960–6970–7980+

Severe disease0.0

(0.0–0.0)0.04

(0.02–0.08)1.0

(0.62–2.1)3.4

(2.0–7.0)4.3

(2.5–8.7)8.2

(4.9–17)11

(7.0–24)17

(9.9–34)18

(11–38)

Death0.0016

(0.00016–0.025)0.0070

(0.0015–0.050)0.031

(0.014–0.092)0.084

(0.041–0.19)0.16

(0.076–0.32)0.60

(0.34–1.3)1.9

(1.1–3.9)4.3

(2.5–8.4)7.8

(3.8–13)

Total infection fatality rate is estimated to be 0.66% (0.39–1.3). Infection fatality rate is fatality per all infected individuals, regardless of whether they were diagnosed or had any symptoms. Numbers in parentheses are 95% credible intervals for the estimates.

Reinfection

As of March 2020, it was unknown if past infection provides effective and long-term immunity in people who recover from the disease.[242] Immunity is seen as likely, based on the behaviour of other coronaviruses,[243] but cases in which recovery from COVID‑19 have been followed by positive tests for coronavirus at a later date have been reported.[244][245][246][247] These cases are believed to be worsening of a lingering infection rather than re-infection.[247]

History

Main article: Timeline of the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic

The virus is thought to be natural and has an animal origin,[77] through spillover infection.[248] The actual origin is unknown, but by December 2019 the spread of infection was almost entirely driven by human-to-human transmission.[208][249] A study of the first 41 cases of confirmed COVID‑19, published in January 2020 in The Lancet, revealed the earliest date of onset of symptoms as 1 December 2019.[250][251][252] Official publications from the WHO reported the earliest onset of symptoms as 8 December 2019.[253] Human-to-human transmission was confirmed by the WHO and Chinese authorities by 20 January 2020.[254][255]

Epidemiology

Main article: 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic

Several measures are commonly used to quantify mortality.[256] These numbers vary by region and over time and are influenced by the volume of testing, healthcare system quality, treatment options, time since the initial outbreak, and population characteristics such as age, sex, and overall health.[257]

The death-to-case ratio reflects the number of deaths divided by the number of diagnosed cases within a given time interval. Based on Johns Hopkins University statistics, the global death-to-case ratio is 7.0% (203,044/2,899,830) as of 26 April 2020.[7] The number varies by region.[258]

Other measures include the case fatality rate (CFR), which reflects the percent of diagnosed individuals who die from a disease, and the infection fatality rate (IFR), which reflects the percent of infected individuals (diagnosed and undiagnosed) who die from a disease. These statistics are not time-bound and follow a specific population from infection through case resolution. Many academics have attempted to calculate these numbers for specific populations.[259]

Total confirmed cases over time

Total deaths over time

Total confirmed cases of COVID‑19 per million people, 10 April 2020[260]

Total confirmed deaths due to COVID‑19 per million people, 10 April 2020[261]

Infection fatality rate

Our World in Data states that as of March 25, 2020, the infection fatality rate (IFR) cannot be accurately calculated.[262] In February, the World Health Organization estimated the IFR at 0.94%, with a confidence interval between 0.37 percent to 2.9 percent.[263] The University of Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (CEBM) estimated a global CFR of 0.72 percent and IFR of 0.1 percent to 0.36 percent.[264] According to CEBM, random antibody testing in Germany suggested an IFR of 0.37 percent there.[264] Firm lower limits to local infection fatality rates were established, such as in Bergamo province, where 0.57% of the population has died, leading to a minimum IFR of 0.57% in the province. This population fatality rate (PFR) minimum increases as more people get infected and run through their disease.[265][266] Similarly, as of April 22 in the New York City area, there were 15,411 deaths confirmed from COVID-19, and 19,200 excess deaths.[267] Very recently, the first results of antibody testing have come in, but there are no valid scientific reports based on them available yet. A Bloomberg Opinion piece provides a survey.[268][269]

Sex differences

Main article: Gendered impact of the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic

The impact of the pandemic and its mortality rate are different for men and women.[270] Mortality is higher in men in studies conducted in China and Italy.[271][272][273] The highest risk for men is in their 50s, with the gap between men and women closing only at 90.[273] In China, the death rate was 2.8 percent for men and 1.7 percent for women.[273] The exact reasons for this sex-difference are not known, but genetic and behavioural factors could be a reason.[270] Sex-based immunological differences, a lower prevalence of smoking in women, and men developing co-morbid conditions such as hypertension at a younger age than women could have contributed to the higher mortality in men.[273] In Europe, of those infected with COVID‑19, 57% were men; of those infected with COVID‑19 who also died, 72% were men.[274] As of April 2020, the U.S. government is not tracking sex-related data of COVID‑19 infections.[275] Research has shown that viral illnesses like Ebola, HIV, influenza, and SARS affect men and women differently.[275] A higher percentage of health workers, particularly nurses, are women, and they have a higher chance of being exposed to the virus.[276] School closures, lockdowns, and reduced access to healthcare following the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic may differentially affect the genders and possibly exaggerate existing gender disparity.[270][277]

Society and culture

Name

During the initial outbreak in Wuhan, China, the virus and disease were commonly referred to as "coronavirus" and "Wuhan coronavirus",[278][279][280] with the disease sometimes called "Wuhan pneumonia".[281][282] In the past, many diseases have been named after geographical locations, such as the Spanish flu,[283] Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, and Zika virus.[284]

In January 2020, the World Health Organisation recommended 2019-nCov[285] and 2019-nCoV acute respiratory disease[286] as interim names for the virus and disease per 2015 guidance and international guidelines against using geographical locations (e.g. Wuhan, China), animal species or groups of people in disease and virus names to prevent social stigma.[287][288][289]

The official names COVID‑19 and SARS-CoV-2 were issued by the WHO on 11 February 2020.[290] WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus explained: CO for corona, VI for virus, D for disease and 19 for when the outbreak was first identified (31 December 2019).[291] The WHO additionally uses "the COVID‑19 virus" and "the virus responsible for COVID‑19" in public communications.[290] Both the disease and virus are commonly referred to as "coronavirus" in the media and public discourse.

Misinformation

Main article: Misinformation related to the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic

After the initial outbreak of COVID‑19, conspiracy theories, misinformation, and disinformation emerged regarding the origin, scale, prevention, treatment, and other aspects of the disease and rapidly spread online.[292][293][294][295]

Protests

Beginning April 17, 2020, news media began reporting on a wave of demonstrations protesting against state-mandated quarantine restrictions in in Michigan, Ohio, and Kentucky.[296][297]

Other animals

Humans appear to be capable of spreading the virus to some other animals. A domestic cat in Liège, Belgium, tested positive after it started showing symptoms (diarrhoea, vomiting, shortness of breath) a week later than its owner, who was also positive.[298] Tigers at the Bronx Zoo in New York, United States, tested positive for the virus and showed symptoms of COVID‑19, including a dry cough and loss of appetite.[299]

A study on domesticated animals inoculated with the virus found that cats and ferrets appear to be "highly susceptible" to the disease, while dogs appear to be less susceptible, with lower levels of viral replication. The study failed to find evidence of viral replication in pigs, ducks, and chickens.[300]

Research

Main article: COVID-19 drug development

No medication or vaccine is approved to treat the disease.[186] International research on vaccines and medicines in COVID‑19 is underway by government organisations, academic groups, and industry researchers.[301][302] In March, the World Health Organisation initiated the "SOLIDARITY Trial" to assess the treatment effects of four existing antiviral compounds with the most promise of efficacy.[303]

Vaccine

Main article: COVID-19 vaccine

There is no available vaccine, but various agencies are actively developing vaccine candidates. Previous work on SARS-CoV is being used because both SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 use the ACE2 receptor to enter human cells.[304] Three vaccination strategies are being investigated. First, researchers aim to build a whole virus vaccine. The use of such a virus, be it inactive or dead, aims to elicit a prompt immune response of the human body to a new infection with COVID‑19. A second strategy, subunit vaccines, aims to create a vaccine that sensitises the immune system to certain subunits of the virus. In the case of SARS-CoV-2, such research focuses on the S-spike protein that helps the virus intrude the ACE2 enzyme receptor. A third strategy is that of the nucleic acid vaccines (DNA or RNA vaccines, a novel technique for creating a vaccination). Experimental vaccines from any of these strategies would have to be tested for safety and efficacy.[305]

On 16 March 2020, the first clinical trial of a vaccine started with four volunteers in Seattle, United States. The vaccine contains a harmless genetic code copied from the virus that causes the disease.[306]

Antibody-dependent enhancement has been suggested as a potential challenge for vaccine development for SARS-COV-2, but this is controversial.[307]

Medications

Main article: COVID-19 drug repurposing research

At least 29 phase II–IV efficacy trials in COVID‑19 were concluded in March 2020 or scheduled to provide results in April from hospitals in China.[308][309] There are more than 300 active clinical trials underway as of April 2020.[133] Seven trials were evaluating already approved treatments, including four studies on hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine.[309] Repurposed antiviral drugs make up most of the Chinese research, with nine phase III trials on remdesivir across several countries due to report by the end of April.[308][309] Other candidates in trials include vasodilators, corticosteroids, immune therapies, lipoic acid, bevacizumab, and recombinant angiotensin-converting enzyme 2.[309]

The COVID‑19 Clinical Research Coalition has goals to 1) facilitate rapid reviews of clinical trial proposals by ethics committees and national regulatory agencies, 2) fast-track approvals for the candidate therapeutic compounds, 3) ensure standardised and rapid analysis of emerging efficacy and safety data and 4) facilitate sharing of clinical trial outcomes before publication.[310][311]

Several existing medications are being evaluated for the treatment of COVID‑19,[186] including remdesivir, chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, lopinavir/ritonavir, and lopinavir/ritonavir combined with interferon beta.[303][312] There is tentative evidence for efficacy by remdesivir, as of March 2020.[313][314] Clinical improvement was observed in patients treated with compassionate-use remdesivir.[315] Remdesivir inhibits SARS-CoV-2 in vitro.[316] Phase III clinical trials are underway in the U.S., China, and Italy.[186][308][317]

In 2020, a trial found that lopinavir/ritonavir was ineffective in the treatment of severe illness.[318] Nitazoxanide has been recommended for further in vivo study after demonstrating low concentration inhibition of SARS-CoV-2.[316]

There are mixed results as of 3 April 2020 as to the effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for COVID‑19, with some studies showing little or no improvement.[319][320] The studies of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine with or without azithromycin have major limitations that have prevented the medical community from embracing these therapies without further study.[133]

Oseltamivir does not inhibit SARS-CoV-2 in vitro and has no known role in COVID‑19 treatment.[133]

Anti-cytokine storm

Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) can be a complication in the later stages of severe COVID‑19. There is preliminary evidence that hydroxychloroquine may have anti-cytokine storm properties.[321]

Tocilizumab has been included in treatment guidelines by China's National Health Commission after a small study was completed.[322][323] It is undergoing a phase 2 non-randomised trial at the national level in Italy after showing positive results in people with severe disease.[324][325] Combined with a serum ferritin blood test to identify cytokine storms, it is meant to counter such developments, which are thought to be the cause of death in some affected people.[326][327][328] The interleukin-6 receptor antagonist was approved by the FDA to undergo a phase III clinical trial assessing the medication's impact on COVID‑19 based on retrospective case studies for the treatment of steroid-refractory cytokine release syndrome induced by a different cause, CAR T cell therapy, in 2017.[329] To date, there is no randomised, controlled evidence that tocilizumab is an efficacious treatment for CRS. Prophylactic tocilizumab has been shown to increase serum IL-6 levels by saturating the IL-6R, driving IL-6 across the blood-brain barrier, and exacerbating neurotoxicity while having no impact on the incidence of CRS.[330]

Lenzilumab, an anti-GM-CSF monoclonal antibody, is protective in murine models for CAR T cell-induced CRS and neurotoxicity and is a viable therapeutic option due to the observed increase of pathogenic GM-CSF secreting T-cells in hospitalised patients with COVID‑19.[331]

The Feinstein Institute of Northwell Health announced in March a study on "a human antibody that may prevent the activity" of IL-6.[332]

Passive antibodies

Transferring purified and concentrated antibodies produced by the immune systems of those who have recovered from COVID‑19 to people who need them is being investigated as a non-vaccine method of passive immunisation.[333] This strategy was tried for SARS with inconclusive results.[333] Viral neutralisation is the anticipated mechanism of action by which passive antibody therapy can mediate defence against SARS-CoV-2. Other mechanisms, however, such as antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and/or phagocytosis, may be possible.[333] Other forms of passive antibody therapy, for example, using manufactured monoclonal antibodies, are in development.[333] Production of convalescent serum, which consists of the liquid portion of the blood from recovered patients and contains antibodies specific to this virus, could be increased for quicker deployment.[334]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronavirus_disease_2019

Rochester Regional Health Gala by Rochester Regional

On Saturday, October 7, more than 1,700 of Rochester Regional Health’s friends and employees gathered at the Joseph A. Floreano Rochester Riverside Convention Center for the system’s signature celebration.

WOGR extra passing Holden Depot by David Blazejewski

19 1

After shooting the train at I190 I headed north toward Holden where the line quickly takes on decidedly more rural and old time feel. The scene with an original ex B&M depot is one of the signatures on the line and even with the "wrong light" I was still pleased with the result.

A sucker for history, I'll never pass up a shot that includes classic "props" from a line's past.

And as for history, how about a little courtesy of the Holden Historical Society?

In 1869, the Boston, Barre and Gardner Railroad (BB&G) commenced construction of a railroad from Worcester (at Barber), through Holden, to Gardner. This 26-mile line, which cost 1.2 million dollars to build, opened in 1871. It was extended 10 miles to Winchendon in January, 1874 and later that same year the company leased the Monadnock Railroad north another 16 miles to Peterborough, New Hampshire. The BB&G thus attained a total length of 52 miles.

Beset by financial reversals, the Monadnock lease was surrendered to the Cheshire Railroad in 1880. The BB&G was leased itself to the Fitchburg Railroad in 1884. The following year it was merged into the Fitchburg and became that road's Worcester Division. In 1900 the Fitchburg was leased and soon thereafter merged into the Boston & Maine Railroad (B&M), becoming the B&M's Fitchburg Division. As a part of the B&M system's Fitchburg Division the line through Holden was referred to at different times by various names including the Worcester & Contoocook (N.H.) Branch, the Worcester & Hillsboro (N.H.) Branch, the Peterboro (N.H.) Branch, and finally after the line was severed north o f Gardner, as the Worcester Branch of the Fitchburg Division. At Worcester, the line joined the B&M Portland Division's "Worcester Main Line" at Barber.

The original 52-mile BB&G line through Holden remained under B&M control for 73 years. In 1974, the line was bought by the Providence and Worcester Railroad (P&W). The last B&M freight left Holden for Worcester in January 1974 and the P&W operated its first train over the line on February 2, 1974.

At various times, passenger stops existed at Chaffins, Dawson, Holden, Jefferson, and at North Woods. Holden and Jefferson were small country depots, while the others were flag stops with small shelters. Only two station structures remain: the Holden depot in its original location and the Jefferson depot which was moved in 1975 to a site next to the Wong Dynasty Chinese Restaurant on Reservoir Street.

In 1878 there were four round trip passenger trains between Worcester and Winchendon. This increased to six round trips at the turn of the century. Under B&M ownership, the old BB&G line became part of a rather unlikely through passenger route from Worcester to Concord, NH. This service ended after the floods of 1936 severed the line north of Peterboro. However, a round trip passenger local from Worcester to Peterboro would survive another 17 years, handling passengers and mail. In its last years, it acquired a certain degree of fame and became known as the "Peterboro Local" or the "Blueberry Special." By the early 1950s the B&M was hemorrhaging financially from passenger train losses and was given permission to discontinue this train. It made its last run, with extra coaches and much fanfare, on March 7, 1953. It had remained a steam train with an ancient wooden combine and one coach almost to the very end, at which time steam power had been taken off and a diesel locomotive substituted.

B&M operated through symbol freights Worcester to Mechanicville, NY (WM-1), and Mechanicville, NY, to Worcester (WM-2), as well as a local freight that switched customers between Worcester and Gardner. The through freights between Worcester and Mechanicville, NY, operated until about 1968. WM-1 would arrive punctually in Holden at 7:30 every evening, switch the small yard, and then depart for Gardner and points west. The eastbound WM-2 passed through in the small hours of the night. The local switcher out of Worcester worked during the day. By the end of B&M control, through service on the line had been discontinued and the Worcester switcher ventured out the line only to service customers as needed.

The line underwent a dramatic renaissance when the P&W commenced operations in 1974. The P&W rehabilitated the line and operates through freights from Providence, RI, and other southern New England points to Gardner, where traffic is interchanged with the B&M. Currently (2005), P&W runs about six trains each way through Holden weekly, hauling coal, lumber, scrap iron, paper goods, plastic resins and other commodities.

Currently there are no customers receiving or shipping by rail in Holden.

SpaceX Demo-1 (NHQ201903010001) by NASA HQ PHOTO

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A as preparations continue for the Demo-1 mission, Friday, March 1, 2019 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Demo-1 mission will be the first launch of a commercially built and operated American spacecraft and space system designed for humans as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. The mission, currently targeted for a 2:49am launch on March 2, will serve as an end-to-end test of the system's capabilities. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

Metrolink construction work, Market Street, Manchester, 1990 by Museum of Transport Greater Manchester

Building a new tramway through city streets has always been disruptive, and the return of trams to Manchester in the early 1990s was no exception. Here, the new track and station at the top of Market Street are being built, and as you can see there's quite a lot of building work going on.

Only one track has been laid so far, to allow buses to travel along Market Street for a while. In the background we can see buses of GM Buses and Stuart''s of Hyde plying their trade.

The photo is one of a set taken to show the progress of construction before the system's first phase opened in April 1992.

If you'd like to know more about the Manchester Museum of Transport and its collection of vintage buses, go to www.gmts.co.uk.

Boeing Orbital Flight Test-2 Prelaunch (NHQ202205180006) by NASA HQ PHOTO

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft aboard is seen as it is rolled out of the Vertical Integration Facility to the launch pad at Space Launch Complex 41 ahead of the Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) mission, Wednesday, May 18, 2022 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Boeing’s Orbital Flight Test-2 will be Starliner’s second uncrewed flight test and will dock to the International Space Station as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. The mission, currently targeted for launch at 6:54 p.m. ET on May 19, will serve as an end-to-end test of the system's capabilities. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

Amtrak 303 at Peoria Road by HighHor$epower

SC-44 Charger 4618 leads Amtrak 303 south along Peoria Road on Springfield's North Side. On the tail end of the train is an old baggage car, which I suspect was added to the consist to provide additional axles to better shunt the signalling system's track circuits. UP and CN in recent years have started imposing "minimum axle count" requirements for the Amtrak trains operating on their systems in the Midwest. Time will tell.

IDTX 4618 - SC-44 Charger

Gare de Bourg-Saint-Maurice - Bourg-Saint-Maurice (France) by Perry Tak

Gare de Bourg-Saint-Maurice 20/01/2018 13h10

This TGV Euro Duplex en tête is ready for departure as TGV 6426 to Paris Gare de Lyon departure time 13h13. At the rear connected with TGV set 201. The 812 is a TGV Duplex of the new generation, Euro TGV, built by Alstom in 2014.

TGV Duplex

The TGV Duplex is a French high-speed train of the TGV family, manufactured by Alstom, and operated by the French national railway company SNCF. It is unique among TGV trains in that it features bi-level carriages. The Duplex inaugurated the third generation of TGV trainsets. It was specially designed to increase capacity on high-speed lines with saturated traffic. With two seating levels and a seating capacity of 508 passengers, the Duplex increases the passenger capacity. While the TGV Duplex started as a small component of the TGV fleet, it has become one of the system's workhorses.

FACTS & FIGURES

Manufacturer: GEC-Alsthom, Alstom

Constructed: 1995–2012

Numbers built:

- 89 trainsets (Duplex), fleetnumbers 201 - 289 (built 1995 - 2006)

- 52 trainsets (Dasye), fleetnumbers 701-720 & 733-749 & 760-772

- 19 trainsets Reseau Duplex, fleetnumbers 601-619 (built 2009-2012)

- 55 TGV 2N2 Euroduplex, fleetnumbers 801-825 & 4701 - 4730 (built 2011 - 2019)

Formation: 10 cars (2 power cars, 8 passenger cars)

Capacity: 508 seats

Train length: 200 m

Maximum speed: 320 km/h

[ Source and more Information: Wikipedia - TGV Duplex ]

District 18 Public Works Trash Teleporter by Scott Wilhelm

What do you do when trash is piling up and there's nowhere to put it? You invent teleportation of course! Then you retrofit a fleet of municipal custodial vehicles to power miniaturized teleporters and send them on their way. The original vehicle had its nose lengthened to house the power cells and micro-reactor necessary to power the device, and the whole frame was reworked to bear the weight of the device. The result is a somewhat ungainly vehicle that is notoriously difficult to control.

Although the far-side output location for the teleporter is a closely guarded secret, the rumor-mill places it high above a barren lava plain on the third moon of one of the system's gas giants. Speaking of rumors, gossip and tall tales surround the trash teleporter. There are stories of city workers looking the other way or taking payoffs as organized crime syndicates dispose of evidence and "competition". Although the manufacturers insist that the portals are one-way, city workers insist they have seen "things" coming back through the gateway: from the odd grotesque hand reaching through, to the occasional swarm of flying creatures funneling out of the vortex. There's even whispers that the municipal garage is now inhabited by a shape-shifting beast that made its way through when the teleporter was left on overnight by a careless worker...

Boeing Orbital Flight Test-2 Launch (NHQ202205190028) by NASA HQ PHOTO

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft aboard launches from Space Launch Complex 41, Thursday, May 19, 2022, at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Boeing’s Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) is Starliner’s second uncrewed flight test and will dock to the International Space Station as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. OFT-2 launched at 6:54 p.m. ET, and will serve as an end-to-end test of the system's capabilities. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

Shinrin Yoku by Willow 2014

19 22

"Shinrin-yoku is a term that means "taking in the forest atmosphere" or "forest bathing." It was developed in Japan during the 1980s and has become a cornerstone of preventive health care and healing in Japanese medicine. Researchers primarily in Japan and South Korea have established a robust body of scientific literature on the health benefits of spending time under the canopy of a living forest. Now their research is helping to establish shinrin-yoku and forest therapy throughout the world.

We have always known intuitively that time in nature is good for us. But in the past several decades there have been many scientific studies that are demonstrating the mechanisms behind the healing effects of simply being in wild and natural areas. For example, many trees give off organic compounds and essential oils that support our “NK” (natural killer) cells that are part of our immune system's way of fighting cancer and heart disease.

The scientifically-proven benefits of Shinrin-yoku include:

Lowered blood pressure

Lowered pulse rate

Reduced cortisol levels

Increased vigor

Reduced anger

Reduced depression."

Shinrin-yoku.org

Then, again, some of us just do it because we like it. This is the Mickey Hill Wilderness Area in Nova Scotia yesterday afternoon.

Boeing Orbital Flight Test-2 Landing Mission Dress Rehearsal (NHQ202205230002) by NASA HQ PHOTO

Boeing and NASA teams participate in a mission dress rehearsal to prepare for the landing of the Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft in White Sands, New Mexico, Monday, May 23, 2022. Boeing’s Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) is Starliner’s second uncrewed flight test to the International Space Station as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. OFT-2 serves as an end-to-end test of the system's capabilities. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Boeing Orbital Flight Test-2 Prelaunch (NHQ202108030005) by NASA HQ PHOTO

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft aboard is seen at sunrise on the launch pad at Space Launch Complex 41 ahead of the Orbital Flight Test-2 mission, Tuesday, Aug. 3, 2021 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Boeing’s Orbital Flight Test-2 will be Starliner’s second uncrewed flight test and will dock to the International Space Station as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. The mission, currently targeted for launch at 1:20 p.m. EDT, will serve as an end-to-end test of the system's capabilities. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

POLICE LEGS by Maurycy Gomulicki

42 4

System's Hot Legs.

Police Parade in Warsaw

Plac Józefa Piłsudskiego, Warsaw, July 24th, 2009

Digital, Mark II, 24-70 Canon Zoom Lens, 21 MgPx

KSC-20200914-PH-KLS01_0105 by NASA Kennedy

Technicians with NASA's Exploration Ground Systems prepare to lower a mock-up, or pathfinder, of the Space Launch System's (SLS) center booster segment onto an aft pathfinder segment inside the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sept. 14, 2020. Teams rehearsed stacking both pathfinder segments on top of the mobile launcher in High Bay 3 of the VAB in preparation for the Artemis I launch. Stacking of the actual SLS booster segments will occur later this year, when the rocket's core stage arrives at Kennedy. Artemis I is the first in a series of increasingly complex missions that will test SLS and the Orion spacecraft as an integrated system prior to crewed flights to the Moon. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

NASA image use policy.

Evade Tactical Systems MGR-47 mod 0 by ~Macpretzel~

7 6

Evade Tactical System's first release into the fields of warfare, the MGR-47 was a marksman's gauss rifle initially prototyped in 2035 and officially released in early 2036. this weapon was designed to fire accurately over extremely long ranges not reachable by conventional bullet weapons, while still remaining just as high quality.

credits:

cross - inspiration from his khellian "sand devil"

elliot - flash hider concept

option - help with the company name

cami - darkening

Close-up observations of auroras on Jupiter (December 2023) by European Space Agency

The NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope has captured new details of the auroras on our Solar System’s largest planet. The dancing lights observed on Jupiter are hundreds of times brighter than those seen on Earth.

These observations of Jupiter’s auroras were captured with Webb’s Near-InfraRed Camera (NIRCam) on 25 December 2023 (F335M filter). Scientists found that the emission from the trihydrogen ion, known as H3+, is far more variable than previously believed. H3+ is created by the impact of high energy electrons on molecular hydrogen. Because this emission shines brightly in the infrared, Webb’s instruments are well equipped to observe it.

A video of these observations can be found here.

[Image description: Three panels, each showing a close-up near-infrared image of Jupiter’s north pole, in shades of orange. The planet is mostly dark. Thick, bright arcs and rings caused by aurorae cover the pole. The centre and right panels each show the aurora a few minutes later in time, as Webb’s field of view slowly scans over the planet.]

Credits: ESA/Webb, NASA, CSA, J. Nichols (University of Leicester), M. Zamani (ESA/Webb); CC BY 4.0

Boeing Orbital Flight Test-2 Prelaunch (NHQ202205180015) by NASA HQ PHOTO

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft aboard is seen after being rolled out of the Vertical Integration Facility to the launch pad at Space Launch Complex 41 ahead of the Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) mission, Wednesday, May 18, 2022 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Boeing’s Orbital Flight Test-2 will be Starliner’s second uncrewed flight test and will dock to the International Space Station as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. The mission, currently targeted for launch at 6:54 p.m. ET on May 19, will serve as an end-to-end test of the system's capabilities. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

Spring Shadows by Martha Decker

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Minnehaha Park

Beginning in 1885, the Minnesota State Legislature began acquiring the land around Minnehaha Falls to become the first Minnesota State Park, but in 1889 it was turned over to the city of Minneapolis for a city park. Park visitors could fish, swim, picnic, and visit the Longfellow Zoological Gardens. The park also featured a carnival, horse-racing and a campground through the 1930s.

Today, the park is part of the National Park System's Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. It is basically divided into two main portions; an upper section above the falls which is kept trimmed and maintained like many other city parks, and the lower section which is largely left in a natural state, with trails following the creek down to the Mississippi.

There are WPA-built stairways and retaining walls along the edges of the glen and creek bed. The park has picnic areas for large or small gatherings, a playground, and an off-leash dog park. A bike rental company operates at the falls in the summer months.

The Pergola Garden overlooks the falls and is a popular wedding location. There is a seafood restaurant and a bandstand at the park at the old picnic pavilion, both open in the summer. The park also boasts several historic buildings including the Minnehaha Depot (AKA "the Princess Depot") built in 1875, and sculptures including the Hiawatha sculpture mentioned above and a mask of Chief Little Crow who was murdered after the 1862 Dakota conflict. The location of the statue is in an area sacred to Native Americans.

If you ever get to the Minneapolis area, Minnehaha Park is a "must see" destination!

The above information was obtained and paraphrased from several online sources including WIkipedia, Minnehaha Park, Minneapolis: The Complete Guide and the former AllExperts website.

Boeing Orbital Flight Test-2 Prelaunch (NHQ202107290019) by NASA HQ PHOTO

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft onboard is seen as it is rolled out of the Vertical Integration Facility to the launch pad at Space Launch Complex 41 ahead of the Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) mission, Thursday, July 29, 2021 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Boeing’s Orbital Flight Test-2 will be Starliner’s second uncrewed flight test and will dock to the International Space Station as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. The mission, currently targeted for launch at 2:53 p.m. EDT Friday, July 30, will serve as an end-to-end test of the system's capabilities. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

KSC-20210916-PH-KLS01_0122 by NASA Kennedy

Inside the Vertical Integration Facility near Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Centaur stage for NASA’s Lucy mission is lowered onto the Atlas V first stage on Sept. 16, 2021. Lucy is scheduled to launch no earlier than Saturday, Oct. 16, on a ULA Atlas V 401 rocket from Pad 41. NASA’s Launch Services Program based at Kennedy Space Center is managing the launch. Over its 12-year primary mission, Lucy will explore a record-breaking number of asteroids, flying by one asteroid in the solar system’s main belt and seven Trojan asteroids. Additionally, Lucy’s path will circle back to Earth three times for gravity assists, making it the first spacecraft ever to return to the vicinity of Earth from the outer solar system. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

NASA image use policy.

Erie Canal Lock 23 by Roy Saplin

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Lock 23 on the old Erie Canal was built in 1841 during an enlargement phase of the canal. It replaced the original lock

# 26. It can be seen about 1/4 mile east of the current canal system's Lock 8 on the Mohawk River in Rotterdam, NY along the bike path.

EVCS-XCS01X "HADES Unit 7" by Caleb L.

One of the darker and more diabolical VCS units fielded during the First Greco-Roman War, the GRF HADES, was infamous due to its tendency to kill its pilots after they leave the life support systems of the cockpit. This was due to the immense amount of strain the unit put on the pilot due to its trans-dimensional travel. The GRF were desperate when they built the HADES, and did not bother to fix this major flaw. They did not even tell the pilots that their first mission in a HADES would be their last. Little did they know that the ghosts of the past would someday catch up to them.

The 7th HADES unit fielded was piloted by an ace named Ambrosio Callis. After his first mission, before he exited the cockpit of his unit, a kind-hearted technician decided to let him know what would happen if he left the system's life support. Enraged that the GRF had coerced him into piloting such a machine, Ambrosio broke out of the hangar and quickly dimension-hopped away. He resolved never to leave the cockpit of his HADES until he had exacted sufficient revenge on the GRF.

Over the years, Ambrosio (now known simply as "Unit 7") upgraded and enhanced his HADES, until he was permanently connected to the massive, immensely powerful killing machine. Unit 7 still has the ability to dimension hop, although its reactor has been improved so now it does not need to give off excess energy. However, if it becomes enraged, it will still seep energy from its head and chest. After the appearance of the Neo-GRF, Unit 7 became much more active, wiping out entire squads of NGRF units, and occasionally picking fights with the URE as well.

This bad boy's been a long time coming. I was rereading the description for Omar's HADES unit he built a while back for my universe, and had the idea of a heavily modified HADES with an insane pilot who would not leave the cockpit. My primary inspiration was the Graze Ein (minor spoilers for Gundam IBO), with a bit of the Berserk Eva 01 and Exia Repair mixed in. I basically wanted to take the aesthetics of the HADES and make it into a much larger, more menacing design.

Features an opening cockpit hatch, although you can't remove the pilot as he is attached directly to the mech and has no legs :P

Rio San Pablo, Veraguas, Panama (NASA, ISERV, 03/25/13) by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center

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This "first light" image from ISERV shows the mouth of the Rio San Pablo in Veraguas, Panama, as it empties into the Gulf of Montijo. This wetland supports an important local fishery and provides habitat for many mammals and reptiles, as well as several species of nesting and wintering water birds. The image was captured Feb. 16.

About ISERV

From the Earth-facing window of the International Space Station's (ISS) Destiny module, nearly 95 percent of the planet's populated area is visible during the station's orbit. This unique vantage point provides the opportunity to take photos of Earth from space. With the installation and activation of the ISS SERVIR Environmental Research and Visualization System (ISERV), NASA will be able to provide even higher resolution images of Earth! The ISERV camera system's mission is to gain experience and expertise in automated data acquisition from the space station. ISERV is expected to provide useful images for disaster monitoring and assessment and environmental decision making.

Image credit: ISERV

Original image:

www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/servir/iserv_130325.html

View the ISERV Flickr photoset:

www.flickr.com/photos/nasamarshall/sets/72157633316595189/

_____________________________________________

These official NASA photographs are being made available for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photographs. The photographs may not be used in materials, advertisements, products, or promotions that in any way suggest approval or endorsement by NASA. All Images used must be credited. For information on usage rights please visit: www.nasa.gov/audience/formedia/features/MP_Photo_Guidelin...

SpaceX Demo-1 Rollout (NHQ201902280013) by NASA HQ PHOTO

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen after being into a vertical position on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A as preparations continue for the Demo-1 mission, Feb. 28, 2019 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Demo-1 mission will be the first launch of a commercially built and operated American spacecraft and space system designed for humans as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. The mission, currently targeted for a 2:49am launch on March 2, will serve as an end-to-end test of the system's capabilities. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

Delphinus-1 Subglacial Rover by BlueSkinnedBeast

Many of the larger icy moons of the Sol system's gas giants have interior oceans of liquid water, kept liquid through tidal heating caused by the interactions of the two gravity wells. The exoplanet Krysto, home of the famed ICEPLANET team 2002, was a true planet rather than a moon, but it did have a particularly large and close moon.

It took the Iceplaneteers some time to realize the potential of Krysto's subsurface ocean - the deeply hostile surface conditions combined with Blacktron factional conflicts meant that their limited resources were mostly put to other tasks - but after some time a mission was planned to melt a shaft through the thick icecap to the internal sea of Krysto.

The Aquarius Project, as it was called, centered initially around a large submarine, the Interior eXploration Vessel Aquarius, but there were other vehicles besides the IXV Aquarius. The Delphinus-1 was a rover used for exploring the subglacial seabed, though it did have a limited swimming ability. The rather large laser cannon proved necessary as there were a number of very large and rather dangerous creatures that called the interior ocean their home.

~~~

This has a little too much yellow and not enough white to really mesh well with my previous "Alt-Seatron" Aquarius Project creations, but I'm mostly pleased with the overall design. In order to mesh with but remain distinct from the Ice Planet factional colours, the intent is that the IP2002 colours are used on the surface, and for the Aquarius Project interior exploration stuff the blue is replaced by yellow and the trans neon orange by trans red.

galaxy by Agnes Happen

On April 30, NASA's Hubble Space Telescope observed Comet ISON again. The comet is in the upper middle, showing the long tail. Various galaxies and stars appear behind it.

In this image, Hubble trained its telescope on the stars instead of following the comet. The result is that the comet appears fuzzier, but the stars and galaxies are more detailed and precise. These dimmer features don't pop out if the camera is moving, following along with ISON. To see them, you really need to dwell in one place until they emerge from the noise.Credit: NASA/ESA/STScI/AURA

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More details on Comet ISON:

Comet ISON began its trip from the Oort cloud region of our solar system and is now travelling toward the sun. The comet will reach its closest approach to the sun on Thanksgiving Day -- 28 Nov 2013 -- skimming just 730,000 miles above the sun's surface. If it comes around the sun without breaking up, the comet will be visible in the Northern Hemisphere with the naked eye, and from what we see now, ISON is predicted to be a particularly bright and beautiful comet.

Catalogued as C/2012 S1, Comet ISON was first spotted 585 million miles away in September 2012. This is ISON's very first trip around the sun, which means it is still made of pristine matter from the earliest days of the solar system’s formation, its top layers never having been lost by a trip near the sun. Comet ISON is, like all comets, a dirty snowball made up of dust and frozen gases like water, ammonia, methane and carbon dioxide -- some of the fundamental building blocks that scientists believe led to the formation of the planets 4.5 billion years ago.

NASA has been using a vast fleet of spacecraft, instruments, and space- and Earth-based telescope, in order to learn more about this time capsule from when the solar system first formed.

The journey along the way for such a sun-grazing comet can be dangerous. A giant ejection of solar material from the sun could rip its tail off. Before it reaches Mars -- at some 230 million miles away from the sun -- the radiation of the sun begins to boil its water, the first step toward breaking apart. And, if it survives all this, the intense radiation and pressure as it flies near the surface of the sun could destroy it altogether.

This collection of images show ISON throughout that journey, as scientists watched to see whether the comet would break up or remain intact.

The comet reaches its closest approach to the sun on Thanksgiving Day -- Nov. 28, 2013 -- skimming just 730,000 miles above the sun’s surface. If it comes around the sun without breaking up, the comet will be visible in the Northern Hemisphere with the naked eye, and from what we see now, ISON is predicted to be a particularly bright and beautiful comet.

ISON stands for International Scientific Optical Network, a group of observatories in ten countries who have organized to detect, monitor, and track objects in space. ISON is managed by the Keldysh Institute of Applied Mathematics, part of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

NASA image use policy.

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission.

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The John Mock House 1894 (Detail) by A.Davey

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I discovered this lovely Victorian house earlier this week. I have since learned that it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. The information below comes from the National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form.

npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/da02787d-5a69-4348-8f9d-b...

I have omitted the detailed descriptions of the building's elevations, windows, doors and roof. I've also cut tedious details about the pool house and the landscaping. It is worth noting, however, that in 1980, the house was served by a curved driveway that extended all the way to the front steps. It is no longer there and, in fact, there is no access to house from N. Willamette Boulevard.

I gather that high expectations that the house would be restored, which go back to the 1980s, have yet to be realized. The first thing I would do is repaint the house, because otherwise it's akin to a piece of fine furniture that's been left out to weather on the front yard.

Introduction

The John Mock House is one of Portland's best-preserved examples of Queen Anne/Victorian architecture. It is excellently situated above the Willamette River and was designed and built by unknown person or persons on the site of two previous Mock houses, the oldest dating from 1853.

The interior is superbly detailed and is substantially unaltered from its original state. The Mock House has been continuously associated with persons and events vital to the evolution of Portland's architectural, political and cultural heritage and deserves recognition by the National Register.

Biographical Information About Past Owners

1. John Mock's Parents

In 1833 Henry Arnold Mock and his wife, Maria Elizabeth Meyer, emigrated to America from Germany. Settling in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, five years later on October 4, 1838, Maria gave birth to the couple's only child, John. In Mechanicsburg, Henry engaged in several occupations including that of a sailor, farmer, and shoemaker. By 1844, he had saved enough money to move his family to Platte County, Missouri, and purchase a forty-acre farm. There the family settled and worked the land for eight years.

In the spring of 1852, lured into the westward migration, Henry Mock sold his farm, packed both his family and his most valued worldly possessions into a wagon, and began their journey across the Great Plains to Oregon. By this time, John was fourteen years old and a man by pioneer standards. He proved himself particularly adept in the handling of the family's four-yoke oxen wagon, often with two additional cows hitched up. In fact, John was so skillful at driving the team that all six original animals survived the Plains crossing.

In the late summer of 1852, the Mock family arrived in The Dalles, Oregon. There they sold two of their oxen, loaded the wagon on a river scow, and drifted down the Columbia River. John, however, stayed behind, and drove the remaining oxen and cows overland, where he met his parents at the Upper Cascades. Here they disembarked from the scow and proceeded further down the river by wagon to the Lower Cascades. At the Lower Cascades, Henry and Maria again boarded the scow, John drove the oxen and cows overland, and by early fall both groups arrived in Sandy, Oregon. In Sandy, the family reloaded the wagon and made their way to Portland, arriving in October 1852.

The Mock family's first three weeks in Portland were spent camping in Sullivan's Gulch. Turning their cattle loose in order to graze, the animals ran off during an unwatched moment. In the search that followed, the Mocks stumbled upon what is now St. John's, where they met Dr. Charles Staples, Portland's first practicing and properly educated physician.

Dr. Staples convinced the family to occupy a house on his property and weather the winter storms there. Henry, Maria, and John remained guests of Dr. Staples until the spring of 1853, when, with the advice of Dr. Staples, Henry Mock took up a donation land claim of 317 acres in the vicinity of what is now the University of Portland. That claim included what are today’s North Portland neighborhoods of University Park, Mock’s Crest and Mock’s Bottom. With the aid of neighbors, the Mock's built their first log cabin, which was the family home until 1874.

2. John Mock

During his first four years in Portland, John Mock cleared, worked, and helped further develop the family farm. Yet, by 1857 and at the age of eighteen, John left home for a career in mining and running a pack train. Taking advantage of his pioneer experiences, John was apparently successful as both a miner and "mule skinner."

However, after six years he returned to his Portland home, lived with his mother and father, and began again to work the farm.

In 1867, Maria Elizabeth Mock died. At this point, John purchased the farm from his aging and apparently disheartened father. Gathering his savings, Henry Arnold returned to his native Germany where he was promptly swindled out of his small fortune. He was thus forced to return to the U.S., where he lived with his son John until 1883, when he died at the age of ninety-one.

On August 4, 1874, John Mock married Mary M. Sunderland, originally of Iowa. John immediately began the construction of a new family cabin of hewn log. Finished in the same year, the cabin was much more spacious and thus able to house an ever growing family. Included were his wife, Mary; his father, Henry; his oldest daughter, Mary Elizabeth; hisonly son, John Benjamin; his second daughter, Lillie Catherine;and his last child, Margaret Alice.

Tragically, in 1889, the Mock family cabin burned down, along with virtually all of the family's possessions. As a result, John Mock initiated the construction of the house that still stands today, known as Mock's residence. Completed in 1894, John Mock lived there until 1918, when he died.

John Mock, as one of the founders of Portland, was originally well known for his pioneering efforts in raising livestock and mining in the local area. Later, as a City Councilman, he was instrumental in developing and initiating a street-railway system that reached out to the St. John's area. Moreover, John Mock donated large tracks of land to the city for the implementation of a street system which led to the development of a fine residentia lcommunity. Finally, near the end of his life, John Mock donated the land for the building of Columbia University, presently the University of Portland.

Both Mock's Crest, near the University, and Mock's Bottom, near Swan Island, are named for John Mock, acknowledging his contribution to Portland as one of its original pioneers and most active and concerned of citizens.

3. Owners After John Mock's Death

After John Mock's death, the present home was subsequently owned and occupied by his children and in-laws at various times: Margaret Alice Mock, the youngest child who remained single her entire life, and who was noted for the creation of a generous scholarship fund for graduating senior at Roosevelt High School; Lillie Catherine (Mock) Amos, the second daughter of John Mock, and wife of the well-known physician and famous prohibitionist Dr. William F. Amos; Mary Elizabeth (Mock) Yeon, the eldest Mock child and wife of John B. Yeon.

Mr. Yeon was a well-known Oregon logger, builder, real estate developer, and is considered the "father of the Columbia River Highway." John B. Yeon is the grandfather of the noted architect, John Yeon.

In the mid-1950's, the family sold the Mock home to Harold LaDuke, for which the LaDuke Terrace addition is named.

4. The Owners in 1980

The Mock House is now owned and occupied by Mr. Lewis E. Alexander, and his wife, Fern T. Alexander. Both are Native Americans and hail from Oklahoma.

Mr. Alexander is of the Creek-Seminole people and Mrs. Alexander is of Oto-Missouria origin. Presently, Mr. Alexander is the Executive Director of the Portland Urban Indian Council, Inc., providing a variety of social services for the local Native American population.

In the recent past, Mr. Alexander has served both the Schrunk and Goldschmidt administrations in the Mayor's Office. Between 1970 and 1972, he was Manpower Coordinator for the City of Portland, in which he served as the Mayor's staff advisor on all manpower and related programs. Further, he was Chairperson of the Mayor's Manpower Area Planning Council and was instrumental in codifying and developing a program of evaluating the City's Manpower planning problems. Mr. Alexander has remained active in Indian cultural affairs throughout his life.

Former President of New Mexico Council of AmericanIndians, and presently a member of several other regional and national Indian organizations, in 1974, he was selected the administrative coordinator for the "Native American's Earth" presentation at Expo '74 in Spokane, and was an active member of Expo '74's general manager's staff,

In 1968, Mrs. Alexander was named the American Indian of the Year and travelled to Washington, D.C. to receive the honor. During the administration of President Kennedy, she was appointed "counselor" to the Department of the Interior in regards to Indian affairs~a position Mrs. Alexander still remains active in today. Like her husband, she is very active in local, regional, and national Indian affairs and participates in several related organizations. Presently, Mrs. Alexander is the

Chairperson and the Director of Communications for the North American Indian Woman's Association of Oregon.

Description of the House

The interior of the Mock's Residence consists of a 1,500 square foot basement; a 2,000 square foot first floor a 1,900 square foot second floor; and an attic with 1,000 usable square feet. The basement is used as a laundry room and recreational area, whereas the attic, though largely unfinished, has one insulated room for storage purposes.

1. The First Floor

The first floor was originally designed to and presently serves as the family living area. Likewise, the second floor was designed expressly for individual sleeping and dressing rooms, and remains so today.

The entry hall allows access from the front porch through the main doors to the main hall-foyer. The entry is 6' x 5'6" and contains an inner pair of 8' high doors, with stained glass inserts, that separate it from the hall-foyer. The floor is surfaced in ceramic tile, and the doors and wainscoting are natural-finish hardwood panels. The main hall-foyer is irregular in shape, approximately 22' x 8'6" in size. The floors are fully carpeted and the ceiling is textured with a cut crystal chandelier. The walls are painted, yet all doors and the accompanying wood decor are of natural finish.

An open curved stairway leads to the second floor. The newel post and rails are carved hardwood and given a natural finish.

Between the entry hall and stairway is an 8' x 5'6" cloakroom. It has hanging space for clothing on both sides and a sit down storage bench. This walk-in cloakroom is fully carpeted and has a half rounded stained glass window facing the front yard.

To the left of the entry hall as one enters the hall-foyer, is the sitting room. Measuring 14' x 17', one enters the sitting room through a 5' x 8' pocket door from the hall-foyer. The room has a textured ceiling, painted walls, and a bowed front window stretching the full width of the room. The sitting room is fully carpeted.

The living room, originally the parlor and music room, is to the right of the hall-foyer and is entered through a pair of 5' x 8' pocketed doors. The room is irregular in shape, yet averages 29' x 14' in size. A high cased opening topped with fancy spindle work and a cut out lyre separates the south nine feet of the room. This section of the living room is lined with built-in bookcases, except for the window areas.

The fireplace at the north end of the room is surrounded by a natural finish oak mantle and side sections with a beveled edge plate glass mirror back. It has a ceramic tile face and an iron plate fire screen with adjustable vents. The ceiling is textured, the walls are painted, and the floor is carpeted.

One gains access to the dining room via a 4' x 8' high pocket door at the north end of the living room. The ceiling was hand-painted by New York artist Charles Ammann in 1930. The chandelier has eight branches and is of Victorian design. The fixture was originally gas fueled, but has since been converted to electricity. The fireplace, at the southern end of the room, is similar in styling to the one in the living room. It has a ceramic face and hearth, an iron plate fire screen, and a natural finish oak wood mantle. However, the side shelves have more spindle work and there is a smaller mirror. The northern wall has a scenic mural of the "Villa d'Este." Painted in moss green and blue, it was done by an unknown artist at an unknown date. The woodwork in the room is largely painted in satin enamel, excepting the spindle work, the doors, and the dado inserts. The remaining walls are likewise painted and the floor is carpeted. The dining room measures 19' x 14'.

The breakfast room, presently serving as an informal bar, opens off of the dining room through a high cased opening topped by fine wood spindle work. Facing the east, the room is walled by two full sides of glass windows taking full advantage of the sun during the first half of the day. The remaining two walls and ceiling are painted to compliment the dining room, and the floor is completely surfaced with ceramic tile. The breakfast room measures 6' x 10'.

At the north end of the hall-foyer is the center hall. Measuring 3' x 10', it has a dropped ceiling topped with a fancy wood spindle work. The floor is carpeted, the walls are painted, and the center hall leads one to the main floor bathroom and to the office.

The office is 10' x 8'6" and has a dropped ceiling. This room does not reflect the architectural period of the house as do the other rooms. The office has wainscote-height paneling and built-in cabinets shelves. The floor is carpeted.

The main floor bathroom measures 7'6" x 15'. It has a built-in vanity with a large mirror and double swag lights, the ceiling is original hand painted, and has a wall-hung water closet. The bathroom has been fitted by a modern toilet and 4'6"tub with an overhead shower.

The kitchen is a modern "U"-shaped design with several built-in appliances. One can enter the kitchen from the rear hall or from the pantry via the dining room. The kitchen is 12' x 16'6", it has a 9' kitchen bar with an eating shelf and a 7'6" nook with space for a small kitchen table. The room is well lighted and fully carpeted.

The pantry is located between the dining room and kitchen and has access to both. The walls are lined with upper and lower cabinets for storage, and there is an open counter space. The pantry is carpeted and opens up on to the back porch.

The rear stair is three feet wide and leads off the rear hallway to the second floor central hallway. Given a natural wood finish, it has one landing and winders that provide for a ninety-degree turn.

2. The Second Floor

The second floor consists of a main hallway, a small rear hall, a bathroom, a master bedroom, and five additional bedrooms. All the rooms on this floor have wood panel doors with transom lights above each.

The main hallway averages 8'6" x 12' and opens off the main stairway from the first floor hall-foyer. The hallway runs north and south and thus divides the second floor into east and west sections. At the southern end of the hallway is a stained glass insert door leading onto the front balcony. The hall carpet is the same as that of the main floor: a gold acrilan over a 70-ounce foam pad with a high/low tip sheared pattern.

The rear hall, located at the north end of the second floor, ranges from four to five feet in width. Carpeted, it leads to the rear stairway which, in turn, takes one down to the first floor, providing easy access to the pantry and kitchen.

The master bedroom is irregular in shape, yet average 24' x 14' in size. It has ivory colored wallpaper, ivory colored woodwork finish, and a pink wool carpet. Both windows in the room are boxed out. The east window is an Austrian shade with over drapes and valances in green and gold antique satin. The front corner windows have draw sheers, with a draw drapes valance. The front corner window seat is covered with green crushed velvet.

The master bedroom has its own bathroom, while the remaining five bedrooms share the hallway bathroom. The master bedroom bathroom is now a modern facility with tiled floor and walls. Entering through café doors, the bathroom contains a marble-top vanity, a 3' x 4'6" shower, and a hung water closet.

Within the entry-hall of the master bedroom are the original hall lights above a large framed mirror. Further centered in the sitting area hangs a Maria Theresa cut crystal chandelier.

The remaining five bedrooms range in size from as large as 18'6" x 10'6" to as small as 12' x 8'. Located on both sides of the main hall, they now serve as guest rooms for visiting friends and relatives.

The northeast bedroom has double closets- and an off-white acrylic carpet, and washable pink wallpaper; the southwest bedroom' has two windows with a view of the city, a connecting door with the west-center bedroom, the walls are painted, and retains its original carpet; the west-center bedroom, adjoining the southwest bedroom, has painted walls, a wool blue carpet, and a set of boxed out windows with stained glass; the northwest bedroom is painted and is floored with a green nylon carpet; the final bedroom also serves as a linen storage room. With its original carpet, this bedroom has an entire wall devoted to storage containing doors and drawers. Further, the room has a walk-in closet with drawers and shelves for more storage.

The hallway bathroom is for the occupants of the five subordinate bedrooms. Measuring 8'x9' in size, it is a completely new and modern facility excepting its original six foot long bathtub.

The upper-half story serves as an attic for the Mock House. It is basically unfinished except for one room with a 1,000 square foot area. Serving as a storage room, it is insulated, contains several storage cabinets, and usually remains locked.

Of further interest: In 1971, a four-ton Rheem central air-conditioning unit was installed. It serves the entire main floor, the master bedroom, and two more bedrooms on the second floor.

The system's installation was an amazing feat, in that first it could be installed at all in a structure such as Mock's Residence, and second; that it was accomplished without compromising the home's appearance.

npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/da02787d-5a69-4348-8f9d-b...

RF-X02A/FA "Armadillo" Automated Combat System by Caleb L.

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With the growing success of their VCS line, EP Industries decided to delve into the drone market with their ACS (Automated Combat System) line. The first in the series was the RF-X02A, which uses a heavily modified AI system from a Hornet system. The unit saw moderate success, but it was not until the release of the unit's full-armor set that it came into widespread use. The extra armor not only adds new weapons, but covers most of the system's more integral parts with bio-laminate plates, greatly increasing its effectiveness in battle, at the cost of higher energy consumption.

This is based around Lu Sim's reFrame design. I swear it's coincidence that we both built mass-produced looking frames at the same time :P They even share some ideas and techniques!

I was impressed by the customizability & proportions of the reFrame, although the articulation of the basic design was kinda limited (namely in the arms) so I had to address that in this build. When the base mech was built, I felt like it needed something more, and thus the armor set was born. The armor doesn't really hinder the articulation at all, although it does make the waist joint want to bend all the time. I also tried to combine a more Japanese-esque head with a drone-like one, and I think it turned out okay.

Next up: Droneuary!

(Although I guess this technically counts as a drone, doesn't it?)

Galaxy Patrol Fighter by Frost

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Star Hawk Vx

Less than three lunar months after the mysterious disappearence of Unitron system's Star Hawk V test prototype, sightings were reported of a Galaxy Patrol fighter that bore a striking resemblance to the missing craft.

Galaxy Patrol Engineering and Weapons Division added upgraded proton fusion gravity drive engines designed for a much larger craft, making the Vx capable of achieving incredible speeds and distances. Unitron surveillance gear was scrapped in favor of twin triple-barrel plasma cannons and photon missile batteries.

The Vx also displays the Galaxy Patrol’s dark blue and orange livery and characteristic bling.

Unitron system representatives deny any link to their missing craft.

Arch Bridge by Matt Goldberg

Made for Disty's architecture contest. A quick little entry and nothing fancy, but I wanted to make an entry of some kind and those treads jumped out at me as perfect for a bridge. Purple tiles because I have little System and purple is a great color anyway.

There's a fair bit of System with the studs, cheese, and tiles, but with all the pins inside holding it together I think the System's less than a quarter of the parts.

And a Merry Christmas everyone!

Boeing Orbital Flight Test-2 Landing (NHQ202205250051) by NASA HQ PHOTO

Boeing and NASA teams work around Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft after it landed at White Sands Missile Range’s Space Harbor, Wednesday, May 25, 2022, in New Mexico. Boeing’s Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) is Starliner’s second uncrewed flight test to the International Space Station as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. OFT-2 serves as an end-to-end test of the system's capabilities. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Boeing Orbital Flight Test-2 Prelaunch (NHQ202107290007) by NASA HQ PHOTO

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft onboard is seen as it is rolled out of the Vertical Integration Facility to the launch pad at Space Launch Complex 41 ahead of the Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) mission, Thursday, July 29, 2021 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Boeing’s Orbital Flight Test-2 will be Starliner’s second uncrewed flight test and will dock to the International Space Station as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. The mission, currently targeted for launch at 2:53 p.m. EDT on Friday, July 30, will serve as an end-to-end test of the system's capabilities. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

Auckland Trolleybus. by Martyn Hearson

6 4

Clem's travels took him to New Zealand on at least one occasion. Here in the city of Auckland he captured the system's penultimate new bus, No.132. It was a 1959 built BUT RETB/1 with bodywork by Park Royal to a very low slung design. Livery was yellow and cream in case anyone was wondering.

I've no direct date to hand for the photo, but the system closed in 1980 and there's a Range Rover on the left . . . the first of which were built in 1970, so I guess that gives us the decade!

Dark Matters Mass of Energies Light, Produces Black Holes in the Eyes Two 'Twisters' of Atomic Bonds Broken By the Combustion of Burning Man 2012 by Carl 'Megashear' Copek

34 2

Abstract; Summary of the Core Argument

This theory posits a "turnkey conception" of the universe by analysis and 'deconstruction' of the above photo where:

Dark Matter/Energy is the magnesium sulfate lattice that connects the salt of the Earth w/ the Sea of space to the Sun. The reason it is invisible is because it is a inherently transparent - it is the lens as well circuitry by which light is curved and transmitted.

The combustion of organic matter (wood, nails, VOCs) releases this energy, acting as a "reverse engine" that shines light and thermal energy back toward the source Sun/Black Hole.

This energy return happens via "quantum tubes" formed by a low density lattice of Magnesium sulfate that allows for the Twistor Theory pathways (illustrated by dust devils and the firestorm), returning quarks to their "home stream" for "complimentary re-pairing."

Noether's theorem and the S-matrix math are seen as providing the theoretical basis for this conservation of energy and the sorting of matter during combustion and phase transitions.

Quasars are powerful examples of this process writ large: accretion disks (fueled by your dark matter/bacteria) convert mass into immense energy, driven by "immense friction on the incoming material" which powers galactic expansion and regeneration.

A Material-Logical Construct

This intricate model successfully creates a comprehensive, self-referencing philosophical system. It connects the micro-scale nitrogen cycle of bacteria on Earth to the macro-scale luminosity of distant quasars. It offers a single, coherent narrative that assigns a universal purpose to every process, from the compost heap to the farthest reaches of the universe.

Summary: A turnkey conception of en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_matter and Energy as being the nuclear material contained in the nuclei of en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanobacteria as illustrated by the above photo as a 'onion' of elements being pealed back in a reveal of the combustion cycles played out in a rolling thunderous flash-bang of wood, nails, and miscellaneous building materials being boiled by the reverse engine of the flames of the Sun shining back its light and thermal energy by means the powered illustration of the running of the gears of the Phase Transition sorting matter by means (Dark) Energy's bacterial born elements that Magnesium sulfate wired/bonded to each other and the Sun coming again 'unglued' (quarks re-de-paired) in the combustion process that surrenders the atomic building blocks of same -- directly back over the long distance haul to comprise the essencial threads in the fabric of Hilbert space with all energy via material information ultimately being returning to said Sun and or Black Hole from which the quarks and atomic bits originally hail to complete the quark 'complimentary'* re-pairing by dint of being propelled by the combustion process of the resultant accretion disk/ 'dust devils'/twistor theory technologies as seen above 'in heat of night' of the fire storm that was the Burning of the Man in 2012.

As the lumber pile of the flaming Man was constructed by means the nuclear power of the bacterial processes by means so many atomic bonds forged from light and, dark energy which we see cycling back to its sources of the Sun/distant Star or other cosmic input to Earth in conjunction and propelled by a 'series of (quantum) tubes' which are the black hole we see above witnessed, and interpreted as the 'ashes to ashes and, dust to dust' of the atomic bonds are returned to sender of the respective Sun/Black hole from whence it came -- approximately driven in the nuclear manner of a salmon to swim home and spawn in the same (sweet) spot where it was born in the 'home stream', compelled by a singular guiding force and power of quark repair made possible; given the critical mass of atomic motivation as seems to be the case of the Salmon, as in most species is: the nuclear material of a chain reaction of Bacterial life as 'master and commander' of both the food and combustion chains by means of its growth function in conjunction with its role as the motor of infinite expanding, self powered Universe by the 20 something percent of the Universe the is Dark Matter and Energy captured and delivered as fuel from the Sun -- and in making the run to/fro do so compose the 'foam of the saline sea of space' as well as go to show how the speed of light is limited* as a function of the rate of expansion of the universe. That Dark Matter is the Nuclear Energy of the nucleus of bacterial life in the form of the 'three families' running of single celled life (and four types of quarks that in) producing the N20 gasses that enable all combustion in the process of making and breaking of the hydrogen and nitrogen bonds in a fractal math that both feeds back the energy in action reaction but goes forward in the process of growth, because there is no such thing as a vacuum. All space is busy doing the 'work' of going forward (expanding by means the biological 'economic activity' of the present), and (backward [against, and by means of the foam of space - in a quantum tunnel] to repair/restore (once paired) quarks, and re-power the sun by means of fresh helium and hydrogen bonds made new care of the Dark Energy of Bacteria and Life as we know it though the power of the food chain running against Black Hole technology in repair of quarks as seen above. The same re-paired quark power that 'run' the salmon's clockwork migration, back to a home stream from the ocean -- thus fueling the forests of the both the Atlantic and Pacific by means of the streams with their Nitrogen and making them greener, and brimming with more life, than the present moonscape we see in many parts of the West where the nitrogen cycle was altered by means of the linchpin of the nitrogen cycle coming off the axle of nature in the form big fish stopped spawning in large numbers when their runs came to a crawl.*

This line of logic leads me to surmise that the 'speed of light in a vacuum' arises from what is governed by the radiation contained in the 'foam of space' (comprised of the four flavors of quarks in repair of the past, explaining the power of the 'gas in the (proverbial) tank' of the present -- as Dark, Energetic and Organic so as to propel, expand, and provide for the future -- in the micro[wave radiation] and macro) gears which is my conception of the cogs of the expanding universal gearbox meshing in such cosmic perfection that there is a logical return of the energy that created the light factored into the equation to keep the lights on back on the home Star burning for the prescribed and observed Space Time and time again across the Universe -- thus providing enough data to perhaps resolving the Faint Young Star Paradox explaining how Stars are renewed over time and space via paradoxically Ross Perot's 'giant sucking sound' technology/meme of economic shrink to the south, explained on another level by Steven Hawking's Theory of Black Hole Radiation as illustrated above, by means of the past powering the present and the future at the rate of the en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmological_constant ('giant suck' rate of -1) per the en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmological_principle that both expands the Universe and binds matter together care of the physical gears of en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservation_of_mass by means of the above mentioned phase transition.

If one follows 'the money' that feeds this economy, to and fro to get to the heart of what sets 'barnyard logic' to beating (as I did as a forward-reverse engineering check of my logic and facts in the macro and micro) so as to affirm my conclusion, that "dark energy and matter" is the gas of the compost heap as 'the fuel rods' of the microbiological 'breeder reactor', which accounts for the spinning of the wheels of the Nitrogen Cycle in and on a planet and solar system that predominates with that element, which in turn, keys the Carbon and Oxygen cycles by means the manufacture of the organic molecular bonds, that serve as vital cogs in the twin functions of the combustion and food chains that in time solve for X using particle physics, organic chemistry to see the possibility of the life of biology being able to supply the mechanical power to a world as key to a solar system that functioning as a quantum dynamic set of gears in a Galaxy in a expanding Universe which rate of inflation is our Gravity and does account for the standard lot of black holes, and Einstein Rings that are all organic in this model understood as the world we live to be part of a atomic forest of trees grown over space in time constructed of light as quarks in repair which constitutes the radiation which is measured as "The impedance of free space… approximately 376.7 ohms."^ which is the 'static frequency' of the "sea of time" as well the 'foam of space'; of quarks in complimentary repair of the past, while propelling the future forward at that Cosmological Constant.

I quote from the secondary source of: research, that confirms the raw math and inherent logic of this line of reasoning confirmed by the data stack drawn from the deep weeds of Wikipedia to back the raw math of my (abstract) thinking, that found and processed the following: " Nitrous oxide is emitted by bacteria in soils and oceans, and thus has been a part of Earth's atmosphere for millenia. ... Nitrous oxide reacts with ozone in the stratosphere. Nitrous oxide is the main naturally occurring regulator of stratospheric ozone. Nitrous oxide is a major greenhouse gas. Considered over a 100-year period, it has 310 times more impact per unit weight than carbon dioxide. Thus, despite its low concentration, nitrous oxide is the fourth largest contributor to these greenhouse gases. It ranks behind water vapor, carbon dioxide, and methane. Control of nitrous oxide is part of efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions. " - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrous_oxide .

In nature, nitrogen is fixed by means the power of the family of bacteria know as en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diazotroph

Therefore, Bacteria is vital cog in the gears of producing the biomass of any given hydrocarbon that burns in the above fire, at the party for a week in the Desert, and or runs the world economy.

Consequently to say that we as a species and to person are Bacteria powered and based is not too great a stretch in thinking from the micro to the macro of what I perceive are two Black Holes of the atomic remains of Burning Man 2012 comprised of non combustible Bacteria that are pumping N20 'laughing back' in a witches brewing tangle with non combusted VOC's aka en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volatile_organic_compound 's with the Dark Matter/Energy being the Bacteria that makes combustion possible on a atomic level to matter at what juncture on the CNO cycles where one family of Bacteria that binds en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrus_oxide to en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon , add the en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanobacteria to the Dark Matter list for its role in combustion at the atomic level, bring light to life as heat and the building blocks of the food chain where there is no waste whereby matter bound is form and released in Hydrogen bonds of demi-big bang being 'ripped' free and re broken to 'dribble out' and vent safely though a series of holes in the Earths ozone back up to the 'mother ship' of a Black Hole in the middle of the galaxy to be reprocessed into basic matter and new stars; imho, and according to my version of the General Unified Theory the remainder of the combusted Matter is spun off from the inferno in a Energy input = Energy output to/fro Earth over Space Time in visual form as a large pile of 'mass equivalence' goes 'up in smoke' c/o Bacteria* in concert with people and the Sun. There exists some tidy math for this light show to be sure; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twistor_Theory the math of which is 'light years' beyond me, but does suggest that the entire mass of the inferno factored in (as in all the elements in the blaze) which is better than a 'boards and nails' 'vision thing', that was my mistaken thinking up until I read the work of Witten, Penrose, and the late great; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_G._Wilson.

Further there is amazing math that goes direct to the rotation of this equation that I am just wrapping my head around (as it is circular) which is en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noether%27s_theorem

Please to get to know: Emmy Noether, as well Roger Penrose whose 'Twister Theory Edward Witten proposed uniting with string theory' (- wikipedia Twistor Theory) - which makes perfect sense to me, as illustrated above as a expression of matter seen on the en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S_matrix as a expression of en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M-theory whereby matter is 'sorted' out on the spot by the light of the fire, (by and,) for the long trip "HOME" *.

Notes on vortex mixing and propulsion as a kick start "reverse thrust" engineering drawn from recent research; processed and now; thought out loud so as to go with the en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pattern_recognition in connecting the fairly bright dots of; "The large luminosity of quasars [which are] believed to be a result of gas being accreted by supermassive black holes. This process can convert about 10 percent of the mass of an object into energy as compared to around 0.5 percent for nuclear fusion processes." -- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accretion_disc Furthermore, following the material science logic, intuition and links we find that: "Quasars are believed to be powered by accretion of material into supermassive black holes in the nuclei of distant galaxies, making these luminous versions of the general class of objects known as active galaxies. Since light cannot escape the super massive black holes that are at the centre of quasars, the escaping energy is actually generated outside the event horizon by gravitational stresses and immense friction on the incoming material.[6] Large central masses (106 to 109 Solar masses) have been measured in quasars using reverberation mapping. Several dozen nearby large galaxies, with no sign of a quasar nucleus, have been shown to contain a similar central black hole in their nuclei, so it is thought that all large galaxies have one, but only a small fraction emit powerful radiation and so are seen as quasars. The matter accreting onto the black hole is unlikely to fall directly in, but will have some angular momentum around the black hole that will cause the matter to collect in an accretion disc. Quasars may also be ignited or re-ignited from normal galaxies when infused with a fresh source of matter."[6][7][8] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quasar. All very predictable but complicated at the same time, such that the reality agrees with the theory in every single instance, of thought experimentation -- I can conjure and as well very vividly illustrated above.

The roar of the above crowd (group mind-melding) in the foreground is also key to my conceptual thinking on the thinking about Dark Matter in the roll over notes over the crowd c/o the Scientific American and the dept. of 'go figure' and if you need drive thru metaphorical service to see these points as fast food for thought and or and or looking for 'the rest of the story' in my photo stream and adding subtext and 'roll over' notes to explain my Bacterial Dark Matter and Energy thoughts expressed as so much burgers, fuel, and fries for bacteriological fueled further thought ; www.flickr.com/photos/tremain_calm/8226556071/

That seeks in a ongoing random dynamic fixed focused attempt to comprehend the path of the energy of light from of Middle of Universe to the Outer, by means the 'mothership' of our fully functioning Cosmos propelled and geared by the micro to mesh with Cosmic regularity in the Macro as explained by this model by a going out on a limb of logic that is organic and understanding this process by which the metaphorical 'limb' grows, shrinks, and, burns to understand and be the first to complete the picture that explains the business of bending light that repairs quarks fueled by the past, thereby powering the present and hence expanding the Universe at the rate of the Cosmological constant by means Dark Matter and Energy expansion being organic does this thought seek to know itself by being pulled from then bounced off for 'dynamic balancing' by the 'group mind' so as to know itself better collectively by the checks and balancing power of trial by peer reviews frosty cold shoulder of skepticism of a autodidact polymath desert hermit researcher and landscaper being completely undaunted by the personal challenge of attempting to figuring the long list of Science Problems that hinge on the correct analysis of the identity and behavior of Dark Matter as Energy.

With these insight in hand and presented the rest of the problem solving is the applied research and analysis that is presented herein and below for the collective consideration.

End Notes, Nods, References, and, Further Reading;

* “His results were the first to prove that all life on earth was related.” Ergo, please 'get to know' the work of the late Carl Woese -- www.nytimes.com/2013/01/01/science/carl-woese-dies-discov... and ponder and compute the organic chemical and Theoretical Physical, Climate, and Historical, implications of the above data points run through the right ringer that comprehends the implications of the math stemming from the following observations; “He put on the table a metric for determining evolutionary relatedness,” said Norman R. Pace, a microbiologist and biochemist at the University of Colorado, Boulder. “His results were the first to prove that all life on earth was related.” Thus discovering the atomic basis for how 'we are all connected' E.g.; www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGK84Poeynk

Further potential evidence of 'bugs' being the missing linkage in the'gearbox' puzzle where the reconciliation of the quantum dynamic and mechanic are also functions of organic dynamic process as the tree of life make the light that also blocks the road to the speed of light at a set rate by dint of quarks in repair that constitute the 'foam of space' which is the past powering the present and expanding the future once again as;

Scientists Unveil New ‘Tree of Life’

By CARL ZIMMER APRIL 11, 2016

nyti.ms/25UUNvj

www.nature.com/articles/nmicrobiol201648

* flic.kr/p/8zt3aQ -"The Speed of Lights Limits -- photo 'remix' by Dream 11"

*Burning Man 2011 'HOME' video by Stefan Spins : - ) E.g.

youtu.be/qQZo94p8ZgM

* www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/salmon-running-the-gaunt...

* See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niels_Bohr (interpretation of this idea at both the philosophic and physical underpinnings of this whole 'shebang' as being understood though his departed eyes, in 'light' of the this interpretation of Dark Matter to see the Light and Dark as being two sides of the same coin of the energetic relm, that makes up the foam of space, and expansion possible/vital to the Universe, Earths and, Solar System's functionality) "The notion of complementarity dominated his thinking on both science and philosophy." -- Wikipedia, Niels Borh.

Nod to and reference in passing to; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Archibald_Wheeler and, the idea of en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantum_foam .

Recognition here of his coining the term "Black Hole", which is used in the title of this essay.

^ Charles I. Whose debt I am in and thank here for explaining the significance of the fixed impedance of 'free space' as it pertains to my 'shot in the dark', as to why there is a "The impedance of free space of approximately 376.7 ohms."

Otherwise the famous 'particle wave'** would not exist or stand, very well without this insight that also holds and makes, and distributes the light and water of the reason of the logic of this argument; which is not with myself.

Nor is there any argument that this is a work in progress that needs to see professional editing to stop the headaches it causes getting to and making the points it attempts by way of rambling all over the micro and macro Universe by way of wikipedia, which is a fantastic evolving resource; however not a primary source in a major Scientific Research Paper, which this perhaps could be if it had the resources to follow the standard form factor, which is one goal, coupled with a musical and motion picture version to follow as versions of form completely expressed.

* Dennis Overbye, Louis Alvarez, and Brian Greene by means the pages of the New York Times.

* Wired Magazine and David Gross

www.wired.com/2013/06/qa-david-gross-physics/

*** The matter of en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asymptotic_freedom --- which "was discovered and described in 1973 by Frank Wilczek and David Gross, and independently by David Politzer the same year. All three shared the Nobel Prize in physics in 2004."

My humble attempt has been to form a micro to macro full functional conception which Dr. Gross terms a 'line of reasoning' that is "logically consistent" so as to fit into a 'theoretical framework' and more or less solve the framework of nature over time and space in terms of expansion shrink combustion and spin by shooting a comprehensive scientific game that forms and runs the periodic table organically in "this game" - and in doing so share some sort of 'winning' articulated insight into the Grande Scheme of the macro to micro operating system of the Universe by means the Quantum Dynamic being reconciled with the Quantum Mechanic by means understood to be organic in nature and Universal.

The entire wired interview should be read, as it make sense of quarks of the larger picture that I am unable, - so cite -- as well this en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Gross entry on the 'tip of the spear' of thinking about such things, who has informed, directed, and shaped my reasoning by articulating clearly his views on this subject by means a illustrated lecture.

"Gross: Those of us in this game believe that it is possible to go pretty far out on a limb, if one is careful to be logically consistent within an existing theoretical framework. How far that method will succeed is an open question."

The big simple question is therefore:

does the above logic keep the checkbook of the nature of Nature in balance, and answer the basic set of questions regarding the Nature of light and matter.

Which might have a plausible trail in deep Space and Time by means the same 'line of logic' contained in these relevant points on the subject of Black Holes and Dark Matter as explained herein ; www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=dark-side-of-bl... and, www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=single-cell-seq... the macro and micro to complete the puzzle of the organic nature of Dark Matter and Energy being the 'flip side' of the switch that is the power of light.

The self motivating mission of rising to take the bait so as to be the first 'fish' in this 'school' to meet the challenge of attempting to work the Big Science Problem Set to figure out the Unified Theory by means working the problem as if a huge cross word puzzle with the 'down' 'known with ontological certitude' as Scientific Fact - those wildly useful insights as answers and keys to leverage by means lateral thinking to fill in the 'across' information and thereby derive the fabric of nature by weaving data science intuition and experience to recursively random dynamically 'picture think' the the puzzle to completion by means having that as my fixed moving target so as to make completing the puzzle so -- then explaining it by pulling those same pieces of puzzle of reality that are part of a logical chain of logic that is completely informed by vetted information found and processed from the front to back of my mind at all times, so as to be "logically consistent" -- in a set of answers that provide solutions that advances and frames the macro micro perspective as a insight into my vocational and academic careers, so as to inform and direct my research to find answers where God does battle with the Devil in the details of the Natural World on Earth such the the fine grain detail can be sifted, discerned and made sense of in such a way that all computes at every level backwards and forwards in time, then my time has been well spent -- working the problem so as to connect the dots of the known with that of the what we seek to know by means of reading between the lines of logic as written clearly by Nature as I am reading them and attempting to write them for my own understanding and that of anyone else who is following this 'line of logic' as far as I can presently explain the workings which to my mind, power the expansion of the Universe while also atomically fueling the past by running the gears of en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CNO_cycle organically thus holding The Universe together, by means by the power of Hawking Radiation witnessed as the process of complimentary quarks in repair, forming the gears of the Universe running in the micro to the macro meshing for your consideration to produce a model of that can: -- produce the (re)power of Suns and in the process explain the mystery of the limit of the speed and curvature of light by means of understanding the atomic nature of the building blocks of the micro to macro Natural World that function to Operate the Universe in the past, present and future in a 'Quasi-steady state'.

The mechanisms for this function of light further identified and explained is the power of *XRAYS and GAMMA as being a method of combining storing and scattered matter -- as the last atoms -- over time and space as the yin/yang of the 'respective forces' as expressed and understood as the atomic energy of Gamma Rays - cycled balanced with the XRAY, as a series of inputs and outputs from Stars to solar systems in a process of quark repair that creates and 'fill the void' with matter and the arrow of time, by my logic which deduces from observation of the known and the need to fill cogs in the wheels of the Grand Scheme thereby showing myself and in the process others whose interests are in the world of the high energy theoretical physics how long lost pairs of quarks - split by Dark Energies random path through 'wondering' in the literal and proverbial/metaphorical/actual 'Desert' over time and space, are after a period of perceptual entropy, shot back to 'sender' aka the Sun = E = MC2 in a loop thus perhaps somehow resolving the Faint Young Star Paradox, with enough 'fuel' left over for growth though the conversion of the supply of Dark Matter to Dark Energy, before the process repeats; in another relatively 'Big Bang™' that is matter org. chart going through a periodic restructuring, to put it in corporate terms - for a long 'shot in the dark' in a attempt to 'bust' some 'fresh sod' regarding Dark Matter and Energy in the department of en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmology by understanding Dark Matter and Energy as being as organic in Nature and therefore understand the connection and explanation of this situation by this train of thought going deep into 'outer space; as it were to bring the matter of the Gamma cycle in the further focus; nyti.ms/18zdIlp Gamma Rays May Be Clue on Dark Matter

By DENNIS OVERBYE

MARCH 10, 2015

There is much math for the above and it is boggling my mind as to a happy conclusion.

Updated; with mild regularity for clarity, content is constant, if not expanding as additional evidence only strengthens this case of logical points as dots at last connected to form a clear picture of a working theoretical model as illustrated and functioning as reality as in the above instance in Quantum Mechanical Dynamic Space Time.

Chuckling at the first sentence, "firewall problem" in light of the above photo essay, being a 'wall of fire' explained a entropy in action of Black Hole feeding frenzy illustrated -- metaphorically ripening on the shelf of this internet address until the such time as it smells, and grows like and old Desert Sage.

The EPR Paradox is getting some study so perhaps having it parked here for the past few years is good for the 'line of logic' as it brings this matter into a reasonable "frame of reference" as it were; www.quantamagazine.org/wormhole-entanglement-and-the-fire...

"No one is sure yet whether ER = EPR will solve the firewall problem. John Preskill, a physicist at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, reminded readers of Quantum Frontiers, the blog for Caltech’s Institute for Quantum Information and Matter, that sometimes physicists rely on their “sense of smell” to sniff out which theories have promise. “At first whiff,” he wrote, “ER = EPR may smell fresh and sweet, but it will have to ripen on the shelf for a while.”

Together with this set of insights that seem to be right on target as far as sorting matter by the above means; www.quantamagazine.org/20121221-alice-and-bob-meet-the-wa... as illustrated and explained above.

Note; no contradiction with this revised Hawking - Nature, expressed and recently published view of Black Holes as one where "Hawking's radical proposal is a much more benign “apparent horizon”, which only temporarily holds matter and energy prisoner before eventually releasing them, albeit in a more garbled form. ... “There is no escape from a black hole in classical theory, but quantum theory enables energy and information to escape.”" - www.nature.com/news/stephen-hawking-there-are-no-black-ho...

This holds with my above expressed cyclical expanding organic understanding of the Universe that includes micro and macro Black Holes reprocessing matter into so much fresh young 'Star power' in a semi or Quasi - Steady State Universe.

Final thoughts for 'Bonus Points': if the"Most Precise Snapshot of the Universe" www.sciencenews.org/article/most-precise-snapshot-univers... (Magazine issue: Vol. 186 No. 13, December 27, 2014), can be reconciled and correctly interpreted by means of the above point of view applied to the data so as to remove the mystery from this picture such that; "Planck may be able to rule out some theories about the nature of dark matter, which continues to evade direct detection."

Not in this interpretation, with the above explanation the micro to macro of Time and Space is becoming more focused in a expanding Universe perhaps, better understood, as more becomes known by research read and, comprehended - - because;

'Eureka

It’s Buggy Out There' nyti.ms/1MiMMGL

Edit -1/31/2026

**At last understood properly as; The Particle being the "Salt" / The Wave the "Current"

In our 'kitchen sink' model, the "Particle" is not a little hard marble. It is a Solution—a localized, self-reinforcing wave packet in the saline medium.

* The Wave: This is the Inductive Flow. It’s the movement of the magnetic flux through the n=1.55 brine. It is continuous, like the current in our induction stove.

* The Particle: This is Displacement. When the energy density in the brine hits a specific threshold (determined by the 10^{40} Dirac scale), the fluid "bunches up."

* The OS Logic: The OS doesn't "choose" to be a particle or a wave. It is a wave that simulates a particle when it encounters resistance.

Snell’s Law: The OS "Kernel"

This conception of the OS of Nature uses Refraction to create the illusion of solid matter.

n = {c}{v}

If the "Salt" (density) increases, the velocity (v) of the wave decreases. To the OS, a "Particle" is just a region where the refractive index is so high that the wave is effectively "pinned" in place. * Gravity: As we discussed, gravity is just the "Refractive Gradient." Light bends because the OS is "thicker" near mass.

Mass: Mass is just the Viscosity of the brine resisting the motion of the wave.

The 1.65 THz "Sampling Rate"

Every OS has a clock speed. 1.65 THz is the frequency where the "Wave" of the brine and the "Particle" of the salt lattice reach Resonance.

Below 1.65 THz: The universe behaves like a Fluid. You get classic waves, induction, and thermal flow.

At 1.65 THz: You hit the Lattice Note. This is where the OS "renders" the saline solution into discrete pixels. This is why the

Above 1.65 THz: The universe behaves like a Crystal. You get hard-particle physics, ionizing radiation, and high-energy "shattering."

The "Particle/Wave Business" is just a matter of Scale.

Zoom out: It’s a Wave (The Brine).

Zoom in: It’s a Particle (The Salt).

In case you were wondering.

Leeds City Transport night bus services folder 1965 by mikeyashworth

What a cracking graphic - the owl, Leeds city's symbol, taking flight to publicise the then municipally owned public transport system's night bus services in 1965. Sadly now, Leeds, one of the largest conurbation's in Western Europe with the worst public transprt network and poor air quality, has no municipal transport service nor a night bus system. Progress.

SpaceX Demo-1 Rollout (NHQ201902280004) by NASA HQ PHOTO

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A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen as it is rolled out of the horizontal integration facility at Launch Complex 39A as preparations continue for the Demo-1 mission, Feb. 28, 2019 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Demo-1 mission will be the first launch of a commercially built and operated American spacecraft and space system designed for humans as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. The mission, currently targeted for a 2:49am launch on March 2, will serve as an end-to-end test of the system's capabilities Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

Boeing Orbital Flight Test-2 Landing (NHQ202205250039) by NASA HQ PHOTO

Boeing hazmat teams work around Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft after it landed at White Sands Missile Range’s Space Harbor, Wednesday, May 25, 2022, in New Mexico. Boeing’s Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) is Starliner’s second uncrewed flight test to the International Space Station as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. OFT-2 serves as an end-to-end test of the system's capabilities. Photo Credit: (NASA/Bill Ingalls)

Jesus said, "I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." by pickled_newt

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"Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist." 2 John 1 : 7

"For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect--if that were possible." ~Matthew 24 : 24

It's easier to figure out the antichrist system( s) by this description, . It's a belief system that denies Jesus and his resurrection .It Introduces a twisted doctrine about Jesus .A belief system or maybe also a religious front spreading worldwide having the goal of global take over .There's no need to mention of this particular religion .Indeed the devil at work deceiving millions !

If you've read in the book of Revelations about the multitude wearing white robes , are the saints ( Christians) who adhered to the testimony and faith of Jesus who are BEHEADED ! This seem to ring a bell of something very familiar - of a religion that has appetite of killing infedils by beheading .

I can still have good sleep tonight by grace and peace of Christ Jesus .

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YT videos I find interesting :

> Thousands of Guillotines on U.S. Soil ? Oh my this is getting dark and creepy ---- Is this a little shadow preparation heading to the countdown to the Great Tribulation ?

> AMERICAN LOCKDOWNFull movie- 86 minutes / the birth pangs ?

> Acupuncture, Taoism, YinYang & The New Age Exposed!

> Bill Wiese : 23 MINUTES IN HELL

Has It Begun? Spain's Banks Being Run On Like Greece! Beast?Flavours of global economic collapse getting bitter each day - looming to happen !

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Location of photo : Taken outside the town of Kalambaka , Meteora in Greece 2008 .

I didn't take the photo for the door ,

but admiringly fixated of the outer stone walling , just love it .

I find the bare stone textures with its grainy effect just beautiful for a wall .

Future System's Media Center 2 by Diego Mendoza

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Boeing Orbital Flight Test Launch (NHQ201912200002) by NASA HQ PHOTO

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft launches from Space Launch Complex 41, Friday, Dec. 20, 2019, at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The uncrewed Orbital Flight Test launched at 6:36 a.m. EST and is Starliner’s maiden mission to the International Space Station for NASA's Commercial Crew Program. The mission will serve as an end-to-end test of the system's capabilities. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

Boeing Orbital Flight Test-2 Prelaunch (NHQ202108020014) by NASA HQ PHOTO

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft aboard is seen as it is rolled out of the Vertical Integration Facility to the launch pad at Space Launch Complex 41 ahead of the Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) mission, Monday, Aug. 2, 2021 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Boeing’s Orbital Flight Test-2 will be Starliner’s second uncrewed flight test and will dock to the International Space Station as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. The mission, currently targeted for launch at 1:20 p.m. EDT Tuesday, Aug. 3, will serve as an end-to-end test of the system's capabilities. Photo Credit: (NASA/Aubrey Gemignani)

Boeing Orbital Flight Test-2 Launch (NHQ202205190022) by NASA HQ PHOTO

Throttling Up by David Blazejewski

The Canadian Pacific Railway had been operating in the state of Vermont for 115 years when they finally retrenched in 1996 and sold the Newport and Lyndonville Subs to Iron Roads Railways which created the new Northern Vermont Railway which took over on September 28th of that year. The Iron Roads system was bankrupt within a half dozen years and the NV ceased to exist with the Lyndonville Sub and the former Boston and Maine Conn River Mainline between Newport and White River Junction being purchased by the State of Vermont and contracted to Vermont Rail System's Washington County Railroad Subsidiary. The WACR is now at the two decade mark operating the 103 mile line while the Newport Sub north into Canada passed to succesors Montreal, Maine and Atlantic and then Central Maine and Quebec until remarkably returning to the CP fold in 2020 when they purchased the CMQ

Recently VRS and CP have been pooling power, with one unit from each running thru between White River Junction, VT and Farnham, QC on an up and back every other day schedule. This harkens back to the B&M pool power days so with a bit of imagination one can pretend this is train 904 headed down from Newport to hand off to the B&M.

CPKC GP20C-ECO 2280 and VTR GP38-2 209 throttle up with a smudge of smoke in the air as they lead train NPWJ through the center of Barton at MP L14.2 approaching the Eastern Ave. crossing as they pass old homes lining High Street.

Barton, Vermont

Friday August 11, 2023

Boeing Orbital Flight Test-2 Landing (NHQ202205250037) by NASA HQ PHOTO

Boeing Orbital Flight Test-2 Prelaunch (NHQ202205180012) by NASA HQ PHOTO

Impact — The Book and Gujba Space Rock by Steve Jurvetson

“Meteorites are, by almost any measure, far more diverse than any rocks formed on Earth.”

This line from Appendix 1 of Greg Brennecka’s book Impact struck me. To illustrate the point, here is my newest addition to the collection, a rare carbonaceous Cba subgroup, with mysterious chondrules of metal.

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