I just bought a wave 2 with the extra battery. I already have a delta 1000 and I have 600 watts worth of solar panels on my boat. I believe it can only pull 400 watts of solar but anyone with solar panels knows you don't get the full rating so I usually pull the 400 max watts in. I'm hoping to turn the wave on as the sun goes down to cool the cabin in max for about an hour then switch it to eco mode for a few hours until it dies. Now I'll get to my real question... I'm planning on leaving the unit in the cockpit and just running the one AC tube down in the cabin. Has anyone figured out a good way to run the duct? Through a port hole, make another cabin door with a 5" hole? Any ideas are welcome!

Forgive me if this is the wrong place to post this, but there seems to be little in the way of what I would consider reasonable storm preparedness without getting into overpowered whole home compound backup solutions. I live in the south in a sizable neighborhood powered by URD, so we don't have power outages often but being in a hurricane zone does mean there's potential for several days' outage.
I have 10 year old solar panels on the home, but I'm given to understand that if I were to put a whole home battery on it I'd have to have a new inverter and/or the panels rewired. For the cost of that (and how quickly the technology is moving) I think I'd be okay waiting another 10 years and just replace the whole system. In the meantime, I have a 1 kWh Ecoflow battery and a 2200w suitcase generator. Current strategy when the power goes out is to use the 1kW battery to power a few lights, the refrigerator, deep freeze, and WiFi/TV until the storm has passed, and then switch out to the gas-powered generator and run all that plus a small 5000 BTU window AC after the storm passes. But this involves running heavy extension cords from one side of the house to the other.
I've seen that GoalZero has a transfer switch with four circuits that's not too unreasonably priced. The main panel is in the garage, so probably not ideal to store a battery long term. But I could run 1) Master Bedroom/Window AC/Wifi/TV, 2) Refrigerator, 3) Garage DooDeep Freeze, 4) Microwave (of course, I know I'd have to turn everything off to run the microwave). I do have concerns since the Goal Zero transfer switch is only a 15 amp input on it, not sure if running a window AC, refrigerator, and freezer would be too much for it.
My question is... Would it be foolish to have such a small transfer switch installed to use what I've already got without the hassle of running extension cords? It would open up the possibility of replacing the Ecoflow with one of GoalZero's larger batteries for a few thousand. Or, for the expense, would it be better to install something like EcoFlow's smart panel that switches over power automagically? Or is there something that I'm just not seeing here where I could utilize these big solar panels on the house in a power outage, since it seems they're completely wasted in that case?

So I am 26 years old. I am from Melbourne Australia. I am single and I live with my mother, my step-dad, my brother and my sister in law who have just moved back in recently after having moved out of home 3 years ago, but have moved back in to save money to eventually move out into the country somewhere. They are not really city/suburb people. The prefer regional/rural areas.
Anyway, the problem in our family is my step dad. I would say for the last 5-6 years, he has withdrawn alot from us. He spends the majority of his time (when he is not at work) sitting outside smoking, drinking and watching YouTube videos on his phone. We barely see him except for weekends because he works the afternoon/evening shifts.
When we do see him on weekends, he barely ever wants to do anything with us. We are always inviting him out to do things with us, but the majority of the time, he says no and uses the excuse of staying home to look after the dogs to get out of it. The only thing that we really do anymore is watch our show together on Saturday nights (if we haven't got something on, which we often do), but even that he is starting to lose interest in.
He also get sick quite often. He has a really bad cough due to his heavy smoking. I have never smoked in my life. My mum, brother and sister in law have, but they have all given up regular cigarettes now and either vape or use marijuana. I would honestly prefer if they just ditched the vapes and just smoked the marijuana to be honest and I have never had a problem with people who smoke pot as long as you do it safely and don't drive on it. It smells way better than cigarettes or the horrible artificial smell of vapes. Anyway, that's not the point.
He (my step dad) has also claimed to be on a meat and dairy only diet for the past couple of years now, basically the complete opposite of a vegan, yet we constantly see him eating bread, chips and other regular foods that are not part of his carnivore diet. He also makes a massive mess in the kitchen every time he cooks his food and never cleans it up because he cooks and attempts to clean in the dark without the light on.
We all think (myself, mum, my brother and sister in law) all think he had some severe health problems like potentially lung cancer and maybe even early onset dementia, but her just will not go to the doctor.
My brother and sister in law even said that one of the main reasons they moved out in the first place 3 years ago was because of how uncomfortable they felt around him and now they are saying the exact same thing again. They said it again literally tonight.
He also does not have a very good relationship with either of his biological children (my step brother and step sister). He says that he wishes that he talked to and saw them more, yet he makes little to no effort to see them or spend time with them outside of special occasions like birthdays, despite the fact that his son lives 10 minutes around the corner. His daughter lives a few hours away, but you would think he would make the time to see her more often, especially since his daughter now has a daughter, making him a grandfather.
He also sleeps in a completely separate room to my mum too which I believe severely impacts their relationship. Couples who do not sleep in the same bed together (for the most part) I believe do not wore every well in general. Now to be fair, this is mainly due to the fact that he snores very loudly and has too wear a massive CPAP machine at night which would keep mum awake, so he eventually just moved into the spare room. That part of it I get, but it's still not ideal.
And the worst part is, all that is just scratching the surface. My mum is constantly ranting and complaining to me about how much she has had enough and is fed up with him just doing nothing and not wanting to be a part of the family any more and just retreating into himself and I completely agree with her as well.
My mum and step dad have been together for 20 years this year, but I know for a fact that she does not love him anymore and wants to break up with him and end the relationship. Not only has she flat out told me this in private, but she wouldn't even have to tell me for me to know.
The biggest problem however and the primary reason why she won't separate from his is money. They have a mortgage for the house in both their names, many contracts are in both their names as well for things that we have done to the house like adding the solar panels, the battery backup for the solar panels, the renovations etc. A few joint accounts too.
Mum has told me so many times that if she were to win the lottery, she would leave him in a heartbeat. The money side of things and so many things being in both their names makes the situation so much harder. Mum has also said that she could not afford to live in our house if they split up as just a one person salary would not cover everything. I currently do not have a job and am actively;y looking for a new one after leaving a toxic work environment recently, but I do my part by paying for the houses monthly internet bill which lowers the cost of my board and my brother and sister in law also chip in in their way, but I still don't know if that would be enough.
Now of course, I love my step dad. I really do. He has been my main father figure in my life for the past 20 years since my mum divorced my real dad in 1999 when I was 2 years old. I still see my real dad on a regular basis and we have a good relationship, but I obviously have not lived with him 24/7 like I have with my step dad for 20 years. It's just that unfortunately, he is just not working in our family anymore and something has to change.
I guess what I am asking for is some advice and some help. Is there a way that we can move on from him? Is there a way where we can get him out of our lives without our lives being shaken up in the process. We have lived in this house for 18 years and it is our home. The thought of moving somewhere else just because we wouldn't be able to afford it anymore is heartbreaking to me. I know I may eventually move out one day if I get a girlfriend or whatever, but more heartbreaking for my mum than anything else.
So my question to you all is, has anyone out there reading this experienced the same sort of thing I have just described to you and if so, how did you manage to get out of it (if you did) and get your family back again? Any sort of advice or information or whatever else you can give me would be so much appreciated.
Thank you for reading and listening.

I am planning on installing 10kW of solar panels and 30kWh of battery backup using an EG4 18KV inverter.
The inverter manual lists several different wiring configuration options for connecting to the grid/main panel, but I'm having a hard time deciding which configuration I should go with.
Can anyone provide any more info on the variables and factors at play between these configurations that I should consider when making the decision?

I saw somewhere this one and I want to find it but its hard so HELP is requested!
It was an anime gif where a dude, I believe it was grown up man, not just schooler. He was swimming on the surface with very peculiar movements with his hands being vertical.
Movements are forward and elbows back, forward and elbows back with a fists. U get it I think.
Can someone get this gif or name an anime with such "comedy swimming" if you find one!

Link for all the chapters available here: Engines of Arachnea on Royal Road
“That’s strange,” Exar said a minute later, “I’m not picking up any of the satellite constellations. If it was just one of them knocked out, I’d put it down to a scheduled maintenance. But all of em? Fishy, that’s what it is.”
“I don’t understand,” Rene’s spirits plummeted at the news. He should have known it wouldn’t be so easy.
“Me neither, chief. But take it easy!” Exar assured him, “There’s an easy fix for that. Just hike me up someplace with better reception. Any place where we can get above all these damn trees is good.”
“I’m afraid that’s not exactly an option, noble Exar.”
Rene briefly summarized the situation, filling in the details whenever Exar interrupted him with a question, which was not often.
“Got it,” Exar said after listening attentively, “In short, you’ve got a tribe of devolved humanoids on your tail, also infected by the same parasitoids as our young miss over here. Comms are down, and our closest exfil point is at least thirty-nine klicks due southeast, where our friends, ‘the Fleet’, will be waiting for you.”
“How did you measure the distance so precisely?” Rene asked.
“The T.O.R.U. you were piloting is currently in power cycling mode, but it’s still sending out its mayday message for the repair crews. Judging by the fact that it ejected us via safety pod, the unit must’ve suffered potentially catastrophic damage to its subsystems. Not to worry, though. My inbuilt Geiger counter just gave the all-clear, so there was no meltdown in the reactor core.”
“The most pressing issue is that you have less than 72 hours’ worth of fungicidal doses left, and nothing with which to defend yourself but the monomachete from your kit. In addition, this young lady—”
“Zildiz,” Rene supplied him.
“My bad—Zildiz. I like it, very exotic. Zildiz belongs to a culture which behaves aggressively towards Exodus Industries development projects here on the ground. That everything?” Exar briskly concluded.
Rene nodded. Exar then immediately began outlining a plan of action. Their first priority was to gain altitude and establish communication with ‘Exodus Industries’, an entity which Rene assumed was the ancestor-gods’ equivalent to Fleet Command.
Exar would then signal for help using the spinning bowl (which it referred to as an ‘allcomm antenna’) and an interstellar shuttle would be sent to transport them to the one of the moons.
The moons! Rene was giddy at the prospect of becoming the first man to have returned to mankind’s celestial origin. He tried not to get his hopes too high, however, knowing life’s avowed fondness for ruining every dream a man ever had.
Failing that, Exar would use the high vantage point to triangulate their position using nearby geographic landmarks. Once they had their bearings, it would be a simple matter of hiking over to the nearest hardened base and knocking on the airlock doors.
“I must say, you’re taking all this bad news remarkably in stride, wise Exar,” he told the beeping sphere.
“Oh, puh-leeze! This ain’t my first rodeo, pardner. We E.X.A.R. units have dealt with far worse in our time.”
“Really? Worse than Arachnea?”
“Oh, is that what the kids are calling this place these days? Sure is catchier than 65 Syngman Bb, lemme tell ya. But yeah, this here is nuthin.”
Exar chuckled, a child amused by the backwardness of his senile grandparents.
“Alien plague strains from the thawed-out heart of an asteroid. Cosmophage armadas unleashed by rogue A.I. Not to mention all those privateer raids on the fringes of Pact space. We’ve dealt with them all, helped people survive through the worst the galaxy can throw at them. And with 95% success rate, too, if I may add,” Exar said somewhat immodestly, “Anywho, that’s enough of me jawing. Let’s go mobile, chief.”
“What, right now?”
“The mist’s our best shot, bo-sing. Natural concealment. No telling how long it’ll last.”
Before they left, Rene had Exar explain the functions of all the tools in the kit. The sphere confirmed what Rene had suspected: the slate fed on the radiance of the suns. Exar called it a ‘solar cell panel’. In turn, the pronged cords attached to the solar cell could transfer energy to artefact he wanted to use.
He connected the panel to the mysterious gauntlet with the underslung pipe, which Exar informed him was a ‘laser designator’, a tool meant for guiding in airdropped supplies or flying machines.
“It also doubles as a heat source. Just up the wattage on that sucker with the slide wheel on the edge of the hand. See it?”
Rene put on the gauntlet and activated it by means of a green switch under the thumb. A tight needle of red light shone from the tube, and Rene understood that it was basically like the electrochemical torches that miners used. When he adjusted the slide wheel the needle of light narrowed and grew brighter. Where it touched the granite walls of the burrow there, sour-smelling wisps of smoke rose.
Hot enough to scorch stone? He would have to be careful where he pointed this.
“Go easy on it, though,” Exar advised him, “That kinda power output will drain the juice in a jiffy.”
“The juice?” Rene repeated stupidly.
Exar made it clear to him that the artefacts could store ‘the juice’ from the panel. Moreover, the panel could be mounted on the front or the back of the jumpsuit by means of the same backpack rigging that held the breathing apparatus, allowing the user to collect the juice and charge up to two devices (Exar included) even while on the move. Even the bulky survival kit could be could be fastened to his loadout with a set of clasps at the bottom of the pack which Rene hadn’t noticed.
“As for me, I can hitch a ride on your backpack as well,” Exar told him brightly. And indeed, there was a spherical indentation above the breathing apparatus where Exar could fasten himself in with his stubby spike legs.
Rene whistled appreciatively at the compact nature of the jumpsuit’s design; the entire survival kit was so cleverly put together, a testament to the ancestor-gods’ practical mindset.
He secured his gear, choosing to split the juices between Exar and the gauntlet, and got ready to leave. Rene crouched at the hatch of the burrow like a man in a trench waiting for the shrill whistle that would propel him up and over into the desolate no-man’s land.
Then he noticed Zildiz still huddled in place, not even daring to look at him or the talking sphere. Rene had originally been grateful that Exar’s appearance had shut her up, but this state of catatonic shock of hers worried him.
“Coming?” he asked her.
“I’m not going anywhere with that…that thing!” she stated categorically.
“Was it something I said?” Exar sounded hurt.
“The simulacrum said it would cut me out of my exomorph. That would kill me, Fleet-man.”
“Madame, I got no intention of hurting you!” Exar protested, “But the fact is, you’re sick. The parasite’s attached to so many of the organs in your body, that I fear that it’s totally coopted their functions. Our people have the technology to reverse all that.”
“I will not heed the promises of a slaved intelligence!” she snapped.
Their argument was interrupted by a chorus of hair-raising screams from the jungle beyond. Even in those guttural, inhuman voices there was no mistaking the notes of grief and rage.
“They’ve found Kryptus,” Rene surmised, “Just like you said they would.”
“I take it the natives are restless,” Exar tittered nervously, “Tailo, methinks we gotta go.”
Rene saw Zildiz hesitate, weighing the balance of her fears and forming an internal consensus. He made a move to tip the scales in his favor, and spoke to her from the heart:
“Zildiz. I swear to you that as long as it is within my power to protect you, I will not allow you to come to harm. You are a prisoner of penultimate importance to the Fleet. I’d sooner die than fail in my mission to get you back to civilization. If you doubt my intentions, consider the fact that nobody in their right minds would’ve tried so hard to keep you alive, not unless they have very good reasons to do so.”
“I am not like the Leapers or your people, the Gallivants. I am a soldier of the Fleet, and my priority is the continuation of my species—our species,” he added firmly, “Now, I can’t begin to imagine what horrors and depravities your kind have suffered these past few centuries, or what the Vitalus has taught you to believe. But in my mind, we are all one people under the same god. If that god is the Vitalus, then it is clear that he hates us. Why else would he, in all his supposed omnipotence, condemn us to live in this unending state of warfare and ignorance? Why does he forbid the full use of the human intellect, the sole source of our comfort and security in an uncaring universe? Why must he despise us so?”
“I don’t know the answers to those questions. But I do know this: I do not hate you, Zildiz of the Gallivants. In fact, I would very much like to help you. Will you let me do that?”
Rene stood up and lifted the hatch, turning to offer her a hand.
“Besides! If you come with me, we can go ask the gods in person.”
This is certainly new, Zildiz thought, unsure of what to make of Rene’s offer. His suggestion of a pan-kindred alliance bound together by their shared ancestry was ridiculous, of course. She knew enough of the mathematical models and the general principles of nature to know that such an undertaking was doomed by definition. And yet here was an opportunity unlike any other.
Rene meant to take her to one of the last remaining holdfasts of the Betrayers. Who would have thought that those ancient demons were still clinging on to life, lurking in some nameless abyss, waiting for their chance to wreak one final act of vengeance upon an unsuspecting Arachnea.
And here she was, uniquely placed to destroy them all in one fell stroke. Once she was nestled in that abode of evil, a single transmission from her magnetosynaptic organ to the Vitalus was all it would take to bring Its righteous fury down upon them.
The rewards would be immense. At the very least they would make her a Matriarch. Her gilt helix would live on forever in the generations to come, her legacy enshrined in the undying architecture of the genome. Her children would never go hungry or cold for the rest of their lives. She and her brood could have their pick of exomorph grafts.
Infrared eyes for night stalking, hypo thorax stabilizer tendons for prolonged flight, extra waste ducts, subdermal heat signature regulators, biochemical afterburners to add thrust, not to mention a whole slew of offensive weaponry—nothing would be off the table!
All she had to do was take Rene’s hand.
She did. The Fleet-man lifted her up out of the burrow, trying not to look too surprised at her acceptance.
A very naïve race, she decided. He caught her calculating gaze and must have mistaken it for the beginnings of friendship, for he said:
“Glad to have you aboard, Zildiz. Now let’s get the hell out of here.”
Link for all the chapters available here: Engines of Arachnea on Royal Road

So I’m buying a single wide manufactured home which I’ve done research and they say it’s not structural enough for the weight of the solar panels. If I build a detached metal roof or something similar will these companies let me finance or lease their system (with batteries)? I bought a piece of land that is too expensive to bring power poles and so I figure financing monthly for solar would be on par to paying a monthly energy bill. I already pay $158 a month for electricity where I live now so if I pay around $200 a month for solar that to me would be worth paying for considering bringing power to my land is 25k with no financing available to me. Any thoughts? My land is in southern New Mexico so sun isn’t a problem, no trees, dirt road access.

Hi, my kid is going on a one month camping trip and wants to bring a digital camera. Budget 300 Canadian (open to buying used).
Need something that will either have a rechargeable battery and spare, or maybe take AAA or AA batteries as she won’t have access to electricity for a month and won’t be bringing solar panels. Whichever power, needs enough that will last a month. Not looking for disposable cameras.
What are some good options: don’t need big zoom, quality of lens and images is a priority over long zoom or other unnecessary features.

Hi there, I wonder if anyone can help me decide what panels to go with for my boat.
I already have the Smartsolar 100/50, and was set on getting 2x Victron 360watt panels, which seem perfectly compatible on the Victron online calculator (as long as they are connected in parallel - series connection resulted in the calculator recommending a different controller) , as well as being a standard bundle that gets sold online at various stores.
Doing some more research (and attempting to save some money), I have found some dramatically cheaper panels from a big DIY chain in the UK, and have compiled a list of data for each panel, and was wondering if anyone could recommend one over the other?
I would be looking at buying 2 panels for either option, and wiring in parallel as the Victron online calc recommended, unless you think it is being a bit conservative, and series is fine?
Here's the data:
VIctron 360 panel/ Wickes - Longi 430 panel
Price - £280 / £95
Max power (Pmax/W) - 360 / 430
Open CIrcuit Voltage (Voc/V) - 47.4 / 39.43
Short Circuit Current (Isc/A) - 10.24 / 14
Voltage at Max Power (Vmp/V) - 38.4 / 33.16
Current at Max Power (Imp/A) - 9.38 / 12.97
Module Efficiency (%) - ? / 22
Warranty - 5 years / 15 years
Heres the relevant data from the MPPT:
SmartSolar Charge Controller
Rated charge current - 50A
NominalPVpower,12V - 700 W
Maximum PV open circuit voltage -100 V
Max.PVshortcircuitcurrent - 60A
Any advice is much appreciated.

“Will you look at that,” Captain Yontan marveled from the observation deck. They had arrived in the Solar System at long last, the old bastion of knowledge mankind had abandoned many millennia ago.
“Such a basic tech, yet so beautiful, so… poetic,” Lezlybe uttered, gazing at the constant flux of Sunfire Conduit pulled from the sun to one, two, three relays, and finally to the surface of Pluto, where its energy was being harnessed inside a crater. “And you’re certain that’s where the Ultimate Knowledge is stored?”
“Yes,” Yontan nodded. “Every clue leads to Pluto. Can you imagine? The Ultimate Knowledge, lost for millennia, on this planet out of all places.”
“Ready to descend at your command, captain,” announced Ghenna.
Yontan turned to his crew and smiled. It was the first time they had seen him do that in months. “Hover around the south-south-eastern quadrant of the crater. That’s where the entrance is supposed to be.”
“Yes, Sir!”
Lezlybe’s turned to face the captain, her long black hair swirling around with her.
“Wouldn’t that energy burn us on approach?”
“It might be basic tech, but not that basic, Lez,” said Yontan. “It’s safe up to a distance of 100 meters. Don’t underestimate the intelligence of our ancestors because they built this thing in the distant past. They were as smart as us. Smarter even, in certain aspects, I’m sure.”
“Found the entrance, captain,” said Ghenna. It was a pale peach colored door built on the craterside.
“Land near it, wherever it’s stable.”
“Yes, Sir!”
The ship touched down next to the Hollis Crater. Yontan and four others suited up and left the craft. Before heading for the door, the team stopped to gaze at the Sunfire Conduit from their position. It went up, up, up as far as the eye could see.
Jmerr was awestruck.
“I can’t believe we’re able to look at it with basic sun visors. Do you think our ancestors purposefully designed it like that?”
“Of course,” said Yontan, mesmerized by the spiraling blaze swooshing down the crater. “Aesthetics have always been important, especially since it used to be connected to three planets, two dwarf planets, and eight moons. Many renown painters have depicted the Conduits in their art. Although no physical portraits survived, their works have been well documented over hundreds of books.”
Lezlybe approached Jmerr and put her hand over his shoulder.
“I kind of wish we could hear its thunderous sound. I imagine it’d be a satisfying swoosh, kind of like a blowtorch.”
“You’d be deaf before you’d hear a thing,” laughed Yontan. “We’re speaking of extremely powerful jets coming from a star, after all. I can’t wait to see why they’re pulling so much energy on such a small planet. It’s totally excessive in my view.”
“Maybe it’s not,” said Lezlybe. “Especially if the Ultimate Knowledge is behind this door.”
The team approached the door, a small black panel to its side. Yontan placed a round device on top and, seconds later, it retracted into the ground.
“A Grampus?” frowned Jmerr, even though no one could see his face behind the visor. “Why do you use this old AI?”
“Because I don’t know the code,” explained Yontan as they stepped inside a long hall. “So I brought this device with me to crack the password. Don’t forget that this here is also old tech. Newer devices could break something.” He glanced over his shoulder at the wide-open entryway with the ship not too far behind. “But it looks like the Grampus broke it anyway since it doesn’t slide shut.”
At the end of the wide turquoise hall, another door was easily popped open with Yontan’s device. This time, however, the heavy door closed shut when the last person stepped in.
“I hope we’re not trapped in this small room,” gulped Lezlybe.
“Don’t worry, we can ask someone on board to cut it open if needed,” said Yontan. “After all we –”
PSHHHHHHHH
A burst of gas sprayed them from all sides, followed by a shower of heavy liquid. A few moments after it stopped, the door in front of them opened, and a gentle male voice greeted them.
“Welcome to U.K. ONE. The current air pressure is at 101.3 kilopascals, with a temperature of 22.4 degrees Celsius and a humidity level set at 60% RH.”
The voice then proceeded to inform them about the room’s condition among other sets of data.
“I see. We were inside a basic decompression chamber,” muttered Jmerr.
The tallest crewmate, Lessandre, popped his helmet off and took a deep breath.
“Ah, historical fresh air,” he boomed, looking around the oval room. “It brings a tear to my eye.”
“What are you doing?” Yontan shouted. “We don’t know what particles or microorganisms could linger in here.”
“Relax, captain. Tyche analyzed the air and told me it’s fine. Why don’t you all retract your visors and experience this multimillennial-old air? You’ll never have the chance to do that again, you know.”
Yontan checked with his own version of his AI, Tyche, and everything seemed to be fine, so he retracted the visor of his helmet as well, just in time to scratch an itch on his beard. The rest of the crew followed, except for Jmerr.
“Come on, Jmerr. It’s a unique experience, my friend,” beamed Lessandre, tapping on his shoulder.
Jmerr scowled at Lessandre. “I refuse to take unnecessary risks.”
“As you wish,” Lessandre grinned, loudly sniffing the air. “Ahhh. The air in here is exceptionally… how to describe it?”
“Dusty?” Lezlybe chimed in. “I think the auto-clean on the filter stopped working long ago.”
Yontan was ignoring his crew, inspecting the walls of this oval room for clues. But the room was pretty much empty, outside of the air conditioning holes and lights flickering on the ceiling.
“I know there’s another door on the other side of the crater, but that one’s the entrance to the accumulator and workspaces,” he muttered to himself, caressing the wall in the hopes of finding a button or a gap of sorts.
“Is that place also turquoise?” asked Lessandre. “I really hate this color. Reminds me too much of my ex.”
Lezlybe rolled her eyes.
“Then why don’t we go there?” asked Ghenna, who had closed her visor since she didn’t like the smell.
“Because,” began Yontan absent-mindedly while brushing his hands over the wall, “every document points to this place. We’ll check the other site if we don’t find anything here. Now if only I – aha! A button. This might be it.”
Yontan pushed it with his finger. Instead of clicking, like any other button would, his index finger sank completely in. He immediately withdrew it, fearing something might cut his finger off. But the button came back, except it was now white and protruded out of the wall. Yontan hesitantly pressed it.
An oval pedestal emerged from the middle of the floor, gradually rising until it reached chest height. The left side slid open with melodious clicks, and out came a small table with a round black object on it with a sky-blue center. Before they had the time to guess what it was, a hologram rose from it, displaying the head of an old balding man with a lazy eye.
“Greetings, future humans,” said the feeble voice. “And welcome to K.U. ONE. What is your purpose here?”
Yontan glanced at his crew, who gave him a nod and shrugs. He cleared his throat and spoke clearly, “We’ve come here to gain access to the Ultimate Knowledge, which is said to contain the answers to our purpose within the universe.”
“I see. And you are one, two, five. Oh! That is good news, good news indeed. I’ve been waiting for you. Well, not me per se, since I’m long dead, I suppose,” the hologram laughed, “but my digital image. And five? Oh, proof that nothing happens at random.”
Yontan was slightly taken aback.
“Wait. You’re not a simple recording?”
“No, no. I’m enhanced with artificial intelligence. It speaks as I would speak, saying what I asked it to say – with a bit of panache. Now, move to the other side of the pedestal. It will pop open and contain a box.”
The other side popped open, displaying a silver box embossed with gold on the edges. It was beautiful. Lessandre grabbed it and tried to pry it open.
“Tut-tut! You need the key to open the box. I’ll hand it over only of you accept to eat its contents.”
“Eat it?” Yontan uttered in excitement. “Will it alter our brains? Give us the knowledge we yearn for?”
“Not quite. But it is a necessary step.”
“I won’t touch it,” Jmerr stated firmly. “I don’t trust this man. Whatever’s inside, it’s been in there for thousands of years. There’s no way it’s still edible.”
“Oh but it is,” grinned the man. “What do you think the Sunfire Conduit is used for?”
“What?” uttered Lezlybe. “The power of the sun used for… food?”
“Of course, there’s more to it. But a lot of energy is necessary to cool it down to near zero kelvin and keep it that way until it’s very slowly reheated to the ideal temperature for you to savor.
“Now, will you eat its contents or not?”
“Why don’t we bring it back to the ship and study it?” suggested Jmerr.
“The moment you leave the room with the box, its contents will be destroyed, and so will the key to Ultimate Knowledge.”
Yontan exchanged a glance with his crew. Lessandre gave him thumbs up, Ghenna nodded and Lezlybe shrugged. Jmerr was the only one to firmly shake his head.
“Fine, we’ll eat its contents,” said Yontan, upon which Jmerr put his hands up in the air in frustration.
A key appeared from the front of the pedestal. Yonan used it to open the box Lessandre was holding. Five dark-brown spherical objects were neatly placed within fitting molds, resembling the five dots on a die.
“Behold the Five Orbs of Knowledge,” the hologram said solemnly. “I recommend one for each of you.”
Jmerr crossed his arms. “There’s no way I’m touching this.”
“What if someone eats two?” asked Yontan, eyeing Jmerr.
“It would sadden me, even though it might be beneficial to grasp the Ultimate Knowledge.”
Without hesitation, Lessandre popped the middle one in his mouth. Every other crewmate was staring at him. A few bites in, he suddenly froze, eyes wide open. His gaze slowly shifted from Yontan, to Lezlybe, to Ghenna – whose visor was now lowered – and finally stopped on Jmerr.
“Awl eash ‘em bofh,” he rapidly chewed, popping a second one in. “Awl eash ‘em owl ihf you guysh downt.”
Yontan’s hand was shaking as he picked his Orb. Lezlybe and Ghenna also chose one.
“On the count of three,” gulped Yontan, as he noticed the horrified look on Jmerr. “One… two… three!”
The shell of the Orb had a slight crunch, with a rather soft, creamy inner core, gently melting on their tongue. Sweet with a zest of bitterness. Each bite, each movement of their tongue was another moment they savored, dreading the end of this unique flavor. It was an explosion of exoticism, a sensory overload inside their mouth; the richness of the Orb filled their taste buds and souls alike with pure bliss.
Then there was the aroma, dissolving the dusty odor of the room with its arboraceous perfume. It reminded them of Terrestrial woods, now planted across various planets in the Milky Way. Comforting, ancient, nostalgic, and so raw at heart.
Fortunately, this jolly adventure didn’t end after they swallowed it, no, each residue, sticking to the various corners of their mouths, lingered like a fleeting memory soon to disappear forever. Yet it was still there, to grasp with the palm of their hands. But when they tried to, it became vapor, dwindling, yet etched in their brains with such strength it would be impossible to ever forget this moment. Ever.
Their minds were still floating on a cloud of ecstasy when Yontan stared at Lessandre.
“You ate two,” he breathed. “And you,” he turned to Jmerr, “you have no idea what you’ve just missed. It’s… indescribably delectable.” Yontan faced the hologram. “Please, give us one more, for Jmerr. He has to try this… Orb.”
The hologram grinned widely, creasing the old man’s entire face.
“These were the last five. There are no more.”
“WHAT?” everyone shouted at once.
“Th– that’s it? No more?” Yontan’s shoulder slumped. “Why didn’t you tell us earlier? We could’ve taken it back to the ship and try to recreate it.”
“It’s impossible without the recipe.”
“A recipe? Give it to us, I don’t care about Ultimate Knowledge anymore,” Lessandre laughed.
“But you had two,” Lezlybe scowled.
“And I want more,” he chuckled. “I’ve never felt better in my life. Even two were far too few!”
“Yes, hand us the recipe so we can share it with the rest of the crew,” pleaded Yontan.
The hologram seemed more and more pleased with itself.
“Even if I gave you the recipe you couldn’t make it when the main ingredient’s missing.”
“What’s the main ingredient?” Ghenna asked.
“Cacao. And these were chocolate truffles, which I made myself utilizing the very last cacao beans to ever exist. I’m sorry. You’ll never eat chocolate ever again.”
Jmerr seemed disappointed upon hearing it, especially after seeing how everyone reacted to it.
“B – but… why?” Yontan asked. “Why offer us a delicious treat only to punch us in the gut right after?”
The hologram smiled. “Think. What is your purpose here?”
“To acquire Ultimate Knowledge… But I fail to understand…”
“If my clock is correct, 3622 years have passed since the last human – which is myself – set wheels in this room. 3622 years of technological advancement, of accumulated mastery of various sciences and understanding of the universe. Yet you believe Ultimate Knowledge is to be found in the past?”
The crewmembers looked at each other, dumbfounded.
“So… it doesn’t exist?” suggested Lezlybe. “We’ve come this far for nothing…”
“Haven’t you just experienced the ultimate delicacy of humankind? Therein lies everything you need to know.”
“It’s not about the knowledge,” began Yontan, “but about the experience we savor?”
“Exactly!” Clapping hands appeared in front of the hologram’s face. “Instead of looking for something that may not be, learn to cherish the transient nature of existence through every experience you encounter. Who knows what happens once you’re dead? Constant hesitation leads to a life of lost opportunities. One of you has learned this lesson the hard way, I’m afraid. However, the tall man over there has greatly benefited from this lesson. Balance in all things!”
“No data is ever lost,” snorted Jmerr scornfully. “Death is simply the temporary loss of information until it’s retrieved.”
“The no-hiding theorem,” smiled the hologram. “Of course. But you wouldn’t be here if you could completely determine the state of the entire universe. Thus, my rhetoric stays valid. For as long as this is beyond our grasp – likely until humanity’s extinction – you ought to cherish every experience and lose your fear of consequences within reason.”
The room went silent, the subtle taste of chocolate still lingering in their mouths like the fading words of an old love letter.
“What do we do now, captain?” Ghenna asked shyly.
“Take your new-found knowledge and share it with others,” the hologram said before Yontan could open his mouth.
“So… there really is nothing else here?”
“Nothing at all.”
The hologram fluttered for a moment.
“Were these really the last pieces of chocolate?”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn’t you eat them yourself?”
“Because sharing is the quintessential attribute of humanity. And I’m glad to have contributed my part, even though it took several millennia.”
“So why use all that energy from the sun?” asked Lezlybe.
“It’s twofold,” said the hologram. “Partially to keep this chocolate in pristine state, as I said before. You’ll understand the second reason soon enough. Let’s say it’s a parting gift, for that man who hasn’t eaten his Orb.”
“I don’t understand.” Yontan was running his fingers through his hair. “You speak of sharing, yet we won’t be able to share this exquisite experience. There’s no chocolate left.”
“Share the wisdom you’ve acquired. Or perhaps you shall find something unique to share with others as I did. Even the stories of your adv–”
The man disappeared for a few seconds.
“–entures – Ah? We’ve been cut. Soon I shall be free, just like your minds. Swiftly return to your ships, and sail t–”
It flickered again and stopped for nearly ten seconds.
“–he vast empty space to… wherever your heart leads you. Farewell. Fare well indeed.”
The hologram zoomed out to show an old man sitting on a wheelchair, waving both hands. It flickered one last time before completely fading out with a hum.
Suddenly, a familiar voice spoke from everyone’s earpiece.
“Captain, is everything all right?” asked one of the crew left on the ship in a panic.
“Why? Did the entrance crumble down?”
“No, Sir. It’s the Conduit. You need to see this for yourself.”
The crew put on their visors and hurried out of the room, through the hallway, out on the freezing surface of Pluto. They gasped upon staring up.
“The Conduit!” Ghenna uttered.
It was oscillating, slowly shrinking until the last flames swooshed back and forth from the relay to the crater, and then, it retracted entirely.
“It’s… it’s gone…” sighed Yontan.
“The parting gift,” Jmerr sobbed. “He knew. He knew someone might not try out the chocolate truffle, and he purposefully shut down the entire system.”
Lessandre turned to Jmerr. “Consider this your incredible experience. We must be the only humans to ever see this happen in real time.”
“But we can reconnect it, unlike the chocolate, can’t we?” said Lizlybe.
Yontan shook his head. “Do you know of the ancient pyramids in the northern African continent?”
“Yeah…” she hesitated. “Vaguely.”
“Do you know why they’ve never been rebuilt?”
Lezlybe shrugged.
“Because there’s nothing to gain in doing so.” He pointed his finger at the vast expanse above him. “We’ve never rebuilt the ancient pyramids – not due to complexity, but due to loss of time and resources involved without any actual benefit. I’m afraid this is the last time anyone has admired this old tech at work.”
Upon their return on the ship, they told the rest of the crew what inside the U.K. ONE.
“So the Ultimate Knowledge doesn’t exist?” one of the crewmember asked.
Yontan took one last glance at the crater as the ship took off.
“I believe it does,” he beamed, looking at the bemused faces of his crew. “Not here.” He gently tapped his temple. “But here.” His hand rested on his chest. “And there.” His arms were wide open, as if trying to embrace his whole crew at once. “Acquired wisdom is the Ultimate Knowledge. And the ability to share experiences with others is our greatest gift.”

Which anime do you think would be the most intriguing to see reimagined by a different author, and why?
All these anime are already amazing but I'm just curious on how it would have turned out if the writer was different.
My picks:

1. Attack on Titan by Sui Ishida (Author of Tokyo Ghoul) - Isayama is the GOAT. But AOT written by Sui Ishida would be absolutely incredible too. The art and paneling would be crazy
2. Tokyo Ghoul by Hajime Isayama (Author of Attack on Titan) - Vice versa. Isayama's interpretation of the world inhabited by ghouls and humans would be phenomenal. Kaneki is already a great character, but he would have been one of the best characters in fiction
3. Haikyu by Takehiko Inoue (Author of Slam Dunk) - No chance this doesn't become my favourite anime
4. Chainsaw Man by Gen Urobuchi (Writer of Madoka Magica)
5. Madoka Magica by Tappei Nagatsuki (Author of Re: Zero)
6. Neon Genesis Evangelion by Naoki Urasawa (Author of Pluto)
7. Pluto by Hajime Isayama (Author of Attack on Titan)
8. Bungo Stray Dogs by Nisioisin (Author of Monogatari)
9. Re: Zero by Kinoko Nasu (Author of Kara no Kyoukai)

The metal Olympics are taking place in the wild world of commodities, with gold, silver and copper-based bronze all scoring a place on the podium. New highs continue to be notched in the latest games, though there is skepticism about the results and the possibilities of a rigged performance. However, for those betting on which medal might be awarded next, there is plenty to consider for all the competitors:
Gold: The yellow metal just hit levels of over $2,450 per ounce despite a strong American economy and U.S. dollar. Analysts have pointed to a coming Fed pivot on interest rates, as well as geopolitical tensions that have increased demand for the safe haven. Not only are investors getting involved, but there has been a large amount of buying from central banks, while the retail crowd is even getting in on the action with gold bars from Costco (COST).
Silver: The metal has outperformed gold in recent weeks, bringing its total gain to 32% YTD, compared to gold's 18% return. It also benefits from all the safe haven attributes of its shiny cousin, such as a popular hedge against inflation, along with some distinctive practical qualities of its own. Silver is used for industrial purposes, like solar panel cells, and is relatively cheap in ounces when compared to pricey gold.
Copper: The latest rip has made numerous headlines after hitting all-time highs on exchanges across the globe. Fear of supply shortages and trade disputes has helped generate buzz around the industrial bellwether, which is also key for the green transition and rising electrification needs. Copper is used in EVs, wind turbines, power transmission and AI data centers, meaning there are actual supply and demand fundamentals to assess when evaluating the worth of the red metal.
Too shiny? The commodity competition can experience chaotic events, with scandals and manipulation hitting items like nickel and cocoa in recent years. There is speculation that this might be going on this time around, triggered by leveraged contract buying, short squeeze momentum, or price premiums on different exchanges. Others see a lot of metal potential that has even resulted in some real-world M&A action, such as BHP's (BHP) $39B proposed takeover of Anglo American (OTCQX:AAUKF), which would create the world's top copper producer.
Wall Street leadership Succession plans are "well on the way" at JPMorgan (JPM), with Jamie Dimon saying it's up to the board to determine how much longer he'll remain CEO. "I think when I can't put the jersey on and give it my full effort, I should leave," he announced at the bank's Investor Day, adding that the timetable "is not five years anymore." Dimon also outlined that the lender will not repurchase a lot of stock at current prices, noting that such a buyback - at a valuation of 2.3 times tangible book value - would be "a mistake." JPM shares slipped 4.5% following the comments on Tuesday, but are up more than 40% over the past year. (60 comments)
Pulling a 180? Cryptocurrencies are back in rally mode as traders increasingly bet on the approval of the first spot ether ETF. While the industry previously did not expect the SEC to give the green light, the regulator has reportedly requested that ETF issuers update 19b-4 filings on an accelerated basis. The development signals some progress, but it doesn't mean it's a done deal. Ether (ETH-USD) is still up big on the news, soaring 20% to $3,708. The SEC's decision on VanEck's spot ether ETF application is expected on Thursday, and one from ARK Invest is due on Friday. (1 comment)
Bear capitulation One of Wall Street's prominent bears has finally turned positive on his outlook for the stock market as indexes continue to hit record highs. Mike Wilson, equity strategist at Morgan Stanley, now calls for the S&P 500 (SP500) to rise to 5,400, higher than his previous year-end target of 4,500, which was one of the lowest on Wall Street. The forecast is derived from a 19x P/E multiple on 12-month forward EPS based on June 2026 of $283. "This earnings path is based on our economists' growth forecasts, output from our earnings models, and our view that AI diffusion will boost margins starting in 2025," Wilson declared. (48 comments)
Today's Markets
In Asia, Japan -0.3%. Hong Kong -2.1%. China -0.4%. India -0.1%. In Europe, at midday, London -0.4%. Paris -1%. Frankfurt -0.4%. Futures at 7:00, Dow flat. S&P flat. Nasdaq -0.1%. Crude -1.4% to $78.16. Gold -0.6% to $2,423.40. Bitcoin +5.8% to $71,004. Ten-year Treasury Yield -2 bps to 4.43%.
Today's Economic Calendar
9:00 Fed's Barkin Speech 9:00 Fed's Waller Speech 9:05 Fed's Williams Speech 9:10 Fed's Bostic Speech 11:45 Fed’s Barr Speech 7:00 PM Fed's Bostic Speech
Companies reporting earnings today »
What else is happening...
WSB survey results: Be aware of risks related to meme rallies.
Gruenberg to quit as FDIC chair after toxic work culture scandal.
Mester: More data needed before Fed cuts as inflation progress stalls.
Palo Alto Networks (PANW) tumbles after lowering billings guidance.
OpenAI to pause ChatGPT voice as it resembles Scarlett Johansson.
EV drama: Tesla shareholders to vote on Elon Musk's pay package.
China's Li Auto (LI) postpones all-electric SUV launch until 2025.
Hims & Hers (HIMS) sells cheap versions of GLP-1 weight loss drugs.
Trump Media (DJT) reports hefty quarterly loss on very little revenue.
Calpers to oppose all Exxon (XOM) directors in shareholder dispute.